Too much cute!

This is the first time I've posted a video to my blog.  But I just wanted to show the cuteness I've been subjected to while my parents were away on their trip to Banff.

Please disregard my silly voice.  I reserve it for talking to doggies only - it definitely goes up an octave... ha!

Hand Carved Stamp Art - making an old bikini new again

Here's a little project I did to revamp an old bikini.  I am currently in love with anything chevron or tribal and handcrafted block-printed fabrics are to die for (but a tad pricey).  I am on a tight budget so no shopping for me!  I decided I would be creative today and try my hand at this block printing thing I've been seeing around the web.  Plus it will add a little something to a basic black bikini I have hanging around - and if it doesn't turn out then no biggie...

First off I raided my parents wine cork stash and picked two clean corks to carve up.

I drew a triangle and chevron pattern on each cork then took a utility knife and carved them out.  These patterns are super simple and not hard to carve at all - I find that simple looks best when making a stamp and the end result will depend on how you use the pattern in repeats or design.

I decided to forgo the chevron and stick with the triangle.  I measured where I wanted the stamps to be placed on the bikini and laid some tape down as guidelines.  I used a small paintbrush to apply paint to the stamp before printing.  Then stamp!

It looked pretty good as is, but the paint I used came out a little faint.  I don't know if it was because I was just using crafters acrylics or if it was inevitable with the black background.  So I decided to paint another layer over the stamped image.  This was easy and really made the gold stand out.

I measured and added a second layer of triangles (yet another Jinx photobomb).  I used Golden brand acrylics paint in Iridescent Gold.

It's hard to get a final result picture without blatantly showing my boobies but it is a bikini so here it is...

I am fairly happy with the results.  This is just a lay-out-in-the-sun bikini so the paint should last. The rows of triangles were less straight than I anticipated due to boobie curve (doh, should have realized this) but it looks pretty neat - and the bottoms that go with this bikini have gold hardware details at the hips so it looks like it was meant to go together.

I definitely want to make some more stamps and do up a scarf with this printing technique.  I will also research and invest in some fun fabric inks!

Projects in Progress

Helping Tom with some projects at The Folly.  Also just enjoying the sun.

Selecting boards and arranging before staining.

Other projects at home...

Trying to get some sewing projects done with a cat around is silly.  Oh Jinx, I was sitting there.

And this is my mending pile...

I put this pretty crop top together in a day - I'm almost too old for crop tops but this one is nicely tailored.  I am so in love with this watercolor fabric I could just die.  It's left over from the retro dress I made (you can see the pattern in the picture above this right next to Jinx).

I think it turned out pretty cute for something I whipped together without a pattern.  Styled with a full skirt here makes it more age appropriate, with almost a vintage vibe. (Silly mirror pics)