DIY inspiration: colour-blocked shoes

Really should not be blogging right now but it's in the most critical moments when deadlines are looming that I choose to procrastinate the most. 

No time for DIYs lately (sad...) but here's one I found online that I really love - Colour-blocked Shoes from A Beautiful Mess. 

Such a simple but dramatic change! 

Okay, just a quick post today. Now back to work. 

DIY: tissue-paper flowers part 2

I'm sick today so I suppose I've got some time to blog. I'm quite antsy though - it's hard to stay home for an entire day - but I need the rest. Anyway, here is a mini-continuation of yesterday's tissue-paper flower tutorial. 

If you notice, the white flowers on the wreath are actually bigger than the pink ones. That's because instead of using tissue-paper, I actually used WHITE IKEA NAPKINS. It's the exact same process, and it's actually pretty useful if you're going to be making a whole bunch because #1: white napkins are CHEAP and #2: they're all the same size so you don't have to constantly measure each flower.

So there you go... giant white flowers made out of napkins. They're multi-purpose because they're pretty AND you can wipe your mouth on them. hahaha.

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If you're interested, here are some links to more paper-flowers/pom-pom inspiration:

If you want to make even BIGGER giant flower POM-POMS, here's the Martha Stewart tutorial on how to do just that. I like how she shows how to do everything in 4 easy pictures, instead of my whole 20-image rant. But you like my rant. You know you do. HAHA.

I am obsessed with the warm sunny colours in this photo.

images via marthastewart.com

Here are some Pom-Poms on cupcakes (from Kre8tive Life)

...a yellow+grey wedding reception with a ceiling full of Pom-Poms (from The Sweetest Occasion)

Here's another great tutorial from Honestly WTF on how to make crepe flowers with a similar method to the Pom-Poms.

...it looks like a huge weed-growth from the ceiling, but this crepe-flower chandelier is super crazy! (in a good way).

...this simple outdoor wedding ceremony features colourful crepe pom-poms hung on a tree and tiny furry pom-poms dotting the aisle (from Southern Weddings).

...and this wedding reception just goes all out with colour! (found here).

Last but not least... if you've made a whole bunch of paper-flowers and have no idea what to do with them, you can always wear them on your head.

or... to take it one step further, why wear flowers when you can be one?

...oh so awkward.

the end.

music inspiration: Gungor

Lately, I've been listening to the musical group GUNGOR, a husband + wife collaboration with a unique eclectic style that I can't really define with any particular genre. They're super inspiring and definitely live up to their Grammy-nominated status. 

Probably their most well-known song, and one of my favourites, is Beautiful Things.

They've also got a blog with some pretty interesting topics - like this post HERE for instance, about art and perspective in life. Go read it. I think it's very well-written and insightful.

Anyway, what's exciting is that they're actually coming to Hong Kong this month!!! So I think I'll get to see them in concert! SO. EXCITED.

Click HERE for an awesome live version of Beautiful Things.

inspiration: maya hayuk

I discovered Maya Hayuk's art yesterday while I was actually on a WEDDING BLOG of all places. One of Hayuk's pieces was featured on an inspiration board, on Green Wedding Shoes (which is a pretty good wedding inspiration site if you're interested in that sorta stuff), and I was immediately drawn to her painting. I love the unconvential use of colours in the artwork:

shades of grey + fuschias + peach + lavender + teal.

*side note: in case you were wondering, the ring (Morganite & Rose Gold) is sold by onegarnetgirl and can be found here on Etsy.

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I love Maya Hayuk's work because of her colourful, geometrical designs. Recently I've been fascinated with this type of rainbow-hued art and cannot wait to have spotless white walls of my own to absolutely MURDER with colour.

Here are some of her fabulous murals! ("monster island walls")

She has a TONNE of stuff on her website including album covers, photography, paintings, and murals. Make sure to take a look!

inspiration: Etsy Features

I've always wanted to open an Etsy shop. But I still haven't figured out what I would want to sell - I just can't seem to settle on ONE idea... instead my mind is constantly running off in a billion directions, leaving me scatter-brained. haha. Anyway, here are some 100% handmade goods I found on Etsy that are simply amazing...

...a fabric pencil pouch with a personalized message (from printsnpatterns)...

...this ridiculously cute octopus from cheekandstitch (anything with a monocle + moustache = genius in my books)...

...a crocheted wool ring box by NeedleNoodles (wouldn't that be a cute proposal prop for a crafty girl!)...

...and if you're super crochet crazy, you can buy a PDF Pattern that teaches you how to make a whole SUSHI SET (also from NeedleNoodles).

...oh and remember that hamburger girl self-portrait that I drew a few weeks ago?

...well imagine MY EXTREME EXCITEMENT when I found THIS on Etsy...

OH MAN. Who knew a burger headband actually existed?! I can't crochet, but I would like to make my own somehow!!!

This crochet creation of epic proportions was made by Priscilla of You Cute, an Etsy shop that specializes in tasty crochet. Check out her other handmade goods... I would wear one of these on my head and prance around ANY DAY.

I am officially obsessed with all this handmade grub. They're like the little cartoons I draw all the time... except in CROCHET FORM!!!

DIY inspiration: Statement Necklaces

I've been wanting to make some STATEMENT NECKLACES lately, and I have some ideas but today I'm going to go out and scour for some supplies. Meanwhile, here are four AMAZING tutorials that are definitely inspirational. I especially want to try out #2 and #3 (the spray-painted rhinestone necklace & the feather necklace). Looking at these projects just spurs me even more on a CRAFTING CRAZEEEEEEEE....

1. a creative crochet chevron necklace from "Two Butterflies"...

2. a rhinestone necklace that's been given the neon treatment (via a pair and a spare)...

 

3. this amazing fabric feather necklace from Alisa Burke...

and...

4. a simple DIY for a Pearl & Ruffle Statement Necklace (from Refinery29)...

These necklaces definitely make a statement and will probably become striking conversation starters!

artist spotlight: erin jang + food sketches

I recently stumbled upon a blog called FOOD SKETCHES, and being a food lover, I was instantly intrigued. Erin Jang, of The Indigo Bunting, is a New York graphic designer who started this site as a personal project to document some of the food she eats. Side note: (she also used to be the senior art director at Martha Stewart Living... how cool is that!?!)...

Anyway, with her permission, I'm going to share with you two of my favourite food images from her site! The first is "Parm Birthday Cake" which I particularly love because of the colourful sprinkles. Just looking at this deliciously delectable drawing makes me want to eat cake.

This second image is "Gumballs" which is such a fun, rainbow-coloured print.

To check out more tasty food pics, head over to FOOD SKETCHES here. Just looking at all her images prompted me to create my own "food sketch" with a tribute to one of my favourite foods -

the hamburger.

So here's my version, inspired by Erin's colourful images!

 

 

Actually, I've thought of creating a flat 2D burger print like this before as an acrylic painting (and probably will do a large-scale version of it on a giant canvas one day). It would probably make me very very hungry if I saw this print hanging in my living room every day. haha.

 I'd probably try to nibble at the canvas.

DIY: Crochet-Pocket Cardigan

I bought this cardigan today for $10CDN - it's cream-coloured with cute crochet pockets on the sides. Funny thing is, I had seen similar cardigans like this and it had actually given me the idea to DIY my own crochet pockets on cardigans I already owned... but this cardigan was so cheap anyway that I succumbed to buying it. (Does that make me a bad DIY-er?) haha. I feel like I've somehow betrayed the crafting community. HAHA. 

It is a really easy project that you could try though. You just need two crochet doilies and a needle + thread to sew them on. I also think it would be cute if you found two small heart doilies to make heart-shaped pockets! My cardigan is a light oatmeal colour but a darker cardigan produces a different look, with crochet pockets that really stand out (like the navy cardigan below). If you have trouble finding small dainty doilies, you could use two big ones and just fold them in half. 

image from The Enchanted Pixie

I also wanted to share with you a simple but fabulous tutorial I found online to "fancify" any living space. (fancify? I think I just made up a new word...you gotta admit, it does sound legit!)... 

The tutorial (here) is from Ad Astra per Aspera and it teaches you how to make these lovely heart-shaped doily decorations (below).

 I've actually gotten something similar hanging in my room back in Canada. I basically poked holes in the middle of round paper doilies (of different sizes) and threaded strings of christmas lights through them so that I had a delicate garland of white lights and doilies. Again, an easy way to FANCIFY a room!

"Fancify" (c) copyright 2012, Laura Kwok. 

haha.

inspiration: geometry

Math was always my weakest subject in school (yes, I'm a disgrace to the Asian race) but I did love geometry, or at least making tessellations (which is arguably more artsy than math-related)... Lately I've had a mini obsession with triangles... (with the exception of the illuminati symbol haha). I'm drawn to patterns that contain triangles, diamonds, chevrons, or other geometric shapes!

Here are some of my favourites...

...an art print by Michelle Tavares of calamari studio
("The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" - Eleanor Roosevelt)

a chevron paper print by designer Sasha Prood

a gold tribal-triangle necklace from House of Harlow

a double triangle necklace from Threadsence

a chevron-print painting by Jeff Depner

a geometric bear brooch by Sketch Inc.

an ASOS pyramid metal tip clutch

a mociun triangle ring 

a colourful tortoise art print by Melanie Mikecz of twoems

a chevron-printed quilt from Amish Country Quilts

a geometric restaurant mural discovered by Apartment Therapy

and these beautiful paintings by Mark Warren Jacques - I would love these prints for my bare, white, (and currently moldy) walls!

While we're on the topic of triangles, I found a great tutorial on how to make BUNTING (which is basically a garland of festive flags strung in a row). The Vanilla Joy tutorial on how to make the fabric flags (below) can be found here.

If you would like some free printables, a whole BUNTING ALPHABET designed by Two Brunettes is available here.

I love the idea of having bunting flag garlands strewn around the ceiling or along the walls for a casual low-key wedding. It's a cheap, easy, and colourful way to throw in some festive flair. 

image from Wedzu

Anyway, how did we get from geometric shapes to weddings? haha... I digress. My challenge for myself this week is to come up with my own geometrical work of art, whether it be a simple sketch or a full-on painting. (Probably don't have any time for the latter, but we shall see). 

In the meantime, why don't we get to know each other a little better, and you tell me YOUR favourite shape? Are you a circular person? Or are you a SQUARE? haha. Leave me a comment!