Craft Swap Pressies

Friday my craft swap presents came from DaintyDaisies I was so excited (but have been so busy working all weekend that have only just gotten around to blogging)

Inside were 3 gorgeously wrapped parcels

And Inside those 3 gorgeously wrapped parcels were this beautiful things


That is all for now, I have 3 Birthday presents, some Valentines presents and some Chinese New Years presents to make so I should really crack on!

Featured Artist : Moonstr

As promised (even if it is a little late) I have reintroduced my Featured Artist Posts and I shall be starting with a wonderful artist named Anna or Moonstr, who created the lovely banner for My Etsy Shop.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself?
I'm a secretary by day and paint flinger by night, I'm 36 going on 15.
I prob day dream way too much. i get my hair done for trade with my art.
I've had a few gallery shows. one coming up in Seattle I'm excited about.
I just did a lil aceo with my menstruation blood and I'm still working on it.
Ive made a lil sculpture out of finger nails. I have 2 kitties and a bf of 12 years.

2. What first made you want to become an artist/designer?
I think it was when i was 2-3 and got my first crayons. I have been drawing ever since. use to get yelled at to stop drawing in church. Then protested at 5 that I would rather
be drawing instead of being in church. My dad was not happy about that. 9 I drew a nude
of a woman and my dad asked if I was a lesbian. My family has never really supported
me when it came to art.
After adolescence, I was in many bands, I came up with art for stickers and t-shirts,
I did zines, had an art show in a cafe where one piece got stolen.
then had a bf told me why don't you just put on music and paint all the time.
So i have ever since. I paint more for me.

3. Could describe your creative process?
Its either sketched out a bit with pencil, or i just jump into it.
So constructed, or chaos:)
I have to be in the mood, the min it feels like work, I stop, I never want my art
to feel like work. With sewing i don't measure anything.

4. What handmade possession do you most cherish?
The very first doll I made i still have her:) 3 legged one eyed alien mama.
also all my journals and art journals and so many art pieces I have gotten
off of Etsy love them all:) and my doll collection and aceo collection.

5. How do you promote your work?
I don't really promote myself. i find it tiresome, and needy, and spammy.
only thing I do is be funny and snarky in the Etsy forums, chat rooms also, and I'm on
Flickr~there are some really cool Etsy based groups on Flickr.also Myspace, Indiepublic, Artbistro. but really im on Etsy soooo much more than anything else.

6. What advice would you give to artists who are new to Etsy/selling art?
Make what you love, put your heart and passion into it. patience is key
and keep at it. List often, renew when you can. Ask questions, be part of the community.
lurk in the forums and you learn lots of things. and never spam. so many people are
turned off by spam, including me. I state that in my announcements that if you spam
me in any way i will not buy from you.
7. In 10 years I would like to be...
Hmm good question. I just wanna be happy.

Early Birthday Presents and Sparkling Kitchens...

... Is what fantastic Thursdays are made of.

Despite first thing, whilst half way through the washing up with Mikey, our sink breaking today was a really great day.

Thankfully the sink is now fixed.

My Mum visited today and we went to a lovely wool shop just round the corner from mine called Norfolk Yarn where I got an early birthday present loaddddsss of amazingly coloured fleece for felting with

Thanks Mum!

Once getting home I was determined to have my kitchen spotless and I mean spotless like its never been before and I thought it only fair to share my success with photos (how sad am I)
Only those who have seen some of the states my kitchen has been in will realise how much of a big deal this is and how proud my mother will be haha.

You can finally see my kitchen table, which we ate on I will add!

I really need/want to resurface this table am still looking for inspiration, please feel free to share some ideas I would love to hear what you guys think.

Meat Free Monday

This week Meat Free Monday was much more successful :D

I have had nibbley food throughout the day as I have had a MASSIVE migraine (which is annoying not only due to the horrendous pain but because I can't do anything but lay down when I have one)

Thankfully coffee and chocolate helped enormously, so much so I was able to make a trip to the fabric stall on the market and the post office

I found this little bargain on the fabric stall

This week for Meat Free Monday I cooked Vegetable Fajitas


Today I also got my Craft Swap present for Skunkboy Creations Craft Swap packaged up and sent off to the lovely DanityDaisies.

Here is a picture of the package all wrapped up, will blog about what I made once Michelle has recieved it, I want it to be a suprise:

Think I might wrap it up now seen as whilst writing this blog I have been making spicy pepper soup, peanut butter fudge and baked potato skin crisps, will upload photos in the morning!

Oh I nearly forgot a couple of cute photos of Minni I've been meaning to share.

Wolfmother and Willy Pasta

Just got back from a Wolfmother gig and am writing this with my ears still ringing.

Such an awesome gig though, couldn't take any photos though as I am so short :(

I want hair like Andrew Stockdale!

Just on a funny note I wanted to share with you the comical pasta I bought for Christmas and finally got around to cooking today

Yes if you hadn't guessed that is willy shaped pasta haha!

I am so zonked so before my post turns to tired nonsense I am going to grab the cat and cuddle up with 500 days of summer, I'll let you know how the film was tomorrow and hopefully have some studio update photos for you too!

Studio Inspiration and Curry Hunt

Seen as I have 4 days off now after a long day at work (a whole weekend off work shocker) I am determined to get my studio finally finished, tidy and usable.

I have searching through Etsy Open Studio Flickr Group for some inspiration

There were so many beautiful spaces on there it was so hard to chose so I settled for 2 that were a similar size to my space:

Credit

Credit

Also today I had an accidental Meat Free day consisting of muffins, spicy noodles and I finally cooked the Potato and Pea Curry except it was Potato and Parsnip Curry, it was nice but I like curries with a bit more heat and flavour so am now on a hunt for some kick ass curry recipes, please please please tell me about any you know!

Another thing, I finally put a new piece up in my shop, its a new, very odd style for me but I'll see how it fairs, check it out:

Check It Out!

Toilet Roll Inspiration

Every time I walk into my toilet I see this

And I have a bag with abut 3 times as many of these in it too and I really want to make something with them, so in true 21st century style I went on a google, flickr and weheartit research rampage and this is what I found:

An awesome artist called Yuken Teruya.

Also...




That's right Manga Toilet Paper :D

Over the past few days Minni has decided she has some favourite new places

In the bath

Her little box which she likes to eat!

Meat Free Monday

Today was my first Meat Free Monday (that was actually on a Monday), unfortunately it was a disappointing one.

I had...

Humous on toast for breakfast

Egg and tomato sandwiches for Lunch

Snacked on baked crisps (which were lovely) a little Milka chocolate (one with strawberry yogurt filling and one with caramel filling, soooooo good) and half a blueberry muffin

For dinner I order veggie chow mein from the Chinese and it was a massive let down, it seems with that Chinese takeaway you take away the chicken and you take away the chow mein flavour. I knew I should have order the Quorn in Schezwan Sauce.

What I wanted to cook for dinner (a probably will later in the week) was a Pea and Potato Curry recipe I found on From Scratch A blog from one of the Red Velvet Art girls.


I have to admit I have a new addiction in the form of www.apartmenttherapy.com
Whilst flicking through its lovely entries I discovered this fantastic chart which should help me get my 5 a day!

Valentines Inspiration

This lovely entry at There's Something Hiding in Here got me thinking about Valentines Day.

I have never been very into Valentines Day but this year it falls on Chinese New Year (which I am much more into) so I thought I might do something, even if it is small.

Looking though Flickr and WeHeartIt gave me lots of inspiration for Valentines Day themed cooking and also Crafting

Introducing Minni: The Cutest Kitten Ever

Finally, last night, I got my beautiful bundle of joy that I have been waiting so patiently for and she is perfect.

So without further ado, here she is:

So darn cute!!

I have been doing quite a bit of cooking again, I'm just going to some it up with a few pictures

Lamb Steak and Accidental Red Rice

Apple Pie that was clearly so good there was only 1 slice left before I could even take a picture, and as for the Chocolate Biscuits I made too they were ALL gone before I could take a photo :D

8 Days Late, But Hey.

I finally took down my Christmas Tree YAY!

I'm hoping that despite it being 8 days after the 12th day of Christmas that I won't be burdened with loads of bad luck.

Actually I know it won't, as tomorrow I am getting are little girl kitten Minni eeeeeek.

Not much to say today as too cosumed with excited and tidying so I leave you with some gorgeous photos found on weheartit.