Showing posts with label Cecelia Louie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cecelia Louie. Show all posts

Monday, September 8, 2014

A blog hop with a difference

Hello All,

After a long long break from writing, I am back with a very unique blog hop, where I got involved, thanks to my College classmate and an avid crafter, Kripa Koushik. The number of years I've known her can't be counted on the fingers on our hands! We did Graduation together and then, recently got back in touch through the world of crafts.

She works magic with her mixed media layouts, and unlike me, cards! She has a distinct style, which often begs careful examination, for there are so many tiny details that add up to the big picture :)

I agreed to be a part of this hop because of the different format! This hop actually helps us all get to know each other better, as people and as crafters.............idiosyncrasies included! :D


More about me:


1. What am I working on?

A lot of things, like always. Quilled jewellery is something that always adorns my table. In addition, there are a couple of frames in various stages of non-completion. I just finished this jewellery piece (which took quite a bit of time, split over 3 days, to make). This is my attempt at recreating the ancient jewellery making technique - Thewa




2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I don't know if there is a lot of difference between the work I do and the others do, but I try to play by my strengths, namely, free-hand drawing and an understanding of the chemistry of the materials. The combinations of materials become a lot easier to devise once you know how they work in tandem. I try to exploit that information to get better at my work.




3. Why do I write/create what I do?

The simple answer is: Because that's what I can see myself doing day after day, for years to come. My husband once asked me: Where do you see yourself five years from now, and the only vision that I could come up with was: In a giant craft workshop, doling out really good craft pieces. I craft, because I live for it :)





4. How does your writing/creating process work?

This is a complex question to answer. Most times, the most difficult/tricky part is to come up with an idea. Often, ideas strike seeing something completely unrelated. And sometimes, something similar sparks an incremental idea. Often, it is the craft material itself that makes me think about how I can use it in a different way. 




Once the idea is in place, the first thing I do is a strength test. In my mind, I run through the process of creating it (earlier, I used to draw them but with experience, I am able to visualize them now). On the way, I look for loopholes like a hawk. I've an almost manic obsession with sturdiness. If my work is not sturdy, I take it as a  personal insult. So, making designs sturdy or devising processes to introduce sturdiness is what comes next. Often, I modify the design/idea to keep strength a priority. Once the process is clear in my head, I start with the actual execution. There have been rare times when I have been stumped by hurdles (largely, because of lacunae in my information database) but mostly, I've been able to foresee mistakes. If some mistakes get the better of me, I restart the whole process, subtracting the mistake.




I'll give one example. There was this one time I was making a yellow jhumka and no matter what I did, the yellow colour kept "leaking". It'd separate into a pale yellow part and dusty brown part. It took me 4 trials to figure out that it was the problem with the yellow paint (which I figured out after trying three different and top-of-the-notch brands) and the 4-step process finally because 7-step process to eliminate this pigment separation. 





To pass this baton on, I choose two of my favourite crafters: Manuela Koosch and Cecelia Louie.

Although neither of them need any introduction to crafters and quillers alike, I'll go ahead and introduce them (pardon me if I sound like a star struck teenager, but both these women are my role models!)

Manuela (or Manu, as I call her) is a crafter with superlative capability to transform the mundane to magic and if you think I am exaggerating, drop by to www.manuk.ro and see for yourself :)




Cecelia redefines "Design isn't when you can't add anything more, it is when you can't take anything away". She gives simplicity an elevation the way I haven't seen anyone do. Minimum talks maximum is a quote written for her.




Happy Hopping and thank you for dropping by!

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Monday, March 17, 2014

"Pretty Quilled Cards" - A book review

Hello All,

Anyone who has seen Cecelia Louie's work (on her blog) will probably use these words to describe it: Simple, Airy, Uncomplicated, Effective.......

Thank Heavens, she decided to share her genius with all of us, through her amazing book - Pretty Quilled Cards - 25+ Creative Designs for Greetings and Celebrations.



When asked to review the book, I have to confess, I felt highly flattered. When the book landed in my hands, it was like talking to Cecelia, almost like seeing her working in front of my eyes.

Now, over to the book......

The book opens with a very elaborate introduction to the tools and techniques in quilling. In a typical Cecelia style, the descriptions are elaborate and lucid. She goes on to describe the various techniques, with clear illustrated images. Everything about her works spells simplicity, down to her gluing techniques. Her ingenuity at using simplest of things as quilling tools shines right through! What struck me was that she has "named" techniques which most of us just "do". Nomenclature of techniques definitely did appeal greatly to the scientist in me! :D

All projects start with a crisp list of components, precise instructions as to how to use those and where. These are followed by images of how to put them together AND a template for the card background. It truly can't get any simpler than that.

The cards are so well illustrated that even I could follow the instructions. Though there are 25+ projects described in the book, I absolutely fell head over heels in love with the wine-glass charms and cupcake toppers.


Anyone looking to make cards using quilling and simplest (yet, most effective) ideas, this book is an absolute must-have. And Cecelia, I hope you realize that you've penned a classic, as far as quilling books are concerned :) Thank you for giving me this opportunity to review your book, It's an honour beyond all honours :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh 

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Liebster Blog!

Hello All,


I was so pleasantly surprised to see Denise's message on my blog that I am sure I must've blushed! :) Thank you SO much Denise, you're the sweetest! I am really glad you chose my blog for such an honour :)





The idea of the Liebster Blog Award is to spread the love from one small blog (under 200 followers) to other small blogs. This helps to spread knowledge and readership. 


To accept the award, you must:

1) Link back to the person who gave it and thank them for thinking of you.
2) Post the award to your blog.
3) Give the award to 5 bloggers (with less than 200 followers) that you appreciate and value.
4) Leave a comment on the blogs of the five people you have chosen to let them know.

"Liebster" in German means "dearest", so to carry on the Liebster tradition, I am going to pass the award on to 5 people who's blogs have been an inspiration to me and my crafting.  To be honest, passing this on will be difficult as there are so many wonderful small blogs that have inspired me.  It will be a challenge to chose only 5.

My picks would be:

Susan - She makes the most wonderfully aesthetic cards and is the one who got us all addicted to Beehive technique (which I seem to never stop using :D).....
Cecelia Louie  - For her wonderfully inspirational blog! She must be one woman with many heads as she wears so many hats at the same time! Paper cutting, quilling, paper folding........you name it, she does it, and with such a stylish twist :)
Manuela Koosch - Needs no introduction! Perfectionist to the core, I had a tough time believing that she cuts the strips manually (sometimes, as thin as 1 mm) and makes such fantastic designs!
Philippa - For being the visionary she is. In her own words - She is constantly pushing the boundaries of quilling and reinventing the art :)
Vilma- For being the ultra-stylish jewellery maker! Whenever she posts, I go WOW!

Thanks once again to Denise for honouring me with Liebster Blog award! :)

Hugs - Pritesh