Time to Tangle with Color by Marie Browning – another wonderful book from Design Originals
Browning gives several techniques for adding color to an existing zentangle as well as using color to create a space to tangle in. Clear instructions, beautiful examples and plenty of new tangles to try out as well.
I’ve owned a sewing machine for seven years, but I only periodically sew. I enjoy making purses and little items. I have completed one Crib-sized quilt for an auction, and have one queen sized quilt top 75% completed and sitting in the UFO bin. I also have a Child-size quilt in progress on my quilt wall, but it’s only been 7 or 8 months since I began so that doesn’t count as a UFO, yet…
I like quick sewing projects. I lose my focus quickly, and need to bounce from craft to craft as inspiration strikes. I have completed three messenger bags, and each one turned out nicer than the last.
I’ve completed several purses, lots of little zip pouches, an awesome knife roll for PapaMakes cooking knives. I haven’t tried clothing yet. I’m not the most accurate fabric cutter, and I fear spending time and money on an item that doesn’t fit or look good. And I think I’m allergic to ripping out stitches…
Sewing is probably the most challenging craft for me. I love the satisfaction of a well-made, completed item. I loathe the meticulousness that is needed to get there. Perhaps loathe is too strong a word. I have to be in the mood to take my time with a project to get sewing right.
Next Time: Photography
*What craft do you love and loathe?
MCM
On this episode of Friday Craft, earrings. Earrings are easily my most lucrative craft. For the relatively short amount of time it takes to make a pair of earrings, they usually sell. And if they don’t sell they can be dis-assembled and put into another craft or a new pair of earrings.
I also have fun looking through the deeply discounted earrings in my local Fred Meyer to find neat elements to work into nifty new earrings. Like the hands and bees above, they just needed a bit of color. Purchased for $3.50, 5 minutes of work, resold for $15 each! Woohoo!
Note to Self: a post about pricing. This is easily the area I struggle with most. What is a fair price to charge for something I would make anyway? Research to the rescue!
Next time: Sewing!
MCM
*What’s your most rewarding craft?
This week let’s look at prayer beads. This is a new craft to me, beading with a spiritual/metaphysical flair. Based on Anglican beads, which are based on the Catholic rosary. My prayer beads are not associated with any particular religion, just an overall sense of mystery and mindfulness. I made the blue one for my Mom after surgery to help her remember body mechanics for her healing body. The skull is a symbol of the rock band The Grateful Dead, a band many found spiritual awakening through.
Next time: Earrings, as promised!
MCM
*Do you make any tools to use on your spiritual journey?
These are from another card set using cardstock from a rainbow set, tiny pictures and elements from collage in Portland, OR. Time for a little local small business love. Collage sits in the NE section of Portland, on Alberta St. Collage itself is an awesome little place to spend 15 minutes or 120 minutes browsing, touching, getting the staff’s advice on the latest craft you want to try out, or taking a class on beginning soldering, encaustics, representational collage or any of the other myrriad topics their classes cover.
And when you’ve finished up in collage, and if you have any money left (heh), walk outside and check out the neighborhood. So many little resturants, tiny galleries, shops, food carts, and speciality stores to see, so little time in a day.
Next time: Earrings! Prayer Beads!
For this episode, let’s look at a few of my other cards. These are all from the same card set. In thinking about an online shop, it was pretty clear that customers probably would not purchase single cards online and then pay for shipping…for 1 or 2 cards.
After making several sets, I came up with a pretty simple formula and I plan to post a tutorial. I have some tips and tricks for getting started with a minimum of materials.
For next time: another Card set!
MCM
*Do you buy or sell crafts online?
To continue our ‘theme’ from the first installment, here are a few of my Christmas/Holiday cards.
I have been making cards since 2001! This is by far the craft I have stuck with the longest. I really enjoy looking at cards I’ve done from different time periods in my life, and seeing how my skills and the cards have changed and improved.
For next time: more cards!
MCM
*Do you send or receive holiday cards?
This will be the first installment of a new series. In an effort to get back into the rhythm of blogging and so I can schedule some posts out into the future, and so I can show off my crafts, I will be posting a small collection of finished crafts on Fridays.
This week we’ll kick things off with Christmas in April – these are some tags that I made to sell last holiday season, and I’m pleased to say I have no more left!
These were so much fun to make, and quick too. Whenever I finish up a set of Christmas cards, all the scraps get thrown together for tags. Then I can use this to get my craft muscles warmed up when I know I want to craft but don’t know exactly what I want to make.
Next week: some Christmas cards!
MCM
*Do you make your own holiday cards or crafts?
