Windy day, stayed indoors.

For the first time on this glorious 4-day holiday, we got up before 10am, which gave us time to watch an episode of Fringe (our new obsession) and me a whole lotta day to do crafts.  Here's my workspace:

My workspace/dining room table.

I started off wanting to visualize my idea for fabric sculpture: specifically, a fake terrarium.  A friend and I tried our hands at mini moss gardens, but couldn't keep them alive.  I decided to make one that wouldn't die.  Unfortunately, I think my moss (green velvet) is too dark.  Looks a bit drab.

My wire-sculpture skills suck, so I thought I'd try my almost non-existent soldering expertise.  Did you know that soldering is not the same as welding, no matter how much you try?  I ended up with little bits of wire with what looked like garden bells on the ends.  Very industrial Dr. Seuss (see last two pics).  Verdict: they'll make a good addition to more abstract pieces, and I didn't burn myself on my iron.

After inhaling traces of metal, I tried to make some tiny flowers from fabric, but for some reason I had chosen felt.  As soon as I tried to cut the small 4-petal flowers, everything was fraying.  So, I painted the uncut pieces lightly with Modge Podge to see if that would toughen them enough to keep together.  Still haven't checked on that project.

An old favorite: frightened broccoli. Next to that are some sweet pea tendrils and a little snake.

I'd made a pea pod ornament before, so I took it to the next level: super tiny.  The picture below shows them at about 5X actual size. Each pea is about 1/3 the size of a black peppercorn.  The flowers you can sort of see are attached to small dressmaker's pins.  I'm not so proud of those.

Pea pods

I tried working with the felt some more, sewing little flowers together (look like pansies maybe?) and tried to make sweet pea blossoms from clay.  Those are hard!  I found some solutions to making the stems by wrapping thread around the wire, french staircase-style.  Takes a while, but I think it will work.

Good thing to know: baking Sculpey at 275F will not cause bits of thread to combust in your oven.  Success!

The first of my earnest xmas crafts.  Fabric terrariums.  I knew I'd use those miniature stags I just HAD TO HAVE one day!

I think this one is for my sister-in-law.  I think she likes stags, definitely silver, looks creepy/pretty. Perfect!  I tried to stain the inside of the jar a lightish transparent blue, but I don't know if it will work in the long run.  Originally, there was a tiny turtle in place of the stag.  Why did I change it?  I must have gotten distracted, knocked off the tiny turtle, and remembered buying a packet of tiny deer at a yard sale.  It always feels great when you find a use for something you were pretty sure would be useless.

My rustic/rusty windowsill

Next, I'll see how I will arrange the pea pods.  I may go find some pretty twigs and make a bean bower, like in a garden, and attach the pods to wires, scatter lone peas on the ground.  Have I found my calling?

[Update: I gave the dog a bath.  I bet you were wondering.]