Beginnings of DSLR Photography

Having always taken lots of photos, albeit with a very basic point and press digital camera, I have recently purchased a lovely DSLR (Nikon D5000).

Since getting the new toy, I have taken about 4500 photos, of which approximatley 50 were half decent.

Apart from (obviously) taking hundreds of the children and the dog, I seem to be oddly turned on with taking pictures of flowers. I think it is because, even though I am a total beginner, I am enthralled with how well the camera captures colours and definition.

So, the craft work is still ongoing, having a run on baby activity cubes and fragrant strawberries for gifts at the moment, my embrionic creative juices are currently flowing towards photograpahy.

So, for anyone interested, below is a link for some of the better flower shots taken recently.

http://www.photobox.co.uk/slideshow?album_id=772728965

Creativity: A Question.

Are you born with creativity? Is there a gene that allows your mind to come up with all sorts of wonderful ideas to craft?

I'm thinking a big fat YES!

I (generally) love tinkering about with the small projects I have on the go. What has struck me today though, is that all my ideas are from books and magazines. Ok, I may change them a bit, but nothing I have done so far has been original as such.

This has depressed me.

I look at many sites and blogs and I am in awe of many of the ideas people come up with. I just don't "get" how they come up with these things.

I have not been born with the creativity gene. So the questions is, can I develop one ?

How do you become creative? Formal learning? Wishful thinking?

How are you creative? Where do you draw your inspiration from?

No, seriously, I'm asking you! You there! Reading my blog.

What's your secret?

Quicky Christmas

As I was sorting through my sewing books and magazines today, I came across "Cross Stitcher" Issue 234. That months free gift was some small cross stitch Christmas gift tags.

For want of anything better to do tonight, other than mindlessly surfing the internet for hours, I decided to have a go at one of the tags.

It was a very easy project, other than the fact that the stitching is very small, which doesn't go well with my ham-fisted sewing techniques I am currently mastering.

This is the first time I have stitched with "shiny" thread. I am sure there is a proper "technical" name for it, but you know what I mean. Wow! How slippery is it ?!?! Not very keen on that. Drop stitch, drop stitch, swear, drop stitch!

I thought it would take me about 15 minutes, in reality, it took me about an hour. I hope I speed up a bit after I have done a few more, otherwise (come October) I'm off down Tesco's for their 3 for 2 tag packs!

So, here is the (almost) finished article. Just have to cut it out and attach it to the tag. I think I will stitch as many designs onto the Aida before cutting them out, otherwise I will have a fraying issue.

" Oooooohhh Sparkly "

Hyper-Organised Christmas

Yes indeed! It's my first Christmas blog of the year!

I'm starting with the Christmas crafting early, as I plan to make many of my gifts. As my maternity leave finishes this month *sob*, I don't think I will have as much time as I have enjoyed recently.

So, my first Christmas project is Fragrant Strawberries, inspired by "Sew Pretty Homestyle" by Tone Finnanger.

I have purchased a few kilner jars from a local garden centre - although I have recently discovered Sainbury's do them cheaper. I am using scraps of red gingham that I have in different size checks for the main strawberry and some green fabric scraps for the leaves.

I bought the strawberry scent from an ebay shop. It is the same scent as used in soaps.

Each jar will eventually contain two strawberries and a vial of scent. I plan to put a pretty ribbon around the top of the jar.

The strawberries can be taken out of the jar and used to fragrance a room. When the scent becomes less, a couple of drops of the scent and they will be as good as new.

My first strawberry has been a bit of a trial and error project. I really need to make my hard stitching neater (although I may machine sew future strawberries) and I had a couple of failed attemps at the leaf. I left too small a hole to reverse the fabric, and frayed the edges.

Below is a picture of my 1st attempt in its jar.

Grump

I've admitted defeat with regards to the fabric boxes. No matter what I do, my brain just doesn't get the instructions. I have put it aside until I stop sulking!

I have been doing a bit of work on the baby sampler. But like many cross stitch patterns, it seems to take a while to all come togeather, and enthusiasm can wane.

I seem to have lost my crafting mojo.

I need a quick, exciting (easy) project to re-ignite my interest.

Any suggestions?

It Takes Time

I love it when I finish a project. However, I have very limited patience, and want things done now.

I find the hardest part of craft work, is not the technical work (although I often make so many errors it's untrue!) but the fact that I have to "wait".

I currently have two projects on the go:

* Baby cross stitch sampler for my 5 month old daughter
* Fabric box (should be simple, but recent events prove otherwise)

Pictures below show *in progress* as well as what the finished articles *should* look like! Place your bets now!

Shabby Chic Bunting

I love bunting, and thought I would have a go at making some for the smallest ones bedroom.

I used the "how to" from CrossStitcher Issue 223, minus the Christmas cross stitch needlework.

The felt and fabric came from Hobbycraft, and the ribbon came from a lovely little fabric shop in Rugby:

Mo's Fabric and Dance - 01788 540930

I wanted a distressed/shabby chic look for the bunting. Once I had hemmed the fabric triangles, I sewed them onto the backing felt about 1cm in so that a "loose" edge was left.

It was quite a simple task once up and running. And I think it looks great in her room. Please excuse the washing in the mirror, at least its not a naked reflection of me!