Cold and Cold

When will this infernal weather stop? I am soooo tired of the cold, the rain, the snow, the sleet and the grey skies.

Been draped over the sofa or snuggled up to the radiator by the PC for the past few days with a cold. So no pictures of all the finished projects yet, especially as it's raining today, so not enough natural light to take some pictures.

However, I have finished:

• my Green Blossom scarf
• my Black and Teal Flapper hat.

My beautiful Thorny Rose bag is still a little damp and needs a little TLC after the rough felting in the machine, however, it's looking good and I can't wait to show everyone.

I've also started a pair of dark red lace fingerless gloves. Maybe not a brilliant idea with a stuffy head and a cold as the pattern is quite fiddly, especially the increases for the thumb. However, the first one just needs the side seam sewing up and hiding all the lose threads. And, if I feel a bit better later I might start the second one.

Hopefully, I'll have some pictures in the next couple of days.....

Story Time - Snow White and Snow Queen

Blame the weather for the late post! It's been horrible round here and impossible to take decent pictures in the daylight outside.

However, here they finally are, my latest two jewellery designs. They are based on fairy tales and I've mixed all my various craft skills to create them.


Snow White

The centre piece needle felted rose was on here before but this is the finished necklace:

Once in daylight:



Once in daylight with flash:
I've used oxidised copper wire with all sorts of vintage and new glass beads, ebony wood beads and I think there are also a couple of vintage lucite/plastic beads in there and quartz and vintage opalite beads. A lovely mix of black and very dark brown, various shades of red and white, just like in the story:

Once upon a time, as a queen sits sewing at her window, she pricks her finger on her needle and a drop of blood falls on the snow that had fallen on her ebony window frame. As she looks at the blood on the snow, she says to herself, "Oh, how I wish that I had a daughter that had skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony".

The needle felted rose includes some crystal organza and is connected to the necklace by a copper plate, hand cut and stamped with Snow White and my logo. The necklace has a clasp although it will slip over the head as it is, however, I thought it would work perfectly for a wedding or any other special occasion, therefore I added the clasp so coiffured hair will not be tousled when putting on the necklace.


Here's a detailed view of the white beads:




Snow Queen

This necklace is again based on a story, this time by Hans Christian Andersen. Here's a description of the Snow Queen:

'The flake of snow grew larger and larger; and at last it was like a young lady, dressed in the finest white gauze, made of a million little flakes like stars. She was so beautiful and delicate, but she was of ice, of dazzling, sparkling ice; yet she lived; her eyes gazed fixedly, like two stars; but there was neither quiet nor repose in them.'

I wanted to capture the spirit of the snow queen - the deceptive softness of the snow and the sparkling of the ice, as well as the beauty and coldness of the queen herself.


For this reason the necklace has three focal points. The first one is the hand cut and stamped crown, finished with pale grey Swarovski bicones.


The second focal point is the vintage snowflake filigree that has been embellished with vintage diamante and two teeny milky round vintage beads.


The third focal point are three large hand felted beads, one in white and pink, one in lilac and white and the last one in a stormy grey/blue and white.


Each felted bead has been embellished with teeny faceted beads.

For the main part of the necklace I've used vintage and new glass beads, faceted and smooth, vintage lucite and plastic beads, labradorite and rock quartz, vintage opalite and Swarovski beads in various sizes and pale shades (pink, blue, lilac, grey, green) to reflect the light.

All findings are sterling silver.

Both necklaces will be available in my Etsy shop soon or if you can't wait, send me an e-mail. :-)

Coming soon: blue chenille cowl neckwarmer, more pictures of the teal flower scarf and pictures of the wild rose blossom scarf.

Hats - Red Cloche and Brown Beanie

Finally, here are the latest hats. :-)


Red Cloche

This is a deep dark red merino wool cloche hat - all my own design. The wool is a very soft 100% merino Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran yarn. It's warm and cosy and will keep your head warm all through the winter (even if we should have snow!). It can be hand washed, however, remove the ribbon first.


The top is crocheted in a spiral.


The brim is split and longer on one side than the other. It can be worn with the split at the front, either side or at the back. All versions look different and make this a very versatile hat.


I made loops to thread the organza ribbon through. It allows the hat (a medium size) to be adjusted.


Here's another view of the hat from a different angle.



Here's the felted flower in detail. It was needle felted in 2 different reds and black and it's a brooch so can be taken off. The hat looks just as good with just the ribbon.


Beanie Hat

This is my new style beanie hat. I saw lots of beanies with wider ribs and really liked the pattern BUT I didn't like the edge as they seem to get very raggedy with the wider ribs so I added a rolled up brim to the hat, which I think finishes it off nicely.


The beanie has been knit from the same Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran yarn as the red cloche. Below you can see the lovely quality of the wool. The colour is not as light as the picture below, but rather like the picture above. To get the detail I had to use a flash which 'distorts' the colour.




The red cloche will go into my Etsy shop, the other was a private commission. However, I am happy to make more of the beanie (or cloche) hats. I have several other colours available and can always get more. If you have a particular colour in mind, just contact me and I'll see if I can get it.

The cloche hat will be for sale at £25, the beanie for £14 (plus P&P).

Nightblooms - Flower Bracelet

I fancied a bracelet to go with my flower garland, so I made one. :-)

Here it is:


It's made from the same materials as the garland necklace, however I did not add the cocoon but replaced it with a flower crocheted from black laceweight cotton. I wanted the flower to lie fairly flat on the bracelet so it wouldn't catch on everything.


I hope you noticed the matching nail varnish. ;-)



The clasp is similar to the one on the garland with an ebony wood bead and a loop that is part of the bracelet.


Here is the flower in detail:

This set and the matching earrings I am currently contemplating will be available as a custom order in my Etsy shop where you will be able to choose the colours and length of the necklace and bracelet. The standard price will be for a longish necklace plus five flowers and one flower for the bracelet. Additional flowers will be charged extra.

For those of you curious to know how long it takes me to make a flower garland:

About 1/2 hour preparing the silk (dampening it and separating layers, cutting the cocoons in half and making scalloped edges.

About 1 - 2 hours for the necklace 'chain' itself depending on length, width and detail.

About 1 hour for making the five flowers in the green/blue garland, twice that for the gothic one because each flower centre has a crocheted flower centre.

About 1/2 hour for putting it all together.



The bracelet takes about:

1 hour for making the bracelet itself (crochet).

1 hour for preparing all the separate parts of the flower.

1/2 hour for putting it all together.

Each design will be different as the silk is shaping differently for each silk rod and I may add bits and pieces (like beads, tendrils etc) to bring out the beauty in each design and make it an individual creation.

Nightblooms - Flower Garland Necklace

Sorry guys, this one's mine. LOL

Just thought I'd get this out of the way before I show you what it is.

My latest fibre art creation. Ta-dah:


It's been made in a similar way to the other flower garland although this time I used black silky cord and deep aubergine coloured paper moire yarn.

The silk rods used are a dark burgundy red (darker than on the picture) and black.

In the centre I've used a crocheted flower made of black lace weight cotton, a lovely slightly frosted red glass bead and a black matte size 6 Miyuki bead.


Each flower is set into a maroon coloured cocoon with a scalloped edge.



Here's the clasp with the beautiful ebony bead.

Candy Roses Bracelet and Fire Flower Bangle

Said I was playing with something pink and sweet, didn't I? :-) Well, here it is.

Candy Roses Bracelet


Sterling silver roses with chalcedony wrapped in more sterling silver.

Complete with handmade clasp...


... and caterpillar made from fuchsia fossil beads.



Fire Flower Bangle

Can you spot the lovely Red Stones 2 beads from Firedance Beads I posted the other day?

Here's my first creation with the beads I bought:


I've used three thicknesses of bare copper wire. A medium thickness to create the first frame, which I oxidised. I then added a thicker gauge second frame (without the swirly bits) and wrapped it all together with very thin copper wire.


Here's the bangle from the side.


Here you can see the detail of the front. I've used the gorgeous Red Stones 2 beads from Firedance Beads, including the accent Swarovski beads in (I believe) Indian Red, and then added faceted deep red garnet faceted rondelles and a few Siam red Swarovski beads to complement the beads from Firedance Beads.


A little garnet at the back holds the two frames together, You can see the difference in colour of the oxidised and bare copper.

The bangle is lightweight and because of it's design will fit most wrists (it's adjustable). I am pleased with how it turned out. It's opulent and has a lovely warm glow and will work as well with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt as with a little black dress.

Available soon in my Etsy shop.