Sketching Tangles of Headaches

Yet, it is strangely addicting.


I'm talking about Celtic Knotwork!

This is my latest obsession. Couldn't have picked a better time, either, right? St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner!

I first tried knotwork on the 5th of February (that's the European way of writing dates... sounds much prettier than Febuary 5th, doesn't it?).

Here is a peek into my sketchbook. All of these drawings are from the weekend of the 5th of February (so, you're looking at first attempts... some rather pitiful):

The green ones in the left corner are the very, very first.

Trying my hand at some "trinity knots." My compass got it's work cut out for it!

...and here I experimented with "walls" and coloring the background. With sharpie. Which bled through and ruined three pages of my sketchbook.

Always use a bleeding sheet (old, thick, ruin-able paper) behind the page you are Sharpie-ing. Just sayin'.

Normally, I hate grids. I. do. not. like. them. Sam-I-Am.

When it comes to art, I can't stand that grid! Every art book I have read says to "use a grid in order to make your proportions proper."

I don't know about you, but I like to eye things. Ever since I was little and first started doing artwork, I've kind of trained myself to dissect what I see into both 3D and 2D shapes. Does that sound weird?

If I'm drawing a face, I "pull apart" the the shape in my head. I see sphere of the face... the circular shape it forms... Noses are made up of three small spheres, which I can draw as circles and shade into 3D-ness. Eyes are usually an eye's distance apart, and the top of my cousin's ear is the same height as his eyebrow's arch peak...

So, I've always hated that greatly-honored grid, because I have my own way of doing things. Or maybe my little mind is jealous of the almighty grid.

But for celtic knotwork, you have to draw grids. Have to, have to, have to. You get some kind of wonky spaghetti mess if you don't. It will look like your baby brother dropped his lunch all over your sketchbook. You don't want that. Seriously. Draw grids. Use them.

Each knot took me a good 15+ minutes to make. 

I drew the grids, using big and small dots and a ruler for guidelines... Then I drew a criss-cross pattern... sketched in the walls... traced everything with a darker pencil (over, under, over, under, over, under, get really dizzy)... trace that in pen... erase the pencil lines... color it in...

It sounds long and boring, and it might be, but it's strangely calm and soothing. :)

I turned on a "Celtic Thunder" station on Pandora while drawing these knots. Cuddled up in a blanket, drawing in pen on a warmly lit desk while my mind wandered, I couldn't have been happier. This is why I love art...

I haven't done much more knotwork since the fifth of Febuary, but this week I am going to give myself a challenge-- in the (very little) freetime I have, I will try to do some more knotwork. I'll share links to helpful tutorials and show some blow-by-blow pictures. Sound good?

So... the next week or two is now officially dubbed NO-SPAGHETTI TANGLES a.k.a. CELTIC KNOTWORK CHALLENGE.

I'll do a bit of knotwork to share...

And... I would like YOU to share any knotwork you have done! 

Leave a comment with a link to your own blog, flickr, etc. You can also share inspirational knotwork pictures other artists have done, tutorials.... etc.  Be sure to say where the link is to. We don't want any trolls around my fairy combox!

Wish List Of Useful Thingies

Everyone has their wish lists... As I've been working on jewelry and researching techniques, I've run into quite a few things that I wish I had. Some would let me do new techniques, some would lessen the difficulty of the designs that I make.

Shealynn's Wish List of Useful Jewelry Things 

In no particular order, except #1

1. Unlimited time, supplies, and $$$.

2. Real chainmaille pliers

Yes, I do chainmaille without the proper pliers.

I actually only have two pair of pliers-- threaded needle nose (I cover the plier tips with duct tape to protect the wire), and a flat nose from Dad's toolbox (the tip is bent!). Pliers are going to be the next tool I invest in.

3. Wire Jig/ WigJig

No more headaches from twisting the wire freeform with pliers!

4. Jewelry anvil and hammer

For hardening and flattening wire

5. Other pliers

True jewelry pliers... Including flush wire cutters and (not pictured here) the thing that smooths the ends of wires, nylon jaw, split ring, and crimp. 

6. A mandrel

For making rings

7. Metal file

Obviously for filing metal down

8.  Oxidizer Gel

 Antiquing metal and giving it that "oomph" of dimension.

9. Watch repair kit (aka, Watch Taker-Aparter)

 Especially that tool that removes the backs of watches. I've found several dead watches that I want to take apart for steampunk but can't... because I can't get the backs off.

10. Soldering gun!

Dad probably has one, but I want to learn how to use it. Just imagine the awesome wirework jewelry I could make!

11. Metal stamps (and the metal or precious clay to do it on!)

12. Magic gloves to keep my fingers from getting beat up.


Of course, these are just the tools that have popped off the top of my head, because of the specific jewelry I'm working on right now (wirework). Next week when I'm off on a new craze (because my crazes go in cycles, I don't do everything at once), I'll probably come up with even more. :)

Snow Sculptures

Are you about done with all the snow yet? This year, we had some of the most snow I've ever seen. Actually, yes, the most I've ever seen. We took the opportunity to build some epic snow sculptures!

{ Be sure to check out our very first snow sculptures, from last year-- Sir Herbert and Eustace the Dragon! }

(click on the pictures to enlarge)

We had snow and ice constantly from December on. This past week was full of beautiful, green grass and warm breezes... no ice or snow to be seen... but today I had to miss Taekwando because of more winter weather. I don't think we'll ever be able to understand weather. Where was all this snow past years, when my siblings and I went sledding on one inch of slushy ice?

It's not all bad, though. Snow can be quite beautiful. The two above pictures are taken from our porch and basement door.

(I apologise for the picture quality-- Mom took them on her iPhone. I was too busy sculpting or getting colds to do any photography.)

We went sledding... (New tricks this year! Purple penguins flying from one sled to another mid-hill, snowboarding with one foot, and fixing sleds with duct tape!)

...and had snowball fights.

That's just one snow fort.

The first snowfall, we made some large snowballs. They were going to be turned into either a dragon or a catepillar, but melted far too quickly.

Adelynn and I balanced precariously on a snowball. And aren't the carrot arms on the miniature snowman darling?

The next snowfall, we decided to make SIR HERBERT II.

{ See Sir Herbert I here }

Now, my dad thinks he's punny. Tell me, why did he name our snow giant "Sir Herbert"?

(Tip: Say it very fast and think about cold, yummy treats.)

Sir Herbert II didn't look like a marshmallow head climbing out of the ground... But you've got to admit that the hands are cool.

Dear Fairy People, meet SMAUG the SECOND SNOW DRAGON.

Smaug the Second Snow Dragon, meet the Fairy People.

We had so much fun with Eustace the Snow Dragon last year that we just had to do it again!

I did the head sculpture over the course of 3-5 hours. It was almost as tall as I am.

(I honestly don't know how long we were outside, and that was over the course of a long weekend when we were also sledding)

Ben did an amazing job on the tail, and all of the piled up snow for sculpting is thanks to Dad and Will, who shoveled the driveway.

(Random note on the aside: Who's ready to see Smaug in The Hobbit movie? Eeep!)

In the interim, Sir Herbert II had half-melted.

While Ben and I were hard at work on Smaug, Mom and Dad directed efforts on Herbert's Head. I think I know where my artistic abilities don't come from. :) LOL, Herbert does look really neat, though, like he just climbed out of a comic strip.

I think this version of Herbert should be Sir Herbert the Second and One-Half. Because you can still see half of Sir Herbert the Second there.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this peek into my family's craziness. Our new neighbors don't know what to do with us. I understand if you don't, either. :)

I think that there is something especially delightful about sculpting snow. This is the only kind of sculpture I have ever done, and the idea of setting a shape free from a block of snow must be the same sort of delight that Michelango felt while working on David. (Well, to a far less genius degree).

But even more than that, snow is so fleeting. Each of these sculptures had melted within a week of creation. There is something about the fleeting beauty (and craziness) that tingles my imagination and sense of adventure.

{Tutorial} Orange Crate Ribbon Holder

I've several spools of ribbon, wire, and tape that have been floating around the craft room and making mess!

So I turned an orange crate into a handy little holder!

You will need:

• a wooden crate (I used a 5lb clementine crate)
• wooden dowels or unused knitting needles
• a nail, Xacto knife, screwdriver, or other sharp object
• paper
• Modge Podge
• paintbrush
• your collection of ribbons, wires, tapes, or anything else on spools

Step One: Eat the clementines. (This is the yummiest part).

Step Two: Poke some holes in the crate.

This is the most difficult part. I used an Xacto knife and an old nail. Smarter people can use a screwdriver.

Make sure that the holes line up and that your dowel/knitting needle can fit through it.

Step The Third: Prepare your paper...

 We have many pretty papers but I was in love with the Asian designs on some of my fabric. So I photocopied the fabric. 'Cause it works. Just let the ink dry completely.

The Fourth Step: Mod Podge the paper on.

Paint a layer of glue on the crate. Press the paper on and get rid of bubbles. Let it dry for 2 minutes and then paint on a top coat of glue.

You could use a different glue but Mod Podge would work the best.

Step Five: Slide the ribbon on!

Here you can see that I used a knitting needle in the middle. This works wonderfully if you don't have wooden dowels on hand. 

Enjoy your ribbon holder!

I use mine for more than just ribbon-- tape, wire, and even a bobbin are all on there. Just wait until we unpack that other box of craft supplies. Mom has many spools of ribbon!

Tip: A small bit of Scotch tape or a sewing pin go a long way. Use it to keep your ribbon attached to the spool. (Unless you are itching for a mess to clean up, that is!)

Let me know if you try this tutorial! Leave a link in the combox (comments box) with a link to your own blog post or to a picture! 

Linky, linky, linky! I'm linking up at these parties.

Google Art

Hi, there, Fairy Peoples!

Well, I've been pretty busy lately with life. You know, school and making new friends and visiting old friends and last-minute get-togethers with relatives.

I really should start scheduling my posts, so that I can write up three or four when I have time, and set them to automatically publish.

In any case, I have a very fun craft project (with a tutorial! Shiny!). Gotta snag a couple more pictures. You should see it sometime on Wednesday.

Now we get to the point of this post-- have any of you heard of the Google Art Project?

Check it out HERE.

Google has teamed up with a bunch of museums. They have extremely high-rez pictures of artwork. You can zoom in and see the tiniest details! Even individual brushstrokes!

One thing that cracks me up is that they have an interactive virtual tour of some museums (I especially like the tours when the building itself is a masterpeice on par with the artwork it displays).

You can even go out in the street at one museum and see a vendor selling some kind of yummy-looking food. :)

Clothespin Picture Holder { tutorial }

I'd like to share a quick and easy craft that my little sister and I made-- I call it the Clothespin Picture Holder!

Addie keeps coloring her coloring pages, and wanted somewhere to display them. I wasn't fond of the idea of having a ton of coloring pages taped to our wall. The clothespins let you clip as many pages as you want on; you can then switch which ones go in front.

You will need:

• clothespins
• mod podge (or your choice of glue)
• (optional) stamps
• wall stickies

This would be a great craft to do with your own siblings (or, in the case of parents reading this, your kids).

Adelynn did almost all of this on her own!!!

First, find your clothespins and say hello to my little helper

...and the handy supplies. (Hi, handy supplies!)

 Cut out rectangles to glue on the clothespins. Adelynn decided to use two different colors.

Mod podge (or whatever glue you use) the papers to the pins.

If you have Mod Podge or other decoupage glue, paint the glue ontop of the paper, too.

(Optional) Stamp and cut out some pretty design. Glue this on the top of the clothespin, the bottom, whatever. Adelynn chose the top.

Attach the wall stickies. I used 3M strips (they don't hurt the wall or furniture, and are stronger than ticky tacky). 

I cut the strips in half so they fit on the clothespins.

RANDOM HELPFUL TIP: if you ever want to use wall stickies for lightweight objects (posters, light corkboard, random crafts), cut the strips in half. They work just as well and you only use half the amount.

Stick the clothespins on your wall (or the side of a dresser!) and hang those "masterpieces" right up!

See all my other posts on creative decorating/organizing!

Let me know if you try it! Leave a link in the combox (comments box) with a link to your own blog post or to a picture!

Happy {Late} Valentine's Day!

Our family doesn't do much for Valentine's. Dad usually buys Mom some roses and we cook some nice deserts. (We all need deserts, right?)

Yes, this was a fun little craft of mine. Instructional post coming soon...

This Valentine's, however, Dad was on a business trip and we had my sister's Little Flower's Girls' Club meeting at our house! Soooo... I felt like sharing some pictures.

I had some of the most delicious tea in the morning; a bestie :D from my old town sent it in a pretty little box. I pulled out the only teacup in the house and enjoyed the sweet taste of rose petals, lemons, and who knows what else.

Dad bought Mom some stunning roses the night before Valentine's day, when the prices are insane, just because he loves her so. :D

As always, I took advantage of the photo ops that bright red roses bring...

CUPCAKES! Well... for the little girls. Which picture is better? I can't decide!

I did Adelynn's hair in a heart-shaped braid, just because I can. Because she's my little doll, now that I'm "too old" for "real" dolls, LOL! I used these instructions from A Story of a Princess and her Hair. And I'm going to try this one soon, too.

 The craft this month was a flower hair barrette. (We got messages crossed; we thought the "virtue of the month" for the Little Flower group was "purity," hence the white flower, while it turned out to actually be "piety." Oh, well!)

This was really easy to make.

  Hair barrette
  Glue dot
  Flower petal (they painted glitter on it)
  Glue dot
  Flower petal
  Glue dot
  Flower Petal
  Glue dot
+   Rhinestone
___________________
= Flower hair clip

The glue dots are small enough that they stick to the flowers only; not the hair. I'm wearing one right now. ^_^ It looks pretty with those strange little curls I get when I don't brush my hair.

The "older sisters"-- all around my age-- came over and I discovered that they like dress up as much as I do. :) :) :)

Someone brought over these sweet candy roses!

Just for fun...

I had a very fun day, even thought it meant cleaning all morning and getting a full day behind in school. :)

So, that's not much of an arts/crafts/jewelry/writing/otherwise-creative post.... But it's fun!