Pack Rat 365 Catch Up - Day 5 & 6!

Days 5 and 6 both done, just took some getting around to post them!

Day 5 - Make something from a collection.
Hah! What don't I collect - this is a pack rat project after all!  I looked all around for one certain collection to inspire something creative, but nothing that would be super easy to create from.   I wanted to challenge myself a little.  Tucked in a little dish on a desk is part of my collection of old coins.  I have all sorts of old change - like wheat pennies and such.  I took up a handful and decided to make something with them.

The old coin rainbow! Why look to the end of it, when the treasure is right there?

Next up - Friday - Day 6.

Make something from a stencil. 

First I had to make myself a stencil.  I have some, but I thought about carving out my own. 

I sketched out a star and carved it out with my x-acto (and managed not to hurt myself in the process - yay!)

But what to do with the stencil?  My mission was clear....

I used my "Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist" to spray through the stencil at random spots on the card. I let the ink fall wherever, and didn't really try to be too precise with it.  Overall, the card came out beautiful I think.  I kind of like the randomness of it.

So that's it for those two days.  Days 7 & 8 will be posted later tonight!

Enjoy!

Pack Rat 365 - Day 4!

I switched the routine a little bit today.  Today's goal or challenge was to walk into the kitchen and use the first fruit or vegetable I saw as a medium or inspiration.

That's it. Good old butternut squash sitting on the counter.  But how would I incorporate my pack rat tendencies and make something out of it?  What collection could I go to?

I chose the ribbon and button collections I have sitting in the studio. Sure, I've used them in lots of projects, but I still so much that hasn't been used!

I'm not sure what to call her.  She's somewhere between classic burlesque squash and tutu-sporting roller derby squash.  

Now that I made this, I have come to the realization that her destruction is imminent.  I haven't eaten butternut squash in a while - but her memory will live on in my blog! Back tomorrow with more!

Pack Rat 365 - Day 3!

I'll admit - so far this hasn't been too tough.  The guidelines have been easy enough to follow...until today.

Make something from paper - no glue, scissors or writing anything on it.  Part one - easy! I love all sorts of paper crafts....but what?? No glue! No scissors! No writing!

I picked out a small piece of handmade paper first to think of something creative I could make with it.  But what about the pack rat part? Then a little idea crept in.

I collect pens.  Not the nice pens you buy as a souvenir (well I have those too).  I somehow carry pens off from everywhere - work, stores, you name it!  I chose to spruce one up a little bit with this piece of paper.

First I rolled up the paper and put it inside the top end of the pen.  I left about two inches of paper sticking out and ripped strips of the paper down to the end of the pen.  After that process was finished, I curled a few by rolling them around a pencil.  

Now there's a less boring looking pen in my collection!  Just imagine what I could do with some glue and scissors! More on the way tomorrow! 

Pack Rat 365 - Day 2!

Day Two!

Today's project - transform yet another collected item into something that I will actually use!

The goal for this project was to make something inspired by my favorite animal.  Anyone will tell you that I really have no favorite animal.  Too many to mention.  But there is one that I have a certain liking to, enough to even use it in my roller derby moniker.  I chose to make a spider-y project!

But what did I have sitting around to re-purpose? My goal was clear. In fact, it has been sitting on the side of my craft desk since this summer at the mercy of my cats.

A cork board that has definitely seen better days.  Scratches abound on this item I snagged at a garage sale for a mere twenty-five cents.  I had to save it!  Enter some tacky glue, a foam brush and some spider print fabric that has also been sitting around for a while. 

I liberally applied glue all over the board, especially in spots where the scratches were deep. Then I placed the fabric on the board, smoothed it out and trimmed the sides with fabric scissors.  To add a little pop, I brushed some silver glitter glue around the wood frame! 

Voila! Brand new bulletin board, ready to hang up in my craft studio! I'll be back tomorrow!

Treasure of the Week!

Resuming with the Treasure of the Week, I go back to the first time I ever bought something on Etsy.

 I had heard of the website, but never felt the need to check it out - let alone buy something.  I always found what I needed in (gasp) retail stores and rarely bought anything from crafters or even small businesses.  Sure there were a few places I frequented, but I often opted for the cheaper places in lieu of buying local and/or handmade.

Fast forward to when I decided to buy an e-reader tablet.  I prefer the standard paper version of books, but I figured this would be fun for travel and taking as many books as I wanted on a trip.  I bought one as a gift to myself and loved it. But then the problem hit....I needed a cover.

Not just any cover mind you, I had to have one that looked neat and kept the e-reader safe - as I have a nasty habit of dropping things that are easily broken.  I looked in all kinds of stores.  Most covers either didn't catch my eye or carried a price tag too close to that of the e-reader. Yikes!

I looked around on Etsy.  There were tons! All handmade, with reasonable prices that didn't make me regret buying the e-reader in the first place! Then, I found it!

I love anything with owls. I messaged the seller to ask if it could be customized for the e-reader I had bought - no problem! I clicked on buy and couldn't wait to get the cover! The package arrived soon and I couldn't be happier! And, yes, I have dropped it on more than one occasion - the e-reader lives!

So, need an e-reader cover? Or perhaps something else? I suggest you check out Arelel Designs on Etsy!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArelelDesigns

And please give a like on Facebook here! 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/ArelelDesigns

Enjoy! See you next week!

New Project!

Today at Ok, Millie - actually this weekend - I decided to start the 365 Project.  Sometimes, and lately more than not, I've been in a creative rut.  Here's hoping this challenge pulls me out of it and perhaps you will try it too!

For information on the "Make Something 365" Project - check out this blog.
http://makesomething365.blogspot.com/

The premise is to make something every day for a year, using a consistent medium or subject.
In the grand tradition of my grandparents and how I inherited this tendency - I am going to call my project....
"Pack Rat 365".

I, like my grandparents, like to collect things.  The things that you would say "oh someday this might be useful" or "I could use this in a craft....someday....".  The sad thing is that they never seem to get used.  So, I decided that my medium would be the things I collect that would otherwise be thrown out in the trash (or recycled).

Today begins the project.  Day one.....

Today I picked out an old Kat Von D eyeshadow box I had saved.  I really liked the designs on the front and figured I could use them as an embellishment in my crafting at some point. I already had the glass cabochon.

I punched a circle out of the box, and glued it to the cabochon using some Diamond Glaze.  I cut and sanded around the edges so there wasn't any cardboard poking out.  Super easy.  To finish up, I used some E-6000 to glue a bail on the back to make a pendant.  Here's the finished product! 

Day One - complete.  Pack Rat pendant! 

Treasure of the Week!

Let's talk about roller derby today.  I have played roller derby for a combined total of about three years now and I love it.  The hits, the camaraderie and of course, who doesn't love a stockpile of knee socks.   This year I wanted to invest in a really neat pair of derby shorts.  I went to Etsy in search of such a pair, and believe me there is no shortage of these.  My derby name is Spooky SpiteHer, so of course I wanted something a little Halloween-ish and spidery.  I found exactly what I needed, and they are beyond awesome looking!  This week we highlight ScutiePie Hot Pants as the Ok, Millie Treasure of the Week!

ScutiePie has the most amazing variety of derby hot pants.  Custom orders are available, and the patterns are crazy awesome!  Check out the pair I bought!  

These shorts are probably my favorite that I own! I can't wait to wear them in a bout! Thanks ScutiePie!

Please check out ScutiePie for your derby (or heck, fun to work out in) short needs!
At Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ScutiePie
And Give a like on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ScutiePie

Tell them Spooky sent you! Enjoy!