makes me smile

From a collection of this years birthday cards, this is currently on my fridge and makes me smile.

Not sure where it was bought but the company who make them are called Seltzer. The cards are 100% post-consumer recycled paper with matching envelope. Thick and luxurious with eco-friendly inks.

Jelly Moulds

My newly purchased jelly moulds from Kit and Caboodle

Really liked this display idea from Homes and Antiques

Wayne Thiebaud: Cakes, 1963.

Wayne Thiebaud: Cakes and Pies

Natalie Smith: Brooch, 'A Thousand Dreams,' 2010

Natalie Smith: Ring, 'High Rise' 2010

Some sweet inspiration and some very interesting jewellery. I came across Natalie Smith's work while looking at Klimt 02, For those who don't know of the Klimt 02 website, it's where some of the worlds most creative and unusual jewellery is to be found! These pieces are made from plastic, textiles, steel and sugar. 

I was reminded of these fabulous creations when making jelly earlier today, it's still setting in the fridge so no image yet... but I couldn't resist making some after buying the moulds this morning. Will have to keep a look out for more jelly moulds I reckon - I really like their fun shapes, something so nostalgic/ fantastical about them - functional and yet beautiful, even when sitting on the shelf. 

COLLECT 2011

Craig Stuart 

Grainne Morton

Misun Won

Rebecca Wilson

I am so excited about Friday! Im off to COLLECT 2011 with Craft Scotland as one of their bursary winners. It's going to be so inspiring and interesting seeing some of the best contemporary craft from 37 of the top galleries around the world. Craft Scotland are taking 12 exhibiting makers, click here to see who (some pictured above) I am sure there will be much to report on when I get back Sunday. 

Hunter gatherer maker

Above images of inspiration for current piece I am working on. The simple form of the little hut and the mirror decoration from the winter palace in Jaipur are elements I will be using

The ridiculous mess that is my unfinished workshop

Well today I have been trying to do some more work on a new piece. I felt a little bit like the Ray Mears of the jewellery making world as I foraged around trying to find tools and make do with no electricity, or running water. I must have gone from the workshop in the garden up to our maisonette flat goodness knows how many times to put things in the pickle (how you clean silver that has been heated) and to find other lost things... this would be fine if I wasn't 34 weeks pregnant and finding stairs more of an effort!

I did have fun though, was really very nice working away and it gave me a taster of how lovely it will be working out there when everything is connected/ painted/ stored. The electrician was here today laying the cables, so feels like progress is being made. Hopefully I will finish the above mentioned piece in time to wear to COLLECT 2011 on Friday! 

Easter

Currently working on a new piece, luckily you can crochet almost anywhere so no need for workshop to be finished at this point. Had a wonderful Easter weekend relaxing in the garden amongst the tulips and indulging on freshly baked hot cross buns! 

Sticker Happy

Yet another great scandinavian designer, Lotta Jansdotter! I love her book of stickers, looking round the house to find things I can label...think I will have to get more jars for pasta/ rice etc just so I can label them up too. 

It would be great fun to make your own labels like these, not sure how though? as these come in funky shapes too. You get 30 pages ("200 embellishments for home and gift giving) in this pack. Would also recommend a good look at Lotta's website, as she designs lots of other wonderful things too. I first became aware of her work through one of her books called simple sewing.

Pretty in Pink

Above: David Austin Pink Roses

Above and below, my jewellery: Crochet Catherine Wheel Pendant in Silver with Rose Quartz and Silver Crochet Rings with Freshwater Pearl and Garnet. 

Image found on A Mermaid's Tale blog. 

Will have to visit her shop when next in Cornwall.

Love this pale green colour, recently got a sample of Farrow and Ball Cooking Apple Green as a possible choice for my new workshop colour... 

Karin Eriksson's ceramics (she also has one of my all time favourite blogs)

Pink Tulips from visiting friends

Yesterday was very pink and rosy, not only did I taste the most delicious rose flavoured lemonade by Fentimans, you have to try it! I could imagine it would also be very nice with gin as a summer cocktail...

 I also purchased two gorgeous David Austin climbing roses for the garden. Dreaming of a beautifully scented pale pink rose arbour leading to workshop... ahh

 Bold bright colours are usually my choice but pastels and pink seem to be cropping up in my work more frequently recently and also in the objects I covet. 

Inspirational India

While I wait for my studio to be finished I am gathering all my most inspiring source material together ready to be developed into a new body of work. Still with many of the same themes I have explored before, such as the inclusion of traditional textiles, but a development of all the home based forms. The above images were taken at the City Palace in Udaipur on new years day.

Vive la Tapisserie

 24 hours by Linda Green

I noticed this exhibition on the craft scotland website, think I will definitely check it out! The exhibition of miniature tapestries by the collective STAR* is at the Institut Français d'Ecosse and runs from 1 to 30th of April. More details on the Institut website. Will let you know what delights I find there.

I found something in the garden

Today I found this tiny egg, about the size of  a teaspoon in my garden, there is a small hole in the back and it is was empty. I don't know what I shall do with it but it's being kept. The next image is of some twigs I hung on the wall beside the glass cabinet in the picture below. The mirrored glass cabinet I found in a junk shop in Perth a year or so ago, but I noticed the bird picture reflected and all these objects suddenly linked together.

Beautiful things for a baby room

Ferm Living wall sticker

A little pull along Elephant by Sebra at Kidsen

Donna Wilson: Rainy Day mini blanket

Jungle Mobile and Pierre the Bunny both from Blabla Kids

Quentin Blake illustrated fabric 'All join in' from the Zagazoo collection for Osborne and Little

One of my jobs at home at the moment is getting our spare room ready to be transformed in to the nursery. It is currently filled with my boxes of craft supplies: literally bags and bags of bits of saved paper/ cards and fabric that I may need for something! 

Baby due in mid June, so still have a bit of time to get things ready. Above are some truly lovely things that are on my dream baby room wish list.  Of course I will be making lots of things and generally having ago myself, currently got some mini crochet bunting on the go and the plan is to paint the walls a very pale yellow and the ceiling pale blue with clouds. I really really love the Donna Wilson blanket so perhaps I will spend my birthday money on that. Plus it's very apt as Kinross seems to have its own very very rainy weather system.

Relics

Pictured here is a book with pages that have been cast in lead, and bound with lead rings. 70 of these books have been found in a jordanian cave, each book is just a little bigger than a credit card. These books are thought to be the earliest Christian relics to have ever been discovered, but they are now missing... very intriguing. The full article can be found on the bbc website here. I think these are really incredible objects, the preservation of the text from so long ago, imagining how they must have been made, perhaps carving the letters into stone and pouring the lead over? did they do this to preserve them or so they could make copies? They are thought to be 2000 years old, just incredible that they can be deciphered and studied now.  The textures in the close up image are almost like a drawing, I wonder what they would feel like... probably pretty heavy! maybe thats why they made them so small.. all very inspiring and interesting if you ask me. 

Remembering painted houses in Chile last April

It's a bit of a grey day here in Kinross and whilst looking at the brightly coloured prints below I remembered last Spring when I was in Chile. I am a colour junky and took hundreds of photo's just of colour combinations I saw there. These were taken in Santiago, but the best place for coloured houses is Valparaiso, in fact it's characterful brightly painted building have made it a world heritage site. I love the boldness of painting the exterior of your house like this! I really like the images with the lace in the windows, making Jewellery that looks a bit like this is something I am working on.