(no subject)

[liliebelle.livejournal.com]

( how to make chocolate fondue )

drilling rocks?

[willow-rainmist.livejournal.com]

I looked in the FAQ and it didn't say anything about this that I saw...

My great-grandmother left me literally almost 1,000 rocks that she had put through her rock tumbler (she was a geologist) and some quartz/precious stones that she hadn't. I've been wanting to make them into jewelry for a long time, but my problem is the drill.

I don't exactly know what kind of drill it is, but it's been around for about 30 years I'd guess, and still works. But everytime I try to drill the rocks, it slips. No matter how I hold the rock down, I can't get a hole started. I don't want to damage the rocks (well, anymore than poking a hole in them) because they are just beautiful.

Any ideas? Has anyone else had this problem?

coupon?

[mschaos.livejournal.com]

I was wondering if y'all crafty ladies have any coupons for Joanne fabrics? I need to get yarn and my car broke down and well...that's going to be spendy $$$$

I am flying out to visit my mom over the weekend (she is meeting the fiancee EEEP) and I need something to work on the plane

can anyone help?

thanks

My First Quilt!

[atygir.livejournal.com]

You girls are all so artistic and good at these things, so I thought I'd ask...
( Who wants to help with my quilt? )

x-posted to craftgrrl, quilting

Cuz there was a two day stretch when I posted 2 times....

[feline.livejournal.com]

I saved this one....

( a plain white battenburg lace parasol got a make-over )

I used fabric dye, coffee, paint pens, ink pens, and some tulle "ribbon." I've been putting this project off for quite some time. I may still make a handgrip for it out of sculpty. We'll see.

Fun with Polyresin

[grammardog]

Hi, crafties... I need some polyresin advice.

I've taken an old tray and silcone-glued bits of broken glass to it, mosaic-style. I've done this before, with tile, and grouted it, and it looked great. However, this time I do not want to use grout. I was thinking of using poly resin, pouring it over the tray and hoping it would sink into all the nooks and crannies.

I've never used poly resin before, and am looking for some tips and things to look out for. I know it's deadly toxic and noxious, and I know it hardens quickly. I am wondering if it will work for a project like this? Also, is it thin enough when mixed that it will make a smooth surface on its own, or does it need "spreading"? And, after a while of normal "tray" use, will the resin eventually become scratched and non-see-through? Should I just pour it over the tray in one big layer, or do it in bits? Why is the sky blue?

Sara :)

P.S. This community cannot be updated often enough for me. KEEP CRAFTING!

(no subject)

[awaknr.livejournal.com]

An update of a question that I'd posted earlier, I've finally been able to make & complete the "skateboard" for Glynis, my Feminist Sock Monkey.


( The Board )

Double pointed Needles

[gracelessiv.livejournal.com]

Gah!

I've searched over every craft store in town. I've snagged sale clerks. I've spent hours combing over shelves...

Do double pointed needles not exist, or something!? Am I missing some sort of secret needle access code? Is there a code word you need to know? It's the most frustrating thing in the world!

So now, I'm looking online. Anyone know where I can find a good set of double pointed needles?

(no subject)

[skittlepower.livejournal.com]

http://www.sewessential.co.uk/Category.asp?CategoryID=117

Is that the right thing to use to put eyelets into fabric? Or do I need something completely different..?
Thanks :)

purses!

[phlegmy.livejournal.com]

i've been making a lot of purses lately using lots of bargin found fabric, scarps of felt, ribbon and buttons. most of these will be presents. i just really can't seem to stop making them and i don't know what to. ha.


the dino-lovin' purse!

( tons more photos! )

erp, please tell me what you think. i'd love to hear some feedback.

-lucille.

ps - crossposted to sew_hip & craftgrrl

Looking for patterns

[nezchan.livejournal.com]

Faced with my first Ontario winter, I've realized that I really need a good pair of tights if I'm to survive the experience. However, I'm unusually tall, so finding tights that fit is challenging at best. So what's a crafty girl to do? Make some!

However, I've had no luck finding a crochet pattern for such an item. So I was hoping someone here might know where I could find a crochet pattern for stockings or tights that I could modify to fit my legs.

Pretty please?

what to do with tea tins?

[unsee1ie.livejournal.com]

hello all!
my 2004 tea intake has left me with a bag of a dozen or more tea tins. i used to put them out with aluminum recycling, but started keeping them this year. beads, tacks and nails are in jelly jars, small tools and bits are in coffee cans, so i don't need them for out of sight storage. can't think of anything in kitchen or bathroom that would be better off in them unless a nifty decorating idea comes up.

does anyone know of any crafty instructions for making candle holders from something like this? i'd be looking for a little more creative ideas than my own "well.. i could punch patterns and paint them". ooh.. just realized, could cut large panes in them, fold back edges to hold pieces of colored glass.. okay, so i'm getting a little more creative with this as i put it in words, muah-ha.

still, any pointers or push to project pages where something interesting was made from tea tins would be appreciated. they're all pretty much 4" and 5" squares with the "paint can" style lid {which can be used, removed, or lost deliberately.} with candle holders in mind i'd figured i'd solder them into the bottoms of the can to make a little raised ridged spot to surround the tealight, and give a double layer of metal with air between so when the tealight got down to the end and was transmitting a lot of heat through the base.. aaaaand i digress.

cheers!

New purse

[laurooa.livejournal.com]

Just got done making a cute olive green purse out of one of my mum’s old sweaters and one of my dads long sleeve dress shirts from the 70’s. It’s cute, i even put buttons on it.... This is the only picture i could get with my scanner....I know it is a crappy picture, and dose the purse no justice....I’m happy with it. I’m not sure if i want to keep it or sell it. Hummm..... Later tonight i plan on making a matching flower pin, out of the left overs, to wear with it.

Corey and Laura Painting

[laurooa.livejournal.com]

I’m not sure if this really fits here or not, but i guess it is more “art-y“ than “crafty”.

It’s a painting I did of my boyfriend and me.....Sorry i don’t have any pictures for you to compare it to the real thing. But it dose look a lot like us, I have crazy huge highlights like that, that are black and blond, and he ALWAYS wears that green shirt....I was proud of it. And it made him blush.(oh and my scanner kind of ate it as well)

(no subject)

[hidethedetails.livejournal.com]

I wanted to make some treats for my male friends (who I can't really craft for, and if I did, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't appreciate it). Last year I did chocolate covered pretzel rods, twists, and squares. (Just heat up the chocolate bars or chips, drizzle on or dip the pretzels in, then roll in a plate of sprinkles.) I packaged them in Ziplocs because I was lazy, and the darn things had taken me long enough already.

So now I need recipes. Ones that you have tried and liked the results of. Somewhat cheap, easy, and not as meticulous as hand-dipping 150 pretzels.
Cute packaging ideas would be helpful as well.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions :].

Edit: Here's a recipe for Cocoa Spoons from craftster, in case anyone else needed ideas. I'm not sure these are appropriate for guy friends, but I might make some to give to my girl friends with the earrings I'm making them.
Cocoa Spoons (Makes 10)

You will need:
Semisweet chocolate chips, 12 oz. bag
10 colorful plastic spoons
Foil-lined cookie sheet
Cocoa powder
Tiny marshmallows
Plastic wrap
Curling ribbon

1. Melt the chocolate chips.
2. Dip each spoon in the melted chocolate to fill it and to cover the back of the spoon and part of the handle. Set on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
3. Sprinkle on some cocoa powder.
4. Add a few marshmallows.
5. Cool the spoons until the chocolate is hard.
6. Wrap the bowl of each spoon in plastic wrap.
7. Add ribbon for a fancy touch.

Each spoon swirled in milk will make a cup of hot chocolate.

Variation: For Mexican hot chocolate, replace the cocoa powder with ground cinnamon.

My mom also suggested peanut butter blossoms (the kind with the Hershey's kiss in the center) and Saltine cracker toffee.

(no subject)

[hugamime.livejournal.com]

I didn't see a catergory in the memories about this, so forgive me if it's in there.

Card making.

What do I need to do it? How do I do it? What kind of stuff should be written in the card? Etc.

Merci!

(no subject)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_neonstripes/]

i crafted a bit this weekend. tell me what you think!
( x-posted, yeah, yeah, yeah. )

Altered EGL dress

[felicity869.livejournal.com]

I had to make an egl outfit for the tea party I hosted a while back. I had this Gunne Sax dress sitting in my closet that I never wore. So I set to altering it like crazy. I:
*removed the sleeves/straps because they were to thin (which included undoing a lot of lace and ribbon trim along the top edge)
*removed the fabric that made a bow on the back because that was too thin (I planned on making a wider bow for it but ran out of time)
*took the skirt part off of the top part (which included undoing half of the zipper)
*cut the skirt in half
*sewed the bottom half of the skirt onto the top part of the dress (gathering the fabric as I went)
*attached the bottom half of the zipper to the new skirt part of the dress
*used the fabric from the old bow to make new sleeves/straps (including sewing all that trim back on)
*made a choker out of the fabric from the old straps
*made a head piece out of some of the fabric from the old skirt
( Pictures of the dress before and after... )

(no subject)

[lucifersamekh.livejournal.com]

Another question... someday I will not be lazy and take a picture of everything I've sewn and post it.

My friend is making an xmas gift for his girlfriend (my best friend). He wants to upholster (is that the word?) a wooden box with velvet and then put trinkets in it. How would he go about doing this? I was thinking he could use a heavy duty staple gun (like when reupholstering chairs) but it might not attatch to the wood. Help!!

Painting Canvas to Make an Area Rug

[thegeekgoddess.livejournal.com]

I peeked in memories, but didn't see anything on the topic. I was wondering if anyone here has ever made painted canvas area rugs? I've seen books on the subject, but can't find any at the library. If you could give me some ideas on where to get canvas, and what paints and sealers to use, I would be most grateful.

comic books will never be safe with me around.

[skankykiwi.livejournal.com]

( more? )