First tenants

As soon as the tree was firmly in place, fixed with four bolts and meters of double sided tape, some living facilities had to be provided.
Imediat ce copacul a fost fixat bine pe perete, cu patru suruburi si metri de banda adeziva, trebuiau furnizate si locuinte utilate.

Built around a solid reinforced cardboard core,
Construita in jurul unui miez de carton armat,
...and benefiting from all mod cons like electrical wiring...
...si beneficiind de toate facilitatile moderne, cum ar fi instalatie electrica...
...this treehouse provides a modern, comfortable living space.
...aceasta casa-in-copac ofera un spatiu de locuit modern si confortabil.

At the same time, it blends into its environment through the clever use of quilted faux-bark walls...
In acelasi timp, se armonizeaza cu mediul inconjurator, datorita folosirii ingenioase a peretilor quiltati din imitatie de scoartza...

...and natural leaf roofing.
...si a acoperisului natural din frunze.

You must agree that this unique combination of features makes for an irresistible dwelling.
Trebuie sa recunoasteti ca aceasta combinatie unica de trasaturi concura la crearea unei locuinte irezistibile.

And it seems like I'm not the only one to think so. Look, somebody has already moved in!
Si se pare ca nu sunt singura care crede asta. Ia uitati, cineva s-a mutat deja in ea!

Tree

I have not been completely idle lately. Close, but not quite.
N-am fost cu totul lenesa in ultima vreme. Aproape, dar nu chiar cu totul.

Do you remember this project? It was in September last year that I started it. I appliqueed and painted and turned it this way and that and it still didn't look like anything. On the one hand, it was way too big to handle. On the other hand, no matter what I did to it, it still looked like a torn sweater stuck to a piece of curtain. The "customer" was getting restless and pushy. She wanted her tree. And she was right to, I mean, it's been 7 months!
Va mai amintiti proiectul asta? L-am inceput in septembrie anul trecut. Am aplicat si pictat si l-am tot intors pe toate partile, dar tot nu arata nicicum. Pe de o parte, era mult prea mare. Pe de alta parte, orice ii faceam, arata tot ca un erseu rupt atasat de o bucata de perdea. "Clienta" devenea nerabdatoare si insistenta. Isi voia copacul. Si normal, doar trecusera 7 luni!

So finally, one morning at the beginning of April, motivated by my friends' encouraging remarks (and I quote: "You do realise that rag will never become a work of art?") I decided to start over, but this time with a whole new approach. So, here we go!
Asa ca intr-un final, intr-o dimineata de la inceputul lui aprilie, motivata de remarcine incurajatoare ale prietenilor (si citez: "Iti dai seama ca o carpa ca asta n-o sa ajunga niciodata o opera de arta?"), m-am hotarat sa o iau de la capat, dar de data asta dintr-un unghi complet nou. Deci:

How to make a tree meant to cover up a mouldy wall area:
Cum sa faci un copac care sa acopere o suprafata de perete mucegaita:

Step 1: Chop up the old project! Ooh, that was liberating.
Pasul 1: Se taie tot ce s-a facut pana acum!

Step2: Realise that you now need a new lot of fabric. Go and buy a second hand cotton sheet.
Pasul 2: Se daseama ca acum iti trebuie alta bucata de material. Se merge si se cumpara un cearsaf de la second.

Step 3: Sketch the outline of the tree on paper, then transfer it to the sheet. Cut out and sew onto cotton batting.
Pasul 3: Se deseneaza conturul copacului pe hartie, apoi se transfera pe cearsaf. Se decupeaza si se coase pe vatelina.

Step 4: Apply the same technique to the branches and roots. Sew them onto their stumps. Swear a little when you realise that, despite your careful measuring, they do not match up. Sew everything, right sides facing, onto a backing (which incidentally is the old green curtain you chopped up at step 1), turn and iron. Do not get discouraged when your father says it looks like an albino polyp.
Pasul 4: Se aplica aceeasi tehnica radacinilor si crengilor. Se cos de cioturi. Se injura putin cand nu se potrivesc, in ciuda masuratorilor precise. Se coase totul pe un spate (care se intampla sa fie chiar vechea perdea verde pe care ai taiat-o la pasul 1), se intoarce si se coase. A nu se descuraja cand tata zice ca arata ca un polip albinos.

Step 5: Give it some colour! Enjoy getting yourself covered in paint. Love the result. Gloat and say "who's an albino now!"
Pasul 5: Se da niste culoare. Se face mizerie cu vopselele. Se adora rezultatul. Se umfla in pene si se spune "acuma cine-i albinos!".

Step 6: Give it some texture! Throw everything you have onto it (lace, knitting wool, decorative threads, felting wool etc) and cover everything with black tulle.
Pasul 6: Se da textura. Se arunca tot ce ai pe copac (dantela, lana de tricotat, fire decorative, lana de impaslit etc) si se acopera totul cu tulle negru.
Step 7: Quilt with variegated thread to create a bark effect. Love the result even more. Sew on some bits of the previously chopped sweater to complete the bark effect. Rip the tulle in various spots and pull out the felting wool, to create a moss or lichen effect (green on the branches, brown and grey on the roots).
Pasul 7: Se quiltuieste cu ata in degrade, pentru a crea un efect de scoarta. Se adora rezultatul. Se coase niste bucatele din jerseul mai sus mentionat, pentru a completa efectul de scoarta. Se sfasie tulle-ul in diverse puncte si se scoate lana, pentru a crea un efect de muschi sau licheni ( verde pe crengi, maro si gri pe radacini).

Step 8: Wait until 10pm, the day before Nora's birthday. Sneak into the room when she is not home, attach the tree to the wall with double sided tape (nothing too permanent, she might hate it and want to take it off immediately). Put double sided tape on every single leaf (previously cut out of the old project, plus some old shirts) and attach those to the wall too. By now it will be past midnight. Enjoy the result for a minute, then go home.
Pasul 8: Se asteapta pana la 10 seara, in ajunul zilei de nastere a Norei. Se strecoara in camera cand ea nu e acasa, si se lipeste copacul de perete cu banda dublu adeziva (nimic prea permanent, s-ar putea sa nu-i placa si sa vrea sa-l ia jos imediat). Se pune banda dublu adeziva pe fiecare frunza (taiate si astea din vechiul proiect plus niste bluze vechi) si se lipesc si frunzele de perete. Acum va fi deja trecut de miezul noptii. Se admira rezultatul un pic, apoi se merge acasa.

Step 9: Receive an excited phone call the next day, expressing in many ways how much she loves the tree. Feel relieved that the whole overdue tree issue is no longer threatening your friendship.
Pasul 9: Se primeste un telefon entuziasmat a doua zi, in care Nora exprima in multe feluri cat de mult ii place copacul. Se simte usurare ca problema copacului intarziat nu ne mai ameninta prietenia.

Step 10: Blog about it.
Pasul 10: Se pune pe blog.

Below is my happy customer. I hate that the tree is so droopy on the right hand side, but she arranged it and loves it like that, so who am I to question?
Mai jos este clientul fericit. Nu-mi place deloc ca pomul e asa de lasat pe partea dreapta, dar ea si l-a aranjat asa si asa ii place, deci cine-s eu sa o pun la indoiala?

I have another surprise in store for her, something to attach to the tree, you know, to make it look more lived-in. :) I'm hoping to finish that soon.
Mai am o surpriza pentru ea, ceva de atasat la copac, sa-l faca sa para mai locuit :) Sper ca o voi termina in curand.

Sunshine Blog Award

Am primit de curand acest premiu de la doua persoane diferite: Elena si Ortansa. Multumesc frumos! Acum o sa respect si eu regulile, adica astea:

SA POSTEZE PREMIUL PE BLOGUL PERSONAL,
SA-L DARUIASCA CELOR 12 PRIETENI ALESI,
SA AFISEZE LINK-UL BLOGULUI LOR,
SA -I ANUNTE PRINTR-UN COMENTARIU PE BLOGUL LOR,
SA SCRIE DIN PARTEA CUI AU PRIMIT PREMIUL.

... si o sa-l dau mai departe dupa cum urmeaza:

I recently received this award from two different people. I shall follow the rules and offer it to 12 other people in my reading list, as follows:

1.Dear Fii, for her colourful happy blog
2.Vintage Ricrac, for her beautiful doll-sagas and wonderful sarcasm
3.Fryd og Design, because she lives in a fairytale place
4.Colette Almai, for her incredibly beautiful creations
5.Luxquilt, for her very inspirational work
6.Peticel, because she makes me smile with every handbag she makes
7.SmaBla, for her cheerful writing and unusual creations
8.New Age Dolls, for her perfectly enchanting creepiness
9.Joyce Stahl, because her dolls are positively jaw-dropping
10.Ro Bruhn, for art I wish I could produce
11.Skellyton Art, for her amazing dolls
12.Peticelul Romanesc, to all my fellow group members who help, inspire, comment and motivate

Happy Day

Stiti ce-i in poza asta? Un misumac care sta pe niste carti, desigur! Pe misumac il cunoasteti, pe carti nu. Asa ca daca sunteti curiosi, puteti vedea povestea lor aici.

Homeward

Yay, finally finished! The first quilt I've completed in the last maybe 4 years. Part of a group project, it involved the use of 4 compulsory pieces of fabric. And it also had to be completed by March 8th, which means I am not late! Unbelievable!

Iee, in sfarsit am terminat! Primul quilt pe care l-am facut in mai bine de 4 ani. Parte a unui proiect de grup, implica folosirea obligatorie a 4 bucati de material. Si trebuia terminat pana in 8 martie, ceea ce inseamna ca nu am intarzia! Incredibil!
Two of the pieces became hills, the third was chopped up and incorporated into the sky, and the one with green became the roof of the house. I also cut out some "ivy" from one of the fabrics. What's a gnome house without ivy, aye?

Doua dintre bucati au devenit dealuri, pe a treia am taiat-o si am incorporat-o in cer, si cea cu verde a devenit acoperisul casei. Din cea roz am decupat si niste iedera. Ce-i o casa de pitic fara iedera, nu?
I quilted cloud outlines and various other incoherent squiggles on the sky:

Pe cer am quiltuit contururi de nori si diverse alte mazgaleli incoerente:
For the big hills, I followed the pattern of the fabric: stipple (with added flowers) for one, spirals for the other.

Pentru dealurile mari am urmat modelul materialului: stipple (cu flori) pentru primul, spirale pentru celalalt.

I've been dreaming of quilting circles like I had seen in many other quilts for a long time. The stones in the road gave me this opportunity. I now feel accomplished: I can quilt that pattern too! And the back didn't even look as disastruous as I had expected.

De mult imi doream sa quiltuiesc cercuri cum mai vazusem in multe quilturi. Pietrele de pe drum mi-au dat in sfarsit posibilitatea. Ma simt implinita acum: pot si eu sa quiltuiesc modelul ala! Si pe dos nici nu arata as dezastruos pe cat ma asteptam.
I left the most important detail of the quilt, the gnome, for last. Not a very wise practical decision, but I kept delaying it because I didn't know how to make it so that it would look like the image in my head. This is what i did eventually:

Am lasat la sfarsit cel mai important delatiu: piticul. N-a fost o idee foarte isteata, dar l-am tot amanat pentru ca nu stiam cum sa-l fac sa arate ca in capul meu. Pana la urma am facut asa:
I drew the outline on a piece of flesh-coloured fabric, and then I ironed adhesive on both sides. Then I cut out clothes and shoes and ironed them over the top.

Am desenat piticul pe o bucata de material de culoarea pielii, apoi am calcat adeziv pe ambele parti. Si apoi am decupat haine pe care le-am lipit peste.
Surprise! Due to a stoopid choice of colours, the gnome was almost invisible. I could have participated in the "Camouflage" project with him.

Surpriza! Datorita unei alegeri proaste a culorilor, piticul meu era aproape invizibil pe fundal. As fi putut participa la proiectul "Camouflage" cu el!
So I stripped him naked and re-clothed him, so that I would keep the colour scheme but provide a bit more contrast.

Asa ca l-am dezbracat si i-am dat alte haine, astfel incat sa pastrez aceeasi gama de culori dar sa creez si un pic de contrast.

And this was the story of my clumsy silly magenta quilt. And he lived happily everafter in his pink ivy-covered house:>
Si asta a fost povestea stangaciului quilt magenta. Si a trait fericit pana la adanci batranete in casa acoperita cu iedera roz :>

Inspirational crafting

My vibe seems to be returning, (very) slowly but surely. I still don't feel like starting to make any sort of doll, but I have not been completely idle! I made some little goodies for a faraway friend in need of some causes to smile.
Se pare ca-mi revine inspiratia, (foarte) incet dar sigur. Inca tot n-am chef sa ma apuc de orice fel de papusa, dar n-am stat chiar degeaba! Am facut niste chestiute pentru o prietena careia ii trebuiau niste motive sa zambeasca.

First, there was Monica (she looks like a Monica to me!) and her inspirational quotes:
Prima data a venit Monica (are fatza de Monica pt mine!) si citatele ei motivante:

Then there were the bat clothes pegs, a team effort meant to become a new-house present.
Apoi carligele pt haine in forma de lilieci (carligele, nu hainele), un efort de echipa menit a deveni cadou de casa noua.

They looked so good up there next to my dark cloud, that it was hard to put them int heir box and send them away.
Aratau asa de bine langa norisorul intunecat, ca mi-a fost greu sa-i pun in cutie si sa-i trimit.

They carried with them a brooch...
Au dus cu ei o brosa...
...and detailed instructions for their use.
...si instructiuni detaliate de folosire.
All of the above were carefully packed with tasteful colours...
Toate astea au fost ambalate frumos in culori pline de gust...
...and placed in the care of Mimi, who took it upon herself to transport them safely to their destination
...si date in grija lui Mimi, care si-a asumat sarcina de a le duce in siguranta pana la destinatie.
Standing about 8cm tall, Mimi is such a cutie! Too bad she has to be unique, otherwise I'd make her a few brothers and sisters and cousins.
La cei 8cm ai ei, Mimi e tare draguta! Pacat ca trebe sa ramana unica, altfel i-as face niste frati, surori, verisoari, verisoare...

And here's a little preview of the next project on the agenda. Coming soon!
Si iata si o avampremiera a urmatorului proiect de pe agenda. In curand pe ecrane! :)

Poor little lazy me. Or how to get over crafter's block

I've been sick. Very sick indeed. But, contrary to what I thought on those nights when I beat all my personal fever records, I have not died.

Am fost foarte beteaga. Dar, in ciuda a ce credeam in noptile cand febra mea a batut orice record personal, n-am murit.

However, I was left rather devoid of energy. I have a gnome stuck halfway through a story, and he will never get home unless I do something about it. And I have 3 baby girls who might not sleep at all until I make them their soft cuddly sleep companions. And I have friends in need of some inspirational craftiness.

Totusi, am ramas cam golita de energie. Am un pitic blocat la jumatea unei povesti, si care n-o sa ajunga niciodata acasa daca nu fac ceva in legatura cu asta. Si am 3 fetite care s-ar putea sa nu doarma deloc pana cand nu le fac parteneri moi de somn. Si am prieteni ce au nevoie de niste mestesugit care sa inspire.

But I just... can't... be... bothered. I hope it goes away. Soon. Any tips for getting back "in the zone"?

Dar pur si simplu... n-am... chef. Sper ca-mi trece. Curand. Sugestii pentru cum sa revin in forta?