Art Gifts From Irina

Childhood Dreams

2011-11-18T07:14:00.000-08:00

Gifts do not have to be expensive, they need to be CREATIVE :). I've made one for my niece for Christmas.

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This is the recreation of the porch of my Grandma house that I spent summers when I was a kid. I remember how we helped grandma to peel potatoes sitting and chatting on the porch on a warm Summer day. The veranda that you see next to the porch came from my dreams. We never used it as a family gathering place, but I always wanted. I recreated it from my childhood memory dreams: I've painted the tiny teeny painting, made a table, bench, and a couch; I've also created a small music center with the record already playing in it. The rags and the couch cushions are crocheted (I used a thin cotton string). The fruits, bowl, and vase (as well as potatoes, pumpkins and basket are made from play-dough. I had to mix the bright play-dough colors in order to achieve a natural color of the fruit and veggies. And a very important element under the roof of the porch is the Sea Star that my grandfather (who I've never met as he died when my mom was just 15 years old) brought from the sea; he was a captain of the big ship.

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Scale: 1 inch is 2 feet. Total size of the construction: 12"x6"x9"

Materials: Wood, Balsa Wood, Play-Dough, Acrylic Paint, Cotton Threat, Watercolors, Paper.

Project #4 - Making Unique Gift Tag

2010-09-26T12:55:00.001-07:00

With this unique cute gift tag you can personalize any gift you would like.

For this project I will recommend to have the following things ready:
- Yarn (any color and any thickness)
- Hole Puncher or any sharp object that can punch holes and has flat top
- Small hummer
- Crochet Hook
- Image printed on the hard paper
- Old cutting board

Punch holes along the sides of the image:

Note: if the yarn thick enough you can punch the holes far away from each other. I had them 1/2 inch apart:

You can verify if the holes are big enough by turning the card or just see through:

Take the yarn and pull the first loop through the top middle hole. The step by step chart is drawn down below (refer to it if the pictures are a little bit confusing for you)

After the fist loop is done, pull another loop through the first one:

When this is done you will need to place the hook into the hole again and pull another loop in order to have two loops on the hook. When second loop is pulled, grab it with the hook and pull it through the first loop ( again; if this is too confusing; go ahead and refer to the chart down below):

You will need to have two loops in each hole except the corner holes. Place four loops into the corner holes for better look:

When getting closer to the end of the pattern; make sure you will leave a pretty long end. To finish the pattern you will need to make an extra loop with the hook and pull it in order to make a long end.

Cut the end that you have plenty on both side to make them long enough to either make a pretty bow or attach to the gift:

Your very cute personal gift tag is ready. You can write a message on the back side or just place " TO:_____ FROM:_____" on the back of it:

Here is a little chart that will help you to learn how to chrochet the yarn into the holes of the print:

I have placed my Gift Tags under Gifts and Gift Ideas section of my Etsy Store.

Be creative!
And have a great Handmade Day!
:)
Irina

Project #3 - Making Glossy Coasters

2010-09-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

To make these beautiful coasters you will need a few materials and good imagination.
Prepare the following:
1) Cardboard for coasters base
2) Scissors
3) image
4) Tacky Glue - All-Purpose
5) Niddle
6) Gas stove lighter

I use my watercolor painting to make an image. I just blew my 5"x7" inch pink rose into enough size to make 6 coasters. You can make as many as you can. Start with two if you want to try first. I bought heavy cardboard coasters on Etsy ( around 40 of them for $5.00). And I actually glued two cardboard pieces together in order to make my coaster at least 4 mm ( 1/8") thick.

Place glue on the cardboard piece enough to cover the surface.

Use piece of paper to spread out the glue and place your image on the top making sure that there is whole area under the image is covered with glue.

Dab it gently with the paper towel.

Place something relatively heavy on the top and wait for couple hours. I actually wait for the next day. In this case I know for sure that the glue is completely dry and the surface of the image is not wrinkly. Make sure to place some paper between the wait and your art piece.

When you ready to star mixing the Glossy Finish place equal parts of the bottles in one container and mix well. Please do not mix it as you would do it in the kitchen with your egg whites; make sure you make a smooth slow motion movements in order to have as little bubbles in the mix as possible.

Pour generous amount of the mix on the surface of the coaster. I usually put approximately two table spoons on the 4"x4" coaster.

Spread out the liquid with the stick ( the cheapest kindergarten brush handle worked just fine for me) to the edges of the coaster. Don't worry if it doesn't look too even. It is the liquid it will spread out great. If you think it is not enough, just pour a little bit more.

Now your coaster looks all shiny and glossy, right? But wait a minute, there are nasty little bubbles starting to appear from out of nowhere! Don't worry it is normal physics. Just wait for about 1,5 -2 minute when all the bubbles will come to the top.

Gently pock large bubbles with the needle. If bubble doesn't listen to you, drag it to the edge of the coaster and it will disappear. I promise. At the end, don't sweat on this too much. you are not participating in the beauty contest, right? A little imperfection will just justify that you made it by hand and didn't purchase it in closest Wal-Mart or Crate & Barrel.

If you still have many many little bubbles on the surface of your piece, take the gas stove lighter and holding it above the surface 1 inch move it slowly back and force. I actually found this moment almost meditating; it is so cool to see how bubbles just pop and disappear one by one.

Your piece is ready now to dry. Remember, don't bring your dog around or don't start to change the bed sheets nearby your drying piece for about 4 hours. This time period anything that touches the surface will stick to it permanently. After 4 - 6 hours there is a waiting period of 70 good hours before you can stick this gift into the box and send to your favorite aunt for Christmas.

Enjoy!

I've placed few coasters into my Etsy shop under Gifts and Gift Ideas section (www.IrinaSztukowski.Etsy.com ). Those coasters will make a perfect size Stocking Stuffer or a great promotional piece of your art.

Project #2- Silver Necklace with Pearl Beads

2010-08-28T17:38:00.001-07:00

To start the project you will need:

· Set of jewelry pliers

· Beading tray (optional)

· Five large and six small pearl beads

· Eleven silver pins

· Silver chain with the clasp

Place metal pin into the bid and by using round nose pliers bend the pin at 90 degrees; then adjust the pliers by bringing them on a top them on the top of the corner and bend the wire round the pliers (see the drawing below the post for reference). When loop is ready slip the pin into the chain ring and when holding the loop with flat pliers take either round nose or any other plie

rs and wrap the wire couple times around the neck of the loop. Trim the wire with snipers. To make the wrap look finished you can take tooth-pliers and gently press the end closer to the neck of the loop.

Count seven sections/rings of the chain and repeat the same steps but by using small pearl.

When all eleven beads are placed evenly along the chain the project is ready.

I bought tray and pliers at Michael’s but you can buy it also in Wal-Mart. The price range is from $5 – 7 for tray and $15-17 for set of pliers. When you buy try, make sure you buy the one with fuzzy finish ( beads stay better on this tray and don’t roll compare to the one that is just plastic). When buying pliers please invest in normal size ones. Do not fall for small cute pliers. They are only cute; after half hour work you will feel tired working with them.

I buy my beads in China Town in San Francisco. The 16” string can cost from $12 to $60 or $90 but the good part that you can bargain there. Or sometimes I buy freshwater pearls on the web. The pins I bought on http://www.firemountaingems.com/ the prices there are reasonable, especially if you buy more than 14 items; but, be prepared they will charge at least 3% for shipping and handling. I also bought my sterling silver chain there.

Project #1 – Making Magnets

2010-08-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

For this project you will need:

Glass square or rectangular

Clear Glaze glue or Glass Glaze

Print or Painting

Glue E600

Sandpaper

Small powerful magnet

Take the print and place the small drop of the glaze(not more than a quarter of an inch) on the rough larger side of glass square. Next, press the glass to the print and make a circular movement spreading out the glaze that will get evenly between glass and paper.

Leave the glaze to dry for at least couple of hours.

When glaze is dry, turn glass square and cut the edges with sharp scissors.

Most likely you will still have edges shown on a side. To make the edges smoother, you can use sandpaper ( I use 500 super fine) and gently sand the access ofthe paper. Remember, move your hand only one way; do not sand back and force as it might remove the print from the glass.

In order to make the paper water resistant, you will need to place one more coat of the glaze on the back of the print and let it dry for more than two hours.

When the back of the square is dry take the glue E600 and glue the magnet to the back. Leave for 24 hours to dry completely.

Remember, if you make several magnet glasses at once try to keep them far away from each other when you place the magnets on the back. Otherwise, the magnets will try to come together and you project might be ruined at the very end.

I had fun making the magnets. I hope you will too : )

I painted the picture myself, and I got my supplies on Etsy.com ( the store I used this time was SunAndMoon )

Have a great handmade day!

Irina

www.IrinaSzutkowski.Etsy.com

The Question of The Day

2010-08-17T20:27:00.001-07:00

..............................................................................................................The Question is: Why did I start this Blog? The answer is pretty easy: it brings me joy to make art stuff. As simple as it is. And I want to share with people who are interested in how to make cute things; share the thought process; the ideas; the choice of materials; maybe some hints.

These cute squares I made of polished clear glass, glue, pictures. Details are in the next Post :)