Masquerade

It’s getting close to Halloween time! Halloween is one of the best times of year for me because it gives me an excuse to get even craftier! I’ve gotten back into some of the mask making I did last year. I’ve already posted one of my masks from last year on the AU Etsy, but there are several more still to come. I’m not sure if I’m going to make another moving mask like I did last year though. It turned out really awesome and held up well, but was slightly more fragile than I think I wanna risk selling to anyone. Sadly all my photos of the mask in action were on the devices that got stolen at the beginning of this year. I’ll have to search around to see if anyone else has any.

Tree Orc masks in progress. The one on the left is from last year and actually received some damage during our move.

So far this year my favorite mask theme is the tree orc/living tree masks.  Their spookiness gives me a real haunted forest vibe.  I’m actually thinking of using one of them for my own costume this year.  I’ve also started on a werewolf and bird upper face masks.  These are all made out of the foam clay.  I love the stuff, but it’s fragility is a little tough to work with.  It cracks some as it drys, which works as scars to make the faces more ferocious and spooky.  I’ll have to see how it works on the bird mask though, that one is in the early stages.

The first coat of paint on the new Werewolf mask.

ReBannering

So I redesigned my banner for the etsy shop Alchemic Underground.  Ever since I made the old one it kept reminding of something I would have made back in my original Gaia Online days when Kelly was first teaching me Photoshop.  I needed something more sleek and clean.  I know that what is up now is by no means the final product, but for a few months I think this one will do.  Having better photos now that I found my snap shot camera helps a lot.  It’s no SLR, but at least it has a macro setting.

I also come up with two other options which showed more product shots.  In the end I went with the one that had the logo to try and strengthen the meaning of the logo.  Sean designed this logo a long time ago and I stole it from him.  I usually use a simplified form of it, the three gears in the shield, but for something like this I think the fancy one is fine.

Bellow are the other two banner’s I made, which still work for online advertising.  You can tell that I’m most proud of my dirigible pin series.

Slowly Learning Pattern Reading

The slow going progress of my shawl.

I’ve never really been that good at reading a crochet pattern, I am especially bad at keeping count of stitches and rows.  Perhaps some of my problem came from first trying to read patterns from Thailand.  Turns out patterns aren’t really an international language.  I’m also mostly a single stitcher, I seem to have to relearn anything else almost every time I try them (thank you youtube).  I’ve been trying really hard though on a shawl pattern from a book of prayer shawls though and I think I’m finally starting to get the hang of things.  I did find one section pretty weirdly written and I went back and tried it another way, I think the new way is right but I’m not certain.  Well it’s looking good now at least.  Here’s where I’m at now.  I’ll be sure to post pictures when I’m done.

Me hard at work trying to read that pattern!

Dirigible Pins

I’ve been really busy between trying to find a new 9-5 job (maybe even one where I’m not just desperately trying to find a new job while I’m at), and also trying to get the new Alchemic Underground on Etsy going.  I am proud to save I had my first sale before I even made the official opening announcement.  I’m not so happy with myself though at how slow the posting of items is going.  I’m really starting to feel the absence of my Pentax.  Trying to get quality photos on my Evo, even if it is an 8 megapixel, can be a real challenge.  I did get some good pics of my favorite of the AU lines though, the Dirigible Pins.

Two of the Dirigible Series pins.

Both are available for sale now in the Alchemic Underground shop.  My favorite is the cute small one I call the Personal Dirigible.  There are actually several styles of dirigibles in the series but thus far I have only etched versions of three of them.  I also plan on doing necklaces of the same drawing series eventually as well.

New Etsy Store

I’ve taken the some advice I’ve been meaning to follow for a while now and I’ve finally split my photography apart from my metalsmithing.  I’ve been doing that in the blogs for a little while, but now they are split apart in Etsy and in my account records.  So without further hesitation I’d like to present the officially open for business Alchemic Underground.

I’m excited to now have a much more focused mission for my work.  It’s a place where you can items inspired by Science and Steampunkery.  Eventually I’d like to develop the AU into an artists co-op so I still consider my work all to be of the Wings of Lea Studios; however, I’m now selling through the AU.

If your wondering about my former etsy store, worry not it is still there.  Wings of Lea is now dedicated exclusively to photographs and print items.  I will be selling fine art prints on eco-friendly paper as well as cards and postcards inspired by my photographs that you can find at my travel blog Wings Eye View.

My Serenity

My Back Porch

I am so very much in love with our new apartment.  It has done wonders for my creative spirit.  Above is a picture of my creative outdoor zone, in other words, our back patio.  It looks out into a thicket of bushes and trees that block the view of the backyards of the house on the other side, and is also home to a variety of different song birds.  Even with the scattered storms we’ve been having lately,  just being able to go out and relax on the porch for a few moments between storms has, well literally, been a breath of fresh air.  It’s very relaxing and brings on a feeling of zen to not only feel secure and cozy because you are home, but also feel connected with nature and the world around you.  This year we have already seen ducks, robins, a cardinal, a blue jay that nested here for a month, and several varieties of finches.  Have I mentioned the cats also seem to love the new place…especially the big screen door!

Dapped & Riveted

Gearshine

Gearshine- back

I finally put the finishing touches on my first two projects with my new dapping set and riveting hammer.  It took me a while to find the right chain, but the leather string I found is super soft, amazing on the neck. The gears on Gearshine are riveted in the center so they actually turn.

Hidden Workings

With Hidden Workings I also got to play with Hodgepodge for the first time in sculpture.  I really love the chain hook on this one.  It was an idea I got out of my Jewelry and Metalsmithing handbook.  The chain hook is riveted onto the back disc.  I love how both of these styles turned out and want to keep exploring more with the concepts.  I plan on putting both of these in my etsy store when I reopen it.

Hidden Workings

Happy Father’s Day From Across the Seas

This little digital card is my way of saying happy Father’s Day to my Dad, currently to far away to give it to in person.  I’d also like to share it with the internet world to help others say happy father’s day to the great men in their lives.

The men in my family have always made great fathers, which I think is evident in all the adventures and creative people they’ve raised.  My dad has always been a great inspiration for my creativity.  He’s also one of my biggest supporters in my quest to eventually work for myself.  I feel that his crazy inventions he was always working on when I a kid are have had a big influence on my artistic style and tastes.  I was recently reminiscing on the years he spent building an ultralight airplane in our garage.  Perhaps that influenced my fascination with airships as well.  This daddy’s girl is sure greatful for the inspiring nutty professor that is her father.

Happy Father’s Day!

Reading Up The Career Lader

I haven’t had to much time to be crafty this past week now that I’m back up to full time hours at work.  I have however, had a chance to get back into one of my favorite books for inspiring me to get my life together, The Anti 9-5 Guide.  Michelle Goodman is an amazing inspirational writer for girls who need to kick their butts into gear, and I am one such girl.  Her other book, My So Called Freelance Life,  is like a Bible to me when it comes to my art aspiration.  I choice to reread the Anti 9-5 Guide first though, since it’s more universally relevant and can help me survive my current job.  I’ve actually recommended this book to all my friends, because most jobs we aspire too won’t be 9-5s.  Not to mention I just need a reminder now and then about some of those great motivation techniques she covers.  Working more hours and not having the fully equipped studio at my disposal for the summer makes it all to easy to put off getting all the crafty projects in my head done.  I don’t want to give away the surprise but the next big project I want to start is a miniature of one of the coolest TV props I’ve ever seen from a certain show from across the pond, so hopefully I can keep myself determined and get it done in the next few weeks.  Meanwhile I’ll be diving into my book every free chance I get at work and keep planing out that career path.

Also check out http://www.anti9to5guide.com/.

Stage Show

This gallery contains 4 photos.

One of our projects for my metals class was to create an object that would work as an object and as a shadow puppet.  I ran with the puppet concept and made an old fashioned puppet show stage.  I was largely inspired by old time stage scenery depicted in over the top flims like The [...]