It has been a year since my last post. I’m returning to my blog to record my crafting experiences.
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Feb17
Jun9
The Right Stuff…
or colors, that is! I got to do a little dotting, tonight, with the correct colors!
Jun8
A Little Side Trip
This morning, Monday, I got ready and took myself to an appointment—-that is Wednesday! I had to laugh! I told the ladies at the check-in-desk, “Well, I’ll have to run home quick and take off this outfit!”
On my way out, a young girl complimented me on my earrings. I gave her the address of this blog, which also used to be my store page. I’ve got to get that back up and running, again, maybe on TeeDo?
Anyway, I was not too far from Barnes & Noble, so I treated myself to a couple of hours, there, all by myself.
I hoped to find an issue of Belle Amoire, a jewelry making mag, and Somerset Studio. An internet friend, Jon David Lowe, has been published in that one, in several recent issues. I often find Lorelei Hill Eurto in the former. I’ve been a fan of hers so long, I can usually spot her work immediately!
I found neither, but still managed to make a nice haul.
That collage kit was a nice price.
On opening, it seemed worth it, with 3 canvas boards and pages of stickers and images. There was no glue, that I could find, as claimed, but there was a nice roll of washi tape!
The other magazines were also sources of images and information, SouthPark being my favorite price, free!
Where Women Create is always a source of inspiration, and my guilty pleasure. Of course, like lots of things, the price had gone up.
There were lots of “Paper Love” and “Paper Paper Paper” issues in periodicals. I passed them up, for now. They seemed like clever and reimagined, pricey scrapbook pads. I have tons of paper.
I photographed some books I found interesting, but also passed up, even though they were in “Bargain Books” with the collage kit. (That kit had been marked down from $14.99 to $10.)
The books were sticker books and “sticker by number” books. I don’t know why I found them so appealing, unless it’s the puzzle quality. I did enjoy completing a sticker by number unicorn with my granddaughter, once upon a time!
When I checked out I had a $15 reward! A dandy trip!
Jun8
A Big Blessing and a Minuscule Disaster!
Church was a big blessing, yesterday and deserves its own post.
I missed my midnight deadline to blog last night because of a truly minuscule disaster. I knocked my dots off! Three sticky roller sheets later I had them corralled and went back to work on this:
Something seemed off and had since I started working on this. I looked up the ad on Amazon.
Yes indeed! The color numbers on the dot packs are wrong! I wrote a warning review on Amazon, and got busy scratching off dots and moving them to the other side of the Empire State Building. I started with the black ones and OCD-ed till 1:00am. Oops! ‘Missed a deadline!
Jun6
Another Great Day in the Wilkesboros!
North Wilkesboro, today. I finally finished my popcorn collage
and delivered it to my friend, Junior Ayers, at the Liberty Theater.
Junior immediately hung the collage on the back wall of the concession stand, near the popcorn machine. I should’ve taken his photo, but I was in a big hurry to get to the library!
At the library, there was a free presentation by Liz Z Purdue. The title was
It was great! I had lunch at the Cinder Bistro. I went shopping across the street at Carolina Treasures on Main. I ran in the wine shop for another bar of lavender blueberry infused chocolate. I’ll have to share photos, tomorrow. The day has gotten away from me but it really was wonderful!
Jun5
Oh Boy! (with sarcasm)
Look what just arrived, right when I needed it!
I’m trying to get excited about cleaning like I am about crafting. It’s a hard sell.
I’m hoping new cleaning products will get me enthused. I’ve bought a spin scrubber and a power mop. (That’s what the mop pads are for. The disposable ones are a lot to put in the landfill.) I also ordered some cleaning products; vinegar, baking soda and Murphy’s Oil Soap.
I got a crevasse brush with my spin scrubber. What a bonus! Here I am, preparing to campaign against 16 years of lint in the bathroom ceiling fan vents.
Yes, I’m serious about that. Some of that “lint” is most likely insulation from the attic!
Cost is a factor I’m bargaining with myself over. I could pay somebody to do this, but I could also pay myself in craft supplies!
I had a cleaning service at the townhouse in Charlotte. I paid them $150+tip every two weeks. Picking up for them was exhausting, and they went through my house like a tornado, often breaking things. I told their boss I thought they were too hurried, but they always had time to make roses and bows out of my toilet paper. By doing it myself, I save $300/month and toilet paper! I might be able to buy a kiln, someday!
Time is another bargaining tool. These spotless toilet sides and corners took me 45 minutes.
In exchange, I’m allowing myself to watch SaraLovecraftLive
while I write this post. Now, that aggravates me, because I should be able to watch Sara without permission!
Aggravation does not lead to motivation. Maybe, I’ll stick to cost as a motivator. I’ll get back!
Jun4
The Great Glycerin Experiment
I’ve said before that I hate cleaning a gel plate. I decided to clean this grubber while I watched PMartist Studio on Tuesday.
I used hand sanitizer, baby oil, a lint roller and packing tape. I also used a lot of elbow grease. There was still scant smudges of paint on the plate.
During the stream, someone mentioned oil soap in relation to cleaning stencils. For some reason, that made me think of glycerin, and I have lots of glycerin soap melt from making melt and pour soaps.
I dug out a couple of cubes. I misted the plate with water, and started “skating” a cube around.
Using paper towels, the remaining paint tended to come up much more easily than with hand sanitizer or baby oil.
Yesterday, I placed a Walmart delivery order and included a bottle of liquid glycerin.
I tried a few drops on the plate. Again, using a paper towel, I was able to get the very last crumblies of paint off the plate. After it dried, I rubbed baby oil all over the plate and massaged it in. I’ll let it rest until tomorrow.
The lighter areas are just air bubbles under the plate. The plate is lying on a desk top made of solid surface counter top. This is what it looks like bare:
You can see that the gel plate is clean and almost transparent.
Jun3
Tee Shirt Haul
from Michael’s. $6.50 each, after Memorial Day markdown. Why they don’t keep them at full price till the 4th of July, I don’t know. Two for me and 2 for Kent:
Jun2
Useful Trash
It’s an oxymoron, right? My recent shower head purchase came with some useful packaging.
Look at that teeny tiny box that held the plumber’s tape! The main container is nice and sturdy with a hinged lid. It’ll bee great for storage! Maybe, I’ll cover it with gel prints!
I have no idea why that piece of cardboard is shaped like a cutting board, but it should make an unusual sign or collage backing.
There are two big sheets of tissue for gel plating or stamping. Even the strangely shaped pressed paper liner has a sculptural quality!
And oh! Here’s the little spool from the plumber’s tape. It can be used for mark making on the gel plate or in polymer clay. I can even wrap leftover threads or cords around it!
My husband has learned to ask, “Is it for art, honey, or can I throw it away?“
Jun1
Last Minute May Collage!
Yes, it’s June 1, but I got it finished and posted to Makers of Mixed Media Art/Artists late last night. I’m just now blogging about it.
Prompts were food, label, arrow, scribbles, branches. The optional theme was still life. I call this, “What a Sandwich Needs.”
I spread that mustard yellow paint with a plastic knife!
May31
My last little order…
won’t be my last order! I love stencils and stamps from PMartist Studio.
This order contains the Gauze stencil I’ve been wanting for quite a while. I’m a big fan.
There are also 4 foam stamps. They are hard to see, so I’ve borrowed Mariah’s (M’s) photos:
This last stamp, “Water,” was designed by Eddie Reyes of EddieMakesArt.
All the other designs are “in house,” which usually means they were designed by Brad Rushing, Mariah’s husband. I really think Brad should credit himself like the other designers.
Each order also contains PMartist’s calling card, a sample of Patricia’s (P’s) fabulous gel prints, and a mini stencil. This one looks like a cluster of bubbles!
They are very generous at PMartist’s Studio!