Don't Throw That Out!

  I'm not a hippie.  I haven't completely gone green, though I do my part just like everyone else.

  I DO, however, love free craft supplies, and if it means less stuff tossed in a landfill as well, then that can't be bad, right? 

  I try to upcycle now every time I craft, whether it's scrap fabric, puzzle pieces, broken jewelry bits, whatever I can find!  It's like I've decided to challenge myself to turn trash into treasure, and since I kind of pride myself in seeing beauty in almost everything, it makes me feel good to accomplish just that!

  Here's a look at a few things I've created using "junk":

This Halloween bunting was made using those cardboard beer coasters you get at bars.  (I was given a couple of packages of them after a local establishment closed years ago.)

Old crayons melted in silicone molds makes new, fun-shaped crayons!

Paint and seal tiles to make a coaster set!

CD jewelry.

How about turning a record into a candy dish?

Scrap fabric becomes yo-yos to put on jewelry, hair accessories, anywhere!

  The list really goes on and on.  I have boxes of "junk" that I have plans for, including old Christmas light bulbs, pages from vintage encyclopedias, pieces of broken mirror, etc.  Luckily, Pinterest is chock-full of upcycled craft ideas, so if I'm not feeling too inspired on my own, I can just hop on over there and get some cool ideas.

  I challenge you to think before you toss something out.  Maybe that pile of scrap paper can be turned into even prettier home-made paper  (Paper-making is messy, but really fun!  You could even add some glitter to the pulp!).  Maybe you could turn that soda bottle into a planter (I just saw the cutest soda-bottle planters on Pinterest yesterday), or maybe you can gather a few pieces of "junk", and challenge your kids to create something fun! 

  The possibilities are endless!

I Draw, Too

   ...In fact, drawing has always been my first love.  Ever since I could hold a crayon, I've been filling up notebooks, and pieces of paper with doodles and designs.
  For the longest time, I had planned on studying fashion design in Paris, and being a famous fashion designer.  Of course, once I got nearer college-age, I decided that the fashion world was pretentious, and I could never justify charging $1000 for a tee shirt.  (Had I known, at the time, that the internet was going to be a big thing, and places like etsy would be available for me to maybe be successful in my own private label, maybe I would have gone to a more local college's design program, but I digress.)
  To be honest, sewing and draping isn't my thing.  I love to design, to put it on paper, to DRAW.  No formal training, no real technique.  I'm not really all that good at all, if you're looking for rules to be followed (light and shading...huh?)
  Know what I've noticed, though?  Once I realized that I didn't follow any rules, that I had no technique, I kinda stopped churning out drawings every single day, like I used to.  I'm not as creative as I once was, even with my handmade craft, for the same reason.  I just need to DO and not THINK!  (Something I must tell myself in many aspects of my life.)  The internet allows me to share my creativity with others, and allows me to enjoy the amazing things others create...but it's also overloaded me, and given me sort of an inferiority complex, and I plan to erradicate that asap!
  A great place to discover and share visual artwork of any kind, is deviantArt.  Here's the link to my account: http://roxyguitarz.deviantart.com/  (Yes, my username is roxyguitarz...as in Roxy from the Misfits, from Jem and the Holograms).  I started there in 2007, and went strong, submitting all the time for a few years, and then my submissions eventually became few and far between.  I submitted drawings, jewelry, crafts, and even my couple of attempts at digital art.  I've met some great artists, great PEOPLE, on dA, and I encourage you to explore the site and enjoy the art, all skill levels, all genres, all types of people, just doing what they love.
  If you, dear reader, dabble in arts and/or crafts, I encourage you to share your work on deviantArt - it's so easy!  (I warn you, though, it's addictive!)

Here are a few galleries I recommend, of some deviants I've met along the way!
myroski
amjara
foozma73
zombietastic
blue-willow
myntkat
jerzee-girl

Please explore the site, and find some favourite artists of your own.  If you'd just like to "collect" your favourite artworks but don't want to post any work of your own, you can become a member, and simply add the work you love to your "favourites", and even organize it by genre, artist, or however you'd like!

It would be silly of me to make a post about drawings without a single image in it.  So, though there's much more on my deviantArt page, here's a sampling of some of my drawings through the years...

(Okay, so technically this last one is a painting...but I drew it out before painting it, so it counts!)

Paper Quilling

  I like to try all sorts of crafty things, and last spring, I was gifted with paper quilling supplies, including the most brightly colored papers.
  Over the last year I've had fun experimenting, ultimately trying to make paper into wearable pieces.  (And a couple of Christmas ornaments.)

 

An adjustable ring, inspired by Jem and the Holograms.  (Truly Outrageous)

The centers of these ribbon flower hair clips is glazed, quilled paper.

Un-glazed, quilled earrings-to-be.

One of my Christmas Ornaments.

  If you like the look of paper quilling, a google search will direct you to a number of blogs where you can enjoy the amazing work of real paper quillers - trust me, it gets amazingly ornate!

Loving BF Crochet Creations

  If you love beautiful, intricate, BREATHTAKING - not to mention soft and cozy - wardrobe accessories, then I must direct you to the blog of a very talented (and smart and beautiful to boot!) friend of mine: http://bfcrochet.blogspot.ca/   (Seriously, click it - not only is she talented, but she's hillarious.  I never thought a mission to organize one's craft stash could be so entertaining!)

  Tamsin TAUGHT HERSELF how to crochet, and not all that long ago, either!  (And for someone like moi, who has tried and failed at crochet and knitting - I just don't have the knack - this is a HUGE deal!)   
   She works mostly in luxury yarns (and she has a knack for selecting the most beautiful color-ways), and designs all of her grogeous creations.  Soon, she'll even be making her patterns available for anyone to purchase, and create in their own favourite yarns!

  I'm actually writing this post wrapped up in a beautiful, cozy throw that Tamsin made my husband and I for our wedding gift!   She also made my garter!  (That's Tamsin's hand, she was fitting the garter on my leg, deciding where to finish it off.  Yes, those are skulls.  Yes, she's THAT awesome!!!)

   Here's a photo of Loki, master of the house, having claimed the beautiful starburst throw Tamsin made my husband and I.  Sadly, it doesn't come close to showing off the blanket in the LEAST, but it does prove that it's loved!  (I have to steal it back every night, or at least wriggle myself carefully under a section...)  Also, yes, it's sparkly!

  THIS is the gorgeous shawl Tamsin made me for my last birthday.  I had snapped a photo of myself wearing it as a cowl that I was sure was on my laptop, or saved on a flash drive, but I can't find it ANYWHERE!  A shot of it on my dining room table will have to do, and this photo doesn't do it justice in the least.  The colors are WAY more intense, they practically GLOW!

Edit: found the photo of myself wearing my shawl like a cowl...

  It was Tamsin's jump into blogging (and a facebook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/tamsinjuby ), that inspired me to start taking more creative time for myself, and to share it with the world again.  Look out for some collaborations in the near future, too - we've got things in the works!

  Follow her blog and/or her facebook fanpage to see her latest creations (and contact her about purchasing), read her entertaining anecdotes, and just be inspired by the beauty that can come from two hands and a crochet hook!

A Look Back

  Back when I used to have a ton of time to devote to my craft (read: unemployed and single), I spent entire days in my tiny art room, and entire evenings perfecting the photos of my work with Photoshop.  Some of these photos have made their way to my personal deviantArt account, and many were posted on my now-deleted old blog. 
  I find looking back at the many different things I'd created in the past helps motivate me to pull more magic out of my hat.  Let's take a peek at some of my favourite creative memories...

These little gems made of recycled CDs are hanging up in my own jewelry box!

Repurposing puzzle pieces lets me make jewelry, and satisfy my painting bug!

Embroidery floss-covered beaded necklace close-up:

And lastly, my Tetris-inspired necklace of 2011

Do you find that looking back on your past accomplishments inspires to you move forward onto new ones?

Welcome to my World!

  Hello, cyber world!
  My name is Ghia B, and I like to make pretty things!

  I've been creating jewelry and hair accessories since I was a little girl.  After years of creating, doing local craft fairs, and showing off my designs on the web (on deviantArt, and on a previous blog), I suddenly found that "real" life took over what I'd been treating as a hobby, so for a while I ceased to play in my art room.

  NOT creating doesn't suit me too well, so I've decided recently to MAKE time.  I'd always dreamed of seeing my designs in stores, in magazines, and on tv, but even if that never happens, so long as there are people out there who enjoy wearing my unique baubles, and as long as I still feel the joy in creating them, it's time worth taking!

  So please, sit back, and follow along as I take you along my journey back into the creative world, and try to turn it into an (eventually) full-time business dream!

When the art room is messy like this, that means magic is happening!  Stay tuned!