Tuesday 19 March 2013

4D Nail Art


Having seen this product in shops and read different things about it, i was eager to try it out. Known widely as a 'caviar manicure', tiny no-hole beads are used to decorate some or all of your nails, for a raised and textured effect. So when i found Nail Constellation by MUA for a bargain £3, i just had to get it!

MUA has a whole range of different colours, each named after a star sign. I chose Pisces, a silver, turquoise and light pink mix.

Firstly, i painted all my nails with one coat (i used 'Catwalk Couture' by 17) and left them to dry. Having chosen to decorate just my ring finger nails with the tiny beads, I painted them in a second coat and sprinkled the beads all over. I then gently pressed them down, ensuring they were stuck, and painted the rest of my nails in a second coat.


 The instructions on the label suggested that was the end, but elsewhere I've read that it's a good idea to apply a coat of clear nail varnish at the end to secure the beads. I chose to use clear nail polish (hoping for durability!), but this has had less than desirable effects. It made the tiny beads appear a lot less shiny and a lot discoloured quite swiftly. A few days on, they're looking close to a matt effect, but they're all still stuck down!

All in all, I've really enjoyed trying this effect out. I like having accent nails, and this is something a bit different. I will try out the MUA product another time without using the clear varnish, and see how durable they are. It would also be worth looking round for beads that won't discolour, and it may be worth spending a bit more for a better quality product.

Thursday 14 March 2013

Crafty Creatives Boxes 8 & 9

Since it was my Crafty Creatives boxes that inspired me to set up this blog, it seemed apt that my first proper post should be about them!

Crafty Creatives is a monthly subscription craft box (costs a very reasonable £10 plus £2.95 p&p), filled with a variety of items to craft with. Each box is themed, so as well as the anticipation of the contents, it's always exciting to discover the theme too! Every box always includes an art card which doubles up as a list of box contents, and a little kit to make something specific - so even if the rest of the box stumps you, there's always something to get the creative juices flowing!

#CCbox8
So, Box 8 arrived mid-Febuary, and the theme was Spots and Stripes! As i opened my box i was overwhelmed by colours - a perfect way to brighten up a dull & wintery day! The kit was to make a polymer clay necklace. I've never worked with this before, so am excited to try it out!

 
#ccbox8 - Spots and Stripes

 The polymer clay kit from #ccbox8

I've been really busy this month, so haven't used anything from this box yet, but the ideas are certainly forming...

#CCbox9
Box 9 arrived on Tuesday to much intrigue. The theme this month is Steampunk, something I've never heard of before, but has a large following (i discovered upon researching!). The art card contains this great definition: 'What the 21st Century thinks that the Victorians thought the 21st Century would be like'!

Here are the contents...

 Art Card by Britta van den Boom

 The CC kit: decoupage! This is something I've wanted to try for a while, so i'm excited to get stuck into this.

 Beautiful tweed fabric with copper threads running through it. I'm mulling over what to do with this - i love it and think it's too beautiful to waste!

 Copper wire, which I'm planning on putting towards a project I've got planned; some leather cord which I think would make great bracelets for my Husband / brothers?; crackle glaze, which i've never used so am excited to try!

 Beautiful lock and key charms

 Leather scraps and some pipe spacer beads to add to the bead collection

 Clock and bulb charms. I love these, and am planning on making them into long necklaces.

 Foil transfer sheets, which i think would be great for creating a 'distressed' look on a photo frame; teeny tiny watch parts, which I'm not quite sure what to do with just yet...


So, there you have it! Lots of ideas brimming and formulating for both boxes. I'm loving searching round Pinterest for more ideas - I'm definitely a visual thinker!

What are you planning on making from the Steampunk box?

Wednesday 13 March 2013

Trying something new.

Hello there!

So, I have always loved crafting, but it has definitely gone in ebbs and flows. I think i enjoy collecting beautiful things to craft with, but often lack inspiration and motivation. Since recently discovering the Crafty Creatives monthly subscription craft box, it has reignited my interest, and i wanted to join the online crafting community in the hope that it would encourage me!

I have never been very good at keeping a regular blog, so i hope this doesn't follow trend! Watch this space...