Month: June 2022

I’m looking over…

On By CarynIn Flora

A four-leaf clover. My first time ever finding a four-leaf clover!

Four-leaf clover

I recently read an article on four-leaf clovers, and one finder suggested looking for squares amongst the triangles made by three-leaf clovers. Apparently this works. Day 2 of thinking of squares and triangles, I spot one. I carefully laid it flat between layers of wax paper and put it in one of my book presses that my Dad helped me make years and years ago.

Oak plank book press

The method for looking works for me, because I found a second one the next day, and two more the following day. My eldest also found one after I told her the trick to it.

Four-leaf clover in situ, can you spot it?

Custom bracelets

On By CarynIn Craft

Although I have gone away from speculative jewelry making, I do accept custom orders on occasion. I particularly like stamped metal bracelets with dual messages.

Getting ready to stamp metal

After using 0000 steel wool to smooth the edges, I stamp the outside of the aluminum bracelet blank first, then engrave the second saying on the inside with a small rotary engraver. Black ink in the recesses enhances the stamped letters, but doesn’t help the engraved letters. Another pass with fine steel wool and the bracelets are ready for forming.

Engraved side

I did splurge on a new tool for forming the bracelets; a steel bracelet bender (shown in the top right of the top photo). This works very well for the middle, but I still like my nylon forming pliers to get the curve on the very ends. After bending, a couple coats of microcrystalline wax helps prevent fingerprints and gives a nice finish to the cuffs.

Finished bracelet surrounded by hand stamped muslin pouches

The muslin pouches I blogged about yesterday work wonderfully to protect and package the bracelets. Job done!

Stamped pouches

On By CarynIn Craft

I had an idea for a small pouch that didn’t require a string tie, or button, or zipper. Inspired by couch pillow covers, these have overlapping flaps in the back that do well to keep small rigid items protected.

Stamping muslin

I wanted 4” square pouches, so tore an 11” strip of washed and ironed unbleached cotton muslin, marked 4.5” sections along the strip, and stamped my logo in the center of each section. To stamp, I squirted some fabric paint into a bowl, then loaded a sponge brush with paint to apply the paint to the stamp.

Making a 1/4” hem

I hemmed both long edges of the strip with a 1/4” hem foot on my sewing machine. (Hands down, this is my favorite foot.)

Sewing adjacent sides of the pouches

To form the pouches, I folded the long strip inside out, with about a 2” overlap, then sewed 1/4” on either side of my pencil lines. A cut between the seams, clips of the corners, turned inside out and pressed, and I was able to fairly quickly produce many small product bags!

Finished stamped product pouches

Hope

On By CarynIn Garden
Hibiscus buds

This is a picture of one stem of our happy Hearty Hibiscus. There are other stems also chock full of buds. I’ve been spraying the leaves weekly with a solution of Neem oil, Peppermint oil, Castor soap, and water with the hope it will be enough to keep the Thrips (tiny bud destroying insects) away. So much hope that the blooming is going to be as spectacular as the buds indicate. Hearty Hibiscus blooms only last for a day or so, but they bloom sequentially, so all those buds shouldn’t burst forth at once, but a couple per branch per day. Which still has the potential to be glorious.

Painting rocks

On By CarynIn Craft

It has been a long while since we’ve painted rocks, I believe since last summer, but it is a great activity any time of year. My youngest brought up the request, but my kids and I all painted. After washing and drying the rocks, of course.

My attempt at a chocolate candy with a bite out

I don’t usually do “commercial” items, but there was one broken rock, and I’ve seen some rather clever M&M designs utilizing the broken edge (thanks Pinterest). We use acrylic paint and paper plates as our palette. I’ve tried various protective coatings, but the freeze thaw cycle of outdoor life is hard on painted rocks. The designs that stay the best are the ones that are kept inside. Still, we will take and “hide” these around town because the idea of bringing someone a bit of joy with found art is worth it. What the finder chooses to do with the rock is entirely up to them. Some post to social media, some keep, some hide again.

All the artistic endeavors from this round of painted rocks (mine is the green one, the rest are my kids’ work)

For more information on the Kindness Rocks movement, visit https://www.thekindnessrocksproject.com. They have a lovely site and sentiment and project ideas for spreading kindness. There are many other organizations as well, and many local groups that post hides and finds on social media as well as organizing rock painting events.