Allllmost Jan 1st ;-)

Done

I finished the pillow.

The Joy of New Projects

I love starting new projects. Finding colours for this seat was wonderful. I'm cross stitching figs and leaves from an old Marie Claire Idées magazine. I don't have the pattern -- the picture will have to do. I won't be stitching the letters, and will probably add a few leaves and a different fig. I'll decide when I get to it:) Can't wait to get started (water colour squares were made after finding the photo, before purchasing the yarn)

Illustration Friday: Soar

New Year inspiration: 72 ways to simplify your life, via French Toast Girl
IF: Ania Moderska

Dear Diary -- The Rules

#1: Keep it simple
#2: Have fun
#3: Don't consider or think to much. Let fingers and stomach make decisions.
(making rules for this book was inspired by Marci Senders)

Art-Facts-Tagged

Wonderful, talented, humorous Tascha tagged me for 5 art facts, and to tag someone else, so here goes:

1. the creative process, even of simple projects, usually takes me through the whole gamut of emotions.
2. I love it when my fingers get stained from working
   
3. long ago I took drawing lessons from a VERY charismatic teacher. It took me 2 years to learn to draw like him (not as well as him, but being young and susceptible, I more or less copied his style) and at least twice as long to learn NOT to draw like him. It was very educational.
   
4. years later, another great artist and teacher, Bjarne Agerbo, was the once who, through the wonderful world of etching, opened my eyes to the way I'm still working today
5. artsy medium to bring with me to desert island: my pen and bottle of encre de chine; thick, black, liquid ink. Mmm:)

I'm tagging Neilornstein for 5 art facts, hoping he'll want to play :)

Baedeker and I, 2008

January 1st, I'm commencing a little new project; I found this 1908 Baedeker travellers guide to Mid-Italy/Rome, and I plan to make an illo on every spread throughout the year. I hope to make one every day, but I don't know if that's realistic -- I'll have to see. I will be setting up a few simple rules for myself, more of those tomorrow ...

A Bientôt

The last ornament is back in its box, on its way to the far back of the attic. It's a pleasure to bring the xmas decorations down in the beginning of december, and a bliss to put them back after xmas. A fresh New Year awaits ahead, It's very exciting :)

Illustration Friday: Horizon

Reflections

Photographs taken Saturday morning.
Yummy blog: Kirin Notebook
and cool stuff at Moleskine Project
Something Whenever -- awesome

If you haven't heard these wonderful wise words from Baz Luhrman, please do.
It's not new, but still sooo awesome (just press play):

Another IF: Backwards

I needed to make another, little less sombre IF, so here goes :)

Illustration Friday: Backwards

I kid you not::This was exCACTly what my sunday looked like. It wasn't pretty - but very appropriate for this weeks' IF. Phew. New day ;)

Give-Aways

Please email me your name and adress, and I will send you a couple of sheets with these do-it-yourself x-mas heart and cones.

Illustration Friday: Little Things

When Elsebeth and I did the book, we experimented in numerous ways to combine objects, styles and techniques. One of them were little "repeatings" like this one, made for this weeks’ IF.

Movie Tagged

by Kelly Medina, I'm to name my top 25 movies, and tag 5 people. So here goes, movies rather randomly:
The Shawshank Redemption, The Elephant Man, A Room with a View, The Fifth Element, Au Revoir Les Enfants, Lost in Translation, Snatch, Payback, The Matrix, The Usual Suspects, The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover, Blade, You've Got Mail, Sneakers, Memento, Das Leben der Anderen, Une liaison pornographique, Once Upon a Time in America, Once upon a Time in the West, Atlantis, Amélie, Muriels Wedding, Romeo + Juliet, American Beauty and Donnie Darko, allthough I could go on ...
I'm tagging Ninaseven, Marie-Louise Sundqvist, Anja Boretzki, Tascha, and Amy, hoping they'll want to play :)

A little xmas deco

Felted wool. More to come.
Catarina Oliveira has a very beautiful blog, Neilornstein makes such beautiful paintings. Patrick Gannon makes wonderful and highly original papercuts.
Have a glorious sunday:)

Illustration Friday: Excess

The text reads: "My first impulse was to take a picture of the attic. I think one should (most of the time) always listen 2 ones first impulses".

Ginger X-mas Cookies

Beautiful altered books, via remakeables. A little film about My first crush, by Julia Pott.

My ceramic love affair/1st::Dec

Yesterday I recieved these two hand made pieces, bought from ceramic artist Marie-Louise Sundqvist, and I am completely and utterly in love. Thank you, again.
As you can see, 1st of December is a rainy deal here. I love the rain, it calls for cozy indoor activities, sweaters, slow food sizzling on the stove and steaming tea. Uhmn:)