17.8.12

the story of a succulent

i've not had good luck with succulents in the past. some say they're the easiest plants to take care of yet until now i've successfully managed to down a few to death. last year at ikea we were choosing plants for our new flat and i picked up another succulent. david asked, "are you sure?" i love how they look and i thought, this time i can do it.



people, i've had a breakthrough.

but, first this happened...


one year later and the succulent was growing so tall i had to prop it up with a stick so it wouldn't break under its own weight but one day, snap. my succulent was in two pieces on my desk. i was devastated. another epic succulent growing fail. 

there is good news however. 

after a bit of quick research i broke off a few leaves to save for propagation (i know), and the other bit i simply replanted and it worked! not only have i revived my original plant but i've made succulent babies from it!!

a few weeks later the succulent is happy and small again in its pot and i have many new succulents just starting to get roots. this weekend's project is to pick up some more cactus soil and drill holes into some spare jars for planters, like this.

succulent success at last!



(look at the tiny succulent roots growing! an honest miracle.)

not like i'm an expert but if you have a bad track record for keeping succulents alive here's my advice:

- when you feel inclined to water it, hold yourself back (unless you live in a very hot, sunny place [ie. not england] then it only needs water once a month or even less)
- give it as much direct sun as possible
- when replanting or transplanting, make sure your soil is specifically for cactus/succulents

don't be shy, tell me if you've ever killed a succulent (i can't be the only one!).

7.8.12

knits for little ones

you know when you reach that age and it feels like every single on of your friends is either getting married or having a baby. me right now. so i've been knitting up little knits for soon-to-be-born babes. this pair in cream white because one friend decided not to find out the sex until the birth.

it's ready for the post in a package addresses to canada in hand-stamped arrow kraft paper. remember those stamps i made a few weeks ago? i have a feeling they're going to be stamping a lot of gift paper in the future. 

the pattern used is from a debbie bliss book i took out from the east sheen library called simply baby, two-toned socks (although i kept them single-toned) made to fit a 3-6 month old (i heard babies grow really quick so i figured to go a bit bigger than the smallest ones).


12.7.12

stamp making

i'm quite bad at hoarding craft materials until i find the perfect thing to do with them. hence why i've carried around a speeball rubber pad from canada to hungary (twice) and to england for the past three years hoping that one day i would decide what to carve into it and finally make some use out of it. that day came this week after i saw this pin from poppytalk.



the simple shapes were a definitely draw, so i decided to finally cut up my pink pad and gouge into it with my carver. i skipped the striped one and embellished the house. lessons learnt: take your time. even the slightest knick can screw up the shape. patience, patience, patience.

the process.








3.5.12

knitting at the speed of stars

i've got a lot on the go right now. i'm a couple weeks away from moving into a new flat (although i'm secretly sad to leave this little studio... it's been my little den for the last half year and despite its small kitchen, it's actually perfect for us). our new place is closer to the city which is more convenient on all fronts. there will be a post on my new haunts as soon as i move. otherwise, i've been knitting my dear little heart out as much as i have time for.

we're getting into the "knitting off-season" if there's such a thing. i don't particularly enjoy knitting in summer or at least i haven't done it too much in summers past but i've been eyeing these pieces and patterns, and well, there's just too many knits to knit to have an off-season.

plus, world knitting day is coming up next month!

tuques with pom poms, neutrals with a bold kiss of colour, bows and ascot neck ties, cabled cowls and socks. i'd even like to attempt the teddy.


from top left: wool / ascot / giant pom pom hat / bow scarf / white tuque / stripe tee / florence sweater / bow headband / cable cowl

1.5.12

lately



ONE // london weather has been the pits lately. non-stop rain. but it's spring, right? couldn't resist this classically london shot while walking across the waterloo bridge between rain showers. hello, big ben! this city never ceases to impress me.

TWO // the rain and wind has stripped all the trees of their spring-time blooms. when the wind gets blowing, they look like pink snow or baby pink wedding confetti.

THREE // when you're on house arrest because of the foul weather, there's nothing to do except watch back episodes of gossip girl, paint your nails and knit. at least that's what a few of my days looked like last week.

FOUR // rainy days call for outings to museums. i won a ticket to the cecil beaton photography exhibition at the v&a on twitter and took advantage of the chance to see other corners of the museum i haven't see before. this is one of the most beautiful rooms there, golden and gilded.

what have you been up to lately?



27.4.12

double explosions

...otherwise known as double exposures.

after seeing a tutorial on how to do this in photoshop, i can't stop. i'm not that great in photoshop yet but i'm trying to learn a new trick every day or so. what i love about lomography cameras is that you can do multiple exposures on one frame, that's what hooked me on the holga when i was a teenage. of course, doing it digitally does feel a bit like cheating but there is the plus of not wasting film on potentially bad shots. 


fitting room katie meets old door near old street station in london.



nude on a spanish beach meets craggy early spring gardens in richmond park.

what do you think? 
are there any good photoshop tutorial sites i should check out?