BEAD FLOWER SPRAY

SPRAY WITH BUTTERFLIES, FLOWERS, PINK AND WHITE PEARLS

 

PINK FLEURS AND RIBBON WITH CRYSTAL BEADS, HANDMADE ROSES, AND PEARLS

FALL SPRAY WITH FLOWERS,BEADS, PINECONES, CRYSTAL BEADS AND BERRIES





There is something so beautiful about flower bead sprays.  I am always in awe as to how they turn out.  All that loveliness on wires gives the illusion of floating in air.  They are so graceful with their lovely arcs and delicate surprises at every turn. I love making these.  It is very calming as you can not hurry. Just take your time and go into a creative Zen mode with these.



 

Vintage Style

Beautiful Bag, Tag, and Card Sets

These are  beautiful bag, tag and card sets I received in a swap. Imagine sending these to someone with a special gift tucked inside.  These have become a favorite to make and receive.

Handcrafted Copper Clip Board

 

Thought I'd share some pictures that I have taken of my crafts, that are sitting alone and neglected on my computer.  So much nicer to share them with all of you. A friend of mine attached the wires and alligator clips after stripping off the rubber.  The embossed copper  went through the cuttlebug in the herring bone folder.  I crunched up the piece above it, cut a small square with pinking shears, and attached a shiney copper penny directly on the copper painted canvas.  I wrote calligraphy on an altered paper rubbed with a copper ink pad and a gold one for highlights.  Why so much copper?  The person I made this for loves copper.  I thought this would be fun as a clip board for her important notes and to help her get a good copper fix.

Coming Soon. . . More Soda Can Creations!!!

If you haven't tried this, you are missing out on some great fun.  And when you send these to your friends, they won't believe their eyes.  It is amazing that we can make so many projects re-cycling our aluminum drinking vessels.  Not only do we create something fabulous, but we are going green at the same time.  The best of two worlds .  Who knew crafting could be considered community service.

Spider on a Chunky Charm

Halloween Tim Holtz Dress Form

Dress up Dolls of the Bony Variety

Skeleton Super Models

Halloween Fashion and Macabre Finery

I used Halloween Flowers, that I altered from my stash and little bits of touille , bling, and whatever seemed spooky, to add to TH dress forms and skeletons from Michael's. I used a hot gun, and colored the gems with an orange copic pen (YR04) I love these skeletons!!! They are just like dress up dolls, but of the bony variety.  Over half a dozen I think for 4.99 and I get them every year.  Here are some close ups of the gals and details of the dress forms. Can you pick out some of the Halloween flowers I blogged about below???

Halloween Fashion ShowSkeletons & Dress Forms

My New Halloween Project

All those Halloween displays at  Michael's have made me want to start creating for Halloween now.  They know exactly what they are doing, using their marketing voo doo to get me to buy ahead.  So I started to wonder, what could I create for one of my favorite holidays, without digging into my pocket book just yet, and it came to me.  Halloween Flowers.  I had flowers already made that I could alter. Little creepy crawlies , skull heads,and webbing.  So I decided to go forward with this concept in between my more seasonally appropriate summer crafting. Will post my flowers here, with the hopes that it will inspire others to do the same, have fun, and save some cash on Halloween Embellies.

Halloween Flowers- A Different Kind of Bouquet

Have you ever sent anyone a Halloween Bouquet? I haven't, but thought it would make a great Happy Hauntings gift, so I am going to start making some flowers from the dark side.  Hope to have a big stash by Halloween. Sharing with you my first attempts.

Work Ahead for Halloween , Make Spooky Fleurs!!!

It is so much fun to make flowers for Halloween.  Adding skull heads, spiders,webs and anything spooky creates that creepy, crawly , ambience you are trying to evoke.

Neon Flowers are Perfect for Halloween

Amazing Gift Bag Making Tip!!!

When you make a gift bag, you simply wrap your chosen paper around a cereal box!!!

2 12x12 papers
ATG gun these together
Wrap around a box like you are wrapping a present, but leave the other end open.
Use you ATG to glue it along the seams.  I like to cut 2 small rectangles, to fit the outside and inside bottom, to give it a special finished look.
 
That's  it. You already know how to make this, because I am sure you have wrapped presents before, so you will be an expert right from the start!

For variations, you can use border punches on the paper before you wrap it, for an especially custom look.  Bling, floral bead sprays, lace, stickles, you name it.  You can make these as simple or as dramatic as you like.

Check back for pics of the 2 bag sets I am working on for a swap.  Hope you try these, they are simply fabulous, and the recipient feels you have truly spoiled them , and you know what? - you have!!!.

Floral bead sprays, and Halloween Chunky Charms

It seems when life gets in the way of creating,  my blog seems to be most impacted.  So I am happy to be back to breathe life into it once more.  Love sharing pics with all of you, and hope to show you what crafts I have been working on.  I am learning how to do floral bead sprays! Wonderful tutorials on youtube, with easy instructions.  Oh my, these are incredible embellishments to add to your handcrafts.  I am also working on some halloween related swaps, and having fun with chunky charms of the spooky kind.  This is a great way to use up all of the skeleton beads I purchased at a local bead and gem faire.  I am trying to make them look Halloweenie and elegant.  Can I succeed? You be the judge.  I thought adding bling to the skull heads, would add a sophisticated  touch .  Trying not to go cutesy on these.

Classy and Elegant Altered Style Skeleton Keys

I purchased the skeleton keys from Home Depot.  Another swapper noted that it was hard to find these keys as they are all the rage to alter.  After sitting at Home Depot for two years, the keys were flying off the shelves according to a sales associate. The jewelry was found at a thrift store and repurposed for this project.  The gold roses were from a necklace that I took apart. I am always tearing up my own costume jewelry when I see an element I can use, and then wonder why I have no earrings or bracelets to wear out when I need them. Oh well,  Art before Beauty I guess. The "jewels" were glued with 2 part epoxy, and the Ranger Tag was black and then I embossed it with black embossing powder.  I really like the black on black effect. The lace is from my almost discarded curtains (going from vintage to Asian in my living room). I will be receiving 3 keys in return, and will post them as soon as they are received.

I am hosting a Charger Plate Swap with the most wonderful ladies who are so creative and fun.  I wanted to give them some prizes for their participation. I am sending them crocheted flowers, metallic flowers and some cute little stencils for decorating pastries.

Stunning and dramatic chunky charm

Where did the time go.  I can hardly believe a month has gone by since my last post. Sometimes, life overtakes one and your blog sits idle .  But , here I am, ready to post my thoughts, crafts , and journey once more. 

My dramatic chunky charms from a wonderful lady and crafter who hosted this swap.

A Pin Cushion that Lights up and Plays Music!!!

I made this sheep pin cushion for a swap with a felted hat to hold the pins.

The stick pins were made with a Spring and Easter theme in mind, with rabbits, flowers, butterflies and pretty Spring colors.

Check out the little blonde lady and the purse lampwork beads.

The music button is glued with 2 part expoxy  onto the ceramic. It plays The Easter Parade

This is the battery operated candle light that flickers and sits in the opening of the sheep's back.

A lamb cut and printed with The Imagaine, as the rules set forth by the hostess required a Cricut cut.  A pierced earring guard was added to protect the recipient from getting pricked.

Altering Charger Plates. . .A New Adventure

Hello everyone, guess what?  I am hostessing a new swap on the Cricut Message Board called Altered Charger Plates and there are still a few openings if you would like to join us.  No experience necessary, because most of us have never done this before and we will be learning together.  I posted a link to a tutorial below if you would like to check it out.  Charger plates go under dinner plates , protect the table cloth or mat underneath, and are very decorative.  They are just a few dollars at Michael's, but can also be very pricey.  They are  fun to personalize and give as gifts, according to all reports. Some people have these on their walls or displayed on a desk or table top. I will share more pics of what we are making  so you can see just what it is.  Although many of the crafters had full plates, they still signed up to make these plates.  Just goes to show how we always manage to squeeze one more thing, onto our already full plates, especially if it has to do with something we love . . . like crafting for instance.

http://youtu.be/uo-Rd31W3Wc

This is the tutorial video on charger plates that you might want to watch, who knows , you might get hook and develop a new passion.

Ceramic Frog Bead on Altered Key

A smiling frog bead on altered jewelry box key.

A Butterfly Bead Adorns This Spring Key

A butterfly adorns this pearl and crystal key with chain.

Spring Themed Keys With Flowers, Beads and More

More Altered Keys...( one of my favorite crafts to do)

So happy to be over the flu.  Feels great to be out of bed and back to my daily routines and of course crafting.  I must remind myself what a blessing it is to be back in the swing of things, and not to complain about the daily grind. 

Sometimes I get so caught up in crafting for others in the swaps I participate in , that I forget that others are crafting for me as well.  I am always so delighted to find a package in the mail. Well, this is what I received today.  A lovely pin cushion.  What is so unique about creating in a swap is that you are adapting your designing skills to the taste and style of someone else.  So, for example, if you like to create, shabby chic, you might find yourself doing steampunk grunge.  Whatever the request , you do your best to comply.  Sometimes it means going online and googling or heading straight over to youtube and checking out the tutorials.  I personally enjoy using youtube and seeing a visual, besides, you can stop the video, go back, and watch over and over and the video never rolls it's eyes at you, if you don't catch on right away. Well, I asked for something beautiful, and shared that I love flowers, vintage and pretty colors.  Well, this is what a wonderful artist created for me.  It is the most dreamy pin cushion, very elegant, and it even came with beautiful stick pins. I especially like the little teapot embellishment.  How sweet is that.  Now I could be inspired to sew some really great stuff with this little beauty resting beside me on the sewing table.