still here, still crafting

Hello everyone!
Sorry for taking such a long time to write again, but time passes by so quickly that well... A girl only can do so much! My Everyday May was a total failure (must remember to put the banner away). At least, I have finished the robot, sure it was several months late, but, the receiver liked it, actually I guess he loved it as he walked around the studio, going from one meeting to the next with Issachar the robot in hand. Another happy costumer, I guess :)
Here's some photos so that you can appreciate the final "product"
I also joined in the Summer Swap organised by the lovely Kristen from Schmancy (check out her website, it is the best) and got partnered up with the very talented Kim from Golden Dove Design (check out her cute totes).
Now, I must confess that I am an obsessive present giver... I really am, it gives me such a kick to get the perfect gift (or at least to try and get the perfect gift) and the whole unwrapping and seeing the person's reaction it just makes me happy! It could be worse... I think...
I got an email from Kim saying that she got the package yesterday, and my cockles warmed from all the happiness... Must do this swapping business more often!

So, when I thought that things couldn't get any better, they did!! Lovely Kristen (have I told you what a nice lady she is, yet?) posted this, asking for help in creating a Plush You plush sign for the up and coming exhibition and I just jumped on board, knowing that she would be inundaded with emails. Who wouldn't?
But, as the old Portuguese saying goes "Quem não arrisca, não pestica" (He who doesn't take a chance, doesn't get a taste), I thought "Why not?". It wouldn't be the first negative answer that I would get in my life, nor the last (in matter of fact, I used to collect rejection letters from all the studios that I applied to, however eventually I binned them. It was too much negativity in just a little folder) but, I would always regret not sending the email, and guess what?
I'm making a "U" for the sign at the Capital Hill exhibition!!! Hurrah!!!...
Righ now, I'm feeling a bit shaky, but, I have already design what I believe will be just about the coolest "U" ever :)
So, stay tuned as a lot more will be coming your way!

coraline mystery box swap - part II

This morning, I found a little box waiting for me when I opened my front door :)

Inside it looking a little worse for wear due to the travel across the big pond...

... there was Coraline and a little mouse, however, after some refreshments and introductions, I am glad to say that both of them have happily settled in my handmade mushroom corner.
Thanks Jen!!

coraline mystery box swap

I should have blogged this before, I have participated in a second swap just days after finishing my Handmade Mushroom Swap (check the previous two posts to see what I sent and the goodies that I received). It was based on the beautiful Coraline film which still hasn't opened in the UK (how's that for one of the most powerful countries in the world?!) and on these envy worthy boxes that where sent by the artists at Laika to their 50 favourite blogs (lucky buggers).

So when the lovely lady at my little mochi (unfortunately, I don't know her name) decided to start a swap, I just jumped at the opportunity.
Here's what I came up with:

Everything had to be in a box, I found this at one of my favourite places in London, the Camden Market. I decided that all it really needed was some button eyes and a fancy embroidered tag as the box already had so much character (also I destroyed another box with crackling paste).

The inside of the box, it was so sunny that you can barely see what's inside... oopsey... but, isn't the Portuguese cobble stone floor just beautiful, coff, coff (distract people from the nasty picture)

To the box, I added a dragonfly hair pin made out of acrilic felt, gold floss, beads, cotton fabric and tule (is this correct? it's the same fabric as a bride's veil)
To show the next item, I requested the help of my brother's pet labrador Laura, isn't she a great model? She behaved really well, even though you can see the look of disbelieve in her face during the "photo shoot".

Here's a close up... Sure it makes no sense but, it looks fun!! the little dog was made of wool felt and buttons, its coat is made of vintage upholstery fabric and vintage satin (inside),

I wished I had had time to do something more elaborate but, I just didn't have enough time!! Feeling very envious of the lovely boxes that other people came up with and sorry for the poor soul that is going to get mine, but it seems that there might be another coraline swap (and even a graveyard book swap!!) pretty soon, so hopefully I'll be able to redeem myself!

mushrooms galore!!

My love of packages and letters started when I first came to the UK in 1995. Nothing made me happier than seeing a little envelope in the post, it was the only way to contact my friends and the cheaper way to keep in contact with my family as I was a very late internet bloomer.
I got everything in the post from chestnuts to socks, and all of it made me feel closer to home and although I love the internet, an email still pales in comparison to a package :)
So words could not describe how happy I felt when I got Sonya's lovely Handmade Mushroom Swap bounty!!!

Here's the inside of the box, it took a lot of control to be able to take this picture instead of just unwrapping everything!!
After many "oohs" and "aahs", I decided to take them all for a walk to the park for a little photoshoot.

Lara's shroomie is just sweet, I just wish that there was an email/blog/website where I could leave a message thanking here for such a colourful lovely.

Kristin's mushroom is just lush in its velvetiness (does this word even exist?)

Now, both Jeanne's (above) and Rayna's (below) mushrooms suffer from the same problem... I cannot keep my eyes off of them or else my boyfriend might steal them as he just loves them!

... and finally Carrie's polkadot lovely shroom, it is so delicate and pretty.

How lucky am I?