The Project Book

I've gotten so used to seeing my 3 ring binder Project Book over the years that I've ceased to actually 'see' it anymore, until the other day.  I decided to pull it out and take a look at some of the projects I've been saving since the 1990s.  I started this binder back in California.  A lot of the rhinestones have popped off over the years.

This sucker weighs a ton and is 4" tall.  (I have two other 3-ring binders that contain just pictures of beautiful arts & crafts. I call them my Books of Pretty Things).

All the pages are in page protectors, of course.  The first section of pages is just devoted to tips, techniques and stitches.  The rest of the book has all the projects.

So many jewelry and ornament ideas!!!  There are some that I know I lack the skill to make.  Like for example I don't think I'll ever be able to make Huichol earrings and they aren't at all in style anymore. 

I showed it to Russell, sighed wistfully and said, 'I always meant to get to these and never did.'  He goes, 'So what's stopping you now?'  Hmm...good point!!  I've been so busy doing Pinterest and internet crafts that I haven't made any time for these (although there are quite a few in here that I have done)!!  Time to fix that.

The first one I decided to do was a decorated vase.  I found the cobalt vase at the Whatchamacallit Shop on Easter for $3.00.  So I used the glass etching kit to put a sun on the front.  

Then I strung the coloured glass beads around it, added the drops and finally the blue and silver swags.

I swore I wasn't going to make any more jewelry till my current stuff sells but the instructions for this were really simple and I had all the supplies at hand without needing to dig too much.

And then I made this Christmas tree 'one of a kind cause I ain't doin' that again' pin.  I now remember why I don't work with seed beads all that much.  It's tedious as hell.  I haven't done brick stitch in years and I was very clumsy at first & I nearly gave up a few times.  I also couldn't understand the instructions on how to increase the rows to make the tiers, so I ended up doing 3 separate pieces and joining them up the best I could. 

And here is a pic of it after the backing was put on (green felt).  I just need to find a small pinback for it.  I used a green marker to hide the white thread! 

That's a good start!  Now only about 200 or more left to go.

Glass Etching

I couldn't wait to use the Armour Etch glass etching kit that Michelle sent me!  I'd used one like it about 10 or 12 years ago but my etching cream didn't survive the move east and I was almost out of stencils too.

This was the first one I made.

They are like potato chips....can't make just one.

I added beaded hangers to them too.

I gave this one to my mom for her birthday.

When I was spring cleaning and putting shelf paper in the kitchen cabinets, I found this vase that I'd etched in 2000 or 01.  I forgot all about it.  So I added an old necklace around the top of it.  I'm using the vase for beach glass.

I also tried the etching cream on some marbles but I wasn't crazy about the results.  I was hoping for a more  beach glass look but it didn't quite turn out how I thought.  The cracked glass came out the most frosted, but the crystals weren't.

I also tried the cream on a coloured glass bottle and it didn't work very well, even when I left the cream on for longer than the 30 seconds for regular glass. That bummed me out because I wasted a good stencil on it.  You can sort of see the design but not well.

Then I tried the stencils on some pretty polished geode slices that I found in one of my boxes the other day.  You can see the design really well here but as soon as you hang it up, it all but disappears.

Same with this one.  I am not sure if these are indeed geode slices or pieces of coloured glass made to look like geodes, but they sure are pretty.  I still have to drill a hanger hole in this one.

I have to say that I was disappointed when I went to Michael's Crafts to look for more stencils.  Apparently the Armour Etch brand is on its way out in favour of Martha Stewart brand.  It distresses me that she is literally taking over the craft supply industry and her prices are very high.  I am hoping to find the stencils on line.