Forbidden Corner

Workshop 5.2 Make a Zippy Bag

A fun night sewing with lovely ladies. Feeling blessed to have amazing ladies in my life all with a unique and fasinating story of their own. Thanks girls!

The winning craft item!

Today was craft stall number 2 and thankfully I sold something! In fact I almost sold out of fabric covered noticeboards...perhaps because I lowered the price from Tuesday!

In any case, Lj and I decided to celebrate with lunch in Starbucks. Lj loves going to a cafe and I love it too, although not necessarily with Lj! I don't mean to be mean but she is drawn to everything delicious on display and chooses all the expensive stuff. OK so most things in Starbucks are expensive but for example she wants the teeny tiny pot of fruit...£2.99. Now that would buy us a bunch of grapes, bananas and a bag of kiwis in Sainsburys. So we agree on one thing each and one to share.

I enjoy watching Lj sit and take her drink in the cafe but I have to be quick as it only lasts for two minutes and then she is showing every customer in the cafe her full tummy and is getting restless to move on and my skinny latte hasn't even cooled enough to start drinking.

Illustration inspired by Pop I cok and Quentin Blake. Mj and I are reading 'George's Marvellous Medicine' by Roald Dahl.

First craft stall of 2013

and another tomorrow!

This week...

I have been finishing off some crafts ready for our first Christmas craft fairs which begin next week.

MJ was invested as a Beaver Scout.

My new books have arrived...I'm sooo excited but am trying to keep them til next week when we go away for a few days.

Workshop 5.1 Make a Zippy Bag

Yesterday I was really looking forward to our sewing group in the evening and it did not disappoint! I'm surprised we got our Zippy bags made with all the chat and giggles. Well done girls...sorry if I have put you off zips for life!

Creative people Interview - Me!

I am fascinated by people’s life stories...always thinking that other peoples are more interesting that my own or perhaps I am just nosey!

Either way I thought it would be fun to interview some of my creative friends to find out a little about what motivates and inspires them in their everyday lives. 

To kick things off I have completed my little interview on myself...so here goes...

In a paragraph can you explain why you could be classified ‘a creative’?

I think the main reason why I could be described as ‘creative’ is because I spend a large part of my free time dreaming about what I can make and how I can make it! When shopping I am drawn to haberdashery shops, art shops and rooting through charity shops. If I was given a small amount of money I would save it because I’m a saver but if I had to spend it I would do so on a ribbon, a button, a piece of fabric or a new notebook and fine tip pen and then a coffee so I could sit and dream and sketch how I was going to use my fabric, ribbon or button!

Do you think your creativity comes from nature or nurture?

I have clear childhood memories of me busying myself with something in my bedroom when my Mum would call out to me from the kitchen ‘What are you doing?’ I would reply ‘Making something’ and Mum would always respond with ‘Making a mess!’. Now I do and say the exact same thing with my children! So I have always been ‘making’ something. My parents did also nurture that creative spirit as I can remember that for Christmas we would always receive some sort of creative toy. Such as Fimo modelling clay, beads, etc. My Mum is interested in Art and dreams of having more time to take it up as a hobby and loves to take time at Christmas to make lovely flower arrangements for the table centres. My Dad has an engineering background so clearly has a creative streak and I guess it was because of him that I ended up in Architecture. So to answer the question I think my creativity is both nature and nurture.

How do you balance family life with your need to be creative?

My new tip for balancing family life and the urge to be creative is to try and combine them as much as possible. For example a few Saturdays ago Lj wanted to make something. We took out her Usbourne, Fairies and princesses craft book and she choose what she wanted to make. While she was making I was doing some little sketches of fairies, or princesses and designing some birthday cards for her little friends.

 I love to go into London and visit the galleries so we have encouraged the children to embrace and enjoy these days out too, making it fun for them but also inspirational for us.

At the moment it is not too difficult to combine creativity and kids but I do wonder if as they get older it will become more difficult.

Do you find social media such as blogging/facebook etc a help or hindrance in the creative process?

For me, my blog is an extension to my diary and sketchbook. I love that I can look back through the past months and remember the things I was inspired by and the things I made. I like to give away or sell most of the things I make so it is nice to have a record of my journey.

It stresses me out a little when I think too deeply about my blog or facebook page, Lilyjean-Quirky&Handmade. I.e. when I wonder about who is looking at it, how secure it is and whether I am putting my family at any risk by doing it.

Facebook has been a useful tool in advertising and selling my work however they change their security policies that often I’m never really sure who is viewing and how I can use it better for this means.

Have you a specific place where you are creative?

As mentioned above I love to sit in a coffee shop, watching the world go by and sketching in my notebook. But I do most of my work at home at my desk. I love my own little space where all my supplies are at hand. I have a window which looks out to the front of our house so I can watch the children playing or see the postman arriving. It gets lovely direct sun in the afternoon but I do wish it also got a little sun in the morning!

Have you a tip for overcoming creative block?

When studying Architecture at university a friend once told me that if you really can’t get motivated to get going on something then tell yourself that you just have to sit down and work at it for 15mins. Just 15mins and then you can get up and leave it. The idea is that if you get started you will keep going and the block will have gone. That piece of advice really works for me in a lot of the things I need to do in life! Mind you quite often I will tidy my workspace first and avoid the sitting down for as long as possible!

What is your favourite season?

Without a doubt my favourite season is Summer. I love to feel warm and I love to be able to seamlessly wander inside and outside with just a skirt and top on. But in saying that, this year I am getting a new appreciation for Autumn. I have started running again and I love seeing how every few days the leaves on the trees are changing colour...however I am already feeling cold and have invested in a few more thermal vests to see me through the winter!

What are your ambitions for the future?

I get nervous and scared when I think too much about the future. So I try to just enjoy where I am and take one step at a time leaving my future in God’s hands as he is more than capable to take me there!

Is it October already?!

  The days are rolling by and I feel like I can't quite keep track of them! The weather is confusing me as the sun is still shining and we are having warm days. My head thinks it is still August...but it certainly isn't and I have just two weeks til our first Christmas craft fair! So, I'm working on producing things to sell. I seem to have started alot but not finished much!

Next, I'm putting together some 'Make your own bunting' kits (Thanks Sue for the idea!). A Christmas, Boy and Girl set...if only my printer would do as I say! Now, back to work.