Thursday 7 January 2016

The top twelve from 2015


Well, it's that time of year when we all start to look back on the year that's been, and I am no exception! I love seeing what my most viewed posts have been each year; it's always surprising, I'm sure to have forgotten one or two, and it's nice to see how the crafts have been holding up. So, without further ado ...



Huzzah for nerd crafts! The Darth Vader Coffee Cup Cosy (or DV CCC, for short ~___^) was a birthday gift for my wonderful friend Pip and even though she received it rather late, it was a big hit. I suspect my Star Wars crafts posts may have received small boosts in traffic due to the new movie, which goes to show, Star Wars never goes out of fashion ^___^

Also at number twelve was my post on three easy Addams Family crafts and I'm pleased to report that all of these projects are still going strong! The canvas is on display on my computer desk, the necklace is getting regular wear, and Scott and I use the pillowcases almost every night (almost because, well, we have to wash them sometimes! ~___^)







The fairy bread sweater clips and the peas in a pod brooch have been getting the most wear from me, but the other pieces are still valued contributors to the jewellery box team ~___^ I really enjoy working with polymer clay and actually have some new sculpting projects in the works - stay tuned!



Looks like 2015 was the year of the Addams Family on this blog, huh? I made these clay dolls for my lovely friend Clare and I'm so glad they made this list because they're one of my favourite projects! I had a lot of fun learning some new techniques to make them and, while my skills still can use some improvement, I'm still really proud of how they turned out. 



This project is my most popular post over at Cut Out + Keep, so I suspect there are a lot of sticker hoarders out there! All of my sticker jewellery has held up really well, but using super glue is essential for this project; they're just not secure enough otherwise.





"IT'S NOT A PHASE, MUM!" Oh, wait, no, it totally is. My moon phases necklace (*another* clay project, btw!) is a big hit every time I wear it. It's surprisingly light and gives a lovely witchy touch to any outfit ^___^



Omg, the kitty mugs. I made *so many* and they were such fun! They have held up relatively well; one cup got put in the dishwasher by a well meaning work colleague which didn't turn out so well, but with gentle handwashing the porcelain pens stay on ok. I think more experimentation with baking would assist here; although I followed the instructions on the packets, I think longer in the oven would help.
 
 


Awww, look at that wide eyed smile! I love my little Kraken and even though he's spent a year being squished on our couch, he still looks as happy as ever. I did learn that thin wire is not the way to go in the tentacles though; pipe-cleaners, like I used in the first Kraken I made from this pattern, work much better.



The Night Vale crafts were made for a craft swap, so I don't know how they're looking right now - or even if they are looking. Inanimate objects are notoriously bad witnesses. The Night Vale canvas is one project I really miss - I might have to make another one so I can keep it!

The toe guards that I made for my skates didn't actually survive that well. I used pleather for the main cover, and it just didn't hold up. The hearts were made of real leather though, and they're fine! So I guess the moral here is, if you're going to make them, use leather!
 





I'm surprised (but pleased!) that this one made the list! I made this for Scott, to hold his dice collection that he uses to play Warhammer 40K. My favourite part of this project was the cross-stitch because I found that two-headed eagle so darn tricky to chart that I was very pleased with how it came out. The bag still looks perfect, and Scott hasn't brought any more dice so it still fits his entire collection - yay!



Oh my gosh. I feel like I had forgotten how cute these little baby skates were! The pattern I followed was really great and my friend Toni sent me a photo of her new baby wearing them which was, no lie, pretty darn special. This project is definitely on the list for "future baby presents for derby folks"!




I'm still totally on the cowl bandwagon, and this one still looks great! The yarn is super fluffy and cosy, and it's in WARD colours so I can wear it to winter derby games! ~___^ Also in this post was the photos from my trip to Singapore and the costumes Bec and I wore to a 60s party the day after I got back!



 


This project is not the one I would have backed to come in the winner, but I'm actually really pleased it did! This bag is not in use anymore - the leather bits that connected the handles to the bag totally ripped off! Faux leather is just no match for all my derby gear! But the paracord handles are still perfect, and I've kept them for use on another project one day ^___^

Because I'm a huge nerd, I thought it would be fun to look at what kind of projects I posted in 2015! Here's the breakdown ...

Techniques most used: Crochet and painting! (10 each)
Techniques least used: Knitting (1)

Fandom most repped: Welcome to Night Vale (5)
Fandom least repped: A big ol' draw between Adventure Time, Game of Thrones, Warhammer, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, DC, and Marvel! (1 each)

Type of project most made: Home decor (17!)
Type of project least made: Clothing (1)

Honorable mentions:

6 projects made using miscellaneous techniques (like, is gluing a technique??)
3 projects featuring cats
6 projects relating to skating
3 projects featuring mermaids
6 posts with cake
3 posts on cosplay and/or costumes

If you're looking for a quick way to view all my projects, you can always check out my Pinterest board ^___^

Here's to another year of crafting!

- Lisa xx

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