Almost Back

By the time that you read this I will have completed a one week stay in Los Angeles and will be returning back from Tokyo. It will have been a whirlwind of travel and while blogging has been on the wane, crafting hasn't been. I am still trying to catch up on some of the monthly projects and prepare for the Iron Craft Challenge that is due after my return.

Best Wishes and thanks for reading.

Iron Craft 2015 Challenge #3--Encaustic Collage

The Key to My Broken Heart

For our third challenge, we were asked to do "Something New." I was vacillating between several ideas until I read this post from Susi where she decides to revisit unfinished projects in her studio. Rather than come up with a new project, I decided to check my myriad of materials in my studio to see what new projects that I had already purchases materials but had never attempted.

I realized that I had all of the materials to complete a project that I had always wanted--an encaustic collage. The only appliance that I didn't have was a wax warming plate so I decided to use my electric skillet in order to melt and keep my wax at a constant temperature.

The board is a two inch thick 10 inch by 10 inch Encaustic Board. The background paper is a vintage Valentine paper. The hearts are cutouts there were left over from a previous project. The key is from my key stash. The wax was colored with oil paint sticks there were buffed out after being fused to the piece.

Bottom Detail

Top Detail

For my first attempt, I am very pleased with the way that it turned out.

This Week

This week is going to be a little bit slower than usual. I am still working on projects for the week and nope to have a new box structure to share. I am also struggling with ideas for my next Iron Craft Challenge.

More importantly, I have launched my new blog called Bento Love 2015. This new blog will illustrate my obsession with the Japanese boxed lunch called Bento. On that blog, I will be sharing my attempts to make bento every work day.

Please follow along when you get the chance.

Project 5--Final Insert Box

Last Insert Box

This is the final insert box that I will be sharing with you from the Bullets Over Broadway series. This is a special box because the brief that I received was that the person loved the color green. As I was going though my stash of papers, I realized that I don't have a lot of green materials. I personally don't have a lot of green in my wardrobe because it makes my olive skin look a little jaundiced.

When I was taking color theory classes, one of our first assignments was to go to our closet and find the most common color(s) and to then ask ourselves--Why do I have so much ______ (predominate color)?

Top View

Bottom View

The rest of the month will be dedicated to Valentine's Day boxes.

Iron Craft 2015 Challenge #2--Hipster Hat

My new hipster look

For the second Iron Craft Challenge, we were tasked with creating something for someone we love--including yourself. Well, I couldn't pass up making something for myself could I? I decided to make one of those hipster beanie/toboggan/knit caps that seem to be the rage in California. I had this jersey knit material in my stash waiting to find a use for it. I was going to make pillow cases out of it. The interior is lined with a black jersey knit but it was too wonky to share.

Basically this is two lengths of material sewn on the left and bottom edges with right sides facing each other. I then cut and darted the grey jersey to form the shape of the hat (and thus leaving the black liner still intact. You then repeat the process for the black/liner material. You sew the right seam to the left seam and leave an opening so you can pull it through the opening. You turn inside out so that the raw edges are inside the hat and sew shut the opening. Even though the hat is reversible, the grey/graphic side turned out better so that is the side that I tend to wear showing.

The better side

As you can see below, not all of the seams aligned themselves but until I am around really tall people this won't show.

Don't look too close

I am kind of proud of this hat as it was a total sewing adventure for me since I am still honing my skills with the sewing machine. I will say that jersey knit is the pits to work with.

This Week

This week is the reveal for the second Iron Craft Challenge. I haven't decided which project to share and I need to complete one of the two projects that I am considering.

Also this week, I will sharing the last of the Insert boxes from Bullets Over Broadway. I am designing some other boxes to share including a tissue box holder, a shoe box, and a box to hold the 365 Decorated Envelopes from last year.

See you during the week--dr(Russ)