Category: Capture Craft

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Homemade gifts

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A super simple home made gift but one with lots of love and thought.

If you’d like to whip up some snuggly winter love this christmas for your loved girl friends, this gift is for you. If you want some more information on crochet go back to my former crochet post.

A tea hugger

Size 4-5 crochet hook

1 ball of cotton wool. (this one here was moda vera Jalap)

3 x buttons

one big mug

I did 12 chain stitches to begin the row. (this will depend on how big the mug is that you would like to create a hugger for)

Then I half double crocheted into the second row.

Then I chained two at the end of the row.

I repeated this sequence until it is long enough to wrap the mug I want to hug.

It really depends on your tension and the size of the mug. Although the photo doesn’t show it, these mugs are super tall. (very latte)

Then for one of them I chained 5 and then I single crocheted 3 (into the 4th stitch etc) and then I chained 5 and then I single crocheted 3 and then chained 5 and then single crocheted till the end.

This made little loops that bigger buttons can fit over.

The smaller buttons I just sewed on and then put them through.

Love it.

Standby I am going to publish a downloadable book before christmas full of 30 home made christmas gifts.

30 merry days

Signing off.

Enjoy

Amanda

 

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a curator of culture

curate creative culture

Tonight I am speaking at a creative event and I am speaking on what it means to be a curator of culture.

I believe we all have the capacity to change culture.

You can change the culture of your home, you can change the culture of your heart.

You can change culture.

The people that make a difference in their lifetime though, are the ones that impact whole cultures of people.

Art impacts culture, writing impacts culture, music impacts culture, food impacts culture.

To curate is to specifically work towards; to select, organise or look after a collection or exhibition.

What if you curated culture?

What if you began by curating a creative culture in your own life and then you were so okay with your unique, that you impacted culture at large.

Here is a downloadable printable of 30 ways to curate creative change in your everyday

30 ways to curate creative culture printable

Enjoy and pass it on.

Create often

Amanda

 

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creative boom

This video is super inspiring. Reminds me so much of my story.

Have a go and do something that you never thought you ever could.

Love it

Lisa is much further along the journey than me but I have just downloaded her book and can’t wait to get into her creative discovery process.

creative

Amanda

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the art of worship

In the next few months I have lots of creative projects I am working on. From Conferences, to speaking engagements, to workshops, to producing a short film, running a fundraising concert for women in Africa and more.

In the midst of it all, I am most excited about creating opportunities for people to encounter inspiration in many different ways. In essence to experience a creative God, through beauty and glory that promotes Him.

I am the creative director for an upcoming conference that is all about encouraging and inspiring people in the creative industries to live out their dreams.

Its called SPARC; HAND MADE for faith and culture.
http://www.sparc.org.au

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There are many parts of this conference that I am really excited about. I am producing a short film about the life of Phil Baker, the author and artist. Sheryn Hack from http://www.sherynfilms.com is a part of the project and Bryce Green former journalist from the ABC and current Program Director for 98.5fm is directing and helping produce the short film.

Another part of the conference that I am so looking forward to is hearing via live link from Mako Fujimura http://www.makotofujimura.com/

Mako is an artist, writer, and speaker who is recognised worldwide as a cultural shaper.

I think our understanding of what worship is in contemporary culture must change. The quote below really challenged me this week. I believe creativity and culture has the capacity to be deeply affected by christians who are walking out their faith with depth and light. Worship is a lot more than music.

In fact there are very limited references to music being a form of worship in the new testament.
What is in your hand?

A paintbrush?
A pen?
A video recorder?
A computer?
A thought?
A song?
A poem?
A smile?
Use that to shine light. Use that to change and impact culture.

writings for winter

Interesting days.
Amanda

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Novice Crochet

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Watch out.

What you are about to read is highly contagious.

It is addictive.

It has caused my husband to declare a crochet free night in our house.

I have had some conversations with friends recently who want to learn to crochet.

So I decided to encourage others in this sport so that I may be a little less granny.

There is something so therapeutic, about repetitively tying little knots that end is something special; a present for my friend, a crafty something for my house and creative inspirations that make me smile.

 

The way I learnt to crochet recently was through youtube. (when I was very young my nan taught me, but crochet became very uncool in high school) I buy most of my wool from Spotlight and am especially happy when it is on sale. www.spotlight.com.au

Here is one of the tutorials I learnt from:

I have recently made a couple of jumpers for Maximus and they are actually surprisingly easy. I promise. I made it available in my shop for free, you just go to my shop and download for free.

The original pattern is free from www.ravelry.com

If you are a beginner start with something simple like a plain scarf or a one coloured rug. Learn each of the stitches, single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet. Then you are off and racing.

Winter is the perfect time to begin to hibernate and create.

All my crafting love

Amanda