molif | en

I am thinking about making such an exploding gift box for years.
It’s called “exploding”, which is quite an exaggeration, of course. Nothing to explode, though, only very nice effect on opening.

I saw the idea on this website two or three years ago, but just bookmarked it then. Obviously the right moment to make it was the other day, when I finally decided to give it a try. The reason was the birthday of a very special friend, so I sat and started work.

There are people able to make it for less than an hour, but with me that’s definitely not the case.
The details took me a lot of time, because I really wanted it to be an exquisite one.

Well, I won’t say how long it took me to finish it, but it was worthy.

The recipient liked it very much and even said:

The best present! It radiates the love that was made with!

Hey, It’s wonderful to hear something like this!

We spent the whole Sunday together with Michel, disassembling an old Pentium 2.
I came out with the idea of making a robot figure from computer parts, and he did it nicely, so I am leaving him with the pleasure of tell you all the details in pictures and words later.
The robot was meant to be a very special present for a very special friend and I hope he likes it.

Inspired by the new opportunities to mess about (I couldn’t resist to try myself), I observed what was left from all of the parts and assembled my own mini-version of a robot, who is curiously looking at me from the desk right now:

FYI, he can turn his head and waist on 180 degrees and he is a very friendly one.

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.

There is always somebody who is not happy about the rain. But I think there is no such thing like “bad weather”.
I love the rain. Love it when it wets me down to my bones and reminds me I am alive. Love it when it gently murmurs on the attic window and when makes the pigeons hide under the roof… love it when is angry and is trying to wash out everything that’s not likable – the dirty streets, the gloomy faces of the people… I love it when it plays with the sun rays and when a “bear is getting married”*… merry, sad, tearing or frivolous… there’s no life without rain. There’s no rainbow.

This week’s forecast is for rain, but the thought is not depressing for me, right the opposite.
When people complain about the rain, it is not worried. It knows that people are always complaining – if sun is shining, they’ll mumble it’s too bright or strong and they’ll put on black sunglasses.
But the Little Queen of Rain knows how important she is, so she is just quietly smiling. Her delegate knows well his work… knows where is needed and expected.

When I consider how to turn an idea into a picture or a thing, it seems the time stops… or at least loses limitation.
I am drawing very intense lately. Remembering forgotten pleasures. Remembering how extremely good is the feeling of timelessness.
I like it, because I am usually such a paranoid person… always in a hurry, always in worry for not to be late. I have to learn how to be slower.

———–
* You may be interested to know more about this expression in other countries and languages?
In many English-speaking countries there is a word for this phenomenon and it is “sunshower”.
But in all languages there is an expression, associated with animal and wedding or birthday.
For example, in Southwest England, Finland, Japan, Malaysia and Portugal they say “fox wedding”, or “the fox is getting married”.
In some parts of Italy – “the fox is making love”, in Korea they say “fox rain”, in South Africa and elsewhere you can hear it as “the monkey birthday” or “monkey’s wedding”.
In Arabic “the rats are getting married”, but in other languages you can meet jackals (Hindi), tigers (Korean), witches (Spanish), poor people (Greek) or even the devil himself (English, Dutch, Hungarian and German).
I guess the fox alone was able to cross the world and reach from Japan to Armenia.

For all the linguists out there – here is some more information about this.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

There is something strange about all these cats in my works.
In fact, if you say that I probably like cats than dogs, it won’t be fair and right.
I was a cat owner for eleven years, but dog owner for much more.
For my long-lived and unforgettable friend Sheila I have written here before, and Lovejoy is still alive and kicking and lives with my parents and my brother.
Let me not even remind myself of Frodo, who was one of a kind and who left both of us with Michel inconsolable (Michel promised to write the whole story one day, when his heart lets him do it).
I love all kind of animals, of course. But this way or another, somehow cats are coming out more often under my fingers – and that’s a fact.

Well, this one is really special.
I drew it two days ago, when I was in need of something specific and engaging for the front side of my own business cards.
How could I miss the chance to show it off the the whole Internet?
Do you like it?
At least I know I do!