Plateau

I seem to go through phases where I am either absorbing or creating. Like an input-output process. Lately I have been absorbing, hence the silence on the blog. There is so much forward motion in our lives at the moment, we are building a house, I have started working in another arts organisation, my little boy is nearly a year old, can you BELIEVE it? We are house-sitting whilst we build, so are effectively homeless and it is a very humbling experience. We are living out of a few boxes of our things and relying on other peoples generosity. We keep falling on our feet and life just keeps speeding up. I am working on opening my etsy store, but I am really feeling that I am at a creative plateau where I need to absorb new energies and ideas to move forward in my creativity. It's a slow process and not something that you can force. I have many ideas swirling around, but no cohesion at the moment and very little time. Herewith, a snapshot of my life at the moment...

Absent

I know, I know, I have been absent for a while. I guess I just haven't really known what to blog about lately. Life has taken on a really hectic pace for me. I am working again, part-time which is really fantastic, and it is at a really awesome place which is even better. But my days off have just become a blur. The good news is, though, I am working towards opening my Etsy shop. Just need to get some great product shots from my trusty and fantastic photographer and then it's on, baby!!! I am knitting away and got taken to the divine Woolly Lattes last weekend which was very inspirational. You know that feeling of being inspired but so overwhelmed that you don't know what to buy? Well I soon got over that and bought knitting little luxuries by Louisa Harding. An absolutely luxury itself, this book is so inspirational. Usually I am not one to knit from patterns but I am going through a 'broadening my skills' phase and this book is great fodder. There are heaps of things in it I want to get started on, including this sweet tabard.

The new wave

I went to the Perth Craft and Quilt Fair a few weeks ago. I always go to these things hoping to be inspired. I am sorry. No... nothing new, nothing different, no groovy young craftsters driving the revolution. Or groovy old ones for that matter. Some of the quilts were pretty amazing, I admit, but where are the bloggers, etsy sellers, the new wave. Well, obviously I know where they are now... but can we bring it to the people? I have a dream... I am not in any way doubting the validity of what I saw, I just get excitied by the renaissance that is going on, and I want to see evidence of it in my city and my state. As disappointed as I was, I felt the need to cheer myself up, so I bought myself a gift, one I have lusted after for a long time. A skein of sari silk yarn. So precious.

Procraftinating

I have been spending a little bit of time looking around lately on the 'information superhighway'. (it really is super) and I have discovered some new places and faces. So I would like to introduce to you... in no particular order...

Zooblast Handmade - I don't often covet other peoples knits but I am head over heels for this stuff. Seriously. How gorgeous is this scarf?

Living Creatively which actually is fairly juicy and inspiring despite having Kerry-Anne Kennerleys name attached to it. I'm sure she doesn't write for it...please... just try and get past that bit.

Made on the Left - a brand new collective of WA Crafter-Makers making things happen for us over here on the left of Australia. Including a new craft fair in July.

Facehunter - Why are streetstyle blogs just so captivating?

An Old Friend

Hey, remember that teddy-lion I made all that time ago? Well, check this out!! We decided that Bobo didn't really suit him so have changed his name to Oddbod (the toy, not the boy!) These guys are destined to be the best of friends.

The Winner

The winner of the scarf giveaway for the best story about where your blog name comes from is KT Mac from alittlebirdtoldme.so . Her story is repeated here;

'It took me over 6 months from discovering the world of blogland to actually start my own blog. It was all the ‘little birds’ (fellow bloggers) that were telling me of these great, websites, artists, craft books and opening up a whole new designing and creating that inspired my blog name. Being a person who is inspired (and excited!) by pretty and crafty things I needed a spot to collect all these images, ideas and webpages which were previously scribbled down on post it notes or saved to my computer and made little sense to me later on. I also tend to have many links to ideas, images etc that have inspired me on my page so I felt it only fair that my blog be dedicated to all that I had found because those sweet little bird(s) told me. so'

Isn't that gorgeous? Thanks everyone for entering, I have loved reading your stories and skipping around discovering new blogs and new inspirations. I must apologise totally for the lack of posting, I have had so much trouble with my ISP after we moved, trying to get broadband on here, it sounds simple, but apparently not!!! And I have my last uni assignment due next week. Then I will (hopefully) be a little more diligent. The move all went well, I was very sad to leave the place which has been my home for nearly 3 1/2 years. I have made so many friends there, some of the best friends I have ever had. The good news is that I will back there in July to sell some of my knitwear. And the other good news is that new adventures await me here, I guess!

What's in a Name? - A giveaway.

One of my friends has just started her own blog; Chrysalis Kid. Head on over and say hello. The blog world can be daunting and encouragement is always a beautiful thing.

I have been thinking lately about blog names. I am always curious to find out how people came up with their blog names and what they mean. So I want to start something. Post on your blog what the significance is of your blog name, and then come here and leave a comment letting me know you have done it. The one which I randomly decide is the most gorgeous story will win one of my hand-knit scarves (just in time for winter) along with some brooches and whatever else I can find in my studio whilst I am packing it up. Now let's see if anyone actually does read this blog! I tried a PIF before but no-one really responded...

So the name createcraft came from the idea that the words create, craft and fashion all really mean the same thing. Aside from what we think of automatically when we hear these words, they all mean, quite simply, to make something. I love the idea of taking labels off what I do and the process simply being about "creating" or "crafting". createcraft operates as both a title and a statement. Hopefully it will encourage others to create, craft (ie. make), and to create craft.