Still can't Sleep, Shall We Look at Rusty Things? Pt. 2

I figured I'd make this a separate post since it's a million miles in the other direction of Ugly Christmas sweaters. Here's the rest of the art I made for the Abandon Art project on craftster. I think I mentioned before how I was trying my hand again at assemblage art (yes I did, right here) showing how messy my craft table got. Well finally I can share pictures of my creations.

I have always loved the distressed, grungy look of some altered art and took that to be my muse in approaching this project. I also challenged myself to only use supplies that I had on hand at home because I, as I'm sure some of you can relate, have a tendency to pick up cool art supplies and then never actually get around to using them when I get home. Case in point: I got some rusting medium a year or so ago and never even opened the package! Well that's changed now...

I love shrines and wanted to do a couple of mini ones for the swap. This first one is inspired by Byzantine iconic art and uses a junky old doll toy that I covered in the rust medium. Interesting doing that on plastic, it gave it a really neat patina, not really rusty but definitely aged.



I also rusted the altoid tin, used a bit of vintage dictionary paper, and other odds and ends about the house. I must add that this was definitely a test of restraint, as I feel like when I try to do altered art type stuff I tend to overcrowd my pieces with "stuff". So I like the simplicity of it. This one definitely felt "done" to me.





I did a second altered tin as well, using the rusting medium with a doll hand. This one was a bit more challenging to get to the "finished" point and even then I'm still not sure. I had a texture paste I used to give the tin "innards" a bit more interest - I didn't want to do the same icon type style as the last tin. I'm really proud I got the nails to stay on the top too









(the last picture was taken by Onyxnox)

Then I switched gears a bit to some more freeform altering. I've had this star for a while that I bought from Michael's two years ago - it had to be used. And a brass bug, more texture paste, a juice can lid, vintage paper, paint, rust, etc. It definitely gets across the grungy factor. Not everyone's cup of tea but I like it. Oh and my favorite part is how the rust medium reacted to the brass turning it blue.







These beauties have been sent to the cold, white North of Canada (admittedly probably not terribly cold and white yet) to be abandoned and I'm hoping to get pictures so I can share it with you.

I also received an incredibly thoughtful package from Onyxnox at My Stuff, My Life (resident of the aforementioned cold white north) to abandon around my local area.

First beauty shots of her gorgeous mini books! (and by mini I mean they'd be the perfect sized books for a mouse to check out from the mousey library - caffeine is making me silly).





And some crappy cell phone pictures of a couple I have abandoned already (I'm not going to whip out a proper camera to out my sneaky abandoning adventures!)

First target: The gas station.



I thought I was terribly clever popping it up in the little holder for credit card applications.



And then I left one on the counter at the Post Office. Definitely gone by now; if someone didn't take it then at the least the janitor or whoever cleans up the PO has taken it.



And then lastly I dropped one at the library. Which was shockingly difficult as there was everyone and their mother at the library that day. I couldn't turn around without seeing another person. But I was sneaky. And finally found a relatively abandoned aisle where I dropped another wee book.



I need to remember to start dropping some of my own art pieces to be abandoned. And I will. And then there will be pictures =)

Sweaters, Randomness and I can't sleep! Pt. 1

I did just try to go to bed about but had to get up 15 minutes ago because I couldn't stop thinking about UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATERS!! I really don't know why they have captured my imagination so much in the last week....or few hours honestly...but they are so magnificent in their tacky, crazy, who thought to put that there?! kind of style. Obviously the picture below hints at my thought (I hope - I'm cropping the picture so I don't ruin the surprise when I reveal the whole thing).



And Christmas has been on my mind in general. I've been working on another Merry bag or two (meaning xmas themed..I was trying to think of a synonym for xmas but was drawing a blank) and have been listening to old episodes of Christmas themed This American Life - so good (I love David Sedaris). I'm really not usually into the holiday so much, but I think trying to come up with clever little patches for the bags have kicked my nostalgia for the holiday into overdrive. And I find that for the first time I'm using quite a bit of felt on the patches, applique style, which is both amusing and appropriate because I definitely feel like felt is such a Christmas craft supply. And while you're at it, sequins (which I have also been using). Think about it: felt ornaments, felt stockings (at least the stockings my grandmother made for everyone in the family were made completely out of felt, embellished with sequins), felt...........well I'm sure there was more felt stuff...oh yeah the tree skirt! If it wasn't felt it felt like felt...

(confused? I'm thinking the headache meds I took earlier which have caffeine in it is probably really kicking in now which is inconvenient since I should be sleeping and also making my mind restless and the opposite of slow)

...Anyway. Ugly sweaters are awesome. You may be seeing more soon. Any by soon I mean in a month or so since I have a bit of a list of things to do before I can jump on that bandwagon in anything more than just spirit.

Put down the needle and step away

Today has been a long day of stitching, trying to get caught up on some custom orders, but as I do these all-day jaunts of stitchery I find that I am slowly working myself into a semi-arthritic state and I'm not even 30! I could use any tips anyone might have to help with sore aching fingers/hands. I figure a hot water bottle might help a bit...or maybe just taking a break hah. In any case, there will be quite a few days like this since I have 3 bags to do, plus another one or two to post to my shop. I need to set aside time to make stuff for my shop again - the stock is slowly dwindling down!

Anyway, that aside, I got a fantastic package from Nellie finally! I was afraid the Mail people were playing tricks on me making it take so long to be delivered. Here are two hoops she made me on my wall already =) (I snagged the pictures from her blog since mine just weren't turning out with the weather all crappy today).





Here they are on my wall with all the other hoops I've traded for or made myself. Running out of room!



And an awesome bag with a neat lion print - I can't believe she drew that herself, it looks so realistic!




And since I don't have much else in the way of crafty news to share I decided to take part in something a little sweet to give back. Pssss, thanks to Nelly for whatever she'll send my way ;)


The first three people to comment on this post will receive a little gift - something personal from me to you. Within 2 months I'll create something unique to share with the first three people to comment on this post. But in order to receive your present you have to play along.

Spread the love on your own blog promising to send a little special something to the first three people who comment on your post. You get 72 hours to re-post, or I'll have to move on to the next person. Please only comment if you're willing to pay it forward. If you want to receive something unique from me in the mail and if you are willing to do the same for others, leave a comment below!

Please leave your email address so that I can contact you directly! And blog URL so that I and others can visit your blog! Again, I want to emphasize that please only comment if you're willing to pay it forward. Nobody likes a taker.

Who's down for paying it forward craft style?

Quirkie Pouch Explosion and a few Thoughts

I've been working on these pouches for the last two weeks and finally finished them this morning! I was challenged to make a pouch for specific characters in the Harry Potter world and after much pondering I came up with this....

HARRY










RON






HERMIONE








LUNA








NEVILLE














And then I got another request for a pouch with a Doctor Who theme!







For both themes I decided to make some screen printing screens so I can reuse them in further projects and bags so I'll have to figure out when I'm going to pull those out! Probably a shirt or two in the future =)

And I'm going to be honest; after all these pouches I am kind of sick of Harry Potter and Doctor Who. On a day off from work, I actually watched HP movie 4 - 7.2 all in one day just stitching so yeah...I need a break. I will never lose my love for them but oh my god please don't ask me to get near a needle and thread right now to stitch about them....this mood will soon be over but I need some space to find the drive again.

Also the stock in my shop is dwindling down so I need to make time to build that back up. I forsee pouches and bags in my future, though not of the same theme as before....hmmmmmm.... ideas? =)

I have a few things on my to-do list that I think I'll occupy myself with in the meantime. But until then, enjoy the fruits of my labor!!

Airmail has landed!

I mentioned a while back that I was doing a personal swap with the fantastic Helen blogger of Nelly's Treasure Trove, who does fantastic screen printing. Well she got my package so I can share with you what I made her.

We agreed upon one screen printed item (she requested pillow cases) and a screen printed/embroidered hoop. Being as we have similar quirky loves for random things I had to use my jawbone print to make her pillow cases!







I definitely have more plans for that screen in the future.

And then I pulled out my flamingo screens again because she AND I can't get enough of them =D









Very fun swap!! I can't wait to see what she sends me =)

The pictures say it all

Not too motivated to write right now but I thought I'd share some funky mini sculptures I made for the Abandoned Art swap on craftster. Truly the seed of inspiration came from LimeRiot' post here on some super cute clay houses she made. I just couldn't not add legs to mine...and a bit more creep factor.

Here's them fresh out of the oven, accidentally burnt. Oops.



Now with several layers of stamp ink, and some acrylic paint.



And now some arty shots. I covered the wire feet with hot glue and then gesso, gray and white acrylic paint, and some more black stamp ink dabbed on. I think they turned out really good.