Under Construction

Frisket sampler

 
I think I mentioned how much I like the book Print Workshop, yes? Well, I think it was in that book that I learned about frisket (aka masking paint). Turns out to be expensive ($10 for a small bottle) but as soon as I read about it I wanted to try it. And so we did.

 

I wanted Biscuit to make an alphabet sampler. In my mind, she drew the letters (lightly, in pencil) and I painted over them. In reality she insisted on painting over them--a task she accomplished but not especially neatly. Oh well, I'd rather she be happy doing collaborative art then end up with perfect products.

While the frisket dried we tested water colors.

And then we painted. I did restrict Biscuit to a single color to avoid having a picture on a picture. Meanwhile, I tried masking off part of my project and allowed myself TWO colors. Whoa, life on the wild side.

Watching paint dry. She put the frisket on really, really thin. I was worried. But!

It came off! Pro tip for ya, if you have a thin frisket issue, you can erase it with an eraser rather than trying to peel it. 100% easier and didn't rip the paper at all!

Our finished projects. And yes, I already have two more things ready to frisket and/or paint. This is fun.

Final pro tip: the book said it, the lady at the store said it and they were both right--this stuff totally ruins your paintbrushes. Use old ones.

 

 

I saw several murders today

Of crows. Just crows.

And my camera was in the car and I'm always wanting more bird-on-branch silhouettes for potential engraving. So yes, I took these photos through my car window.

The drive to work (blue skies. finally!)

From the parking lot after work

During the drive home (at a stop light!) And, again, what's UP with the sideways photos? Grrr.

Did you know a group of crows is called murder? Bit of trivia.

Good stuff

Recent sources of inspiration:

Two books

Crafting a Meaningful Home I'll admit, I had low expectations for this book based soley on the cover image being of Lisa Congdon's lovely (but overexposed) plate wall. Still, I decided to check it out at Borders and was pleasantly surprised. I found several innovative ideas I actually wanted to try. One was to take rubbings of embossed metal things around your city (ideally things that say the name of your city). Biscuit and I struck out on finding anything especially cool but had a nice walk around midtown and did rubbings of several standard issue sidewalk covers.

Print Workshop by the Yellow Owl Workshop folks. Their stamp kits are awesome and their book was even better. (again, took a look for free at Borders). An excellent mix of inspiration, useful techniques and guidance to do your own thing which is exactly what I like in a craft book. I find I don't use very prescriptive pattern books but prefer to see ideas and learn the techniques behind them so I can adapt to my own tastes. We bought some supplies for a project from the book during our sidewalk rubbing walk. I'll report back on our success.

Speaking of learning techniques, Abby of While She Naps is doing an amazing series on soft toy construction.

And speaking of great things on the internet, my pal, the artist, Lauren, is offering a really amazing giveaway on her site. An original painting/postcard. I'm already signed up so now I can send you over to sign yourself up. I hope you get one--her work is awesome.

And a few blogs I've been loving lately: Bookhou and Poppytalk. Always fun places to check in.

 

(relatively insignificant) Milestones

That (gross) bottom tooth finally came out

She got brave and asked her dad to pull it. I participated only by phone (thank goodness I was at work--teeth are gross). We weren't sure if she was so anxious to have it out because of the tooth fairy visit or because of the fanfare at school (a special song sung to you, a certificate, the awe of other 5 year olds). I think it was the latter but the tooth fairy came through with a fancy $2 bill.

First Girl Scout cookie sale. She got it in her head that you could only walk to sell cookies (although she made a few exceptions for phone sales to family and my co-workers). That's how we spent over 3 hours wandering the neighborhood today knocking on random doors of friendly looking houses. Met a piano teacher (got her card) a new neighborhood arrival, a neighbor of a friend and a random assortment of people in a mile radius. Got a water (and 2 bags of free popcorn) at the hardware store midway through the adventure.

I could NOT believe how into this she was. I would have been happy with a handful of sales but she wanted to ask everyone. This was the spiel:

"Hi, my name is P and I'm a Girl Scouter. Would you like some cookies?" I couldn't get her to say "buy some cookies" for anything. Nor "Daisy Girl Scout" for that matter. Then she'd read all the kinds including the Caramel deLits (not, deLites, deLits in her world) and explain the system of paying upon delivery. It was actually rather fun but I'm already dreading delivery.

One final, preemptive milestone. Biscuit is back in swim lessons after an 18 month hiatus during which Mr. H taught her to 1. love the water and 2. dog paddle like a champ. I think now she might actually learn to really swim. Swim lessons are WAY more fun with an older kid who is actually enjoying herself.

Snow Day

For Christmas I gave my mom a photo calendar with dates filled in each month when we'd get together for some activity. January was snow day. Rescheduled twice due to illness and weather but I'm glad it was because today was perfect.

I'm not sure who had more fun on the tube hill: Biscuit, Mr. H or my dad.

As we watched them sliding down the ($17/adult) hill my mom and I discussed the expense and the presence of smaller, ungroomed, (free) hills nearby and the sled in the car. My mom and I are cheapskates alike but this time I'm glad the non cheapskates won. The folks managing this place did a great job, the tubes were faster, (probably) safer and (certainly) more tailbone friendly and everyone was having a blast. For about the price of all 5 of us going to a feature movie. No, we can't splurge on everything all the time but making memories in the snow seems a decent time for a little treat.

Thanks, mom and dad, for coming over for snow day. Eleven more "dates" in 2011.

 

For Northern California locals: we stopped at Yuba Gap SnoPark (crazy, as we were warned, icy, had to chain up for the road, full parking lot, human idiodcy, etc). Got back on 80 and drove about 5 more miles east to the next exit (Nyack, I think). Followed signs to the "tube hill and campground." It's left over the freeway. The roads and parking lot were nice and clear. Parking $10. They have a warming hut/cabin area, decent bathrooms and a small general store next to the tube hill. Lots of groomed trails for walking and (free) informal sledding areas. Bring a tube or some butt padding if you're going to make your own sled area--very bumpy and icy. And of course the formal tube hill is $17/adult and $15/child and very well staffed/maintained. Afternoon "session" was 1:30-4 and you could go as long as you wanted during that timeframe.

Mini makeover

I go in fits and starts reading Design*Sponge. On one hand, I love the sneak peeks and the DIY section is amazing. On the other hand it's a site sure to give you a case of jealousy about how everyone else's home is so dang perfect. I got obsessesed with their DIYs before Christmas and yesterday got sucked into the Sneak Peeks and finally had to step away from the computer and improve one tiny part of my own house.

Before (which, sadly, is cleaner than usual due to cleaning for a party a few weeks ago). Those flower photos are ones my dad and I took but they are always crooked. And that covered outlet is so annoyingly placed. The obnoxious black pillow is a design no but a sleep must. Apparently I have to sleep upright when pregnant.

After (I won't even tell you how long spent sorting reading material...)

In these photos it doesn't actually LOOK that different but it FEELS much better (especially, finally getting the duvet back on the bed). Note that I also hung my 7th grade woodworking project on the wall on the right. That's an A minus, baby.

Wreaths

Just sticks:

Closer up you can see there's also some cool, yellow lichen. I love lichen.

Here are the sticks before they got hot glued to a thift store grapevine wreath. They were all found in my backyard. I kind of love this wreath and considered gifting it at Christmas but it might be an acquired taste so I kept it and hung it on my door.

My second wreath looked a lot better in my head.

As Biscuit says, "sometimes that happens."

Yes, I did (badly) cross stitch that entire pattern onto gingham only to realize it was too large and then wrap it around a wreath anyway. Over a weird wreath lump no less. I'm not sure this even looks better than where I started (from the thrift store) but it was fun to make.

Encaustic (aka how I ruined my iron today)

Luckily I have another iron. The whole project was inspired by the overly rapid melt down of the beeswax candles we rolled last night. From pillar to puddle in about 20 minutes so I had a lot of beeswax suddenly on hand.

And with Mr. H, there's always a piece of plywood available (I seriously hope he didn't need this one). I read just enough about encaustic to realize that I was going to be doing it COMPLETELY wrong and then forged ahead.

Biscuit cut shapes out fabric and helped place the shapes. I mostly handled the hot wax. After placing the floral yellow piece she decided it looked like the Opera in Paris (why?) so she decided to make this into a Parisian scene of sorts. Paris has a surprisingly floral sky.

And of course we needed an Eiffel Tower.

Turns out paper looks a lot cooler in encaustic/wax than does fabric. Live and learn. Also turns out to be much more efficient to melt the wax on the griddle on the stove than to use the candle wick. Using an iron to melt the wax leads to strange translucency and a ruined iron.

The result is very weird and wonky but I kind of love the texture and colors.

I think we'll hang it in the bathroom (if Mr. H agrees--he's away today). Right above the ledge it's on in this photo. It's odd but not like it's taking the place of any fine art in this blank spot on the wall so why not?

As soon as I get my laundry mountain folded and put away I'm going to try making a wreath for the door. May as well start 2011/end vacation on a crafty note!