#Cre8time New Beginnings... Artist Weaving Collaborative Bloghop

Hello friends! Welcome to a special "Artist Weaving Collaborative" bloghop that I am participating in with a group of my creative pals hosted by Tina Walker. Tina has been inspiring us with loads of woven and textile creations and she gathered a group together who would like to explore weaving. 

I am totally new to this art form and was excited to try something completely NEW! I found this was right up my alley as I could create using household items and yarns and fibers in my crafty stash. If you google "weaving tutorial", several fabulous how-to's come up. I really liked this one by abeautifulmess.com, this one on weaving on the etsy blog, and this one using a clipboard as a base at gatheringbeauty.com - which is the one I followed along to make my wonky woven wall hanging.

If you arrived here in the middle of the hop, you can CLICK HERE to jump over to Tina Walker's blog who is our hostess and organizer of this Cre8time weaving adventure and her gorgeous framed woven masterpiece.

Since I am a total novice to the weaving, I plodded along leisurely and didn't track my steps via photos. I found that I really enjoyed this process and that it's so easy, anyone can give this a whirl with stuff you have on hand. The only tools I used was a pair of scissors, a knitting needle and large eyed embroidery needle. The knitting needle came in really handy to pick up the rows to pass the needle and fiber through.

I didn't mount to a dowel rod like traditional hangings - I liked how the burlap twine bunched up at the top made a fun triangular shape. So I just tied it off at the top and wrapped with some coordinating fibers.

Of course... most of my yarns and fibers are my favorite color purple! I have an unopened crochet and knitting kit in a box with pretty yarns/fibers with fond memories of my desire to learn one day. Weaving has filled the need for working with textiles, without all the counting and complicated stitching. I'm excited to see everyone's tapestries and to read and learn more from all the ladies joining me on this woven adventure.

To visit all the other stops of

"Artist Weaving Collaborative"...

check out the links below.

Tina Walker

Martha Richardson

Beth Soler

Albion Gould

DeeDee Catron

Robyn Crowningshield

Mitra Pratt
Laura Mooney
Melissa Johnson

Susan M. Brown {sbartist} you are HERE

Thanks for dropping by - I hope you are inspired to try something new! Have a creative day :) Sb

An InLinkz Link-up

Add Some Light to your #Cre8time with Chibitronics and Designers Craft Connection

Hello friends! I have watching the night skies for my Man in Blue Box to arrive and meanwhile getting in a little Cre8time. This month the Designer Crafts Connection was challenged to work with Chibitronics... only one word can describe these – AMAZING!!! CLICK HERE to hop on over to the Designer Crafts Connection blog to see all the creations that with illuminate your crafting!

Today I'm using the Chibitronics Chibi Lights LED Circuit Stickers STEM Starter Kit – which has everything you need in one super cute kit to add electronics to any sticker-friendly surface: paper, fabric, plastic, the sky's the limit! 

Chibitronics Chibi Lights Circuit Stickers are a creative and fun way to learn electronics. Circuit stickers are LED circuits on peel-and-stick stickers. Build circuits without soldering, plugging wires, or clips. Instead, use the stickers with conductive tapes to draw circuits on paper and other crafts. Learn to build circuits while make interactive artworks. It's easy, fun, safe and creative.

Included in the kit is everything you need to add light to virtually anything you can imagine. The Circuit Sticker Sketchbook gives you step-by-step instructions, with pictures to build upon, for several variations of circuits. Chibitronics would be great for kids projects - as everything needed to make circuits is sticker based... no mess and no tools necessary.

On the Chibitronics website, there are videos of each process and more advanced circuit ideas. I decided to go with the parallel circuit as I wanted to line up a few lights to illuminate the windows of my resin cast Blue Police Box {made from my VLVS stamp design, Amazing Mold Rubber, Alumidust and Amazing Clear Cast Resin}.

The first thing I did was read the instructions and trace my pendant shape onto a piece of paper so that I could make a test run of planning the circuit trail. After a first try, I made another, using the full width of copper tape.

I initially planned on running 3 white lights at the windows and a yellow light at the top - but these little babies are really BRIGHT! 

So I decided to go with only two lights which gives just the right amount of pop.

Now that my circuit is prepared, I removed the excess copper tape for the circuits not being used and trimmed my paper to fit behind my resin pendant. I added double layer of black 3D foam adhesive squares around border and in empty areas which will adhere this to backside.

Before sticking down, I lightly brushed my paper front and back with blue spray mist - quickly drying off any excess that puddled around my circuits. My battery can slip in and out of a pocket I left open to insert it when I want to wear and illuminate. Almost a perfect match and the mottled texture was an interesting surprise.

Quick and easy! Lights off...

Lights ON!!!

I drilled a hole in the top and wire-wrapped a hanger on to attach to a rustic necklace which has a solder stamped charm and a the key that will open my "T.A.R.D.I.S.". My pendant now has a proper home ready to wear at the next Timelord Fest.

The Chibitronics lights bring a whole new dimension to crafting and it was fun as I learned about electronics too!! I can't wait to use these in my papercrafts and handmade cards... watch out Hallmark... I have special effects too!

Follow Your Whovian Heart!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! CLICK HERE to hop on over to the Designer Crafts Connection blog for more fun projects using Chibitronics... and find out how some blog candy to be won too! :) Sb