Patterns...

I have decided that I want/need to try and start pattern designing. I really enjoy putting ideas for patterns together. Here are my latest ideas -

I have entered these into a competition run by the MOYO magazine. It was a floral theme, with the inspiration being 'Ikebaba'. MOYO is a great on-line magazine and is full of inspiration and ideas. 

52 Lists. Week Eleven - List your essentials

Weekly list prompts from Moorea Seal. Here is my latest list from the 52 lists projects.

Spring Equinox

Spring Equinox

52 Lists. Week Ten - List the ways you can cleanse for Spring

This is a list that I definitely need at the moment, I really need a Spring clean...not just my physical world but my habits too. Thanks once again to Moorea Seal for a great list prompt. These prompt are published every Tuesday on her blog. 10 weeks into 2013 already, this year is flying by so quickly! This weeks challenge, I will spring clean by mediating everyday for the 21-day meditation. challenge

Cut Print Stamp

This post is very over due and I thought with Spring on its way I need to tidy up my list of posts to write and get on and write them!

Before Christmas (see I said it was over due) I entered into a competition over on the Gelli Arts blog and to my surprise I won! Thank you to Gelli Arts and to Princeton Brushes for running the competition. The competition was to win a selection of Catalyst Wedges, these can be used on the Gelli Plate. I had been eyeing these up in my local art shop but they are quite pricey so I thought to myself I would treat myself in the new year. In the mean time I purchased a couple of silicon spatulas and a silicon brush from the supermarket, they were on sale (£1.50) and I thought it is good to experiment and when I upgrade to the ones from the art shop I could use them in the kitchen. These worked OK but they were a bit awkward because of the handles, they weren't to easy to swish around! The brush however is fab to use on the Gelli Plate and creates some cool textures. So when my prize arrived I was very happy and got printing straight away.

These are the the three wedges that I won, there are six different wedges in their range. You can see the different ones here over on their site.

The monoprints below were created on my Gelli Plate and I used the Catalyst Wedges for the mark making, as well as using stencils and rubber stamps. The wedges fit into your hand nicely and they are easy to swish around.

Mid Week Gratitude

"Gratitude leads to love"

The beginning of this week I spent a few day in London with my Mum, we stayed in a plush hotel, just off Trafalgar Square. We had a great time despite the freezing cold weather. I am grateful that we could spend time together. We watched 'Let it be' I sang all the way through so apologies to the person sat next to me, we stood up and danced and we swapped places so Mum could see. We went to The Ritz for afternoon tea, wow that was an experience. It was amazing, Mum said that it was better than her expectations. We did a spot of shopping, although neither of us particularly like it or are very good at it, it was nice just to be out and about together just me and Mum. We also went to the Lion King, the costumes were so clever. I really enjoyed it.

So this week I am grateful for -
Having a great time with mum
Having lots of layers to keep warm

Being inspired by these people -
Postcards from the edge, Michelle Rumney
Right Brain Business Plan Jennifer Lee
Amazing Biz and Life Academy Leonie Dawson

Talking to my nephew on the phone
Date night
Blue sky when it's cold (better than grey)

Cut Print Stamp

Here are the latest cards that I have made. These three have all been made using my monoprints and cut-out flowers. I really like the colours I have used for these cards. I particularly like the one on the right-hand side, I like the way the red works with the teal. To make these I cut the larger flowers out by hand, I have made my own flower stencil that I draw around on the back of the monoprint, then I cut the flowers out using a scalpel. The smaller flowers are created using a paper punch.

52 lists. Week nine - List the places you want to go

Moorea Seal - 52 Lists

Oh, I had fun writing this list, I am sure I will be adding more to it. Already thinking I would like to go back to New York. This week I will be going to Yoga (in my kitchen) and I will be going to stick to my to-do list.

Tinctures

I finally jumped in and made my tinctures.... I bought the herbs a couple of weeks ago, I had collected the jars and had been ready to jump since buying the herbs, but I just didn't feel confident about it. So on Sunday morning I woke up and felt it was time to start mixing up some tinctures. I checked the alcohol that I was planning to use and "darn" it was under 40%. So off I went to the shop to buy some vodka. This was all I bought I was the till operators first customer of the day! She was note a happy bunny, she was rude, she didn't look at me, she barely spoke and she started to serve the next customer before I had even paid. I asked for my till receipt and she acted as if I had sworn at her. I was baffled by her attitude but I guess she doesn't make tinctures. I chuckled to myself and thought about the rest of the women form the Apothecary Circle making tinctures and wondered what stories they had to share.

When I arrived home I cleaned and sterilised the jars and realised I was going to have a spectator. My husband. I didn't mind at all as it gave me a little confidence; not that he would be any help as he didn't know what to do or what a tincture was. But it was nice just to share the experience together. We inspected the vodka bottle with great interest and noticed that their logo was a wolf and a eagle he said 'that is you and me, I am the wolf and you are the eagle'. Well, that made my day. I love it when he says things like that to me.

I measures out the the herbs, I used half a jar for each tincture. Then filled up the jar with vodka. I made labels for each tincture. The lavender label looks as if I was actually drinking the vodka rather than making tinctures.

The next lot of tinctures I make I will make them on a 'new moon' as I read over on Moon Daughter that making them on a new moon helps to draw out the liquid. Now I just have to remember to shake them every day for a week or so and then every week and then wait six months to stain them.

All in all it was so much easier than I anticipated, I don't really even know why I thought it would be difficult 

This posted is well over due and I can't believe that it has been sat in my notebook for well over a month, note to self - must try harder. 

Mid Week Gratitude

This weeks mid week gratitude post is long over due as it popped into my head as an idea last week. This weeks mid week gratitude post is going to be for the women on the web that have inspired, encouraged and taught me new things. I am ever grateful to you all  - 

First up is Lauren Luquin I have been reading Laurens blog for a well over a year now. She is so inspiring and loves nature, creates amazing offerings; such as medicine pouches and jewellery. You can read her full bio here. She has also set up a safe haven for women on-line here at the Intuitive Heart Sanctuary. I attended the e-course last summer and I am planning to work through the IHS ebook during Spring.

Stacy de la Rosa makes inspiring jewellery and sends out cool newsletters that are full of loveliness and inspiration. Gratitude is high up in her list for 2013 and she was the one who inspired me to write this list.

Laura Emily runs the Apothecary Circle. The Apothecary Circle is a year long course and new members are being excepted now for the next starting date on 21st March. 

"2013 is here, and it’s time to raise our vibration by returning to earth and engaging in growth, Spirit, and healing. Be there with us, love. This spring, sow growth. One year. Earth. Health. Community. " Laura Emily

Moorea Seal is a jewellery designer, a blogger, a designer and generally a cool girl. I can't remember how I found her but it was only at the beginning of this year and already so many of her posts have inspired me. I follow along with her 52 list project and have a backlog of lists that I need to post. I enjoy doing the lists so much and Moorea is developing a project from this idea. So that will be exciting to watch grow over the next year. 

This is going to be an on-going list as there are still quite a few women that I would like to mention. I hope that you enjoy their work, offerings and their amazing spirit as much as I do.

March Photo-a-Day

I am taking part in the Photo-a-Day challenge again this month. Here is the inspiration list for March's photos.The challenge is from Chantelle at Fat Mum Slim. once again she has shared a great list with us. You can play along using Instagram, Streamzoo, Twitter or on your own blog. I am going to take a photo a day and you can see them here at Streamzoo. Enjoy and happy snapping.