Blu Mudd Design Challenge, Round 3!! GO VOTE!!!

Hiya folks!  So, I'm part of the Blu Mudd Design Challenge, currently in it's THIRD round! :)  The idea is that Moriah, of Owner of Blu Mudd, makes a FABULOUS focal something (pendant, bracelet bar, etc) and we make pretties!  You know I LOVE my pretties.  :)

Well, this time, she offered us this FABULOUS butterfly bracelet bar!

Pretty, yes? :) 

I decided I REALLY wanted to try my hand at more chainmaille, so I settled on a dragonscale weave, because it would have the same idea of shape as the focal. And I decided to use silver and purple rings to make it FABULOUS!  Here's what I came up with:

 

So now, I need you to go vote!  Follow this link to the Blu Mudd FB page, and choose your favorite piece! Thanks!

Rana Lea

Super Crafty Fun Weekend!!!!

Yup, I had a super-crafty-fun-weekend! and it was grrrrrreeeeeeeeaaaaat!!!!! (insert Tony-the-Tiger voice here...)

Okay, so, first, I decoupaged a box that that I'm using as a jewelry box for the pieces I want to sell (you know, rather than the cardboard box I had them in).  I even put a little handle on it and mirror inside it! It's really cute.  Here it is:

[caption id="attachment_200" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="All finished!"]
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Now, of course, getting to this point, what with the Mod Podge and the cutting and the mess (you should see my sweat pants--covered in modgy fingerprints.  Oh yeah--and I used paint, too!) was quite a bit of chaotic fun!

I started with all my shtuff...

[caption id="attachment_193" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Like how I laid it all out so nicely for a pic? :)"][/caption]

And then, of course, about half-way through, I realized I needed more shtuff. No pics of that, though... So then I got to painting the inside.  Also, no pics.  There was far too much mess going on to pick up the camera. I'm gonna wait a few more months before I get paint on it.

And then I had to measure.  Well, sort of.  I did measure the sides so I wouldn't waste too much paper, cause it was all pretty and stuff! But of course, I only measured the one time, and so my measurements aren't all spot on. My father would be so disappointed (he's a pro at the measuring thing...) But in the end, I did find a use for most of those left-over paper bits I did end up with (more on that in another post. Tomorrow, maybe...)  So, after all the measuring and the cutting and the modgin' and the podgin' was done, I ended up with this:

[caption id="attachment_195" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="kinda cool, if I do say so myself...."][/caption]

So then, for the finishing touches.  I really wanted a handle on it, and I had visions of a suitcase like handle, but I have no spare suitcases, so I had to improvise something else.  I also wanted it to have a bit more interest goin' on up top there, and I have these large chip-board butterflies.  I have no clue where they came from, but they've been in my stash for awhile. So I took some of that paper and 'podged it up, and painted the ugly cardboard sides.  While I was at it, I took a length of pink ribbon and raided my bead stash for some large hole beads.  I found some great wooden ones, and strung those on the ribbon.  Then, to the toolbox I wandered!  With the help of my trusty staple gun, I attached the ribbon, and then used my E-6000 epoxy to attach the butterfly on top.  And wah-lah! A handle and some interest!!!

[caption id="attachment_196" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="gotta love E-6000!!!!!!!"][/caption]

As the glue dried, I was pondering the inside.  Okay, truth be told, the glue wasn't so much dried as still very glue-y when I thought "Hey, a mirror would be cool!"  And it just so happens, I had a perfect mirror to use!  Back to the E-6000, slapped some dollops on the back of the mirror, press it into the inside top, prop it open, and then a few minutes later, discover that the glue from the butterfly is now dripping onto the coffee table.  Oops!!!  So I flipped the whole mess upside-down! Eventually, it dried.  well, the butterfly bit did.  I discovered the next day, after I closed the  lid for a few minutes, that the mirror bit was still oozing.  So, back open it went!  Finally, that all dried.

Then, I realized, there's no easy way to see yourself in the mirror if you're playing with jewelry, since it just flipped all the way open... so, I had to add some catcher-thingies... I'm sure they have an actual name, but I know not what it is.  Anyway, I used more ribbon, E-6000, and eyelets.  And let me say, I need a punch that will punch a hole in ribbon... that was not fun... and in retrospect, this part should get done BEFORE the mirror goes in... But I made it work:

[caption id="attachment_197" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Just hammer those eyelets in there! And use the E-6000 to make sure they stay!"][/caption]

And that was it!  Here's some more close up shots, after the fact:



[caption id="attachment_202" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="And finally, filled with stuff!"][/caption]

You know, I'm really tempted to make another one to use as a purse. It's too cute!! And more on the rest of my crafty weekend soon!

RLW

Earrings!

I love making earrings, and I love wearing earrings, so it's handy that I enjoy making them, huh?  Yeah, circular reasoning if ever I saw it, but it works for me... lol!

So I made earrings today.  Two pairs; I tried for a third, but the inspiration just wasn't there... although, it might be now... I'll be right back...

....

......

.....

Yup--just got another idea!

And just made the other idea!  LOL!  So anyways, I made three pairs of earrings today...

Turquoise and Copper

Falling Leaves

So, the first pair of the day was the Turquoise and Copper.  I just thought they looked like a lot of fun. And the most recent pair is Falling Leaves. Also, just a lot of fun.

But I also made a pair I'm calling Beautiful Death, and those were my baby today:

Beautiful Death

I'm not sure of the name yet, but I thought I could try it out here for the time being. I bought the skull beads ages ago from a seller on Etsy, and they're actually the first beads I used in anything I sold.  I have a great earring and necklace set that I made for myself, ostensibly for Halloween, but I wear them year round (it's subtle, and until someone really looks, they don't actually know I'm wearing skulls.) My goal with Beautiful Death was to go over-the-top (ish) joining the death icon (the skull) with flowers and soft colors.  There's even a little blue butterfly, if you look closely. I really like the way they turned out.  So much so, I may not sell them (the danger in making things you like....)

Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

R.Wilson