Heartspark dollarsign

In the heart of winter, I get out my knitting needles and become Nikki the good witch of Bristol

Art Journal pictures

Ruby Tuesday.... Some photographs of the front and back covers of my art journal, as well as my journal entry for week one. If you are interested in starting an art journal, I've been taking inspiration from Emily Falconbridge's blog.

AND! A bonus magic mushroom to cheer you up throughout your day!

Today had an amazing yoga class with Chris fromYogasara (where I'll be teaching in a few weeks... it's finally coming together) and am feeling very inspired.

Good morning!

What the sun was doing to a wine bottle's reflection by the window. Yes, I said the sun... it popped out for a few minutes
I'm off to yoga class & then to do a bit of work at the yoga studio. Just wanted to post a little blog to say heeeeeeeeeeeello. Today will be a day filled with job hunting (still), studying for the graduate exam, and making lots of things. The craft fair is in less than a week and I need to get my little bum in gear. I'm thinking about signing up to sell at the Southbank Centre market bazaar on December 13th. I'll see how it goes this weekend in terms of what I sell, but I get the impression that the Bath fair might be a bit more granny-ish, but the Southbank centre might be a bit more artistic and more of the crowd that I'm looking for.

Xmas Cards

Bristol graffiti hunting...

On Friday I went graffiti hunting in Bristol with Milo's camera and here some photographs of what I was inspired by. Afterwards I went out a-walking with the lovely Lucy, took some pictures, walking on Brandon Hills, ate yummy (yet expensive Thai food) and went to the art museum. I felt so inspired when I returned, but a combination of procrastination and running low on supplies made me give up on creating anything for the weekend.
Today Milo and I went to Hobbycraft so I could pick up some new blank cards and while I was there I picked up a few chipboard albums, one of which I'm using to create my art journal for the 52 week deck of me challenge.
This weekend I've been feeling like I've gotten nothing accomplished... no creating, no studying, no blogging....

Art Journal inspiration

I've been finding tons of inspiration over at this blog here , especially with the art journal challenges. I've decided to start the art journal 52 week Deck of Me challenges, which requires you to answer a question per week for a whole year in an artistic way. This weekend I want to get a nice spiral bound notebook to journal in. I'm planning on taking pictures of the challenges to show what comes out of my mind and on to the paper.
I've also been spending some time look at this website Imagination Prompt Generator , when I need something to write about. The prompt for right now is short and sweet "You have to bring some food for a party? What is it going to be"
Answer: I'd probably bring some yummy Mexican food like beans and rice and tortillas with some guacamole on the side. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm! I want some right now but it's only 9:35am.

I'm actually about to leave for my yoga internship/yoga class. Yesterday I went walking around Gloucester Road here in Bristol with Katie and I picked up some amazing multicoloured wool that I want to use to make legwarmers and some bits of scrapbooking paper with Xmas themes. I was a xmas card making fool yesterday and started thinking about how nice it'll be to decorate our flat for christmas.

xN

I'm thinking....

Get 'em while they last!

On November 29th, I'll be taking all of my goodies with me to the Bath Christmas Craft Fair to sell, that's why I've been holding back on putting new items on my Etsy shop. This is just a little reminder that if you see anything on Etsy that you are interested in buying, get it now because I can't guarantee that after the 29th any of the items will still be available.
x Nicole

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade ForEsmeWithLove.etsy.com

Today. What I Love....

Today, it's sunny outside and I feel rejuvenated and alive. It always amazes me what a little bit of sunshine in my window will do for my mood. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night to get some water and opened the blinds and the window. The sky was so clear, I could see the stars and a bright, bright moon. I opened the window and stuck my head out breathing in fresh, clean, moon charged air. As I got back into bed, I just watched the light from the moon spill in through the window into the bedroom and I didn't want to go back to sleep. I just wanted to stay up watching this beautiful night scene that was playing out in my bedroom. It's made me realize how much I've been missing my communion with nature, being immersed totally in the nature that's around me, being in an environment that totally inspires me. Sleeping outside in a tent, so close to the earth. Feeling dirt and earth on my fingers, feelings the sunshine on my face, looking at the moon and stars, swimming in the sea. I know that I'll have this all back someday, it's just that I feel so out of touch with myself at the moment and I know that part of it is not being inspired by what surrounds me. So I took some photographs of what inspires me around my flat.
Baby mung bean sprouts.... the magic of creating life from dried beans that were sitting in my pantry.


Our plants that we've recently recovered from Milo's parents', aloe vera and cactus from his sister and Mr. Bud Pleasedontdie, a fuschia plant given to me from his mom as a little present. When I first got Bud, he was so tiny and fit in a little planting pot. Over the summer I've moved him three separate times and he's grown so big and strong. I can't wait to eventually plant him in the earth and have him grow to the size of a bush.



Today, I love my colored pencils and I love that my colored pencils say "The Spectrum Sings" on the side of them.

I Heart secret blogs!

My bestie Emma just created a secret blog for the two of us to share our creations and private thoughts. It's like passing notes back and forth in grade school <3 <3 <3 I can't actually share the blog with you, but I had to post my love for the idea.
Here's my homage to my Fantastical Fried Egg from Gummi Bear Girl... Long live Moussaka!

Fun with photoshop

I've been stuck inside for most of the day and Milo's been gracious enough to give me some Photoshop tutorials, as I'm quite the newbie. I've been taking photos out of the window of the trees across the street that have lost their leaves. It's my inspiration for the day.

I want these stamps....

How amazing is the angry cloud!?! Found these through Bam Pop's website
xxx

New week, newness

Ay yi yi yiiiiiiiiiiiiii! So the crafty ladies brigade went so well & I was buzzing all night afterwards from the energy that the 8 amazing ladies who showed up created. It made me so happy to see everyone crafting away and chatting to each other :o) I can't wait for the next one! Now I wish it was every week instead of every other. It'd be nice to get a few new faces to add to the group as well. There were some knitters, scrapbookers, card makers, origami, beads & wire, & jewelry makers. Yay!

I'm going to a lecture tomorrow with a new academic lovin' friend from Bristol, Katie. The lecture is about the history of Bristol and should be really interesting. I'm so happy that I have someone to go along with!

I'm sad to say that I haven't been getting a lot of crafting done lately, because I was away for a few days at Milo's parents house and also I've been applying to graduate programs in Counseling Psychology, so have been shifting my focus a bit to a more academic me for the time being. I have a few entrance essays to write & have been studying for the GRE's which I'll take in London in a month (eeek!) Although, the Bath Christmas Fair is in 3 weeks, so I need to be making an arsenal of crafting goodies to sell! Not enough time!!

It's all a bit sketchy in terms of the job at the moment, so waiting on a phonecall.... Have done a sweet deal with a yoga studio here in Bristol (Bristol City Yoga) to work as an apprentice/intern, trading admin skills for free classes & teaching tutorials. :o)

Here are some things I have been working on.. new journals & I've been making lots o' bookmarks with my new laminator.

How is everyone's November so far? What's keeping you motivated during these dark & cold nights that seem to stretch on forever? For me it's 1. lots of tea 2. watching The Wire on dvd (soooo good!)

Crafty Ladies Brigade starting tomorrow!!

Tomorrow night is the very first Crafty Ladies Brigade meetup. I was feeling down here in Bristol when I moved in because I didn't have any friends and Milo is at university most days so I put out on ad on Gumtree searching for like minded ladies. Turns out there are a bunch of crafties here in Bristol, so I started a bi-monthly meetup at my flat where we can make things, drink tea or wine, eat snacks, chat and laugh. I can't wait!!

Xmas gifts and cards

Ive been a busy little bee recently, making things for the craft show in a few weeks and I've been selling some of my crafts through Etsy and just word of mouth and have needed to replenish stock. Email me at daeturajupiter@yahoo.com if you are interested in putting in a order to homemade christmas cards, earrings, journals, or anything else you see here or in my Etsy shop. Christmas orders can be special orders, so anything you fancy just let me know and I'll give you a price list. Free shipping ( both international and domestic) on orders of more than 10 cards. Now is the time to start thinking about your gifts and homemade gifts are the way to support independent artists :o)