Flickr Favorites

1. Things to do today: Step out of comfort zone., 2. There might be plenty more Pebbles on the Beach, but I like this one., 3. wave crash, 4. Comfort zone and shadows

A few days ago, LaPomme on Etsy asked us some advice in her blog about some new stuff that she made recently. She regularly steps out of her comfort zone and tries out different things. I love that idea and got inspired by it over the past few days.
I dropped all that was keeping me busy and experimented, drew, used materials I normally don't use and in the end came up with a new idea. I'm really excited about how forcing yourself to step out of your comfort zone can be so refreshing. Yes, it does have limitations, as I can't draw really well, but it felt great to push myself into other mediums then I usually use.
It's like looking around on the beach for shells and pebbles and picking up that particular one.
It's like jumping the waves and get excited about your pants getting wet.
It's like finding the balance of things again.
Try it, it's great! Thanks for the inspiration, Apol! :)

Last weeks favorite mosaic fits mine this week perfectly! :)

If you like to play this week, make your mosaic and add a link to your blogpost (NOT your blog please) or Flickr in Mister Linky (click on the button below and fill in your name with the link to your blogpost or Flickr picture).

Tutorial on Poppytalk Handmade

Today, one of my tutorials is published on Poppytalk Handmade. It's all about how to make an Easter decoration and use a leather punch tool.
Hop over here to find it. Enjoy!
If you leave a comment here, you'll have a chance to win the birdies I made for making the tutorial. :)

Weekly happy stats

I don't have any progress to show on my ripple blanket because every night, I fell asleep each time I started crocheting. Then I decided to follow Maartje from Mamutopia in doing some happy stats this week. Every Saturday, she posts them in her blog and I just love the idea of looking at all the positive things that happened the past week.
So here are my happy stats...

• Getting a haircut and being able to make proper pigtails again

• Sitting outside in the spring sun
  
  
• Making 2 fun tutorials


• Euro week on Etsy
  
  
• Reaching 7000 shop hearts on Etsy
  
  
• Spring cleaning our home

This sign says 'Spring' :)
(via Boomerang)

Happy weekend, everyone! :)

Merry go round

The month has passed super quick and every last friday of the month, I jump on the 'Merry go round'. What is the Merry go round exactly? Each month, a group of craftswomen from around the world join together and give their reponses to the same question/challenge.
This month we were challenged to take a photograph of something and create something inspired by it. For those among you with sensitive souls, I have to warm you 'cause what I'm showing is not a pretty sight...
Regular blogreaders know that I have been on a hunt for fish lately. I have been looking far and near for plastic play fish, lures, moulds,... but have not had much succes.

Therefor, a real fish is in order!

It's not the head that's important...

It's the tail that I need!

So, I moulded half of it...

And then pressed porcelain clay in it.

I hope that Anna, my collaboration partner,
will be able to use it in her creations...

I must admit that I had a different picture at first but the end result didn't work out the way I wanted. Hopefully I can still show that sometime later...

Want to see what other merriers made being inspired by a picture of something?
Hop over to their blogs to see! :)
Alison at Tweed Delights - http://idreamoftweed.blogspot.com

Kim at Vilt a la Kim - http://viltalakim.blogspot.com

Sara at Crafts of Texture - http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com

Fabienne at Easterya Jewellery Creations - http://easterya.blogspot.com

Mariana at Florcita - http:/www./florcita.eu/

Agathe at Le Bar du Vent - http://lebarduvent.blogspot.com

Lily at Lily Pang Art and Design - http://lilypangart.blogspot.com

Wendren at Wren Design - http://thewrendesign.com

Ruth at Birdland Creations - http://insidetheartisan.blogspot.com

My creative space

Today I'm going to make a tutorial. A few weeks ago, I got some tools from EviesToolEmporium on Etsy. She participated in the Totally Tutorials Exchange program and gave away a leather punch tool set in exchange for a tutorial. It is the second time that I work with Michelle and it's always a joy. I made a prototype yesterday and can't wait to show you but I'll keep you in suspense for a bit longer! :)

Want to show your creative space? Hop over to Kootoyoo's to play! It's fun! :)

Herb tags

In the beginning of June, I'll be attending a fair in Eindhoven called 'Crafty Gardens'. It is in a garden center and every year they have a theme. This year it will be 'herbs'. The people who organise it, asked if we could create something according to this theme.
So I thought about making herb tags and already took 'em to the last fair I went to. I realised that I didn't show 'em yet so here they are. They won't be for sale in my Etsy shop as they are in Dutch. I fired them really high so that they can stand all the weather influences.

Flickr Favorites

1. Egg Carton Curiosities, 2. DIY Hollow Secret Book - Step 17, 3. Paper Bead Tutorial, 4. Paint Chip Notebook Tutorial

First of all I'd like to thank you for all those 'selfportrait' mosaics that were made last week. It was such a joy to meet you and I'm glad you all liked the challenge. If you ever feel the urge to do another challenge and want to suggest a theme, don't hesitate to let me know and we'll go for it! :)
I made this mosaic last week because I made a new group on Flickr called 'ArtMind tutorials'. It's a place where I'll drop all the tutorials I made and hopefully people will start adding pics of things they made being inspired by my tutorials. :) Feel free to join the group. So today's mosaic is all about tutorials...

I don't really have a favorite mosaic from last week, I loved 'em all! :)

If you like to play this week, make your mosaic and add a link to your blogpost (NOT your blog please) or Flickr in Mister Linky (click on the button below and fill in your name with the link to your blogpost or Flickr picture).

Random inspiration

Quite often, I'm overwhelmed by the source of inspiration that the internet can be. When I find sites that I love, I drop 'em in a folder called 'inspiration' and every now and then, I go and browse that folder. Here are a few artists that I find really cool!

Mitsuru Koga via Crescendo

Kate Mac Dowell via EvaForeva

Marc Johns post-it note drawings via Twitter

Ripple dreams... part 7

Wow, I got 6 ripple rows done on my ripple blanket this week which is great as I can already cover myself with my blanket when I'm crocheting. It's nice and warm and I can't wait to get it finished completely so that I can actually wrap it around me when vegging out on the couch.Oh, and while I'm at it, remember the butchered bunny?
I re-made him and put him in my shop and he is now in Etsy's voter! Waaah!
You can imagine how excited he is so he promised me he'll wiggle his tail for every vote he gets! :)
You have to log in at Etsy to vote though: http://www.etsy.com/voter_list.php?ref=voter&room_id=97 Thank you for voting!

My creative space

I don't think I've ever posted my creative space so late but I just had to enjoy the entire day outside! It was actually the first spring day that made me put on a skirt, shirt and feel the sunshine on my head! I loved cleaning up the garden, get the garden set cleaned and sit outside enjoying my first glass of white wine to celebrate that spring has arrived...
I had an awesome day, and you? :)

Want to show your creative space? Hop over to Kootoyoo's to play, it's fun! :)

Looking for fish

A crazy idea in my head made me go look for fishes. You know, just plain plastic toy fishes from about 6cm or 2,5inches or a bit smaller but certainly not larger. Important fact: the tail needs to be nice. I like the tails on the second and third fish below. The first tail is too wide and not typical fish enough for my taste.
Anyway, my search has been horror. I went to every toy shop in town, visited the thrift shop every other day and I digged in the toyboxes of my niece and nephew to find what I was looking for but it just doesn't seem to exist.
Being kind of desperate, I asked my dad, who loves to go fishing, if he had any lures to spare.
We went to the fish material shop yesterday and I bought these 2 below but I'm not really thrilled about them. The tail of the first one is too long and the tail of the second one is not really a tail, it's a flat piece so that fisherman can add it to their hook. I might use the head in this case.
So I'm goingto experiment with those two for now.
But I thought the perhaps you could help me on my search? Go through the toy box of your kids, keep an eye out in the thrift shop,...
If you have any fish laying about that you would like to get rid off for art purposes, don't hesitate to contact me. I'll be happy to hear from you: mitsy@artmind.eu
Just don't send me anything yet, but show me a picture first so that I can see if it's useable and if it's THE fish I have been looking for. I'll pay for the fish and shipping or if you like an exchange better, we'll trade a fish for a singing bird! :)

Flickr Favorites

1. 77/365, you're never fully dressed without a smile!, 2. Rebel!, 3. Looking up, 4. What box shall we think outside of???, 5. The Eye, 6. Last day in Paris, 7. 153.365 ~ . the balancing act., 8. hah!, 9. White

I hardly ever make mosaics with more the 4 pictures but that would have made this weeks challenge even harder. Actually, I forgot all about the challenge and prepared a mosaic and when I went back to check out the link of last weeks favorite, I saw that I challenged you to make a self portrait! Duh! :)

So, I got to work and wrote down a few words to describe myself. Then I tried to find the right pictures in Flickr. Not an easy task as some are creepy and some are dull but let me explain a bit...
1. I smile and laugh a lot. I like to believe it will make me old and wrinkled and then later, when people come and ask me the secret of becoming that old, I would answer: 'smile and laugh a lot'
2. I'm a rebel. Jip, I really am. I dislike being walked over and I often 'fight' for people who are done unjustice. It's not always easy being a rebel but I can't change it, so I try to live with it.
3. Looking up is what I've learned over the years. It has made me stronger and more aware of things. Not being afraid of facing things but take it all in in pride.
4. I like to think outside the box. It is good to look at things from another perspective.
5. I don't like to look back. Memories are great but I don't hold on to them. It's the present that counts. This picture is a bit creepy but it also shows that it's not always easy to look at the present. It can be a struggle but there is no point of living in the past.
6. Small things are often really big for me: a little note in the mail, a blooming flower, an old couple sitting hand in hand in the park, an unexpected gift, an encouraging word,... it makes my world much fuller, nicer, richer.
7. I try to balance things. Not an easy task and I often don't succeed but when I do, I can fly.
8. I'm a patient person. Unless someone puts a cake in front of me...
9. I need space. Space in my head and in my heart. I also love wide open spaces where there's no one except me. Too bad we don't have many of those in Belgium.

Phew, this was quite a challenge but it also felt good to reflect a bit on myself. I hope I haven't scared you away and actually, I'm curious to find out more about you.
I'd love to meet you but if you don't feel like playing the 'selfportrait' game, don't. It's supposed to be fun and if it's not fun, there is no point!

I'm so glad that my favorite mosaic from last week was loved by many!
Very subtle, very delicate, very beautiful...

If you like to play this week, make your mosaic and add a link to your blogpost (NOT your blog please) or Flickr in Mister Linky (click on the button below and fill in your name with the link to your blogpost or Flickr picture).

How to make happy Decopatched clouds?

Living in Belgium certainly has it's advantages: yummy chocolate, good beer and the real 'French' fries, with mayonaise of course...
Like every other country, it also has it's disadvantages: it rains a lot here.
And while the clouds are forming in the sky, looking daunting and grey, I dream of happy clouds. You know, colored clouds that make colored rain and makes everyone happy, even when it rains.

When I think of clouds, I also think of Maartje from Mamutopia on Etsy. She also has a lovely blog where I quite often take a peek to see with what fun creations she has come up with and I adore her weekly happy stats on saturday's.
Recently, I noticed that she has been producing an awesome amount of clouds. That's why I asked her to help me with my happy clouds. She send me some so that I could use them for making this happy cloud tutorial. Thank you, Maartje! :)

Here is what you need:
Decopatch paper, Decopatch glue, glue brush, pencil,
scissor, glass bottle (IKEA), glasses, jars,...

Draw clouds on the Decopatch paper.
This can be random clouds, I used Maartje's because
I love 'em & to hide I can barely draw. :)

Cut out the clouds.I think I have enough clouds. Apply some Decopatch glue on the bottle with the brush.Add the Decopatch cloud.

Take some more glue and brush it over the cloud.
That way it's protected against water.
Note: it is not dishwasher safe and can only cope
with a slight bit of cold water so it's used for
decorative purposes unless you add a thick layer of varnish.

The glue leaves a bit of brushmarks on the bottle.
If you don't like that, take some hot water,
a bit of detergent, a cloth and rub them away. Let it dry & then drink from the happy clouds.

I love drinking water and I fill one of these every day right from the tab. Hmm...

Ripple dreams... part 6

After a few hectic weeks, I was really happy to pick up my crochet hook. It's becoming harder and harder to choose the colors as I think I've used most of the pretty ones already.
Since I ordered 33 different colors, I started to use some darker colors so that they would not all come together at the end. I hope it doesn't look too dark - what do you think?I now have 17 rows of the 33 done - that's halfway of the first part of the blanket.

My creative space

The other day I saw some pretty pink Decopatch paper in my supply shop. And since I don't really have pink singing birds yet, I decided to make a little flock.
I also have some birds waiting to be photographed and listed but I'll do a shoot when I have 'em all done.
And completely off the subject: the letter 'm' is acting really weird on my keyboard. I have to press it really hard or it won't show. It bugs me as I use that letter a lot since my name starts with an 'm'. :)

Want to show your creative space? Hop over to Kootoyoo's to play! It's fun! :)

Flickr Favorites

1. You Are Sunshine, You Are Rain, 2. Tulip, 3. full bloom, 4. Untitled

If spring doesn't come to me, I get it myself! :) Adding a touch of pink to your day can make such a difference. I'm not a girlie girl but pink makes me happy because it reminds me of the blossoms in spring, softness and IF colors could smell, I think that pink would smell marvelous.

Every week, we have a challenge on the European Streetteam and last week, it was the theme 'selfportrait' initiated by the lovely Dawn from LaTouchables. I would have loved to make something for the theme but a shortage of hands and time prevented me.
So, I thought: perhaps I can ask the Flickr Favorite players to make a mosaic as a selfportrait for next week... jip, a challenge but it might also be nice to reflect on who you are and it will be nice for us to see who's behind the avatar, username or mosaic... No need to show a pic of yourself, just a gathering of pictures that represent your being.
So, I challenge for you next week. That is if you're up to it of course, don't feel pressured if you don't feel like it... just do as you please! Would love to meet you! :)

My favorite mosaic from last week involves eating... :) Nomnom!

If you like to play this week, make your mosaic and add a link to your blogpost (NOT your blog please) or Flickr in Mister Linky (click on the button below and fill in your name with the link to your blogpost or Flickr picture).

Evanement

First of all, this is the only picture that came out right, the few that were taken at the fair were too dark and blurry.
Just because I'm such a good photographer... *sigh*
So nothing much to show you of the fair itself I'm afraid. It was a small fair only with about 20 stands and lots of them gave information about their organisation so there were only a few stands that sold stuff.
It was inside and there were lots of activities happening in the whole building so people came to the fair on and off. This combination is great if people come for both events: the workshops and the fair. I had the feeling that lots of people came for the workshops and strolled around at the fair to pass the time for the next workshop. So it was definately not a craft fair that focussed only on handmade goods but it was great to show what I am made off and with 99 feelings to show, that was quite a lot. I loved seeing the expression of people's faces when I start to name the feelings while I explain what the project is about.
I was so happy to meet some customers, fellow Etsians and blogreaders and only that made it already worthwile for me being there.Annemiek from TwoTreesBelgium sells lovely ceramics and jewellery and it was lovely chatting to another ceramist and share some knowledge.Also Julia from TheSpottedSparrow showed up at the fair. She's such a sunshine and sells eco friendly, vintage inspired paper goods.
Make sure to check out their shops as they both do great work!

One of my blogreaders, Nynke of TheLifeOfAPurpleRabbit, surprised me with a visit and she made me this beautiful scarf. She made it in my favorite color: green. That gave me goosebumps and I think that unexpected gifts like these are the best! I'll wear it with pride, Nynke! Thank you so much!And Cecilie, originally from Denmark but now living in Bonn was my first customer on the fair. She's a fan of my work obviously and I suspect that she knows all the mini-art-feelings by name too. How cute is that? After the contact I've had with her (and her husband who purchased some of my work as gifts) via Etsy, it was supernice to meet both of them in real life. Thank you too for stopping by.

I did take my ripple blanket along and I did hope to chat a bit more with Mariana from Florcita and with Kim from Viltalakim, but it was too busy for that, which is a good thing I suppose... :)

Jewellery display and price tags

While I haven 't had a chance to crochet for a while, I am really missing it and I can't wait to get back to it next week. But I've done some other cool things besides preparing for the fair.
I love a new project to tackle and making a jewellery display for our collaboration pieces was kind of a challenge. I wanted it to look clean and contemporary but also with a little twist.
I painted the frame, took the picture out and replaced it wit foam board.
Do you think I succeeded?I love the bended semi-transparant paper - it's so easy to hang earrings from too.
I also made new price tags from the left over transparant paper and foambord (used for making model houses). I'm so happy with the new look: clean, clear and modern. And sooo easy to make too.
Print your text on semi-transparant paper (I used 110g). Cut it out with a knife.
Measure how long the price tag is and cut the foamboard a bit longer.
To make the little cut line in the foamboard, I keep the part where I cut it out to put my ruler on. Makes cutting much easier.
Slide your knife, while holding it a bit to the side, through the foambord.
Then squeeze the paper into the foamboard.
So easy to make and good to look at. :)