At the end of the rainbow....

I am such a rubbish little blogger! But I have been on my holidays, well by holidays I mean two weekends away in Wales....

The first weekend I spent at the Greenman Festival. It was amazing! It is hard to describe so I recommend that you have a look around the website!

We arrived and left in the rain, but the weather was lovely in between, actually the rain cleared not long after we arrived and left behind a rainbow, which stretched to both sides of the valley, it was beautiful.

The bands were all amazing and so nice to watch, it was really relaxed. If anyone wants to know, I'd happily tell you who I saw they're all well worth a listen!

I was upset about Animal Collective though, but oh well we can't win them all. My friend enjoyed them a lot so that's a good thing at least!

I was also excited about being able to knit at the festival! Any excuse I suppose! I learned how to basket knit so it wasn't a wasted experience!

The festival took place at the Brecon Beacons which is such a lovely location, and the organisers paid so much attention to detail with lot's of bunting, creatures in the trees and a giant inflatable elephant!

I could happily post about it all day and talk about the acts that I saw, but I don't wanna be a bore!

Next year is a must!

Pretty as a picture

I found out about Du-jour magazine via another blog, it's such an amazing magazine but it's super pricey. Fortunately they have a digital issue, so I snatched a subscription up straight away! Here are some beautiful screen shots of some of my favourite pages and imagery from the Art issue!

Alicia Bock is every where!

The site is well worth a visit! And I totally recommend getting the magazine! It is just the prettiest thing ever!

craft-a-thon

I really have been on a roll this weekend! I continued my sewing spree by starting my pillow collection. I have a tonne of single bedding from student halls and a bunch of old scraps that I decided to make use of. I love beds with lots of mismatched pillows so I wanted to recreate the look for my student house!

I carried on with my new-found love of making button holes. I like the mismatched look that I've got here, shabby chic maybe? :-P

And to finish off I added a rosette! It was really simple to make! My friend Liz went to indie tracks festival and met Eithne Farry the author of "Yeah! I made it myself" and she taught a rosette workshop. Liz passed on the details to me and VOILA! It also made me happy to use a button that I bought ageeeees ago too!

All you need to do if you want to make your own is cut 12 circles. I used two different kinds of fabrics for effect. Layer the first two and sew them together. Fold a further four fabrics in half and layer two next to each other and then the other two on top. With the remaining four circles fold them in to quarters and stitch them into place filling the circle.

Put a button in the middle and your done!

Jumble sale!

Friday was such a busy day for me! I had two shifts in work, one starting at 7 and the other at 4.30, so after I got home from my first shift at 9, I had a cat nap and headed straight out to Liverpool.

I heard through the grape vine that a vintage boutique in Liverpool was having a massive clear out and by paying £10 you could fill a tote bag full of whatever you wanted from a selection! We had to wait for about an hour to get into the small room, but I was made up when I did! It probably wasn't to everyone's taste (a few girls walked down the stairs saying that it wasn't too good which worried me a lot) but for me it was a gold mine. Not only did I get a few nice dresses and skirts but whatever didn't fit (some had VERY tiny waistbands) I can use the fabrics for some pillows that I want for my new house in Manchester! I plan to fill my bed with them in all different shapes!

I'm going to continue with my sewing spree though, because some of the skirts are too nice to use for pillows so I am going to adjust the waists so that they fit!

I'll post some pictures soon of my finds and what I turn them in to!

Busy busy bee

It's been on my to do list forever to follow a pattern and make a dress. I made a skirt once, it was really simple, just two seams and an elastic waist band (gutted - I actually stood on it a few months ago and ripped the waist band!) but I thought that it was the best thing ever. I also made a toile in university for a fashion unit, that was daunting because it was the first time that I had ever used an over-locker and industrial machine!

Well over the weekend I finally got myself together and with the help of my mum I made a dress!

And I am the proudest person ever (and as soppy as it sounds - I also have the best mum ever!!!)

I am super pleased that I made button holes and there are pockets inside too! Next time I will use a lighter fabric that hangs better :-)

My domestic skills are really starting to come a long!

Because I'm so happy

I first came across Rob Ryan when I was in art college, he was featured in a craft book that I bought called "making stuff" (by far my favourite craft book ever!). He designed the prettiest paper necklace.

Like with most of my favourite things, I really like the romance behind his work - often when I see his pieces I think that it would be good to give him a hug and tell him that things are ok (though I like to think that he is actually REALLY happy) :-)

Read Rob's blog or go buy his stuff !

I really really really recommend his book "This is for you" it is absolutely amazing!

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I'm a big fan of paper cut outs. I'd love to know how it's done, I worry that I don't have a steady enough hand to make my own.

I wish I had a decent photograph of one of the graduating textile students work from the Manchester Metropolitan University degree show. She created what she called interactive wallpaper which had lights behind. It was really something special.

I must get a picture to share!

ooooh I must get together some similar images that I have sourced over the months!

Magical mystery tour

I'm on a role with the magical imagery. I really like being able to look at an image and feel as though I am being transported to a new world....

I think what draws me to Tim's work most are the nostalgia and fairy tale references!

Tim Walker is able to create these exciting new places in his photography. I have been an avid reader of Vogue for about six years and it always brings a smile to my face when I see that he has a featured photo-story.

I think that the photo directly below sums up my dream party - old fashioned library, bunting and tents - bliss!

You can buy Tim Walkers book here

let's hit the road dear friend

Alicia Bock is one of thsose artists who seems to pop up everywhere in the blog world, and I just could not mention her on mine! Her work seems magical, almost as though taken in another world.

You can find out all about Alicia on her blog or on her website. I seriously recommend that you have a look. I'm sure that you will fall in love with her beautiful photographs the way that I did!

Obviously I couldn't post everyone of her beautiful photographs, despite how much I wanted to!

These are all from the Paris in the springtime set. I love Paris, I would love to go back and see it properly rather than sitting on a coach going round and round the Eiffel Tower!

This photo by Alicia is really important to me as I went to the Shakespeare and co' bookstore when I first arrived in the city (I actually sat and had my photograph taken outside!). It is just the prettiest little place and feels magical inside! I remember seeing a lot of books by Truman Capote. And how good are the blackboard panes with Shakespeare quotes?!

The best of Manchester

Until I moved to the city, I've never really had much thought about what goes in with its culture, despite the fact that it's only 30 minutes away.

I read about the promotion of the Best of Manchester awards via Indie Quater and they talked about the spoof posters around the city. This however is the real deal....

Such a clever idea! I love the play on words and how it is laid out to read as one statement!

And first prize goes to....

When I went to London at the start of the year this was the store front at Mulberry. I think that it is lovely! I definitely want to use the photograph in a project or something. I've had a thing for rosettes for a while, ever since a textile graduate came to my sixth form college. I've never successfully made on (though I have a fairly decent idea for the future).

(source)

How good are these?!?! I know that this is intended as art for a gallery space, but it seems like such a good idea for rosettes to be displayed on the wall!

I want to be.... under the sea

After looking at my friend Jens blog I came across these little crocheted gems....

Made from paper yarn.

You can find more pictures here. I really like the use of colour and the subject matter, I think that it would be an interesting topic to luck at! Thanks again Jen!

Cake anyone?

I thought that I would try something new with my knitting recently. I'd seen knitted cakes dotted around and gave them ago (using the simplest method that I could find cause I haven't figured out how to knit using double pointed needles). After a few were passed around I was asked to knit a play set for a young girl including sandwiches.

The cakes were made and decorated by hand as were the cucumber and tomato's, the bread and cheese was made using a knitting machine.

I'd really like to tackle more complicated things but there is so much stuff to do before I even think of it!

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This carrot cake does look tasty though!

Once I've got knitting down....I think that it is about time for me to learn crochet. I love what other people produce. Crafty Anna has to be my favourite so far!

(These have to be the tastiest little treats EVER)

New Brighton beach

Sometimes we never really appreciate the scenery that's around us.... Not so long ago I went to (one of the many) beach around sunset and took some photos....

Hopefully I can use them in my drawing project, there's something really cute about light houses... I think I might use them for a base for a project!!!!

It's written on the wall

Looking at other peoples notice boards or bedrooms really interests me. I really like to display things around my room so its exciting to see how others have done it and its a good way to source ideas! I'm gonna miss my university flat because it had a giant note board which was full by the end of the first day, I regret not taking a picture before I moved out!

I think that this could be an ideal room for me - I love the way that the books and magazines are displayed right next to the bed and fitted to the shape of the wall. Also - how good is the bed spread?!

The pegs are such a cute touch!

If anyone has seen this image before could they let me know where from because I cannot remember for the life of me!!!!

It's so adorable though, I would love to have a space like this - book and tea pot included please!

(most of these pictures are sourced from http://www.flickr.com/groups/inspirationboards/ - go check it out!)