Binding an Art Journal

The other day I had my sisters and a friend over to make art journals. They are all such quick learners :D
You might have noticed that we used old papers because, Confession Time, I tend to hoard used paper, like school work. Not because I care anything about what I wrote for a particular Professional Writing assignment, but because I am constantly needing paper for scrap. It just seems so wasteful to use a fresh sheet. Anyways, several semesters has lead to a pretty substantial stack of scrap and it needed to be used up. Binding it together to use for an art journal (or 4) was the perfect solution since the pages will be painted and pasted over.
We haven't completed any pages yet, but we did lay some base paint down on a few.
So excited to get started.

Hand Lettering | Tune My Heart

Have I mentioned that I love hand lettering? Because it's true. I very much enjoy it.
Therefore, when Jamie of Owl Really saw this bit of lettering and asked if I could do some for her I was thrilled. Of course I would! 



As you can see, I didn't leave myself very much edge space to work with - oops! To remedy this, after I outlined the letters I scanned it, used Photoshop to repositioned the art to the center of the page, then printed it on card stock to finish up.



Now, I will let her tell you what she plans to do with it but until then rest assured that it will be awesome.
But, maybe, you should pop by her blog and ask, just to keep a bit of pressure on ;)
  

Cleaning Pyrex with Bar Keepers Friend

Since my collection is ever growing, I've been doing quite a bit of research on Pyrex. Colors, dates, lids, promo pieces, AND care/keeping of it. While the type of cleaner you want to use depends on the type of grime (duh), Bar Keepers Friend is a cleaner that seems to be universally recommended. Over and over in my research I saw people post pictures of Pyrex that looked like rubbish -  grey metal scuffs all over and dishwashered (dwd) - only to be revived after a visit with the Bar Keepers Friend. Of course, this seemed too good to be true and I had to test it out myself. So started the hunt for a cheapo piece of Pyrex that had been abused. The key word being *cheapo*. No point in spending a lot of money on something that might not be fixable, right?




Overall, I would say that the outcome is OK.
Honestly, I think my hopes were set a little high. I wanted a miracle! A shiny, new piece to be in my hands when the cleaner was washed away. In reality, while it did an excellent job of removing the hard water build up, the shine has not been restored AT ALL. The color is more vibrant in general because there is no grime on it but the fridgie still has the dwd, etched feeling to it. If only there was a way to fix the scratches. *sigh*

Now, to find a horrendously metal marked Pyrex. How hard can that be?
 

DIY Tassel Necklace

I freely admit that I might have a mild obsession with tassel accessories. Having them on my purse was no longer enough. Needed more....
Fortunately, this is really easy to make.

SUPPLIES - polymer clay, metal button, I pin, pencil, 5 inch square of cardboard, thread, scissors, glue, pliers, necklace hardware

STEP 1 - Roll the polymer clay into a ball
STEP 2 - Squish the metal button into the center of the polymer ball.
STEP 3 - Using a pencil or other sharp doohickey make a hole in the bottom edge of the, now flattish, clay ball.
STEP 4 - Opposite the pencil hole stick an I pin into the clay.  Now pop the clay, with the button still in place, into the over to bake as the instructions direct.
Now for the tassel!
STEP 5 - Wrap the thread around the cardboard till the total amount of thread is half the desired thickness of the finished tassel.
STEP 6 - Carefully slide the thread off the cardboard and identify the middle of the thread wad. (wad is not a pretty word but I can think of nothing else)
STEP 7 - After folding the wad in half, wrap the folded end tightly with thread. Secure with a knot.
STEP 8 - Cut all the loops out of the tassel and trim the thread so it is even.
STEP 9 - Put a dab of glue in the hole you made with the pencil and then press the wrapped end of the tassel into it. Once the glue is dry, add a chain.



Snazzy, yeah?
 

save it

Hello, organization

There is order among my shoes!
Apparently my sweet Keith got tired of my shoes spilling out of their closet storage crate and into the bedroom, living room, and dining room.   hehe
Personally, I got tired of cramming them into the crate. Smooshing and flattening them. No bueno. This shelving situation is better. Much, much better.
On the other hand, this situation has also made me realize I need some green and yellow walks. Color lack! No bueno.
Tidbit of awesome -  this solution cost us no money! The wood was salvaged and the brackets were in the basement at my parentals. Geez, I love raiding their place :)



ANNND...
Just for fun, here is a tune you'll thank me for. Assuming you haven't already devoured Regional At Best.
We all love Twenty One Pilots, right?
  

Tastes like summer

Garden grown, freshy-fresh strawberries.
Given to my parentals and then snatched from their freezer to come home with me.

Add just a splash of almond milk and, if you so desire, a raspberry or two.
Yum.

Anyone else still raiding their parent's fridge? Is this something I should have outgrown?