Tuesday, August 24, 2010

How Cool is a footstool ... ?

Work colleague came to me today with a photo of this beauty!

A tiny footstool (is only about 30 cms tall) that she saw at a recent design fayre, and is a bit obsessed by it! :D

She has been searching for similar faux fur so she can make one of her own. hehe!

So, with my mad ebay skills at hand, I have helped her find material very similar to what she needs, so i think that she will be able to continue now with her little project :D

I'm already looking forward to seeing the outcome :)
x

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Sunny Weekend :)

Hello from Sunny Stuttgart!


It’s such a lovely sunny weekend. The sun has arrived just in time for another long weekend! *yay!* I am not back in work until Tuesday! Oh how I love living in Germany – the month of May really does rock!

Yesterday, Joe and I headed down into Stuttgart, because we had nothing better to do and we didn’t want to waste any sunshine so we went round the Saturday flea market, I was hoping to find some supplies, old vintage beads or something to give me a bit of inspirado and creative juice. Amongst the rubbish that some stalls were selling, I came across a stall that sold anything to do with old watches, faces, perspex covers, straps, hands, cogs and other fittings – so how could I refuse to get something to turn into steampunk?

I have not yet ventured much into steam punk, I do not know why – because I love the style and finding vintage elements that fit in so well with it make it so alluring.

So – for a few euros I bought these …


Hundreds of watch hands! They are so thin, such thin metal pieces, which if strung together may only make up maximum a couple of inches in length. Joe found the fact that I had bought these very amusing, he’s never heard of steampunk, and I did not really want to venture in to explaining it to him. I just told him, that anything with a hole is a bead … and to me, these are unusual beads! (He started casually shaking his head at this point, bewildered at the functioning of my creative brain) but I’ll prove it to him… as soon as I can think of something to do with them!

You got any ideas for them?

x

PS: see this link for the end result ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/smitten-kitten-de/4687747773/

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Inspired by ...

"Glammed if you do, glammed if you don't"

Which is a fabulous blog that i have enjoyed reading for a while now!
Her feminine fresh style selects such wonderful clothes and style for anyone to drool over, and her blog has been the only fashion blog that I have got in to and been inspired by. Check it Out - Click Here

Earlier this week she put up a fantastic handbag ... where i cooed over the style and soft colours, and then daydreamed about a necklace to match! Well, that was it - I was then on a mission!!!
I got very frustrated when I had none of the right beads that i needed (which is surprising, because I have so many!) But it was a good excuse reason to go to the bead shop!

Unfortunately I could not find the exact colour of ribbon, so i opted for something close to the mark and came up with this!


I would say that it is about 95% exact to what i had initially daydreamed about when I saw the handbag, so definately a successful project! (I hate it when I dream about something, then fail to make it come to life)

 So, what do you think?
Would it look good with the handbag?

It is already for sale in my DaWanda Shop ... CLICK HERE

x

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

How to make beaded beads - FREE TUTORIAL!

Yesterday was really a non-eventful day.

Monday Blues ...
Grey skies …

but I have been on no planes! *woop! woop!*

It was so quiet in the Stuttgart office today – my boss is in America for the week, and all the Business managers are in the UK for sales training. It was also kind of nice it being so quiet – it means that I can just keep my head down and get on with it. I was hoping not to have to return to Hungary for another 4 weeks or so, but I was asked to travel next week to train our new designer. She has worked with us before, but so many things has happened since she left; new team, new products, new location … so I have been asked (very nicely) if I would go with her and introduce her to the R&D team. No problemo!

I was happy to put my name down for a bookmark swap today, I wonder who I will get as my partner ... hmm … I have so many lovely beads, and loadsa ideas already whirring round in my brain so I’m sure I’ll be able to make something nice!

Last evening, also – not much happening! I made sweet thai chicken wraps for Joe and I for dinner and I have stared at my beads … yes … stared at them! *oh the Monday blues also affect the mojo!*

So, rather than feeling a failure on the creative side – I applied myself to write up the beaded bead tutorial for you all. My goodness – it really is hard work isn’t it?! God knows how you all write beading instructions! I got in such a twaddle with it from the word go! I had major brain farts!

If you were all sat round the table with me, it would be so much easier to explain …

So, with my apologies – here are the instructions!
You’d probably be better just looking at the pictures!! :p *lol*
*** ***

You need per bead:
• 6mm Pearl rounds – x4
• 4mm Crystal Bicones – x8
• Seedies
In complementing colours

You can substitute the main beads for different sizes – as long as there is a maximum of 2mm in size difference between the round beads and bicones, they will sit well together.


You start building the bead by using Right Angle Weave
(double thread stringing method)

1: 30cms of string should suffice! String the first pearl bead, taking it to the centre of the thread – and making sure both ends of the line is of the same length.

2: Continue by adding 1 bicone on each end of the string,

3: Add on another pearl bead and cross both lines through.

4: Continue by adding 1 bicone on each end of the string,

5: Add on another pearl bead and cross both lines through.

6: Again adding 1 bicone on each end of the string,

7: Add on another pearl bead and cross both lines through.

8: Finally the last 2 bicones

9: Once complete – string the strings back through bead #1 and pull tight. (Ensure that the sting on the right side, enters bead #1 from the right side, and that the string on the left side enters bead #1 from the left side – otherwise you will get a tangled string.)



1: When the bead is now bunched together, you start to see the base of the bead. Now it is time to embellish it with seedies. The quantity of seed beads does depend on the size of seed beads that you want to use (I personally try to keep tm as small as possible) and it also depends on what size you have used for your main pearl beads.

String on each side seed beads so when they meet together, they meet in the middle of the big pearl beads comfortably.

2: When they meet in the middle, you use 1 bead to thread both strings through (see red bead) and you work your way out again to the next pearl bead so it forms an “X” and then the ends thread through the next main bead. Repeat another 3 times around the bead!

See, now you have it!

What I do to finish off, I then use the remaining strings to thread through the bicones once again, with half-hich knots inbetween. Then once finished, cut it short with a dab of glue!!

If you make any - would love to see them! Send me the link of your photos!
Thanks!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Beadweaving ... still such a hurdle for me

Hello from Sunny Stuttgart!
Today so far has been nice and relaxing. Joe and I went into Stuttgart city centre for nothing in particular, so I felt it was a good reason to go into my local bead shop! Hee hee!

After saying yesterday, that my beaded beads are as far as my beadweaving skills go, it came to mind that I actually have not pushed myself for even trying to get better at beadweaving. ::) I am soOoOo impatient, and love to have things finished in an afternoon.

My impatience for beadweaving also comes from when I was first trying to create something – and I was trying to make things with bad quality non-uniform seedies. Of course I would get frustrated using these! So I turned my back on beadweaving quite quickly after I half-attempted it!

I made a stand at the bead shop … I bought some Nymo, and some Delicas … and a proper beadin needle (can you believe that I didn’t have one before today? That is probably another reason why I tried and failed at beadweaving previously) ::)

Where does inspiration come from?

Last night for me it crept up from “Homes and Gardens” magazine. A lovely feature called small scale geometrics with subtle colours.


Hmmm … pretty!
This one inspired me most …

Oooh … what to do .. .what to do … love the colours … love the shapes … how to be inspired without blatantly copying? I picked the parts that I loved the most, the colours and the petal-like shapes… Flowers then seemed obvious to me.

So, today I chose my delica colours based on the inspirado, and I weaved a flower design from a dusty book that has been on my bookcase for a long time.


Then sewed then together to make earrings


Don’t look too close – there are mistakes! But all in all, not too bad of an attempt at beadweaving. It definitely helps with the right thread, the right beads and a beading needle! Can’t believe I had been trying without the important, right quality materials!

Love to all
x

♥ Beaded Beads ♥

My favourite beading forum ...

is making a beaded bead necklace for charity, and those who wish to participate have been asked to make some beaded beads. So, naturally I put my name down - and created these very pink beaded beads! Hope you like them.

some of the members on beadbuddies have asked how they are made - so I am considering to make a quick tutorial. Would you also be interested?

Enjoy your weekend
Nicola
x

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Artist of the Month on Bead Buddies!

Hey Everyone ... Guess what? Well, the title says it all ... I have been asked to be Artist of the Month on my favourite Beading Forum BEAD BUDDIES well, what an honour! I'm actually really chuffed! If you haven't heard of this fantastic beading forum, and if you are a bead / jewellery making addict like myself ... then consider this a calling! Get your bum on there :)

For the Month of May I will be doing a daily blog about the ins and outs of life and what i have been doing ... hope to see you there too!

x

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

♥ Bubbles & Bows ♥ Necklace ♥


Today I received some hollow transparent beads from the USA :)

I was so happy once they had arrived - I was waiting for them for 3 weeks! My goodness, 3 weeks for a bead addict is a LONG time to wait for beadies! *i think i need help!*

So - at work I had opened 6 of them ... and then stroked them all afternoon like they were stressballs! They were bouncing on my desk at intervals (and i did get a few looks from my male colleagues who obviously didn't understand the excitement) ... and before the men complained or got in any comments - i had to put them away and wait until i got home. Which, tonight - I left right on time - no way was I going to wait any longer to play with these! It's been 3 weeks for goodness sake! ... *lol* by now you are probably realising how crazy i am ...

So, i got home - ripped open the rest of the packages ( i had ordered 24 of these wonders ... and as you can see - i only needed 6)

I had hammered sterling silver rings ordered and arrived weeks ago for this project (sterling silver rings are from Dragonfly Lynn - contact me for details) and the ribbon had also gone through an extensive selection process at the craft store the other weekend once i had realised that the real silk hand dyed ribbon ordered from Sowzere hadn't quite fitted for the bows. Shame ... they are such beautiful ribbons from Sowzere ... but this time, just not meant for this project.

My patience was well deserved, because since i have been dreaming about this design since the beads were on order - meant that i made the necklace first time without hitch. I knew exactly where the beads were going to be, that i was going to do bows, and what the plan was for the findings! In total ... a successful project :)

One that I am quite happy with!
Hope you like it too!

x

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Seeing Spots?!



Seeing Spots ... ... I am!!!!

Got these sweet and adorable lampwork beads today - I just HAD to make cute little earrings with them!
♥ Spotty Green Lampwork ♥ Sterling Earrings ♥

have also made in Purple, orange and blue :)
Check out my flickr profile for pictures!

x

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The Calm before the Storm ...

Hi Everyone! I hoep that you are all well.
Well, i suppose you wonder why i have entitled todays post as "The Calm before the Storm" ...
It is because this weekend has been lovely, calm and relaxing (and full of beading... and ice creams!) and starting next weekend, for 3 weekends we have visitors! I am sure it's going to feel a bit like a hotel for a while starting Friday.

This weekend I have made a sterling silver and freshwater pearl cascade necklace, it is a faux-lariat, and I have now listed it in my DaWanda shop.

I have only recently been beading with freshwater pearls, and the more I do, the more i like them! They are so classic, and pearls will forever be in style - whether it be just a pair of earrings or if they embellish other jewellery - they will forever come back round. Sure i hope you like it! :)




Tuesday, April 6, 2010

My "GlamPunk" DaWanda Pinboard

My "Glam Punk" DaWanda Pinboard - Click here to see.



Well, I spent a part of this evening looking for Glam Punk accesories and clothes for inspirado, I had an idea in my head for some bracelets - and the closest style i could think of was "Glam Punk" Is it such a thing? We've all heard of Steam Punk ... but Glam Punk is also there, just in the background. So, as a result of the pinboard - I created 2 bracelets.
 
 


I have also now added the black bracelet onto the Pinboard too :) Just to see if it matches *lolz*

I think it does!


The Black bracelet has real Onyx beads, sterling silver and thai silver beads - and black ribbon roses. I made these little roses myself, I still need to get better at them!
The Pink one is just the same - but with Candy pink cats eye beads and more ribbon roses!
 
Hope you like them :)
x

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Easter Creativity :)

Happy Easter Folks :)
I've not blogged for over a week *tut tut!*
Well, i've been a busy gal - I finally got my car! Which makes me very happy! Last weekend we drove all the way to Duesseldorf to see him (yes, OK - the car is a 'he' and his name is Stevie ... yes, i'm a crazy person, yes, I name my cars ... ) and on Wednesday Joe collected him for me, and now I am zooming around the place having such good fun. I'm kinda obsessed with the car at the moment! I'm also a little bit chuffed because he has 'part-leather' seats, and the leather is made by the company I work for! ... If you wanna see pictures ... click on the "Smitten Kitten Gallery" at the top of my blog ... this will take you to my Flickr album, and I have some pictures of the car in there!


So this easter weekend so far for me has been very relaxing. On friday we went for a drive, and we went to see our friends Claire & Pascal ... and their recent addition Luis ... absolutely adorable, and I had to keep the broodyness to myself! *lolz* and yesterday we had a wander round Stuttgart, then when we came back I played and created with beads ... and today ... well it is 11.15 and i am still in my pj's ... I can safely say - it's gonna be another relaxing day!


So - to beadies ...
well, being all lovely and relaxed has helped me chill out and create some new earrings. I don't know what it is at the moment - but I love making them! Here are a few pictures of my favourites :)
These earrings needed no more than the beads ... the beads are so detailed with wonderful flowers, that I named them "forget-me-not" as I think not many people will forget that they have seen these! The beads are handmade by the very talented Dora Schubert!
 
And some more sterling silver earrings with freshwater pearls :)
I think i might make some of these for me!
 
I'll be back again in the week :)
Have a fantastic Easter Sunday
 
xxx

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Craft Juice Tuesday - "Proud to be British"


Today I have decided to join the "Craft Juice Tuesday" Team, and on Tuesdays will start to post inspirational products featured on www.craftjuice.com that other crafty folks have made.
I am kick starting my frist posts with products that are not just appealing to look at, but also something with a personal connection... "Proud to be British"


This ... I Photobucket


My first car was an Austin Mini ...
and I soOoOoOo would have loved to have had the Union Jack on it!
I am also a big fan of the Union Jack, I actually think it is rather stylish!
I think I got more proud to be British when I moved away to Germany. *strange for some maybe?* I realised that nationality is a label, a stereotype, and it was only when i moved to Germany, I truly understood what it was to be proud to be a Brit!
If you are interested in purchasing any of these items that are featured - just scoot your way over to www.craftjuice.com and search "union jack"


I love the fact that it can be recognised in ANY colour scheme - it is truly an iconic emblem.
So, that's it for my "Craft Juice Tuesday" post!
I hope you like what I have featured!
Until Next time ... byeeee!
x

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Springtime inspiration :)

I am so happy that spring has arrived - I don't even care about the springtime showers ... +10 and upwards is so refreshing (albeit not that warm!). I have been really bored of the long winter, and I have been aching to see more sunshine, and now that it finally has ... it does feel like a weight has been lifted!


With this, has brought some inspirado! *woop!*


But before I get to what I have made this week, regarding the earrings featured (and sold) last week - I got a lovely response from the customer, which was so sweet!


I love it when a customer emails me to say how much they liked what they have bought, gives me this warm and gooey feeling inside - and honestly I think that added to my urge for making more things this week. It does also remind me that when I buy other handmade things from other arty fellows, that i should also send them a thankyou email!


I was really lucky again to have another sale this week ...


Sterling Silver with hammered sterling silver rings (from DragonflyLynne) and semi precious turquoise!


Pretty for the summer Photobucket
 
I have decided to make some more turquoise earrings which are now also in my dawanda shop!

I have been making so many earrings recently, just massaging the mojo ... so at least I am feeling productive whilst my mojo went somewhere warm for the winter! But now the sun is BACK ... I have been making loads! Here's just a few to feast your eyes on!




If you wanna see all, check out my flickr album of my dawanda shop!
They're all featured and ready for sale! Photobucket

I also made a sterling silver, swaro, and cats eye bracelet this week. (which i am tempted to keep myself!) I have used mocha brown, sterling silver spacer beads and components with scrumptious swarovski blues ... which is not a colour combo i use often, but it's turned out very well and very funky! I am thinking of making some more in the near future in other colour combos. I'll be sure to show you!
Please let me know what you think!



So - other than beading - life is also pretty good!
I have not yet found a car (so i'm still without wheels) But luckily for me, I have had the use of the company cars so I'm happy to be patient until the right one comes along. I have decided that I will be buying a Fiesta ST, and with my requirements narrowed down, it usually means that there are only 15 cars in the whole of Germany that are suitable (and some of those are too expensive or have too many miles on the clock) So ... I must be patient, the right one will come along soon.

The week ahead takes me to Szolnok, Hungary ... again! Lots of work to do - so i'll be having a productive week... and on Friday we have another appointment with a bank about a mortgage, our broker has found us a possible mortgage and now the bank want to have a meeting with us, so things are looking up there - let's hope they offer us a reasonable rate! It's gonna be a dream to build our own house!
So guys and gals, off to watch tv in bed! Have a happy week, and I'll post again soon.
Nicola
x

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Another Day ... another dollar ...

OMG ... I have just consumed the biggest chunk of garlic EVER ... how dare they try and disguise it in a potato patty, as if anyone wouldn't realise *lol* well - i'm gonna have to fish out the rest, even though i love the stuff, you gotta have limits!

Tonight I am in Szolnok, Hungary ... which is a place i visit often with work. So currently I am sat in my hotel room, eating dinner - most colleagues that were travelling aswell this week went home today - so I'm the only one left here for the rest of the week. Which gives me great opportunity to play on t'internet, watch shockingly shite tv, and eat my dinner and relax. I'm sure it sounds quite nice to you? Travelling with work - staying in hotels, eating restaurant food ... well, sometimes it is - but like anything - the novelty wears off, especially when you are constantly returning back to the same places! But ... You work hard for a reason ... another day, another dollar.

That's enough about work ... *lol* to more interesting stuff ...
I have been roped to help organise a party to go to the Stuttgarter Frühlingsfest ... I did it a few years back with a group of 72 people from all over europe ... but this year it's just a bit smaller, everyone is adding themselves onto the reservation. So tomorrow I must add on 10 peeps ... and on the 1st May - we'll all be there in a big tent getting drunk and dancing on tables. *yay!* It's always good fun!

Other news ... well, car got sold today ... Joe was a sweetie and did all administrative duties since I am away with work. He met the guy - guy tried getting 150 off - Joe stayed at the price ... I no long have a car, and am a few thousand richer! (a few more euros this time ... heheheh!)

Many fond memories of that car! Little Edward II, British Racing Green, BMW Mini, complete with England sticker and "UK" on the numberplate ... a perfect car for an English gal living abroad. We've had a fun 3 years together, he sure was a trooper! Sorry to see him go, but excited now as I am off CAR SHOPPING!!!! *WoopWoop!* Sure it is stressful, but it is so fun!

No creativity flowing today unfortunately ... creativity is crushed with work, like normal. But I am happy to report a SALE from my dawanda shop!



2 pairs of sterling earrings - scrumptious indeedy!


I sure hope that the customer will like them!

So, for another day - I will love you and leave you. Be safe and I hope to post some new creations very soon!


Nic
x

Friday, March 5, 2010

Eh? What's happened here then ... ?!

Oops ... I seem to have gone and opened a blog ... !!!

I can blame a few friends for planting the idea in my head, and of course - I am an avid follower of many blogs myself ... and once being told that i was "behind the times" Photobucket (yes, she who has 5 computers) I thought that I had better catch up quick smart! Photobucket

My blog will be about not just things that I make to go on http://www.smittenkitten.de/ but also I think that I will include day to day happenings out of my life (not all of the boring stuff - don't you worry!) Photobucket I travel with work quite alot - (but you probably won't hear too much about that - as that can be boring) and hopefully this year, it will be a year of change - as yesterday I have had someone offer to buy my car ... so you'll hear about me finding a new one ... and if all goes really well, then it looks like that this could be the year that we BUILD a house! ... yes, not just buy, but build it too! Photobucket
So, stick around and stick to me if you are a curious nellie! I would really appreciate some followers so then i am not just talking to myself! Photobucket
Lots of Love
Nicola
x