Bella Dia

To Draw A Tree

I've always wanted to be able to draw.  I mostly wanted to be able to put down on paper the ideas I can see in my mind but I also wanted to be able to draw a tree.  I always thought that if someone could draw a tree then they were a pretty good artist because I think trees seem hard to draw.  Inspired by Lori's drawing lessons that I have featured on The Crafty Crow, I've been practicing a lot lately.  I finished this tree drawing this evening and I have to say I am pretty darn pleased with it.  I see places for improvement but for my first real effort I'm satisfied. 

The kids and I have begun keeping nature journals so consequently we're spending more time looking at the shapes and lines of trees and rocks and water movement at the river.  I pulled out Keeping A Nature Journal that's been sitting on my shelf forever and it has been a practical help as well as an inspirational one.  Besides suggestions on observing nature and how to get started journaling, it has basic drawing lessons and exercises that I have found extremely helpful. 

And Now for Something Different: Watercolors!

Sometimes it's easy to overlook a craft or art project because it's labeled for kids but going though all these new projects for The Crafty Crow has really gotten me itching to try a bunch of them.  I think it's good to remember to experiment with new mediums and give those creative muscles a stretch every now and then, so when I saw the watercolor tutorial by Arounna I decided to jump right in along with my kids.

You begin with a very abstract watercolor and after it has dried you go back with India ink and a bamboo skewer and create flowers out of the watercolor splots (sorry, couldn't think of a better word.)

The freedom and unpredictability of the medium was really fun and different from the controlled detail work that I usually do.  I'll definitely be doing this again.

Need a creativity boost? Look here:

Decal papers for a variety of uses that
you can print at home - oh my, the possibilities are making me swoon! 
Found via Swiss Miss.

The Importance of Creativity for Children and Other Living Things

Sir Ken Robinson, "an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources," speaks about the importance of creativity: why we need to be encouraging it and how modern schools "are educating people out of their creative capacities."  The video (taken at the 2006 TED conferences) is about 20 minutes long but so inspirational and very funny too - try to take the time to watch it.  Every time you put a blank piece of paper or a lump of clay in front of your child or just go on a nature walk to see the change of the seasons you'll know that you're doing the right thing, the right thing for your child and the right thing for our future.

What TED celebrates is the gift of the human imagination. We have to be careful now that we use this gift wisely, and that we avert some of the scenarios that we've talked about. And the only way we'll do it is by seeing our creative capacities for the richness they are, and seeing our children for the hope that they are. And our task is to educate their whole being, so they can face this future -- by the way, we may not see this future, but they will. And our job is to help them make something of it.
~ Sir Ken Robinson

Picky Picky Picky: Making Decisions on Color

As I said in my previous post, the next project in my crochet queue is a blanket for my daughter.  Decision making is not one of my daughter's strong points so her color choices have changed dramatically over the last few weeks.  To make it a little easier, I went to the Lion Brand website and dragged off a variety of colors from the Vanna's Choice yarns and played with different arrangements on my desktop.  We finally came up with the above combination: chocolate, taupe, linen, pink, and antique rose.  If you have trouble deciding on colors this is a great way to try out different combinations and to live with them a bit before making your purchase. 

If I had figured this out sooner though I wouldn't have the yarn stash I do now.  Not sure if that's good or bad but there it is.

Book Review: The Art of Embroidery

I put off buying this book, The Art of Embroidery, for awhile.  Even though it has gorgeous photography and is full of inspiration, I kept telling myself that I don't need to buy another craft book.  But, I kept thinking about it.  Whenever I saw it in the bookstore I'd pull it off the shelf and slowly thumb through one beautiful page after another.  I tried to remember all the ideas and techniques but my brain is on overload as it is so that wasn't working.  One late evening, I pulled it up on Amazon and, well, darn that "one-click" purchasing.  Two days later I had it in my hands. 

The first part of the book focuses on the basics of embroidery while the second half explores design composition and interpretation.  Images from nature lay next to their embroidered translation.  Mimosa blossoms inspire seeding, bullion stitches and beading while grass lends itself to whipped running stitch in shadowy grays.

Ruffled cabbage becomes a scarf.  Brilliant.

The author, Francoise Tellier-Loumagne, has a wonderful straightforward writing style (even though that may be due to its translation from French) which I really appeciate.  If you enjoy Japanese craft books and Marie Claire Idees for their new take on traditional styles then you would probably like this book too.

I love these quotes from the author:

"To embroider is to look, analyse [sic], choose, explore and translate."

"To embroider is to express yourself."

Inspiration Monday

All of these images are from Marie Claire Idees March 2007 issue.  The only place I have found it is in Borders but you may have better luck finding it if you're in a more metropolitan area.  This issue seems especially full of stitchery projects.  I don't speak French but I enjoy looking at the pictures anyway. 

I am really tempted to make an afghan like the one above.   That open kind of stitch works up really fast and I think it would be so much fun making the flowers and decorating the blanket afterwards.

I love these delicate handmade dishes.  For fun I'm going to try something similar with Sculpey.  I can use little dishes to put stuff in - I've always got lots of "stuff" sitting around!

Look at this great idea!  The directions on how to make it are in the back of the magazine (in French) but it wouldn't be too difficult to figure this out.  This organizer would be especially nice to create a small craft area where space is limited. 

Nature Walk

The kids and I went on a walk down by the river this weekend.  We are having an unusually early spring and the temperature was just perfect for being outdoors.  The kids had told me about this "heart rock tree" so I was eager to get a look.  Last year people started leaving heart-shaped rocks all around, and wedged into, this tree - apparently with thoughts of a loved one.   I'm very sentimental so I love stuff like this.

There's not much green to be seen.

Seed pod fluff stuck in the tree branches.

The river.

We stacked rocks into towers and the boys made a boat out of some driftwood that they launched into the current before we left.

A very enjoyable afternoon.  Something I need to do more often. 

*There are more pictures at Flickr .

Beautiful Crafts

Here are some inspirational images from The Beautiful Crafts Book published by Sterling Publishing in 1976.  I don't know if  I would call this stuff beautiful but it is definitely colorful and jumping with interesting patterns.

I especially love the black and white versions of the designs; they are all so intricate.

Aren't these birdies the cutest?  Tree ornaments for all year long :)

Love the hedgehog!

Great blackline drawings.

Thoughts on Color

I always enjoy reading other people's thought process on how they make decisions, so I thought I'd share my thought process when I had to pick a wall color for my studio . 

I had several, some would say difficult, requirements.  I wanted the room to be warm in winter, cool in summer, inviting and invigorating as well as calm and serene.  I also wanted a color that would be a nice background for all the different colored fabrics I have and for the many pictures that I take.  I decided on a pale turquoisey-blue because the blue tones meet my need for serenity and feel cool in summer and the hint of green makes it feel warm in winter and helps spark my creativity. 

I have usually had pretty good luck going to the paint store and just picking what I like but not this time.

I sampled a lot!  In some ways, because the room has a lot of light, it made it harder to find just the right color.  A color that I liked in the bright morning light would turn to a sickly glowing green at nighttime and one that I liked in the evening would disappear from sight when the sun was out.  After painting the complete room three times in different shades I was about ready to give up.  One day I noticed a dress hanging in my closet; it was one that my daughter had outgrown but I had saved because I liked the print and colors so much.  Aha!  It looked like the exact shade I was searching for!  I took it to the paint store and they did a great job of matching it for me.  I chose a semi-gloss finish so it would reflect more light and be easier to clean.  The color was perfect!

These vintage hankies were my inspiration for accent colors.  I love how the yellow contrasts with the blue and adds another layer of warmth and cheeriness to the room.  The wall color and soft yellow gingham I chose for the table skirt are mild enough that they don't conflict with all the other color in the room and doesn't make it seem too busy.   It's been about six months now and I'm still very happy with my choices.  Well, I hope you've enjoyed this little trip inside my head!

P.S.  See my new tea cup in the first picture?  I got it at Target and I'm in love!  The white saucer on the top is from Cost Plus and helps to keep it warm ;)