Helloooooo....

Another long time distance between posts. Ooopsie o.0

Anyway, you now in the last post, nearly a month ago, I mentioned that I was ocrafting away for a 'Lets Party' swap I was in over on craftster? Well, its time to share the crafts!!! Unfortunately I was flaked on, which is never that much fun but hopefully I should be getting an angel soon, due to the fab system they have, so no big loss :)

Crochet Jewelry!!!!

I was very excited about making these as its something that I've been wanting to try out. I was happy enough with how they turned out, except it made me realise I must have a realy awkward tension or something as the chains kept twisting, so some of the flowers were the wrong way round :(

Earings:
These were quite rough and ready but again a new ch allenge.

Crochet Bag/purse:
Nice and simple, no lining or anything like that

Skinny crochet cowel/scarf:
When I made this I had an image in my head of what a cowel was. Then I looked it up online when my mum asked. And realised that they are considerably larger than what I had made! Ah well, I still think it looks super funky :) (Also, my necks not that eerily long in real life - its just some odd camera trick!)
Pom-pom hair bobbles:
I think these (there were two) are some of my favourite theings that I have created (and super, super simple as well). I made the pom poms using crazy pink monster yarn.
And just a few extras:

Hope everyone liked :) And if anyone wants more info on how to make something in particular just ask me about it in the comment box and I'll write a specific post on it.

Speak soon,
Hannah

'ello 'ello 'ello

Whats all this then? No blog posts for a week? What a naughty blogger ;)

But in all fairness it has been a busy week :) I tidied my room all sunday evening (it really was desperately needed) and what did I come home to on monday?

Yes. My shelves (covering pretty much the whole of one wall) decided this was the time to make their bid for freedom and showered my large collection of books and craft stuff all over my bed and the floor. Thankfully, other than a plastic box, everything was unharmed (and I can only thank god I wasn't in there and sleeping at the time). I haven't been able to face sorting it all out so right now everything is stacked neatly in the hallway. Which is annoying when I have a swap to finish this weekend (although I have a lot more space).

My art (just wrote aunt haha - glad its the weekend) journal has progressed but I have missed quite a few days. But thats ok. The two pages I've been working on are/were quite theraputic actually - a lot of the same designs as you can see (all the little circles probably took me several nights to do). I'm actually really, really happy with how the girl has come out. I'm not really a drawer (although I hope to improve) so shes come out really well for me :) I'm not quite sure what I'm going to put on the other side though, which is also an envelope...I should really think about doing double page spreads rather than single pages so that they are all somewhat congruous.

My other page is inspired by a lot of the zentangles and madsalas that I've been seeing around recently. I think I was most inspired by Millande's video which shows a mandala based around zebra's and where I got the idea from of doing my mandal around two russian doll figures :) Its still a work in progress but I thought I'd show it to you. My only problem is that I always run out of ideas for doing different lines etc. I think my fave pattern so far is the scales on the completed doll (and the swirly bits on her as well)....It should take me a while to finish her. Although of course, it doesn't really matter if I leave this page and go onto another one does it?

And talking of other pages, I've bound a signiture together. I'm really happy with it - I've got all sorts of book pages and envelopes and different size/thickness of paper - I think its very exciting working in something that is all bound up together because you can see it allexpanding. Personall,y one of the most attractive things about other peoples art journals to me is seeing all of the little bits and bobs coming out of the spine and the top and the fact that it doesn't neatly sit in one book. I can't wait till my art journal looks like that :)
Looking forward to more 'aunt' journalling and crafting this weekend :)
Goodbye for now,
Hannah

More about books :)

Just a quick post to tell you all I am still alive ;) I have had a fabulous couple of days - I went to see Matilda the musical at the rsc on thursday and then today I've had a fab day at orchestra, then lunch and bowling with a couple of friends I haven't seen for yonks and then the evening with another group of friends. However, due to this I'm feeling absolutely shattered and not really in the mood to write a proper post about all the exhilarating events which have happened to me :) Indeed, yesterday I went curled up in bed at about 8 in the evening to read a book and then the next thing I knew it was half ten!

However, talking of books, I'm going to leave you with a few other question and answers about books. Over on daisy yellow what is apparently The Annual Book Quiz has been posted! As you know I have a rather ambitious target of books to read so I thought it would be fitting to play along :)

1. What is on your reading list for 2011? {Well, the biggie is of course my list of 100 books everyone should read. Talking of which, I really need to get a move on with reading them. I haven't really been in a reading mood of late. I'm sure I will come across many other books I want to read though.}
2. What was the best fiction book you read in 2010? {I have to admit, I've become quite taken with the Poldark series this year. I've been borrowing them off a friend and they are so good - I'm in the eight so far. I also enjoyed the Titus Groan series by Mervyn Peake - very very odd and sureal (although I'm not sure whether it was this year that I read them. And Fire by Kristin Cashore Although, I am sure there are many others but I read so much I think they've probably slipped my mind.}
3. What book was the biggest let down in 2010? {Oh gosh - I can't really think of anything off the top of my head...}
4. Do you remember the first short story you wrote as a kid? What was it about? {hmm..I'm sure there were earlier, but I remember writing this really long tale in year 6 - some ind of adventure story with secret passages and the like I think.}
5. Do you keep track of the books you read? {No, but writing this made me realise that I really need to. I read so much but to be honest I have a vague memory of plots etc. or at least connecting plots to titles and all that jazz}
6. How many books are on your TO READ list? {100 :) But 'm much more of a 'pick-up-this-looks-interesting-lets-read' type of person than a list type.}
7. Where is your favorite reading spot? {in bed}
8. How many books (fiction + non-fiction) did you read in 2010? {no idea - a couple of hundred probably. I read a lot and pretty ferociously when I get going}
9. Do you read more than one book at once? {well, never used to but I've started to do that occasionally. I do annoy myself when I do it though. Its the kind of thing I might do if I have a on-fiction and a fiction book going on or am reading something I'm not really enjoying very much, or if something comes along that I have been waiting to read for ages}
10. Do you read more fiction or non-fiction? {much more fiction (pretty exclusively) especially of the fantasy or historical bent}

So there's me in a nutshell at this point in time. Now off to carry on reading Cranford :)

And just to whet your appetite, here is a pic of how the bowling alley lighting gives you fluorescent shoelaces!

Hannah

Right Now:)

I spotted this idea over on mummynat's blog who apparently saw it over

here and I thought it might be a fun idea, especially when I don't have anything else really to blog about. Oh, and does everyone like the changes to the blog - I love the books in the background :)

Outside my window ...

I can see that its just getting dark out of my window, from where I am tucked up nice an warm in bed. There is a mahousive pile of recycling outside on the roadside because the dustbin men are all on strike and nothing has been collected for well, quite a long time!

I am thinking ...

It just popped into my head that in a sense its quite sad that in reality t

he pile of recycling is nothing near as big as it could or should be. My mum takes it really seriously but I know I just stick loads of recyclable stuff in my bedroom bin out of pure laziness.

I am thankful for...

Not having to be worried about exams. And my duvey. I'm very thankful for my duvet :)

From the learning rooms ...

I think the learning room has shut up shop for now! I have only had one proper lesson today as so many people were in exams or on study leave. Its quite fun but at the same time very tiring and a little bit dull.

From the kitchen ...

there are some nice smells wafting. Which I am very glad about because my tummy is rumbling.

I am wearing...

What I wore to school today (we have 'dress code') so black tights, black skirt, stripy white and turquoise top, black cardigan and bluey-greeny earings. I don't really like what I'm wearing (I preferred my bed this morning) so I'm feeling a bit bleh about it all.

I am creating ...

Well, yesterday I tried my hand at a bit of crochet jewelery but it didn't really work. I was also having fun with using sequins in it which I hadn't done before :) I'm thinking I might try and do some proper art journalling time tonight.

I am going ...

Probably swimming this evening. Me and my mum are going on a healthy living kick :)

I am reading ...

Cranford. The first book I'm tackling off the mammoth 100 book list ;) All I can say is its very different from BBC cranford so far...

I am hoping ...

That the trip to see Matilda on thursday which has been falling through and falling through (Very stressful) does happen, even if it is with different people :(

I am hearing ...

Nothing much really. The hum of the laptop. The click of my fingers on the keys. The scrape of my brother chair on the floor in the room next door. The cars passing by my window. So quite a lot actually - I think I might have learnt something just typing that!

Around the house ...

I don't know about the house but right now my room is in desperate need of a tidy up. Its so messy and I hate messiness. But I can't be bothered to tidy it up :)

One of my favorite things ...

having lovely friends who hug you.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Swaps :) And the last time underage swapper approval was seen on my page (I turned 16 back in July but forgot to get it taken off so did so yesterday)

Critical Thinking Exam and journal pages!

Critical thinking. A subject considered to be exceedingly difficult by the government, forced on us poor, unwilling sixth formers and the epitome of tedium. Of course, I put off revising. Which, after I had got 46 out of 75 in a practice paper this morning with two hours to go before the exam, didn't seem like such a good idea as it had done the night before. Ah well, its all a learning curve I guess. And the exam didn't go too badly - didn't get my timings quite right so I messed up a bit on the last question and there were some things I blagged. However.... NOTE TO SELF: Revise next time rather than playing echo bazaar :)

Anyway, except for last night I have been keeping up with the journal everyday challenge. I've only completed another page but I have got into the spirit of doing just 10 minut

es here and there. I love the background of this (also, please excuse the messy bed photos!). I was so happy with the way the colours mixed together and worked well. Yay for pretty colours. I was also playing around with masking tape - the border is masking tape, as is the base for the little bit of writing. The little 'around the world people thing' was something I did ages ago. I was rummaging around in my scrap box for a suitable image to use and found it.

Its funny how much your mood influences the way the final page turns out, especially

when you can see its development over several days. When I did the border I was definitely in a happy mood. Lots of pretty little stars and visions of the final piece relating to the night sky! Yet, when I put it all together I was feeling pretty sad and down which I think can be seen a little in the more sombre mood and definitely in the journalling. The sketch on the right was actually something I did in the summer. However, I'm taking paper from everywhere to make my signatures (thinking I might put some envelopes in to mix it all up) and this obviously isn't finished so I included it. I did a little bit of work on her but that will be what I'm working on for the next couple of days. I might try messing about with tissue paper. Or maybe attempting to do something similar to the marvellous nicci's stuff.

Bye for now,

And good luck to anyone with exams,

Hannah

Challenges :)

Well, it seems like I'm getting all into the challenges this year. To be honest, I think setting targets which (kind of) have consequence is not done are the only way I can get myself to do anything :) Although I don't know whether that should be a smiley face at that fact. I have decided - drum roll please- that I will take part in the 50 projects in 2011 craftalong over on my favourite site craftster. I've done a list of 37 items so far, so that there is space to add more. Every time I read someone else's list though, I just get so inspired and add a few more items. Most of the projects are quite small, but often in areas where I haven't really had much experience so I'll be learning new things. How exciting!!!

The List:

1. Flower hair accessories
2. learn to make jewellery and subsequently make some earings
3. crochet necklace
4. sew a shoulder bag
5. recon a skirt
6. make an art journal
7. birthday present for mum (little boxes?)
8. birthday present for dad
9. paper beads
10. subject dividers for my school folders (been on my mind since September)
11. crochet hand warmers
12. crochet afghanny/cardiganny thing
13. learn to make a record bowl
14. cards, lots and lots of cards
15. learn to make face creams/lip balms etc. and then make J
16. owl amigurumi
17. cloth bowls
18. wind chime for garden
19. do my art journal pretty much ever day ;)
20. bonnet
21. find a penpal and write some arty letters
22. put together some kind or steam punky/other worldy costume
23. make butter
24. make some historically accurate item
25. More hair accessories
26. recon a jacket
27. make a crafting fairy
28. make bread
29. make a shrine
30. scrapbook
31. reconned childrens book
32. button wall art
33. Bookmarks
34. bottle cap pendants
35. fimo cakes J
36. mend black velvet jacket that’s been languishing in the closet for about a year waiting for me to sort out a rip
37. make a gibbous skirt/top

However, my other great love is reading and I've suddenly had the great inspiration of trying to get through one of those 'must read' lists. I think the 1000 novels everyone must read looks just a little bit intimidating but I'm debating between two other top 100 lists. One is the bbc big read with the books voted on by the nation; as you can imagine there are a lot more popular books and books I've read on there. The other is The telegraph 100 novels everyone should read which is more full of the old classical types but also some lighter stuff. I think on reflection its probably the one I'm most likely to read my way through. What fun!!

Speak to you all soon (Hopefully with some crafting pics)

Hannah :)

Art Journal Every Day

I've done my first ever art journal page and I am soooo excited. YAHOOO!!!! I spotted the Art journal every day today (a bit late but whatever) and decided this year is the year. I've always wanted to do an art journal but its always seemed so daunting, such a difficult thing to get started on. So I've put it off and looked at others work and dreamed but never done anything. However, today something just clicked. It might have clicked because I have lots and lots and lots of work I am supposed to be doing for the start of school tomorrow (aarrgghhh- so much dull stuff to do) and I really really really wanted to put it off. And the other thing was how accessible this project seems. Julie makes it really clear that you don't need to do one whole spread. That you really do only need 10minutes to scrible down a back ground or paste a couple of photos....for some reason it just seems...well...easy! There are also loads of amazing resources on her blog - even if you don't do the project go look she is very talented. I found out that in august she'd run a art journalling week and there were lots of inspiration and articles from different journallers. I was really inspired her collage/Teesha Moore article so (avoiding my work) I decided to do a page in that kind of style.

Unfortunately I couldn't get a decent pic because of the lighting but I was so excited that I just had to share :) I used pink, purple and green gel pens, purple acrylic paint, and pink and gold water colo

ur. I got the image from a hair magazine. The slogan reads 'I adore bright colours and curly hair'. Although there is stuff I'm not happy with over all I'm really pleased. I love the curls I added onto her hair and the lime green love hearts. I know I have loads to learn this year and I am looking forward to getting on and doing stuff rather than just looking. This is just the one age because I

don't have an art journal and I realised that if I put it off, I wouldn't do anything. And then I realised I can do coptic stitching - I can bind it together when I'm done or when I find paper th

at I really like. Sorted.

Hopefully a little more motivation will appear (not just in art but at school as well). Talking of which, I really do need to go do some school work, so I'll leave this all with you and go do some history!

Hannah x