Category: crafts

Boring Webcam Time

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, HolidaysLeave a comment

I don’t know why I feel the need to do this but I have my webcam turned on while I’m embroidering. I have to finish this Christmas stocking for Chips niece’s grandson so he can have it next month. I started working on it in May this year but stopped halfway through because it was my 3rd stocking in a row and I was burned out on embroidering.

I figured, I have 6 months to finish it and it probably won’t take more than a couple of days so I’ll do it in December. Well, it’s December and so now I shall work on it again.

I have set up my webcam in my old webcam page over at http://www.xanapus.com/cam but I don’t really know if anyone is watching because it doesn’t tell me so I’m just going to assume nobody is watching because it’s so stupid lol. I just figured, if you want to see my progress then check it out.

The stocking that I am working on is a snowman holding a broom upside down with a chipmunk on his shoulder and a Christmas tree behind him. There is a deer, rabbit and a fox sitting in front of him.

The only thing in this project that is finished is the deer. I’m not working on finishing any 1 particular character, I am more focused on specific colors. Yesterday I finished the shadow color which is a medium blue. I haven’t decided what color(s) I’m going to work on today, as if it really matters.

If you check in from time to time, thanks for coming. If you are sitting there watching me, you must be bored. If that is the case, let me know you’re watching with the chat mod at the top right of the screen in my blog.

It’s COLD Brrr

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, Daily Blog, HolidaysLeave a comment

Last year our central heating stopped working and the estimate was thousands of dollars to repair so we went out and got some space heaters. I don’t mind space heaters because I can’t really afford to heat a whole house when I’m going to be in my bedroom all day long.

This year I decided that I’m not going to turn my heater on at all unless it gets really bad and I absolutely need it. Well, I absolutely need it now.

It’s been in the 30′s lately early in the morning and late at night. It’s in the 50′s outside right now but it’s still in the 30′s inside the house. My bedroom is nice and toasty because of my space heater which is actually a radiator.

I always say in the summer time that you can bundle up in the winter, add more clothing and you’re warm but when it’s as hot as it is in the summer time (usually when it’s 100+°F) you can be totally naked and still be miserable. Well, there is no amount of bundling up inside the house that is going to be good enough, we need the heater on lol.

One other reason I need the heater on is because of my hands. I have carpel tunnel syndrome and it gets really bad this time of year. Both my hands start pinching in the palms and then they get numb with pins and needles. During the hot months or even the nice months my hands are fine. It’s when it’s cold out (and in) that my hands really start to hurt.

I still have to finish embroidering a Christmas stocking and I have less than 1 month to do it so I hope that my hands will allow me to do it. Now is the time that I wish that I had just finished it when I was working on it instead of giving up on it. I gave up on it because I was getting burned out on embroidering. I’ll get it finished, I just need the motivation to start it up again that’s all. Unfortunately, I think that with my hands being in the pain that they are in that I won’t be able to finish it but I have to try. I’ve already announced that they are coming this Christmas and I can’t go back on that.

Well, I’m so glad that Winter is almost here but now that it is here I kind of miss the heat of summer lol.

My Freaky Spirit Board Story

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, HalloweenLeave a comment

For some odd reason, last year I was addicted to the idea of making a spirit board. So I learned how to do wood burning after a friend bought me a wood burner. I bought all this irregular wood (it’s cheaper) along with some other wood burning accessories.

I printed out the pattern that I wanted to make it with and traced it all out on the wood then I burned it on. I cut a planchette from a cheap piece of wood that I bought from Wal-Mart and found that it was too big for my board so I cut it down to half its size.

When everything was cut and everything was burned I was ready to put lacquer on it all. The odd thing is, the planchette was missing. I searched all over my bedroom, all over the tool shed, all over the back yard. I could not find it anywhere.

At first I thought maybe I should just make a new one but then I started thinking that perhaps it’s gone for a reason. If I made a new one who knows what might happen. Is it gone because someone took it? And when I say someone I don’t mean a living person, I mean a spirit who doesn’t want me to use the Spirit Board.

So, I never made another planchette and the board sits in the same spot untouched collecting dust.

I would still like to use it some day and I guess I’m waiting for the planchette to return to me, giving me permission to use it. Does that sound silly? I mean, I could just make another one or I could use a shot glass if I really wanted to use it.

People are always saying that you are opening a portal by using one of these and I don’t know if that is true or not. People are always saying these are evil but I think that all depends on who is using it and how they are using it. I don’t believe in good or evil, I just believe there are ghosts out there and I want to communicate with them.

The reason I haven’t used it yet is just in case there is a possibility that someone may be right and I was wrong. I don’t want to end up bringing some bad juju in my house ya know?

It’s been over a year now and Halloween is coming which is when you would use one of these but I’m still not sure I should even though I want to.

My Free Nook Cover

On By Michel McDonaldIn Books, crafts, eBook, NookLeave a comment

Last night while we were at Barnes & Noble, after I had already paid for the Nook, Darrin asked if I bought a cover for it. Well naturally I didn’t. I had only saved up just enough money to buy the Nook. I didn’t even buy the extended warranty (which I have 30 days to buy), how could I afford a cover?

We went over to the Nook display and I was looking at their prices. Some of them were $50. Some were as low as $10 but those were rubber and didn’t cover the book like a book cover. I don’t want that. We left with the thought that ‘I will eventually buy one’ in mind.

I’m sitting here looking at the Nook and thinking, I really wish I had a cover for it because now that I’m thinking about it, it starts to worry me. How can I possibly feel safe with the limited warranty that I get if I don’t have a cover to protect it if something happens.

As I’m looking at the covers available I’m noticing that they are basically just cardboard with plastic or fabric sewn onto them. I could do that. Could I do that? Yes, I think I can.

For some odd reason we still have the big box that Chips HDTV came in. The cardboard is really thick but it’s not too thick and it’s not too thin either. I want the cover to be strong enough that it won’t bend easily. I cut the top flap and the side in a book V shape. Although I needed to add another bend because this thing is a bit thick and I need it to wrap around in more of a U shape.

I have these book covers that I bought at the grocery store in 2007 when the final Harry Potter novel came out. Luckily it came out around the same time they started stocking the back to school stuff. It’s a stretchy fabric so it starts out small but stretches enough to fit a big history or science book. I bought 2 of them, black and red. They were cheap so I bought 2. They had some other colors but black and red were my favorite.

I’m really glad I’ve held onto them all these years because I was able to finally utilize one of them. I got the cardboard cut up perfectly so it’s just the right size for the Nook. I stretched the book cover over the cardboard and although it’s a bit long it fits and it kind of looks cool at how loose it is. It looks like it was on purpose that it’s so loose.

Ok, now I have a cover but how the heck is this thing supposed to really hold it? I’m gonna need some corners to hold onto it. How do I do that?

Solution. You know Rexlace? You know, the stuff that you use to make those cool key chains? Well, in 2004 (I think) I remembered how I learned how to make those key chains when I was in the cub scouts and I wanted to see if I could learn again. I bought a bunch of rexlace, even megalace. I thought the megalace would be really cool but it turns out that it was even more difficult to make that I thought.

I’ve held onto all that rexlace and megalace all these years. When I buy craft stuff, I may not use it all up right away but eventually I will have a need for it and tonight I had a need for it.

I have some black megalace and I pulled some of it out and held it up to the corner and measured how much I would need and cut 4 pieces. Ok, I have the pieces but how to sew it on? I started using a needle and thread but that was very difficult and time-consuming and the thread kept breaking.

Solution. I have a sewing awl. AHA! That works perfectly because the needle is thick enough to go through the cardboard and the handle makes pushing it through a breeze and the wax thread is thick enough that it will hold better than plain old sewing thread.

It took me awhile and since the thread was black, the megalace was black and the book cover was black, it made it very difficult to see in the poor lighting in my room. But it worked out. I have my book cover, the nook stays in place and I saved $50.

The only issue that I have is that the cover won’t stay closed so in order for it to stay closed I have to lay it down so that the weight of the Nook lies on the front cover to keep it closed. That’s fine though. I may eventually figure out a way to sew a latch on the front and back, like a buckle or something. I don’t know. I will figure it out, I always do.

So now my Nook is protected when not in use and when in use as well. I am very happy and satisfied with my handy work.

Crocheted Swiffer Cover

On By Michel McDonaldIn Amplify, craftsLeave a comment

What an idea! I never thought of this. If you have a Swiffer, instead of wasting money on buying new swiffer pads every darn time you have to use it, just make your own. You can make as many as you want so you don’t have to keep washing the same one every day, instead make about 5 or them and when it’s laundry day you can just wash them all at once with your regular laundry.

Anyway, here is the pattern and an image of the final product at the end.

Amplify’d from www.favecrafts.com

Mop or Sweeper Cover

Instead of using disposable covers, crochet an economical reusable cover for your flat mop, sweeper or duster. The cover easily slips on and off for cleaning. For the knit version of this cover, see the Mop Cover Knitting Pattern.

Materials:

  • Yarn: Lily® Sugar’n Cream Ombres (56.7 g/2 oz/ 86 m/95 yds) #00133 (Shaded Denim) 1 ball
  • Crochet Hook: Size 5 mm (U.S. H or 8) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge.

Instructions:

Main Piece
Ch 37.
1st row : (RS). 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch across. Turn. 36 sc.
**2nd row : Ch 1. Working in back loop only of each sc, 1 sc in each sc across. Turn.
Rep last row until work from beg measures 4 ins [10 cm]. Fasten off.**

Sides (make 2).
Ch 12.
1st row : (RS). 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch across. Turn. 11 sc.
Rep from ** to ** as for Main Piece.

Join Sides to Main Piece : Place 1 Side at each end of Main Piece and pin outer edges tog. With RS facing, join yarn with sl st in any corner. Ch 1. Work 1 row of sc around outer edge (through both thicknesses of Side and Main Piece at each end), working 3 sc in each corner. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Note : Slip each end around the dusting tool’s base. When one side is soiled, flip the side pockets inside-out and use the opposite side to keep cleaning! The ridge stitch design helps trap dirt.

Read more at www.favecrafts.com

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/8xop

Necklace for Beth

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, Friends and FamilyLeave a comment

Well I finally made the jewelry for Beth. I made the bracelet last night and I tried making the necklace last night but I didn’t plan it out right so I had to take it apart. I was in an ambien haze so I had to stop and go to bed because I was messing it up more than it was. I finished it this morning.

I don’t know if it is gift worthy. It looks like something a pre-schooler would make lol. I mean the bracelet is fine but the beads in the necklace didn’t come out as I had planned. They are supposed to be psychedelic but instead they look ridiculous.  They have fingerprints all over them too lol.  I’ve never bought beads with fingerprints on them.  And the holes that I stuck through them for the hemp cord wasn’t straight so some of the beads stick out further.

I need to NOT make any more beads with Polymer clay until I know what I’m doing lol.

I don’t know if I’m too embarrassed by this necklace to even give it to her at all.  Since we didn’t have any money for Toys ‘R’ Us I thought that homemade jewelry would be nice but it’s not as nice after all.  Darrin has a Sears card which works at Kmart so we’re gonna go there to get her a toy or something.

Notice how I’m not so embarrassed that I’m blogging about it with a picture?

Polymer Clay

On By Michel McDonaldIn craftsLeave a comment

We went to Michael’s today so I could buy some beads with letters on them for making my hemp bracelets for the kiddies for tomorrow. While we were there I wanted to get some polymer clay. I wanted to mix the colors to make them look psychedelic but I mixed them too much so they don’t look very good but when I mixed the yellow/green ones they came out a little better because I didn’t mix them before rolling them. I just put the pieces together and started rolling.

I bought some mini metal cutters for different shape beads but only used the heart  cutter and only made what you see in the picture above. I didn’t want to go crazy and make enough beads for a lifetime. Also they are too thin so I’m not even sure I can use them for beads at all. I may have to find another use for those.

I was told to mix them, let them sit out for 10 minutes then poke large holes with a stick before baking but when 10 minutes was up they were still as soft as they were when I first made them so I’m just letting them sit in the kitchen for a while. I’m going to use toothpicks to poke the holes through them when they are hard. If I poke holes in them now they will lose their shape and I’ll have to start over.

The clay is Smart Craft which I read is a Michael’s specific brand and I wish that I knew more about clay brands before I bought this because I just read a bad review of the clay and now I feel stupid. I hope they come out ok after baking. I don’t have time now to go back to Michael’s and buy the right clay and I didn’t buy the colored beads like I wanted to. I spent way more money than I can afford on all the stuff we did buy so this is it, I’m done for rest of the month (as far as buying craft supplies).

I hope these are cool enough beads for the kids necklaces, if not TOUGH lol. No but seriously if they don’t come out right I’m just not going to bring any of the stuff for making the necklaces at all. I’m just going to make Beth her bracelet (which I made with the letters) and necklace and that’s it.

Wish me luck. Hopefully they will be finished by tomorrow and they will make cool beads.

Update: The Craft Smart (Michael’s brand) is crap. I set the oven to 275°F for 15 minutes (for 1/4″ thickness) and it didn’t even cook the beads. 1/4″ thickness, I don’t even know what that means. Does it mean if I have 1 bead that is 1/4″ thick then it bakes for 15 minutes or 15 minutes for each bead? I guess I need a better translation. At any rate, I put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes and it’s still rubbery. I put it in for another 30 minutes and even though it was hard, it’s still rubbery.

I thought that when you bake this polymer clay it comes out like glass. Shiny and hard. These beads are neither shiny or hard. I let them cool and you can still squeeze them and you can see how rubbery they are.

I suppose rubbery is as good for a necklace. Unfortunately when I put the holes in the beads the clay was still very soft so the pressure from putting the holes in them made them lose their shape so in order for me to keep their shape I had to use a toothpick but that means the holes aren’t big enough.

I can’t win, I will have to get more next month and try again but with a different brand.

Hemp Jewelry for Children

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, Friends and FamilyLeave a comment

Last night a friend who used to be our neighbor asked (on ) if we wanted to go to his daughter’sbirthday party on Sunday (tomorrow). Of course we’ll come. I asked him to measure her neck and wrist for some hemp beaded jewelry lol.

What can I say, I love making jewelry out of hemp despite how much it hurts my hands.

So today we’re going to go back to Michael’s for some children friendly beads. I’m going to buy some of the lettered beads and make her a bracelet with her name on it and since it won’t be that long since she’s only 6 years old, 4 letters (BETH) is perfect. It’s a good thing her name isn’t longer like Elizabeth lol.

Since they have 2 other children around her age I thought that I would make them something too because I know how jealous they get when one gets something and the others don’t. I know it’s her birthday party and not theirs but they might feel left out so this will lift their spirits at least.

I’m probably gonna end up just bringing the hemp spools with us and my bead box just in case the other kids want a necklace too. I spoil all the kids too much.

So, what I’m going to get is a big box of many colored beads and the alphabet beads, I haven’t decided what color yet but we’ll see what they have. They might have one of those big round containers with alphabet beads, it would be cheaper if they did.

My hands are gonna be cramped up by the time we get out of there tomorrow. I’m gonna have claws instead of hands.

Hemp Rings Annoying

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, JewelryLeave a comment

I’ve been wearing 3 hemp rings for the last week and I’ve noticed that every day they get stretched out so much because I’m constantly playing with the bead in them. I don’t know why I do it, I have to fidget with them all the time.

They are getting so stretched that they fall right off my fingers. At first I thought that I would have to make new ones every week but then I held my hands under the water and to my surprise they tightened up and they all feel the same way they were when I first made them. Tight and hard.

I don’t mind them when they are soft and flimsy as long as they stay on my fingers.

So it’s good to know that if they start to feel too big for my finger that I can just run my hands under the water and they will go right back to being tight again.