Metal & Paper Crafts

I did the final push on the Hogwarts Express metal model and I'm really happy with the results even though it was extremely difficult.  But it just wouldn't be 'textbook me' if I didn't jump into the hardest project with both feet instead of starting with a simple kit.

For some reason people don't like this gold metal Golden Gate Bridge.  It also came in silver but I just wanted a GGB that was actually gold.  The 'golden gate' is the opening to the bay, even before they built the bridge in the 30s.  The actual structure is painted 'International Orange' cause it worked better with the surrounding scenery and still fairly bright.  This one was a pretty quick work up.  This kit comes in silver too but I liked the gold even though some people have called it 'gaudy' which ticks me off.

TARDIS kit took a couple of days and this one was also challenging.  But I love the blue metal.

The Chrysler Building went together inside of a half hour.  I should've started with this and not the train!  I just love instant results.  I hope the company puts out a TransAmerica Pyramid.

I got these letters, which were plain, for the grandkids, but didn't really know how I wanted to decorate them.  Kicked around painting, and in fact I did paint the top white and the back and sides blue.  None of the paint designs I saw online floated my boat so I just decided to cover each one with patterned paper.  Then added ribbon to the top for hanging.

I'm rolling the dice that my daughter in law won't click on the link for my blog cause this is the card I made for them.  Mark Russell Earle's due date is April 5th. 

And the inside.  I had to cover up the corner brad prongs with these stickers.

Winter Projects

How is it possible that it's almost February????  I finished up this cross stitch in just 3 days' time. I love easy 'instant gratification' projects.

This was messed up from the get go.  I miss counted so much that I ended up just finishing to see how bad it'd look.  My friend Hannah loved it so much so I sent it to her.  I loved the design and colours but by the time I was done, I knew I wasn't going to keep it.

I found capiz shells on Amazon and made a couple of windchimes.  This is the one on a starfish.  I have another that I did with the shells descending in a spiral but I don't have a pic yet.

People were posting these cool pics of bubbles with pretty frost forming in the sub zero temps so I gave it a try but it didn't work that well for me.  

It just mostly fogged up.

This project is extremely challenging.  Building the Hogwarts Express out of teeny tiny pieces of metal, that have microscopic tabs that fit into microscopic slots.

Penny there for scale.  There are about 70 pieces that have to be carefully punched out and assembled.

You have to follow these instructions which are actually pretty easy if you go slow and make sure of each step before you commit.  I've had a lot of trouble keeping ahold of the super small pieces, even with tweezers and needlenose pliers, and a few pieces have broken.  Thank god for E6000 glue and toothpicks.

So far I've got the coal tender done and now I'm working on the engine.  Each piece feels light as a feather but put together it's surprisingly heavy.

One of my friends asked me to make this for her.  It was a quick workup....a few hours one afternoon.  I used four strands of rainbow floss for the lettering since it's on 12ct Aida.  I was going to outline the letters but it didn't look right so I took it out (thankfully I'd only done the M).  

Just waiting for him to be born so I can finish this one.