Wednesday 16 June 2010

First a big thankyou to Julia who sent me an awesome little package this week.

Check out THIS BLOGEROO for a fabulous blog candy giveaway!


On Sunday I decided to make myself a new bag, I am getting a bit sick of this pattern now, but have given them all away so far, so I wanted one for me before putting the pattern away. I made this...and as you can see it is beautifully modelled by my giraffe 'Trafford'



In my surprise birthday box last week there was a giraffe button....



and the giraffe fabric was given to me for my birthday last year, I've been saving it to make something lovely for myself.



At the recent Whitby goth fest I popped into a fabric shop and found giraffe print fabric, that I knew would be great as a lining.



With the tiny bits left over I made this 'sour cream carton' shaped purse.



So me and my new bag, went off to York for the day. I also took this bag from Friday's blog post. Scroll down for a close up view.

Best buy this week are these ginormous buttons, from the awesome Duttons for Buttons shop in York. Every time I go in there I look at them, pick them up, stroke them and put them back. The reason being they are £5 each!!!! But when we got the new coffee table I knew I wanted the giant buttons as coasters. So we had a day trip to York on Monday to meet friends and I got 2 buttons/coasters. I would like 6 but as they are so spendie I only got 2. Next time we go I will get another 2. They are slightly wider than a large mug.




Other best buy was this little lot from Rafi's Spice Box also from York. They do fabby pouches of Indian spices that are put together while you wait to whatever level of 'heat' that you like, we always get medium. I use the pouches to make up sauces which I then freeze, each pouch makes 3 tubs of sauce. So this lot will keep us going for months.We also picked up the little chutney servers, at the back is some rose water and some ginger and garlic paste, just need to figure out how to use those now lol



On my desk this week, is a bit of a mess. leftover from the giraffe bag, but also some Union Jack Flags, my one concession to football fever. I would never have England football flags on the house or car, but I do love a Union Jack...so these may well end up as cushions or bags, I haven't decided yet.



You can also see lucozade and bourbons....no explanation needed really lol

In the background there is a zentangle perched on the easel. usually I only do them in black and white but decided to do a coloured one.
I used a compass to get my basic circles and arcs, sketched in the filling shapes with pencil, then went over it all with a black fineliner. Next I coloured all the shapes with promarkers, adding bits of shading. Finally I started filling the shapes with dooodles in black fineliner.




I haven't decided if it's finished yet, I keep adding bits to it.






Have a great day folks.x

45 comments:

  1. Nice work on the bag - looks fantastic! Big wood buttons are just asking to be touched, do they still have that lovely wood smell? Also love the 'zentangle' - what do you end up doing with them? Framed and hung?

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  2. Ah fab post Darcy - love those buttons! You are prolific, a bag a zentangle and moree ideas, ever flowing. HOw fab. Love the zentangle, adding the colour really shows off its detail.

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  3. What a fab blog to stumble across, you make me want to get my sewing machine out! One day.
    Fantastic bag hun, and I love the giant buttons, but I do like the chocolate kind better :O) xox

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  4. Fab bag, loving the giraffes ! Super desk too !

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  5. oooh i love those monster buttons...soooo cool!
    and keep watching the postman...he has another parcel for you, you know! ;0)

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  6. Have not WOYWWed this week but had to pop by a few friends over the next few days.

    Love the bag ...my DD's partner Vicki would die for that ...giraffes are her thing.That spice link is very useful ... thanks

    My biggest WOW is for that AMAZING ...mind blowing Zentangly doodle pattern .... never thought of using pro markers that way....now I have a reason to buy some lol

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  7. Another AWESOME bag!

    I hope to get back to WOYWW next week - once Boot camp is finished!

    Have a good day!

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  8. Another great bag, love your zen pattern, really cleaver and talented lady!

    Enjoy your day Hugs Can x

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  9. I love the button coasters!
    thanks for visiting me,:)

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  10. Love the bag and that lining is so perfect for it. Those giant buttons are so cool - wouldn't have thought of them for coasters-great idea. The zentangle is truly a work of art and I love the colours you have used.
    Linbyx

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  11. Hi
    wow i luv that bag its gorgeous, fabby pin for it,fantastic doodle pattern, have good day, sue,x

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  12. Am loving the buttons, just fab! I have to have food and drink when I craft too, helps the creative juices to flow, lol! Thanks for sharing, hugs Heidi xx

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  13. I always get excited when I see your name on Julia's blog.....I just know I am gonna love what you've posted and you certainly didn't disappoint today. That bag is to die for. I love giraffes, so that's an extra bonus for me. Then there's those wicked buttons....how cool are they.
    Can't wait til next week to see what you've been up to.....no pressure or anything!!!!

    Lin

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  14. LOVE the giraffe bag, what a fabulous idea! I've never seen a zentangle done like that before, let alone a coloured one, and its just wonderful.

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  15. I'm glad to see you made ONE more bag before "retiring" that pattern. You will probably be the hit whenever you take that purse with you. That fabric is superb and love how you just "knew" when the time was right to use it.

    Those are some buttons. Wowser! Happy WOYWW.

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  16. Really love your new bag.
    A x

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  17. that is one seriously gorgeous bag - I think I have fallen in love with it. Enjoy using it.

    xx

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  18. That bag is fabulous and your zentangle is amazing, I love it.

    Nicki, xx

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  19. Love the bag it's fabulous and the zentangle is just amazing love the colours as well just beautiful!! Love Chanelle xx

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  20. Fab blog - you made me long for a trip to York - I do miss it after spending 35 years up there! Duttons for Buttons - perfect! That bag is lovely - clever you.

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  21. Love the buttons, your bag, and the zentangle. How clever you are!

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  22. beautiful bag and purse hun :0)
    I wish I was arty....
    *hugs* Heather x

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  23. Just fabulous! What a talented lady!
    Chrissie

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  24. Stunning artwork and your bag is fantastic I love the fabric and the button is awesome, right up my street. Have a good evening, Tracy Evans x

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  25. Wow, what a fabulous bag! I love the zentangle, they are very addictive black holes for our time! Your desk looks very neat and organised.

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  26. That bag is just fabulous and I love the zentangle

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  27. As usual, I'm in awe of your bags...the zentangle is amazing, have been having a little read about them...going to add them to my list of things to try! x

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  28. Everything you do is so gorgeous, love the bag, love the buttons and really adore the Zentangle.

    xx

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  29. Ooh fab bag can I pinch the pattern please? Lurve that Zentangle I thought it was something fabriccy at first. For the free machine embroidery on the tag I couldn't find my hoop so thought I'd just wing it. I must get a few hoops, I do have a large one tht ou have to tack fabric to, but didn't want to use that one.
    I love Trafford and the giraffe on the bag is beautiful ;-)
    Anne xx

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  30. Loving the colour zentangle what will you do with it next??

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  31. Well I think yur bags just fabulous, and so's your, what's it called?? zentangle...I thnk that's right! Love the colour. glad you like the didi digi houses!
    (Lyn)

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  32. Gorgeous bag, gorgeous coastrs (can see why you NEEDED them!) but that zentangle! Wowza!

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  33. Oh Darcy I am your biggest fan! That bag is just fantastic ( I am a maniac for bags - you should see my big cupboard full of them ) I think you should definitly keep that one! The purse is lovely too! I quite like the idea of coloring the zentangle - I usually just do it in black and white! Mhm those spices look nice - are they for curries or will you use them for your cakes?? The ginger and rosewater sound sweet to me...
    What's that chocolate bar doing on your desk?? I want it! Ha, ha..
    Hugs,
    Cardarian

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  34. Oooh love the bag! I have a passion for making those to! Love the union jack fabric too I keep saying I must make a union jack cushion as they are so in but whether I will or not is another matter!

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  35. I love zendala work, your is nice :-)

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  36. Last week when I visited I fell in love with your creativity (and your bags!)
    This week I've fallen in love again, this time with that zentangle, I just love the colours you've used (aren't Promarkers divine?) and the detail is amazing!
    Your button coasters are fabulous no wonder you 'needed' them so much.

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  37. Love your new bag. Have fun. Kathleen x

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  38. Hello darcy! Great bag! love the giraff fabric & what a great button too! So you go to Whitby Gothfest too!! I went last year for the first time! Loved it! And we are going back in October. I feel new falls are in order for then! You have done an amazing drawing there! Its great! I have just got some pro markers but I am not very good at using them!
    Lavinia
    x

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  39. Yes I found the craft shop!...lol....its a good little un too, crammed with goodies! had a spend, would have been rude not too! Are you going in Oct this year? Do you go to the Spa in the evening? Thinking of getting tickets but dont know what to do yet??
    Lavinia
    x

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  40. The bag is superb and the zentangle is stunning, and I love those buttons !

    Great post.

    Marilyn
    x

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  41. Totally cool. Makes me want to get out the kids Spyrograph, as I am rubbish and hand drawing this sort of thing. With big bold black numbers I think it would make a stunning clock for your room - of course clocks in crafting rooms are a blessing AND a curse LOL!

    Mary Anne

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  42. Darcy, everytime I look at your blog there is always something fantastic to look at and every week I comment about how creative you are, I am so envious ;p I love, love the giraffe bag, especially the interior!

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  43. I have yet to get msyelf some promarkers, (so far i've stuck to my distress inks for painting) but have been leaning towards them rather than Copics and having seen what you did with them I'm even more tempted...and I can't wait for the scone recipe!!

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