Dienstag, 17. Februar 2015

YOUR Personal Freeform CAL! - "Week" 23

You want a freeformed visual diary blanket, too?
It's never to late to start it!
I will always post your pictures
on my page Dada Neon Crochet & add it to our CAL photo album!
No time pressure at all!
If you wanna join this freeform adventure you can find the first project here!

♥♥♥

Welcome to our next adventure!
It's a busy time at the moment
so I'm late again!
There are so many other things to do
that my crochet time has heavily decreased!
- And so my online time...

I can't work with patterns anymore!
Actually I'm in a few projects
but it's so much better without
pattern reading!
I guess I will only freeform for a while!
And create Nanas!
(But they don't count as pattern work!
I don't spend more than a minute
looking at my handwritten notes
for a Nana!)
Ohhh, Nanas & instruments
& so many ideas for new crocheted pictures!


Haha, the Nanas have forced me 
to post THIS pic, too!

 
Nanas!
Some of you have already crocheted at least one, too!
Lisbeth's Nanas had lots of fun outside!


...and Kerry's first beauty is waiting
for some sisters!


...and I know there are some other Nanas in progress!
It's gonna be spectacular! ;-)

Something more serious now:
Some of you have joined in the discussion
on my facebook page yesterday
- there are creepy pages.
Some of them make money with clicks on webpages...
They claim they have tutorials for some of my makings
& some of you are also victims.
We all need to make our names on photos.
And really: It doesn't matter if you have a page or not!
For me you are all artists
& we are creating such unique puzzle pieces!
Please start to add your page names
your real names
or at least an artist name of your choice on pics!
It's much easier for other persons
to inform you about the abuse of your work
& without a name on it everyone can just claim:
I've crocheted it.
Some people haven't realized
that this crochet world is small
- especially the freeform world.

Marina wrote about such a case
on her page Snovej
& she has also presented the best way
to find your own pics posted by someone else...
I'm always using this way
if pages post works without an artist name
& it's good for all of us to get familiar 
with the google image search...

I've presented an easy way to add your name on a pic
today in this Picmonkey Tutorial.
Just to show you how I do it.
(Love this page!)
There are other softwares,
apps & editors as well,
if you have already found YOUR way
- go for it!
But please start adding your page or name!

♥♥♥

Soooo, now the hello to all my lovely members!
I've just made the decision that it's just
not possible anymore to make real personal greetings!
Actually I love doing this part
but it costs so much time
- something I don't have at the moment -
so it will be much shorter from now on...
I already wrote a lot of greetings but
I just gave up! Sorry!
A short hello to all of you & the presentation
of our new members, of course! ;-)

I'll have to count again, haha!

Much love to:
 Roberta,
Jodie,
Ulrike,
Gwenda,
Sandy (Sandy's Sundries),
 Alicia (Marcalic's Creations)
Marina (Freeform Crochet World, Freeform Crochet World Group,
Snovej, The Snovej Circle, Snovej Crafts & Kal's of Maine),
 Anouk (Een steekje verder), the highness MariaElena,
 Lin (Crochet in Colour)
Shawn (Dragonbird Creations) Lisbeth,
Jane,
   Princess Saskia ("MalleSas"),
 Cilly, 
Michi (Knittenfee),
Brenda,
Enna (Mishook aka Strikkeliese & Mishook), Nancy (Needleful Things),
 Judy,
 Nora,
 Jacqui (Hooky Delights.),
Denise (Wickedcrochet),
Alex,
 Lindy,Anne,
Marijke,
Katherine,
Cathy,
Kerry!!!

Ohhh, it hurts badly not to write something personal,
but we are really too many now!
And I LOVE you all!
Because I've never expected
to find such wonderful playfellows & friends
with this project!

And: We have new CAL friends!!!
I will still introduce new members, of course!
Get to know each other,
support your pages,
like your works!

It's wonderful to see that there
have grown friendships
between you! ;-)

We have our new member Shelley, yay!!!
(Good friends call her Shell,
so her hand project is framed with a shell!)
Shelley is from Australia,
a longtime friend
of my young page
& she has finally found her way to crochet:
FREEFORM!
She has always liked our CAL pics on my page
but when I've posted a link to Prudence Mapstone's
Flower-Power-Project
she HAD to try leaving the patterns herself!
Happy you have started this adventure, Shell!
I'm sure we will have lots of fun!!! ;-)




And we have Antoinette
in our team now
with her AWESOME page
Moonbrush Wood Studios!!!
Seriously:
When you wanna see cuteness overload
like her page!
I LOVE her felted animals so much!
And her drawings...
And hey: Actually she should have
another page for her crochet works, too!
(YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE ONE!)
It's a pleasure to see it grow,
Antoinette,
thank you for being part of the CAL team now! :-)





And we have awesome progress pics
(No collages anymore,
I will present pictures now!)

Saskia's ("MalleSas") wonderful CAL in progress
& her fantastic fish! ART!



Kerry's beautiful growing CAL
& her pretty neon Starry Night!


MariaElena's Nana Dada Friendship work!!!
(Your Nana is in progress!)


Gwenda's fantastic mud crab
(her sea world puzzle piece)!
I love it even more because you
are sharing your fabulous stories with us, Gwenda!


And the wonderful chain friendship puzzle piece
of our CAL friend Denise (Wickedcrochet)!
Just in case some of you have missed one
of the best freeform works ever
on my timeline made by Denise:
Here you go!


YOU ARE AWESOME!
ALL TOGETHER!
 

So: but here is our topic for "week" 23!
Nancy (Needleful Things) had a great idea,
she is longing for warmer seasons
& I'm sure we all enjoy "sunny days",
our topic for this "weeks" puzzle piece!

As you know I've published a little tutorial before
how you can add your name to a photo
with picmonkey!
 MariaElena gave me her permission
to use the wonderful Nana she has crocheted
for the friendship puzzle piece
so I can show her work here
WITH her name now! Important!
I've combined my own puzzle piece
with Nancy's topic 
& MariaElena's Nana Dada!
Here MariaElena's work - my inspiration:


 And here you can see
my Nana-on-a-sunny-day puzzle piece!


It's much easier for me to grow 3D Nanas!
I started with the background
& a pretty colour-changing yarn!
It was a fresh ball of yarn
but the 50 g have disappeared sooo fast!
Actually I wanted to
try a recreation
of Niki de Saint Phalle's painting
but the background has become to small!
(Maybe better, if my Nanas would see
this painting they would force
me to crochet them some guys, too!)

Maybe it's not my prettiest Nana
(MariaElena's Nana is much more beautiful)
but she is jumping around on a hot summer's day
so joyful that I love to have her in my CAL! :-)
Her boobs are 3D by the way - stuffed like a real Nana!

Be creative,
crochet a wonderful sun,
your favourite summer activity,
whatever!
Can't wait to see your works! :-)

The next CAL puzzle piece arrives in 2 weeks! ;-)
 Ohhhh, and PLEASE:

I need brave CAL friends
who are willing to present themselves
on a pic with their CALs!
I still want a book
& I would love to present our works
in magazines, too...
It's personal & you can be proud, hey! ;-)


♥♥♥
 
Stay awesome my princesses & princes,
 your friend Dada (or Julia)!!!

♥♥♥

Let me see your art in Marina's Freeform Crochet World Group, on Dada Neon Crochet or Ravelry!

How to add a signature to your photos with picmonkey!

It has become a must to add a signature to photos - 
It happens quite often that criminal crochet pages take photos of beautiful works & claim it's their work... :-(

I have found a wonderful page to improve photos & to add a signature:
A few little steps are helping you to add your name or page to a pic...

My friend Malena Casey
(for me still MariaElena or my highness!)
has crocheted such a gorgeous puzzle piece
& we don't want bad people to steal this pic
with her Nana Dada!
With her friendly permission
I will demonstrate how to add
her name on a photo!
Criminal minds can still steal the photo
but they can't claim that easy
it's THEIR work anymore!


1. Open the page www.picmonkey.com
& click on "Edit" - upload the photo


 2. Click on "Tt" (left column)


 3. Choose your favourite font & press the "Add Text" button!


4. Add your name, change the colour & size of your text!


5. Find the best position for your text!
(Just for fun I've added a rose,
this page offers so many opportunities!)
Press the save button!


6. If you wanna post a pic in facebook:
press the "Change" link!


 7. The bigger side of the photo
should have 1024 px!
Just type it in the box,
the friendly picmonkey is automatically adjusting the photo!
(Keep this magical number in your head!
Facebook is reducing the quality of pics
but with 1024 px & a file size smaller than 1 mb
your photo will keep it's quality!)


8. Save it - done! ;-)


Just a little tipp:
For Facebook posts it's
best to use the picmonkey crop option
with the size "square"!
Many people use smartphones
& can only see a part of the photo if it's not a square!

Montag, 2. Februar 2015

YOUR Personal Freeform CAL! - Week 22

You want a freeformed visual diary blanket, too?
It's never to late to start it!
I will always post your pictures
on my page Dada Neon Crochet & add it to our CAL photo album!
No time pressure at all!
If you wanna join this freeform adventure you can find the first project here!

♥♥♥

I'm proud like a Nana!!!
It's unbelievable how many of you have joined

And even better:
The first scrumbles
arriving Prudence Mapstone
are the works of Gwenda & Jenny!
Both are living in Australia
& so the postway to Prudence is quite short
but anyway:
I was so happy when I could read about your
attempts on the blog!

Here is Gwenda's gorgeous scrumble:


...and here you can see Jenny's beautiful scrumble!


...and some other works are on their way to Australia!


Haha, will be gorgeous to see all our
Flower-Power-Puzzle-Pieces together
in the wallhanging Prudence will create!!!

Some things have made me really happy during
the last weeks:

has created a bright coloured bird
& she has named this beautiful work after me!
This is Julia!


I'm so honoured
because I just adore her project!
Thank you Ria,
you are a shining star! xxx

I also have to speak out a huge "THANK YOU!"
to my friends of Crocheters Anonymous!
Last year, before I got into this too-much-state
I've joined Crocheters Anonymous!
I was really happy about it 
& as a yarnbomber it was such a great thing
to become an administrator
(Together with Sonia of StoryMakers - Portuguese Urban Crafts)
I wasn't a great help at all!
 I couldn't manage my own pages anymore
because I just didn't have time while I was
in the job programme
& I was so under pressure
with coming back to life & reality
that I needed to escape from the online world for a while.
I was just scared to fall back into depression
when I have too many things to manage.
I'm back on my feet
& I'm happy to have friends in this crochet world like
Pamela & Sonia.
No words of criticism
because of my absence...
Pamela, thank you so much for your understanding
& your lovely words! xxx
And Sonia, thank you sooo much
for being so kind to invite me to 
the "5 days - 5 artists" challenge
& to become a future CAL friend!
Can't wait to see your version grow! ;-)

You are gorgeous
& I'm feeling as a part of Crocheters Anonymous
even I really can't support you
the way we have planned it last year!
xxx

What else to write?
Maybe something less emotional?
Haha, I'm still addicted to Nanas! ;-)


That's my I-don't-wanna-wear-a-swimsuit-Nana!
I didn't post her naked on my page for several reasons
but 2 of you Ladies have received it in a message!
We have quite celebrated her
& so I declare:

Every single member of the CAL Club
can send me a message
if you wanna see her completely! ;-)

All other people have to go to Aria's
Nasty & Crafty group in facebook...
...even she is NOT nasty
but a real pretty natural lady!!! :-)

Haha, time is working against me
so I better come to the greetings!

♥♥♥

Here it comes:
My "Thank you!"
to all my lovely CAL Club members!
40 CAL friends now, a reason to celebrate!
(...best wishes to our secret members, too!)

Lovely greetings to Roberta,
I hope you are feeling fine!
  If you are crocheting a Nana
please show her to me! ;-)
Haha: Jodie, your Sophie's Universe CAL is such a beauty!
There are so many different colour choices to see
in the groups & on crochet pages
but your version is my fave!

 
Will go on with growing mine after the blogpost!
Greetings to my CAL friend Ulrike in Austria!
I really hope I will see your completed favourite song
puzzle piece somewhen! Loved it! 
 A hug to Gwenda!
I was so amazed to read that your scrumble
has arrived Prudence Mapstone first!
Such a wonderful thing our works
will be puzzled together!Thank you for being part of the team, Sandy (Sandy's Sundries & Etsy)!
  The Starflower Mandala you have created
will look awesome in the Flower-Power-Wallhanging,
such a happy colour boost! :-)
Alicia of Marcalic's Creations -
what a handspun yarn!


I finally got me the last few things I need
for the whole procedure
& so I can start the spinning adventure, too!
If mine will look like YOUR yarn one day
I won't buy yarn anymore!
  Marina, our busy bee! ;-)
 There are always lots of links to add
but they are all important!
Alex & me are very proud
to be on top of the timeline
at the moment with our Flower-Power-Scrumble!
 I just couldn't imagine the WorldWideWeb
without the Freeform Crochet World Group!
 And with The Snovej Circle we have a place now
to share our pattern stuff, too! 
Your Snovej-webpage is a gorgeous place
for freeformers & crafters (Snovej Crafts).
Last but not least you are also supporting
your husband KAL (greeeets!)
 producing delicious food Kal's of Maine!!!
This Lady is awesome! ;-)
Congrats to Anouk of Een steekje verder!
I read you have received your diploma!
Lots of crocheting time again, yay! ;-)
 Hugs to my highness princess MariaElena,
 I'm feeling so sheltered having your daily
visits on my page, you funny & joyful being!
So thankful to have you!
Haha, my friend Lin with her gorgeous page Crochet in Colour
You took the short way with the Sophie's Universe CAL& you are crocheting a cushion!
Totally understand, I could also crochet "Sophie's Garden"
(the middle part of the Lookatwhatimade's CAL)
again & again, haha! ;-)
Shawn of Dragonbird Creations
(get her in your newsfeed if you haven't done it yet!),
 I can't resist to show your stunning
freeformed baby blankey for Ella Rose here:


Awesome, isn't it?!
Somehow freeform tells a lot about the creator
& this blanket is so joyful & funny as you are!
Happy & proud to have you in this team, Shawn!
Haha, Lisbeth!
I'm so happy my orange freeform Nana has such a lovely home!


Makes me happy to see that I have infected you
with my Nana addiction! ;-)
 Best wishes to Jane & my beloved Scotland! ;-)
Lovely greetings to Tracy of Eden Reborn,
I could just read on your page
your crocheted room is getting shot for
a magazine today?!
So curious, I'm looking forward for the pics!
Jenny & her fantastic page Craft Cove!
Your scrumble for Prudence Mapstone's wallhanging
is such a beautiful work!
It brings joy just to look at it,
a wonderful idea to use it as a facebook cover!
 Thank you to Donna & with Walker's Whimsies
for your inspiring shares & being part of this adventure!
So lovely that you are supporting Marina
in our favourite group
(the Freeform Crochet World Group, of course)!
 Yarnbombing greets to Anne in Brussels! ;-)

Ohhh Zelna (our Zooty Owl!) -
I think you are pretty busy
but I would love to see your CAL grow!
Just because you so enjoyed our freeform fun!
 ;-)Monique of Yemanja -
you have yarnbombed me with beautiful
new puzzle pieces the last days
- but you have also yarnbombed something else:


Such a great work!
You have yarnbombed the bicycle
of your father in loving memory!
A huge virtual hug my dear!
And my lovely princess Saskia ("MalleSas")!
The project for this week
is based on your idea
& it was great fun to crochet & prepare the post!
It's great to have such a lovely friend in you!
I'm sure we will meet one day in "real" life
& I know it will be a fantastic meeting
with lots of crocheting, fun &
wonderful conversations!
Thank you for being part of this!
"Servus!" to Cilly -
I hope everything is shiny around you!
 Our CAL friend Michi!!!
I just visited your page "Knittenfee"!!!
Awesomeness!!!
Your crocheted portraits are brilliant!


Thank you to Brenda!!! Hope you are fine!
Sending much love to Enna
(Mishook aka Strikkeliese & Mishook)!!!
 Haha, Nancy & her page Needleful Things! I hope it's ok to show this work here,
it's just sooo beautiful!
(...and thank you for introducing me
to the irish Sheila,
I still have to laugh!) ;-)


 Lovely greetings to Judy as well!
Thank you to our CAL friend Nora
for being part of this awesome CAL team!
 Jacqui of Hooky Delights. -always a pleasure to visit your page!
Such a gorgeous crochet style!
And Denise of Wickedcrochet (also here on Etsy)!
 So many people have celebrated
your brother-in-yarn!
It was a fantastic idea to
recreate a poet
- David J. Daniels - 
 in yarn instead a single poem!
I'm sure he is as proud about it
as you can be proud about him!
I could only read one single poem of him so far
but I'd love to read more!
Here you can find a link to his recent book "Clean"


And: Our only gentleman Alex!
He isn't only a master in the kitchen
but also such a talented crocheter!
 
 
A real prince, isn't he?
;-)

 Lovely greetings to Lisa of Knotty Girl Yarn Art!
Your page is full with gorgeous & funny things! 
 So creative!
Haha, Lindy! I would love to see
pictures of your felted dolls!
;-) Greetings from my Nanas!
A thank you to Anne for joining our team!
...ohhh Marijke!
You have crocheted YOUR Personal CAL in such a short time!
I really hope you will continue this adventure!
Just use the following puzzle pieces
for pillows, bags, whatever! Hugs!
 

And finally:

The presentation of our new Ladies!

Katherine has joined our CAL Club
& has already grown such a gorgeous
miniature CAL of her first puzzle pieces,
one of my smaller Nanas could use it as a blanket! ;-)
Dada loves pompoms!!!


We have Cathy in our team now
with her amazing taste in blue!
She has also already grown her first 2 puzzle pieces
(Just love this shade!) - Beautiful!


...and Kerry!!!
We are having lots of fun since she has joined us
& this project was already a brilliant excuse
to go yarnshopping!
(Actually we don't need excuses
because we are freeformers:
We just need at least 500
different colours & kinds of yarn
to express our art!) ;-)
Here you can see Kerry's gorgeous growing CAL!


Katherine, Cathy & Kerry:
I wish you a wonderful journey!
 Happy to have you in our team now!
But now...new puzzle pieces!!!

The gorgeous Friendship projects of
Gwenda & Saskia:


 And of course lots of beautiful progress pictures:

Collage 1:


Collage 2:


...and collage 3:


So many pretty puzzle pieces, yay!!!
:-)

♥♥♥

 What's the challenge for our "week" 22?
(Just too funny to call it still weeks, haha!)
  I've asked on my facebook page
if someone of you has an idea for future projects
& Saskia has given me an inspiration first!
- And I also got some more ideas,
so I already have topics for "week" 23 & 24! ;-)
What would I do without you,
it's getting harder & harder to find good projects!

  Saskia's suggestion was:
"your favorite thing from the sea, a fish or coral"
- so shall it be!
 
 A fish is a great symbol actually 
- and it can have different meanings.
 
For christian members of the CAL Club
it can be a symbol for Jesus Christ,

in many old cultures the fish is a sign 
for fertility, in some countries people are wearing
fish amulets for shelter.

In China the fish stands for happiness & wealth!

Haha, for me personally fishes are damn important!
I would love to live next to the ocean
because I just can't get enough of seafood & fishes!
I'm not a meat friend but I couldn't exist without eating fish!

I love fishing as well,
my father took me with him 
since I was a little girl
& it's still a great thing for me.

When Saskia offered me this topic
I got immediately a picture into my head:


I love the book "The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister!
(When I was a child I prefered books for grown-ups
but the older I get the crazier I'm becoming about
books for children!)

I thought the crocodile stitch would be perfect to
recreate the Rainbow Fish!
Tamara of Moogly is offering a great tutorial
if you wanna integrate the crocodile stitch as well:

I've started with 21 stitches as shown in the tutorial
but I wanted to use another colour for every fish scale
so I thought I can just make the base first
to form the main part of the fish:


I love this stitch!
If my time management would have been better
I would have added some small hyperbolic corals
but this is the result of my fish:


Such a pity the pic doesn't show
how much it sparkles!
For the scales I combined acrylic neons
with a tiny silver yarn with funny details in it,
the water is a combination of a soft blue yarn
with fluffy yarn!

Anyway, I like my Rainbow Fish,
the mouth isn't perfect
but what's more boring than perfection anyway?!

Many thanks to my princess Saskia,
it was lots of fun to prepare your inspiration!

The next CAL post comes in 2 weeks! ;-)

♥♥♥

I love to prepare YOUR ideas so let me know 
what else you want to have in your CALs!

Stay awesome my princesses & princes,
 your friend Dada (or Julia)!!!

♥♥♥

Let me see your art in Marina's Freeform Crochet World Group, on Dada Neon Crochet or Ravelry