Finished the Wave scarf

As per a previous post (back in October, I think), I finished the Wave scarf I started and worked on between other projects. It was fun to learn and fun to give away!











And the kid sister/recipient. Can you tell she's shy?

Yule Swap!

So I did a Yule Season Swap on Craftster and here are the treasures I made for my partner!

Sorry for the blurry cell phone photos!

Contents:
Lemon-Sage Soaps
Orange-Clove Essential Oil
Tree of Life painting
"Yarn Ball" Knit Earrings
Bronzed Oak Leaf w/ Tiger Eye "acorn" Necklace




Blurry shot of the dark green yarn ball earrings.















Real bronzed oak leaf and "acorn" made of a tiger eye bead.

























Tree of life, with the roots wrapping down under the painting


All in all, I'm pretty pleased with how the items came out, I hope my swap partner likes them!

Kermit Costume

So my sister called asking if I could make her a costume for her college Theatre Fraternity's Masque. The theme was someone who inspires you. And my family is a little obsessed with Jim Henson.

My sister, creative as she is wanted to be Kermit in tribute to Jim. So I ran to the store and whipped this together in a few hours. I'm sure with more time, It might have been a lot better, but I'm still pretty pleased with how it turned out.

I made the spats, collar and head out of felt and made the black part of the mouth out of black nylons, so she could see and breathe but it would still look like a mouth.

I have to say I'm pretty pleased.




ACTION!!!



















Kermi-ttude






















Here is a shot of the T-shirt, with my favorite Jim Henson picture on it.


Hope you all like it!!!

Fairy(?) Grandmother mostly done!!!

So as I posted on craftster, here is the story.

Okay, so over a year ago, I had decided to try and make a fairy doll.

But, I had never sculpted anything with that kind of detail. So I made a silly face. Then I set it down for a week. then I made an old, saggy torso. I added it to the head and left it for a few more weeks. Then I made hands. But didn't know how to attach them. So the head/ torso and the hands lay on my craft desk for a few months. And the story goes until she was slowly pieced together.

My next anguish was making clothes for her. Everything I have on her is made by me, down to the knit shawl.

Tonight, I decided to finish by adding a wig of alpaca hair.

Here she is almost 100% finished. Now to decide if I add fairy wings or leave her be! Help!!!

This is not the best set of pictures, but I'm sleepy and pleased at the same time!!!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will be adding a wigging tutorial soon.

Sculpting + Chocolate = Best of Both Worlds!!

So, I just finished sculpting with modeling chocolate!!

I'm helping Joe make a cake for our friend's birthday. She is into Victorian themed stuff and so I thought I'd try to make an edible cameo silouette.

First the recipe:

White Modeling Chocolate

7 oz White Meltable Chocolate
2 tbsps Karo Syrup

• Melt Chocolate in a double boiler until completely smooth.
• Take off the fire and add the Karo Syrup and stir until it starts to thicken.
• Put into a ziploc bag and set into the fridge for about an hour.
• It should be hard when you take it out of the fridge.
• It should soften in your hands and should be workable like a really pliable clay. (Sidebar: if yor hands are generally warmer, it will soften considerably, set it aside for a moment and it will harden up again, the reverse is true for folk with cold digits)
• Once it's pliable, sculpt as you like on a piece of foil or another non-stick surface. It should be pretty easy to work with.
  
• When finished, place back into the fridge to harden.

Tips:

After you sculpt, if you are looking for a smooth surface, apply some water to your fingertip and apply and smooth the area. It will make it pretty smooth and rather hard.

Secondly, the experience. I couldn't figure out why it was SOOOOOOO hard to work with until I just typed out the recipe. I forgot until right now, that I doubled the chocolate but forgot to double the syrup!!! DOH!!

My hands are notoriously warm, so the chocolate kept getting all squishy. But all in all I got it to look vaguely like I wanted to, which was a vaguely cameo-like silhouette. Even though it's kinda Pebbles Flintstone.

Anyways, here she is!!

Please support Handmade Holidays!!!

My etsy shop has been added to a directory of handmade gift sites.

Please click on the image to support handmade gift-giving this season and the crafters who put their time and love into their work!!!

I forgot halloween costumes!

How could I have forgotten Halloween Costumes?!

Most of my costumes were made from Upcycled thrift store items.

The witch was brought together quickly from previous costume pieces.

But the Kodex costume from "Wanna Date My Avatar" was actually painstakingly created from thrift store finds and sewn together over the course of 3-4 days.

All in all, one quickly thrown together Beggar's Night costume and one agonizingly detailed Halloween Party costume completed!!! It was fun!






















(Bonus, because I love this picture)

New items on the etsy site!

I would really love folk visiting my etsy site.

I have some new items up and I'm working on more handcrafted items for stocking stuffers and for the holidays.

Please feel free to visit and send me a message about things you like, things you'd like to see or you know maybe buy something while you're there!!!

If you see something you'd like in different colors, please feel free to let me know!

I am happily crafting away, I hope you are too!!!

~Magpie

Learning the wave!

I am still on a crochet kick. So I'm trying to keep up with this learning phase.

I bought 200 Crochet Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets by Jan Eaton. I've always loved the chevron pattern, but never knew how to make it. So, I'm learning. It is a challenge, but I'm having fun!

Also, working on a mock-up of a bodice for my Halloween costume. It's not gonna be great, since I'm trying to dress up like someone that is a size 4, I think. I'll post pics of the process when I get them.

Hope everyone is living crafty!!!

Finished swap package

So here is the finished swap package I sent out today for my partner.

She really didn't have a specific Halloween/Samhain wish, but she liked faerie things and outdoorsy crafts.

I sent:

• An amigurumi acorn purse from her wist
  
• A crocheted vine necklace she wisted
• A portable fairy door ATC
• A fairy flower (said to attract faeries)
• And her Halloween candy of choice, Pixie Sticks.

It didn't feel really Halloween-y to me, but it's what she wanted. I just hope she likes it all.

Vine wrap-y thing!

So I made this item off of a picture I saw. Obviously, it was not as easy "guesstimating" how to make it, but it looks okay, I think!

Frankly, I've been stalling working on the quilt for the Grove. It is a LOT of work and a pretty huge undertaking. Now that I have my swap items made for the Halloween Swap, I can focus on this quilt. Wish me luck and I will be trying to post teaser pics soon for the quilt!

And who knows, maybe soon I'll make something that I can actually SELL!

My first traded ATC's

Okay, so ATC's (if you don't know) are Artists Trading Cards.

They are usually 2 ½ X 3 ½ cards that are decorated to the fancy of the artist or to fit into a theme.

These cards were for a Twilight theme and were larger than normal ATC's. They are 3x5 in "Skinnies"

Sorry about the crappy pictures from my cell, it was all I had before I sent them.

Owlettes!!!

So I tried the tiny owlettes. While mine didn't turn up as well as the original patternmaker's, I love them just the same!!!

The yellow eyes went to Heather and I kept the brown eyes.

Also, the brown "brow" color was my very second attempt at wool spinning. I'm kinda proud of it!!!

If you haven't checked out roman sock's blog, (Nona, this means YOU!) DO IT!!!

Acorn purse....FINALLY

So it took me a bit longer than the 1-3 hours estimated on the pattern, but it's finally done.

I'll be putting a ribbon through the top of the acorn for ease of carrying, but I think it turned out alright. Not sure I will be making tons of these (at least not with a 3mm hook), but I really enjoyed the project.

I hope my swap partner does too!!

It feels good to make a cute, simple project. I recommend this pattern for folk who are crochet/amigurumi savvy.

*hugs*
~Mythical Magpie

Results of clay class

So M posted the results of the combined Polymer Clay and jewelry class work.

If you wanna see some of the finished products, visit her blog.

Glad to read they were all pleased with the class.

I love learning something new....

So I am in a halloween swap on Craftster and my partner wished for this adorable acorn "purse" thingy. I think it is adorable and am thinking of making one for me too!!!

Anyways, the first row instructions said "Magic Circle". Now I've never been what you call an expert crocheter, but I was totally lost. So, I googled it (with the word crochet of course, lest I stumble upon something less than work-friendly) and I found this handy tutorial!!

So, I've just learned somethingnew today that can really help my crocheting!!!!

YAY!

Stumbleupon brings me something AWESOME!!

So, I've found another swap site. Swap-bot.com.

It seems to specialize in smallish swaps, which is just FINE by me!!!

I just started making ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) for folks not yet in the know. So I joined a swap for ATC's. So that should be fun!!!

I am thinking of starting a swap here too!!!

Twilight New Moon Swap from Craftster

Stuff I made and sent to my swap partner:

Stuff she made and sent to me:

She sent WAY over the limit, and they were such nice items, that I felt guilty.

So....who wants to do a local craft swap?!?

Anyone in?

Okay, my Nationwide Polymer Clay Class - Finally

So, I promised I'd write about teaching my first Polymer Clay Class for Nationwide Insurance's Jewelry Class.

Firstly, I had made plans to teach a few techniques that kinda got changed VERY last second under the advisement of Miss M. On top of that, I had about 10 minutes to rush to the conference room and set up before the class got there for the lunchtime session. (note to self: lunch classes really aren't enough time)

So, I got there and was sweaty, exhausted and worried that the change in lesson might throw me off. I started pulling out all the clay. I barely got out all the supplies before ladies started coming in. The next 50 minutes was mostly a blur, even though I had spent the week before it carefully planning witty quips and helpful pointers.

I've determind that one hour is NOT enough for a polymer clay class. If I can avoid it in the future, I'm gonna try. It's just not long enough to teach at a pace where everyone has a change to get attention. So the whirlwind class ends and I bake their beads.

Several hours later, the second class started. I had one pretty experienced polymer clay student and mostly newbies. Now this is when I started learning some valuable teaching lessons.

1. If you have time, prepare pieces in various stages. So you don't have to make the items along with the students.
   
2. Do not encourage speeders, because if they are assuming what you want them to do, they aren't listening and will most likely mess something up.
3. Keep calm when adults get upset that their project doesn't look like another's....because in the end, it's the finished product that is the important thing.
   
4. Walk around and help people. Talking and demonstrating only work until the students start using their hands. Then their ears and eyes are focused on their work, not what you're saying/doing.
   
5. Teaching is fun, especially when someone is certain they've "messed it up", because when you get to the end and you slice open your canes, the look on their faces when it turns out great is too fun to miss.

Class 1's beads! Not shabby!!

My first professional Class

So, yesterday, I spent teaching classes on making basic canes out of polymer clay.

It was exciting, I have to say!! There were a few students that made me want to no longer teach adults, but in the end it was better. I learned some valuable lessons about teaching adults, which I will post tomorrow.

I also have some pictures to be posted tomorrow.

I was just excited that I actually survived two classes of about 8 women each!!!

More news tomorrow.

Wow...I'm not worthy

I was reading today's e-mail from the polymer clay guild. I've seen this guy's videos back in the 80's and had no idea how they worked. His name is David Daniels and he's frankly amazing!

It seems his work is 4D polymer clay. Yes, 4D. He builds huge polyclay canes and slices away layers to reveal the animation. Unles you've made a clay cane, it's hard to really fathom how he does it. Having made several really tiny ones...I can not only appreciate his work, but have been sitting here with my mouth agape. Completely in awe.



Just....friggin speechless.....

Teaching a Polymer Clay class!!!

So it seems I will be teaching my first formal class on polymer clay. One certain Miss M at Nationwide has hired me to teach for the Art Club.

I'm totally stoked about this!!! I am going to head to the local craft store tonight to find teaching materials. And who knows, maybe this IS what I'm supposed to be doing!!!

I can't wait!!!

Quick mock up of shots

So, I've decided I can't just get away with three photos from the shoot. There are too many fantastic shots. So, I am breaking them down into different themes.

This is the triad of faces. One with no styling, no makeup, no accessories, one in day-to-day wear and one in dramatic costume & makeup. The full body shots also show the variety, but the differences in the face is awesome here.

Thanks to my gorgeous model, Jen, I have started a new way to express myself through the camera! Thank you so much!!!

Photography and old ladies

Sunday, I had my first model ever. I learned a lot, got a ton of amazing shots and had some lighting issues. All in all though, it was a fantastic experience.

I am looking for more models to get no less than 9 separate models. I am hoping to get a small exhibit together.

I have been musing a bit about the art of photography. I feel that taking photographs is the easiest part of the art. But in no other mediums I can think of, do you create dozens of pieces of art and then choose which ones you're going to throw away or cast aside.

It's pretty odd to me that I've taken hundreds of photographs and I will pare them down to three. That means hundreds will never be seen. I think choosing which ones make it through to the final round is the most agonizing process. Ugh.

Also, I'm finishing my fairy grandmother sculpture. And I thought sculpting a body was the hard part!!! Now I'm trying to make clothing, figure out how to create a doll wig and then sculpt wings. Yikes.

I need to get back at now. Hope to post more pictures soon!!!

New blog for craft and life.

So I've decided to start a blog here specifically for my crafts. I have several other venues for my personal life, so I hope to dedicate this mostly to my crafting.

Most recently, I've made the 2 foot cockroach plushie for a friend. It was totally a riot to make. I've been getting mixed reviews of it.

Some folks think it's gross, some think he's adorable. I loved hugging him!!

Coming soon, my Fairy Grandmother, a year in the making!!!