A Little Messy

Today I decided to take a class vs. teach a class, so it was soapstone carving. I've been wanting to try for quite a while but didn't know where to start. A friend has been carving little wizard figures out of soapstone and he agreed to teach so this was my opportunity. As you can see from the pictures we started with a triangle shaped piece of stone and did a little sketching with a pencil on the stone and then just started carving and filing. After about 3 hours it still isn't finished but I'll finish it up here at home. It is supposed to look like a wizard but I'm not sure if mine does....maybe a gnome or an old fashioned Santa...? I'll post a picture when I'm finished.

If you follow my posts here on my blog then you may remember me talking about an upcoming jewelry party where I was going to donate 30% of the proceeds to a local charity. Well the show was last Wednesday and it was a success. We raised over $200 for the Westgate Orthopedic Guild to benefit Mary Bridge Children's Hospital. I'm so pleased that I'll be able to present them with a check at their May meeting.

If you are interested in hosting a jewelry party with some of the proceeds donated to charity, please contact me at djames50 at gmail (dot) com.

One of the other things I had been working on the finally came to a close was these Victorian folding fans. Here is a picture of the complete table setting with them as the centerpiece with the flowers. The whole table looked wonderful and my friend Glenda did a great job organizing everything...oh and the Bunco and lunch were good also.

Here is a close up.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. We had the kids over for dinner today so after carving stone and cooking, I'm tuckered out and ready for an early night.

Have a great one.

Victorian Fans and Embellishments

I think I finally have it figured out. The Victorian fans I'm making for a ladies luncheon are now coming together. I have the first one completed and even made a couple of paddle fans (much smaller of course). I made one just using scrapbook card stock and it was too flimsy so I've been saving cardboard cereal boxes and cutting them up to use as the base for the fan paddles. They worked out great. A little bit more work with having to glue the paper to the front and the back of the cardboard but they will hold up much better. Next was the pictures and the embellishments. I found some paper dollies to use under the pictures and it looks much more Victorian and lacy. Some paper punches in the shape of flowers and scalloped circles and ovals round it out. If you would like the template for the folding fan you can get it at Mirkwood Designs.

The paddle fans are quick and easy and usable. Good for all us ladies that get a little hot every once in a while. You know who you are.

If you notice on the front of the fold out fan the yellow flower. Well that is tissue paper with a pearl and button center. Thanks to Janea my bead soup partner for that idea. As she sent me one on my gift box.  Check out her blog to see the goodies I sent her.  So now I'm going to make several to use as embellishments on the pages of the Hampton Fat book I'm working on.

Here is a couple of pictures of the tissue flower embellishment. To make them you will need a scalloped edge paper punch. It could be a heart, circle oval or whatever shape you want. I opened up a bag of colored tissue paper and folded it flat and punched through the entire stack twice to get the desired thickness of tissue. Then I punched card stock, hole punched in the middle of all of them, threaded a small 4mm glass pearl and button with some small gauge wire and inserted it through the hole in the papers. Then I folded the wires back and added a touch of glue to the bottom right in the middle to secure. Let dry. Finally, I scooched up the tissue. I'll trim the wires before using them on my pages but I love the look of them.

So much fun. Now to finish crocheting a beanie hat for my brother.

Have a great week and if you are into making scrapbooks or mixed media, give the tissue flowers a try.http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/fan.htmhttp://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/fan.htm