LaSidi

Febuary again, still disappeared

2011-02-28T21:46:00.002+01:00

No excuses.

Just a detail of my carpet and hopes of getting back where I left it quite soon.

Happy new year

2011-01-01T10:00:00.001+01:00

My best wishes to all people for this new year.
Peace be upon us all and peace for all that have left us along the way.

May we all be blessed, protected and guided,

may we all be conscious and grateful,
may we find ourselves a bit more each day,
may we let the best of us bloom,
may we be loving, understanding and accepting
but may we know when the need to fight.

Just a detail

2010-02-28T10:00:00.001+01:00

Basic compositions

2010-02-27T10:00:00.002+01:00

Once I have combined fabric by colour and texture, I roughly plan out my basic composition and cut the fabric if it's too large. I make lots of rough compositions at this stage because pulling out all my fabrics, really invades my living space and I can't do it too often! This way, I can now put most the remaining fabric back in the cupboard and continue to work with my selections, which are neatly grouped and piled.

This time, I didn't continue, so they were all put in the fabric bags box, which lives on one of the shelves in my workspace. I'm excited to open it up again soon and reveal all the little combinations I put away almost a year ago! Each one will continue to change individually, a background will be added and it will be turned in to a unique Lasidi bag or who knows what. I'll show you when I get round to it!

Fabric combinations

2010-02-26T10:00:00.000+01:00

When I have all the fabrics at sight, I can choose my favourite combinations for colour and texture and put them together. This is when the colour organization really starts to rebel!

Fabrics

2010-02-24T10:12:00.000+01:00

My fabrics live in their own cupboard, dedicated to materials. They come from many places and have been collected during most my life. Lots of them have a story of their own before arriving in my hands. Some are inherited from my granny, some come from clothing or upholstery, some have been found rummaging in exotic boxes in second hand stores, some just come to me because people know I'll like them and some I buy because of their beauty or strength. I try and keep them organized by colours but sometimes they try and rebel.

When I'm going to make new compositions, they all come out of the cupboard and here you can see them on my table.

One year ago!

2010-02-23T10:00:00.002+01:00

I was sorting out my process pictures and I found some from the last time I sat down to make fabric bags. They are from March 2009! I only made a couple of new ones but what I did do is finish all those ones that were half made, and prepare for the next time. Who would know nearly a whole year would go by! As soon as I'm polymer clay finished, I will get to it again so in the mean time I'll try and post about the preparations I made and I'll also show you my favourite finished bags from the past, as I have just realized I've never yet posted about bags on this blog.

A picture of my table in March 2009, just about to pull everything out and begin working.

Buttons in detail

2010-02-19T10:43:00.001+01:00

I never showed you these..

2010-02-18T11:28:00.003+01:00

I'm finishing a new batch of jewellery and I realized I never showed you these pieces from the last batch. I really don't like the pink background but I cannot reshoot, so here you are.

New buttons

2010-02-10T22:14:00.002+01:00

Clay canes

2010-01-22T10:00:00.001+01:00

Clay canes

2010-01-20T10:00:00.002+01:00

Beads in process

2010-01-18T10:00:00.002+01:00

I've got to make some more polymer clay jewellery. It's very slowly on the way. Here are some beads for earrings that just came out the oven.

Buttons

2010-01-17T10:00:00.000+01:00

I've been out of buttons for a long time now. I've nearly finished a new little batch but waiting for some sun to get nicer pictures. Here you can see a few of them just after being cured.

Winter days

2010-01-15T10:16:00.001+01:00

I've never seen it rain so much and for so long here. I'm not used to the cold, short, grey and wet winter days. I'm longing for the sun again.

This is the view from my window. Last week we even got some snow! That was a nice change.

Happy new year

2010-01-01T10:00:00.002+01:00

My best wishes to all people for this new year.
Peace be upon us all and peace for all that have left us along the way.

May we all be blessed, protected and guided,
may we all be conscious and grateful,
may we understand ourselves and what surrounds us
a bit more each day,
may we stop the fighting from within,
may our hearts be respectful and strong,
may we live to love,
may we see and share the beauty in all things
and in that which we cannot see.

Rombo scarves

2009-12-26T10:00:00.001+01:00

Light, fun and funky Rombo scarves, made from merino wool and hand painted silk squares that I felted together diagonally.

Bit bigger merry Christmas

2009-12-25T10:00:00.000+01:00

Today is a special day for many people around the whole world and I would like to send my best wishes to everyone. I hope we all enjoy with the loved people who are in our hearts. Merry Christmas!

Those pictures in the last post are a bit small so here I'm showing you some bigger.

Nuno

2009-12-24T10:00:00.000+01:00

I started several nuno pieces in summer but for now these are the only two completely finished. I like the contrast created between the silk and the wool. As the wool felts and shrinks, the silk has to adapt creating beautiful screwed up and pleated textures.

Felt Chip necklaces

2009-12-22T10:00:00.000+01:00

And a couple of Felt Chips. These two are bigger and more chunky than usual.

Flat Pebble earrings

2009-12-21T10:00:00.000+01:00

And also some new earrings.

Flat Pebble necklaces

2009-12-20T10:00:00.000+01:00

Here are the ones I finished. The rest are stil in the mat.

A beading session: Flat Pebble necklaces in process

2009-12-19T10:00:00.000+01:00

At the beginning, all is neat and tidy. You can see in this picture my beading boxes. They store beautiful stones and beads, silver findings and my own pieces of felt. I use a fabric mat, it stores rolled up with my unfinished pieces, until the next time it comes out. This time there was not too much in it.

I missed a few pictures but anyway.. boxes are open, pebbles selected for each necklace and combined with stones and beads. Each one has its own way and its own time.

Gradually, the mat is fuller and all the beads are more mixed up. Many necklaces are put together and many new ideas have come up but none of them get finished. They all still need to be completed and they all need clasps. Then the mat is rolled up until it comes out again.

Sorting out pebbles

2009-12-18T10:00:00.000+01:00

Remember all those pebbles I made in summer? Well, at some point since then and now I sorted them all separating colours and picking best combinations for necklaces and earrings. I then stored them and left them waiting for the next beading session, which I will show you in the next post.

Long time, no see..

2009-12-17T11:08:00.000+01:00

Hi! I'm sorry for my absence. I'm still here, still working.. just missing a bit of time for sharing with you. Busy times right now but remembering you. I've still to show you my summer felt production. Not all was finished but some of it was. I'm now working on other things, mainly polymer clay, and my blog is behind me again. These days I've been programming some posts to show you and try and catch up while I continue to work.

Beautiful detail of a beautiful tree that lives here in Granada.

Abstract brooches

2009-11-20T10:00:00.000+01:00

Winter Flowers

2009-11-19T22:06:00.004+01:00

Monday morning, here again

2009-11-09T08:43:00.001+01:00

I'ts been a beautiful journey. I'm slowly trying to settle back, still feeling quite overwhelmed.

I'm gone

2009-10-21T16:30:00.000+02:00

I'm traveling until the beginning of November. Please wish for me a safe and beneficial journey.

Felted jewellery

2009-10-21T10:30:00.000+02:00

Last year I defined the jewellery series I would make. They are basic guidelines, still giving me freedom in each individual piece and allowing me to evolve.

Pebbles series is made with my felted pebbles combined with glass or stone beads. They can be beaded sideways or lay flat exposing the surface (Flat Pebbles).

Cuadrados is the same but using cut squares instead of pebbles.

Felt Chip is made from woollen chips combined with semiprecious stone chips.

Textile Tender combines flat felt strips with beads and beading.

Beautiful buttons

2009-10-20T18:23:00.000+02:00

I had someone interested in my buttons for retailing in a fabric shop. That’s talking wholesale. I’ve already turned down two possible wholesale customers in the past year because I felt unprepared, my production is not big enough and my prices are not marked to allow such big discounts. I should stop doing this soon, I think I’m slowly getting there.

Look, this is the sample I sent. I’m hoping she will be back, just need to make some more buttons! ;)

Connecting Facebook to your blog

2009-10-19T19:44:00.005+02:00

If you blog and have a Facebook fan page, here is a nice way to save some time and keep up to date. Your Facebook page can import all your blog entries just by adding the notes application. This way your facebook page will automatically post your blog entries on all your Facebook fans homepage.

What is nuno felting?

2009-10-16T16:30:00.002+02:00

It’s usually called nuno felting when a fabric is felted in with the wool using the wet technique. The finer the fabric, the easier it is for the wool fibres to penetrate and attach.

What is felt and felting?

2009-10-15T18:57:00.000+02:00

Felt is basically tangled fibres. It can occur naturally, given the time, but what we usually call felting is encouraging the fibres to tangle and stay pressed together. When working with wool there are two main ways: dry felting and wet felting.

Dry felting is done with the help of special needles that pull the fibres when you poke. It’s also called needle felting.

Wet felting encourages the wool to shrink and tangle by friction with warm water and soap.

A little preview

2009-10-14T22:19:00.000+02:00

A bit about wool

2009-10-13T19:02:00.001+02:00

Wool is a natural fibre and it comes from sheep. It's their hair and just as we have different kinds of hair, so do sheep. The natural colours go from creamy white and greys to beiges and browns and it can be longer or shorter, very soft or quite ruff. Wool is sheered off the sheep and then cleaned and usually combed to align all the fibres in the same direction or carded to make loose flat sheets. Among other things, it can then be felted or spun to make yarn.

In these pictures the wool of four sheep has been washed and is drying in the sun. It still needs to be combed to align fibres and to get rid of some more countryside! This is local wool from close to where I live. Sheep here are bread mostly for cheese and meat. The wool is pretty ruff and usually ends up going to waste… so there I was to grab some! There is a funny little adventure story behind this wool, maybe one day I’ll tell you about it.

October post

2009-10-06T20:25:00.004+02:00

Not been posting much but still here. Summer left suddenly and autum came with cold and rain and grey days... now the sun has come out again.
For the last month and between quite a few social events and trying to have a little brake, I've been sorting out finished from unfinished felt (still triying to finish some more), making felted jewellery, finishing off flowers and making brooches, taking pictures of finished items when the sun is out and croping and cleaning them up mostly when the moon is out, listing new items in my shops, packaging and storing them and restocking up with supplies. I currently have a jumble of all those different stages... but no pictures to show you. I'll take some if the sun stays out.
I still didn't reorganize, I just put my old messy full of ideas list to the side and started a new provisional one (best way to reset priorities)
I still didn't get my polymer clay out, but I impecably cleaned up for it. I need to get started, I'm supposed to make a piece for that exhibition... I should also make more buttons and a new batch of jewellery. I want to make some clay pebbles to include with my felted pebbles.
I have to update my gallery.

My good bye summer picture.

The wasps chose Shakespeare

2009-09-08T23:39:00.001+02:00

I've always found insects to be really amazing little creatures, but when it comes to wasps I can’t avoid fear. There is a terrible allergy running in my family and I'm yet to be stung...
The first time I saw one of these black wasps I was quite terrified but this summer I have grown used to them and even managed to admire their delicate split body and gracefully hanging legs, as they decided to nest inside my mother’s house! The last time I was there, a nest had recently been discovered on one of the bookshelves (obviously Shakespeare hadn’t been read in a while..) and even having an allergy, my mum sprayed the nest with no wasps on it, so the little creatures spent the few days I was there flying in, out and around the house looking for a new place to nest. They tried under the chimney, on a lamp wire and in many other places but always at some moment came back to an infected nest having to keep on looking for a new place. This weekend they where not around, so I guess they finally understood they were not welcome inside. The book was still on a window shelf waiting to be dealt with so I took some pictures of their amazing mud construction.

Look, look, look!

2009-09-07T10:30:00.000+02:00

Such beautiful details!

Winter flowers

2009-09-06T10:30:00.001+02:00

Colourful and woollen, the most special also made with silk, these little ones are just a couple steps away from becoming beautiful winter flowers.

Felt and silk fabrics

2009-09-05T10:30:00.001+02:00

These are medium to thick felt fabrics with hand painted silk set inside. I like the effect of the silk screwing up as the wool shrinks and felts. I still need to find the best use for them; I’ve been told I should not cut them up and that’s just what I was going to do…

Thick layered felt

2009-09-04T22:13:00.000+02:00

For my Felt Chip jewellery.

The washing line

2009-09-04T10:30:00.000+02:00

I only use the washing line in the middle stages. When items are completely finished they must dry laying flat.

On the table

2009-09-03T12:11:00.000+02:00

Yes, he was also on the table ‘helping’ me take pictures, but that’s not what I was going to show you. I was supposed to show you my table every now and then but I only did it once, so here is a little resume. By the way, this is Congo. He’s usually behind the scenes, not on top of them!

Rombo scarves in process.

Lines scarves in process.

Making thin prefelts and at the far back, this years nuno experiments.

Easy and practical: scheduling posts

2009-09-02T18:31:00.003+02:00

I must say I always saw that word 'schedule' at the top of the edit posts page and wondered how it worked but never got round to stop and figure it out. Well, a few days ago while preparing all those scarves posts it just came in to my mind to try putting a future date in the post options.. and taraaa.. my post was scheduled! So simple.. so easy.. so practical.. can't believe I never discovered that before! I will use it so much! In fact, I'm going away this weekend but I have so much to show you I will leave those days programmed with a bit more of my little summer felt production.
See that beautiful leaping pod? That's where I'll be going!

Nice news, I've been featured!

2009-09-02T10:36:00.000+02:00

I love being featured because I get to read about my work from a different point of view, and from that there is always something to learn. Also, when words are nice, they instantly bring a great big feeling of satisfaction and that's good and keeps motivation going. Trying to get out there, be seen and sell ones own handmade items online takes a lot of time, work and effort (at least for me) and all support is truly appreciated. So there goes a really big THANK YOU to Sara for my lovely feature on her blog 5 o'clock crows. You can see my feature by clicking on the picture at the right and I recommend you take a look in Sara's shop, full of beautiful and functional textiles.

Tessellated shawl

2009-09-01T20:44:00.000+02:00

Bright, colourful and tessellated!
45 x 180 cm. Ponge 5

Little Lines shawls

2009-09-01T11:10:00.001+02:00

Little Lines is my excuse to play with rhythm, movement and colour. Each little line is a brush stroke of hot wax between layers of colour. I must have been in a smooth mood when I painted these cause I made them bold, soft and chromatic, as opposed to my usual contrasts.

45 x 180 cm. Crepe de china 12

45 x 165 cm. Crepe de china 10

Squares & Lines shawl

2009-08-31T18:34:00.000+02:00

40 x 150 cm. Crepe de chine 8

Circles & Lines shawls

2009-08-31T16:14:00.000+02:00

Soft and sweet and special this one... full of bubbles but trying to keep in line.
40 x 150 cm. Crepe de china 8.

Symmetrical wavy lines and circles.
40 x 150 cm. Crepe de china 8.

Wavy Lines shawl

2009-08-31T01:35:00.000+02:00

45 x 180 cm. Crepe satin 12.5

Batik Spot shawls

2009-08-30T16:47:00.000+02:00

45 x 180 cm. ponge 5

Batik Spot scarves

2009-08-30T16:46:00.000+02:00

90 x 90 cm. ponge 5

Little Batik Spots

2009-08-30T07:05:00.001+02:00

Batik spots on little neck scarves. I played with the folding and the spots. I got simple lines, circles, zigzags and squares. I made some in two colours and some just one. I used acid dyes this time.

55 x 55 cm. ponge 5

35 x 130 cm. ponge 5

Sin titulo

2009-08-29T22:13:00.001+02:00

Gone back… last reorganizing was in May, so it’s quite normal that I’m a bit lost right now ;) Looking through files I realized I never showed you my last batch of scarves and that’s what I’ll be doing next.

Buy the way, I got a treasury today!

Today

2009-08-22T23:57:00.001+02:00

Today is a special day and I’m feeling good, so I don’t mind being really behind on my schedule. I’ve been working quite a bit and the more I work the more ideas come in to my head and I want to experiment more and make more things! Just don’t have time to keep you fully updated at real time. I’m not sure two months have gone by yet but I need to reorganize my priorities again. My ‘to do list’ is so full with notes and ideas I can hardly understand it any more. To many things in my head, specially with the new project, lots of things to be finished off, lots of pictures to be taken and lots of people to thank.

Stashed in files

2009-08-19T23:57:00.001+02:00

I went looking for polymer clay in my files today. I knew I had something but did not remember what. I found these two simple compositions made from paper, netting and polymer clay. I made them over four years ago and there they are stashed in one of my files. Just thought I should show you.

New project

2009-08-18T23:04:00.000+02:00

Nice news! I’ve been invited by the International Polymer Clay Association to make a piece for an Exhibition in Baltimore, Maryland in February 2010. They encourage exploring polymer clay mixed with other media and this fits in perfectly for me as I will be able to explore relations between my life time hobby and my current passion. I have only just started; I've made a few experimental samples and I managed to send the info detailing my project within the established date. Yay! I have already received confirmation, so now I have until November to explore, experiment and define a final piece for the exhibition.

On the table

2009-08-15T16:38:00.006+02:00

Pebbles

2009-08-14T23:50:00.003+02:00

The washing line

2009-08-14T23:48:00.000+02:00

What is screen printing?

2009-08-04T01:05:00.010+02:00

Screen printing is a technique derived from stencils. The basic difference is that the ink goes through a fine tensed mesh. Originally this mesh was made from silk, hence the name ‘silk screen printing’, but nowadays it has been substituted by synthetic fibres that maintain tension even when wet. This mesh is held tense by a frame, forming the screen.

The process to obtain the printed image consists on blocking the parts of the screen that must not be printed with an emulsion or varnish. Then the screen is laid on the surface to be printed and ink is forced though the mesh, with the help of a flat rubber blade, passing only where the screen was not blocked, and printing only the image. If the image has more than one colour, one screen will be needed for each and all of them must contain a registration code so that the image will coincide exactly. In the modern days, it’s not even necessary to draw directly on the screen; it’s normally blocked by using a light sensible emulsion and a photolithograph of the image. This means any image can be easily transferred on to the screen.

Screen printing allows numerous prints, without loosing definition of the image. It’s used to print on any kind of object and practically any material. It’s mostly used for decorative purposes and publicity.

This is my own design, printed at home on the long board I de-padded for my summer extension not long ago.

Labels

2009-08-01T10:14:00.003+02:00

Labels are the reason for all these changes. I want a special label for my handbags. I started research long ago but got distracted… Iron on? Woven? Printed? Laser cut? While researching, I couldn’t resist doing a few of my own…

I tried just writing with fabric pens on cotton tapes, but the more texture on the tape the more my pen bleeds, so that’s no good. Also my handwriting isn’t too nice!

So I tested my Lasidi rubber stamp, using iron fix black gutta as ink.

Cut and iron fixed, ready to sew on… that’s my result. Simple, not too bad but neither too special.

This little test made me decide on screen printed labels. I can fit lots of tags on a screen and print them myself and still play with colour and backgrounds. I can put in different sizes and shapes and they can all be different! ...And this is what got me thinking and distracted and working on a screen print version of my avatar, looking for my special label for my special bags. Now I know what I want, but still need to design the screens and get them done for me. I’ll keep you updated!

Sample of printed iron on labels I ordered to see what they were like.

The little I likes

2009-07-31T09:17:00.001+02:00

I like my new colourful blog banner. I like to read all the little I likes often cause it helps me keep motivated and working.

...updated cards and tags

2009-07-31T09:15:00.003+02:00

One change changes everything…

...updated shop banners

2009-07-31T08:46:00.003+02:00

Shop banners are also updated. I did a little banner play with the new avatar, then adjusted colours, made layers and put in textures. Etsy is looking gorgeous, Dawanda could do with a little adjustment…

New avatar...

2009-07-31T08:38:00.001+02:00

Why change? Thinking about labels… I want something I can screen print. The old one was a photograph so I adapted it, making a few changes on the way. Now it’s more graphic and I can print it. I have made a one screen one colour version and a two screen two colour version, so when I get round to it I can print my own tags and still play with colours and backgrounds. Here you can see some steps of the evolution.

I traced my foto in to lines using a vectorial program. Then I adjusted the lines, tried to simplify and after hundreds of possibilities, lots of blockeage, doubt and indecision, I finally decided on this compositon.

I then tried the two colour version and a preview of how in would print on a coloured background. I also gave it a little texture for a web and paper version.

Adding a third column to your blog template

2009-07-30T17:14:00.009+02:00

It seems someone wanted to add a third column to their blog and had a hard time finding clear instructions. With what they learnt they created Three Column Blogger, to ease this attempt for all newcomers like me. There, I found simple instructions to edit my Minima template in to three columns and then also how to adjust margins. I think it’s very easy and clear to follow the steps given and there are many different templates to modify.

Changes

2009-07-26T21:23:00.003+02:00

Those of you who have been here before will have probably noticed a few changes; I have a new colourful banner and I changed my template to three columns. I have a new avatar and updated all tags and cards to match. I’m happy with Lasidi’s new image and I think it fits in well with my work. I think I’ve finally reached a definitive appearance. I’ve also decided to focus on my textiles, which is what I most enjoy, and not get too distracted making little things that might sell. I have A LOT to update you on, but it will take me some time. In the meanwhile look what I’ve been up to!

Summer extension

2009-07-26T21:21:00.001+02:00

I’ve adapted my workspace for my summer felt production. I had a long board all nicely padded for screen printing and as I haven’t done any printing for a whole year I pulled off all the padding and put it on trestles outside my door. There is also a drain very close so my little wet mess doesn’t disturb the neighbours too much. I also strung up a drying line in the corner behind so now I have everything I need in my little summer extension! It’s great cause I also use it as a photo studio. The board gives me a white background and if I unroll the bamboo mat then I have another one! You’ll see this background in lots of my summer pictures!

Felting in July

2009-07-20T18:31:00.006+02:00

It’s strange to work with wool in hot Spanish July, but that’s just what I’m doing. Wool, warm water and soap, gauzes and bamboo mats, a long table, a close drain, a rubber mopper and a hanging rack. Strengthening my arms and also tanning my shoulders. Friction, movement, bubbles and water dripping all over my feet.

I’m making pebbles and felts for jewellery, I’m felting painted silk in to wool and making fabrics, I’m prefelting for winter scarves. I’m quite behind on my 2009 schedule so I had to skip a few things, but July is marked for felting and here I am. I’m not taking pictures all the time as it slows me down but I’ll show you my table and hanging rack every now and then.

Colour sampling

2009-07-12T16:43:00.003+02:00

I sampled a piece of each new colour of wool I ordered. On the cards I write down the supplier, the kind of wool and the colour reference if it’s dyed. This way I have my own little catalogue and I can always see where and what I bought when I need more.

...and a beautiful detail

2009-07-10T17:52:00.004+02:00

Circles & Lines shawl. 40x150 cm. Crepe de Chine 8.

A little preview...

2009-07-10T17:43:00.003+02:00

I’ve been taking pictures of scarves and I’ve got a little preview for you.

Soft Supplies

2009-07-06T09:12:00.004+02:00

The wool I ordered arrived but I couldn’t tackle it till I got all the silk scarves out the way. Now they are fixed, washed, ironed and out of the way waiting to be pictured and packaged, so I’ve pulled the wool out again. This is what I got.

It felt wonders

2009-07-04T20:07:00.004+02:00

I often start on new projects before finishing things off that are half on the way. I did it again a few weeks ago. I got my felting boxes out to see what I had, I organized it, I prepared lots of material to work with, used up most my wool and ordered lots more; I’m supposed be starting in July and I’d like to be productive this summer… Have I told you I love wool? It felt wonders to have it all out again!

I've been busy

2009-06-29T21:42:00.003+02:00

Yip! I took advantage of the fact that this was a "no distraction weekend" and worked three full long days painting scarves. Now I'm feeling very satisfied, although I’m not finished yet; I still have to fix them, remove all the wax, wash them and iron them. Then make pictures and show you!

This time I made little Batik Spots and Batik Spot scarves and shawls on thin silk. I painted Squares & Lines, Wavy Lines, Wavy Lines & Circles, Little Lines and a Tessellated shawl. I made most of them on thicker silks. I took a picture of my rack for you to see.

Etsy trades

2009-06-28T23:08:00.002+02:00

A couple of months ago I traded on Etsy. I very much enjoyed it and will probably do it again.

I traded a Batik Stripe scarf for lots of fabric covered push pins and bobby pins from LeBoutique. This was a little present for me! I like the contrast between the linen and the tapes, the lines and dots and the simple but chic! Best of all is I got lots of them for my scarf!

I traded a Tessellated neck scarf for silver wire. I got different gauges to play with and what I usually use. Beautiful solid sterling silver wire from a shop called nottoto. Supplies for Lasidi.

What is Etsy?

2009-06-28T23:00:00.005+02:00

Etsy is an online site that dedicates to 3 things: handmade items, supplies and vintage items. It’s a huge online sales platform with lots of users from all over the world, but based in the USA. It allows people who make things like me, to open up a shop for free and list items for a very reasonable price. There are also other features on Etsy but you’ll have to investigate a little to find them.
Go and have a look!

What are Etsy Treasuries?

2009-06-28T22:59:00.002+02:00

Treasuries are hand picked selections of items listed on Etsy and made by Etsy users. The treasury list is limited, in constant movement and each one only lasts for two or three days. It’s these collections that are usually chosen for the front page, so being featured in treasury lists increases the possibilities of appearing on the Etsy front page, and this means lots of visits. It’s not that easy to get a list though!
Go and have a look!

YAY !!!

2009-06-28T20:49:00.009+02:00

This weekend my triangular buttons made it to Etsy front page!! I didnt see it myself and dont have a picture, but I got lots of visits and lots of hearts! You can see the list in The Vault.

Thank you ziazia for including me in your lovely treasury!!

I've been featured!

2009-06-27T10:04:00.009+02:00

Thank you!!

A line has surely been crossed, Etsy treasury by mysticwynd, featuring my Circle shoulder bag.

Honey, Etsy treasury by ziazia, featuring my triangular buttons.

Squares & Lines batik shawl

2009-06-26T23:03:00.007+02:00

I like painting this pattern. It reminds me of ladders and its great for layering colours. This shawl is crepe de chine 8. Its my first 'not ponge' scarf. The thicker silks can hold much more colour and they are even brighter and more solid. I like it, cant wait to see the even thicker ones!

Wavy Lines & Circles neck scarves

2009-06-26T00:32:00.006+02:00

Wavy lines and circles are the excuse to colour these little ones.

Tessellated neck scarves, batik

2009-06-26T00:20:00.008+02:00

A little different but also tessellated patterns.

Tessellated neck scarves

2009-06-25T23:55:00.012+02:00

I once used tessellations as a theme for a screen printing project and designed many patterns, having to choose just one of them for printing. Now, bit by bit I’m painting all the others on silk.
I made these two in my last batch.

Finished jewellery: green

2009-06-13T13:46:00.006+02:00

See more pictures in my Flickr gallery.

Finished jewellery: red

2009-06-13T00:32:00.005+02:00

See more pictures in my Flickr gallery.

Finished jewellery: black and white

2009-06-10T09:26:00.006+02:00

... and finally posted!

See more pictures in my Flickr gallery.

Colour sampling

2009-05-28T13:04:00.002+02:00

I chose three yellows, three blues, three reds, brown and black from the colour chart, so I want to see what I really got.

I cut little pieces of four different silks to see how each one takes the colours.

I rolled them up together and dipped them in the dyes to have a little sample of each colour on the different silks.

I wrote the colour name and number on each piece. I didn’t fix my new scarves yet, so I can put these little samples in with them which is great because I’ll be testing my usual steaming process with the new dyes at the same time.

New Toys!

2009-05-25T23:03:00.008+02:00

My new dyes have arrived! And a few other fun things to play with...

Playing with photoshop

2009-05-24T00:20:00.000+02:00

Again playing with symmetry. This time I started with one of my drawings. It's a design for batik, thinking of dying in yellow, blue and black.

Playing with Photoshop

2009-05-22T12:08:00.004+02:00

Finishing off jewellery tires me more than making the beads and pieces, so every now and then I take a break and do a quick something else. I like playing around with pictures I have taken, specially doubling them up and making mosaics and patterns. I'ts a great way to get inspired!

The picture I selected.

A detail of it.

The detail, doubled up with mirror symmetry.

Same as before, but the other way round.

And doubled again.

Playing with colours and combining.

Adding findings

2009-05-22T00:10:00.001+02:00

I finished today. I'll make some pictures of the finished jewellery tomorrow and then I can cross out clay jewellery from my list!

Beads off the wire and being turned in to earrings.

Preparing cords.

Some finished, others not. Some need to be beaded, some need to be glued.

Finished beads

2009-05-22T00:01:00.002+02:00

Cured and glazed, next step is to get them off the wire and bead them up.

Painting silk with gutta

2009-05-21T08:47:00.005+02:00

I have not decided a name for this design yet but It has more of a second layer of colours than the other one.

I have applied gutta and first layer of colours.

When dry I applied more gutta and a second layer of colours. The second set of gutta lines reserve the colours of the silk underneath. The second layer of colours will add to the ones underneath. Layering colours allows playing easily with mixes. This scarf combines greens and yellows but you can also try bigger contrasts, as the colours add to each other they always contain the one underneath and will usually combine nicely.

Painting silk with gutta.

2009-05-21T08:41:00.015+02:00

These pictures are from last February. I painted lots of batik patterns for felting and a couple of gutta outline neck scarves that are still waiting to be fixed. I tried out my new system and painted some more last week so I hope I’ll fix them all together tomorrow.

Simple wooden frames on my small table; my large table is taken over by patterns, dyes, brushes, sponges, mixing tray, water, pins, scarves and usually my designs book to get me started off.

I must admit I don’t always iron the silk before stretching it, but its better to because you get rid of the folds. The other picture shows the line composition for one of my abstract yucca designs.

Stretching the silk on the frames with three point pins, from the middle to the corners.

Appliying gutta straight from a bottle for a thicker line. Thin silks are very transparent so placing the pattern underneath (not touching) is enough to transfer the lines.

Applied gutta and colours. I don’t have all the colours, I like mixing my own. I also use brushes, sponges and an ice cube tray or bowls for mixing.

First layer of colours.

Once dry I added more gutta and a second layer of colour.

Reorganizing update

2009-05-19T09:32:00.006+02:00

I have reset Lasidi’s priorities and have lots of work to do. Apart from having to do a big ‘spring clean’ in my shops, updating accountings, finding the right name for collections and standardising my basic descriptions, I’m upgrading all my silk painting and researching to finally label my bags. I’ll be looking back at my little ‘blog plan of action’ and posting a lot so that this blog isn’t three months behind me! Lasidi’s little production department (that’s me as well) is busy mounting polymer clay with findings and painting and fixing new silks. It’s also now a priority to slowly translate everything in to Spanish, as closing Ebay (now, a whole year ago) has completely cut out my Spanish online sales venue. Once translated, I will have to make some new decisions…

New Cards

2009-05-10T12:58:00.009+02:00

I've run out of little cards! I've also changed my bottom line again, so I've had to redesign some new ones. These are my finalists for now but I'll also print some of the others as a trial and then decide which I keep when I see them on paper.

Clay canes and raw clay

2009-05-09T21:51:00.007+02:00

I've nearly finished my polymer clay, still busy reorganizing... so no comments today, just lots of little pictures!