Merry-Go-Round - Tutorial

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't all posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month:

A simple tutorial

A few photos to show you how, with just a piece of wire and a piece of salvaged thread or fabric, you can create a colourful butterfly or dragonfly, using the technique of macrame knotting.

Here are a few pieces of salvaged ribbon or thread among which I take my pick.
And here is the kind of brass wire (controlled closely as you can see) you can find in any hardware store. I also use copper. Silver or aluminium would do just as well.
I cut a pice (22 cm / 8.5 in. in this case).
I bend it like this:
then I make a plain knot at what will be the tail end of my butterfly and start the macrame as you can see. One way:
the other way:
until I have enough to create the abdomen.

Then I loosen one of the knots to create the small pair of wings:
Then I knot one more tight knot:
And then another loose knot, for the larger pair of wings, followed by a couple of tight knots for the head:
A little whirl at both ends of the wire, for the antennae:

Pretty psychedelic, isn't it? I think it would do a nice brooch...

With a longer piece of blue cord and copper wire, I created this necklace with what looks more like a dragonfly:

There are as many variations as the kinds of thread or ribbon you can use...

New / Nouveautés

Need feedback! Positive, constructive feedback.

Besoin de retours, avis... et autres encouragements.

Moss terrarium necklaces— I'm only getting started— I just love the colours.

Not posting them abroad, so far— I'm not sure it would be legal. I suppose I might consider Europe, though.

Colliers terrarium de mousse ; ce n'est qu'un début. J'aime ces couleurs !

Je ne les envoie qu'en France, pour l'instant : je crains que ce ne soit pas légal de les envoyer à l'étranger. Mais peut-être que l'Europe serait autorisée...

And now for something completely different, though with lovely colour too—

Rien à voir, mais là aussi j'aime la couleur.

An original, indispensable little something that will add flare to your table, whatever the occasion. Solid copper.

Une accessoire original et indispensable, en cuivre, pour ajouter ce petit je-ne-sais-quoi à votre table, quelle que soit l'occasion.

Merry-Go-Round - Creative Challenge

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's theme:

This month, we have all been working on projects inspired by one photo— showing a bouquet of colourful ballons.

I have long wanted to experiment with those lovely fabric flowers that I had seen on Etsy.

What with their being round and as colourful as you like and also potentially full of life and cheer, that's what came to mind the minute I saw those balloons...

So here goes.

I really like that those fabric flowers are organic-looking, and all unique, however adept you can probably get at making them.

As usual, I like the haphazard, chance aspect of this craft.

I also like that you can make them recycling all those industrial fibers that you find everywhere and that always seem to age à-so-not-gracefully— that way, you can turn som drab, mass-produced stuff into organic-looking, unique loveliness.

I still need to practice a lot more before I can create more loveliness than cuteness, but I already quite like the simplicity of these two in particular.

Now. What to do with them.

You see a lot of these on bobby pins and who am I to do any different?

So that's where my two maroon balloon-flowers will go.

But for the other five, I have a special master-plan.

He, he, he...

A few weeks ago, I was given this promotional Etsy bag— which was nice.

But have a look— don't you find it a bit sad.

Really not balloon-like cheerful, is it?

Badly in need of some embellishment, wouldn't you say?

Ta daa!

That was fun.

Lots more flowers to be strewn on the path of the unsuspecting virtual shopper. All in good time.

Over the Rainbow - A Ribbon of Rainbows!!!

This week, I've taken part in a new (I mean new for me), weekly theme project. The inspirational theme for this week was "vibrant chaotic rainbow".

Here is the necklace that sort of beaded itself in my hands.
I "crash-tested" it and I absolutely love it - it's one of those se pieces that just make you feel great...

You should definitely check out the
Thursday Sweet Treat blog to see all the amazing craft inspired by this theme.
This is a generally thrilling blog kept by Natasha of Doodle Star.

DaWanda - Profil / Feature: GLASSPRIMITIF

And now for a splash of colours and fresh sensations: Jo, of Glassprimitif!
Her glasswork is light and bright, creating a world in a few dashing, curvy lines. Clear and deep, that's how her work comes across to me...
Find her DaWanda shop here: Glassprimitif on DaWanda, her page on the new site Jo on DaWanda Shopping Community, but first you should read her answers further down.

Ce nouveau profil va vous éclabousser... de couleurs : les couleurs vives, rafraîchissantes, bref, vivifiantes des créations de Jo, de Glassprimitif. Son travail de verrerie se dessine à coup de lignes simples et directes, légères et nettes, composant un monde à la fois clair et profond, malgré une transparence apparente...
Découvrez sa boutique ici : Glassprimitif sur DaWanda, ainsi que sa page (en anglais) sur le site Jo sur DaWanda Shopping Community, mais tout d'abord, lisez ses réponses un peu plus bas (dans ma traduction)...

1) What is your favourite word?
Mortified - I often feel it and it's a word I overuse!
2) What is / are your favourite material(s) / fabric(s)?
My favourite material just HAS to be glass.
3) Do you have a favourite colour?
I DO have a favourite colour. Well, it's not just a favourite, more of an obsession. I Love Red.
4) What good are your five senses to you?
I don't quite understand this question - if you mean which of the five senses is most important to me then it has to be hearing. I can't live without music.
5) Why the need to make things?
Hmmm. I've pondered this question before - I think it's the need to leave something behind when I've gone. Maybe for posterity, something to prove that I was here (or is that why I had children)?
6) What is your most ambitious project at the moment?
My most ambitious project is that I have been painting a mural in a school for the past nine months and it doesn't look like I'm going to finish it soon! Unfortunately, I can only work in the school on a sunday and it is a very big hall. I hope it will be finished by the summer.
7) What is your pet (non-creative!) addiction?
My pet addiction is - yes, you've guessed it, chocolate. I wonder how many people have said the same?

1) Quel est votre mot préféré ?
"Mortifié" : c'est un sentiment que je ressens souvent et un mot que j'utilise vraiment beaucoup !
2)Votre / Vos matériaux / fibre(s) préfé(s) ?
Alors ça c'est forcément le verre.
3) Avez-vous une couleur préférée ?
Il se trouve que oui, j'ai une couleur préférée, ou plutôt une obsession. J'Adore le Rouge.
4) A quoi vous servent vos cinq sens ?
Je ne suis pas sûre de bien coprendre la question, mais s'il s'agit du sens le plus important pour moi, c'est l'ouïe : je ne pourrais pas vivre sans musique.
5) Pourquoi créer ?
mmm, je me suis déjà posé cette question... Je crois que c'est lié au besoin de laisser quelque chose derrière moi, pour quand je ne serai plus là, pour la postérité, une trace montrant que j'ai existé (à moins que ça, ce soit la raison pour laquelle j'ai eu des enfants ?)..
6) Votre projet ambitieux du moment ?
Mon projet le plus ambitieux c'est que depuis neuf mois je travaille à une grande fresque dans une école et je suis encore loin d'avoir fini. Malheureusement je ne peux y travailler que le dimanche et c'est dans une salle immense... J'espère finir avant l'été.
7) Votre addiction (non-créative !) ?
Je suis accro……… oui, vous avez deviné... au chocolat ! Je me demande combien de gens ont répondu ça...