Hand Laid Cork Board

A here with a fun project you can work on while enjoying a glass of wine and your favorite (in my case, cancelled) TV series.  During a recent spring cleaning, J found my stash of wine corks in a cabinet and commented that they were overflowing their chosen container.  I took that as a sign it was time for a cork-based project and went shopping for a fanciful frame.  Unfortunately my imagination is greater than my penchant for alcohol, and I ended up having to buy more corks to bulk up my stash and complete this frame, but if you're smart you can choose a frame that matches your drinking habits.  The basic supplies for this project are:

• Wine Corks (preferably ones made from real cork)
• Large Exacto knife or box cutter
• Photo frame
• Hot glue
• Cutting Mat

Designing with Bleach: Tardis Silhouette

 

Combining my love of simple afternoon projects, iconic imagery, and practical application, I bring you the newest addition to my wardrobe!  I've been spending a lot of time browsing the web lately admiring the many creative items Whovians have made to show their love of Dr. Who.  Although many pay homage to specific Doctors, my favorite icon of the show is by far the TARDIS.  One search of "TARDIS" on Etsy will bring you endless pages of items, many of which depict the TARDIS spinning through outerspace.  The beauty of these galactic images inspired me to create a "starfield" of bleach spatter, unique and somewhat out of my own control (which, honestly, feels appropriate to time and space travel).  Although I chose to create a TARDIS silhouette for my shirt, this technique could be used to highlight any shape you choose.

Items I used to create my shirt include:

• Bleach
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Water
• An Old Toothbrush
• Plastic Sheet (stencil-making material)
• Exacto Knife
• Waxed Paper
• Rubber Glove

The Mandeltine

J here with one of the projects that figures in the 2013 Shared Build. Our instructions were to work towards something that embraced our recipient's love of mathematical pattern. A and I had been talking about a project that might include iron-on transfer, we wanted to play with some canvas, and I thought back to my studying math in college and one of my favorite Google Easter eggs. Once you throw in Jonathan Coulton's Mandelbrot Set (I guess it's technically NSFW?), I knew what I had to do. It was time to embrace the iconic I <3 NY and do a mathematical spin for one of our most loyal supporters, and the Mandeltine was born.

You'll Need:
-A pre-stretched canvas
-Inkjet iron-on transfer sheets
-EITHER: a stencil/cutting machine/steady hands and a razor OR stick-on letters. Or paint. Or print out the whole thing. We can't stop you.