Love Cats Toys

This week, I took on the task of making a couple of cat toys for some furry companions. Since these toys are for Cure friends, I wanted the toys to have a Cure theme. I took a design from my favorite album artwork off of The Cure album, Wish. I first made some quick shape templates on scrap paper and found bright colors to match the artwork. It was fun trying to use felt and floss to re-create drawn artwork; but I did use a NON-toxic paint to add cloud detail on the blue felt.

I think the hardest thing I encountered was finding a plastic filling with enough CRINKLE sounds to keep a cat inerested. I ended up using a cut up water bottle. I made sure all sides of the plastic were smooth to the touch before anchoring it on my felt with a stitch. The eye layers were layed out on the blue felt, and stitched down with the black (pupil) lines. With plastic between black and blue felt; I stitched all together with a simple back stitch all along exterior.

*Not pictured is my last minute addition of sporadic black fringe on hearts' exterior. I'm not sure about the size of the finished project, I kind of think it's a bit on the big size (4 X 4inches). Even if it isn't the cats' favorite toy, I know it will be the best looking toy.

*my hand sewing got a little wiggly when I tried to multi task by sewing AND walking on the tredmill.

Jason Cooper Pin

At the age of 14, I had a crush on the drummer from The Cure- Jason Cooper. I did the typical, posting his picture in my locker and on my notebooks, telling my friends to call me the future Mrs. Cooper. As I grew older, my crush for JC turned in to more of an admiration of. Admiration for his success in life, his hard work, his adventures...as a cool person. So, together with another, I helped to dedicate a facebook page to Jason Cooper. The FB page has to date, 50 members...and growing. As a way to say thank you to those supporting me and The Great JC, I put together a pin one can wear to show their support. Minimal in design, I used masonary nails, bronze wire and gold embossing powder to make the following:

I am offering the pins for free (one only needs to cover shipping).

Denim Bow from Jeans Leg

Very easy to make. Find a pair of used children's jeans. Leaving side seams intact, cut jean leg horizontaly on top and bottom (you want a nice frayed edge thing going on).

Distress, distress, distress! I used sand paper to rub out holes, bleach to add the splotches of white and added a bit of dazzle with the bedazzler. Whipstitched an equally distressed band in the bow center to cinch everything together.

Finishing the bow off with a metal hair comb in the back (easily sewn on).

I'm thinking I will wear this as an adornment to a messy bun or high pony tail.

Make white hairs FUN

With my 31st birthday on its way, I've been staring in to the mirror longer than I usual do, doing scans over face and hair looking for minute details of aging. All had been fine until my discovery of a white hair! I let the white hair stay, despite my urge to yank it. Over the following days, I noticed that the one hair started to multiply and the new,white hairs count ended in double digits! To make light of the current situation, I whipped out my pink Sharpie. For each white strand of hair, I ran the Sharpie up and down the length of the strand, saturating it in the bright hue. The depression of the bleak, white is now pink and cheery. This getting older stuff is a breeze (kinda). *Not sure how long the color lasts, although I would suspect the color would come out with ease after a few washes.

Using a tool in a new way

I was using my Fiskar's paw paper punch, with light and dark blue cardstock. With each punch, five, small ameba shaped paper debris littered my work space. At the end of my punching fiasco, I had a considerable amount of debris to pick up and throw away. But instead of throwing the scraps away, I found an innovative way to use them!

Following a (loose) rule of gluing down one light colored spot for every two dark spots, I was able to create a print like that of a lepoard's fur.

I love finding a new use for a tool. Not only do I feel like I've added a new wrinkle to my brain, but that creativity knows no limit!

Egg on your head.

The Secret 7 Talenthouse has posted the winning art of for their Album Covers. In January, I shared my talent house submit. Unfortunately, my art did not get picked for print. Making light of my defeat, I decided to turn my egg art in to wearable art. I pasted my poly clay eggs on to a regular, plain headband. What an egg-cellent statement piece for Easter.

Bacon Fest!

Last Thursday I got to work with Kevin Bacon! I applied last minute to a film extra opening. Because I had no experience as a film extra, I had strong feelings that I wouldn't be getting a call back for the job. So you can imagine how shocked I was when I was given the job! Working as KB's extra was great fun! When the project is released to the public, maybe I'll be able to update here with some pictures.

* In person, he is a very handsome man :)