Friday, June 27, 2008

New design

A new design. On an oblong brown card. Yes definitely not the perfect colour :P (happens to be my least favourite actually, along with peach). So added a fringed flower to perk things up. I know that you get special fringers for doing this but since they aren't available anywhere near where I stay, I make do with a basic scissor.
Just take a 2cm wide strip of paper and give one side very fine cuts, carefully avoiding cutting right through the paper. Then roll it, gluing the uncut edge. Finally fluff out the fringed edge and you're ready with a flower! It baely takes any time and adds character (or so I feel).
take care
Chandni :)

Friday, June 20, 2008

Wedding bells

Another card I made a while ago. I enjoyed making this one (I think it is my favouite) because the people look happy in it (though the credit for painting those sweet faces goes to my Aunt, the fabulous artist). Come to think of it, this piece was very simple to make. A few loose coils for the girl's hair and man's luscious moustache, simple circular ones for the flowers and really small tight circles for the polka dots in her dress. I know no self respecting bride would wear a polka-dotted wedding dress but where's the harm in being humourous? The man looks ridiculous in his hat and bow tie too but he is adorable. Hope this makes you smile, if not quill :)
Take care
Chandni

Saturday, June 14, 2008

The instruments I use!

Being a self-taught quiller, I have relied on mix n match equipment to make my quilling cards. This post is for all those of you who don't have access to quilling supplies. Below is a picture of the instruments I use while quilling:

  1. Firstly, I use the steel scale and blade to cut the strips of paper. It makes the job fast and minimizes the effort. Do remember to put a sufficient amount of newspaper under the paper you intend to cut so that you don't go cutting through your work table or leave any blade marks (I have learnt this the hard way!).
  2. The forceps are used to hold rolls as I apply the glue to them. The forceps (a normal tweezer will do) makes handling the rolls easier. I got mine from my lab equipment I used during my botany practicals! You can buy one from any stationer for Rs. 10.
  3. I use the brushes to apply the glue (doing it by hand makes things excessvely messy). Take a thin brush and dip in the glue. Hold the roll with the forcep in one hand and apply the glue with the other.
  4. I use Fevicol for all sticking work because it becomes transparent on drying and can't be seen on the paper surface. Any other glue is half as sticky and twice the mess! If you want to really really save on the bucks, you can take a little fevicol and mix it with water and use. It sticks just as well and makes your fevicol work a longer way!
  5. Finally, you can use a needle for rolling the strips of paper. I prefer to roll my paper with my index finger and thumb, that way I am in full control of the shape that emerges. Maybe using the needle is more professional, but since I have always quilled without one, I seem to be incapable to use one now!

Hope this helps some budding quillers somewhere. Take care :)

Chandni

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

I have been upto no good. Read: no quilling since ages. But I did a very smart thiong by deciding to look at my flickr account. I came across the few pages today that made me want to get back to my paper as soon as possible. Some refreshing designs for you to look through:
  1. Deepa's amazingly pretty earrings: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adeept/
  2. Xu's exquisite quilling: http://www.flickr.com/photos/quilling_xu/ The quilling designs are extremely neat and very pretty.
  3. The there is Loopy's work. You will be amazed at the perfection of the quills, the well-balanced designs and ofcourse the very enjoyable quirky sense of humour evident in the designs: http://www.flickr.com/photos/louprime/2527625390/in/pool-quilling

I enjoyed my "virtual" quilling for the day. Take care :)

Chandni