What is the thing that has become the bible of your art/craft?

Hello everyone! There's been some things that I've had to focus on, and therefor haven't been writing for a while. I have got a summer job during weekends over the summer, so I sort of work everyday - not the whole days though, thankfully. There are other things as well, but I have to get back to them - when they pop up in my mind.
Anyway, here's some scribbles at least:

This month's question in the BlogMerryGoRound:
What is your favorite publication(s)? Is there a book, books, magazine,
or website that has become the bible of your art/craft?

I have a few things that I seem to return to when it comes to finding inspiration in general, and a lot of times it is such things that gives me energy. Not neccessarily inspire me to make things - although that often follows.. I'll just line them up, shall I? :)

Magazines:
These are the ones I find lots of inspiration in, and look through over and over again.
Country Living (UK edition)
Selvedge
Sublime
Boho

Books:
Tasha Tudor's Garden
Tasha Tudor's Heirloom Crafts
Brambly Hedge

Art & People
Arthur Rackham
Edmund Dulac
William Morris
Arts & Crafts Movement
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
Ernest H. Shepard
Walter Crane
Alan Lee
John Howe
John Bauer

Movies and TV:
Persuasion - 1995, 2007
Pride and Prejudice - 1995, 2005,
Sense and Sensibility
(These are all Jane Austen of course.. I like all of these, although it was the earlier ones that are like old friends by now...)
The House of Eliott - 1920s London
Anne of the Green Gables

From my collection of internet bookmarks:
Art Passions
Fashion Era
ReCollections
The Fashion Museum
The Vintage Pattern Lending Library
Sabrina Ward Harrison
Kinuko Y. Craft

Don't forget to visit my BlogMerryGoRound-pals,
and see what they have answered to this question:



Mariana at http://florcitasart.blogspot.com

Lily at http://lilypangart.blogspot.com

Wendren at http://thewrendesign.com

Sara at http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com

Agathe at http://lebarduvent.blogspot.com

Fabienne at http://easterya.blogspot.com

Charlotte at http://fancypicnic.blogspot.com
Nikki at http://beadedzen.blogspot.com/

Ruth at http://insidetheartisan.blogspot.com

TigerPixie

Yesterday's ambush by the Artfire Stalkers/sneakers was on TigerPixie, who makes these lovely paintings. So if you love cats and fairytales, head over there right away!
(just click on the pictures to get there)

New ScribbleBooks, now with quotes!

Can be found in my ArtFire shop!

Finns i min ArtFire Shop!

This week's ambush..

... was on BeadBug Jewelry so I thought I'd show some of her lovely stuff:

I got ambushed!

Almost forgot to tell you the event of the day.. Nay, year! :)
I got ambushed by the sneakers/stalkers!! It's a group of people who promote others. This time it was me!! I am still amazed, surprised and jolly. It brought me 5 sales and lots of promotion, which I am planning on returning to all the others as soon as possible! Like next Tuesday when the next lucky person is up.
There's an ArtFire Guild - the Stalkers, but anyone can join the ning group - ArtFire Sneakers.

The Stalkers Guild Mission says it all:

"Our mission is the shameless and selfless promotion… of others. We employ the ideal of paying it forward and utilizing our stalking prowess for the advancement of Artfire artisans and the handmade movement. Through the promotion of all we will succeed."

Isn't that brilliant!

I'm off to bed

HandMade News

I just thought I'd yell about HandMade News (published by ArtFire), which is a great place to find facts and inspiration. It's 'News of the handmade world, or just the crafts in it' :)
Right now I am reading this article by NinjaJenn
*Click*

Things You Might Needed To Hear

The last Sunday of the month of May

Yesterday was my birthday, and I spent it at my parents' house in a relaxing fashion. I had nice food, nice little presents and fell asleep on the sofa after all the yummy things. :)
I'll be here until tomorrow morning when it's time to get back to town & work. It's such lovely weather and so many beautiful flowers everywhere. The month of May is so beautiful. :)
Now I better catch up on some things.. Writing a few lines, do some promo-work, and maybe figure out some good ideas.. Then I have a bunch of flower brooches that needs safetypins, and later beads.
Have a grand Sunday! & happy Mother's Day all you mothers out there!


Igår var det min födelsedag (tjohej!), och jag spenderade den hemma hos mina föräldrar på ett lugnt och mättande sätt. God mat, fina små presenter och sen somnade jag på soffan en stund efter allt det gottiga. :)
Imorgon bär det av hem till stan & jobbet igen. Vädret är ljuvligt och så mycket som blommar. Maj månad är så vacker. :)
Nu ska jag se till att komma ikapp med lite grejer.. Skriva några rader, försöka göra lite pr här & där och kanske komma på lite nya idéer.
Sen har jag en hel hög med blombroscher som behöver säkerhetsnålar och pärlor.
Ha en alla tiders söndag! & grattis på Mors Dag ni som är mödrar! :)

Feeling a bit blah today too... oh well.
Will post the blog-merry-go-round as soon as she gets back from work!

Merry-Go-Round for May

Question for this month's Blog-merry-go-round is:

Did you think you'd be doing what you re doing now (craft/selling) say 5 years ago? What has surprised you the most?


5 Years ago I was studying weaving and embroidery for the first time around, and was very happy indeed to get to do that. I think that was when my thoughts of selling my crafts started to grow for sure in my mind. I have somehow always wanted to do that since I was little, but never took it serious until then. After that I took a few courses in design at university and worked at a store at the same time. Later I ended up working more in the store & after a few years I had to quite. Too much stress, too little creativity, too much going against my inner wishes. Now a few years later - after struggling through a bit of stress, panic attacks and anxiety - I am focused on working with what feels right for me, and never go against myself again.

I think that the things that have surprised me the most is the fact that when I try to get my things 'out there', showing it to people it all goes rather well! People seem to like my things and get inspired by them. I've also noticed that for me, when I focus too much on the money-part of things, it all slows down a bit. Then again I am such a law-of-attraction-sort of person. Or tries to be.. since it works :) Doesn't mean that I am never 'oh darn this is all c**p!' sometimes :)

So well.. this is my story for the time being.


Dont't forget to pop by at my friends! :)

Nikki at Beaded Zen http://beadedzen.blogspot.com

Wendren at Wren http://thewrendesign.com/

Sara at Sara's Texture Crafts http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com

Marian at Florcita http://florcitasart.blogspot.com

Agathe at Le Bar du Vent http://lebarduvent.blogspot.com

Fabienne at Easterya http://easterya.blogspot.com

Andreanna at Glamasaurus http://blog.glamasaurus.com

Ruth at Birdland Creations http://insidetheartisan.blogspot.com