a zombie, a key and a button

I haven't done much crafting so far this January, I have been working on a little zombie doll with a loose eyeball and made a few cards and a little necklace made with a vintage button and rusty key. I'm not sure if I'm keeping the necklace for myself, listing it on etsy or parceling it off to a friend, but it was fun to make and got me thinking creatively again.

zombie in progress

The little zombie doll isn't quite finished yet, she needs a few more embellishments and staining with tea/coffee and possibly giving an arm or two as she is pretty much a skinny little brick shape. I shall have to think about what she needs doing to her, she is far too clean and neat to be a decent shambling zombie...it won't do at all. Little bits of creativity to keep me going.

My friend Selena has a fabulous idea for selling some fantastic vintage finds on a separate page of her blog called Little Shop. Each item is listed and the first to comment claims the item to be paid via paypal, which I think is a brilliant ideas. Selena said that the idea might work for my crafting as an alternative to my etsy shop. I do love etsy but it takes a lot of work and eats into your profits quite a bit if you are a small fry crafter like me. I haven't decided what to do yet but I do have a bunch of badges that I made that could do with finding new homes. and one or two dolls that need homes too. I don't know what I shall do but these thoughts are swirling round my head and I thought I would share them with my lovely readers.

the post where I am a super steathy ninja...

vintage key and button pendant

So today I told myself I would do something crafty, creative, magical, and inspiring...

so I drank coffee...

and I drank some more coffee... and I pondered and then I glared at my desk...and the buttons and fabric heaped upon it... I look at my stamps and then I got down the vintage jar I had that contained some mixed haberdashery items from Vintage Violet. I dug through until I found a small rusty key and a few mother of pearl buttons. So I dragged out my jewellery making kit and went to work, it didn't take long to create this little key and button pendant but I have happily worn it around the house. I was wondering about getting a bit of black velvet ribbon to hang it on instead of the silver chain (I may have a look in the little knitting shop in town tomorrow.

fantastical things from Rowan

...but then it was time to go for a little walk before going to collect Harrison from school. As I was getting my shoes on (black converse) the werewolf postie brought me a parcel. What? He is totally a werewolf, I have gone on about this before, he is awesome, and so far he doesn't bite and I don't know if he has fleas or not....

Where was I? Oh yes he bought me a lovely parcel of goodies from Rowan who I sent some thrifted manga and a book page illustration (which sounds more posh than doodle) and a little typed note card. Well Rowan sent me the sweetest little manga pendant, brooches, a refresher sweet that the boy later stole, and a cute little ring.

I wore the blue and orange cameo brooch on my walk to school to fetch the Boy. I talked to my friend's mum (picking up the grand kids) and one other mum (who is lovely).

...I displayed my mad ninja skills of not being seen by the rest of the parents there. I do know a few mums that are quite nice and friendly but I'm too shy to be chatty with the others, so I wait quietly for Harrison to be let out and tell me about his day...

...telling me about his day consists of him saying they had mashed potatoes at lunch and not remembering anything else that happened all day. Ninja skills discarded as we negotiated what sort of treat he should get for the epic task of walking home. So I sighed and took hold of the seventy billion things he was bringing home and off we went to practice super stealthy ninja skills another day.

500th blog post giveaway

A few posts back was my 500th blog post! I'm quite amazed that I have managed to keep up with blogging for 3 years, but to have done 500 posts.. wow... I know I'm not the most prolific blogger or crafter but blogging has become an important part of my life.

I never kept a diary, I tried, I got give several for birthdays but I never had the knack for the daily scribblings. I always carry a journal with me and write ideas, notes, and doodles but nothing like a diary. I don't vent very often on my blog because I like to think of it mostly as my happy place, that things are positive and creative here (I do have a drabble/writing blog that encompasses my darker thoughts).

I know I haven't got the largest reader base but I treasure the comments from those of you who do come to visit my blog and leave your thoughts with me. I know I have been a little obsessed with making these little monsters lately, it has made me feel so creative to make them and write funny little stories for them, so I hope you don't mind if I giveaway a little monster for my 500th blogpost giveaway, and a few others bits and bobs too.

Meet Milicent the Vampiress

I'm working on Milicent the vampiress story and will send a copy of her story to the winner. All you need to do is leave me a comment with your email address so I can contact you. The winner will be chosen by me with the help of Mr Random Number Generator next Friday the 23.

I will also choose a second winner from the last few doll posts on Friday to win one of my book page doodles and perhaps a bracelet from my jewellery stash.

button jewellery a mini tutorial

the Red Queen Pendant

ingredients:

vintage buttons
craft glue
glue on bails (or small pin backs)
needle and thread thread
chain or necklace

Instructions:

step 1: gather materials together and stack two or three buttons together until you find a combination that you love.

step 2: thread the needle and sew your stack of buttons together (alternatively you can glue them on top of each other, but I like the look of the thread keeping the buttons together)

step 3: decide where the bail/pin back will go on the back of the stack and place a few drops of glue on the back of the button and on the flat part of the pendant bail. Leave for a few seconds then stick the bail/pin back to the button stack.

step 4: let the glue dry then string the button pendant on a chain or pin the button pin to anything!

crafter's notes: I know it is only a super simple tutorial but it is fun and funky, and I will happily be wearing the red, black, and mother of pearl button pendant when I go out today. The pin below was my first attempt with a large renegade chartreuse button that had hidden in one of my button jam jars. If anyone wants it I will gladly give it away as chartreuse and I are no friends (the colour makes me look ill or possibly just a very lively zombie).

Chartreuse it is

Chrysocolla and Black

faceted black agate bracelet

I love these bracelets...I'm going to have to keep one for myself... but which one?

I'm off to Ikea/Starbucks for coffee and to find some now craft storage to sit beside my little desk! wish me luck

chrysocolla bracelet

precious things

chrysocolla bracelet

No you haven't stumbled onto another blog by mistake, this is is Meridian Ariel, not in an alternate dimension either. But I have captured a muse and have been inspired to drag out some beads and play around with colours. Yesterday I crafted three bracelets, and today another three. I haven't dragged my bead boxes out for weeks, months even and 6 different bracelets in the span of two days. I think I may need a lie down, or another coffee at any rate.

faceted black agate (my favourite)

and did I mention the sketching? because I have been drawing, sketching and painting too, only a little bit but still that counts. Bust mostly I'm in love with these cute bracelets, the black agate and the chrysocolla ones are my absolute favourites and I'm really trying not to snaffle them up for myself.. but they are calling me, whispering things to me... oh but the turquoise one is pretty too...

erm something starting with a v (sorry I forgot I'll look it up later)

they may find there way into my etsy shop tomorrow.. if I don't hide them away... "My Preciousssss" ... ahem yes where was I?

chrysocolla and snowflake quartz, deep red jade,
and dyed turquoise

spellcheck thinks chrysocolla = Chrisco (ahem its a stone not lard)

Mermaid's Kiss

chrysocolla, silver, and glass beaded bracelet

Today for the first time in weeks I got my beads out to have a play and to sort out a bracelet that Anita at the framing gallery gave me to restring for a lady. It had some lovelychrysocolla beads but hadn't been put together very well by whomever had made it. I'm quite happy with how my reworking has turned out and hopefully the owner will be happy with it, and that it will fit her properly now too.

mermaid tattoo lavender rice warm/cool bag

Seeing as my beading supplies were scattered on and around my desk I decided to play with some green agate beads that I could never seem to put together in perfect way until today. It's a really simple design but the beads are such a lovely colour green in the light, and the bracelet sits well on you wrist. I'll be adding it to my etsy shop a little later today.

Emerald City Bracelet (green agate)


I made the little mermaid tattoo lavender and rice warm/cool bag a few weeks ago and never photographed it because I couldn't get a decent photo and I thought it wasn't good enough at the time. But now that I look at it I don't know why I didn't because its perfectly pretty, and though its small (measuring 3" by 8" ) its still very nice and smells good too so I thought I would pop it on etsy and see if I get any bites, but as its only a small bag I will sell it for a small price.

Knitting Needle Bangles

vintage red knitting needle bangles

I wasn't meant to be making these today, I had the lofty idea that I would play the perfect housewife and made the house a perfectly shiny and lovely place, with everything dusted and washed and lemon scented. Like that was ever going to really happen, although I did bake accidental brownies last night. I had cracked eggs that needed using. Besides baking is a different sort of craft, to me cooking and baking can either be hard work or zen like, last night it was zen like, and then there was a bowl of ooey gooey brownie batter....mmmmmm....where was I? oh yes knitting needle bangles.

Why did I make knitting needle bangles? because Megan did and she inspire me to, seeing as I was moving some winter wear up to the attic and I just happened to "knock over" my box of yarn and knitting needles and the called out to me to turn them into jewellery. What's a girl to do? why listen of course. I had read about making knitting needle bangles a year or to ago and never got around to it until I saw Megan's and thought why not. But I am adamant that Megan is a bad crafty influence on me... next she will have me scouring the shops for vintage buttons!

There are several tutorials out there if you google to tell you how to make knitting needle bangles, but its basically very simple, the hardest part is finding nice vintage knitting needles.


How to make knitting needle bangles

you will need:
vintage plastic knitting needles
a pan
tongs (or tweezers)
a tin or jar (measuring roughly 8" around)
gloves (optional if you have Teflon hands like mine)

1. boil a pot of water.

2. place your knitting needle in the pot, Its a bit like cooking spaghetti, push the knitting needle into the water a bit at a time until it is fully submerged. ( soften for 5 to 10 minutes in the hot water)

3. Use the tongs to remove the knitting needle from the boiling water and wrap the needle around a can or jar. I used my bare fingers but you can use kitchen gloves to wrap the needle around.

4. plunge the can and bangle into cold water to set.

5. if the bangle isn't quite right, pop it back into the boiling water to reshape.


easy as 1...2...3...4...5

Acid Toadstools and a Magical Mystery Tour

you knew I meant fabric right?

I made this little toadstool fabric lavender and rice warm bag, and matching pincushion for Katy. Now Katy's birthday was quite awhile ago, and I really meant to send her something but no matter what I made it just never seemed quite imperfectly perfect enough to give as a gift. I here worriedly this morning waiting for Katy to open my bag of goodies. I even had back up lavender and rice bags to substitute if she didn't like this one. Luckily she did so that was a big relief.

In addition to the pincushion and warm bag I gave Katy a bracelet made with onyx, and green jade, with a cute little apple toggle clasp. I stamped her name on a small jute bag, and made a card which I forgot to take photographic evidence of because I'm a total dork. But it doesn't matter as we had a fab day out. Katy drove and I navigated us to a lovely little quilt shop in Darley Dale, followed by lunch at Caudwell's mill and then a mooch round Scarthin Books in Cromford and a cup of tea. It was a fun outing and next time I promise to be more organized and get a few more local crafter's in the mix and convoy ourselves around Derbyshire's pretty (and crafty) places. Chatsworth anyone?

green apple bracelet

Crafter...oo Red Treasury

I know I'm part of the Crafter...oo forum but its still brilliant to have one of my bracelets featured in the crafter...oo Red Treasury on Etsy. my Valentine Berries Bracelet is the one featured and its one of my favourite bracelets, made from vibran red jade beads, and my favourite toggle clasp.

In other Etsy news much to my astonishment I sold the lavender rice bag that I listed within an hour of listing it! I'm still totally amazed by that and plan on sewing another one as soon as I can get the dishes done a battle with the dirty laundry goblins, and I musnt' forget to cull the dust bunnies either, they get quite vicious this time of year.

Do I look Pretty?

I think Alys looks adorable don't you?

As you can see for the first time since December I have actually got my beading out and have had a play around to create a few pendants and a bracelet. Though for some reason I'm having difficulties making blogger work for me so you will have to make do with two pictures of pendants and one of Alys being a jewellery model. Honestly she is the funniest little cat I have ever had, She was quite happy to sit a pose for a minute but as soon as I took the necklace off she tried to get me and it.

The above pendant is made from vibrant red jade and faceted jet, and the one below is smoky quartz and a single red jade bead. I will hopefully be adding the pendants to my etsy shop and hopefully a few other things over the next few days. For now though I'm frozen and desperate for a hot drink, coffee anyone?

Working for the Weekend

snowflake quartz, teal glass, and metal bracelet

This Sunday I have a table to fill at a pampering event in town to raise money for H's school. M signed me up for it and to be honest I'm quite terrified that no one will want what I am selling. I have been working hard the last few days to make as much jewellery as I can to fill the table. I plan on bringing some of my painted pages as well so have bought a few frames to put them in and hopefully create some sort of display by draping the jewellery over the framed paintings.

faceted black onyx bracelet

I'm note sure if I will sell much, but have promised to give %20 percent of my profits to the school instead of paying for entry. We shall see hoe it goes, perhaps I should make some cupcakes as well.. at least I know that my baking will sell if nothing else does. I should be working away at some beading now, but I'm waiting for a delivery of some findings and have a huge amount of housework to sort out. arghh

red quartz and carnelian pendant

My favourite pieces are the onyx bracelet, the beads are so gorgeous and the red quartz and carnelian pendant. If they don't sell I will put them up on etsy, and if not then well I will just have to keep them for myself. The phone charms are something new I have been playing with, although I probably wouldn't use one myself I do like how they turned out. I best get going and do some sorting out, and make some vague attempt at cleaning the house.

red coral and turquoise bracelets

nephrite jade and red jade pendant

deep rose candy jade, snowflake quartz, and metal bracelet


a few phone charms, teal glass, strawberry quartz, red jade and onyx

and a key chain made with new jade and white quartz

Candy Corn and Cupcakes

no you can't eat it!

Halloween is nearly here and that means one of many thing, costumes, scary movies, and candy. And if you life in the states or just grew up there like me there is one thing that screams Halloween more than anything else, and that thing is candy corn. f I mention it around here I get blank stares, Halloween isn't the big deal here as it is in the states. H doesn't even have a Halloween party at school, they have a Harvest festival and concert singing songs about a scarecrow. This is the first year for a long time where we haven't gone to the states in autumn where I can gorge myself on candy corn, hot tamales, and Reece's pieces.

the candy corn is mine, all mine I tell you!

I had a dig through my stash of American goodies and found a tiny packet of candy corn. What was I to do with it? eat it? share it? hide it? no I sent it to my friend Kerry ( of PennyDog Jewellery fame) to turn into some resin jewellery. Kerry didn't know what candy corn was but she got to eat the broken pieces in the packet and made me some fabulous candy corn jewellery. She sent me three beautiful candy corn pendants, I have worn one of them and shall be turning one into a fabulous key chain. Kerry also has a brilliant blog " PennyDog Jewellery blog" with great interviews with other artists, jewellery makers, and etsy dwellers, so pop by and have a visit, and say a big hi from me. And have a look at her etsy shop and drool over this or this or ....just everything.

cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese frosting

Right I best get back to the cake baking for the Harvest festival!

Jaded

toadstool- red and white jade

holly berries- red jade

turquoise and red jade

into the pink - deep pink jade and sterling silver clasp

A sample of the jewellery I have been making over the last few days. I think I may be addicted to those red jade beads, I don't even wear much red, I normally keep my colour choices in the bruised realm, purples, blacks, greys, and browns with the occasional green or teal thrown in. I need to order more beads though, as I have woefully run short of onyx and the last time I went to a bead shop they no longer had my favourite rounded square silver beads. I should be adding these to my etsy shop soon but I'm not holding out much hope as I haven't had a sale for ages on there, but you never know.

The jewellery is photographed on the title page for the sheet music Requiem by Johannes Brahms, I stained it with tea and was going to paint some blue birds on it but M says he wants it framed on the wall as it is. I have painted on a few of music sheets, one of which I gave away ages ago, the other was of some little houses and ghosts which I hated... well not so much hated but didn't like but the painting has grown on me and I like it now. I do that often though, make something and not like it then hide it away for months and forget about it.

Time to tuck H into bed.

thanks for popping by my blog.

Its all Done with Smoke and Silver

smokey quartz and sterling silver braclet

A few pieces of jewellery I crafted yesterday in a attempt to get some more stock for they esty shop and to take up to the shop in town that has been selling my jewellery for me. I adore the hill tribe silver toggle clasp on the smokey quartz bracelet. And the red and white polkadot bracelet looks good enought to eat.

I'll be posting again later today or tommorrow... a bit about Halloween, homesickness for the states, and the state of the house (we have a fence now!) brownies, and the school PTA...

Polkadot bracelet- red and white jade

pale faceted rose quartz and sterling silver

Deep Blue Sea

blue quartz and silver bracelet

How fantastic are the blue quartz beads in this bracelet? They arrived yesterday and I couldn't stop playing with them until I created this. I know I am one for not linking fussy jewellery but these beads really do stand alone. They are synthetic quartz but beautifully cut into faceted pillow shapes and pair beautifully with my favourite sterling silver seed beads. The bracelet reminds me of the sea.

crystal quartz, onyx, and red jade bracelet

I know another black and red theme but I saw necklace in a magazine and I had to do something with the faceted quartz crystal beads I ordered the other week. It looks quite effective and sits nicely on the wrist.

lace agate and white jade pendant

Last but not least is a red lace agate and white jade pendant that I made for the diabolical that was the Marehay Show. It didn't sell but was often looked at. Too expensive for the venue I suppose though I really love the piece, its very pretty though the light escapes every time I attempt to photograph it. I will be placing it for sale on etsy Friday.

Dyed Turquoise

dyed turquoise and onyx bracelet

I found these lovely square dyed turquoise beads on a trip to Spellbound Beads in Lichfield on Saturday. The string of beads was reduced as it was missing a few and they were also having a sale on semi-precious beads so it was meant to be. I love the pairing of the turquoise and the black faceted onyx.

dyed turquoise and sterling silver

With the remainder of the string of beads I made this simple one, I love the feel of the beads they sit well on your wrist and the colour is so vibrant. I could have spent all day digging through different trays of beads before being shouted at by H that he was a) hungry b) thirsty and c) board to tears. oh well next time then.

oh and to round off my playing with bead I made this simple little key chain with some lovely purple beads that Bobbi sent to me ages ago as a gift with an order. I can't remember what stone they are, my brain is frazzeled and caffeine deprived, but seeing as I broke my normal keychain I needed something to carry my keys.

strange fruit

faceted onyx and red jade bracelet

Ok I totally admit to being obsessed with black and red jewellery at the moment, and here is another example of black and red, a second Poison Apple Bracelet, with a single vibrant red jade bead and a silver plated apple toggle clasp. How cute is this? well I think it is anyway, and it will be going up for sale on my etsy shop later today.

a larger image of the whole bracelet

purple jade choker

I am also in love with this simple purple jade choker, I wish that the sun would come out because this image does the necklace no justice, its really pretty I just love the mauve-y purple colour of the jade beads. I really really want to keep this for myself because its my favourite shade of purple.

what else have I been up to recently....?

vintage green linen handkerchief

Oh yes I remember....I found this green linen handkerchief in a basket at the antiques store in town, there are some lovely embroidered treasures there but I was looking for something that was plain to embroider myself. When I found this brilliant green handkerchief I knew it was perfect to practice my doodle embroidery on. And I even knew who it would be for, Katy as she loves green, and she sent us some beautiful flowers a few days after we moved house. I sadly neglected to photograph the flowers, something to do with not having found the box the camera was in yet.

I must have doodled a dozen different motifs and squiggles before I decided on a shoe and the words "shoe love", if you know Katy and her blog then you will know why. Oh and it had to be in orange, I was quite tempted to do a Halloween doodle with Gilbert the Ghostie and a pumpkin but I think the shoe works fine and I hope Katy likes it.

closeup of orange shoe love embroidery