Slightly spooky knife-block cutouts

Posted in Dippy doodles

Scary mummy knife-block monster

Mummy: “Hey! Watch where you put those!”

Scary Frankenstein knife-block monster

Frankenstein: “Hey, that’s my best jacket!”

I wanted to create a seasonally spooky project to end my short sabbatical from blogging (think Indiana Jones crossed with Scooby Doo) – I just hope these knife-block cutouts are not too spooky! Anyway, just to makes sure, I chose two well-known fictional characters, Frankenstein and the Mummy, both of whom it could be argued are not really alive anyway!

It’s a fairly easy project to make, but if you’d like to use my artwork you can download it below – also, the illustrations are intact (there’s no knife holes!) so feel free to use them for other spooky projects as well.

How to make one

Download project files›

Includes:
1) Colour versions of the Mummy and Frankenstein artwork
211 downloads so far, thanks everyone!

The ‘craft’ blogging community is a very generous one. A lot of people work very hard preparing projects to share (for free) and I for one would like to show my support by being a little more active in highlighting some of my favourites.

So, with that in mind I’d like to give Mini-eco a big shout out, and to tell you to visit Kate’s wonderful blog, and then to buy her wonderful book, highlighted below.

What I made

550

days ago

Decidedly dodgy dice

Posted in Krafty kids

four dodgy dice

1) Four flavours of dice, all decidedly dodgy!

2) Spelling it out…

3) Roman style…

4) Dots and stripes…

5) Sweet tooth…

I’m really enjoying ‘wonkiness’ at the moment. I think it’s a reaction to having so many Apple products in my life – an iPhone, an iPad, a MacBook Pro – they are all exquisitely designed, even beautiful, my only criticism is that they are almost too perfect. Instead, I’ve found myself beginning to rejoice in flaws and anomalies – I was even recently heard saying that it was OK that my kids had drawn on the dining room table because it gave it the ‘worn look’!

Now, of course, there’s a fine line between what’s rustic, and what’s bad workmanship, so I hope I’ve got the balance right with these ‘dodgy dice’. They were all created without rulers, and therefore have lots of gaps and cracks, they are even assembled crudely using sticky tape. The idea came from having to quickly make a dice for my son, so we could play a board game – I used the same technique described below, and found the finished result to be quite charming.

If you’d like to use one of my designs feel free to download the artwork from the link below. Go on, embrace ‘wonkiness’!

How to make one

Download project files›

Includes:
1) Colour versions of artwork – just start folding
2) Collectable instructions – stick them on the fridge
383 downloads so far, thanks everyone!

I thought it might be fun to gauge your love of a little wonkiness with this simple poll. Let me know which way you swing, perfect or wonky, and I’ll dedicate a project to the winning category.

What I made

569

days ago

Everything I made in a year

Posted in Dippy doodles

1) 19 projects, 10 fineliners and 5 marker pads later…

I recently celebrated a year of blogging by exhibiting a print called Everything I made in a year at the Art Sells exhibition in London. Organised by two girls who work in a well known London advertising agency, it was open to any ‘frustrated creative’ working within the wider creative industry. I wouldn’t say I was frustrated but I liked the concept, and submitted two pieces, one being accepted. It was the first time I had exhibited any of my work, which was quite a thrill, and hopefully I can have another crack at it next year.

I’d love to know a little more about the type of craft project you’d like to see more off. And to make it easier to get your feedback I’m running my first poll! If you have time please have a go.