Reflecting

 

Hello everyone,

 

Or should I say: anyone? Is anyone still interested in the good old crafty arty blogposts? I have to admit, I don't visit them anymore. Then why would you write a blogpost yourself, you could ask. I don't know, I just felt like reflecting on the years I spent here and the art journey I went on because of starting this blog.

 

Simply Neutrals #42 and happy birthday City Crafter!

Hello dears, welcome to Simply Neutrals!

Today I have two posts in one here on AppleApricot due to another party that's going on today at City Crafter challenge blog (CCCB). It's City Crafter's birthday!

Yay, happy birthday CCCB!!!

In the past I was a design team member for CCCB. Because City Crafter has its 8th birthday this month of April, Kirsty asked the past team members to make a card that the present design team will then CASE (or kind of remake in their own styles).

This week is my turn. And this is my card.

Thank you Kirsty, so good to join the CCCB-team again for this week!

I used wallpaper samples, pieces of an antique French postcard that I scanned, a wildflower book page, a piece of vellum that I had printed a flower print on, two paper flowers, one little rhinestone, a text stamp, three butterflies from the internet, some machine-stitching, and a bit of distress ink.

Come join us at City Crafter Challenge Blog this week and CASE my card!

Back to Simply Neutrals linky party now...



***

FEATURE OF LAST WEEK

This week I chose (again) for photos by dear Jutta which she shared on her blog My Digital Wonderland. Because I sooooo much love flocks of Starlings, their chatter when they gather for the night, and the beautiful patterns they make in the sky!

And I also chose these photos by Jutta because I really wished to share with you an amazing video of a giant flock of Starlings making these patterns. It is one of my all time favourites to watch. All credits go to the girls of Islands and Rivers who created this video!

Simply Neutrals #36

Hello dears, a warm welcome to Simply Neutrals #36!

We went to the Utrechtse Heuvelrug again this weekend, but a different part than last time. We now chose only the woodland part for wandering, collecting, and taking photos.

Inspired by this beautiful land I created a little woodlandish collage. I used wallpaper samplers, music sheet paper, pieces of two antique French postcards that I scanned (one of which you can find as a freebie HERE - the other one I will share another time), a piece of old packaging tape that was torn of a box (the brown paperish thingie), a small piece of a little digital scrapbook paper I created some years ago (the green text on green - which you can find as a freebie HERE), vintage images of an owl and a nest that I found on pinterest, some distress inks, and a bit of machine stitching.

Of course I couldn't help myself and took pieces of the woods back home with me. Little things that spoke to me. I think I'm a Magpie.

On my worktable a collection of things I found in the woods this time:

pine cones
moss
branches
fern (I think it is?)
holly
stones
leaves
pottery...

... Yes, pottery!
Well, pieces of tiles mostly.
On some of the bigger lanes you can find them :)

*****


Features of last week

This week I was in the mood for sharing the many beautiful photos and pieces of art you all shared in the party last week. So here are two photo collages with descriptions of which photo/creation belongs to who.

Thank you so much dear friends for gathering here and joining the party with your beautiful photos and art work! I really appreciate the time and effort you put into this and the love that is shared.

Whispers of the soul

Do you ever feel like you're stuck? Lost for words? Searching your way through thick mist in your head? Knowing that you have so many ideas and options but just can't find them anymore? You try to grasp one and poof! it's gone...

I feel like that for a while now. I know I have tons of inspiration, but it's like all these nice ideas that I have, are like fragile butterflies fluttering around in the mist. I can't catch them. I chase them and they just keep flying away from me.

My mind is misty. It goes blank several times a day.

When I try to read a book or text, the words dance before my eyes and won't stick with me. It's like there is already too much stuff in my brains. I can't focus.

And may be that's where the clue is.

May be I should not try to think for a while.

Just be.

Do.

Play.

Go outside.

Breathe.

Watch.

Feel.

Smell.

Listen.

But don't think.

Well, not on purpose anyway.

No analyzing. No making of mental notes.

No judging, no comparing.

No searching.

Not even trying to make sense of it all.

And may be, after a while, I will be able to hear the gentle, subtle whispers of my soul again and to carefully catch my butterflies.

How about you?

Do you ever feel this way? How do you deal with it?

xx Wen

Simply Neutrals #27

Hello sweet friends!

How wonderful to be back again for another Simply Neutrals party!

I hope you had a wonderful month of July?

We enjoyed beautiful mountain trails and scenery, waterfalls and wildlife.

I will share more of that later on my other blog Love A Rustic Life.

Since we're still busy unpacking and washing etc, and since I'm a little late at the party, I share with you today a golden oldie from my archives. A mixed media collage on canvas board.

What else I'd love to say here is a big thank you for the many sweet comments we received about the interview I had with Dorthe of Den Lille Lade. If you haven't read it yet, be sure to do so HERE. I am so happy that the interview was so well received and I'd love to do more artist interviews in the (nearby) future. Because I have found that I really love sharing the beautiful work, souls and words of the sweet artists I meet online, and love to get to know them better and share their beautiful stories with you. So stay tuned for some more!

Features of last party

THE PHOTOS SHOWN BELOW ARE THE COPYRIGHTED PHOTOS OF THE RESPECTIVE OWNERS. DO NOT COPY OR PIN THESE PHOTOS FROM THIS BLOG!!

It's been a while since our last party, but here are two of the many lovely things shared.

Things romantically breathing some vintage air.

First there is a beautiful romantic heart by Suzy of Suziqu's Threadworks.

She always uses the most beautiful (vintage) laces and fabrics.

Copyright by Suzy of Suziqu's Threadworks

What I love besides the beautiful lace fabric she used, is that you can tuck a treasury in the pocket she made on the front of the heart. Something she did as well and which you can see on her blog HERE. A beautiful gift to a dear friend this would be.

Next is a wonderful story by Dany of My Little Old World.

She shared with us a Victorian tea party in her beautiful and enchanting garden.

copyright by Dany of My Little Old World

Honestly, I'm in love with her garden! Such a romantic place of beauty and peace.

Be sure to visit her to see more of it if you haven't already.

Simply Neutrals #26

A little later today than planned, but here is....

Simply Neutrals number 26!!

For this week I'm choosing a golden oldie from my archives.

It is one of my earliest collages.

Such a sweet little girl, don't you think?

I'm still busy with cleaning up my pinterest boards, so I can't share the link to this vintage photo yet. But I did notice that the link to the corresponding blog is not working anymore. I hope I can share the photo of the girl later with you.

Features of last party

YOU MAY PIN THE PHOTOS OF MY WORK, WHICH ARE SHOWN ABOVE, BUT PLEASE DON'T PIN THE PHOTOS SHOWN BELOW FROM MY BLOG. GO TO THE BLOGS OF THESE WONDERFUL ARTISTS IN STEAD AND PIN FROM THERE.

Links are provided with the photos.

First feature is a stunning collage by Dorthe of Den Lille Lade.

I loved the little tumbnail photo she added to the party link up, but when I opened the link and saw this...

Oh my!! So gorgeous!!

Sweet friend, you have once again made me speechless.

And here is the mentioned beautiful detail...

Next feature is some gorgeous work by Nancy of Sugar Lump Studios.

Dear Nancy, you made it really hard for me to choose which of the gorgeous items to share today! The blog post was just overflowing with gorgeousness :)

I ended up choosing these gorgeous cards and notebooks.

But if you haven't seen the rest of her post yet, then be sure to visit it now, HERE.

Swoon!

Then there is another gorgeous feature, by Karen of Roosterhead Designs.

She made this gorgeous bag with pleats and frays, yummy!

Here is a close up of some of the beautiful details...

Gorgeous work, sweetie!

Fabric collage Flowers and Cross

This gorgeous serene painting of Saint Margaret of Antioch,

painted by Guido Reni (1575 - 1642),

has quickly become one of my favourite paintings.

She was said to be a convert to Christianity and a martyr.

Her story (which is quite untrustworthy and probably all made up)

was very popular in the Middle Ages.

Here's how the legend goes:

When converted, her father (a pagan priest)

threw her out of the house. She became a shepherdess.

Olybrius, the prefect, was hopelessly captured by her beauty, but she was not interested.

Olybrius was not amused and Margaret was tortured and imprisoned.

Legend has it that in prison she was swallowed by the devil in the form of a dragon,

but the little cross she was carrying itched in his throat,

so she was spit out and saved.

The story goes on with more gruesome details,

but let's keep things a bit cheerful here :)

Anyway, I was captured by the beauty of this painting

and just HAD to make a fabric collage with it.

She'll probably be the star of more projects in the future.

For this one I used some pieces of fabric and lace that I painted and/or dyed myself.

Big hugs and sunny smiles to you!

xx Wen

Simply Neutrals #10

Hello dear friends,

Welcome to Simply Neutrals #10!

This week I'm sharing an earlier work of mine.

One from the archives of two years ago, already shared before.

It's a lace collage on tree bark.

I love the serenity of this piece on tree bark.

*

Features of last week's party

IF YOU LIKE TO PIN SOME OF THESE FEATURED PHOTOS

THEN PLEASE DO SO FROM THE ORIGINAL BLOGS

OF WHICH YOU CAN FIND THE LINKS BELOW.

(Just click on the name of the blogs mentioned.)

Everyone has made a great effort in creating, photographing and writing blog posts

and I want all credit to go to the owners of these photos.

So please pin these photos from their blogs and not mine.

There were fewer entries last week,

and I decided to feature only two this week.

First a stunning piece of art by Suzy of Suziqusthreadworks.

Oh my, this must be one of my favourite art works by Suzy.

It is magical.

And the colours are so perfect for this time of year

here in the northern hemisphere.

Like the stillness of the forest heading into winter.

Very fitting in this serene post I thought

is the stunning cross made by Dorthe of Den Lille Lade.

Can you believe this is handmade?

So so gorgeous, I'm in awe!

Just look at the beautiful details of the cross...

Wow...

Simply Neutrals Tuesday #8

Hello dear friends,

It's Tuesday again, so it's time to give the start sign for this week's party!

First, some of you asked the name of the flowers that I shared with you last week. Well... honestly, I'm very bad in remembering names. So I will see if I can find out :)

This week I'd like to share with you the first page that I created for the fabric book for Suzy's workshop. I chose Mother and Child as the theme of my fabric book, referring to the Christmas Child, as I was inspired by the beautiful creations of last week's party.

The image comes from a beautiful painting called L'Innocence, by William Bouguereau. 

I learned a lot from both Suzy and Nellie about layering of a fabric collage,

for which I'm so grateful!

This will be a page on the right hand side, probably the first page of the book.

So there will be the inside of the front cover on the left of this page.

*

Features of last week's party

IF YOU LIKE TO PIN SOME OF THESE FEATURED PHOTOS

THEN PLEASE DO SO FROM THE ORIGINAL BLOGS

OF WHICH YOU CAN FIND THE LINKS BELOW.

(Just click on the name of the blogs mentioned.)

Everyone has made a great effort in creating, photographing and writing blog posts

and I want all credit to go to the owners of these photos.

So please pin these photos from their blogs and not mine.

*

This week all features happen to be handmade creations,

because there were several Christmas themed link ups last week,

and I really love to choose Christmas as the linking thread in this week's post.

(Of course you can choose whatever theme you like for your own link up,

please don't feel obliged to go with the Christmas theme as well!)

First feature is a beautiful pocket canvas hanger by Nancy of Sugar Lump Studios.

With a sweet image of a little girl.

Little Christmas trees and a snow flake as the perfect finishing touch

for Nancy's gorgeous Christmas hanger.

Next feature is a gorgeous Christmas card by Dorthe of Den Lille Lade.

I love the finishing touch with the autumnal leaves and cones,

to which she added some sparkly bits.

Beautiful!

Last but not least I chose yet another handmade creation,

a most beautiful fabric Christmas gift book

made by Marie of Lost Bird Studio.

She had not linked these exact photos to last week's party,

but she did link up another photo of the book,

when it was not finished yet.

And I so much loved the finished book

that I decided to feature the photos of it instead.

I hope you don't mind.

Even the back of the book is so gorgeous!