lightweight friendly plastic earrings

 

 

I made these in November but didn't want to post them until after gifting the red pair. No idea if she'll ever wear them, but I had fun making them. The other pair are for me and I've already worn them a few times.

Nothing else has been made since -- just too brain dead after work to be creative so instead, have escaped watching Christmas movies and snuggling with our new dog. I'm hoping to do a better job of dealing with work stress in 2023 so I can get my life back. 

Believe,

Di

gifting and potential new venture

Yesterday I pulled together a few things I've made this year to share as gifts for friends. This makes me happy. 

The card below took a long time but the results were worth it. The leaf paper is photo paper I embossed with my Wizard, painted with alcohol inks then outlined with white gel pen. Truly one of a kind for my one of a kind friend.

I've been in the craft room a handful of times since my last post but it continues to be tough getting back into the swing of things. The scanner in me wants to play in so many mediums, making it difficult to pick one at any time and stick with it long enough to grow. I get frustrated, reorganize the work space and start the cycle over. Ugh. Yesterday I decided doing this on my own hasn't been working out so well for me so I grabbed my laptop, checked out a few Skillshare classes on the general topic of creativity and asked my Facebook friends if anyone would be interested in joining a private group to support and hold each other accountable if I started one. I'm nervous about how much time the group would require, but I won't know until I try, we shall see what transpires. 

Believe,
Di

clay creations

 Trinket bowls, pendants and earrings...

In my last post I indicated I planned to dust off my polymer clay supplies and play with the medium a bit to determine if I want to pursue this art form or donate my stuff. Decision? Being a tactile medium, I had a blast and am not about to let go of my supplies! I have much to learn but hey, that's half the fun.

Believe,
Di

improvisational quilting, face masks and a pendant

These are the improvisational quilt squares I made the end of March. Lots of room for improvement, but all in all not bad for my very first attempts. I like the randomness of the gray one. I'll probably make pillows out of these. Then again, who knows? 

Next up are a few of the face masks I've been making the past couple weekends for friends and family. I exhausted my elastic supply and it's nearly impossible to score online, let alone locally. Luckily a friend had extra and dropped off a few yards for me today, so I can make a few more. I've heard hair ties work too, so I might have to try using them when this elastic is gone. 

Lastly, when I initially ran out of elastic, I took a sewing break and created this pendant. I'd made the front a while back, but didn't add the back and bail until this weekend. 
 
 

jewelry for me, cards for friends

 

When I lost one of my moon earrings recently, I knew it was a sign to take a break from watercolor. It felt so good last weekend to make new moon earrings and this quartz bracelet. Quartz protects against negativity, attunes to the higher self and relieves pain, all qualities I'm in need of right now. 

Today I took some time to make cards for a couple friends. The glitter at the center of the flowers doesn't show in the photo, but that's ok. I notice with my cards, I tend to lean toward simple and uncomplicated. That's how I like my life too, and when things get overwhelming and out of balance, well, I need quartz - LOL :D

short break + glass pendants

Other than doodling and starting a new drawing class, I haven't crafted or created anything for a couple weeks. There have been a lot of changes going on at the office, and when home, I was preparing for our annual Fourth of July party. Weird, now that the party is behind us, I'm finding it hard getting back into creating. It's like exercising, if I take a break, it's tough to get restarted. By posting this today, I'm hoping it'll encourage me to get back on the horse (so to speak). It's a photo of the glass pendants I made this past winter/spring. I really like the new technique of lumpy soldering - it's much more pleasing to my eye than smooth solder. It adds another layer of interest to each piece. 

I don't know what I'll be posting next week, but it will be something new that I work on this week. :)

creating again

Greetings! Thank you for being patient while I took some time off from creating this year. I had no intention of being away this long, but you know how life goes. If we don't manage our time and energy it manages us and boy, did I learn some lessons this year in that regard. I'm slowly working my way back and with as much grace as I can muster, intend to continue. 

Here are a couple pics from when I made it into the studio recently. The first one was playing with metal and the second one is something new I'm experimenting with. I really like it but haven't completed a piece as yet. The glaze I used the first time was apparently old (go figure, huh? ha!), and ate away at my work so I had to start over. I actually like the colors of the second version more than the first (no photos from that). They look a little like the cosmos to me. Anyway, I ordered some new glaze to try and am anxious to play around some more with the process. If the results are good, I'll add some pieces to the shop. 

Oh, and for those of you who like the stained glass pendants in the shop, I haven't stopped making those. A few are ready to solder but I'd like more ready before getting out the soldering supplies. To make more means replenishing my glass supply, which will require servicing the grinder. Sounds like I'm complaining but it's helpful to know what all is involved when making things. It's not like I'm buying kits from the store and assembling them. As much as possible, I create from scratch. This doesn't make what I do better than what someone else does, it just makes it more authentic for me - more enjoyable and rewarding. And heck, isn't that why we create to begin with? To have fun, express ourselves, learn, explore and refine not just our skills but who we are on the inside? 

"True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done,

the zest of creating things new." ~ Antoine d Saint-Exupery

Believe, 
Di

paw print pendants in the shop

Happy Thanksgiving weekend! I hope you were able to enjoy good food and good times with your loved ones. 

Having received several compliments on the paw print pendants I made for the Furry Friends Refuge auction, I decided to make a few more (plus, they're fun to make). These new pendants are now listed in the shop -- they're just right for the animal lover in your life.

"A true friend leaves paw prints on your heart." ~ unknown

Believe, 
Di

for a good cause

The local animal shelter where I volunteer is hosting their annual silent auction fundraiser next week. Both my husband and I donated items this year for the cause. If you're in the Des Moines, Iowa area, you won't want to miss it! 

Furry Friends Refuge Wags N' Whiskers Gala 2014  

chainmaille bracelets by NoDae

pendants (with cords, not shown) by di-did-it

"Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.
" ~ Albert Schweitzer

Believe,

Di

week 9 of 10 in metalsmithing class

In the last post, I shared how the copper looked after being annealed. In the next class, I soldered the two pieces of copper together. See all those tiny silver pieces in the first photo? Those are the solder I snipped and, using tweezers, placed in the flux on the copper background. It's a tedious process, for sure, and this class has given me a whole new appreciation for the jewelry we see at art and craft shows, and the prices attached to that jewelry. 

Making jewelry by hand can be time intensive. It's also a wonderful way of honoring the human spirit. Personally, I enjoy wearing something I know is truly one of a kind. How about you?

Believe,

Di

"failures are interesting"

James Dyson was on Science Friday this past week and I was surprised by how interesting the interview was (not to mention how dreamy his accent is). He went through 5,127 prototypes before completing his first bagless vacuum. That's one tenacious dude and a great example for all us. There was one exchange where Ira Flatow says, "Failure then is an option. Failure is very important in the inventing business." Dyson replies, "Yes. There's no option. You fail all the time... but failures are interesting if you welcome them and try to understand them and watch them." He goes on to explain that examining our failures helps us learn from them. I couldn't agree more! I've had several failures in my craft studio the past few weeks. Lots of lessons indeed. In hindsight, I wish I'd taken pictures of the failures so I could share them with you (as well as document them for my own future reference). I'll try to do that in the future. For now, I'll share a photo of my current WIPs. With some luck, they'll be completed and ready to list on Etsy in the next week or two.  

So what have you tried and failed at recently? Care to share? 

Believe, 
Di 

experimenting with lava bright silk

So I'm at the Woodsmith Store with my hubby the other day and I spot this really beautiful stick of acrylic (Lava Bright Stick). Hubby tells me it's for making pens. I think it would make cool jewelry, ask if I can cut, sand and and drill it, and when told yes, purchase it. Last night I pulled out my baby table saw and dremel attachments and started experimenting. The saw blade cut through it just fine but man oh man did it make a mess and stink beyond words. The saw blade left marks so I used the baby belt sander, which also made a mess and stunk up the whole house. The belt sander left scratches so I proceeded to use a series of dremel attachments to end up with a smooth and polished product. You can see the mess in the photo below (guess you can't actually see all the plastic shavings all over, but they're there). 

Doing some research online today, I read that wet sanding is recommended when turning the acrylic for pens. Doesn't matter. At this point, the majority of the product is in the trash. The house wreaked so bad that, even though the temp was in the teens, I had to open windows and turn on fans (in case you're wondering, yes, I wore goggles and a face mask when I was sawing, sanding, etc.). Long story short, I'm hoping to salvage the pieces I worked on and make a few pair of earrings (the acrylic really is absolutely beautiful stuff) but after that, I don't ever plan to work with the stuff again. 

The shop area of the studio is back in order (smile). 

So after that little exercise, I yearned to work with something I'm familiar with and enjoy not only the process but the results. If you guessed metal & Friendly Plastic, you're right! Here's a sneak peak of the current WIP: 

So, tell me, what new thing did you try or learn about this weekend? 

Believe, 
Di

pendants in progress

November studio time has been spent on glass pendants. There are several separate steps to each pendant and thus, I've found it best to make several of them at once. What's involved? 

1. Select, cut and grind glass into various shapes and sizes. Once in awhile I'll use pre-cut Ranger Memory Glass -- it's thinness pairs well with thick backgrounds. Most of the time, however, I'm working with textured glass. 
2. Stencil, stamp and/or ink various metals or other materials to create the background. 
3. Attach the glass to the background with copper foil and burnish.
4. Solder with lead-free solder. 
5. If desired, grind off some of the solder for a worn/weathered look. 
6. Either make bales from wire and attach with solder or glue on a purchased bale.
7. Apply glaze and let dry. Repeat as many times as needed to achieve the intended look and feel. 
8. If desired, add embellishments such as wire, beads, charms, etc. 

The photo below shows the current set of pendants drying after the first round of glaze. 

Perfection is not the goal here - in fact - the imperfections are what add character and highlight the fact it is hand-made and one of a kind. Each piece is unique, just like each of us. 

I'm planning to announce the Etsy store opening soon, so please stay tuned. In the meantime, happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 

Believe, 
Di

glass/metal pendants & glazed FP/metal pendants

Greetings! How is the month of May treating you thus far? We had a few days of nice warm weather at the end of April -- in fact I saw a couple college students tanning themselves in their swim suits this past Sunday, and today it's snowing (and accumulating). While it's a pretty snow, as I view it from inside my comfy home, it's Spring dagnabbit, and we're ready for snow to go away until Christmas.

These are some pendants I've been working on here and there the past couple months. It's been fun getting back into the swing, but slow going, for sure. Let me know what you think of these. I've been toying with the idea of setting up an Etsy store and donating all or part of the profits to an animal charity, either locally or elsewhere. Any suggestions for pricing items like this? The local animal shelter I volunteer at is opening a boutique and thrift store this month, so I might simply donate these to their cause. 

Again, please let me know what you think, and have a spectacular day! 

Believe, 
Di

first WIPs for quite awhile

In case you're wondering if I'm actually creating, since my posts so far this year don't show it, here are some current WIPs as well as the chaotic state of my studio. Fun is being had here ^smile^ and I hope it's occurring where you are too. 

Believe, 

Di

practice

"Practice is the best of all instructors." ~ Publilius Syrus

That quote is so true. I get a wee bit better and learn something new each time I practice. Here are some of my latest pieces. You might recognize the one in the upper left corner. It was one of the first pieces I made about a year ago (photo here). Like my bathroom (see last blog post), I decided it needed a revamp {smile}. 

Here's to enjoying your practice! 

Believe, 

Di

breast cancer awareness pendants

When I shared a photo of my last glass pendants (link here) on facebook in July, a friend said she'd like something in pink with "the" ribbon as embellishment. In honor of her and October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, I made some pink glass pendants with pink ribbons. These I intentionally kept simple -- no extra wiring -- to represent freedom rather than confinement.

These pendants will all be given away to breast cancer survivors/fighters, with the person who inspired them getting first choice. If there are any left after facebook, I'll hold a blog drawing.

Believe,
Di

katydid and wips

This katydid came by the other day. Aren't its patterns interesting? You can click to see close up. 

And just so you know I don't spend all my time bird & bug watching {smile}, here are some wips I've been working on in honor of October being breast cancer awareness month. Don't forget to schedule your mammograms, ladies, and self-check too! 

Believe, 
Di

drilling holes in glass pendants

Hubby & I went to a home improvement store yesterday to buy a couple electrical items. We can never seem to get out of those types of stores without snooping around in other isles, which usually means impulse purchases. This time I was the lucky one, finding and purchasing a glass & tile bit for my Dremel. It couldn't stay in the package long, either. I had it out last night to create a new glass pendant. I love my Dremels (yes, so much so that I own two of them). This new drill bit opens up even more creative options for my pendants. YIPPEE!


"Sometimes on the way to the dream, you get lost & find a better one." ~ author unknown

Believe,
Di

in the zone

Some ideas have been floating around in my head for several months now, and I finally took action on them yesterday. The hours flew by before I knew it. Not only did I have an absolute blast creating these pieces, I'm totally diggin' the results and can't wait to create more. The possibilities are endless & my mind is racing. Granted, I have a long way to go but this is an excellent start. This afternoon was spent cutting & grinding a couple dozen pieces of glass for the next time I can play, which I sure hope is soon {grin}.

"My motto - sans limites." ~ Isadora Duncan

Believe,
Di