paper +card = abstract birthday card

my friend lives quite a way from me 

invariably her birthday present is via a third party

this year was la maison du chocolat who do amazing bouchee delicacies
the real love bit comes via a handmade card
as she has her own sense of style, i like to avoid the twee
so i came up with a stamped card with resin and gold stiches that is orginal but still pretty

 

made = eucalyptus decongestant rub

it's autumn
the leaves are turning gloden and bronze
the mist hugs the valleys
and we all get the bronchitis...

i love making things that will help my body and i also know absolutely what's in it
i always suffer with bronchial problems and sinusitis when i get the cold
so I get a couple of tubs of vick's vapour rub for the winter period
BUT NO LONGER
this is a much less chemically version of the famous brand
what's even better is that the lady along the road has a mature eucalyptus tree
i asked her if she'd give me some and she let me pick a load
it's also easy:
combine all the ingredient mentioned below (except the essential oil) in a covered bain marie

100g mature eucalyptus leaves

200g petroleum jelly (vasaline)

1/2 tsp ground pepper

10g ginger

20 drops peppermint oil

it should steam for 1 hour (so the eucalyptus gives up it's oil)
take it off the heat and strain - don't forget to collect the runny liquid!
stir in peppermint oil and pour straight into your pot(s)
you could use the vasaline tubs if you want to be fully eco friendly
from this:
 to this:

i TOLD you it was easy

found = tote

i love a tote
i'm drawn to witty or interesting statements
i'm getting an idea for one i want to complete
in the mean time, these few on etsy caught my eye

 

my weekend - sunrise on afton down

there's nothing better than a sunrise

there's nothing better than a sunrise when you're not a slave to the clock and having to trudge off to work
since i started to work part time i have felt a wonderful change in myself
it's almost an illicit feeling at the moment it's so new
it's not romantic at all
it's a slower feeling
too hard to describe
i can say though, that i am seriously wetting myself with joy now that i sacrificed my wallet to make myself happier

i can see what i want in life more clearly

make choices with more consideration

breath easier

sleep more soundly

laugh more readily

i can appreciate the beauty that surrounds me with greater wonder

this definitely sounds twee and kind of hippy-earnest
but i don't really mind; it's the truth

found = the simple things

there's a new magazine out
and, quite frankly, it's right up my alley


i am currently loving the miscellaneous section
but this magazine, like a fine wine, gets better the longer you let it sit
i savour each page
especially the article on cheese...i mean CHEESE...yes!
now that's MY kind of double page spread

i am not joking when i say i shall jump up and down with uncontained impatience waiting until next month's issue
no,seriously, i'm NOT joking
....
i got to the raspberry chocolate brownie recipe and had to bake
let me tell you, it did not disappoint
blow portion control
look at its oozing unctuousness and the moist jewel-like raspberries waiting to burst in your mouth
droooool

 

now what inspiration can i take from it next?
ooooh, the possibilities

made = birthday bag

my mother loves the place were we live
she loves most things about it but she loves swimming in the Bay the best
so brain + fabric pens + tote = original gift
i did an illustration of Freshwater Bay in a sort of panorama style (very simplified)
i sketched a very light basic outline first in pencil directly onto the tote
then went over this and added detail with the fabric pens themselves (Fabrico)

the ones i bought had a different style nib at both ends and, actually, it came in really handy as they it gave different intensity of colour and I had a limited palette (5 colours)
i wanted the focus to be on the water and sky


i didn't want to waste the space on the reverse so i thought up some words
i tried to describe the Bay in all its seasonal moods

 

i hope i caught the wild essence of the sea

my mum loved it and i don't think it was ONLY because she's biased
by the way, that is AFTER ironing (i just ain't that good)

appreciate = katharina trudzinski

this sculpture is strange yet endearing
is it a person?
it is a bird?
is it an angel?
is it/are they empty inside?
to be honest, i know nothing about this artist and her page is in a language I'm not familiar with
that doesn't matter
this piece of art makes me wonder
and that's what matters