I finished a… thing

Tags

abstract art, bead, freeform beading, handmade, mixed media, polymer clay

A few years ago I made a Bead Habitat. You may have noticed that all the pictures are fairly tightly cropped. This is because I hadn’t finished the edges.

I had intended to frame it as a picture to go on the wall, but my mother objected, saying that it was too tactile for that and needed to be explored closely rather than hung from a wall. After that it got buried under all the debris on my beading table.

As part of my recent tidying, I came across it again, and decided to finish it. I’ve done a bead edging and a backing fabric to hide my workings. I had to try really hard not to embellish the back too!

I’m not entirely sure what it is. It’s a kind of sculptural, 3D painting, abstract, mini landscape, ornament… thing. It’s purely decorative and quite small, so I’m thinking of it as “coffee table jewellery”.

It’s a mixed media piece including some of my polymer clay beads and components, silk covered wire, embroidery and glass beads on fabric.

Let me know what you think it is. Sometimes feel that I don’t make these things, I’m just there when it happens. 🙂

Happy Easter

Tags

earrings, handmade, jewellery, necklace, polymer clay

It’s unlikely I’ll be making an egg this year, however I have changed my window display to some happy yellows. (Please excuse the fuzzy photo and clunky editing.)

I have just listed this jewellery in my online shop, some of the earrings haven’t been available online before now.

Happy Easter!

Proddy Rug

Tags

handmade, proddy, rag rug, recycling, rug

It’s been a while since my last blog, so here’s a look at my current project. It’s a proddy rag rug. Inspired by hours looking at the rugs in Craftworkshop, I decided to give this a try since I have a lot of scrap fabric.

Rag rug in progress

Of course I didn’t actually look at any tutorials, I just looked at the rugs in the shop and guessed how they were done. I’m using scraps of fleece fabric and a knitting needle for the prodding. I’m not using a frame, but perhaps I should be, since it’s curling a bit on the back. I suspect my scraps are a bit densely packed too, but I think it will be ok since there is a recess at my front door which I am making this to fit into. I’ll just jam it in and stomp it flat when I’m done.

Back of rug

I’m doing an abstract design, just planning it as I go. It’s like a very slow motion doodle and is strangely addictive. Often I find it helps keep me interested if I don’t plan things out too fully. It’s also satisfying finding a way to recycle my scraps of fabric.

If you’d like to see a pro making one, here’s a nice video:

And this pdf tutorial even gives instructions for making the tools you will need.

Update: Here’s a more recent photograph with further progress on my rug.

Green Man Mask

Tags

green man, handmade, mask, paper mache, polymer clay

My husband’s Christmas party this year was a masquerade ball so he asked me to make a mask for him. We decided on something inspired by the Green Man.

Green Man mask by Cate van Alphen

The base of the mask is paper mache (I used layers of gum tape) with a final decorative layer of my mono printed papers torn into little pieces. The leaves and acorns are polymer clay and there is a foil backed glass gem in the center. I also sprinkled in a few acrylic flat backs for some Christmas bling.

It was a fun project. I’m tempted to make some more masks although I’m not quite sure what to do with the finished products since I find masks pretty creepy.

Going, going…

Tags

British Red Cross, earrings, handmade, jewellery, necklace

Here’s a reminder that my auction to benefit the British Red Cross will be ending tomorrow, Sunday 9th July. The British Red Cross assist people in crisis. Their current appeals include assistance for the people left bereaved, injured and homeless in the Grenfell Tower disaster and those involved in the recent UK terror attacks as well as people suffering from conflicts around the world.

Please have a look at everything available and remember that the proceeds will be going to a good cause. The bids start at only 1 penny so you may get lucky and win a (practically) freebie.

Necklace restring

Tags

handmade, macrame, necklace, polymer clay

A few years ago I gave my sister a necklace. At the time I was experimenting with silk ribbon. Unfortunately, although the colour matched fantastically well there were some structural issues. Firstly the beads were able to slip over the knots intended to separate them, secondly the larks head knot securing the pendant kept sliding to the back and flipping the pendant, and finally three years later the silk was not aging well.

Before – beads strung on silk ribbon.

Therefore I have just restrung it on some fine nylon cords. The colour is not as pretty as the jade ribbon, but I have included some macrame knots at the pendant which will hopefully ensure that it sits better.

After – beads on nylon cord with macrame bail.

Necklace by Cate van Alphen

If you are interested, there is a free tutorial here on my blog where I make this polymer clay pendant.

Art Charm Exchange

Tags

beads of courage, charm, frog prince, handmade, polymer clay

I am excited to finally reveal the charms I made for Jen Cameron’s Art Charm Exchange. The theme this year was Fairytales. My charms were inspired by the story of the Frog Prince.

On one side there is a simple little frog on a lily pad, but on the other side…

…there are hidden gems. The shining nuggets represent the princess’s bauble and also the more valuable prince concealed within the frog.

In the story, the princess was only interested in getting her bauble back and made promises that she had no intention of keeping. But by completing her obligation, however reluctantly, she was rewarded (if we assume that marrying a prince is a reward). Perhaps if she had been less focussed on her bauble it would have occurred to her that there is more to a talking frog than meets the eye. If so she may have acted in a more princessly way.

Remember that you shouldn’t let the pursuit of baubles blind you to the wondrous things that you already have (like perhaps a talking frog).

I made the charms from polymer clay and small glass nuggets. I sculpted every frog (and leaf) by hand so they are each unique.

And teeny tiny!

I’m really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has made.

Alenka Obid
Andrea Glick
Angelique Gentry
Brooke Bock
Caroline Dewison
Cassi Paslick
Catherine van Alphen
Charlene Jacka
Helena Hatten
Jen Cameron
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Kathy Lindemer
Leona Smith
Lesley Watt
Lori Anderson
Marianne Baxter
Melissa Trudinger
Michelle McCarthy
Patty Miller
Shai Williams
Sheila Prosterman
Susan Kennedy
Terri Del Signore
Vanessa Gilkes

If you would like to have a charm for yourself, check out the auction (which will be starting soon) where your bids will help raise money for Beads of Courage.

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It’s Sheeptember

Tags

black and white, craft, handmade, jewellery, Op Art, polymer clay, sheep, sheepfest

I have been working hard on making some new sheepy items for Sedbergh Sheepfest on 17th and 18th September. This year I decided to stick to a palette of black and white. Here’s a sample of what I made:

Wonky sheep cube necklace by Cate van Alphen

Sheep earrings by Cate van Alphen

White sheep earrings by Cate van Alphen

I also made a few pairs of earrings using the cross stitch sheep cane I made previously.

Cross stitch sheep earrings by Cate van Alphen

Of course working in black and white, I couldn’t resist making a few Op Art inspired pairs of earrings.

Op Art earrings by Cate van Alphen

And an obligitory kaleidoscope cane.

Kaleidoscope cane bracelet by Cate van Alphen

These, and more, are now available at the Craftworkshop in Sedbergh. And if you are in the area on the 16th and 17th, the festival is good fun too.

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Crochet Earrings

Tags

crochet, earrings, handmade

Things have been a bit hectic with the school holidays, so I’ve been a bit quiet on my blog. I haven’t had a chance to make anything in polymer clay but I have been experimenting with crochet. I found some beautifully fine yarn that changes colour along the length so I made some tiny granny squares for earrings.

I left the squares for the first earrings soft, so I’m testing them to see how floppy or distorted they get when worn.

The next crochet squares are on wire frames so I was able to tweak the shape a little and make them slightly shorter and wider.

I used a smaller granny square and added a scalloped edge to the last pair. They look quite tidy from the back too.

Art Charm Exchange

Tags

art bead, Art Charm Swap, handmade

I’m really excited that Jen Cameron is doing another Art Charm Exchange this year. This year’s theme is “Fairytale”. I’ve already signed up :). Here’s what I made last time.

Phoenix Art Charms by Cate van Alphen

Sign ups are open till the 9th May if you’d like to join in too. In exchange for making 11 charms (and paying for postage) you receive 10 charms back from the other participants. The 11th charm goes to auction to raise money for Beads of Courage. So it’s all for a good cause really – not at all because you get a stash of goodies back ;).