(no subject)

[vinylparadise.livejournal.com]

Dear everyone:

I'm going crazy! Like mad. The first issue is that I bought lead free solder for my pendants and earrings [definitely better for you] and the patina didn't act the same. So I finally kinda got a handle on it, but it's still giving me hell. It rubs off very easily, and it's leaving this iridescent sheen behind. I can't get rid of it & it makes everything look really dirty. Any help? Suggestions? Something? =] I used Novacan Super Brite Copper Patina & JAX Copper Darkener on the earrings below, if that helps. I'm pretty sure it's the JAX, but idk.


You can see the silver shining through from where the patina rubbed off. These were left overnight to sit. Arg.

( other items )

Clay, molding materials?

[themenow.livejournal.com]

I found some really awesome lotus flower candle holders in the most recent catalog of At West End. The thing is...I'm pretty sure I can make this on my own, but I don't know what kind of clay or molding materials to use. If I use some homemade molding clay with flour, won't it dry out and crack? I don't have a kiln so obviously it won't be the exact same at the candle holders in the catalog.

What do you crafty grrls think? Any ideas?

Buttons for eyes on a baby toy?

[persnickety-jim.livejournal.com]

Hi! I am going to knit up a few Socktopus  ...(socktopi?) as gifts for my son and his friends, all of whom are babies around 6 months old who put every last thing in their mouths. If I were to use buttons for eyes, instead of embroidering them on, what would be the safest way to go about doing it? Really big buttons? Sew them on with fishing line? Or is it just a bad idea all around? I don't want them to be choking hazards, after all...

And so there's something crafty to look at:

( Some longies I dyed and knit )

golden the pony boy

[imighthaveknown.livejournal.com]

It just occurred to me that I don't think I've posted this before. I made it at least a year ago, from my old Barbie high-stepper pony. It's a Golden the Pony Boy, from the movie "The Science of Sleep" (in it, the lead girl has a stuffed horse she loves, and the lead boy steals it and makes it able to move and run like a real horse to surprise her).

picture (sorry for the crappy quality):



( video of it moving )

(no subject)

[cicisunflower.livejournal.com]

So a few years ago, someone made me this great pair of earrings. I get sooo many compliments on them, so I decided I would start making them myself. It has taken many blood blisters and bruised nails, but I think I've finally got it figured out!

Original pair:


The ones I made:


I've been using half hard wire, and I'm thinking the original ones must have been made with dead soft. Because no matter how much pounding I do, I can't get mine to go as flat on the hammered parts. So my next silver order will be for dead soft :)

(no subject)

[unicornstories.livejournal.com]

 

Friday the 13th

[balamuthia.livejournal.com]

My partner and I really aren't "Valentine" type of people, but we are Friday the 13th type of people! I had some scrap left over from a project so I made a little card for Friday the 13th:



The inside is filled with all sorts of sappy love stuff, and an assertion that this is definitely NOT a Valentine. *wink, wink*

sad dead valentine dollies: ophelia and juliet

[comearoundruby.livejournal.com]

ophelia
"Too much of water hast thou, poor Ophelia,
And therefore I forbid my tears."

[ingredients: sculpey, acrylic paint, bits of fabric and fake flowers and ribbon and and and]

....so maybe my idea of romance is a bit morbid, ( more ophelia, and a rather sadly dead juliet too! )

skirt patterns

[yurtgirl.livejournal.com]

okay, before I start surfing for patterns I thought I'd ask the pros!

I want to make simple skirts for my cruise vacation next week. I am pretty good with straight line sewing and figured there would be good pattern examples online for skirts. any suggestions? I just didn't want to spend alot of money on a pattern at a store becuase, well, I'm saving all my money for daquiris!
thanks.....