Anthro Sloan Square Knockoff Shoes

Keeping with my theme of posting the projects I've been doing from my ideas folder... Here's the shoes I made using Rachel's tutorial over at Bubbly Nature Creations. She had me at shoes, but to throw in the word Anthro and a chance to use my sewing machine I had to make them! These beauties have been named 'Sand & Sea shoes' by Rachel but Anthro call them Sloan Square shoes which sounds a bit dull for their price tag really.

Had to make mine a pair of proper heels, as I can't wear those flat ballet pumps or kitten heels as they cause me such pain after a couple hours. Before making these I never knew modpodge was so damn versatile so thanks for teaching me that Rachel!

I'll be posting the necklace and top to wear these lovelies with in the coming week so keep your eyes peeled for that too :)

Featured Over At Undeserving Grace

Forget to mention yesterday that I was featured over at Undeserving Grace as part of Tara's 'Inspire before you expire campaign'.

Every wednesday she features projects to inspire you to do and try new things, so go have a look and become inspired!

Anthro Potentilla Necklace Knockoff

Here's another Anthro Knockoff that's been sitting in my ideas folder for a while. This time it's the Anthro Potentilla Necklace from Bev @ Flamingo Toes, here's the tutorial. Ok so I know it's from last years Anthro necklace week but I've been a little slow in the process of keeping up with the tutorials.

Just to be a little different I decided to do mine as two tone so it went with more of my wardrobe :)

Anthro Inspired Snipped And Saved Posts

Finally getting round to posting some of my projects I've made from my ideas folder on my laptop... So here's the Anthro Snipped & Saved Posts I made from Beckie's tutorial over at Infarrantly Creative.

Here's my slightly more colourful than the original version...

Love them, just need a chance to wear them now :)

Featured over at Craftionary

Today Hani is featuring me over on her blog Craftionary, with my Anthro Power of 3 tutorial and some snippets of other projects of mine.

So go check out Hani's blog and have a look around!

Butterfly Brooch

So just in case you missed my tutorial over at Keeping It Simple the other week..

I thought I'd do a little tutorial for you all to get you in the mood for spring with a bit of bling on a butterfly brooch.

You'll need:

• 10 x 6mm pearls
• 13 x 4mm pearls
• 12 inches of lace
• 21 eyepins
• 2 headpins
• 12 inches of ribbon
• an embellishment (butterfly or whatever you fancy)
• badge pin
• small circle of felt
• bling gems
• glue

So here we go...

1. Take 1 of each colour pearl and thread onto a headpin and form a loop at the other end. These will be the end of your pearl chains.

2.Take an eyepin, thread on a pearl and form a loop at the other end, repeat for the remaining 20 pearls.

3. Start linking up the pearls to form a chain.

4. Keep linking till you have a chain of each colour pearl.

5.Tie a knot in the end of the thread and thread it through one end of the flat edge of the lace.

6. Throw a loose running stitch along the flat edge of the lace but don't cut the loose thread.

7. Pull the thread so that the lace gathers into a flower shape, tie a knot at the end.

8. Throw a loose stitch down the raw edges of the lace to hold the sides of the flower together.

9. Stitch the felt circle to the back of the lace flower shape.

10. Fold the ribbon in half and stitch to the centre of the felt circle.

11. Stitch the butterfly at an angle slightly off centre onto the front of the brooch.

12. Stitch the jumpring holding the 2 chains of bearls onto the lower edge of the felt circle.

13. Stitch (or glue if you'd prefer) the badge pin onto the felt circle just above the ribbons.And here's the finished product!

Here's a little close up so you can see the little bling gems I stuck on Well thanks for having me Kaysi!

Mothers Day

Mothers day in this house doesn't mean making one card, I make my mum one, one for his mum and one for his stepmum.. I normally run out of ideas on the first one but thankfully a stack of bright papers and my bigshot inspired me this year :)

He just needs to pick who gets which card now lol!

I love the delicate corner pieces that my bigshot cuts, perhaps the cheapest but best die I've bought! The Pennyblack elephant stamp is still one of my long term favourites, gets used so often as it's so versatile and fun to use.

I've used blooms on both images as just colouring them in left the card looking a bit flat and dull so hopefully these just lift it that little bit.

A card for my mum, totally in love with the brightly coloured paper so had to make the whole card blend with it. Ran the letters through my bigshot (of course) just to give the card a little depth and detail.

As always mum found a pair of earrings somewhere, took a photo and sent it to me saying 'I'd love these in purple' so here we go, mums purple mothers day present earrings that I made for her.
I'm entering these as my entry for the Crafty Creations Challenge 'Mothers Day'.

Denim Apron

Ok so this has been sat part done and pinned up for a couple weeks now ever since Rachel posted her tutorial for it over at Bubbly Nature Creations. My poor old sewing machine couldn't handle it and keeled over permanently after sewing one side of the neck strap on so I had to wait till I got my exam over with and a replacement sewing machine was located... So thanks to Sandra at work for selling me the sewing machine that's sat brand new and unused in her house for a year...

Here's my version of rachel's apron tutorial using yet another piece of denim from my pair of dead jeans..

I've used a bit more of the brown fabric from the old top that did my fabric flower headband the other week for the flowers and ruffles. The flowers just cover up my stitching for the neck strap and add a little interest to the top of the apron. The ribbon was actually what tied my dressing gown into a bundle when I bought it, knew it would have a purpose one day lol.

I thought after the flowers I was finished but the pocket just looked a bit dull, so I cut one of the ruffly straps off the old top and hot glued it on as by time I decided to add it I'd already stuck the pocket on so couldn't sew it on.

I'm so impressed with this little apron and even more impressed that the project was such a success seeing as it's my first ever sewing machine project (even if it's taken 2 machines to get it completed!)

Anthro Contrasting Beauty Knockoff Tutorial

Just in case you didn't see this tutorial when I guest posted it over at A Glimpse Inside last week I thought I'd share it here too...

So I know I keep saying I will stop making jewellery but I just couldn't resist having a go at making this anthro beauty.. it's called Contrasting Beauty and for the horrifying price tag it's £268!

This photo shows the anthro version next to my version for comparison... If you want to have a go then you'll need:

• Pliers
• Wire cutters
• Beading wire
• Silver clasp
• 8 x 6mm pearlescent beads
• 85 x 6mm pearls
• 14 x glass rectangle beads
• 85 x 4mm black bicone beads
• 2 silver crimp beads

So now to start making the necklace....

1. Cut 3 lengths of beading wire: 36 inches long, 34 inches long and 27 inches long.

2. Thread the 3 lengths of beading wire through a crimp bead, through the heart clasp loop and back through the crimp bead. 3. Crimp the crimp bead with the pliers.

4. Thread the first black bicone bead onto all three lengths of beading wire, feed the loose ends through the bead to secure them. 5. Keep threading black bicone beads on till there are 50 beads on the threads. 6. Take the 2 longest lengths and thread 5 pearls onto them. 7. Take the longest strand and thread the 8 pearlescent beads onto it. 8. Take the mid length of wire and thread 9 pearls on. 9. Take the mid and long lengths of wire and thread 4 pearls on. 10. Take the long length and thread the 14 rectangle beads on. 11.Take the mid length and thread on 21 pearls.

12. Take the mid and long length and thread on 14 pearls. This is how the necklace should be shaping up by now.... 13. Take the short length and thread on 39 pearls. 14. Take all 3 lengths of wire and thread the remaining 35 black bicone beads. 15. Thread a crimp bead onto the 3 wire lengths, pass through the clasp bar attachment loop.

16. Thread the wire back throught the crimp bead and crimp with pliers. 17. Trim the excess wire down and thread through the closest bead to secure it.

Now the necklace is finished and I hope you love it as much as I do... and it cost me nothing as I had all this stashed away in my craft room :) I used a heart clasp on it just to make it my own rather than a total replica piece

Featured Over At Pinkapotamus

Just a quick flying visit today as I'm revising for an exam tomorrow... So today I'm being featured over at Pinkapotamus with a tutorial, as Amie is recovering from her surgery.

I'm sharing the tutorial for the Love sign I made for valentines day so swing by and check it out! And of course wish Amie better soon

Featured Over At Keeping It Simple

So I'm off blogging somewhere else again today.. this time it's over on Kaysi's blog Keeping It Simple

I'm sharing another tutorial and this one's a great get ready for spring accessory... a butterfly brooch.. so come check it out!