Testing 1,2,3

I've come across numerous stenciling projects on the world wide web and I've always wanted to try but I've been too engrossed with pouch making. My new book Print Workshop by Christine Schmidt stoked the fire so today I took out the plastic sheet I found some time back and cut up simple building shapes with a blade. I then used an old, frayed flat brush to dab on acrylic paint. 

I forgot you can't cut all around the building or the whole thing comes off and you'll be left with either a block with no windows or just squares and rectangles floating. If you noticed, I had to put a little bit of tape at the top of the first building. So, with that in mind I left some parts attached. I like that the lines break up and are not continuous and I love the rough look. However, a little less smudging would've been better.

Soon I will be testing this on some pouches. Fingers crossed! :)

Splurging

Yesterday, Sweetie #1 and I went to Kinokuniya at Suria KLCC, a shopping mall at the base of Petronas Twin Towers the tallest buildings in the world for a span of 6 short years, and splurged on some books. 

So, here are three more reasons why I need to do something about my overflowing bookshelf.

I came across Patchwork Folk Art by pure chance. Lucky, lucky me. I love folk art, outsider art, children's art and naive art so this was quite a find.

Beautiful :)

Silk Screen Basics by Ginkgo Press is another book I came upon by chance. It's concise with tons of visual instructions, a section on silkscreen art and interviews with artists. Love!

Print Workshop by Christine Schmidt was on my long, long, long list of must have books, so, I am really happy it was available. It covers a whole range of DIY printing techniques, it's packed with info, simple projects, illustrated how-to's and on the back cover it says - Uneven. Imperfect. Just Right.

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! :)

Overflowing

I am running out of space for my books. If I had my way there would be stacks on the floor as well. The other side of the room is no better. It probably wouldn't be such a problem had I not wanted all my stuff in one tiny room. As you can see from the overexposed picture I also have my collection of toys, arts and craft stuff here. This is simply because I need a place I can close the door on to the outside world. Plus, since I do all the cleaning, I like the rest of the house to be sparse enough for easy vacuuming, dusting, wiping, sweeping, mopping. Mess control if you will, although with a toddler on the loose that's a bit of wishful thinking :)

One of the few shelves dedicated to film with most of the books courtesy of my supercool brother who has also run out of space for his books. 

Pouch #17

I miss painting but I have this obsession with making pouches so I thought I would do both. I wasn't sure where I was heading with the design and it was more time consuming than expected but I really enjoyed the process.

And isn't that what it's all about? :)

Pouch #17

Hand painted, hand embroidered and hand sewn.

Pouch #15 & #16

Pouch #15 and #16

Because I just need to make something.

On Creativity

If you noticed, I haven't posted anything for over a month. The Man has been working out station a lot which leaves me with no one to help juggle the everyday chaos. In other words, I have almost no time and more precisely no energy to do anything creative. In the whole month I only managed to do 3 pouches. I don't know about all of you but I need quiet time or at least uninterrupted time, space to think and some energy to be even remotely creative. 

Found this excellent video via the excellent brainpickings. It's a talk given by John Cleese on Creativity. You can read the original post here where there's a shorter version or watch the full video below.

Embroidery

My mother found this old book of hers and gave it to me. The cover is as grubby as my table top but the pages inside are quite well preserved. I've been planning to get a book on embroidery for some time now but this is all I need for now. I absolutely love it.

It was published in 1982 which makes this book about, oh, only 31 years old. 

I'm guessing this means my mother's container of old embroidery floss below is roughly the same age.  It's amazing the colours haven't faded. 

Ah, the 80s. Brings back lots of memories.

I've got a 30ish year old book on embroidery and container full of floss and a 40 year old sewing machine.

Being stuck in a time warp sure has its perks :)