To cut it or not?

Alright! Totally non-travel, art related. But I am going for a haircut this Thursday. And I think I need some advice. For the past year, I've been trying to grow my hair out and have finally succeeded, though still not long enough to do a full proper braid or any of these fancy hairstyles. But yup, for once, I can actually tie my hair up! I've been having short hairstyles since I was 7! I even had a little 'fin' ala David Beckham style when I was 16! Obviously, it was the worst cut ever, plain crazy! I've had asymmetrical hairstyles, pixie-cuts, ugly boy cuts topped with so much wax,boring 'susan' style cuts, DIY bangs, and yep, the list is endless....

So last year after being so sick of having short haircuts for 18 years, I decided to grow it out. The problem is, I have one of the thickest hair ever, it's amazing. I always joke how if the world ever runs out of paintbrushes, I could probably get some made from my hair. I have such thick hair, every time I get a haircut, I get charged double the price. And sometimes when I dye my hair at home, a box isn't enough. I have to use 2! ( And that's when I have short hair! ) The past year, my hair has started to become SO heavy and thick and bushy, it's not fun anymore. I've often dreamed of having beautiful long hair, like those ladies you see on Satorialist. But I have such a squarish/round face, everyone tells me I look so much older with my long hair. Sigh! And truth be told, I miss having my short hair quite a bit.

So I'm thinking, perhaps I should just go for it. Chop it off! I don't know why, but I'm nervous and totally chickening out! Perhaps I've grown used to having long hair? I think it's a love, hate relationship. I totally need guts like Ilona Royce! Ah! What should I do?! To go short or not? I'm thinking maybe an inch or 2 just below the ears? With a side parted fringe? Hmmm.

Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

Just a few of my favourites from the Grand Bazaar. I decided too much colour on a single page would make anyone go nuts. I think it takes away the joy of looking at things, when there's too much going on. So yup! Here's my favourites all on a page. As you can tell, I couldn't just pick one!

I bought 2 cushions from the Grand Bazaar. See the third picture up above? I walked past the shop and it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! I exclaimed ' Oh my god! ' ( Bimbo I know! ) and went bonkers! But the guy tried selling it to me at a really ridiculous price. I think it was like 45 USD for one? So we ended up leaving it as that. I then spent the next hour walking around the whole Grand Bazaar, hoping to find another stall selling the same cushion. Long story short, I ended up returning to the shop and getting 2 round versions of the cushion! But of course, not after lots of bargaining. We got it at about 55 for two, along with inserts and all. I figured, it's handmade, and coming all the way to Turkey, it's only once in a lifetime right? Hehe. I bought a white and a navvy/black one. I think they'll look really really nice along with a mustard coloured velvet cushion!

Todays wip & my workspace

Look, how tidy and organised I am when I'm crafting...

(I am being sarcastic by the way!)

I know, I'm messy!. I'm like Monica from 'Friends', obsessive when it comes to coasters and crumbs, always hoovering. But, my work room is a bit like Monica's closet!

Anyway, here's this mornings wip, now finished, hedgehog pattern slightly adjusted, am much happier with this version.

And, as I was photographing my desk, I wanted to show you my favorite thing on it (apart from the bar of yummy swiss chocolate I've just finished eating!), my little dish of buttons I use for eyes and noses.

They look good enough to eat too!

Peahen,

I'd wondered for a while if you changed the colours of the Peacock pattern to shades of brown, would it look like a Peahen?.  I think it does.  Although I might do the tail slightly differently.

This will be in the shop early next week once it's finished.  If anyone is interested in ordering an embroidered envelope in time for Valentine's day, please order quick to allow for postage.

Most of this week has been spent playing around on the computer with layouts for my new PDF patterns.  There's still a lot of work to do on them and I will be on the look out for pattern testers soon (feel free to volunteer!)

The other big news is, by all accounts the advance copies of my book have arrived at C&T Publishing's office this week, ...and there is one on it's way to me!!

Eeeeeeek!

Research & reference,

After my years of working within the textile industry, I am very aware of the importance of research and reference as a starting point to any design project...,

missing it out,  would be like making soup without a good stock as a base.

Today has been one of those days, rooting through books, magazines and also online for ideas.  I like these kind days.

Looking for shoe reference, I came across these links, paper shoes (love the maps that have been used),  embroidered shoes (these are just beautiful), and metal shoes (these are great fun).

Mine are going to be softie shoes, (I hope...!)

Question is, am I going to have to make them in pairs or can I get away with just making one?

Happy Australia Day!

Enjoy your day out in the sun with lots of beers and sausages!

Out and about in Istanbul

Throughout our entire Turkey holiday, I found Istanbul to be the most exciting place of all. Perhaps cause it's the city and I'm quite a city-girl. I found the colours, smells, crowds and signboards to be pretty fascinating. I totally hated the traffic though! Oh... We were stuck in jams and there were just cars and buses and motorcyclists all around! Everywhere! Super polluted as well. But I tell you, the colours and patterns I found in the city totally made up for it! I took so many photos while at the Grand Bazaar! I wanted to share it all here in one big post, but nope, they won't fit! So next post it shall be! If you think these pictures are colourful, wait till you see those I took at the Grand Bazaar. Just re-looking at them makes me want to go straight back to Turkey!

Never say never,

Until recently, I always said I would never wear skinny jeans again.  I remember them first time round, in the 80's, except then, (here in the UK), they were called  'drain pipes'!  Anyone else remember sitting in your Levi's in a bath full of water in the hope they would shrink and be tighter?!  Just before christmas, I went shopping with my mum and tried some on.  I liked them.  I bought a pair.  I bought a pair of Fly London Mols (in brown, they were in the sale as they are last years style).  I wore them with my skinny jeans and liked them even more.

Now let's move to after christmas, and like Florence, I am also a huge fan of brown cords.  I began on the train of thought that there might be a possibility to bring these two loves together, in the form of a pair of brown corduroy skinny jeans, ...could it be possible?

After a great deal of searching, I had found many things but alas no holy grail.  Skinny cords in the right colour, but not the right size (I have a bit of a Jennifer Lopez situation going on in the butt region), and cords in the right size, but not brown.  I need brown!  Cue, next stop, Ebay, and we're getting there.  A pair of Gap skinny cords, UK size 12 (that's an 8 I think in the USA), in camel.  That's almost brown, right?

And here they are...,

 

Now, although I do like the colour, I know in my heart I still want brown.  I would wear them more if they were brown.  So, after a quick exchange of emails with Florence to quiz her on the recent dyeing of corduroy trousers, a trip to the shops later, I am armed with a box of Dylon Machine Dye.

Florence used Dylon Wash & Dye in chocolate brown.  I went for the basic Machine Dye in dark brown as it was a slightly less red shade and a little bit darker.  The only difference between the two is the Machine Dye needs 500g of salt adding, the Wash & Dye doesn't.  My poor washing machine was going to be in for a bit of a battering, it takes one full cycle to do the dyeing, one full cycle to rinse, then a third full cycle to clean the empty machine, although I suspect I will be just doing darks for the next few washes until I"m certain all the dye has gone.

And here they are again...,

I have also taken them in slightly, again something I haven't done since the 80's, and shortened the length (which I always have to do with trousers anyway, being, well short myself!).  I think they've turned out pretty good, and cheap too.

Trousers : £2.50 ($4.03) + Dye : £4.49 ($7.23) = Total : £6.99 ($11.26)

Bargain! 

Oops, forgot to mention...

...the other big news in Lucykate land, Floyd has become a Dad!

Father & Son,

These two will be be part of the first shop update, which will happen, (I promise!) as soon as I've finished making everything, improved my photography, and worked out how to upload to Etsy.

(so, not that much to do then!)

Butterflies, and other stuff,

Another new pattern , this time for a brooch, being tried out, leaf needs working on still, not happy with this attempt, but in the meantime, the plan is now to test drive it and see how well it survives on my jacket!

...and, here's a sneaky peek of my valentine swap, errrr, thingy! (shhh, it's a secret), excellent swap organised by the lovely Lucy Locket.

The big news in Lucykate land, is I have managed to get myself the last place on a Julie Arkell workshop being held on the 2nd February, here, in my home town! The list arrived this morning as to what I have to bring, looks like a bit of a thrifting trip is going to be needed (any excuse!) for some of the bits & bobs, old books, fabrics etc...

I'm so excited!

Happy Chinese New Year!

It's the festive season here in Singapore and I'll be away celebrating with lots of good food and laughter with my family and friends. Chinese New Year is all about family and good food! Pineapple tarts and love letters. Oh my oh my! I won't be around much on my lap top but will be posting pictures up on instagram. So follow me if you're curious to see what yummy food I get my hands on! My username is handmadelove. I'll be back here, towards the end of the week! ( That's if I don't end up in a food coma! ) See you around! And if you do celebrate Chinese New year, have fun with all your loved ones and eat lots! Lots! Lots!!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Blue Mosque

Hooray! After weeks of working and stressing out like crazy, not sleeping proper and eating while working, I am finally DONE with my work! Oh my goodness. I thought this day wasn't going to come. Haha. So I'm back to blogging. Sorry for being away!

I still have so many pictures from my Turkey trip, so just thought I'd keep sharing them with you... All the stories, and sights. I wish I could somehow magically upload the smells too! But nope, I think technology ain't that advanced yet. One day I think, it'll happen. Somehow! These pictures here were all taken in Istanbul. At the beautiful Blue Mosque. In Istanbul, if you ask the Turks where the Blue Mosque is, they honestly won't have a clue. They know the mosque as Sultan Ahmed Mosque. The mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque amongst Tourists because of it's blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. Those tiles were so pretty. I wanted to just lie on the floor and spend a day staring up at the ceiling. So dreamy! I cannot for the life of me figure out how they hand painted everything. I wonder what sort of paint they used. It's pretty great paint if you ask me! The colours are still there after so long!

Herbie the baby hedgehog

(or does he look more like a stegosaurus than a hedgehog?!)

While the others were watching the Simpsons Movie this afternoon (spider pig, spider pig...), I got to try out a new pattern I drew up last night whilst Mr LK was upgrading my mac operating system software. Herbie still needs a few tweaks here and there, but went ok for a first attempt, maybe the body needs to be shorter though?

It looks like the first lot of softies to put on Etsy are all having a 'farm' theme. I quite like the idea of each update having a theme!

Favorites...,

You must know what I mean when I talk about favorites, it's that favorite piece of fabric languishing in your stash that you love so much, you almost don't want to use it.  I mean, what if you can't get anymore?  In this case, it's a button, my favorite button.  Let me describe it for you.  It's cream, slightly shiny, only about 1cm in size, scratched because it's old, came in a mixed bag from a charity shop and has tiny little flecks of grey in it.

As buttons go, it's pretty plain.  But I thought it was beautiful.

The dilemma is, shall I keep it, or shall I use it?

At the moment it's here, and I'd say I'm 50% happy about using it.  A little nervous that it's not safely tucked away in my button box.

There's still time to unpick!

How brave are you with that favorite item in your stash, are you a keeper or a user?

The wanderer has returned...,

Mr LK is home after a week away, he's been to Seattle, and visited Schmancy (Kristen's blog is Plush You), Fancy (I got a ring!) and Nancy, then driven to a town called Spokane for work (and burgers!).

It's good to have him home, I've missed him this trip.  Plus he did bring back a pile of goodies, craft magazines, including an actual copy of 'Stuffed'.  Oh the sniggering that has been had in this house over the fact his wife is featured in 'Stuffed'!, it's softies dear, SOFTIES!

I love, love, love this magazine, if softies and plush are your thing, go get yourself a copy, it is the most fantastic publication, ever!

Nothing to do with the fact I have not just one, not two, but three pages...!

The artists featured are very talented, the questions we were all asked to talk about were very thought provoking, and in addition, there are also some patterns and softie making instructions included for you to follow at home.  Softie fans, what more could you ask for?!

Oh blimey...

It seems I have been nominated for a craft blog award by Company Magazine.  The link to vote is here, scroll down to the 'crafty girls' section.

I'm finding it quite amusing that it's under the umbrella of 'style blogger'.  Style is not a word I feel I associate with given the number of times I've done the school run with my PJ's under a big coat.  Note to self, must make more effort!

Buried knee-deep in work!

Just popping in to say I'm still here, still alive! Just buried knee-deep, or maybe even chin-deep in work!! I'll be back as soon as all this work clears up! Ah. Still on my holidays. But I'm working away everyday. Starting work at 7.30am and finishing at sometimes 10..11pm! I'm going to work as hard as I can today till noon and then go hang out with a friend in town. I need a break! I'm going to have fun relaxing, we're watching a movie and having lots of popcorn! I'm so looking forward to it!