MAD DREAM DESIGN: create

Pages

Showing posts with label create. Show all posts

Create Every Day Project

Who has time to create every day???
I think we all do!

Or I think it is important that we do create every day...to stay connected, to get inspired, to get exposure to new things, and to not give up. We are all creatives and there is always time to create, you just have to tell ourselves there is and then make the time.

I have a chalkboard by our side door and for the past couple of months it has had this quote on it:

"You do have time to create."
It is my daily reminder.

After a bit of creative U-Turn a couple of weeks ago, I decided it was important that I just to stay creative, doing even the littlest thing each day (I have to remind myself of this constantly). This was mostly inspired by Week 10 in The Artist's Way, and this post on my friend Allie's blog, Between Dreams.

Here is the list Allie posted:

Photo Credit: Between Dreams

I love this list for a few reasons.
1. It show we are all creatives.
2. A few things are already things we like doing daily.
3. It keeps it simple.
I also love #2, 24, 29, 32.

I have been finding that we can make being creative into something extremely complicated...when in reality, it couldn't be simpler. I went to art school...your creativity had some pressure put on because your grades mattered. I work as a graphic designer, some pressure is put on my creativity to make sure I preform. These things complicate creativity.

Okay, I am not talking about work or school...I am talking about fun creative things to keep me inspired. The one thing I miss most about working in graphic design is working with my hands, getting them dirty and moving around a shop. Love that. That is where jewelry comes in for me. I just have to make sure I do a little bit every week. It is hard when life gets in the way...paddling, work, exercise, friends, family, pets, traveling, planning my wedding (oh ya...) and eating!!
But it is worth it.

Create Every Day Project

So where does the project fit in?

In order to make sure I am creating daily, I am starting the Create Every Day Project. The CEDP will be a weekly post featuring what I am working on (things in progress), what I created the previous week (finished projects), how I got inspired (what I have found), or maybe even a tutorial on how I made something (so you can make it too). I am interested to see what all the weeks will end up looking like, all the different ways I find myself creating, and how it will keep me honest about creating. I think it will be a lot of fun!

Would you like to join in on this project? Should we do a link up party, so we can share all of our projects each week? Leave your thoughts and comments below. I look forward to sharing my projects with you!

Create Every Day // Craftcation :: Part 2

If you missed Part 1 you can find it here!

Craftcation // Part 2
the crafts.

In today's part of this series I am going to tell you all about the wonderful crafts you can find at Craftcation. Well, the name kind of says it all...right? You can basically find any craft here, but it is still fun to learn a little bit about each one.

Book Binding
Scrapbooking
Sewing - like a 3 hour skirt and a fun clutch
Reverse applique and Embroidery
Knitting
Paper projects
Macrame
Preserves
Needle Felting
Soap and Candle making
Fermentation
Rosettes
Letterpress
Printmaking
Pickling
Homemade Carmel Sauce and Ice Cream

Do you want to go yet? I want to go back! Those are just most of the craft classes offered at Craftcation...they also have business classes - anything and everything you could think when owning your own craft biz (Part 3...coming soon!).

So which classes did I go to?

Well, I don't really do sewing...so maybe I should have taken the crash course they offered, but I tend to steer clear of the sewing machines. I love food, so should have gotten in on some of that caramel sauce and ice cream, but I didn't. Maybe these are good things for next year...

Bookbinding - a fun little book made with cereal boxes
Needle Felting - poking wool with a needle - a sure good release
Traveler's Daybook - A scrapbook on the go
Candle Making - what to do with all those old candles you have laying around...

Bookbinding
In this class we learned how to do a 7 hole pamphlet stitch.
The materials we used were:
Cereal boxes - cover
Paper - pamphlet
waxed linen - stitch
we also used a bone fold (oh so fun) and a punch
With all of this we made these great little pamphlets for taking notes and storing cards. So many ways you can elaborate on this project...especially if you like a good notebook...like I do.

c/o Craftcation and Neon Sprinkles Studio

Needle Felting
What is there not to love about continually stabbing wool with a needle??? Anyone...yeah did not think so. I fell in love with needle felting at Cal State Long Beach while taking a fibers class. I have no memory of what I made, but I know I loved the feeling of it. So when I say this on the schedule I was all over it. Angharad was showing us how to make cute little owls so I decided to follow suit because I have always thought it would be fun to needle felt animals...especially woodland creatures...don't ask me why, but I just think the medium lends itself nicely to those animals. Anyway here is my little owl. We used wool, a needle felting needle, and foam for this project.

Traveler's Daybook
With the one and only Amy Tan! This class was so fun...her classes always are. Her mama comes to help her out and it just all about having fun with it! This class was for a traveler's daybook...so a quick and easy on the go type of scrapbook, so you still have those great memories when you get back from the trip. I love scrapbooking, but have not had time for it in quite a few years...I keep a lot of things though, so this is perfect for me! I made one for all of our camp trips in the next year or so. We go to use a lot of her supplies from her American Crafts collection. Check out her website Amy Tangerine! Here is how my book turned out.

View from our hotel room in the background!

Soy Candles 101
In this class we got to do a few different things with candles. We got to melt down wax, scent it and then pour it, after decorating it a bit. We also got roll beeswax into candles and learn how to make fire starters (awesome!). Here is my soy candle...it smells like cherry...yum!

My mom took some of the same classes but she also did some fun sew classes, block printing and paper projects - like this card! I mean really? :)

c/o Linsi Brownson via Craftcation Instagram

What craft classes would you like to take? What are you making this week? This week I have been focusing on making, or more specifically, the word maker. This word was a big deal at Craftcation, because we are all makers.

xo,

52 Lists // Week 13

Mad Dream Design is linking up with Moorea Seal for the 52 Lists project every Wednesday!

Week 13

List the things you want to make.

jewelry. style.

prints. 2D designs.

cards. lists.

a home. a sanctuary.

fun printables.

paint the walls.

fountains for our yards.

wood chimes for our yards.

fun blogs. web designs.

a composter.

an improved garden. herbs.

a meaningful life.

my wedding. stationary.

healthy dinners.

pottery on a wheel.

heartfelt words.

my business. my brand.

art. inspiration.

beautiful things.

an awesome get away plan.

a family of my own.

the best of this life.

photographs of good memories.

a great wardrobe for myself.

my own motivation.

Challenge

I am going to make my Etsy Shop happen!

What will you be making this weekend?

xo,

52 Lists Project // Week 10

Week 10
the ways you can cleanse for spring.

yoga once a week.
organize my photos - redo hallway photos.
organize my external hard drive. oh boy.
paint the bathroom and the guest bedroom.
take a camp trip with Jimi and Ozzie.
take longer walks with Ozzie. (when his knee feels better)
get a little vitamin D.
mop the floors.
buy bookkeeping software!
get all of our music (CDs) on to the computer. le sigh.
hang our hammock....ahem (Jimi).
sew a few things that need mending.
breathe in the fresh air.
eat healthier.
decorate for spring.
get a pedicure.
keep running/walking.
figure out a composting bin. install it.
fountains and wood wind chimes for our yards. i need those sounds in my life...now.
polish my wood furniture.
family time.

Okay I love cleaning...it is one of my favorite things to do when I am mad or I just need to clear my head. So you are not going to see a ton of typical cleaning things on my list. The kitchen is almost always clean and so is my desk/bench. I spent a lot of time in the second half of last year organizing everything in our house. I am most did a series of posts on it...but it was just way to much to share. There are still a few spots that need help, but for the most part everything has its home and that makes me really happy...I know I am weird. :)

Not all spring cleansing has to do with cleaning. There are those good self care items that go such a long way when we do them regularly or even occasionally as a boost. Then there are always those constant reminders that go on every list - like eat healthier and take longer walks - I must sound like a broken record toward myself.

What are some of your favorite spring cleansing tasks?

The Challenge
this week I will spring cleanse by....
getting a little Vitamin D...there is suppose to be so much sun this week in SoCal.
(i feel like this may be cheating....)

Enjoy!

The Latest...

....from Mad Dream Design.

I have been working on these for some time for Jimi's sister and was finally able to finish and give them to her this weekend! This weekend got me really excited about a certain direction I am going to be taking with my shop to get her started. I am looking forward to sharing that with you soon! These are a Sneak Peak:

The Arrow Drop Earrings by Maddie Dierkes of Mad Dream Design

All I have to say is... Simple. Elegant. Classic.

Another little Sneak Peak:

I have found some great inspiration and ideas for my blog from the No Brainer Blog, by Hayley Morgan, at the thetingtwig.com! If you are a blogger, or are looking to start a blog, this is a great book (so far!), and I highly recommend taking a look at it. It offers great insight on how to give your blog a cohesive brand or direction through your own voice. You will start to see a few changes around here, starting in the new year, just because of this book!

Enjoy!

Shop. Goals. Craftcation.

I had fun in my shop two weekends ago....organizing. I love to organize and I love knowing everything has a home...that makes sense. My shop was in major need of organization and it is so nice to go in there now.

Now that I have all the tools, materials, design ideas, website, etsy shop, marketing materials and the shop pretty much done, I can actually start concentrating on the not so fun stuff. My goal for the next month is to get my business license (that entails a lot of things I have come to find out)! Once that is done I can then start concentrating my limited time to actually building up inventory and getting it up on the shop. My goal is to have it all up and running by Craftcation 2013! Here's to 2013 goals already starting to come to life!

This goal maybe a bit ambitious, but I am really looking forward to it (maybe not the paperwork part), and this is what I am really passionate about it, so why not make it ambitious?

Having everything setup by the time I get to Craftcation will make it all the more fun! I will actually get to show the work I do and get my name out there, and be able to represent myself properly.

Here is a little video about Craftcation! Really will be in need of this conference come March!

Shop Progress

I am going to have my whole jewelry shop set up in my garage by this weekend, sans anvil and metal shear, but I have to say that is pretty close to done. There is always room for improvement and those are at the top of the list.

I am so excited to be able to go out to my garage and just make stuff whenever I want! I will post pictures soon once it is all set up! I am also in the process of picking the name for my design company and getting business cards printed.

Here is a little preview of me at work and the earrings I am about to finish for a fundraiser that is coming up May 12th.

Enjoy!