30 June 2010

Felting like crazy….



My self-confidence hit an all time low this morning as I drove off to work thinking about all that was still to be done. Thoughts of why, who and what kept haunting me:
- why on earth did you enter this exhibition in the first place
- who would want to come and watch anyway
- what you do really sucks and isn’t worth showing

In other words - Monday the 5th is Exhibition D-day and I’m a nervous wreck.

To say that everything is finished is a gross exaggeration……I am still felting like crazy……


So my dear friends out there in cyberspace if you EVER AGAIN hear me say that I work best under pressure please write LIAR with capital letters in my comment box.


Thank you
Jeanette

28 June 2010

Rudolf



I know it`s in the middle of summer and that Christmas is very far away…..but it is also Monday morning and very warm in my office. I desperately wanted something to cool me off so I started to search the net for a nice snowy picture and stumbled on this instead. Had to share it with you all…..The Norwegian artist John K Raustein and his project about one of Christmas most important men – Rudolf!




Both photos by John K Raustein.


Since I am an embroidery fan I enjoyed his web site and different projects alot. A male approach to embroidery if there is such a thing.... You find his site here

Hope you have a great monday!
Jeanette

27 June 2010

Midsummer


Since I have readers abroad who might not be familiar with this midsummer’s Eve thing I`ll give you a quick explanation - Midsummer’s Eve is when all us pagans up north dance around a midsummer pole and use the fact that this is the years longest day as an excuse for drinking enormous amounts of aquavit and sing obscure songs…. That was the short version, if you like to read the long one you can do it here.

For once we had the most beautiful weather. It usually rains buckets…..so we spent most of the evening outdoors. Divided into two teams we play the same games every year– shooting air gun at balloons ( I suck at it), throwing tennis balls at a target ( I suck at that too) and finish of with a round of Dart. Needless to say I suck at that too…. Luckily for me I had good team members …


Emma is taking a swing in the hammock


Anyway, we had fun! Hope you all had a good weekend too!


Take care
Jeanette

23 June 2010

Growing power

Tiny, tiny little seeds they were when I planted them. Alot of water and TLC added and now they reward me with THIS!







Isn’t nature fantastic?

Take care
Jeanette

22 June 2010

No guarantee


I read an article in the local paper today that got me wondering. It was a couple at about my age, she with severe cancer who had recently married. An article filled with their love, happiness and joy – absolutely heartwarming! Almost all the reactions to their wedding were positive the husband said but one person had asked him “why do you want to marry someone that is going to die?” That was the part that got me thinking.

First I thought the question was so silly it made me smile, who can you possibly marry that ain´t going to die? Someone already a ghost maybe? I know of course that it wasn’t what the man asking meant. His question was all about loving and the fear of loosing. It made me feel so sorry for him. Thinking about all the things in life that he will miss out on in the hunt for being 100% secure. Whether we like it or not - the hard facts of life is that we have never any guarantees for length, love or happiness. The only thing that is absolutely certain is that we are all going to die!

It is my firm belief that we walk through this world but once so it’s important to try and fill that walk with as much love and laughter as possible. Trying to make a good life both for yourself and others. When I look back on my life I want to be able to say " I am glad that I did" instead of saying "I wish that I had". When my days are counted and death is coming I hope I have the strength to gather all my friends and loved ones and make a huge party celebrating the fact that I have lived! Hopefully that day is yet long to come but I try to live my life as if it was tomorrow!

Live, love & laugh my friends!
Jeanette

20 June 2010

Help wanted? Nope!

How am I ever going to get finished in time for the exhibition with helpers like these ?


This is SO boring!



Hey, wake up, come and play with me !



Boy are you boring. I better go make someone else crazy instead.... How about Mrs Handmade over there she looks nice and busy.....

Take care
Jeanette

14 June 2010

Yesterdays News

I have taken two days off from work to try and get some stuff ready for the exhibition. Right now I am working on a chandelier from old newspapers. I call it Yesterdays News. Here is a sneak peak.



More when I am finished. Got to go...…my worktable is beckoning me back!

See ya!
Jeanette

10 June 2010

Freebies & exhibition stuff

In about four weeks time it’s D-day for my exhibition and I am close to a creative break down, so many ideas and oh so little time. My head is full of ideas, so full that it’s very hard to actually get them sorted, out and done. Any normal person would have started a long time ago but all you who know me know that A) I am not like normal people and B) I work best under pressure.

Anyway, there I was surfing the net trying to calm my spinning head and start focusing on getting something done ( you wish)….and eureka I found Terri Karhs blog. It was full of her great art and inspirational old photos. I fell instantly in love with one of the photos, a ballet couple looking a wee bit silly. To my great joy it was a freebie.

And this is what I made …..




A sort of wall hanging but with a slightly different twist…. It`s 70X60 cm and has wet felted background decorated with needle felting, embroidery and vintage mother of pearl buttons.

close up of Terris photo


So now it`s one down and ten to go......
Thanks Terri for sharing!

Jeanette