Stampin' up a storm

Do you ever use stamps? No, not the lick and stick for snail mail kind!
The inky rubbery kind!
Have you tried making your own stamps?

I thought it would be fun to try when I saw someone offering a stamp carving workshop, unfortunately I can't get to the workshop (it's too far away) but I wondered how hard it would be to do it yourself.

handcarved stamped cards

You can find out how on this tutorial by Lisa Tulse.

It looks easy enough - you just need the right tools.
You can make small stamps from good quality erasers and you need something like a craft knife or lino cutting tool to cut the design.

If you need inspiration - or another how-to, check out Gennine's blog.
So many sweet ideas.

Gennine's stamps

Of course there are other materials you could use - remember potato prints? haha!

Anyone for Macrame?

Who remembers macrame?
Me me me!
I remember pot holders made of macrame (the hanging plant pot holders - not the ones you use to hot cooking pots!) and maybe belts - they were a very 70's thing weren't they?

Now macrame is making a come-back and I am especially liking macrame jewellery - it's bright and fun and funky, from simple little bracelets -

orange bracelet by alexandrajewelryshop

irish knot bracelet by elwynjewelry

To amazingly complex creations incorporating gemstones and other beads -

macrame necklace by mabutirit

I'm very taken by these sweet little czech glass earrings -

beaded macrame earrings by glassdancer

The possibilities for macrame jewellery seem endless!

blue bead macrame bracelet by spiritysol

butterfly necklace by spiritysol

Would you like to try it?
Here's a nice simple tutorial for a beaded bracelet - shamballa bracelet on youtube.

Or something a whole lot more complex - but very effective, by beading4perfection also on youtube.

There is a whole site dedicated to macrame patterns (of course there is!) - free macrame patterns.
I was just blown away by the number of different knots there are. It is fascinating.

Making jewellery using macrame is also called micro-macrame, because you use finer threads.

According to wikipedia macrame has been around since the13th century and was first of all used by Arab weavers to make decorative bits and bobs.
It was also a popular craft amongst sailors - something to do during all those long boring days at sea! They used to make hammocks with it, so that was pretty useful.

So - off I go to find some long bits of thread and knot, knot knot away!

How to - make your own instagram fridge magents

Sooooo you're addicted to instagram.....but - then what?

Here is a great little tute from Design*Sponge on how to turn your instagram snaps into snappy fridge magnets.

I must admit I haven't tried it yet, but it's definitely on my "to-do" list.

There are a few other tutorials out there and this one from See Kate Sew mentions using adhesive magnetic paper.

I like the look of one by Photojojo as well as they use dimensional magic to make the magents look like real ones! Check it out here.

I've no idea if any of this super-magentic stuff is available in shops here in Aus, but you can always order on-line.

Have you made fridge magnets with your instagram pics?
Or done anything else wonderfully creative with your little snapshots of life?

How to - make a bird themed jewellery storage

How gorgeous is this birdy necklace storage piece?

I know, I know! "put a bird on it" !
But it is rather great!

I know, I know! "put a bird on it" !
But it is rather great!

It's an idea from Jennifer Swift and I found it via Cloth Paper Scissors.

You can find out how to make the birds here.

Making coin purses - some free tutorials

I love these sweet little coin purses.

They are great for using up small pieces of fabric, and make great stocking stuffers, or as a package for a small gift eg a pair of earrings ; )

There are some fab free tutorials around on how to make them. People are amazingly generous sharing their know-how aren't they?

 

Here is a free tutorial from Cut Out + Keep that is really simple - it uses just 2 pieces of fabric so that the inside and outside are the same.

If you would like to move on from this one or it is too simple, then you might be inspired by Jennifer Jangles gorgeous purses. They are a little bigger than a coin purse but you could cut them down a bit.
Jennifer uses such vibrant fabrics and makes her purses really special.

I also found a tute for this cute little pouch.
It is designed for ear buds - but would work as a coin purse too - or an earrings purse or.....

Thanks to Dog Under My Desk for this one.

And I think I've just discovered a new favourite blogs : )

Make your own - fabric bunting

I'm sure there are many, many tutorials on how to make your own fabric bunting, but here is one that I came across today and I love it 'cus it uses vintage fabrics as well as some new ones.

You can find how to on Found by Sarah's blog here