How lovely is this ...?!

I was so impressed with the winning entry (by Erin McGuire) of the http://joinred.blogspot.com/ competition that I just had to show you!! Does anyone else think it is very Elspeth Zwerger - composition wise?!

In other news, I am crafting crazy at the moment (will upload pics to FLickr when I've made enough to photograph!) It's like an illness - an expensive one at that! I spent sixty squid on patchwork material and buttons (well there was other stuff too) ...but it's made me more excited than ever!! So much so that the list I wrote on today's list may not happen till next week now - crafting comes first ... !!

Competing list book!

My littlest Sister Libby gave me a really amazing handmade pad for Christmas made up of loads of great sheets of paper in varying madcap patterns (80's theme seems to be dominant!) she'd deliberately crumpled. I used it yesterday to begin writing what I need to do to organise my 'Oh So Kitsch Apre Ski Party' and realised that it could compete with my other lovely Book of Lists (made by Anthony Zinonos - see my first ever blog post!) so I've decided to compartmentalise!!! Libby's will be for long term planning and my skirt one for short term - blimey how glad am I that I've sorted that one - can get on with my day now - off to town...it's blazing winter sun out there and can't wait to get me some rays!

It's alright - there's nothing ablaze in the background and no my hand hasn't doubled in size! It's Manu's sneaking into the picture (he's such an attention seeker!!!) I just love the handpainted Ukulele, Libby - the on the hoof angle and bubbley shape + the way it can stand up on it's own like a card - it's top drawer lil' sis (even in fear of sounding patronising -well done you!)

I feel a ditty is in order ...!

Laid in bed last night and thought about the elusiveness of creativity and how even the wiff of self doubt gets in the way of it ... so I decided to write a little poem about it! I might turn it into a singing ode and try and play along with my ukulele!

Ode to Creativity

It's being in the thing

You're doing

All seeing

Not just viewing

It's letting minutes

Tick unheard

Not waiting

Or reviewing

Unhesitant and brave

Sharing and amusing

But more than that

It's simply using

Everything you've have

But only what you need

We're going on a 1950's girlie weekender!!!

Lots of excitement at skating tonight about booking up the following ...


[It's going to be frickin' rockabilly tastic - can't wait, but guess I'll have to find a way 'cos it's not till May!] The poster seems to be for the one in October - join us at that one if you miss this one!

Schott-style bed making

I've been making like Ben Schott of the famous Miscellanies and taking to my bed to create! The way I see it, it's wholly reasonable - I haven't been feeling too well of late and it means I get to combine two great loves making and sleeping. Mostly at different times.

Def. comes highly recommended on my part - though there's always the danger of getting too comfy and falling asleep! Surprisingly, it's not happened yet but then I have been keeping my mind busy with list writing, ode writing and corsage making - not to mention reading - Kite Runner at the mo... I really want to see the film but desperately holding off till I've finished the book. It's a kind of New Year's Resolution to read the book before the film as much as poss. Mmmm - we'll see how that goes! Might be one for the breaking before even the month's out!

Anyway I feel my bed is calling me for sleep this time ... it's got pretty late with all this creating!



P.S: How could I forget(?!) - my stitched craft tags arrived today - yey!!! I'm darn ;-) pleased with the way they've come out ...!

'Fine City Friends' rock socks off animals!

Suitable warm and fuzzy photo taken at the last Fine City Friends Fair 'Lets all jump over animals'

I must tell all about this amazing new venture spearheaded by Gemma Correll (my lovely delicate friend) and her band of fluffy animals and Illustrators. I count myself very honoured to have been invited to join the last and first Fine City Friends Fair thrown at the PlayHouse - top notch Norwich art venue (and previous home to the cutting edge Arts Cinema. Speaking of which I'm off to now - gotta dash catching the 8 o'clock veiwing of Lust, Caution ... hope to see you there!

P.S: Don't forget to come along to the next Fine City Friends Fair - check in at the blog

Lazy Recovery Sunday!

I've just finished writing my list for tomorrow having not achieved a great deal today - well I am getting over a nasty bug! And at least I got some more corsage photos updated to Flickr + I've contact a few bods about my scarey birthday party (gonna be 3-0 - not 3 nill unfortunately, I know it's hard to believe!!;-)) on 23rd of next month - determined to get it organised early as loads to sort out! Got lots of fun ideas...but keeping stum until confirmed pre party venue!!

I got very excited today over a tea bag! Yes, well if you'd seen so would've you. I think it might have been made out of silk and the tea that came out of it so didn't disappoint - the packet said 'use creme fraiche' like everyone has that languishing in their fridge! Luckily there was some creme that's been hanging around since before christmas (didn't taste gone off!) so I glugged a bit of that into it instead. All I can say i get out there now and get your mitts on this tea - it is seriously good ... I must thank dear old friend Sammy for buying these for me for Christmas - a real treat. I'm just trying to think of a way of re-using the luxurient tea bags now. My only gripe is the brand name - tea pigs - yeh not the first thing you'd make an association with frankly!!!

Diary?

I'm starting to see this blog as the perfect Diary/ journal substitute - there is a real ease to it. Really lends itself to immediacy...

Anyway I've got the lergy! Euch! The winter vommitting virus has hit England and I hear that 50 hospitals have had to shut wards to contain it. It's nothing sinister really (well that's what they're telling us to stop any hysteria)! Whichever, I'm making the most of being bed bound and have my laptop near me to reach for between bouts of nausea! It's really rather cosy and I have had plenty of time to think today which is such a luxury :-)

One thing I was thinking about was how at Christmas we tend to write lists. Why not do it all through the year like seem to have the urge to do! I've decided to keep all my lists this year and tick everything off as I go to keep me motivated. I've started small with a dinky handmade book (see http://www.buyhandmade.org/!) I bought from a print making designer boyfriend of a friend called Anthony Zinonos (great name!) It struck me as perfect because it actually contains snaps shots of lists (inc. indexes and key lists from lots of exciting sources like wood work books etc...) It's also pleasingly retro which always gets me going! Already contains two of my lists and it's also a handy reminder for letter writing, most especially to the Majestic Dave Grinstead, prolific and talented Illustrator friend of mine (promise I haven't forgotten you!) which I always mean to write and illustrate to, but always don't get the time because of grand plans to make decorative envelopes and paper etc!!! I must think simpler! A letter is always a treat whatever form it comes in ...so no more putting it off till I get a printing press!! In the meantime, here's some pictures of my Book of Lists...