Crafty Swapping

I'm tired of going to my mailbox and finding only junk mail and bills. No one sends letters or cards anymore. I've decided to help make mailboxes fun again by joining the world of online crafty swaps. What are crafty swaps? In this case the theme was "black and white" and the project had to be specific tag size.

I'm going to mail two of these tags to strangers and then two other strangers will mail me tags they have made. My inspiration was TV shows from the 50s and 60s, so I made a tiny TV featuring the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. Its made from recycled cardboard, buttons, a photo and a fabric scrap.

Working Quickly

I've been experimenting with online crafting community challenges lately. I joined the Crafty Link mixed media community and made this piece based on one of today's challenges: Use an image of your hand and a quote --and two favorite colors. I love making things really, really quickly before any judgement or doubts have a chance to interfere. Not just because I'm lazy! Its extremely difficult for me to get an idea out if I spend more than 15 minutes on a project. Its like catching a frog or snail or some other little wild thing. Inspiration often doesn't survive in captivity when technique and thought are involved.  (Quote: "Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted" -- MLK)

Go Ahead! Draw Something!

Electronic games are really hard on my self esteem. The Wii Fit regularly tells me that my "Wii Fit Age" is 10 years older than I already am. That's really hard to take, especially on a day the grocery store cashier gives me a "senior citizen discount" -- and I'm not even close to being a senior! The Wii Fit also tells me that every game I play is "not my thing" and gives me a hard time when I gain weight (hey, its winter for crying out loud)! If I play a video game that involves getting killed I just die before I get to play. If its a maze like situation I just go around in circles. 

I've been playing the "Draw Something" game on the iPad.  Real people can be a lot kinder and more patient than electronic games (if you're lucky). The friend I play with (who is very good at drawing) frequently says encouraging things about my drawings. The Wii Fit would be saying "drawing just isn't your thing". 

I enjoy the challenge of communicating simply and clearly in a visual way. That's my criteria for a good drawing. My Draw Something name is Retromac if you want to play along. I promise to be a lot nicer than the Wii Fit. 

Recycled Plastic Shrinky Dink Necklace

I was inspired by the "Sheer & Clear Friday Challenge" on the new DIY site Kollabora. I used a #6 recycled plastic container as my "Shrinky Dink" material, a few jump rings and some chain to make this octopus necklace. Here's how I decided on this particular project:
1) My friend's octopus theme wedding invitation was surprisingly cool.  2) I've been researching Chihuly style art lessons on Pinterest. 1) I have an honorary degree in Shrinky Dinks. It was bestowed upon me by the kids I teach.  
You can find my step by step photos and instructions here.

Embracing Melancholia

Talking about all the problems in the world puts a spring in my step and a smile on my face. Talking about what's on TV or anything to do with celebrities makes me really, really sad. And sometimes I have to force myself not to run from the room when the the celebrity talk starts. I'd rather hear someone rant about chemtrails than about Princess Kate's pregnancy. When someone starts talking about Beyonce I have to force myself not to gossip about my favorite celebrity Pvt. Bradley Manning. 

I really like this take on Negative Nancy and can see myself in this skit, cursing out everything that happens from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed. Being a Debbie Downer is clearly not on trend these days, but I think I'm part of a grand tradition of melancholia. 

Durer portrays melancholia as "the state of waiting for inspiration to strike, and not necessarily as a depressive affliction".  How many great songs have been written about happy things? Where would modern art be without embracing alienation and purposelessness? And where would this world be without us Negative Nancys & Debbie Downers yelling as loud as we can about all the issues that aren't covered by mainstream media? 

I made and photographed this funny sad face with the plastic debris washed up on the beach.

Cosmic Upcycled Cashmere

Cashmere can easily last a lifetime (in dog or cat years) if you care for it lovingly. I have sweaters that I've inherited from my mom over 20 years ago. And they were second hand when she got them. Small moth holes can be inconspicuously mended. Bring your sweater to a store that sells thread to match the color. Use a single thread and practice weaving around the area until you've gotten it right. Then steam the area lightly with your iron to flatten & blend it in.  Large moth holes can be very conspicuously and colorfully mended. I was inspired by current events for this mending job. Asteriods, meteors, oh my! I used cashmere scraps I'd gotten on Etsy as patches and wool crewel yarn for the embroidery. Sachets of Lavender, mint or cedar chips will help keep the moths away in the first place.

If you've already shrunk your cashmere sweater in the washer/dryer you should check out Sweater Surgery for lots of inspiring ideas. One of my friends attempted to make cashmere bloomers. The bottom line is that good cashmere should never die. You can always wear a less than perfect cashmere sweater as lounge wear.

If you've found some thrifted cashmere you might as well care for it in an equally thrifty way.  I always use Eucalan to hand wash cashmere with outstanding results. Use cold water then roll in a towel to get out as much water as possible. They lay out to dry on another towel. You may have no where to eat or sit for a few days while you are cleaning your sweaters but think of all the money you'll be saving (and the stuff about avoiding those toxic dry cleaning chemicals too). Does the Magik Fuzz Buster work? Yes!  Say goodbye to all that "pilly stuff" under your arms.

Recycled Diet Coke Bracelet

I have a shameful addiction. No, I don't eat laundry detergent or cat hair. I drink Diet Coke. Yes, I know its disgusting. Yes, I know its bad for me. But a fresh bottle of Diet Coke is like an instantly available Zen moment. Just looking at the bottle makes me feel instantly more relaxed. I simply can't stop!!! As an homage to my shameful addiction I've started making recycled bracelets from the bottles. First I used a utility knife to cut out the shape of the bracelet. Then I decoupage magazine pages on the outside and tissue paper on the inside using Modge Podge. This one was inspired by the fact that I have friends in tropical places (and I'm so not in a tropical place). I used a National Geographic and cut out pictures photos of rainforest foliage and undersea life. I've also done this project with kids. Middle school girls totally heart Modge Podge and accessories so its lots of fun. 

Above, the object of my affection. While I was getting my camera I had the Coke in my hand so I opened it & absentmindedly drank some before I even took the photo. That's why its not full & bubbly. The part I used for the bracelets is just below the label. 

Imaginary Friends

In my determined quest to overcome my creative block I impulsively signed up for an online class called Visual Journaling based on this simple sentence: "Have you ever wanted to create a story using your own images or ideas but were too afraid to begin or didn’t know where to start??" This was a bit risky because I find it extremely difficult (often impossible) to follow instructions whether its Ikea furniture or something more academic.
But surprise! It's working. I'm suspecting that I was just boring myself and needed a companion on this creative journey. But I'm not talking about the other cool people in the class or the terrific teacher. We were assigned to create a character based on a collage journal. Mine is an alien who happens to be an shape shifter and time traveller. It's like having an imaginary friend who shares many of the same interests but isn't limited by the constraints of reality. I think we're going to have a very interesting day.

Craft Hoarder Goes Digital

It’s easy for me to get inspired by random objects like other people’s family photos, broken toys and old sweaters (to name just a few of perhaps thousands of things in my cluttered storage area).  But sometimes having a room full of recycled materials can feel like a burden. Its nearly impossible to find what I’m looking for, I make one hell of a mess and have to clean it all up. It’s been difficult to summon up the courage to start a new project lately. But then I got an iPad mini for Xmas and found a way to temporarily avoid the whole mess.

I downloaded an app called Paper. I rarely draw or paint but I thought why not? Paper gives me an opportunity to work quickly with very little commitment and minimal effort. Its fun!  

My friend John uses Procreate and does some amazing sketches  I can see that Procreate offers great features like undo and layers, as well as many more options. But right now the minimalist approach is exactly what I’m looking for. When I see photos of beautiful, simple, organized interiors in magazines I think “Looks cool, but I could never live like that”. With the Paper app I can see what it might be like to live a more minimal and organized life. My brushes never dry out and I always know where to find the colors and tools.  Amazing! And my hoarder craft mess will still be there waiting for me when I'm looking for a more challenging option. 

Quilting a Tiny Rebellion

I got a seriously damaged old quilt at a rummage sale for $5 and immediately started ripping it apart and using the fabric for collage and mixed media. One chilly summer evening I needed a blanket in the studio and it was the most convenient one. I learned that this quilt has just as much to offer in the dark as it does in the sunlight. It felt like the perfect hug. After a few nights I decided that it felt even more wonderful than it looked and decided to quit ripping it apart and start restoring it. Sometimes I choose compatible fabrics and neat stitches; sometimes I make larger patches out of loud fabric and stitches that are intentionally sloppy. It doesn't make sense to mend a quilt that falls apart every time it gets washed. But that's exactly why I do it. This simple act of committing to a lost cause feels very quietly rebellious.