Playing with broken bits

I just thought I'd quickly share this necklace, also made for my sister. A friend of mine deals in antiques and the lovely boy gives me broken bits of jewellery from time to time. This necklace is made from:

- One cameo pendant, missing the cameo
- A broken clip on earring (the centerpiece)
- A bit of felt
- Leather, jump ring and necklace clasps

All I did was cut the felt to fit the size of the empty space where the cameo would have been, stitched the broken clipon earring on, and then hotglue gunned it to the pendant. Then I just popped in on some leather, finishing it with leather crimps, a necklace clasp and a jumpring. Easy.

Fingerless Gloves

I keep seeing these cute little fingerless gloves in shops and craft books, so I thought it was time I gave it a go. They are made from the sleeves of old jumpers.

Two of my fave craft books suggest that you take an old woollen jumper, and wash it in hot water to felt it slightly, so that you can cut the wool without it fraying. Then you add a few buttons to turn them into arm warmers. I don't like the look of the cut unfinished look (even if it is felted slightly).

Also, the jumper I had to use was a wool/acyrlic blend, so I wasn't too sure how the felting would go. So instead, I cut the arms off, and hemmed them with the sewing machine (oh my gosh, what a pain that was, but my sewing skills aren't that great).

I wanted to add a Momma Leo twist to these gloves. So after I hemmed them, I added a running stitch inside, just to bunch them up a bit.

I added some orange trim that I found in a haberdashery store last week (I knew I'd find a use for it). Then, I hand-stiched between the thumb and index finger, just to make them more like a fingerless glove and less like an arm warmer.

These are a gift for my sister, cos sisters are awesome :)

Just linked my last refashion to a Gorgeous blog

Necklace refashion - Pirates of the Carribean!!

Don't you just hate it when you buy new jeans and they stretch! I was in town, my new $15 Rivers jeans were suddenly bigger, and I couldn't take it anymore. I needed a belt!
So I wandered into Target, and when I was looking at the belts I struck gold! It was $2 and tacky! I certainly would not have paid full price for it. I looked at all that gorgeous chain and thought, I can't even buy that much chain from a jewellery supplier for $2. So I took it with me!

 

 Not bad, and as much as I love purple, that big tacky flower had to go!!!

That night I was watching Pirates of Carribean, a girls night with popcorn, my heater and Johnny xx, and my jewellery making stuff.

 First thing I did was pull off the purple flower... underneath was a cute little gold piece. Then using an old black wrap dress, I wove the inside ties from the dress through the gold chain. It gave a really nice black and gold look. Then I cut three strips of jersey material from the dress, plaited it, and then added it to the mess of chains.

Next a few little embellishment: a vintage button to the gold piece, and a white (sorry Johnny, not black) pearl to the ends of the plait that I left dangling on side. 

Now I have the bling! I just need the ship!

Nanna blouse cushions

I've been looking around at cushions for a while, drooling over some in Laura Ashley, but the prices seem wayyy to over the top for two squares of cotton and polyester.

I remember seeing this easy sew cushion somewhere, on another blog or a book ages ago. The idea had been in my head for a while, and now I am on hols I thought I'd give it a go. It is pretty easy, and I hate sewing! All you do is find a nice blouse with buttons down the front, cut it into a square, stitch it inside out, then open the buttons and turn it around the right way!

Back of the cushion (which was front of the blouse)

I bought some cheapy cushion inserts from Big W, and then saw these gorgeous blouses in a 2nd hand shop. I started to get a little clever with the second lot, and used a knit fabric for the front (take that over priced Laura Ashley) It's so easy - if I can do it, anyone can!

$2 skirt.... reworked

 I found this skirt in an Op-Shop. The idea was to use it for a dress-up party. It was sitting on a rack for $2. I love purple, and well, it had potential! It needed work though - it looked as though the previous owner had had quite a hack at the seams and hems.

See, gorgeous colour... yukky hem.  Yucky photo too :)

So despite my dislike for sewing (patience required.. not my strong point) I managed to re-hem the skirt with a zigzag stitch. I found some lovely embelishments from Spotlight (which cost much more than the actual skirt). I also added some ribbon to the top. And ta-da. 

 

Lots more fun! Sometimes, I love Spotlight.

Opshop Earring Refashion

I couldn't resist these gorgeous earrings at my local opshop today! Just my colours and I loved the style. Unfortnately, I struggle to wear earrings these days, but I did have an idea in mind!

After a vist to Spotlight I had all the bits I needed, chain, jumprings and a clasp. The earrings then turned into this necklace!

Basically, I used pliers to undo the earring hooks. Then I removed the chain and dangly bits from one of the earrings. I joined the two flowery bits with a jumpring and then added the leftover dangly bits to the bottom of the pendant.

My First Post - My art jar collection!

Hi,
This blog is just to share the little things I make. One thing I love to do is draw and paint using oil pastels and oil paint. I hate parting with nice jars, particularly ones that are a bit interesting. So here's a few I've jazzed up a bit, they can hang off my easel now! Or I may just put a few tea-light candles in! The purple one is for a friend.

:) A