lego as artistic medium

JCDC Versus LEGO from Bad Winners on Vimeo.

in light of bill's comment that LEGO isn't really that creative or unique when it comes down to it, i had to share this 3D animation based on a real fashion show featuring LEGO-inspired fashion from french designer jean charles de castelbajac back in 2009. although i will grant that i will likely never create something new and unique from LEGO (i'm a building-instruction follower), there are many people who make unique creations using LEGO as an artistic medium the same way that people use wood or paint or textiles. often with amazing results. 

a burst of color in the midst of a grey, dreary january

soft and supple, fabric-like goat leathers + a springbok hide in purple (i know it looks blue here, but it's really purple). i'm planning on making myself a new purse in these couple of weeks i have before i start my new job.

the leather store is a decidedly dangerous place. i couldn't resist these four hides. the dark purple is for lining the springbok purse. i'm not sure yet what i'll do with the others, but i intend to think of something. sometimes it just helps, having new supplies.

i got these rolls of bright felt to use as table runners on the dining table. amazing how a little color can brighten up these dull, january days.

we saw the sunshine today for the first time in several weeks. it was most welcome. and my stack of the new anna maria horner line (which i got from my sis for christmas) looked fetching in the late afternoon sunshine.

next weekend, we're having a weekend drink & draw at a friend's summer house, so i thought some new inks were in order. i also got some fabulous teeny tiny brushes in a higher quality than i'm accustomed to, so i'm going to be painting some stones while we're there.

and lastly, a bit of soft, snuggly alpaca to make a scarf. i'm going to venture away from my knit-stitch only knitting and actually try some other stitches! wish me luck!

i'm not sure there's anything that makes me as happy as having new supplies to make into something wonderful.

pretty inks, all in a row

what could be more happy-making than new art supplies? 

some new colors of acrylic inks for painting on stones.

and some from the antique line as well - mostly because i fell a little bit in love with the packaging.

i am a sucker for the retro packaging.

and paynes grey? that dark, bluish-grey hue. yummy.

here they all are. now i'd best get to work.

happy weekend, one and all!

a little day-brightener

it's been grey and dreary for over a week and i'm starting to be seriously jonesing for some sunshine. these little day-brighteners arrived in my mailbox today. look, there's a fox! i had work to do, so i didn't get to tuck into them yet, but i shall very soon.

what brightens your day when you need some sunshine and can't have any?

collecting III: the fabric stash

probably my most extensive collection is of fabrics. it's gotten a bit better since i began to focus on organic cottons with bee charmer, but still, it's pretty crazy. i have repurposed the wooden boxes our weekly organic food delivery comes in and they make great storage. plus, they bring a new one every week, so i can keep adding to the stash and always have enough storage.

some months back, my mom expressed disbelief that i had all that fabric without knowing what i was going to make of it. but i don't need to have something in particular in mind. i choose colors and prints that i love, and feel a nearly giddy happiness just looking at it and knowing that whenever inspiration strikes, it's there, waiting for me.

at the moment, i'm totally enamored of the cloud9 fabrics that i made the dresses out of. and i'm working on that big cut out & keep quilt again. i wasn't happy with some of it, so i uncharacteristically spent a lot of time taking out some seams and rearranging a bit and now it's getting there.

being surrounded by beautiful fabric makes me happy. i can sense a nearly audible hum in the air...the hum of potential. and at times, i swear the fabrics whisper to me and tell me what i should make of them. so it would be crazy not to have plenty of their little voices at hand. right? right?  ok, i do realize this makes me sound like some kind of crazy lady, but still, the stash makes me happy. and it begins to be evident that happiness is what's at the heart of all of this collecting.