They're multiplying!

So put your hand up if you've ever thought of an idea and just run with it only to have that idea completely crash and burn. Yeah me too. Well since I set up the page FattyCrafterTales and have opened a shop on Etsy I'm sad to say I have become much more cautious. I would blame age but then I would have to admit that I have aged and of course I haven't, not since I hit 25.

By the by, when I have my ideas I try now to actually think about them which is what leads me to this sorry little picture.

I had decided to extend the quilled paper range onto candles - look at me sounding all posh with my 'range' - but I also realised that paper and heat forms two elements of the fire triangle so could essentially catch fire. Not good: the flames are supposed to be pretty not terrifying. Also I didn't know how PVA stood under heat. So I sacrificed some quilled paper and attached them to a tea light. As you can see the papers stayed on the casing and as I am writing this you can deduce it didn't end in a house fire and lots of trauma. It did end with me cleaning lots as I had to wait the two hours it took the candle to burn. Grrr, I knew there was more than one reason I don't like candles.

After I knew it was safe I set about turning this:

(Lots of shredded paper)

Into this:

Those tiny coils take ages but I am thrilled to discover cotton buds are great glue applicators. Not in the least because I'm a messy crafter as well as a fatty crafter and I don't always clean up after myself and I do regularly have to throw brushes away because they are too hard with glue to use again.

Then it was just about sitting watching a film (Magdalen Sisters to be precise) while I applied the glue and coils to plain candles.

Firstly we have a rainbow candle:

And I promise you I am sick of the song - I won't be making anything more in a rainbow style for quite a while let me tell you. Then when I was feeling brave I used bigger coils to be a little bit more arty:

I have left the bottom bit empty although I did think about green to represent land but instead I thought it looked really nice with the blue and white.

At this point my film finished and I had run out of inspiration and coiled up papers - they take a while to make. So I put the little family together.

These will be going in my Etsy shop this week of I don't get any interest on Facebook or here. Hope you like them and if you can think of any more patterns I would love to hear from you.

Toodles x

The art of quilling

Well hello all, have you missed me?

Today I am turning my attention to the very therapeutic art of quilling. This tale starts not so long ago and in a fairly nearby location with two extraordinarily beautiful women who had decided to get together to do some craft. Being one of those women I'm happy to share with you what was made. 

Our theme was 'rainbow' anything could be made but by the end of it rainbow had to have been incorporated. While on a trip to a seaside resort I frequented a charity shop. Those of you that know me already know that I'm a bit advocate of the charity shop especially for craft items and this trip was no less successful than the many other trips I have made. I found my base. A thin cylinder that I imagine could be used for drinking out of, holding flowers or just storing your dreams. I then got all my quilling papers together and toddled off to the other beautiful lady of this story's house.

With our supplies at the ready: 

We made a start. The day was spent chatting and drinking tea- perfection and pretty soon things started to happen with the receptical: 

More tea and chatting and more than likely at least one wee break lead to: 

But before I knew it the world was put to rights and time had evaporated so my bag of papers and I returned home. Now I'm always at risk of not finishing projects - mostly because I lose motivation but the other beautiful lady of this story wanted results so I pressed on. 

And before I knew it, my project was completed.

Many of you will know that I make things to sell at www.facebook.com/fattycraftertales (shameless plug) but with this I could never sell it. Although the paper and the jar were quite cheap the time it took was phenomenal. 

I'm usually one for perfect lines and symmetry which in this project went straight put of the window so by the end of it I embraces the merging of the colours. I think it looks better for it. What do you think?

Quilling

Just a quick blog to get through some of the pictures stored up on my phone.
I mentioned to you lovely folks before my discovery of quilling. Well, I've uped my game after getting a quilling board with my favourite magazine - Crafts Beautiful. I love this craft. It's quick, simple and very effective. I'm still trying to work out the right ratio of glue to paper so that you can't see the shiny effect pva leaves on card so tips are welcome but I'm enjoying it just the same. So much so I've invited a few lovelies to my home this weekend to give a quilling party to make valentine's day cards. They don't know what they are doing yet so don't tell them. I'm luring them in with the promise of cake. Let me know what you think, of the quilling not the deception.