More Paper Bead Craftiness

January 16, 2008

I’m teaching the paper-bead making class at both Grand River Beads and Stamplistic, so I thought I should work up some more paper bead jewelry ideas. Got simmering in my Somerset juices, and came up with this: Paper Bead Angel Pin I wired up some sheet music beads (you can even see lyrics on some of them) and pulled out the poetry tile I had in my stash. I used some Pinata alcohol inks on it to made it […]

Fun with Tin

January 16, 2008

Sometimes I just get on a tangent, looking around…. so today’s topic is “Tin.” I was harkening back to the school craft where we would cut open a soda can, flatten it out, and then punch a design with a hammer and a nail. Guess what? Folks are still doing that. But it looks way better the way they do it! (What do they know that my 8th grade art teacher didn’t???!!! Allison does handcrafted shutters and screens. This falls […]

The Craft Industry is Out to Get Us

January 15, 2008

As per my usual, I was surfin’ for some new projects to try. Martha Stewart has her new craft show in DIYNetwork, and I thought I’d check out her site. Gotta give that woman props, the site is beautiful. So I check out the “Sewn Candy Dishes.” Cute, looks accessible, maybe I’ll try one. And there is a supply list on the right hand side, so again, gotta give that woman credit… of course she’s selling them all through her […]

Quotes to Inspire You

January 15, 2008

I love quotes. (And music lyrics!) All kinds inspire me…. so here’s a quote- from an artist- to get you thinkin’ today: Happy is he who causes scandal. – Salvadore Dali Really? I’m more of the “Happy is she whose husband unloads the dishwasher.” How would you finish the sentence? And what kind of artwork could that inspire?

My Craft Light is Giving Me a Seizure!

January 14, 2008

Attempting to be eco-friendly, I am slowly replacing regular light bulbs in my house… so when the one went out on my craft table, I decided to replace it with a Sylvania 13w energy-efficient bulb. Gadzooks! Every time I turn the sucker on, it flickers like that scene from Flashdance! I’ve heard that some compact fluorescent bulbs have so many hours of ” burn time” before they settle down and just work like they are supposed to. Let’s hope this […]

Playing with Your Food- Food as Art Material

January 14, 2008

This takes the phrase “Playing with your food” to a whole new place. There is a South Korean artist, Sang Wook Lee who sculpts- with all things- Ramen Noodles. He uses them right out of the package, in brick form, and constructs installations with them. Check out the cool CNN video here. So with my curiosity piqued- and my appetite whetted- I found some other “food artists”: Prudence Emma Staite, who sculpts in chocolate… and makes jewelry you can wear […]

Polymer Clay- Picking a Clay That’s Right for you!

January 12, 2008

I’ve got some friends interested in starting in polymer clay work over in my beading group. One member asked me what is the better clay to use. Of course, that’s really personal opinion….but there are some differences in polymer clays when it comes to colors and firmness. So, here’s a quick rundown of clays, listing them by manufacturer. From Eberhard Faber (Germany): Fimo Classic: The first brand of polymer clay, Fimo, was invented in Germany, during World War I. A […]

The Crafter’s Arc…

January 10, 2008

I was chillin’ over at GRB today, having a nice chit-chat with my friend and shop proprietrix, Eva. We were discussing how new jewelry makers (or any newbie crafter, for that matter) have a tendency to be project-driven. That is, they want to see a craft and duplicate it exactly, with little chance for error. It’s my theory that we all pretty much start out this way- we want things to be pretty safe. Then, with skill/medium/technique mastered, it’s time […]

Greetings from the Chief Dummy!

January 6, 2008

Hiya! New year, new venture. I’ve been blogging for about 2 years at CraftTherapy.com and I’ve been thinking about all of the stuff I’d like to say or try… but it just doesn’t seem right for that venue. I am sometimes a little um..opinionated (Jeff, my husband is rolling his eyes) and maybe even verging on snarky. And cranky. (Now he’s nodding.) But I love crafting, exploring new products, techniques and sharing ideas with others… and being honest- brutally, scathingly […]

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