Halloween Stick Pins - Part 2

I have to make two Halloween themed stick pins for a swap on Scrappers Obsessionz Forum. I've already posted about the spider stick pins which you can see here. For my second stick pins, I couldn't resist another tip of the hat to Vampires... particularly as I've just finished watching the first four movies from the Twilight series. As I'm also a huge True Blood fan, my choice was almost a given.

Here are my Vampire inspired stick pins. The pin head (which just looks like a white blob - sorry) is the vampire's tooth and dripping from the pin are the lines of blood. Yes another gruesome stick pin creation from Paula, but don't they just look so cool!!!

Close up of my "Bloody" stick pins.

The two complete sets of stick pins that I will be sending to the host. 

Each participant in the swap, will get one of each stick pin.

Halloween Stick Pins

Let me just say up front that I am no fan of spiders. I hate them, though I am getting a bit better. I can at least get rid of them (unlike my darling hubbie) though my chosen methods may be somewhat strange and unusual.
So given my aversion to the darling little creatures (read eeekk and ugggghhh) why was my first idea for a Halloween stick pin a spider?
Having come up with my brilliant idea, I then had to envisage how to actually make them. A few nights mulling in my sleep and I had the answer.
Now that I have made them I think they have a cute creepiness to them and even if it sounds like I'm getting a big head, I really do love the way they finished up. Perfect for Halloween.

Don't they look so creepy up close LMAO

Card Day - Birthday Card

My friend Glenna celebrated her birthday last week and I wanted to do something a little different for her.


I know she loves green and she is a fantastic jewelery maker (she got me started into it) so these were the two things I wanted to incorporate into her card.

The background is some of the napkin patterned paper I demonstrated last week.
The beading is bugle beads threaded onto 26 gauge wire then shaped. The top ends have a double loop through which I threaded a coordinated brad. These are used to hold the beading in place. The bottom end is wrapped around the feathers to keep them in place and again is threaded through to the far side of the patterned paper to keep them attached as well.
I finished off with a couple of flowers and some bling.


This was the first time I have used feathers on any of my paper crafting, though I have used them hundreds of time in my former costume designing and making. I liked the effect and look forward to a lot more experimenting.

Christmas Craft Challenge 2010 - Day 9

December 9th 2011


Beaded Mini Ornaments


These are going to be part of something else, but they were too cute not to have their own blog. They are all made of seed beads and 26 gauge wire. A couple also have 6mm beads and they are all simply held together with 1mm crimps.

The Christmas Tree is 1 3/4" x 1" while the Stars are 3" x 2" including their trail.

1. Cut wire to length.
2. Form base shape with wire.
3. Thread on the seed beads.
4. Fix design in place with silver crimp.
5. Add additional highlight beads (on trees & holly only)
6. Coil wire ends and pull out to form trail on stars only.

Christmas Craft Challenge 2010 - Day 8

December 8th 2010


Beaded Snowflakes


What can I say these are just beautiful and really easy to make.

1. Cut 20 gauge wire to length, (6 lengths per snowflake). For red & blue centres this was 3", for the pink centre this was 4".
2. Using round nosed pliers create a loop on one end of each length to prevent the beads falling off.
3. Thread onto wire the selected beads and secure in place with a second loop so that they do not fall off either end.
4. Add a dab of hot glue onto the edge of the large gemstone and place one end loop into the glue. Hold in place until firmly attached.
5. Repeat for all beaded lengths, taking care to spread them evenly around the jewel.
6. Stick second gemstone on to the back to cover the loops and glue.
7. Attach a loop of ribbon or fibre to hang the decoration from your tree or window.

Crafting Passionz - Pin Swap

I recently signed up for a forum created especially for Australians and New Zealanders (at last I hear some people say). You can find it at Crafting Passionz. 


One of the first things I signed up to join in was a swap of Stickpins. I didn't even know what was meant by this so after some You Tubing away I went.


I purchased the corsage pins at my local fabric/haberdashery shop and the beads & charms were from my jewelery making stash.

I coloured the green pin heads with an American Craft Slick Writer Pen (medium head) though you can also use a Copic Marker for that. I love the slightly marbled effect of this colouring. I then threaded on the Blue Mountain beads and seed beads holding the final bead in place with Diamond Glaze.


The white pin heads are the natural colour. I used a ball head headpin threaded through the red/white bead. I created the loop in the end which I linked to the heart charm using a small jump ring, then added another jump ring to the other side of the heart which I looped over the pin. I add the crystal beads and spacers, again holding on the final bead with Diamond Glaze.


The small cases were made from cardstock which I sprayed with my DIY Glimmer Mist in various colours. I then stamped an image on top before grunging the edges inside & out of the cardstock using a Distress Ink. After making the folds I then punched the holes using my Crop-o-dile before finally threading the ribbons through to tie the package closed. Last but not least I recycled some packaging from some rubber stamps which I trimmed to size and pushed the decorated pins into so as to safely keep them in the case.


These really were so quick and easy to make. The hardest thing was deciding what beads to decorate the pin with.

Jewellery for Sale

A couple of days ago I finished these two pieces which I hope to sell on Trade Me (an Auction site here in New Zealand).


I had no idea what the choker would look like until it was finished (or even that it would end up as a choker). It looks so much better on my step-daughter Alysha than me just trying to photograph it on a backdrop.

The second piece is based on a pattern I found in a library book "Glamorous Beaded Jewellery" by M.T. Ryan.


This is a Slinky Cuff Bracelet in burgundy and gold which looks great in the daylight but even better at night - it just seems to sparkle so nicely. Think I will be making another one of these just for me.

Christmas Presents

This year I am trying to be surprisingly organised for Christmas. It does help having extra time on my hands at the moment due to not working though to be honest I seem to have less time and more to do at the moment.

Anyway have finished my mother's Christmas present. I bought her a glass pendant at the Pirongia markets a month or so ago and now I have finished a bracelet to go with it. The colour is not a perfect match, but you shouldn't be able to tell give their proximity.

Here is the finished item.(And updated picture)

Now so long as my mother doesn't come and look at this... it should still be a surprise on Christmas Day!

Bathurst & other Sunday pursuits

It's Sunday 2.40 in the afternoon. The sun is shining outside, glorious in all it's splendour after a few days of hiding behind clouds and rain. And instead of being outside enjoying it... maybe doing some of that gardening I keep promising myself I am going to do (thanks for the inspiration ladies) but instead I am inside parked infront of the TV watching Bathurst.


This may sound a little strange given I am such a girlie girl, but I am a die-hard petrol head and lead foot from way back. I went on my first rally when my mother was six-weeks pregnant with me, so I guess you could say it's in the blood.


I'm multi-tasking. (Thought I should explain that given I said I'm typing this yet said I was watching Bathurst). As much as I love watching Bathurst, I still find I need to be doing something with my hands otherwise I start to get all fidgety. So I am.... watching Bathurst, writing my blog, chatting online to a very dear friend, checking my Facebook page, collecting my Farmtown gifts from my Facebook page (it's been a while), enjoying a nice cold slightly alcoholic drink and contemplating making some more jewellery. (I made my first bracelet last night.)


I'm also looking slightly guiltily at something I need to get sent through to a friend. I promise to get it done later today. Will not go to sleep until its done.

So anyway here is a picture of the bracelet that I made yesterday. It's the first I have made so may be a bit of over-kill but I think its lovely and perfect for a Pacific Christmas... which is getting far too close too fast. I can't believe we are nearly half way through October already. Where has the year gone???