Saturday, February 12, 2011

Cues from Nature - Season of Poppies Etsy Treasury List

    
Season of Poppies   
Poppies are one of my favorite flowers. They boast a vibrant orange-red color and yet possess a kind of ethereal presence. I even made a poppy brooch a few weeks ago... Aren't they breathtaking? Take a look over the treasury list, see what inspires you.

Oriental Poppy
Poppy brooch

Amigurumi

My own Rupert the Owl from irenestrange in Etsy

Made this little penguin for a friend's daughter... She's delighted, just as I am!

Researching for patterns on the web, I came across the art of amigurumi. I can't believe I went so long without knowing about it jeje. There are literally TONS of patterns online and they're awesome. Just awesome. I have about 6 patterns, and will make some more later on. Found a useful video on youtube to understand the basics of amigurumi. Have fun! Please add any interesting links you might find useful.



Here are some patterns I found incredible:

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Crochet Everything

Oriental Poppy Brooch from the book Crochet Bouquet by Suzann Thompson


When I was a little girl, my grandmother taught me how to sew, crochet, etc. I never thought, not for one minute, that I'd go back... first came the sewing... then came the crochet. I decided this year I'd dust off my crochet abilities (thank God for YouTube) and right now, I'm obsessed.

I have bought every color thread under the sun, and later on, I will attempt to dye my own threads. I've already dyed feathers with food coloring and vinegar, so the process shouldn't be that different.

The Poppy pattern was fun to make, and the result is just breathtaking. I made it into a brooch, but the possibilities are pretty much endless.

Here is a helpful link to crochet, I find that once you know the basics all you really need are libraries of stitches to help you decode the million patterns found in the web:

http://www.needlecraftuniversity.com/libcrochet.htm

Monday, February 7, 2011

Rosettes

My Christmas gift to myself

Feeling Festive

I am frankly amazed by the fact that intricate delicate things are coming back to fashion. Of course, I love the minimalist look, but I always find myself leaning toward the touch of something with substance, a statement that's both delicate and bold.

Naturally then, when I came across rosette bib necklaces, I was instantly obsessed...

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Threading the proverbial needle

Trinitaria (Bougainvillea) from my garden

I was recently perusing the idea of going back to writing on a journal. I felt the need to document my projects, as it seems my hobbies have officially taken over my life. But then, everywhere I looked, someone close to me was posting things on their blogs. First my father and now my younger cousin, something had to be done.

I'll try to keep it simple. Anyway, there's only about a couple zillion blogs out there relating exactly to the same thing: creative endeavors, crafts and hobbies.

I will start with the basics: I craft to survive. I craft to make sense of the world. Somewhere in the middle of having an idea and giving it tangible form, something magical happens. I know, cliché, right? Well, they're there for a reason, and that's hitting us over the head when we finally understand we're right smack in the middle of one.