Free brick stitch pattern with tutorial

I have learned a new technique called brick stitch and wanted to share with you the steps that made sense to me when trying to understand this technique. So I made a free pattern and a youtube tutorial on how to make this cute cloud using miyuki delica beads. It measures about 2x2cm (less than 1"x1").

In the tutorial I'm using HAMA beads and contrasting yarn so it's easier for you to see what I'm doing. To get the tiny charm I'm using miyuki delica beads.

You will need:

About 1m/1yard of thread (I used fireline)

Beading needle (size 12)

Miyuki delica beads

 You can use the charm as a pendant, on paperclips, thumbtacks, earstuds, to decorate a pen and many other things. 

What would you use it for? 

For full tutorial on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOaMkl0ICms

Free tutorial for earring organizer made from two picture frames

I'm so happy to share with you my tutorial for this organizer. I've been having this idea for months and when instructables' had a contest titled "before&after" it helped me get started.

 I'm so pleased with how it turned out and that I got motivated to start. Since I love thriftshopping I have loads of beautiful jeewelry, but they are not stored in a good way that does them justice. This will be one of the many boxes I will make. 

For the full tutorial and more pics visit my instructable:

HERE

Next I have a plan to tackle my collection of rings. I also filmed the process with this earringorganizer. 

Let me know if you would be interested in seeing a video of this or if you prefer textbased tutorials like this one. There are only so many hours in a day and I need to know what to tackle first :)

Until next time: Keep crafting!

 

Easy upholstering of ottoman

The ottoman measures about 65x45x45cm.

 Today I'd like to show you an easy way to freshen up a boring and plain piece of furniture. Unfortunately I seem to have misplaced the "before" photo, but I can just let you know that the cover of it was a beige muslin cloth type of fabric.

I started by removing the old piece of fabric which was actually removable for washing. After doing that I had this foam kind of situation going on. I decided that it was too thin to leave as is because we use the ottoman as an extra seat sometimes and no one really wants to sit on it. Instead I decided to add two thin layers of batting which really added that extra butt-comfort :) 

I think the batting was a leftover piece from a quilt project so it's organic cotton. I cut it so it fitted around the lid and attached it with a staplegun.

As I went around with the staplegun I made sure the batting fitted snugly pulling it as I went along. I started attaching a few staples on the longer side, then on the opposite side, pulling the fabric tightly. Then a few staples on one of the shorter sides and finally the last side. 

After the batting it was time for the fabric. I had sewn around the edges with a zigzag stitch to stop it from fraying and then prewashed it. I attached the fabric the same way I did the batting, starting on one of the longer sides with a few staples and so on.

When I saw that everything looked good I went around the lid with the steplegun adding more staples. In the end I had a staple every 1-2 cm (1/2-1"). This seemed to hold the fabric in place. 

This ottoman has now been used for at least a year or two and holds up very well. The fabric has not sagged and it's not as uncomfortable to sit on anymore as it was before. 

I'm very pleased with the finished look and the way I placed the pattern of the fabric. 

What do you think and have you any furniture that would need some sprucing up like this?

 Comment down below and let me know.

Until next time: Keep crafting!

Thrift store bunny repaint using 3 chalk paint techniques

Hello again my dustbunnies.

Link to my latest youtube video:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOIRwDO_cGo

 

 

Today I have a very eggciting post for you just in time for easter.

 

One of the best part of thriftshopping for me is to be able to find something "ugly" or unfinished and transform it into something "new". Sometimes I'm happy with the result, sometimes it looks even worse than before, but at least the potential is there. 

I love that feeling of a diamond in the rough 

that no one else can see.

 

What is your favorite part about thriftshopping?

 

 

I have made a youtube video tutorial where I show three different looks you can achieve using chalk paint. 

Which one is your favorite?

 

 

Before:

Until next time: Keep crafting! 

 

Organizing box for teas tutorial

(You can find the whole tutorial and vote for me)

HERE

Hello my fellow dustbunnies.
Are you ready for another free tutorial?

This time I was in desperate need to get my loose tea sachets organized. And as luck would have it, instructables had a competition in categories "papercraft" and "cardboard" so I got motivated to make a tutorial and entered both contests with this project.

If you like this project, take a minute to vote for me. Click the orange "vote" button in the top right corner on my instructable. 
You need to have an account on instructable to be able to vote. Having an account enables you to vote, save your favorite projects and make your own tutorials. There are tons of great tutorials on all kind of subjects so it's worth checking out.

This tutorial can also be adjusted and work as a jewelry organizer. 
I have used a sponge for the earrings and two foams from hairrollers for the rings. Comment down below if you would be interested in seeing a jewelryorganizing tutorial.

Until next time: keep crafting!

Beaded heartlocket tutorial

Hey and welcome back. 

Today I want to share with you a tutorial I made for these cute reversible hearts made from beads. 

The locket is made by making two hearts (for example I made a dark blue and turquoise one for the big pendant). Then you stack them on top of eachother and sew together on the side using smaller beads (I used some silver ones).

You can add a lock of hair or a secret message before you sew them together and no one will know it's there until the heart breaks (literally).

I have seen some tutorials on youtube making these, but I find them hard to follow. It's confusing sometimes which bead you're supposed to go through and from which angle.

 So I made a tutorial where I've made charts to better understand how the hearts are assembled. It's not difficult so I hope you give it a try. If you do, please let me know.  

 I have entered instructables' Valentine's contest with this tutorial. 

If you have an account there, please vote for me. 

See the tutorial here:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Beaded-Heartlocket-With-Secret-Message/

You can also see the videotutorial on youtube. However, I am going to edit that video and include Dusty. 

Don't know who Dusty is?

He's my trusted sidekick and the star of my youtube channel.

Check out some videos with him on my channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJ2kY0OVsAl3xY93T4TaZg

  Until next time: keep crafting!

DIY highlighter rose, petal blush and eyeshadow roses

Check out my latest youtube video on how to make some awesome makeup DIY. Who wouldn't want to have this on their vanity?

Link to video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6rYZKGK82E&t=0s


Petal blush:

Eyeshadows:

Highlighter:

And as an extra bonus: behind the scenes of filming...

Until next time: Keep crafting!

Great Christmaspresent tip for all who want to learn how to draw

A quick tip for those of you who are early with your Christmas shopping:

This guy has some really awesome tutorials on youtube on how to draw with pen and ink. His tutorials inspired me to give doodling a go and I'm so greatful to him for it. 

He has published a book on this subject. It's been out for almost a year now. Apparently I haven't kept up with his tutorials lately (which piled up to be a year, but that's my idea of "lately") so I didn't know about it. But now I do and it's oh so going up on my Christmas wishlist.

You can buy it (among other places I'm sure) on:
amazon
bokus
adlibris
 

Here's one of my drawings following his tutorial:

Check out that tutorial here and while you're at it subscribe:

Alphonso Dunn's youtube tutorial. Seascape

Youtube premiere!

Yesterday I started my youtube career :)

A quick video that shows how I make my metalwire jewelry.

So much I had to learn with editing and computerstuff so I'm quite proud the way it turned out, even if it's quite basic.

 Small steps, am I right? If you have any suggestions on what you would like me to film, let me know here, on facebook or on that video. Constructive criticism is also welcome. 

While you're at it, like the video and subscribe.

Enjoy!

Youtube How I DIY metalwire necklace

 

Winner with both tutorials!

Just a quick note to tell you I was one of the winners in both the wedding- and the catsection at instructables.
Thanks to everyone who voted for me.

 This weddingbelt/hairband. Won second prize out of 236 entries 

This cat/dogbed as a runner up.

Both items are for sale.

Stay tuned for more inspiration, tutorials and remakes. 

 :)

Wedding flowerbelt/hairband tutorial

 

On monday there was a deadline for instructable's wedding contest. If you're not familiar with instructables it's a free site where people put up their tutorials in a huge selection of categories. Most of them are step-by-step instructions with photos (like mine), but some of them are with videos. The deadline was monday so naturally I came up with a brilliant project the same day. Nothing like a deadline to keep you motivated, am I right?

 

 

I've been thinking about making videotutorials, but I must admit I feel more comfortable with these photo step-by-step instructions. Do you think it's an ancient kind of way to teach or do you like these kind of tutorials? 

 

 

The way I see it is that I'd rather take a good photoed tutorial than a youtube one with bad  lighting, lots of unnecessary talk and the feeling of it taking to long and not getting to the point. 

Let me know what you think. Would you rather see my tutorials videoed? Is that even the right word anymore? Recorded maybe?

 I'm just showing you some of the shots of the finished project. If you want the full tutorial, check it out on 

 

instructables.com

 

where you can vote for this project in the wedding contest (in top right corner of the project's frontpage).

 

 

Stylish petbed from an old drawer TUTORIAL

Front says "snug as a bug"

How much don't you love your pet - or would if you had one? Wouldn't you want it to have a bed that is front and center in your bedroom instead of being hidden somewhere in the corner?

By making your own petbed you can style it any way you want and with so many free images out there the sky is the limit.

I made this one from an old drawer by using Annie Sloan's chalk paint and printed images. 

The color is custom made by me using mostly white, then blue, gray and yellow.

I applied the images using a transfer-on technique and by using free images from 

the graphics fairy

Back of the "bed"

You can find more pictures and the whole tutorial on my instructables page

HERE

If you like it, please consider voting for me in the 

"cat contest" 

or 

"dog contest"  

 or both ;)
You vote by clicking the orange "vote" button in the top right corner of my instructables page
HERE

Click it and you will have a choice of casting your vote for the two contests.

Winner will be announced july 4:th 2016.

 Thanks!

Altered seathemed box for GDT spot

Tiny glassvial filled with "pearls". I colored one of the beads with shimmery black paint to make a "black pearl" out of it. I also added copperwire and a beadcap to it. The vial is about 3cm high.

Hello my dear readers and welcome to my big reveal.

I'm so pleased to finally be able to show you my altered project as the guest designer for the 

mixed media warriors challenge blog 

I'm so honered to have been invited as part of the amazing design team for this month. Have you seen their other creations? 

AMAZING!

So for my seainspired altered box I have used papers from 
Graphic45 "Voyage beneath the sea"

 I absolutely LOVE these papers and they were a blast to work with.   

The box measures about 15x12.5x3.5 cm and can be hung by the handle on top with a pearlstring.

I started by painting the whole box with gesso. Then I added smears of ranger's distress crayons in the colors rusty hinge, fossilized amber and peeled paint. I also used distress ink in the color evergreen bough and vintage photo here are there.

The crayons I rubbed first with a dry, then with a moist stiff brush to get the desired look.

I kept checking the papers to get the perfect colorscheme.

I then chose papers and used ranger's matte collage medium to glue them onto the box in different panels. Before I glued them on I distressed the edges and rubbed them with vintage photo distress ink. 
The medium dries fast so you need to keep up.

 
After that it was a quest through my embellishments to find odds and ends that would fit this steampunk underworld scene. I found things like small gears, pieces of glass, goldwire, seashells, stones, mirror mosaicpieces, pearlstring, a glasscabochon with fitting and a tiny handle that I colored with Annie Sloan's chalk paint. Among other things...

I painted the shell with gesso, then I added stickles glitterglue "waterfall" in the grooves. When it was dry I rubbed the edges with distress ink in the color "vintage photo". Finally I cut up a turquoise flower and stuck it in the shell to make it resemble some kind of anemone. I also added the same glitterglue to the anemone's edges for some extra pizzazz.

Arranging it all together took the longest and I waited - no joke - a week before the right combinations presented themselves.
Do you get that too where you can't figure out what's "wrong" with a piece and you keep looking at it and something is missing for it to be completely done? I sometimes struggle with being patient because I just want the project to be done and move on to the next, but it's always worth the wait. 

The last thing I did was making the "starfishflower" with the fishcabochonbutton (custommade with an image from the line) and adding the gold crumped wire to the side. That was ultimately what gave the box the oomph I was looking for and made me feel like it was made to perfection.

I must say I'm quite pleased that it's finished and am happy to clean up my table and start new adventures. But I'm so glad I waited as long as I did for the piece to "reveal" itself because I'm so extremely pleased and proud of it.
You can't rush creativity, right? 

Supplies: 

Papers: graphic45 "Voyage beneath the sea"

Color: distress crayons in rusty hinge, fossilized amber and peeled paint, distress ink in evergreen bough and vintage photo

Tools: starfish die from Impression obsession DIE077-W
Others: Ranger's collage medium matte, wooden box, embellishments

Chalk paint tutorials

 Just a quick note to let you know I found a fabulous site with lots of tips and tricks on how to use the Annie Sloan's chalkpaint. If you make a project using the chalk paint - let me know. I'd love to see what you've made.

http://www.thepurplepaintedlady.com/

Wedding invitations tutorial

The wedding invitations have now gone out and I even made a tutorial on how to make them. If you're interested and want to see more photos - head over to my tutorial at instructables.com to see it.