Craftyfolk Round Robin

This beautiful lady has been travelling the country as part of the Craftyfolk on Etsy team 'Round Robin'.  As she goes round, each crafty person adds a little adornment to what will eventually be the prize for the next team giveaway.  She already had beautiful hair, a lovely printed top and background and a felted flower and vintage style brooch by the time she arrived at my house.

I love her colour combinations of purples and pinks, and as there were butterflies in the background print, I thought I might add to the theme with a dragonfly charm necklace with some colourful drawbench glass beads.

I hope she likes her additional adornment.  By the time she has got round the others in the team, she will be well and truly accessorised!

Further updates on the lady's progress of this poster will be posted on the Team Crafty Folk blog here.

Alison x

Flower corsages

These flower corsage/pins/brooches are new in my Etsy shop.  Made on a flower loom with a selection of wools and embroidery silks.

Flower corsage brooches

Hope you like them!
Alison  x

Handmade Monday: Brooches and pins

Inspired by some beautiful shawl/scarf/fibula brooches/pins this week, I've been having a go myself.  Mine are pretty amateur by comparison with some that I've collected here on Pinterest.  I wonder why there are so many different names for them?

Blue moonstone and crystal

Amethyst and purple jades

The trouble with being inspired by others is that you start to worry about whether you are unconsciously copying ideas.  At least, I do, as I'm a champion worrier!  So I've stopped looking now and am waiting for a bit more inspiration to come.

Coffee agate beads

These brooches are made with 1.2 mm wire (18 gauge) which is thicker than I've worked with before.  Like everything, I'd avoided using the lower gauges and then once I was working it, couldn't see why I'd done so, as provided I was quite firm with it and ensured it was warmed in my fingers first, it was quite pliant. It was snowing heavily outside, so quite cool.  The sort of weather when any self respecting Roman lady needs a glamorous fibula to fasten her cloak with....

Red creek jasper beads

I also need to file down the ends to a point that will go through knitwear but not be sharp enough to kill anyone.  That's a judgement call, so I'll need a bit of practice before any go in the shops!  What with that and the needle felting/stabbing stuff, I seem to be edging towards the more 'extreme' end of crafting.  Honestly, I would love a blow torch, but for someone without the necessary hand/eye coordination to pass a driving test, it is just too risky.

Here's the link to see what other crafty folk have been making this week.

Wordless Wednesday: One minute it's bag charms, the next it's brooches...

Folksy Friday: Cute corsages

Check out these lovely flower corsages - perfect for weddings or just everyday, they make me think of summer and the outdoors!

This pretty felt brooch by sandrute is such beautiful colours

This one by LittleRedDesigns is a little different... What a lovely idea!

You would have to buy 6 of these from Quilting Demon because they look so fantastic together!

And finally....

a real splash of sunshine from Sunshine Days!