Thursday 20 September 2012

Crochet Blanket Project - on going!

This is an ongoing project. I found the pattern in a magazine while visiting my aunt one day nearly 2 years ago. I started making this blanket almost straight away but had the idea that I would make it much larger than the pattern suggested. Currently, the blanket measures 68cm x 112cm which is 54 number of crochet squares.

I think that it is probably about time that I found the bag of yarn and pattern and got on and finished the blanket. Maybe it will be finished by Christmas (I think I might have said that last year)!

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Ta Daaaa!

Today's photo is of the finished red, gold and green beads and bangle I showed before in their raw state.

When I made the beads, I made them all different sizes and shapes. I didn't want them to be uniformly the same. When baked, I sanded and varnished the beads before making them into a long necklace which is spaced with 4mm Carnelian beads. The necklace also doubles as a wrap-around bracelet. The bangle just needed sanding and varnishing to finish it.

I really love the Mokume Gane effect and I am looking forward to the next time I can get my Sculpey polymer clay out to play.

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Large Pink Heart

Made from resin, this heart is quite large at approximately 6 x 6cm. I think I am going to use it as a paperweight or just a decorative piece.

At a depth of 1.6cm, I'm sure its too big to be a fridge magnet.

Monday 17 September 2012

Frou Frou Card

I was browsing in the shops for a birthday card.

All the time I was looking, I was telling myself  that I couldn't believe that I was considering buying a card when I have so many supplies ready to use and that I should go home and make a card instead.  What I find hard is completing projects in a short space of time - I can never do a "quick card".  I suddenly remembered about a kit I bought last year and that it would be perfect for the card I needed.

Thinking about the kit, I thought that since everything was in one box, it would be quick to make.  Of course, I needed to trim the die cut decoupage, add detail with Sakura glitter and metallic pens and I added a little bit of 3D glaze too.  So my quick card still took about an hour from start to finish!

Sunday 16 September 2012

Quartz Ring

As I've said before, I love Quartz. I made this silver plated wire ring with Rose Quartz, Smokey Quartz and clear Quartz.

Saturday 15 September 2012

Butterfly Card

Another card I made a long while ago.

Made with punched flowers and a dimensional butterfly with a wire body and antenae.  I used pearly doodles to add decoration down the side of the card.

Friday 14 September 2012

A little bit of style



A card in the style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

This card has dimensional flowers made from red card with sequin centres. A framework was made using Stickles black glitter glue to resemble the lead of a stained glass window and the colour detail was painted in. 

At the end of all the different stages, the card looked great.

Thursday 13 September 2012

Quartz Necklace

I took some faceted crackle Quartz and coloured 4mm Quartz beads and made them into this necklace. I used silver plated wire to make the links and finished it with a 925 silver bolt ring fastener.

Simple yet beautiful.

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Leaf Shawl

This beautiful leaf pattern triangular shawl certainly took quite a time to knit. To start with, you cast on 491 stitches which then decreases by 10 stitches every 8 rows until you have only 1 stitch left to cast off. Initially, each row took around 50 minutes to work the pattern and at first, I could only work 3 or 4 rows at a time before my hands or eyes objected!  

The yarn is lovely and fine which makes the shawl perfect for dressing up an outfit or for just keeping the chill off.

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Just 4 Ewe

Today's photo is of a card and present which my daughter made. The topper on the card was stamped and simply coloured before adding it to an easle card which also had a built in box for the gift. The gift was a Union flag pen which was made from polymer clay.

Monday 10 September 2012

Popcorn the Bear

Popcorn the Bear is one of the ranges of stamps from Crafters Companion. This bathtime image is fun and includes Soufle the Duck and soap bubbles also.

After stamping and colouring the images with ProMarkers and Sakura gel pens, the topper shape was die cut. The card was then finished with decorative papers.

A lovely result don't you think?

Sunday 9 September 2012

Red, Gold and Green Mokume Gane

I made a stack of 4 different coloured clays, red, gold, green and transluscent, to make beads with a Mokume Gane finish.

Each colour of clay is rolled out and stacked up in alternating contrast colours.  The stack is then rolled out, then cut down the middle to stack up again.  For this stack I then rolled it out, cut down the middle and stacked again a couple more times.  You end up with a thick stack of clay which is made up of thin layers of contrasting clay.

From there you make impressions into the clay through all the layers.  When you slice thin pieces from the top of the stack, you get really interesting patterns and colour combinations.  These thin slices are then laminated onto the base bead and rolled to give a smooth finish.  The beads I made are all different sizes and shapes and will be great as accent beads in a necklace.  I also made a bangle from this same stack.

The results from this technique are so interesting and different everytime.

Saturday 8 September 2012

Union Flag Style Cushions

For these cushions, I made the Union flag design using cotton fabric in cream, light brown and dark brown colours.  The design was appliqued, and I gave them a textured effect using a Janome embellisher machine. 

Friday 7 September 2012

Pearl Bracelet and Earrings

The other night I was sat with my faux pearl box, a couple of reels of silver plated wire and my tools and findings, and this is what happened!

I used a few different colours of pearl, but they were mostly pale and go well together. I did add in a handful of blue goldstone and dark blue agate to give a little contrast in the bracelet.  I made the bracelet clasp from SP wire.

The 925 silver stud earrings have a nice dangle of beaded pearl chain, matching with the colours of the bracelet.

Thursday 6 September 2012

Polka Doodles Stamps

Ok, so both of these cards were made quite some time ago, but the Fairy Flutterby by Polka Doodles range of stamps are some of my favourites.  They are great for colouring in with ProMarkers.  The fairies can be stamped with or with wings, which also makes the wings interchangeable between the fairies.

Decorative papers, faux stitching, paper pleating and some ribbon were added to complete the look with these stamped images.

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Patriotic Socks

These red, white and blue socks didn't take all that long to knit, even though they were made to fit size 12 feet!

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Stamped Candle

For this decorated candle, I stamped onto tissue paper and then coloured the images.  The paper was then attached to the candle with the aid of a heat gun.

I decorated this candle quite some time ago, but I haven't been able to bring myself round to lighting it.  I just might have to make some more!

Monday 3 September 2012

Bracelet of Handmade Beads

Colourful handmade polymer clay beads transformed into a bracelet with silver plated wire links and haematite beads.

Sunday 2 September 2012

Oh Duck!

When I saw this stamp, I thought it would make the perfect birthday card for someone of a certain age. 

I used Promarkers to colour it and a little bit of Stickles to add a some sparkle.

Saturday 1 September 2012