What's On Your Workbench Wednesday (WOYWW)

It's Wednesday again and here I am playing in What's On Your Workbench Wednesday or WOYWW. That means it's time to blog surf around the World and have a peak at what art others are doing on their desks, benches, laps and even floors LOL. If you want to find out about this or join in go to Julia's blog here

On my own desk as usual there is a mix of paper crafts and hand made jewellery. On Tuesdays I share an old paper crafts tip or technique so often that project is still on my desk Wednesday as is the case this week. I did complete my etched copper puffy steampunk heart which I'll put an image of in this post too. Now I am slowly creating a few other necklaces...my right shoulder, hip and knee are still causing pain so that is why I said "slowly". So here are some shots of the desk....

"The Aviators Assistant" etched, puffy, steampunk heart necklace.

At rear left on my desk are some cards. I was looking for something yesterday to make a star card and decided to try a Christmas themed one. Instructions for the star card are below this post here. While looking I came across some other past Christmas cards and pulled them out. I'm hoping they inspire me to get making some early for this year before I need to pack up my art supplies for our ? move in coming months to north Queensland. I think the fairy one in the middle is what I shall settle with as I can stamp and colour her in while watching Tv in short spurts so as not to hurt my right shoulder.

This is what is on the middle of my desk

At the right on my desk is an etched house shaped necklace almost finished and my steampunk flying bicycle that now just needs a chain attached.

My 2 fur babies have snuck into the art room again. Scoot is sound asleep on my chair and naughty Minty has scampered up onto the spare bed aaarrrggg!

Big news for me in that my eldest daughter and her fiance are to become parents in January! We are all excited and this will be our first grandchild. Finally a baby to cuddle and give back LOL. Off to suss out some desks :o). Then I want to see if I can find out how to make a shop button for my blog...html is weird looking and I am not sure I'll work that one out but I'll try!!

hugs

Annette In Oz

Star Card How Too For Tipnique Tuesday

Wow time is flying by and Tuesday is here again. Time to share a Tuesday Tip or Technique and this week it's a star card. These are very easy to do and as usual my sample is simple too. I'm starting to think about Christmas cards so mine ended up as a Christmas card in July :o). The star opens to an inner area and you can write a message on the back or where my Christmas tree is.

                                 WHAT YOU NEED

• 30cm square piece of paper. If you use a regular sheet of 12x12 inch scrap paper you will need to trim it or leave it as is and work in inches instead. You can make these smaller or larger if you want.
• Ruler, pencil, rubber, bone folder and craft mat.
• Stamps and images or embellishments of your choice.

                                HOW TOO

1) Use ruler and pencil (I'll use a black marker so you can see what I am doing) and mark a dot at the half way point on the edge at top. (So at 15cms  if using 30cm square or 6 inches if using 12 inch square). Move ruler down a bit and make another dot at the half way point again. Then draw a soft line between the two dots

2) Measure from each corner at bottom and mark a line from here to the line you made at the 30cm point where it crosses the line and use ruler and craft knife and cut out the triangle. (This will make a triangle with 30cms on each side if you used the 30cm square or 12inches on each side if you used the 12 inch square). If you are using paper that is coloured on one side have the coloured side down when you start doing the next step.

3) Mark a dot at the half way point on all sides with a ruler and pencil and raw a soft line. Use bone folder and ruler and score along all marked lines.

4) Now mark a dot with pencil that is 1/6th the length of a side measurement either side the points at the central edge of each side. Draw a soft line between these dots. My sides are 30cm so one sixth of this is 5cm and I marked a dot to the left and right at 5cms from the half way points as per diagram below. If you used 12 inches it would be 2 inches from each marked half way point. Use bone folder and ruler and score along these lines. RUB out all pencil dots and lines.

5) TURN the triangle over and fold the first fold in and run bone folder along the folded edge. Repeat on all three sides.

6) TURN paper over and fold the second fold in and run bone folder along the folded edge. Repeat on all three sides. Turn paper over.

7) Start folding in the sides. When you get to the last side put one edge under an already folded side as per second picture below and now you have a star card ready to decorate..

There are many Youtube videos on how to do this so I wont make my own. Here is one of those videos by Bella Mio if you prefer to watch someone doing a technique.

                          
Specialist appointment today at last and hopefully he can give me something to reduce the never ending pain in my right side joints...I'm cursing that my right side is my dominant side at the moment that is for sure!
hugs
Annette In Oz

Steampunk puffy heart necklace-The Aviators Apprentice

Here are some better shots of my steampunk puffy heart necklace. I've called the one "The Aviators Apprentice". The cogs do move. Little tiny LED's (no they don't come on but I have ideas to make them do that one day). It has a faux old watch key is soldered in place at the top and a tiny brass key hole filled with ice resin and tiny watch cogs. At the bottom hangs a Swarovski crystal, a word washer and an old tin type photo of a man.

There are a couple of necklaces to share soon too. Then I'll pop them in my shop :)
hugs
Annette In Oz xxx

Whats On Your Workbench Wednesday (WOYWW)

Firstly sorry I couldn't get to all who left me a message the last time I played in WOYWW. I'm having pain issues on the right side and I am right handed so typing is a wee bit painful let alone arting but I do get little bits done in short spurts. I'm hoping the lovey specialist I see next week will help me get some relief. Last week I had visitors and no time to join in WOYWW then either but here I am this week at last. If you are wondering what WOYWW is all about pop over to Julia's blog here and join in or read about it. This week on my desk its still all cluttered but some projects are slowly coming together including another steam punk puffy heart necklace!! At the back left is a origami folded heart and tutorial plus video to how to do that is below this post here. I forgot to open the curtains before taking photos so the card is a bit dark so I'll add it below

At the back right are some cute nautical miniature brass items I hope to use on my jewellery. Here they are closer

                                                          

The necklace at top left below I will dismantle to use the rings as bezels.

Steam punk heart...needs a chain and few small watch cogs added. I'll take better shots of it when its fully completed, It will eventually be for sale in my new on line shop Annette's Art Alchemy!.

A whimsical flying bicycle I am toying with.

Off to have a look at others work benches around the World myself for WOYWW!
hugs
Annette In Oz

Folded Heart How Too / Tipnique Tuesday

As I'm having some joint pain issues I've been leaning toward past tips or techniques that don't require too much effort of my right shoulder as it is with this weeks technique which is how to make a folded heart. Even though it's easy to do and takes less then a few minutes to make the folded heart looks beautiful in the end. I've used these hearts on Valentine's day cards, Mother's Day cards and birthday cards for my hubby.

                                                WHAT YOU NEED

• Light weight paper such as 80gm stock where the length is twice as long as the height at the side. Mine was 10cm high by 20cm long. It's the same whether you use inches or centimeters.
• Ruler, bone folder, awl or pointed object, pencil, glue or double sided tape and a craft mat.

                                                 HOW TOO

1) If you are using paper that is coloured on one side only place the paper so coloured side is down or underneath when you start folding.  Have the paper in the landscape position and measure and mark a light dot at the half way point at the top and bottom. This was at 10cms for my paper.

2) Fold the top left point down to meet the middle marked dot at bottom and then the top right down the same way to make a triangle. Run the bone folder along the folded edges

 3) Open it out again and TURN IT AROUND (not over) and repeat the last step.

4) Unfold and TURN IT OVER and then fold each side into the centre and run bone folder along the folded edges.

5) Unfold and TURN IT OVER AGAIN. Gently fold it in from each side to make a diamond shape. Run bone folder along all folded edges.

6) Fold each point to the side. Press all folded edges with the bone folder again

This is how it should look now

7) Now open and squash fold each point to make a square shape in the middle. I used an awl to assist opening mine.

Run the bone folder over all folded edges.

8) Fold each side of the squares to make a kite shape with the base of the kite pointing at the centre

9) Use the awl to open each of the kite 8 folds and fold squash the top part flat. Run bone folder along all new folds.

10) Have the paper in a diamond shape like above and TURN IT OVER. Bring the top section down as per below and fold the left and right sides in a little. Run bone folder along all new folds. Apply glue or tape under each and adhere them all down. Turn it to the front and you have a folded heart ready to be used on a card.

I have done a video as well for those that like to watch instructions instead. I'm sorry the paper I used sounds so noisy in the video :o)

hugs
Annette In Oz