The Box is Set

Annnnd finally, the result of the little 'make a box' project from my dinky bit of a woodshop class. 
This is *just the beginning* for me and woodshop projects, I'm sure.  I loved it!

(I wound up laser cutting some sexy plexiglass inserts for the corner joinery details ...)

Before sanding down the plexi:

After sanding & buffing:

Boxing Day

I'm still wrapping up finals' week at Pratt, and fortunately the last remaining project is one I really enjoy.

I took Woodworking this semester (I'd posted a little about it earlier this year), which is run like a high school tech class.  We had a bunch of small semi-random projects all intended to teach us the basics of how to get around in the shop ... interspersed with old shop injury horror stories.

In any case, I'm working on making a box right now.  It's super simple; just some 45 degree angle connections, a sliced off lid, and some decorative joinery for the corners.  I originally had some high-falutin' ideas for dressing it up, but the more I work on it the more I realize I'd better leave well enough alone.  After all, I've always suspected that I was a minimalist trapped in a pack-rat's body.

Here's the progress!

The edge connections are looking clean, IMO, and I have a cool idea for the joinery.  I'm off to the shop today to see how it pans out ...

1,000 Uses For 1,000 Words

A recent discovery of this artistic recycling trend has me wishing I had some expendable books in my collection.

People do some pretty cool things with their old tomes, and my brain-wheels are turning now ...

'Book' bookshelves are popular, and some of my favorites. (above from Design Squish)
An iPod carrier (I don't know why you'd want an iPod carrier ... But you could put anything in there, really) Courtesy of Unplggd.com

Books can be planting pots Sculptures Even lighting fixtures (called 'Boeklampen')

Or cool bags! (top from tanyadennisbooks.com, bottom courtesy of OhMySoCute .com)

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It wasn't long before I was eyeing my trashiest paperbacks with malicious intent.

On the chopping block:

The one on the left was an emergency 'I ran out of books to read and have an 8 hour flight' airport grab. The other two were both found abandoned in classrooms at school; I was pretty excited about their covers, so I nabbed 'em.

Just to test the waters, I decided to give poor long-haired, silk-shirted Sebastian a little taste of my drill.

(insert maniacal evil laughter here)

He didn't like it.

But I DID.

Actually, it was really really really seriously fun (my Dad used to be a librarian ... I have a psychological conflict regarding proper book treatment).

Except I'd really been hoping for a cleaner cut. Still, the brain-wheels will keep turning. I think maybe I just need to take a saw to Sebastian.

(Insert ominous 'Dun, dun, duuuuuuunn' here)

Completely Random

Sooo as part of my 'can-try' attitude lately, I've been looking into this Etsy shop stuff. So far it's an abysmal failure, but that's ok.




But I'm ALSO trying Google Analytics ... which gives me a list of search terms that have inexplicably lead people to my shop.

This includes:




"fur earring"

"my little pony fabric"

"printed coasters pinball"

"vintage film reel canister"

"vintage sperry topsiders"

"viper marshmellow"

I have no idea what these things have to do with my little handmade jewelry.

But hats off - and best of luck - to whomever is out there in search of 'viper marshmellows'!

(Are they snake-shaped marshmallows? ... Car-shaped? Marshmallows meant for snakes? Meant for 'viper' cars? Marshmallow-shaped snakes meant for cars? ... I may never know.)

Reverse Stenciling

So a couple years ago, when I was feeling drawn to tree imagery, I'd repainted my room.



At the same time, I was working on refinishing an old desk (which had been my mother's ... I love that legacy stuff :) ).



I left it a little distressed on top, because I didn't want to erase its whole past, but I smoothed out the major scratching on the surface, and of course added some blue flair to the edges and legs.

I also (to my knowledge) invented for the First Time Ever the Most Gloriously Cool Technique for a Reverse Stencil Art on a Wood Surface!
Woo hoo!

Here's what I did.

First I stripped the top of the desk, and sanded it to my heart's content but did NOT finish it yet (how-to posted here.)

Then I made two tree stencils. I just sketched the trees onto the backs of old cereal boxes, and cut them out with my trusty Exacto knife.

I placed the stencils where I wanted them, and then with the foam brush I painted the varnish on within the stencil.

Once the stenciled varnish dried, I poured some regular acrylic paint onto the varnished part, and then using a dry cloth rubbed it over the varnished surface - the paint stays on the raw wood, but wipes off of the varnish easily, creating a halo effect that illuminates the tree shapes!

After that had dried, I finished varnishing the surface as I normally would, sealing in the trees at the same time!






(Sorry the photos aren't very clear ... it's hard to get the light paint color to show up properly)