Under the House

Newspaper clipping:
Claire Robertson - Loobylu

    Yesterday I was under the house storing stuff. While I was down there I opened a box of archived sketchbooks and journals. Flipping through them I found this saved newspaper clipping. 

    What was so special about this clipping that I had to save it? This article, which is about illustrator Claire Robertson, inspired me to do what I'm doing right now - blogging and crafting. Before reading this article I had absolutely no idea there was a craft renaissance happening. I also knew nothing of blogging back then. So much can happen in ten years.

    To see what Claire Robertson is up to these days, you can check out her blog - Loobylu.

Homemade Yum Love

    The past few years I have learnt to appreciate the art of homemade in a whole new way. The first time I discovered a blog it was Loobylu which led me to Meet Me At Mikes and inevitably a wide world of online crafters and artists. I cannot express the joy I felt in seeing people just getting out their paint brushes and sewing machines, making things and quite literally making their own rules.
    When it is gift time I do still buy presents, but when I can, I will try to make something. And the things that I've made have made far greater impact on the people who have been on the receiving end.
    This week's craft project will be making felty pizza slices. I found a wonderfully simple tute by Semi-Crunchy Mama, which I shall follow. You can check it out at...
http://semicrunchymama.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/tutorial-felt-pizza-slice/



Image copyright Semi-Crunchy Mama.

Some Like It Hot… But Then Again, Not

Herein is a response to one of my fave rave bloggers — Loobylu, and her Meme: The Hot & Not List.

Smoking Hot:

1. I finished making my zine which is available at Etsy and Sticky. I am also hosting a giveaway to celebrate this lil’ book of mine.
2. Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow — such a wonderful film. I love the genre, lighting and artwork.
3. No matter what, I have a high regard the illustrative work of Catalina Estrada. Her work is so festive and detailed.

So Not:

1. Never mind the Nazi Soupman. I have met a Nazi lollypop man who declared I had no right to stop a bus by pressing the button to get a green pedestrian light. WTF!!! The man puts the convenience of drivers first — I think the man needs to reread his job description.
2. Maternity leave is coming to a close. Back to the office next week. I will miss my Gwennie and having to avoid the stresses of office politics. :(

What's Hot + What's Not

I am now responding to Loobylu's weekly meme: what's Hot + What's Not

It's getting HOT in here…

1. I recently discovered that 5 volumes of Lucy Maud Montgomery's journals have been published, with kind permission from her heirs. This is a definite for my Xmas wish list.
2. My baby Gwen's delightful expression (see pictured).
3. I baked scones this week. Hubby and I ate the scones with jam and whipped cream. Yum.
4. Old fashioned cursive writing. I want to learn to write words with a ornamental flourish.
5. A worthwhile read — A Wild Herb Soup: The Life of a French Countrywoman by Emilie Carles.

And now for the so NOTs…

1. Reading Charlotte Brontë's novel The Professor. I was dissatisfied with the uncomfortable ending. I felt that it needed refining — to tie up some loose ends.
2. Losing a sock. Is there, like, some sort of roving sock black hole in the house? I am beginning to suspect the cat is a clepto.
3. Vacuuming the house (chore).

What's Hot + What's Not

It is HOT:

1. Veronica Mars DVD box sets
2. Chocolate and a cup of tea after dinner.
3. I have lots to read at the moment. Mags. — IDN, Frankie. Books — Twilight saga, biography of my Grandma's childhood, 100 Classic stories stored on a Nintendo DS cartridge. So many publications and not enough hours in the day.
4. Going for a walk each day, doing some gym and seeing my transformation into a super hero.
5. My baby Gwen blowing raspberries — new form of communication for her.

So NOT:

1. Claire's family coming down with gastro.
2. Setting back calorie count from above mentioned chocolate.
3. Air-Con remote control needs a new battery.
4. Reading about the injustices toward females in other parts of the globe; ie. the so called ‘honour killings’.
5. Interest rate rise, particularly it being so soon after it being dropped in the first place.

To see other Hot/Not lists simply visit the Loobylu blog.

My Creative Space...

Reality sets in as the candle burns from both ends. Last week I had hoped to have completed pattern making and sewing Gwen's new Autumn clothes. But with so many other things that also needed doing, this particular project has been on the back burner. However today is my day for making some corrections to the shirt and pant patterns. Then hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get a couple of outfits all done for Gwen to wear by the weekend.

Last week I showed some drafts of a new illustration series. I worked a bit on that over the week, and if you follow this link, you will see the first completed illustration. If you follow this second link you will see my latest draft for the second illustration in that series.

Also tonight I plan to prepare a shepherd's pie loosely based on Claire Robertson's blogged recipe. I bought myself a casserole baking dish the other day so I can pull this off. This in itself I consider to be creative because heaven only knows how my cooking turns out.

I am now reading "Sense & Sensibility" by Jane Austen. Where would my sanity be without my reading books?

It Is On My List

The latest thing to be added to my list of wants for 2009 is this book... "Meet Me At Mike's: 26 crafty projects and things to make".


This book will soon be (hopefully) available and I look forward to snapping it up... and so should you. The book is written by Pip Lincolne of Meet Me At Mike's fame and covers projects by other well known and liked crafters. One of the crafting projects in the book will even be by one of my long time favorites - Claire Robertson.

Get Well Soon Loobylu

This is a get well response for Claire Robertson (aka Loobylu). I hope you feel well soon and that this illustration helps you to feel better.

Do take care of yourself Claire!

I heart Loobylu and her rabbits

Claire Robertson, my most favorite blogger is producing a bundle of these delightful rabbit dolls. They are such cute dolls, that I simply must buy one when they go on the market. I have admired Claire's work for so long, that the time has come to finally buy a Loobylu masterpiece. I hope I do not miss out, because I know how popular Claire is, which means her work always sells like hot cakes.

Mmmm! Hot cakes...

The First Entry

This being my first blog entry at Blogspot, I thought I would kickstart it with a "Hey". And perhaps I will summaries what ground I intend to cover here.

I dabble with various crafts, and more recently my love of homemade art projects has only been fueled by all the other craft bloggers that I have been following in recent times. I feel it only right to give a shout out to the two main bloggers who have inspired me - Meet Me At Mikes and Loobylu.

I hope to share my thoughts at least once a day. And even if I am busy or have very little going on I will still make the effort to write even just a little bit each day.

That is all for now. Lots to think about and plan.