Welcome to the land of Shiny


The home of exuberant amateurism.

Sunday 26 August 2012

Opus Gluei Challenge #138. The Rock Diet.

Ever found yourself caught between a rock and a hard place?
When was the last time you tried the latest crazy diet that didn't work?
Well Two Barrettes definitely wishes she read the small print because she really wasn't expecting this on day 4 of her new diet.

Click on her rocks to make them bigger (snigger).



The Opus Gluei Challenge this fortnight is called "Me and my camera" and you are to use a photo in your project.
The challenge was set by the lovely Electra who makes absolutely gorgeous digital and hand papercrafted Scrap Book Pages and mixed media art.

Well I can tell you that this challenge nearly made me give up the glue. Boo Hoo.
I never use photo's or do scrap booking, it does not appeal to me at all to make it myself, and I tried all week to come up with something scrapbooky with a photo I took of a pebble sculpture years ago in Ilfracoombe harbour.
But I could not manage anything AT ALL.

In the end I gave up and cut out the pebble sculpture and made a person out of it, so I have used part of a photo I took after all - hooray!
The arms didn't look very arm like, so a made a handbag to try and give you a clue that hey, these really are arms, honest.
Hmm.

Happy Creating with Bournville Old Jamaica Rum and Raisin dark chocolate, my favourite yum! So much nicer than rocks...
Gini
xx

Wednesday 15 August 2012

In the Pink Challenge #1. Anything Goes

A new fortnightly challenge blog has started called In The Pink that is co hosted by a dear friend Sylvia .
The themes of the challenges will change fortnightly but the projects are always to be predominantly pink in colour.
I'm sure the blog will be a big success for Christine whose idea it is and she is the creator of the blog and Sylvia.

I recently bought myself some Octopode rubber stamps and this card uses one of the chicks. Isn't she adorable???
I love circles so came up with this layout that I'm really pleased with.
The papers are Bo Bunny double dot and the Spellbinders Edgebilities die is the Classic Bracket one.
Click on it to make it bigger.


Happy creating!
Gini
xx

Monday 13 August 2012

Little knitted Dresses

Opus Gluei Challenge #137. Red Hot. 

Oh My Goodness haven't the Olympic Games in London been spectacular and completely RED HOT with absolutely amazing daily athletic feats.
I'm so proud to be British right now because the British crowds in London and at every other Olympic venue around England supported every single athlete competing through all their triumphs and tears, I'm still totally fizzing with it all!

I loved it all but I adore adore ADORE the team synchronized swimming event the best, Britain swam a wonderful Peter Pan but the Spanish team totally blew me away with their fabulous Ocean routine, their dazzling mirrored silver costumes were spectacular in the water and made their performance truly breath taking.

Oh my, the shiny shiny costumes of the swimmers are incredible in their own right and are only beaten by the rhythmic gymnastic costumes which are even more sumptuous!
Here is a link to some fab photos of the swimming costumes
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2186619/London-2012-Synchronised-swimmers-bring-beauty-pool-compete-Olympic-title.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

So as I sat and watched the athletics I knitted little dresses suitable for cards and mixed media which I admit are woefully poor as a tribute to the amazing and marvellous costumes of those two Olympic Events but anyway here is my red hot shiny dress in celebration.
It's 3 1/4 inches tall and I've plans for a canvas celebrating the games but can't decide yet how big to do it and how many dresses to use.


The knitting pattern I created can be knitted easily in any needle sizes ranging from
UK 3 3/4mm to UK 5mm using double knitting weight yarn.
Fancy yarns work just as well in this needle size range.
If you are using fancy yarn remember to keep your tension loose.
Dress lengths vary from 2 inches to 3+ inches depending on needle size.
They take about 10 minutes to knit.

Here are a couple of examples of sizes using double knitting yarn, click on the photo to enlarge it.



The Knitting Pattern is for personal use only and commercial use is not allowed.

Little Knitted Dress Pattern using garter stitch.

Cast on 12 sts.
Knit 5 rows in garter stitch.
K2tog at each end of next row (leaves 10 sts)
Knit 1 row
K2tog at each end of next row (leaves 8 sts)
Knit 1 row
K2tog at each end of next row (leaves 6 sts)
Knit 4 rows
Cast on 5 sts and knit to end
Cast on 5 sts and knit to end
Knit 1 row
K5, K2tog, K2tog, K2tog, K5
Knit 1 row
Cast off.



Happy creating!
Gini
xx