Friday, December 28, 2012

From Construction to Demolition in just 3 days

With the hustle and bustle of Christmas behind us I can now share the Hillam Gingerbread House with you. 2010 was the first year we made our own gingerbread house and we were pretty pleased with our efforts. But we learned a valuable lesson that first year: gingerbread and humidity don't go well together and if you construct your house too early, it WILL sag! So with that lesson learned, our Gingerbread house is now a last minute Christmas Crafting project which we start just a day or two before Christmas. This year our kit came from Woolworths. We didn't use the decorations or icing that came in the kit, preferring to visit Tom's Confectionery Warehouse for all the lollies we needed to make it a sweet treat that no bought gingerbread house can compare to. It was a rather small house, more like a cottage than a house so the decorating was a little less extravagant than our last couple of efforts but we still managed to pack a lot onto that little frame. So he...
Friday, December 21, 2012

Christmas Angel Earrings DIY - It's a Magical Project for the Holidays

December rocks, right?  It's all about gearing up for Christmas, getting that perfect gift, hanging with family and friends, maybe belting out a few Christmas tunes.  But amidst all the fun, let's not forget the real reason behind our Christmas celebrations: the birth of Jesus. To honour that sacred moment, I've whipped up a tutorial for some heavenly Angel-inspired earrings . Let's sprinkle a little divine magic into our holiday hustle as well! Let's get into this stunning project. But first, you'll need to know how to make your own triangle jump rings. If this is your first time making triangle jump rings, see how to do that in  this tutorial . Here's what you'll need to make your own pair of Heavenly Host earrings: Gold aluminium mesh fabric 2 23x26mm Silver Angel Charm 2 smokey black star crystals with top drilled hole Beadalon 22 Gauge Hematite Artistic Wire 26 Gauge Gold Wire fine silver chain 2 silver earring wires 6 x 4mm silv...
Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Jingle Bell Wreath Earrings

When we think of Christmas jewellery, we usually reach for the classic colours of red, green, silver, and gold.  But why not take it up a notch and introduce a hint of black into the mix?  Not surprisingly, it works really well with silver elements, like the charming silver bell accent in these wreath-inspired holiday earrings. This design is all about adding a touch of drama while staying in tune with the festive spirit. And here's the kicker: ribbon might just be the unexpected secret weapon in jewellery-making! Who would've guessed? It's a game-changer when it comes to adding that extra flair and texture to your jewellery, taking it to a whole new level of style and creativity. To make these holiday wreath earring, here's what you'll need: 16 x 8mm silver beads 2 matte black Bead Landing bow charms 2 antiqued silver bell charms  (these are similar to what I used) 26g silver wire 6mm wide red satin ribbon 2 x 6mm silver jump rings 2 silver earring ...
Monday, December 17, 2012

Simple Wire Wrapping for Beginners - Wrapped and Bejewelled Holiday Earrings

Have you tried wire-wrapping before? It looks really complicated, right? Well, it doesn't have to be.  I'm going to show you how simple it can be when you use these cool Artistic Wire Wrappers frames. First off, they're a total game-changer when you're into wire crafts... they save you so much time, it's crazy.  You know those annoying moments when the wire just won't stay put? Well, these wrappers have neat notches that stop the wire from slipping around the frame.  Plus, they're all shiny and silver-plated, giving your creations that extra touch of bling.  Trust me, these little gadgets are a wire artist's best friend. Take a look at the project below and you'll see what I mean! To make these earrings you'll need: 2 silver Artistic Wire circle Wrappers 26g silver Artistic Wire 2 smokey black crystal stars with top hole 6 x 4mm Light Siam crystal bicones 6 x 4mm silver crystal bicones 2 silver holly charms 2 silver striped c...