Friday, April 25, 2014

For a photography and Social Media Buff

Hello All,

When a social media buff celebrates his birthday and the order for a gift frame comes to me, an instant kinship is felt ;)

So, here goes the 'design' I made for the frame:


And this is how the frame looked eventually :)




 In a typical style, I've altered the colour scheme slightly to make it look less monotonous.......

Something rare is happening with this frame though, I am entering this in the Pratvam Progs 1000 likes challenge.

Feedback is very welcome :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Quick Video for Using a Mandrel

Hello All,

Here is a little video for using mandrels for making outlines/borders for quilling......



Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Monday, April 21, 2014

Send your quillography frames safely - Tutorial

Hello All,

I am sure all of us face it at one time or the other.............how to send our lovingly crafted quillographed frames safely? It is obviously safer to send them inside a frame but that poses the great and often confirmed danger of the glass breaking. Acrylic framing leads to opacity over time. Also, glass framing increases both the weight and the volume of the frame substantially and it can be a crippling number as far as International parcels are concerned. So, Priyanka and I once brainstormed about it and after discussions with Richa, we came up with a solution that worked beautifully for us.

Here is a tutorial on how you could possibly do it......this is merely an indicative tutorial, you might need to improvize according to what you intend to send.

When I made this frame and needed to send it to Singapore, the challenge was to pack it with minimum weight and volume gain......


What you will basically need is TWO boards of the same size. This is a precaution you'll need to take from the very beginning. On one of the boards, you make the pattern and use the other board as the guard. You should create "spacers" of a width more than that of the quillography part. I have quilled with 4 mm strips and the width of the spacers is 10 mm. 

The spacers are TIGHT COILS made using 10 mm quilling strips

A representative layout is here:


And this is how it will be in reality:



On the right hand side is the frame (wrapped in cling wrap for protecting it from dust) and left side is a blank board with the "spacers" (10 mm blacks). 

After you bring the two boards together, wrap them together tightly using bubble wrap and newspaper to prevent their movement against each other. Adding spacers in the middle of the board can be a bit tricky, make sure you place them carefully before adding the second board from top.

Hope it helps you all :)




Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Friday, April 18, 2014

Quilled Name Plate - Sharon and MÃ¥rten

Hello All,

After almost a week of now-on, now-off work on this name plate, here it is, in all it's glory :) [Size: 22" x 14"]


Some details and WIP photos :)





And then, an insect decided to inspect my quilling ;) 









Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Kundan embroidery jhumka ;)

Hello All,

I have to start with, I am feeling mighty please with myself! :D Yesterday night was an unusually happy night where a pretty risky experiment paid off!

When I had a phone conversation with my supplier and a very dear friend Neha, of A-One Craft Supply about buying some half pearls, I am sure she wondered if I was right in the head! Asking for half pearls THAT small is kind of insane! ;) But she persisted, hunted them down and bought me the most marvellously useful craft supply........Neha, I owe you a zillion for this one :)

I have to thank my clients who don't even blink at allowing me to experiment wildly with various materials and processes :)

So, here goes, yesterday's R&D result..........a kundan embroidery look jhumka


The first trial is shown here (which didn't turn out great but then, if you do enough work, you'll eventually get there :D)



Thanks Ketaki and A-One Craft Supply, for making these possible :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

A simple wall clock

Hello All,

A very quick post to write about a very simple quilling + punch craft clock I literally pulled out of the hat! :D It was too short a notice for me to do anything more elaborate :) Feedback welcome........



Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Monday, March 17, 2014

"Pretty Quilled Cards" - A book review

Hello All,

Anyone who has seen Cecelia Louie's work (on her blog) will probably use these words to describe it: Simple, Airy, Uncomplicated, Effective.......

Thank Heavens, she decided to share her genius with all of us, through her amazing book - Pretty Quilled Cards - 25+ Creative Designs for Greetings and Celebrations.



When asked to review the book, I have to confess, I felt highly flattered. When the book landed in my hands, it was like talking to Cecelia, almost like seeing her working in front of my eyes.

Now, over to the book......

The book opens with a very elaborate introduction to the tools and techniques in quilling. In a typical Cecelia style, the descriptions are elaborate and lucid. She goes on to describe the various techniques, with clear illustrated images. Everything about her works spells simplicity, down to her gluing techniques. Her ingenuity at using simplest of things as quilling tools shines right through! What struck me was that she has "named" techniques which most of us just "do". Nomenclature of techniques definitely did appeal greatly to the scientist in me! :D

All projects start with a crisp list of components, precise instructions as to how to use those and where. These are followed by images of how to put them together AND a template for the card background. It truly can't get any simpler than that.

The cards are so well illustrated that even I could follow the instructions. Though there are 25+ projects described in the book, I absolutely fell head over heels in love with the wine-glass charms and cupcake toppers.


Anyone looking to make cards using quilling and simplest (yet, most effective) ideas, this book is an absolute must-have. And Cecelia, I hope you realize that you've penned a classic, as far as quilling books are concerned :) Thank you for giving me this opportunity to review your book, It's an honour beyond all honours :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh 

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Off-beat...........bead soutache again :)

Hello All,

When I saw Lulupu Craft Lounge's second B'day challenge notification, I so knew I had to participate. Not being a card-maker, I am more or less away from challenges as most involve cards. Add to that the inability to meet deadlines due to personal commitments and we have a recipe for non-participation in time-bound challenges! BUt this time, Lulupu has made it easier for us all. The challenge was to create something with the alphabets L, U, P, T, C. A minimum of three had to be incorporated. So, here is my take on it:

L - Layers (layers of paper used to make the 'base' for the soutache jewellery)
P - Paper (use for making the backing according to this method) and Pearl (flat back pearls used in the centre)
T - Thread (used to hold the beads together while arranging the beads)
C - Concentric circles (of beads in the jewellery)

I hope I qualify with this piece in Category 3 (everything else) :)



Happy Quilling

 Pritesh

 PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Double tier carved jhumka

Hello All,

A quick post to show you the versatility of the "carved" finish jhumka (you can see how you can make it here). The carving effect has been extended to both the domes :)



Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Carving effect on quilled jhumkas

Hello All,

If you ever have been to the Fourvière Basilica, this pair of earrings will immediately transport you to the golden and intricate interior of the church! Making this type of jhumka was an idea planted by Ketaki and it kept swirling in my head until I had it executed, the way she had visualized it :)

Hope I have done well Ketaki :)




Making it is not really difficult. You just need to make a regular paper dome, the usual jhumka grind and then, use 3D outliners (I lean towards Fevicryl, you can choose your preference) to draw an abstract (or structured, whichever you prefer) pattern The key is to let it dry completely before you go to the next step......agreed, it can be a bit tricky to make the patterns on a 3-dimensional structure, but hey, the end result will totally justify the effort :)


Now comes the slightly difficult (or rather, tricky) part. Taking a really fine tip painting brush (synthetic bristle brush, preferably), line the outer edges with gold to make this beauty possible :)

Happy Quilling

Pritesh

PS: If my posts inspire you to create something on similar lines, I feel highly flattered. But please, do respect the effort I take in conceptualizing and executing, please give a direct link to my work when you are inspired by mine. Thanks for understanding........:-)