Tell ALL Tuesdays :: Heather Moore of SKINNY LAMINX

Good MORNING Tuesday readers...AND have we got a special treat for you this morning...

This fabulous lady has kindly taken time to visit us here today...as we all know she is an extremely busy lady...but thankfully, she said "yes" to us....

well...let's not waste more time...  

I am extremely pleased to introduce you to the ever so talented designer and illustrator Heather Moore, or some of you may know her better as the creator of Skinny Laminx ::

Tell us a little about the Town you live in... and have you always lived there?

I live in Cape Town, which is the oldest colonial town in South Africa, with lots of Dutch, Portuguese, British, Malaysian, San, etc etc heritage. It's beautiful here, with a big mountain in the middle of the city, awesome beaches, incredible winelands and fruit farms and forests, good shopping, theatre, movies, and just about everything else, too. I've lived here with my husband Paul Edmunds for 15 years after having moved here from KwaZulu Natal in the east of South Africa.

If you could move anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?

We spent 6 weeks in NYC last year, and after that amazing experience, I'd definitely love to try living there for a bit. 

 

 How structured is your day usually?

We're pretty rigid in our daily routines, rising at 5:45, and getting to our respective studios at about 7:30 and working to 6:30pm or so. Paul is an artist and takes a long time to make his very intricate work, and I run my own business, which is very all-consuming.

What did you do today?
Had a coffee at a favourite stop on the way to my studio with Paul,
Got to studio and dealt with orders from my online shop,
Wrote a blog post for ELLE Decoration
Took photos of some new colourways of fabric,
Cut some cushion covers,
Edited photos,
Wrote a blog post for my blog,
Worked on a new online shop I'm setting up,
Did a Bikram yoga class,
And now, at 6pm I'm putting in a last hour before meeting a friend for sushi.

 Are you a cat or dog person?

I like both, but adore our two hilarious kitties, Monkey and Nanook.
 

 Are you a breakfast, lunch or dinner girl?

I do like food, but am terribly undisciplined about eating. Luckily Paul is a good and healthy cook, and makes me delicious dinners every night. On the weekends we like going out for brunch after some morning exercise.


If you had 6 friends over for Dinner what would you make for them?
I hardly every cook, but if I had to, I'd probably haul out my tomato tart recipe. It usually works out ok.
 

 How old were you when you knew you were on the right path in your Life?

I'm an inveterate late bloomer, and it was only when I was about 36 that I started feeling like I was doing something I really did well. Before that, I'd been working as an illustrator in the educational industry, and found it very unexciting work, on the whole.


Who /what drove & inspired your love to create?
I've always enjoyed it. My mom is a junior school teacher, so she knows the value of creative play, and always encouraged us in that direction.
 

Tell us something not too many people know about you.

I can't bear the colour purple.

 Shoe choice::flats or heels?

I'm getting better at heels... but on the whole I have to dash about so much, it has to be flats.
 

 What was the last book you read?

I'm reading one on animal/human interactions and relationships called Some we love, Some we hate, Some we eat, by Hal Hertzog. Very interesting psychology and morality about how animals and humans share the world.
 

And finally...what advice would you give others just starting out?

Don't put too much pressure on trying to make a living from what you do. If that's the motivation, you're not going to have a lot of fun.
 
THANK YOU Heather...
It really was a pleasure to have you spend the day with us here.
Your work is timeless...and perhaps one day I will come for a visit again to Cape Town...such a beautiful City with incredible landscapes!
 
You can find Heather at her:
BLOG
ETSY store
WEBSITE
 
I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday...can you believe we're midway through February already?
HUGS
Char.x
BTW...don't forget we have ALL our Tuesday Interviews linked from the "PAGE" tab at the top of our blog!

Tell ALL Tuesdays :: Andrea from ANDREA CREATES

HURRAH...it's Tuesday again!!
These Tell ALL Tuesdays are so special to me...we get a glimpse of our Fabulous Readers and they have all been great with me and responded SO positively to letting go of their daily ongoings...so that all of you (and I) can enjoy their stories.(Thank you!)


So...without further adieu...let us introduce you to the the lovely Andrea, from one of my fave blogs (I have been following her progress and evolution for a while now)...Andrea Creates... make sure to go over there and say hello.

Tell us a little about the Town you live in... & have you always lived there?

I currently live in a suburb of Ohio~ we just moved here but I was born in California, and also grew up in France. I spent over ten years there.


If you could move anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?
I would probably move back to California~ I miss the warm sunshine in the Winter!
But ideally, I would love to be able to spend time in several places throughout the year. Maybe even Europe again. I have family in several states and countries!

How structured is your day usually?

I think of my day as fairly unstructured as my schedule's pretty flexible, and changes from day to day. I am always willing to jump in the car and go somewhere fun :)


Really, it mostly revolves around getting the kids to and from school, errands, household chores, then creative time.


What did you do today?
I had breakfast, checked up on emails, orders and such, got the kids off to school…next up, I’ll be sewing!

Are you a breakfast, lunch or dinner girl?

I’m a dessert girl, lol.
Morning coffee is one of my favorite times of the day. I don’t usually spend too much time on lunch unless I go out (which is probably too often). Dinner is nice too.


If you had 6 friends over for Dinner what would you make for them?
I would make dessert ! How about a chocolate cake?!
My husband’s the chef. I would probably ask him if he could make his famous lasagna!

How old were you when you knew you were on the right path in your Life?

I’m pretty sure I was born with a box of crayons in my hand, so I guess from very early on.


Who /what drove & inspired your love to create?
No one person in particular. Lots of people in my family are artistic and creative. I’ve always been around people that painted or did something artsy craftsy.


As we moved around, and I didn’t always speak the language, I found that art was always a subject I did pretty well at. Language wasn’t really necessary. That was inspiring.

Shoe choice::flats or heels?
Definitely flats. I’ve never worn heels (!) Preferably clogs ;)


What was the last book you read?
The Handmade Marketplace.
I recently read all but the last few pages of Breaking Dawn. I usually only read fiction if I’ve seen the movie.
My favorite section of the library are the arts and crafts and biography sections.

What advice would you give others just starting out?

Be yourself. Love what you do.

 Tell us something not too many people know about you.

Good question. Hmm, that’s a hard one!
I’m one of 5 children. Well, I guess some people know that, lol.

Name 5 blogs you love visiting, and tell us why.

Oh there are so many I love to read but here are a few from my ‘blogs I follow’ list and others I check almost every day.


1.of course, WeblogArtists
2.Audreyeclectic
3.emmalamb
4.posiegetscozy
5.dottieangel

Thanks SO much Andrea...loved having you here...your creations brighten up my day!
SO for all of you...you can find Andrea at her::
BLOG
SHOP
FLICKR

I would love to be able to create as Andrea does!!! I think I need some sewing lessons.
Crafty HUGS...until tomorrow.
Char.x

Tell ALL Tuesdays :: Nicole from Sleepy Time Gal

Hurrah...another Tell All Tuesdays...not sure about you...but I love taking a small peak into our fabulous readers and their creative busy lives...
They have all been great with me and responded SO positively to letting go of their daily ongoings...so that all of you(and me) can enjoy their stories.(Thank you!)
So...without further adieu...let us introduce you to the FABULOUS Nicole, from one special blog...the Sleepy Time Gal ...make sure to go over there and say hello.

Introducing:: Nicole from the Sleepy Time Gal

Tell us a little about the Town you live in... and have you always lived there?

In live in an old town called Carlisle, Pa., established in 1751, and grew up in an even older town, Gloucester, Va.,  established in 1651.  There’s something magical about living a modern life among the remnants of history all around you. 

 If you could move anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?

Possibly New England.  I wouldn’t dare leave the east coast, and am slightly curious about how much better its fall foliage is compared to Pennsylvania. 

 How structured is your day usually?

Monday is always the most structured.  Tasks are completed, cleaning begun, and there are high hopes for the remainder of the week.  As the days go by, though, life with four young ones somehow, naturally, slows down.  By Friday, I’m wondering where in the world my organizer disappeared to. 

Hey, there’s always Monday, right?

What did you do today?
Made the day’s bread.  Held one of my daughters on one hip while I did most of it.  Taught another daughter how to build with Lincoln Logs.  Danced to the music of Gigi (with girls twirling around me) while I unloaded the dishwasher.  Said goodbye to my husband flying to Vermont.  Starred at the mess from lunch.  Washed whites just for the background noise for the twins’ nap.  Finally dressed for the day 12:30.  

Are you a cat or dog person?
Dog person.  Cats make my throat tickle. 

Are you a breakfast, lunch or dinner girl?
Breakfast, definitely.  It is the one meal where you are the most rested and recharged, ready to start the day with something, hopefully, that requires maple syrup.

If you had 6 friends over for Dinner what would you make for them?
My mom’s cheese souffle.  Right out of the oven it looks quite impressive and goes well with baked potato (loaded, of course) and greens. 

How old were you when you knew you were on the right path in your Life?
Each day I’m trying to find that path.  I think that is the excitement and trouble with life.  Becoming a mother definitely gave me a concrete role in my life.

 Who /what drove and inspired your love to create?

My dad has always been an artist, so much of my creative desire came from him.  Just like him, I like to dabble between art, photography, and, in my case, creating for my home and children.

There’s something wonderful about creating for your family that only enhances the feeling of “home”.

Tell us something not too many people know about you.In my freshman year of college, I won a dance contest, dancing disco.

Shoe choice::flats or heels?
Flats.  The kind that are so “flat” and uncomfortable that you’d rather just go barefoot.  So maybe my answer is barefoot. 

What was the last book you read?The Hurried Child: Growing Up Too Fast Too Soon by David Elkind

How did you start blogging?

It started as a simple place to share the events of our family with friends and it turned into a space to vocalize motherhood, creating, and everything in between.  Now it is an ingrained part of my life.

Name 5 blogs you love visiting, and tell us why.

www.dana-made-it.com  (For sewing inspiration)

http://schlitzohren.blogspot.com/  (For motherhood in the raw)

http://smittenkitchen.com/  (To see food I’d rather drool over instead of actually make)

http://www.designmom.com/  (To see the latest in design)

We know you’ve become involved with helping the Women of Congo, please tell us a little more about what you’re doing.

First of all, let me inform you of what is taking place in the Congo:

•        The war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo began with the Rwandan genocide.

•        It is the deadliest war since WWII, and also the most ignored.

•        Over 7 million dead, with 45,000 more continuing to die each month.

•        Innocent women are used as weapons in this war: warring militias compete to be the most brutal, and thus the most feared. 

•        Thousands of women (ranging from ages 3-80) are gang raped each month.

•        Women are forced to watch as family members are kidnapped and killed.

•        According to public health researcher Amber Peterman, it is estimated that 1152 women are raped in the DRC every day.  That’s four, every 5 minutes.  That means that there are already over three million rapes in the Congo.



The exciting news is that Ann Richmond, the founder of Yoga for Congo Women,and I are organizing the sixth Yoga for Congo Women event this spring!  The first event to take place on the east coast! View a video clip HERE.

Thanks Nicole for being part of today's Tell ALL Tuesdays...it was wonderful getting to know you a little more.

If you haven't been to Sleepy Time Gal's blog...please visit Nicole HERE.

Have a great day.
HUGS

Char.x

Tell ALL Tuesdays with Julia Freund

Hi everyone...it's Tell All Tuesdays again...


We're introducing you to a very dear and talented artist and illustrator Julia Freund.
Such a talent...I wish everyone was so much closer so that we could all meet up and chat over a cup of Tea!

Drum roll.....here's Julia from Lineanongrata ::

 Tell us a little about the Town you live in... & have you always lived there?

I live in Berlin (Germany), the city my mother grew up in and my grandparents are buried, but I was born in Bielefeld and raised in a tiny village close to Bielefeld.

If you could move anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?

I would stay right here. I have never been so happy to be anywhere.

 How structured is your day usually?

Usually I manage to put some semblance of structure in my day. Some days are better than others and I get a lot of the 'have to' things done, some days are not so good and in the evening I don't remember a single useful thing I've done.

 What did you do today?

Unfortunately, today I forgot to get up at the appointed time in the morning. There was a kitchen wall to be painted still, four illustrations that needed to be done, according to my running schedule I still have to run for about half an hour… We'll have to see at midnight how much really got accomplished in the end.

Are you a cat or dog person?

Definitely a dog person. Cats don't like me and so I've never really gotten close enough to a cat to find out if I could like them.

Are you a breakfast, lunch or dinner girl?
 I'm a breakfast, lunch and dinner girl. Unfortunately I'm heavily hypoglycemic so I need to eat at regular intervals. Also I started training for a half Marathon, so these days I even wake up once a night because I'm so hungry.

 How old were you when you knew you were on the right path in your Life?

Old. I was already in my mid-twenties. It took me a while to figure it out and even longer to persuade the family one could make a living as an illustrator and designer. We had quite the family drama around that time.

 Who /what drove & inspired your love to create?

Nothing. It has just always been that way for me.

Tell us something not too many people know about you.

I am always very afraid I might hurt somebody's feelings.

Shoe choice::flats or heels?

Flat.

What was the last book you read?

'Last night in Twisted River' by John Irving.

What advice would you give others just starting out?

Be present online, network, be courageous and stick with it. Go to the art and craft fairs, let people know you exist.

 Name 5 blogs you love visiting, and tell us why.

SouleMama

Janet Clare

The Purl Bee

Prickly Pear Bloom

Angry Chicken

Some of them are friends, Tracy even is a partner in the Food for Thought Project, and the blogs are a great way to keep up with what they're doing.

 Amanda from SouleMama is a consistently good writer and the small daily moments on her blog are like a breath of fresh and calmer air during my crazy days at the moment.

Amy Carol is funny and sharp, her blog always full of information, and the Purl Bee do (in my opinion) market their products brilliantly through their blog full of inspiration and ideas.

THANK YOU so much for joining us today Julia...I just adore your work, and as you know I am fortunate enough to have one of your 2011 Calendar's.

You can find Julia at her::

BLOG

ETSY STORE

Until next week's Tell ALL Tuesdays...

Show Julia some love and say hello!

HUGS and thanks for popping by!

Char.x

YOU can help...

(Photo courtesy of Women for Women International)

Good morning readers...today IS our Tell ALL Tuesdays or our Tuesdays tastings...but just quickly before I introduce you to our Tuesday spotlight...

Our good friend Nicole from Sleepy Time Gal just made a shout out on her blog today...please go see how she's becoming involved with helping the Women from Congo...many of our readers are from the United States...and many of you are women who are compassionate about others...We're going to have Nicole as a guest in the next couple of days to tell us more...BUT until then, please go HERE and read her post today.(OH and feel free to place the button I have on your blog too....it's all about awareness!)

THANKS readers..I know I can count on you!!!

HUGS...I'll be back later with our Tell ALL Tuesdays interview.

Char.x

Squash special...

My GREEN BEAN zine by Katie Green arrived in the mail the other day and I haven't had a chance to show you little snippets as I do sometimes.
I absolutely love the idea of Zines and receiving little magazine subscriptions which have been created by artists all by themselves.
This issue is special...it's ALL about Pumpkins..."Squash" to be precise.

Squash risotto...how divine, squash curry to warm the body in the winter...YUM! And ALL the recipes are illustrated by Katie.

 Oh...ya, the girls painted those Pumkins ...they have to finnish them tonight."ONLY 5 MORE SLEEPS MUMMY!!!!" Halloween is HUGE over here...approximately 250 kids stop by our house Trick or Treating!!!

AND here is Katie in her very well known "What I wore today" pages...I adore the details she adds to her drawings.

So...if you'd like to visit her Blog go HERE

And you can BUY her ZINES ...HERE

I interviewed her for a TELL ALL TUESDAY spot...go HERE to read it.

So, I will leave you with this for today...I would have gotten an interview ready...but sometimes we all need a break.

AND today is my break...off to have a coffee with the lovely Sarah from Lyyli.

How do you Celebrate Halloween!

HUGS

Char.x