Tuesday 18 November 2014

It's mainly a knotty tale...

Hi everybody, it's a chilly November day, here in north Kent, I shall get my thermals out soon I think! 
I'm resisting as long as I can ...once they come out I practically live in them until the summer starts... not the most fetching of looks LOL ~ I have given in to the aching joints a bit, and I've fished my old padded knee supports out of storage! 
I've been struggling to get my little Etsy shop up and running, because of the fibro/ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), so it's with much relief that I tell you it's now open! WOOP WOOP :)
I've still got some more items to add on, but there are a good few pieces listed & ready to post/ship.
                                 
This pic is one of my Facebook cover photo's, the mask is in the shop (with its own special decorative box) and a galleon will be on there very soon.
I've finally made my first beaded wire wrap/shawl pin... I'm so pleased with it! 
Now, you've got to understand that this was another learning curve, a lot of trial and error and a real struggle because of my hands ...but I did it AND I've designed a second one, a dragonfly.  I've made the main structure & hope to start beading it in the next day or two.


Why do I love it? am I blowing my own trumpet? not a bit of it! 
I mainly love designing, making and finishing something because I'm just so enthusiastic about creating something new; seeing it materialise and finding out if the design works or not. It's really the design process I love, the solving of any design problems etc that gives me the 'feel good factor'. 
Now I know my little creations can't be compared to the likes of a potter or a jewellery maker, for example...  their skill sets and materials are so different. 
My crafts are really more akin to cottage crafts, but never the less I am proud of what I do.
I've designed these pins so that the actual pin is an integral part of the design. In my research I found that many of the designs had a pin that could be added anywhere, to fix the garment together, so an owl pin may have the pin itself going through the side of the owl... not very owl like :)
My second design is a dragonfly, I've made the wire frame, selected my beads (from my very limited stash), now all I have to do is do the beading. If these two designs get a good response I shall invest in some better tools and materials. 

        

The owl pin coordinates with the wrap and has little pearl like beads, wire wrapped, onto the main wire shape. I've also made the pin its own packaging. I've recycled a chocolate box with wallpaper and silver cord, it's finished of with a plaited decorative fisherman's knot .

         

When I was a little girl we used to visit my gran' s brother. My great uncle George had been a merchant seaman and he was accomplished in many areas. One of the things he made were ships in bottles. I recall him showing me a huge book, all about fisherman's knots... with alluring names like 'Turk's head' and 'Monkey's fist'. His ship's bottles were always beautifully finished of with a decorative knotted closure. I also remember the fresh water well in their garden. It had a huge rope knot, instead of a handle, on it's hatch... it was a Monkey's Fist!
I've had a fascination with decorative knots for as long as I can remember, it just goes to show how a childhood experience can colour your adult life.

 
Turk's Head
Monkey's Fist
Well folks, that's about all I have for the moment... I need to get motivated, so it's back to 'Dream it, Make it, Love it' to add some more of my goodies. Pay me a visit, why don't you... you may find that little Christmas present you've been looking for. 
www.etsy.com/shop/DreamItMakeItLoveIt

Until next time bloggers, take care x.

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