Hares & Hedgerows Open Sign

A small warm up to the the shop sign I will be painting some time in the new year. 

Papercutting

Christmas decorations ahoy, So much to cut so little time...... crikey.

Enamelled books, cloisonné and paper cutting with the Guild of Enamellers

 Finally after negotiating with SD cards and long lost computer files I can upload these enamelled book necklaces that were on show with the Guild of Enamellers at Pannett Gallery Whitby. Exhibiting with such a talented group of makers has made me desperate to make more pretty things and become one with my kiln again. I exhibited 4 all together but for now I can only find three amongst my masses of photos, so I'll do another blogpost once I find them. Can't wait to expand on my little book family!!

Today has been a pansy day

If only I could write a pattern so I could recreate them, I barely know how I made them!

I won a competition!!!

 

I entered a gadget themed project to Cutoutandkeep with the hope of winning Punchdrunk Panda vouchers. I came up with the idea of laptops keys that can be attached and rearranged on Velcro strips that can then be attached to anything else. I did a pencil case and a notebook and the pencil case won. ^-^ think I will treat myself to a camera strap with the winnings ^-^

To make your own you can follow this link

  http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/detatchable-keyboard-pencil-case

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/detachable-laptop-key-notepad-embellishment 

New hand warmers made ^-^

These red ones are my new favourites I'm usually quite shy when it comes to yellow but I've embraced it in the form of tiny buttons. 

Follow this link for more info:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/201935205/red-and-orange-stripy-handwarmers?ref=shop_home_active_2

Follow this link for more on this pair of speckled softiness: 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/201929578/orange-hand-warmers-fingerless-gloves?ref=shop_home_active_4

Love the buttons on this pair:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/163889935/cream-crochet-hand-warmers-fingerless?ref=shop_home_active_1

More to come soon hopefully.

Another Pin Brooch Made

Pattern was much easier to design than the poppy I wrote about a couple of blog posts ago, might make some more in different colours. 

Handwarmers

It's about that time of year where I start making hand warmers again, finished this pair a couple of days ago while In Hares and Hedgerows Gallery.

Poppy Pin

Doing a bit of soldiering makes me feel like my degree was worthwhile, and combining it with my crochet pieces makes me happy inside ^-^ ...

Pansy next I think.

Pansy

Going to make as many colour variants as possible, then move onto poppies and turn them into lapel pins....oh dear lots to do!!

Made these yesterday, brooches I think they'll be....

 

New Toy

I spent most mornings at uni practically hugging the laser cutter in the metal workshop. Now I am hugging a Cameo Silhouette Cutter, my bedroom-friendly laser-less alternative. It's just as loud and comes with a matt so tacky that it rips the paper when I lift my work off it, but soon our minds will become one and together we will make paper pieces in perfectly cut harmony!!!!

Getting My Granny Square On!!

This might be the alternative to my obsession with hand warmers. Took me a while to get the bitty stitch arrangements right and work out the best way to do the soldered attachments, but now they're sorted I'm going to make loads in every colour I could possibly think of and work out more designs. And then maybe make a tiny pointless blanket for a beetle in need...

These squares are 12mm x12mm, which is about as small as I can get I think. 

I Made Triangles

 Did a bit of crochet doodling, if there is such a thing, and came up with these triangles. I'd love to turn them into pendants, though I will probably have to create some sort of silver wire frame to give some weight on a long chain. If that doesn't work I'll make some sort of unnecessarily elaborate pin cushion or a really tiny blanket.  My favourite  is the green black and purple one, it sort of looks like a pansy.

Handwarmers

Its getting to that time of year where I'm thinking of making new hand warmers for the autumn season and reap the benefits of my summers worth of button collecting, which means that I get to put my favourite ones on a pair and keep them for myself muahahaha 

Buttons

I am not ashamed to say this- I spent my Saturday afternoon distributing buttons into jars by colour, then lining them up in order to see which ones I need more of for an evenly distributed collection. Last weekend I practically pirouetted with joy when I had so many blue and green buttons I had to split them into four separate shades so I could fit them into the jars I have.

I know you are just dying for an analysis of my collection, so I've devised a table specially. You'll just have to wait for my nervous breakdown for the pie chart.

White	2	Plastic, mother of Pearl
Blue	2	Light blue, Dark blue
Green	2	Light green, Dark green
Yellow/orange	1
Red	1
Pink	1
Purple	1
Brown	4	Red-brown, Faun-brown, Mid brown, Dark Brown
Grey	2	Light grey, Dark grey
Black	1
Metal	3	Brass, Antique Gold, Silver
Wood	1
Mother of Pearl	1
Glass	1

And anyway, If I hadn't done it then I wouldn't have discovered this little acorn!!!

Stock, packaging etc.

WHAT. A. FAFF.

Getting there in the end though, sorting out the packaging for this lot then back to the drawing board for more designs.....

Bit of Quink And Some Trees

Discovered the best elements to combine with a sunny afternoon - quink, woods, a sibling and Lidl chocolate. Could have done with  insect repellent, but other than that, great time. 

Tiny Flower Studs

Thought I finished making these flower studs until I realised if forgot to buy the scrolls.....crumbs.....

Tiny Granny Squares

I treated myself to some new threads and made these tiny granny squares yesterday. I'm really pleased, going to make them into little pendants 

New Designs

I have new jewellery pieces on the verge of being finished!!! I love making up my own patterns, if only I could read them so that I could record them properly. I created a leaf shape that has been selling rather well at Hares and Hedgerows but alot of people think that they are hearts. I suppose that;s OK, in response I'm working on an ivy leaf shape so that it cannot be mistaken for anything else. When it gets to the colder months I look forward to doing oak and holly leaves along with a bit of mistletoe.... I'm really excited!!!

Patination

I came back from an extra long weekend in York to find that my little ammonia experiment worked!! I opened up the little takeaway tub that had been wrapped up in cling film and my nose nearly dissolved with the stink it created, but it was worth this pretty shade of blue! Next step is combining and layering enamel, hopefully they will be as successful as this batch of samples. 

I made tiny keepsake necklaces!!! Now what do I do with them??

I Made Books!!!!

Blimey I hadn't realised how long it has been since I posted anything on this blog, I feel a bit like I have betrayed it slightly since setting up a Facebook page. Thank goodness I don't have Twitter......I lie....I do have Twitter but luckily there is a way I can post things on Facebook at the same time so I don't actually have to go on twitter..

Anyway, I have enamelled some book covers. My first-year-self is high-fiving me for soldering a hinge that doesn't fall apart. There is a lot of room for improvement but I have made a good start.