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.
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Monday, 9 January 2012
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:
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, 8 January 2012
Sunday Best #2
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!)
2. This hand painted locket is beautiful
3. Miniature Fairy Tale Books...for Blythe maybe?
4. Love this print...especially the red shading
5. My neck needs this
6. I am so amused by the idea of sending someone a postcard from 'the 3 bears'
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?!).
Saturday, 7 January 2012
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 ;-)
Friday, 6 January 2012
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...
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.
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...
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.
Monday, 2 January 2012
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 ;-)
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 ;-)
Sunday, 1 January 2012
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*)
Phew. Long list. Happy New Year, may 2012 bring good things your way.
- 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.
- Decorate my new home so it feels more like...home.
- 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.
- Learn to crochet (the eternal goal for me)...I have no idea what the hold up is but I'll get there.
- Read more books through the power of my shiny new Kindle...and post about them here.
- Keep on writing ..here...my book...anywhere. Writing is so calming for me. Love it.
- Learn more about photography and get that little bit better at it.
- 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.
- Get fit - I'm musing on whether to cover this one in my blog..ya know..for motivation and all that
- Get a storage system set up for my craft supplies..seriously therapeutic
- Listen to more music (probably while doing all of the above). My iPod needs some updating.
- 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.
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