Crafty Class - Making Resin Pour Pendants

Cost: $45 (FREE SUPPLIES, except scissors) Snacks included. Ages: 16+ Deadline to register - March 2 You will make: 1 square silver pendants (1 inch) 1 square antiqued silver pendant (1 inch) 1 rectangle silver pendants (2 inches long x 1 inch wide) 2 circle pewter pendants (about ½ inch in diameter) 2 bottle caps (1 inch diameter) You will receive one snake chain or ball chain necklace. Class size is limited so sign up early. Supplies to bring: Scissors, plus your imagination, but if would like a photo, bring a photo printed on photo paper. I have had luck with photos printed from Target, because sometimes the resin can react with the photo paper. I will also supply little shells and beads, but if you want something else, like particular words or dried flowers, little watch parts, bring those along.

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Gem Show - Knotted Jewelry

Here are three necklaces and two bracelets that I made over the weekend.  I love the three different knotting techniques: crochet, braiding, and over-hand knot.

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Gem Show Results

I spent way too much money, but I am having way too much fun.  Here are some necklaces and bracelets I made with what I purchased at the gem show.  FYI - The brass "dear zoe" necklace I made in my metalsmithing class.

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Gem Show Day One

Nothing better (or worse) than cash in your pocket and girlfriends to support your decisions (no offense husbands).  But I love the Tucson Gem Show and stash cash all year round to prepare for it.  Here are some pictures, most of them are gifts, and some are inspirations.

Stones and various Buddha amulets for $1-$3

Tiffany inspired bangle (looks just like the real thing though) for $25

Huge "rock" and roll rings for Zoe and friend

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Baby Quilts

I wanted to make a set of quilts for an upcoming shower. I was inspired by Sweet Softie Play mat to create a play mat. I used ripstop nylon for the bottom so that it can be used at a park, beach, campsite, emergency diaper changing pad, etc. But I didn't want to quilt through the nylon, mainly because it would probably be too slippery to run through my machine. So to quilt the top layer onto something, I bought prequilted fabric, and then used basting spray to attach the top fabric to the prequilted layer. Then nmachine quilted the two together, just in lines following the fabric. I attached the nylon fabric around the edges only, then sewed on the binding. Pretty simple.

The quilt is a simple nine patch, machine quilted.

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Easy Kaftan

I like finding fabric boutiques on my trips, like Maisonette in Oceanside, which just switched from a fabric store to a children's clothing design shop.  Anyway on a recent trip to Colorado to visit some dear friends and see my daughter's volleyball tournament, my friend took me to Fancy Tiger. This crafting boutique offers great classes, fabrics, yarns, and patterns.  I picked up a pattern for a kaftan. It was simple and easy to do.

 


I am planning on making two more. One out of this Joel Dewberry shirting fabric and another out of a light weight grey linen.  I would love to open a store like the Fancy Tiger, anyone want to lend my $15-20,000?  Doesn't hurt to ask.

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Decorating Zoe's Dorm Room

I really like the challenge of decorating a dorm room - small space and small budget. Zoe and her dad say I go overboard, but I think Zoe secretly likes it, and we have a lot of fun planning, designing, shopping, and doing it.  Anyway, this year we did a video as well as some final pictures.

Here are also some pictures we took right when we were done.

 We just put pillows onto two chairs. Zoe's roommate was bringing a little couch.

Here are some pictures taken later, during Parents' Weekend.

 I made this bean bag later and shipped the cover, and got beans locally, but it needs some more.

Zoe and her roommate got into the spirit of things and redid their bulletin board and added their room number to the transom.   Also, Zoe's dorm won "Best Overall Dorm Room" and "Best Use of Space." Pin It