Tales from the Other Side

Please update bookmarks (if there are any)

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:22:09 GMT

I have moved operations to Blogger, as their layouts and widgets are better for my purposes.

http://botticellicraft.blogspot.com/

Fabric Cubes for the six month set

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:20:35 GMT

Seven cubes are now all finished! I ended up doing the final four or five in a production-line setup, which saved me lots of time but meant that they're probably not as perfect as they could've been. I'm still fairly pleased with them, and learned a lot of 'best technique' style thing for making them.
These two photos are my best, as I was reading up on "ways to style your photographs for online sales". Though I don't intend to sell these I figured it wouldn't hurt to practice.



I had an idea to try making one side "crinkly" with a layer of plastic bag, but they a) didn't crinkle enough and b) I was worried about potential suffocation hazards. So for a while I contemplated cellophane, but as a friend pointed out, it breaks down when wet, and then babies sucking on the cubes would be getting cellophane chemicals. Ick.



I also got an idea early on for using more recycled materials to make a bell-container for the centre of the cubes, but didn't want to faff around with it this time. I have plenty more squares of fabric and scraps however, so I think it's an idea I will be revisiting!

Present for my son

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:30:17 GMT

I've finally started to really craft again, in dribs and drabs! Most importantly for me, my mental space has switched back to 'craft ready' (at least some of the time).
So today I finally sewed together the squares I've been cutting from scraps this past week.

My scraps bag is a monumental thing - about the size I am, with some pieces going back 20 odd years, cobbled from my Grandmother's leftovers from her craft projects.

I was going for more a mix of textures than any cohesive colour scheme in this piece, so it's visually a bit of a mess (not to mention the manky corner - wasn't quite careful enough *sigh*). But it's a prototype for what I'm thinking I'll give to members of my parents' group this Christmas (and maybe some of the Mummies I know with small bubs too?), and as such I'm pretty pleased with it for a first go.

The best thing about it is that the cube is made from 99% recycled materials (I had to cheat on the thread) - scraps too small to be cut into squares became stuffing!

Starting to think about Christmas gifts

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:13:22 GMT

I'm going to make my mother and stepfather each a set of these luggage tags, for their Christmas presents (because they're both the ultimate 'What the Hell do I get you?!' giftees. The only person I find more difficult to buy/make for is my Father in law!)

A note

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:02:35 GMT

My bank keeps sending me snail-spam, disguised as "invitations" to take out life insurance with them. They thoughtfully send me reply-paid envelopes with a bunch of unasked for paper information and forms, contributing to the massive waste paper we go through as a society. So they get a reply culled from other junk I've received in recent weeks.

Misadventures in fabric paint

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 06:24:01 GMT

What have I learned from this?

1]Fabric medium plus acrylic will set even if you don't iron it, after several weeks.
2]Fabric medium plus acrylic paint is generally too thick to use just a stencil. Silkscreening required.
3]Puffy fabric pen things are a lot like using henna applicators.
4]Little old ladies at fabric stores WILL freak out when you indicate the pink and purple stuff you're buying is for your son's clothing.

A plan is hatching...

Recipe for a first ever Father's Day Gift

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:56:08 GMT

Take these art supplies.

Mix with this baby.

Serve.

Projects I intend to try SOON

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:24:05 GMT

Another links-post.

I like the idea of beautiful fabric covers for plain notebooks very much. And with a fat flat and cheap book plus some nice pens/pencils, what a fab idea for an inexpensive but thoughtful Christmas present!
(Yes, I am starting early. If I plot now, I can create and store at my leisure, and avoid the Christmas crazies. Or so I hope.)
It's also by a woman from Sydney, yayyyy, a local!

It's been chilly this winter, so for next year I'm thinking home-made slippers, maybe from a polar fleece or super-cosy fabric? I could probably even get my hands on some suede or leather for the soles, instead of the felt suggested.

If I had a garden, I'd totally make a stack of these for it, come summer. But I don't so I shall have to make enough to decorate the garage or something.

And those who have visited my home and seen the enormous bag of scraps tucked under my sewing table will recognise the value of this collection of projects to make out of fabric scraps.

Just some links

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:36:48 GMT

I love surfing the craftosphere.
Today I discovered an enormous number of projects I want to do, courtesy of Craftzine's Blog.

And DIY Bookbinding looks as though it may be worth a visit, when I have the time to look through it properly.

Illustration Friday

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:52:06 GMT

Whilst I'm no longer the kind of self-confident artist I was as a child (or even a teen) I seriously think I'm going to tackle Illustration Fridays.

Anyone else want to do it with me?

And five months later, here I am

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:45:25 GMT

I've been busy, making (and fixing up as needed) this:

So I really haven't had a great deal of time for other craftiness, because this project is kind of time-consuming and extremely demanding.
Just lately though, I feel as though I'm getting into a rhythm and as if I have more time for other projects again. They're related to my big project, because I have a one-track mind on limited sleep, but I'm still dreaming of a home-made Christmas one of these years, and there's a wedding early next year I'm plotting a gift for, so I expect it'll become just one more direction I can go in, soon enough.

Firstly, a gift for someone who recently started a similar piece to my big craftiness:

It's a polar fleece/flannel blanket and some flannel/terry burp cloths (shaped to fit over the shoulder). I'm quite proud of the burp cloths - I recycled old towels for one side and worked out the shape with some paper, on myself.

Second, a "ten-minute" (would have been if I didn't screw up one cuff three times, having to then unpick and resew) project; home-made Babylegs, or long, crotchless pants, from a pair of kids' knee-high socks.

I followed the tutorial I found here, on flickr.

It feels so good to break out the sewing machine again!

Photography

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 01:37:15 GMT

I really love the weather at this time of year.
It's warm to the point of sweaty in the sunshine, which is very golden, but cool in the blue shadows. At dusk it cools rapidly, and there are some beautiful, drawn out sunsets as summer says goodbye. I'm not quite sure how a sunset can feel like that breathless moment before diving into cold water, but it does.
All the colours are so intense, as everything recovers from the burned heat of summer.

I took some photographs in my backyard, the other afternoon. Haven't gotten around to posting them until now.

Recycling old magazines: papercraft

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:16:16 GMT

I had a couple of copies of old Marie Claires lying around.
I don't read women's mags apart from the inevitable waiting room scenario, but these were a gift from a workmate of Matt's, and I didn't feel like I could refuse them. I've recently come across a how-to on paper beads, and had been wanting to try my hand at making envelopes from magazine pages for a couple of months, so instead of just chucking them in the recycling, I thought it was a prime opportunity to have a go.

Here are my three stages of the beads; triangular paper strips, which are then wound around a round item (in this case a paintbrush handle) and then glued down, and then slid off when dry.
VERDICT: Pretty cool, nice easy project. I'd pull this one out to do with little kids.

The method here was super simple - pull a regular envelope apart, trace the outline onto a page from a magazine, cut it out and stick it together in the same way the envelope was. I REALLY like them - and again, they're such a simple craft I think it's something you could easily do with little kids if you wanted to. And they look great! :)

Some Jewellery

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 03:33:44 GMT

Wow, I haven't really posted ANY of my jewellery. I've been making it though - lots! Here's a couple of pieces.

A closeup of my take on the traditional pearls (they're all acrylic, but not the nasty soap-bubble lightweight type) - I feel like Wilma Flintstone when I wear this.

This is designed to sit close to the base of the neck. Frosted glass beads, white acrylic and a large foil glass pendant.
I like the way this one does up at the front rather than the back. I'd like to get some fancier clasps and incorporate them into the design, this way.

Loopy earrings!
Tigertail, seedbeads and tiny metal dragonflies. Think I may have to redo this one - the dragonflies don't want to stay standing at this angle.

Murano glass stars I got in London and silver metal findings.

Glass "crystals" and metal findings. These have a really nice weight to them.

I have at least triple this amount of finished pieces, but my photographic skills leave something to be desired when it comes to jewellery, so I have to re-photograph a heap.

Scenes from my Mother's house

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 03:17:00 GMT

My mother's house these days is like a lived-in version of the photo-spreads you see in Better Homes and Gardens, with the lingering smell of live Christmas Tree at this time of year.

For my MIL

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:03:16 GMT

Is it wrong to be amused by this quilt?

[found on Slate.com]

Bag Lady

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:10:48 GMT

I'm really proud of this sturdy little handbag. The lining is vintage cotton print, the outer is brushed pink drill with an almost suede-like feel, and the flowers are a felt brooch I made, using inspiration from a book loaned to me by Jody.

It's going to be a gift, I think, when I think of whom it belongs to.

Some photos

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:55:00 GMT

I went for a walk around the block yesterday, and took some photos. Spring is coming - there are early flowers everywhere, despite the continuing cold weather. I couldn't bare to have the shots reduced down to nothing and then be penalised for the size by flickr, so don't look for them there.

All of these shots are available for you to use under the Creative Commons License 2.5 - a link back here, or attribution to Aphie or Botticelli Babe is fine.

Papermaking

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:30:21 GMT

The other thing I did today was potter about with my papermaking kit, along with xdefiantxangelx. We don't have any paper yet, since it has to be pressed and dried

Pottery!

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:22:09 GMT

Pottery class is over, so all my stuff has been glazed and fired, and I got it back the other night.

Probably my favourite thing ended up being slab-rolled dishes - not just the fact that the way of making them felt so easy and right, but also the lovely little square molds, that seemed to be just the perfect size.

We also did mugs, but they just didn't work for me - they weren't as intuitive and enjoyable.

I'll probably do quite a lot of coilwork, lacking either a slab-roller or a wheel at home. And I'm okay with that, considering.

And finally, I present to you the ONLY thing I managed to finish on the wheel: WONKY POT!

No, I was not kidding when I said I sucked at throwing pots on the wheel.

Cards!

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:35:44 GMT

My friend Jodie introduced me to the joys of card-making a few months ago, and I've become something of an addict.

This was an awful, "made at school special" card I made last time I was at Jodie's that I ended up fixing recently. I think it's quite cute now. I really like the inside, too.

Alot of the handmade cards I've seen have lovely outsides, but very dull innards. I like my insides as interesting as the outsides, if not more.

Birthday present for Silva, part III

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:20:31 GMT

I finally finished the mobile, which looks unfortunately handmade (in that 'made for mum at school with love' special way).

I'm not wholly miserable, since it's all a learning experience! The pink stars are cute, but unfortunately even the weighing down with chewing gum didn't help them to sit properly. They're much too light - I'll use glass instead of acrylic beads next time, or maybe a mix.

The top ring is a bangle, with beads superglued to it, through which I strung the fishing line. The inside ring is memory wire, bent into two hooks that latch together. The fishing line on it was superglued to the beads, which were glued to the wire in the process, in another attempt to convince the stars to "fall".
I bought the butterflies in a pack of six at a cheap shop, and wound the fishing line through their wings (the bead on top of each is my anchor point for the superglue. I really do love that stuff!)

I've got a better idea of what does and does not work, now, so I think I might return to mobiles at a later date.

Birthday present for Silva, part II (Work In Progress)

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:44:16 GMT

For the second part of her birthday present, I decided to make a mobile incorporating butterflies (which she loves). For some strange reason, I also decided to use bright pink, star-shaped beads I found in a shop (see previous comments about craft supplies and having no self control). I have a sneaking suspicion I'm making this project more difficult than it needs to be.

Since my partner has just purchased a massive tub of gumballs, we've all been chewing like mad for the past week. And I'm happy to report I've now discovered a use for the tasteless, chewed gum pieces I have left over - since the plastic beads weigh next to nothing, I used them to weight the ends of my string whilst working out how long each piece would be.

Pottery Class: Week I

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 11:31:10 GMT

This week I discovered that I suck at 'throwing' (that's making post on the wheel, to the uninitiated). I messed up THREE proto-pots! And made one wonky pot, that I shall treasure and call 'My First Pot Ever'.
I've got an old friend's partner in my class, which is kinda nice.
Will try to get some photos next week.

The squeamish will want to look away about now

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 05:07:05 GMT

After the coolness of the rainbow stripey PJ pants of Dooom, I had to make myself a pair!
They're warm and super comfy.

With the scraps, I finally got around to doing a project I've been meaning to do for AGES:

Why? Because:
1) I can save at least $10 every two months
2) I can cut down on all the unnecessary landfill our current culture is creating
3) I can make choices other than girly floral blue or girly floral pink

I don't know if I'll actually sell them, or just make and keep for myself. I guess it depends on if there's any interest.