Something a little different - Lotus Belle

I have spotted these little (or not so little) gems on TradeMe a local auction website, they are a cross between a bell and yurt and I am in love!

credit for this image goes to www.lotusbelle.co.nz

I can imagine a craft studio/guest bedroom set up in one of these!

Pearls and Glitter Tube Beads

This necklace took a while to create as it involved using glitter card to create the tube beads which was very stiff to roll. The Pearls are in two different sizes and like The Spirit of Napier below is strung in such a way as it can be looped or tied.

Spirit of Napier

I call this one The Spirit of Napier as it was re-purposed (made) from a touristy brochure about Napier and all it has to offer.  Each bead is 15 mm wide,hand rolled and glazed, strung on nylon, crimped with the excess nylon fed back through the beads so it is invisible.  The necklace is long enough that you can loop it two or three times or knot it if you have a mind to.

+

YouTube Inspiration

Recently I have been inspired by a few crafters who have taken the time to make video tutorials, upload them to YouTube and generously share their knowledge.  I thought I'd post some links to my favourite crafters:

• thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
  Lindsay has masses of tutorials on hundreds of different crafts, I really like her enthusiasm (it's kind of contagious!) I watch a tutorial or three of hers at least once a week.
  
  

• CraftKlatch
  CraftKlatch has a tutorial titled 'Recycle Nail Polish Jewelry Craft' which I really enjoyed and found quite inspirational. She has lots of tutorials which I haven't watched yet but are on my to do list!
  
  

• jennibellie
  Jennibellie has some really great tutorials including a long informative one on paper bead making which was very helpful when first learning to make paper beads. I also spotted one yesterday about turning paper towels with paint all over them into paper here which I am going to try one day soon.
  
  

• Janice Mae
  Janice Mae has some very interesting tutorials on paper bead making and is currently involved in a project called "Bead the Earth" which looks quite interesting.
  
  

Hope these links are as inspirational to you as they have been to me!

Another Paper Bead Jewellery Post

Paper Bead Necklace and Earrings

A little washed out from the flash, are actually the same colour as the necklace above

Red & Black

The creativity continues...

Colourful!!!

Blues, oranges and yellows - had so much fun making this necklace!

Not Just Paper Beads

Inspiration continues to hit!

In my daughters button stash she had these beautiful buttons which I couldn't resist turning into earrings and a ring.

I also have another three of these buttons so I think they may well end up as part of another creation, a necklace perhaps?

Beads Glorious Beads

About four weeks ago I stumbled upong paper beads (yet again on Pinterest). I stared intently at the photos, visited the websites, watched youtube clips, rolled up my sleeves, fished out my paper supplies, located a skewer and glue and then set forth to create my first paper bead.

Now I have a large jar full of misfits (for want of a better word) and a full on addiction to creating jewelery from paper beads as the photos below will attest...

The misfit jar (all beads that haven't been used for 'something' end up displayed here - you never know when they might come in handy for a new design

Earrings with matching necklace below

The necklace that matches the earrings above

The first piece of recycled jewelery created with pages from an atlas

My paper stash has grown dramatically as has my toothpick and skewer horde, the kitchen table is overrun with paints, jewelery findings, jars, buttons, glues, beads, paper beads,... I'm sure you get the picture! I couldn't be happier!

Creative Chaos

The past year has seen more changes for our family, we've downsized further into a two bedroom home with nary enough room to swing a cat (as the saying goes). Sadly this has meant no space for crafting. My crafting supplies have been relegated to the garage where they haven't been easily accessible and to be honest life has sort of taken over my art - that is until the last two days while I've been on annual leave.

I stumbled upon junk journals on pinterest which inspired me to pull out my supples and get creative!

Although i have a few pages and the cover above done i still have heaps of pages to continue working on.

Life's twists and turns

Isn't life a funny wee beast?

2013 finds us taking stock, tightening our belts even further and dreaming big. I have been perusing Tiny Houses, caravans, house trucks and motor homes   I've fallen in love with Tiny Homes but think that a Caravan or Motor home may be the road we take.

I have been reading a blog today written by a wonderfully adventurous (well she seems so to me at least) woman who is doing what I would dearly love to do... her blog can be found here. My DH has consented to picking up sticks in about 3 years time and touring our beautiful country with me so we now have a goal to work towards.

The idea of downsizing and in the process de-cluttering appeals alot, so much so that I have begun divesting our home of bits and pieces. Each item I get rid of by donating, listing for auction or just simply throwing away leaves me feeling just a little bit freer. 

New Year Camping Trip

This week we found ourselves making a beeline for Manatutu Hot Springs Camp Site in the Kaweka Forest Park where we tested our tent pitching abilities. I'm pleased to say that both tents stayed up through some strong winds during the night. 

The Department of Conservations (aka DOC) website indicated that there was water available from a stream, unfortunately the stream was a decent 20 minute distance away down a rather steep trail which left a few of us feeling a bit jittery when it came to climbing down and up again.

 

Once we'd climbed down we found that there were some nice places downstream which looked like they could be good swimming spots. The hot pools lived up to their names, we all had a short dip in them (we suspect they would be cooler or perhaps more comfortable during colder weather).

As we have a total fire ban at present which extended to our camping spot we used our primus very carefully and enjoyed american hotdogs :0) There is nothing quite like enjoying a cup of tea made in a billy!

Christmas is coming

 

 Isn't the Internet a wonderful tool?  

While perusing PinInterest a few weeks ago I came across a photo that linked to Lisa's Craft Blog where she has a tutorial for puzzle piece ornaments. 

As I happen to own a 1,000 piece puzzle which I purchased specifically for a purpose such as this I began gluing and glittering until my heart was content - above are six of my creations.  I have yet to put ribbons on them but once they have been attached they will grace our Christmas tree this year.  

A Time of Change

The last three months have seen some fairly radical changes to our lives as a family so I must apologise for being missing in action so to speak.

Time to craft has been hard to come by but I have managed to snatch time occasionally to create.  Above is a paint chip decorated cover of a new journal and the first page of the same journal.

Radical I guess only just begins to describe the life less ordinary we are creating for ourselves. Earlier this year we moved back to the rental we vacated a year earlier to lower our living costs. Two months ago we made the decision to become a single income family and we have begun to shed the trappings which we'd begun to take for granted - things like cable tv,  a high speed internet connection, convenience food and national calling.

We've started doing simple things like baking our own bread, meal planning and cooking meals from scratch, op shopping, borrowing books/cds/dvds from the library and whenever possible walking. All things we did prior to becoming a double income family and we are all feeling the better for it.