New scarf

A few years ago, I started to knit myself a new scarf each winter (I will have to show you some of the previous ones I have made at some point).

This winter, I tried the "bow-knot scarf" (the name varies on the internet), which I find extremely practical and cute!
For the pattern, I used a tutorial I found on a blog belonging to Megan (it is in French though, without pictures).

I tried to make one for my newborn nephew (twice), but each time it was too small. Although he is tiny, I still tend to see him tinier than he is lol Will have to try again and yes, with the measurements this time (I can already hear my sister telling me this)

Any comments?

Earrings holder

I have been wanting to make one for a while. I actually planned on making this one for Madame L for Christmas but then got short on time and had to wait.

So I made it after New Year, one evening. I am quite proud of me because I made it in just over an hour and she seemed to have liked it.

She just needs to put it up on her wall now. Well...what did you expect?! I can't do everything! lol

So here it is: I used a wooden frame, some netted curtain and some blue ribbon to make the flower. Simple, but nice. What do you think?

That's all for today :-)

Quick update on things and the wedding project

It has been a while and I do apologise for this. I have travelled, came back home to celebrate New Year's Eve with my family and the worse thing ever happened to me...MY CAMERA BROKE!!

Yes! My brand new (well...one month old) camera broke like 5 6 days before I was due to fly. I was gutted! The sales assistant who sold it to me told me that if I took that insurance of theirs, they would exchange it with a new one if there was something wrong with it. But when I went to the shop to bring it back, the guy that was at the counter was like "erm....no. We need to send it to the technicians to have it fixed and we will let you know when it is ready for you to collect it". He was nice and helpful but told me that it would be impossible for me to get it back in time...and he was right. It was actually ready the day after I left....how funny, huh?

Anywho, so now I am back to using my old Panasonic: I am glad I didn't get rid of it or gave it away!

As for the wedding (my friend's, not mine, do not panic lol), I managed to meet her and she loved the jewellery. I made, as promised, a necklace and a bracelet. I had to make a few adjustments on the day we met and due to time issues (and it being my first time at making such jewellery), the finish is not as excellent as I would have liked it to be but they look nice. It is just the closure on the bracelet I am not super happy with.

So unless she was just being nice, we have one happy bride-to-be :-)

Obviously, I still cannot put any photos of the pieces as the wedding is not until next month, but I will post them as soon as it passed.

That's all for today :-)

Stitch of the day: Peyote & Herringbone mix

Thought I'd try both of them. It went better than for the Herringbone increase!

That's all for today :-)

Stitch of the day: Herrinbone stitch increase

I got carried away thinking that my first attempt at Herringbone stitch went so well, I could try something harder. Ummm....didn't go so well...

That's all for today :-)

Happy New Year!

Sunday interlude

I tested the limited edition varnish from the Glitter Nail Lacquer limited edition. I found that one absolutely gorgeous when I saw it in the shop: it is the Bold Red (colour nº405)

I had to put two coats to make sure the nail was well covered and I couldn't see the nail through. It is really nice on the nails and the colour is bright enough (this picture doesn't do it justice). It lasted for a long time as I kept it on for about two weeks before it started looking a bit old.

The only downside to it is when trying to remove it: it is a nightmare! It took me forever to remove it AND I ended up with glitters everywhere.

In all, I am still debating whether I will wear it again purely because of the hassle it is to remove it and get rid off the glitters. But I have to say that it is so gorgeous that I will probably use it again very soon.

That's all for today :-)

Stitch of the day: Herringbone stitch

I have always been intrigued by how they manage to make those beads turn to that angle. Now I know!

Although I think it depends on which colour you use for this stitch as I find you don't really see them bending inwards with those pearly beads. But it is nice...I say lol

That's all for today :-)

Just because...

...you have fun with anything crafty, doesn't mean you are good at it. Just like being a butcher doesn't mean you know how to cook the meat right (yes, I am getting somewhere with this introduction, I swear)

There are loads of things I would love to do well but simply suck at and not only when it comes to crafts: French braiding, maths, cooking rice without a bag...

One thing I would really love to be better at is drawing: I have a notepad that I use to draw or sketch my ideas when it comes to the jewellery I make with polymer clay. Most of the time though, you will see that the finished result looks nothing like what is on the paper! You would probably think that I had changed my mind in the process and made something different than the original plan (whereas in my head, I think that both look the same lol)

I saw an app on the App Store two days ago and as it was voted best app of 2012, thought I would give it a try. And here is what I have done with it:

I am already a bit addicted and have made a few other sketches but jewellery related this time and I think I have found myself a very useful tool for the future. Maybe more practical than my notepad.

What do you think? Not too bad, huh? Maybe with a lot of practise, I will manage to make good things.

That's all for today :-)

Stitch of the day: even count Peyote stitch

Think I got it right this time. Funny enough, I had tried doing this one before but just couldn't understand it for a reason I ignore. Seems my brain finally decided it was OK today :-)

 

 

That's all for today :-)

New book

I got myself a new book just before Christmas (yes, a little treat).

Compendium of Beading Techniques



I love it: it is very useful and has some very good tips with nice pictures in colours. It shows you all the different techniques you can use while working with beads (well, the basic ones you need to get started).

It has all the basic stitches you need to know. And bonus to it: a foldable page has a chart which helps you measure the size of your seed beads which I find very helpful.

I have now to try testing those stitches. Let the work begin!

Merry Christmas

It is Christmas Eve today!!!

Yeah! Just a few hours before the food and laughter and Christmas pressies!

Oh wait a minute...no. Well, this year, for the second time in my whole life, I will spend Christmas away from my beloved family. So no big dinner around the table with all 13 of us (yes, but it has never brought us bad luck on that night, honest!).

Christmas in my family is quite something. We always say we will not make too much food, but it is never the case. We spend so much time chatting and laughing (and waiting for my brother to get there way after the scheduled time...mwaaah!) that by the time midnight comes, we are still either at the end of the starters or just starting the main lol

Then we open the presents, which usually takes a good hour as there are many of us and we tend to do more presents that we said we would. Then we eat again.

It normally ends with boardgames (more or less the same each year but we never stop enjoying them) and chats until the early hours. I wouldn't have it any other way. Well..except this year obviously lol

I will be thinking of them all today while they all get ready, rushing around to prepare the food, running to the shop because of that tiny thing they have forgotten but that is so crucial for the dinner.

I will miss you guys! I love you all :-)

Crisis over

I have bought a new needle for the jewellery (actually, I bought two new needles, just to be sure!).

I have now completed a bracelet and a necklace.

Let's just hope my friend will like the pictures I have sent her :-)

Wish me luck!

Sunday interlude

I tried something new today. Yes! it is my nails today...I think. I might post another one later tonight if Madame L sends me hers :-)

Anywho! I have tried the "Caviar manicure":

Not sure how it will turn out tomorrow as I am not convinced thos little beads are going to last long on the nails. I have put a top coat on it, just in case.

That's all for tonight....or maybe not lol we shall see!

Oh noooooo!

I was working on my friend's wedding jewellery. I was really into it, had (what I think is) a good idea and that's when the tragedy happened:

Yes, my beading needle broke. It snapped right in my hand...not without sticking itself in my skin though. It's nighttime so I'm stuck and will not be able to get to the bead shop before at least the weekend (that's if there is still a bead shop after Friday, of course lol).

Why oh why?! I was so inspired. I had just finished one bracelet and was right in the middle of the second one :-(

Sunday interlude...

Hi Everyone,

This week, Madame L is getting all christmassy :-)

And here is what she has to say about her new design (yes, I've managed to make her write it as I am away).

"Last week I only used a plain green varnish which, according to Madam L's little sister, was too flashy.
As it is the festive season, I tried a festive manicure.  I have tried a red glittery nail polish from L'Oréal. This colour runs though when applying the top coat (even though I have waited an hour for it to dry). As you can see, I am not very good as my Santa is not perfect, neither is the silvery line"

I personally think that for a first design like that, it is actually pretty good. I find this Santa cute. Just starting to get very worried now: she seems to be doing great without me!! Soon I will not be allowed to do her nails. But it is at the same time promising as I now know she will continue doing her nails even when I'm not there.

Well done Madame L!

Here is the link to the picture that she used for this manicure. (I am not sure if this design is from this blogger or if it is a photo she posted from somewhere else, so I cannot put a link to the tutorial)

That's all for today :-)
Hope you've all had a good weekend!

Sunday interlude

This week, it is all about cracking effect.

I love how the two colours go well together: it makes it really...chic, don't you think? And I am not a fan of that effect normally. What about you?

Hope you had a good weekend!

That's all for today :-)

Another challenge for Pti Kikó!

And I am quite excited about it, but so scared at the same time!

A friend of mine is getting married next year and I am to make the jewellery (necklace + bracelet) to go with her wedding dress.

I am really honoured to have been asked this task but as we cannot see each other until then, it is proving challenging to be able to put ideas together to make sure it will turn out the way she'd want it to be AND that it will go with the dress!

So we exchange by emails: pictures, measurements and colour themes for the day.

I realise now that I do not know what sort of haircut she will be wearing (I might make earrings if I have time to). 

There are so many questions in my head that I realise I have not asked her yet lol
- What haircut will you wear?
- What kind of make up?
- Will you wear a bolero/jacket/shawl with that dress?
-...have you considered shop bought options...just in case? lol
-....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

I must not panic though. But it is, to me, a huge responsibility.

It is interesting though as since I have put my Fimo away, I have to be more creative and do with what is around. So the easiest thing to find are...beads! (of course). Got myself a needle, some thread and beads. I have been watching so many tutorials and have already learnt new techniques (doesn't mean I master them though haha!). Right now, I am discovering bead weaving.

Obviously, I cannot show anything until the day so, I can only keep you posted on the progress as things go.

I just really hope she will like what I will come up with. If not, at least I will have tried. It is true that I would have loved to do that with polymer clay but hey! C'est la vie!

That's all for today :-)

Sunday interlude

Hi everyone!

This week, I am, again, not with Madame L. How can she live without me? I know! She just...survives...just. But she is fine. Honest!

Anywho! She played with my niece who wanted her nails done so this week it will be about her more than Madame L. Well, still a bit because she is the one who did this, not me.

First, little pandas:

Then, zebra style (and not Gangnam style, haha!....ok....I'm out...)

I find the latter very good considering it is her first time. I have never tried this myself.
For this, she used Kiko's Mint Milk (nº389)

And she has found the time to quickly improvise on her nails tonight. Last minute mani:

Comments anyone?
Hope you all had a great weekend!

That's all for today :-)