What, these ol' things?

Just before we left home to head to a whiter Christmas location, I finished a few things.  

I had just learned how to do herringbone stitch book bindings, and with my freshly made sewing frame, I thought I would make my mother a book for Christmas.

It wasn't the best of the best.  I even redid the covers- they were that not good!  And a press sure would have helped, but it turned out pretty nice in the end.  I think they can only get better in the future, and it is one of those things, that I wanted to let the stitching show, since I'm pretty sure that's why it was designed to look nice, but at the same time, I feel like it made the cover look unfinished.  For the future, I think I am ok knowing that the stitching looks nice, even if it does get covered up!  We will see, though, if I find or create other good solutions.

Also, I made these:

Not the best photo ever, oops!

But they are the first two iterations of leather and silver shawl pins- also intended to my mom. (Yes, I made lots of gifts this year, and left my mom's til the very last minute...). 

My dear husband looked at the first one i made and said "you've done better..."

At least he is honest!

So I made a second one, which I thought turned out better. (Mom wondered if whatever she was looking at in the gift box was finished, so apparently, I didn't sell it too well!  When I told her it was two separate pins with a single stick, she believed me that they were done.  Phew!)

Next on my list of things I made...

My daughter's Christmas stocking!

(My mother started it before we got there, and did the top stripes.)

For my first real colorwork, I am super pleased!  I did the name, then designed (with the help of some other patterns) the moose and tree, then got to figure out how to carry that many colors.

It was all good fun.

Now we are home with the new year leas than 8 hours away.

We shall see what 2014 has to bring.

Cheers!

Why I wasn't at my bench today...

I was making this.

It probably doesn't look like anything much at all to anyone right now, because it isn't done.

My friend sent me a text today, asking if I have a sewing frame.  

Many images flashed in my head, forcing me to ask for clarification. 

It turned out as I had thought: he was looking for a sewing frame for bookbinding, and while I didn't already have one, it has been on my list of things to make.  Way,  way down, pretty much at the bottom of the list, but it was there!

So the bambina went in her crib for a nap, and I began on a scavenger hunt, in the truest sense of the word, for pieces to use for this frame.

What I found were some old pieces of threaded rod that I had used with circles of plexiglass (I wonder where those went...) for a show that I did in college.  If I ever find some photos of that, it was pretty damn stunning, if I do say so myself! 

 *sidenote on the display*

People were playing ping pong in the common room, just over the half wall where my work was displayed, (it was college) and a stray ball knocked one of my pieces off of it's stand.  I don't even recall exactly which piece, but I do remember almost having a heart attack when it hit the concrete floor...

Back to today.

I found a strip of wood in the garage that I planed down to be slightly nicer.  I also found some nice plywood that was previously used for a built-in desk, so there were Plenty of screw holes already in it.  Score!

I took my loot down to the basement where I grabbed my (husband's) trusty razorsaw (one of the best Christmas gifts I've gotten him) off the wall and cut away. 

Then I couldn't find the coping saw, so I put my project on hold and chopped some veggies for dinner.

The end.

Stay tuned.

Solder While She Sleeps

I think I have finally started to get back into some kind of real groove of making again!
Between today being my husband's last graduate class for his master's degree, and the wee one's somewhat more predictable napping, I have been able to find a little bit more time to work in my studio.
I really do solder while she sleeps.  And form, cut, file and sand.
Then when my husband or mom-in-law can watch her, I polish.  (It is such dirty work!  I don't want to touch that toddler until I am fully dusted off and showered up.)  

Another great thing:
I am starting to get back to my old(er) design sense.  That feels really darn good.
For a while there, I seemed to be designing based on what I thought people would want, and on conservation of materials…  With the growing cost of precious metals, I freaked out a little bit and tried to go minimal.  Some great things came out of that, but it is nice to get back.

Luckily, I have been able to finish some things for my Etsy shop.

I am working on a little baby bracelet for Christmas.  Hopefully she will be happy to wear it.  Since she constantly puts mason jar bands on her arms and wears them around as bracelets, I'm not too concerned, though.

Since I started this post around 7.15 this morning, my coffee got cold, the wee one woke up, had breakfast and played, and we took a trip out in the frosty winter air to get a new oxygen tank (and some laundry detergent).  Now we are on to playing with a bag of spoons and a sunny, hopefully productive day, now that I have more oxygen for my torch.

Cheers!