Swap Goodies: \../ Summer is for Metal \../

I have been really uninspired lately, and everything I have been crafting is for swaps, which means I don't want to spoil the surprise by posting it here, just in case my partner happens to read this. So, this is the loot I got from my first every Craftster swap, from the talented Dorkariffic (proud new owner of the Poison undies). First off my favorite item, though it was hard to choose:

An amazing Manowar pouch (so that small, important things don't fall out of the string bag I've been using as a purse/diaper bag)! I apologize for the glare, Manowar is just too metal for my camera.

Best song lyric ever.

But that's not all. She also included some goodies for baby bunnyface:

baby bunnyface's bedroom will need a makeover to match this new metal decor


Detail of the AB/CD metal baby skirt

And one more thing for me, perfect for the chilly Pacific Northwest evenings (seriously, if the boy wasn't around to complain about it, I would have the heat turned on at night. I'm already doubling socks to keep my toesies warm).

Action shot with full on butt rock scream. The boy laughed and laughed while he took this photo.

Dorkariffic was a fabulous partner for my first swap, and I loved being a crafty metal mama.

The Language of Rabbits

I just finished reading Watership Down by Richard Adams. It's a great book that takes place within a community of rabbits, and he even made up a lapine language. I've made a journal page with badly drawn inchies to illustrate some of my favorite rabbit vocabulary. Can you guess what all the words mean?

My mom loved this book, and was shocked that I have only just gotten around to reading it (so many books, so little time!). In fact, I grew up hearing and using the word "tharn" (adj. stupefied, distraught, hypnotized with fear) and only recently found out that it is not actually a commonly known word.

As far as my page, I'm on the lookout for some good rabbits to hop around and make it look more full. It's a crayon and watercolor background, a technique which I definitely plan to use again in my book (taking it way back to grade school style).

Working Inch by Inch

Most of what I've been working on lately is for swaps, and I don't want to post here until all my projects have found their way to their new homes. One thing I have been working on are inchies, strangely addictive, tiny works of art. The only rule is that they have to be an inch by an inch. These are a few nights worth of inchie work:

The first row are my very first, which I started a couple weeks ago but couldn't figure out how to finish. I finally added the borders around the letters and called them done. I love the lady on the end (a rubber stamp, along with the lock and all the letters) because she looks so mischievous. I definitely think she's got a secret. The second row is a zentangle that I cut down into inchies (one is missing, it's finding a new home along with some puzzle pieces). The third row are all cut out from a Russian picture dictionary, I think my favorite is the toilet (sorry for the glare, I'm not steady enough to not use the flash) or the bicycle. The last row are just some random ones I thought up, I love the button and lace and the candles. I think these will end up in my journal if they don't get swapped.

For those of you who are curious, I took some in progress shots as well.

These are some bases I cut out, some from a cracker box, some covered in scrapbook or wrapping paper, and some I made a whole set of with blow pens and a sheet of card-stock.

These are bases waiting to be cut down, the blue and yellow, blue and orange, and purple and orange are acrylic on card-stock, and the other two are tissue paper on card-stock. The blue tissue paper is going to turn into an ocean, I know there will be a jellyfish.

And here they are all cut down and ready to be embellished!

Ghosts of Projects Past: Altered Book

This isn't really a past project, since it is definitely still a work in progress. I've really been getting into paper crafts lately, and scrapbooking isn't really my thing. I'd like to keep a journal, but I'm just not good at writing every day (though I have found a system that works for me. I still don't write as much as I'd like to but I'm getting better). Then I discovered the altered book or journal. It was a bit scary at first. Being a loyal Barnes & Noble employee for five years and book lover, the idea of cutting, pasting, painting, and coloring pages of an actual book seemed ludicrous! But the projects I was seeing were so amazing, I decided to buy a book at Goodwill for 79 cents that I would never read (an old children's library book called New Amsterdam Days and Ways, some good illustrations, and the old library checkout log still taped in the front. It called to me) and give it a try. Now I'm cutting pages out of Goodwill books like there's no tomorrow. Here's my title page, the first of the finished pages you come across in my book:

The weekly theme when I started (I've joined an altered book craft-along on Craftster) was birds, and peacocks are one of my favorites. This is the first page I did in my book:

Next I started on a series of rainbow pages. I haven't finished yet, but here's what I have so far.

What's inside the envelope, you may be wondering. Why, it's a love letter!

The next theme I picked off the list was carnival and hands. I came up with this spread:

Who's that behind the curtain?

And the full fortune teller spread:

Eventually the other side will have a dancing girl behind the door, I just haven't had the proper inspiration to do her justice yet.

My last finished (almost) spread is black and white themed. I'd been collecting objects with one in mind, and I finally felt that I had the finished idea in my head. It's also my first try at a zentangle or in my case a zendala.

The images are from a children's literature anthology, they are by Maurice Sendak, one of my favorites. You may spot these in other pages that I post in the future. I'd like to find a quote to put under the zendala, but I haven't found the right one yet.

I'll continue to post pages as I finish them. I haven't been giving my book as much attention as I would like to lately, but with rainy, autumn weather ahead I'm planning to spend some cozy evenings with a cup of hot chocolate and my book (and scissors, paste, paints, and crayons of course).

Ghosts of Projects Past: Poison Undies

In an effort to get some content up for folks to enjoy, and to show off some if my older work, I bring you the first installation of "Ghosts of Projects Past."

This is one of the favorite projects that I've ever done. I made it for the Summer is for Metal Swap on Craftster.org. My partner collected quirky underoos and loved hair metal, especially Poison. As soon as I found that out this project was born, because who would be more at home on a girl's undies then Bret and the boys?

The Poison undies set was the product of nearly two whole days and one all nighter (literally, I was up until 6:30 the next morning, I do my best work under pressure). The time spent was really worth it, I love these! And so does my partner. Her fiancé was amused and slightly creeped out by them (and who wouldn't be? Bret Michaels gazing at you from your lady friend's derriere would be considered creepy by most).

You die hard Poison fans may be wondering where the fourth member of Poison is. Well I highly overestimated my embroidery speed, and swaps always have a deadline. I figured it would be best to send on time even though CC was missing (but don't worry, he sent a note. He's busy shredding a solo onstage, he'll join the band when he's done). And anyway, who doesn't love getting a package in the mail?

To check out some more metal crafts by the talented folks on Craftster, head over to The Gallery of Hardcore Craftiness (and click on "Show Images Only" towards the top if you don't want to read all of us heaping on the praise over our oh so metal crafting skills).

As American As...

I've been wanting to try my hand at baking a pie from scratch ever since the fruit stands that live in parking lots all over Olympia started advertising marrionberries. Unfortunately, every time I pass one they are sold out and shut down for the day. I decided to let the boy pick the pie, since he will be eating most of it anyway. He decided on good ol' American apple. Out came my newly inherited Betty Crocker cookbook (the copy date says 1987, the outfits say 1960's) and my trusty housewife apron (seriously, an apron is needed when I'm in the kitchen) and I whipped up this beauty:

I was this close doing a cheesy apple pie, Boppa's favorite. Luckily for the boy, we didn't have any processed American cheese, as called for by Betty. I decided on whole wheat crust in an effort to be health conscious in my dessert making. I also accidentally on purpose left the dots of butter off the top of the apple filling before covering it with the top crust (health conscious you know). The boy and his band buddy took a break for a taste test and were well pleased with the results. All in all, a very successful pie. Now if only I had remembered to buy some vanilla ice cream...

Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome...

..to my first ever blog posting! This blog is mostly going to be about my crafty and cooking (cooking's pretty crafty, no?) endeavors, because I'm proud of them and I like to share, and maybe even inspire someone. My plan is to post a couple projects a week, unless I'm on a super crafty roll. Also, since I've never written a blog before, please let me know if there is anything you'd like to see.

Without further ado, I'm off to attempt my first ever apple pie (made from scratch--pastry dough, raw apples, and all). Perhaps my first cooking post will be later this afternoon!