SuperSculpey modeling - first try

I recently started a new personal project with clay. I've heard so much about how amazing it is to model in SuperSculpey clay so I thought I'd try it out for the first time. It wasn't easy especially with all the little details I was working on and the clay had a sort of wax feeling to it. Not the same feeling as when working with pottery clay. The outcome before the painting turned out pretty good but the painting did not. Below is a couple of work in progress pictures and also how it turned out, half of it anyway. I think I'll repaint it in a matte white. 

Keeping up with my creative life

Things I crafted for myself and friends.

Small drawstring bag, perfect when traveling. 

I needed a case for my iphone/glasses and this is what came out. Hand printed and sewn in cotton and felted wool with braided cord.

 

A toilet/vanity bag in fun and colorful striped cotton. 

A crochet blanket/rug for a good friend's little newborn baby girl. It was crocheted in wonderful soft wool that made me want to keep it for myself, to snuggle into on lovely cold Sunday mornings..

Wishing you a creative weekend!

/Carolina

Project DIY

Thought I'd share my latest DIY project consisting of a thrift store sweater in beautiful red and a lace ribbon. 

Easy as pie! 

The thing that made me come up with this idea was that the neck width was too small for me and instead of hiding it away at the bottom of the drawer like so many other half finished projects I decided this sweater was to lovely to be forgotten. 

I started with cutting of the neck part of the sweater and making the hole to a preferable size.

Gathered my favorite lace ribbons, in this case I decided to use the one at the bottom. 

I folded and pinned the edges. Sewed twice with the machine. 

I then sewed on the ribbon by hand right under the front edge.

I chose to only have a strip of ribbons between the collarbones but it could go around the whole neck too, it's just a little more work!

The ending result. Looks cute, right?

Now is the time to start creating!

/Carolina

Geometric Installation

My original complete illustrations together with my hand cut, handmade, 

geometric wall boxes.

I don't usually think "commercial" because that's just not my thing and this work for the exhibition was even more further away from that. I really took my time with the experimenting of these pieces and I'm so excited how they turned out. I can definitely imagine myself doing larger scale paintings of these. 

/Carolina

New portfolio look

Recently I've been working on a new online portfolio and this week I finally finished it! 

Have a look: www.carolinagronholm.se

Perhaps you've noticed my new blog banner? New too! 

Cupcake love....

I've been drawing some yummy cakes this past week. It's for a coming collaboration with a local business/bakery. This is just a draft but a little something to drool over and get tempted...to bake and eat! 

(made a little carrot cake for myself soon after this was made..:D )

Do you have any favorite cake recipes? 

Would love to try something new!

Have a great week,

/Carolina

Illustrated copper necklaces

You may have seen some of these necklaces from late last year. They haven't been included in the shops yet but they will!  And you may remember my jewelry display I made for a christmas fair? 

This song has been on my mind all day. It's beautiful and nostalgic, it even gave me the title for my dreamy fox illustration!

Creative week in pictures

I've started on a new landscape drawing onto beautiful kraft/fiber paper.

Continued on a old drawing of Sau Paw looking very stuck-up.

Bought a new silkscreen!

Back in the screen printing studio after a months absence, oh how I've missed it! 

Here's my hedgehogs ready to be heated.

Went on a 3 hours class to learn the dry point technique. It's basically a steel needle engraving. I did this on a thick plastic sheet and this is somewhat similar to engraving onto copper. I managed to do only 1 engraving in 3 hours and there was so many elements...felt very old school which I like but knowing that the engraving is only good for about 10-15 prints before the scratched surface has faded off is somewhat disappointing. But I had fun learning a new craft!

Have a great weekend!

/Carolina

Small details

Behind every small business lies a lot of work on small detailing. It takes a lot more time than what you first imagine, especially when you do everything by your own hand. In a way it's charming in that sense that there's no machinery involved except perhaps your own printer. It has always been a goal for myself to make art by my own idea and hand and not be supervised/controlled by any teacher, school or product maker in a cheap production country. (I would only get depressed and loose my creativity...) If possible this is what I would like it to be in the future as well. Perhaps hard but I will try. I admire people who actually goes through the pain and competition at art schools, but it's just not for me. Maybe when I'm 40! who knows? but really not now.

Photos "behind the making".

I've got a great big tripod but with a less good camera for my product photography. I hope I can change that in a near future.

New screen printed labels - with my name on!

Mini sized transparent dangle labels for my jewelry.

Paper labels (On Swedish) for my screen printed totes.

Recycled packaging for my mini jewelry.

Orders to send off to my sweet customers.

And last, I know I haven't posted any photos of the group exhibition I've been in the last couple of weeks. I wanted to but the spotlights on that wall was not good for my camera. Yup, again - I've got a rubbish camera.

This poorly below is what I could get.

I hoped you liked my little "behind the scenes" post, someday I'll even post photos of my work place. It's crazy but I don't even have a real workspace! It's wherever I find a somewhat empty space in my one bedroom apartment, except for the screen printing studio I'm sharing. I'm working on getting a corner at home - just have to get rid of some clutter/collections/instruments/furniture....There you go! with no romanticization.

Happy 4th Sunday of advent!

/Carolina

Printed & Sewn

Yup, I'm still making screen prints on fabric. There's no stopping me now! 

New pattern with my darling heart silhouette bunnies, birds and squirrels on red placemats. 

As you may have seen in previous posts, I've began sewing a little bit again. These skirts are so much fun to make, I even added a little pocket at the front. The white stripes are hand printed. Feels like a little tribute to the band every time a wear it! :D

And a little something to listen to while waiting for that snow that wont seem to come!

ps. I've got more printed fabric and garments to show soon! 

Wishing you a great weekend

/Carolina

In the little house there was a forest

I made a little house for my jewelry as display for coming craft markets. Like a miniature greenhouse for my little animal and forest illustrated necklaces. The one you see here is a new model in copper metal, it's much larger than my older ones and so you have to be a little more brave to wear it! 

This is just a preview but once ready for the next christmas market on the 10th of December I'll post more pics. 

Have a great monday!

/Carolina

Made myself a letter necklace today...

I've been doing the whole recycling and DIY thing all day long. I realized I'm in BIG need of new clothes even though I have a BIG wardrobe but you see it's only dresses, costumes and lovely vintage clothing. Sometimes it's good to have basic clothing too, right? So I've been re-sewing old pants to new styles that is more me now at this moment of time, organizing to give away a bunch of clothing to second hand stores and so on. I usually give a lot to my sister who is more than happy to receive them or give out to fundraisers when I'm fed up with not being able to shut the wardrobe closet properly because of the clothes that is pouring over! 

Do you ever have this problem?