! CREATIVE CARMELINA !

JANE AUSTEN PAPER HEART BANNER

2012-01-27T15:47:00.004-05:00

For the love of all things Austen

I've been busy cutting out paper hearts by hand!

How's that for patience and diligence?

This is my cookies and cream banner above.

It has been listed in my ETSY shop

along with a lot of NEW creations!

All together I made three sets of Jane Austen Heart Banners!

These banners would be perfect for a personal shower

or a bridal shower, or how about a Jane Austen Book Club get together!

Paper obsessions are awesome!

ORGANIZING YOUR STUDIO SPACE

2012-01-26T13:35:00.001-05:00

For me, creativity and organization go hand in hand.

I simply cannot think with clarity

when things are chaotic around me.

When my art supplies are all put away

and grouped together,

my thinking is more clear and in turn

I am better able to get down to the blissful business of creating!

I'll be puttering about the studio today,

sorting through boxes of supplies and keeping on top of things.

A couple of areas have gotten out of hand around here!

It is a constant chore, but one that I enjoy

just as much as making things!

What are you doing today?

WHAT DOES "UP-CYCLING" MEAN?

2012-01-24T15:26:00.003-05:00

These days we hear this term UP-CYCLING a lot,

but what exactly does it mean?

.RE-DUCE. RE-USE. RE-CYCLE.

I'm almost certain you've all heard of those terms.

We all should find ways to cut back on the amount of waste we produce.

Instead of just throwing things out

we recycle them so they can be given another life.

But up-cycling is even better than re-cycling

because rather than simply saving an object from the landfill,

you are taking a used item and creating an entirely new product

that is inventive and looks amazing!

That is precisely what I've been doing lately

with my crochet covered tin can desk set projects for my ETSY shop!

The items re-used, or up-cycled, to create this organizer are:

tin cans, reclaimed wood, vintage remnant crochet thread,

a vintage STUART LITTLE children's book

and an old ceramic ornament.

STUART LITTLE DESK SET ORGANIZER

You should try to UP-CYCLE something soon!

It's tremendously satisfying work.

creativecarmelina.etsy.com

SEWING IN SMALL SPACES

2012-01-24T08:22:00.001-05:00

As long as you're super organized...

...extra neat and uber tidy.....

you can actually manage sewing in a small space.

I keep all of my sewing supplies

in this six drawer box that sits right beside my sewing machine.

Things like pre-loaded bobbins,

seam rippers, small scissors, thread spools,

snaps and other sewing notions are tucked away

and ready to be used when needed.

I have an inspiration board to my right

for those project ideas that are still brewing in my creative head

and have not quite yet taken flight!

A wicker basket holds all sorts of threads and fabrics

in the neutral tone that I adore.

By keeping my colours similar

nothing ever looks like a cluttery mess!

Except for my collections of newly crocheted doilies

and vintage laces here.

I cannot stop making them

or buying them when I'm out thrifting

and they tend to pile up continually!

But that's a good thing

because it keeps me creating and making things.

So you see, sewing in small spaces can actually work!

And trust me, having your machine out and on a table,

plugged in and ready to go

is so much more conducive to creativity

than storing your machine in a closet!

Maybe you have a sewing machine you can pull out and set up?

BURLAP BANNER - WINTER

2012-01-23T16:08:00.005-05:00

My "SNOW" banner sold this morning!

I just had to create a new banner for my SHOP today.

This one says "WINTER"

and it features two of my crocheted snowflakes!

I used six squares of burlap and crocheted around the edges

in a loose and shabby chic sort of styling.

I have re used some vintage white bobbles

to add extra detailing and layering to the piece.

The letters have been drawn free hand by me

and cut from white eyelet fabric.

I then went around the letters with zig zag stitching.

The end result fits in so perfectly with my own home decorating!

I shall enjoy it until it too must leave my creative nest!

SEWING FOR KIDS

2012-01-23T08:20:00.001-05:00

I learned to sew at a very young age

because my mother taught me.

I remember sitting by my mother's side,

watching her stitch her straight lines,

amazed at her speed and accuracy!

I wanted to be just like her,

so I would practice on her vintage green Singer sewing machine

until I got things just right!

My mother used to give me simple projects to work on,

and now I do the same with my own daughter!

She has her own sewing machine

with pretty pink detailing on the front,

and she sits in front of that thing

creating away for hours at a time!

These two shabby chic hearts were made by her

and she was thrilled to bits when I offered to list them

in my ETSY SHOP!

So if you'd like to get your child interested in sewing,

start when they are young,

start by setting them up with simple tasks,

start today!

PAPER AND LACE CARDS

2012-01-20T14:48:00.001-05:00

I have been busy creating

at my trusty sewing machine this morning.

Using this image from the Graphic Fairy,

I coordinated the print out with brown paper card stock

to create these shabby vintage chic cards.

They are simple in design,

but the beauty is in the stitching details on the cards' spines

and on the sewn lace picture frame on the front cover.

Inside, the paper lace lies in wait to surprise you

upon opening the card!

I have made a set of four cards

and have them listed in my ETSY SHOP already!

Blank white envelopes are included as well, but not shown here.

And now to announce yesterday's

F L A S H W I N N E R.

SUSAN HOWES

you have outdone yourself

with over 20 comments left for me to indulge in!

You certainly know how to play this game!

I already have your home address

and will send you two of these handmade cards

as well as three French crochet labeled appliques

and last but not least

two handmade crochet mini doilies,

also handmade by me!

So basically everything you see

in the second photo of this post is yours!

I hope you have fun using your new treasures!

Thanks to everyone who joined in on all of the FLASH fun!

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the next one!

ciao bella

FLASH GIVEAWAY - CELEBRATING

2012-01-19T12:49:00.003-05:00

CREATIVE CARMELINA CELEBRATES

TWO YEARS BLOGGING

Two years ago I never thought

that I could fall into something so perfect

for my creative lifestyle as this!

BLOGGING IS SO ME!

Thanks to the encouragement of a dear friend,

I have found my artful niche.

For all of the friendships forged online,

for all of the shared inspirations here in blog land,

it's time for me to give back!

Leave your comment here to enter this

FLASH SURPRISE GIVEAWAY.

As my way of thanking my dear readers/followers

I will send out a handmade humble "something" to one winner.

Just tell me what keeps you coming back to my blog!

Comment as many times as you wish.

Each comment you leave will increase your chances!

Giveaway winner will be announced sometime tomorrow,

thus the meaning behind FLASH giveaway.

Thanks for playing along!

Ciao Bellas!

DESK ORGANIZER FOR KIDS ROOMS

2012-01-18T13:57:00.003-05:00

I came across E.B. Whites classic children's book

STUART LITTLE

while out thrifting a few weeks ago.

Immediately my creative wheels started turning!

This is yet another crocheted-tin-can-desk-organizer.

Sporting four cans and a tiny mouse figurine,

it's ready to be filled with creative art supplies.

The "LITTLE" artist in me

would have loved something like this on my desk as a child.

I have always been a neat and tidy person.

Clutter makes me crazy!

I think "highly-organized-control-freak"

better describes my passion here!

This darling organizer has been listed with love

in my ETSY SHOP.

I think another cup of coffee is in order for the day!

Maybe a "LITTLE" colouring too!

COUNTRY LIVING MAGAZINE

2012-01-18T13:11:00.001-05:00

We all know how inspirational blogging can be.

We make connections with like-minded individuals

that spur us on to further creativity!

We send gifts to one another

to show how much we appreciate those connections.

The other day a very special follower of this blog

sent me this NEUTRAL Themed magazine.

You can see her handwritten note on the front cover.

"GRAB YOUR COFFEE AND ENJOY"

~does she know me, or what?

I did just that.

With a nice hot cup of coffee by my side

on a very cold wintery day,

I curled up on my Neutral love seat

and started SIPPING AND FLIPPING through the pages!

Sandy, you have touched my heart! Thank you!

HANDMADE SNOWFLAKE BANNER

2012-01-16T12:41:00.002-05:00

A few posts ago I was busy making crochet snowflakes.

I crocheted a nice pile of snowflakes,

ironed them and then set them aside

waiting for that creative spark of inspiration to come along!

I came up with this white shabby chic banner!

For now it hangs in my living room

below my unfinished PARIS watercolour painting.

It is listed in my SHOP if you're interested!

Ciao Bella!

POSITIVE THINKING

2012-01-16T11:22:00.003-05:00

Optimism - an inclination to hopefulness and confidence.

Positive - constructive, optimistic, or confident.

When we look toward the bright side of life

we will carry a happier countenance and learn to find contentment.

There is always something to be HAPPY about.

A sweet smile or glance, a gentle embrace, a kind word,

food on your plate, clothes on your back, a roof over your head,

healthy children, to mention just a few.

Positive thinking is powerful thinking.

What are you HAPPY about today?

CROCHET CREATIONS

2012-01-15T14:41:00.000-05:00

I'm sure by now you know that I am a highly organized person.

A place for everything. Everything in it's place.

I need to be NEAT and TIDY here in my studio space

as well as everywhere else in my home.

Otherwise I go absolutely bonkers!

So many of us could be doing so much more

on the creative side of our lives

if we could just get our supplies organized.

That way, when that spark of inspiration hits us

we know just where everything is

and it becomes an easy pleasure for us to dive right in.

I've been making studio and office organizers for some time now

and here is my latest crochet can creation!

It has a custom fitted sleeve

that is then embellished with eyelet lace and velvety trim.

It's listed in my other ETSY shop

COLOURFUL CARMELINA.

I've only a few items right now but it's growing every day!

The first colour scheme I'll be exploring is teal,

if you didn't already guess that from the above photo.

If you have a minute, take a peek!

The links are below!

EMBROIDERY PATTERNS

2012-01-13T20:31:00.003-05:00

My mother taught me how to embroider

when I was just a young girl.

Now I'm passing on those skills to my own daughter.

To keep things interesting for her,

I find I'm always creating pretty new patterns.

There's just something so charming

about sitting down to an afternoon of embroidery,

with my daughter by my side.

It is also a soothing and peaceful pass time.

creativecarmelina.etsy.com

HANDMADE WIRE FLOWERS

2012-01-13T13:56:00.002-05:00

For several years now

this floral arrangement has been

one of my favourite decor pieces in my home.

I create these flowers

using nylon stocking hose and wire.

Sweet. Simple. Shabby Chic.

I have in mind to make some arrangements

for my ETSY SHOP very soon.

Stay tuned!

ORGANIZING

2012-01-12T15:12:00.000-05:00

Here's how I keep my creations displayed in my home

while they wait to be sold on ETSY.

I simply purchased a wire mannequin on a stand

and hung all of my tags and pin back buttons and laces from it.

It adorns my home for the time that it's here

and I get to enjoy the inspiration that my creations give back to me!

If you are a fellow ETSY SHOP owner

why not pull out your beautiful creations

and display them on a similar setup!

It's like window shopping!

The more I make, the fuller it gets

and the more I'm inspired!

You see, it all comes full circle!

Give this a try and see if you don't like it.

It just might prove to be an inspirational thing to you too.

ETSY.COM

SKETCHBOOK DRAWINGS

2012-01-12T13:59:00.000-05:00

Many of you might already know

that my dear husband is also an artist.

I thought I'd post one of his two page spreads

from his SKETCHBOOK PROJECT here on my blog to show you!

He's putting together a collection of portrait sketches

of OLD HOLLYWOOD ICONIC characters!

The Skipper and Gilligan look amazing...

and is actually my favourite in his book thus far.

His lines are so free and loose,

yet they accurately capture the person's likeness!

Nice work baby!

To see the other pages in his sketchbook

click on over to his blog.

DRAWING PROFESSIONAL LEE

CUSTOM CROCHETED PILLOWS

2012-01-12T11:38:00.001-05:00

I have just completed this custom order from my shop.

Two crocheted pillows,

and I was given the freedom

to just create whatever patterns I wanted to.

Every creative artist's dream!

I only like to use natural products in my creations,

so these are made with 100 % organic cotton

in a beautiful cream colour.

They measure 18" X 18"

and have a button closure flap on the back.

They are already on their way to you Cindy!

I loved making them for you.

FRENCH PAPER TAGS

2012-01-11T11:59:00.001-05:00

I have had an ongoing love affair

with paper and paper products since I was a child!

Paper was scarce in our house.

There were no huge stacks of 500 sheets laying around,

like there are today here in my studio!

I was always handed the back of an envelope

when I asked for some paper to draw on!

I found that incredibly limiting for my creative mind.

But maybe it taught me something.

Perhaps it taught me how to squeeze a lot of detail

into a small rectangular space!

Et voila! here I am constraining myself to these 'large' sized tags.

They give me a 6" X 3" playing field for creative expression.

I am happy to be sharing them with you today.

They are listed in my ETSY shop as a Set Of Five Tags.

Merci Beaucoup for dropping by today.

VINTAGE PAPER BOBBINS

2012-01-11T09:29:00.001-05:00

Have you ever gone out on a thrifting adventure

only to end up finding something you just had to have

but didn't quite know how you plan to use it?

I saw these paper bobbins bundled up in a bag

and knew they'd be coming home with me.

My plan is to incorporate them

into one of my collage canvas art pieces!

Sounds interesting, non?

HANDMADE BEADED WIRE FLOWERS

2012-01-10T15:16:00.001-05:00

As a full time artist and crafter
I am always open to trying new things.

This nurtures my creativity, and staves off boredom in the studio.

As a variation
to the handmade nylon wire flowers I create,

(which you can see featured on my blog's side bar)

I have decided to make these beaded flower stems.

They look like ice crystals,

and they catch the light
streaming in from a nearby window just brilliantly!

How very apropos of me, seeing as it is the winter season.

I obviously favour a neutral palette

in my creations for my own home and for my SHOP.

I chose a chocolate brown floral tape for the stems,

rather than the traditional forest green colour.

True Shabby Chic Elegance!

It is a neat, clean, and soft style

that is easy on the eyes as well as the mind.

Very soothing and tranquil to live with this palette.

Art. Creativity. Life.

SHABBY CHIC DECORATING STYLE

2012-01-09T13:49:00.000-05:00

I love putting creams and whites together

in my personal home decorating.

Set against the white painted walls of my home,

the handmade crocheted items just seem to work well

for Shabby Chic Decorating!

I've been creating so many things for my SHOP

but I thought it was finally time for me to take an evening

and make an item that I - so far- am planning to keep!

And here it is!

I have finally covered over my round pillow insert.

It has been sitting here in my home

waiting for the perfect idea to come along.

Now onto the next creative adventure!

Thanks so much for your visit today.

I'll be celebrating TWO blogging years in a weeks time.

Perhaps I'll plan something special to giveaway!

JANE AUSTEN EMBROIDERY

2012-01-08T14:49:00.000-05:00

After drawing Jane Austen's portrait

I was inspired to create an embroidery drawing pattern.

It is so much fun thinking of different ways to use

Jane Austen text and now I can play with her image in my creativity!

And so can you because....

I have listed two items in my shop today.

One KIT that includes the drawing on white cotton fabric,

one small hoop and one black embroidery floss.

I will even include a needle so that you'll be ready to get started!

The second listing is for the drawing on cotton fabric only.

So, for those of you that have your own embroidery supplies,

this would be all you'd need to put a little Austen in your life!

I am going to have to trace out a panel

for myself to work on at night.

I'll be creating an original drawing pen portrait of Jane ... soon!

JANE AUSTEN DRAWING

2012-01-08T09:30:00.000-05:00

If you are a lover of all things Austen

and you like to embroider a lot of detail in your work

then this might be the perfect project for you.

I have taken the time to map out Jane's face

and bring out the pertinent lines

so that she might be easily traced onto fabric

and then embroidered.

You see...vintage hoops really are an inspiration to me!

I'm thinking of putting this pattern in my Etsy shop soon.

A listing that is already traced onto white cotton fabric,

and also a PDF version that I can email out to you in an instant

which you can then diligently trace yourself.

Does that not stir within you the domestic victorian woman?

CROCHET DOILY THROW BLANKET

2012-01-07T20:35:00.001-05:00

I love to crochet in the evening

when my hubby and I sit down for the night

to watch something on the television.

I always have some sort of project on the go ...

as my hands need to stay busy!

I've crocheted this 35" embellishment blanket

and have listed it in my ETSY SHOP already.

It is the perfect accent piece

for an arm chair, for the back of a sofa

or even draped over a headboard in a bedroom.

Now, onto the next project.

I just might be making one of these in cream!