A Craftea Afternoon

Well the sun was shining and the door flung wide for our Craf-tea afternoon.  The wind didn't enable us to enjoy it outdoors unfortunately but we still had great fun.  Today we made Easter Baskets and Easy Peasy boxes! Not to mention eating cake and drinking tea! (it's amazing what you can do in two hours!)
Here are some photos, they seem a bit dark i'm afraid, as despite the sun, the shades I had put up outside cast quite a shadow.

Some of the creative chaos...

... but look what we made!

Thank you so much girls for coming along.  Hope the bingo winners enjoy their kits!

BOOM!

I am really loving these exploding boxes!  Here is another exploding experiment. 

Inside the innocent looking box is ...

...another little box and inside...

boom! 

This exploding box has 8 opening layers, each one is rotated slightly to add an interesting effect!  The box in the middle could reveal an Easter treat! Maybe a chick or a small egg! Mmmmmm  (there isn't one here because if I bought one I would more than likely eat it before it got to having its photo taken!) 

Latest crafty endeavours!

Well the creative juices have been flowing in our house today and being that it is the school holidays I have had a very willing assistant.  Today's task was to create as few different samples for upcoming workshops!  I think I have unleashed a demon in the process however.... paper creations everywhere!

Exploding Photo box

Inside the box are a selection of pages to flip forward and back, each containing photos or journalling.

6"x 6" variety boxes

Each of these three boxes are created using the same 6" x 6" card stock!  Just to show you the variety of sizes that can be created when you start with the same size card.

Small accordion photo box

Take off the lid ...

Open the sides to reveal two tabs ...

Pull them out to reveal an accordion photo album in each half!

There will be more coming soon I expect so keep checking back for more!!

Taking better photographs

Photographs

Oh my have these given me a headeache!! Taking decent photos is such a must to showcase your work, I know this, but how on earth are you meant to achieve this??

My original attempts involved laying each piece in an IKEA wooden bowl, such an inexpensive item, but I loved the effect.  Here is one of my first pictures ~

  

I still like it to be honest as it feels more natural, more in keeping with the recycling theme. That said however, the image doesn't show the bracelet to it's full potential, the flowers are lying  flat on the surface where as they wouldn't do this on your wrist.  I was also advised to photograph my pieces on white.

My next attempt was to use a white surface.  I wandered around the house with my white scrapbook page, bracelet and camera in search of some decent light.  The best room for light in undoubtedly the conservatory , although with the snow fall the roof was so dark that it didn't work too well.  Here is my next attempt (actually there were several before this one but silly me deleted them, so I can't show you how awful they were!)

This just looks so bland and too dark.

So my next attempt involved lots of research, I found some fab blogs, these were  great help not just by the articles but also demonstrating well taken images of their products.

Knit N Run 4 Sanity

Handmade Harbour

I decided I needed to get a white vase, this would help give a little dimension, I also felt I needed a much larger piece of paper so that it will cover the surface area better and provide a vertical back drop aswell in one continuous piece.

I set up a small area in the conservatory, fixing a large length of paper to the windows so it draped down onto the table and covered the workspace.  I then put my new little vase in the centre and experimented with positioning.  Here is the results!

I like this, but the light was still a little dark.  I don't own any exciting photoediting software so wasn't sure what to do, I could alter the brightness and contrast but that was about the most I could do.

Until ......

I was browsing and saw a post by All She Crafts, she had recently discovered an online photo editing software called Pic Monkey.  What a program, I just inserted my pic, played around with some of the settings and produced this!!! 

It is cropped as well as the colours brightened and saturation changed. 

Here are the two images side by side so you can see the difference!

What do you think?? I am really pleased with the results.  Next task is to find a vase big enough to showcase my earrings better!

Crafty Snowday!

Good afternoon ~ Hope you are all wrapped up warm out of the cold, I just can't believe how chilly it is out there, I think snow would be much more fun if a little more heat were involved and a lot less ice!  

It does make me laugh at how panicky people get when they think there is a chance they won't be able to get to the shops for a couple of days   Thursday night, on a quest for buy a few essentials, I stumbled into Tesco. I admit I had totally forgotten it was due to snow that eve, and although I had heard rumours I didn't really believe it would happen!  As I wandered the aisles I noticed how busy it was, there were far more staff out, filling the avenues of shelves with produce.  It took a while for the penny to drop as to why it was so busy, the SNOW!  Oh my word, the shop was heaving, people rushing around filling their trollies with necessities such as toilet rolls and beans.  The thing that made me laugh however amongst all the madness was that of all the things for people to feel essential to buy in such a situation were custard tarts! I mean honestly, have you ever been stuck in the house for a whole day and thought you were going to slit your wrists if you could't get your hands on a custard tart? Well??  I confess that I have never felt this worried, I have never felt the need  to sink my teeth into the custardy tart, in fact I have never really liked them.  A strange thing over came me all of a sudden, the immediate need to own a custard tart!  I must be missing out,  All those shoppers must know something I don't, Maybe they have healing or calming powers, maybe they de-ice your garden?  I will put it on my list the next time snow is forecast  Toilet rolls, beans and custard tarts!

We did get out and enjoy the snow, (without any custard tarts)  We even managed a walk through our local forest, it was so beautiful, and barely touched out there.  It was tremendously inspiring aswell!  

I managed a little crafting in between snowy adventures.  Here is a SnowBob!  He is so friendly and an awful lot warmer than a real snowman!!

I have also been busy creating AlphaBobs! They are learning to spell right now, here is a small band of Bobs who have managed to arrange themselves correctly without loosing their letters!

Believe me it took a long time to organise them!!!

If you would like to follow any Bob related news their facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bobs/411736175550743

My latest creative achievement however is this fab bag! I love it!  It is made from upcycling my daughters old jeans.  She grew out of them years ago and i saved them as I loved the decoration so much, so glad I did.  All the pockets are useable and it even has a large one inside.  The strap is extendable and even the buckles are recycled!

xx 

Latest Upcycled bag!

Well what a creative morning! Short of nearly destroying my old sewing machine I managed to create this bag! I am really pleased with how well it turned out.

The dimensions are approx 30x20x12cm and has an internal pocket and security clip.  Everything except the thread and wadding are upcycled so a mega eco bag!!

The design was partly an existing design I had made up earlier this year, an addition of production from another pattern I had acquired and then further adapted to make the handle adjustable and the flap over the front! Really wasn't sure how it would turn out but thrilled with the result!

Now all I need to do is make a note of what I did so I can make another one! lol

Another recent make I keep meaning to share was a commission I did last week, I couldn't blog about it until the birthday girl had received it but as she has now here goes!

A pink bottle flower necklace with matching earrings.  The necklace has a little extra something however and there are little dancer charms around it! Especially for a dancer!  Sorry the pictures aren't great, I finished it late at night and had to post first thing so no time for good light! still hopefully you can get the general idea.  Here are the dancer charms close ups.

New ReJenisis bags

Well I realise I have been totally terrible in keeping my blog up to date! thought I would post a couple of new pics. I have been busy experimenting with new bag designs and here are two of my latest creations!

Both these bags are made from upcycling unloved fabrics! the top bag has such a lovely soft lining with inside pocket and safety clip to attach your keys or phone (or child if you so wish!)

the bottom bag I have adopted as my work bag! I love it!  Whenever i make something new I try to use a sample to make sure the design is right and comfortable.  This bag has been great but I have learnt that the handles need to be a little longer, I like to get a bag over my shoulder sometimes and these are a little small!  The top bag has longer handles and is much more comfortable.

Top bag is currently for sale.  I will set up a new ReJenisis page soon so include everything available for sale and prices!

Dear Miss Crafty!

Hi there Bloggers and my wonderful email supporters! I have recieved a couple of emails which are to be shared! so modesty in hand here is the first one!!! (or rather this is the last one I got! there is method in my madness honestly!)

Dear miss crafty
Your items are fantastic and so well made, did you know that your blogs always come thru at 3 30am! I usless fact but I thought most interesting.
keep up good crafting ideas! Jane

Dear Jane!
I would like to say I am up at 3.30 making all sorts of creations and posting them on blogger But ... I am fast asleep! I am far from creative if I get no sleep, infact I am extremily uncreative and zombie like! but I am incredibly glad the email subscription gadget works!!!!!
I am thrilled you love my makes! Thank you so much for your support!
Happy crafting! Jen xxx

The First email I got from the lovely Jane is something which has provoked a lot of thought! even as I have been pootling round the countryside today my inspiration has been whiring at a tremendous pace!  first off here is the email!!!!

Dear all things crafty
Please could you help me? I need some ideas for affordable crafting fun for two ten year old boys during the holidays. totally fab web site.
Thankyou
Now the answer!

Dear Jane

I have really been giving your question a lot of thought! Boys are such a hard one to think for on a creative front, I am lucky I just have one daughter, give her a glue stick, a bucket full of paper and embellishments and she will create a mess that will take a week to clean (unfortunatly very little works of art are created in this exercise!)

I have come to the conclusion that this blog  may not be enough for all the idea i have so i will start a new one! one designed just for occupying those kids! I will post ideas, photos and even a few videos for them to follow! I also thought a fun thing to add to this maybe to have some competitions or more importantly a gallery to show off their creations.  I will start posting as soon as I collect my guinea pig from school and make her make things for me to take photos of (who says child labour is wrong! lol)

Please keep sending me your questions and hope i can provide a little help.

Jen xx

Gorgous paper bags!

I love these little bags! the time is coming to make some gifts for my daughters teachers to say thank you! These bags make fantastic presents, especially when filled full of yummy chocolates!!!

These little handbags are slightly different from many tutorials purly as they don't open out to a flat piece of paper, instead these remain a container, perfect for storing all sorts of wonderful treats!

These bags can be made in all sorts of sizes, although beware bigger ones will need strengthening.

Will post pics as soon as I have made the thank you ones! may even post a tutorial if anyone is interested!

Jen x