Posts Tagged ‘astrid boyce’

Product Review: Cool 2 Cast Fiber Plaster

// April 2nd, 2012 // Comments Off // Art Jewelry, Beads, & Glass, Blog

I received a sample of Cool 2 Cast Fiber Plaster and some push molds and I have to say I love this product. It makes my head spin with ideas.

Cool 2 Cast

Cool 2 Cast

It’s super easy to use! Just mix with water, pour into the molds (I like to tap them on a flat surface like a table a couple of times to settle the mix, we used to do that with plaster of paris when it was watered down back in school) and let it set up for about an hour.

The possibilities are really limitless. I have plans to use some brightly colored tissue paper and mod podge to do stained glass backgrounds and then stamp over those.

What I had on hand though, were some markers, a big set of Prismacolor Watercolor pencils and some matte finish Krylon. So I decided to do some art. :)

The first is a necklace I call ‘Gar’. It’s based on an old Celtic design.

Gar

Gar

The second is destined to be a pair of earrings with the working title of ‘Day and Night in Hill Country’. I live in Texas and of course this time of year bluebonnets are everywhere. My day job takes me on long trips so I see lots of fields and meadows. I love old broken down fences and flowers, it’s a combination I never get tired of looking at.  These obviously aren’t finished but I have glued the Ultrasuede backing on, that’s the choppy looking stuff around the edges.  That’s how I attach my beadweaving and by the time it’s finished those rough edges won’t show.  I thought you might like to see a piece in progress though.  You can also see that the casted pieces are thick and I like that.  An added bonus is anything made with Cool 2 Cast is feather light so you can go big and austentatious and not have to be afraid that you’ll feel like you’re wearing bowling balls in your ears, always a plus.

Hill Country Day & Night Earrings

Hill Country Day & Night Earrings

Pick up some Cool 2 Cast and see what you can do! You can paint, stamp, glue…..I even carved around on these. The extremely white lines and dots are where I actually carved into the Cool 2 Cast with one of my little files.

Also, if you should pull your pieces of of the mold and find a slight blemish (which is actually really rare, I was *very* impressed with the lack of lumps and/or bubbles) it’s easy to use a fine file or fine sandpaper to smooth the surface. Heck, use a fingernail file or buffer, we all have those!

I’m having so much fun with my Cool 2 Cast, I know you will too. :D

Book Review: Stitch Workshop – Peyote Stitch (basic technique, advanced results)

// March 1st, 2012 // Comments Off // Art Jewelry, Beads, & Glass, Book Reviews

Click the book to purchase it from the publisher.

Stitch Workshop: Peyote Stitch

Peyote Stitch Workshop!

 

I. love. this. book. <3

I don’t normally gush over a book but I’m gushing, can you tell? ;)

Moreover, I am completely enamored of one particular design. I loved it so much after making the first blue cuff:

Monochromatic Blues

Monochromatic Blues

that I made a second for my daughter in rainbow colors with a matte white background.

Rainbow Cubes

Rainbow Cubes

 

 

Rainbow Cubes

Rainbow Cubes

 

I used my own 12mm lampwork rainbow orbs for the clasps on both bracelets.

You can use 4mm cubes! I love 4mm cubes and rarely get to use them.

There are other designs that use cubes as well as rivolis, pearls, tube beads, crystals, and anything else you can think of. The cuff pictured at the top left on the cover is perfect as a base for freeform peyote.

There are excellent step by step instructions at the front of the book for someone just starting out and the designs get progressively more complicated throughout so even experienced beadweavers will find designs to challenge them. Something for everyone!

The last two designs are an interlocking weave bracelet done with size 13 seed beads (or charlottes) and a wonderful pattern for vessels that will get you going down the road of sculptural peyote.

There are floral designs, abstracted butterfly wings which would make lovely earrings, several designs with a tribal feel and an exquisite jeweled bracelet with a plethora of rivolis.

If you’re thinking about learning peyote (and why wouldn’t you because it’s AWESOME) I would use this book as a jumping off point. It even explains clearly that starting row that gives us all fits in the beginning. :)

Happy stitching!

Astrid

http://www.etsy.com/shop/astridboyce

Let's go shopping!

Book Review: Knitted Beaded Jewelry: How to Make 16 Stylish Projects by Ruth Herring

// February 8th, 2012 // 3 Comments » // Art Jewelry, Beads, & Glass, Book Reviews, Knitting

 

Click the book to purchase this title from the publisher.

First I have to say that it is with some trepidation that I approached this book as I am not a knitter. In fact, my experience with knitting began and ended in the seventh grade with a horror of a home economics teacher that told my mother at the end of the year that it was her first year teaching and that it would be her last because of me.

Yeah.

Not a good experience for either of us, lol. Between my refusal to hold knitting needles properly (I’m left-handed although they tried to fix that) and my use of butter knives to weigh down patterns when cutting them out ( which I still do and totally had to laugh when someone came out with commercial weights for the same purpose) we didn’t see eye to eye.

38 years later I was giving the size 3 knitting needles the fish-eye in my kitchen but no one grows without getting past their prejudices so I plunged in.

The instructions in the book are clear and I actually found that with the little fragments of what I recalled I was able to cast on and get going fairly quickly. I did have to refer to some video tutorials on you tube because, as I’ve said, I’m left-handed. There are some wonderful free video tuts for getting started with left-handed knitting and I was stitching away in no time.

However, understanding the basics and applying them are two different things. I stitched merrily away and soon ended up with what looked like bad fishnets because I was dropping stitches all over the place. I need practice.

Since I am what I consider a knitting newbie I would say that you could learn to knit with the instructions in this book. I have, although I’ve switched over to sock yarn. I am still using the size three needles. I like little tools.

So, although the sterling silver cuff bracelet pictured is based on the patterns in this book I have to admit I cheated – it’s crocheted.

 

The wire is 28 gauge sterling silver and the beads are Magatama beads by Miyuki in three different colorways. Magatamas are wonderful. Think tiny raindrop shaped beads with wonderful shine. The clasp is a slider and is also sterling silver that I found several years ago at my local bead shop and was perfect for this project. See? You really do use the stuff from your stash. :)

There are four patterns in the book that utilize yarn and the rest are wire based. While I used 28 gauge and am happy with the results the recommended gauge for this pattern was 32. I do plan to experiment with some color wire and even C-lon and waxed irish linen as time permits. I’m a fiber junkie and this is a fun departure from micro macrame, weaving, and stringing.

The book starts out with sections dedicated to descriptions of various bead types, tools, and materials. From there it moves into a section with excellent step by step pictures on how to cast on, knit, purl, finish off and various basic stitch patterns. The properties of certain patterns (i.e. – stockinettes tendency to roll and exploiting this property in jewelry design) are discussed. There are numerous patterns for bracelets, necklaces, and earrings and for the more advanced a sweet little bag made with Aran cotton yarn.

I have enjoyed working with this book and I think you will too. Especially if you are a knitter you really should experiment with wire and jewelry making. I think an accomplished knitter well versed in the variety of patterns out there could get the basics of working with wire from this book and create some exquisite pieces. The possibilities are endless!

 

Until next time, happy crafting!

Astrid

Let's go shopping!

 

 

Book Review: Not Your Mama’s Beading by Kate Shoup Welsh

// January 10th, 2012 // Comments Off // Art Jewelry, Beads, & Glass, Book Reviews

You can purchase this book from the publisher here.
Hi everyone!
I know I have been MIA since Thanksgiving.
Sometimes life just gets insane around here.  :) 
Things are finally settling down though and it's good to be back to a routine finally.

I wanted to review a book for you:  'Not Your Mama's Beading' by Kate Shoup Welsh.

I've been beading several years but there is such a wealth of information packed into
this book that I found several projects I want to make.  What I did make were these
adorable sterling silver earrings with moonstone briolettes from the project titled
'The Girl with the Curl Earring'.  They aren't hard to make at all, work up fast,
and are wonderfully light and sparkly.
From the project 'Girl with a Curl Earring'

Curl Earrings

 The book is well laid out and easy to read.  My only complaint is that I would like to
see more color photography.

If you aren't really a beader (yet!) and would like to find a simple reasonably priced
book that would let you figure out if this type of craft is for you then this book is an
excellent place to start.

If you are a more experienced beader there is still useful information here but you will
probably have covered much of the same ground previously so be aware of that.

There are chapters on the history of beading, what to shop for supply and tool-wise,
and five chapters of creativity with over 30 projects.

I am happy to include this book in my library and would recommend this without
reservation to anyone who wants to test the water and see if beading is for them.
Until next time, have a happy and creatively productive January!

Astrid

My Etsy Shop

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Tapestry Bead Crochet by Ann Benson and FREE miser bag drawing!

// November 15th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Blog, Book Reviews, Crochet

You can purchase this book from the publisher:  http://www.larkcrafts.com/bookstore/?isbn=9781600593376

I admit defeat.

I really wanted to do this.  Really.  I was lusting after this little coin purse which is one of the early projects in the book:

And lest you think I am some sort of thread crochet slouch (and to give you an idea of difficulty level) I do know my way around thread crochet.  Here is a down and dirty picture of a filet crochet miser purse I just finished.

 

FREE!  If you will leave a comment on this post and make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you I will send you this miser purse (after it’s been blocked of course)!

Drawing will be held on this Saturday, September 19, 2011.  Winner will be announced here and via email.

It hasn’t been blocked yet so it’s not perfect but as you can see from the two pictures below the strings leading up to the bone ring interlock with the two sides of the crochet and through the flap so that when you pull on the bone ring the cords pull the closure tightly shut and no coins, etc., can escape.  It’s a victorian era crochet design as is tapestry bead crochet.  So yeah, I know my way around  a crochet needle and victorian patterns.  I entered into this with my usual tenacious “No problem, I can do anything” mentality.  I was saying on a lampworking forum where I hang out today that my best quality is tenacity, that I’m like a dog with a bone.  It’s rare for me to throw in the towel but I really had no choice here.

For your giggling enjoyment, here is my sample of tapestry bead crochet, LOL:

The author says in the instructions that the initial crochet chain will curl and should be ironed so that when you join to make your circle you won’t have to fight with the thread.  I ironed.  I say even IF you iron as soon as you start to crochet it begins to curl again (as you can see) and boy, does it curl.  I took the photo after I uncurled it.  Then there is the fact that you have to string the beads on (you can see that on the left side of the photo) in sections of five or so rows at a time in the order they will be crocheted to form the pattern AND you must string on both sides of the project so really you are stringing on 10 rows at a time.  Each row has 142 beads x 5 = 710 beads to string on.

But wait, there’s more.

As hard as this is to get started you will have at least 5 sections like this (restart 5 times, ugh!) to complete and then you have to sew them together to form the carryall.

My hats off to Ann Benson and all the victorian ladies back in the day because I have to say IMHO this is crazymaking.

I restarted 5 times and finally gave up last night in disgust, mostly with myself because I could not only not master this, I couldn’t even get a good running start.

So what’s the problem?

I think, for me at least, it’s the thread.  These projects call for #12 crochet thread, not the easiest animal on the planet to locate in the first place and certainly not something I will ever crochet with again because of the curly factor.  OTOH, I love to embroider and I think this thread would be lovely for that.  Waste not, want not.

I may, at some future point, revisit the concepts here with size 10 (bedspread weight) crochet cotton which understands me and is my friend. :)

The book itself with the accompanying DVD are wonderfully made, the photos are clear and beautiful, the instructions are concise and well laid out.  If you don’t understand how to proceed you can view the DVD and it will become immediately clear.

So….

Excellent publication with excellent instruction, graphs, layout, and video assistance.  It’s not that I don’t understand how to do bead tapestry crochet, I just can’t.

You mileage certainly may and probably will vary.

Until next time!

Astrid

Book Review: Digital Art Wonderland by Angi Sullins & Silas Toball and ROYALTY FREE images

// November 9th, 2011 // Comments Off // Book Reviews, Mixed Media, Journals & Papercraft

You can purchase this book from the from Amazon or from the authors here:

Purchase on Amazon

http://www.duirwaigh.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=793&Itemid=111

So you have photoshop.

If you have photoshop then you probably have a huge technical tome of some sort that you intend to read so that you can really use photoshop.

Someday.  When you have time.

That’s why I have to say I’ve really enjoyed Digital Art Wonderland.  This is a book that gives you the keys to the castle without having to drag all the bits there stone by stone.  Does it explain every technical detail behind the tools it encourages you to play with?

No, and isn’t that a relief?  :)

To work best with the techniques described here the authors recommend that you have Adobe Photoshop CS5 but they also note that CS3 will work.  I have CS4 and haven’t struggled at all.

This has opened so many creative doors for me and I plan to do much more exploration because now that I don’t have that huge technical manual staring me in the face I feel like playing and play is the main focus of this book.  Learn to let go, click around, and see what happens.

There are excellent explanations of layers which in particular have frustrated me for a long time.  Armed with a bit of understanding whole new vistas of exploration open up.  There are also suggestions and instructions on using scanning, paper ephemera, your own hand drawn art, and vintage stock images to create artwork that is truly yours.

Below you will find a few papers that I came up with when I was playing around with the instructions.  They are not elaborate at all but I thought some of you would have fun printing them out and cutting them up for collages, journal pages, or whatever you can think of.  These are free to use, share, and enjoy.  If you do make something wonderful I would love to see what you’ve done!  I want to do some more keyholes myself and then do a collage on a wooden box, I have a fascination with the idea of stepping through to unexplored places.

Here is the PDF file:

Digital Art Papers PDF file

If you like to do digital art but want to dispense with a good amount of techy stuff and just play then Digital Art Wonderland is a great jumping off place.