Making the Mold - Week 4

This week I am working on making molds out of polymer clay.  I saw the package of mold clay when I was buying some other supplies and thought it could be a cool thing to have.  I have quite a few charms and buttons that I am hesitant to use because I really like them.   Some are vintage pieces or just expensive.  With the mold making clay I should be able to preserve their shape and make them over and over again out of other materials like clay or resin.  So, here goes.

The supplies:  baby powder, mold clay and various charms and buttons.

I broke off a piece of the clay and warmed it up in my hands until it was soften enough to roll into a ball.  I then pressed it flat to about a 1/4 inch thick.  I covered the leaf button in the baby powder and tapped off the excess, then pressed it into the clay.

I carefully pried it out with the pointy end of a seam ripper and it actually looked like the leaf!  I picked off the two spots made from the button holes so it would just be a leaf mold.

I followed the same steps with more of my trinkets. I had a little trouble getting the metal gears to pop out cleanly with out wrecking the look of the mold and a few of the charms with finer details weren't looking so good either, so I decided to leave them in during the baking process.  I placed everything on a small cookie sheet covered in foil and baked at 275 degrees for 20 minutes.

They came out looking the same as they went in...just hotter.  After I let them cool I pried out the metal charms and was so happy to see that it worked!  I had a tough time getting the sun-shaped gear out as the clay puffed up slightly in the middle, but ultimately everything looked great!  The molds will retain their shape but the clay stays slightly pliable so you can pop out what ever you put in it.

I had a pretty busy week this week so I didn't get to use the molds, but I think they look pretty awesome and I am excited to see how different materials work in them.

  I helped out at Wyatt's school a few days and even dressed up like a pioneer woman to help them understand "then and now".  I used my extensive knowledge (ha ha) of "Little House on the Prairie" to tell them about life in the late 1800's.   They couldn't believe that they didn't have computers and iPads for entertainment back then!  It is amazing to me how many things kids Wyatt's age will never know about...corded phones, typewriters, records, walkmans and even tough chores like milking cows and working in the fields!  This week may have inspired me to do one of those vacations where you live like a pioneer for a week....maybe.

Flower Power - Week 3

Spring is in the air!  Not really, but we have been having a very warm winter so it feels like it.  I guess it has me inspired to make something flowery for this week's project.  I have a packet of fabric flower pieces that are perfect to turn into some fun accessories.  I grabbed those as well as several other supplies that caught my eye. 

I arranged the flower pieces into sets of layered flowers

I punched a hole into the center of each piece with a mini eyelet hole puncher

For this set I added a some pieces of a bracelet that I took apart, inserted a large brad with a black center and added a rhinestone to the dangling piece

For the second set, I held it all together with a pink eyelet 

I found a pink rose button and a green leaf button and added some gold guilder's paste to make them look more vintage

I then glued them to the center of the flower using Aleene's tacky glue

Next I gathered velcro, a hair clip, a headband, and some pin backs

So that I could wear each of these in different ways, I added pin backs and velcro to the backs of the flowers and then added the other side of the velcro to the headband and the clip

Now I have some adorable flowers to wear in my hair, on a top, or pinned to the front of a purse!

How fun!

If your wondering about the third set of flowers, I am using that in a future weeks project.  Stay tuned!

Now it's off to Benihana to celebrate my b-day, I think Wyatt will get a big kick out of it!

Thanks for reading!

Cleanliness Is Next to....Crafty-ness. Week 2

My inspiration for week 2 is the saying "A place for everything and everything in it's place".  In order to be as motivated and productive as I could be, something had to be done about the mess in my craft room!  It was in need of some major cleaning and organizing .  Embarrassing as it is, I've included some "before" photos.

I definitely had my work cut out for me! 

With my trusty furry friend and supervisor by my side, I started the whole process by getting rid of anything that was trash or scraps I couldn't use, then I started going through each box of stuff one by one.  This seemed daunting to me but I reminded myself it is all about the baby steps.  I created piles of like items ( paper, jewelry supplies, glitter and glue, etc. ) so I could see what I had and what kind of container I needed to store them in.  This was really hard since my mind tends to wander a bit and I kept wanting to work with the stuff as I saw it!  Next, I grabbed the various cute and colorful boxes from IKEA that I had (I should buy stock in them!) and started putting things away.  As I filled up a box I put it on one of the shelves we installed in the closet.   The whole time I was doing this I started feeling less and less overwhelmed and more excited about how cool it was going to be to have an awesome craft studio!   I used my label maker to mark every box and kind of got carried away with it, they are pretty fun.  I can think of a million things that could use a label and will be needing more tape soon!  Once everything was put away, I dusted and vacuumed and moved the tables around to a more functional position.  I have a desk to sit at and work and have the supplies I use most within arms reach.  I also have a tall table to stand at so I don't have to hunch over if I'm doing a lot of cutting. Every looks so great!

I feel so thrilled at this accomplishment and this room is already becoming my favorite one in the house!  I still plan to decorate the walls but for now my goal of clean and organized has been met.  Here are a few more pictures that I am not embarrassed to share! 

Thanks for sharing my week with me and I will be back next week with a fun project to show you!

I Can Do This....right? Week 1

It's 2012.  The year I finally get my butt in gear.  Unlike other years where I've said this, I mean it.  Unlike other years where I've said that, I really mean it!  I've always been an "all or nothing" thinker and since I err on the side of procrastination and a serious case of ADD, it usually ends up "nothing".   I adore being creative, it's in my soul.  Sewing, quilting, and making jewelry are a few of my passions, but, due to the afore mentioned thought process I tend to dream big and then fizzle out.  Kinda like a 4th of July firecracker.  I get excited about an idea, get the materials bought and then they sit on my table, then another brilliant idea comes to me and the process repeats.  I'm tired of looking at it all in it's sad, raw state, waiting for me to pay it some well deserved attention.  We'll guess what?  This blog is going to help me tackle old projects and plan and execute new ones...in baby steps.  Each week I will pick a project that has to be started and finished it by the end of the week.  And just how will this blog help, you might ask?  I am going to have to blog about the process and take pictures for proof and share them with anyone who is interested.  The fact that I've told everyone I'm doing this will keep me accountable!  So, here's to 52 projects in 52 weeks, a clean craft room, and a nourished soul!  I hope you'll join me on my journey and share your thoughts with me!  Happy New year!