DIY bamboo drawing pen

I'm awaiting arrival of the next set of course notes for my fine art degree with huge anticipation.  In the meantime I've been ordering all kinds of interesting drawing materials in preparation, including pens.

It so happens my home is surrounded by clumps of bamboo and as I need bamboo drawing pens, it seemed a pity not to have a go at making my own.

This 'how to' video has a commentary in french, but even if you don't understand the words, the pictures show the technique very clearly http://youtu.be/1KWhQBaktzs 

I stripped the outer layers from the thin end of a cane, which was alive and green underneath.  I shall dry some before making more pens and use sharper, thinner knives next time.  The craftsman in the video makes it look so easy and his pen is beautiful.  My first attempt lacks any finesse and is not a pretty sight.  But I shall persevere.

Sketching inside out

The sun continues to shine but it was too breezy to sketch outdoors today. Instead I set myself up infront of a window and picked a bit of view to add to the sketchbook. This is the old track that leads to the next village, Pyrgos, in the next valley. These days myself, my dogs and the goats are it's main users. And yes, that is the sea in the background. Maybe if the weather holds, I'll take my sketchbook down to the coast.

This evening when I've run out of daylight, I'll finish making some more fingerless mittens and start a scarflette in this gorgeous yarn.

Now a little something for me ....

Last Christmas a special friend from England sent me this gorgeous yarn along with other knitterly goodies. Since then I've taken it out and stroked it lovingly occasionally, but mainly I've had it tucked away safely in tissue paper until the day when I could relax and enjoy using it. I have a few days now before leaving for a very chilly London and our family Christmas .... so the time has arrived to make something snug for myself :))













Work in Progress 1.

LATEST PICS!

Bonny Boon's 'new look' continues.

Introducing the Divine Miss M!

At long last the new studio helper has arrived from New York, without a hint of jet lag as luck would have it. So I set her to work straight away and got the camera clicking on a few new pics.

I've just discovered that fingerless mittens are brilliant for wearing while crocheting or painting on chilly evenings. Here's my latest pair in Dark Chocolate. Perfect if you're a secret choccie nibbler and need camouflage. 

For sale $22 plus shipping.  Please click here to convert to your own currency.

BELLA SCARFLETTE Neckwarmer FREEFORM CROCHET

I love neutral greys but this time I've also added a shot of warmth to it in this Bella Scarflette. Mohair and manmade fibres in Warm Grey, Deep Wine, Terracotta/Lavender blend and Muted Coral.

For Sale $42 plus shipping.  Please click here to convert to your own currency.

Baby Viking Hat

Here's my second attempt at the European Street Team challenge. This week's theme was Vikings! Not a subject I would normally have been playing with, but what fun it turned out to be. I wore a smile all the time I was making this Baby Viking hat.

Just goes to show that Challenges are good for us. Makes us experiment in ways we might not otherwise.

Also, here's a little Flower Brooch in shades of Grey and White.

SHADES OF GREY skinny scarf

Today's Skinny Scarf in 3 shades of Grey, is having to be draped over the stairs for this shot as still there is no mannequin doll delivery yet :(

I hope when she arrives that she's as glamourous as I'm hoping. And ready to work, despite the jet-lag :)

I intend giving her a name! Better still, why don't we have a Contest to find a name for her. Maybe I'll offer a prize to the person with the best suggestion. But don't comment with any suggestions just yet. Wait until you've been properly introduced to her and then I'll give you a few days to take part. In the meantime, keep your eye on this blog for her arrival. I ordered her 3 weeks ago, so she's somewhere between New York and Cyprus. (Deep sigh)

Scarf for sale $35 plus shipping.

COFFEE LATTE AND DARK CHOCOLATE Skinny Scarf

I've ordered a mannequin doll from the USA and she's taking an age to arrive. I think she'd look really snug all gussied up in this Coffee and Chocolate skinny scarf. But it's nothing if not versatile and for now I had to temporarily adorn some ironwork on the staircase whilst I took this shot.

I love using free-form crochet and letting things happen organically. At the moment I'm loving neutral shades, together with smooth and textured yarn worked together.

For sale $35 plus shipping.

WARM & COOL!

At last I've got my wish for the weather to cool down. Daylight hours are just perfect now, with a little warmth from the sun... around 23C . In the evening however it really is a bit chilly ... not used to that at all. And definitely feel the need for something snug around the neck.

I made this choker neckwarmer for Bonnie Boon, and now making another one for myself. Also starting to incorporate vintage buttons from my collection into some pieces. I've been looking at them, stroking them and storing them for years ... so I guess it's time to share.

RIPPLES IN A POOL felt beads and crochet brooch.

This brooch is my Aqua entry for the Etsy European Street Team weekly Challenge. 

Now SOLD.

It was inspired by the idea of ripples caused by throwing a pebble into a pool of water. Created using felt, cotton and woolen yarn, irridescent glass beads, mother of pearl and a turquoise bead. Using crochet and embroidery techniques.

This is my first attempt at a group challenge. It was fun. I shall try to find time to do others of the challenges as they occur.

Introducing BONNIE BOON Designs

Now here's a surprise! My secret it out .... atleast I've decided to 'come out'. And confess that I am a closet crafter. There .... I've said it! Phew! that wasn't as hard to say as I thought it would be. I feel better already.

Ok, to family and folks who know me well, it's not that big a surprise. When I was 5 years old, my Granny Boon taught me to crochet and knit. And when a little older Mum showed me simple embroidery stitches. In the 1970's I ran a tiny cottage industry, with homeworkers converting my designs into handmade sweaters. Then later I was a needlework project designer for craft magazines and eventually Amathusia Designs was born.

For some time now painting is all I've wanted to do, except for a blip last Autumn when the slipped disc put me on my back for a couple of months. To stave off boredom, verging on temporary insanity, I discovered that it's possible to crochet whilst horizontal. Since then I've been back to a painterly norm until Baby Max was expected and I set about making tiny garments for him.

To my surprise I've found that I still love to crochet and so I just kept on going. I love the fact you can do it practically anywhere with no pallaver or masses of equiment. I love the fact that you have just one stitch and it can just happen free-form without a pattern (similar to painting in that respect), adding bits and taking them away just as easily (the equivilent of a turpsy rag when painting with oils LOL)

OK .... so there's a limit to the need for hats and scarves in Cyprus. So what to do with the finished pieces all neatly and lovingly wrapped in tissue paper and increasing by the day? It was obvious really .... open another shop. My Granny Boon, who was 93 when she died, would be astonished to know there's such a thing as the internet. It just feels so appropriate to give the shop her name. So Bonnie Boon it is. She would have been tickled pink :)

I toyed with the idea of creating a separate blog for Bonnie Boon. Should I be precious and keep the 'art' separated, breathing purer air so as not to be contaminated by it's lowly cousin, I thought. Or should I push the shy new-borne forward and let her mix with the rest of the family. To heck with it, I decided. They're all my children LOL!

FIGURATIVE ABSTRACT PAINTING work in progress 2

I tried to resist, but a Blue Madonna seems determined to get herself painted, so I've given in. I seem to have a fixation with the image of mother and child. It goes back a long way so I shouldn't be too surprised. More progress next time.


This got me thinking about other mother and child images I've made. And I remembered this needlecraft design that was probably my first, and designed many years ago. Whadayaknow .... it's BLUE!

Cross stitch kit available from Amathusia Designs.

Unable to keep my fingers still, I made a couple of neckwarmer scarflettes.

PAINTED DOLL PENDANT wearable art Item 63

PAINTED DOLL PENDANT wearable art Item 63.

I used crochet, hand embroidery, knitting and paint to create this 3 inch long pendant (7.5 cms approx)The cute wooden 'doll' is painted using pearlised inks and paint. She sits on a peachy grey blue felted knit background, which softly accentuates her irridescent blue dress. There is a loop at the top to thread a ribbon or cord and is finished on the reverse with a hand stitched 'Bee' signature tag.

WRIST CUFF Wearable Art Item 62

Wrist Cuff Wearable Art Item 62 is created using hand knitting, crochet, embroidery and applique techniques.

It measures 8in x 5in (20cm x 12.75cm)approx. and is flexible to fit different wrist sizes with 3 buttons to fasten.

WILD AT HEART Brooch Pin wearable art Item 61

I had such fun with this 'wild' abstract brooch. I used free-form crochet, then painted a wooden shape to create an embellishment and added one of my collection of red satin hearts. It measures 3in x 2 1/2in (7.5cm x 6.5cm approx)

The colourful cotton yarns used are Citrus Orange, Russet Red and Aqua to compliment the colours in the embellishments geometric design. I've crocheted over metal shapes to add weight and substance to the piece. On the reverse there's a secure pin fastener and one of my handstitched 'Bee' signature tags.

CHOKER NECKLACE POUCH wearable art Item 60

This Choker Necklace is also a Pouch to keep little treasures or maybe even emergency cash on a night out! It is also double-sided, with a totally different look on both sides.

I used hand embroidery/stitching and free-form crochet techniques. The Pouch on one side features a cotton print, embellished with gold sequins and hand embroidery. The other side features Red felt with a hand crocheted roundel. It is also lined with red felt and the whole piece is ready to wear on a black leather thong with gold plated fastener.

The colours are pretty exotic! .... Bright Red, Hot Pink, Warm Saffron, Burnt Burgundy and Cool Deep-Sea Greenish Grey. The Pouch measures 4 ins x 2 1/2 ins (10cm x 6cm approx)and the leather choker is 14 1/2 inches long (37 cms)

DAZZLING SMILE Brooch Pin wearable art item 59

Scary but it makes me smile! :)) But then that's just me ;)

Another unique one-of-a-kind piece.

DAZZLING SMILE brooch pin.

I used free-form crochet, hand stitching and painting to create this 3 inch wide SMILE (7.5 cms approx). The luscious lips are made from Lipstick Red and Coral cotton threads. I painted the smile onto wood with a glossy layer of lacquer for protective shine, and added a Heart Shaped Jewel for extra DAZZLE. The whole piece is double-backed with red felt complete with a securable pin fastener. SOLD