Finally I manage to make a craft update.

I don't have much followers, but I'll explain why I haven't been updating or anything for ages anyway! I've just finished some major exams (which naturally, involved major studying) so crafts had to go on hold for a while. But now I've finished my exams and don't really have that much to do... Perfect conditions for updating my blog :D Another thing is, I GOT A NEW COMPUTER!!!!! Finally, a computer that works :D (Only problem is, I have no idea how to use Windows 8...)

My Deco-notebook-thing!

So I remember I said a while ago that I'd made a decoden notebook (And now I realise how little sense that makes, as the 'den' part of decoden is a shorter form of the Japanese word for 'phone'). And here it is! After about four months since I did the decoden on it! 

close up of the deco part

Sorry you can't see it very well (the battery on my camera was running out), but it has one blue macaron in the corner and two rhinestone/pearl thing hearts at either side. 

WARNING: before you try doing decoden on notebook, try to do this on one you don't use very often/is full. It's near enough impossible to write inside your book after you do this! Trust me, I learnt the hard way!

Memory wire earrings!

I really love the way these turned out! 

Sorry I took it on my bad ear...

I really like these earrings and can honestly see myself selling ones like these in the future because they look almost like shop bought earrings (well to me, anyway). I think these are definitely one of the best pairs I've made so far. They aren't too hard to wear either, as they feel very light, which is really important because since I have such thin earlobes, I often can't wear earrings like this as they tug and pull on my ears too much and are really uncomfortable. But as you can see, they hardly tug on my ears at all!

Sorry the picture is so bright, I need to install Photoshop again...

Here's a better picture of one not being worn. As you can see, It's basically just memory wire pulled in to the shape of a tear drop/egg, and a head pin with matching beads attached to the jump rings that pull the ends of the memory wire together. It's a very basic design, but it works really well.

A dress for my little sister's birthday! (Not finished yet)

I just need to finish sewing the lace at the bottom. My sister loves lace.

So, a few weeks ago I acquired a very old sewing machine from my Grandma (thanks, Grandma! Even though you don't have connection to the internet and so will probably never see this!). The tension messes up a lot, but still, It's much easier than having to sew the whole thing by hand. I only have one picture of it at the moment, but I'll take more when it's finished as my sister wants to have a picnic for her birthday party. I know that sounds a little strange for a 9 year old these days, but she really wants to have one, and hey, it's HER birthday! (starting to go off topic, are we?)

I also managed to make macarons! For my first try, they don't look that bad. They're strawberries and cream flavour, but the shells are just plain. We tried to make them pink, but they came out more of an orangey colour. They tasted really good though! It's the first time I ever ate macarons too, but they were great :D I bet I'll have to make some more for my sister's birthday!

Time for another update!

So, I haven't really got round to posting lately. I'm thinking of doing a massive craft update sometime soon, but today I just feel like making a post about some interesting stuff that's happened lately.

I made a post a while ago saying how I wanted to start selling my things at some point in the future. Well, I've been doing a LOT of research lately, and my parents are finally beginning to accept the idea of me selling my handmade stuff. Mainly because they just happened to run in to one of their friends who told them that I should start selling my crafts. Anyway, I will be getting a Etsy shop sometime soon! I still have a lot of other things to consider before I start, though. I probably won't get one until after my exams in the summer, and it won't exactly be my own account then because I'm only 17... but I'll keep my progress updated on here!

A few weeks ago, I also uncovered something I thought I'd lost forever! 

a box???

It's my old lucky star box :) 

this picture looks so much more interesting.

It's so exciting!!! I literally thought I'd lost it (and it was in the box I keep most of my craft tools all along...) so I'm really happy!

Here's all of them in a pile on the carpet :D As you can see, they're not all perfect! I started 'filling' this box with stars when I first learnt how to make them when I was 15. So, it includes all the bad ones from when I first started! 

Here's some of the nicer ones :D They look really cool like this (well, to me anyway). I don't want to use these lucky stars for anything, they all feel quite special to me. But I've been making ones to use for jewellery, and I might make a few to use for decoden. I've been using a glaze made for polymer clay to make them stronger lol! (really says something about my crafts...)

So, that's it for this update! The next post I'm making is going to be about all the crafts I've made. I'm not exactly sure when I'll make another craft tutorial, I don't seem to have any awesome never been done before ideas for a tutorial. 

5 Crafts I'd like to try

Since most of my posts lately seem to be about decoden, I've decided to make a post about some other crafts I'd like to try. This will mostly be jewellery related stuff with a few other things mixed in.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Victorian-Diamante-Pendant-Necklace-Antique/dp/B005RR0XJY

1. I'd love to try hand carving one of those Cameo Pendants out of polymer clay! I love the way they look, and I know a lot of people make them using molds... but I just can't imagine buying already made molds off of the internet! Most cameos are actually carved out of stone or sea shell, but I want to make one out of clay. I know it can be done!

This is probably the one I want to make the most. I haven't had much experience carving polymer clay, but I know the very basics on how to do it. I can't wait to try it out!

2. I want to try to make a really intricate Victorian style Choker like the one on here. I've already made a few ribbon chokers, but they're nothing really compared to the sort on that website. The problem is, I need to buy in all the things I need for that project, and I don't really like having to do that unless I really know what I'm doing. Another thing is, I've never really tried anything like that. Maybe I'll try it when I've had a lot more practice with jewellery making (and have more money).

3. Resin Charms! There are so many different styles you can make with them! I'd like to try making the 'kawaii' or cute style ones, like the ones here! I know this will sound a little strange, but I kind of like the idea of being able to use real sweets in crafts with out worrying about them going all nasty and mouldy (no air gets in resin)! I'd also like to try different styles I've seen, like these steam punk style ones. I don't have any resin at the moment, but I hope I can find some someday! 

4. I'd like to try Mokume Gane with polymer clay. I'd like to try making some with gold leaf like the ones here, but I doubt that's going to happen lol. 

5. I never actually learn how to make Friendship Bracelets. I'd like to have a go at learning how to make them. I have no idea when I'd actually wear them, but it would be fun to give them a try. I'd need to buy lots of cord of course, since you need about 10 miles of cord for one bracelet (ok, that was a little sarcastic, but you really need a lot of cord!)

So, there's five of the many things I'd love to make, but I'm not exactly sure if I'd ever be able to! If I do manage to make any of these, I'll definitely make a post about it :)

Triple layer bracelet!

Yeah, there's a big story behind why I decided to make this! So, my sister bought a bracelet at her school one day (they were having a Summer fair), and I thought it looked really cool and decided to make one! I searched the internet, in the hope I would find a tutorial, but nothing. I really could not find any tutorials. Obviously, other people had had the same idea, because I was finding pictures that looked very similar to it. So, rather than giving up (I'm just too stubborn!), I had a good look at my sister's bracelet and realised it really wasn't a very difficult thing to make at all. I decided to get all of my stuff together and make one myself! I had to make some of the beads myself, and this of course had a nasty effect on my lovely bead collection (I literally had to use all of them!).

So, here are a few beautiful picture of my arm I mean, my bracelet:

I like the way this angle of my arm looks for some reason...

And one with out my arm:

Sorry for the blurry-ness!

As you can see, it just won't stand up on it's own. I think this is because of the cord I used, but I don't think it really matters. Here's a picture of it next to my sister's bracelet (I didn't steal it btw, she let me borrow it for my blog!):

I love the way they both look together! they are both very colourful. I don't normally wear very bright jewellery, but I love these bracelets. They are very good for stacking bracelets, and I'm definitely the sort of person who likes to wear lots of bracelets at once. However, I haven't really worn this bracelet much. It just doesn't match the sort of clothes I wear. I'll probably be selling it at some point in the future, in fact. Not that I don't like it, it just isn't really me.

Anyway, I do plan on making a tutorial on the pattern for this at some point! I just don't have enough beads left at the moment to make another one. So watch this space! :D

Plans for 2013...

It's New Year's day tomorrow! AND my birthday :) It's less than 24 hours now until I'm old enough to learn how to drive lol! Even though I'll probably be like 30-something years old by the time I have enough money for driving lessons (sighs).

I've been planning to start selling some of my handmade stuff for a while. I'm currently trying to work it out so I can at least make a profit from it :) My mum and dad think it's just a waste of my time, though. I'm mostly on my own doing this... Not even my friends are really being much help. They just keep telling me that  I should sell things. I suppose there isn't that much they can do anyway at the moment.

So anyway, I'm going to start selling things at some point hopefully in 2013 :)

I hope you all have a happy new year :D I probably won't update for a while after the holiday because I have exams :(

I've managed to put the Blog back in to the right time zone again btw. I was annoyed at the times always being wrong, but didn't realise it was because it was set in an American time zone...

Just a short update :)

I had a happy Christmas. Did you have a happy Christmas? I'll assume you answered 'yes' and say 'good'. Anyway, it's that awkward time of year now when you have no idea what to do because Christmas is mostly finished and it's the New Year next week (and also my birthday!!!).

So, anyway, you may be happy to know my conjunctivitis decided to leave me alone without even spreading to the other eye like it normally decides to do :) In fact, it didn't even hang around for that long. Only for about two days. I guess not touching it really does help... Also, eating a load of immune system-boosting oranges helps too! (Sorry, teeth.)

Moving on to something slightly more relevant, it's about this time last year that I discovered polymer clay. My mum got my sister a jewellery making kit with polymer clay in it last year. Not very good polymer clay at all - most of it didn't go hard at all after we baked it and it's still pliable now. Anyway, my sister ended up getting all frustrated with it (she was only 8!) and I ended up gaining a jewellery making kit with polymer clay in it. lol. I was already in to jewellery making, but I guess making polymer clay jewellery with my sister was what really got me in to jewellery making. Soon after that, I managed to get my hands on some real polymer clay (well, it was Sculpey III polymer clay, so at least close to real polymer clay) and I started off by making a few charms and earrings. Then my favourite craft shop got Fimo Soft clay in!

My first polymer clay earrings lol :) I cut them in half when I was making them
with scissors because I didn't have a blade or a craft knife lol!

A few tutorials I'm planning on making:

• I'm going to make an updated version of my polymer clay Plumeria Flower tutorial. It's by far the most popular tutorial on this Blog! I think I could make a much better version of it now, though :)
• I'm also going to have a go at making a Plumeria flower cane, but I don't know if I'll make it in to a tutorial or not.
• More ear cuffs!
• I'm planning on making a dragon fruit cane, because I love dragon fruit but there is a severe lack of tutorials for the canes :D
• I'm currently going through an artistic-looking-earrings phase, so I'll be making a few tutorials on that.
• I want to make some 'Kawaii' style charms... I'm not entirely sure what, though.
• NYAN CAT!

(Btw, I know this is no longer a 'short' update!)

It's Christmas!

I'm so happy that the world didn't end yesterday. lol. Actually, it did kind of end for me because I got conjunctivitis! I HATE conjunctivitis. I would rather have a bad migraine or a cold. I've only had it two or three times before, fortunately it doesn't seem to get worse each time you have it. But it doesn't get better, either! So I'll be trapped at home for the next few days. It's so annoying and no matter how much I try to stop it, it always finds a way to transfer to my other eye. The good thing about it is it never seems to last very long, just  three or four days :) I can remember only having it for one weekend before (that was before I got glasses to help it transfer to my other eye though).

Anyway, rant over, as mentioned in the title, it's Christmas!!! And exactly a week after that, It's New Year's day AND my birthday! I'm going to be 17! I really can't believe it :) I feel so old! I'm going to be old enough to drive :D Oh yeah, and you did just read that right, my birthday is on the first of January.

So, anyway, I'll be making some special posts because I have the time now :) I feel like doing something to the layout of my blog, too. It needs something!

Polymer clay Biscuit style Christmas tree decorations

Bad quality ftw! (that stands for 'for the win' btw)

Yay! I'm getting more excited about Christmas everyday :D It's not like last year, I spent the whole time super depressed. Anyway, I had the random idea to make these :) I have no idea whether they've already been done or not. But I made them anyway because I felt like I was making ooak tree decorations.

Anyway... It's the 12/12/12 and NOTHING exciting happened. That's right. Just another day. Ugh :( I was expecting at least something to happen! It's kind of depressing to think about, though. To be honest, I wish something did happen. (Now I'm hoping someone will turn around and say "Oh, but something did happen...")

...

Yeah, I'm not sure what to call this post... Anyway, I haven't been in the mood to update this week. I've not exactly been myself lately. And my family has 'issues' with Halloween, lol!

One thing I'd like to mention, is the hurricane in America. I can't believe it's really happened. I thought the news people were making up stories, lol. Anyway, I've heard that the damage, especially in New York, is pretty bad. It's crazy, all the pictures we've seen on the news are the complete opposite to what people over here think of when they think of New York. I hope everything gets back to normal soon and that the damage to people's lives aren't that serious. I've never actually left the UK in my life (yet), and the worse thing I've ever seen is probably the flash floods and a relatively small earth quake that happened a few years ago, but nothing that compares to this. I can't imagine how people in America must feel :(

Anyway, on a more positive note, I made this necklace out of polymer clay because I love bats and it was Halloween!

I was going to make a tutorial for it, but I noticed it was way too similar to other tutorials I've seen. It's pretty much straight forward, too. Just draw your image on paper, cut it out and use it as a stencil to cut out your clay. Done :)





I know that most other countries don't celebrate it, but it's Bonfire night on Monday :) To my family, it's A LOT more exciting than Halloween. If you don't know what it is, it's basically a festival to mark the day when the houses of parliament were almost exploded, but the people doing it got caught (hence the fact we burn a little model of a person on a Bonfire). There are firework displays up and down the country, and they never seem to stop exciting people :D The only problem is, people tend to go crazy letting off fireworks (not in a potentially dangerous way!), and so the dog goes completely mad!

One more thing: sorry I haven't made any tutorials :( I felt that everything I'd come up with had been done. But I'll definitely be making some more soon :D

It's the end of Summer :(

As always, here in England it's been hard to tell whether it was Summer or Winter... In fact, according to the weatherman, it's been the wettest Summer since 1912...

The good thing is, I start my new school on Tuesday :) It's the best sixth form in my area for art. It's also the biggest one in my area... By a LONG way! The best thing is, I don't have to wear uniform XD

(Lol My sisters watching her programs on TV and they're advertising a documentary about moving up to year 7! I'm moving up to year 12...)

Hi :)

I have been making things... But today I don't feel like making a post about the stuff I've been making... So don't read this if you only care about what I've been making and stuff...

Anyway, I got my GCSE results yesterday :D They're all great! :) :) :) I'm really happy! Although, I'm a bit jealous of the people doing their GCSEs next year because apparently they're making the courses more based around exams rather than coursework... And I HATE coursework (unless it's art coursework!). I always do better in exams than on coursework! 

Since I did so well, I can go to the Sixth Form I wanted to, so I'm double happy XD I hope I do really good on my A Levels! 

Moving on, I've been drawing Manga lately :) I haven't been drawing it for a while, because I got a little tired of it... I used to be a complete Japan-obsessive/nerd/whatever you like to call it, but now I love Japan, I'm just not obsessed any more. I mean, I used to think that I was supposed to have been born Japanese, but now I'm fine being European. Plus, I don't annoyingly say 'Kawaii!' all the time. It seems a little bit racist now... Especially since I have friends from Hong Kong... 

I'm planning to make a slideshow with some of my more recent manga on it :) I'd rather not dig out my old drawings :( A lot of them have deep meanings only me or my closest friends know. Most of my new ones do too, but I don't care so much. 

I feel like giving this Blog a bit of a make over, well I have done since I made it, but I think I'm actually going to do something this time...

Another thing is... I managed to change Google Chrome's language setting so I don't have to speak American English any more!(Not that I did previously) Yep, that's my rant over.

Summer

Yay, it's the summer holidays! Six weeks (well now five weeks) of summery fun! Of course, I absolutely hate  hot weather and end up wasting lots of sun cream because I'm so paranoid about skin cancer...

Anyway, it was my sister's birthday last week :) She's nine now. (Yeah, there is actually a seven year gap between us... I don't appreciate that.) I made her a necklace out of wire that had her name on it. I also made a charm bracelet.

Here's a picture I took of the charm bracelet on my NEW camera! ;D

I made a close up of this cake charm, because I managed to actually put her age on it. I worked hard on the flower, to! Anyway, I assumed that most people do know how to make polymer clay cakes by now seeing as there's so much tutorials on how to make them.






By the way, I love making those little polymer clay plumeria flowers. They're beautiful and really simple to make. I'm planning on making a slide show style tutorial (I'll explain why I can only make that style video in future) to show how to make them.

Anyway, (caution: moving away from subject) the Olympics started yesterday :). As a British girl though, I found the opening ceremony a little disappointing :( I'm not sure what I was expecting exactly, but it just seemed a little... well... disappointing that they put seven years in to preparing for the Olympics, and this was all that happened. I guess I'd like to know that the Chinese think so far because they had the Olympics last time. They probably came expecting something similar to what they did... And when they leave they'll know a little bit more about British history... lol.

Personally, I've been worrying about the terrorist threats... They keep saying about the security on the news and it's really bugging me.

Anyway (before I over use the word 'anyway' anymore), I've been playing Sims 3 lately and forgetting to update this! I ought to make a Sims 3 blog or something. In fact, I probably will at some point seeing as I gave up using the Sims 3 website so long ago.