Inspiration Wednesday – Cardboard Creations

Anthropologie holiday catalog

Liya Mairson’s Pop-Up Cardboard Playhouse

Giant Cardboard Robot Arms

Oliver’s Cardboard Box Train Party

Chris Gilmour microscope

Lisa Fontanarosa Lion Crib

Strode College’s Art & Design Department student project

Inspiration Wednesday – Scalloped For Her Pleasure

Okay, so a week is probably too long to still be jet lagged. Regardless, my Wednesday post is a day late. I’ve become a Pinterest addict within the last month or so and have decided to post a few of my inspirations from my Scalloped for her Pleasure board. Enjoy and go creative something wonderful!

 

Inspiration Wednesday – Blexbolex

I found the book, Seasons by French illustrator Blexbolex, at the library today and can’t stop looking at it. I am completely smitten with both the illustrations and the brief, but compelling story. I will be looking for more of his books next library visit.

Hubs has the camera today. Luckily I found some pictures of the inside of the book over at The Cat and the Cucumber.

Inspiration Wednesday – Embroidery

I haven’t done an Inspiration Wednesday in awhile, but embroidery is something that I always find fascinating. There are a few embroidery hoops on my shelves that I’m sure will get used this year. I hope these great artists inspire you to pick up a thread and needle or whatever creative tools you use in your artistic pursuits.

Cindy Steiler of marysgranddaughter does this awe inspiring piece Daring Young Girl on the Flying Trapeze.

Laura Amiss’ City Living makes me happy every time I see it.

Megan Whitmarsh‘s Yeti is just out there. I can’t stop looking!

Rachel J Lieberman of DangerPeach’s Why I Oughta in 3D is so cool, like a Hitchcock film you can put on your wall.

Patti Roberts-Pizzuto of MissouriBendStudios’ Summer No 7 reminds me of a classic children’s book.

Takashi Iwasaki, all his work is fantastic and modern and completely different from other things I’ve seen.

Melissa Crowe of LittlePinkHouse’s Little City Hoop/Pirates of Love (Galleon) is lovely and a valentine I would be happy receiving. (Hubs?)

Portland local, Cate Anevski’s Facebroidery No 7 is such a splendid idea. I personally love painting and drawing faces and seeing Cate’s work really makes me want to try my hand at embroidery next.

Samantha Cotterill of Mummysam’s If Charlie Were King is done in a wonderfully illustrative style. She has a book out right now that I am really anxious to borrow, Fanciful Felties.

Inspiration Wednesday – Fantastic Mr. Fox

I just got a chance to see Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox movie last night and thank goodness I did! WOW! It was such a delight. I loved it just as much as Life Aquatic which is one of my all times favorites. From this first opening scene I was completely enthralled with all the textures and colors. My only disappointment was that I’d forgotten to bring a notebook so I could write down all my sewing ideas. This movie turned on the creative part of my brain and kept it chugging throughout the entire film.

Get your craft on – Inspiration Wednesday

I was hoping to have a triangle hat tutorial ready for you guys today, but I have regretfully fallen far behind. So many projects are beginning to pile up and instead of finishing them I bug out and start something new. I WILL get my act together soon, but it is sunshiny in Portland so you’ll have to forgive me.

Instead, I’ll introduce or perhaps just remind you of two really great blogs/magazines that I often use as inspiration and that excited me about handmade before this experiment even began.

First is Junior Society. I’ve been a member for awhile now, after becoming such a big fan of Robert Mahar‘s, Mahar Drygoods website. This blog always has the best, well designed stuff.

Second up is Small Magazine. I’ve been a fan of this online magazine since the first issue and always just sit and drool over all the great clothes and illustrations. They’ve just recently come out with a blog, too.

I hope these sites help get those creative juices pumping. Craft happy!

Rainy Day Roundup

Since I’m eating Sundrops, which is highly appropriate since in typical Portland fashion it is rainy and sunny all at the same time, and procrastinating, I decided that a shout out to all the crafty artists who’ve made the great handmade gifts we’ve received this year would both take some time and be an inspiration.

The Experiment Begins

My 2009 New Year’s resolution is a pledge to give only handmade gifts this year. I’ve been buying handmade more and more since having my first child in 2006 partly because I love having original, one of a kind toys and clothes for my girls and also because I want to support the artists in the arts and crafts movement. Now, it will be my turn to take inspiration from those artists and create something on my own. Very exciting! Especially when you factor in that most of these gifts will be for children, which is perfect for me for while my creative mind is stocked full, my creative ability has some room in the larder.

The criteria for these gifts will be that the item/project must be something my daughter PZ, who is almost 3, can help with. The supplies for the project can’t cost more then I would spend on a store bought gift, thus saving me money. And the gift must be something enjoyable for both the giver, i.e. me, to make, and the recipient to receive. So far, we’ve made playdough for a little guy in PZ’s preschool class who was turning 3. It was fun, simple enough that PZ could participate in every aspect of its creation, and extremely cost efficient. Yay!

We’ve been invited to another birthday party on the 15th of February. PZ’s own birthday is on the 20th of that month and I know of at least 5 other birthdays we’ll probably be invited to between now and May. So stay tuned to find out how the adventure goes. I’m thinking next might be recycled crayons; zero cost, mucho fun.

Also as a way to give back to our local arts and crafts community and help support those that have inspired me so much, I will be striving to profile some of my favorite local craftspeople. I look forward to sharing their work and perhaps even their words with you, (if I can get anyone to let me interview them).

Earth Friendly Play Dough

* 1 cup flour (not self-rising)
* 1/2 cup salt
* 1 cup water
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Mix in saucepan over low heat. (It does not have to heat long.) Dough is ready when it rolls into a ball. Keep dough fresh in an airtight container. If you need to make different colors, add food coloring while mixing over heat.

*recipe from teachnet.com
**We made our gift extra special by including with it cookie cutters letters that spelled out the boys name.