Lots of cardmaking and stamping…

Scraps of paper and material…

…turned into a little journal. It’s a bit flimsy because of the one strip of support. I think I’ll have to stick with larger journals with two strips at least…I suppose super tiny journals aren’t exactly so usable either!

Of course, I’m still making my leather journals…working away…

Happy Thursday to all and have fun in your creative space. Check out many other spaces at kootoyoo.

I know it’s probably been done before. These matroyshka dolls were all in trend and they were drawn, painted, collage and sewn probably a million times over. I found myself thinking that it’s been done, so I have to skip over it. But then I thought…what?! Nothing is original, right? Why should I personally miss out, just because someone else did it already. I mean, I can explore the topic myself and probably get a lot out of the experience. Let’s not rain on our own parades…don’t stop!

I would like to proclaim to the world with fisted-hand, “Oh yes I can sew leather – muhahahah!” Perhaps a bit dramatic, but it really got me thinking about breaking the rules. I don’t mean to put yourself in harm and if I break a needle and it flies into my arm I will be kicking myself, I’m sure (eek!) I mean for us to break the rules we’ve created artificially and to not follow the regulations just because it’s the norm. To go beyond expectations…that’s the only way we will grow and learn, right?

I want to thank everyone for commenting on my post yesterday – I was frustrated with a little drawing that didn’t go as planned and going along with today’s thought of breaking the rules, I realized that I created a random expectation for myself and going out of that regulated space made me feel uncomfortable. I like to draw little cute subjects and create a fantasy optimistic world of smiling little girls. Of course, that’s not the only subject that comes out of me and at times I can get angry and feel a bit down as well. There isn’t a rule or regulation about subject matter that should be directing my art…why did I insist on wanting to be the same? Break out of your own rules, I say! Funny how we box ourselves in at times…but thankfully we can also ponder ourselves out as well.

Hello folks! This week I need to focus on a lot of different crucial projects, so will be posting little photo snapshots of my daily works in progress. This will let me concentrate on my work as well as share a bit with all of you. Ciao ciao!

]]> http://www.tortagialla.com/2010/07/09/week-of-work-in-progress-%e2%80%93-friday/feed/ 8 http://www.tortagialla.com/2010/07/08/week-of-work-in-progress-thursday/ http://www.tortagialla.com/2010/07/08/week-of-work-in-progress-thursday/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:02:19 +0000 linda http://www.tortagialla.com/?p=1321 Hello folks! This week I need to focus on a lot of different crucial projects, so will be posting little photo snapshots of my daily works in progress. This will let me concentrate on my work as well as share a bit with all of you. Ciao ciao!]]>

Hello folks! This week I need to focus on a lot of different crucial projects, so will be posting little photo snapshots of my daily works in progress. This will let me concentrate on my work as well as share a bit with all of you. Ciao ciao!

Hello folks! This week I need to focus on a lot of different crucial projects, so will be posting little photo snapshots of my daily works in progress. This will let me concentrate on my work as well as share a bit with all of you. Ciao ciao!

Hello folks! This week I need to focus on a lot of different crucial projects, so will be posting little photo snapshots of my daily works in progress. This will let me concentrate on my work as well as share a bit with all of you. Ciao ciao!

Hello folks! This week I need to focus on a lot of different crucial projects, so will be posting little photo snapshots of my daily works in progress. This will let me concentrate on my work as well as share a bit with all of you. Ciao ciao!

Although I’ve used a sewing machine before, I’m a total newbie and doing all kinds experiments and tests to learn more. Beware of trying to sew too fast or through bizarre materials though…I’ve already been near breaking the needle – eek!

I tried some freehand kind of sewing to draw with the thread, but at some point I really have to figure out how to change the foot part for that purpose…I haven’t exactly gone through the manual yet.

I’m totally having fun just sewing paper though. I love the look and it’s so simple to create a nice texture for any kind of project. There’s something about the thread running through that adds such a handmade touch to things. At the same time, even a cheapie sewing machine has fancy stitch settings, so I was able to create really nice borders as well.

I also tried to sew a leather bag as a test, but confused myself with the whole lining inside, flipping over issue…oif! You can see it’s unfinished at the top straps that I tied up. I have realized leather is super slippery as well, so you can’t readily sew two pieces together so easily. I would need some special attachment I’m sure, but sewing designs into just one piece of leather seems to be okay. More tests…experiments…trials needed! The rest of my space has stacks of paper and leather to be made into journals…as always!

Finally, I just wanted to share this baby tomato growing on our terrace! I remember gardening as a kid with my dad and it seemed really easy to me. Maybe my dad did all the work I didn’t notice, because it’s a lot harder here or perhaps our terrace just seems to have harsher weather conditions as well. This baby tomato is only the size of my thumb…but it’s a start! Hope you all are having fun and making progress in your creative space. You can see many other creative spaces over at kootoyoo as well. Ciao ciao!