Suncatchers

Morning everyone.  Thank you for all your amazing comments on my mums birthday bee card.

Today im sharing the beaded suncatcher i made for her birthday

5" in size.  I thought these yellow beads looked a bit like daffodils which are one of her fav flowers, i teamed them up with some little blue beads for contrast which i also thought looked a bit like forget-me-knots and a little swallow charm to finish - Bring on Spring😁

I started with a metal dream catch base hoop to wrap with wires around, blue for the sky and green for the ground.  I used half-hard wire for the flowers so they stand up well.

This one i made for my Uncle for Christmas - its a small 3" circle.  A little poppy field with blue raindrop beads.

 I was pleased with both of them as was something a bit different using the craftwire and beads for me and kept me busy/quiet last lockdown.  This lockdown im still awaiting my mojo to return from its Christmas holiday😊

I hope you all have a good end to the week and weekend.  Stay safe. Hugs Emmax

 

Merry Christmas

Good Morning everyone.

As my regular followers will know I've been playing with craft wire and beads alot this year so decided to make myself a little wire wreath. 

 I used a 7" copper wreath ring for the base and wrapped with copper and bronze tone wires - great to use up all the little bits i had left over.  I then added beads in red, green, bronze and gold.  I wrapped a small battery micro light kit around the wreath tying the battery pack to the back which is hidden by the beads.  I then glued my Mr & Mrs Gnome ornaments on top of the battery pack.  Just a bit of fun and very simple - looks great all lit up.

Close up on beads and gnomes - ive used beads with different finishes so they react differently when the light hits them

Lit up in the daytime (night time below) - i only had a coloured light set in so its blue, green, red & yellow lights

Just showing the back where the battery pack is  - its only a cheap set from poundland .  Ive had my gnomes a few years

Just showing it at night in the window all lit up

Thank you to all of you for all your comments and support on my blog and creations this year - i appreciate every one of you taking the time.  This year my crafting has definitely kept me going and ive certainly got more into stamping and building up little pictures and scenes.  Lets hope next year is an improvement on this one.  Despite the new rules i do hope you can all enjoy a little Christmas as best as possible.  Stay safe everyone, keep calm and carry on crafting. 

Wishing you all A Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year. Emmax

 

Wire & bead fun

Good Morning everyone.

In my sheilding lockdown bubble i haven't really felt like papercrafting, so ive been playing with my craft wire and beads again, i can just sit and do it, a bit like knitting, once you've started it.

I started with a rainbow heart suncatcher - on my window to share the rainbow love.

A guardian angel - she has a large crystal prism  which when the direct sun hits it it gives out rainbows

Green Angel. 

 The wire is funny, although you start with the same pattern they all come out unique.

A little cat suncatcher

and of course i had to do a little lucky black cat

and lastly a mutant bumble bee😀😀

This guy is my first 3 dimensional piece. About 4" wingspan, as he is going in the garden on a stake he  needed to be big enough to be seen. There is a large yellow glass bead inside his body which the light does shine through.  This was my first attempt so learnt alot for take 2! 

Items Used

1mm craft wire - various colours

0.25 gold tone wire (bees wings)

Various beads

I hope you are all doing ok, im finding my brain really struggling without the daily use/interaction.  I have memory problems anyway so trying to do some brain excersises daily along with all my physio.  Thank goodness for crafting keeping some of my brain active - i have plenty of papercraft projects to share from my 6wks without internet when i was crafting like a demon - think i used up my mojo so its taking a little break😊.  Stay safe everyone.  Hugs Emmax

cat suncatcher

Good Morning everyone. 

I hope the storm didn't cause you too much trouble, we did loose the electric for a few hours but otherwise not too bad.

Today is a wire and bead suncatcher.  I was given this lovely handmade cat brooch for Christmas and as im not really a big brooch wearer i decided to make it into a suncatcher so that i can see it daily each time i look out the window.  The brooch is made from polymer clay i think and has a lovely iridescent finish when the light hits it.  Sadly with all our rainy weather can't get a really decent photo of it, you will have to imagine the beads shimmering in the sun😁

Approx size 6x6"  I first took a metal circle dreamcatcher base, this gives me the perfect circle shape to work on and a solid base.  I got wire wrapping with wire in purple & blue to match my cat and beads.  I first tied my brooch to the base with wire tying it onto the brooch back to stabilish the cat in place.  I then just got busy tying in lots of different light catching beads and acrylic leaf beads - i wanted the effect of the cat in the garden as my own cats love spending lots of time in the garden among the plants. 

On the bottom is a large crystal prizm and 2 smaller ones either side so that when the direct sun hits it gives a rainbow effect on the walls.  Ive mixed in many different bead finishes.

A close up on the quirky handmade cat brooch

At the window but not really showing it to its best.  

Items Used

1mm craft wire purple & blue

Crystal prizms

Various glass & acrylic beads

6" metal dreamcatcher hoop

Thank you all for stopping by once again and all your amazing comments on my snowdrops last week. I hope you all have a good week. Hugs Emma

Wire Guardian Angels and Hearts

Good Morning everyone.

Today im sharing a few of the wire & bead suncatchers i made as Christmas gifts.

Bronze Angel with yellow, orange, gold beads.  Approx 6" tall.  The big bead in the middle is a true crystal prism so when the sun shines through it it gives out lots of rainbows on the walls.  The sun also catches on the mix of beads in different ways.

A close up showing the body/wings better.  I 'winged' it making these! lol  Totally made them up as i went, so it was trial and error, luckily this soft craft wire is very forgiving. 

Silver wire angle, with white beads, the ones on the body are main white faux pearls with a hint of colour on them, so adds some subtle colour.  The angel ended up with a leaner body and bigger wings.  They are definitely all unique! 

Heart suncatcher, approx 4" in size.  This one is in pinks, the little dangler in the middle is again crystal prisms to give rainbows to the recipient on sunny days. 

Gold & Red heart suncatcher

Blue heart suncatcher.  Some of these hearts are quite rustic in shape, but then they are totally handmade. 

This last one is silver wire and the faux pearl beads that are white with a splash of colour on them. I added one crystal prism bead and a little bi-cone bead inside the heart and from the bottom of the heart. 

Items used for all of them 1mm craft wire in various colours, various beads.

They seemed to be well received as Christmas presents. Im still in the practice and learning stage. 

Thank you for stopping by. Emmax

2nd Blog Birthday - wire wrapping

Wow today my blog is 2 years old, the time has flown by.  Thank you to all of you that have supported me since the beginning and continue to, and all the new friends ive made along the way.



I thought I would share my ongoing practice with craft wire and beads to make some wirework suncatchers.

Green & Blue Flower, broken up with orange.  Approx 6" in size. The different beads catch the sunlight. 

A close up. 

A more dainty copper version for a lass that loves clean and simple.  This one i just added the beads on the inside of the petals.  

A close up, i used a mix of yellow, orange, brown beads on the petals

Purple Dragonfly.  Approx 6" in size.  I used purple and silver wire and beads in purples, blues & pinks

A close up shows the true colour better. 

And my take on a peacock feather.  A short version, although its still 10" long!  This one took loads of wire in blue, green and yellow.  Beads in a mix of blue, greens, yellow, orange. 

A close up on the eye of the feather, a blue bead wrapped in blue and then surrounded by a row of yellow beads and wire and the finished with green wire.  

Im still very much a beginner with the craft wire but each time i use it i learn something, like anything, practice makes perfect - long way to go before i get there but im really enjoying my new hobby.   

Weather been a bit wild and windy down here last few days - ideal crafting weather!  I hope you all have a good weekend. Hugs Emmax

Wirework fun

Good Morning all, i hope the week is going well.

Today i am sharing my first attempts in wirework using craft wire.  This is a very soft aluminum wire with a coloured coating.  Ive often admired wirework and then my mum bought me some wire so decided to just go for it.  No tools other than basic pliers and wire cutters.  Just made it up as i went along - so without patterns.  Taking photos of wire is almost as bad as mirror card - so difficult to get true colour. 

This dragonfly is my 3rd attempt, 1 & 2 are below.

Red & gold craft wire.  Approx 8x8" in size.  I just winged it here, and i know technically dragonflies have 2 sets of wings but i didn't want to hide all the candy twist 'body' as rather liked that.  Its just a case of wrapping the wires, i added a lovely big bead for the head and then a few iridescent beads on the wings to catch the light.  I can't say its a quick craft and takes many metres of wire, but i could sit in the evenings and 'play' 

This photo shows the true colour better and the beads, one of the wings

Showing the body detail and that lovely bead for the head.  I worked in a loop on the back so that it can be hung up, maybe at a window.  Catching the light.

The candy twist tail.  He has already flown to a new home. 

Now onto my first attempt, a stylised rose

Red & Copper wire for the rose and green for the stem, head approx 3x3" in size

For my first attempt i was chuffed with the rose head, not so on the leaves but below shows how i improved on that for my 2nd attempt

my 2nd attempt, this time blue and silver wire for the flower, i also added a lovely blue glass bead to the centre of the flower.  Much happier with the leaves on this 2nd one.  I think like most techniques we learn and hopefully improve for next time.

Close up shows the bead too, approx 4x4" rose head

I really enjoyed this so definitely think i will be doing some more, hopefully improving each time and just learning how the wire works and handles.  I used mostly 2mm & 1mm here, the 1mm is definitely more malleable.  And the good thing about this craft is i don't need lots more stash - well other than a few beads - just as well as think that would drive the family potty going by the size of my papercraft stash😀

Thank you for stopping by and all your visits and comments last week.  Enjoy your weekend.  Hugs Emmax