Wabi Sabi Threads

I missed this month of Softies again.

I have been postponing sewing a cat for A month of Softies, and having to do real life work last weekend made me miss the deadline again.

I really liked this month's theme. I had some sketches that I made while I was in Holland that I tought that could be useful for this months. I love cats and have tons of ideas, but...

This morning after making the real life deadline I could spend some time surfing the web, and seeing the wonderfuls Cats that everybody have done only made things worse.

I'm madly in love with Wee's Buttercup and Sunshine, in awe with Loobylu's Cat Factory, impressed by Mimi's knitted cats and inspired by Ervilha's Softie. I really love them. I think that I'm going to start collecting Cats.

And this is only the tip of the Iceberg, I can't wait to see the Gallery of the Project.

Catching up

I just remembered that I haven't done my contribution to A month of Softies. I have problems understanding the meaning of Hang-up and Claire was kind enough to post a Clarification on her blog. So now  I don't have excuses. On the personal side of life, Claire has just bought a house, so Congratulations!

Everybody who is into illustration knows about Illustration Friday, it has been around for a while and was the inspiration for A month of Softies. Now it has released a new website that includes forums and is a great place to visit. Last week theme was Adoption and I just fell in love with Tania's Rabbits, Leontine's Nightmare Children, Charlie's Bears, Kim's Cats and of course Penelope's Trees. I think that it was a great theme, and most people found it was a tough one, so I'm sure that is a great pick.

Almost done...

... with my Xmas gifts. And next Friday I'll be able to show them here!!! I haven't made a lot of things, but I had so much real life boring work that Xmas gift have consumed all my crafty time.

I had a lot of projects popping in my head this last month, and the nice thing is that I have been able to keep a list in a notebook, so they may even become reality.

I have to catch up with my blog reading too. Last week I was able to read some entries from Mimi's Blog. There I found the wonderful dolls by Julia Lothrop This picture was taken by Mimi at RISD Alumni Holiday Art Sale. This is a description of her work:

Most of the fabrics are vintage. The blue guy on the left- his boots are made of old kid gloves, embroidered. The green fellow in the middle- his pants are leather. And can you see what is hanging behind it all? It is a wall of faces.

I just love them!!! Unfortunately she doesn't have a website yet. So I asked permission to Mimi to use this picture. I hope to make her work a bit more known online!!!

And don't forget to visit Mimi's Holiday Inventory 2004 she has great stuf for sale. I love her bugs, but I have spent too much money already so I'll have to wait until the 2005 Inventory.

Some Shopping in Holland

I didn't get to see a lot in Holland, but you can always do some shopping at Schiphol Airport.

Of course I couldn't resist some Miffy souvenirs. When I was a kid I have alot of Dic Bruna's book, and I love them. I love then so much that my mother copied (by hand) some drawings, painted them with acrylics and then framed them. I'm sure that this infringes some laws of copyright, but back then when we didn't have access to photocopies we didn't think much abou that, and it was for personal use ; D

If you like Miffy visit the official site. You can shop, play, send Miffy cards and you can even download free colouring images (Oh boy times has changed...)

While looking for some cheese for my family I also bought this book. It's name is Pluk van de Petteflet by Annie M.G. Schmidt with illustrations by Fiep Westendorp. I thought that Wee and tania (there are some birds!) would enjoy this. Although you can visit the illustrator website I recommend that you visit the author site. You can even read a chapter on this book as well as see other book's illustrations. She said: "I myself always stayed eight years old. And I actually write for myself. I think that 's the whole point. I'm eight"

On my way to Amsterdam

I'm on my way to Amsterdam for a weekend workshop with Marlaine Verhelst. You can choose what to learn in it, so I'm going to practice with sculpting hands, wish me luck! i don't think I'll have the time to post before Sunday, you know I'll be having fun... so in the meantime visit some other great blogs:

Mimi Kirchner is struggling to get her kids done for saturday, and as she shares the procces with us. I'll be visiting her site as soon as I get back to see how they have turned out.

And Hillary (WeeWonderfuls) is undergoing another of her oh so creative, so productive phases. I'm madly in love with her creature from Japan. You have to see it!

I'm going to miss reading all the blogs.

Projects, projects, projects

I have found another wonderful project... it's a doll tutorial from Wee Wonderfuls. I have to read more of her blog.

Update on the other projects:

Felt square is done.  Month of Softies is done. Travel Doll is postponed due to Karin's projects. Les Frimousses not done. Old Knitting project: A couple of years ago I have gone this far on knitting sleeves for a green sweater... Now I don't like it a lot, but I don't want to throw it all. Any ideas?. Making an Amy Butler bag, I love her designs. Going to Amsterdam for a weekend workshop with Marlaine Verhelst next Friday. And of course Xmas Shopping. I'm so glad that I least I bought my Xmas cards.Going to the Madrid Knitting Meetup on Wednesday. Making some changes in my cushion doll pattern. Bead an small doll. Finish the clay doll that I made at Marlaine Verhelst workshop.

With all this in my head no wonder that I forgot that I was already a month old. Ooops

Update on projects

Felt square project

I have cut my square for Vanda Videla's project. I have been thinking of embellishing it, but I haven't decided yet wich way to go. I was very inspired by Ervila's Square

Deadline: 31/12/2004

Les Frimousses

I have wrote to Unicef France and they have told me that they didn't have a deadline, so I don't have excuses for not participating.

Deadline: No deadline

A month of Softies

I have read about this project at Mimi's Blog. It's a project by Loobylu, and November's Theme is The Accessorised Elephant. You can also view some entries.

I have collected several inspirational elephants images and put them in a gallery.

Of course while I was at her blog I bought some of her awesome Xmas Cards. I love her illustrations and she is donating 10% of all proceeds to Oxfam. I'm member of this organization, so this combination fits perfect with me.

Deadline: 30/11/2004

Traveling Doll

I have been talking with #88 about the offer that Karin made, and she´s eager to go to play with Kleintje. So I'll have to write Karin and ask her is she would be kind enough to host #88 for a week or so and share some pics with us

Deadline: I'll have to work this with Karin