Crafty girl is crafty

Today on Fresh on Fridays, we are having show-and-tell, wherein I tell you about my latest craft projects, because a picture is worth a thousand words, and it’ll save me a helluva lot of energy not coming up with them myself.

Awhile back, I bought a couple fun, blingy, rhinestoned belt buckles from the sister of a friend. This was enough to get me hooked on belt buckles, and while I’ve been on the lookout for cool ones, I was inspired to give it a try myself. I did a lot of research, found some buckle blanks at eBay, and then sat on the works for about a month, not sure I wanted to do with all that blank canvas. I decided to start with 4 and see if I liked making them, in which case I would get more. I just ordered 8 more, so you know how that went. I can’t wait for the return of jeans season, when they’ll really shine.

“Paper Flowers”

This belt buckle is made with paper flowers and beads Tacky Glued to the metal buckle blank, sealed with spray sealant, and then finished with epoxy resin.

“Plicatula gibbosa”

The second year I worked for my company as a traveling trainer, I spent the bulk of the summer in Florida, in various locations. I collected these cat’s paw (Plicatula gibbosa) shells (among many others) 7 years ago on Sanibel Island for some as-yet unimagined project. They were Tacky Glued to an oval belt buckle blank, then sealed with epoxy resin.

“Herb”

I printed the picture of the hummingbird and decoupaged it to a large rectangle belt buckle blank. I had the amethyst beads from years ago in a twisted 3 strand necklace I never wore, so I repurposed them as a border here, and sealed the works with epoxy resin.

“The Trouble with the Women’s Movement”

I created the original digital collage, decoupaged it to the belt buckle blank and sealed it with epoxy resin. I actually had to do this project twice. The first version constituted my education in using epoxy resin. But I learned a lot.

“I Heart San Francisco”

I do.  I really, really do.  It’s the only city I’ve never lived in that I love.  I love the energy and the history and the scenery, and of course, the memories.  I found the stickers in the scrapbooking section of the craft store, and printed the background map from Google maps.  Evidently, my Mod-Podge sealing job on part of the cable car and the SF banner was sub-optimal, but once it’s on my belt, if you’re close enough to notice it, you’re probably not going to care.

“Dead Serenade”

This one was a request by Beth who wanted a Grateful Dead belt buckle.  We found the image online, and then I added the darkened rose columns on either side.

I also made this pick necklace for my friend Beth. She’d ordered one just like it, but when it arrived, it was just the lanyard—pick sold separately, evidently. I told her I could make her one, since I have paua for my inlay projects. Et voila!

And the final recent project is musical.  As you read this, I will be on a plane north to Wisconsin to visit my family on the occasion of my father’s 60th birthday.  His birthday was actually Thursday, but we’ll be celebrating it Sunday with various relatives at the Coda family cabin.  My dad is tough to shop for, and not the least bit helpful when you ask him what he wants for a gift; he’s been asking for good kids for Father’s Day, birthday, and Christmas, for the last 37 years.  (In my opinion, he’s got them, but you’d have to confirm with him.)  So I decided a homemade gift (just like I made when I was little, only with a little less macaroni,) might be the way to go, but my dad doesn’t need a fancy belt buckle or a pick necklace.  I decided to do an EP of Beatles’ covers for him.  I put together the cover myself, with an assist from Scott, who’s better with the Photoshop-fu than I am.  If you’d like to hear the songs, click on the image below to go to my Covers page, and you’ll find ‘em towards the bottom.

So, what’ve you been up to lately?