GIVEAWAY FOR SEA SHIP CABOCHON

After all my work creating a 30x40mm cabochon setting, I would love to share them with you! Seeing how you would color your piece or how you choose to design it would be so amazing! If you share it with me, I would love to re-post on my blog.

To enter this all ages giveaway, visit my website BLOG post to check how to get these delivered to your home! I will close the auction and choose two winners to receive 1 cabochon at random winner on May 28th, at 6PM PST. Good Luck!

Carving a Cameo

Well, I have been slacking! I haven't posted in a while, but it feels like just yesterday! I have been working on my favorite, cameos. Doing a lot of new stuff, but I haven't been finishing them! The colors aren't right, I'm not liking the beads, or my sculpting isn't making me happy. Do any of you other crafters get that sometime?

I don't like to craft just to make a buck. I like to put my heart and thought into it, every time. It takes time to create and come up with new ideas. I went to Vegas a few weeks ago. Didn't know when to stop gambling and lost a few hundred dollars. Yikes! But I love Vegas and came back inspired. By the way, I am addicted to Roulette! I always play number 8.

I moved my work station around, too. Not really a good thing. I condensed things down and I like to work with everything on top if my desk. But It was pretty bad. My key board was on a mountain of beads and I wasn't being very productive.

I purchased an octopus cameo setting and I had a very pretty cameo to add to it. But I realized that it wasn't going to be unique if I glued two designs from other artists together, right? I had to design my own cabochon to put into this setting if I wanted to keep on my toes.

Anyway, I noticed my clay had dried up quite a bit. My friend Espi of Fairy Tales and Rebel Yells gave me some fresh clay to play with. I got this itch to start carving and sculpting small designs. I had a plastic mold setting, (in pic below), that I used as a guide to keep my cabochon at a 40x30 mm size. So I started doing a water theme first. After I was happy enough with my work, I froze it for a few hours to make it easy to pop out of the plastic mold frame to bake in the oven. I wanted to create a hard copy of my carving so I made a silicone mold of the oven baked cab.



My mold is sturdy and reusable so I start making clay replicas and below I show one that I painted. I add it in my octopus cameo setting that I purchased a while back. I love it! I will need to sand down the edges and do some other changes, but I do like my design. :0) Would you like a cabochon to play with? What color would you make it? Hmm, I should do a giveaway!



I was still on a rampage to crave and sculpt. So I decided to do the beautiful genie from the TV show, 'I Dream of Jeannie.' The middle one I was happy with, (pic below), so in the oven she goes. Except, my honey made hash browns in the oven during the time I was carving, and didn't realize the temperature of the oven was at 450 degrees! I'm so silly, I just assumed it was still at 250 and didn't even check. The house started to get smokey and I quickly checked my cameo and it was burnt to a crisp! Her leg even bubbled up! Yikes! But I'm crafty as heck, I will fix it. ;) I'll have her available soon as well.



Anyway. I'll have a giveaway for some sea cabochons for you crafty girls to play with. If anyone would like to purchase one, check here. Thank you for dropping by! xoxo Razz

2012 Re Cap - You Were a Good Year

I haven't went camping since I was little. I would go with Grandma, Grandpa, mom and the family to Stevens Creek or Dinky Creek. Probably more, but I can't remember them all.
This year I went with my cousins Flea Bite and Stink-anie, (childhood nicknames), to San Mateo Memorial Park and pitched a tent in between some big ass trees. I also met some banana slugs, and many racoons! Let me tell you, I needed this vacation! I had no internet and phone service. The weather was so fresh and crisp. I can't wait to do it again. Breakfast and coffee tasted so much better in the forest!



I also went on vacation this year! Ah! Being self employed has it's perks! I went to Chicago, Illinois for the first time ever. The thought started off as I was talking with crafty chick Krysta from A La Carte Craftery about my wish to see Jack White from The White Stripes. She said, "Is he on tour right now?" and pulled out her phone to Google him. There he was, all over the place, including California! So my search started to find concert tickets. I ended up buying tix to Lollapalooza all the way in Chicago this August. I also got to see At The Drive In!! Yee-ya!

I think it was a 5-6 hour flight from California. Me and my cousin Stink-anie flew from San Francisco to O'Hare. Getting off the plane I felt the humidity, ick! The first thing we did was eat a Chicago style pizza, the thickest pizza I've ever met! We each had one slice and saved the rest for din din. We were stuffed!

As we walked out, the rain caught us off guard and we ran to Union Station til it slowed. It felt as if we jumped in a pool in just a matter of seconds. I later heard that Lollapalooza was evacuated from the rain that day. It was a three day event, but I was going the next day. Three day tix were all sold out. :0( The food in Chicago was very memorable. I found a sammich place called PotBelly's that was on the same corner as where we stayed. I still crave the Mediterranean sammy! Mmm! With Zapps chippies!



I also went to the top of the Willis Tower (SEARS TOWER) although I do not have a pic at the moment. I will snag one from the internet world so you can see the skyscraper. It's the tallest building in North America, just for those that did not know.





The sky deck is located at the 103rd floor, which is where I went. I was very nervous to take that first step onto the glass floor. My palms were sweaty and I was frightened. With a couple hands held, I was able to get on and all was well. I even sat inside and had a pic taken. My cousin has the pic on her camera. I will upload as soon as I get them. We kinda procrastinate. :0)

OMG! Fat pizza pie from Giordanos in Chicago! Yesss!

In The Process of Pouring Resin and Mold Making

Sea Treasures - In The Making - Process Jewelry Making

I have a favorite artist. Her name is Jane Wynn. Years ago on one my my Borders Book Store visits, I ran into her book. Now, let e tell you that I would frequent these book stores and spend several hours going through craft books, trying to get inspired. Beading and Cook books used to be my fave. Anyway, I ran into her book called Altered Curiosities. It was lightning of info going through my brain! I skimmed through the pages and knew it was the book I had to leave with. Here is here LINK to visit her shop. Your welcome.

My Octopus necklace is inspired from her creation process shown in her book. Still different, but you can see how she's helped me put this together. These are not thorough instructions. It is just a simple way of saying what I did. Buy Jane's book for a better understanding of how to create your own look.

I separated a long strand of twine. I would have liked to have another thread, but didn't have anything at the time. You can try other threads if you like.



I found chain I wanted to use and braided the twine adding random beads along the way. I also had broken chain from another project that I linked together as well.





I drilled holes at the top of my finished pendant. I used a thin drill bit, and went straight through the back.

I used head pins through the drilled holes, then made a loop in the front to connect my chain. I will clean up the back of the pendant with a solid color resin, to hide my work and sanding.





I really wanted to add more twine, I thought it would bring a fish net look to my sea themed piece. Maybe next time I won't unravel each strand. Live and learn, yes?

I wish the dimension showed more in the photo. Here is the finished piece. The octopus is a glittery sea green with foil like eyes. An anchor sits in the front and real sea shells mixed into the glittery gold sand. I might add extra twine. tonight. :0)

Making Resin Skull Earrings - My Process

I like to share on Instagram, but I thought I would share here just for others who don't use the app on the smart phone. I wanted to share how I created a skull flat back bead cabochon from a skull head. I purchased a skeleton at the Dollar Store. I took his head and sliced it down the middle with a razor blade. Usually I slice my finger, but luckily not this time! :0) I then stuffed the hollowed skull head with clay, so that when I create a mold, I won't have air inside and make an odd shape. Instead of using silicone to create a mold, I used my vacuum former. I created a plastic see-through mold, perfect to make a smooth skull head! The next day I popped out my skull head and added crystals over the eyes. I hate making bows, and dealing with ribbon. Nut Had to use some for her head onto these earrings! I really do love how they came out. I'm making a bunch now - and some are even for me to keep! :0)

A Proper Burial - My Design for a Wasp Bee Necklace

On Easter, I am up quite early prepping for my visit to grandmas house. While I wait for lil sister to pick me up to ride together, I decide to pick up around the house. I go out to toss the trash and left the front door open, as I would step out for just a sec. Upon my quick return, I hear a loud buzzing. At my craft table, near the front door, is a wasp the size of Texas trying to get into the window blinds. After I scream bloody murder, my sister arrives and I dash out of the house leaving the wasp alone. I came home in the evening and had forgot all about that wasp incident. I get into fix a shower and notice the wasp on the bathroom floor, dead. What if I stepped on it?? I examined it, and before it was flushed into the toilet, I noticed how lovely it looked. She seemed to have beautiful almond shaped eyes, that looked half open. Well, I didn't want to flush her at all. I wanted to show off her beautiful colors, and give her a proper burial. She was very soft, still very flimsy and delicate. I carefully put her onto a lid and let her sit over night.
The next day, I start her new home. I started the resin pour, and gently lowered my wasp. I wonder if I moved her antennas upward, if they would have broke off? I didn't want to break her, so I left her alone.

I had a few dried flowers that I had saved for a few years. I being a craft hoarder, knew the day would come when I was going to use them. I lined the edge of the flowers with a light sprinkle of glitter.

I've also added some crystals and colored pearls, and a small silver cross. I didn't want a busy background, So I used black glitter.

The final picture! I sanded the edges, and glazed this to a high shine! I hand beaded the chain using black and gold glass beads, and two rose shaped beads as well. The final resting place of the Wasp. :) Her beauty can always be admired. -Razz