Not much sewing....Other Crafts!

  I've been spending a lot of time at the Craft Center...and not sewing!

Before I was a sewer, I was and still am a crafter.  I've dabbled in ceramics, silk-screen printing, glass fusing, stained glass, wire jewelry, sandblasting, lampworking, computer graphics (aka photoshop fun), weaving, knitting, crocheting, fabric dying, bookbinding, and the list goes on.

Currently, I have a lot of sewing projects going on at once and nothing is finished.  I'm going to attribute this to the fact that I hate my sewing space.  I have poor lighting, very little storage space, and only a small space to actually work.  When I move back home, I'm going to have a nice dedicated space to sew, but it will most likely still be a mess.  Another reason I'm so far behind on my projects is all the crafts I've been working on.

First, my Dad asked for a b-day present of a sandblasted beer mug he will use to drink tea.  I designed what was to be put on the mug, and adhered the decal.  Two nights ago I watched some old Gilmore Girls and carved out the design by hand.  Today I blasted it! Here's the finished product (just don't show my Dad :-P)  The angle the picture was taken makes the lettering look crooked, but it is not.

It says "Carpe Intestinum" (Seize the Intestine)...apparently General Surgeon humor...

He also asked for a set of fused glass dessert plates.  Both my mother and I have no idea why he wants them, but I guess I have to make them.  I spent half my day last Saturday getting them ready to be fused.  I hate glass fusing and these plates made me really cranky.  I forgot how much I hate cutting and grinding glass. I had shards in my hair, they whacked me in the face (I was wearing goggles!), and I even found a couple of small chips down my bra later.  Ugg.  To make things worse, I forgot how difficult it is to cut irridized glass.  Only two pieces cut correctly and the rest I had to use to make frit (frit is tiny chunks of glass).  So I have a set of 6 hopefully. Today  I re-ground all six pieces and prepared them for slumping.  I will post final pictures.

Lastly, I decided to take a Beginning Precious Metalsmithing class!  I'm having a great time so far.  I decided to make a ring similar to this one:

By Lake on Etsy.

I brought this picture in to my instructor thinking I would in no way be able to make it, but he said I could.  I was apprenhensive about recreating someone else's work, but my instructor assured me that if I put as much effort as I am into making the ring and not selling copies, then it is okay. What do you all think about the taking inspiration from Etsy?  So far I have just made the band part.  I'll keep you all updated when I finish my first real ring!

I have ugly veiny hands!

On the sewing front, I'm at a stand still with the black and white batik silk blouse.  I instead cut out a pair of shorts from Simplicity 3849, View E.

And a silly pair of PJs (my only TNT pattern, haha!) from some cotton baby Mickey Mouse and Friends fabric from 1984!  My friend was giving it away and I snatched it up because it was from the year I was born.   And I already cut into it! Go me!