Showing posts with label gothic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gothic. Show all posts

ALPHABET BLOG CHALLENGE: L is for Lace, ribbon, fabric!

Today i am writing about ideas to use up one's craft scraps. I have the week off work for the holiday period, and we are sorting the house out, that includes my study of art and cra supplies! While sorting stuff out i noticed a huge box full of tiny scraps of ribbon, lace, and bits of fabric. Just about to throw the lot away, i had a thought, why not use these scraps!!

Firstly i did a stock take of what i had, from the mess in the box, i divided it firstly into colours, then subdivided them into type. The colours were mainly red, black, green, and purple and after the sorting I realised there was quite a lot of usable lace and ribbon there.

What did i make?

(I will post pix another time)

ROSE HAIRCLIP With some scraps of red velvet ribbon i fashioned a fabric rose, i attached some green satin fabric, cut into leaves, to its base, and adorned it with black lace. I then hot glued the rose i had made onto a hair clip!

LAVENDER SACHETS I had scraps of fabric netting, i cut them into neat circles, added some scoops of dried lavender, and gathered the edges up, and tied the lot up with lace and ribbon! Shoved in the drawers of my dressing table they look decorative, smell lovelyl keeping the contents of the drawers fresh, and keep insects at bay!!

HAIR BOWS with matching lace and ribbon i formed bows, sewed them so they didnt undo, and then attached them to snag free hair ties.

LACEY SOCKS i sewed lace edging to brighten up some of my socks, and added little ribbon bows to the lace!

Ok i could rave on and on here, but the point is, before you throw stuff away have a look at it, work out what is there, and use it! Use, reusue, upcycle and recycle!!!

What do you do with your crafting scraps? I'd love to hear your ideas! Please feel free to add your comments and share your ideas!

 

Alphabet Challenge: Happily Handmade Handcrafts

Up to H in my alphabet challenge blogs, and today's post is about Happily Handmade items, beautiful things made by clever artists.

Beaded Webs

There is an amazing artisan creating as Beaded Webs, who makes the most delciate and decorative wire and bead creations! Based in Queensland Australia, she works from home and sells from Facebook.

Starting off with wire sculpting and hand beaded web shapes, she has since branched out (excuse the pun) into tree of life shapes, as well as owls, bats, and cars. Her gorgeous bead and wire art is created in a variety of sizes such as large hanging decorations, pendant or keyring sized and medium sized beaded decorations.

I have purchased a purple, as well as a red and black beaded web from her and they are gorgeous! I also have two gorgeous bat beaded decorations that she made to order for me!

Beautifully made, and unique items, her online store is worth a look, and why not buy yourself something beautiful from her today!

Below are some pictures of her great pieces

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EmpressBat's most loved Apothecaries


Dear Batlings,


Currently as i am feeling most unwell, my mind turns to all the delights that make me feel happy. .which brings me to thinking of some of the beautiful hand crafted wonders made by some of my favourite etsy artisans. Please do not start singing "these are a few of my fav-our-ite thiiings" .. Spare me from "the sound of music"... Please. Its not that i intensely dislike the musical based on the vonn trapp family's exploits, but im not in the mood for a singalong....

Anyway, where was i... Ah yes, a few of my favourite etsy artisans...

PHOENIX BOTANICALS

Firstly let me introduce you to the beautiful creations made by the wonderful herbalist, Irina, from Phoenix Botanicals. My first purchase from this etsy store was in September 2011, i had been searching online for a multi use balm made from natural ingredients. This was when i first encountered the amazing Fairie Balm, created and bottled by Phoenix Botanicals.

Delicately scented by beautiful linden tree blossoms, and other natural ingredients, this balm truly is soothing absorbing quickly into the skin with no unwanted residue, and the scent is uplifting, and delightful. I first used it as a lip balm, and after finding how well it healed my dry lips and then prevented further dry sore lip issues, i started to also use it as a cuticle cream. I am so impressed that my cuticles are all nice, soft, and not all zombiefied any more that i immediately had to buy more of this magical balm!! It has become a makeup lace-pouch staple of mine. (yes batlings, my makeup bag is a lace drawstring pouch, im sure none of you are surprised..)

I use Faerie Balm as:

  • lip balm
  • cuticle cream
  • Fingernail treatment
  • Ends of hair preshampoo treatment
  • General moisturiser

Recently i was very fortunate indeed to win one of Phoenix Botanicals perfumes called Love Potion, i had seen Irina speak of it on her facebook page, and was so happy to win a bottle! It has a very intoxicating scent and is sublime.


DEEP MIDNIGHT PERFUMES

Speaking of perfumes, i have a neat segue to the second etsy artisan i wish to tell you all about. If you want a unique, carefully created, vegan fragrance, look no further than Cat's etsy store Deep Midnight Perfumes.

My usual purchase from the lovely Cat is her gothically glorious wonderful perfume oil Samhain Nights, blended in jojoba oil this perfume is fragrant and sweet, intoxicating frankinsence swept with the scent of a new season apple, this is another of my makeup pouch staples.

There are many fragrances that Cat creates that i really like and use when im not dabbing on the delicious Samhain Nights.

The perfumes from Cat that i most favour are:

  • Samhain nights
  • Wee green fae
  • Gwenhyfar
  • Boudica

Cat is a prolific creator of unique fragrance mixes, and im a total fan!!


For more information on all the SCENTsational perfumes Cat creates please have a look at her etsy store, Deep Midnight Perfumes, and her facebook page.

All of Cat's perfumes are Paraben Free, Phthalate Free, Cruelty Free, and most definitely Vegan.






 

 

............................................................................................................... Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat ...Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat

 

Just Discovered Artist Trading cards (ACEO/ATS)


I have just started doing quick 'art' pieces on thick cartridge cardstock that is 2.5" * 3.5", similar to the size of collectable trading cards. They are  called ACEO or ATC. 

ACEO =  Art Cards Editions and Originals also known as Artist trading cards or ATCs are collectable once off piece of art works that began in the tradition of business cards, but with a personal, artistic and most of all UNIQUE twist.

Because they are the size of other standard trading cards, most will fit in trading card sleeves. They are meant to be unique and are not a mass produced product.


I will experiment with different media, I have just completed an acrylic paint ACEO of my zombie cat character, and will be working on other themes, images, and media as i experiment with ACEO.




http://www.ehow.com/how_4808983_collect-miniature-art-_aceo_.html

Freda the Fruitbat ACEO

Halftail the Cat ACEO

Greenwich the Zombie cat ACEO

Why do weekends go faster than the working week?

Don't get me wrong, most of the time I enjoy my job, I work with computers and data a lot, and that is just right for me. On weekends I spend a lot of time designing and creating things, which I have a feeling I enjoy far more than my real job....

Weekends go super fast.. I am hectically drawing designs and working out what resources I need to realise my ideas into ..things... the weekend zooms past while I am engrossed in creativity.. and then suddenly its Monday morning.. and my husband yells out ' hey get up are you going to work' .. as he is already clothed and almost out the door to get to work..

If only I could put independently wealthy and could spend my days being creative.....

see my latest item, a bat gothic type messenger bag, on etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80573281/halloween-gothic-messenger-bag-with-bat

Also a nifty reusable notepad cover with mini notepad included
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80690181/halloween-bat-gothic-notebook-cover

welcome to my Blog

Years ago, when the www was kind of new and people were still in awe of this new fangled internet thing, I had started a web journal.  I soon lost interest in it and went back to reading, playing with my pets, playing music, and making stuff.


This weekend I started to sell my hand made stuff on etsy, (/www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat ) and it was then that I noticed people writing about all sorts of things blogging about their handicrafts, writing about their pets, sharing pictures, recipes etc....and whether what they say interests others or not, i suppose it is kind of cathartic to rave online to an anonymous audience. I  figured I will try my little gothic paws at web logs.. or blogs once again... technology has improved so much since I first tried a web journal.. so why not give it a go!