Updates from the mobile workshop

We've really stopped posting things this year, haven't we?

I've been doing a lot of random, weird things in the craft world lately. Bleaching and then re-dyeing a pineapple sarong in my washing machine, helping a friend make her ikea light fixture less horrible looking with lace in Chicago, lost wax casting a sterling silver ring, making jewelry from shrinki-dinks, and raku pottery. Those last three new opportunities have come because of a class I'm teaching (Materials Science) - I'm learning right along with the kids, but what a fun experience to see the lost wax casting process! Wish I could get that setup going at home. I'm considering starting with PMC clay...

Before

After!

The two most successful and time-consuming hobbies this year so far have definitely been my first foray into soap making with Jenny (5 batches in - 3 really good ones, 2 mediocre) and attempting to pick up sewing again. I will write a post soon with our recipes for soap in more detail, but right now, I'll post some fun pictures! (I'm also attempting to make shampoo right now...I'll post when I get something remotely useful)

A (surprisingly) great nightgown (Jenny came to my rescue via gchat on this one)!

Some photos of the inaugural soap-making adventure over Thanksgiving weekend in Portland!
(Left) me with the lye, (Top Right) Jenny stirring the oils, (Bottom Right) Tada! Bergamot-Clove-Rosewood-Oatmeal Soap. My favorite batch yet.

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Jenny, you said you made some lotion? Can you tell us about it? What other projects have you ladies been working on? Share some pictures/stories!

making things to hold the things you've made

I've been wanting a jewelry organizer for a long time. Not a box that covers everything up and results in tangles, not the several small dipping sauce plates I have held my stuff in for years, but a nice, wall-hanging organizer. I was drooling over a few on etsy, but never actually got around to buying one.

So, this morning I decided it was the day; I gathered some cardboard, paper, ribbon, mesh from my TJ's garlic and tons of hot glue and went to town.

1) first, I modpodged a piece of green-leafy paper on to some thick cardboard.
2) then, I decided there should probably be some space between the paper and mesh so that the earwires would have some room, so I lined the outsides of the rectangle with another layer of cardboard.
3) next step: hot gluing the mesh to the cardboard, which was tricky. I tried to stretch it well so that it wouldn't sag in the middle.
4) after that, I covered up all the blemishes by framing the rectangle with WAY too bright orange ribbon I had laying around.
5) then, for kicks, I used some thinner ribbon and hot glue to make some bracelet holders at the bottom.
6) hung it to my wall with 3Ms...

And, voila!


Though, I think I should have made it a bit bigger:

Finally, some original handmade jewelry

If you're anything like me (slightly cocky, somewhat pessimistic, definitely high expectations), you go to markets or arts/crafts fairs and think "ok, that's lame" or "I've made that." Where is the original stuff that I could never make or (even better) the items that pique my curiosity and creativity? Show me something different than delicate glass beads on a head pin attached to an earwire, please!

So, thanks to google reader, I happened upon Penguina Designs tonight. Some typical stuff, but she has some insane brooch talent and pretty interesting earrings! Meg, can you do brooches like that? I'd love to learn...