Wood Hearts for Valentines Day

Next Stop - Valentine's Day!

Well - we covered Mardi Gras (2/12/13) last time - so we are moving on to Valentine's Day.  I decided to try something different this year....partly because - I admit - I'm bored with the normal Valentine's Day stuff.  There's only so much red, candy, and flowers a girl can take!  Also - I REALLY didn't want to take down my Christmas (now Holiday) tree.  I love the look of the lights in the window when I come home - it just lends a festive atmosphere to the house.  So - I decided to do a Valentine's tree!

I started this weekend with a trip to the craft store to purchase a bunch of die-cut wood hearts. I found the wood ones, some tin, and a bunch of different paper punches to use as well.  JACKPOT.  Breaking out my other craft supplies I started making ornaments for my tree.  

First - I wanted some garland to hang - so I punched a bunch of hearts out of patterned paper, added some glitter and attached them to some red ribbon with hot glue! - So cool!

Next came the ornaments.  I started with the wood die-cuts as they would take the longest to dry. I painted some and stamped others. I took some pastel markers and started adding color as well as putting some sparkly dots and texturized paint to give them more pizzazz. (Three of them are shown here).  I also painted then started to bead a few.   Once they are dry - I'll be adding some eye hooks to the top and on the tree they'll go.

In addition I took some additional scrapbook paper and punched all different sized hearts, that I added ribbon loops to for hanging.  I'm in the process of decorating those now. And you know there will have to be an egg or two coming.

All in all - the tree is beginning to look very festive.  As soon as it's done I'll shoot another picture and post.  Start making your own ornaments and send me a link, comment or picture so we all can see what you've come up with.

Now -- where's that box of chocolate!

Dani

Steampunk Egg: Get it in Gear

Today's story starts a few years ago, when I asked my sister (Diane) to travel to an "egg show" with me.  I was teaching classes and needed someone to "man" my booth in the convention hall.  She graciously agreed and was instantly immersed in a whole new world of art.

The first year was kind of rocky - but at the end she said she had a good time.  The second year, after I pleaded and begged for her to go with me again, she agreed.  We also did some inspirational thinking and came up with a new kind of egg for her to create.  Something never before seen.  I cut an ostridge egg for her and she took off.  She covered it with a 2 part paint that made it look like it rusted, and put different sizes and dimensions of spikes through it (also rusted). Finally she wrapped the some bright gold wire around some spikes and added gold wire springs to the whole creation.  What a stir it created - everyone stopped at the table to talk to her.  She definitely made an impression with her first ever egg creation.

On the ride home, we started talking about other designs she could do.  She tossed an idea out that I loved.  Unfortunately - I've been a VERY bad sister and haven't sent her the eggs I promised, all cut and ready for her to decorate.  Imagine my surprise when last week a surprise turned up in the mail (it was my b-day).  She took the idea and ran with it anyway - creating something so absolutely COOL that I took it to work and it sits on my desk.   Read on for more on this incredible design.  Guess I'll really have to send her those egg boxes I cut for her now!

BTW - Diane - you are the best sister EVER --- I LOVE my egg.  ~ Dani

The SteamPunk Egg  ~ by Diane

My sisters birthday was coming up and since she is an "Egger" ( A person that decorates real bird eggs with beads and dioramas etc) I thought I would put my somewhat less traditional touch on a somewhat less traditional egg and send it to her as a gift.

"Steampunk" refers to a blend of Victorian/Science Fiction kind of Time Machine-esque fashion, accessories and costumes that feature the victorian colors and styles along with a science fictiony gears, gadgets and doodads. Easier to understand once you see examples of it, than to describe it, lovers of the movement enjoy the complex nature of "invention."

With this in mind, I began to create an egg that was to look like a copper metal machine, straight out of some kind of science fiction movie.

First I painted a wooden egg with a copper metallic paint and then went over it with black acrylic paint highlights to create hatch-doorways with rivets and a look of riveted plates of metal over the egg shape.  A quick coat of Modge Podge adds shine.

Then, using gel superglue, a tweezers and watch-part gears, faces and other miscellaneous "steampunk" bits, I began building my "machine." This was not easy for a person who wears bifocals. I dropped numerous tiny bits on the floor, or they'd shoot out of my tweezers and across the room to places unknown, but eventually, after a few days of building up a layers of gears, I was satisfied with the look.


Want one for yourself? Email me at dianesteinbach@yahoo.com and place your custom order. (each egg may vary slightly as they are handmade)$35 plus shipping.

Bind Your Life: Homemade Scrapbook /Journal Covers

I spent some time wandering the "Inspire Me Monday" blog hop and can honestly say I was definitely inspired by the sheer scope of the creative talent that is out there.  All I can say is WOW!   From cooking to freehand design elements - how in the world did all these wonderful people connect before the internet!  And what incredible ideas are floating out there to latch on to!  Which brings me to my "inspiration" of the week!

Once more, my other half and I traveled to the north woods of Wisconsin last weekend.  It's great now that he's retired that he can do the driving after I've worked a full day.  Gives me the chance to do some closed-eye creative thinking.  All weekend long - while hanging drywall and laying subfloors (we'll talk about that project sometime later) - I was thinking about what I could do to creatively capture this huge long-term project.  I've already got a "building book" that holds the plans, color squares, ideas, measurements, and photos - but I wanted something more.  Something that tells the "story" more than the details.

Not long ago I wrote an article for an on-line help site on creating a travel journal.  How you take a blank notebook and as you travel you make note about what you've done, seen, experienced. Complete with some sketches (if you are artistically inclined) and special small mementos, this then because your trip "story".  Similar to what the old Banana Republic catalogs featured (for those old enough to remember those really cool catalogs).  Could I create something like this for the happenings we experience at our home away from home?

I'm thinking to include not just the humorous stories that happen (like holding a piece of drywall on my head as Leo screws it into the ceiling) but written expressions of amazement at the sight of a triple rainbow arching over the house, or the doe stopping in the center of the orchard to look in my direction and standing there, perfectly still, for all of 5 minutes before taking off down the forest path.

Not content with keeping my artistic slant inside the pages of this journal, I also want to capture it on the outside as well.  The question then becomes how?  I could create a free-form beaded cover similar to this one found at www.why-not-art.com.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or I could create a felted cover like this one created by Barbara Potoczny  (http://www.barbarapotoczny.com/classes-detail.php?ID=6).  

 

 And if I want to personalize the outside, am I doing an injustice to the book itself by using plain old paper or should I create my own book by binding together different types, colors, styles and sizes of paper and thereby make something uniquely mine.  And if I make one for me - should this be my gifts for the holidays for my more artistic friends and family members.

I'm giving myself a headache!  So much inspiration - so little time!

 

~ Dani

Animal Charms: A Quick and Personalized Gift Idea

I freely acknowledge that I tend to stay away from anything too cutsy.  I'm an adult and don't need to clutter my brain with the "my kitty" syndrome of small cute charms of animals that can adorn everything from jewelry to cell phone covers.

That being said... what do you do when someone you know has a birthday and happens to LOVE those things.  If you are an ATA Girl - you bite the bullet (or in this case the bead) and you make them a bunch of animal charms.   It was so easy - of course I had to make several... after all - who knows when I might need them.

Now who would have thought the there were so many animal "bead caps" to choose from - all with little matching bottoms.  There are bears and frogs and cats (oh my!).  I picked up a bunch of bear heads and bottoms while at the bead show and went to work.   All you need to make these is:

A multi-piece bead cap in an animal shape - make sure it has a post.

1 6 to 10 mm round or bicone crystal for each animal

E60 epoxy

toothpick

Play with the beads to see what "fits" best with your animal head and bottom. You can change the look of the animal by switching up the size and shape of the bead you will be placing in the middle. You should make sure that whatever bead you use fits over the post on the animal head.

Start with the head of your animal charm - and place a small amount of the E60 in the post and the underside of the head. This is the tricky spot... you don't want to apply so much that it will ooze all over your bead - but you do want it to hold the bead in place.  

Slide the bead in place, making sure it is seated tightly to the top, then immediately wipe away any excess adhesive.  Allow to dry for a few minutes.

Place a small amount on the feet section and place the feet on the bottom of the bead, making sure the feet are facing forward.  If the post is long enough - it will actually fit into the indentation or hole in the feet allowing you to line the two pieces up easier.  Press together until the glue sets - then let sit overnight before attaching it to anything.

Ok - -so I admit - they are cute. Maybe I need to make myself a whole zoo!   Hmmm.

~ Dani