rixel art

You know that funny inside joke you and your friend have? Or that super awesome logo you created for yourself? Or maybe you just have an awesome design that you have always wanted to put on a shirt but didn't know how? I got you covered. Today's post will be HOW TO SCREEN-PRINT!!! And you don't need one of those crazy expensive machines either. This is the cheapest, easiest way I've found to screen-print your own t-shirts, pants, backpacks, whatever! In order to do this, you need: A design Sewing Hoops Sheer curtains (you can get these at Walmart for wicked cheap) Vinyl -OR- a pencil and modge podge screen-printing paint. I use Yudu, you can get it at Joann fabrics or any craft store scissors SQUEEGEE!!! I love these things Newspaper/Scrap Paper And the object you wish to screen print upon OK! So first thing first, we need to make our screen. Cut out a piece of curtain that is larger than the area of your hoop. Then go ahead an put it in the hoop. You can cut off the e...

This is another old peice, mainly because I'm preparing myself to silkscreen a bunch of shirts tonight so I don't have time to make anything. But I'm posting! That's something. This was something that I thought of right before I drifted off to sleep. Instead of sleeping, I promptly jumped out of bed and made it. It's made from a charm, routed pieces of sintra, watch gears and watch batteries. I love this one. I plan on making better ones of the same design with chemetal. Once I get around to finding a chemetal I like.

TERRIBLE NEWS EVERYONE!! They cancelled my craft fair! I'm so bummed. Now what am I going to do!?! This was my goal and now it's gone! *le sigh* Guess I'll just have to find another craft fair. This was a necklace I made awhile ago. I didn't have the heart to make anything yesterday or today, but I don't want to stop so I figured posting to the blog would help motivate me. This necklace was meant to be a semi-aviator tribute. Although the parts make it look steampunk, I was thinking more of Amelia Earhart while making it. It also made me realize I have access to materials that would be awesome in jewelry and I don't use them enough. It's made up of a watch face with the interior flipped, wing and nautical charms, chemetal and a penny. Anyway, without the craft fair I'm going to keep making things in hopes of finding a new one soon.

I am totally in love with the steampunk culture. I have no idea. The idea of history sticking with steam power and coal and creating these great machines that do what modern technology can just fascinates me. While I'm not skilled enough to actually create anything like that, I can mimic it (sorta) in the jewelery I do. This piece was my first success at soldering. *cheer* It's not my favorite, but the little gear spins! Yay! It's great to spin while you're thinking of how to design something, or waiting for illustrator to start, or waiting for photoshop to open a new file. I HATE this photo. I need to find a better way to take pictures, but when I go to do my blog I'm so not in the mood to set up a little studio. Maybe I should set one up in another room and leave it there. The deadline is creeping up on me and I keep getting distracted. But it's okay! I think I'll be alright. I mean, it's just a craft fair. It's not like it's the end of the wor...

I'm getting lazy. Not really, I am working on things like crazy behind the scenes, but the blog is slacking. I need to work on that. Tonight's piece started off as a New Orleans idea, and somehow turns very french. That's fine. I like the way it turned out. It's pretty simplistic, especially compared to what I normally do, but that's fine. I have cooler things coming. ^^ I've been working with metal. After nearly setting my house on fire and toxic gasing me and my cats to death, I think I'm almost ready. ALMOST. I still need some work, but hopefully by the time I have to go to this craft fair in FOUR WEEKS I will have some self cast metal rings. That's a goal, not a promise.

Believe it or not, I've gotten loads of compliments on this necklace and I don't even particularly like it. I have my reasons, both design and personal, but if others like it who am I to disassemble it? Do others do that? If they don't like a necklace or bracelet they made, do they break it up and make a new one with the same pieces? I'm horrible at that. It'll be amazing if I can get everything put together for this show. Short post, but I am going to work on some more pieces. I'm feeling slightly motivated and can't let that go to waste.

Wow! I had my password stored on my computer but it went MISSING somehow and I forgot it! Phew. After that fiasco, I finally got it back up and running. That's why there hasn't been any posts. but I've been working! This is just a teaser. I'm working on a fun charm, but it's taking ALOT of work and my cats ran off with the other wing, so we'll see how much longer it takes to get done. Here is a photo of some goggles I've been working on for a friend. They are almost done now, and I was going to finish them tonight but I kinda got stuck up in a video game that is wicked fun. Haha. And... I took those pictures last week and now I can't find my camera. I bet a cat ran off with that too. Dang. Ok, more pictures once I get my camera back.

A new bracelet! I had some pretty nasty tooth issues last week, which made me loose a week. Not that good, but I'll make it up. I plan on making a bunch of stuff this weekend. I've already made two today. Since I'm doing so well with the wire bracelets, I continued with that. I hope to make a bunch of those today and then maybe even get in a unique necklace. I'm starting to realize that although what I do unique in a way, it might be too diverse. I might have to narrow things down for the renaissance fair. However, I did get invited to another craft fair - and it's at the end of next month! That's alot of work, but I'm having my friend go in it with me. She makes amazing ceramics. That'll double my inventory at least. And that fair is only two days, so it should help. If I get more things done today that are different from the wire bracelets, I'll be sure to post that. Also, I was commissioned by someone at work to make him some goggles. They are alm...

Since the wire jewelery is going so well, I added another piece to that collection. This time, I went with something less organic. I think it came out cute! I'm excited to do some more like this. The squareness of it reminds me of Tron in a way, even though it's black and red. I'm going to hopefully find more square colors, maybe even try doing them a different way. The thing I love the most about these bracelets is how flexible they are. I can straighten them out, then press them firmly against my wrist and they stay. It's great, especially since I'm not too fond of floppy bracelets.

I made another wired bracelet, this time with blue rocks and silver wire. The silver wire was much easier to bend, which caused many odd kinks, but worked out excellent in the end. The bracelet can easily fit any size wrist and conform to fit them snugly. Although the design isn't my favorite, the functionality of it is great! Also, I checked on the pricing for the renaissance faire and it's ALOT cheaper than I expected. That makes me happy. Now I just need to design my booth, my costume and a hell of alot more jewelery. I can't get the photos right. I need to figure out a quick and easy way to take photos. Right now my hat is covered in cat hair and it makes the pictures look weird. Plus the color is weird. And I hate taking shots of my hand. I should buy some bracelet and necklace stands. The cool ones they use in store, you know? Maybe that would make pictures easier.

And so, all journeys must begin. First, a backstory? I am not a professional jewelery maker. I'm not a "crafty-mom". If anything, I'm bored. By day I'm a designer, using the computer to aid in my help. By night I'm a zombie killing maniac online. In between, I make jewelery. Last year, I found a local store that would carry my art. They've since gotten new owners that do not wish to carry anything but clothes. That left me with two options: give away the few measly pieces I had left OR make MORE and do the impossible - A craft fair! Choosing the latter because I'm a sucker for art, I also decided to make a blog alongside it. In the beginning it will be alot of looking at what others do, posting inspiration, and replicating what I can. Don't worry, I plan to share my secrets online. If you're looking for crafts of your own, or you're just bored, put on some Veronica Mars (or Bones, I'm currently in a Bones phase) and lets make some stuff...