texture, sparkle, detail and touch

I actually bought these things a few months ago at the thrift store. I'm still debating what to do with them but love the colors and sparkle of the fabric and beaded top. For someone who rarely wear anything but flannel and T-shirts, I sure have a ton of clothing. When I shop it's not..."how would this look on me?" but "what can I make with this beautiful fabric ?" The top is silk and glass beads and I do hate to cut it up but it would be such a lovely accent on a scarf or handbag....what to do, what to do. I'm not sure what the olive fabric is made of, (one of the problems for me with thrift store fabric is I can't identify it just by look and touch. It's soft and shiny...maybe silk or synthetic...may have to do a burn test to see of it melts...hmmmm. I do have a plan for it though. I wont to make some head scarves with a layer of wool sandwiched between this and some rayon/silk blend deep violet fabric. I'm just scared to sew it because I know both fabrics are supposed to be difficult to sew(slippery) . I'm hoping the inner layer of wool will help but it will be an experiment(probably in futility), but wouldn't it be lovely if it works ?

Thrift store score

Another bit of decadence . This leather jacket cost me $3.00 . Other then two tiny water spots and a bit of wear under the collar, it is premium shape . To small and "loud" for me to wear but even I can appreciate the craftsman ship and quality of the leather. Again, the debate is,.....consignment shop or use it myself. This will probably sit in the closet a few years while I decide. I think it would actually "hurt" to cut this up . Care to weigh in ?

Thrift-store treasure hunting

I decided to treat myself to a "brief" trip to my favorite thrift-store and found out it was 50% off for Veterans Day . I don't wear "fancy clothes" but couldn't resist buying this jacket and skirt of textured leather. $7.50 for both and now I am torn between taking it to a consignment store or using the leather for my own crafting . On the one hand, I really hate to cut up something this beautifully crafted...there are a lot of very cool details...On the other hand....I love this leather and would love to make some bags and dresses for the girls with it....hmmmmm. (I think I know who is winning this internal debate...the leather lover).

A few things I made last week at work. Two more suede beaded pouches that I need to add straps to and 4 wrist cuffs made from some leather backed vintage fabric with large wooden button closures, glass and semi-precious beads. This isn't a very detailed picture but I will try and get some descent detailed photos for my shop this week. The cuffs are really comfy for someone like me, who has problems with most metal jewelry. Due to my own allergies and sensitivities, I am trying to develop some "aspie friendly accessories" for those who have similar problems with metal. Being that all aspie sensitivities are unique to that individual, it wont work for all, but I assume there are others who may like the pressure feedback from the cuff better then the tickly sensation of most hanging metal bracelets . I plan on making some " neck chokers" with the same effect...though I'm sure it would drive some aspies crazy...(Help, I'm choking), others of us like the sensory feedback of tight things to help our brains know where are bodies are in space. (OK, I know this probably sounds "crazy" to some NT's but hopefully I have a few aspie readers who know what I'm talking about ? )

This wonderful little storage container is from the author of ..."The Eyes of Time" . It seems he noticed my clutter and decided a "proper place for supplies" was called for. Thank you William . He also sent me two prints he made, but I will wait until I have better lighting to try and photo those...they are two gorgeous old prints of Tigers that he sells. ....more about that when I can get a link for WHERE he sells them because you may want one....(he probably has better pictures of them then my camera can take, so maybe I will just put the link here instead of ripping my hair out trying to get the detail of these beauties.)

Happy Birthday toooo meeee

Some guys buy their girlfriends jewelry, roses or "nighties" for their birthdays. This is what I got from mine. The sweetest monkey a girl could ever want...and no poo flinging from this little sweety, just lots of funny sounds and hugs. (BF knows me so well .) Maybe someday I will get a video camera to record his crazy antics.,(the monkey, not the BF...he's a bit camera shy).

Thank You Jane

Here are a "few" wonderful things sent to me by a friend and fellow member of EtsyMN group. She also happens to be one of my most generous supporters, often including me in her Etsy treasures to help promote my store and even purchasing a few of my "odd" creations. Truly a wonderful and giving person and the main reason I continue to keep making things for my store despite the economy and general lack of sales. So this is my chance to say....Thank You Jane...... of Glorioushats ....for your support and encouragement

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=22903

It's appreciated more then I can put into words...(like that ever stopped me from blathering on).

Included here are some tiny vegetables to put into the little pouch's I make for my dolls, some of the nicest leather I have ever felt...buttery soft and rich colors for the books and girls' clothes, suede for the girls dresses, a beautiful card that I believe she purchased on on Etsy and a vintage doll.
Originally, I thought the doll was meant for me to turn into one of my "re-purposed dolls" and I was going to send it back with the new decorations but....How can I re-purpose something that is already so special in it's own rights. It just struck me as sacrilegious to alter a vintage doll. So, change of plans. I am hunting for the perfect modern doll, to take back in time 40,000 years. I'm still looking . Many of the smallest dolls are either not well made(plastic with seams) or look like babies but I want a little girl not a baby but the girls I like the best are mostly 14-20"...American Girls(TM) and bigger then she would like...so I keep my eyes open and believe the right girl will find me.

Just a back view showing the weapons bag. I am still working on making some throwing spears nd other weapons .

Here is little sis. Her tan suede pouch if for collecting herbs and roots and she has a side pouch for berries and nuts. As you can see, she shares my passion for fur ....this is rabbit from a re-purposed coat .

I need a better camera, lol. I spent so much time on the detailing and it just doesn't seem to show up in these pictures . All the jewelry and beading is wood or semi-precious stones .

I want her hair . I love the look of the yarn wrap dreads . The necklace is wood beads with burnt on design and some turquoise from a "vintage" necklace .

One of the new girls in her natural habitat . I still want to play around with the images a bit but I do love tree bark .

I've been working on these new girls this weekend. The book author wanted some girls with lighter weight clothing so I used more suede and leather rather then all fur . I still need to make boots for one of the girls and weapons for both of them and then can finally get some nice out door photos . I think I would also to add a black strip across their eyes and more natural color on the lips, (I don't think the blue clay/dye would last long on lips .) I would also like to add some stone necklaces for both of them and a bit of paint to decorate the dresses . I was thinking of paw prints and hand prints along with my favorite....spirals . I love spirals for some reason. The most challenging part will be the weapons . I would probably prefer carving them but am going to try and use Femo to look like the woolly mammoth and other animal bones they would have probably used .

One thing I am using some "artistic license" with is the use of wool yarn for their hair and other decorations. I know there hasn't been evidence that they had access to fiber spinning, but I think some people would have collected the shedding wool from the mammoths and used it to make simple fiber . I think the lack of evidence maybe just because it is more likely to have deteriated over time . Well, that's my rationel for using something that I just think looks so cool,lol. I did try and stick with the organic looking wool I bought on Etsy .

Finally finished the package for the charity auction . You can find more informatoin about it here.......

http://mitchcarlsonbenefit.blogspot.com/

It;s a very good cause to help raise a little money for medical expenssives...we all know how they add up. I am sending a few of my bamboo pendants with some swarovski crystals and other "shinny stones" . The little animals are my "pillow buddies" created to improve breathing and assist sleep . They are filled with Eucalyptus leaves, French Lavender, rice and flax seed . The light blue "things" are minky with a winter pattern and can either be warmed and placed on forehead for sinus headaches or kept in a plastic bag in the freezer for migraines or swelling . These are filled with the same mix as the animals but more lavender and less eucalyptus . The brightly colored "thing" is three hair braids of "art yarns" attached to leather which is sewn to a french beret .

All that is left is to write little notes of explanation for the items and force myself to the post office . If there is room in the box I will probably find some "odds and ends" crafts that I haven't managed to list in my store yet. I think I make about 10 items for every one I actually list.....I hate listing. (I am a bad capitalist ...then a gain, they don't seem to be doing such a great job lately .)

I just got done with a twelve hour over night with the dogs but I wanted to get
the girls up with their new make-over. The first two are ready to list after
I finish a few accessories but I still have to make an outfit for cat-girl .

I will be taking a crafting sabbatical until I can find a new job. I love the dogs but when we get a full house of 140, I feel like I want to scream . I have to get
out before the Holidays .

I finally got some pendants ready for necklaces. These are going to an auction
to help raise money for a fellow Etsy member with an ill family member.
She said the group bidding there would be rather conservative and this is about
the only thing in my store that isn't "too" weird, I guess. She also said she
likes the books and I want to send a hair braid beret, just incase there is some
freaky girl like me in the audience who can talk her mom into buying it for her.

The other side of these are decorated with the same vintage fabric as shown
in the last pendant, so if the "abstract" is to funky, they can wear it on the fabric
side. I hope they like them. I'm making copperish brown satin cords for them.

Homies vs Aliens

My BF says it's not good business to get "political"...but what the heck, this just seems to important to keep quit about. I don't really care what someones thoughts are about people crossing US boarders illegally. I can see both sides of the issue. MY problem is with humans calling other humans "aliens"....so I said it with a necklace. This is the earth, this is a human living on the earth and this is an alien . As I learned on Sesame Street..."One of these things doesn't go with the others"...

Words count . Labels count. When you call someone an "other" you have just made it easier to go to war with them or treat them "nonhumanly" . (That's pretty messed up too, but it does seem to be a flaw in human DNA that we haven't evolved out of for the past ...million year or so, so I don't see that changing any time soon.) That being the case, it's pretty important that we make sure not to "other" people just because they are not just like "us" . Once we get that straight, hope we can move onto extending "us" to animals and real aliens,(the nice ones, anyway) . I will be selling these on Etsy next week and have a limited supply, since they are repurposed and my stock is based on what I found in the thrift store . Anyone with their own stock of aliens and homies...has my permission to make their own necklaces and sell...get the word out .....Humans are only aliens if your from a planet other then earth .

If you are from this planet, you are not an alien

What in the name of the all powerful is this....?

second girl ready for make-up and listing on Etsy

Yeah .....had fun working on her this weekend. She is inspired by the Harajuku girls in Japan and
the movie Zoolander, "think.... derelique-sheek" . She was wrapped in a layer of "regular yarns"
then a top layer of wool yarn from Etsy . Her arm warmers are an earthy fleece decorated with an alien bracelet. Most of her clothing is wrapped, woven or knotted, not sewn and can't be removed. (We have something in common....Once we find an outfit we like, we stick with it .) She is wearing a velveteen hoody of deep purples with a hole in the top for her top knot...which is wrapped in fur and suede that matches her deep pink skirt. Her leopard print boots are fake fur and tied with some more matching suede strips. She's also wearing a necklace of amazonite chips and pearls and can be removed and worn by her new mom .


What I have yet to do...paint the eyes with eyeliner
paint Geisha lips
Leather soles on her boots
A little backpack(accessories...yeah!)
A small ipod necklace based on the one's I sell on Etsy
Mini-ipod of Femo clay (and cell phone ?)

Fun stuff ! Now, I just have to make myself take pictures and list her on Etsy...that's the part I dread . Anyone want to be my agent ?