So I was sifting through a "junk" box looking for things to plop in resin, and I had an epiphany!  Guitar picks!  I tried it and I LOVE it.  I made these three so far with the picks I had on hand and I would love to experiment with this further.  I'm thinking they need some glitter for next time!  I have some other experiments as well, I will post those as soon as I get organized   


Black swirly pick in oval


Blue swirly pick in oval


This is my favorite!  Transparent blue pick in a teardrop.  I love love love this one.  The pick totally fits the shape I think.  (Please ignore that blue monstrosity in the corner.  That was a dye experiment gone horribly wrong.)


One more because I love this one so much!

After seeing all the pretty scrabble tiles on here I had to try it.  I couldn't bring myself to deface MY scrabble game, so I bought some mahogany tiles online.  I used some scrapbook paper I had, drilled holes, and covered them with this paper glaze stuff I found at Michael's because I couldn't find diamond glaze.  I think they came out pretty good.  Despite the fact that after I had glazed each and every one of them I DROPPED them.  On the carpet.  Some face down.  Sigh.  Even after dropping them and picking the fuzz out I still think they look decent and I definitely want to make more (WITHOUT MOVING THEM!  ).  Some of them stuck to the paper I was drying them on (why I didn't use wax paper, don't ask me) and some of the edges look a little uneven, that's because there is glaze that is stuck to the back and sides of some of them - again a result of dropping them, the glaze didn't drip.  Oh well.  I still like them.  I used jump rings as bails because my stupid craft store apparently doesn't stock any REAL bails and I will have to order them online.


Here are all of them


Greens


Pinks


Purples - you can see the unevenness on these a lot


Reds


Misc - The cream and yellow ones had a really cool raised design on them I thought would show up but the glaze killed it

I think for a first attempt they weren't horrible.  What do you think?

Well this was my first go at attempting resin, and after seeing all the beautiful projects on here, how could I not try it?!?! I picked up some molds at Michaels, one resin mold (the only one they had) and two candy molds - Let me just say DO NOT USE CANDY MOLDS, NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING IT MAY BE!  I KNOW they come in cooler designs - but just don't do it!  No matter how much you like that nautical star design.  Phew, there, I said it.  I couldn't get ANY of the candy mold pendants to pop out, I had to bend and twist and ruin and break the molds with two pairs of pliers and a box cutter to remove them all - WAY too much work.  But I don't think any of my pendants were damaged 

I haven't done anything to them other than spraying them with a clear coat of glaze to get ride of the tacky-ness left of some of them - I sprayed both sides of all of them so they looked even.  No holes yet - I know a lot of people use glue-on bails but I want to try drilling holes.  Has anybody drilled holes in these successfully with an actual drill?  I've seen people used dremels, I don't have a dremel, but I have a real drill and I think I will give it a go.  I already have some dye to experiment with next time, but I need more molds 

Anyway, Here they are.  What do you think?


Don't mind the plate, I'm not super into photo backgrounds like some people around here 


Shamrocks and gold/green stars


Pot of gold - I really like this one, but then again I am half Irish 


Dried flowers


Red hots, hearts, and a red rose with gold stars


Closeup of the rose


Candy Sprinkles - stars, dolphins, dinosaurs, moons, and sprinkles


Closer


Seed beads - experimenting on how many to put in


Metallic heart and star beads


Other beads - the top one is a bat if you can't tell


Green Sugar and Girly skull and hearts - the skull and hearts were metallic stickers so they look wonky but they don't really have all to many bubbles (or at least, they aren't as noticeable when there isn't a flash on them  )

There are a few more I didn't photograph yet (champagne bottles, wee!) because they wouldn't pop out of the molds, but after freezing them for several hours they came right out.  After I take pictures of those I'll add them.

Comments and criticism appreciated, thanks for looking 

I have been telling everyone that will listen that my fiance got me a sewing machine for Christmas    The bad part is... erm... I don't know how to sew.  But after reading the manual I was able to figure out how to wind a bobbin, thread both the upper and lower parts, and tried out some different stitches.  After destroying some scraps I decided to try throw pillows, because isn't that everybody's first project?  You can't REALLY screw up two squares and stuffing.  I still need practice on sewing in a straight line but I think they came out pretty nifty for my first attempt and I finished them a LOT quicker than I expected.  I made them with $1.50/yd fabric from walmart.  They are super easy and simple but I am very proud 

I made this cross stitch just for fun while I was at work.  My fiance loves zombies.


Fresh off the hoop

I completed this cross stitch last week and I have to say it is my favorite completed project yet.  It took much longer than I had anticipated, about two weeks only working on it on-and-off at work.  The pattern is from Stitch Graffiti: Unexpected Cross-Stitch by Heather Holland-Daly.  I tweaked the pattern just a teeny bit and used colors I had on hand.  I have it framed and hanging in my kitchen and it makes me really happy 


Before ironing


After framing - I really wanted a square frame for this but after going to three stores I could NOT find a square frame in the size I wanted, so I had to settle for this one.


On the wall!

I was very bored at work and I wanted to stitch up something really simple and easy after my other project I finished this week took a lot out of me, so I did this design.  I got the idea from a type tee from Threadless

First off, I apologize for the mix of topics, I know I have cooking/pet stuff/glass stuff all in one but I am most proud of the jar so I am posting it here.

For a little back story on this piece, I have a friend/coworker who recently had to take in another dachshund that her daughter could not keep. Lo and behold, puppies!  She had six puppies, and promised me one of them (my fiance and I were looking to adopt a puppy, but who could resist one of these sweeties?).  After they were born two of them were unable to find homes.  One of the girls had a little "handicapped" paw that did not form just right, and there was also a boy.  We decided to take the both the boy and the girl we were previously promised.  My friend kept the "handicapped" girl as her own.  Fast forward to several weeks later, I believe they are 7 weeks old now, we have both pups at home and we are so grateful for both of them, they are great.  I wanted to give my friend something special as a thank you for them (seriously, where can you get two pure bred miniature dachshund pups for free before Christmas?)  so I decided to bake her some dachshund shaped cookies.  Then I needed something to hold the cookies.  After a trip to The Container Store, I knew what I had to make. 

A personalized etched glass cookie/treat jar with little wieners!


First side - "Ginger" (the momma dog) and a dachshund silhouette


Second side - Dog bones


Third side - "Sophie" (the little handicapped pup) and a dachshund silhouette


Fourth side - more dog bones.  Originally I wanted to do one side with bones and one with paw prints, but the bones were so easy to cut out with the knife and I was getting tired after all this plus baking a huge batch of cookies. 

Oh and of course, the cookies!


Ok, they look a little like buffalo after the cooked..


But the smaller ones look like little wieners!


And... sorry I know this doesn't belong but I HAVE to show off the new additions to our family - Wednesday (top) and Dexter (bottom)

My fiance commissioned me to etch a Red Sox logo on a beer mug for one of his co-workers Christmas Presents. 

I have to put a disclaimer that YES we are from Massachusetts and NO we are not Red Sox fans.  Go Blue Jays! 

However, I think my mug came out pretty darn nifty.

My fiance and I just got two mini-dachshunds that are 5 weeks old.  They are TINY and shiver like crazy if they're not wrapped up in a blanket.  I was looking for sweaters for them, but the smallest size I've seen in stores around here is xxs and that is way to big for them.  Then I remembered a tut I saw on here for a sock sweater, so I picked up some fuzzy socks at walmart and made a sweater.  I only did one so far but I will be making lots more   Next time I won't use socks made out of fun fur since it unravels and sheds like crazy but it just looks so darn cute!  I stuck him in it like a sleeping bag and marked where his arms needed to go, then I snipped the armholes and hand stitched around them so it wouldn't unravel, and I cut some off the back (the toe part) and stitched around that too.

Anyway here is Dexter with his new sweater:




(In this picture you can see little Wednesday his sister snuggling with my fiance in the background)



Yay, no more shivers!  Next time it will have to be made shorter on the bum-end so he doesn't dribble pee on it