Headaches and Haberdashery ★

so as you know, i've not been feeling too well lately!

despite this, i (foolishly) decided to leave the house yesterday 

but it was for a noble cause . . .

i needed more ribbons and buttons from 'Just Enough'

it was worth it though! i might have been cold ridden and coughing/sneezing left right and centre but it was all in the pursuit of glorious crafty bits and bobs

what a truly marvellous array of multicoloured ribbony goodness!!!

* * *

so yesterday was an odd day really, odd because i woke up at 7:30am feeling less ill and by 2:30pm that afternoon i was pretty much ready to pass out under my desk at college

i don't know why but in some weird twist of fate i always seem to be ill whenever Juan has an exhibition on! 

being 'too ill to leave the house' has stopped me from going to his last 2 exhibitions so i was determined to make it to this 3rd one even if i had to crawl there on my hands and knees . . .

luckily i didn't have to crawl there (which was a plus really since i quite literally live in the middle of nowhere)

in a last ditch attempt at saving my sanity, i left college early and fell asleep for two hours, fortunately when i woke up i felt slightly more human so i made it to the 'gighibition' after all

the artwork was totally ruddy gorgeous and amazing (as always) and all of the local live acts (Planes over Paris, Anna Goldsmith, the Heights, Simon Campbell, Christy DeHaven and Cohiba) were also pretty darn fabulous which came as no surprise really, seeing as all of the artwork was based on original music created by all of the acts there performing and all of the paintings were brilliant so the music that inspired them was clearly brilliant as well!

it was a pretty awesome idea really and it made for some truly inspired paintings based on the song lyrics and melodies that accompany them. like Juan said, the whole point of it was so that . . . "the art will be on show during live performances of the songs by the musicians who wrote them"

 unfortunately i only stayed for just over an hour but there was a great atmosphere in the Villa Marina Arcade where the event was staged + it made a really beautiful and unusual venue

i'm so SO glad i actually made it to this one! i'm just kind of sad that i couldn't stay longer to hear all of the bands and  singers performing, i just felt too poorly

fingers crossed i'll be well for the next exhibition!

for local readers: don't worry if you couldn't make it to the 'gighibition' last night, all of the artwork will be on display in the far end of the Villa marina Arcade for the next 2 weeks 

Copyright of all the pictures used here belongs to Juan Moore

pictures: via BBC in pictures and Juan Illustration

visit Juan's blog for more info about his next 'Welcome to the Neighbourhood' exhibition - Juan Illustration

* * *

in other news . . .

before i began to feel too ill to move yesterday, i actually managed to finish off a little mini project i've been working on bit by bit for the past 2 weeks

the idea is for them to be two separate words pegged up but for the sake of testing out the pegs (and for having finally finished the letters) i photographed them like this, stuck to my art/architecture book case

each letter is made of cardboard which i've painted with several layers of gouache (for a sort of matted pink icing effect) and then decorated with lashings of sequins, ribbons and beads

i've a slight suspicion that these beads and sequins were the cause of my godawful head splitting headache yesterday afternoon hence my relief that the words are finally finished!!!

* * *

i've not been feeling too great today so i've pretty much spent the entire day curled up on the sofa re-reading 'The Bell Jar' and drinking strawberry milkshake

might make a few more ribbon flowers later but who knows! 

this cold seems to have drained all my creativity

the good news is that i break up for the Easter Holiday this Friday so i have about 3 weeks off college to draw and sew and be super duper arty

but for now, that's all folks . . .

◕‿◕ ★ xX

Pretty Purse ★

short but sweet post today . . .

so i FINALLY finished the little purse i've been making!!!

now let me start by pointing out that when i say 'purse' i do not mean a 'handbag' type purse, i mean a little purse you'd keep your keys, spare change or camera/ipod/cosmetics in

would you like to see it?!

of course you would . . .

tah-dah!!!

there you go

like i told you, it's very cute and girly and super duper pretty

it was entirely hand stitched (by me) using some pretty pink fabric i've had since last Summer (it was for the picture book pages i made), a pink zip, lots of embellishments and heaps of pink embroidery floss

it's lined as well using the same heart patterned fabric so it's surprisingly sturdy + it's about the size of a postcard

the back is kind of plain though, it just has some ribbon and ric-rac although you can also see the little crystal beads + glass seed beads i added to the zipper here as well

i used the lovely little iron on patches i got from the 'Just Enough' haberdashery shop in Laxey (more about that here - Just Enough)

i ironed the patches on but have also stitched them as well so they'll never come off + i sewed the two little pink gingham bows on as well + a line of mini ric-rac (it's that pink wibbly wobbly stuff along the bottom)

i added a lovely little french knot + chain stitched flower and a curly wurly line of dashed stitches curling across the purse + some diddy sequins and seed beads, et voila . . .

one kawaii inspired pretty pink purse

do you like it???

i have a few ideas for other purses similar to this one so who knows, maybe they'll be up for sale in my little etsy shop soon . . .

* * *

in other news,

you may have noticed the slightly new look for the blog

i realized that some readers couldn't actually see the illustration themed background i'd made for the blog so i thought some nice red roses would do instead since everyone will be able to see them regardless of the screen they're reading this on

the fonts changed as well obviously, 

not 100% sure if i'll be keeping this font yet, can you all read it ok?

it may look a little scratchy but i chose it because (believe it or not . . .) it's very similar to my own handwriting

let me know any thoughts on it all anyways, you know they're always greatly appreciated

nothing more to report for now 

so i guess that's all folks...

★ ◕‿◕ xX

Super Sock Monkey ★

hello again dudes and dudettes,

so this Saturday i decided to stay cooped up inside (it's cold and rainy outside so... no thanks) in the cosy warm and have a go at making some more felt creations

the plan hasn't exactly gone accordingly, in fact I may have accidentally spent the day so far watching Disney films and eating far too much coconut ice

but there's always tomorrow right!

anyway, i have some new 'sewing bits' to share with you

remember the little felt duck kit i mentioned in this post - Threads and Thimbles ♥

well my mum also got me a 'sock monkey' kit for Christmas

i had intended on spending Christmas day making it but i just ended up watching movies and eating chocolates...

so on Thursday evening when our internet service decided to give up on life, i cracked out the sock monkey kit and tried to have a go at making my very own super duper sock monkey

firstly, the kit made ZERO sense to me! so i abandoned the instructions and totally improvised...

the result actually didn't turn out too bad!

considering this is the FIRST sock monkey I've attempted to make EVER... I'm quite pleased with how he turned out!

i mean yes, he has a slightly wonky eye and yes the stitches are abysmal... but do i care?!

not that much actually!

after much deliberation i have decided to name him Seth since he shares the same initials as the truly fabulous and great Mr Seth MacFarlane (read my Super Sunday post about that Seth here - Super Sunday #3)

* * *

i also made THIS on Thursday at College

it's stitched into a piece of black card and it took aaaaages to do!

it's supposed to be a lollipop but some people have told me they think it looks like a flower so... whatever it is, it's pretty colourful i'm sure you'll agree

* * *

in other news, i finally organized my floss/embroidery silks

i know... that sounds so exciting doesn't it!

i bet you're overwhelmed by how thrilling my life is...

would you like to see a photo?

of COURSE you would!!!

there you go!

isn't it smashing!

tell you what, for that extra thrilling fun factor, here's a photo of some beads and sequins too!!!

gosh i really do spoil you!!!

* * *

continuing this terribly boring day to day theme, i also updated my Tumblr with a new girly theme

it's all in pinks, purples and blues

check out my Tumblr here, if you want to... - the jaded one

at the minute it's full of pretty girly looking stuff, which makes a change seeing as i usually just post Doctor Who + Family Guy related things on there...

* * *

thrilling as always right...

it's a Sunday tomorrow which means i really REALLY should do a Super Sunday post!

the only problem is... i haven't a clue who to post about!

here's hoping i come up with an idea in the next 24 hours

until next time...

(here's a headache inducing gif of my usual farewell message)

◕‿◕ ★

Hvala i doviđenja

(that's thank you and goodbye in Croatian on behalf of Croatia, i visited Croatia last September when i went to Montenegro for a wedding, it's a really beautiful country, hopefully i'll get to visit it again someday, hvala x)