November 29, 2012

A Greeting Card with a New York Napkin Design

 This blank card is decorated with card and paper from the color bar series and then decorated with a napkin design and self-adhesive rhinestone half-pearls. Decorated triangular card matchboxes are used as table decorations.

1. Apply glue with a glue stick to the light grey piece of card and place the napkin design on top. Then smooth gently from the middle and outwards. Trim the design when the the glue has dried.

2. Glue together the various pieces of card and paper and attach these to the greeting card using self-adhesive double-sided tape. Finally attach the napkin design.

3. Write the following text on the light grey piece of card: Invitation.

4. Trim the piece of grey card and attach it to the greeting card with 3D foam pads.

5. Decorate with self-adhesive rhinestone half-pearls. Print out the text for the invitation and attach this inside the actual invitation – or alternatively write it by hand on the black card using a white gel pen.

6. Table decorations: attach double-sided foil tape all the way around a small triangular card matchbox.

7. Cut a piece of paper to size and attach this onto the double-sided foil tape.

8. Menu card: Cut a piece of grey card measuring 28 x 9cm. Score it in the middle using a bone folder or a blunt needle and fold it in the middle. Attach card, paper and decorations using the same procedure as when making the greeting card/invitation.

November 28, 2012

A Colourful Ring with Buttons

Buttons on Cotton Cord Glued onto a Ring.

1. Thread buttons onto a piece of cotton cord.

2. Tie a couple of knots.

3. Cut off the excess cord.

4. Apply mounting glue to the back of the bottom button and attach it to the ring.

Jewellery School - A Bead Caddy Spinner

When threading numerous mini beads onto a beading wire, a bead caddy spinner is a useful and quick tool. Insert a beading wire through the end of a beading needle, spin the bead caddy spinner by turning the lever in the middle and the needle will fill with beads automatically.

1. Cut a piece of beading wire measuring approx. 70cm. Squeeze the beading wire flat at the end so that it can easily go through the eye of the needle.

2. Fill the bead caddy spinner with rocaille beads (preferably lots).

3. Insert the needle into the spinning beads in the opposite direction of the spin.

4. Turn the lever in the middle with your left hand clockwise and hold the needle as shown with the hook to the left and the needle will automatically fill with beads.

5. Push the beads from the needle onto the wire. If a bead is stuck on the needle or wire, crush it with flatnose pliers.

Christmas Decorations you can make yourself: Weaving Paper Strips


1. Weave a base using 8 x 8 paper strips. For a basket measuring 11 x 11 cm use the wide paper strips.

2. Glue as shown in the photo and cut off excess strips.

3. Fold along the two outer layers of all four lengths.

4. Punch holes with a fiskars eyelet setter in all four corners as shown in the photo.

5. Set eyelets.

6. The basket gets its shape by gathering all the corners with organza ribbon.

November 22, 2012

The Robots’ Universe

These are lifelike robots made from cardboard boxes, plastic pots, flexible cord and modeled with silk clay. They are decorated with craft paint and beads.

1. Make a hole in two plastic tubs for the feet. Then make holes in the box for the arms and legs.

2. Make the legs from flexible cord with self-hardening clay feet.

3. Then attach the arms and the legs onto the body of the robot (the cardboard box) with a glue gun.

4. Make the head and other loose parts in silk clay.

5. Glue on the head using the glue gun.

6. Paint the robot with craft paint. Give it two coats to give it a great finish.

7. Finally decorate the robot with beads and rings with a silver finish.

8. The finished robot.

Robot variants
Of course you can make your own robot, just as you want.

The possibilities are endless.

November 21, 2012

A Tea Light Candle Holder

The candle holder is painted with craft paint. The decorative border is cut from a sheet of design paper and glued along the edge with decoupage lacquer.

1. Paint the candle holder with off white craft paint.

2. Lightly sand the candle holder and you may apply another coat of paint.

3. Cut out a decorative patterned strip of design paper.

4. Glue the strips along the edges of the candle holder using decoupage lacquer.

5. Paint the tips of the pine cones to be used for decoration.

Tea Light Candle Holders from Metallic Foil Card

Metallic foil card is cut out from the template and bent up to make flower-like petals.

Attached file: Template (282 kB)

Cairo Masks

These beautiful masks are inspired by the gold Egypt. They are painted with art metal gold paint.

The Egyptian Mask Tradition
We are familiar with the Egyptian burial mask decoration from the 3-4000 year old sarcophagi found in the Valley of the Kings, where wood, gold and the semiprecious stones Lazulis, turquoise etc. were used. Masks and headdresses were used as part of the religious rituals of the time, symbolising the many gods of the old Egypt. We have taken inspiration from the ancient Egyptians and tried to achieve a simple and stylish look, which is characteristic of the ancient Egyptian masks.

1. Paint the mask with one or two coats of art metal gold paint. Then let the mask dry.

2. Paint stripes with the blue colours.

3. Draw black patterns with craft paint in plastic refill bottles.

4. Also use the plastic refill bottle for making dots.