The ebb and flow of hobbies

I am a person who has a lot of hobbies.  Reading, Crafting, Gardening, Jewellery making, Baking...the list goes on.  In 'Crafting', there is a whole load more - Sewing, Lino Printing, Silk painting, Gelli plate printing, Card making, Felt making, Paper crafting, Art Journaling...
As with everything, there is an ebb and flow and I have decided to put some of my hobbies on the back burner for the moment. Felt making is one - for a few reasons:

• Felt making is an autumn/winter occupation for me as it is a very physical activity with all the rolling that is necessary to felt the wool
• I need to devote a whole morning to making a few pieces
• I need to clear the whole of the table to work on
• I made so much for the craft fair a few years ago, I am a bit 'felted out' still and I am just not feeling all that inspired to make felt pieces at the moment

Lino printing and silk painting are other hobbies which I am not doing at the moment either, even though I do enjoy them.  Jewellery making was also something I was doing a lot of (and spending a lot on, of course!), but now it is more if I need something for a birthday or something for me (I do need to make some blue earrings for myself).

My other crafts are easier to set up and tidy away and I can do some of them for just a few minutes should I need to.  Of course, this doesn't mean I won't come back to felting (particularly in the autumn and winter) but that other things have more of an interest to me at present.

 I am loving the gelli plate printing and have been following a tutorial and making 'galaxies' as well as learning more about layers.   

Here are some of my galaxy prints.  I also created some interesting ghost prints on the way to making these.

 I am continuing to work in my art journals - the rainbow textured page above...

...and the printed page below are two of my most recent (the washi tape says 'let's enjoy this day' but doesn't show up well in the photo).  I really enjoy the way I can pick up a page, do a bit and then put it down again as the mood strikes me.  Card making is always useful and I shall continue that too - little projects that have a finished product as well as an enjoyable process.
So, I shall continue with the hobbies that I am interested in and no doubt, there will be more activities which come and go with time.  One great thing about hobbies though, they will wait patiently until you pick them up again.

Making cards and gifts

I have had a few anniversaries and birthdays to make cards for recently, so here's what I came up with. Above was an anniversary card for my sister and brother in law.  I do like the Chinese Lantern die (although it took a few goes to get a nice clean cut.) I backed it with a blue/green patterned paper and like the calming effect.

 I sent this one to my friend in Canada - it was their rather special anniversary.  We went over for their wedding as I was Matron of Honour.  The time seems to have gone very quickly since.

 This one was a bit of a practise, but it turned out quite well.

This card was for a colleague at work who enjoys working with a nature conservancy volunteer group.  I though she would like the leaf print paper.

The inside needed a little something, so I added a green glittery fern leaf - well, why not?

I haven't made any jewellery for a while so made the same colleague a wooden bead macrame bracelet.  I have seen her wearing it at work so I think she likes it!

Jewellery and gardening

 My best friend who lives in Canada had a big birthday at the end of July and I knew that I wanted to make her a proper, hand knotted pearl necklace with sterling silver findings.  I gathered everything I needed; pearls, silk thread, sterling silver toggle clasp, sterling silver beads, sterling silver french wire and watched many a video on the internet as well as consulted books on the subject.  I decided to use a pair of jewellery tweezers to help with the knots as I felt this looked the most user friendly way to choose.  I stretched the silk thread the day or so before starting in order to lessen the stretch once the necklace is worn.  It took an afternoon to do the knotting and threading, after a couple of false starts and a few choice words.  I was really pleased with the end result.

 I duly sent the jewellery off, but as sometimes happens, circumstances conspired against me and the parcel's progress went a bit quiet.  I had sent it with tracking and signed for, to try to ensure it arrived safely, but after a good fifteen days, missing my friend's big day (bother), it hadn't arrived and I was more than a little worried.  However, when I checked the tracking progress again, it suddenly reappeared and my friend has now received it.  She left me a lovely phone message and I think she liked it!  

The garden is slowly starting to show its late summer colour - this year, the dominant colours are blue/purple/lilac, thanks to the agapanthus, clematis and hibiscus.

 One of my favourite plants for July/August is Hibiscus Syriacus 'Oiseau Bleu/Bluebird' which has the most exotic looking flowers and which has flowered brilliantly this year.  It is always featured on my blog.

However, to offset all the pastels, I have enjoyed seeing the crocosmia (here, it is 'Columbus') unfurling, with the rich yellows and oranges providing a lovely hit of colour.  Lots to enjoy in the August garden.

Cross media crafting

Well, it had to happen, didn't it?  You knew it would eventually. I said I wouldn't get into card making, but gradually I have been drawn into it in a small way. (In my defence, I have always enjoyed paper crafting.) I am not going to make that many cards (famous last words), and those I do make will be simple, but hopefully elegant. I think I am one of those people who likes to collect crafting equipment, as I certainly have quite a lot of it now, for my various crafts.

(image from http://www.scrapbook.com/articles/creative-quotes)

I have got lots of stamps, inks, embossing powders, a small and a large die cutting machine, and I have been experimenting with what I can make.

 A 'Delilah Doily' die cut.

 Embossing folders - which give a raised texture to the paper.  I really liked this bubbly one.

 Chris liked the retro feeling of this pattern.

I couldn't resist the animals and birds on this embossing folder.
However, whilst investigating online and watching tutorials and craft channels, I have been discovering that many of the media I have will work with other crafts that I enjoy.  For example, I have Blockwallah woodblocks which can be used on fabric, card and polymer clay, depending what paint or ink you use with them. I am thinking that I need to make some decorations.
I have a heat gun which can be used for embossing powders but I have also found out it can be used on Kato liquid polyclay (this is the only liquid clay which can be heated using a heat gun) to create ceramic effect polymer clay, or enamel effect polymer.

Picture and tutorial from: http://www.polymerclayweb.com/tutorials/fauxeffects/fauxceramicpendant.aspx

Picture and tutorial from: http://craftygoat.com/2013/11/how_to_make_autumn_leaf_pendan.html

I am going to try both of these effects once my liquid clay arrives.

I also have some ultralight clay which can be put through a die cutting machine once it is dry.  It can also be sculpted and remains flexible once dry, unlike polymer clay.  I haven't tried it out yet, but I need to.  

My jewellery making stash can be used to make jewellery, of course, but I can also use it in felt projects or on decorations with my polymer clay.  

I am feeling very excited about all these possibilities and will share my makes as and when ... roll on my next day at  home!

Questions and Answers

The lovely Alison at farmhouse traditions recently nominated me for a Liebster award.  It means I need to answer some questions she has set and then nominate other blogs I like and follow, to do the same. While I am very happy to answer the questions, I won't be nominating any other blogs from my long list, but if anyone wants to join in, please do.
Here we go:
What's your favourite craft?
I have two in particular - Jewellery making and felt making.
What's your home area like?

I live towards the eastern side of the UK, in a large rural county. I live in Lincoln itself, which has a Cathedral and Castle. The area I live in is is predominantly terraced housing, dating from Victorian times onwards.
What's your favourite childhood memory?
Holidays spent in Hunstanton, in Norfolk.  Going to the fair and riding on the gallopers, eating cream cakes and making sandcastles on the beach.
What's your day job?
I work as an administrative assistant in a University.
What's your favourite animal and do you have pets?
My favourite animal - I like members of the cat family but I also like the elegant lines of the greyhound.  Yes, we have two cats: Scruffy (in the box) and Ginny (on the chair).

  

How are your happiest days spent?

Visiting gardens with good friends or being creative at home.

What are your dreams for the future?

On a personal and selfish level, I would like to age gracefully without too many aches and pains, continue to be able to enjoy my crafts and upsize, so that I can have a studio/craft room and the craft materials will not intrude into the rest of the house!

What's your favourite quotation?

I have lots, but this one sprang to mind:

"No-one can make you feel inferior without your consent" Eleanor Roosevelt.

Well done for sticking with this post! In case you feel like joining in, here are a couple of questions for you to ponder:
What is your favourite book and why?
What is your favourite food or recipe?
Is there a craft which you would like to try?

My little polymer clay Christmas trees appeared on the TV yesterday - I sent a photo of them in to the Wall of Fame (where you can send in photos of your work, as long as the materials are predominantly bought from Jewellerymaker) on Jewellerymaker and they were featured! (Apologies for the flash off the TV screen).  As you can imagine, there was great excitement for those few seconds!

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas.

New Year Thoughts for 2013

Fireworks explode over the London Eye during the New Year celebrations.

 Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Welcome 2013 and a rather belated Happy New Year to you.  As I have done for the last couple of years, I'll review last year's thoughts (not resolutions, because I can't keep them at all).

To try and be a bit tidier - Hmm, yet again, total failure on that one.  I am very organised in some ways and a total disaster in others.  Something for me to continue with this year.
To sort out my website - failure on that one too.  (Oh dear, I'm not doing very well, so far).  Another target for the coming year.
To continue felt making - partial success because I have continued with my felt making, although jewellery making has moved into first place for hobbies at the moment.
To continue reading interesting books - SUCCESS!  I kept a record of the books I read last year and the total was 57.  I didn't include many re-reads on the list, so these were new to me (including Frankenstein, To Kill a Mockingbird, Dracula, the Call the Midwife series, several Anne Tyler novels and several Elizabeth von Arnim novels, so quite an eclectic mix there.) I am quite pleased with the total and am definitely going to continue keeping a record in the coming year.  
To exercise more - failure again, as I really don't enjoy exercising and would much rather read a book, watch a film, do some gardening, make some jewellery or 101 other things rather than do an hour of yoga/pilates/yogalates. Perhaps I should just try to walk more and include exercise more naturally into my week, rather than have designated times.  (Still not sure that will work either.)  I have lost a little weight through altering my diet and having 2 low calorie days per week, so that is encouraging.
To complete at least some of my on-going craft activities - (all crafters know what I mean here) and I have completed some things, such as felt pictures and decorations, jewellery projects and the Christmas Bunting.  I shall definitely keep going with that as well. 
Well, not bad - some successes, some failures, which is to be expected.  Here's to 2013 and I hope it will be happy and successful for us all!
(Photo above from London24)

Macramé and jewellery making

 I have attempted my first macramé...ever!  I have been thinking that I would like to have a go, with regard to jewellery making, as it adds a whole new dimension to the gemstones.  I have seen a few examples using the beading thread too, which will be my next challenge, once I have got used to using cord, rather than this cotton string which you see in the photos.  The spiral pattern above is my favourite so far.

I think this one is the square knot technique which is used for making sliding knots too.

 I am starting to get the hang of it, I think!

My first attempt at a fancy sliding knot.  I have discovered that cotton string is not the best material to use because it doesn't actually slide very easily, but with a bit of gentle persuasion, it does work.  The next thing is to get myself some proper cord and make a bracelet, I think.  I do enjoy a challenge!

Reasons to be cheerful

 Yes, it is still raining and most people seem to be thoroughly fed up with it.  However, so that I don't start moaning, I decided to celebrate some good things that are happening or will be happening shortly.  My newest rose 'Ferdinand Pichard' is flowering and has the most lovely stripy petals, a bit like Rosa Mundi, but with a paler background.  It has a delicate scent and the fact that I only planted it a month or so ago and it is now flowering makes me very happy.

The first flower on Clematis 'Piilu' which is a reliable and very floriferous plant.  However, I thought that this last winter had finished it off, but it has proved me wrong and is in danger of escaping over the six foot wall as it loves all the rain and has grown amazingly well. 
Other things to be cheerful about: a banana and apple loaf which is yummy, more gemstones on their way so that I can make some more jewellery, the fact that I have finally started the hand embroidery (lots and lots of french knots) on two felt pieces and (the one I am most excited about) I am going to Tatton Park Flower Show a week on Thursday, which should be fantastic.  I have never been there before, so it will be a new gardening-y experience.  Lots of good things to be cheerful about.

Lilac necklace

 I decided to cheer myself up (as the constant rain is becoming a little depressing) and make a new lilac necklace.  I used lilac mother of pearl, amethyst, fluorite, amethyst chips, labradorite chips, blue chalcedony and some Venetian glass beads.

I have worn it already and am very pleased with the way it looks.  As I have used the blue chalcedony in my design, I can wear it with both lilac and pale blue.  Making and wearing it did cheer me up too.

Another jewellery present

 I made this latest bracelet for a friend and work colleague, whose birthday was in March.  This dictated the choice of aquamarine as it is March's birthstone.  I had seen a technique that I wanted to try and thought that this project might be just the thing, so after a few practise goes, I made the bracelet.

The stones have been woven to create squares around the bracelet and I used two amazonite stones by the clasp to add another gentle colour and different texture. The bracelet was very successful and I was pleased with the pattern I made.  Rachael was also pleased to receive it!

Purple is the colour...

...of this beautiful plant, Primula Obconica, which is flowering away on the kitchen windowsill and which brightens my outlook while I am washing up.  It took a while to find a spot it was happy with, but I think the windowsill is the one.

...of my favourite amethyst with an agate pendant, which is my latest jewellery-making experiment.  It has worked well, but I had underestimated how heavy a single piece of agate would be when you are wearing it all day!  However, the colours are gorgeous, so that makes up for the weight a bit.  I have also discovered that I need to take more care when using crimp beads, so that the tiny ends of beading thread/wire aren't left to scratch your neck - I thought I had sorted this, but it seems that a little more experimenting is required.  I do like a challenge!

More Trials and Tribulations of Jewellery Making ( and my thoughts on creativity)

 Here are my latest attempts at jewellery making from yesterday.  I had gone up to a colleague's house (the colleague who I do felting with occasionally) and as she has recently started jewellery making, we thought it would be nice to sit and chat while we made jewellery.  She got on really well, dismantling a pearl necklace to create two more and then creating an amethyst nuggets and pearls necklace.  My afternoon was less productive!  Initially I started by taking a blue lace agate necklace apart to create a simpler design, but my wrap loops went wrong and somehow, whatever I did wasn't quite right.  So, I tried a Botswana Agate bracelet instead.  The design was fine but I kept making it far too big.  In the end, I brought it home and tried again.  (I realised when trying to make it that I didn't have my glasses - this could have been the reason things wouldn't go right for me!)  Eventually, I was happy with it and I made some earrings to go with it (see above).  I think that the markings on the stones are absolutely beautiful and I shall enjoy wearing them.

Deciding that I had better continue while things seemed to be going better (and I did have my glasses!), I made this amazonite bracelet which has rounds and one large chunky piece at the front.  It also has two smaller fluorite beads near the clasp.  This is a calming colour I find and it is rapidly becoming one of my favourite stones.  I just need some clothes to go with it...
I decided that I wasn't in the right mood to be creative yesterday afternoon, and that is why things didn't go right for me (the fact that I couldn't see that well probably didn't help either). Note to self: go with the creative urge when it hits you and give up and do something else when the muse isn't there!

Latest jewellery creations

 

Here are some of my latest jewellery designs - really, it is a matter of having a play with all the gemstones I have amassed (in a very short time, it has to be said!)  Above is a lapis lazuli bracelet, with a gold heart that Chris found in one of the boxes of beads we have.

 This bracelet has amethyst (my favourite) with labradorite and black jasper.  The patterns on the black jasper are incredible and I am going to make a bracelet just using them.

Finally, a bracelet made with amazonite, turquoise chips and labradorite, and earrings with amazonite and aquamarine.  The loop earrings were a result of me having some beading thread left over from a bracelet and trying a weaving technique.  I am still practising with crimping and have found that the crimping pliers I have are not very effective unless there are a lot of strands to crimp.  For less than about four strands, I use my normal pliers which seem to be working. I am really enjoying making my own jewellery. 

My first jewellery making project

Above you can see my first attempt at jewellery making, using some of the gemstones I have been buying recently.  The stones are amethyst, fluorite, black shell and labradorite and I used the weaving technique to create the pattern.  I am really pleased with the result and have worn the bracelet and earrings at work.  I need a clasp for the necklace and then I shall wear that too.  It took me a few goes to get the bracelet the right length as I am not keen on bracelets that drape all over my hand and which have to be shaken back to the correct place. I really enjoyed putting the gems together and making the pieces as the weaving was very therapeutic to do, although the threading required me to wear my glasses!
I have also ordered some blue chalcedony, more (darker) labradorite, botswana agate and larger amethyst stones and I am considering a final order (for now) of the aforementioned clasps, more botswana agate, some jade, some aquamarine and maybe even some tanzanite.  Then I need to make lots of pieces.  Somehow, I think this may become a bit of an obsession!