July 2004 Archive

Saturday, July 31, 2004

Bag O' Bags Begins
Recycled craftiness over in the 1:450:365 blog...

Sunday, July 25, 2004

More Mugs!
Yesterday, I had a workshop to make mugs at Windy City Scrapbooking. Sadly, we had no takers. Which gave me time to chat with the delightful owner Christina and to make a few of my own. Here's a few from yesterday, a few a little older:







All the mugs hang out over here.

Saturday, July 24, 2004

Flower Notes
Another card design, like the Squirrel Notes. Handmade collage cards, these with pink paper, pink fabric, tissue paper, green leafy paper and a bit of stamping. Cheery notes that are perfect for "Thank you," "Thinking of you," or "Get well" thoughts. Eight 4 Bar cards with 10 envelopes in a convenient plastic sleeve. In the store soon.

Thursday, July 22, 2004

Squirrel Notes
When you have something to say and a squirrel is the way to say it, here's squirrel cards. Silk screen squirrels* on kraft paper on white blank notes, sized 4 Bar. 8 cards, 10 envelopes in a convenient plastic sleeve. In the store soon.

*Say that six times fast.

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

In the Grooooooove
Sixty-four squirrels ready for cards:


And the Queen of Diamonds with some color and general placement:

Monday, July 19, 2004

Indelible Ink
What a way to start the week! In the last 24 hours, I've used 4 types of black ink:
1. Speedball Water Soluble Block Printing Ink
I made a Print Gocco print out of the darling squirrel from my Zoo sheet of rubber stamps. This one is 3" tall and will be put on blank note cards.

The ink had settled in the tube, giving me runny, yucko ink. I tried it and the ink bled all over the already-absorbent and rough kraft paper. So, I took a bunch (but not all) off and inked it up with the -

2. Riso Print Gocco Ink
Better but still there were pockets on the yucko ink. About 70% of the prints worked. When I was done, I could see that the ink didn't mix at all. I cleaned up the screen, vowing to stick with the Riso ink or my Daniel Smith Relief Printing Ink next time - or remixing the Speedball ink before I ink up the screen.

Here's a print:


3. Holbein Acryla Gouache - Jet Black
I was watching a stylish black and white movie from the 1960's which inspired me to draw this handsome fella:


It's a bit wonky, I know. Nose too small, mouth too big. A bit like a bad fan art or a high school art class assignment. But not bad for 15 minutes and not drawing from reference for months. It's about 80% gouache and 20% Ink #1 - it was handy and is what I used for the blacker blacks of the hair and suit.

Special prize for the first person to name the actor, character or movie.

So, then inspired by another movie, I started in on a new Portrait of an Imaginary Woman. The Queen of Diamonds inspired by Angela Lansbury's stellar performance in The Manchurian Candidate. So, I sketched her out. I went to get my India ink. Alas, my Winsor and Newton Indian Ink had congealed!

Huh. That was a new one on me.

I toddled off to the new Utrecht art supply store in my neighborhood! I had seen it on Saturday. I was happy to see the new addition to the Granada Center 6400-something North Sheridan. I didn't know I'd have reason to visit so soon.

I bought -

4. Speedball Super Black India Ink
And I was the store's very first customer!

Boy, this is some nice ink. It flowed well. Gorgeous Black. It really did justice to my sketch:


Her nose is small on purpose, thank you. I think I really captured the tone of the plane scene in the movie while still stylized. I'm wiggling in my seat I'm so excited about how this one will look!

Sunday, July 18, 2004

Another New Gallery!
Click here to see my new gallery of images from last night's adventure at Millennium Park during it's opening weekend. More of the story over here in the Me Blog.

Friday, July 16, 2004

   
   
     
 
posted on 7/16/2004 09:28:28 PM

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Monday, July 12, 2004

Treasure Box
I finally had some weekend time to myself, and I thought I was going to make art, art, art. Instead, I needed to rest, rest and make a little art. Here's what I did make:

Roll over the image to see inside.

I made one for myself, but this one is for sale, in the store. It's 6.5"x4.5" and 3" tall. Satin finish black on the outside, decopagued with joss paper on the inside. Red felt on the bottom.

Thursday, July 01, 2004

Crafty & Recycled
I wore out a pair of black cotton cargo pants. It always feels good to literally wear something out. In this case, with pants, it feels silly too because the crotch of the pants goes out way before anything else. Good pants minus one critical hole.

So, I had a pair of black cotton cargo pants with a critical hole. With the two great cargo pockets, it was easy to decide to make it into a new bag. General instructions:
1. Cut off the waistband.
2. Cut the two legs apart by cutting the seam that starts with the zipper.
3. Down the inseams on the two legs to make two flat pieces.
4. Cut around the cargo pockets 2" out or more. Cut the two legs exactly the same way - Cut the line below the pockets first and save the bottoms of the legs for the strap.
5. Sew the two pockets together, with the right sides together. I actually used french seams to make it stronger. Sew three sides, leaving the top open.
6. Hem around the opening.
7. Cut the bottom of the legs into strips. My strips were parallel to the bottom seam and 3.5" wide. I squared off the ends sewed them together.
8. Fold the long strip in half the long way and sewed the edges together, making a tube.
9. Turn the tube right side out and iron it flat. I sewed the edges to help keep it strap flat.
10. Sew the strap to the body making sure that it's a good length for you to wear it the way so like.

Ta da!

My bag can hold letter sized stuff and the cargo pockets can hold lots. I'm lovin' the second life of these pants.

Update: Here's a better pic of the bag while I'm wearing the replacement pants: