My Creative Friends No.1 Lisa Soltis

Over the coming few weeks, I've decided I'm going to blog about my creative friends. I've so many talented friends who inspire me in so many ways, so I just need to share them with you all!

So first up is my great friend Lisa Soltis. She is so super talented in so many ways, illustrator, textile and jewelry designer. I've featured some on her one of jewelry pieces above but check out her website for more of her work and details of where you can buy some of these amazing pieces. Lisa loves to collect vintage pieces from all over the place. Lisa and her husband Dan live in an amazing loft in downtown LA and it is full of all sorts of thrift store and vintage fines. Every time I visit I get inspired. Dan is a sculptor and he produces some of the pieces in Lisa's jewelry collection. Together they are a creative power house!!!

Hope in the City

Last year I helped organise an event in downtown LA called Hope in the City. It was a group of designers who created pieces of fashion from a bag of vintage clothes. This year I wasn't able to get as involved but I did create this embroidery piece to be auctioned off at art auction.
Check out my friend Rustin's photos from the shoot and also from last year's event too.

This piece was made from a bag of scrap fabrics sewn together and than hand stitching on top. I'm in the middle of making a couple more of these and will post pictures as soon as there done!

Vintage Flower inspired Embroidery

So I was randomly watching Martha Stewart one day and came across this girl called Cathy who was showing Martha how to make these amazing flowers from these little vintage looms using raffi ribbon. I was so inspired by the colours and effect that I decided to use the idea to create some embroidery pieces.

Check out Cathy's blog its very inspiring!

Yo Yo hairband

So I was off to Dublin to see family and go to John and Gemma's wedding and I needed a head piece to go with my outfit. SO I decided to play with Yo Yo's and make a hairband. I found this amazing link on line on how to make yo yo's check it out, it explains what I'm talking about.
How to make a yo yo!
I loved making this, and using all different types of fabrics and thought it turned out pretty good. Maybe i'll make some more and turn them into necklaces etc

Sienna's First Craft Project

Making a Valentines Day card for Daddy!

She didn't like doing the had print but thought the foot print was fine.....

Stitches

Here are a few of the stitching experiments I have started to do lately! I've been using this stitch book to explore different stitches and use buttons etc

New Year, New Projects, New Inspiration

So its now 2009, a new year and one of my new years resolutions is to be more experimental with my work and to perhaps go back to my first love - stitch! 

I just had my birthday and got some great new inspiration with some new books, crafts for baby by Alison Jenkins, the essential Stitchery guide and the creative family by Amanda Blake Soule.

I hope to use these books to fuel some great new projects!

I have also found some great blogs and websites too. Included my friend Lisa Soltis and Ruthi Auda. Check them out very inspiring. I also have been enjoying Amanda Soule blog and website too.

So here is to some new creativity and hoping that my daughter gives me a few good nap times to get some work done!