Wednesday 19 August 2009

Bamboo tile - disaster

I had a real disaster after making this pendant. As an afterthought I decided to spray it with a varnish - which worked fine - but this is the 'before' photo so it doesn't look show.

I also decided to super-glue the bottom bead in place. I have done this many times before when I made lots for Christmas - and never had any problems - but today was different.

I managed to drop the bottle of Superglue (without it's screw top lid on) as I was using a cocktail stick to apply it, because the nozzle got glued up months ago.

It poured all over my craft mat and things on it (luckily not many) but it also poured over my hand as I went to pick it up with kitchen roll. The result was all my fingers got stuck together, my wedding and engagement rings did too - and my nails were stuck to my fingers - not nice.

If ever it happens to you - get your hands into warm soapy water as quickly as you can, use lots of soap and a nail brush. I manage to get all my fingers apart fairly easily - the rings took a bit longer and the glue under the rings longer still! The next step is to use lots of nail polish remover and soak the glue off - then repeat the soapy scenario. I am still picking off flakes! My hands and fingers are so sore - but thank goodness I did not get any on the top of my hands - that would have been a total disaster!


The image looks lovely and crisp and darker in real life - again my lousy photography - it might have something to do with it being a bright sunny day. (I am running out of excuses now!)


Just a plain bamboo tile, the image printed onto dry decal paper from Crafty Computer Paper as before, cut to size and applied. I used a black pen to outline the edges and sides, a black 'thong' threaded through and a bead at the bottom to finish it off.

I am so pleased with this 'in the flesh' as it were, that I am going to keep it myself and wear it.

Unlike the super glue - which is in the bin - and I will never use it again!

Recycling - tomato puree tube

Or is it upcycling now?

Still dabbling with metal after the tutes in the Time for Crafting on line magazine.

How can you get a good photo of shiny metal - I wish I knew.




You will have to trust me when I say that it really does look better in real life. The image I applied using dry decal paper from Crafty Computer Papers is so much clearer than it looks on here, and doesn't look as shiny, as I used a bit of black alcohol ink to make it look vintage!

I cut two pieces of metal - one for the front - and embossed one for the back, then glued them together. Added the image - which has a glue backing so makes it easy to do - crimped the edges with pliers and punched a hole, added the rivet - job done! Great fun

Shabby Chic Experiments

I have been playing around today - the first time in days that I have had any time to do so - and I have made this Shabby Chic Brooch.

I can't seem to photograph things very well lately - maybe I need a new camera!

I was inspired by seeing Lilla's work so thought I would have a go - but without all her lovely vintage materials she has collected over many years.




I started with a scrap of material - thick cotton and green. I cut two pieces one for the back and one for the front, which I frayed, and bound them together with Bondaweb, and stitched on a brooch pin to the back.

I chose two different scraps of netting - a fine mesh and an open one, and bonded those together, between which I put a piece of thick plastic which came with the decal paper. Using Dry Decal paper from Crafty Computer Papers I printed out an image and it is self adhesive so it stuck really well to the material.

I 'poured' some seed beads in her hair and 'pooled' some Diamond Glaze over them - they look lovely 'in real life' and really catch the light.

I finished it off with two corners of gold mesh (top right and bottom left) - which in the photo, for some reason, look cream!