Wednesday 14 October 2015

It's been awhile....

Hello all. It has been a shockingly long time, years in fact since i last posted here. 
Well that will soon be changing with new tutorials, inspirations, pictures of new work.
Life has been happening in the meantime with a now 3 year old new addition my youngest son Cody. I have also been over the last year and a bit working on a new venture called JackRabbit London a children's wear label. 

House of Spiritflower got put on the back burner. But will be back soon with a etsy shop and a facebook page.So hold tight. I will be popping in with a few bits and pieces over the next few weeks. Stay well,stay inspired, Peace.xx Danielle.

Friday 4 October 2013

A wordy post: Idea overload and tantrums

Hi all, today I was spending a lot of time with my notebook and pen writing down all my ideas.
Here's the thing.

  1. Lots of ideas for new jewellery designs but do not have all the beads in relevant colour palettes.
  2. Lots of beautiful ideas for scarves but am scared of my sewing machine so will be doing lots of hand sewing or will get some help once a week and go at a snail pace sewing them up.
  3. My little man (son) and family commitments mean I have only a few hours in the morning and then at night. There feels like there is not enough time in the day.Plus it is no fun trying to work when your child is banging on the door to be let in!
I have so many ideas for plushies. Given that christmas is coming up very fast and I would like to finish off the art dolls I was working on a year ago with a slight change of adding wings so they become guardian angels to be hung in the home. Of course once I have a theme stuck in my head I get loads more ideas, such as angels with pockets on their dresses to add in some sort of memento jewellery or something. (side note: why the heck is google chrome red underlining the word plushies? and christmas!!!! those are not spelling mistakes you stupid spell check thingy! arrrgh!)

I have bought so many gemstone strands that my partner and younger brother are thinking i am starting up my own pirates treasure chest or something.
I have sapphires and emeralds in there, gorgeous chunky labadorite,rose quartz,pearls.
Yeah I said sapphires and emeralds.
Do yourselves a favor and go to www.jewellerymaker.com you will not regret it. Sapphire from £30.00, emerald from £80.00 (mine was under £10.00 as it has a deeper hue,less clarity and is not facetted,just chunky polished pieces of gorgeousness!). If you are in the USA you can buy from them on a Tuesday when they have a 2-3hour program on Tuesdays on ROCKSTV. On their website their is a image slider of deals etc.. and that comes up with the times and a link to click.

I have also bought polymerclay,shrink plastic,thee mini macrame board and leather,suede,wax cords (need some sophisticated satin next.) a gizmo tool,copper and bronze clay kit with torch to make my own metal clay charms and pendents for macrame,charm bracelets etc..

But one thing is halting progress...The Room of Doom!!

This room is my spare bedroom and it is a tip.Started clearing today so I now where everything is.Especially as I have not located my antique bronze toggle clasps. I have bolt ring clasps but I am using the toggles for my more intricate designs.

So yep the to do list is long and I am trying to get through it but boy I just hope to get stock up on Etsy and Folksy at least by the end of the month.So it looks liek I,m missing halloween and Day of the Dead(Nov 1st and 2nd).

Whats your views? do you have a room of doom or loads of ideas and not enough hours in the day to do them?
Take care till next time when I have hopefully got some purdy pictures to show you of what I have been up to.
Peace and love. Dxo

Monday 23 September 2013

Hi all, I will be blogging here again soon! if blogger works!!!!!

Hi all I will be reposting on here again soon. A few little behind the scenes bits and bobs.
I will also be setting up a new supply shop over on etsy called Spiritflower Supply. With kits/tutorials/embroidery patterns/art you can use for a variety of things. 
I will be setting up a dedicated blog for that shop also here on blogger.

So please check in when you can.
See you soon.
Dxo

Friday 17 August 2012

My Son and is Born!

Hello everyone! my son was born on Thursday 9th August at 4.04am after a funny 4hr labour and delivery.

I woke up at after midnight with contractions that hurt andhad me bent over and pounding the wall! after 10mins and a few trips to the loo I realised that this must be it. I rang my midwife but she was off, I rung the other midwife the lovely Jess and made arrangements to go in.

I wanted a taxi, my partner looked at me like i,d changed into a alien and said no, the midwife's advice was a ambulance as once i,m in labour I progress rather fast..... so rung the ambulance and after 10mins taking down medical history and timing my contractions which were weirdly spaced and lasting for different lengths of time.

Well we got to the hospital and I was begging Jess for gas and air but I looked to be only 2-3cms dilated!!!!
I wanted to cry! So  walked around, crouching or leaning on my partner and rushing to the loo to throw up (first time ever that contractions made me hurl).

Then we got moved next door to the pool room i hoped i would deliver in!!! get in there!!!! lol.
It has a lovely beach mural with dolphins and seashells and twinkling leds that change colour over the birthing pool.

Next thing I know I start groaing and Jess says that they sound like pushin noises, so got the gas and air sharpish. I took a massive pull, then dashed to the toilet (read slow i,ve-jus-gotten-off-a-horse-lope) and hurled again.

Then it was show time, I crouched/leant onto a bean bag and with each push, took in some gas and air.After about 10 pushes and his foot getting a bit stuck, my 6lb 7oz son was passed through my legs and onto my chest,squalling.

It was love at first sight,holding this rather small person. His older sibling with the exception of my 12 year old who was 5lb 15oz and 5 weeks early were all weightier, 6lb 15oz and 7lb 6oz respectively.
I was actually shell shocked as I had given birth only 2 hours after I had arrived and had been in established labour and delivered in only 3-4hours.

I then got to have a bath in the birthing pool!!!! I was wondering how  could get it out of the hosital and transport it home! not that it would fit in my tiny bathroom.It was huge!


So thats what i have been up to. Have a beautiful day everyone! Peace xx Danielle

The Artist's Creed

Today I found this beautiful poem on another artist's blog, www.alteredmeditations.blogspot.com . I have no idea who the author is but thought i would share it with you all here. I personally feel that all people who create,including children,novice artists/makers,everyone who makes a song,play,film,poem,novel,sculpture,garment etc.. will identify with at least one verse of this poem.
Enjoy....

The Artists Creed

I believe I am worth the time it takes to create whatever I feel to create.
I believe my work is worthy of it's own space which is worthy of the name Sacred.
I believe that when I enter this space, I have the right to work in silence,uninterrupted for as long as I choose.

I believe that the moment I open myself to the gifts of The Muse,I open myself to the source of all creation and become one with the Mother of Life itself.
I believe that my work is Joyful,Useful and Constantly Changing,flowing like a river wiith no beginning and no end.

I believe that what it is I am called to do will make itself known when I have made myself ready.
I believe that the time I spend creating my art is as precious as the time I spend giving to others.
I believe that what truly matters in the making of art is not what the final piece looks like or sounds like,not what it is worth or not worth, but what newness gets added to the universe in the process of the piece itself becoming.

I believe that I am not alone in my attempts to create...

For the rest of this beautiful and inspiring poem visit www.alteredmeditations.blogspot.com a truly refreshing and spirit repleshing blog. I felt totally creatively revived and more positive about myselfa a person and artist after visiting ths blog.

Tuesday 3 July 2012

It's been awhile and hectic..

Hey all! Oh my goodness. My poor,poor blog I have not forsaken you!
The last month has been very busy, with me doing and finishing my Childcare Level 1 course.
I,m now in the final days of my teaching course. The assignments are stacking up! plus I have to plan , design and deliver a 30min class in my specialist subject to my peers. You would not believe the paper work that this entails for planing the session, then feedback and assessment forms..whoo!
Oh and to top it all off even though we "finish" on the 12th of july we actually have till the end of the month to complete two huge assignments which are a putting together of concepts and ideas from all our other assignments but in relation to a new set of questions.And we have to add more thoughts etc.. to it  and quotes from different books,websites to back up our arguments.

I feel tired just writing that.

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Lets not forget that my unborn son is due on 12th of August. I feel a bit like a hippo and keep on getting some serious braxton hicks, so serious I had to wait and see if I actually was in labour or not.
Also this boy can kick! jeez! My tummy is moving alot and shuddering,twitching,bouncing. My partner gets kicked in the back every night ( i love to snuggle my bump into his very curved back to keep it warm). but doesn't mind as he loves knowing that our boy is moving,growing and getting stronger each day.
My last scan is also this month at 36weeks and 4days on the 19th of july by which time i,ll have my hospital bag packed. ( and stock to finish for that week saturday, plus those two huge assignments to start on and complete as fast as possiable.)

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I know i'm off my rocker doing all this while growing a new life (particularly near the end of my pregnancy) but hey, it made sense to get a couple of courses done in order to furthur my employment prospects and I have to get my biz off the ground once and for all.
You think all thats mad, I'm applying to do childcare level 2 in September when my little man will only be a about 5-6 weeks old.Thank goodness I have a supportive loving partner who will be taking care of our boy.

I am also working hard on making stock for a craft fair I have coming up on tthe 21st of July in Islington London. I,ll do a little postie about the event and the organisers soon.

Ok y'all thats it, I just wanted you all to know why there has been nothing for a while.
I should have some photo's on here by next Monday as I have to create my classroom website for my micro-teach which will be developed furthur with embroidery technique video's, bead embroidery ideas, projects and more.

See you soon, now i'm off to do more research, 3 assignments due this Thursday and fill out paper work and get my pregnancy meds from the pharmacy.

Dxo

Tuesday 29 May 2012

New developments

Hello! did you miss me? Sorry for the lack of posts, my it's been a bit busy lately.
As you might know i,m studying two courses at once and while it's great, boy is it exhausting on the ole brain.
It's going to get more intense as I start thinking about planning my first micro lesson (on Mixed Media textiles.) where I teach my classmates on my PTLLS teaching course (preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector) eek! On top of regular baby scans and check ups to make sure both myself and my son are well. Which we are, he's 28weeks into development and already over 2lb in weight! and kicking,tumbling,bouncing and generally hyper.

While doing all of that, I am slowly finishing off the last of a collection of 20 Goddess Pendents for House of SpiritFlower. A release date will be announced 3 days before hand with preview pics.
Work is also hotting up on my art doll website which is in progress.I,ll do a proper launch date announcement nearer the time.My website category's are, Goddess Doll Collection, Story Dresses, Elementals and Guardians collection. Pictures will follow in the next week.

So I bid you adieu for now my follow creatives and will see you soon with lots of pictures taken by my lovely long suffering partner.

Have a great day and for all you in the UK have a great Jubilee Bank Holiday! i,ll be watching o a big screen in Hammersmith sipping a nice chilled glass of juice (no it's not a euphemism for wine!).