September 2012

 
About Me
When I was 8 years old, I learned to crochet - a potholder out of yarn first, then a doily out of thread. I was mesmerized by the idea of creating something beautiful. And thus began my creative journey. Since then I have tried many crafts. Some were fads whose popularity (and availability of supplies) came and went. Many are traditional crafts and variations on them. All are self-taught. Among my favorites: crochet; counted cross-stitch; Christmas ornaments and decorations; and quilling, the most artistically satisfying of them all.

Copyright
©2011. All rights reserved.
Content included on this site is created and copyrighted by Barbara Rose. Feel free to use my original design DIY kits or tutorials for your personal projects or any of my published designs for inspiration for your own designs. If using photos or commentary found here, please give appropriate credit and a link back to creative.bcdenterprises.net.

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Blog Archive

 
9/29/2012
Little Earrings

A customer asked if I could make the "stained glass" earrings smaller - of course
I can! 
   The larger dangles are 2" long (3" with the hooks). The shorter ones are 1.1" long (2.1" with the hooks).

Available in my Etsy shop or by clicking here for the larger ones, and here for the smaller.

Starting next week, I will be sharing pictures and links for Christmas items - many from last year will be relisted along with variations and new items.


9/22/2012
Teardrop Earring Redux

My metallic-edge-green on green earrings are one of the most popular in my Etsy shop. Because I'm embarking on my holiday selling season, I decided to make them in red also. Both are for sale in my Etsy shop - and keep an eye on my shop over the next couple maonths - many items from last year will be relisted and a lot of new items added - this is fun!


9/15/2012
Autumn Leaves

After making last week's copper earrings, I was inspired to make some leaves with Fall colors - chestnut, oak and maple leaves. Then I made another pair of earrings in the same seasonal colors.

The earrings use the Husking technique, wrapped to achieve a leaf shape. Instructions and photos follow. Notes:
   > glue the beginning of each color to the
      previous color at the bottom
   > form loops by wrapping the strip around pins
      placed as specified
   > put a tiny drop of glue at the bottom of each
      strip as
it wraps around the bottom pin
   > glue the end of each color near the bottom
   > trim off the excess paper

1 Using quarter-inch graph paper, place pins 1.5 inches apart (6 blocks, 7 lines). Wrap once with brown quilling strip (1/8").
2 Make two loops on each side with bright yellow, placing the pins close to the center strip and at 1.4" and 1.3" down from the top pin.
3 Make three loops on each side with orange, placing the pins close to the center strip at 1-1/4", 1-1/8" and 1".
4 Make two loops on each side with rust, placing the pins close to the center strip at 7/8" and 3/4".
4 Make two loops on each side with brown, placing the pins close to the center strip and at 5/8" and 1/2".
5 Remove the pins from the borwn and rust loops, then wrap entire design twice with copper-metallic-edge-on-copper.
6 Fold a 3" copper-metallic-edge-on-copper strip in half and glue together. Insert into the brown center strip. Add copper findings.



9/8/2012
Copper Earrings

 

New paper = new design. These gilt-edged papers really lend themselves to the lacy filigree of the beehive technique. This time I created the "frame" with small, thick circles. A stunning result, don't you think!?

 

This pair of earrings is for sale in my Etsy shop.

When I started using hand-applied-gilt-edge papers, there was one color I liked but had no creative idea for: metallic-copper edging on copper-color paper. The other day, I was in the craft store replenishing my stock of jewelry findings (earrring hooks and studs, jump/connecting rings, necklace chains, etc.) in the usual gold-tone and silver-tone, when I saw copper-tone findings. Of course, I immediately mentally connected them with the copper paper I had at home.
 

9/1/2012
Water Lilies vs Lotus Blossoms
The book I mentioned last time (Alli Bartkowski's Quilled Flowers) also includes patterns for 2 of my favorite flowers, Water Lilies and Lotus Blossoms. Often confused, this pair of plants are botanically diverse. Visually, there are 2 noticeable differences between them:


The first is that
<  Water Lilies sit on the water (not on their lily pads)
       while Lotus Blossoms  >
(and their leaves) rise above the water, as much as 4 feet! In other words, Lotus flowers and leaves are emergent, and Water Lily flowers and leaves are floating.


The second difference is in the center:
<   Lily stamens are leaf-like, unfolding
from the center. Lotus stamens  >
are filament-like and form an androecial ring at the base of a barrel shaped carpel (ascidiate) embedded in an expanded receptacle (phew! No, there won't be a test!).

Water Lilies can be many different colors - mine is in shades of yellow. Lotus Blossoms are usually pink, as is the one I made using off-center tear drops.

 

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