Monday, March 24, 2008

Hyatus Over!!!

Today is Hubby's last day of vacation. While I will miss him around the house it means more crafting time. So its not all bad. I would have done more crafting this week but we have been cleaning/rearranging/remodeling the house. Lots of new Ikea furniture has transformed the living room into a grown up place. We are slowing moving out of the dorm room phase of our lives. Don't get me wrong. We still have the wall scrolls and anime figures displayed in the stairwell. The stuff we chose to display in the living room is more collectible and of course much of it is our own art. Johnny The Homicidal Maniac is still the framed art on the walls. This will probably never change. Comic books as fine art is just ironic enough to withstand the test of time.

My parents and I have been brain storming the last couple of weeks about opening an art studio near them in Pahrump, Nevada. It is tough for me to do anything from all the way in Germany but the inspiration has been rolling. Dad even asked how big of a place I might want as though he is looking and Mom may have found our first kiln and pottery wheels. It may be a couple years until me and Mike are at a place where we can help but it gives me such hope for a future of not working for other people and doing what I love. Besides, how cool would it be to teach and be around creative people all day. It will be a cool place for our (in the distant future) children to grow up.

Much crafting this week for swaps and commissions. Plus I really need to get started on Angie's baby stuff. She's about ready to pop. Many pics too I hope!

Sunday, March 09, 2008

Much Swapage

I finished up a few swaps just before my hubby got home from his long trip to fight the bad guys.
First was the Reading Rainbow Swap. Partners sent each other a tote, a bookmark and a good book. How very appropriate since I'm SUCH a bibliophile. I crocheted the tote and made the bookmark from the same fabric as the lining. My partner had slightly different tastes in books so I sent her a blank book to use as a journal with a remade cover. I used suede mat board and inlaid a rose using the laser engraver to make the vector cuts. Then I found a copy of The Princess Bride at the PX and thought she may enjoy that also (plus it matched the tote so well). And as a bonus I included a couple book bracelets 'cause I had a few beads left over from the huge set I made earlier. [16 hours]





Next comes the Friend of Craftster Secret Swap. We didn't know who was sending to us and we could only stalk our partners without asking any questions. Unfortunately my partner was MIA for most of the round and not as easy to stalk as I could have hoped for. With her two themes, 8 Bit Theatre and Dragons, I came up with these projects. Some crossed stitched sprites with magnets on the back and a reverse stencil dye discharged dragon t-shirt. I cut out a silhouette of a dragon from freezer paper, ironed it on and sprayed a 50/50 bleach water mixture on the shirt. When the dye is bleached out I got the amazing reddish color underneath (much preferred to the off white you sometimes get on black shirts). Also included are some beer stickers because of her hobby of brewing and a couple iron on transfer pencils from her wists. Gwenyvarr has received her package but has not posted or informed me and the organizer that she has. More frustration ensues but I hope nothing tragic has happened to her. [6 hours]


Now that Hubby is home I'm back to crafting more stuff. I'm totaly addicted to crochet right now and am much closer to the crocheted tire cover for my Jeep that I have been dreaming of. I'm also teaching sewing to the kidos again. Weekly classes with K and an upcoming class with Girl Scouts and SAS. Plus ALOT of people are asking about crochet classes (more than quilting amazingly). Lots of work to do at the real job after this nice 4 day weekend I gave myself. More projects to follow this week.