Category: Crafting (page 2 of 6)

Day Three

I’ve moved into my third day of pottery class. Yesterday, I learned to throw “off the hump”, which means I created objects (a pot, mini bowl, egg cup holder and candlestick) all out of a single piece of clay that I formed into a cone like shape and worked with it from there.

There’s still a few things I need to work on, but I’m loving this process. I work alone in the afternoon and the time just flew by, I was so lost in what I was doing. I couldn’t believe when my teacher appeared with a mug of tea for me that it was already after 4 pm. I had been steadily working away for over two hours. Incredible!

Today, I worked on throwing jars with separate lids and had my first go at turning some of my pots from my very first day, which are now leather hard. I’m getting there, slowly but surely!

{Sorry there are no pictures, I was so busy throwing, I forgot to snap a picture of my growing collection}

Pottery 101

Jennifer Michie Slip Testers

I’m taking a summer class to learn how to throw pottery. So, come September, I can start teaching these techniques to students.

Today was intensive, but I feel that I walked away with a good foundation. I can confidently bring my clay up into a cone and work it back down into a ball/dome shape on the wheel. I can also make the opening for a pot and bring that back up into a dome shape and begin to form my desired object.

Although I made a pot, a mug and a planter today, I need to work on refining my techniques. A lot more of my pieces ended up in the reclaim tub then on my board to dry out. Oh well, back to the wheel tomorrow!

Jennifer Michie Wildflower Garden{A gorgeous wildflower garden I passed on my way to class, it was buzz, buzz, buzzing with big fat bumblebees and that made me happy!}

Meet Elsa

Jennifer Michie Elsa the Pig

This is Elsa. She is naturally pink, loves to drink lemonade and likes to get her toenails painted strawberry red. She is the first of a few animals that I plan to work on this week, that will all be bundled up for a very sweet little person.

A Pink Pig

Jennifer Michie Felt Pig Pieces

This was the first of my weekend projects.  The wind howled around the house, the rain poured down, causing a mini flood at the end of our street and the lightening lit up the sky like fireworks.

Inside, I stayed cozy and dry and slowly began to cut up the first felt pieces of a project I have started for a little someone. Part of her Christmas gift this year, will be a little menagerie of animals to play with.

Stay tuned, there is more to come!

A Grizzly Bear

I’m working on a mini project for a special little person. This was the first creature I picked from the adorable stuffed animal book. I think it will be the perfect size for her little hands.

 

Getting Crafty

As soon as we finish the mammoth task of organizing our pantry, I have a few projects up my sleeves for this half term. But, I have to clean up one mess before I make a new one.  If you are in the mood to do a little crafting this week, check out my “Getting Crafty” board on Pinterest.

Here are just a few things I have pinned {click the images for the tutorials}:

As always Molly’s Sketchbook on the Purl Bee site is filled with sweet ideas. A bunny just in time for Spring:

Liberty fabric lap blankets to keep you cozy in the still gray days of winter:

Send mail the old-fashioned way, but jazz up your envelopes with beautiful paper:

Any paper leftover? Use it to make these cute pinwheels:

Not Martha offers a cute and stylish brooch to brighten up your coat:

Have fun!

{all images copyright their respective blog}

A Treat to Myself

Since the arrival of a new baby in our family, I have picked up a few more “making” books here and there. I want to be able to make and give things to my beautiful little niece.

Before Christmas I was at the Tate Modern and saw this book in their giftshop:

I thought it was absolutely adorable and ordered a copy off Amazon. I have a few pieces of fabric I have been squirreling away that I want to use to make some little toys for her to play with. I just know she is going to love animals.

I have already made her a teeny tiny inchworm named Edna. The pattern for that was in my Wee Wonderfuls book.

Yesterday evening while going through my Google Reader, I read a Wee Wonderfuls post. Hillary has made her online shop a little more pocket friendly, although she has always been affordable, she has now made it a little easier for you to get something and “try it” vs. just thinking about it, since maybe, the price just wasn’t right for you if the project you were looking at was something you weren’t so sure about attempting.

I did that last night. I have looked at this doll pattern for ages and last night snapped it up as a treat to myself. I plan to make one of these for my niece. I think they are adorable and the creative possibilities with them are endless. You can make them a whole little wardrobe to be dressed in. I don’t know who is going to have more fun playing with it? The “big” girls or the little ones.

 

Bonjour!

I was getting caught up with my Google Reader account yesterday and seeing this made me smile.

A mini “Bonjour! “marquee sign. Wouldn’t it be cute to do a little Christmas version? I think I just might do it!

Tutorial from Oh Happy Day