Gone south

Which in this case means that things are great. I am with my beloved one, relaxing and not worrying about things one bit.
Have a grand weekend everyone!

Now on ArtFire!

then and now

There is this nice blog called Then and Now, which is precisely what it sounds like.
You can send in a picture of an old creation - from when you started out, and one picture of a thing you recently made. It's really fun to see the progress in peoples' work.
And as it happens.. I have two pics up there now.. :)
Here is the link once again: http://craftsthenandnow.blogspot.com/

Just a thought

Hm. This place is getting rather messy once again.. Like my flat. Creative mess, we call it...

Feature in Rouge River Beads blog

If you want, you can read a little interview with me at Rouge River Beads.
Oh, please do! :)

http://rougeriverbeads.blogspot.com/

Greenpeace: following the e-waste

from Bearing Witness: Greenpeace photo-essays

"... Greenpeace has been investigating the immoral and illegal e-waste dumping in developing countries since 2002. After China, India, Pakistan and Ghana, this is the story of how one very broken TV managed to avoid being tested and recycled according to EU regulations and instead ended up in Nigeria as "second hand goods"... "

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics/the-e-waste-problem

Evenin' & another pinboard. yay!

It's evening again, and like many times before I don't quite feel like going to bed.
So, I decided to make a pinboard on Dawanda and am calling it 'Spring'. Quite fun to make.. so many beautiful, inspiring and jolly things out there!
Anyway, here's a few items from the list:

Zozo Cards

You Never Know

Buuki

Artisan Impact

Lily Pang

New Creation

And I have to add this one, just because I simply love it:

He says he can hear the forest whisper
by
Hidden Eloise - Hide N Seek
See the whole pinboard here *click!*

Free Shipping on all Wrist Cuffs on my ArtFire shop!

I have just added some new wrist cuffs, and bothe the ones with stamps and without have got free shipping for a while. So get your textile wrist cuff now! :)

added to artfire

And now I have to be off to work!
Have a great day everyone!

Finished & ongoing work

From today's Daily Om

February 13, 2009
Staying Conscious
Staying Grounded in a Big City or Busy World

1. Live simply and live deliberately. By choosing not to get caught up in the details of this fast-paced world, you are doing your part to slow down the . You will also discover that you have more time to enjoy being alive.

2. Stay in touch with yourself. Soul searching, meditation, and journaling are just a few of the many activities you can take part in to stay aware and learn as much as you can about your emotions, reactions, likes, dislikes, dreams, and fears. Having a solid sense of self gives you a firm foundation for living in this world.

3. Support or teach others as often as you can. This can help you form connections with people while also giving you an opportunity to make the world a better place.

4. Consciously choose what you will allow into your being. The media bombards us with visions of hate, war, and pain. Be judicious about what you read, watch, and listen to.

5. Acknowledge the beauty that resides around you. Whether you live in a sprawling metropolis or a stereotypical suburb, there are natural and man-made wonders just waiting to be discovered by you.

6. Nurture your ties to your tribe. If you don’t have one, create a community that you can belong to. Modern life can be isolating. When you have a tribe, you have a circle that you are a part of. Its members – loved ones, friends, or neighbors - can be a source of support, caring, guidance, and companionship.

7. See the larger picture. Remember that the way that you choose to live is not the only way to live. Widen your perspective by exploring other modes of being through research, travel, and discussion.

8. Embrace the challenges that life presents to you, and challenge yourself often. After a time, even the most exciting jobs or lifestyles can seem routine. Never stop assimilating new knowledge about whatever you are doing, and your life will never seem dull.

9. Move your body. In this busy world, it can be easy to live a sedentary life. Movement reacquaints us with our bodies and connects us to the earth in a visceral way. It also restores our vitality.

10. Make time for stillness, silence, and solitude. The world can be noisy, and we are subject to all kinds of noises nearly every waking hour. We are also often "on the go" and unable to relax. Being alone in a peaceful place and making time for quiet can help you stay in touch with yourself.

http://www.dailyom.com/

Painting: 'The Soul of the Rose' or 'My Sweet Rose' (1908) by John William Waterhouse

Evenin' to ye

It's Friday evening and I have some ongoing projects lying around that I plan on getting finished. Then again, how many things are 'ongoing' that just goes on and on? My flower broches and lavendar bags/sachets are such things, need to refill the stock. I was at a meeting with a retailer of mine so I will be making some Easter ornaments like small birds of different sizes and expressions for that shop. It will be fun! I'm especially looking forward to making a few bigger birds filled with embroidery. :)

Still, at the moment I want to get these smaller things finished before starting on the new ones.. Seems like being a Gemini does have an impact on your life, at least mine.. But I'll do my best :)
I think I'll listen to Mansfield Park to start with.

I have 'Skibbereen' with Sinéad O'Connor (& the Chieftains) in my head.. Sounds good :)

Monday

I felt that a few of the link/ad exchange-things had to go.. I want things here to be about things that I find important and interesting. In general I think that means - creativity, wisdom, humour, environment.. and things like that. Not some chick shaking her bodyparts all over.. :) If it was one of the chicks from Chicken Run it would be ok though!
So away with those.
About half an hour ago I felt that I really just wanted to go to bed, but then I got a little energy boost and I also want to see Merlin in about an hour. I didn't think that I'd like that show, but I like it a lot. I would've liked it heaps if I'd seen it when I was younger too.. There never were such things on tv back then.. Well, Ivanhoe once a year.. and Ronja Rövardotter ( Ronja the Robber's Daughter). Oh well I still want to get into Hogwarts and have an owl. You know, I never think that I will feel old, it's all in the mind I guess.. and now I started rambling on about something else. Where was I? Oh, Merlin. hm well, I will watch it. There - done with that. :)

What Tarot card are you? This is me

You are The Magician

Skill, wisdom, adaptation. Craft, cunning, depending on dignity.

Eleoquent and charismatic both verbally and in writing,
you are clever, witty, inventive and persuasive.

The Magician is the male power of creation, creation by willpower and desire. In that ancient sense, it is the ability to make things so just by speaking them aloud. Reflecting this is the fact that the Magician is represented by Mercury. He represents the gift of tongues, a smooth talker, a salesman. Also clever with the slight of hand and a medicine man - either a real doctor or someone trying to sell you snake oil.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

A fellow artisan have me featured in her blog today! Yay! :)
http://gemsbyjerri.blogspot.com/

Oh! Have a look at these photos from a shop called The Tail of the Yak in California (Berkeley).
This shop is something special. I'd love to go there, but it's a bit out of my way at the moment :/

Photos from Flickr : The Tail of the Yak

Here's a great post that I found at the Crafting A Green World. About custom eco-friendly labels and hangtags! Great for us who uses a lot of these, and also wants to be more eco-friendly in all ways possibly:

Finding Eco-friendly Labels and Hangtags

http://www.todaysbigthing.com/2009/01/20

I will keep this here for today and then only keep the link - since it doesn't quite work with my 3-column blog style :)

sunny Sunday

This might surprise you, but today was the first time I heard Coldplay's Viva la vida. I love that song! I amso happy that I manage to just be all anti-popular-mainstream and hear music much later than everyone else & the same with music. Then the hype is gone.
Now I will drink up my coffee, sew on labels on wristbands, take pics.. add to artfire etc & tidy up this place. I haven't been feeling myself lately, and it feels as if I have just woken up. I am starting to see things clearly and in a different light. And also all the mess that I have gathered around me in my home. Suppose I have been sleeping in my lair all the winter - without realising it. Living out of habit is not living - like that quote : "Living is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all" I think it was oscar wilde who said It, but I am not quite sure (so don't throw pieces of erasers at me if I'm wrong).
The sun is shining for the first time in many days. I feel the joy coming back into my heart. It's my soul waking up perhaps, sometimes you need to rest and take a step back to be able to take steps forward in the right direction.
Oh well, enough rambling for now. Take care and good luck with whatever you do & wherever you are.

(Painting by John Everett Millais)