Wreck this Journal!

It's official! After just receiving my new copy of "wreck this journal" by Keri Smith in the mail today, I have started a new addiction.
If you haven't herd of this book (where have you been?) It is basically a book that has different prompts on each page, which are open to interpretation. I know sometimes I can get stuck with what to draw or make, so having that prompt, even if it's just a word helps with the flow of creativity.

The types of prompts on each page, to name a few are things like; 

- This page is a sign, what do you want it to say?

-climb up high and drop this book. 

-document time passing

-glue a random page from a newspaper

-A page full of four letter words

If I honesty wrote them all down this blog post would be huge. The one that says to climb up high and drop the book, by all means you can go climb somewhere and peg your book to the ground but  It is also open to interpretation. For instance what you think is very high up, like space or a hot air balloon and go draw that!

I'm still struggling with the whole"wrecking" a book idea. From a young age I always loved books and was taught to be gentle and care for them. The first time I accidentally ripped my wreck this journal, I think I may have actually apologised. 

Here we go, at the start of the book is the warning and acknowledgements.
The warning explains that you may get a little bit covered in paint and rainbows! Fine with me. I decided to whip out my chalk pastels to colour in this page.

The next page asks you to write your name in different ways, like in white, ( I used glitter, any excuse to use glitter) backwards and faintly.

The page next to it was left blank and boring, So i decided to stick an Ed Sheeran lyric on there.

This page had nothing but an arrow and some numbered "rules", which have now been bedazzled with gel pens and chalk pastels.

I shall continue updating through-out the week as I continue to wreck my awesome new journal.
If you have never had one of these or are looking to get more inspiration with drawing or even if you want to have some fun, I recommend this book.
Get wrecking!

Infinite x's and o's

Elena

Why I write

I casually mentioned in a conversation with a new friend the other day, that as one of my many careers I want to have. I really wanted to write fiction. I've been writing, just for fun, for quite a while.
English, especially creative writing were my favourite subjects in High school.
She asked me what drew my to write, as she told me she really struggled to invent characters and write a short story in class.
I more or less told her this quote, which I figured I would make into a bedazzled quote photo. Why not.
Right now in this period of my life, sometimes it truly is hard to keep hope. I've written so many short stories of things I wish would happen it's almost ridiculous, but It keeps me going.
Sometimes I don't understand what my mind is actually thinking until I write it down and read it back to myself.
That's just a little short explanation on why I write and why I like writing.

Hope your having a great weekend,
Infinite x's and o's,

Elena

What would my Dauntless (Divergent) Fears be...?

After absolutely adoring the books and the first movie of the Divergent series, this is a question I often wonder... Just casually.

If I had to pass the fear test, like Tris,Four and all the other dauntless initiates. Would I have many fears? And what would they be? I have a feeling my nickname, if based on the amount of fears like Tobias's (four) Would probably be too long a number to say quickly.
Then again, you might think you're afraid of something, but you may not be. The reverse could also be true.
I guess we will never really know what our fears would be in the "fear simulator" unless someone invents one. Even then, I doubt many people will be flinging up their hand,volunteering themselves to participate.

Instead, I took a dauntless fear test and I got "Fear of open water/ drowning". I'm almost certain that would be included in my portfolio of fears, most likely involving a shark as well. I don't really know where this fear comes from. Except one time when my Uncle and Aunt took me out on their boat and we were swimming in the ocean. Something brushed my foot and I was convinced it was a shark. I still to this day think that's the fastest i've moved in my entire life, diving at a lightening speed back into the boat to escape from the killer shark, which was probably just a rainbow fish.
 I used to also be afraid of baths growing up, I thought a shark would be able to come through the drain. and eat me. Well you never know!

What is your Dauntless fear? Is there a story behind your fear?

Hope your having a fabtastic day,

Infinite x's and o's,

Elena

Decorated Cakes I've made this year

This year was quite a year for decorated cakes. I usually love to make someone a cake as their birthday present instead of an actual gift. I'm still planning on doing a Christmasy themed one closer to the middle of December, maybe a christmas present box (ideas?). I thought I would share my cakes of 2014  with you all for inspiration and to just keep you up to date.

I made this cake for my brother's birthday. As you can see, he's a Lord of the rings fan. The base is a dark chocolate mud cake, covered in fondant and the piping is buttercream (if I were to do it again I would use royal icing as it is too thick)

This cake is in the shape of a monster hat which I made for a friend who constantly wears this identical hat. It is a white chocolate base, everything else is fondant except the white piping which is royal icing.

 This cake is my birthday cake, I had a neon lights birthday party, So i thought it suited the theme. Is it sad to make your own birthday cake? Pfffft no. The base is a dark chocolate mud cake, covered in black fondant and drizzled over the top is  royal icing coloured with neon food colours.

For my second brother's birthday this year I made him a glock cake, since he is a police officer. He thought it was pretty funny. The base is a chocolate mud cake and the icing is chocolate ganache coloured black (except for the white, which is white chocolate) 

 For a friend who is a Stargate fanatic I made him a Stargate cake. The base is a chocolate mud. The grey icing is butter cream and the details are fondant and royal icing.

This cake is a simple chocolate mud cake and I have just piped on a henna style pattern with royal icing.

Hopefully this inspired you! I hope you're all having a lovely week and good luck in your own cake decorating endeavours! 

Infinite x's and o's

Elena 

DIY Tumblr Inspired notebooks

I have a little bit of a confession to make. Actually it's probably not even that big of a secret anymore because If you have read some of my previous posts you'll know i'm slightly addicted to tumblr, and of course by slightly I mean utterly.
There is just something about re-blogging pretty pictures and quotes that's incredibly therapeutic.
I decided to plaster my addiction over some books and take them with me to broadcast it to the world. Though the people that don't have a tumblr or don't know what it is (aka muggles) will be non the wiser.  They will just probably think you like collages of pictures.

These are super easy to make, literally all you need is:
-some notebooks (lined or not lined it's completely up to you)
-spray on adhesive (you can find this from a craft store)
-white A4 thin card
-scissors
- and access to a computer and a colour printer.

To make the instructions on how to assemble them easier I decided to make a video:

Have fun customising your own Tumblr inspired notebooks and I hope you have an excellent week. If you do end up making some notebooks, make sure to comment, I would love to see your creation.

Infinite x's and o's,

Elena

My week in photos

Sometimes what you really need to do in certain points in your life is take a step back.
Take some time to explore a beautiful place, clear everything bad from your heart and head.
That has been my focus this week. 

Spent a day exploring a friends property.

Sometimes when you stop and look around, beautiful things are found

Found a friend

Aslan does this when you point at him. "away with you peasant."

 Aslan - "FOR NARNIA!"

Such a charmer.  Almost looks as if he's holding an imaginary weapon or about to start a jazz dance.

So that is my week in photos. I encourage you to take the time to look around and notice the small beautiful things.

Infinite x's and o's

Elena

30 day drawing challenge

The last few months I have been pretty slack with drawing and art, which is something I love doing but when I get stressed, the last thing I want to do is draw.
I don't know about you but I have to be "in the mood" to draw, hence why I haven't drawn in a quiet a while.

Although, after months of not drawing or creating anything, I've felt pretty bad and my creative side was screaming.  So, I have decided to do a 30 day drawing challenge.

I searched for quiet some time on pinterest, tumblr and all other places where one would find such a challenge. I found that on some I only liked a few challenges, some were eh and others I didn't like at all, so I decided to make my own and combine all the challenges I liked.

Tomorrow I start with my "self portrait" and I shall be posting more updates as I go through the challenge.
Let me know if you will also be doing this challenge, I would love to see your results! :)

Infinite x's and o's,

Elena