Are there colours...

...that seem to creep into your life?

It sort of 'hit home' yesterday whilst I was crafting that I have a lot of lime & Teal/aqua shades around the house. When did this enlightenment happen? Well, I just stopped to go and make a cuppa...

There in front of me was my lovely new zesty kettle standing infront of my lime mug-tree...

...which just happens to hold a collection of mugs with lime/teal stripes.

On the windowsill...

 ...there are my two lime tea-cups whilst on the drainer...

 ...there seemed to be a fair bit of 'lime' making a showing.
Even my recently painted door from the kitchen to the back porch...

 ...is sporting the same colour scheme and the only picture hanging in the kitchen...

...just happens to be LIME!!!

 

So it shouldn't come as any surprise when I show you what I was making.

 

Starting off with these...









 ...lime, white and teal/aqua double knit cotton yarn...

 ...a Kumihimo disk...

...or two...

 

...and just look how different the results can be.

 

Both started with the same combination of 16 strands - 8 white, 4 lime and 4 teal - but by arranging them in a different order around the disk you can create totally different results.

 

I think I'll add some white stones to this to make some Spring/Summer jewellery - agate, obsidian, moonstone - I'll have to see what takes my fancy. In the meantime I'm just realising how far this colour scheme has spread...the bathroom, clothing, utility room...even my camera case is teal/aqua and white....................................................................... 

A Christmas make...

...for Christmas Day.

I fell in love with this Apophyllite Crystal a while back and it was finally mine a few days before Christmas (a treat from my Christmas money).

However, I so wanted to wear it Christmas day and I really didn't have a suitable chain or anything else to wear it on...so after nabbing some silver thread from Mum, I set about making a Kumihimo braid in silver & white.

I managed to get the braid finished Christmas Eve and this is what I did with it...

...a bracelet and a necklace.
The crystal is wrapped in silver wire...

...and although you might not be able to see from the photo, there is some pretty spiral wire decoration.
The braid came up just as I wanted (which is probably more luck than judgement as I have made another cord using the same thread layout and it looks nothing like this LOL)...

...I love the way it has turned out and although I was finishing it off late on Christmas Eve, I was glad I made the effort as I loved wearing it on Christmas Day.

The matching bracelet isn't quite finished as in the New Year I will need to get a small piece of Apophyllite to place in the wire cage but for now at least everything 'goes'.

Did you make yourself anything special for Christmas? I'd love to know..........................

WRYWF post...

...has another week really passed by?
For anyone who doesn't know what "WRYWF" is all about - a small group of craft minded folk take a look at their week and share the positives that they have found during their 'look back'. They could be mega things or just a little something that brought a smile to your face. The "Rockettes" then toddle over to Virginia's blog to leave a link to make it easy to share...why not hop over ther and have a look - better still, why not join in.

Last weekend was another long one because of Bank Holiday Monday - it's lovely having that extra day where you don't have to get up and go to work. However, it does tend to throw the rest of the week out of kilter. I seem to have spent most of the week trying to work out what day it was LOL.

Actually getting some reading done (first time in ages) although probably not the best written of works but I just had to read "50 Shades..." to see what all the hype was about. Just a few pages left of book 3 to finish off.

On the subject of "50 Shades..." - I received an email that made me giggle. The mens version of "50 Shades of grey"...
...and knowing the habits of the fellas in my life - this is probably about as much as they would read
**snigger**

Having a very pleasant evening at the Thursday crop - we were all making braided ribbons ready for use on LOs at the next session. There was a lot of silly giggling as some of the ladies got in a bit of a pickle with their ribbons but they got the hang of it in the end.

I hope you have all had a lovely week - I've been dipping in and out of the Paralympics on TV and have to say it is more than extraordinary seeing what these folk are achieving...such an inspiration. Here's hoping the coming week is fab too..............................................

I've been having fun...

...making braided ribbon wreaths.

They are surprisingly easy to do and you can get different effects by using different types and widths of ribbon. Here's what I've made today...




...they will be lovely for decorating cards or for use on scrapbook pages as frames for photos or journaling.

If you fancy having a go, I found some tutorials...a Youtube
Video or another here.

The ribbon braids don't have to be made into wreaths - straight lengths look very effective too. So if you have a mountain of ribbon, why not use it to make these pretty braids...something a little bit different to just a length of ribbon and a bow - don't you think?......................................

What's Rocking...

...your World this Friday?

If you are wondering what I'm on about just hop over to visit Virginia. Each week a small group of folk gather over at Virginia's blog to share the positives from their week - why not drop by and take a look...it might get you thinking and you might even want to join in.
So what has been rocking my world this week...

Who could ignore the Olympics - haven't Team GB done us proud and WOW; what a way for Sir Chris Hoy to bow out - our best ever Olympian. It would have been a crime if the BBC hadn't provided 'wall to wall' coverage - after all, they are the 'face' of British broadcasting and they have provided us with views of all the amazing achievements that have contributed to this Games...after the super opening ceremony I have already booked my seat on the sofa for the closing event on Sunday. The whole event has been up-lifting - even Mum who had bemoaned the coming of the Games to the UK..."what a waste of money...the country could have put all that money to better use..." has been caught up with the excitement and has been tuning in to see how things were going.

Yay for delivery men. The two lovely guys who brought my new washing machine and installed it without moaning where it was to be located - not the most easily accessible of places (was the original coal cupboard for the house when it was built in 1912 and as it was originally accessed direct from the outside it has a bit of a nasty step). They took the old one away and installed the new in next to no time so although the delivery time hadn't been ideal I was able to get away by 13.30 ish so wasn't left hanging around all day.

Three cheers for working washing machines. The poor machine probably doen't know what has hit it (okay, I know it's a machine but you get the gist LOL) it arrived Wednesday and it has been used every day...my excuse; I need to try out the different functions. Well you do; don't you!

Weather. Yep we have had alsorts this week but on the whole, down here in the Southeast the weather has been nowhere near the horrid conditions forecast...I mean; tourists expect a bit of rain when they come to the UK.

Learning a new skill. When it comes to crafting I always love learning something new and I have been enjoying making chords from my Kumihimo disk which I have now started turning into jewellery. My friend Helen asked me what I am going to do with the jewellery which brings me back to the age old problem of 'if I sell it, what do I charge?' - but I'm not letting this be a downer, this is a positive post so folks...answers on a postcard please **giggle**.

Spending time with Mum. Although I spend weekends with Mum, normally this is to sort out household chores that she can't manage or to take her shopping. This last fortnight has been far more relaxed and we have gone for drives, stopped for lunch and just generally pottered about.

Mail. No I'm not talking about the usual bills/statements. Whilst typing this post my postie has just delivered the cutest little 'Clarity Stamp' Christmas tree stamp. Last year I was lucky enough to win a year's subscription to the Clarity Club and each month since I have looked forward to recieving a new stamp on or around the
10th. I have to say that this is probably my favourite so far.

Well, the sun is shining so I think I'm going to go and make the most of it as it is back to work in Stratford on Monday.

Have a great weekend everyone and I'd love to know what's rocking your world at the moment..............................

Casual chic...

...and pretty awful photos.

No matter how I tried, this was the best I could come up with - I just couldn't get the light right (I might give it another try tomorrow and see if there is any improvement).

Anyhoo, I completed another bracelet & necklace set.

The colours this time are white/sand/blue...a sort of sun bleached seaside effect.
The pendants are real Blue Lace Agate wrapped in a wire cage.
The bracelet is a double chord attached to chain and then the fastener. The 'dangly' bits are clear faceted and smooth frosted beads.
Blue lace agate is such a pretty stone and for those of you who are interested...

Blue Lace Agate: is a wonderful healing stone. Its soft energy is cooling and calming, bringing peace of mind. It is a powerful throat healer. Its property of counteracting blocked self-expression releases shoulder and neck problem. (extract from "The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall).
Not the easiest of shots...trying to keep the cage in the right place and take a photo one-handed had me muttering a few huffs & puffs (or similar sorts of words - **rollseyes & giggles**).

I have to say that I am rather enjoying making this style of jewellery and it is something very different from paper crafts..............................

From scraps...

...to something special.

As someone who does crochet and knitting I always have 'leftover' yarns. These leftovers are rarely enough to make much out of but I never want to throw them away as they might be handy for embellishing my papercrafts...so the heap grows.

Sound familiar?

I'm sure whatever craft you pursue there are scraps that you hoard but never quite get around to using.

Paula (Happysnappy) has been taking a look at "Decluttering" and apart from the obvious - CHUCK IT OUT - she has been coming up with crafting solutions.

My recent addiction to Kumihimo chord/braid making has given me an opportunity to use some of my yarns in a more creative way.

So from this...
...a bundle of leftover cotton yarn.
Via this...
...my Kumihimo disk.
I now have this...
...bracelet and necklace set. Okay, so I needed some findings but I had the chains (taken off necklaces that were too long) so in effect I have actually used up two different lots of 'leftovers'.
I found these charms whilst out shopping with Mum. They give just the right finishing touch.

So go on, take a look at all those scraps/leftovers that you are hoarding and see if you can come up with something. I'm pretty chuffed with this set - hope you like it too.........................................

So it has...

...started.

Did you watch the opening ceremony?

What did you think?
I watched it and loved some bits not others. I've heard lots of mixed reactions one of which was that it was "Too British"...umm, I thought that was the whole point - we were trying to show the World what we have achieved and that we are proud to be British.

I sat glued to the whole event and then did the unspeakable...fell asleep just before Team GB entered the stadium **groan**. However, I did see the torch arrive and enter...wasn't it wonderful to have those youngsters sponsored by our previous champions - what a memory for them; to actually light the Olympic cauldron.

It seems as if everyone knows someone who took part or is related to someone who knows someone who took part - another way of making everyone feel that they were part of this amazing event.

Oh, and before anyone wonders how I managed to grab such a super shot of the glowing forged Olympic rings (especially as I wasn't there LOL) - I nabbed the piccy off Google.

So the Games have begun and there will be folk glued to their TVs for every event (as the majority will not have been lucky enough to get tickets) and others bemoaning the disruption to the TV schedules. For those not "into" the whole sporting thing - take advantage of the fact there will be less to distract you on the TV and get some crafting done.

Mum got me a "real" Kumihimo disk (thank you Susanna - finding out what this word means in Finnish made me giggle) and I've been quite busy...
...trying different colour combos and strand counts.
Just a few of the completed chords...
...waiting for me to decide what they are to be made into.

I treated myself to some natural coloured spun silk thread and I'm currently working with that. It is much finer than the cotton threads but so soft and shimmery. I think that I'll mix some copper findings with it to create a bracelet and necklace - but then again I might just change my mind by the time I finish the chord. Decisions, decisions.....................................