Making room for crafting

I've been busy trying to keep my new years resolution - to start clearing some space in my craft room. Wow how DID all that stuff get in there anyway?

I'm a serious hoarder and sometimes get overcluttered and it begins to make me feel stressed, so I'm taking it a bit at a time and trying to have a craft de-stash of some of the items I'll never use.

Firstly I've begun with some scrapbooking supplies and tag books and journals that I've made and will never use. Hopefully someone else will be able to put them to good use and if I get something for them, even if its nowhere near as much as I bought them for (blush) maybe I'll be able to buy a new storage unit to keep things tidy?

Please have a look in my Folksy shop for more crafty supplies (as well as my usual handmade jewellery)

Happy New Year

I just want to wish A Very Happy New Year to all my crafting friends and fellow bloggers.

I know it's a little late but I've been enjoying an alternative Christmas by sunning myself in Tenerife. We spent the festive season over there chilling out and relaxing and have come back with the batteries recharged and ready to face the remainder of winter, if not with a smile at least with a bit of a tan!

Here's just a few of the many photos I took.

Folksy :: Buy "Vintage collage brooch"

Folksy :: Buy "Vintage collage brooch": "£4.50

1 in stock
Description
Pretty, nostalgic, one of a kind, collage brooch.

I collaged a scrap of vintage text onto mountboard and deckled the edge with silver embossing powder, then I added a recycled bottle top filled with a pretty vintage image, then glazed it and surrounded it with embedded pearl trim.

Swinging below the brooch is a strand of silken threads, loaded with delightful beads and a tiny tassel.

On the back is an easy to fasten badge pin.

Because this is made from mountboard its lightweight and easy to wear on a delicate garment or pin it to your hat or bag to make a vintage fashion statement.

Folksy :: Buy "Pretty in Pink Necklace and bracelet set "

Folksy :: Buy "Pretty in Pink Necklace and bracelet set ": "Description
Beautiful handmade beaded necklace and matching bracelet set in pretty shades of pink from palest candy floss to deepest dusky rose, with a hint of silver, pearl and a tiny touch of spring green.

Includes lampwork glass beads, crystals, facetted glass and rose quartz gemstones all mixed together.

The necklace is Princess length measuring approx 18' long and fastens with a secure rollover claw clasp and a large tibetan silver loop.

The Matching bracelet measures approximately 7 3/4' long and fastens with a tibetan silver t bar and loop."

Folksy :: Buy "Evening in Paris Beadwork Necklace"

Folksy :: Buy "Evening in Paris Beadwork Necklace": "Evening in Paris Beadwork Necklace
£18.00

1 in stock



Description
I handmade this one of a kind beadwork necklace from a selection of my prettiest beads in shades of mid to deepest blue with touches of green, lilac and purple.

First I made the centrepiece by beadworking a Peyote twist which spirals naturally then I embellished it by intricately working rows and rows of freeform beadwork across and around the spiral twist.

I then added a couple of sperkling blue beads to each end and mounted it on a dainty beadwoven double netted row of small beads and finished it with a Tibetan silver loop and secure rollover claw clasp.

It measures approx 19' long which is a really nice length to flatter your neck and comfy to wear.

You can dress this necklace up or down by evening it will grace the most elaborate ballgown or little blue party dress.

If you can'r bear to stop wearing it by day it will look just as fab nestled in a V neck cashmere sweater, or worn with a checked cotton shirt and jeans.

Its a one-off and a real conversation piece - absolutely stunning.

Old Teddy begged to model it - doesn't he look cute? But it will look even better on YOU !"

Folksy :: Buy "Honey and lime twist Necklace and bracelet set"

Folksy :: Buy "Honey and lime twist Necklace and bracelet set": "Honey and lime twist Necklace and bracelet set
£14.00

1 in stock

I just listed this set on Folksy

Description
Matching set of a beautiful, handmade spiral twist beaded rope necklace and matching bracelet.

Both are handmade from glass beads in shades of honey and lime green.

They fasten with a tiny Tibetan silver heart loop and secure rollover claw catch.

The Necklace measures approximately 20' long (just over 51cm)

The bracelet measures approx. 8 1/2' long (21.4 cm)

They would make a lovely gift set.

Please note - Old Ted isn't for sale - he just wanted to help by modelling some jewellery for me."

Patchwork bags

When I recently got back into sewing again as a hobby I decided I wanted to make some nice bags and smallish items to get back into the swing of using a sewing machine.

First of all heres my veryfirts attempt - a tea towel tote bag. I bought a pack of 3 retro print tea towels in a lovely firm linen like fabric, one tea towel made this really useful shopping bag which I made with one long strap so I can carry it over my shoulder.

Next I wanted to make a book cover as I'm seldom to be seen without my current read in my hand and I tend to take them with me where I go, this useful book cover has a ribbon as a bookmark and I made it with 2 handles so I can carry it about, its very lightly padded so it protects the book but is still light and compact.

I made this one a touch too small and it only fits a smaller papaerback but hey, now I've made one I can make a whole bunch in different sizes and colours!

I wanted to try a handbag and I looked on the web for free bag patterns and found this super free pattern at Made by Rae for a buttercup bag, if you're interested in making bags I can recommend popping by her blog which has several really easy to follow patterns totally FREE to download.

Its quite a small shoulder bag and I made it in really bright tropical summer colours to add a bit of sunshine to the days I use it.

I got a big offcut of this very jazzy fabric at my local car boot sale - what a great find!

In the meantime I bought a small pack of mixed patchwork fabrics so I could get on and do some patchworking which was what set me off on this route in the first place.

First I made this smallish book bag which is smallish enough to carry 2 or 3 paperback books but not big enough for a whole load of shopping.

Its really pretty and I think I might make a larger one for when I go scouting around the charity shops, markets and car boot sales for fabric and books!

Finally here is the most recent one I made - this was MUCH more complex It was made from a pattern my friend gave me when I saw her toting one of these lovely patchwork bags around.

Its padded with wadding and quilted to make it nice and soft and it has ties at the side so it opens out even larger if you need to cram more stuff in!

Its nice and big and strong enough to use as a shopper or a craft bag. I'm going to use this for carrying my current project around when we go away for weekends, or when I go to my craft group or for a crafting session at a friends like I enjoyed last week.


I hope you've enjoyed seeing my efforts so far.

Beady fans - don't worry I haven't stopped beading and have several new beady projects in line to follow shortly.

Calling all patchworkers and stitchers

Just wondering if any stitching blog friends can help me out? I'm looking for any unwanted scraps of cotton patchwork fabric that any of you might have going spare?

As you know I do lots of crafts - beading, cardmaking, scrapbooking and embroidery but its many years since I actually did much sewing and I'm planning on taking it up again and this is why ...

My late Mum was a keen patchworker and she made lots of lovely things, before she died she was working on a large patchwork quilt in multi coloured cotton prints. She would buy second hand clothes from jumble sales, occasional new offcuts from the remnant store and use pieces from our clothes and beg offcuts from friends and family as she was very thrifty and never had much pin money for herself.

When she died the patchwork was only half finished but I hadn't the heart to do anything with it so I carefully packed it away in its unfinished state.

When we moved house I gave away the big bag of uncut fabric pieces to a charity who appealed for materials, as we were very short of space and it seemed a shame to have it just sitting around when someone could use it.

The other day I came across this unfinished patchwork and decided I'm finally going to try and finish it, but I need lots of fabric and when I've looked at patchwork fabric its just so expensive. I need lots of variety as each patch is different, its like a windmill with each square made up of 4 pathces of 2 different fabrics and each piece would need to be a minimum of 6" x 18"

As the patchwork was originally going to be made as a thrift item from remnants and offcuts I wondered if any of my blogging friends might have some offcuts of either vintage cotton or left over remnants of patchwork cotton which you can spare me, I'd be happy to swap for beads, or buttons or make you some earrings or a beaded bookmark, or whatever in exchange.

Do please leave me a message or drop me an email if you can help me get going on this project by sending me a few scraps of cotton.

Playing with buttons

I'm loving making jewellery from buttons - its such fun and they look so lavish and rich when I've finished.

Firstly theres the Button Lovers Rococo Necklace

Rich and lavish in deep shades of pink, blue, green, amber with a selection of large metallic buttons. Available now in my Folksy shop

Then last night I completed this ornate pastel bracelet for button fanatics. It's inspired by the style of Marie Antoinette so I called it "Let them Eat Buttons"

Its really lovely and the ice cream shades are pefectly suited to long summer days.

You can see more pictures of it in my Folksy shop

Thanks for looking everyone.

Spring has sprung

Its finally here - the sunshine I mean !! Hooray.

So what am I doing sitting indoors listing jewellery in my Folksy shop ?

Maybe I'm a little bit bonkers. Anyway I'll keep this short and sweet so I can get out in the garden and read my book - I'm reading Martina Devlin's "Ship of Dreams".


Heres a new Beaded bookmark they are always very popular.

There is the Tangeiria bracelet

And heres the gorgeous Tangieria Necklace to match the bracelet

If you'd like to see any of them in more details please click on the links or just visit my Folksy shop

Beadyjan Beautiful Beaded Jewellery