Bottle sense for crafters

 How many of us discard those Coke Bottles after a weekend and do not think about all the other uses one can have for it.  Here is only a few of my ideas with them.

1.  I wash the bottle out with not too hot, warm water to get rid of the sticky cold drink inside.  I let it dry overnight with the lid unscrewed.  Take off the label.
2.  I cut now the bottles open.  It must be cut just on the right place to make use of the whole bottle.
2.a)  The first neat and straight cut must be just where the smooth middle part starts.  You will have a funnel now for old oil and liquid or powder stuff, but we are going to use it for something else today.
2.b)  The second neat and straight cut must be just where the smooth middle part stops.  You will have a clear, smooth ring and a longish base that can be used for a quick inexpensive flower arrangement or a pot plant holder, but we are going to use it for a neat little "This and That" or Sweets holder.
   

Now that the bottle are in three parts, we start first with the top part and cut out the flower shape.  

 3.  I marked out the flower petals with a marker just to make sure they are even.  For this star-type flower, I marked every 'rib' in the bottle right in the middle close to the rim and the other marks will be just where it disappear into the neck of the bottle.  That will be the marks for the star-type flower.  I cut them with a little curve from the mark at the rim to the mark close to the neck.  You should have 10 petals.

4.  Now I push each petal a bit open and paint them in nice colors.  You can stuff a piece of clothe to fit into the center to make a flower head if you want to, but we use it for candle holders without it.

Now in my "recycling search" I have seen these type of flowers painted in brilliant colors and then made to stand on wire stakes and then they were placed in the garden to give it color in spots that have none.  I even saw them in large home made Cast Concrete pots and as decoration (Also in the garden) and the flower petals where then cut into different shapes to give different flowers.

Well, as it was near Christmas, I made it to look like candle holders and each child got one and we serenaded for the family.  It just protect their hands from the dripping wax. I painted them in nice colors and for a temporary decoration any craft paint will do.

Now for the middle part.

5.  I take the middle clear smooth ring part and  I mark out my bands before I cut it open.  I made the bands about 1.5 to 2 cm and then I cut the ring open.  It curls up immediately if you cut it.  I then cut each band out.  You should get 4 bands more or less out of each one.

6.  I place the bands around another bottle and paint them too with nice brilliant colors and made my own designs and forms on them.  After they dried they can be use as a colorful serviette holder or a funky bracelet or two.  The softly curl around any size arm.  If you want to make the paint more permanent, then I would suggest that you paint some varnish or acrylic sealer over it.

Now we still have the bottom part.

7.  I mark now out every second rib, just about a thumbs breadth from the bottom where it goes into the lower part, and form a nice even oval  or u shape up to where the rim is.  I will curl a bit. The secret is that from the bottom where you marked it, it should have a straight part for at least 3-4 cm before you make the shaped part.

I paint then polka dots on it or you can do serviette decoupage on it to fit a certain theme.  Once it is dry you just fold the flaps one over the other to form a neat closure.  If that curved top parts are painted in a flower color, then it will look like a flower's petals overlapping when closed.



                       










This is ideal to put some party snack in , or have some sweets in it as a gift for granny or it can even hold the odds and end that you have everywhere cluttering the drawers.  It is also ideal for the crafter to keep that bits and pieces of lace, buttons, hooks, findings and such in and for the men it is handy to keep the screw and nails in.  I use mine too in the kitchen and keep my sugar in it.  It is easy to pour out if you just open one flap.

I hope you have find this handy and share it if you did.                                                                                                                                                  

Organza Ribbon Flowers

A simple way to make little flowers.

Organza Ribbon Flowers

Ever wondered how they make those little Organza Ribbon Flowers that they use to decorate dresses, baby books, shoes, or what ever comes to mind?  This is a quick guide how to make them.

The drawing on top illustrates how the ribbon must be threaded by using plain stitch.

1. Take any size of ribbon, but Organza works the best as it is soft.
2. I multiply the breadth of the ribbon by two and that will be the size of the piece I work straight.  
3. The up and down stitching must not be to far apart.
4. I make it a normal 5 petal flower, but more petals can be made by just adding another set of stitches.
5. Once it is stitched, I pull it all in. PS: Remember to make a secure knot in the beginning, otherwise you will pull your stitches out.
6. When I've pulled the stitches and rearranged the petals, I secure it by working the back neatly together.  Make sure it is secured again properly.
7. once the flower is done, I decorate the center with little seed beads.  Pearly ones looks nice, but you can use any color to compliment the flower.
8. Your flower is done.  Now you can make a few in a little shirt while and if you play around with ribbon sizes and group complimentary colors together, you will be able to make a beautiful arrangement on what ever you want to decorate.  
9. Don't by shy, try it out on dresses and what ever your heart desire.
10. You can start experimenting with different types of combinations and create your own flowers.  I DARE you to be creative!

The photo below shows an old lamp that I fixed and changed its base so to accommodate all the little things one might need at your night stand and that normally get knocked over during the night or when you want to take hold of it in the night without putting on the light.

Hope this makes many left over ribbons useful again :D

Keep well and Be Blessed.

Christmas Cake

Christmas Cake

With Christmas only a two months away, one must start prepare now for that moist fruit cake that you can snack on the whole Christmas Holiday through.  I know fruit cake is not to everyone's taste, but it does not mean that you can't have a decorated cake for Christmas, no matter if it is a sponge or what ever cake.

If you can buy or bake the cake yourself, it is super.  The decorating of it differs just a little bit between a fruit cake or sponge cake.  I will describe the decorating of the cake for both cases.

1. If you are going to have a fruit cake for Christmas, then I suggest that you start on baking it now or buy one that is ready.  To make sure it is moist for Christmas, I will suggest that you test it with your fingers to see if it looks wet.  If not, I would suggest that you buy a half jack of brandy and pour a few spoons full over the cake.  Place it in foil and cover it.  The brandy will not only preserve the cake, but will add taste and moisture to it.  Repeat every day for a few days until the cake looks moist enough (but not soaking wet ... if too wet, let it dry a bit out by leaving it open so that the extra moisture can evaporate.)
2. Make sure your cake is firm and even.  It is so unsightly when you take the effort to decorate a cake and it looks skew or have unsightly bump and holes.  If it is a fruit cake and you want to go the whole formal way with Almond Paste and white Plastic Icing, I suggest that you kneed the almond paste to be soft and playable.  (the heat of your hands will make it soft.)  Pinch little peaces off from the lump and fill in all the holes that was caused by raisins or fruit that had cooked away.  Make sure it is as flat as possible with the cake.  
3. A sponge cake will only be good if you bake it about two days before Christmas.  You don't need to pour brandy on it.  If you have a sponge cake, then see too that it is flat and without humps and holes too)
4. Place the cake now on a cake board or plate.
5. For the sponge cake you will mix now butter or cream icing that is stiff.  Spread it as even as possible over the whole cake.  Place in the refrigerator so to set a bit.
6. For the fruit cake you take apricot jam, mix a bit with water to make it a bit thinner.  Spread this apricot jam over the whole cake
7. You should be able to cover one 20 cm x 20 cm cake with a bucket of Almond Paste (750g) and one bucket of Plastic Icing.  (We don't put Almond Paste on a sponge cake.)
8. Roll the Almond Paste evenly out over a icing sifted surface so it does not stick to it.  Make sure you roll it thin and big enough to go over the cake.  (That would be about 35 cm x 35 cm).  Start rolling the almond paste on the rolling pin and lift it carefully over the cake and position it so to cover it.  Rub it flat with your hands dusted with some icing sugar. once it is flat and cover the whole cake, make sure that it is neat and even.  You can use the rolling pin or a perfect tubular glass to roll the sides evenly and the top too.  Take your time and spend it cautiously, perfecting it to a flat, even finish.  Cut the excess Almond Paste with a sharp knife against the board or plate.
9. Prepare the plastic Icing in the same manner.
10. Beat an egg-white with a fork and seal the cake by brushing it over the entire Almond Paste covering.  Make sure ti spread it even a bit over the board so to seal it.  Let dry.  Repeat 2 more times to make sure that no moisture will seep out and spoil your decorations.
11. Now this is for both types of cakes.  With the Plastic Icing rolled out on a sifted icing sugar surface, you do the same as with the Almond Paste.  Roll it carefully on the pin and position it carefully over the cake so to cover it completely.  You can rub it with your hands that are dusted with icing sugar till it is smooth.  As with the Almond Paste, take the rolling pin or a tubular glass and make sure all the surfaces is even.  Take your time to do it perfect.  again cut off all extra Plastic Icing. 
12. Leave the cake and Icing to rest for a day.
13. In the meantime you can make decorations of the left over Plastic Icing, by coloring it with food coloring (only a few drops or a pinch of powder coloring is sufficient.  It always gets darker when dry.)  Roll it out too on an icing dusted surface, cut out the little leaves and ribbons if you feel you can try.  Red little bolls are made from the Almond Paste or from the Plastic Icing.  Let you imagination go and try little "gifts" too.
14. In the cake above I did some frosting on the sides.  Frosting is made with Royal Icing.  One egg-white slightly beaten with a fork, then add sifted Icing sugar until it is stiff enough to form peaks when you pull the fork out.  Add about 3 drops of Acetic Acid (at chemist) or 5 drops lemon juice and mix well.  It will make the icing a bit whiter and it will harden quickly.
15. With a butter knife or spatula, cover the sides with the Royal Icing, but while doing so, pat it so to form the peak effect.  When the sides are covered sufficiently and even, you can start preparing for the final finish.  Clean away all messy bits that might be on the plate or board.
16. Mix another batch Royal Icing the same way as before.  Add a few drops of rec food color or a pinch of powder mixed with a drop of water to get a even red mixture.  Now you need to do the piping and fixing of the leaves.
17. Take a Icing tube (If you don't have one, you can fold crease-proof paper to form a cone.  Fold a square.  Fold it again from one point across to the other.  Cut on fold.  keep one for the thin lines and use one for the nozzle.  You get star pointed nozzles.  Bring the two long points around to form the cone and fold the points (it might look like an Aron Lilly) and fold it inwards a  few times.  Pinch the small point flat and cut just big enough for the nozzle to peek through.  Fill with the colored Royal Icing.  Now evenly form the little stars around the base and around the top.  You can insert silver balls as extra decoration still while it's soft.  Remember that it will harden quickly.
18. With that same nozzle you can place a dot of icing where the red berries/balls must be and then where the leaves must be.
19. Now prepare the other cone the same way, but don't cut the point off at the front.  Scoop your Icing into it and close it and apply pressure softly till the Icing had filled up.  Pinch the point slightly and just nip off the point.  A thin wire-like string should appear.  Clear the nib and start to make the scrolls to finish the cake off.
20. The secret is not to overdo it, but to do it properly.  

Hope your Christmas Cake will be a huge success.

If you are interested in Fine Sugar Art and want to take some classes, you can contact me at sonettebosch@gmail.com.

Keep well and Be Blessed.

Easy Painting - Rising Blue Moon

Easy Painting - Rising Blue Moon

I am one of those painters that brakes the rules.  I try, if it fails, I know then what will work and what won't.

This painting was one of those.  At this stage when I took a picture, it was hanging outside in daylight and I was amazed at the absolute blue it portrays.  A real Blue Moon!  

But when I painted it, it looked all fine to me and that is how it will look like in the normal setting, against a wall in the house.

1. I took canvas of 40 cm x 60 cm, painted the background blue with some BLUE SUEDE ACRYLIC wall paint and not your normal white.
2. I then started to shade my background, Clouds about 1/3 of the canvas, misty sky the other 1/3 and I divided the last 1/3 in two and painted a flat sea and the rest breaking waves.  As you can see, I used basic three colors, white, a strong peachy pink and blue,  Mixing it and streaked with a half dry brush effect for the sky and used wet on wet for the flat water effect.  A dry brush with tips just dipped in the different colors, was the background for the breaking waves.
3. Then I mixed in a margarine container a half box (prox. 1 cup) of Polly Filla.  In it I also mixed the same wall paint, but white.  I want the moon to have the same acrylic mix, as I was scared that it would otherwise peal off from the canvas.
4. Now I know not everyone can make a perfect circle, so you can use a round container that will give you the right size of moon and draw lightly on the near drying canvas.  Heap then the Polly Filla in the center and start spreading it carefully.  It is suppose to have an embossed look.  The roughness will give it the texture and you can even make the crater marks if you want.
5. Then I took some Polly Filla and add some to form clouds.  The other I use to make the breaking waves.  I use the back of my brush to push and shape it a bit till it look right.  I give this e while to dry, as I want to add now white to it in a dry brush effect, just to give it that fluffy and frothing effect.
6. After it was dry enough I painted the moon a lighter shade of blue and add some pink to it to bring the colors together.
7. Remember to sign your name, as it is your own painting!

As my painting was on a blocked canvas, I did not feel that it needed a frame, but when using a blocked canvas, remember to paint the sides too.  The front must continue over the sides.

Hope this will help you on the way to painting and to breaking the rules.  The point is ... FEEL FREE TO EXPLORE, to EXPRESS YOURSELF and HAVE FUN!

Candle Making

Candle Making

If someone ask me to make them a candle, I will try and do it.  This was one of the candles that I made for a client.  It is poured in a glass bowl and I must say, I had various issues before I could be satisfied with the result.

The bowl takes 4 liter of water, so I had to prepare 4 liter of melted wax.  That is a lot of wax!  But to my dismay, 4 liter wax was just to fill it initially.  I had to melt another liter to fill it up later when it cooled off completely.  It shrunk so much that I nearly panicked!

I had various things to think about, as logic told me that glass might crack under the heat.

The trick was ...

1. Place the glass bowl in the sink filled with warm water ... gradually fill the water while the bowl is in the sink.  If it floats, it's fine.
2. Heat the wax in a double cooker.  If you don't have one, a pot in a pot of water bringing to boil, will do the trick too.
3. Make sure you have a BIG ENOUGH pot for the total wax you have to melt ... no good if you have to melt a color and you don't have enough to complete your project.
4. Always melt extra, just in case the shrinkage is leaving a ugly hollow that needs to be filled up.
5. Pour the melted wax slowly into the already warm bowl, there will be no cracking.
6. The wick is the is always a problem and you might have thought that I forgot about it.  No, I only insert it later after I have poured my wax.  I thread my wick through a straw, with a knot at the bottom.  Then I push the straw in the middle of the melted and poured wax.  I make sure it sticks to the already setting bottom. It is easier to support the straw between two pencils or kebab sticks.
7. Once it is cooled off enough to touch, you can lift it carefully out of the cooled down water. 
8. When the top has set, then you can pull out the straw.  Don't pull the wick, as it will be a hard job to insert it again.
9. Once completely cooled, you must reheat the wax that is left over to fill in the hollow.  Be careful not to spill it over the brim of the first pour, as it might have pulled away from the sides and it will seep in and spoil your hard work.  (I know ... I had to redo mine because I made the mistake!)
10. Once cooled and set, then you can trim the wick.

Now I hope this will help you make your own round candle that will bring some glowing pleasure in your room.