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Simply fantastic!

Ani — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:17:46 +0000

A friend showed me yesterday something wonderful that I would like to share with you.
I am in awe, amazed by the artwork of Irma:

This one especially brings back memories from my childhood with grandma:

All the beautiful clay illustrations can be seen here: DePlastilina.

Great, huh?

The Princess’ wardrobe

Ani — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:35:40 +0000

This weekend went totally under the shadow of the government elections here. What made it brighter were the birthdays of two of our closest friends.
I found a good idea in Papercraft Inspirations magazine. My .net colleagues gave me subscription for it as a present for my own birthday last year. I developed a bit the idea for this greeting card and that’s how it ended:

It was a lot of fun to make.

I was thinking how much she is going to like it, although not perfect – the reason is lack of some important tools.

I wanted it to remind her of a typical girlish childhood.

What was the present for the other friend in Sunday? Will show you right now, hold on for a while.

Days of inspiration and thoughts

Ani — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:23:11 +0000

Working and editing. Drawing, sleeping and dreaming. Digging up old drawings, memories and thoughts.
Finding unexpected and forgotten things, like these Rabbit Peter’s pictures:

I’ve met for the first time Beatrix Potter and her lovely little friends when I was in high schoold and a classmate gave me her book.
There’s lovely movie about this gorgeous woman, don’t miss it – “Miss Potter” will tell you more about her than I can.

I fell in love with her amazing and delicate illustrations and style. Often tried to redraw them from reference.
Also her name sounds nice to me, so close connected with pottery.

The bikes are dusted off and wait for us to ride away again…
Well, it needs good health to be able to do every little thing…

Tales in pictures

Ani — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:29:01 +0000

First try to make “soft” picture… Not very good, I’m afraid, mostly because I messed the sewing technique, but next time will make it better.
I like the little cockerel, though. Every morning it makes me smile.

I love to find new ways to use some things from the house. Just recently I wanted to make something from felt, but I didn’t have any, so I just thought I could use some kitchen towels. It worked out well:

You can use them to apply or sew on cards or bags or whatever you want. I still didn’t use them, indeed.

And these are (or were) some mini-cakes, made last month. I remembered them now, as I’m craving for something sweet:

They are so easy to make – like a piece of cake.

Clay play

Ani — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:21:04 +0000

I guess I’ve got more things to show than time and will to do it. Good news is, from time to time I remember that this site needs some update.
Let’s check what’s happening around lately…

My fingers are nervous. They don’t want to be bored, so they always find something to do…
That’s why we always have new friends at home – like this mouse with curvy tail:

Or like this curious little fox, who likes to ask difficult questions:

This one is just a friendly wink to the mouse in Michel’s header:

Sometimes I like my little clay things more without any coloring…
Probably I should leave these as they are, don’t you think?

More plush friends

Ani — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:56:07 +0000

Every little piece of fabric could become alive. It only needs some imagination.
I was always very fond of handmade toys.
On places like etsy.com one can find amazing things – and of course, not only toys.
I am warning the novices there – you could spend days browsing.

Here I can show you one I’ve made, who even doesn’t know what kind of creature is:

And another rabbit. This one is particularly proud with his big ears, able to bend different ways when he is moody.
What’s left to say about his belt buckle? A rare vintage one.

Here they are, standing gently for a family portrait, together with the last year’s mouse.

Oh, and what about this cat? You probably think now “But we’ve already seen this guy”? Well, not really. This one is the almost-twin-brother of Alfons, and the difference between two of them are the bigger eyes on this one and his age – a week later he came. He is also very unsuspecting and ingenuous. I’ve made him especially as a gift to my mother, because every time when she sees me making something from fabric or clay, she ask with a very innocent voice: “And for whom are you making this now?”

I even don’t know how she named him, but I will surely ask.

For the healing power of rabbits and some other short stories

Ani — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:04:17 +0000

Four years ago Michel happened to be sick like recently.
Actually, it was more serious then. Few times during the year he fell for more than a week with 40 degrees C temperature.
And nothing could help him, so finally we called for some alternative.
On the stage appeared this sumo hare, dedicated to scare the flu virus and to help Michel get well soon.

First times it was a success. That made him an honored member of the little hand-made society on my shelf.
Then it seemed like the flu got resistant to hare power, so we’ve changed the tactics and decided to visualize our dream little house.
Made with all our love and wish for good health and many more miles together on our bikes, here it is:

My man got well finally, just in time for his own wedding. Then… then we made thousands of miles together and it is very possible that we won’t stop.
The house? It still illuminates our evenings.

The Keeper of the pencils and The Happy Pig

Ani — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:34:20 +0000

As much as I love to draw, I cannot resist making things from clay and from fabric.
I guess that all of the girls in high school today will laugh at the fact that when I was a teenager, still loved to play with dolls and toys I was often making clothes or houses for them.
Of course, it was partly because of the fact that there were many kids around me – and then it seemed to me that I was made to care and entertain relatives’ and friends’ children.
Don’t get me wrong: most of the time I was doing this gladly, and kids are good excuse for these games.
We’ve had many joyful days and I still love to dwell in the world of fantasy and toys.
My parents are also creative people and they influenced me a lot.
There is still somewhere in the attic an old puppet theater. My father once started to make it as a gift to my mother, but it ended not finished.
Sometimes I remember about it and I want to finish it together with Dad, but it seems that every time is not “the right moment”.
Maybe I don’t want to go too far from the childhood, as I enjoy making toys even today.

Let me introduce you to some that I still keep.
Here it is one of the very first I’ve made – it’s almost 13-14 years-old, I believe:

At that time I was drawing constantly, even applied for a school of Fine Arts. I intended to study Metal & Plastic Arts, but I couldn’t pass the first exam (graphics) and I didn’t go to the second one with the clay modeling, where I was sure I could be way better at.
Anyway, even today this little bear is keeping well the leftovers of my once huge collection of pencils. Some of them are so short now, you cannot even see them.

And what about this little piggy that we have here? Well, this guy also has a story to tell. He was made together with another one, and the other went as a present to a friend’s baby.

This one stayed at home as I considered it not so successful, but lately I found him and improved it a bit by adding the smile and the pants.

There will be a sequel.

Sunday thoughts and pastime under home detention

Ani — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:23:14 +0000

I remember the times when every free minute meant for us to grab the bikes and go on traveling adventures outside Sofia.
Nice, but didn’t happen for a long time. Michel is still ill, and this is going on for more than ten days.
Even Batman himself couldn’t help in this case, despite sending to us all week his own branded lemons:

From solidarity I am at home too, saving the people around from the flu virus, so all I can do is looking around and finding old and new things that could show in my blog. Like this greeting, good for Twitter-fans:

Here is another one, much smaller, made with some help from one little two-years-and-a half-old fairy:

Nia seems to draw far better than me, actually.
Don’t believe me?
Well, judge by yourselves:

I think she’s very good. Maybe one day she’ll laugh on this picture, but I like it and I wish her to develop a good skill.

The smiling pencil

Ani — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 10:11:45 +0000

I am at home right now. Browsing a fat folder with pictures, called “to-blog”. Sigh.
Because all the things I want to show, are not pictured properly.
The lack of sunny light in our little apartment is doing big injustice to them.
Alas, this place looks North, so the photos rarely comes the way they should.
Only in the late summer we have few warm sun rays, touching the edge of the windows.
Despite all, I decide that is better to show bad photos than none at all.

I love things, made so simple, but with original idea and deep thought behind it.
For example, here is this nice little fellow: it was a friendly gift from Nixo and it warms my heart.
Just by staying on the shelf and smiling to me every day:

It seems to be saying: “Come on, let’s draw, what are you waiting for?” …