The Pink Samurai

In the Homestretch

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:17:01 -0700

So this is my first attempt at the reductive process in silk screen. Taken from a photo of downtown Tokyo at night, reduced to only the most important colors, I think it turned out really well. Hopefully they will be available for sale at Otakon (in Baltimore) in August. I say "hopefully" because there were some technical difficulties in the registration for tables at the Artist Alley and I don't have a table as of yet. Cross your fingers me!

Hooray! It's finally warm! After suffering from severe, self-diagnosed, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Dick and I were able to get out this weekend and head to Ocean City. My shoulders are telling me I should have worn sunscreen, but it was worth it. BTW, I totally made those earrings. I started going a little crazy with button earrings after getting this issue of Adorn Magazine. They will be making an appearance at the Student Art Sale at Salisbury University ^_^

The semester is winding down, but both Dick and I have summer classes during the whole break. More things to come though. I'm getting a table at the Wizard World Convention in Philly, if they'll have me, at the end of May. More info to come!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Two Down. Booyakasha

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:49:26 -0800

A dream has been realized. My first batch of paper!

I originally got the idea from Craft: magazine. They had a whole spread on how to make recycled paper from your junk mail. The materials were a little labor intensive for me to put together, so I just used a wooden frame with the screen stapled to it as my deckle.

CraftDaisies.com has an amazing Papermaking Tutorial that was very helpful. The paper I used was just a bunch scrap paper so it turned out a little gray, but I like it.

Tada!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

One Down...Two to Go

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:38:32 -0800

Dick poses with his Triumphant He-Man pillow. After handing it to him he said, "I HAVE THE PILLOW!" lol.

Next two on the list were the candy bag and the crochet, but I've replaced them with two others. I was trying to sew the wrapper together with the vinyl I have but couldn't figure out a good tension or stitch length. And my edges on the scarf were slowing getting smaller and smaller...I think next time I'll count my stitches lol.

SO! My next two projects will be paper making and woven bag made from magazine pages.

Pictures to come! I'm off!

btw...buy some buttons from shop kthnxbai

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Three projects in One week? Totally.

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:55:01 -0800

Oh I'm doin it! I've been pretty lazy during the winter break. Just working and playing video games. I did a few cross stitches, but one was already traded, one's on my wall holding my mail key and the others are reserved for Art Ambush.

With that being said, I have three totally different projects (and one extra on the back burner) to try and finish before school starts back up next Monday.

This was once a triumphant pillowcase. Then I mutilated it trying to make a skirt. I really shouldn't rely so heavily on patterns sometimes >_<>

This one is a package of one my favorite candies! Oh the deliciousness of the Litchi Gummy is one to be reckoned with. I'd like to make it into a zip. I think the best course of action is to sandwich the two pieces between my light weight vinyl, sew and cut off the excess. Then attach the zipper and sew it all up together. I'm crossing my fingers on this one. I've never worked with plastic or vinyl before.

AND! I totally just learned how to crochet. It's way more fun than I thought it would be. I just picked up a needle at Wal-Mart on a whim. Since there's tons of left over yarn from my Symmography project, it was a no brainer. Thanks to some awesome websites, I was able to make my first stitches. I'd like to make a simple scarf considering its ass cold over here on the East Coast >_<

The project on the back-burner is my quiet obsession with making paper. A co-worker of mine lent me a staple gun and gave me some wire to make the strainer. Alls I have to do is go get some would to make the frame and a flat tub for the pulp to strain into. Crossing fingers so I can get the materials this week!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Semester's Almost Done!

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:23:49 -0800

This semester, and last few months for that matter, have gone by so quickly. I've been so busy with school work that I've pretty much ignored all else. Hardly any blogs, and almost zero new listings on my etsy. But the work I've been doing for school has been pretty awesome. My printmaking class has had me turning out some things that I didn't think I was capable of and silkscreen class is still to come! Crafting wise, recycling has been my big thing as of late. Envelopes out of old magazines and making little paper boxes have been the best! Thanks Etsy! Here's a really cool idea for sellers of little things... I figured out how to use every part of the PayPal receipt to make a great presentation: 1. cut your awesome cool receipt in half 2. Cut the bottom half in half 3. Follow the great instruction of EtsyLabs to make these two halves into a top and bottom box that fit together

HOW TO make a box out of scrap paper!

4. Now, you still have some little thin scraps left. Use them for super cute filling! Just fold them a couple of time long ways to give a little cushion and stuff your box

Tada! Now you have a super cool packaged item. I do it all the time...it makes me smile ^_^ Only two weeks left in the semester...more coming during the winter break!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

School work can be fun

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:47:30 -0700

Still no new crafting. School work and the Wii have been monopolizing my time. There's nothing I can do about it really. I did bring home the prints that have been graded tho.

This first one came from a quote about the human brain creating more electrical impulses in a day than all the phones in all the world. Cool idea, not sure if its true, but it makes for a cool linocut. Here is my little robot getting his daily electricity from Brain Crunch, part of a complete breakfast.

This next one is my first attempt at woodcut. It's just a tattoo-like swallow. Everything around the black was carved out. Normally, I like to have everything I do face to the right. It makes me think of moving forward. I forgot to flip this image to reflect that, but then thought that this was better. I was looking back on the life I left behind, knowing that things were finally changing. That's why it's called "Looking Back".

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

When I don't have time to craft, I blog about people who do

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:13:43 -0700

So Tuesdays and Thursdays are pretty full school days. Class from 8am-5pm with a break in between. My boyfriend is class till 8pm which is teh suck. I have work after school tomorrow...double plus suck. So tonight is homework night. Damn you priorities.

Here's some stuff to keep you busy:

The Pink of Perfection is a great how to site that does more that just crafty stuff. I get lost on this site forreal. I think the record into a mail organizer made it on my To-Craft List.

EcoEtsy is a group my cousin-in-law Sarah founded. It helps promote ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle when crafting and shipping. There are some awesome ideas here and as a group is starting pretty strong.

The ever lovely EtsyLabs always has something fun for us to do. The tutorial I linked to is actually really high up on my list. We have accumulated so many plastic bags from grocery shopping and the like...I just hate to throw them away knowing they're just going to sit in a landfill for years to come. This is a perfect way to reuse and repurpose! Do this if you like...if not...send all your plastic bags to meeeeeee ^_^

Also, I'm working on something cool and way hard for school. I'm in a relief printmaking class this semester. We did some woodcut, linocut (my favorite!) and now we're onto wood engraving. It's what they used back in the day to make letters and illustrations for printing presses. It'll make your eyes cross and back hurt, but looks amazing when done right. I'm working on a Singer 201-2. The kind of Singer my Grandmom used. This is the photo being used:

Minus the collectibles type of course >_< Hopefully it'll turn out ok.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Adorn magazine is amazing.

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:36:41 -0700

Check out what I did today!

Remember those things from the seventies made from yarn using that line art called symmography? I didn't either, it's ok. Mom knew what I was talking about though. I got the idea from my new Adorn magazine. They have a whole write up on seventies crafts which are totally groovy. But I actually put myself to work on this one.

Lowes had great 24"x24" Red Oak (I think >_<) that I sanded and stained with Minwax, Red Mahogany, then Shelac-ed. I'm so happy I own Shelac, you have no idea. Anyway, I followed the directions on the nailing part (after complaining for about 20 minutes that I couldn't find my masking tape and saying I had to go out and get some right then because I need all things completely at once and then finding it right where I left it)...but I had more issues with the stringing. I was making it way too hard for myself, so my boyfriend, the great voice of reason, stepped in after a little mini mental break down from myself >_<. He just read the directions and showed me how to do it lol. That's why I love him! So the end result:

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

It's been done...but I still like it

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 19:40:20 -0700

So I tried something that I've wanted to do for a while now. Making bowls from records. I know it's been done before...a lot...but it's still way fun! Especially since the Salvation Army down the street sells old crappy records for .25. So here's what it did!

I picked an awesome record. How amazingly retro is that label?! Plus My Fair Lady is a great movie. Rent it and educate yourself.

Record went on top of an oven safe pot/bowl and then on a cookie sheet. We turned the pan upside down because the bowl was short and we thought it might melt on the sheet.

Tada! After taking it out, I just put it in another bowl and smoothed it out as best I could. I think it looks pretty kickin for a first attempt. Here are the others:

Hooray!

Definitely fun times if you've got some crappy records and a few minutes to spare. We're getting a lot of ideas from this too, so hopefully I'll get back on the ball with writing often.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Back to School

nobody@vox.com(The Pink Samurai) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 10:24:31 -0700

So I'm finally all moved in! I'm finishing up my first week back to school and it couldn't be better. My boyfriend and I are Art majors and actually have a couple classes together. It's awesome to the max! I'm taking this kickass printmaking class that is all woodcut...just started my first project...pics to come.

My new apartment is ok. It's like a pseudo dorm like place so I'm not going to crazy. I did take your advice though, with hanging separator thingys (Thanks Sarah! They rock my world) and lots of drawers. Once everything was in, you could tell there was a lot more room. Which is great because of all the art supplies I've had to get...there's giant sheets of paper everywhere! Have some pics:

TaDa! Doesn't it look like fun?! It's not phenomenal (the bed, desk and dresser come with the place...the cubes are mine :) but it's nice. Working on getting a sewing table bought, or made. I haven't made anything in two weeks and I'm getting a little antsy. I've got lots to take pictures of and list on Etsy, just need to make a new make-shift light box and get the show on the road. It's a long weekend, so it'll happen soon.

I'd like to give a little holler to Cally from Cally's Critters. If you look in the background on top of my cubes, you'll see a set of eyeballs that belongs to the most adorably kawaii plushie rice ball you've ever set eyes on! She is AMAZING! It's SO cute!

So yeah...pics of new pocket mirrors and comic buttons are on the way. Gotta get a good night's sleep now. I have class in the morning!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend