Kasuarine or casuarina earrings

Okay, I know, there is not too much to read from me at my blog at the moment. This is due to finally arrived the last days / weeks to finish my doctoral thesis. I am more than a little bit afraid, exiteted, exhausted, nervous... and maybe there is also a little spark of hope which belives that in some time this won't dictate my life anymore. Or better... that I'll have a real life again.

If you want to have some funny impressions of research life, just jump over to PhD comics. Although maybe it  is only funny and cruel to the people who live in this little world with its own rules.

But back to the actual topic. Stuff! I love the look of the earrings! I already made them some time ago with the cone of a casuarina (german - Kasuarine). The cone is hard and wooden and very, very stable. Okay, it is not a real cone, wrong family, but I don't know how I should call it otherwise in english. If you want to look after this plant just search for Casuarina equisetifolia. 

Originally it comes from the other side of the world, from Burma to Australia... but it also grows in a lot of other pleaces worldwide now due to its traits. fast growing, a really high salt resistance, able to grow even in nutrient-poor sand.

I got them from "für große Mädchen" who found them all on fuerteventura. 

I used my dremel to cut of the little wooden end of the structures and to drill holes in it. After that it was just adding a bead :)

I love the contrast between the little frosted cream pearl and the spiky wooden and strange look from the casuarine cone. I think it would suit a steampunk outfit as well as an evening gown ^^

And last but not least: I'll be away the first days in august. Being in the real little paradise on earth - formentera!

When I am back there will be some (and first) candies from me. Due to several reasons, the first is that I have nearly 100 readers. Yes, I love comments, I love readers, I love new ideas and contructive critics :) Also I hope I'll be more relaxed after (I still can't belive it and won't until it actually happened) giving my thesis away. So this alone would be reason enough for a giveaway. :) 

So at this date I'll be hopefully in a state of high endorphines, so if you would like to have something special for a candy, it'll be the perfect chance to say me that. Endorphines are reducing any resistance to suggestions ;)

A fast good night hair piece...

...really something fast and easy! I used some leftover organza stuff (or something like that.. who knows..).

(cut several squares of the same size, fit the edges to a circle, cut the organza to something remembering a flower, shuffle the different layers of organza, sew it together, put a bead in the middle, tighten the fabric around the bead with some stichtes, secure it on a hairpin or wherever you want)

As always... tentacles...!

This time a little bit smaller, purple and blue, no shades.

Also some more of this beads I want to use for hairthings/pieces. Just for sitting in the center surrounded by lace, fabrics and feathers, whatever lays around.

The black colour of the acrylic paint is not contrasting enough to the dark blue fimo, so maybe I will put another layer of a lighter paint above. The wire is just for the holes in the beads. I always (if I am not forgetting it) put two wires in the bead so they can be sewed tighly on fabrics at different positions.