Not a lot Lately

I thought I was getting back into creating but the last few weeks have been very iffy even after I cleaned up my space and made a little bit more room. I really don't have that much space to work with or quiet either whenever the hubs is at home. I try very hard to make what I have work, yet I still find myself wishing for that extra room that I can call my own, ALLLLLLL MINE!

In order to cut out fabric and have a symblance of a table this is what I have to do. Take 6 TV tray tables of all the same height, if they aren't find books or so forth to make the smaller tables as tall as the others. In the pics I only have 5 cause the 6th one had stuff all over it and I didn't feel like moving the stuff. I use masking tape to tape down the corners of the cutting cardboard mat to the tv tables to keep it steady and not moving as I work. Also liberally dot area with curious kitties. The last thing is a must, kitties.









I also finally got around to make a duct tape dummy, FINALLY, I hate it. I'm gonna save up my money and get me a dress form but so far, can't seem to find any that size up to my measurements. What a horrible wake up call. :(


Here is a top I made that didn't come out right because I didn't double check the knit fabric before cutting. The stretch is going up and down instead of side to side. It works as a sleep shirt and a bathingsuit cover up. So I guess it wasn't a total loss. I guess next time i'll follow the directions better too. I found the instructions on Burda Style in the free patterns section. I was also trying to use fabric I had on hand.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND NEW IDEAS!

It's a new year and i'm hoping this one will be filled with more creative persuits than last year or the years before. Crossing fingers that I can make that happen. I'm trying, might take me a little bit to get going but I think this year will be good.

Here are some pics of the gifts I made for family and friends for Christmas. I call these Scoodies (scarf with a hood). I looked them up on the internet and they are really a very basic pattern. I did modify it a little bit in the back behind the neck so that there wouldn't be a lot of bunching up. So far so good.

My scoodie: Black fleece with faux animal print trim on hood.




This is the one I had originally made for my grandmother but ended up giving it to my Uncle's girlfriend after my grandmother said she couldn't stand things on her head because it would mess up her hair when she saw me wearing mine. Glad I was able to change it out before I gave it to her and it never got used. It's made from fleece. I had just a plain black bias tape on the hood edge but it really felt like it needed a bit extra so I added the black lace. I also added small black looped fringe to the ends.






I made this one for my mom. It's just like the pink one except it doesn't have the bias tape edge, just lace.






Just recently I came across a tutorial on dying glass pearls over on Martha Stewart and just had to try it out.

I'm still on the fence with this one. Yellow and Tan seem to take better to the pearls than the other colors I tried, black, wine, dark green. Here are some pics of the results.

1st experiment:

2nd experiment



Other than those things, nothing new. Hopefully I will have new things to show more often this year instead of once every few months.

Whoa Time Flies!

Wow, it's been almost 3 months since I posted anything. I didn't realize it had been that long. I'm still battling a creative funk that just doesn't want to let me go, period! I hate it. I have a few projects going, most of them are months old too. I need to get pictures of a few things.

I started a skirt some months back, like possibly september. I started on it not long after I finished the sari skirt. I just finished it a couple of days ago but I need to make a few minor tweeks and I'll truly be done. It's a lovely burgandy color, chiffon I think. It's kinda heavy but it's also semi-sheer as well. I also got some clothes altering in over the last few months as well. Hmmm, lets see, what else? ? ? ? Oh I also made a scoodie, which is a scarf with a hood. LOL! I've seen them online alot and they are soooooooooooooooooo easy to make. If your using fleece, no need for hemming WOOOOO! I'm also working on my very 1st pair of harem pants. I'm using an old thread bare bed sheet. I'm not going to ruin some nice fabric or even some muslin to make these, so bed sheet it was. AHAHAHAHA! So far so good, except that I realized I sewed the yoke seam to the front instead of the back, oops and it was to late to take out all that stitching too. I made small pleats in the front and now I have to decide if those are going to stay in the front along with the yoke seam or just turn everything and have pleats on my butt. I haven't taken pics of these projects yet but they are on my to do list.

Here are pics of some of the things i've done these last few months.



Here are the pumpkins that me and the hubs carved for Halloween. I did the bats, he did the skull. These were fun. I found that letting the inside dry out some before pulling the innards out, makes it easier to get the seeds out without all the other goopy stuff sticking. My bat pumpkin has a ghosty on one side and another bat on the other.




Here is another hair accessory that I started, it just needs the clip added and maybe a few crystals or beads and voila it'll be done.



Here is a more recent project, like within the last couple of weeks. It's a door decor made from toilet paper and paper towel rolls. I need to paint it. I found the idea here DIY Recycle door frame decor . I know it's not exact but hey, I like it. I think it's rather cute.




I also finally got around to making a throw pillow for my teenlette. She is very into skulls right now. I made this pillow cover but it is a wee bit big for the pillow that is currently in it, need a bigger pillow.

Headband alteration

In the bellydance community, altered headbands are common. I like the creations a lot more than I do the dance. Don't get me wrong, I love the dance too but it's that creative process that piques my interest more. I finally got around to making an altered headband. The headband I used is wide, covered in a black satin type material. They are readily available in several colors, white, black, blue, orange, purple, red, silver and gunmetal(darker silver color).

This altered headband is actually 2 headbands. I also used some eyelet material as decoration. This is a pic of the headband before I added a few things to it.



This is the headband at the finished stage. I made it so that I could change out the flowers and feather accessories until I decided on a 100% or I may just leave it. I haven't decided yet. I added the afgani or it might be a kuchi pendant to the front, which also can be changed out. The way this headband is put together it opens up the potential for so many additional things.








Here is me wearing it.





I started on another altered headband, this one, that gunmetal color and a very pretty ribbon I got from Wal-mart and some swarovski crystals. I haven't decided yet if I want to alter it towards bellydance related or just altered enough for everyday type use. I haven't taken any pics yet because I haven't decided anything and I still need to clean up the ends of the ribbon and I keep forgetting. LOL!

Hairpin Lace

Over the last several months, if you can't tell, I've been into knitting and now into crochet. I've seen hairpin lace and felt very intimidated by it but upon further investigation, seemed simple. Over the weekend I stopped in at Joanns to see what was on sale, what new goodies they might have and possibly pick up some more yarn and use my 50% off coupons.

While perusing through the net for crochet flowers to finish my hat, I once again came across StitchDiva.com and hairpin lace. Once again, the curiosity was piqued. Walking around Joanns, fingering the yarns, wishing I had more money, I spy a hairpin lace tool, it's not expensive, not on sale, WOOHOOO! I can use my coupon. I also used my other coupon on a zippered knitting needle/hook case, which I love.

I was able to finally try out my new tool yesterday. The directions that came with the tool, were eh on being helpful. So with tool in one hand, crochet hook in the other I pull up StitchDiva and read then watch the video and have the AH HAH! moment. I start on a strip of 100 loops. I make 2, 100 loop strips and today I joined them using the "cable join" method, which is super easy. I have one test strip done and ready to start on another test strip to trying out other pieceing/finishing methods before I get started on an a hairpin lace pattern.

Here are pics of my test strip








I used some left over varigated purple yarn that is probably 15-20years old give or take 5yrs.

crochet update

Ok, I got past my frustration block on the crochet flowers. It was me for not recognizing the mistake in the pattern directions and the pattern maker for making the mistake when writing them. I had my co-worker help me out and she spotted the mistake and then everything kinda fell in place. Last night I made a flower and 2 leaves and then with the left over yarn I was able to make another smaller flower. The hat will have 2 flowers instead of one. Here are some pics of the current progress, minus the 2nd flower.

Scarf Crazy

So I finished one scarf but not sharing pics cause it's a christmas present and if they saw it, they'd know it was for them. I don't want to spoil the surprise.

I have oddles of yarn, mostly the pain in the ass stuff to work with. I also have some red heart yarn that I've had for years. It's a lovely varigated color of purple and I bought it probably 10yrs or so ago and at that time only made a pair of slippers. I wanted to do a purple scarf and use the red heart yarn and came up with this.



It's definetly an interesting combination and I even added fringe. I was originally going to knit but the main purple boucle yarn (I think that's what it's called don't have the wrapper at the moment) didn't want to cooperate. I have a crochet hook that is a size 15.50mm, largest hook I have. I worked 2 strands of yarn in double crochet on this one. The only thing left to do on it, trim the fringe up.

After finishing up the varigated purple one, I was still on this purple kick. I have this extremely fuzzy fun fur stuff in purple with bits of silver reflections in it. I was going to pair it with a dark shade of purple chenille but it just wasn't working for me, the colors where way off. Instead, I paired this crazy furry yarn with 2 strands of thin black chenille instead. I had planned on knitting this as well but once again encountered the not wanting to cooperate syndrome. The yarn was way to fuzzy and kept catching and making it hard for the knots to slide. I figure, I'll crochet it with the big fat crochet hook. Worked out much better and atleast I can "see" with my fingers so I'd know where the next stitch went. I worked this one up in single crochet and added black chenille fringe to the end by pulling it through both corners of the ends of the scarf. I think my daughter will like it for it's fuzziness and that it's purple and black. It really is furry. The only thing left to do to this one is trim the fringe and lightly brush the fun fur up so it's even more furry.





This is the most creative I've been in a long time. I have other color schemes that I want to do. I've started now on #4 scarf using Chenille thick and quick prints with size 12.75mm (US 17)knitting needles. I normally use the 15mm (US 19)size knitting needles to make scarves with. I thought I'd try something different and a bit more challenging.

Sewing

Well, I finally finished one of the cuffs and will probably start working on the other one tonight. I've already gathered the ruffle part of the matching cuff. I like them, except I made them a we bit to big for my wrist, so they are a bit loose. I think I may need to change the method of closure to maybe a button and elastic cause threading the 2 holes and trying to tie it on yourself is a pain and pretty much impossible.





I didn't get to the duct tape form this weekend but I did manage to clean off my kitchen table, which about killed me. Okay, I'm exaggerating but the amount of stress I felt from doing that, was horrible. The S.O wanted to use the table for some of his stuff. First he just wanted to move all the loose stuff off the table that was piled a mile high, into a box and even brought out a box. I felt anger, tears in my eyes, lump in my throat and just anxiety. I was in the middle of cooking breakfast and started the clearing off process and by the time breakfast was done, I couldn't eat it I was so upset.

I tried to figure out why I was getting upset. Everything on that table hasn't been used in months, if not years. I have been in a creative funk for several years now and having to put that stuff away just reminded me even more of how much stuff I have. I have a lot of crafting stuff but at the same time I don't have enough room not only to store it but to create with it. I think that is the core of the issue, not having the room to feel free to create without someone complaining about the stuff laying around. I still feel a little hurt about it but at least the feeling sick to my stomach is much better.

Fascinated with Hair Accessories

I'm having a little bit of fun playing with makeing hair fascinators. Right now i'm just doing bobby pins cause well the hands and brain still aren't wanting to cooperate with each other as well as i'd like them too. I made these 3 last night.

Over the weekend

Lately my creativity has been lacking in the UMPH! department. I don't lack the ideas, I have oodles of them.

This weekend I decided to play with some polymer clay. I removed the clay from around a couple of pens I was no longer happy with and tried thinner clay. I was going to try and do a retro looking pen design but it didn't really come out like I wanted it to. I used a scrap cane that didn't work, browns, black, translucent and white. The pattern did, after 2 extrusions, resemble a bit of a cheetah print, sorta. I covered one the pens I had just pulled clay off of and wraped it and baked it. After baking I did some sanding and then put a few layers of sculpey glaze on it.


1st, I left the pen in the oven to long so it is much darker than it should have been.
2nd, The glaze stuff, just to thick and left streaks. I think I may have applied it to thick. I used a paint brush instead of a makeup applicator, like I normally do.

I do like using the clay thinner than I the previous designs on the pen casing. I think I'll try again on the second one and this time keep a better eye on it. I think I may make up several and offer them in my etsy shop.