WIPWednesday: Christmas + Books

Between Thanksgiving, my birthday on the 2nd, and a crazy busy week at work I haven't had much time for crafting, but I made time yesterday. I found some reindeer at the local craft store for fifty-nine cents a pop. So of course I grabbed a bunch.

I didn't finish this guy because I had to clean up and get ready for work- boo. So far so good though, yeah? I used pages from Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol. I also plan on some sheet music reindeer, too. I should have a whole mess of these little guys soon!

Finally finished: Friends bookshelf project!

I actually finished this a while ago... and never got around to blogging it. Go figure.

I'm really quite pleased with how it came out!

It feels so nice to have it done.

Have a great weekend!

WIPWednesday: Vintage Ribbon projects.

I have a ton of really awesome vintage ribbon. A couple years ago an old neighbor gave it to us; she was a secretary in a ribbon factory in the '60s and she'd hung on to it all this time.

Isn't it so awesome?? The problem I've got is that I'm kind of terrified to use it. It's so special and unique and so I end up hoarding it. I've used it in cardmaking once or twice, but never ever to wrap a gift! I'm trying to find projects that use it in ways where it won't be thrown away.

My first idea? Clear glass bulbs.

I'm not entirely happy with the result. To be honest, I'm kind of tired of the glass-ornament-filled-with-stuff look. And it was a pain trying to force the ribbon through the small opening at the top of the ornament.

Ideas? I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you would do with ribbon like this!

A late Halloween post

I've been slacking a bit.

I have been busy... but not that busy. Halloween party with my little brother, work, visits from family friends, and another trip to San Luis Obispo.

Kyle and I spent a lot of time and probably too much money on decorations and stuff. I made a ton of chocolate skulls for the occasion.

I used candy melts because they make it so easy-peasy; no tempering the chocolate, plus they came in bright orange! The molds are from Wilton. I picked up the super-tarnished platter at a local thrift store. Isn't it neat? I carefully covered the bottom with cellophane and double-sided tape because it was kind of gross.

Making them all was kind of a pain the ass. The big skull mold was not designed to be hollow and it took more than a whole bag of candy melts. All the skulls, big and small, are poured in two parts and had to be chocolated together. Like I said, big messy pain in the ass. Chocolate everywhere.

But they look so cool. At the risk of sounding like a seventeen-year-old with "YOLO" plastered across her t-shirt I'm gonna say it was worth it.

WIPWednesday: Scarf

Whew! It's been like a week or something since I blogged. Last week I was getting ready for a garage sale, mostly, and sorting through stuff in the garage. (I made seventy bucks, but I still have so much crap that didn't sell!)

Yesterday on my day off I went to Jo-Ann's for some glue. The one in town just moved to a giant new location and I wound up in the yarn aisle- oops. Don't need any yarn. Bought some anyways.

I figured I need a new scarf anyways though, right? I got some beautiful Besnat roving, and popped in a DVD a coworker had loaned me (Crazy Stupid Love). I poked around Pinterest for some ideas but kind of came up with my own pattern.

It's going quickly with the bulky yarn. I could finish it today if I didn't have to go to work. I haven't crocheted anything in something like eight months, and I didn't realize how much I missed it.

WIPWednesday: sidetracked

Not much crafting this week. I'm trying to clean out my closet and read some of the books I've got laying around. I've got a big stack that I want to read but probably aren't keepers, so by reading, I'm also cleaning and decluttering! My logic is sound, right??

I did work on this WIP for about five minutes before I got distracted. Ok, maybe ten minutes.

I traced out the letters using an old drafting pencil- light lines, and a long, sturdy lead to get into the tight corners of those letters! Once I glue them down I'll have to do some trimming with a razor, but they turned out pretty well!

I started looking for my mod podge and instead I found... some tiny toys.

I got totally sidetracked taking pictures of them and never found my glue. 

So now I still haven't finished this damn project (that really should have taken, like, a day) and my desk is littered with PVC figurines and micromachines.

I suppose it could be worse.

Paperback Correspondance: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

I love love love writing letters and kind of hoard stationary. I also love making cards, and as I mentioned in my last post, I made some with an old copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!

I first read The Wizard of Oz in fourth grade for a board game making project. I vividly remember staying up late the night before with my mom pouring green sugar over swirls of Elmer's all over my board because we didn't have any glitter. To my delight I learned there were several other Oz books and I read them all. I didn't see the movie until I was in high school (though I watched Return to Oz all the time on TV as a kid).

It is absolutely one of my favorite books and I had so much fun making these cards.

I made one for each of Dorothy's faithful companions- the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Cowardly Lion.

I also made one with an illustration of the Munchkins, too. I plan on making more this week!

I'm really pleased with how they turned out. I don't know if I'll be able to bear actually sending one of these away!