Back to coptic binding

Hello! I'm currently in the process of making several coptic bound notebooks, and knitting squares to make a cushion cover, and sewing some heart decorations. Yes, the muse has returned, and I'm trying to keep up as best I can...

This is a notebook I finished recently. I've just added it to my Etsy shop - Glueing and Sticking - to replace one that I sold before Christmas. Yes you did read that correctly. I actually sold one! To a friend at work, admittedly, but still, it's a start.

I was making these A6 notebooks mainly because of the orientation of the paper I was using for the signatures. It's A4, so the grain goes in the wrong direction to make A5 journals. However, I am making a couple of A5s now, using A1 paper for the signatures. And they will be appearing in my Etsy shop (and here!) soon.

For now though, I'm going to take a break from book binding and do my knitting in front of the TV. Bye for now ;)

woolly memo

A belated Happy New Year! It's 2013 already, I can't believe it! Time really does go faster the older you get.

I don't know if you're anything like me, but sometimes the beginning of the year seems to come and go without much thought to change or resolutions or any of that kind of thing. And yet I begin other years - like this one - with a much clearer intention.

Yesterday I was given my Nanna's collection of knitting needles. Some metal, some wooden, all in a woven basket style tube. It's been years since I've done any knitting, not having needles of my own. So I couldn't resist messing about with some odds and ends of wool I'd had for ages. And this was the result...

A little reminder of my chosen word for the year - PEACE. It sounds a little bit cliche doesn't it. But it really is how I want to live, how I want to be, how I want to feel, from now on. I want to feel at peace on the inside. Does that make sense? I'm not sure exactly how to go about it, but so far, everywhere I look I seem to find inspiration, assistance and support. So developing a plan of action shouldn't be too difficult(!)

And my woolly cushion reminder is also memorable because it's the first thing I've made with Nanna's knitting needles. In fact, I'll make something similar for her too.

still in the kitchen

My boyfriend likes to refresh my memory from time to time about the most common species of owl in Britain. Yes I am referring to that awful joke - it's the Teat owl. Mainly found in kitchens up and down the country. Perhaps I ought to refresh his memory regarding the location of our teat-owls. Mmm.

Anyway, I've picked up the pattern moleskine again, and this is the design of one of our teat-owls. I mean tea towels.

I've got no room to talk though because on Christmas Day I correctly answered the cracker joke - 'What do you call a woman stood between goalposts?' Answer, 'Annette'. Of course that set us all off with more old chestnuts such as 'What do you call a man with a spade on his head? - Doug'. Etc etc...

One of the presents my boyfriend gave to me was this amazing canvas.

I'm gradually beginning to love all things Mary Poppins.

I've put it in the kitchen. And here is a picture of the kitchen. I took it for something else and it never got used, so I thought I might as well post it here...

 

So that's it for now, I'll see you in 2013.

Wishing you a happy and creative New Year,

emilyxx

I want to feel creative

OK, so I'm still not sure what I'm searching for. But I've been toying with the idea of signing up for Danielle LaPorte's Desire Map. It's basically out with goal-setting, and in with nurturing your 'core desired feelings'. It could be interesting - I certainly feel as though I need a bit of help!

Something that do I want to feel is creative, and so today I actually made something. And I've decided it's going to be my new tradition - the first Christmas decoration I make every year (possibly the only one!) will be orange and clove pomanders. I gave these to my sister and I'm going to make some more for our house. The smell is beautiful - you just can't beat natural air-fresheners (none of that Airwick rubbish for me, thank you!).

Also regarding cloves, I was just going to tell you that The Spice Trip is on tonight - 8pm on More 4 - in Zanzibar, cooking with cloves. But it was on last week! I can't believe I missed it!! I guess I'll have to catch up on 4OD. Anyway, tonight's episode is from Cambodia, and it's about pepper. A friend of mine, Andrea Joseph has illustrated the book that accompanies the series, although I haven't seen a copy of it yet.

Now I'm thinking about mulled wine and Christmas cards, which I still need to make. The cards I mean, not the wine. I have an idea, but sometimes these things don't always turn out as I plan...

I have climbed the highest mountains

I can't believe it's been more than a month since I've posted...

I would love to be able to say I have been uber creative and productive since I last blogged, but it just wouldn't be true.

Where have I been? What have I been doing?

The thing about me is, I'm kind of a drifter. Yes, on the one hand, I'm a typical cancerian, and I do feel the pull of home.

But I also have a sort of 'wandering' feeling most of the time.

Maybe there's another kind of home that I still haven't found.

Occasionally this drifting, wandering feeling becomes concentrated into a restless, seemingly endless searching.

 My mind just won't settle, I don't feel at peace, and there's something out there that I need.

But I just can't find it.

I don't even know what it is.

That's where I've been.

I'm still there.

I've had this feeling many times before, but at the moment it doesn't seem to be letting me off the hook - I think I'm going to have to live with this for a while longer.

Any more drifters out there??!!

Only the deepest red II

A few weeks ago I saw Caatje's post about practising a particular technique. She set herself a project to draw/paint women in her art journal, and asked if anyone else was doing something along the same lines. I told her about the sketches of famous faces in my moleskine, and asked her to choose the next person for me to draw. So she said Kate Winslet. Oh no, I thought - Kate Winslet is so beautiful, and has such an 'open' face, if you catch my drift, and I was rather daunted. I looked online for images of the actress, and completely fell in love with the one I've copied below. I hope you like it Caatje:-)

It immediately made me think of this Vettriano print that my fiance bought for me one christmas.

It's called (you've guessed it) Only the deepest red II. There is a lot of blue in the print itself, but not this much. That was due to the bad light when I took the photo of it.

Everything about the pose in the two pictures, I find fascinating. I mean, it's something I do every day - put makeup on, not actually lipstick - but I don't use a compact mirror. Instead I use a huge mirror on the wall. So maybe it's the suggestion of being on the move that I find interesting. And what are they thinking when they apply makeup? Are they confident and self-assured, or worrying about the day ahead. Jack's woman looks super confident with her sling backs and short dress with the three-quarter sleeves. Plus the odd location (well, not odd for Vettriano) -  she can re-do her Chanel lipstick (maybe YSL?) anywhere, no matter who is watching.
But back to Kate. Is this a still from a film? I'm not sure, but she looks so much more relaxed. A lot more vulnerable somehow, which is what drew me to the picture in the first place. Yes, she's a stunningly beautiful woman, but she's also human.

Any ideas for my next famous face?

We can all be heroes

I've signed up to receive Danielle LaPorte's Truthbomb emails every day. I wanted to begin the day with something to think about - not just the usual, have I got my name badge on, what time are we swapping cars, do I need to buy milk. No, I want something deep and meaningful to jolt me out of the minutiae of everyday life.

I mentioned a while ago that I was thinking of drawing David Bowie, one of the pictures of him with loads of makeup. So I began this picture in the Black Moleskine soon after.

On 10th October, the day after I finished it, #127 Truthbomb from Danielle LaPorte drifted its way into my inbox;

'We can all be heroes', David Bowie.

Weird.