Wednesday 23 March 2016

Easter makes with Frida... keeping creative hands and minds busy during the break!

Here's our top tips of things to make, drink, eat and do during the Easter break inspired by the life and art of Frida Kahlo!

"Why Frida Kahlo?" you ask? Well my response is "Why not?!" as she is after all one of my favourite artists and people who has ever walked the earth!

I'm not one to celebrate Easter in the traditional sense but I do love the more pagan based rituals of welcoming in Spring so here are a few projects which I hope you'll be making too regardless of your views on Easter.
It is after all  a holiday about rebirth so lets welcome the new season with a crafty celebration! It's definitely needed after the long dark winter we've had where everything seemed to be suspending in its sleepy grip...
And Frida Kahlo's work touches a lot on the ideas of birth, spirituality, the renewal of traditions and the celebration of popular culture plus her bright and eclectic sense of style always reminds me of spring.
Must be all the flowers, the folk designed embroidery and colourful fabrics she wore!

And on a side note it is totally alright to eat your own weight in chocolate during Easter break! You see Easter calories are empty calories but only on this particular holiday - I promise!- so eat up... I'm sure Frida would certainly agree, after all she was a lover of pleasure!

• Make some Frida-tastic Easter eggs!



image ©http://littleinspiration.com


We love these! Just the right amount of kitsch... well can you ever have too much kitsch? Ha, probably not but these are really lovely and stylish!
For a complete tutorial on how to make these visit Little Inspiration!


• Make a flower Head Band!


©MyPoppetMakes

This amazing and great tutorial will show you how to achieve one of Frida's signature looks. Anyone can make this and we love the easy to follow step by step instructions!
Flower head bands in our opinion should be worn at all times even as Frida did in bed though she was painting and not snoozing! But hey, we're making one to go with our jim jams...
Thank you My Poppet Makes!

• Read something inspiring!



Reading these days seems like such a luxury, there never seems to be enough time in the day to sit down and read an entire book so this illustrated book written by Zena by Zena Alkayat and illustrated by Nina Cosford is the perfect easy read to get you inspired!
Frida Kahlo, Life Portraits is part of a wider collection including Coco Chanel and Jane Austen!
Read our review* which will be posted here very soon!
*Includes a special CG blog reader discount code!

• Paint some eggs!


©http:bhg.com


I'm loving these but I think I'm going to try this tutorial with white chocolate dipped eggs and food colouring instead!
We need more chocolate in our lives so yeah... lets definitely thy this technique with chocolate eggs too!
I just love the colourful, happy and loose brush strokes on these. They do remind me of Mexico and all the vibrant colours in their folk art. I might even throw in some edible paste flowers onto them just to add an extra layer of kitsch!


• Welcome the new season with a new hairstyle!


©ABeautifulMess

Learn to make Maiden Braids to create your very own Kahlo inspired up-do! I wish I hadn't chopped off my long locks but it was time to go shorter... but remember you can also use hair extensions to get the look!
Tutorial via a beautiful mess here!

 

• Toast to a long weekend with a cocktail or two!


Spiced Passion photo credit ©complex.com
As the days grow longer and we find ourselves out socialising more there's nothing like a great little cocktail to help kick back featuring tequila another great Mexican export!
I can imagine that though Frida was mostly bed bound that she loved parties so lets clink our glasses to Frida Kahlo!
Here you'll find a few recipes which aren't Margaritas  here!
*P.S. Remember to drink responsibly!

 

• Find 50 Fridas!

 

Finding 50 Fridas is the latest exhibition at the The East End Prints Shop. Exhibiting 50 of the very best portraits of Frida Kahlo by a selection of artists.
See works including drawings, mosaic, street art, painting, printing and all other mediums!


• Head East, to North East London that is!



As a lover of bright and shiny things we love God's Own Junkyard in Walthamstow and we think Frida would have loved it there too!
Plus there are a few other treats at the same industrial estate including Mother's Ruin Gin Palace and the Wild Card Brewery.


• Listen to music!



It's a well known fact that Frida loved Mariachi bands so here's Mariachi El Bronx's a modern and fun take on a much loved traditional!
We love them and have been bopping away in maison Craft Guerrilla! Or should that be la Casita Craft Guerrilla?!

 

• And finally... Eat Chocolate cake! 

©Waitrose

I love this recipe from the good people of Waitrose... looks fairly easy and it's chocolate so well worth making to celebrate Easter!
And thanks again to Mexico for giving us chocolate, those Mayans were really clever folk!
You can find the recipe here!

So whatever you're doing, don't forget to take time out and relax a little bit too... but if you're anything like me you'll be getting cabin fever after the first day off so a little creativity can be the perfect solution to helping you through the long Easter bank holiday! Don't forget to share your crafty makes Instagram... tag us @craftguerrilla and add the hastag: #EasterIsForCrafting

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