Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Girlie Girl Bows

Moobie Grace has informed me that she has grown out of "humoring me" with matchy-match clothes, and hair bows...although, I have to say it was a fun, albeit girlie 8 years for me!!  I had the following instructions on an old blog of mine...just thought I'd share again.
 
 
HAIR BOWS 101
 
 
Materials:
 
2 Coordinating colors of 5/8" or 7/8" grossgrain ribbon.
 
1 coordinating 3/8" ribbon.
 
Scissors.
 
Hot glue gun & glue sticks.
 
Small hair elastic.
 
Embellishments for center (optional).
 
Hair clip (see below hints/tips for online resources for supplies).
 
Lighter.
 
Tape measure.
 
Marker/pen.
 
 

*Please pay no attention to my paint/clay filled fingernails, and the less than stellar photography (hard to take amazing pictures with my non dominant hand)



1.  Using 5/8" ribbon of your choice, measure to 2" and mark ribbon.  This will become one of the bows tails.
2. For a MEDIUM BOW:  Without cutting ribbon, from 2" tail mark measure 2 1/2" inches and mark on ribbon.  Repeat 3 more times, so that you have a total of 4 2 1/2" segments marked on your ribbon.  Then measure and mark another 2" segment...this will become the other tail of your bow.  Cut ribbon at last mark.
For LARGE BOW (age 4 - up) measure 3 1/2" segments.

Holding one end of the ribbon, fold in half.

Make a "v" cut.

This is what it should look like when you unfold it.  Repeat at other end.

To seal the edges so that they don't fray, run each ribbon end through a lighter.  Don't let it sit there, or you'll end up with a burnt mess!!


Assembling the bow:


Hold either end (doesn't matter which end) of your ribbon at the first mark.

Fold in half, and hold between your fingers.

Folding the ribbon away from you, find your next mark, fold in half, and place beside the first fold you made.

Repeat for second loop.  Remember to always fold ribbon back, then to the center. 
*If you just fold it to the center then your bow won't be as full*
At the mark, fold and place beside last fold made.

Continue for third loop. Again folding and placing next to previous fold.


Continue for fourth & final loop.  Hold all four together.



Using a small elastic, wrap around bow until secure.  Don't worry about squishing it at this point.  You can play with it once you've got it wrapped securely.

First Layer Done!!!

Making second layer:

Repeat the steps above exactly the same way, except using 7/8" ribbon and marking every 3 1/2" NOT 2 1/2" as you did in the first bow.  Keep both tails at 2". Cut, seal, fold & secure exactly as you did for your first bow.  For LARGE BOW measure in 4 1/2" segments

Cut four 4" (pay no attention to my tape measure, as I was using these to make a bigger bow) from 3/8" ribbon of your choice.  LARGE BOW cut 5" long.

Fold as shown, and using a dab of hot glue, glue corner of each loop together.

Example of a glued loop.

After you have glued all of your loops individually, take each loop and glue to the backside of the larger bow.

All four loops glued to larger bow.

Turn over bow....starting to take shape.

Run a line of hot glue on the backside of your smaller bow, and press on top of larger bow.

Using 3/8" ribbon of your choice, cut a piece approximately 3" long.  You can cut more if you prefer more "wiggle" room. FOR LARGE BOW cut at least 4" long.

Turn bow over (backside towards you) and glue one end of the ribbon you just cut.


Wrap around front of bow, and pull tight (but not so tightly that you distort the bow), bring end to the back and glue down.  Trim any access ribbon...there will be some.

Ta-da!!!  Almost done!  Flip to right side, fluff until you're satisfied.


Attaching to clip:

Left:  2 sizes of french clips. Works well for children over the age of four...depending on hair thickness and length.  If you're using this type of clip, cut a piece of ribbon to the length of the french clip, glue to top of clip, then glue your bow directly on top.  You can also glue the french clip to the back of the bow before you wrap the center ribbon around and secure.
Right:  Alligator clip.  Works best for younger children.

Wrapping alligator clip.  Heat seal end of 3/8" ribbon of choice.  Glue one end to inside clip part as shown in picture.



Fold under and around to inside of clip, and cut to fit.  Then go back and glue down, making sure you don't glue the clip to itself! :)  Repeat for top half of clip.

Young children's hair tends to be softer and silkier than older childrens'.  To help with slipping bows, you can put a zig zag line of hot glue on the inside of the clip, use velvet ribbon to line the clip, or cut a piece of "gripping" shelf liner to the inside of the clip.



Hints/tips

-Grosgrain ribbon works the best.

-Wired ribbon just doesn't work well in this project....but that's just my opinion!

-Best website to order clips and ribbon from is http://www.ribbonsandbowsohmy.com/

-There are tons of other clips you can order at the above website, as well as resin pieces to decorate the center.

-I personally heat seal ALL my ends that I've cut.  Just makes the bow "fray-free" longer.

-You can hand stitch instead of using hot glue/elastic bands.  It is VERY hard to sew through all the layers, but if you plan on selling your bows, I would definitely sew instead of glue/elastic bands.

-Any plastic button (cut loop off of back with nail clippers), resin piece, etc can be used to decorate the center....just hot glue in place.  You can even cut your ribbon that goes around the bow a little longer, tie a knot in it, then wrap around bow and secure for a different look.

-Practice, practice, practice!!

-Try adding more loops, different sized measurements to get different looks.



Please don't repost as your own...please give credit and link back!  Thank you!!

Monday, June 27, 2011

On Gilded Wings

What a dreary Monday morning.  Rainy, bleak, house full of girls, not feeling especially creative...need I say more?

Then, I heard the familiar sound of more than envelopes being put in the mailbox (it's a gift...or I order too much online!)  So I high tailed myself out to investigate....and look what found it's way to me...

Nothing like a little shimmer to brighten your Monday morning!  These interesting beauties are gold silk worm cocoons from Larkspur Funny Farm on Etsy. 


Of course, I had to play with these immediately!  How could I resist? 


On Gilded Wings earrings.  My own polymer clay lentils wrapped with golden silk cocoon, with brass textured beads, copper findings and a trio of "grungy" pearls.



And the start of a necklace (which is rare for me, as I tend not to create "matchy" pieces.)



That's all I had time for before the gaggle of girls demanded my attention!  I also ordered some hand dyed silk cocoons & silk rods...so stay tuned!

You can also check out Larkspur's Blog...Grace was awesome to work with...and has the best name ever!!




Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Blogspot.......Grrrr!!!

As of recently, I can't post a comment (to reply to another comment) on my own blog.  I've tried everything...signing in, refreshing, rebooting, etc...it's worked once for me.  I just didn't want anyone who comments to feel that they were gone unnoticed or unappreciated, in fact the exact opposite! I love comments, opinions, suggestions, honesty and the like...so keep 'em coming!

Of course...it could be complete user error (and more than likely it is), in which case I take back the ugly words I've used towards Blogspot! :)

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

First Day of Summer...

Summer Soltice...Ahhh...Finally!!!  My favorite day of the year...where I can look forward to at least 3 good months of heat, sunshine and overall happiness!!

...And what did I create?  Well, falling leaves necklaces of course!  I'm a rebel like that!


A trio of yellow, taupe and burgundy domed leaf imprints.  Accented with raw copper hand wrapped beads on a copper neck wire.


I'm always under the philosophy "go big or go home" when it comes to jewelry.  So here we have a solitary large domed leaf imprint in jade green.  Green wooden rondelles and twisted closed jumps...on a stainless neck wire.



Enjoy the first day of summer...think I'll celebrate on the back deck with a bottle of blackberry wine tonight!

Shall I Explain?

At least twice at every show...and even while I'm just out and about I get questioned about "Moobie"...which is what I expected from the beginning, and I love sharing our story.

All 4 of my children have nicknames, still used as harmless razzing amongst the siblings I suppose.  My oldest was Pumpkin Head...which we abandoned when she started introducing herself as "Pumpkin Head Spivey."  Pumpkin Head, because yes, she had a badly misshapen head at birth!

Second in line, Ashley, was nicknamed Joe...I can thank my Mom for that!  Ashley had an obsession with a plastic construction safety hat as a toddler (around the time Bob The Builder entered t.v. land), and somehow my Mom thought Bob's sidekick should be Christened "Joe."

The lone boy of the troop, Ethan, was cheated in the nickname game.  E is what he's always been called, and probably always will be.  No cute story, no originality...I was tired at this point with a 5 year old, 2 year old and a newborn.

Which brings me to the Last of the Mohican's...the youngest, the end of an era...Megan Grace.  By the time Grace came along, I had three little helpers in the nickname ring with me.  Grace has always been my lovey-dovey, attached to my hip baby.  So much in fact, that using a baby sling was the only way I had free use of my hands for a few years.  She also had a slight attachment to anything Winnie-the-Pooh.  My Mom stated we looked like a kangaroo, so her nickname became Roo.

My oldest came along, and challenging my authority, changed it to Moo....which isn't the best name to be hollering down the street here in "Farmland USA"...so, Moo became Moobie...which just wasn't quite refined enough, so we added Grace.  We rarely call her anything else these days, and she recently asked how old she had to be to change her name! :)

So, there you have it...the history of a Moobie Grace...the condensed version.

And, yep..my oldest still challenges my authority and has taken to calling her baby sister, Moose.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

For Once...I Have Nothing to Say!

It's been quite awhile since I've picture shared...that, and I have absolutely nothing witty or exciting to share!



Leaves & berries necklace.  Polymer clay leaves with cerise turquoise rondelles.


Polymer clay sea urchins, with patina added.  Not exactly the vision I had created in my mind...but it works.  Copper wire balls also with a little patina thrown in for good measure.



This is what happens when our yard needs a good mowing...I wander around picking weeds to imprint.  Polymer clay hollow lentil & toggle with wood, brass & clay accents.


Still searching for the perfect urchin...Dark coral polymer clay with a wash of antique white and silver.




Organic aged & distressed, then accent painted.  Brass & polymer accents.




Shipwrecked.  Sea green urchins with gold coral, yellow & green jade, urchin stick, and bronze & creamy pearls.  Wire wrapped formed connectors (still getting the hang of wire wrapping).


Polymer and pearl bracelet.



Experimented with tri-colors.  Polymer focal and toggle with copper, green glass & chrysocolla beads.



Shipwrecked chandelier earrings.

So, there you have it!  A sampling of what occupies my time & thoughts these days.  I've been trying to branch out from my typical danity pieces, and loving it!!