Shell Candles tutorial

Happy Monday one and all!

I know, I know... I havn't been around for a while.  Life has be quite chaotic especially after the birth of my latest little one!

I thought I would share a tutorial with you which didn't make it into the last Crafty What Nots box (I just couldn't find enough shells!)

Shell candles

You will need ~ 1 large shell which will sit solidly on a flat surface (you don't want your candle to rock or fall over!!) 2 or more night lights depending on the size of your shell, oven.

Step 1 - take the wax part of your night light out of it's case (make sure it is one with a metal case!)

Step 2 - carefully pull the wick out of the candle from the base.

NOTE - my wick actually came out of the metal base, if this happens to you then you need to enlarge the hole where it attaches and pop it back in.  

I used a cocktail stick to make mine bigger.

Once you have removed your wicks place them in your shell.  I thought that this shell would need two candles hence why there are two wicks. If your shell is particularly deep it may be worth putting them in shallower areas or resting them on wax to raise them up. 

Pop your wax back in their metal containers and place on a baking tray in the oven.  I put the heat up to 220`C and watched it until it had melted. You could place on a tray on a gas hob or use a heat gun if you'd rather (beware that the wax doesn't spray with the pressure of the heat if you use the latter)

Step 5 - carefully and with a towel or pliers pour the wax into your shell.  I was worried that the wax would make the wicks float but they didn't thankfully!

Here is the difference between using 1 and 2 candles!

Step 6 - Now let it cool on a flat surface.  Now you can pop it in a safe place and light!

I can imagine these would look lovely around the bath!  Do remember tho... be safe!  Never leave them unattended!

I have been having a bit of a sort out in the craft room and collected all the Christmas stock I have.  I have updated the website and reduced all the Christmas prices so if you are after some lovely papers do pop by and see what's available.

http://jennysis.com/?product_cat=christmas

There are limited stocks although if you are after more I am still able to get some lines!

Pin wheel spinning card tutorial

Well it has certainly been a while since I last blogged.  I haven't forgotten you all, honest, Just been a bit busy getting things sorted before the baby arrives.

Anyhow I thought I would share a quick tutorial with you ready for fathers day.

The Pin wheel spinning card.

You will need a pin wheel template, card blank, papers and card for layering, round foam pads (easily found in the range at the mo) Scissors and round punches.

Step 1 - I started with a 4" square card and layered some fab balloons on top (cutting it 3.5x3.5") These balloons are from the wonderful Man Made papers range and were included in June's Crafty What Nots box.  Each balloon is embossed which is rather lovely too!

Step 2 - I next layered a 3x3" grey square of card onto of the balloons to add contrast later on and hide the mechanisms.

Step 3 - cut out a strip of card 1x2" and using a 3/4" circle punch create a hole in the centre.  You also need to punch out a larger circle, This one is 1".

Step 4 - Place a round foam pad in the centre of your bigger circle.

Step 5 - layer the card strip over the circle with the foam dot so that the foam circle shows through the hole.

Step 5 - stick your Pin wheel onto the centre of your foam circle.

Step 6  - turn your piece over and attach foam pads, make sure they do not stick to the circle (infact keep them as far away as possible!) If the pads are too close your wheel won't spin.

Step 7 - now attach your pin wheel to the centre of your card.

Step 8 - I then doodled some writing around the edge to add a little something!  How about writing Happy Fathers Day?

Here is the little spinning card in action!

If you want to know how to make a pin wheel then you will need to start with a square and cut diagonally in from each corner towards the centre, stop short of reaching the centre by about a cm.  then fold down one side of each triangle and pin in place.  This pin wheel started out as a 3" square.

June's Crafty What Nots box was the lovely 'On the Go', great for fathers day.  These pin wheels were included in the box and the card I made as a personal card to each of my subscribers.  Here is a collage of some of the treasures included in the box

Tutorials this month were to make Shrinky plastic embellishments and necklaces, pin wheels and also a secret origami note.  The free gift was a hand made charm bracelet.

Don't forget to pop by www.craftywhatnots.com for more information on Crafty What Nots as well as inspiration and offers.

xxx

Whatever Wednesday - Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens

We are so lucky to have some wonderful attractions close to where we live.  One in particular is the beautiful sub-tropical gardens in Abbotsbury.  Situated close to the incredible Chesil beach (this will have to be a post all on it's own!!)

Abbotsbury actually has three great attractions in such a small beautiful village.  You can visit the children's barn where you race goats, cuddle guinea pigs or play in the large soft play (at least that's all my youngest wants to do each time!!)  There is also a Swannery where you can see Swans nesting, feed the thousands that flock there or even see where part of one of the Harry Potter films was filmed!

We opted to visit the gardens last weekend however, a quieter option we felt! I have to say we picked a wonderful day to go, not only was the weather pleasant and even warm in the sun but the flowers that were coming out were stunning!  Camellias, Azaleas and the wonderful Magnolias were among the beautiful sceptical!

        

 There is also a Kookaburra sanctuary in the gardens and their raucous laugh can often be heard as you wander around!

After spending some time soaking in the wonders and of course playing hide and seek it was time to head home.  

Don't those flowers just make you smile?  They did me, so lovely!

If you want to visit Abbotsbury Gardens or any of their attractions I believe it is well worth buying your tickets online as you can save a great deal if you buy a few days beforehand.  You can also apparently use Tesco vouchers to buy tickets now!  We have a season ticket so we love to just pop in for a wander every now and again.

One thing I will say however, if you have little ones and want to visit the Swannery or barn they only open for 6 months of the year (the gardens open all year round).

Have you been anywhere fun recently or seen such lovely spring wonders?

I'm going to linky with Happy Friday if you fancy popping round and seeing what other bloggers have been happy about this week! 

xxx

Markers - Which one???

This week, among other things I have been contemplating my markers!  (as we all have to lol)  I currently have four different types of pens to use when illustrating, these are Promarkers, Spectrum Noir, Sharpies and the new First Edition pens.

I love using markers generally and each have their advantages and disadvantages so I thought I would do a mini review (my first!) Many of you may already have a preference and already have a pile of pens at your disposal and if you have any views please do comment below.

The thing all these pens have in common is that they are all alcohol markers, This means they are permanent.  All except the Sharpies are double ended to give you options for line thickness and coverage.

The alcohol ink generally dries quickly but things to watch out for are that you can't just colour on any old paper or card unless you use something underneath the protect the surface.  Alcohol markers can bleed terribly so it is best to use either good card or paper designed for use with them.  The papers are usually one sided and won't bleed through but they produce beautiful colours so it is well worth getting!
Another marker tip is that they should be stored on their side, I find this particularly important with Spectrum Noir, I will explain later!

Right well let me introduce you to the pens in question!

    1. Promarker, 2. First Edition, 3, Spectrum Noir, 4,Sharpie

Promarker Pro's

• Comfortable size to use despite being the widest pen.
• Good coverage, You can colour over and over while the ink is still wet and the colour will not darken which means larger areas will end up all the same colour rather than being able to see pen marks like standard felt tip pens.
• If you wish to add another colour to say produce a shadow this can be done with a similar shade drawn over the top, this won't effect the pen nib of the other pen and discolour it for future use (think of how discoloured yellow felt tips go!  none of that!)
• I have not had any leakage problems with any of my promarkers
• If you run out of one colour or need a particular one you can buy the main range singularly which is really helpful.
• Of all the markers they are the truest colour match to the packaging
• You can buy adapters to make ultra fine lines (come in a pack of 3 nibs) These are wonderful for intricate work.  They are not interchangeable so you will need to decide which pens to use them with (I have one on my black)

Con's

• Colours aren't blendable, this actually doesn't bother me much but it can be annoying sometimes if you are trying to create more of a gradient.  There is a blender pen which will blend the colours for you but so far it has been disastrous for me so need to practise more!
• Promarkers are generally the most expensive of all the pens, 
• Although this can be an advantage too I find it frustrating that they release limited edition pens, these are usually really lovely and I want them all but once they run out they aren't easy to replace.  I have a fav brown in particular called Tawny Owl, I will be sad not to replace it when it runs out (and I use it alot!)
• Colours of the pens are on the sides rather than the ends (except in newer versions) this make storage a problem.

First Edition

Pro's

• These lovely pens have good coverage and colours are vibrant
• Not too costly to buy, currently Hobbycraft is the only supplier.  even my wholsaler who make them aren't selling them which is odd.  I can only find them in packs of 5 so no singles ones as far as I know at the moment.  The advantage of these sets however is that they come in themes so if you are after skin tones you can buy them in a set and you know they will compliment each other.
• Both ends are great sizes for both intricate and large areas. 
• These are likely to be on offers like Spectrum Noir often are, I bought two packs for £15

Con's

• Not easily available at the moment
• Can't buy separately
• The colours aren't quite the same as the packaging suggests, you will need to either test before you commit to your work or create a chart so you can see the finished colour.
• They currently don't have too large a range (this could actually be an advantage if your as bad as me and want the whole range but can never afford it!)

Spectrum Noir

Pro's

• These pens are sold in either large packs of 24 or smaller 6 packs.  The 6 packs often seem to be on offers which is useful and the big packs (normally around £20) build up your pen stash really quickly
• The shaft of these pens are around the size of the Promarkers but rather than round they are hexagonal.  This is great if you struggle a bit with your grip.  They also have non-slip sections for comfort.
• Both ends are great and like the other two the fine tip is great for more intricate drawing.

Con's

• Store them on their side!  I stored my older models upright and found that they leaked.  They seem to have improved the design however with the newer version but I would still store them on their side just in case!
• The colours aren't true to the ones on the pen lids, you will need to experiment a little before using.
• These pens can look streaky if you don't colour consistently over the surface.

Sharpies

Pro's

• Cheep! and there are some great colours available now and they are often on offers so worth looking around!
• These work fantastically well on other surfaces, all the other pens can look a bit bleached on other surfaces but Sharpies hold their colour well on all sorts including china and glass!

Con's

• Not many colours so creating shadow effects are limited
• The nib isn't very fine so don't use for really intricate work.

Over all, I much prefer the Promarkers, despite being more costly they colour beautifully even on larger projects and each colour (despite limited edition pens) are easy enough to replace! They are comfortable to hold and for me the most important thing is that the colour on the pen is pretty bang on with the colour you will get!

One tip I will pass on to you is when using a thin black pen to create your drawing before colouring in! I am not sure of the science behind this but I have discovered that you do not want to use permanent pen or ink  for the outlines (this may sound contradictory) But you will find that the markers will smudge the ink if you do, no matter how long you have left them to dry. I tend to use a pigment ink but despite this I am always careful when colouring over lines!

Now, with all these pens, I am faced with a total problem!!!

How on earth do you store them?  

To be honest I haven't really conquered this problem.  I have created a promarker system from scrap paper, but in practise it isn't quite as practical as I had hoped!!!

I will have to have a rethink I think!  

If you use markers how do you store yours???

Well if you got all the way to the bottom of this post then thank you!  I thought that I would share a little game with you that I play on my fb page.  

This is a Crafty What-bat and is a puzzle which, when solved, should reveal the name of a blog! (on fb they are of fb pages!)

Can you guess who this first one is of??? 

I apologise for there being a missing word at the end so see if you can work it out!

Hope you all have a wonderful week, I'm off to Handmade Monday.  See you there!

Happy Spring Friday

It's funny, but up until this week I hadn't really felt warmth in the air.  The bulbs have been flowering on and off but other flowers are starting to emerge, especially blossoms, Now it really does feel spring like!

This week I have been making a few trips to buy plants.  The garden has been very abandoned for a few years and although each year I try to do a little I never seem to make much of a difference.  This year I think I am nesting! With only 3 and a bit months to go I keep busying around trying to make things look nice.  I also want my youngest to be out the house more and as she is now 2 I figure the garden should become a safer place for her to wander in and out of when the weather improves more.

Since a child I have loved pinks and I bought this adorable one to pot up. We did it together... actually I planted and she waved the watering can around but I like to think of it as a team effort!

Another thing that made me a happy this week has been getting stuck into some illustrating which I was asked to do ages ago for a very talented poet. I hope she won't mind me sharing these pics to see what you think!

Two older ladies who are distinctly young at heart having fun on the beach!

If you missed my decoupage tutorial do pop back and see what you think! I've really enjoyed decoupaging this week, glue and paper everywhere but what craft is fun when there isn't a little mess??

Well I am off to link with Planet Penny and Happy Friday, hope you can pop round too and see what else people have been up to! 

xxx

Whatever Wednesday ~ Decoupage tutorial

After so many of you liked my last post I thought I would share a little tutorial with you to make this really cute candle holder.

As it's so close to Easter I chose some Easter papers!

To make this candle holder you will need ~ 

A wooden blank, Deco Mache papers, Deco Mache glue and a paintbrush.

Step 1 - Remove the candle insert

Step 2 - Take one sheet of your paper (there are 3 in a pack) and tear it into little pieces (do not cut, the torn edges help the pieces  stick better and blend more effectively)

Step 3 - Choose which side to start with and cover with glue.  The surface of these candle blocks is quite porous so you may need a couple of coats of glue.

Step 4 - Start to stick your pieces down.  Every time you add a piece cover in glue (don't go too made though or it will buckle the paper)

Step 5 - Cover the side with paper.  As you can see I have overlapped the paper so that all the edges will be covered.

Step 6 - when you encounter corners my top tip is to place your piece so that the edge of a piece sticks right up to the point like this image.  You don't want to have too much paper to fold over so this way you will get a neat fold.

Step 7 - turn your block around and start to work on the next face.  Here you can see the edges from the side I just completed hanging over.

Apply glue and stick the edge pieces down first.

Step 8 - cover this side and then work your way around the cube.  Don't do the top or bottom yet.

Step 9 - I used the metal candle cup as a stand for my holder to dry.  This will also stop the papers curling underneath and sticking where we don't want it before we are ready.

Step 10 - Once the sides are dry start to stick the top edges down and then add pieces to cover.  It doesn't matter if you aren't too neat around the hole as this will be covered by the cup. 

Step 11 - Place your candle cup in place.  This will also protect the top while you work on the bottom. (you may need to bash it a bit ( something large and flat so you don't get dents in the cup.  this one fitted in quite easily but the butterfly ones in a previous post didn't so needed persuasion!)

Step 12 - When working on the bottom I made sure that I didn't cover the warning label.  I did consider trying to remove it and then put it on after but was worried it would tear.  I also considered covering it completely but thought Warnings should be left to be read so I papered around it!

Lastly just let it dry completely before using! 

I do have a few Deco Mache supplies in stock if anyone is interested.I don't have much in stock but I can get hold of some lovely papers and blanks to decorate, please don't hesitate to ask if there is anything you would like.  Click here for a link to what I currently have in stock.

Well I hope that you have a wonderful Wednesday!

xxx