My Daughter is Spoiled, and She's Not Even Born Yet!

  I know, I've been missing from this blog for awhile - it'll be this way over the next month as well, with life being hectic.

  Just checking in to share pics of the adorable outfits gifted to my daughter at my baby shower this past Sunday.  (Please excuse the quality - the weather kept changing: sunny, rainy, overcast, sorta-sunny, etc.)

  Not only will my baby girl be the best-dressed kid ever, but there are a ton of inspiring patterns and colours in these sweet outfits - gotta get creating some new jewelry designs (however, that'll have to wait until renos are done in our upstairs bedrooms...)

  Anyways, on to the cute!

Hello, Miss Piggy!
(By the way, my mom made the adorable floral dress in the upper right corner!)

Here we have rainbow, houndstooth, camo, and all kinds of adorable!

Check out the bright animal prints - can't wait to dress her in these!  Also, gotta love Minnie Mouse!

Here we have some sweet Disney goodies, and then the talent portion of this post:  the sweet grey cardigan and hat set was knit by my youngest brother's girlfriend, Becky; the purple blanket was made by my sister-in-law, Katie; and the sweet lamb-eared bonnet and the purple/grey hat were crocheted by miss Tamsin of BF Crochet Creations!  (She even hand-spun the yarn for the little hat!)

Yes, that is a diaper cake (with other goodies inside too!), made by my aunt Jane (the bibs on the lower right were also made by her!).
Isn't that penguin outfit too cute??
Also, that bunny, and that teddy bear - softest things EVER!

I can't wait to hold my little princess while she's wearing that cuddly pink sleeper in the upper left corner!
Also, that book is the sweetest thing ever - it's pages of babies dressed as fairy tale characters!
How cute are these outfits???

I'm in pink heaven!  (Not to mention the sweet cupcake and cherry prints on these onesies!)
Check out that little yellow ensemble - too cute!
(More on the jailbird set in the next pic!)

How adorable is this hat and bib set???
Friends of ours went to Alcatraz, and brought our baby back the cutest souvenir!
I'm thinking this is the perfect birth announcement outfit - she finally got out after 9 months on the inside! :)

Check out the adorable outfits, and all of those tiny socks!  (Those pink raccoons!)
I'm also in love with the little headbands!

The blanket and pillow set in the foreground are SO SOFT!!!  Like, I want to wrap myself in the blanket and live in it forever!

Isn't this the sweetest photo frame and album set?
I'll be putting the frame on her dresser in the nursery with our first family photo!

Last but not least, these adorable outfits - how sweet is that floral hoodie?!
And, of course, I'm loving the nautical cardigan!
That CD at the bottom?  That is our daughter's first CD, and I'm proud to say, it's a Metallica lullaby CD.  Yes, that is Metallica songs as lullabies.  And yes, I'm super excited about this!!!

There were several other amazing gifts - essentials such as diapers and wipes, some cool useful nursery items, and, of course, our daughter's first car, a little tikes Cozy Coupe!  I can't even begin to thank everyone for everything - the baby shower was great, and I can't wait until our baby girl can meet all of these amazing people who adore her already!

Fashion and Fun!

  I've actually been working on jewelry this past week!
  Here's a sneak peek at some earrings I've been painting.  (Some are even at the stage of being glossy-sealed!)

  I want to do some more to the yellow ones, perhaps drill some holes in the bottom, and dangle some beads.  The black ovals will have a print eventually, the same colour as the hearts.

  I kind of goofed on the palm trees (which are sparkly, by the way).  One tree should be a mirror image, shouldn't it?  Then again, I wonder if some people prefer their earrings be exactly alike.

  Anyway, as you can see, I've been enjoying my neon paints, and I'm very inspired by a tropical, summery, surfing vibe!  (Toss in a little 80s-90s influence as well!)

  As for the fun part of my title, I thought I'd share an in-progress pic of the Ninja Turtles costumes I'm making my husband and myself for a themed event we're going to on Wednesday!  (PS - I don't own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - just a fan!)

  Since it's sort of a last-minute thing, and not an elaborate event, I'm keeping it basic, just using a bleach pen to outline the front and back turtle-parts on a couple of green tees.  (The front view is Michaelangelo, back view is Raphael.)  You can tell that the Michaelangelo tee is drier, as the bleach has totally whitened the outlines!  I'll probably be cutting the sleeves off mine and altering the collar, too - I'm not a big tee person, plus it's hot out, and I'm pregnant!
  I used scrap fabric from other old tees to make our eye mask bands (Orange for Mikey, Red for Raphael) to complete the costumes!

  Sometimes a last-minute deadline forces one to really get creative in a different way than usual - and sometimes it turns out better than if there were months of preparation!  Have you ever had to be creative in a crunch, whether it be throwing a great outfit together, making a really great dessert, crafting a gift for someone, or even writing something on a tight deadline ?

Creativity Out of the Art Room

Creativity doesn't have to mean just working on an art/craft project. It's in music, in writing, in dancing, photography, in the kitchen. Let's be honest, it's bigger than that: It's the way you decide to dress yourself, or do your hair or makeup. The way you sign your name, or the doodles you absentmindedly draw on scrap paper when you're talking on the phone. (some people still use the phone, right?)

A few weeks ago, I had some fun in the kitchen baking cookies for a fundraiser at work. Nothing fancy, but the colors of the frosting really made me smile. It was the first time using one of the cookie cutters from my Wilton Mickey Mouse set.(I do not own Mickey Mouse, Disney does - I'm not worthy!)

If anyone's curious, I used this recipe for the sugar cookies, and this one for the frosting. (I needed a frosting that dried hard and glossy, so I could package up the cookies.)  They were delicious!

  Next, I did some "photography" in my back yard.  I needed a pretty new cover photo for my facebook, and this pretty tree was briefly in bloom:

Of course, the best thing I've ever created is the little girl growing inside me right now! :)  This project is a collaboration ;)

You can't see her legs, but they're up and crossed.  She was active during the whole ultrasound, so it took awhile to get certain photos!

Here she is with her fist at her mouth (the rest of her hand is out of focus here, but we got to watch her - everything is where it should be!)

Lastly, one of her feet.  I can't wait to take my little lady shoe shopping!  (When she's a bit older, of course!!)

  We revealed our baby's gender at a BBQ on the weekend, and that was the last of the events planned for a little while.  That means things should start to wind down on the home front, aside from preparing our home to welcome our baby girl in the Fall, so I'll be able to devote more time to the earrings I've started working on (stay tuned for pics!)  Work is about to get hectic for a month or two, as everyone takes holidays in the summer but me, so I'm hoping I'll be able to manage my time!
 Hope everyone is enjoying the summery weather!

Did a Little Shopping Yesterday...

I notice that many people post their shopping hauls on youtube, tumblr, blogs, etc.
I was lucky enough to receive a $100 Michaels gift card for my birthday two weeks ago (thanks Mom and Dad!!), so I thought I'd show off my haul (I didn't even spend half of the card, woohoo!)

I got mega ribbon for hair bows, etc., neon paints (because I'm so into neon...just like I was 20 years ago!), some wooden shapes to paint for necklaces and earrings, some mod podge dimmensional magic to give my paper quilled jewelry a shiny finish, and a jewlery resin kit - which was on clearance, and since I'd been dying to give resin a try, this is the perfect opportunity!

Close-up of the cute ribbons, and the neon paints.

Can't wait to get into this stuff, but it'll have to wait, as I've got my Grandparents' anniversary party this weekend - can't wait!

One more thing to share - the beautiful, delicious-smelling tree that grows next to my front porch. I have no clue about gardening, plants, etc, so no idea what exactly this is, but it's BEAUTIFUL!

Here's hoping the rest of the summer is as bright and colorful!

PS - Michaels isn't paying me to show off their stuff...though if they ever want to... ;)

Slight Change Here at Ghia's World

Yes, it's been awhile. I've actually been working on creative things, but not jewelry, art, or anything like that. I've been cleaning out the art room, working on a scrapbook for my grandparent's 60th anniversary, and, of course, trying to plan for the future with baby (June 6th we'll find out if it's a boy or girl!).

I've decided that instead of this just being a craft blog, which I had originally intended, it will now truly be about the things in my life that inspire me, or just the random things I'm doing that I may want to record here so I can look back on them and smile.

I decided that instead of thinking something wasn't worth posting here (maybe people WOULD be interested in seeing my scrapbooking layouts, or my de-cluttering process - maybe people will want to know how my husband and I are planning to re-organize our house to better accomodate our child-to-be.)

Maybe, just maybe, by blogging more, I'll hit my stride, and eventually this little space in the cyber universe really will represent my little world, and maybe even hold me accountable so when I say I want to make pretty things full-time and sell them, I'll just jump in, be brave enough, and try to make that happen.

And let's hope that this is the first and last post on this blog without a photo or link in it!

Thanks for listening!

Just Checking In!

Hello, readers! (All 1 or 2 of you!)


It's been over a week, I think, since I've updated - and since my camera is working after all (it was the batteries, never cheap out on camera batteries), I should really be keeping on top of this!


I'll make my excuses, though, and plan to aim for a post at least once a week in the next few weeks (May is looking to be a bit of a busy-ish month for me.)


First of all, I can announce this now that the word is officially out, my husband and I are expecting a baby in October (the 27th is the due date, which happens to be our 2 year wedding anniversary!). This is an excuse as to my sporatic blogging, because man, is the first trimester an energy-drainer, or what?


Now that I'm making my way into the 2nd trimester, and not feeling so tired or heartburn-y, I've caught a cold. Not a bad one, but I've been working a bit more than usual (I picked up an extra shift at work almost every week so far this month), so today on my day off, I'd kind of rather stay on the couch and nap or read than upload and edit photos...also, my house is a mess, and if I can muster the energy, I'd like to start some spring cleaning, or at least regular tidying!


I won't say May will be a write-off, but I do have quite a bit happening. It'll start off with my husband and I hearing our baby's heartbeat (which we both got the day off for, so have decided to go out and celebrate after), another week at work where I have more hours than usual. My nephew's birthday is on the 8th, and I still have to find the perfect gift! My birthday happens to be on Mother's Day this year, so obviously, I'll be celebrating with my mom - also, that's the time of year when my dad goes on his week long fishing trip, so mom and I get together for dinner and eat sushi and other things that dad doesn't particularily care for! Ending the month is a party for my grandparents' 60th anniversary/ Gramma's 80th birthday, and my aunt, mom and I are working on a photo album for that, so there's still a lot of scanning, printing, and scrapbooking ahead! (I haven't even printed and scrapbooked my own wedding photos from 2012 yet!)


The good news, craft-wise, is that when spring hits (like for real, as in warmth and more than 1 or 2 sunny days a week), I get very inspired in the craft room. I think it has to do with all of the colour that finally starts to bloom around me, and the natural light that shines in the windows.


I am working on a pair of earrings, which I've photographed in the process from the original design sketch, to each stage until completion. It changes drastically from concept to finished product! Stay tuned!


I'm ending this novel now, then I'll finish my coffee and try to force myself to at least vacuum before claiming the couch and watching some Doctor Who on Netflix!


Anyone else trying to get motivated to spring clean? Anyone finished?

Drawing Inspiration From The Past

  I'm inspired by so many things.  In fact, I could probably take inspiration from almost ANYTHING, especially if my mind is open enough to being inspired at that moment.
  In the last several years, though, my main inspirations have been colour (the brighter the better!), the Japanese pop, lolita, and visual kei movements & cute "kawaii" toys and things, and the 80's & 90's (my childhood).
  I'd like to talk about going back to the past, and drawing inspiration from that.
  I have a youtube playlist full of 80's commercials that, when I close my eyes, I can imagine I'm back there, my hometown looking the way it did then, myself having no cares but which neighbourhood park I wanted to play in, the (amazing) music that played on the radio, and the smells of the perfumes, shampoos, candy, and scratch 'n' sniff stickers we had back then.
  I was actually thinking in the shower last night, how I missed the smell of Revlon's Flex shampoo, and LA Looks shampoo.  That got me to thinking of Malibu perfume, and Exclamnation, and, my personal favourite that I'd give anything to smell again (and hey, Amazon has it!!!), Cover Girl's Navy perfume!  Ooh, and Maybelline's Kissin' Coolers  - particularily watermelon flavour!  I can almost smell it now!
  I thought I'd share my two "blast from the past" pinboards (and my truly outrageous Jem pinboard!), so you can see what I loved so much about the 80's and (early) 90's!
 
 
 

Is the Universe Pranking Me?

...It is, after all, April Fool's day.

  I wanted to snap some photos of my art room, in all it's "a-tornado-must-have-gone-through-here" glory.  It would have been a post showing just how many projects I have on the go at once, and how many different KINDS of projects I have on the go at once.  Not to mention, my inspiration board, and all of the cool stuff I clutter my space with that also inspires me!
  The idea for ME was to put that out there, and be shamed into properly organizing it again, as I had done not too long ago, (believe it or not.)

  Well, I managed to get a couple of photos.  Then, the batteries in my camera died.  After replacing them three times, and it still not working, I've decided that my camera has died.  Until I find my old camera (it's sooooo horribly bad, too), I thought I'd try using the webcam on my mini laptop...but I'm in the process of Googling that right now, as my laptop never came with any software for the freakin' camera!

  Oh, and my phone?  I use it for emergencies only, and have no idea how to use the camera on it.  (I hate the phone, you guys, so really, you'll probably never see me carry around a cell phone that isn't just tucked in my purse for emergencies.  I really don't WANT anyone to be able to contact me.  I'm living life!  Leave me a message at home, right?  Sorry - this is a craft-type blog, not the rant-type blog I've always dreamed of having, but I don't want to offend anyone...)

  I can't even find the DS to use as a camera!  HAHA!  It's actually funny how I'm striking out, here!

  To be honest, I feel like unplugging today anyway.  I can't believe a single post I read on facebook (as I've said, it's April Fool's Day), and I really should get a head start on my Spring house cleaning now that the snow looks to (maybe) finally be melting!

  I know it's difficult to tell the tone of "voice" in written form, so let me just assure you, I'm not really ranting in a miserable, grumpy way.  I am actually amused at my little predicament!  I just really wanted to get a blog post up today, since I'd neglected the last few days.

  I'll end this by showing a couple of the photos I managed to take before my camera died.  Think of it as a preview of a future post!

 

You can see that all manner of bright toys and knick-knacks inspire me.  We've got Smurfs, Betty Boop, Belle, cupcakes, Return to Oz, and a beautiful card my friend brought me back from Ireland.  Oh, and there are some necklaces hanging there, too - I did make something, it's not just a kitschy museum!

My cork board with a Jem puzzle, Disney cards I'd received, a Pokemon origami, an art project my nephew made for me, and many cut-outs of things that inspire me, mostly jewelry, and some musicians with quirky styles I like.

This last photo is one I've shown before, on my very first post, I believe.  You can see all of the projects on the go - ribbon, puzzle-pieces, beads, quilled paper pieces, etc.

  If you couldn't tell, my art space is in our (as yet, unfinished) basement.  I love basements, unfinished or finished.  I don't know why.

  Anyway!  My non-post has become my most long-winded!

  I hope no one's getting pranked TOO badly this April Fool's Day!

Don't Throw That Out!

  I'm not a hippie.  I haven't completely gone green, though I do my part just like everyone else.

  I DO, however, love free craft supplies, and if it means less stuff tossed in a landfill as well, then that can't be bad, right? 

  I try to upcycle now every time I craft, whether it's scrap fabric, puzzle pieces, broken jewelry bits, whatever I can find!  It's like I've decided to challenge myself to turn trash into treasure, and since I kind of pride myself in seeing beauty in almost everything, it makes me feel good to accomplish just that!

  Here's a look at a few things I've created using "junk":

This Halloween bunting was made using those cardboard beer coasters you get at bars.  (I was given a couple of packages of them after a local establishment closed years ago.)

Old crayons melted in silicone molds makes new, fun-shaped crayons!

Paint and seal tiles to make a coaster set!

CD jewelry.

How about turning a record into a candy dish?

Scrap fabric becomes yo-yos to put on jewelry, hair accessories, anywhere!

  The list really goes on and on.  I have boxes of "junk" that I have plans for, including old Christmas light bulbs, pages from vintage encyclopedias, pieces of broken mirror, etc.  Luckily, Pinterest is chock-full of upcycled craft ideas, so if I'm not feeling too inspired on my own, I can just hop on over there and get some cool ideas.

  I challenge you to think before you toss something out.  Maybe that pile of scrap paper can be turned into even prettier home-made paper  (Paper-making is messy, but really fun!  You could even add some glitter to the pulp!).  Maybe you could turn that soda bottle into a planter (I just saw the cutest soda-bottle planters on Pinterest yesterday), or maybe you can gather a few pieces of "junk", and challenge your kids to create something fun! 

  The possibilities are endless!

I Draw, Too

   ...In fact, drawing has always been my first love.  Ever since I could hold a crayon, I've been filling up notebooks, and pieces of paper with doodles and designs.
  For the longest time, I had planned on studying fashion design in Paris, and being a famous fashion designer.  Of course, once I got nearer college-age, I decided that the fashion world was pretentious, and I could never justify charging $1000 for a tee shirt.  (Had I known, at the time, that the internet was going to be a big thing, and places like etsy would be available for me to maybe be successful in my own private label, maybe I would have gone to a more local college's design program, but I digress.)
  To be honest, sewing and draping isn't my thing.  I love to design, to put it on paper, to DRAW.  No formal training, no real technique.  I'm not really all that good at all, if you're looking for rules to be followed (light and shading...huh?)
  Know what I've noticed, though?  Once I realized that I didn't follow any rules, that I had no technique, I kinda stopped churning out drawings every single day, like I used to.  I'm not as creative as I once was, even with my handmade craft, for the same reason.  I just need to DO and not THINK!  (Something I must tell myself in many aspects of my life.)  The internet allows me to share my creativity with others, and allows me to enjoy the amazing things others create...but it's also overloaded me, and given me sort of an inferiority complex, and I plan to erradicate that asap!
  A great place to discover and share visual artwork of any kind, is deviantArt.  Here's the link to my account: http://roxyguitarz.deviantart.com/  (Yes, my username is roxyguitarz...as in Roxy from the Misfits, from Jem and the Holograms).  I started there in 2007, and went strong, submitting all the time for a few years, and then my submissions eventually became few and far between.  I submitted drawings, jewelry, crafts, and even my couple of attempts at digital art.  I've met some great artists, great PEOPLE, on dA, and I encourage you to explore the site and enjoy the art, all skill levels, all genres, all types of people, just doing what they love.
  If you, dear reader, dabble in arts and/or crafts, I encourage you to share your work on deviantArt - it's so easy!  (I warn you, though, it's addictive!)

Here are a few galleries I recommend, of some deviants I've met along the way!
myroski
amjara
foozma73
zombietastic
blue-willow
myntkat
jerzee-girl

Please explore the site, and find some favourite artists of your own.  If you'd just like to "collect" your favourite artworks but don't want to post any work of your own, you can become a member, and simply add the work you love to your "favourites", and even organize it by genre, artist, or however you'd like!

It would be silly of me to make a post about drawings without a single image in it.  So, though there's much more on my deviantArt page, here's a sampling of some of my drawings through the years...

(Okay, so technically this last one is a painting...but I drew it out before painting it, so it counts!)

Paper Quilling

  I like to try all sorts of crafty things, and last spring, I was gifted with paper quilling supplies, including the most brightly colored papers.
  Over the last year I've had fun experimenting, ultimately trying to make paper into wearable pieces.  (And a couple of Christmas ornaments.)

 

An adjustable ring, inspired by Jem and the Holograms.  (Truly Outrageous)

The centers of these ribbon flower hair clips is glazed, quilled paper.

Un-glazed, quilled earrings-to-be.

One of my Christmas Ornaments.

  If you like the look of paper quilling, a google search will direct you to a number of blogs where you can enjoy the amazing work of real paper quillers - trust me, it gets amazingly ornate!

Loving BF Crochet Creations

  If you love beautiful, intricate, BREATHTAKING - not to mention soft and cozy - wardrobe accessories, then I must direct you to the blog of a very talented (and smart and beautiful to boot!) friend of mine: http://bfcrochet.blogspot.ca/   (Seriously, click it - not only is she talented, but she's hillarious.  I never thought a mission to organize one's craft stash could be so entertaining!)

  Tamsin TAUGHT HERSELF how to crochet, and not all that long ago, either!  (And for someone like moi, who has tried and failed at crochet and knitting - I just don't have the knack - this is a HUGE deal!)   
   She works mostly in luxury yarns (and she has a knack for selecting the most beautiful color-ways), and designs all of her grogeous creations.  Soon, she'll even be making her patterns available for anyone to purchase, and create in their own favourite yarns!

  I'm actually writing this post wrapped up in a beautiful, cozy throw that Tamsin made my husband and I for our wedding gift!   She also made my garter!  (That's Tamsin's hand, she was fitting the garter on my leg, deciding where to finish it off.  Yes, those are skulls.  Yes, she's THAT awesome!!!)

   Here's a photo of Loki, master of the house, having claimed the beautiful starburst throw Tamsin made my husband and I.  Sadly, it doesn't come close to showing off the blanket in the LEAST, but it does prove that it's loved!  (I have to steal it back every night, or at least wriggle myself carefully under a section...)  Also, yes, it's sparkly!

  THIS is the gorgeous shawl Tamsin made me for my last birthday.  I had snapped a photo of myself wearing it as a cowl that I was sure was on my laptop, or saved on a flash drive, but I can't find it ANYWHERE!  A shot of it on my dining room table will have to do, and this photo doesn't do it justice in the least.  The colors are WAY more intense, they practically GLOW!

Edit: found the photo of myself wearing my shawl like a cowl...

  It was Tamsin's jump into blogging (and a facebook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/tamsinjuby ), that inspired me to start taking more creative time for myself, and to share it with the world again.  Look out for some collaborations in the near future, too - we've got things in the works!

  Follow her blog and/or her facebook fanpage to see her latest creations (and contact her about purchasing), read her entertaining anecdotes, and just be inspired by the beauty that can come from two hands and a crochet hook!

A Look Back

  Back when I used to have a ton of time to devote to my craft (read: unemployed and single), I spent entire days in my tiny art room, and entire evenings perfecting the photos of my work with Photoshop.  Some of these photos have made their way to my personal deviantArt account, and many were posted on my now-deleted old blog. 
  I find looking back at the many different things I'd created in the past helps motivate me to pull more magic out of my hat.  Let's take a peek at some of my favourite creative memories...

These little gems made of recycled CDs are hanging up in my own jewelry box!

Repurposing puzzle pieces lets me make jewelry, and satisfy my painting bug!

Embroidery floss-covered beaded necklace close-up:

And lastly, my Tetris-inspired necklace of 2011

Do you find that looking back on your past accomplishments inspires to you move forward onto new ones?

Welcome to my World!

  Hello, cyber world!
  My name is Ghia B, and I like to make pretty things!

  I've been creating jewelry and hair accessories since I was a little girl.  After years of creating, doing local craft fairs, and showing off my designs on the web (on deviantArt, and on a previous blog), I suddenly found that "real" life took over what I'd been treating as a hobby, so for a while I ceased to play in my art room.

  NOT creating doesn't suit me too well, so I've decided recently to MAKE time.  I'd always dreamed of seeing my designs in stores, in magazines, and on tv, but even if that never happens, so long as there are people out there who enjoy wearing my unique baubles, and as long as I still feel the joy in creating them, it's time worth taking!

  So please, sit back, and follow along as I take you along my journey back into the creative world, and try to turn it into an (eventually) full-time business dream!

When the art room is messy like this, that means magic is happening!  Stay tuned!