Monday, November 24, 2014

Polymer Clay "Knit Stitch" Box and Brooch


I just posted this tutorial on how to make a polymer clay notions or trinket box with a knit stitch design on my Hubpages.

I used the same technique to make a "knit" brooch.  I trimmed my clay design to fit in a brooch blank.  Then I added the "fuzzy" saying by rolling a small egg of clay, flattening it with a dowel, then using alphabet stamps to add the lettering.  I made this little word oval separately and didn't stick it over my knit stitches until I had it right.  I'm not going to lie - it took several tries to get the lettering lined up and centered on my oval.


Why I chose the word "fuzzy"?  I couldn't say.  It kinda refers to knitting and seemed funny at the time :)

Once my clay piece was baked and cooled, I glued it into a wooden brooch blank from artbase on etsy.  Their pieces are lovely.  I made another pin with one of their brooch pieces here.

Check out my knitting polymer clay tutorial and make your own!!

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

17 Repurposed, Recycled, & Upcycled Christmas Craft Ideas

http://www.hometalk.com/b/1762473/17-incredible-repurposed-christmas-crafts
The good people at Hometalk were kind enough to ask me to put together a clipboard of some of my favorite Repurposed Christmas Crafts off of their site.  I was THRILLED to do so and found SO MANY great repurposed/recycled/upcycled holiday craft ideas!

Where to begin...driftwood, rusted springs, bottle caps, bits and pieces of random stuff - just amazing!  I especially love the Christmas Tree crafts, some of which (admittedly) are mine:


But there are a lot of wonderful, creative, exciting projects to explore.  Check out my board here, and start pinning and crafting for the holidays!  Enjoy!!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Getting My Holiday Season Started: Christmas Display Made from Tomato Cage


After a bit of a hiatus from crafting, I'm getting an early start on some of my Christmas projects.


First up:  a festive display for Christmas ornaments, favorite holiday cards, or fun family photos (I've used all three!).   This charming display would make a wonderful table centerpiece.  And your friends and family will be amazed that it's made from a basic tomato cage from the garden.

Find more pics and instructions on my Hubpages.