Wednesday craft day

Hey! I did it! With some distractions.....

as this in my face as I try and make this:

I like this, but decided it wasn't long enough....and of course I didn't have enough of the tiny beads...so off for more. I used waxed linen and I've learned that using beeswax and letting the end get hard a bit makes it go through the holes much easier. Stuff like that you can't learn from a book!

Next I took apart a necklace I bought at a charity shop to make one that I've been inspired from Instyle Mag. Of course, again not enough beads. I was going to make it out of wood beads, but didn't like that they are dyed and can't be guaranteed not too bleed. Then I thought of glass beads, but that was going to be very heavy. The necklace in the mag was made of resin...so I thought it would be ok. Especially when I walk into the only charity shop I went in that day and found this necklace! So I just need to find a few more small plastic beads and I'll have that one made. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep either of these necklaces. I like them, but the colors aren't really me. I've been tempted to open an Etsy shop....but not too sure.....what do you guys think...and give me your real opinion....you won't hurt my feelings.



I started working on this box then...again don't have what I need. I used some cool double stick tape I bought that is suppose to be really good. But I still think it needs some glue to fill in the wholes and make the whole thing more stable. I've had this mix of beads for ever. I think it looks cute on here. It is just a box that I got with some jewelry I bought. Thought it would be cool to recycle some more!There...so I finally did something! Now I'm going to watch telly with hubby and maybe fool around....with my blog layout....fooled ya!

Lucinda Wilby

Wow did I have fun at Wonderwools Wales. My sis-n-law went with me and we both really enjoyed the day. I bought lots of fun stuff, including these wonderful paintings done by Lucinda Wilby. I'm going to hang them in my craft room...whenever I get it redone.....hmm......well...I might have to hang them somewhere else to begin with! They are so cute though! She makes all different sizes. These are 6x6, I think. I will probably have to keep tabs on her and buy one of the bigger ones to go with these. She had four of the pictures hung on a board and it looked so cool!



I also finally got myself an inkle loom, made or Welsh wood of course. I bought a banner that I'll have to take a picture of when the light is better outside (it is raining at the moment). It is a "Hen party". I love chickens that aren't too country and this one is great.

Added later: talked to Lucinda so I got her blog. She is talking now about getting on Etsy hopefully....so if you like her stuff and would like to have one too....contact her and encourage her to do so!!!!

I'm having a bit of a crisis in craftiness. I feel a fraud sometimes, mainly because I have so many ideas...but not the time or skill to pull them off. I need to get to know people we wouldn't mind working with me on projects. So far this Wed off business has meant me sleeping all day....which is what I need....but I'm not getting the house caught up or the crafting done. I don't know if I've mentioned it here, but I have depression and it has taken a lot out of me. I've been trying to live with it for a few years now. It is slowly getting better, but I can get so frustrated with how slow. I want to create, play with my cats, have fun with my husband.....but instead I sleep and work. Ok, done blabbing....I have a wet cat walking on the desk in front of me and I'm taking that as a sign I should go play...since I can no longer see the screen!!!

Tomorrow.....

anticipation. I'm off tomorrow for the first time without being sick or at a meeting...lets see if I actually get some crafty goodness done.....and POSTED!

Change in my life...

I've become on of those part-time workers....and I'm so glad. I took a chance with my boss at work and we decided that I should have one day off during the week. So now Wednesday can be catchup and....wait for it.......CRAFTING DAY!!!! Well, that was the theory...until I came down with a killer cold and spent all of Wednesday moaning around the house...house...I mean BED. Anyway, next week I hope will be better and I can do some posting! I've got a really cool couple of necklaces I'm working on, and I'm really close to getting another sweater done....if I can just get the arms right.

Anyway...HAPPY CRAFTING!

Paris trip

Here are a few pics from our trip to Paris ....

These cakes were gorgeous....but we didn't buy one....well maybe a piece of something!


On the hour the tower sparkles with flashing lights. I thought we did a pretty good job of capturing that!

I did get my sweater done on time...but forgot to get a picture...it was a bit cold really to be taking my pic with out my coat on!

Brighton Show

She will probably kill me for this....but I had to show the work of this lovely lady I met on Saturday at the Craft show in Brighton. Sue Allan, who works under the name Sew Sister, is so enthusiastic and full of love for the work she is doing. She really helped me get some ideas going in my head of things I want to do. Her dolls are beautiful and if you have had a look at the Textile Directory, you will see they have her dolls everywhere! It is wonderful! Here is a sample of what she does. Unfortunately, you don't get a good view of the texture of these pieces. They are so wonderfully tactile and she was nice enough to let us know her secrets....this is the kind of stuff I love to do myself. Take fabric and then embellish it until it becomes something else almost.

I couldn't resist of course....I mean how beautiful is she! Her name is Tansy, she names them all and they definitely have great personality. Here she is with her friends....
And her she is proudly at home with me....she looks happy doesn't she......

Sue brought to my attention the Needlepunch felt that I actually own some of....typical of me really. This is what she uses to get the texture on her work. I don't know why I didn't think of using this to make rugs. We need some rugs in the house and I've been trying to think of ways I can A) recycle and B) make my own. I think I'm going to make one for the stairs by felting the needlepunch in the washing machine. Then cutting to fit, putting some of the fabric I have for woven rugs underneath for stability, and embellishing with felt flowers...or I think dots. HMMM.....watch this space........

Finally some WIPs....

This is what I've been frantically working on at the moment. It is a Colinette pattern called Enid, out of the book Iona. I'm not using the silk yarn they asked for....well I've never made a sweater and I'm not so sure about paying that much when I'm not sure how it is going to work out. I'm doing it in Skye Magenta.....it definitely has a WOW factor as far as color. I was knitting outside in the little bit of sunlight we actually have had this week and it seemed a bit brighter then the sun!
I'm also working on a Granny Blanket. Some of the yarn was given to me and I didn't know what to do with it. I bought the bright pink, which is another yummy yarn called Marshmallow. I need to get some more...hopefully Ippikins will still have some.



If you venture into my house...don't be surprised to find a few body parts laying around.....I bought this book recently.....

and I've been trying to make one of the teddies....but the body parts keep disappearing.....the culprit is one of my kitties that has decided that anything I make is for her sole use as a toy!

LillyMoon

The Orange Book

I decided that each month I would try to treat myself to a little something off of Etsy. This month I decided I had to buy a print from LillyMoon. So I bought the above print. It will look so nice in our bedroom...I was hoping to paint one of the walls the blue in the background. It also covered three of my favorite things as a subject...reading...sleeping...and knitting (spot the knitting needles in her hair????). Her work is stunning. I bought some of her buttons too, with images from her work, but they didn't scan very well. She sent the items in such pretty packaging along with a free 5X7 print below.

Dear Mr Rain

That is what I love about Etsy...everyone is so excited about their work and they take such care presenting their items as if they were found in a physical store....instead of just online!