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Sunday, December 6, 2009

Weekend Arts & Crafts

I'm still hooked on little crafts projects inspired by beautiful creations found on Etsy. Making my own things and this time of year also remind me of my early teens when I didn't have enough money to buy everyone in the family a Christmas gift, so I made them myself; I used to decorate glass with special paints, embroidered little pictures, made jewellery boxes of papier-mache and even made my own wrapping paper! Most of these handmade gifts were far from perfect, but I remember being so proud and happy to have something to give!

Anyway, I moved from beading to sewing this weekend and made this zipper rose brooch today.


I saw one of those on Etsy and decided to make my own. I don't know what method was used to make it originally, but mine is not very complicated and anyone could do it. All you need to make one is a 40 cm zipper with silver rim (I don't know how to call those silver thingies, in Polish I'd say a zipper has 'little teeth'... how's that in English?), a matching color thread, a needle, a brooch pin and some spare time, of course.

This is how it looks from the back...


You can pin it anywhere you like, I think it would look fabulous on a handbag or scarf as well. The flower is quite flexible and the shape of it can be changed to suit the purpose. This navy blue one looks great with darker jeans and a bright top, as in this photo:


Still on the subject of sewing, yesterday I decided to pimp my beloved iPod. I carry my music everywhere with me, often in a purse full of clatter, so I thought I could make a cozy pouch for it so that it won't get any more scratches than it already has.


I'm not entirely happy with how it turned out, but I like the contrast between red flannel lining inside and polka dot cotton fabric outside. You can't really see the proportions of it in those photos, but the pouch is so dainty!


How have you spent your weekend? xxx

12 comments:

  1. I love the brooch! You're very crafty! xxx

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  2. I love the brooch! You just make your own etsy store!! xx

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  3. @loveaudrey: Thanks, sweetie :) xxx

    @Pyxiee: Thank you, hun, but I think the credits should go to the person who came up with the idea first, I'm just reproducing! xxx

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  4. there you go again! what a great job :) i think both items are super cute, and the zipper rose reminds me of the front of that Tarte palette which is out right now...i think it nearly looks identical!

    Btw, I just purchased something from an etsy seller today, during our parish's advent bazaar...i'll probably do an etsy post this week when my ornament comes in :)

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  5. @Ane: Wow, I haven't had a look at the palette, but it sounds like something right up my alley!

    I'm really looking forward to your Etsy post! xxx

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  6. That broach is so creative and pretty! I used to do crafts all the time and seeing this makes me want to dig out all my supplies and have at it!

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  7. @emily: When I was a teenager I also did some crafts all the time, but now, with work, studies and what not, I lacked some inspiration... Etsy is such a great place to find creative incentives to have a go at some crafts projects again!

    Thanks for following, hun :) xxx

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  8. Hey lady,
    So exciting you are coming to Toronto! Niagara Falls is cool and nearby there is Niagara-on-the-Lake which is a really pretty town (good shopping!) with lots of wineries.
    In Toronto I'd suggest the CN Tower, shopping on Queen St. West, and Bloor & Bay area, the Royal Ontario Museum. The Art Gallery of Ontario currently has a King Tut exhibit which might still be on in January.
    Email me if you have any other questions!

    Michelle

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  9. @Michelle: Thanks so much, hun! We'd definitely try to make the most of our 2 day stay in Toronto , your tips helped me a lot in choosing what to see! Niagara-on-the-Lake sounds really nice :) xxx

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  10. Hi Rocaille,

    This is the first time I'm commenting on your lovely blog, so hello!

    I like the zipper rose you made very much and am thinking that it would be a nice little gift for my aunt for xmas... how exactly do you make it? Do you just fold it into the shape you like and then sew it together? Aaah, I'm sorry, I'm really bad at manual things, I always need instructions as though I were from the stone age (then again, stoner agers were no doubt a lot craftier than me).

    Oh, I don't know what the inside of the zipper is called in English either, but in French it's also "teeth" :)

    Bises,
    Nadine

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  11. Hello Nadine, thanks for dropping me a line! :)

    I made mine by little bits, so first I sewed one end very tightly to make sort of a base to have something to attach the brooch pin to. Then I went around the base with the zipper at an ascending angle, creating something a bit like a cone, and then created a 'petal' by sort of pinching some loose material together and sewing both ends together at the base. Then it's best to sew a little hole created, and then you just repeat the process until you reach the end of your zipper. You can sort of see it in the photo of the back of my rose.

    I hope that helped, I guess I'm not very good at explaining it... If you have some more questions, just email me, I could send you some more photos to illustrate what I mean.

    Ah, les petits dents, bien sur... ;)

    Bisous, cherie :) xxx

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  12. Thank you Monika!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I'm going to try it and let you know how it turns out.

    xBisousx

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