new earrings!

If you read my regular blog at all, you would know it has been HOT here in  Northern Wisconsin.  So hot, I have been hiding in my little craft room, greedily fondling all my supplies and completely ignoring the outside world.  it seems earrings keep me in one spot long enough to foster cankle growth, and since I managed to acquire a bunch of new bits lately, I've slammed out a good pile of earrings to hang out in my shop.  

Remember, free shipping to everywhere!

Paper wasp art natural pendant

I just wanted to share real quick a little something I discovered today.  I really wanted to make an original, never-been-seen-before kind of necklace and after digging through some supplies, I think I managed something  neat-o.  I found this huge wasp nest.  You know, the kind of hive thing that you see hanging from trees?  One of these:

 Photo from http://securitypest.com (thank you!)

Anyway, I took that little awesome thing (obviously abandoned as they usually are in the late fall/early winter) and had it sitting on a shelf for a while wondering what to do with it.  Today, I moved it and a little bit of the "paper" fell off.  I had one of those keepsake pendant kits and mounted a bit of the paper into the pendant.  From that, I got this little number: 

Super pretty right?  But that's not all!  While this screams earrings, I had this cool bead I have been just aching to use in a pendant situation.  So, with some general fanageling, I now have this final product: 

I love it!  It turned out so awesome.  I hung it from a simple gray leather thong to continue with the natural bohemian look.  I almost don't want to sell it...sigh, but alas, I am poor and mama needs a new bra ASAP. So, If you love this, and feel sorry for my unsupported bosoms, please visit my Etsy and make this little guy yours.  It wants to be on you.  

New section in my etsy store

Real quick, its been a really, really long day.

I opened  a section of my etsy shop dedicated to handmade, affordable things for snail-mail swappers!  Fabric postcards, tea bag cozies, stitch markers, etc.  New things will be added every day and I am offering free shipping for everyone everywhere!

I'm pretty excited about this and as a swapper myself, I have always gotten good reviews on the items when I sent them to my partners and I think it would be nice for the not-so-crafty swappers to add in something really special sometimes.

Now, some of you are probably asking, what is a snail-mail swapper?  It's really fun and SO awesome.  Write letters and send treats to people all over the world.  It is very safe and strictly monitored, but is an excellent venue for paying it forward and random acts of kindness, which I LOVE doing!  I have written to lonely people, sad people, happy people, stressed out people.  I've been told that their day was going so badly and they came home to a big pile of bills and bad news except for a pretty little package filled with tiny little gifts just for them.  It makes their day and I want to spread the word and get everyone involved.

So, here is the link to the swapbot blog where you can read all about the process and the fun:  

http://blog.swap-bot.com/ 

From there, you can read about the process and get a link to the actual site where you can set up a free account.  Add me to your relationships and maybe I can set up a swap with you!  My profile on Swapbot is here:

http://www.swap-bot.com/user:uniqueutopia

Okay!  I am done!  So tired!  See you on the fun side and thank you for hanging out with me!

Winter hiatus

I know I've been AWOL all winter because of some drama in the fall and a major move that kind of threw my imagination into a tizzy.  After a substantial break though, I am ready to show you what i have been working on.

A friend of mine said that she needed a cup cozy.  I thought it a most frivolous thing.  who would need a cup cozy anyway?  But, I went ahead and free formed one and tried it out.

Amazing!  My knuckles were not burned on the side of the cup!  My tea stayed hot longer!  I was able to sip and savor instead of  chugging in fear of cold tea!  HA!

This was my first one. 

and then, because I can't leave anything alone, I made a duck.  :)

I am thinking that these will be on my website before winter's end.

Upcycled tobacco can births mini drying kit in a can

If you follow my other blog, you know I am really into herbs and natural food and stuff like that.  I have tutorials on how to preserve and use certain things over there.  My drying line is simple: 2 cup hooks with a piece of jewelry wire looped at each end to hang on those cup hooks like a clothesline situation, then mini clothespins to hold your herbs up while they dry.  Like this:

I've been asked by a couple of people to make a little herb drying kit for them, so they can dry herbs as well.  I was laying in bed one night thinking of what I could use for a container, when I spotted one of my husbands empty chewing tobacco cans.  HA!!!  Thus the Mini Herb Drying Kit in a Can was born AND I finally figured out a way to recycle my husband's bad habit residue!
                                   

DESTASH GIVE AWAY AND PROMO!!!!

I have about 5 crochet and 5 knit stitch marker sets of 4 to give away.  Colors will vary.  Comment on my post and specify whether you would like knit or crochet, then email me at unique.euphoria@gmail.com with an address so I can send them to you.  First comenter, first serve.  While supplies last.

EDIT!  Due to the overwhelming response, I am now officially out of stitch markers; however, there is still a few left in my shop and if you chose to buy, I will still include a free gift as below.

Not a knitter or crochet artist?  Go to my Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/uniqueeuphoria.  If you see something you like and buy it between now and August 8, 2010, I will include a surprise gift worth $5.00 or more with your order.

Featured!!!

I was featured on Trashion's blogger today! Come read my interview!

http://etsytrashion.blogspot.com/2010/07/feature-me-friday-unique-euphoria.html

Memorial weekend, doves, Jesus and angels

I managed to score a pile of these little white doves that I thought would make awesome wind dangles and I am trying my best to decide on an appropriate centerpiece. At first I was thinking an earth/globe situation with the doves raining down from it. Then, since it is memorial weekend and I do make most of my sales as grave bling, I thought a Jesus would be cool with the doves raining down. Maybe I could do both? On the other hand, I do have deep respect for my Jesus and I can't seem to really capture him in stick person form. Nothing that makes you take one look and say--Hey, isn't that Jesus?

I might be safer just going with an angel...whatever I decide, I need to decide quick. Until then, I am busy drilling holes into these little plastic doves...

Butterfly Journal

I did an image search on google for a butterfly shape I could copy and you wouldent believe how many butterfly themed crotchless panty images came up. I wonder if the have crotchless panties with crabs? Hahahaha! OKay, bad joke. Get on with it..I know, I know...

How come my applique is all centered and then I sew it and it's all...not? Sigh.

Bottles

I had mentioned in a previous post that I had a special order for clear bottles for picture transfer. I wasn't at all happy with the bottles I had originally done, so I went shopping (at the recycle center) and brought home a few more clear bottles (plus a few pretty colored ones-who can resist?!), took extra care in cleaning them and took extra care in smoothing the kiln shelves. I ramped the heat slowly to slumping temperture, watched diligently as they slumped and crash cooled as soon as they were slumped to my specifications. I let them slowly cool the rest of the night and they are absolutely perfect. I'm so excited for my customer! I had to share my success story, since bottle slumping is such a trial and error craft, at least for me. There really is no solid directions for doing this and so many variables, I found that I am on my own. I'm pretty excited.

So, here they are, my perfect bottles. Hopefully a long line of similer ones to come :)

I was slumping some bottles tonight and thought I would work on something in the shop since it seems like when I leave that kiln and work in the house, I tend to forget and overcook my bottles. Since I had some wire twisted, I went ahead and made this little number. It is a ornament holder to hold those really special ornaments you don't want the cats/kids/dogs to knock down and break or if you just don't have the room for a tree but want to show off the ornaments you have.

The ornaments I have pictured are pretty special to me. They are antiques that belonged to my sister. A Christmas when she had left home and had no food, tree or decorations. She opened up the door to her aprtment one day to find groceries and these ornaments. That was more than 20 years ago. My sister passed away and I still have her ornaments. I came up with this idea to keep them safe from 4 kids 2 dogs and a cat and still be able to enjoy them. I'll be posting this model in my shop as soon as I have it cleaned and painted.

Working hard

Hi there readers. I have been working hard on a couple special requests for customers and haven't been here to write as I should.

I am making some wine bottles for someone who wants to mount photos behind them. I thought this was a great idea and of course has to be done with clear bottles. What a cute Christmas present for a family member. Anyway, here is one of my bottles with a photo of my daughter behind it.

The bottle I used is a little "overcooked" and I wonder if the bottle looks more like a sloppy piece of glass than a bottle. I may have to do another batch.

The other thing was a request for a tree-like thing that a customer could hang her handmade cards from at craft shows. It's still in its raw stage, but basically, this is what I came up with:



As you can see, I have a lot of cleaning up to do, shaping and sanding etc before primer and paint. The idea is that a short beaded string hang from each "branch" with a hook or clip that she can attach her handmade cards to. people can look at what she has while being displayed really cool. I thought this would be a really neat idea for hanging jewelry from. Maybe painted white
or solid black. How pretty would it be on a dresser draped with pretty necklaces and rings? Oh...I may have another idea for a Christmas present.

Holiday sale

Shop my store this weekend and recive free shipping on every item. Also, prices have been cut on all fall inspired items to make way for the winter holidays!

Edible Napkin Rings

I love, LOVE getting a brand new set of dishtowels, tea towels or napkins. Its the little things-and my little thing is clean, bright, starchy brand new towels or napkins. I have several family members that feel the same way, and a cozy kitchen basket with new towels and maybe a couple of cookie cutters and little sweet measuring spoons would be adorable. Here is how you can make it special:

First of all, find a nice big seasonal cookie tin leftover from a previous year, or a neat basket--anything that is shallow but roomy and would make a cute base for your project. I have several baskets I got from the thrift store. Sometimes they even give them away because they get a lot of these. Take advantage and be creative! Next, if you can sew, you can buy a yard of white cotton and sew some napkins/tea towels or you can buy them premade. The difference is a few dollars and if your trying to save money-do it yourself is always the better deal.

Now, you can give these plain, or you can decorate. Take an apple or a pear and cut it in half lengthwise. Dab dry with a cotton cloth or paper towel. Make sure to make it as dry as possible so it does not interfere with your paint-yeah! Paint! Acrylic paint is very affordable (a dollar a tube or less) and is permanent. Choose a color and paint the surface of the cut pear/apple. Choose a darker version of the base color and paint the lower edge of the pear/apple to give the illusion of shadow, and stamp straight down and firmly into the corner of the towel. Lift straight up so as not to smudge and you should have a really nice fruit print. You can go in after it is dry with black and pain small black seeds-then, when the paint is completely dry (give them a good 24 hours to be safe) lay an old dishcloth over your painting and iron to help set the paint. If you are doing napkins, you can also do this to plain white place mats to match.

Okay, so you have your napkins/towels and they are adorable. You have your cute basket or tin and its a matter of putting them together-here's where we can make this really special:

Make a simple yeast roll recipe and half it. One half stays plain while ground fennel seeds or poppy seeds are added and mixed with the other half. Roll all dough into long, narrow strips, like snakes. Take one plain and one flavored "snake" and twist together into strands, then make rings.

When they are baked, use your bread "rings" for napkin rings on your fancy new napkins, or you can wrap your bread rings in one of the tea towels and tuck the others around the package. CUTE!

Add a festive bow and a silk poinsettia blossom and you have a really sweet and yummy gift.

Hats n things

It is that time of year again and since snow was falling in my backyard already 3 times, I decided to break out the crochet hooks and yarn collection that has been packed away so long. I had a pile of really really RED yarn and thoughts of the little neighborhood menaces, flaming hellions speeding the walkways on big wheels and my great nephew came to mind. Have you ever seen a hat and said to yourself, "Hey-I know that kid?"

This next one came to me after reading a Gary Larson cartoon where a guy had a duck on his head. it just seemed so right.

But as everyone knows, the focus of my site is wire working and reclaimed art, so Ill get to it.

Let me explain a little bit about this first thing. I had actuallyhad made it for myself. You see, I have this sunflower love that boarders on the psychopathic, so I made this sunflower thing for myself to hang my giant fork and spoon set that belonged to my grandmother. The thing is, when I got all the elements together it kind of reminded me of a Pier 1 explosion and I realized my inner interior designer hates me.

I then thought how cute the whole situation would be in a kitchen with vintage aprons hanging on the hooks-Adorable! Alas, I have no vintage aprons.

I've decided to give my customers the opportunity to enjoy the sunflower. It is a very big piece, so your going to want to have a bit of room made for it. It's a favorite of mine though, so I hope you like it.

The rest of the day I spent finishing up a few projects, painting and listing. I always tell myself that I'm only going to spend an hour on my shop, then it turns into a whole day. I updated quite a bit though, so instead of writing all about it, I'll just let you go and see for yourself. Enjoy.

Wind chimes on a rainy day

It's a rainy day today, the first all April. Already I can see the grass getting green. My husband picked up a stray beta fish on the way home from town the other day (someone was moving and handing out all her animals), so I've spent the morning working on a new home for little Wong Foo. He came in a cheesy lava lamp thing that lit up like a disco ball and looked like it spent the better part of the 90's on the bottom shelf of a thrift store. It was time to retire the funk and I have been working on a hanger for him. I'll probably post it after the paint drys.

Yesterday I went for a free form whatever in an attempt to use up my excess glass. I really need to get more of these fired. Possibly I can get the next batch to behave a bit better than this last one.

I managed to scavenge some chandelier crystals and I think I'll use them on my beta home today. I thought it would be pretty window decor in the kitchen.