Creating – The Journey So Far

I have always had a creative streak, which has alternately come to the forefront of my life and been deeply buried. After leaving high school, I worked as a florist for a couple of years. It feels so immodest to say, but I think I was fairly talented, and I had an eye for color and balance in bouquets. While I felt very creatively fulfilled in this field, I felt like the left side of my brain was starting to rot. I was working for an employer so had little to do with the running of the business, so eventually the lack of left-brain challenge got to me and I left to go to university. There I completed a BA in Education with a minor in Biological Anthropology, and eventually went on to get a Master’s degree. During this time, and in the 9-5 working life I've been in ever since, I didn’t seek a lot out of creative activities, and it’s only been in the last year that the urge really struck me again. I've been having a lot of fun with this -- baking more, dabbling in mixed media art and collage, learning to knit (well, just the one type of regular stitch, and made one scarf that I love, lumps and holes and all), sewing,needle felting, and soap making classes at the Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica (and many more to come, good lord I love that place), as well as teaching myself to make jewelry.  I am a terrible clock-watcher in most areas of my life, but in crafting I've finally found one realm in which I don't notice the time passing.  I can't wait to see where it takes me.

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Super Fun Weekend Part One

I am a big fan of Joy Wilson's baking blog, and On the Lamb Food and Beverage, Joy's joint venture with Whitney Adams and Rachel Humphrey.  Today these ridiculously talented ladies held a free demonstration of strawberry deliciousness at Surfas in Culver City.

 Whitney Adams, Joy Wilson, and Rachel Humphrey. How cute are they?!!

First up was a fantastically refreshing strawberry-basil drink, that I am definitely going to make when the suffocating San Fernando Valley summer kicks in.  Next came strawberry and black pepper biscuits (scone-type things for my South Pacific readers) that were quickly inhaled along with a simple but delicious strawberry-arugula salad.  Finally, Joy's strawberry-banana cream pie (served as super cute mini-tartlets) was amazing, lactose-intolerance be damned...

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How awesome is the setup at Surfas?! The TV screen and mirror are positioned so you can see exactly what's going on on the stove and counter. 

The ladies of On the Lamb have all sorts of upcoming shenanigans that I highly recommend you look into.  Just don't take my spot...

Before and after the demonstration, I was busy at my workbench making eight (!) new necklaces, two pairs of earrings, and a bracelet.  I am so motivated by the new supplies I bought, including some awesome hot-air balloon charms and Eiffel Tower charms that I hope you're going to love.  Here's a sneak peek, I'm aiming to get all the new pieces listed on Etsy tomorrow:

Hope you had a great start to the weekend also!  Tomorrow brings more crafty fun -- I'm going to learn to make hot-process soap, I've been wanting to do this for a long time.  Can't wait!

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One of my inspirations - Blossom Wedding Flowers.

The theme for We Scout Wednesdays over on Scoutie Girl is "Share a favorite" so today I'm introducing to you to someone who inspires me.  Emily Sweden is a floral designer in Auckland, New Zealand.  Emily and I first met as teenagers 11 years ago.  I was about to leave my first florist job (unable to take my evil boss anymore) and Emily was the poor soul training to take over from me.  After also being driven away by the evil boss, Emily went on to work for some of the top florists in the Auckland floristry scene, honing her exceptional eye for design and creative talent.  Emily then began focusing on wedding flowers, and started her own wedding flower business Blossom Wedding Flowers.  She has a knack for bringing a bride’s vision of her perfect wedding day arrangements to fruition.  Visit Emily’s website, become her friend on Facebook, and give her a call!  Here is just a tiny selection of her beautiful portfolio.

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Raspberry Almond Cake

 I have a problem, and its name is Raspberry Almond Cake.  More specifically, my problem is that I cannot stop eating it.  Because I like you, I'm going to share it with you (well, the recipe):


But wait!  Before you run off and make it, which you should, if you have any sense at all, and then send me some, because mine is almost gone -- you need to know these three things:

1)  Double the recipe, or you will have one flat little cake;
2)  Add 2-3T milk (I used almond milk, because that's what I have, and it was fine) to the batter so it's not so thick and dough-like and you can spread it;
3)  You can use frozen raspberries, just drain them twice to get as much juice out of them as possible (drain them, then add the sugar and let them sit, then drain them again before you add them to the batter).

The smell of this cake baking almost drove me crazy.

You're welcome.

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New Listings, and My New Favorite Craft: Needlefelting!

I've had a very nice Saturday indeed.  It started off with the excitement of being featured on Kimberly Wilson's blog, then my wonderful friend Aimee came over and I made jewelry while she knitted and we listened to an episode of This American Life.

Later, I went to The Urban Craft Center in Santa Monica to take a needlefelting class.  Needlefelting involves poking at dyed, un-spun wool called "roving" with a sharp, barbed needle.  First we learned to make a little mouse:

And then we could make whatever our hearts desired.  With my bird fetish, of course I made this little friend:

It was so easy to learn, so quick, and so satisfying!  Each of these took about 45mins to make.  I bought some needlefelting supplies so expect to see more little woolly creations in the future :)

After I got home from the class (and photographed my new little friends), I listed these three necklaces on Etsy:  A wise owl, yellow birds, and a Boston Terrier.

Hope you had a great Saturday too!

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Art & Clasp Featured on Tranquilista Kimberly Wilson's Blog!

Kimberly Wilson

I'm so excited and so grateful to the gorgeous yogini and entrepreneur Kimberly Wilson for showing my necklaces on her blog today.  I participated in one of her teleclasses and sent her two necklaces (the Eiffel Tower, because she loves all things Francais, and a pug, a tribute to her little Louis) as a thank you.  I have listened to Kimberly's podcasts (available on iTunes) for a few years now and adore both her books, Hip Tranquil Chick and the recently published Tranquilista. Kimberly is the sweetest spirit and downright inspiring and I am very appreciative of her wonderful work, and now this!

Now I have to get back to work -- I have some earrings ready to photograph and list on Etsy, and pendants ready to be set and strung.  I'll post these later!

Happy Saturday!

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More Goals - For Blogging

Taken straight from an excellent article on ProBlogger, here are 9 goals suitable for new bloggers such as myself. I think I will need a little more experience to know what would be a suitable Time frame in which to achieve these, but they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, and Realistic!

1. Publish 10 Posts (done!)
2. Getting your first comment from someone you don’t know (done! Thanks Chrissy!)
3. Get your first link from another blog
4. Build your readership up to more than 20 readers a day
5. Hit a level of 20 RSS subscribers (I have 3 Google Connect Friends so far!)
6. Getting your blog indexed in Google (not sure how to find this out?)
7. Get your blog earning $1 a week (update: only if making money from your blog is one of your goals – it’s not for everyone) -- (I'd rather drive traffic to my Etsy store).
8. First guest post on another blog
9. Having someone (not you or your mum) tweet about your blog

Bloggers, have any more goals to add?

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