Breast Cancer bottle tags

I had a special request to do some bottle tags specifically for breast cancer awareness.   Here are the results:

 

 

I'm not sure what the event was but anything to bring attention in a unique way to this devastating disease and perhaps honor someone who has passed is a win-win for me.  

 

A plan of attack

This really isn't a New Year's resolution.  It's something that I've been tossing around in my head for a few months but couldn't do anything about it until after the holidays.  It's my craft room.   It's not functional and a total mess.   Not conducive to creativity.  
The plan goes something like this: 
A) get a bunch of boxes and label according to categories
B) place items from craft room in their boxes
C) move cabinets and furniture to spare room
D) clean
E) move bookcase to far wall
F) install shelving, floor to ceiling on far wall
G) get clear bins and label
F) put items from boxes in to appropriate bins

On the wall with my work table I'll probably head down to IKEA at some point and get some kitchen storage thingies for holding my inks and such but that'll be phase two.

Hopefully by the time I get all of this done, and it'll take a few months to do with work being six days a week, I'll be able to make the most use of the limited time I have in the mornings to be creative. 
So here's the before just to get an idea of what I'm facing.

Wish me luck!

It's not that I haven't done anything...really!

But life has gotten in the way of my creativity and that yanks my chain.  But we do what we have to do and right now, that means helping the hubby out with his business.   At least I get paid though and that means some cash for my hobbies!!!  
Got most of my Christmas cards out and although that's a chore, it's still puts me in a holiday mood.   I had a wonderful time as usual helping at the Weaver's of Orlando holiday sale and it was a success.  Many repeat customers come for the incredible handmade items done by guild members and their relatives.   Not just woven items either.   Crafty people don't tend to stick to just one thing ya know.  I am blown away by the talent every year and next year, I'm going to save up so I can splurge!   
But now I have to turn to other responsibilities and that means posting and projects will continue to be light.  Working six days a week isn't conducive to creating AND once again my craft room is a disaster.   However, I have a plan.  Starting in January I'm going to pull everything out of that room and redo it.  Top to bottom.   Since my time is so limited I must make the spacde more functional so when I can pop in to work, I can find everything I need and have room to work. 
So...until the next posting...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Cutting wine bottles

     I mentioned in a previous post a couple of different methods for cutting wine bottles so I thought I'd take a few minutes to explain what's worked for me.   The one seen on Pinterest involved string and nail polish remover.   This will cut the bottle buy my experience with it wasn't positive.   The bottle never 'cut' where I wanted, it was always too high and didn't leave me enough of the bottle to work with IMO.   The edges were horribly uneven and some bottles just refused to split.  Not sure if it was the thickness of the glass, perhaps the glass making process but it just didn't work.   As with anything working with glass, wood, tools, etc, wear safety glasses.   The chances of something happening may be slim but who wants to take that chance?

     I had more luck with a glass scoring tool.   Here are some things I learned from that.   If you have two large pots that you aren't going to use for cooking then get those.  In one, heat the water to boiling.   While that is going, using the scoring tool exactly like the manufacturer's directions.  You do not want to grind a deep gash in to the bottle but it does need to be a complete score all the way around.  
     Fill the second pot with cold water and add ice to make sure it's really cold.   The difference in temperatures is what causes the bottle to crack at the score line.    Once the water starts to boil you can turn it down a little.   Dunk the bottle in and count to 10.   Quickly remove and put in the ice water.   I guarantee it won't crack the first time.  Keep dunking back and forth.   I honestly didn't think it would work but have patience and keep working.   Most scorers come with a small tool to tap around the inside of the bottle if necessary.   Eventually you will begin to see the crack forming and at some point it will pop off.    My kit came with some sandpaper to smooth off the edges.  

Now it's time to play!!!!   Enjoy. 
    

The Dremel and alcohol ink

     A while back I saw something on TV about alcohol inks and became intrigued by the colors.   I found a few packs at Hobby Lobby and since I had a coupon decided to give them a try.   Not having much luck with the string/polish remover method of cutting bottles I also sprung for a scorer while there.   Yes....the string method will cut the bottles but I found that in every case the edges were so uneven that trying to grind them down was just more effort and time wasted than I preferred.   Find one of those scoring tools like the ones that became popular in the 70s and you will have better luck getting not only an even edge but a cut where you want. 
     Now...back to the project.   I have recently become interested in illuminated letters like the ones in medieval Bibles so I wanted to combine that with the wine bottle and alcohol ink.  
First, sketch out your letter on graph paper.  Since my last name begins with an 'A' that's what I went with.   Tape the design to the inside of the wine bottle and with the finest bur trace over the letter.  Then it's a matter of filling in the design with various burs.
     Next grab a can of compressed air (like the kind used to blow off keyboards) and add drops of alcohol ink.   Since this ink dries quickly work fast to move the ink around.   A straw can also be used but I found doing this was a bit fiddly and holding a straw in your mouth for tool long encourages drooling.  (><)
Finally time to make your design pop.   I used Rub 'n Buff paste in gold over the engraved letter, wipe off quickly and taaaaaaaa daaaaaaaaaaaaa!    Add a candle and it looks like stained glass.  

So I get this idea see..

Was in Hobby Lobby a few weeks back and they have these tiny LED/battery operated strings of lights and I got an idea.   What if I took one of the inexpensive shadow frames, wrote something about the night on black paper and put the lights behind it (after poking holes in the paper first of course)?  

This was a fun and quick project.  The only advice is I would try to find a string of lights with fewer lights.  It was a bit fiddly trying to get them all in to place.   The quote is from Galileo "I've been too fond of stars to be afraid of the night."   An advanced version of this would make a lovely nightlight for a small child.  AC current though, batteries can get expensive. 

Flourishing fun

While I'm at it....
OK...so I've been thinking about flourishing again in a big way.  Yesterday and today I decided to try some things I've never tried before, namely some corner work, a swag, and an extended banner.   They aren't perfect but for a first time, I'm fairly pleased.   I think next time I want to do a swag, I'll get a drapey piece of fabric, like a scarf, and hang it up as a model.   It's so hard to imagine how fabric hangs for some reason.  Weird huh?

 

 

Happy Holidays.....

Seriously, I truly don't like thinking about Christmas when it's 93 outside but I have to work at least a season ahead so there ya go.   I've started the Christmas tags in a big way and have cranked out 15 so far.   Several of them I know I will go back and add 'something' but for now, at least these are in the bag.   Christmas and Hannukah are easy holidays to work on.   Stars, lights, hats, trees, and so on come quickly to mind.  But what do you do for Happy New Years?   Wine bottles and wine glasses?  Maybe '2013' written out in quilled paper?   I am really going to have to put my thinking cap on for that holiday.  

An exciting bit of news.  I'm partnering with Judy Shears to give a little after-meeting class on flourishing, which is a passion of mine.   Judy's been taking Harvest Crittendon's online class (on my TO DO list) and this weekend showed me some of the things she's done.  Just beautiful.  So there's another motivation for me to get busy making things to sell at the holiday sale and whereever else I can.    More money means more classes and calligraphy stuff!   Yays all around.
Cheers!

I have a domain name!!!

On the advice of a good friend, I decided to register a domain name so if I actually have a business in the future, I can have this to operate under.   So...for right now...it's just a registered name with GoDaddy.   And its "ifitspaperetc.com".   I like that because much of what I do involves paper but I wanted to leave it open for other things---like the engraving.   Neato keen...I feel like an adult now. 
Cheers!

Done with fall holidays

Now on to Christmas and New Year's.   Decided to take it easy the last couple of days.  It's easy to work on this and get burned out.  Hopefully I'll get some Christmas tags done tomorrow though, can't rest too much!   Here are my favs of the latest batch.

and a silver heart flourish with a wee bit of quilling ....

Turkeys!!!!

Shifting my production to fall holidays--Halloween and Thanksgiving in particular.   I had an idea for some small turkey motifs and this is how they turned out.   I like them a lot. 

I have others to post but need to get some better pictures first.
Cheers!

A bluebird of happiness

I've been studying some quilling by others and have fallen in love with the more ornate pieces that use multiple colors to add dimension to the overall shape.   For this birthday tag, I thought of a bluebird of happiness and since I had a ton of blue paper in different shades, why not?  

MORE fun with quilling

Is it possible?   Yeppers.   Yesterday I really got in to stencilling with quilling.   I love to bring other things to the party and see what happens, and this is one thing I did. 

I wanted the stencil (done with Pebbles cream chalk) to be the main feature so I used a pastel parchment quilling paper in a light green.   Just a touch of quilling.   Five tight circles under the pearls for the center and left it at that.   It's often difficult for me and others I know to stop at the right moment.   Less is more and all that.  I wanted this to look delicate and think I achieved that. 
I have another hibiscus-themed tag but it's still very much a work in progress so that's for later.  
On the advice of a very good friend, I decided to do two things this weekend.   First, I really need to take stock of all the tags I've done so far, print pictures and put them in an album.   Then, I need to document how each was made so I won't have to reinvent the wheel if someone wants a particular design.   I also need to seriously think ahead to the fall and winter holiday season.  It's 100 degrees and 99% humidity so it's hard to think of Christmas but we all know how fast it sneaks up on us.  
This is all going to make for a very busy weekend.   I guess I can mix some housework in there somewhere.....
Cheers!

I've honestly been busy!!

Really.   The wine shop loves my quilled/calligraphy wine tags so I'm in 'production'.   On a good day I can do four.  Not many I know but these things take time.   All that curling, gluing, pen strokes.   But what fun!!!   Sometimes I let the quilling take center stage, other times it's the calligraphy, or rather flourshing, with quilling in a supporting role.  I've also begun incorporating stenciling and embossing to the mix.   What is super nice about this project is I am able to use materials I've been accumulating over the years that have just been taking up space.   That's a win-win in hubby's opinion.   I won't get rich doing this, but it is not only fun but gives me a reason to practice!   Here are a few of my favorites so far.   More to follow.  

Long time, no blog

Not the most original of titles I know but true.   It's been a busy couple of months and it's not like I haven't done any calligraphy.  Going to remedy that right now.  
First up is an update on my engraving.   I had the chance a few weeks ago to do a couple of wine bottles and one of them was a champagne bottle.   I learned the hard way why you don't do those.  
It's not if they will explode but when.   I thought because I'd done a prosecco that there would be no problem.  This is why you always wear eye protection.   The house smelled like champagne for the rest of the day.   Not normally a bad thing but in this case. 
What's a person to do?   After all, if someone would want a bottle engraved it's probably going to be some type of bubbly right?   The workaround for many calligraphers is to engrave a metal 'medallion' with the desired information that hangs around the neck of the bottle.   Remember those Brut after shave little tag things?   Something similar to that.   I actually like that idea better personally because then the happy couple can drink the champagne AND have a keepsake to hang on a Christmas tree or whatever.   I don't have access to those metal tags so my modification are these little heart-shaped mirrors.   I found another size that's a bit larger but again, these can be engraved, set with Rub'n Buf and a coordinating ribbon can be chosen to go with the occasion.   Pretty neat eh?

A cheap find

I've been wanting some of those fancy pastels to add color to some flourishing but can't afford any right now.   So, I look out for possible alternatives.   I saw this product in Ohio at a store similar to a Hobby Lobby or Old Time Pottery and it was cheap.   It is some sort of cream pastel with a clip and little fuzzy balls for applicators.   I think it's pretty neat and will experiment with it more. 

Back from Ohio!

Had a great time.  It's a really pretty state and the weather was gorgeous except for the last day--which really wasn't too bad for early spring there.   Did a lot of sightseeing and of course had my lesson with Mr. Bill Lilly.   I hope I didn't come off too much like a groupie but when you meet a legend it's a bit hard to control yourself.   I was able to have one lesson and of course would have loved to have had more but time didn't permit and you are grateful for what you can get.   Here's my first envie post-lesson.   I know I need to practice more and there are ways I've been doing things that I must learn a new way now.  That's going to be tough but hopefully I'll be able to sit down this week with ink and concentrate on some of the tips he showed me.  

I had to quickly do this envie in order to get it in the mail today so I tried to concentrate but get it done.  (it's for MILs b-day on Friday which explains the rush).   I am happier with my 'D', 'r', and 's', on this.  What happened to that 'B'?????  I think my lowercase l's will now improve because I understand I must flatten the back more.   Sooo....off to catch up on laundry (the worst part of returning from a trip) and will post more on a new find or two later this week.  Cheers!

The second Cosmetic-to-calligraphy case

I don't know about you all but flying isn't fun for me anymore.   The stress of packing, worrying about something being left in a side pocket or under something which will get confiscated is just nerve-wracking.    I've had this question bouncing around about my pointed pen tools.   They're metal and, well, pointed.   Would they make it through security?   What about my tiny needle nose pliers used to adjust the flange?  What about my battery tools for setting hot fix crystals?   Anyone who's ever taken a self defense class learns that most anything can be a weapon.   And given TSA agents have enormous lattitude at the gate and can use their judgement despite what the official TSA website says is just another fly in the ointment so to speak.  

Did I mention I hate checking bags too?   Looks like the only workaround though so yesterday I started working on the second old cosmetic case, turning it in to a calligraphy tool transporter.   Remember the first one I did here opened length wise and wouldn't be good should I need to transport liquids.   A case made for women's toiletries and makeup has a deep body and shallow lid.   Some even come with straps to hold jars or bottles.   Perfect!  

I'm going with a lime green for this one, should make it easy to spot.  Decoupage as the first with all sorts of stamps and arty things culled from letters sent by friends. I should finish by Sunday and be ready to load it up with all those things I would be hesitant to take as a carry on.    The strappy thing inside isn't very good but at some point, I'll figure out a way to secure ink bottles and such.   Happy travels!

One for us

While I was working on the last project I alluded to making a few attempts prior to the one I settled on.  One of the watercolors wasn't bad so I decided to finish it off for us.  I found a cheap shadow box at Michaels on sale and mounted it yesterday.

One more thing..

An idea came to me while I was working in my 'craft' room (yes, I can get back in there to actually work) on Friday.  There's a saying I really like for some reason and I got the idea to once again combine watercolor, Pebeo, and quilling.   Took me three times to get the right shade of blue.  A word of caution, if you are using Pebeo and pointed pen, go much darker than you normally would so the writing shows up.  If you use really light washes of color and remove the resist, you can barely see what you've written.

First wash over the writing, wasn't happy with the green forest foreground so I went back over with a smaller round brush and added some depth.  
Last steps were installing the quilled pieces, and some tiny birds in the upper right...ta daaaaaaaaaaa!

So after taking these pics and working on this post, I decided the sun pic needed something else.   More green and a gold crystal on the sun.  That will fix it!    This, I like. 

A final note.  The difference in colors is due to the different settings on my camera.  I've been playing with some of the features to see which gives the clearest and truest to life colors.  So far it's between the museum and food setting.  One I can understand, the other...go figure.