Super cheap Washi Tape! :: Video

So I'm really getting into crafts and so forth, there isn't much to do in the garden at the moment, just weeding and I don't think you really want to see photographs of someone weeding...

I thought I would introduce some craftiness into the blog, as I know quite a few of you like crafts and such like, so here we go!

This a quick tutorial I did on Washi Tape, there are links below if you would like to know more about washi tape. In short, it's a paper tape with designs and colours printed on it; used to enhance and add interest to scrapbook pages and handmade cards, it can also be used for wrapping gifts and so on.

Washi tape is expensive in craft shops so make your own!

So that's the video! You don't need to buy the inks to do this, watercolour paints, felt-tip pens or even pencil crayons would work!

Give it a go and let me know what you did and what you used it for!

Leave a comment below.

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Dustbathing Chicken Dance

My chickens were let out for the first time this week and they have had a great time (and so have I) they have eaten all of the slugs and snails they can find and have scratched all over the bare dirt, diggin up weed seedlings - double bonus for me.

After eating and scratching they decided to have a dustbath...

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Craft: Upcycle Tin Cans. Shabby Chic on the Cheap.

Time: 25mins
Skill: Easy
Cost: 20p - £2.00 (depending on if you buy the tin)
Awesome: Pretty Cool

So I got a bit bored and decided to play around. I had an old long hot dog tin from the other day's barbecue which I thought would make a good holder for my incense sticks. Problem was, it looked naff, so I took the label off and gave it a good wash.

Once dried, I spray painted inside a bit with white gloss paint just to give it a nice finish and then using superglue and jute garden twine, I went to town. The actual wrapping took about half an hour to do, mainly because I'm a bit of a perfectionist, it wouldn't take as long with a smaller can. 

My main tips from this are to use wet (not gel) superglue, that way you can simply squirt a bit onto the wrapping you have already done and it will seep through and attach the twine to the tin. I did this every inch or so of the wrapping and it's very solid.

The flower embellishment was from an old crochet doily which I gather up, tied with a short thread and cut off the excess. I used fabric glue to attach it to the twine. 

Please let me know if you would like to see a tutorial on how I made this!

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• Craft: Upcycle Tin Cans. Shabby Chic on the Cheap. (myshropshiregarden.blogspot.com)
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Bees and Spiders

It was a sunny day, and guess what... I had to go to bloody work! I did manage to grab 20 minutes or so beforehand to get outside with the whole set of extension tubes and the 85mm f/1.8 nikkor attached to the front of the camera. Let me just say how heavy this set-up was, and if you do use it on your camera, make sure you are supporting the lens at all times, not only does this decrease camera shake, but it also stops the whole ensemble from breaking apart and falling off (Which it didn't do but it felt like it was about to!)

Honey Bee
Apis melifera

Fact: All worker bees are female.

Buzzing Spider (Female)
Anyphaena accentuata

Fact: This spider is named due to the buzzing sound it creates as it vibrates it's abdomen against leaves. This behaviour is seen in the males when trying to attract a mate.

This is the Male

Buzzing Spider (Male)
Anyphaena accentuata

More Macros!

Well, the weather is bloody awful, I am tired of this rain... I want to get outside and take some pics! I could use a plastic cover but with the sky being so cloudy and the extension tubes reducing the light even further, it is simply way too dark to get good shots. 

Why not use a tripod? Well let's put it this way, the bloody wind is blowing so epic motion blur...


However, I did manage to nip up the local woods with my BF and grab a couple of good shots before the light disappeared and the rain came tumbling down. Enjoy!

Rye Grass in Flower.

Lupin with water.

Wild Strawberry Blossom

The Unfurling of Wild Bracken

Flowering Gorse

If you would like to purhase any of these photographs as a print, please go to: http://ludlowphotographer.smugmug.com/Flowers/Macro-Flowers/

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Spring in Macro

My lovely and amazing boyfriend bought me a set of extension tubes for my Christmas/Birthday present and I went to town taking macro photographs of spring...

Please enjoy and if you would like to purchase a full size print of any of the images click here

Rhododendron Stamen and Sepals

Graphic drop

Reflections of Spring

Softly Softly

Dramatic Ash

Down the Rabbit Hole

Burst of Life