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Saturday, February 16, 2013

Happy New Year! 2013 Year of the Snake….

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Well Happy New Year peeps! All you Slytherin types will be pleased to know that 2013 is the Year of the Snake,  and this year, the colour of the Snake is Black and the type of snake is the water snake. Black is the colour of Space, Arctic night, darkness on the Abyss, this is a colour of deep waters. The Black Snake will bring people unexpected changes, instability, and changeability. That is why it is important in the year of the Snake to plan everything beforehand, and evaluate adequately before taking any actions. You need to be more careful and cautious, especially where finances are concerned. I guess in this continuing recession, these are things for us all to remember. 

Anyhow, things have been busy here in Middle England. (Yep, I went to see the Hobbit and have been truly inspired!!) We had a few weeks of snow on and off, so we’ve not been out and about as much as we liked. Jack has been on a few pack walks which he has thoroughly enjoyed, and he started dog classes, passed his basic training and is now onto the bigger boys class. He’s in a very barky phase at the moment – he wants to bark and everything! Can’t wait for that phase to pass!

 

And then we had Ofsted which is a major panic and sort of dominated life there for a week or so. But there has been crafting going on. When I look at the pictures I realise that it quite dance dominated though!

Ok, so one of the things on my ‘learn to do’ list was a Turkish vest, so I created a vest and pantaloons in this lovely cranberry colour. I need to create a fastening on the vest though – I haven’t quite found the perfect fastening. The vest is all lined, and trimmed with black lace.

I came across this lovely toran (Indian door hanging) and just knew that it would make a perfect tribal belt, so I attached tassels, cowrie shells, beads and Turkman buttons. It’s a little bit wide though and gapes at the top, so I need to figure out a way of tapering it at the top a bit; maybe with a small strip of elastic..?

I’ve also been making my own bindis which tribal dancers wear on their foreheads – sort of a chakra third eye thing…

Anyway, someone has offered to sell my bindis on her souk (tribal stall), so I’m just getting my supplies together to make some up.

This is something I quite proud of…this started out as a pair of curtain tie backs and an Indian patchwork cushion. Jack took rather a liking to the patchwork and spent many illicit hours plucking the patches off – I found them hidden in his bed from time to time. I gathered then all up and sewed them to a backing cloth, then I embroidered the patches and added lots of beads and jewels.

Then I sewed them onto the tie backs, added a couple of rings at the front, and some sari silk cord as decorative tassels at the side.

I also added some gold chain swags to the back part of the belt which drapes nicely.

If you remember, my sister got married in October and after failing to find the perfect hair accessory, I made my own using some organza and a vintage brooch which had belonged to my grandmother.

So this kinda inspired me to explore flower brooches which I’ve been making for gifts. I’m thinking about added them to my eBay shop stock…

I’ve been on quite an accessories kick recently. I’ve made a few necklaces recently which I really like…

A lovely chunky pendant teamed with lapis lazuli chips and carnelian beads…

A vintage pendant found at a car boot sale teamed with hematite and amethyst chips…

Red jasper pendant with red Indian glass beads, vintage silver beads and hematite chips….

And an octopus pendant teamed with a chain and tassel from a watch pendent which Jack broke!

On the yarny front, I’ve been on a sock kick – socks are so portable which makes them easy to take to craft club

 

And I’ll leave you today with my Valentines card to M…

The text hearts were made from a book that Jack destroyed on one of his naughty rampages…

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