Jewellery-Work in Progress

I have been busy with creating jewellery. I never could imagine that I could sell them. It was only a hobby for-creating something artistic and new but affordable. Well some of my friends have found them very beautiful and so here I am very busy with creating for them.

I have made some but before I could photograph them, they are sold. Actually my entire personal collection which I was very sad to part with have been sold. Well but I am happy. Because for an artist this gives more scope for creating new designs. After all I cannot afford to hoard everything for my self :) :)..

At present I am working with these beads...

These are CZs available in different colours but costly-much much cheaper than diamonds. But the cut, the shine and the beauty of the beads -the cost is worth. Once we invest, they last for a long time.

These are again CZs-tear drops.

These are pink coral beads. I am also working with many other beads and stones. I will post the finished pieces....so keep a watch...

Rangoli-120

Flower Carpet

Here is one floral Rangoli. It is very easy and simple to draw.

The Dots pattern is:

20 dots per row-4 rows, in the center

16 dots, 12 dots....4 dots two rows on either side.

Then join as shown

Rangoli-119

The Kissing Fish

Here is a small design very simple and easy.

This is 11 to 1 dots.

Watch out for more.......

Recycled Crafts - Bookmarks

Book Marks With invitation Cards

One of the most difficult ones to dispose off  in India are the Invitation Cards. We receive so many invitations for marriages.  They have the pictures of Gods or auspicious symbols like OM etc. It is believed that throwing away such cards into dustbins or cutting or tearing them brings misfortune or bad luck. So we don't know what to do with them. They keep on piling up.


So I just thought of recycling them by making book marks. The outer envelope, outer card can be cut. But inside it is the invitation which should not be cut or torn. So here is how I have made some book marks. I will post one of them today:

This is the outer card which had a printed paisley border on the edge with Ganesha on the upper part.


I first cut the entire lower part of the outer cover length wise, since it had a gold paisley border and then cut into two halves. It already had a fold, so I took both the upper side and under side of the card.

This is only  one half of the piece. 


Then I folded (along the crease) and glued it. Then I punched a hole and inserted a piece of gold rope (scrap from one of my projects), twisted it and knotted. Here is the book mark. Simple and classy.......

Bookmark

Isn't this easy to make? I have to make more from the left over card pieces. Let us see how I can use them.....


So next time don't throw away the invitations....You can use them creatively.....


Keep a watch.......

Rangoli-118

Lotus Rangoli-12-Lotus Square-2

This is another Rangoli-Lotus and Swastika. For this you have to use the following pattern of dots: 11 dots per row -7 rows, then one row of 9 dots, one of 7 on both sides. Join as shown.

Rangoli-117

One more floral Rangoli.

It is 19 dots-3 rows then, 17, 15, 13 so on till 3 on each side. Join as shown above.

Quilled Shapes-6

V Scroll

                       V Scroll

Take a strip of paper and mark the center point. Fold the strip at that point and crease it firmly so that it stays folded. 

Now roll one end (Right side) of the paper clock wise and the other end (Left side) anti-clock wise till you reach the mid point.  That is both the ends should be rolled outwards. Ease off the roll and let it settled down. Pinch the center of the strip once again and adjust the "V" shape.

Friday-Free Patterns

Sorry folks, I could not post free patterns  for the past two-three weeks, as I was very busy looking after my mother. Most of my craft supplies, books etc were all stored away because of the dust they carry and my Mom is very sensitive and gets allergies easily. But now that she is recovering very well, I am relieved and happy. Now I have some time to spend on my hobbies.

Oh! my niece's summer holidays are almost over and she will go to school from Monday. Phew! What a hectic time we had with the children playing from early morning till late at night, shouting at the top of their voices, sometimes fighting and running to the elders complaining. We had to keep a steady supply of snacks, cool drinks and ices. we were kept on our toes, attending to their small accidents, fights, parties, broken glass panes and what not.

I am amazed at their energy levels. I don't think our generation at that age was so boisterous or so fast. Well now that there will be some peace restored with all the children returning to school, we elders want to enjoy and take a breather. 

So I will try to post the free patterns and also on other topics more frequently.Watch out my blog for my posts, freebies, free patterns, tutorials.....

Rangoli-116

Lotus Rangoli-12-Lotus Square-1

                 Lotus Rangoli

This is 14X14 square of dots -in each row 14 dots, 14 such rows of dots and join as shown above. This Rangolis has Swastika in the center and Lotus on all the corners as well as Lotus buds. So this Rangoli can be drawn for Lakshmi Pooja and on Fridays.

This is a square Rangoli. Rangolis are generally Circular, Square or in Diamond shape. Rangolis of square shape fill in the area completely and are beautiful.

Quilled Flowers-2

Here is one more Quilled flower I made.

I have used Paper straw or Paper Dori for the vine. Watch out for more...

Quilled Flowers-1

I have been experimenting with different quilled shapes. My quilled flowers, I am going to post one at a time...

Here is one of them.

Keep an eye on my blog for more.....

Quilled Shapes-5

S-Scroll

                             S-Scroll

Take a strip of paper and mark the center with a light pencil mark. Now insert one end of the paper into the slot of the tool or around the tooth pick and roll till you are a little away from the center. Ease of the coil to the work surface and let it settled down to a loose coil.

Now turn (flip) the strip to the other side (reverse) and then roll the other end similarly till you reach a little away from the center. Ease of and let it settled down.

Both the coils should be rolled in the same direction. The size of the coils can be same or  different. Arrange the strip in the shape of "S" and glue it to the base paper or card. since I have not glued mine, the shape of S is not perfect.

Watch out for more tutorials on basics of quilling....

Butterfly Sampler

Day-13

Here is one more Quilled Butterfly for my Sampler. I have not glued it. That is why you can see its legs separately. They should be glued to the body...

More to come.....Keep an eye on my blog....

Quilled Shapes-4

C-Scroll

                C-Scroll

Take a strip of paper and identify the mid point. No need to fold. Roll one end clock wise till you reach a little distance from mid point. Ease it off the tool and let it set itself. 

Similarly roll the other end anti clock wise till it touches the first coil. That is both rolls should be towards inside and touching each other. Now ease it off to the work surface. 

Both the rolls should be of the same size. They will be loose and form a "C" shaped curve .

Practise this with shorter lengths of paper first till you get it right. 

More to come...keep a watch on my blog......

Butterfly Sampler

Day 12

Another of my quilled butterflies for my sampler using paper this time.

I have used paper straw for the antennae. 

Rangoli-115

Pumpkins

Pumpkins are used in making a variety of dishes in India. It is very popular vegetable in South India too.  Especially in Andhra Pradesh, known as Gummadi Kaaya in the Coastal areas, it is invariably cooked on all auspicious occasions. No marriage celebration is complete with out the Gummadi Kaya Pulusu or pumpkin soup.

Here is the Rangoli of Pumpkins:

The dots used are 13 to 1.

Quilled Shapes-3

Open Coil or Scroll

Open Coil or Scrolls are left loose and not glued like the closed coils. Many shapes can be formed in scrolls. These are used for making letters or other designs. They give a delicate appearance to the design.


We will see the shapes one by one. The first is simple scroll.

            Open Coil or Scroll

Just roll a strip using the quilling tool or tooth pick. Remove it from the tool and let it fall onto your work surface. The roll will loosen up. Don't glue the end. This is the simplest form of the scroll. There are other shapes which I am going to post one by one.


So keep a watch on my blog.....