One giant step forward

I made some progress with my secret project today! Yay for me :D Actually my mum nudged me and it felt like the perfect time to do some serious exploration. Photos teasers to come.

Night before christmas

and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even the mouse...

To be honest it's a bit early for that, but it paints such a lovely picture. Merry christmas everyone!

gorgeous print from StudioFlowerPower

Chowderrrrrr

Seafood chowder is one of my all time favourite foods. The first time I tried it was in America somewhere, when I was about 10yr old. And today I spotted a recipe on Everybody Loves Sandwiches... thank you! So I thought I'd better link it here before I lose it and wonder where I saw that recipe.

Fish chowder recipe.

maritime fish chowder
(adapted from Simply Recipes)
2 T butter
1 large onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
4 small-ish potatoes, diced
1 t thyme
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 1/2 t Old Bay seasoning
1 1/2 c fish stock + water
1 1/2 – 2 lbs Red Snapper (or cod), cut into 2 inch cubes
1/2 c corn
1 1/2 c skim milk

In a large pot, saute the onion and celery in the butter until soft and fragrant. Add in the potatoes and all of the seasonings. Add in the fish stock and add enough water to just cover everything. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes until the potatoes are done.

Stir in the fish and cover again for another 15 minutes. Turn down the heat to a low simmer and slowly add in the milk – I had the heat on the very lowest setting. Do not bring this mixture to a boil or the milk may curdle. Add in the corn and let it rest with the lid on for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in deep bowls with oyster crackers or hunks of buttered sourdough bread.

oh

and I also spotted this on the same blog. Lemon Cookies... YUM! my bf loves lemon flavoured desserts and he loves cookies, perfect combo. Cant wait to try it out.

New Years Resolution

In 2010, I will endeavor to immerse my whole life in creativity...

Not that I'm not doing creative things at the moment, but I've been so exposed to the amazing talent and creative lives of fellow bloggers, I'm itching to be part of that. They are so design conscious. I have been inspired to make my life more beautiful and create things that will make everyday tasks a joy.

Most of my work will be based around Lines and Blocks, Colour and Movement. I want elegance in some areas and bold flowing brushstrokes in others. All of it will be graceful, happy and colourful. Here are some of my ideas,

* Lists: make writing down notes fun. I love filling in things.

* Organizing: creating labels (or even borrowing labels from fellow bloggers) to pretty up my pantry. And tuck everything into nice boxes. And find opportunities to decorate.

* Books: I have always loved sketchbooks and notebooks, and I really want to design some lovely covers to go with them. And collecting gorgeous papers. Oh I so want to make books!

* Gifts: I want to make and give gifts. I will finally get to try all those tutorials I have collected.

* Etsy: Really work to perfect my secret project. Plus if there is anything good I want to share it would be nice to list them too.

One final thing. I am going to ditch all those ideas about reinventing old thing and only doing that. Old sheets, old clothes, old magazine pages. I have cornered myself and the thing is... it turns out looking old. No wonder I've been in a creative block.

Hehe, and a little funny promise... In the new year, I will be less of a hermit and go out and be exposed to new things. I am SUCH a hermit, staying at home, making things and getting a screen tan from watching all the episodes of stargate. Time to branch out.

Holidays

Hello! we're back on holidays again, but this time we can really relax and enjoy our time. Knowing that we've got something to go back to (and money in the bank) makes a huge difference to our happiness.

It's almost Christmas! I've got about half of my Christmas list done so still a few things to buy and a few other things to make (actually, quite a few things to make. I keep coming up with more present for certain people and it's a bit distracting, so I need to stay focused). Will be fun. Oh and I really want to go on a drive somewhere before we head back home to visit family.

So here are a few more things I've collected while online surfing.

Doily Canvas bag tutorial. Ashley Ann's stylish design, such a elegant but simple idea (and hugely responsible for distracting me in my present making task).

DIY Sweetheart Brownies found on the Twig and Thistle blog. Really really want to make some now, just need to find a good recipe or I might just cheat and get one of those premixed ones, I was really frustrated the last time I made brownies cos they turned out too sweet and had a weird crusty top. Anyway, a lovely gift.

Another Twig and Thistle find. Homemade marshmellows, arent they gorgeous and sparkly! I am so gonna try this out for easter or something.

Candy Cane Chocolate Bark from Everybody likes sandwiches blog. I think I might make this for my cousin's Christmas present. I'll gets some beautiful Haighs dark chocolate and sprinkle some nuts or candy on top.

And last but not least the beautiful soap from Nostalgia Organics. I absolutely love the sweet packaging, such a treat!
Can you tell I have a thing for online tutorials?

Cute little project

Today I have decided to start on my Christmas list. I want to give my mum a tablecloth and perhaps some placemats and I found this cool project on Design Sponge. All I need is some fabric so I'm off to get some now :)

Weekend

It's the weekend! And I've finished a little freelance job I had lined up so I can chill out for the rest of the weekend. The way things turned out with work is quite good actually, we do 2 weeks work after a huge break and then we go on another break for 2 weeks, so we're going to be 100% charged for next year! Plus I've worked out a little worksheet to help me with my job so that's going to be good.

Making worksheets is quite a bit of fun. I'm thinking of making heaps of worksheets to help me with all aspects of my life. It'll make writing lists and plans and ideas a lot more fun and pretty (cos I'll be printing on pretty paper). Maybe I should think about investing in a printer...

Over the last couple of days I've been collecting a heap of pictures I've found on the internet while looking for Christmas presents and general blog and etsy surfing. Here are some (and I will try and add a few every day and include links where I can).

Some lovely winter clothes from the Asian online shop YesStyle.com. The store is Melissa.



Gorgeous, GORGEOUS illustrations by Paperfashion, and her etsy shop (would have to get something from there one day, the tricky part is deciding which one...)
And a really handy workbook for any aspiring fashion designer, or people like me who just want to draw costumes and design fantasy fashion (for amusement) and perhaps design some clothes for everyday wear (we'll see what happens). I was actually thinking of making such a worksheet, it's nice to see someone had already done it.

Take a look at Hokey Croquis. You can buy the clever workbook pictured below, or download the worksheet in the freebies section.

Happy

Great news, I'm back at work again! It's been a great break and I've done a lot of crafty things, and opened an etsy shop :) The break has satisfied my hunger to do crafts full time.

But now, I'm back at work and I feel at home again. I have order in my life! It will be an interesting ride over the next couple of months as Matt and I work in different roles at the studio. Hopefully it will be a nice long ride (so that I can go shopping with my sister over here and take those weekend trips to the wine regions I've been dreaming about). For now, I will enjoy my work and enjoy my free time. A new start for me.

Embroidered Buttons

Today, my little fascination, is Embroidered Buttons. Tutorial by PurlBee.
Would love to try these out.

Me and my sister

This gorgeous print reminds me of us when we were little, beautiful work by lepapierstudio

oh and just so I wont ever lose the link... UK handmade website. Some pretty cool stuff in there.

Pretty dresses

Lovely dress from Sheike and it's on sale!!
Now, all I need is a paycheck and a place to wear it hehehe...

Snowflake Tutorial Find

I saw this tutorial on the blog KatyElliot inspired by the artist evencleveland and thought it was incredibly pretty and so easy to make. Another project to add to my 'things I love to try' list. Here is another item by EvenCleveland up for sale in her etsy shop. Such quaint little dwellings :)

Love this too

Little Brown Pen's calender

Such a great little gift, now I want to take a holiday to an exotic place and take beautiful photos. Little brown pen is brilliant at doing that. It's like she opens our eyes to all the gorgeous details in a place. What I think make a photographer stand apart from everyone else is, a photographer see things that we all take for granted. An artist really appreciates what's there, the detail, the colour, the history. While everyone else, me included, take happy snaps of people smiling in front of random places. Not that that's bad, there are tons of memories in those photos but they dont mean anything to anyone who wasnt there at the time. My wish, for new year, is to take photos like an artist. Just like Little Brown Pen and Lil Fish Studios.

Today I have decided to do something 3D. For a long time I've been wanting to revisit modelling and rigging, the character creating part of animation. I've picked a little toy tiger (named Sita) to recreate in 3d. It shall be my little project today. As I know I tend to get stuck into the details way too soon, I must remember to be a sculptor, roughing out the shape then deal with details like edge loops (which in 3d is very important if you want to make it move).

Btw, I've finished the little pot mats for my bf's grandma and I love them. Do you like them? and I've also continued working on the 'Wishes' booklet (I'm still deciding whether it should be called Wishes or Promise). Along with my swirly background one, I've created a cute one too. I might also reuse my horse images and see what that looks like.