Christmas Cards For 2011

This is the card I produced this year. There were others, but this one was my favourite! I used ProMarkers for a professional look, but made sure that the label on the back told people that they were 'hand drawn, coloured, stamped and finished'. The design of the pudding was my own but it was very simple. Despite being simple, imagine how long it took to make 80 cards...

It was so nice to get my mojo back for a while. I have also started beading some bracelet kits - and I will post pics when they are finished. Despite my mojo raising its head above the parapet, I am not ready for designing again, so I ordered someone else's designs in kit form.

These beads were made by a Gold member of mine at WW. We discovered a shared interest in jewellery making, although with different media. Last week, I went to her house, along with several other like-minded people, and we had a 'show and tell' session. She wanted to buy a bracelet of mine and I wanted some of her beads...so we did a swap - like the days before money! She calls herself 'Purple Duck'. As yet, she doesn't have a web-site, but I hope that she will set one up soon.


This piece is from Bead and Button magazine. I fell in love with the pattern when I saw it and HAD to make it. Once I got my head around the instructions, it was easy to make, although it looks much harder. I love peacock colours and I think that they suit the paisley pattern beautifully. I do intend to turn it into a bracelet but am a bit stuck as to which finding would be the best.



This bracelet is from the current issue of Bead magazine. It is really pretty and an easy pattern to follow. I am making another one in pinks and black.



This bracelet is a 'flat cellini' stitch. I am not 100% happy with it and cocked up the clasp somewhat. I think that the wave in the pattern is not obvious enough and I will be sticking to tubular cellini stitch in future - the results are more interesting.



And finally, this bracelet is also from Bead and Button. Again, I am not 100% happy with it, but not through anything I did wrong. I just don't think it looks as good as the ones in the magazine picture. Maybe my colours needed to be more diverse - contrasting instead of toning. What do you think? Comments very much appreciated.

Bracelets Galore

I have been a little busy. My beading mojo is back!

A Few Things

I have not been a very busy crafter lately, due to lots of reasons. I have been quietly crafting away though, doing the odd bit of cross-stitch or a bracelet.

Two bracelets that I have made are based on the design that I had published in Bead magazine. I just played with colours and I love the results, although I didn't follow my own instructions for the pattern! Once a pattern changer, always a pattern changer. They will be going in my Folksy shop soon, and I hope to be able to spend more time on stocking that up in the near future.

I also bought these hairgrips from Vintage Violet - a fellow crafter and friend from Crafter...oo. She is absolutely fabulous and a totally original crafter. I am in awe of her cross-stitch designs, especially her Tardis one. I was very lucky, because the grips had expired from her shop and she then offered me a discount on the original price...I do love a pretty bargain! Maximum Rabbit Designs

Three Bracelets and a Cat!

Three bracelets that I am considering putting in my Folksy shop - I am not sure yet. The first photo is the most beautiful cat in the world - perhaps the post should have been called 'A Cat and Three Bracelets'...) I just can't seem to get a photo that is in focus though!

Bracelets

Two bracelets made from other people's patterns. The first is the 'Diva's Bracelet' pattern from Oak Tree Crafts (0121 342 1370). The second pattern is by Deborah Roberti .

The first bracelet was easy to do, but very time-consuming. The second was easy and quick, not to mention free from the internet. I do like a freebie!

A Few Things That I Have Managed To Squeeze In!

This is a bracelet that I made for my Mum for Christmas. I was making it right up to Christmas Eve! I think that she liked it. It was a very simple pattern, taken from 'Bead and Button' magazine, but it was quite time-consuming. I enjoyed making it though and the need for it to be finished meant that it didn't become a UFO!






I have actually been making a few things in the last week. I wanted to give some friends a bracelet for their help with various things, so I made these...

They are just simple strung bracelets, but I included Swarovski 4mm bicones in them, to give a little bit of sparkle.

Two Bracelets

These are made using a pattern from The Bead Merchant. Kits can be bought from their website. I love the colours in these two and I am putting them in my Folksy shop - see button at side.

Musings and Some Crafting...

Another card for friend. It actually looks better in the flesh. The colours aren't really transferring onto here well.

These three bracelets are now on my Folksy shop

I didn't post about my weigh-in last week. I gained half a pound, which I did deserve. This week is going to be worse as I went to Norfolk over the weekend with my mum and aunt. We had lots of fabulous food and alcohol, so I am going to get it over with tomorrow and start again. I am not happy as I seem to be losing the plot a little, but I must get the final two stone off.

Some Things I Have Been Making

The top two are very similar and use exactly the same craft ingredients. I am pleased with them as they are very cute in real life. The two bracelets are made using the same pattern (two-drop peyote) but the higher one I have adapted from the pattern as I didn't like the closure on the original.

Two WIPs

Two patterns from Bead and Button. I got bored half way through the pink one and started the other!