Progress, progress, progress

I am chewing away at my list!. I had an, 'ah ha!', about my response to mending or repair work and why it takes me so long to get it done. It isn't fun, and seldom can I make it fun. Hence, I put it off, and stress over not getting it done. Then I remember that if I don't make art I go crazy... so once again I give myself permission to play. One of these times, soon, I will listen to myself and believe the length of time any mending job takes is, as a necessity to my mental health, going to include spurts of my creative expression amidst the timeline. So, the update from my miniature muse!

The craft stick bed went together well with wood glue. The 3 coats of white acrylic may just be an adequate primed surface. I am considering 'painting' it with my doodling! I have a piece of white/off white' pre quilted' batting I'm going to use to make the mattress for this miniature bed! It is a bit over sized, as a California King might be at 5.5" X 7.75 ".

I have also been playing with cardboard. I covered the box with a tufted 'mattress' in a dark blue. I then covered each of the headboards separately in a fantastic print I have been using bit by bit for several years before attaching them to the bed. I didn't take progress pictures because I really wasn't sure this one was going to come out. I did no pattern, no measuring beyond against the pieces. It is fully 'glued' with frabri-tac. I even used it to attach the wooden bead feet. This little bed is 4.75" X 7", If I make another bed from recycled cardboard I'll take progress pictures! There are a few dancing in my head, but I only need so many different props for my displays I may not get the beds made. We shall see!

I have been knotting the edge of a tie dyed 'throw', bed spread, wall hanging thingy. I'll be getting a few of these listed on Etsy soon. The stamped series is making slower progress... still has stamping to do. But I did get a second stamp done!

I found a piece of yard sale fabric that would take dye, it feels like rayon maybe, perhaps silk. I did it a bit differently. I used the fabric wet, after a good wash with mild detergent in hot water and rinsed in hot and cold. I lay the dye ties across on a double thickness and steamed in the microwave. I did rework it once after it had dried because there had been limited transfer of the dye. Not sure what the future is for this piece if fabric!

And I got one fourth of the remaining mending done on the lining to a jacket for a friend! I have a list!

To Do ...

I keep making lists of things to do in my head! Once again seeking to give myself permission to be creative and work on "my" stuff. I currently have 2 potentially 3 repair/reconstruction 'projects' to have in the most top of my "LIST" (in capitals to emphasize the silly power it has over me). Rather, the power I give it to elicit specific emotional responses toward myself... Okay, enough self diagnosis and treatment of my mind's wanderings! Suffice it to say, grow up, get to it, make time. Include getting to the house maintenance I most willingly leave to the bottom of said list. :)

What have I been doing... I actually have worked in a significant amount of my stuff. I tie dyed a piece of cotton, have cut it into small 1/12 scale bed spreads, or tapestries. I have experimented with edge techniques to make the knotting look to scale, it'll work well enough. Then to practice the stamping of images I decided to cut up a different piece of fabric I had previously painted as the tester run. Some stamping of images begun. Results are satisfactory, with significant room for improvement noted. I pretty much did this project in half hour intervals over the past few weeks. I continue my search for an easily constructed scale bed pattern to get the display set for my newest obsession, miniatures. And in an attempt to design one for myself I have collected craft sticks for $1, 2 pieces of balsa wood for ~$2, although I would pick a stronger wood if I were to make another of these. Picturing the basic bed construction options I have begun gluing pieces together. I also have a cardboard box version with head & foot boards made of the flap side of a shoebox for thickness, not yet attached as I can't get past the multitude of ways this could be finished, and how involved do I want it to be... etc.!

Yesterday in an ever continuing search for miniatures in this town I wandered about an antique 'mall' an entertaining way to spend time! I found a cute miniature sewing machine, and a scale size spinning wheel, ~$7 for both. I was really excited as I can use them as prop in my display for selling my miniature fiber/textile items! I found a set of knitting needles that go down to '000' or 1.5mm, I can only knit for so long before my hands refuse to cooperate! But I am having fun thinking of and working slowly on knitting samples! The small trunk I picked up a few weeks ago at the craft store for $1 will work with these items as a place to have items possibly draped over the side ad folded inside. The creation of a display room is a kick, I am considering a castle, I have awesome 'stonewall' fabric I could do the walls in! But I also need a 50's room. My head is having fun!

My "LIST" calls me and I want to work on everything at once! I will have to see where the day takes me. I'll start with the dishes, oddly doing the dishes, or probably rather, getting the dishes done and cleaning the kitchen, is the most immediately obvious visible to self and others act of maintenance tasks/chores. The elves continue to refrain themselves from helping me do my chores!