W.I.P. Wednesday – Featured Wipster Projects

Welcome (back) to W.I.P. Wednesday! The Wipster List* and W.I.P. Wednesday Flickr Pool have continued growing, this despite my blogging hiatus. Even though I was too busy with work to unleash my creative energy, I found solace in all the beautiful creations appearing every week on the W.I.P. photostream.

I’ve decided to start a new series here at W.I.P. Wednesday : The W.I.P. Round-Up (except I don’t care for that title at all and will probably change it post haste!). This bi-weekly event will showcase a few featured projects from the W.I.P. Wednesday Flickr Pool, because I would like to share some of the inspiration and talent concentrated on that humble little flickr group. What fun!

Without further ado…

I just love this little Gnome bag from Gypsy Forest, perfect for gathering treasures.

These  little socks knit by Frontier Dreams are so sweet! So cheerful against the winter cold.

Even if you don’t crochet, this lovely photo from Heirloom Seasons invites you to pick up a hook, doesn’t it?

I hope you’ve enjoyed these beautiful photos. Now that I’m not spending every free second grading I hope to begin (and finish!) a few W.I.P. projects of my own. Do you have any new W.I.P.s in the works? We would love to see what you’re up to! Snap a shot of your  “in progress” masterpiece and add it to the  W.I.P. Wednesday Flickr Pool. Whatever your works-in-progress, have a crafty week, and don’t forget to see what the other Wipsters are working on.

*The list is still not completely updated, helas. Don’t hesitate sending me a little nudge via email if you’re waiting to be added.

W.I.P. Wednesday : Meet September’s Featured Wipster, Michelle

Happy September everyone! I love this time of year : crisp, bright mornings, bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils, carefully laid-out clothes for the first day of school…and especially all the crafty projects the autumn and the fast approaching winter holidays promise to inspire.

After a brief summer break, I’m truly happy to ring in the new school year (well, for the Northern Hemisphere anyway!) by presenting our September Featured Wipster, Michelle, who blogs at Living Slowly. Her beautiful contributions to the W.I.P. Wednesday Flickr group caught my eye, and I just had to share her talents with everyone! Here’s a little about Michelle, in her own words:

I think the desire to create runs in my family. My grandfather was a very talented carpenter and my mother spent much of my childhood sewing and crocheting things for my siblings and me.

Recycled Patchwork Beach Blanket

For me, creating art and crafting has been something I have enjoyed my entire life. Even in elementary school, art was my favorite class. I fondly remember walking through the isles of the storage room in my art class looking at all the supplies and being excited by the endless possibilities of what they could become.

One Year Birthday Ensemble

I learned to hand sew as a Girl Scout Brownie and learned to use a sewing machine in middle school Home Economics class. To my amazement, I remembered the skills I learned as a girl when I returned to sewing many years later in college.

I don’t really recall what prompted my urge to learn knitting five years ago, but once I figured it out I was addicted. Knitting is so meditative and very calming for my mind which always seems to be going in too many directions at once. Knitting is my therapy.

Knitted Baby Skirt

As unoriginal as it may sound, my biggest source of inspiration truly has been my children. Crafting has taken on a new meaning since they were born. Being able to give them items that I have made by hand and filled with love brings me so much joy. Now that my son is talking, I can hear first hand his excitement when I give him something I made. That certainly fuels my desire to make crafting a daily part of our lives and to share my love of art with them.

5 Fun Facts About Michelle:

1) My first (and only so far) bungee jumping experience was in Queenstown, New Zealand. I jumped off the The Kawarau Bridge. It was the biggest adrenaline rush ever and I would love to do it again some day.

2) I have two tattoos. I have an ouroboros on my inner right wrist and Lola Bunny (Bugs Bunny’s girlfriend in the movie Space Jam) on my lower back.

3) I am the second oldest of six kids. I have three younger sisters and two brothers. I love being part of a big family.

4) Reading is a hobby I have always enjoyed, but since having kids have had little time for. As a child, The Little House series was my favorite. I wanted to be Laura Ingalls so badly. My most recent read was the Twilight series and loved it. Team Edward for me!

5) I graduated from The Rhode Island School of Design with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design. Attending R.I.S.D. was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The school is so full of creative energy. If could be a permanent college student, I certainly would. Being able to spend my day throwing pots, playing with the letterpress machine, painting, sewing and photographing it all sounds like heaven.

Thrifted Fabric Mega Moo Beach Bag

Thanks so much to Michelle for taking the time to hang out with us at the Fishbowl! Do you have a favourite creative blogger you’d like to see featured next month? Remember, whatever your medium, we would love to see what you’re up to.

Do you have any new W.I.P.s in the works for Autumn, or even, gasp!,  the holidays? We would love to see what you’re up to! Snap a shot of your “in progress” masterpiece and add it to the  W.I.P. Wednesday Flickr Pool. Whatever your works-in-progress, have a crafty week, and don’t forget to see what the other Wipsters are working on.

W.I.P. Wednesday : Meet this month’s featured Wipster, Nicole!

Greetings Wipsters! It’s the first Wednesday of the month, and that means it’s time for June’s Featured Wipster. Meeting so many creative and classy bloggers from all over the world has been one of my favourite things about W.I.P. Wednesdays. I am perpetually inspired and recharged when I see everything you’re crafting and dreaming up – thank you!

Sleepy Sack

This month’s featured Wipster is bubbling over with creative energy! I’d like to introduce you to Nicole who bloggs at Frontier Dreams where she shares her knitting and sewing creations, inter-woven with adventures in mothering two of the cutest little kidlets you’ve ever seen. Feeling harried and overwhelmed by the frenzy of the 9 to 5? Pay Nicole a visit and you’ll be quickly reminded of the beauty in simplicity that is all around us. Enough of my prattle, here’s a bit about Nicole, in her own words…

My grandmother was definitely a huge inspiration for me. Almost every memory I have of her involves her creating something. I remember one year I so badly wanted to be the princess from Voltron for Halloween but there was not a costume available. I can still vividly see my grandmother watching an episode of Voltron with me sketching out the princess’ dress. She then made it from that sketch and it was PERFECT, I loved it so much. I want so badly to make those kinds of memories for my kids. I hope to have them grow up appreciating the beauty of hand made.
As far back as I can remember I have always had some kind of artistic or crafty outlet. I would go from one thing to another but always hung on to everything I learned. When I was little it was drawing and painting, as a teenager it was sewing. I also went vegan at the age of 15 so I started getting into cooking and baking.. After high school I became obsessed with photography. Then I dabbled in a little bit of everything (to many things to name). My friends would call me ‘the Vegan Martha Stewart’. But it really wasn’t until my girls were born that I really got into creating. I really owe all of my inspiration to them. I can’t fully describe it, but somehow when they were born, I feel that I was born. I had a strong need within me to create beautiful things to surround them with.

Cupcake Hat

knitted farmyard

Here are Nicole’s 5 Fascinating Facts:

1. I’ve had an obsessive love of sharks ever since I was a little girl and I saw the movie Jaws. Yeah, I know that movie scared most people away from sharks but it had the opposite effect on me. We watched it while on vacation in Florida. My mom said I watched the credits to see who played Jaws and I searched for him in the ocean and pools. I have a shark tattoo on my hip and shark week is my favorite time of the year!

felted pumpkin

2. I have participated in civil disobedience during protests all over the country (USA) for various animal rights issues.
3. I would love to have a Duggar sized family (18 kids and counting). I know that desire won’t come true but I can still dream, right?

4. I secretly wish I was a pilot,(especially if I could fly those old WWII planes with pin up girls on the side-oh how I love those planes) or a professional swing dancer.
5. Since I turned 18 I have not lived in the same state for more than 4 years at a time. This was even before I met my husband (who is in the United States Air Force), I just had this need to travel and explore. I have gone from New York to Georgia to California to New York to Louisiana to Pennsylvania to South Korea to my current state of Virginia. We move again this summer to Oregon.

Thanks so much to Nicole for taking the time to hang out with us at the Fishbowl! Do you have a favourite creative blogger you’d like to see featured next month? Remember, whatever your medium, we would love to see what you’re up to.

Have you managed to get any lingering W.I.P.s finished up? Whatever your works-in-progress, have a crafty week, and don’t forget to see what the other Wipsters are up to, and to check out our W.I.P. Wednesday Flickr Pool, too.

W.I.P. Wednesday : Meet May’s featured Wipster, Carmen!

I’m very excited to present May’s featured Wipster, Carmen, who blogs at About a girl… Carmen was one of many unexpected blessings that grew from my accident. A fellow runner, she left me some very encouraging words when I really needed them – thanks again! After a visit to her blog I found we had more in common than just our love of running, and I’ve been a regular reader ever since.

A super-cute doll by Carmen

Super-Knitting Skillz!

Carmen is a Canadian crafting Mamma, and she is one of my knitting heros – she can knit socks! That is so rock and roll in the crafting world! I hope I someday get to hang out with Carmen so she can teach me how to get crazy with the knitting needles, but for now, I give you Carmen in her own words…

I think my crafty bone comes from two sources. My Mom, who was an artist (an oil painter) and studied art, and therefore raised me doing all sorts of craft adventures – we sold fleece mitts and origami bird earrings at community hall craft sales to name a couple. But, I was surrounded by her personal craftiness – quilting, sewing, knitting (she even owned a knitting machine!). The second source would be my Art class I took in Grade 12. I had a spot open for an extra option and thought, what the heck, I’ll try art. That decision moved me from following the sciences to heading to an Art College. I studied photography, drawing, screen printing, and acrylic painting for five years. I let all of it slide until my daughter was born, in 2007. Being at home with her I wanted to take the opportunity to learn new things and get back to my artsy roots (I work in the Oil & Gas Industry). I took two cake decorating classes, re-took up knitting, took a crochet class, and have recently started quilting. I love it. I hope I can inspire my kids the same way my Mom inspired me.

Five Random Facts About Carmen:

1. I live in the same city I was born, and in practically the same neighborhood. I have lived two other places (one being East Africa) but I always knew the prairies were my home.
2. I have played music since the age of 3 and have my Grade 12 in piano in Royal Conservatory. I grew up playing duets in the church with my Mom, and hated doing music festivals or competitions.
3. I am addicted to Starbucks. I have at least one latte a day. Usually a Chai or a Caramel Macchiato.
4. I am turning 30 this year and I’m not scared about it. I’m very happy with where I’m at in life. I did have a hard time turning 25 though, not sure why.
5. One of the most interesting places I have travelled is Japan. I would still love to go to Thailand, New Zealand and Australia. Oh and Ireland too. Mind you, I could probably add alot of other places to that list. There you go, I love to travel!

Thanks so much to Carmen for opening up and sharing some of her craftiness! Is there a creative blogger out there you’d like to learn more about? Let me know! Just email me or leave me a comment and we’ll try and get them on the featured Wipster list!

Little update : In last week’s W.I.P. Wednesday post I told you about the Tie One On Aprons – well Amy’s got the gallery up. Go check it out if you’re looking to be inspired!

I have some major blog reading & post writing to catch up on this week – including updates on the 60-Day Project, Guppy’s birthday and more!

Have you managed to get any lingering W.I.P.s finished up? Whatever your works-in-progress, have a crafty week, and don’t forget to see what the other Wipsters are up to, and to check out our W.I.P. Wednesday Flickr Pool, too.

W.I.P. Wednesday – Featured Wipster of the Month, Amanda!

This is one crazy Wednesday! I was even a little concerned that I wouldn’t get this W.I.P. post out today, but I was so excited to introduce this month’s featured Wipster, Amanda of Walking The Vegan Line, that I knew I had to get it together!

Amanda’s blog was one of the first I began reading regularly and so I’ve always felt a bit of an affinity towards her. If you’re not familiar with her blog, you need to head on over, because she’s a real inspiration. One of her many talents is what I like to call “fondant sculptrice” – she has a real knack for decorating cakes and cupcakes with fondant (a talent I need to work on as Guppy’s birthday is in a few weeks and I promised her a dino cake…). Take a look at these adorable cupcakes Amanda decorated :

Amanda is also a talented knitter (the above cuppers were for the Huston Vegan Knitters Group) and seamstress. She has  wonderful Flickr sets documenting her cupcake and sewing adventures which you need to go check out post haste! But enough of my blathering on, here’s a little about Amanda, in her own words…

Craft-wise, I didn’t think I had a crafty bone in my body until around a year or two ago when I started doing some card making. That led to having my mom teach me how to knit while being cooped up without power after Hurricane Ike. Knitting just takes forever though and it was giving me ergonomic issues, so I took up sewing under the guidance of my Sew Crafty instructor Sarah and my mom. Now I’m hooked! I just bought my first dress pattern and I have grand visions of making my own wardrobe someday! Baking is also a craft of sorts for me… piping frosting and molding fondant are really an art. I’ve even started doing some special order baking here in Houston, with hopes of expanding more in the future if I can establish that there is a demand. I figure all of this crafting is a good way to get some bloodflow to the right side of my brain, since my day job tends to rely heavily on the analytical left side.

Random Facts:

1. I became a geologist because I love being outdoors… but ironically my job has me sitting at a computer 8 hours a day.

2. Brownies are my favorite dessert. When I was growing up, it was nearly a weekend ritual to make brownies with my mom or dad. Melting the chocolate was always the trickiest part… it always seemed to melt so s-l-o-w-l-y!

3. When I moved out of Texas for college, I took it upon myself to fill Coloradoans in on Texas trivia… like that Texas is the only state that can fly the state flag at the same level as the US flag (which unfortunately I’ve recently learned in not true, all states can). But we do have taller mountains that anything east of the Mississippi River!

4. I really want to get a koala tattoo, but my husband and friends think it’s a crazy idea. I even have a design all ready to go! (it would be my second, I also have a seashell tattoo)

5. For my final random fact… I asked for some help on twitter/facebook, and here are the suggestions I got: I am a vegan, I am a baker, and I know who killed JFK but I’m not telling who. So there you go.

Thanks, Amanda! And I totally vote for the tattoo!!!

Today was to be the March Stitch-Along round-up, among other things, but our lives have been turned a bit upside-down by a new addition to the Fish Family:

I’d like to introduce you to Cupcake (as named by Guppy), or Ben (as Monsieur Fish wants him to be named), our puppy.  He’s just a baby (we think 2 1/2 months, but he hasn’t seen the vet yet) and has pretty much taken over every second of free time I have since Tuesday morning. More on Cupcake soon, right now I just really need to try and get some rest. And wipe up pee. He is the epitome of a Work In Progress!

Have a crafty week, and don’t forget to see what the other Wipsters are up to, and to check out our W.I.P. Wednesday Flickr Pool, too. There are some really beautiful things up and it’s so fun to check them all out!