Sunday Best #4

I'm totally crushing on brooches/ pins right now. I love that they're back in fashion, and it's now much easier to feed my addiction. Here are a few of my online favourites - I know some cardigans and jackets in my wardrobe that feel naked without them...

I'm not a huuuge fan of pink, but I'd totally make an exception for this girl by thepoppytree...

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

I'm not sure what I love more...the colour, the squirrel or the origami style, but this brooch by hugaporcupine is all-round amazing!

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

This sausage dog brooch from Tatty Devine has moving wheels which = love!

Source: tattydevine.com via Kat on Pinterest

I love Gemma Correll's art..but in brooch form? Perfect!

Source: madebywhite.com via Kat on Pinterest

Stitch and Tell #3 - Swallow Tattoo

Another small stitch and tell for this week ...a bigger one for next week hopefully (I've almost finished my big project...yay!)

I loved stitching this design - from CrossStitcher Magazine - it's inspired me to try some bigger designs using funky bright blocks of colour. My lounge totally needs some tattoo inspired cushions ;-)

TFI Friday - Time to chill

Oh my gosh I haven't been feeling very inspired this week. In fact, it has mostly involved crawling home from work and then hiding under a duvet cover.

I think I've just been a bit overwhelmed with everything that's going on this week...time for a nice relaxing weekend...hurrah!

So to start the weekend off with the mellow vibe it needs, here's a video of two of my favourite actors in the world - Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt - it may be too late for New Years Eve, but 'tis beautiful all the same :)


and my motto for next week will be...

Source: myrevelment.com via Kat on Pinterest

What I'm listening to this week - Michael Kiwanuka

I can't listen to this song enough times this week - Michael Kiwanuka's voice is beautiful.
 

Check out his Vevo channel on Youtube here which includes some more absolutely stunning acoustic performances.

I hope 2012 brings amazing things Michael's way :-)

Motif Monday - Doctor Who

This week's cross stitch motifs are for any crafty Doctor Who fans. They're themed around the 11th Doctor (who I adore...and considering how much I loved the 10th Doctor...that's saying a lot).

So this week I bring you some Daleks (yep, the newest 'big bum' models...love them)

A 'Silence' (these guys so creep me the hell out)

And a Stetson and a bow tie (because, ya know...they're cool)

Hope you enjoy them...if you use them in any projects let me know! You can download a .pdf of the designs  by following this link: Doctor Who Cross Stitch Motifs.

As always, these motifs are for personal use only.

Sunday Best #3

I'm very excited to be taking part in the Hunger Games swap over at Etsy, to help with my crafty mojo here are some gorgeous Hunger Games inspired items I've found on Etsy:

1. Love the combination of the parachute and the pearl here (although I'm pretty much a sucker for the symbolism of Peeta's pearl in any shape or form) - by TwilightEyesStudio.

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

2. I love any jewellery themed around arrows at the moment, but this bracelet by iadornu is my favourite

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

3. Not officially Hunger Games themed, but these earrings are just sooo cute, and remind me of the box with the bread. Cuteness made by The Menu.

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

4. This bag has the sweetest graphic. Real or not real by Paramount Pacific

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

5. Following the 'real or not real' theme...I literally love this bracelet by theforksforest

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

6. Lastly...I love this rubber stamp by dragonflycurls...I have lots of very boring pieces of paper which need to be stamped with it :)

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

Stitch and Tell #2 - Dog Faced Boy

Have you ever found yourself completely stuck on a craft project? One that you thought would take a week at the most...that you're still struggling to finish months later?

That's where I am at the moment - stuck on a 'little' project, which was supposed to be a gift for someone a while ago, which I'm still stitching.

Sooo...in the meantime, here's a little hoop I stitched a while back for a swap over at Crafster. I stitched it for someone who was interested in Circus sideshows. I tried (and epically failed) to stitch a bearded lady...so instead, this Dog Faced Boy stepped in to save the day. The picture doesn't show it well but I had a go at crayon tinting, to make him more 'fuzzy' Very handsome, don't you think?

Now...back to stitching...I will finish this project...I will, I will.

TFI Friday - Totally Sublime

This week's TFI is dedicated to one particular sewing site ... Sublime Stitching. I find Sublime Stitching totally inspiring for a couple of reasons. The first is that I have a sneaky suspicion that Jenny Hart, the person behind the designs might just be a creative genius. I love the style of her creations, her blog, and her overall business. If I could one day have my own business that touches on even a tiny bit of the awesomeness that is Sublime Stitching, I would be a very happy girl.

The second...the more practical side of me...is totally inspired because it was Jenny's designs that first encouraged me to try embroidery. Her instructions gave me the courage to try something new...and as it turns out I love embroidery.  For years and years I only braved cross-stitch, until these Forest Friends designs caught my eye...and I haven't looked back. I still have a loooong way to go with my embroidery skills, but I'm loving every step.

Here are my top three 'must buy' Sublime Stitching designs (it's my aim to try all of these this year)...

1. Ryan Berkley designs

2. Totally Metal

3. Beefcake beach

With a little help from my squirrel...

I don't have green fingers. In fact, if my fingers were a colour in relation to plants, they would be the blackest of blacks. So I just had to share my find of a little while ago, which has helped alleviate my curse on all plants...

This photo is of the money plant which lives on my desk at work (that's right, that's my work desk. ooooh...exciting). Now I know that money plants are really hard to kill...but I've managed it several times over. This little fella though...he's still thriving, months after buying him. It's all thanks to the little orange guy you can see peeking out of the pot. You see...when the plant needs water the squirrel disappears (thanks to the nifty water reservoir system which he floats on top of.

And when he disappears, I'm all 'oh hey, Mr/ Squirrel, where did you go? Oh duh! Water...the plant needs water'

It's honestly a genius system for the negligent plant water-er. Who wouldn't want to see this little face every day?...

I bought mine from 'The Distinguished' - my most favourite shop in Plymouth. But you can also buy them here and here.

What I'm listening to this week - King Charles

I thought I'd share what music I'm currently listening to. For this week it's King Charles. I first saw him being interviewed and doing an acoustic set, and was blown away by his voice. Love his style...I think Mississippi Isabel is my favourite single so far (and the video is beautiful), but Bam Bam is awesome 'make me feel happy' music and the lyrics for Love Lust  are stunning , so clearly I couldn't really choose, so here's three of his videos for your enjoyment.

Motif Monday - The Hunger Games Logo

One of the weekly features I'm planning for 2012 is to post cross stitch motifs/ charts which I've designed for you lovely people to use in your crafty project. A looong time ago I posted these True Blood Motifs and for this week I've chosen The Hunger Games for inspiration (my new addiction).

I've tried to do a simple take on the logo with the Mockingjay holding the arrow:

The chart should look something like this:

You can access the full chart, as well as the floss key by following this link: Hunger Games Logo Cross Stitch Motif. I haven't had a chance to stitch it yet, but I'll post a picture as soon as I do (it's 2nd on my 'to do' list). I've played around with the shading a bit to try and give it that metallic feel, and think it would look kind of awesome stitched using one strand of metallic thread with the yellow floss. 

If you use it in any projects let me know, I'd love to see them.

Have fun stitching Hunger Games Fans...and may the odds be ever in your favour. 

Sunday Best #2

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

At the moment I'm really enjoying the two new TV shows 'Once Upon a Time' and 'Grimm', and they've really put me in the mood for fairy tales, so this week's 'Sunday Best' focuses on some rather beautiful things themed around those most magical (and sometimes terrifying) stories...

1. Stunning art from 'the poppy tree' (as always!)

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

2. This hand painted locket is beautiful

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

3. Miniature Fairy Tale Books...for Blythe maybe?

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

4. Love this print...especially the red shading

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

5. My neck needs this

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

6. I am so amused by the idea of sending someone a postcard from 'the 3 bears'

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

1. Fairy Tale Print---Snow White Terrarium by thepoppytree on Etsy, 2. Hand Painted Necklace - Little Red Riding Hood by TuckooandMooCow on Etsy, 3. Miniature Fairy Take Books by LDelaney on Etsy, 4. Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf print by collageOrama on Etsy, 5. Little Red Riding Hood Necklace by CABfayre on Etsy, 6. Goldilocks and the 3 Bears postcard set - by LeFrenchCircus on Etsy

I think on reflection my favourite fairy tale as a child was Snow White...followed a very close second by Red Riding Hood. As an adult the darkness of fairy tales fascinates me. Some of them are just so...grim (I guess that's the origin of the word maybe?!).

Stitch and Tell #1 - Twiggy Cross Stitch

I'm starting to get my crafty mojo back (hurrah) so will  have lots of projects/ ideas to share soon. Here's a design I cross-stitched a while ago which I'm really proud of. Hopefully it's recognisable as the beautiful and iconic Twiggy...

To get the design right I ran a picture of Twiggy through a cross stitch design programme and then spent a loooong time playing around with it until I was happy. Here's a close up of the eyes...I was really pleased with how they turned out...

I'm hoping to try a few more iconic faces in a similar style, so more to follow soon hopefully ;-)

TFI Friday - The Elementary Pug

So I decided to carry on with using Friday's to post about things that inspire me, but each week I'm hoping to choose just one thing that inspires me at that moment for whatever reason.

So, this week's TFI is a little bit random, but hey, what more would you expect? It's been a bit of an exhausting week if I'm honest, and for the past couple of days I've struggled to see the wood for the trees. And then I saw this little guy, and that all changed...

Source: etsy.com via Kat on Pinterest

I must confess I found him on the front page on Etsy, and straight on my Pinterest he went. I've wanted a pug for a long time now and kept trying to talk myself out of it. I think I may have now decided to stop talking myself out of it (I do that with everything, you know) and make 2012 the year of the pug (yeah, that's right, the pug is replacing the dragon). The thought of being able to get a pug companion this year inspires me to keep working hard, and remember why I do it. I'm also inspired to have a sort through the boxes that haunt my loft to see it any of it is ebay-worthy to build up some savings.

Lastly I find myself inspired to put on a deer stalker, smoke a pipe and walk around London solving complex mysteries.

Weird.

My New Hunger Games Obsession - Real or not real?

Real.

I have a sneaky suspicion that these books will be forming one of my major obsessions for 2012. I was ill just after Christmas with the stomach bug from hell (on the positive side it was a good start to my diet because no Christmas snacks passed my lips) and I swear I would have been feeling very sorry for myself if it wasn't for my discovery of this book series.

I ended up reading the trilogy over a four day period and have felt a little bit lost without them since I finished. I don't want to spoil anything about these books...I went into them knowing very little and this really helped with the impact of the story. Written by Carolyn McCormick, the triology - The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay are classified as 'young adult' fiction and I think 'young adult me' would have loved them, but for different reasons than 'old decrepit me'. Aside from the heavy dystopian theme and the hunger games themselves - a truly horrifying game where children fight to the death for the entertainment of the privileged and the suppression of the masses the characters themselves were the hook that dragged me in, particularly Katniss,  a particularly interesting female lead (the books are written from her first person perspective), and Peeta, adorable Peeta, one of the love interests in the book, but so much more besides - a symbol of how good humans can be, even in the crappiest of situations.

I can't recommend the books highly enough, and am now counting the days until the film release in March (the casting for which looks, at first (and tenth) glance to be perfect).

I have a few Hunger Games related crafty projects floating around my head now...more to follow about that next week hopefully.

If anyone can recommend a new book for me to read which might fill the gap they've left I would be very grateful ;-)

My 12 for 2012

2011 has been a busy, busy year...as my poor neglected blog can vouch for. Through the chaos and constant battle to fight the part of my brain that has been chanting *go...go hide under your duvet and everything around you will magically fall into place* I've managed to come to a way more settled and happy place than I've been for a long time. 2011 has been kind to me and I'm very excited to see what 2012 brings. With that in mind I've decided to write out 12 resolutions things I'd like to achieve this year. Expect them to be very similar to my goals for 2011 (did I mention it's been a busy year? *cough*)

1. I would sincerely like to spend more time here, in my little corner of the blogverse. I'd like to learn more about the blogging community and in general write an interesting and all-round spiffy blog. 
2. Decorate my new home so it feels more like...home.
3. Get back to crafting in a big way. My crafty mojo has been in limbo recently. I'd like to shake that off and get back to making. One project completed (big or small) each week would be the dream. 
4. Learn to crochet (the eternal goal for me)...I have no idea what the hold up is but I'll get there. 
5. Read more books through the power of my shiny new Kindle...and post about them here. 
6. Keep on writing ..here...my book...anywhere. Writing is so calming for me. Love it. 
7. Learn more about photography and get that little bit better at it. 
8. Keep in touch. I confess I can be bad at keeping in touch with people I care about when life is chaotic. I'd like to rectify that. 
9. Get fit - I'm musing on whether to cover this one in my blog..ya know..for motivation and all that 
10. Get a storage system set up for my craft supplies..seriously therapeutic  
11. Listen to more music (probably while doing all of the above). My iPod needs some updating. 
12. At the risk of jumping on the 'Keep Calm' trend...keep calm, stay happy and don't stress about the small things at home or at work 

Phew. Long list. Happy New Year, may 2012 bring good things your way.