A little bit of creative crisis

Hey all, long time.  You may have noticed a small silence on here of late, sorry about that.  With Sammy very busy with Sewing Quarter TV and me busy at The Lightbox, there has been a little less productivity of late.

But something which has also hit me hard is some confidence in my own creativity.  Working everyday making for the workshops I deliver for the adults and children means that I have lots of ideas running around in my head, but for some reason, the execution just doesn't seem to be following.

I have been painting, making and creating over the last few months at work and things just don't seem to come out how I imagine them.  My imagination is way better than my abilities perhaps.  There really is nothing worse as someone who has always been creative, than to find out that its all not just working out the way that you want.  I have even attempted to make several things over the last few months which I have done just because, so that I could take the pressure off perhaps - nope that didn't work.

Now this is not a pity party and I am definitely not looking for any compliments, I just wanted to write down how I feel and so if someone else out there is thinking the same, then there is also me who hears you!  Now, I know that there are lots of people out there who are much better at making then me and also those who struggle to get any creative thoughts and so I guess I should be happy that I am still having the ideas.  I think that the execution part is always something I have struggled with, even at uni, the lovely Sammy made a couple of my model pieces for my final work - as I couldn't quite get them right.


Or maybe it is just more down to the materials I am using, I seem to be ok at papercutting, but even a submission rejection resulted in me spiraling even more down the 'I can't make anything, hole'. Most Paper based creativity seems to be ok.  But the sewing part is a struggle, simple things are fine, I can make a Christmas stocking or travel wallet fine, but as the last few weeks prove, a animal shape I cannot do.

Then there is also the fact that some days you just can't make anything, nothing goes right.  Then other days, you are hitting it out of the park when it comes to making.  I do love to experiment and try new things and I am lucky that due to my day job I can paint, create with clay or junk modelling, use pastels or draw at least once a week.  But sometimes its frustrating when you have to make something and it doesn't go right and then I have to show that to children or adults as a sample - when really I just want to throw it away.  Nothing like having to show something you are not happy with to really hit home how much you hate it.

So, after all that lovely ramble of getting my thoughts out there, how do you cope when it doesn't go right?  or you just can't seem to make it look how you want?  I am sure I am not alone, but being surrounded by beautifully creative people all the time, sometimes makes you feel that you might be the only one not getting it.

H,xxx


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Whats on my desk

We shared our desks way back in January and so we thought we would come back this time with our different desks as we have day jobs alongside blogging.  Last time Sammy showed us her home space and H showed off what was going on at work. This time we have had a swap, so first up Sammy.

Last time I shared my home office desk, this time you get to see my desk at Sew Crafty HQ. I'm sure you can see that my set up is pretty similar but most of the work I do here is planning, admin and photo editing so it is a little more business-like than my home office. The thing that is on my desk most of the time at work is my planner, it is my daily to do list so I have it at hand to make sure I haven't forgotten anything important. I have a few trinkets under my monitor as well as a bunch of sewing supplies to use as photo props when taking photos for our website. To the left of the picture out of shot, is where I do most of the small photography for Sew Crafty so it is handy to have bits and bobs to hand.

Now, for H's home desk.  My desk at home has various duties from work desk, to dining room table and sewing space and sometimes just a dumping ground.  So it can go from looking nice and tidy to messy in a matter of hours.  It is a useful space though to keep many things that I use alot from my many notebooks, diary and for some reason I have my ipad on at the same time as my laptop most of the time!  The rest of my desk around this is a mass of photos, business cards, bills, pen and pencils, things I have made for tutorials - no need to water plants anyone and some bits from HEMA that they recently sent us for some Easter treats, you may even be able to spy the Easter chicks in this picture.  They just epitomise Easter to me!

Any familiar items on your desks?  I think we clearly like just having stuff around us if these pictures are anything to go by.  If you would like to show us and our readers what's on your desk then just send us an email and we can show off other peoples desks too!  Just out of nosiness probably!  ha ha.

H & Sammy, xxx

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Summer fun - week 5

 

This week is the final week of the school holidays, parents rejoice as your kids go back to school and you don't have to think about stuff to do with them on the rainy days - sunny days are easier as a trip to the park can always be done.

We have a breather at The Lightbox, as it affords us a few days off before the school visits start!

But, back to this week, we have been doing our drop-in activities and paid workshops as usual and this week has been felt creatures, drawing games, picture frames and bubbles on Friday of course! phew.

What has been your favourite of our holiday activities? Is there anything you remember doing as a child that you want to come back?  Let us know in the comments, who knows it could be at a workshop near you soon!

Make it

H

Make it: Lemon and Vanilla cake

You may have noticed here over at Live it. Love it. Make it, that we LOVE cake!  There is never any reason not to have cake as far as we are concerned!

We have a few friends who make cupcakes and cakes as well, so it would be rude not to indulge! But today's beauty is all H and so of course there is a little difference than the norm of a Vanilla sponge with Jam - it wouldn't be H without it!

This is a Lemon and Vanilla sponge cake with butter cream and Lemon curd inside.  It went down a storm at work as usual and managed to not even make it to the 10.30am tea break for some!  There are some definite cake monsters at H's work! - you know who you are.

This is so simple to make and as you can see there are three cake layers to make it a mammoth cake as H felt that 2 layers just didn't look big enough - of course!  Now, if you only want 2 layers, then just do 2 thirds of the mix.  H's mum has been making this type of cake for years and its always in cookery books as a simple cake to be able to change up to whatever you want to make it into.

So to the Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/Gas Mark 4

For the cake

150g self raising flour

150g caster sugar

150g butter/margarine

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

a few drops vanilla essence

1/2 lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until light and fluffy.  If the dough is too thick add a couple of teaspoons of warm water.

Split the mixture into 3 cake moulds or if using a tall cake tin, just do it in one go and cut the layers later.  You can then see if you want 2 or 3 layers then.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool down completely

For the Filling

One filling was just Lemon Curd from a Jar - I know I could have made my own, but sometimes life is just too short!

The other filling is a simple butter cream:

250g butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

600g Icing Sugar

2 tablespoons of milk

Mix the butter and icing sugar together - add the icing sugar slowly as otherwise you will end up with a sugar cloud!

Add the vanilla essence and if required the milk to the consistency you want.

When the cake layers have cooled completely, add the butter cream and lemon curd as you want it.  H did the lower layer and top with the butter cream and then a middle layer of lemon curd. Yum!

Do you have any fail safe recipes you do regularly, we would love to hear them.  If you follow us on Instagram, we usually take pictures of the cake we eat and whatever else we get up to, so go check us out, you can find both H and Sammy on there.

Make it

H & Sammy