I gave into hearts ....

Ice Princess rings are made, just waiting for good light to photograph them and then I can list them as the first items in my Folksy shop. Have even added a touch of colour!
I bought some lovely cranberry coloured glass heart-shaped beads a couple of weeks ago. Today I have used them to make a little bracelet for my daughter, combining them with clear glass olive-shaped beads and frosted red glass beads. She really likes it, it's a bit more 'grown-up' than things I have made for her in the past. I had enough beads left to make a second one, and a third one using just the cranberry hearts and some little glass pearls. These will be listed on Folksy too, not sure whether to list them seperately or as a set, comment if you have some advice on that! (And I said I wasn't doing hearts!)

KOKKA fabrics

Rummaging through my fabric stash a couple of weeks ago I came across these two beauties, they are by a Japanese fabric company called Kokka who specialise in these tiny all-over prints. I must admit that I am scared to use them because they are so nice. The colours are so unusual - the orange one is just crying uot to be a bookbag for Penguin books (with a bookmark made from the scraps!)

Although these fabrics are no longer in stock in the UK, here are some on-line shops that stock other Kokko fabrics:-
http://fabricrehab.co.uk/
http://fabricinspirations.co.uk/
http://gagafabrics.co.uk/
http://eternalmaker.com/

And the Kokka website:-
http://www.kokka.co.jp/en/index.html

Note to self ...

I have an abnormally long list of projects on the go at the moment, so no pics today because everything seems to be half-finished. A dinig room table crowded with craft projects deserves a list, so here goes, here are things I should work on in the next week ...

1. Finish threading big beads with small beads for Snow and Ice Project.
2. Produce more rings based in protoype for Snow and Ice Project.
3. Finish knitting up red EcoWool and felt.
4. Finalise design ideas for EcoWool that has already been felted.

... That should keep me busy for a while!

Also worth a look ...
http://craftbloguk.blogspot.com/
the official list for UK Handmade bloggers, whether you want to get in touch with other crafters or you want to see what other people are blogging about, this is an essential site, take a look.

Nicsknots

Most of my knitting projects are small, so I tend not to reward them with their own bag.
As a result you get problems, the project ends up buried under something else, or the end stitches leap off the needles. So I have treated myself to this wonderful little bag by Nicsknots. I love this fabric anyway, (I bought some to make a skirt with), but the design is so clever. One strap is smaller than the other, so you pull the short one over the long one and this secures the knitting inside.

http://www.folksy.com/shops/Nicsknots

A new illustration ...

Got some good responses to my Ice Princess ring yesterday, so will be making some variations on that theme over the next couple of days. No photos at the moment ....
I have also been experimenting with my giddy style illustrations, simple and 'stitchy'. I've updated my avatar on Twitter ...

And on a slight Valentine's theme, some button hearts, really into grey tinged pastels at the moment.

Think I am going to try putting this in a repeat pattern, think it would make nice wrapping paper.
For the rest of the week I will be concentrating on my jewellery, and yes I have caved in and started creating some jewellery with a Valentine's theme - the hearts are a deep cranberry colour though, not quite ready to go for the bright red! Pictures to follow ...

Ice Princess Ring

Here is something I finished making yesterday, the 'Ice Princess' ring, made with some of the sparkly bits I gathered together for my Snow and Ice project - still ongoing! I will be making a couple more (adding variations to my original design), and then I will put them in my Folksy shop.

Tonight i'm having a break from jewellery making so i'm knitting up another batch of EcoWool, this time deep red with orange, pink and lilac stripes.

Crystal, aqua and pink

Have nearly completed a very sweet ring made from embroidered beads and sequins, but a little too late in the day for photos and the bulb has gone in my lightbox. Here is a picture of the glass bead brracelet I made yesterday ... thinking of keeping it for myself.

Photograph is not wonderful, but will do some photographs of all my Snow and Ice jewellery next weekend.








The picture below is from the Etsy site, it's a Vintage Valentine Kit in pink and aqua by Fated Follies. I found out about this lovely combination from a tweeter/blogger known as Papercakes.
http://papercakesfinds.blogspot.com

And as a result of seeing this collection I felt inspired to buy these beads, so now I have another ideas for a project.

Felting marvellous!!

Have done some jewellery for my Snow and Ice project today. Wanted to photograph them outside (works better for clear beads - put them in a natural setting), but it has been way to cold and wet. I'll try and photograph them tomorrow, in the meantime you can look at my felt ...

This is the EcoWool before felting, just stocking stitch on 6mm needles, knitting until there was just enough yarn to cast off ...

Obviously, because it is stocking stitch it is very 'curly' once you have cast off. Before felting I used big tacking stitches to attatch the knitting to an old bath towel to flatten it out.




Then it's a matter of bunging it in the washing machine with another towel and washing it on the highest temperature.

And this is the finished article! Fluffy, chunky and you'll notice that the colours have become muted, now I just have to work out what I want to do to it. Think it would look really pretty if I worked into it with some of the seed beads I have bought.

Deep in Snow and Ice

The living room is full of crafty bits and bobs, I have been at work all day so I am crafting this evening. Done some notes and drawing in my sketchbook, checked a few bead threading techniques and i'm off ...
Projects 'on the go' this weekend will include

• Knitting up that last bit of my EcoWool ready to felt it.
• Threading some large clear glass beads with smaller beads to make them more decorative - photos should follow tomorrow. Hoping to use them for Snow and Ice project if they work.
• Making some embroidered beadwork rings using clear, white and pearl beads, also for my Snow and Ice project, think i've found a way of doing the patterns that are in my head, details to follow.

Also bought 'Bead'  magazine today, lots of new beading techniques for me to explore, plus lots of website addresses for loads of lovely bead shops! Next task - learn how to make Peyote tubes.

The weekend starts here ...

A very busy week which has not allowed me to get on with all my projects. As a result I have taken over the living room floor for the weekend.

So here's the craft materials 'explosion' on the floor, and now a run down of what's going on. My main project for the week is my Snow and Ice jewellery - so that explains all the crystal beads and the beading board. To the left of my beading board is my sketchbook, i've been drawing out some ideas for some beaded jewellery - will reveal more when I have done the creating. The calico is also for this project. The IKEA scissors - one of about 15 pairs which reside in several locations within my home!!! Just peeping out from beneath my beading board you can see a knitting needle, done a few more rows of my EcoWool square that i'm going to felt. Should have some Snow and Ice items to show off by the end of the weekend.

Knitting ... again!

Crafting from Monday to Friday can be a bit hit and miss, my workload usually takes priority, so tonight I have created a worksheet about magazine layout and a worksheet about interesting barcodes - actually very interesting! All this means it has been a quiet night on the craft front, all my creativity has gone into creating resources for work. So to unwind I am knitting, just stocking stitch, using that lovely EcoWool that I have blogged about before. When the ball has been knitted I am going to felt the piece and use it for crafting. The ball of wool looked quite pale, but now it is knitted up the colours look intense.
Crafting tip - if you are using yarns such as EcoWool they have not gone through as much processing as other yarns, they have quite a low twist, therefore they tend to snag your fingernails quite easily - protect them with some clear varnish or go short!
Will post a before and after shot once the yarn has been completely knitted up and then felted.

Let the mitten knitting commence ...

I am determined to learn how to knit gloves and mittens, even if it takes until the Summer to produce my first pair! I made this decision after seeing a pattern in my selvedge magazine, I love that magazine!
http://www.selvedge.org/pdf/HowToMakeGloves.jpg
It has meant buying some new 'kit' as the pattern I am following requires both circular needles and double pins. so now, thanks to some vert quick dispatching and delivering I am the proud owner of some KnitPro interchangeable circular needles (means you can do small scale circular knitting such as socks and gloves). Only one set of pins at the moment (5.00mm), but once you have the cable you can chop and change the pins depending on what you require, and the pins do look lovely. The cables come with 'stoppers' so you can have a couple of projects on the go using the same size pins, you just remove one cable, add the stoppers to it, and screw another cable to the pins. So away I go ...

I have also been busy buying things on Folksy, this time a wonderful button handbag charm from CraftyLittleMia, and it's green (my favourite) ... just need to decide which handbag it's going to live on.

http://www.folksy.com/shops/CraftyLittleMia

UK Handmade Jewellery

I have been a member of UK Handmade since before Christmas, and started the UK Handmade Jewellery group so that jewellery makers/designers from all sorts of background, using all sorts of materials could talk to each other and look at each others' work. There are 18 members of the group at the moment - working with beads, PMC, fabric, buttons and a host of other materials.
Over the past couple of days I have used images provided by some members to design a logo for the group. I have used a simple colour scheme and bold writing so that the imagery is still visible when used as an avatar on the UK Handmade website. It took some time, but the feedback I have had from members so far has been very positive.

http://ukhandmade.ning.com/group/ukhandmadejewellery

Icicles - Snow and Ice Project

Well here is my first experiment with my clear and white glass beads, photo is not wonderful. In fact if anyone knows what would be the best background for photographing crystal beads, please let me know.

I like this bracelet, but want to try another one with more of the 'icicle' beads (known as daggers). I have lots of ideas in my sketchbook and hope to work my way through them during the coming weeks.

My next 'Snow and Ice' project is going to be a ring using beadwork techniques.

Other things going on this week ... putting finishing touches to UK Handmade Jewellery group logo, and knitting up my 'Eco Wool' to make some lovely streaky felt.

Ever Decreasing Circles

I am attempting to knit my first pair of gloves (well mittens) - wool (check), double points (check), circular needle (check) - everything it says in the pattern I have downloaded. I cast on to the circular needles as instructed, but that is as far as it goes ... the needles suggested in the pattern are way too long! Do I use the double points? But then I am going to need them for shaping the thumb ... only one thing for it ... circular needle research on the web! And it seems an impossible task to find the fairly short circular needles that I am going to need for this pattern. Website after website, and they're all long. Then I remembered some interchangeable circular needles that I had seen in a magazine, so off I went again, and this time success. I haven't bought one of those super duper sets with everything, slowly, slowly etc. I bought the size pins I needed plus a 10cm cable and a 30cm cable, so let's see how that goes. Just got to wait for the postman to arrive now, but I did like the shop I bought them from and I will visit again  very soon ...
http://www.p2tog.com/

Also today ... I have added some more loveheart bracelets to my online shop http://giddystuffvintage.misi.co.uk/ - if you buy one between now and 14th February 2010 you can have it gift wrapped in special 'giddy' pink tissue with pink heart confetti, all tied up with heart ribbon and a heart button!

More on my Snow and Ice project tomorrow - WORK IN PROGRESS!

Snow, Ice and Tape Measures!

Fantastic news this morning as all my lovelybeads arrived in the post, this is them before they were tipped out and played with! A big piece of dark felt or fleece is essential for playing with beads like this so that you can see them, plus it stops them rolling about - I am always finding random lost beads in my living room (usually with my feet!).

Will post my progress during the next few days. I may even use some of  my doodles from yesterday to develop my design ideas.

More nice things in the post ... this time a wonderful blue tape measure brooch by O'blue. I seem to have a thing about tape measures, there was a tiny one on the purse I bought from Pantsandpaper last week. O'blue is based in Cornwall, her jewellery is quirky and make use of unexpected things. I already own on of her 'Cup and Saucer' rings. It's the sort of jewellery where people ask you where you got it and in a way you don't want to tell them because you want to keep the secret to yourself! However, today i'm willing to share, so O'Blue's shops are listed below the photo ...

http://www.folksy.com/shops/oblue

http://www.misi.co.uk/handmade/oblue.html

Sketchbook Page - Doodle Page

I have spent some of today practising my enamelling skills, don't think my items have the quality yet, but I love experimenting - layering turquoise and orange transparent enamel over an opaque white background. But like I say, it still needs tweaking.
I have also had my sketchbook with me, still getting used to working in a big one again! I have been using Moleskine notebooks for a while! Just been doodling today, the outcome of this could become jewellery ideas or it could become some textile work, we shall see ...

Perhaps my Ice and Snow Project beads will be here at the weekend, then the sketchbook will be out again so that I can do some ideas for that.

14th January 2010 Snow and Ice Project - Update

I ordered the beads yesterday for my design challenge -beading without colour! My bead order was totally different to what I would normally get, I looked at so many different shapes that I wouldn't normally work with. Can't wait for them to arrive ... then I can start thinking about combining shapes and textures. Although I have been inspired by the snow and ice, I want to create something that can be worn all year round and will go with different looks. I will probably use antique black findings for the pieces so that they don't look too cold. Will post some drawings and photos as soon as i've got the beads and i've got creating.

Meet me at Mike's

'Meet me at Mike's' is a fantastic book, a craft book by a blogger called Pip Lincolne. She was working at a store called Mike's that sold handmade things and wanted to inspire people in her local area to get crafting, so she started her blog and a craft group. This book is the product of that innovation. The projects in it are by Pip and her friends. Don't let the fact that it is a project book put you off, I bought it more as a glorious 'thing' to look at and be inspirational! (Although the projects are wonderful).

Although this particular book is Australian, it is like many US import craft books in that it is spiral bound and has a pocket full of patterns/templates. I love the layout of this book, it's set out like a jotter - it even has lined pages. The photographs are full of ideas for how you could display your own crafts. There is a how to section and a list of contributors' websites/blogs at the back.

Favourite project - I love this notebook cover by Carly Schwerdt - sorry the photo is a bit blurred. http://www.neststudio.typepad.com/

For more information about Pip Lincolne:-
http://www.meetmeatmikes.com/
http://www.brownowls.blogspot.com/
All the original photographs were taken by Tim James.

Work In Progress

It's a knitting night (because it's cold!). Knitting is a great way of vegging out in front of the TV and feeling productive at the same time. I don't think I could just 'watch' TV - I need to do something else too. I have lots of projects on the go, I don't make that many garments - I find making accessories much more satisfying - they're quicker and you dotend to get more compliments about them. My main projects at the moment are a Rowan denim bag, some grey wool mittens, and a little shoulder bag based on my own design. It's the first time i've done a knit design from scratch (although I always customise patterns), and it's not perfect. The front and back panels are nearly there, and I intend to produce a continuous strap/side panel ...

This has also been knitted using Rowan denim yarn. I'm like a kid in a sweetshop when I see Rowan! Metal needles (very heavy handed - I snap bamboo), and a Moleskine squared paper notebook for my pattern graphs.

Next job - I haven't forgotten the little design project I set myself, so I am ordering some clear and white beads to experiment with! Designs to follow ...

Crimson ... and ice ...

Only just has time to write today, been quite busy ...
Got in from work to find my latest Folksy purchase on the doormat - a fabulous purse by Pantsandpaper, her work is beautifully crafted, and also smells nice!

This seller also makes a fantastic range of fabric brooches, and every one is that little bit different.
http://www.folksy.com/shops/pantsandpaper

And now for a personal challenge - this is the ice bit. My sketchbooks are full of texture and colour, so, inspired by the weather I am going to create some jewellery designs using white and clear beads. nothing made as yet. I will find it difficult not to grab the watercolours! I may allow myself a pale blue crayon! The outcome(s) will be posted when or if they happen!

giddystuffVINTAGE

giddystuffVINTAGE is the MISI shop where I sell my glass bead jewellery, or will be, I have just opened! There's not much in there at the moment, but I am aiming to add stock at weekends. The shop will stock little 'one-off' items - I buy my beads from all over, so there is never a guarantee that I can replicate a design. I am also aiming to stock other 'vintage style' items as and when the ideas pop into my head!

http://giddystuffvintage.misi.co.uk/

Reading List ...

It's Saturday! Not much crafting going on here.
Treated myself to some needle-nosed pliers, will make closing culottes a lot neater. Also bought some more heart-shaped lampwork beads, including the clear ones I wanted. I think the snow and ice is inspiring me to buy white and clear beads this week.

Saturday is my traditional magazine buying (and reading) day. I buy loads, some of them because of the photography, some for the articles. Here are the magazines I can't live without ...

1. Selvedge
2. SEW Hip
3. Country Living
4. National Geographic
5. Jamie Magazine
6. Making Jewellery
7. Olive
8. Sew
9. Country Homes and Interiors
10. Guardian Weekend

A lot of these are kept forever, to be read through at intervals, in amazement, others become parts of sketchbook pages and mood boards.
Hopefullly there will be some more crafty bits to show you tomorrow, that's what Sunday afternoons were made for.

New Sketchbook

I don't seem to be able to keep a 'traditional' sketchbook, it always meanders and becomes a notebook, address book, recipe book and knitting file as well! I don't supppose this is a bad thing, I think it makes it more of a prize possession. I tend to draw from the front of the book to the back, and put all the other stuff in working from the back to the front.
Here's some of the things I stow in there ...

• Websites - often find sites when at work, so can't really put them in my favourites.
• Yarn bands, glue the band for a particular knitting project in there, then if you need more, or need to repeat the project you've got the info.
• Information about beads I have bought - through experience i've discovered that it is a good idea to write down where you got the beads for a project, especially if you visit lots of craft/bead shop and craft shows.
• Envelopes - stuck in to hold patterns, templates and skeins of embroidery thread.

And of course I draw/doodle ...

This page is quite unusual for me in that I haven't add loads of written info. The images are inspired by looking at 1950's and Scandanavian textile patterns - think the Festival of Britain meets IKEA. I have some ideas for beaded brooches, this sheet is my starting point ...

Will show you the outcomes as, when or if they happen!

Too cold for crafting ...

I have been knitting today, but the beads and finding have stayed in their boxes, I may make a bracelet later. I know it's that time of year when crafters should be readying themselves to embrace the Valentines market. I am making some bracelets using huge heart shaped lampwork beads, can't quite do the 'all red' thing. This is one I made yesterday.

There is a slight  swirl of cobalt blue in the pink beads, so I decided to use blue as the contrast. I have seen some lovely clear heart beads with lampwork roses, I may buy them at the weekend.

I was going to take some photos of my sketchbook today. I am working on some ideas for brooches, but the drawings are quite detailed and it's taken me all day, so that's a story for another blog.

Bought some lovely little shell beads this afternoon, don't know what i'll use them for yet, but had fun photographing them. They fell out of the bag in almost a heart shape, so with a bit of tidying that is what I photographed!

Snow Day

Work is closed because of weather and still the snow is coming down.
Been out with camera, i'm sure everybody is doing a 'snow blog' today!

To think that my strawberries are somewhere under that snow! And my lavender is in that trellis!



Off to work in my sketchbook, wanted to work in it every day, but not always possible, plus my drawings are quite small so there are several to a page. I also have a bracelet to make, and quite fancy experimenting with some white and clear beads - this weather is inspiring! Then I hope to be knitting for the rest of the day. Hopefully i'll have something to show you in my blog tomorrow.

Snow and white post

Snow on and off all day - and then sent home early from work.

Arrived home to find some more nice post, second day in a row - wonderful white memory wire ring with white buttons by CraftyLittleMia! A white ring for a white day - perfect. Loving the frosted white beads.
http://www.misi.co.uk/handmade/craftylittlemia.html

Don't you just love it when post arrives!

Meet Beau and Winston! My latest purchases from PussyGalore.

They were photographed sitting on their packaging! It's great to make things, but also fantastic to receive handmade items in the post.

Back to jewellery making and illustrations for the rest of the week, and I also have a silly little knitting project in the pipeline ...

Winston and Beau were designed by PussyGalore -

http://www.folksy.com/users/pussygalore

http://www.coriandr.com/shop/pussygalore 

Spending Spree

I have had a weekend off from making things. Went shopping yesterday and treated my self to this fantastic book - 'Applique Your Way' by Kayte Terry (think it's a US import).

I'm a sucker for spiral bound books with pattern pockets at the back!

The layout is fantastic, as is the typography (of course, sells a book to me every time).

Kayte's blog is http://www.thisisloverforever.com/.

This watermelon pincushion is a particular favourite of mine. It's in the gift section of the book, but why give it away to someone!

(The book cover was designer by Matthew Stiffler, and the original photographs were by Jennifer Causey www.jennifercausey.com).

I have also bought some new beads, so will be making some more jewellery for my Misi shop during the week - although not sure when I will do photos as it is dark when I go to work in the morning, and dark when I get home ...

Oh I forgot this ...

I forgot to do an illustration (giddystyle) for new year, so here it is! So many people were launching paper lanterns this year that I decided to use these as my theme. Like most people it's back to the day job on Monday. Today is a knitting day - something very silly, very giddy, that I hope people will like. More soon!

Happy New Year!!

A new year, and definately a new start for me! I have finally started listing items on my Misi site. At the moment there are a few pieces of glass bead jewellery, but there is more to come. I will be selling on Folksy soon too, but these items will be quirky things and seasonal items. You can visit my Misi shop by clicking on the link on the right hand side of this page.

These are the items I have listed so far, more should follow over the weekend.

And as it's New Year's Day, the shops are shut and I have run out of 'lobster fasteners' (the little clips that fasten your bracelet or necklace together) today is a knitting and sewing day.

Hope everyone is having a brilliant New Year x