Wow - a long time between posts!!!

October 17, nearly 2 months has passed since that date and I really have very little to show for it. Motivation and creativity have been at an all time low mostly due to being so busy I could cry! The ramp up to the silly season has been pretty ridonkulus for me this year and it doesn't look to be abating anytime soon! There have been some false starts to creation along the way though, and some small moments of joy, which is what sustains me through the quagmire. I'll give you an update on my creative space and a peek at the new thing that gives me joy every day. My vegetable garden. I heart watching things grow and these bad boys have grown from seed. Seed saved by a dear friend and passed to me in a moment of trust and generosity. Planted by another dear friend, in a moment of trust and generosity. I am so grateful for both these friends for the kick start to something wonderful.

 A false start, tangled thread, wrong supplies, not enough patience. Back to this later.

 My desk, yes I work on this. A travesty I know.

 I put things on the shelves! In reality, these shelves are incredibly ineffective and annoying.

Vege garden 5/12/10

Vege garden 10/12/10

Part 3 of Creative and Bullet-Proof

Take Inventory of my Creative Space ~ I've just moved house, perfect time for inventory and divesting myself of things I do not need or use. This is where my creative space stands right now. Will post pics once it's all sorted.

And visually documenting my top 5 tools used to create.

52 Challenge ~ Halt! I've moved house!

Everything creative has recently come to a grinding halt around here. I moved house. It was very stressful, even though I have moved house approximately 20 times before, it was very stressful. And disruptive. And wonderful. My new place to live is awesome! So much more space. And a park across the road....bliss. So before and after the hideous move I have been creating bits and pieces of wonderful. A cake, a life drawing night, an online creativity and bullet-proof attitude class. I really want to make some jewelry. I am awesome and I can do it.

Marley's Birthday Cake ~ Big huge thanks goes to Miss K for the inspiration, teamwork and lend of her huge kitchen bench.

A selection of the drawings I did at the life drawing night "Dr Sktechy's Anti-Art School"

Part 1 of the online class "Nurture Your Creativity and Develop a Bullet-Proof Positive Attitude" - defining what creativity means to me, creating 3 different mini-posters of it and placing them in spots around my house.

Part 2 of the course - identifying "bullets" saying goodbye and making some positive statements about myself and my creativity.

52 Challenge ~ Process with out end product

Ok, so one end product. A twinchie (2 inch square artwork) monochromatic theme. And a double page journal spread of colour experimentations, various media, complementary colours.
Less jibber-jabber, more preparing desk for Kal's class.

Today...

.....I painted my nails. A bright metallic purple. It's so very pretty. I have some houses to look at and then a baby shower to attend. Maybe an outfit shot to do.
Much Love
Lau xoxoxo

Cake Crazy

So since attending the Planet Cake Novelty 101 course, Miss K and I have lined up quite a few cake decorating jobs! It's good to keep the skills up. So with the world of under 12's being being very much Twilight obsessed it came as no surprise that our friends daughter asked for a Twilight cake for her 10th birthday! And of course because she is tres awesome she wanted a Jacob cake. By the power of google we will have a design idea! Miss K must take all the credit here. Her research is flawless and her passion for a good design idea unsurpassed! The execution ~ a little more tricky! Checkerboards are hard! and they don't go over the edge so well! But in saying that, I did enjoy having a another crack at the cake decorating title. I present to you.......Gateau Team Jacob!

Friday Style

It's been a while, but it's been work, domestic diva, work, domestic diva, work around here for quite some time. So outfits have been corporate or jeans and t-shirt. Tonight I went to the opening of the Perth gallery of Outre. One of my favourite artists of all time was featured. He was even there at the opening. But it was way too packed to get near him and I wouldn't have know what to say! "I heart your stuff man" just doesn't really cut the mustard with such a renowned artist such as Shag. His new work takes on a different concept. A series of original paintings (most of his work you can buy is limited edition prints, no less amazing I must add) that come with "The Inscrutable Mystery Guide". The guide deciphers the iconography of the each painting in the series. The idea behind it is only the people who own the paintings ever get to see what is in the guide. Inscrutable and intriguing. I'm dying to know what is in the guide, but with a $2000 price tag I can't see it happening soon. But we all need pipe dreams yes?
So with such a nice occasion to go to I got a little dressed up! Please excuse the poor photos, Marley, my nearly 4 year old wanted to get in on the action, I was a bit rushed!

I added a couple of photos with Marley as he absolutely loves the camera. He's right into the action whenever I pull the camera out!

Dress: Black Roses from Hurly Burly Clothing Perth

Fishnets: Micro Net from Target

Shoes: Burlesque Baby

Earrings: Dangerfield

Much Love

Miss Lau xoxox

PS I heart my coffee machine so much but rarely use it. It is as far from automatic as they come and I always think too hard! But this morning I just needed to fire that bad boy up! Check my latte! I so rock. Mwah! L

The 20th Thing ~ 52 Challenge

I counted up the things I have created during this 52 Challenge I have set for myself. Today's post celebrates the twentieth thing I have made since I began this challenge on the 11th February 2010. I'm not even at the halfway point yet as far as things made goes, but I am over halfway in time. I still feel good about setting myself this challenge, but feel I need to gift myself some more time to sit back and create.

Yesterday I went and did a Cake Decorating - Novelty 101 class with Jess from Planet Cake. The Team from Planet Cake were here for the second time this year to do some workshops. Be warned ~ this is 7 epic hours on your feet of cake decorating. I really had no idea how hard this was going to be. Or how insanely precise you have to be to get these bad boys looking fabulous! But it was very much fun and I do believe there may be a new hobby brewing away inside my brain. Enjoy the circus tent extravaganza in all it's cakey goodness. It's nearly 25cms high and weighs a good coupla kgs!

52 Challenge ~ Very Bad Laura

So I am epically failing with the 52 weeks challenge I set myself some months ago, along with blogging, housework, exercise and many other things. My friend sent me a link the other day for an online class designed to boost creativity, which in theory sounds fabulous. However I have to move house sometime in the next 2 months so I am doubting I would get my moneys worth from it, given that life is going to get hectic in the near and not distant future. Hmmmmmm.............................. do I hear the sound of excuses being formed? Big fat, juicy excuses? Yes I think I do! The jury is still out as too whether I will sign up, I'll keep you posted.

In saying that I did have a spurt of creativity in the last week or so, and then ran out of supplies, and have not had time to get me some more! Eeeeps! So drum roll please.........................

I made one for myself first, it is so super pretty, after wearing it for a few days I decided that they were a fabulous idea and made one more, and then ran out of glass........*insert sad face here*. These are on longish chains, the copper one not so much, coz I didn't have much chain, but it's cute anyway.

Double Post Up ~ 52 Challenge and Sweet Style

So I've been a bit slack with the creativity challenge. I'll put my hand up for that. I was given a Blythe Doll for my birthday by my wonderful girlfriends and I was inspired to make her some new clothes. The first pic is her (now called Luna) straight out of the box. And the second is her in a new stylin dress and earrings I made for her. I went on an Etsy retail therapy binge this week and bought her heaps of new clothes and shoes. Stay tuned for more Blythe goodness.

My super cool Aunty is here and we went out for dinner and a few drinks last night. I was instructed to put my party gear on, after a few costume changes, this was my choice.

Long sleeve top - Target

Cardi - Jay Jay's

Skirt - Burlesque Baby

Shoes - Burlesque Baby

Tights - Supermarket

Earrings - Dangerfield

Sunday Style

I'm off for afternoon tea to my friend's house. It's her birthday! Yay! Happy Birthday Bella! (The italian meaning for beautiful, not the mopey, vampire obsessed teen idol). So here is some Miss Lau funky styles, not for everyone, but I like it...

Scarf - gifted once apon a time, many moons ago

Pinny - op-shopped

Long sleever - Target

Cardi - Jay-Jays

Jeans - hand-me-downs (total score)

Boots - RMK - these are the best boots ever, I have had them for about 6 or 7 years, and they are made of the softest leather and are super comfortable.

Clips - Poppy and Bea - super cute, red, squirrels

Miss Lau's Life Lessons Learnt

1. Spend more than $10 on an umbrella.
2. My Cambodian Adidas are not particularly water proof.
3. When you buy a boxed set of something, always check the box before going home.
4. A whole bottle of champagne on an empty stomach results in a busted ass hangover.

And one from my bestie Liz...
5. Always pee before getting in the car to drive somewhere.

Please leave a comment and let me know your life lessons learned this week.

Style Bite

So I have had a big few days out on the interwebs and have discovered some super cool stuff. I am now enamoured with Lady Smaggle. I love her sense of style and whimsical elements to her blogging. I like the idea of a weekly style update, if I am out and about on the town, or whenever I pull together a super cool outfit. I recently was given a tripod, so that makes life a whole lot easier to take my own photo, if no one is around to do it for me. I also have some super stylin' friends who may feature as guests. Watch this space!
Here is the outfit I wore to my work dinner on Friday night.
Flat boots - given to me by an Aunty
Dress - Bought in Melbourne
Cardi - Cotton On
Necklace - Made by Maddabling
Double layer of tights coz it is so freaking cold here at the moment.
I love this dress. The pattern is actually skulls, but a first glance you don't really see them. I plan to change the buttons as I am not a fan of gold and the style of button doesn't suit the dress. I'll keep you posted when I do.

A lovely birthday gift.....Feeling V.Spoiled

As I mentioned in my previous post I recently turned 30. My divine friend Samara of Maddabling sent me the most gorgeous handmade gift and card. You can read all about it here on her blog. I'll post a photo of me wearing it, as it will go perfectly with my outfit tonight!

Week 15 - 3 weeks late

So I have been super slack and as such I have been not creating or blogging! In the last 3 weeks I have only created one thing! and my creative space is an absolute mess! But I woke up this morning with renewed motivation and a true desire to get back on the creative bandwagon. I have heaps of inspiration going on not only with jewelry making but also crafting and fashion. Stay tuned for more exciting things borne from hours on the interwebs!
Here is my only creative effort for the last 3 weeks.
A few years ago, I commissioned my friend's Mum to make me some lampworked pink hearts. I had the intention of making a chunky bracelet. So in my lampy stash they sat, occasionally being fondled and often being dreamt of. I recently turned 30 and wanted something "statement" to wear to my party. I raided my stash and pulled a few elements together, and this was the result. I love it very much, it's quite tactile and makes noise when I move (which I love, I'm weird I know). The mixed metals things is borne out of dwindling findings supplies rather than true design, but I like the effect.

6 weeks of creativity...a long way behind

I have been very bad when it comes to blogging... it's been 6 weeks since I posted anything. So lets have a peep at what the last 6 weeks has held creatively for me. Am I in front, behind or even with the 52 weeks challenge?

Tags

Necklace for a friends birthday

Some amateur photography

Steampunk vs Alice in Wonderland ~ this was a huge undertaking, more pics on Facebook fanpage

Beaded Bead ~ Geometric Styles

So I've come in at 5, which is a fair effort, as I was on vacation over some of this time as well. I'm working on a special piece just for me. I'll be using some artisan lampwork beads that my friend's mum made that I commissioned her to make for me a few years ago. It's going to be super-special, I hope. A little rusty on the pliers :). Stay tuned!

Also big news!!!! LunaBella was featured on Maddabling's blog!!! V.Exciting!! Check it out here!

Week 9 - The Big Reveal

So my swap partner has her bracelet. I can finally show what I have been working on. The challenge was to make a bracelet using seed beads and the theme was inspired by art. I knew my swap partner liked  green but had no other information apart from wrist size. I was looking through my art book and found this, one of my favourite paintings.

Then the inspiration hit. The painting is called L'Absinthe. Perfect. Green. Green Fairy. This is the bracelet born of this.

Each wing is constructed from odd-count peyte stitch, then joined together. The centre is a Swarovski rivoli crystal, captured in seed beads and embellished with more Swarovski crystals. The clasp is a 12mm Swarovski round, and is just divine. I could imagine a whole necklace made of these. Here is another photo on a different angle.