Let's talk about crystals...

I have always been fascinated with crystals...

They seem so magical to me.

Recently we took a family trip and panned for treasures at a local cavern and got this great haul.

But sometimes you may not have the funds or access to the real thing so why not try to make your own?

I did a tutorial for making ICE Resin crystals that you can find  here.

And I used amethyst crystals with vintage spoons and resin to make these that appeared in GreenCraft magazine from Stampington.

I found a few wonderful free tutorials for making your own.

This one looks like fun... click here for tutorial.

And this one on the Sculpey blog shows how to make faceted beads which can

easily be applied to making crystals.

No matter how you use them, find them, or make them, there is no denying that crystals are magical.

I'd love to see if you create something using crystals.

Thanks for stopping by...

Workbench Wednesday...Box of Possibilities...

As you know, I collect many things.

One of the things I can't seem to resist is industrial-type storage.

If it is old and grubby with chipped, scratched paint...I am in.

My father in law brought me this box a while back.  

I think it held screws and such.

I am using it for some of the handmade components I collect.

Sometimes when I am working on a project, I don't finish it or have extra components when I am done.

Some of them ended up in here....

There are also jewelry bits and game pieces that I have plans for.

I feel like this could be a jewelry maker's "I Spy".

Don't you agree?

Balled wire, fiber wrapped beads, stamped leather components, bottle caps, pencil bits, moss/twig bundles, felted wool, etc....

Little bits of leather, polymer faces, pretty beads, washers, chains, silk strips....

Resin wonders, escutcheons, film bits, pencil beads, wooden spools, keys, feathers....

What do you keep all your bits and baubles in?

For me half the fun is seeing them all grouped together in unexpected ways...

Makes my imagination race...

Thanks for stopping by....

Shabby Chic purse

I have always wanted to make one of those great shabby chic purses...

You know...the ones with whites and creams, lace and more.

So last summer I made myself one.

I had tons of fun getting things out and layering them onto my bag base.

For the base I used 2 quilt squares that have button holes around the edges.

I also re-purposed some pretty sheets from the thrift store for the fringe on the bottom and the strap.

The strap is long so it can be used as a cross body bag.

I printed a few fun images on muslin.

When I do that, I make tons all at one time and then use them as inspiration strikes.

Time to make another purse soon I think....

Thanks for stopping by....

Power Words ICE Resin Challenge

So far 2016 has been a year filled with surprises.

One of the best surprises is all the fun I am having as a member of the ICE Resin Design team.

I love using ICE Resin.

And I love a challenge.

Our first challenge was Power words.  

To see the project, click here.

I incorporated the power words I chose into these fun rings.

There is also a short video on part of the project on the ICE Queen E-Zine here.

In typical me fashion, I could not stop with one ring.

Instead a made a little pile.

Be sure to hop over to the ICE Queen E-Zine to see how to make this project and many more.

Thanks for stopping by...