Mode a la Belle
  • Home
  • Etsy Shop
  • Pattern Archive
  • Commission Archive
  • Contact Me

projects

Resin Pieces and other jewelry things

January 20, 2012 by Carol 2 Comments

I never thought I’d get into make jewelry, but I’m really having fun with playing with resin, which led me to investigate wire wrapping, and now possibly even beading. But one thing at a time! I get too excited about too many things and then I lose track! Curbing the enthusiasm a little bit has paid off. I’m focusing on getting the resin thing right this time.

Resin Pieces - first batch 016

So here’s my spread of pieces. I’m not showing you ALL of them, because the first ones were such utter failures that I’m embarrassed to show them. These, admittedly, didn’t come out as great, but I think I know why – and that’s the beauty of trial and error. The learning part. Frustrating, yes, but once we move on from being frustrated, we pick up and try again.

Well, I used up all my resin so I’ll need to wait for another shipment before I can try again, but I do intend to.

Resin Pieces - first batch 001Resin Pieces - first batch 002
So this is what they looked like when I poured the resin in the molds. I waited about two or three hours before I embedded stickers, and topped the backings with glitter. I used some generic glitter from Mal-wart (for practice pieces), but I also have this fine glitter from Doodlebug that I bought special. It’s pretty stuff, and I’ve got quite a bit of it left.

So in experimenting with different mold release agents (home remedy stuff, before buying the “official” bottle from the company), I have so far found that cooking oil is the best. Being clever, or thinking I was being clever, I tried Vaseline on this batch. Don’t use Vaseline… *sigh*

Resin Pieces - first batch 010Resin Pieces - first batch 009Resin Pieces - first batch 007Resin Pieces - first batch 006Resin Pieces - first batch 008Resin Pieces - first batch 011
The pieces came out dulled and I’ll tell you why. First, I thought coating the molds with Vaseline would make the face of the resin piece smooth and mirror-finish shiny. Even better, I thought it’d be a great idea to melt the Vaseline into that mirror finish I wanted so badly to achieve. I used a blow dryer to achieve this. Problem is, you have to use the blow dryer (or an exhale through a straw) to get all the bubbles out of the liquid resin that you just poured. What does this do? Melts the Vaseline INTO the still liquid resin, and then it sets funny. Dull.

So – just don’t use Vaseline, is what I say. So far, the cooking oil works well. And I’ll probably just break down and buy the official Mold Release spray from Castin’ Craft anyway. Grr.

I ordered a different kind of resin for my next experiments. I might coat these pieces with it to see how they might look. That’s what experimental batches are for anyway! More experimentation!

I should mention that I’m only using mold release for the hard plastic molds I got (bought them on ResinObsession.com). My prettiest pieces came out of a silcone mold ice tray! It already has a mirror-finish surface. Like so:

Resin Pieces - first batch 017

The stickers are just a batch of sticker flakes I bought from Etsy.com. I wondered what sticker flakes were when I saw them listed. They are exactly as they say they are. Flakes of stickers, rather than a sheet of stickers. I searched for “kawaii stickers”, and I’m pretty sure the ones depicted above are San-X – not to be confused with Sanrio and the Hello Kitty et al line of products.

And lastly, some wire wrapping experiments:

Resin Pieces - first batch 014Resin Pieces - first batch 015
Didn’t follow a pattern really, but I did do a little research on some techniques for wire wrapping. The first piece is just milk glass (fake moonstone, heh). The second wire thingy was my attempt at making a “kawaii” style heart with a wing. Not carefully planned or anything, just sat down in front of the TV next to the husband and messed with the bulk of “Funwire” that I got. Yeah, I get cheap kid’s stuff before going into the Pro supplies. Smart, huh?

So, those are the latest bits and pieces of my happenings. :)

Posted in: Art & Graphics Tagged: crafts, jewelry, projects, resin

Yay, Toys! And other stuff–with video!

September 12, 2011 by Carol 2 Comments

After making the above video, I played with my toys. I love toys. I swear, I’ll never grow up. I think my husband likes that about me too. Good thing. I ain’t changin’. :P

Projects 001Projects 002


So if anyone reading this blog decides to get the same kind of kits I did, don’t make the same mistake – the bottle inside the package is NOT what they’re telling you to mix with the foamy “fuwa fuwa” clay stuff. Haa… It’s totally glue. Watery, but glue nonethless. I actually thought about it after I mixed some watery glue into my clay, and wondered if it may end up being a “happy accident” as Bob Ross would say. As mentioned in the video, a friend on Facebook told me the stuff dries weird. Maybe mixing it with the glue is better? heh – who knows. It was fun to play with, but I don’t think I would sell anything made from the stuff.

I like polymer clay better.

But I played with my toy and followed the pictures in the instructions (since I’m not quite up to reading the Japanese – yet).

Projects 009Projects 008Projects 007Projects 005Projects 010Projects 006
It’s fluffy and mousse-like. But kinda messy on one’s hands when mixed with a couple drops of water. I kept having to rub my fingers together to get the sticky parts off, and I still have a little glitter on them too. Oh, well. They we were fun to play with, and I love the molds! I tried using the polyclay on the mold, though, and it needs something to come off easier. The polyclay is too sticky, it seems. Perhaps cornstarch on the mold before using polyclay?

I had my fun with the first kit – a jewelry making kit – and was all “funned” out when I opened the second kit. So I’ll save that one for another time.

In other news, I’m using my new serger! Yay!

Projects 003Projects 006Projects 002
Working on modifying this dress that used to be way too long for me. I’m only 5’1” so I don’t I look good in full length maxi dresses. Lolita style works much better, methinks. Now all I need is a ruffler foot (already ordered!) to make ruffles and petticoats that are poofy! Milanoo.com doesn’t have very poofy options, sadly. So I guess if you want something done right, do it yourself!

Still with the serger though – I can do things. Like this quick little project of recycling my old high school gym clothes.

Projects 020Projects 018Projects 017Projects 024 Yay, I made a pillow!

I had this horrible pink neck pillow that I got somewhere at the Dallas airport. I got it because it was pink . . . and later I noticed it had the Texas Bullhorn symbol on it. Eugh… Sorry, peeps in Texas, I’m really not fond of the state (or it’s politics … >_>).

So I did something clever! I took the stuffing out of the pillow I didn’t like, and put it into the one that I did! Yay, recycling. I’m not sure I even liked my high school experience that much, but the colors are pleasant, I like the shield with the knight and lancer thing. And I can definitely say I like that MUCH better than Texas-anything.

Posted in: Art & Graphics, Video Tagged: clay, projects, sewing

Red Velvet Cake necklace w/earrings

September 5, 2011 by Carol 1 Comment

happiness2Well I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t having fun. I think I already mentioned that in an earlier post, though, so now I’m just being redundant and likely annoying. Moving forward.

I went to Etsy.com last night and ordered a few supplies from a couple sellers. I gave myself a budget of 40 dollars and I think I did very well. I spent $35.45 on some cameo molds and cabochons, and other decorative stuff. I’m into this cake making thing right now. I saw one tutorial of how to make a red velvet cake out of poly-clay, and decided to try it.

013012011010009

I used my little cake as a starting point for a little deco-den practice. I’m sure there’s tutorials somewhere for that too. I’m also expecting some acrylic rhinestones to come, and I’m still looking for a good source to buy those. At the Hobby Lobby, I found them for nearly $4 for what didn’t seem like a lot of rhinestones. So I didn’t buy them there. Instead, I found them at Etsy (I love that website) for a $1 for the same amount of stones as in the package in the store.

Maybe Fire Mountain Gems? Or perhaps another online source I have yet to discover?

Anyway, I’m thinking of doing some deco on my Sony camera I keep using to take all these pictures. It’s already a boring Navy blue, so I want that to change. :) Let’s get crazy creative!

 

One Last Thing

Delphos Dress copyRandomness at the end of a post about clay stuff, I just wanted to share my recent drawing. I haven’t drawn anything in a while, constantly feeling discouraged about it. I guess at one time I was okay at fashion sketching. This was the one piece of homework I did for that class that I dropped.

The assignment was to choose a designer of the period we were studying. In this case, La Belle Epoque. I chose Mariano Fortuny, the guy who did costumes for theater. I really just wanted to try to draw this famous dress of his, called a Delphos gown. He was inspired by ancient Greece. And he invented the pleating process for the fabric (he was an inventor too – yay, science!).

Posted in: Art & Graphics Tagged: arts and crafts, clay, drawing, projects

School is overrated . . . having more fun now

September 2, 2011 by Carol 6 Comments

art2So life never ceases to amaze me. Wow, that’s such a cliché. You know why? ‘Cause it happens all the freakin’ time! To everyone. Everyone says it at one point or another, and so I’m saying it now.

I dropped that stupid fashion history class. The good news in that is that I got all my money back – just got the check in the mail today for the full amount. Good school, Santa Fe Community College. But terrible class. I suppose not so much in that the class sucked, just that it wasn’t a right fit for me. In this adventure of trying to find “myself” (omg another horrible cliché – sorry), I’m constantly realizing that I should be taking different approaches to things that befit my personality and tastes.

Posted in: Art & Graphics, Blog Tagged: clay, crafts, decoden, pics, projects

Of all the OTHER things I do

July 31, 2011 by Carol Leave a Comment

handlinkI built a computer! This time I had no help. Woot! Go me!

I built my own computer (the one I’m using to type out this blog right now) with some help from a former friend, who also helped me choose components based on my budget at the time ($1300). This computer is pretty smokin’ even a couple years later!

  • Intel Core i7 2.6 Ghz
  • 6 GB RAM (now upgraded to 14GB)
  • Gigabyte EX58-UD3R
  • ATI Radeon HD 6800 Series (~4GB)

Those are just the basics of mine.

The new one I built for my roommate cost less than my iPad 2. I had a couple components lying around already – the old video card I had, 4GB of the 6GB from my own system, and a 550W PSU that I took out of my own system (I got a 750W for me).

It was easier to put together this time than before, and I feel so proud of myself. I installed Windows 7 Home Premium for her, and so now she has a 320GB HD, 4GB RAM, and a Core i3 3.1 Ghz Processor. Yay! Everything works!

Summer & Computers 007Summer & Computers 006Summer & Computers 005Summer & Computers 004Summer & Computers 003Summer & Computers 002Summer & Computers 001

Posted in: Blog Tagged: building, computer, projects, tech

Copyright © 2019 Mode a la Belle.

Shopping WordPress Theme by themehall.com