Copy for practice

A few years ago I practiced my painting and colour skills by copying from details of photographs taken of real paints (that I cut out from magazines). The one on the left is the original, and the one on the right is my unfinished copy.

I found it difficult and satisfying at the same time. It is hard at the beginning, but as with everything, one gets better with practice.

Photos and watercolour

We went to Kilve, in Somerset a few weekends ago. This is a photo taken on the beach, a beach where you can find fossils. It was really nice to spend time outdoors in a landscape so different to what I am used to.

I painted a watercolour at home which is an interpretation of this photo. Just for fun.

Award

So I've won an award! Amazing, incredible! Well, it is an award where I give a little bit of information about me so you get to know me a wee better.

The person who gave me the award is Piper and Lily, and I have to apologize for taking so long to get round to do this. Woops!

Rules for this award:

• Thank the person who nominated you for the award

• Copy the logo and place it on your blog

• Link to the person who nominated you for this award

• List seven things about yourself that people might find interesting

• Nominate and post links to the seven Kreativ Bloggers you nominate

• Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated

Ok, so here are 7 things you don't know about me -

1. I have recently become passionate about Japanese food, especially sushi.

2. When I was little (8-9 years old) one of my dreams was to be an independent woman by 18 with my own flat and my own red Ford Fiesta, and being a secretary. Along that dream I had another one of being married to a farmer and have lots of animals.

3. I hate to see people biting or filing their nails. It makes me cringe!!

4. I find it is very important to have lots of life experiences. I want to look back at my life feeling I have lived it to the full.

5. I love traveling. It gives me a sense of adventure and discovery. It makes me a richer person and helps me be creative and put things in perspective.

6. I have dyed my hair since I was 16. I once had it cut very short, bleached it and left some bits longer and died them purple. You should have heard my Mom's laughter and seen my father's face when they first saw me. Unforgettable.

7. I know for a fact that dreams come true.

So I don't know if these things are interesting or not, but they are part of who I am.

: )

I am not going to give the award because I feel that more than 7 deserve it. Just look at the amount of blogs that I follow in my main page and you will see. I couldn't put the photo in the post because my blog said there was an error (?). I would like to invite all readers to do this. Is a lot of fun!!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Lazy Sunday

It is raining and windy outside and there is no better feeling than being indoors when it is horrible outside.

This morning I was reading Inside Out magazine, an Australian magazine on interior design that I really enjoy and got inspired by a sentence: La Bonne Vie. 

I immediately got a view of that sentence in orange, printed and framed. So that is what I did. I am not quite sure if I like to see it in the living room as it is, but I do like the message so I am going to leave it for a few days and lets see how it sits with us.

I have been washing fabrics this weekend. I never used to, but I am worried that the things I am making are not going to last after they have been washed. So far I haven't been too precious of the things I have made, but I am turning into the believe that is best to do a few things, but nicely than lots and of poor quality. At the same time it is true that sometimes is nice just to do lots (even if they are not that great) to let your imagination and creative adrenaline free to explore. Life is just full of contradictions! 

These are for projects that I am working on. Stay tuned!

Giveaway winner!

So the winner of the fabric giveaway is Helen, from The Sacred Art of Eating. A wonderful site with lots of yummy recipes and beautiful photos of meals which I highly recommend you visit if you want to treat your eyes and get ideas for a lovely meal. Share your food if possible, since sharing nice things are more enjoyable. Well done Helen! I hope you enjoy the goodies!

New chairs

I stayed at home today because I am not feeling too well. After sleeping for 10 hours and still feeling exhausted, after breaking one of my favourite mugs, after looking for the coffee in the fridge (??), and other unusual things that happened to me I realised that I was not quite myself today and that I ought to stay at home for my safety and that of others! But I really dislike feeling useless and between naps and breaks I changed the fabric on our living room chairs.

This is how they looked when we first moved in

This is how they looked for months, from winter until today

This is how they look now 

I bought this fabric in the Antique market in October. It is amazing how little changes like this one can make a significant difference. And not much money was needed for redecorating! What a bonus! 

Declutter

It is healthy to every so often de-clutter. I like it because it frees up space and is very therapeutic. Don't you always feel great when you get rid off those things you don't need any more? It helps de-clutter your mind too.

I have written about 4 de-cluttering projects I have done or plan to do and the reasons why I find they are good to do. 

- Clothes - the thing that gets me is when I see myself in a three year old photograph and I find I am currently wearing that same top. Nothing wrong if you love it and it is in good condition, but I like to change and feel a bit creative with clothes. It makes me feel refreshed to wear new clothes and styles. It is fun!, and you don't always have to spend too much money: try sales for updating your wardrobe with quality modern clothes. Charity shops are great for vintage stuff too.

- Food - What is at the back of your cupboard? I sometimes surprise myself with a bit of horror when I come across a half used pack of pasta I had completely forgotten about, or a can of fruit salad I bought last year. Luckily these things tend to last a long time, but it is good to remind yourself of those things that might need eating soon!

- Fabrics - as you know I am doing a giveaway of fabrics. Nothing wrong with them. In fact, they are all very pretty, but I have used some of them already for other projects, or they are too small, or find them difficult to combine. Better to give them to someone who can make good use of them.

- Subscriptions - I find my taste changes over time and those blogs that I was interested in a year ago are not so "me" anymore. I like to see what other people are doing, there are new blogs all the time with fresh ideas that can be more like what you are into now. 

Other de-cluttering projects can be: magazines (cut out the articles you are really interested in), books (you can sell those you don't want any more on amazon), music (put them on your computer or ipod and get rid of the CD boxes), DVD's, make-up bag and anything else you can think off!

Let me know if you are doing any de-cluttering and how good it makes you feel once you have done it.

The photos are of the Hubbell Trading Post which I visited when I went on a wonderful road trip to Arizona a few years ago. Lovely place if you like ceramics, textiles and basketry. Nothing to do with the post, but I thought it needed some inspiring photos! 

: )