Friday, 23 August 2013

Crafty Creatives - Dreamcatcher

Hey everyone!

I subscribed to crafty creatives after seeing it on Hayleys blog Water Painted Dreams. Basically you get sent a little box every month with a couple of kits and some other bits to make what you want.

This months theme was WESTERN. The kits were a dreamcatcher and a rope bowl. I also got some fabric patches, star studs, beads, fringing, craft paper, a bear gemstone bead, an art print and a few other bits I can't remember haha.




I've started with the dream catcher kit - everything is included but you also need scissors and glue.



You start with a metal ring which you wrap the leather round, gluing it down as you go. I used my glue gun (which I love) as it will glue anything to anything haha. I can imagine PVA would get quite messy!

 Ta da! The instructions said to make a loop with the thread provided but I made it with the leather as I thought it'd be sturdier.
 The next step is to tie and then loop the thread around the ring making sure its not too tight. I used my finger to hold each section down then loop.

You then repeat, this time looping the thread through your previous loops and repeating until you get to the middle. This bits quite fiddley - I found it easier if you put the loop flat on the table and use your finger to pull each loop.
 This is mine! I think I missed out some loops but it doesn't really matter.



Now it's time to add decoration; anything from beads to feathers to tassles. I added a little bead and feather charm. I found the thread provided a bit crap as it kept fraying making it impossible to thread through the beads so I may go and add some more decoration later with my own thread.

This is my finished dreamcatcher! :-)

Hope you like!

Kate

Geisha / Venetian Doll Inspired Photoset






Hello everyone!

I was inspired to do this photoset by this lovely Pierrot doll I bought this year in Venice.














Pierrot is a stock character of pantomime and Commedia dell'Arte whose origins are in the late seventeenth-century Italian troupe of players known as the Comédie-Italienne.

His character in popular culture is that of the sad clown. Performing unmasked, with a whitened face, he wears a loose blouse with large buttons and wide pantaloons. Sometimes he appears with a frilled collaret and a hat.

My kimono style gown reminded me of the dolls silky clothes which inspired me to combine the two ideas to create a modern geisha / doll style. I did my makeup similar to the dolls - I was going to use the bindi as a tear but thought it looked better like this. I used the background as I thought it looked similar to Japanese screens and did some of the shots in the mirror with a vignette edge to create a voyeuristic almost stage effect.

 Hope you like!

Kate


Monday, 12 August 2013

COMPETITION GIVEAWAY - New blog launch!

To launch our new blog we are doing a great giveaway to win a selection of curiosities from our store - Kate Parkers Cabinet of Curiosities

 As it's so hard to decide on prizes, we're gonna let you choose!


One lucky winner will recieve -

A choice of one of these mugs:


Skull mug, Rose mug, Owl mug, Pug mug, Fox mug, Bird mug, Tea & Biscuit mug, Bicycle mug, Kings Choice mug.

 One piece of jewellery:

Sugar skull ring, Deer skull ring, Octopus ring, Lady of the dead necklace, Day of the dead ring, Skull bracelet



 TWO OF THE FOLLOWING:

Pink or Black Butterfly Frame, Tea & Biscuit Purse, Deer Box, Bicycle Box, Mushroom Lights, Lucky Money Cat, DIY fox kit, Sugar Skull T-shirt (M/L sizes only), Cactus Tealight set, Rabbit or Bunny Night Light, Sugar Skull Money Box, Rabbit Purse, Skull Tealight holder, Retro Camera Case, Beauty & The Beast Box, Ceramic Owl, Sugar Skull Incense Holder, Russian Doll Salt & Pepper, Sugar Skull Custom Iphone 4/5 Case, Flamingo Lights

 

AND some small lucky dip items! 


All products can be bought and viewed on our website www.kateparker.bigcartel.com to help you decide!


We are also giving 3 RUNNER UP PRIZES of a Sugar skull mug and keyring!

 This giveaway is open to the UK only, and is simple to enter - all you need to do is follow the instructions below: 

 




a Rafflecopter giveaway