Copying Creation

Yesterday the latest from Mollie Makes popped through my door. Bedtime reading sorted. Geometric shapes used on a necklace, leather used to make bracelets, a free kit of a crochet dream catcher, and a knitting pattern for a cactus cushion being some of the favourites, but also a crochet hot-dog eye patch and others that for now escape my mind. I read from cover to cover, devouring all the ideas and info as well as wishing i could both crochet and knit! Garter stitch isn't going to make the grade if i want to make a cactus cushion!

But an article that was so interesting was the one regarding selling online and the issue of being accused of copying someone's ideas. With Pinterest, Facebook, Etsy and all manner of other sites which have crafts sellers showing their wares, i'm sure that it's very easy to see what appear to be repeated designs, from various corners of the world, but sometimes it is pure chance that an idea matches someone else's. All crafters know that a person's design has taken work to complete, and time to make the design work, even a pattern takes a lot of trial and error to make the design work.

Now i buy patterns off Etsy, mostly cross stitch, but i have been known to buy the odd embroidery design here and there too. I buy them, not to copy, but to make the design, for pure pleasure and sometimes to make for a friend or family member. Same as i read craft magazines, to gain ideas, or make a gift for someone. Selling never crosses my mind, as i know it's some of my work, but the design is all the designers effort and for that reason i'm grateful for all their hard work, that has given me pleasure to make something. However, i also do jewellery making, (when my hands work) and also card making. I have jewellery magazines, and plenty of card-making magazines. Again i don't buy them to copy, i buy to find new ideas, and techniques that i can try and off course the odd freebie that i know will be fun to play with. When i do jewellery i go with what is in my head, what beads jump out at me, and what charms i have in my stash. Colours or occasions inspire too. Right now, kitsch charms and beads are on my mind, bright colours for summer, but also card-making is never far from my mind either, something with a beach theme building in my head as i type, maybe an ice-cream charm will be added to the final card, or a die cut picture will be placed under a dome in a charm tray, who knows. Today my creative juices are flowing, but only time will tell what is made, but i know i won't be copying, half the fun is the design process, and to copy, you just don't get that buzz from making something unique.

Happy Crafting, whatever you decide to make.

Fighting and feeling inspired.

A flu style bug has hit the household, and honey and lemon have become good friends, along with Twinings Defence Tea  . Our beds has become a crafting zone and a writing zone. My son writing Pokemon bits and pieces and i'm reading and cutting out 3D decoupages , saving for another time to make them up. My reading material is everything from card making, papercraft and cross stitch, and now the latest Simply Homemade, with a free embossing and stamping set.

Simply Homemade covers so many different crafts, it always has the power to inspire, and i'm certainly that from reading the first few pages. Weaving anyone? I'm certainly interested in the whole idea of it, and it would be good to use some of my yarns i have stashed for supposed knitted projects, but also the Bear cushion is too cute to ignore! Plus button jewellery and father's day cards, along with the other projects to tease the crafter in all of us. And of course i have fabric in this house, various pieces of all manner of sizes and colours so a quilt is never far from my mind, though i think i don't quite have the sewing machine skills quite what they need to be. Seriously, i need to get my crafting area sorted! I'm eager to explore the crafting part of my mind, and talking mind, yes i'm still fighting demons and dark places, so crafting has certainly become a everyday thing to help.

But right now, tissues and warm/cold drinks take the importance away from crafting, and resting when we can has become important too. Kiddo is on half term at the mo, so it's going give him chance to recoup and recover before facing his final term at this school. He's growing so fast and it will be mum getting her crafting brain on for his final presents for his teachers who have helped him so much, and to a head teacher who runs such a wonderful school. It will be a big change for both of us, with tear shed along the way.

Happy Crafting, where ever you do it.

Vintage Times.

Right now i'm taking a timeout, a breakdown on Friday has left me raw, tearful and fighting a deep depression, so my son and my crafting are my focus. And order from Abel&Cole was a surprise, before 7am and the fruit and veg was so fresh, the smell of the oranges and apples alone a real highlight today. I'm definitely happier with the quality but also saving some money along the way. Another help in this tougher times we are going through. Anyway, crafting..

http://thegraphicsfairy.com/

This site has helped me out many a time. They have the most amazing images for free! But that's not the best bit, the images are. So many treasures from yester-year  and seeing the fashions, be it clothing or home items, it's a haven for those of us who like some of the olden times. The vintage ladies are certainly a favourite for me, but today a wonderful clock face ( public-domain-pocket-watch-image ) has put an idea or two in my head, so i feel i have a small mission today, as well as make homemade potato salad. Will be a steady day, with plenty of rest and some crafting through the day.

I'm currently working with angel-hair paper, it's fine fibres perfect as a background for some of the designs i'm working on. One is a vintage picture of a bunch of tulips. I've printed the picture out twice and cut them both out, but the second one i have removed the background enough to help make the image 3D. I've used deckle scissors around the edge to make a more interesting border, before placing onto of the angel-hair paper. HINT: Do not use deckle edges scissors on angel-hair, you end up with a mess and snagged scissors!

Anyway, the finished topper is now awaiting the right card to go on, i've run out of hammered cream blanks at the mo, so the topper is being kept safe.

The image of the tulips i found looked more vintage when it was printed onto cream textured card, like it had seen the ages slowly. The colours worked really well too. I printed it on the printer set as 4 images per page, but also had the paper being set at A5 size. I made sure it printed 2 of  the image, and you will find they will be the perfect size to use as a topper, without too much wastage too.The image is from The Graphics Fairy. Some more wonderful flowers on the site. Seriously this site is a gold mine for us crafters.

Anyway time for me to sort some bits out so i can have a brief crafting session. Happy Crafting

Bitter pill to swallow

This morning we wake to the news that the evilness continues. I am beyond broken inside and the fear of what is ahead can not be put into words. This country will be brought to it's knees and carved up and sold to people already too rich, and i hope those who voted for them, will enjoy watching the nhs being carved up and an american medical service will come to exist. I hope those who voted for them, will enjoy watching men, woman and children being made homeless and to starve. I hope that they can handle the fact they have signed the death warrants of anyone sick, disabled or poor.

Sorry no cheerfulness here, i'm broken beyond words and fearful of what is ahead.

Barriers

More than ever i'm fighting barriers, be they physical or emotional. Today i'm feeling both, the cold dark weather not helping much, plus the fact i've so many pictures i want to share, but no longer feel i can anymore, except on here. This is my area, to write my thoughts and share moments which make me smile, but also to show my moments of creativity, without being made to feel i'm not good enough, or it's become a competition of who is the best.

This is our quiet space today. The rain is battering down and the blossom of the cherry tree falls like pink snow with each hard gust of wind at various times. Believe or not, even on this cold, dank day it's still a beautiful sight and our garden is slowly coming together. Herbs and wild plants are happily taking their places on the back area, and the bird feeder is much loved by the local birds, especially the pigeon you see in the photo. Even on a blustery day he comes for his daily breakfast.

We're planning on more plants and veg being planted, some tomatoes and peppers in grow bags being our veg patch. More herbs and butterfly/bee friendly plants as well as a possible fruit plant/tree in the near future. The idea is to turn this space into an area that i can get used to the open air and space, without being fearful of panic attacks and my other fears whilst in the outside, but also a space to get a dose of vitamin d from time to time.

My other space is a work in progress, a crafting zone to create whatever is in my mind/heart at the time. A place to try and escape the pain, both physical and emotional, that challenges me every day. I admit to being very lonely and online has become a place that i can type my thoughts, but social contact seems very far apart. I tried reaching out but when you call people, and they never call you back, it hurts beyond words. So i'm only ringing people who ring me from time to time. But i've distracted off my topic, the crafting space. I've two storage units which are full of various bits, and another unit which i share with my son, again crafting stuff. There are boxes awaiting sorting which contain various bits, and by the computer desk are containers full of beads, charms and various jewellery findings for when my hands want o work. There is also a cupboard full of crafting goodness. Yes i have a lot, but it fills the life i don't have, and helps ease the fact that i am a single mum who rarily leaves our home due to agrophobia and fibromyaglia. My son of course is wonderful company, but i can't talk to him when things are troubling me, he is only 11 and i want him to enjoy the world safely. I try and make his life happy.

Happy crafting, whomever you do it with