Jellyfish and Moon ATCs

Just the two latest ATCs I've worked on.

The moon is complete.

The jellyfish is not. I still have to add some sewing and embossing to it. I'm really loving the metallics that the embossing kit came with.

Ships are Fallible, I say.

I realize that I haven't posted in a while. Mainly it is because I am busy with ongoing projects and the end of the school year approaching. I have to finish the school's staff handbook, which I'm not really looking forward to. Plus we are in the process of hiring new teachers, which is depressing because I like the OLD teachers.



Right now I'm working on a whale swap. It has to have two types of whale related items.

I'm going to create some custom whale stationary and possibly a plushie...
This is the whale stamp I am going to carve for the stationary. Its a Sperm Whale! I think I may add a ship on there to make it "Moby Dick" themed... I'm really into ships lately....
I'm also working on an ocean related embroidery swap. I'm doing a ship!

The quote is from this Joanna Newsom song:


"We sailed away on a winter's day, with fate as malleable as clay, but ships are fallible I say, and the nautical, like all things, fades".

I may carry it on, but so far, that is the part of the song I am using.

In Your (Nautical Themed) Dreams!

Over the last week I decided to try a paper boat tutorial that I found here.

Here was my process and result.

First I cut the pattern out of a cereal box. I was able to get two boats out of one box.

Then, I folded and taper into a boat shape.After one coat of paper and a mixture of flour, water, and glue.

After two coats.
I decided to do each boat different. Here I painted with watercolor, made a hole in the middle section and stuck a painted dowel in. I secured with hot glue.
Button details

To give it that real homemade look I put patches on the sail before attaching it.

Here it is. The sail didn't turn out exactly how I would have hoped... but it was my first one! I'll do the yellow one a little differently.

I decided to use the boats as gifts that will come with a letter about it being a 'dream boat'. You hang the boat in a window and you put your wishes inside the boat. The boat will sail away with your wishes. If you receive one of these... sorry for the preview!

Tree and Mermaid ATCs

My "Ocean Quote" ATC. It had to have a mermaid involved. You can barely see it, but there is a clear ship over the mermaid and the quote.

And my 2 tree ATCs.

Work in Ceramics

This session in ceramics I've mostly been working on napkin rings for my wedding. I really regret this. I go to ceramics so that I can make fun, beautiful things, but I also go because I want to fulfill my creative ideas and de-stress. These napkin rings have been everything BUT that. They were not fun to make. Simple, easy rings. I had to do 50. Then I added a heart to the outside. Also easy. Here comes the hard part. Glazing. Imagine making 50 of one thing, then having to paint them all the same. UGHHHHH.
Boring and tedious. So I finally finished. And I got them back a couple of weeks ago, and they looked so terrible. Beyond terrible. So not only did I have to take them back, I had to re-glaze all of them. Sooo, yea, total bummer. I've done one coat on them. They need another. I hate these napkin rings...

So after that whole fiasco I decided that I'm only going to make things that I want to make out of ideas in my head. I'm not very good at throwing on the wheel, so I hand build mostly.

Here is the start to a bird that will be in the shop once it is done:
It will hang by rope, and can be hung outside, or inside. I love it!

Also last week I was inspired to make this:

This will also be in the shop. It will be a great paperweight for a budding executive I believe.

Little Miss Sunshine Dotee

I've been assigned to make a dotee that is exclusively yellow. Last week I received this dotee in the mail. It was from the mermaid inspired dotee swap.

See mine here.

And I really loved the style of the face and hair. I couldn't, nor would I, replicate it in my latest dotee, but there was inspiration involved. This is my latest dotee...

After receiving a couple of these dolls I attempted to make this one smaller than I had in the past. It worked out quite nice. I was able to make a more detailed doll in less time. Also, I believe the dolls are actually supposed to be tiny, so mine are improving.

This swap's title was "Little Miss Sunshine", so I purposely made this dotee without a smile. I like the idea of a bright doll with a mad face. The next one is a "great depression" themed, so maybe I will make that one really happy...

Snail!

I made something that I've been meaning to make. Its in the shop!

Surprises Received

I realize that I haven't told you all about the wonderful things I've been receiving from Swap-Bot.
Just in case you forgot how it works, you sign up for a specific topic swap (like an apron swap), you make what is required, you send it out, and you receive back from a different partner.

I sent out two octopus ATCs, and have received two back!

Mine are here.

I sent out a purple dotee, and received one back!
Check out her intricate headband. This came from Sweden, and I'm impressed!

Check out mine.

I sent out a "Tree of Life" ATC, and two owl ATCs. I've received all but one owl card, which I know is coming late.

The ones I made are here.

Here you can see how the tree one is a collage.
I also received a couple amazing envelopes stuffed with random items. Some of the favorites:
Stickers with my name stamped on them

A postcard for my inspiration boards. Its a wall of ice by the wall of Jerusalem.
Some crazy purple things that I put on my lamp. I really enjoy this whole swapping experience. I like seeing what other people would create given the same limitations I've been given. Really interesting!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there. My mom came and visited me today. She is amazing because she has to drive 2 hours each way to come here, and it is something I wouldn't do just for one day. Even a whole weekend barely warrants 4 hours of driving.

Did I mention I hate driving?

We went to the Pasadena Rose Bowl Flea Market because my Mom loves that type of thing, and I was looking for purple vessels for my wedding. We found... NONE! Amazing that after 3 hours of seeing every booth we literally found no purple things. There were lots of amazing things in other colors, but no purple or pink or gray.

I did find a few pieces for inspiration though :

Other half has requested a new change dish, and I found this awesome one, but he wants sections for phone, keys, wallet, misc.

I'm really into ships lately. I've been really wanting to make one out of paper mache and fabric, but I think I will make one in ceramics first.
And this... his head comes off.
And we bought one thing that cost $1

Crystal Mud Software Ice
They come as tiny minuscule balls (think smaller than Dippin' Dots). You add water, and 6 hours later, they are ready to use as soil for indoor plants. I asked the guy about nutrients, and he had no answer, BUT these balls make it so that you only have to water your plants once every 3 weeks. And they are pretty. And cheap. And come in lots and lots of colors!!!

new shop item

I added an Item to my shop today. Over the weekend, I'll be adding to this accessory category, hopefully. Definitely by next week.

My first apron

I decided to join a swap where I have to create an apron. I decided to do a half apron.

I used the bottom of an apron that I already had as a guide. I regret using a sharpie. I really need to get one of those invisible markers. The sharpie shows throughout the sewing...
When I cut this out I doubled the fabric so I would only have to cut once. Then I free-handed two pockets. They are a little different, and the stitching shows, but its my first time! I didn't want to take the time to hand sew a hidden seam.

After sewing on the pockets, I sewed on a ruffle edge to one side of the fabric. I did this so that when I sew the two sides together, the ruffle will be on the inside, then the outside when flip it out.
For this project I had to pin the layer together before I sewed because the project was so big and everything was cut so precisely.
The layers were : back, waist ribbon, ruffle, front.
The most challenging part was sewing the waist ribbon. It was all inside out and such when I flipped it out, so I had to cut open the seams and slide the ribbon through. Not terrible. It can only get better from here (but I probably won't make another apron...)

The final product:
I was definitely standing weird, but until I have a studio and purchase a dress form, I will have to be the model....

Butterfly ATCs

I sent off 2 Butterfly ATCs. I'm not thrilled with them... for some reason I had a mental block on what butterflies look like, and I don't like googling pictures when I'm drawing just for purposes of keeping it original.

Again, I used Sharpie, Prismacolor markers, sewing, a Micron pen, and embossing

Next time, I might think a little harder.

SHOP UPDATE!!!!

I just added a shop link to the side of this blog. Items are now up for sale!!

This is the first time in a while that I've had anything up for sale, and I'm opening it up to you all first!

New item:
Our Lady of Guadalupe Pillow

Octopus ATCs

Just a couple ATCs that I sent out today.
Used Prismacolor markers and colored pencils, sewing, and embossing!