To Chrystel with Love

In 2013 HR gave me this box of screws.

   with this note    

 

Two years later, here is my gift. (During this period he also built a screened porch while working full time and doing all the other things on my perpetual to-do list.)

Let’s begin with the area where I do a lot of planning and blog posting.

In the photo below, notice the slat wall, designed by HR himself.

All of the boxes and shelves can be moved and rearranged on a whim as demonstrated my by lovely assistant (and granddaughter,) Camille. Certainly that is a plus for a crafter with serious AADD!

HR did not make the colorful box collection but did put a cleat on the back so it too can be moved. It was the inspiration for my color choices. 

This is where I can get down and dirty with charcoal, paint, glue, you name it. 

A somewhat clean area where I can work with paper.

Another HR exclusive design provides three times the space for my stamps.

Love, love, love it!!!!

Let's move over to where the sewing takes place.

Directly across from the sewing machine is a cutting, laundry folding, and gift wrapping table,

that conveniently folds down when not in use (that rarely happens.)

So there you have it, a Christmas gift that was created with love by a very talented husband. 

Ice Resin

who knew this could be so much fun!

Ice Resin is a two-part epoxy that dries clear. It claims to be jewelry grade and will last a life-time. If you have used epoxy you know it is important to get both parts, the resin and the hardener, equal.  I used the 1-oz. kit with a dual plunger, which makes it easy to get the the portions equal. It also has a cap if you don't need the entire amount.

Want more details, click here.

It was great fun using on dominoes!

Top left is a domino with scrapbook paper and a selection from a dictionary; top right is a domino tangled with an Identi pen; the bottom row shows scrapbook paper, computer generated script and a little embedded jewel. 

Works well on polymer clay.

and on wood. The one on the left is a wood blank with scrapbook paper, the one on the right is a stamped wood disk.

My attempt at resin and transparency, obviously I need to work on this. 

So, what an I going to do with all of these baubles? I think they make pretty neat gift tags, of course there is always jewelry and bag embellishments.

Resin in bezels. The ones in the center have little objects embedded, the others are scrapbook paper.

Phone sleeve with a domino covered with fabric and resin.

To resin left over I added a bit of Lumiere paint and poured into molds. 

What will I do with these little beauties? I have no idea, suggestions are welcomed. 

This is what I have been doing in the studio these past few weeks.

Back in the Studio

Yep, I am back and crafting big time! So what am I doing?

Well a bit of sewing; using the free instructions from Sher’s Creative Space, I made a couple of phone sleeves for gifts. 

I made this one to carry to football games, it is a bit too snug for my phone but I did use it. I think I will remake it before next season.

(I have a Christmas one for me cut and ready to sew, you know the one for you, one for me thing.)

I have made a lot of travel tissue covers. They make neat little stocking stuffers and are nice to take to memorial services. I found these instructions over on Two BrownBirds blog.

The tissue cover on the right is actually a silhouette of my granddaughter that I printed. 

So generous of these folks to share the free tutorials!

Last spring I took an Iced Resin workshop at Ephemera Paducah, it was a lot of fun so I bought a 2-part plunger and some bezels. I brought them home and promptly put them on a shelf.  A newsletter from Iced Resin showed up in my email folder offering the plungers at a real good price and free shipping. Hmm, I thought, but first I should probably use what is on the shelf.  So I did.  I can tell you resin is so much fun!!!.  And yes, I did order more! I will have to do a post next week to show off my new baubles. Oh, and today's e-newsletter, I see Ice Resin is hosting workshops in Tucson in February. You know where I will be in February, yes I will be in Arizona and I think I can arrange to be in Tucson! 

Handy Randy has been busy in the shop finishing the shelves for my studio slat wall, which of course I must paint. He thinks the studio redo is completed (and maybe it is.)