Wicked TUTORIALS

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Boho Series: Hanging Birds Decor

Gettin' sick of winter- 

I'm getting ready for warmer weather (a little early but this is California after all) and enjoying spring and summer time requires a little prep work on my end..literally ;) 

So I am beginning a series of decor and jewelry that fits my devotion to color and the bohemian style.....I saw some tiny hanging birds at Cost Plus but I wanted larger birds to hang in my house not just on the doorknob but as decoration. So, I designed something a little larger that fit the supplies I had on hand....

 

 

 

I dug into my

stash for scraps 

to create the 

color scheme

for my Boho-

styled theme

for the coming 

spring!     

 

Here's a quick play-by-play of the action:

 

I drew a quick sketch of

a bird and a wing to fit...

 

 

 

 

 Then, using it as a 

pattern, I cut 6 birds (with

fabric on fold and right 

sides together). 

I then cut 2 wings for each bird from contrasting 

colored fabrics and, using fusible web, fused the 

wings to both sides of the bird. Then with 

right sides together, I sewed the birds together 

leaving the raw edges out and trimmed them with 

pinking shears.

 

Now for the stringing...

   I braided the

end of my cord 

and tied it to 

make

a loop for hanging. 

Next, I tied a decorative

ribbon on to sandwich

the bird between (just

for looks). 

 

Threading my needle

with my cord, I ran it 

from top to bottom of 

the center of the bird, 

then tied another ribbon.  

Between each bird, I added 6 inches of wooden colored beads and 

small bells of different sorts until I came to my last bird. I

added a few more bells and ribbons, then tied it to keep 

everything together and in place to add the cowbell to the

bottom.....

 I could only find the

cowbells in tan, so I 

painted them over 

with gold antique 

accent paint after a white 

coat as a base. 

 

(the paint smoothed out

after it dried, so they 

looked better in the end)

:) 

Tying it all together and securing the cowbell with the 

cord and ribbon to hide the cord...I ended up with 

this:

Finally done....

....and it receives Dexter's approval..whew!!!

 

Till next time,

Wicked jypsi 

 

 

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Terrarium Time (#2) Mini-Tutorial

Hi All!!
With the weather being so rainy and wet, I have spent much of my time indoors with my "little" gardens.  I have been able, through trial and error, to perfect the terrarium blend of ingredients for succulents and some of the other leaf-bearing plants. But as they always say, you never stop learning:)            

       
 HERE IS HOW TO DO IT:


The layers begin ( from the bottom up):              
                                    
1. Charcoal ( just enough to cover the bottom) -can be found in aquarium aisle-

2. A piece of plastic mesh cut  to fit comfortably in the container (or any netted
      material. 

3. Small rocks to lay evenly atop the plastic mesh (this will also keep it in place)

4. Potting soil and root of plant together so the plant sits well and secure in the
      container

5. A top layer of crushed shells or small rocks (or both) create a nice contrast between
     the soil and the leaves of your beautiful plant!!

Here are a few others:
                                           

My favorite little pot- I couldn't resist!!

                                                         

                                                
                                                                           Enjoy !
         
  Till next time,     
               wicked jypsi
                                             
                                                       

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Custom-Made Macrame Knotting Board for jewelrymaking

I have become a Macrame addict this year!! 

After these past six months, I've gotten tired of the cardboard and binder clip setup. So, I designed and made (with my own little handsies :) a custom Knotting Board to fit the needed dimensions for my Macrame designs.

Here is a mini-tutorial of the process:

Supplies:   

* 1/2" -1" thick wooden board (wood type of your choosing)
* 2 large round wooden balls with a flat side and screw holes
* 1 piece of sticky-back felt (color to match paint choice )
* 1 drawer pull (to be used to tie on to hold knotting cords-
drawer pull comes with needed screw)
* 2 long flat-head screws
* Decor supplies:  (see pic below)

Gesso or white paint, crackle medium (optional) masking tape, etc.

Instructions:                  

** After cutting and sanding the board, drill holes in wood and attach knobs to top/underside of the board board with the two flat-headed screws.

** Apply the stick-backed felt to the bottom, end and bottom-backside of
board (trim to fit).

** Paint board and knobs with chosen colors (use masking tape to protect
the top of the felt piece),  then seal with triple-coat sealer.

** Again, drill necessary hole and attached drawer pull to top/front of board.


Following are images of the finished process:

The top / front of the board. The felt piece along the bottom and folded on to the backside will stop the board from sliding on the surface it sits on.

The two knobs on the bottom will prop the board up at an angle when sitting on a table.

This board can be repaired if needed very easily and will last a long time!!

Hope this helps in your jewelry-making endeavors.

ENJOY!!

wickedjypsi