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.

Work Table Wednesday

One more day until the State Fair opens and I am very excited!!!

My largest piece was "Gnome Sweet Gnome."  It started out with a mushroom house, which you might remember from previous posts...this grew into all sorts of fun as I tried to think of all the different little miniatures I could fit around the house.

In the end, I decided on a small wishing well, complete with "water," and a laundry line. 

I mean, gnomes have to have clean laundry too, right?

An aerial view of the gnome homestead.

Work Table Weekend

After a day of helping a friend move into their new home, I decided to work on my small mushroom home for my little gnome.  

The mushroom home got it's final touches of paint tonight.  The stepping stones leading up to the cottage were also fixed into place.

Soon, the wishing well will be finished.

 

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 Wednesday

So, I actually have a lot on my work table this week!

First, on my day job work desk, I have a beautiful mug that a friend, Stephanie, gave to me this morning while we were riding the bus into work.

She did a wonderful job on the handle..it has such a unique and fun design to it.  It reminds me a lot of grapevines...the mug also has a gorgeous blue/green tint, though this picture really doesn't do it justice.  Thank you, Stephanie!

Guess what?  It's finished!  I deem it done and ready to to be presented to the fair committee.  I darkened the stones tonight, finished off the lily bloom and got some of the detailed pictures that I've been wanting to do for some time now.

So forgive me if I barrage you with some of the pictures :)

So, what's next?  Well, another shipment of button covers arrived today, so I'm super excited to work on that.  I sketched out a full scene for my next project, but I'm still working out the details.  In the meantime, here's a hint:

It's going to have something to do with mushrooms, and no, it's not a cooking recipe ;)  Until next time!

Work Table Wednesday

So, the koi pond is progressing nicely!  I added some plants around the edges of the rock to add texture and depth to the piece.  Then, I sculpted some tiny lily pads, which I then painted, to adorn the surface of the water.  There is even a small lily blossom, but it is not a permanent fixture yet, so it might change once more.

Close up of koi playing peek-a-boo beneath the lily pads with his friends.

Yet, another angle.  I am hoping to get some really nice photos soon that can really show the detail, but I'm waiting for a good day with natural lighting.

And I finally started pouring the resin on my larger pond.  The koi are about halfway there on their swimming pool.  I even have some "plants" that will be sticking up out of the resin on this one to add a unique feature.  Both ponds will be getting a black-wash of paint to darken the stones before I deem them finished.

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

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.