Day after Christmas Shopping!

Even though I am writing this post ahead of time, I am going to hazard a guess that we will be partaking in the day after Christmas shopping.  Last year, my mom and I raided Michaels for leftover Christmas trees...I ended up with two great small ones.

This year, I really don't have anything on my list for after Christmas shopping, but I'm sure I'll find some clay or paint that I "cannot live without." :P

Here is a summary of all the necklaces I made for holiday gifts.  I still have a few holiday gifts to show you, but those will be next time.

Holiday Gifts, Part 3

Ok, technically Christmas is not for two more days, but, I am going to take a gamble and guess that my Mom will be so busy entertaining us, that she will not be reading my blog, LOL!

Obviously, this necklace is for her.  I actually used the same pattern when I created my pendant back in the summer time.  I thought it would be nice to both have the same flower, even when we are so far apart.

Holiday Gifts, Part 2

I am so excited for this evening!  A friend and I are going to see the Nutcracker Ballet!  I have always wanted to see a live production of it and have watched it for years on the public broadcasting stations while usually wrapping gifts.

I am giving her this as a surprise for her holiday gift.  She has made me three beautiful mugs in her pottery studio and she loves cats, having two of her own, so I thought she would like this design.

Surprisingly, it was very hard to get a good picture of this piece.  There are so many colors incorporated, but pictures definitely do not do it justice.  I used multiple watercolors and mica powders to add color to the scene of this cat looking out over the sunrise (or perhaps sunset)? 

Holiday Gifts

Ah, the holiday season is fast approaching and everyone is scrambling to finish their last minute shopping, baking, wrapping and gift making!  I took Friday off from work in order to finish up my holiday shopping and to finish up some holiday projects.

Since we are celebrating the season with one family today, I will go ahead and share their gifts with you.  As the upcoming holiday approaches and the gifts are given out, I will reveal each one to you.

Some of you might remember the pendant I made earlier this year, using image transfer, clay and Magic-Glos?  Well, I decided to incorporate that into my gift making this year.

This heart pendant featuring primroses will be going to my boyfriend's mom for Christmas.  It uses a combination of clay, watercolor, mica powders and resin to create an eye-catching piece.

 

While his sister will also receive a pendant, featuring a more artistic style flower.  I hope they enjoy them.  Stay tuned for more projects!  What are you making this holiday season?

Work Table Wednesday

Well, this cute little guy was on my worktable this past weekend...

Now, I am spending today, while trying to get rid of a really bad cold and migraine attack, how I am going to replace him.  See, I found out the hard way on Sunday evening that UV resin and glass do not necessarily mix.

So...my cute little betta...

is now encased in yellow resin in a cracked bowl.  I do not have a picture of this...it is too depressing :P 

But, that is how it goes sometimes...you never know until you try!  I will be making another betta very soon and hopefully, I can figure out how to make him properly shine!

Work Table Weekend

The second koi pond is finished! *happy dance*  Stones were darkened, lots of shrubbery and plants were added.

Detailed shot of the grass sticking up through the water:

Yay, lily flower!

I love having the koi peeking out from beneath the plants

The two ponds side-by-side

Work Table Weekend

I finally tackled my fear and began my resin pours tonight on my miniature koi pond.  I started around 7:30pm and finally finished at 1:00am this morning.  I took my time and let each layer cure a lot longer than is really necessary.

This was the pond on about it's third layer.  The koi are struggling to swim at this point in the shallow water.

Here, the pond is receiving it's final cure...I had lost count of the layers by this point, but I'm guessing close to a dozen or just shy.

The fish are completely submerged and happy in their new home, or at least, I like to think that they are.

The only part still partly above water is one of the plants from the bottom.  You might think that this project is finished, but nope!  I have more plans for this piece, which includes adding plants growing up among the rocks, as well as a little across the water to add to the three-dimensional effect.

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?

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 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.