Original Cross Stitch: Pink Rose Motif

...And here is the new Rose Motif! The colors are a little stronger than the violet, but I think they fit those pinks. My favorite pare are the outside decorations. I might try my hand at some Celtic knotwork down the road. Will work on getting these into PDF form to share the pattern. Making these is addictive, in between work shifts and loads of laundry and cooking dinner. A wonderful way to give a nod to spring flowers blooming all around. On to the next one! How about bluets?

Cross Stitch Original: Violet Flower Motif

With colored pencils, I sketched out a design on graph paper for a motif that represented the Spring we've been having. Creating my own design was so exciting! I've been working on a large sampler from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery, and wanted to try my hand at something original. This will not be the last! Playing the purples, golds and greens off each other sparked my imagination. It was worked on 18 ct. Aida cloth in Oatmeal. The next one will be done a bit bigger, I think. Hand-stitching is good therapy. ;-)

January Mouse; Amigarumi

 This is a mouse I made for my mom, given to her for her birthday. The mouse's name is January, and I free-form crocheted her, though I'm working on a pattern. The felt is a bit fussy, but worth the trouble, I think. Her eyes are 'safety' animal eyes, and look much better in person. These shots aren't the greatest, but they get the point across.

I made a profile card for her as you can see below, and even sketched her on it. The story came to me while I was making her, and it was just a matter of writing a bit of it down for mom. She loves stuff like that, much like I do. :0)

She fit in a little drawstring bag, finished with love. I adore making gifts for people that I love... May you experience love in your crafting universe, too, after all... that's what it's all about, right? 

Harry Potter Potions, Candles and Oddities

 I've been taking Potions, but of a different kind than the one Snape teaches. Although I wouldn't mind...
Ah, anyway! Yes, I have been dabbling a bit in the miniature potions bottles! From Left to Right; Dragon embryo suspended, Gillyweed, Dragonshade (a mix of my own, not in the books), a candle on a holder, Felix Felicus, a trio of candles like the one on top of the dragon embryo jar (which is not attached), and a second bottle of Gillyweed.

Felix Felicus, or Liquid Luck, was a shiny golden swirling potion, and the Gillyweed is a combination of food coloring in clear glue, and a snippet of moss that falls from my tree outside from time to time during a storm. 

A quarter for size reference-- pretty small, and just so cool! Will be making more over the next few days, and will post progress. Hope you enjoy looking at these as much as I enjoyed making them! 

Harry Potter - inspired Magic Miniature Box

...And in other miniature news, only of the smaller variety, and this time, themed...

I have been a Harry Potter fan for years and years-- was reading the books long before the movies started to come out. Like so many others, the story gripped me and hasn't let go of its magical spell yet. The books are still just as enchanting as when I first devoured them, and as I began to re-read them for the second time starting in January, all the way through, I began a project for my best friend's birthday in August. She, like me, holds these stories and characters close to her heart, and we both have read some- if not all- of the books to our kids.

In honor of her first introducing me to the world of Harry Potter, (among so many other awesome stories!) I am making her a 'Harry Potter Magic Cabinet'. It's a blank glass top 'collection' case I bought at Hobby Lobby, made of bare wood and the hardware, just waiting for adornment.

Below are the embellishments I've added to the outside, straight onto the wooden frame with Paper Clay, carved into with various tools and then painted.

 Above is the bottom edge depicting a wand delivering the deadly curse Avada kedavra, while below is the bottom left corner with carvings leading up to Harry's telltale lightning bolt. In the center you can see the four compartments that will hold interpretations of the four Houses of Hogwarts. Those pictures will be coming soon.

 Below is the bottom right corner with a closeup of the skull, and the bottom half of the snake...

Coming up the right hand side is the rest of the snake, with a clock face embedded near the latch.

Further up on the left side from the lightning bolt, there is a large dog paw print, perhaps belonging to a particular black shaggy dog Harry knows very well, and the symbol for the Deathly Hallows.

 Top left shows the top right hand corner, depicting a dragon. Below shows the top left hand corner, with a troll in profile and some runes etched in around him.

 Between the troll and the dragon at the top is a raven's wing.

The Paper Clay held up amazingly well to paint, and the top was lightly rubbed with a pale grayish-green hue to really bring out those carved details. The box has taken on the look and feel of something ancient and magical now. I'm so in love with this project, I cannot wait to start one for myself! More to come...

Ever After High Re-Paint, Re-Done!

A new commission, and a new form of art.

I couldn't be happier with the re-paint of this Ever After High Doll! Just finished it for my Aunt, commissioned by my mom, and she has turned into such a sweet thing. 

I took the factory face paint off with non-acetone nail polish remover, and worked on her new face with pastels, water color pencils, acrylic paints, and sealed her multiple times with Mr. Super Clear Flat spray fixative. 

I then went to work on making her dress, a custom crocheted shawl, and felt Mary Jane shoes. She's holding a small Bible, also, in keeping with the theme. The clothing is getting a little bit easier to make, but is still fussy! The shoes were my first attempt with a technique I learned about on YouTube, by MyFroggyStuff. I combined some of her tricks and added a bit of my own, and am pleased with the way the felt melds with her pre-formed feet, which are factory made to fit into extreme high heels, as per the normal attire for these dolls. 

One of the most exciting things I've made for someone! I'm gonna go work on my own Monster High re-paint now... Just what I needed. A new hobby. :-)

Toofs - A Crochet Monster

 Meet Toofs! He is a brand-spankin' new crocheted monster, and a successful conglomeration of several techniques I have been accumulating lately. He has 'safety' eyes, embroidered felt accents, and hinged arms and legs for better depth of expression. And believe me, Toofs has a lot to express!!!

You can see here that his lanky arms are perfect for crossing, either in a huff or deep in thought about the things he would like to try to bite later on...  

Above is a detail picture of his foot pads, and his crocheted fingers, naturally curling under to appear to 'grasp' things. 

 

A look of surprise! 

The mouth is an opening in the crochet cylinder of his body, so that the felt envelope sewn inside of it resembles an actual mouth. That and the comical ears give him a fun profile, I think.