A "Face Lift" For My Blog

This past weekend I decided to "refresh" the look of my blog, giving it a bit of a "face lift".

So now it has gone from this...



To the look you can see now.

What do you think? :)

Entry For The New Challenge

This week the wonderful Petronella (a.k.a. Kraplap) is the host of the European Street Team Weekly Challenge. And the theme selected by her is "Traditional Costumes".

I made these earrings, inspired on the popular Spaniard tradition: Las Fallas. You can find a lot of info about this tradition here: http://www.whatvalencia.com/las-fallas.html

You can see the rest of the entries HERE.

Thanks for reading!

What Could You Do This Weekend?

You could...


Go to the beach...



or maybe dance...




or watch some tv...




or call some friends and chat...




and then maybe have a drink or two...


also, you could take a nap...



or even go out for a walk...

But whatever you do, HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND! :)

__________

These pictures are from:

source1, source2, source3, source4, source 5.

Some Of My New Designs

I´d like to share with you some designs I made recently.
The ring above is called "Dark Rose" because of its color, and it was made with a Swarovski crystal and sterling silver.

This one was my entry for the last week EST Challenge and it´s called "Audrey Ring". Also made with Swarovski crystal and sterling silver.

The following necklace is one of my first experiments with polymer clay and Swarovski crystals. I called it "From The Garden".

These lovely earrings are made with Swarovski crystal and sterling silver, in an electric blue tone.

The following earrings are called "Modern And Chic" and they have a very interesting shape.

And last but not least, an addition to the Chessboard Ring´s family: "Delicate Copper Chessboard Ring", made with Swarovski cystal and sterling silver.

I hope you liked my work.

Thanks for reading! :)

The Artist Behind The Shop: Ira Grant

This week I would like to introduce you to the wonderful mind of Ira Grant: a terrific artist whose work may be already known by many of you.

Ira´s designs are not only pretty and stylish, they are very creative and spectacular. She has reached the urban women with her trendy bags and I´m sure a lot of you will start "drooling" with the pictures of this interview.

Let´s know a bit more about Ira:


1)When did you start crafting? What was your motivation?

When? Hm...I think since I was a child, part of my study in the school, my motivation at the time was simple a good mark! I have parents who always want us to do well and we, the children will get lots of pressy if our school report doing very well, so will get lots of pressy, that kind a good motivation for a child I supposed:)

2)Which one of your designs makes you feel prouder of yourself?

I don't have particular favourite, but I love my burlap bag series and I have lots of ideas for my burlap next project, and of course My Multitask Bag! I still can't forget the feeling when it was pick as an etsy finds last summer:)



3)What kind of things inspire you?Beautiful dresses!

Oh yes I can help my self to think like this:' I need to cut the sleeves, make it short and change this bit or that bit then that dress will become a gorgeous bag!' everytime I saw those beautiful dresses:)

4)Do you have any favorite book, movie, comic, etc?

Which one and why is it your favorite? Book, I read different type of books, currently I read Japanese Textile by Anna Jackson, hubby bought the book for me and I read anything written by John Grisham, I also love Japanese crafter books.Movie? Don't really watch it lately, but enjoying Mamma Mia with my daughter together a lot:)Comic, Garfield because of his naughtyness and that sleepy eyes! Tintin because snowy the little dog:)

5)Do you have any mania or obsession?

Fabrics, too much buying them! Many unnecessary purchased, is not because I want to make bag with it but just because I love it when I saw and touch it!

6)Is there a place you´ve visited that left a big impression in you? If so, why?

New York, that city lives 24 hours a day! If I still ambitious like I was once before, that city will be a perfect place to me! I start my etsy shop after came back for a holiday there!

7)Would you like to share any advice with your fellow artists?

Never stop learning! Art or crafting is about imaginations, it can be be ups and downs, you don't know what will happen in the future. Just keep doing what you always love to do.

8)Where can people find you? (blog, twitter, flickr, facebook...)

blog: http://buzzee-mum.blogspot.com/

twitter: http://twitter.com/iragrant

flickr: http://flickr.com/iragrant

facebook: http://facebook.com/iragrant

9)Anything else you´d like to share?

Yes, I'm a mum and a wife, somehow my supportive hubby and lovely daughter made me more creative, and I know without them I wouldn't even think to do what I'm doing now.

Thank so much Ira! It has been a pleasure!
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Please, don´t forget to visit her fantastic shop!

My New Website!

I invite you all to visit my new website! http://www.leelabijou.com/

Here you will find all my designs and you can also buy directly from there.

It will be updated several times in a week and I will run special offers from it.

And the first offer is this: 10% of discount!

Just enter the following code during checkout: NFYCNZ

It can be used a limited number of times, so run! :)

Thanks for your visit!

Chicken Curry Recipe

The Indian Chicken Curry is one of my favorite dishes, very tasty! I´d liket to share the recipe I have from a friend with you. Here it is:

Ingredients:

1 table spoon butter

1 cup chopped apple

1 cup sliced celery1

clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 to 3 tablespoon curry powder

3/4 cup cold chicken stock

2 cups milk

2 cups cooked chicken, diced

1 (3 ounce) can mushrooms, drained

Salt To Taste

Rice Ring

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup light raisins

6 cups hot cooked rice

6 1/2 cup ring mold

Directions:

Melt butter in saucepan; add apple, celery, garlic and onion. Cook until onion is tender. Combine cornstarch, curry powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and broth.

Stir into onion mixture; add milk. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add chicken and mushrooms; stir and heat through. Serve over rice ring.

Rice Ring : Melt butter in skillet; add onion and almonds (until golden). Add raisins; heat until plump. Add all to rice and mix.Press mixture into greased mold. Unmold at once on platter and fill with chicken curry.

I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading!

New Design For The EST Challenge

This is the design I made for this past week challenge (which finishes today, but I forgot to blog about it).

This week the theme is "Wild Versus Elegant" and the host is the lovely www.vilte.etsy.com

You can see the rest of the entries HERE.

Thanks for reading!

The Artist Behind The Shop: Inger Maaike

Behind every creation of art, you can discover the exciting and absorbing personality of a wonderful artist.

Have you ever wondered what was the artist´s inspiration? or what are his/her interests?
Each human being leaves a mark, which shows his/her values, fears, passions... and last during generations.
The legacy of their work is not only what you can touch, but what you can´t see.

For all this, I want to introduce you the marvelous Inger Maaike.


1)When did you start crafting? What was your motivation?

I came frome the womb crafting I think, but you'd have to ask my mum if that is really true, the mind plays tricks sometimes. I can not remember a time when I was not making things.

2)Which one of your designs makes you feel prouder of yourself?

There is not one specific design that makes me feel more proud than an other. Just the fact that I taught myself and lived up to my own words, "I can find out how to do this" and then do it makes me very proud.




3)What kind of things inspire you?

Everything around me is inspiring, I observe, store and later it comes out in a different shape where I will have mixed textures and colors together to form something new. I never draw what I will make, it forms as I work.

4)Do you have any favorite book, movie, comic, etc? Which one and why is it your favorite?

I love reading, anything with letters will do. But if pushed then I have to say anything really weird and totally unexpected has my preference. I love to laugh so humor is vital.

5)If you could choose any fictional character (from books, movies, comics, etc), which one would you like to be? Why?

Indiana Jones, always wanted to be him. The adventure, resourcefulness, freedom. Yes that is the life!

6)Do you have any mania or obsession?

I am obsessive about the materials I work with, it has to be perfect in feel and look. For a scarf I can not live with coarse wool, the colors need to perfect too. That is why I taught myself to dye my wool as well. I can spend days scouring the net for just the right material.

7)Is there a place you´ve visited that left a big impression in you? If so, why?

I have traveled quite a bit and every where I went a lasting impression hs been left in my mind. The US vor it's vastness and absurd bigness in everything. The resilience of the country and it's people is most impressive.Indonesia with it's bustle and such skilled crafters, oh and the food. Just thinking of the food makes me drool again.Europe for all it's diversity but still unity, it's history.But of all the places I have visited, Istanbul remains my favorite. Friendly, colorful,delicious,warm,and the most wonderful smell.

8)Would you like to share any advice with your fellow artists?

Well advice is not something I take very often so I never feel very comfortble giving it. Do as you feel, follow your instinct and stop worrying..

9)Where can people find you? (blog, twitter, flickr, facebook...)

All over the web I' m to be found under the same name IngerMaaike. Type it in to Google and there I am, pages full of felt :-D

10)Anything else you´d like to share?

Be happy with who you are. You are beautiful, unique and by smiling and being happy you make the world more fun. And you only are here for a short time, enjoy it!

Thank you very much Inger! It has been a pleasure!

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Please, don´t forget to visit her fantastic shop!

Kreative Blogger Award

I´ve been honored with this award by the wonderful Kerrin (a.k.a. Sigmosaics). Thank you so much!



I have to name 7 things I love and then name more people who I think deserve this award, so here we go!:



1) I love eating chocolate bars. My favorite one is called "Picnic".



2)Animals are a big passion for me, specially cats.



3)Movies. I love watching them, all kind of genres.


4) The colors pink and blue.


5)Singing and music in general.


6)Everything related with new technologies.


7)Bags and purses...I have a lot of them!

And here are the ones I´d like to honor with this award:

ArtMind

Swiedebie

Janebofelt

StarOf theEast

IngerMaaike

Stemellina

Alatvian

Thanks for reading!

My New Project

I had this project in mind since long ago and now I could finish this USA´s flag. It took me a lot of hours to finish it.

Three hundred Swarovski crystal beads were neccessary for this bracelet.

I have another flags on mind and I will start working on them soon.

Also, I accept custom orders, so if you want the flag of your country, just contact me!

Thanks for reading!