Artsy Wednesday T.3

Our third, but first Artsy Wednesday guest Post. We are very excited to present a wonderfully talented lady!

Thank you again, Veetje! 

Veetje's interview

Name: Veetje
Age: 27 years
Occupation: Art teacher at an elementary school for children with learning disorders
Country: Belgium

Blog: www.veetje.be

1. Tell us why, how and when you started crafting?

As long as I can remember, crafting was part of my life. My dad used to make our own toys, my mum made fantastic drawings and there was always something to create at home. I’ve always knew that crafting would be important for me. So after my teachers degree I studied art, so I could pass the “crafting-bug” to children. Now crafting is always around me: as relaxation and in my professional life in class.

 

2. Why do you love crafting?

Crafting makes me calm and helps me to develop myself as a person. When I craft the whole world seems to disappear and there is no room for nerves. It gives me satisfaction to create new things.

3. What is your favourite type of craft?

I truly enjoy many types of crafting! I love to draw, to paint, to mosaic, to crochet, to photograph, ... and to invent new projects for the children at school. I prefer to work with recycled materials, at school, at home and even so in my sewing projects. Papier-mâché is one of my favourite techniques. It’s nice to see something that would be wasted, developing in a brand new crafty object!

4. What is the most pretty thing you have made?

I’m always glad when a gift turns out really great and the receiver is truly happy! I cannot pick one thing as “the most pretty one”, because in every craft there is some love. But I am very proud and happy with my own craft book "Knip, de Knutselkip" (= "Knip, the Crafting chicken"). It's kind of a compilation of craftwork that I invented for my kids at school. It contains 101 crafting projects, all explained very clear, with drawings and a picture of the result. It’s still an amazing feeling to be able to share my ideas with the world. I 'm also very grateful and thankful towards my publisher, for the trust and the possibility to make this dream come true.

5. Tell us what makes your crafts special?

I think they‘re special in there simplicity. My crafts are real, uncomplicated and they are made to beautify my surrounding.

6. What do you use for inspiration?

I ‘m always looking for beautiful stuff around my: nice photographs in magazines,  stunning spaces, great compositions, inspiring art on the internet,... Everything that surrounds me, can stimulate my creativity.

7. Would you like to show us were you do your craft magic?

This would be my classroom and my study/craft-room at home.

8. Would you like to share a fun craft tutorial with us?

With pleasure!  Just let me know ;)

9. What sort of crafting would you still love to try out?

Sculpting with real big chunks of wood or stone.

10. Have you got any advice for those who would love to start crafting?

Go with the flow, follow your instincts and don’t be afraid to experiment! Always try new stuff, because the you’ll never know what talent you may discover.

Self Portraits

My lovely Husband is a very talented man! He loves to bake (you should try his cheesecake, or the mouth watering, delicious chocolate mousse cake but also the lovely homemade breads and croissants he makes), he is brilliant around the house and husband did win three or four seasons of playing Heroes of Might and Magic Kingdoms.

If that didn’t  impress you, please look at the wonderful wall art he made of us......

His own portrait he made when he was about fifteen years old. A few weeks ago Husband started making one of me. I preferred my name to be on the background as his name is so dominating in his self portrait. I LOVE the end result.

And I (we) are going to explain how you can make some lovely self portraits, in these upcoming eight steps, yourself!

Step 1.

Find a photo of yourself, or anything you like to paint.

Step 2.

If you don’t have a light box (and you can’t make one like Husband did) you can do what I do and that is to stick the picture on a window. (you need daylight)

Step 3.

Trace you photo or picture on white paper that you hold (or stick with some selotape, to hold in place) on to your picture. Because of the light this would be very easy.

Step 4.

Now you have a traced drawing. If you like it bigger than the original you need a beamer to enlarge it.

Step 5.

Now you need to scan this picture onto your computer. (if you don’t have this, you could try to take a picture of it and download it to your computer)

Step 6.

Connect the beamer to your laptop or computer and project the picture on a bare wall and adjust the size until you have found the size you want.

Step  7.

Now trace this size onto a larger piece of paper. Husband also added my name.

Step 8.

Because we did not want any colour to overlap, we wrote down which colour which number was. (1 – blue , 2 – red and so on) Then we wrote the number in the picture, in this case, my face. Now we knew which colour needed to go were.

 

Of course you don’t need to do this if you like to just paint as you go.

Let it dry and Done! Beautiful self portraits!

 

I LOVE it. And I love my very talented husband too.......

This chick was born today!!!

And I had a wonderful day! Thanks to my lovely family and friends!

Love,
Sadie xxx

Artsy Wednesday T.2

Rory's interview 

Name: Charlotte Desiree (Rory)
Age: 29
Occupation: Geography teacher
Country: The Netherlands

1. Tell us why, how and when you started crafting?

My craft has to do with baking. I love to bake, always have. I remember baking cakes when I was about 8 years old (of course together with my mom or dad).  Over the years I started looking into different cookbooks in search of the perfect cake. I can tell you, there are soooooo many perfect cakes. And so I started making different types of cakes. Some of them where amazing, others not so much.

One of my other hobbies is travelling and during my travels (wherever I am) I always plan a visit to the baking section of a grocery store. Looking at all the different products. I also like to nose around in second hand book shops, looking for cookbooks from different countries.

2. Why do you love crafting?

It is nice to be passionate about something. I also like the fact that I keep learning new skills and that over time my cakes become better and prettier.

3. What is your favourite type of craft?

Although I love baking cakes I have developed an interest for decorating cakes. Different colours and different designs. Every cake is different and that’s what I like about it. If I feel like making a pink princess cake, I make one, if I feel like a pirate cake, I make one. It just really reflects my mood.

4. What is the most pretty thing you have made?

The prettiest cake I’ve made so far is the one I made for my B-day a couple of years ago. The design is completely my own. And beside the fact that I had a lot of fun making it, I am very proud of the result.

My birthday cake

5. Tell us why your crafts are special?

Each of my cakes is unique and made with care.

6. What do you use for inspiration?

I love to browse through different cook books. I also use internet a lot. I tend to look up pictures of cakes and then try to discover how I they decorated the cake.

7. Would you like to show us were you do your craft magic?

My crafts usually take place in the kitchen and at the dining room table. You need a lot of work surfaces to make and decorate cakes and my kitchen is rather small.

8. Would you like to share a fun craft tutorial with us?

 I will be posting some baking/decorating tutorials on rosas.lollapalooza in the near future.

9. What sort of crafting would you like to try out?

One of the things I would really like to do is make a patchwork quilt. It would be amazing to make something pretty with so many different colours and prints.

10. Have you got any advice for those who would love to start crafting?

Sign yourself up for a classic workshop cake decorating. They give you all the basics you need to know. Another reason to sign up is that all the materials are quite expensive. Usually when you do a workshop they already have all the materials and so you learn how to use them. If you really like it, you can decide to buy the tools you think you’ll need.

Mister Postman

“Mister postman look and see
If there's a letter in your bag for me
I been waiting such a long time
Since I heard from that girl of mine”


Today we continued our Post Theme. Every Thursday we have a creative day with the children and this month it’s all about the Post.

We made a mailbox for in our classroom and at the end of this theme we will open the mailbox and see and read all the wonderful letters and drawings others have made for us.

Today we went and posted a parcel we made for a girl that moved to Italy.
The children were so excited! We made hands, to say, Hi! And our very own envelope.

 

The children hope that "Mister Postman" as they call him will be able to find her all the way over in Italy. They even reckon he will bike all the way to Italy …poor Postman.

We all hope we will soon receive something back from her.  That would be wonderful.

When we came back we made our own stamps. 

Love,

Sadie xx

Artsy Wednesday T.1

Sadie’s Interview

Name: Sarah Louise (Sadie)
Age: 29
Occupation: Nursery Teacher
Country: The Netherlands

1. Tell us why, how and when you started crafting?

I have always loved  being creative. But more in the theatrical sense of the word. And as a nursery teacher I always come home with glitter or glue stuck to my fingers and paint in my hair.

But since my 2009 wedding I discovered a love for unusual and creative pretties in life. We had a whole budget, DIY, retro, quirky theme going on and that is how I found the beautiful button bouquets. My vintage button obsession started right there and then. But I wasn’t totally new to the world of vintage as I have always loved anything old and secondhand.  So this was the most perfect match for me. Soon I combined my other love for vintage teacups with my out of control button fetish and now I make vintage button posies in teacups, or small vase posies and even tiny bouquets. Rory has even asked me to make her, her button bouquet for her upcoming wedding. I am so honoured!

 

2. Why do you love crafting?

I love discovering. I am someone that doesn’t have a lot of patience so the craft isn’t allowed to be that complicated.  But when I figure out the “how to” part I can get really excited. Owning something you have made yourself is incredible rewarding and satisfying. The wonderful feeling you get when you complete something is worth all the efforts. It’s like that feeling a child has when he or she finishes a drawing or a craft. Excited, proud and anxious to show their parents.

And I just love owning something that is unique!

3. What is your favourite type of craft?

Recycle crafts!! I love making something into something else. I love my button creations because the buttons suddenly get a whole different purpose.  I love  making things that have a vintage flair to it, country style and or quirky feel to it. I love making home and handmade products! Creating things that make a one of a kind item!

4. What is the most pretty thing you have made?

I think it is going to be my range of butterfly Darling Posies. Every time I look at the pictures I feel proud and happy. I hope that the person who bought or got these precious button posies feel the same way! 

And our table makeover I did with my husband and Rory. All the credits have to go to him!! I came up with the idea but he spend hours in the shed making this beauty!  I will dedicate a post to this wonderful makeover!  

   

 

5. Tell us what makes your crafts special?

Presentation. Nearly nothing is new. But adding your personal touch to it makes it special and unique. Anyone can make button posies but I haven’t seen posies like mine before. I love ribbons, lace and butterflies. I like adding dried flower, croquet flowers and others mini charm dolls. I really like it to include heirlooms or other personal pretties. I even add special buttons if it suits the customer.

But with any craft or makeover I do I try to do it slightly different or I find a way it reflects me as a person. I am really lucky to have a wonderful husband that loves to work with his hands. I come up with the ideas and he creates them.

6. What do you use for inspiration?

- Flea markets and car boot sales are the best places to find unique items!  We love mixing old with new. And that is what I like to represent with the items I make. Using old items and making something new from them.

- Other wonderful blogs in blogland. Some people are SO creative! Sigh.

- And Kirstie Allsopp!

7. Would you like to show us were you do your craft magic?

This is where all the button magic happens.

 

8. Would you like to share a fun craft tutorial with us?

My super duper easy butterfly wall art. This is so easy....! Really! Do you have a bare wall that you would love to decorate? Well this easy craft will give you just that in 5 easy steps!

Step 1. You need paper. In any colour you like. Do make sure it’s thicker than ordinary paper. I used paper that weighed  a 160 g/m2, colour cream/white.  (But scrap paper, wallpaper, newspaper, book pages will work fine as well. Again, do make sure it’s sturdy enough) 

Step 2. You need a pencil, scissors and sellotape.

Step 3.  Fold your paper and start  drawing were the fold is. Draw a half of what your drawing so when you cut out your figure you get two identical halves that make one.

Draw anything you like. Ladybugs, Dragon flies, Flowers. I did Butterflies.

Make sure not to cut the fold.

Step 4. Add sellotape to the back.

Step 5. Stick to the wall.

Done! 

The fun part is that they all look totally different. I did not use a stencil. I prefer it this way but I am sure you can find stencils online if you feel unsure to draw yourself. But please, do give it a try! I cannot draw myself but I am REALLY proud of my hand drawn butterflies!

9. What sort of crafting would you still love to try out?

Needle felting!!  I watched Kirstie Allsopp making a Robin with needle felting and it looked like so much fun!

10. Have you got any advice for those who would love to start crafting?

Start small. See if you like it and if you do start buying more things you need or like. It’s a pity to buy everything and discover that you did not stick with it.

Try out different things! You’ll never know what your secret talents may be!

And last but not least.....have fun!

Love, Husband, Valentine

Does it really matter if you believe in the magic of Valentine? Really?

Because even if I wouldn’t,  I did felt joy when I received the lovely Valentine cards from friends. People can say it’s too commercial or overdone but when people take time to write a card or do something special you can NOT deny, it gives a wonderful feeling. Besides it won’t hurt us to be extra nice on a day like Valentine!

On top of that I got the most wonderful surprise present from Husband!!

A lovely book with pictures of us and our lady cats and the special things in our life like our homemade wedding invitation.



Such a precious and loving gift.

My lovely husband.....I love you ❤

Goodbye Snow

We thought that we maybe would dodge the bullet but two weeks ago it did start to snow. Now, if you know me a little, you know I hate snow! Sure it’s pretty and makes for nice photo’s but it’s cold and it’s very scary to drive through!

So I was really happy today!

Today it started to rain....the snow is nearly gone. Now we are left with an eeky mess. So the kids and I decided to stay inside and we had such a lovely day. The children were so sweet. We danced, read books, played and made some warm winter hats.

Even though we said goodbye to the snow.....

Love,

Sadie xx