(no subject)

[suffocateinabag.livejournal.com]

I am in lithography both this semester and next semester, and i'm really into papermaking.
I want to make hemp paper really badly, as i cannot find it anywhere, but i am not sure where to get hemp in its plant-fiber form (not in string form)

Does anyone have any good ideas of aplces i can check out? There is a hippie shop in town, Harvest Moon, which sells marijuana paraphenalia, but i'm not positive if they will sell it there or not. I also plan on checking aorund at some natural stores in town, but, again, i'm not positive.

I'm open to website and store suggestions.. Thanks!

Scanning larger images?

[leopardwolf.livejournal.com]

Cross-posted to my LJ and a few other places

Okay. I've been debating this for a while now, but it has gotten more pressing recently since I've been doing artwork on 18"x24" bristol.

How on earth am I going to get a good image of these pieces of artwork I have done?

I have my digital camera of course, but I won't get the real detail of anything by using that, and chances are portions will be blurred. I have my scanner, but the bed is nowhere near large enough to cover a piece that size in one shot.

I know several artists have used canvas in the past and done large scale works. How do you get the images? I thought of seeing about finding a store that might do it. Office Depot or Kinkos?

Or I guess I could do multiple scans, but I don't want to ruin the images by having to paste each individual section together afterwards.

Any suggestions?

Marble Magnet Air Bubbles

[dahliablue.livejournal.com]

I recently started making marble magnets and I made one batch that went well. However, it seems I've run into a problem that I just can't seem to solve. I think air is getting trapped in between the picture and marble, making air bubbles that look very translucent (almost like little glassy water spots). I've tried waiting for an hour after I glue the pic to the magnet, slowly pressing down to release the air, switching marbles - what else can I do? It happens more times than not. I was able to get a couple marbles that look fine, but the rest had those dreaded translucent bubbles and are now considered failures. Any tips or secrets for a beginner on how to make a fool proof marble magnet with no air bubbles? Thanks so much.

goin' in circles!

[bjorkdoll.livejournal.com]

made a couple quick simple caps.

( +1 )

a straight seam cylinder entirely single crochet stitched with a k hook using plymouth yarn's alpaca boucle. i couldn't keep my fingers off of it at the yarn shop, so i had to get some. hehe.

i also got some really nice virgin icelandic wool. gonna try felting some little handbags sometime soon. hopefully it works & i don't fudge it up. wh00p.

Sparkly gift time! And worry. :\

[kimry.livejournal.com]

( Cut for your safety. ;) )

A great tapestry design

[redcountess]

(Forgive me if this has been posted before, I did look through the memories first!)

Hello Cthulhu. If anyone does this, please post pictures! :-)

Virgin post, btw, Hello :-)

Christmas ideas for crafty grandmother

[tartedelune.livejournal.com]

I have been having a horrible time figuring out what to make my grandmother for Christmas. She is a crafting goddess (she taught me how to knit, crochet, weave, make baskets, quilt, etc.) and I feel very intimidated about making her something since she's been doing all these things for about 70 years. She loves gardening and knitting especially, and doesn't really need anything. I looked through the FAQ and still haven't gotten any ideas for her.

So I am wondering what all of you inspired people make for the incredibly skilled crafters in your life?

Green Wyrm Ornament

[syntheticat.livejournal.com]

( A blurry close up picture of the mouth... )

I made this little wyrm for a birthday present.
The wings are based loosely on half a leaf pattern I saw in a beadwork magazine. I used thread to give them flexability and threaded a wire through the main black line of beads on the top of each wing to give them support. They are quite possable. The body was all wire based bead work in rather large (size 6 I think they were) seed beads, with size 11 accents.
The mouth opens and closes.
I forgot to measure it before I wrapped it but it has about an 7" wing span and about 5" long.

Painting sculpey

[orangeveggie.livejournal.com]

I've been helping to make props for the play I'm in that's going up in two weeks, and we made some of the little things out of white Sculpey, which needs to be painted. Is it better to use oils, acrylics, or something else?

Thanks!

Finished Holiday Gifts

[sioranth.livejournal.com]

I still have my sister & her SO to take care (have no idea what I'm doing yet) and also my stepdad.

( Dad's Golfer Ornament )

( Stepmom's Teddy Bear Ornament )

( FIL's Race Car Ornament )

( MIL's Cat Ornament )

( B/SIL's Snowmen & Santas Ornament )

( Mom's Santas Flight Ornament )

one yr old baby girl gift ideas?

[herbpriestess.livejournal.com]

hey craftsters,
any ideas for a gift for a one-yr old girl? please let yr ideas be cheap or VERY low cost and preferably something i could make from stuff i have around the house.
thank you.

necklaces and cards

[bilblio.livejournal.com]

Just a few things I've made in the past couple of weeks. Now I've just got to decide whether to give them as presents, sell them, or keep them for myself.

( pretty things )

(no subject)

[moonlights.livejournal.com]

okay, I know this is really stupid, but I've never used bleach before....

I had a white shirt.
I painted something on the front.
I was an idiot and didn't put anything between the front and back.

Paint bled through to the back.

So, since it's white, I could bleach out the fabric paint on the back, correct?
I have some Clorox bleach....I have no idea how to do this...help?

christmas cracker thingys

[crafty-dame.livejournal.com]

Someone was asking about how to make christmas crackers recently and when i went to Urban Source, this incredible art supplies store here in Vancouver, i found free instructions! I scanned them for all ya....( here they are )

this store is so neat! it's mostly all recycled stuff to use for art projects. they also sold the snappers (about $0.12) and the paper crowns (about $0.18) for the crackers but i'm not sure if they'll ship stuff like that. check out their website http://www.urbansource.bc.ca

Getting rid of screenprints

[eaterofsouls.livejournal.com]

I've been cleaning out my closet (and dressers and yaffa shelves more random drawers) of all the clothes I've accumulated over the years and stumbled upon an old jacket of mine.
It's a knee-length white nylon jacket lined with terry cloth. It has a hood rolled into the collar and would be really good for me at this time of the year.

Unfortunately, it has a rather LARGE screenprint on the back. It's why I never wore it, I refuse to be a billboard for overpriced designers. It has DKNY in red, white and blue, like the American flag.

Is there any way to be rid of this horrible horridness? It's really big so I can't think of anything I could sew on that would cover it properly, not to mention actually look good. Could I maybe screen print over it? Is there a chemical I can run over it that'll dissolve the colors away? It's white all over so I don't have to worry about any other colors bleaching away.

If not... anyone want it?

Bleaching Jeans

[thrifty-pixie.livejournal.com]

I want to bleach these jeans that I have so I can make a purse. What's the best way to do this? I was thinking about filling a bucket about 1/2 full with water and just adding a little bleach and letting them soak. How long should I leave them in there, though? I'm scared of the bleach eating away at the fabric.

Loose tea "recipes" and a recipe for Sugar Stars and Snowflakes

[icyblue.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about Holiday gifts to give to acquaintances who I don't want to spend a ton of money on but I still want to let them know I care about them.

Here's what I've come up with. I'd like to give them a jar of personalized tea. I want to put together loose tea mixtures for each person. For example, for Wade, who is a ray of sunshine in my day, I'd want to give him a tea with citrus notes and a label that says "Tea for Wade: Bright and Sunny. Warms you up on a cold day". I've never made my own loose tea mixture before, so I'd love your help. Does anyone have any, or know where to find any loose tea "recipes"? Any suggestions as to "recipes" that would make a great "base recipe" to which I could add things like dried lemon zest, dried berries, etc. to personalize? Also, where do I get ingredients for this - health food stores? Bulk sections in the supermarket? Specialty stores?

Also, I'm going to include some sugar stars with the tea. They're basically shaped sugar cubes, and I got the idea from Martha Stewart Magazine's Holiday Party Foods special edition. I'll put the directions here in case there's anyone else who wants to make them. :) I think this would also make a wonderful hostess gift.

Sugar Stars and Snowflakes
Makes 7 1/2 dozen stars and 11 dozen snowflakes

Plastic candy/chocolate molds are used to transform loose sugar into decorative shapes. To tint the sugar, replace the water with an equal amount of very strongly brewed black tea.

Ingredients:
1 box superfine sugar (1 pound)
Candy/chocolate molds

1. On a clean work surface, combine sugar and 5 teaspoons water in a medium bowl. Using your hands, work water into sugar until it is the consistency of wet sand; the mixture should hold its shape when squeezed.
   
2. Using your fingertips, press small amounts of sugar mixture tightly into plastic molds. Scrape excess sugar back into bowl, using the side of a metal spatula or the back of a knife. Use your fingertips again to tightly pack sugar.
   
3. Carefully invert molds onto a piece of parchment paper; gently tap molds to release shapes. Carefully lift off molds. Allow shapes to sit at room temperature until completely dry and hard, about 1 1/4 hours (The surface should feel firm to the touch and not give when lightly pressed with your finger). Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 months.

Thanks for your help and I hope someone gets some use out of the recipe! :)

HELP

[neonsparkles.livejournal.com]

For christmas i decided to be crafty. I got those little round paper mache boxes and painted them to give to some good friends but what can i put inside?? crafty or non crafty i need ideas. I also got these adorable glass um like little jar/holders and im going to put my marbel magnets and tacks in. Can i just put them in or wrap them somehow so they dont damage eachother and the glass. For my best friend im not sure what to do. Because it needs to be cool and special keep in mind we are all 14. also i think i may print some images from the web and decopauge them onto some of the boxes. When the colors bleed because its on computer paper?

Snow globe

[jenlove.livejournal.com]

When I make a snow globe do I need to put anything special in the water?

long time lurker la di da

[nycalison.livejournal.com]

I have gotten the best ideas from you guys :) here are a few things I've done recently
Marbles-

( more )

Etching Glass

[blackberrystain.livejournal.com]

I'd like to etch glass Christmas balls but I can't find the easiest way. I basically want to do like stripes and a maybe a snowflake pattern on some. Nothing really complex. My friend got me into the project and now it's just not working.

I've tried the Gallery Glass Etching Medium with snowflake stencils but the medium just didn't work. It slipped behind the stencils and looked awful.

I also bought this thing called Armour Etch etching cream. I'm not sure how to really use it. The instructions aren't very clear. It's the only etching cream I can find.

He got the project idea from here: Frosted Ornaments

Any help would be great! Also, if you could tell me places online to get what I may need. My local craft stores don't have anything that I haven't tried. Tips would also be very welcome. :)

Clay Penguin

[polkadottedcows.livejournal.com]

I made a tiny clay penguin out of sculpey.
I've never made anything out of it until now, but i think he turned out cute. I followed a pattern off of the sculpey website, but changed a few things.
( Penguin )

(no subject)

[lucifrix.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of making something that could hold a tealight and would have a pretty picture/design/something that will glow when the light is lit. The three things I've been thinking of using were shrink film, or translucent clay in some shape or other, or some sort of paper. Will the heat from the candle warp the shrinky or melt the clay? And how can I make the paper safe to put near the candle (if I can at all)?

I am a complete amateur with this so I appreciate your assistance, particularly if you use small words. ;)

Book Binding?

[iterrible.livejournal.com]

I looked through the FAQ but I wasn't terribly satisfied with what I found there.
Can anyone recomend a good book or website on book binding, and where is the best place to get supplies?

More Cards ...

[needsomecoffee.livejournal.com]

(x-posted to papercrafts and needsomecoffee)

Here are some other cards that I made yesterday! I don't feel like giving them away ...

( Read more... )

(no subject)

[vicious-kittie.livejournal.com]

I did scour the FAQ, but I apologize if I'm blind and missed a link :p
I'm looking for really good, simple instructions on no-sew blankets. I googled it, but I didn't manage to come up with anything really understandable. Photos are a definite bonus! I appreciate the help.

[Finally, a gift for my boyfriend :)]

fabric paint stencils

[sairyuu.livejournal.com]

i want to make my baby some cool shirts. he has tons of plain white ones. i was thinking of stencils and fabric paint. i know they have some at walmart, has anyone done something like this?