Pinterest Projects and Hopeful Words

So I work for Blick Art Materials and guess what happens to be one of my tasks, I get to come up with Pinterest projects!!! This is one of my favorite parts of the job, our page with all of our staff's projects just went live and these are my Cupid's Arrow Valentines! they were really fun to make, and I'm sure I'll be handing them out to people around the office. If you want to see what we've been making click here. Also it's been a long winter this year, but hope is in the air, I went to a friend's house last night for a group Bible study on Hope, and it was reassuring and makes all the little things that we complain about seem so trivial. In fact we have so many blessings that we take for granted that we really have no excuse for losing hope. So next time I start to get frustrated or irritated I'm going to picture myself shooting one of these arrows at my attitude, step over it's vanquished form and move toward hope :)

Project Revamp: Stage Three Hand Dying

 

So I'm trying my hand at hand dying, the satin from the wedding dress was still slightly yellowed so I picked up some iDye Poly dye for synthetics from Blick Art Materials. But be forewarned, if you want pastels only put like a 1/2 tsp in a big pot of hot water. Also if you leave it in for a long time the color gets way more intense. I tried just a sleeve piece first and really had to dilute it. I did the pinkish hue first and then made a blue gray mixture that I dipped the edges in and it turned lilac. Once the fabric is properly rinsed and ironed I will post some design sketches. 

Project Runway, Lady Popeko Style

So here is one of my big pet projects of the year. I got a dress form from my parents for Christmas! And I purchased this old wedding dress from the Peoria Players Theater sale when I was 15 for $5. My goal is to refashion it into a beautiful and elaborate couture gown by the end of the year. Fashion doesn't have to be for the rich and famous. I'm no seamstress but I do love to design and I've been drawing fashion sketches since grade school. I will be tracking the progress as I go. Have you ever revamped a garment? If so do you have any tips?

Happy New Year and Many Happy Returns!!!!!

I'm back!! Happy New Year Everyone! And Merry Christmas!! 2014 was a blessed year and I see many exciting things on the horizon! Today we had a snow day with -40 wind chills and several inches of snow, this is the view of my kitchen window. I urge you to check back often as I have many very interesting projects in the fire. What are you anticipating this year?

The holidays lent itself to a bit of thrifting, my mom gave me a round paperweight with flowers in it and I found this one to match. I also found a big honeybee necklace for the shop, a bow and arrow pin, a brass parrot for the shop, and a set of some swanky glasses that I haven't decided whether I will keep them or sell. Maybe I will enjoy them for a little while. Look below for a few other items in The Furnace Room! And speaking of shops, check out my good friend and cousin's new blog 2014things.blogspot.com she is getting rid of 2,014 things this year to declutter her house and her life :)

Art Deco Paste stone ring

1890s Victorian Rose Gold Ring

1960s candle holders

Block printing into existence

Now that I work for Blick Art Materials, I've been getting the hands-on bug again! Art is my therapy, my catharsis. My coworker was working on a catalog page and asked me if I had any block prints. I remembered a linocut I had done in college and dug it up. Today I rummaged around in the cage (our affectionate term for where we keep all of the supplies, and no joke it's a big wired cage in the warehouse!) and I found some really nice violet and turquoise inks to try out. This is the result. Feels good to be making things again, it reminds me that I exist. What did you do today to prove your existence?

Pretty Paper Petals

These are not paper, but aren't they pretty. It's a volunteer that started growing in my side yard. I don't know what type of flower it is but I'm glad it made its home outside my window. Fall is here and the apples are ready to be picked on my tree and the garden is looking more and more sparse. Time to start thinking of winter projects! I have many new stories to write and hobbies to hone. I want to get ahead on my Christmas gifts this year, I don't want to scramble like I always do. What are your favorite hobbies.

 

Paper to Petal is a book I recently splurged on and I can's wait to make some of these flowers!!! They look amazingly life like and will last far longer than real flowers. Rebecca and Patrick are magicians. This is a must read, and it even has templates! I will keep you posted on my progress.