Colour explosion

Ooooh I'm not sure I can control myself - I am giddy with excitement.  Colour has arrived into our lives!  Will you just look at all those fluffy balls of colour?  Felt is such a beautiful material - and these fairtrade balls felted from natural wool are going to be part of a range of colourful jewellery that is in progress as I type.  Type with one hand, hold felt ball in another, think up amazing colour options in my head at the same time.

Keeping it in the family

I knew my girl liked her jewellery, like her mama.  I knew she loved to string colourful beads and I knew she loved to adorn herself.   However, that she would go away and make her mama a present so apt, so fitting and so in every way adorable, is just the sweetest thing.

My baby made me a ring.  

A ring with her hand drawn on it, and the artist's signature (twice, for good measure)

The mark of a craftsman-in-waiting?  She even sized it. 

I love that girl.

Owlets

Autumn is probably my favourite season, and for me, is all about forests.  One of my earliest memories is of going hunting for wild mushrooms in the forests of the Pyrenees with my grandparents.  I love that it's called "hunting".  Feels dangerous and subterfuginous.   [That'll do for my word of the day.] 

Back to topic, I've noticed all sorts of foresty-themes making the front pages of the design blogs for some time now...   Leaves, acorns, mushrooms, owls, deer (deer antlers anyone?) - could it be that autumn is becoming everyone's favourite season?

In its honour, I have made some baby owl stud earrings in fine silver.  The deer antlers and mushroom projects will have to wait a little while.

My Inspiration

I have various books of pictures, colours and concepts that I dip in and out of.  My house is a treasure trove of books, leaflets, remnants and bits and bobs that have some creative energy in them, and thus I can't possibly get rid of them and and thus I cannot ever have a tidy house.  I also have a live running list of things that inspire me.  This list is saved on my laptop and is constantly on in the background, ready for me to add a new word, a new idea, a new thought. I retreat to my list on a regular basis, for ideas, for reassurance and for motivation.  There is another, much bigger, source of inspiration however, that is also always on in the background, ready to amaze and amuse and enlighten - her name is Inna.  And Inna started school today.

Inna has a good creative eye already - she was the child who found black the prettiest colour well before pink found its way into the repertoire.  She has decorated the walls and carpets with pens and lipstick because it looks 'improved'.  Given half a chance she would paint herself each and every day just to see how it looks and to be able to show everyone.  She is my biggest fan and my kindest critic.  She drives what I do and if it doesn't pass by her high standards, it does not see the light of day.  She who tells me she knows everything already but keeps asking questions about the world, her favourite concept.  She loves the fact that it turns, and sometimes it shakes - she does a very realistic impression of an earthquake...  So the first day at school will be one to cherish.  Here is to many years of happy learning, baby girl!