It runs in the family

My little brother plays the guitar like a rock god. I have always wanted to be Artemis and I guess it fits since she has a brother Apollo. Alicia = Artemis, Alan = Apollo! Both siblings names start with A's, and...well, thats kinda the only similarity lol. 

He painted one of his many guitars a while back and today he had me list it in my shop. Its a leafless tree, with rolling hills in the background. Its really quite beautiful and I hope someone will buy it from him. 

He is just finishing a custom guitar for a friend. Alan got to learn the joys of custom orders during the same time I was fighting with the 200 custom rings I was working on.

Craft across America

My high school theatre teacher (whom I have know for over 8 years) takes his family on a great summer vacation every year. This year they stayed in CO and met a couple of guys who are biking across America. Of course the two men are now part of the Wisdom family. 

The biker's blog is really too funny. I have spent my Sunday morning reading it and watching videos. I love when people can just plan for something and then go do it! Its kinda what I wish I was doing with my crafting. But I am so impulsive, whenever I make a big sale I am too eager to spend the money on more supplies rather than save it up and make a budget. I hate numbers.

Fall is coming and I plan to get back in school. My year off served it's purpose in letting me see my self and figure out a career. I am waiting to hear from Texas Women's University. My only worry is that my transcript will get there late, and with my luck with red tape, it will be too late. Then what will I do? Bike across america maybe and go to every craft event I can find! Hey this sounds pretty good to me. Craft across America! 

Sweet Freedom

I have epoxyed a great many scrabble tile rings today. They had better be the last ones I do for a while! The exact number I know not. I didn't count them on purpose, I want to wait until: the epoxy has set, then remove all those that are messed up, then count how many I have left. There had better be more that I need, not less. 

Indie BritChick rock is my new love. Lily Allen, Adele, Kate Nash and Duffy in particular. Thanks to Pandora Radio, I have discovered alot of their stuff and lead my to some great new stuff. These ladies get me thru the day and into the early hours of the morning. 

This is how I feel right now! Sunshine holding me up now that a great burden has just about been lifted. Check out this etsy shop. I LOVE her photography, it makes me want to go out shooting... almost. The urged to take pictures is in me but not strong enough for me to actually go out in Texas heat and melt.

My air conditioned craft loft is just fine for me thanks.

Gone with the Wind

I love classics. And I love the Lewisville Library, they have so many great movies. I am taking a panda face break. When these are done and out my hands I can finally get back to making what I want. WEEE!!!

Gone With the Wind and the 2008 version of Sense & Sensibility will get me thru the last leg of rings. I haven't watched GWTW in years but I have always loved it. This time watching, I have fought back tears more so than with any other movie! I am particularly emotional this week which plays into it, but with the real war going on I guess I can just relate more so than when I first saw it in 8th grade.

OK, glue is dry now...time to get my hands sticky... 

Stressed

Wow, I am having the worst time with a large custom order. It has taken over my life. How many times have I had to start over now? 15? 20? I was up till 6 am working on them the other day. 

This project should have been almost too simple. Every little thing with this order has had something go wrong. I'm not exaggerating. If I wasn't so unhinged right now it could be pretty funny... but its not (she said in grave voice). 

After I get like a million (ok that was an exaggeration) done, I notice a flaw. Ink smear or sealer shinning thru the epoxy or cropped too small. These look pretty good right? WRONG! every single of of them is flawed. 

HOWEVER! Yes, there is a flip side. I finally got the right combination and application of tacky glue, photo paper, spray acrylic sealer, mod podge and epoxy resin... in that order. I won't know what to do when I have finished the whole entire 150 ring order and they are shipped. Tears of joy come to mind when I think of it.

I don't mind making them its just the dang chemicals are pissing me off. But I believe I have conquered them. I will know for sure in about 30 hours when they should be dry and harden. 

On the side I have been getting a birthday package together for my Best friend Meg. She lives with our other best friend in Connecticut right now and I miss them so terribly. Her birthday was last Sunday but we never give gifts on time. This package is going to be awesome, I only wish I could see them open it. Some awesome hand made goodies are in store for my girls. :)

 I am so tired and still feel like I shouldn't be wasting time online but I have made the rings and have nothing to do... for the moment. So why shouldn't I spend some free time spilling my guts to the Internet? 

Wow this is a long post... "I just have a lot of feelings" who can tell me what movie that's from? I always play this game with my lil sis Shannabe. She hates it... I love it. I win. 

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Half Blood Premier

Me on the left in my handmade Bellatrix gown and my cousin next to me in her hand-sewn cloak and Goodwill dress (Narcissa) and then my baby sister on the right in a Goodwill ensemble as Ginny. It was soo good, and I am very tired now. So good night!

Me just venting a bit.

I am soo excited about the HP premiere!!! My costume is going to be awesome!  Totally handmade of course. 

Aside from getting ready for the midnight showing I am working on scrabble tile rings for a fellow Etsian. I had some trouble keeping the ink from smearing when I put on the sealer, that was very... very frustrating but I kinda figured it out it just takes for-ev-er! 

She just ordered 100 more which is great but its going to be a bit stressful. Custom orders usually get me all worked up and stressed about "what if this isn't what they had in mind?" "what if  it breaks" blah blah blah. So I decided no more custom orders, if I haven't made it I aint selling it! But this seemed to be different sine they are her logo, all I had to do was print them out and make them into rings... not. It took forever to get them the right size then my paper slicer wasn't sharp enough so the edges were jagged and the the whole ink smearing ordeal.  

This week is gonna be stressful. 

Safari Room

We have finished the Jungle themed living room! Well, for the most part, a few little details are lacking (like cable TV). But the design part is finished! It was so fun and we did it really fast. The whole room probably cost less than $200 we wanted to keep all the receipts but they got lost here and there.

So, before the room was used as a storage room and the walls were plain white. So Rach bought a light tan color for the walls and a delicious chocolate color for the trims and floorboard. 

Rach found a gently loved love-seat at Goodwill for like $80, so that 

became the focal point in the room. Above it I hung framed animal print fabric in an asymmetrical pattern. 

Some of the frames (also from Goodwill) were nicked and scratched so I glued leaves around them to give them a more jungle feel. We are still collecting frames to fill the space better.

We brought in a coffee table from another room and used her existing runner and candles to decorate it. She bought a great area rug for $16 which helps define the sitting area as well as tie in the light blue from the candles on the table.

I made ceramic tile coasters with 

scrapbook paper and epoxy so drink condensation wont run the side tables. They are a great little pop of animal print since the paper is from a Jungle Multi Pack we got from Hobby Lobby for 40% off. 

Most of the little accents were either already in her home or from Goodwill. So we really saved money there.

The area looks so warm and cozy now. There 

will be alot of seating for parties and movie nights.

Sweet Fries

I'm baking some yummy sweet potato fries for dinner got the recipe here.

I hope they are tasty. 

My roommate Rachel has a house left to her by a family member. Its a bit dated and not her style at all so I offered to lend my creative eye and help her re-decorate. I'm sooo excited, I love doing stuff like interior design but never have much opportunity. 

I am going to document it from start to finish and post it here. Every handmade job will be on here with details on how I made it. 

We are going with Jungle Theme with a Lion King influence :) Rachel LOVES Disney and this will be a perfect living room for a young, fun, teacher-to-be. I am itching to start painting.

I made this today: