Does anyone fancy a bit of a challenging challenge?

[kickassangel]

I was wondering how people felt about a challeng to get us into something new?
my idea - we all say which crafts we're into, then get the name of someone who is into a different craft. we then send off a 'starter pack' to that person, with instructions, equipment etc & a simple project to make. a month later we all post up our first attempts at t new craft.

e.g. i do knitting, embroidery & cards. someone could send me a kit for how to make dolls clothes, or cross-stitch or applique a t-shirt. after 4 weeks i have to post up my efforts!

anyone interested? i am, of course, willing to co-ordinate, if someone can set up a gallery for our crafty pictures.

Aww KAA, you didnt have to do that! Youre very sweet. I hope your DD feels better soon. Weve got bugs that just keep going round here as well.

KAA, stuff came today

Thank you so much! DD has appropriated the chain of stars as she wants to decorate her room like a birthday party (birthday not until May, but Ill have a flick through my mags and get some inspiration.

The papers are lovely - are they mulberry paper? Ive not used that before.

Thanks again, Ill try to post something on the site soon.

fubsy!! I've been without internet access for the past three weeks, also been soooo ill, i haven't had a chance to go PO and couldnt contact you.(also had easter swap which couldnt go so not personal honest xx)

I've been signed of work and have had to get mum and friend to collect ds1 from school.

I have your package ready to send and will get dh to post for me tomo or fri.

so sorry about it all. your package has arrived but I havent been able to open it yet, this is the first day for over two weeks that i've been downstairs so I'll open it now. I am sure I'll love it thanks so much.

a big thanks also the kissangel for organising the swap and for sending you a package xxx

Hiya Champs, Ive sent you an email!

Hope youre feeling better.

fubsy - i MADE the papers! [preen] which is shy i have so much of the stuff that i'm giving it away! they're a bit difficult to stick down, as the layers separate, but glue seems to work best - let me know if you find a better way!

how about using brads or eyelets?

Wow - now I am impressed! Ive always thought paper making looked fun.

Poor you Champs hope you are feeling a bit better now anyway.
Who else still needs to post?

fubsy - paper making is cheap & uses recylcing! all you need is a deckle, a big tub of water & cheap blender.
then you just keep any old bits of paper/card that are interesting colours. you can add in spices, perfume, twigs, cotton etc.
i went on a day course about it & intend to do some more, but it's so quick & easy that i need to use up my supply. it is the sort of thing where you need to clear the decks & do a batch at once - good on a hot day as lots of water involved, then you can dry the paper!

champs - hope you're better soon, at least you're back on line

i SHALL get my pics up soon - promise!

Whats a deckle?

you need a wwoden frame with some kind of fine netting over it, (deckle) and a frame with no wiring (edge) - that's where the name deckle edging comes from on cards - because home made paper has that edge.

you can buy kits for paper making which have cheap, plastic deckles in them. it's very easy to do - but not easy to describe on here!

here
but you can use j-cloths instead of styrofoam boards. you can pile all the paper on top of each other (on j-cloths) then press it until most of the water has squeezed off, then hang it out to dry (still on a j-cloth) once dry, just peel off the j-cloth & you can use it again.
i wokr in a school & intedn to ask a friendly dt teacher to make me the deckle & frame.

You can use loo roll, then you don't need a blender, it just mashes up on it's own.

When we teach this to 6th form, we only ever use j cloths

Thanks, thats going in my favourites. Should be able to get DP to make a deckle!

Doesnt mashing up loo roll just give you more loo roll at the end?

Not really, as you make it much thicker, with lots of layers. You can dye it all different colours, and trap all sorts of stuff in between the layers.