Sunday, February 7, 2010

More soldering

When you are going to get out the soldering iron there is not much point in just doing one charm. So I had to justify it and make a whole bunch more. I made some new collages and scanned in my DJ Pettit class painting as well as a canvas I did in a swap.
I'm getting better at cutting glass. The 3 x 2 inch slide I bought last year cut nicely into a twinchie and two inchies. And I worked out a little missing step from my previous efforts. Probably obvious to many others but it helps to flux the jump ring! Doh. It made that step so much easier.
Now I just have to decide what to do with them.
Suggestions?

One World, One Heart Give away

Photo

I have been seeing blog give aways all over blog land in the past few weeks and have been itching to participate.I have been leaving comments all over the blog world but would really like to have something to give back to at least one person. It has been a great carpet ride so far and I have found some wonderful artists in many media in the process.
The whole movement was started in 2007 by Lisa Swifka and has grown like topsy ever since.
Here is what Lisa Says on her blog

WHAT IS ONE WORLD ONE HEART?
I created this event in 2007. The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way. 2007 had roughly 85-90 participants and many connections were made because of it......friendships that are still going strong.
We had a strong showing the first year for sure, and then in 2008 we had just about tripled that number. In 2009 there were 911 participants, to say I was amazed is an understatement. 28 countries were represented in the 2009 event as well.
This is more than wanting to win something.......that is only the means.......in the end it's about finding kindred spirits. Someone who may be fairly new to blogging, not sure how to navigate, find others and have others find them....Some are long time bloggers and in some cases well known in the blogging community. Whatever the case it brings all of them together. This is an INTERNATIONAL event that has and had participants from the US, Canada, France, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Malaysia, Brazil, The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, England,Wales, Slovenia and more. It transcends geographical location, socio economics, political affiliation, religious beliefs......it's a coming together like the giant community we are on this planet. If only it took a simple giveaway to create PEACE everywhere, in the mean time here we give from our hearts. We are not solving the worlds problems nor are we curing anything nor are we changing the world. We are merely generating a closer community between humans through blogging. What more could I ask for, my little idea has surpassed my wildest dreams of what it could become.

So here are the rules:
1. You need to have a blog to participate
2. Leave me a comment on THIS post to enter my give away
3. Make sure there is a way I can link back to you or your email address in your comment.

On the 15th of February 2010 I will announce the winner and contect you for your snail mail address so I can forward your prize to you. 
If there are lots of comments I might even select a few more random winners for  a surprise gift.

Want to know the give away?
 


This is a soldered charm I made of a collage today. I have been learning more with each practice of soldering  and love this little girl. I often need to be reminded to play so the saying on the back is apt. I have some other charms ready for another post but this one is the give away so hope you like it.

Now leave a comment and join the fun. I hope you enjoy the many other blogs in this year's event as well.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Adventures in book binding

Call me strange but I don't really like hinged rings for binding books. I have participated in a number of collaborative book swaps in the past 2 years and half of them lie unbound in my work room because of the rings isue.
So, I have been platyng with a different idea. It's not original but I was inspired by Joy Bathie and her binding technique for a REALLY Fat book with over 100 pages. An accordion type binding with a sewn spine seemed to be asked for. After some playing and some help from club scrap videos, here is what I came up with.



This is the inside cover showing my page in Azza's 2009 collaborative book. The theme was texture and I used tar gel over alfoil with layers and layers of paint rubbed back with alcohol.

The binding. It stands well but almost closes flat which is an achievement with such a chunky book. I love Azza's covers.


The front. It had been intended for ring binding. Hence the punched holes.


From above. See how they all nestle into the binding?
Now I have a lot of catching up to do.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

cracked glass


Over at Boomerang we have been having some technique challenges for cards. I really liked this week's challenge of cracked glass. A good excuse to break out the new Tim Holtz stamps and masks and combine two techniques in one. I love this optimist stamp.
It's so nice to have some time to create this weekend.
Comments?

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Soldered charms

I just realised this is my 51st post so happy anniversary I guess.
After I made the soldered microscope slide necklace I was inspired. I had to try again.
So, at stamp camp I borrowed a glass cutter and cut some slides into inchies. Now this was my first play with inchies as well.
It's not too easy to cut inchies and there was a lot of wasted glass but I managed to get a few done and promptly gave them away. I can see there is more to be learned with this soldering caper but it is a lot of fun and worth the effort.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

It's about time


Sorry it's been so long. I have been crafting just not blogging. Hope you enjoy the catch up.
Over at Paperarts we had an unusual challenge last month. It was to make a board book page on the theme of My Spooky Ancestors using images from the very talented Itkupilli.My Aunt Felicity was one of the original supermodels but she had a nasty side. I am looking forward to seeing the other pages in the flesh so to speak.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

slide pendant


I entered a microscope slide pendant swap on paper arts. Only problem was, I didn't know how to solder. I could have used the ranger slide frames but I really wnated to solder.
You tube is a wonderful thing. I searched and watched some basic videoas and then had a demo from a friend's husband and son. It's probably the most expensive slide pendant if you count the cost of the soldering iron and the table clamp and the flux etc. I will just have to make some more to justify the cost. Still, I have decided I love soldering. Looking forward to doing more.
Hope you like it Glenda.