Work Table Wednesday

Operation Koi Pond: Phase Two

So, I have progressed further with the koi pond and now it has a nice, rocky bottom along with underwater shrubbery.  The koi have a new home in the pond and are just waiting for the water to be added in due time.

While working on this small pond, I've also been continuing to work on the original pond that ended up being too large for my UV lamp.  I plan to use a different type of resin with it and see how it turns out.

 

And that is what is on my work table this week.  What is on yours?

Mini Koi!

Ok, so I could not wait until Wednesday to share these little guys...

After sitting down to continue working on the miniature backyard pond, I realized something crucial..it was too big for my UV lamp, if I am to use the UV resin to create the water effect.  So, I worked on creating a new pond that is smaller and more compact (you will see it on Work Table Wednesday). 

Of course, the next step for any pond is to stock it full of koi...or at least, that's always been my belief.  I love koi.  They are beautiful fish that can reach amazing sizes.  These little guys however is probably the smallest miniature I have ever attempted and they will never grow past their 1cm long status.

I actually had so much fun working on these guys, I might have to do some more...and go into more detail.  Since these fellows will be swimming in resin, I didn't go into a great amount of detail, but rather worked on capturing the essence of the koi and their movements instead.  I hopefully did that...

Work Table Wednesday

So, on my work table this week is one of my potential entries for the upcoming State Fair in October.  I entered last year with four different sculptures that I created and I won ribbons in two divisions.

This miniature pumpkin set that I sculpted was the highest of the two ribbons, winning 2nd place in the miniature division.  I was so shocked and ecstatic when I saw that ribbon the opening night of the fair!  I did a happy dance among a crowd of people.

So, after such a fun time last year (though highly stressful because I didn't find out about the fair competitions until a few weeks before the deadlines) I have decided to enter again this year.  I have been brainstorming ideas since June and I have less than 50 days to start really getting some of these ideas into form.

I started the first one a few days ago.

Can you guess what it is?  Hint #1: Those are rocks surrounding it

Hint #2: That shimmery ground is actually achieved using a combination of metallic acrylics and mica powders.

Hint #3: Plants will be added, along with a few animals...

Finally, Hint #4: You would find this in a backyard, garden or park and it will be filled with "water."

That's right!  It's a backyard pond.  After marbelinzing the stones and stacking them around the "dirt," I started really trying to figure out how to do the water effects.  I am actually going to sculpt two test ponds to try out with two different types of resin.  I will be testing out the UV resin that I used in a previous project, as well as a resin that my boyfriend uses when he sculpts his miniatures.

Hopefully this piece will be nearly complete by next Wednesday!  Then, it'll be on to the next State Fair project!

Work Table Thursday...?

So, I lost a day this week due to a migraine attack.  Now that I am approaching human status once more, I wanted to post one project I've been working on to share with you.

We picked up these great mugs at a local fair several years ago.  A local vendor made their own sodas and rootbeers, so when you purhcased these mugs, you got a discount on refills while at the fair.  We thought the mugs had a great shape and were eager to take them home and get creative.  We picked up a bag of scrap leather pieces and glue.

I LOVE the graphic...it always cracked me up.

Fast-forward about six years and we finally did something with them.  I stumbled across them, two moves and three apartments later, in the back of a cupboard.  After cleaning them really good, we sat down and started working with them.  My boyfriend decided he wanted a solid color.  I wanted a more "patchwork" mug, though after looking at both of them, I like his solid color much better now. 

I haven't gotten a picture of his mug yet...I think he put it into hiding.  Here is my patchwork mug in progress..

Work Table Wednesday

So, this is an item I finished a few weeks ago, but I have not had the opportunity to share it with you all.  It utilizes the Magic-Glos UV resin.

While vacationing this summer, I was lucky enough to stumble across both the resin and the curing lamp in a craft store.  I had been looking at these items for nearly a year and to actually be able to hold them, well, let's just say they moved right into my shopping cart and I never looked back...especially when I had a 40% off coupon on the lamp.

So, as soon as I got home and after I greeted the pets, I unpacked and eagerly set up for my first resin project that wouldn't involve mixing equal parts of chemicals and praying I get all the bubbles out...(oh, yes, I have failed with regular resin).

After much debating, I decided to take some white clay and do an image transfer pendant.  Once the coloring of the image and the transfer to the clay was complete, I decided to paint the area surrounding the image with iridescent pearl powders.  This gave a beautiful mother-of-pearl look to the white clay.

Then began the really tedious process of applying the resin, layer by layer.  You have to make sure to spread the resin equally across the surface and try to make sure it touches all of the edges.

This is the completed pendant after multiple layers of resin.

The iridescent pearl is move visible from this angle, along with the varnished appearance created by the  resin.

This was definitely a first project, but I have received multiple compliments on this piece and I look forward to working on more projects with this medium.

Work Table Wednesday

A couple of days ago, my friend Coltpixy challenged several of us to start a weekly post called, "Work Table Wednesday."  I thought, what a great idea!  I can show you the latest project I'm working on and get into a more regular blog posting pattern.

Then, ironically, my friend Pamela at Hokkaido Kudasai emailed me this morning and asked if I was still creating.  I realized I had let my blog fall to one side yet again.  I thought, hey, it's Wednesday, I'm working on this latest hermit crab...maybe you would like to see some of my project in process and some of the future shells that I will be incorporating into my designs.

So, thank you very much Star and Pamela, for motivating me to get back to the blog world and to creating. *hugs*

 

 Oh, and see those very organized tools in the background?  That tool organizer was my birthday gift from my boyfriend last week.  I'm loving it!  I can carry them anywhere now and the canvas keeps them from stabbing me!