2 Wirewrapped Ring Tutorials

Today I have two video tutorials for y'all!

I'd like to apologize for lots of "um"s, fumbly fingers, and shaking camera. It's kind of hard to film a film of yourself, all by yourself!

Before you begin either of these projects, I suggest you attempt the Wirewrapped Rosette Ring tutorial { HERE }. These two tutorials assume that you have been able to complete a wirewrapped rosette ring.

Button Ring Tutorial!








Bead Ring Tutorial



Ok, warning. I had learned how to make this bead ring literally two hours before filming this video. I did a lame job in the video. I'm not that bad at at anymore-- I'm only kinda bad at it. This is a very difficult ring to make. :)


P.S. I have one last video for you.... coming soon. It is the easiest ring ever. :)


Questions, tips, projects of your own based on these tutorials? Please leave a comment! :)

The Sky is Up

"What's up?"

"The sky."

I get that answer every time I ask that question.

Today I am giving you one of those super-duper wrap-up posts. Don't worry. Awesome craft posts coming soon. As in, tomorrow.

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It's really disheartening to lose hard work.


Remember that blog linky party I promised you? I spent over 3 hours working on a post for it, getting everything figure out, etc. The wording was just so, perfectly perfect, I had all the photos, links, coding, information, etc... The only thing left to do was hit the Publish button.

And then something happened to my computer and I lost it all. All 3 hours of hard work. I won't go into details because I'm afraid I am going to blow up! But it is all gone and I don't have the time or energy or motivation to re-do it right now.

Please be patient... I'll get the linky up sometime. I need to let myself cool down and then find another 3 hours of spare time... so this linky won't happen for a few weeks. I hope you understand.

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Couldn't access my blog on Thursday/Friday? Blogger had an issue that left literally everyone with missing posts and nobody could get on their dashboard. Everything is back up and working like normal now (except that I lost all the comments on my wrought iron artwork post... but at least I didn't lose all my hard writing work on that post!!!)

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I wanted you to know that I've had some computer hiccups lately-- this has made me really slow on the whole editing pictures for blog posts. My Adobe software is taking up huge amounts of space and basically rendered the computer unusable for any heavy usage (heavy usage meaning photo editing and graphics building, urgh!). I have to wait until Dad can install more drive space. Which will take awhile.

EDIT: Problem temporarily fixed! Now the issue is with my camera-- the computer that reads my card isn't here for a week. 
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Really annoying problems aside...


Thank you all for being so understanding and supportable while I took a blogging hiatus during Lent! I have plenty of projects coming for you soon...

Not to mention an upcoming blog series (on what? leave a comment with your guess!) and a blog linky! (which, as I just explained, won't be coming for a few weeks)


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May's Ink and Fairydust is out!

(Actually, it's been out for awhile but I just forgot to let you know).

(For those who don't know, Ink and Fairydust is a free e-magazine full of faith and creativity. I am heavily involved as a comic writer, webmaster, graphics team member, assistant photographer, occasional article writer...)


This month was one of those that made me realize we must be doing a good thing, or else so many bad things wouldn't be happening!


From computer troubles to time crunches to bad health issues... we've had it all.


This month, my main contributions are the Shea and Bergen comic and the article on Truth in Art (both the article and the graphics!). It is based on a philosophical essay I wrote while studying Plato in 9th grade.

Yes. I did just say that. I studied Plato-- and loved it, especially comparing it to Christian teachings and seeing where it falls short.

Check it out here:





Speaking of Ink and Fairydust, I've become the self-proclaimed advertising monster! Chesterton magazine was just the first...

We've been featured in Faith and Family Live {here} and St. Anthony {here}. Plus, I just wrote a big article for a homeschool magazine, all about I&F!

Would YOU like to feature Ink and Fairydust on your blog/website/facebook/twitter/etc? Please do! If you want any more information about it, feel free to email me at ShealynnsFaerieShoppe {at} gmail.com. I can get you in touch with other contributors, too.
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I am now on twitter as @ShealynnsFaerie. 'Nother post about that coming soon.
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My Sharpie Easter Eggs have been featured on Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom! This is awesome... please check it out { HERE }.

The DIY Wirewrapped Rosette Ring tutorial is featured { HERE }!

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The play I was all worked up about went OK. Not the best, but I was definitely impressed with how well we pulled it off, given the time we spent on it! Those kids are talented.

Here I am in my role as a Recording Company Executive Who Gets Accused of Being a Spy in World War II.



And I got to learn how to do the Victory Rolls hairdo. It took awhile to get the hang of, but I think I did OK, what do you think?


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Confirmation was wonderful.



2 of my brothers, the bishop, and me (I look kind of really... fierce in that picture. I also look like I'm about to trip! This is the only picture that I have, the rest are still on people's various cameras)

Not to take away from the sacredness of this sacrament, but I wanted to share my outfit with you! (since this is an arts-and-crafts blog and not a religious one... and I did do alot of DIY on this outfit).

This is my dress, on the website model. NOT on me. :) I love this dress, the fabric is so comfy.



I wore my beautiful new (first) heels. They were very expensive, on account of the fact that I have very weird and pretty bad feet problems. They are comfortable and classy and good quality though!



I wanted to "customize" the shoes for my outfit but obviously can't just go into a shoe store and buy normal shoes. So I decorated them with handmade shoe-clips!

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(Shoe clips... I need to make more and then get a friend with normal, pretty feet to model for me, and then I'll do a blog post!!!)

I made the same type of fabric yo-yo to add to the ribbon belt:

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I made a hairclip:

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and earrings:

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QUESTION for all you computer people! I am considering building my own website this summer. I will go through Dreamweaver tutorials and teach myself how to make a pretty one. I was wondering whether any of you know good (and cheap) places to register a domain and host the site.

Spring Blog Party

I'm sorry my blog was out of commission for a day! Blogger had some matinence issues-- everyone had problems, posts temporarily removed, etc. I'm back up and running now, though!

Bramblewood Fashion is having a Spring Gala Blog Party! :) Here's my answers to the questionnaire: (rushed answers, because I did this when I had a brain freeze on my literature essay but really needed to work on it!)


1. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?





Middle Earth. (You cannot make me pick between Rivendell or the Shire-- I just want to visit all of Middle Earth!)

As far as non-imaginary worlds go... I would love to visit Europe. Not just for sightseeing-- I'd love to spend a few weeks in several countries, visiting the ins and outs of local places and everyday life. Get a feel for the culture.

2. What is the oldest item you own?

Ooooh, tough one. Probably one of the many rosaries, medals, and old jewelry that my Grandma gave me:


(The above is a really bad quality picture [sorry] of a small portion of my new hoard. I'm having much fun with it... especially the broken bits of jewelry!)

Or a book that was signed 1910. It's called Virtues and Defects of a Young Girl. What an interesting name... it's very dull and preachy. :( I'm pretty sure that some of the jewelry is older, though.




3. If you had to pick one hero, who would it be?

Oh, dear. How am I to choose?

I'll go with the usual... my parents. :) Who really are that awesome.


4. If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead. Who would it be?

J.R.R. Tolkien, St. Thomas Aquinas, and G.K. Chesterton.

That would make for some really interesting conversations. But I think I'd be in waaay over my head.


5. Which do you like better, Coke or Pepsi?

Neither! I like myself some root beer, sprite, or juice. Colas just don't... sit right, especially if I have a large glass.

6. What would you rather have- chocolate or a cookie?

CHOCOLATE. GIMME CHOCOLATE.

7. What is your favorite season?

Autumn. Nice and crisp. :)



8. What's your favorite thing about Spring?

The joy of observing the flourishing beauty... :)



9. What's your favorite music?

I like all kinds of music. :) The music I listen to the most would probably be soft 80's rock, pop, and classical.

10. What's your fashion/personal style?

Classy and basic, with touches of the unexpected (be that vintage, fantasy, or bright and bold...)


Fake Wrought Iron Art

I love wrought iron art. The richness of the metal, the character of the forging, and the Art-Noveau-ish-ness of the designs are very beautiful.

Unfortunately, wrought iron kind of costs money. Imagine my amazement (and my why didn't I think of that?!) when I saw Suzy's Faux Wrought Iron Tutorial.

I knew I had to make this project for my bedroom. (I'm decorating with DIY projects). I actually made this project nearly two months ago, but kind of forgot to share it with ya'll... (ooops).








I collected bunches of paper towel rolls and a Cherrios box.


(Yes, when you live in a big family you can collect that many toilet paper rolls in just a few weeks. And you tend to get huge boxes of cereal.).

Are you familiar with the art of quilling? It consists of rolling thin paper strips into various designs and glueing them together.

The genius of the project is quilling toilet paper rolls! Just wrap the cardboard around a pencil... glue (I used ModPodge), and use clothespins to keep the design in shape while drying. (use wax paper behind your project to keep the glue from sticking to your work surface).




Suzy used wood for the outside frame, but I didn't have wood... so I made a frame out of a Cheerios box instead!

The hardest part was making all the components match. Do you know how hard it is to make the exact same swirl, 15 times over?





The last step is spray painting! FUN. This was my first time spray painting (I used paint left over from m brothers' Boy Scout Pinewood Derby. With my brothers, you have to have black paint for homemade speed cars).

click to enlarge


I stuck 3 sewing pins in the wall and hung my artwork from that.


click to enlarge


Is it pretty or what? I might put more scrollwork ontop of the rectangle eventually.


linking up { here }

Delightful Desk


 Remember how I said I was going to decorate my room... in a totally cool, mostly DIY, and very cheap sort of way?

 Nothing is easier and cheaper than scrapbook paper! Read on...




This was my desk on an ordinary day. 


We found these beautiful little cork board squares at Staples-- I think we spent $15, and there are more squares than what I hung up.

(Yes, those are roses hanging from my ceiling. Hey, I like to dry flowers!)


Want to add a splash of color? Change your room's look in just a couple of minutes!

All you have to do is pin up some scrapbook paper!


 Viloa! I just used the paper I had on hand. It went beautifully with my "color scheme." You can pin directly onto the paper.

 I wound up taking this down because I actually had plans for most of that paper. :)



AND NOW.... my favorite part of the desk design! 

I made a fun little topper for my rather boring cork board rectangle.

Gathering pretty papers...
This post on Vintage Wanna Bee's blog inspired me. I followed the tutorial for round paper fans.
It's actually really easy: just take 2 pieces of matching scrapbook paper, accordion fold, and then glue together.


I made several in different sizes and colors. I even used old book pages from one of those ruined paperbacks! 

Sticking the fans onto the wall proved to be a bit of a problem. What with all the folding, there was no where for tape to go! Obviously I can't damage the walls or the paint, so it took a bit of thinking to find a solution.

I wound up putting half pieces of 3M wall stickies on the wall. On top of these I used some really thick, puffy glue dots. Next, I pressed the paper fans onto the glue dots. I've had two fall down, but all I had to do was gently push them against the glue dot again and they were OK.


Of course, I HAD to add a cute little quote. (You know me and my thing with quotes!). This one is supposedly from Albert Einstein. I built the graphic myself, printed it out on card stock, and then tore the edges for a rough look.

"A clean desk is the sign of an empty mind..." my ultimate excuse for not cleaning my desk!

click to enlarge
 Here you can see the finished project: I added some paper cutouts to the middles of the bigger paper fans. (Scalloped book pages with small circles of scrapbook pages glued in).
Now my desk is nice and fancy. :) I love this craft. It is so easy to do and adds a touch of whimsy to my room!


My whimsical DIY desk decoration... on one of the few occasions that my room is actually clean!!!

This has been up in my room for several months now, and I'm going to help one of my friends make a bunch to hang above her bed!



Check out my other DIY decor posts {here}.

Did this inspire you to make some decorations of your own? Leave a comment! I am the Comment Monster. Please give me comments. Nom nom nom!

Linking up at these loverly blogs.