For Kidspot I produced a tutorial on making plastic out of, I kid you not, milk. I learnt some really amazing facts about milk for this tutorial, all of which I share in the tutorial. So head on over to Kidspot to find out how I did this, and how you too can make this.
I have been playing around with my Bostik supplies. One of which is the Bostik Glu Tape. In my latest You Tube video I show you how to make an infinity card using my Bostik Glue Tape. It's honestly so easy to use, and sturdy as. To find out more head on over to You Tube.
2020 is actually drawing to a close. It was a slow year, for sure. Yet somehow, as we see the New Year in sight suddenly a home run seems possible.
If however you're not feeling that home run I recommend taking time out from your troubles by giving yourself permission to rest, sleep, read, write, draw, craft, or anything you want. You can do it, and it will refresh your brain. Even if you think there's no time, give yourself five minutes. Just five minutes out of your day will make a lot of difference.
I've been whittling away the days producing some end of year projects, and exploring such products as the Cricut Joy and Bostik. In my field of work/play - play/work there is seriously a lot of cutting and gluing. Which, you know, I'm not complaining about, because this is what I do. But I can honestly say it's the sweetest pleasure when I get to operate tools and use materials that make the work process faster and more comfortable. #workingsmarter Am I right?
Making Christmas cards: with Cricut Joy and Bostik glue
This week I experimented with making two very different Christmas cards, using the above mentioned Cricut Joy and Bostik tools and materials. The content is available on Youtube, in which I share my process, and some of my insights.
The word is: Go! Go! Go! Kids are back in school. People are back on the streets. I've got projects galore. Let's check out my latest spate of projects that are all crafty and some that are science based.
I continue to document my journey as I teach myself how to use the Cricut Joy. My latest addition to the Cricut Joy library is now available to watch on YouTube.
For a bit of context, I am letting the kids watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the spin-off series Angel. We watch the shows sporadically and are prone to lose track of which show we are up to. When this happens there's a lot of backtracking with the DVDs. It's a dull mess really. I resolved the situation by creating a Buffy/Angel fridge magnet that can be flipped after we finish watching an episode. For this project I up-cycled an old fridge magnet. I scraped off the original advertising sticker from the magnet before applying the new Cricut Joy stickers.
Living DIY means working with what's available. It's not always easy, and there are mistakes to be made but it is a worthwhile process because you discover just how capable you really are.
Sometimes the DIY way can be really hard work. So while I celebrate DIY ability, it also gives me an appreciation for the tools that are created to make life easier. More than a year ago I began creating video content. I learnt on the job – making classic rookie mistakes, and from those experiences I gradually developed better time management, and work aroundlighting techniques. I am a crafter and designer who has been applying those make-do DIY insights to my videography. Simply put I have used ankle weights to balance a leaning tripod for birds-eye-view content, as well as filming in the great, shady outdoors to capture the best possible natural light.
Those DIY video tricks I've learnt have helped me to become a better videographer. And now, in wanting to create better quality work, I am so very ready and relieved to finally head toward equipment upgrades. No more filming in bitter winds, and near-precariously angled tripods with ankle weights.
On the topic of tools that make life easier: One of my many creative passions is for paper art. As it has been with the videography, so it is with creating paper art, only with aching hands. Since the beginning of 2020 I have dreamt of working with Cricut products. So when opportunity to work with a Cricut Joy came knocking I answered the door. I quite enjoy working with my little Cricut Joy. It gives me more time, and saves my hands from the aches and the occasional blade cut. And I must say, when the Cricut Joy is operating I enjoy watching the little robot perform it's ballet, cutting and drawing across material.
As I embark on my journey with the Cricut Joy I have been documenting some of what I am making and learning. Part of living in lockdown means having sometimes limited access to materials. As a result I have discovered painters tape to be a very happy alternative to using contact when lifting and moving highly detailed Cricut stickers.
If you're in need of a non tech based craft project I've got something for you. Head on over to Kidspot and check out my video content for weaving a rainbow. You'll be amazed at how simple this project is, while managing to keep you engaged for a few hours. Consider this project a gateway to loom weaving.
Life can be challenging, plus some emotional fire and brimstone. Finally getting through those trouble spots you may find yourself with rewards. Those rewards may be big, or small enough that only you notice they are there (learnt lessons and opportunities). I am learning that with perseverance the good stuff will happen, not when I want it to happen, but when I've really worked for it. If you keep ploughing, chiseling, digging deeper, eventually people are going to notice.
Ponder that, if you will, and while you're at it take a gander of my latest projects. I've got for you Halloween decor, iso based crafts and some very sweet notions.
I have rather exciting news. I am the proud owner of a Cricut Joy. 'Cricut what?!' I hear you say. A Cricut Joy is an incredible piece of robotics designed for the domestic market. Specifically it cuts paper, sticker material and draws for you. I'm taking baby steps with my Cricut Joy, but my future with this powerful little crafter's tool is big and bright. For more Cricut content you can follow me on Instagram, or check my Cricut Joy blog page.
In my latest news batch you'll find all sorts of fun stuff. Some of it new (exploding gift boxes) and some of it harking back to some old school activities (for those who used to play with matchboxes), and other things that fall somewhere in between (the keyrings). So, let's just get into it!
I produced an exploding gift box for My Poppet. Now 'exploding' – not as disturbing as it sounds. In fact your heart will utterly kvell when you see this. You'll want to make one for someone dear to you. You'll want someone dear to you to make one for you.
{Kidspot: Matchbox Doll Craft}
Over at Kidspot I have two offerings for you. There's the super cute, and very simple 'growing matchbox children'. Also if you're into watch things shrink then you'll get a kick out of my keyring project. Get your hands on shrink plastic sheets from art-craft stores and you'll just want to spend your entire day shrinking your drawings. Think of the potential.
If can't get enough of all things Parisian then you just may fall in love with this little Eiffel Tower softie tutorial. Who would have thought something so pointy could be so... soft.
If you're looking for a quality DIY alternative, and might I say, stylish face mask head over to Kidspot. I've created a sewing process for this face mask design further simplifies the steps involved for making a mask, without compromise to quality. This design is makable for people with little and lots of sewing experience. It is also comfortable to wear, durable and washable. Head over to Kidspot and get your mask making on. Then, if you must step out, put on that mask gear.
G is well on her way toward being a Francophile, with her passion for The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. By extension of this passion she has a developing curiosity for anything connected to Paris.
A few weeks ago G produced a few Parisian structures using graph paper, tape and colouring pens. One of those structures, the Eiffel Tower, now sits on my computer workstation, a gift from G. My kids are a source of inspiration and wanting to do something for Sew a Softie in July 2020, I found myself staring at G's paper Eiffel Tower wondering what I would do. Then it struck me, I could make an Eiffel Tower softie based on G's Eiffel Tower.
What is Sew a Softie? For me, in a nutshell, it’s for people who believe they ‘can’t’. Sew a Softie is an open, friendly, supportive forum for absolutely everyone. There are no rules in making softies, except perhaps to say ‘there are no rules’. To make it more clear read about it in Trixi’s (founder of Sew a Softie) own words.
When you're figuring out stuff there’s no right or wrong. There’s your way and my way, and neither are wrong. You can use any colour material and any type of thread. Use what’s available to you. Mix it up and have fun. If some materials are not available to you such as thread or hobby fill, there are alternatives to finishing the softie. Such as using rice or other dry grains to replace hobby fill. Or using glue instead of a needle and thread.
Depending on where you are you're still in iso, on holiday, or you're returning to iso. But as always us craft designers have you covered for fallout. Let's take a look at what I have put together for you.
Last week My Poppet launched my flowery looking drawstring bag design. Now this is no ordinary drawstring bag, for when you open it there are hidden pockets inside. How neat is that?
Next on the agenda is a Nappy Cake tutorial, produced for Kidspot. As Baby Shower gifts go, it may seem frivolous, but I tell you, when it comes to babies, you can never have too many nappies. The baby host will thank you one hundredfold for this gift.
The day has arrived, and it's been a long wait. What am I talking about? I'm talking about Lights Camera Fashion, a group exhibit hosted by incube8r. This exhibit has been in the itinerary for near on six months. The doll took a few months to make, and social distancing delayed things along the way. But we got through that alright, and incube8r is now able to open their doors for exhibits (Yay!).
The theme of this exhibit is fashion, and the artists involved were invited to use art to intepret the fashion industry. My play on fashion came from multiple sources. I'd been reading books about Akira Isogawa and Romance Was Born, which became a mental visual source of inspiration for me. I also had the film Pretty in Pink heavily on the brain. If you're not familiar with this story – girl on wrong side of the tracks makes good with her rags, but chooses wrong boy from right side of the tracks (Yeah! I'm a Duckette – if this confuses you, you'll need to watch the film to be 'un' confused). I named the doll Kanari Pinku, which basically translates to Pretty Pink.
I've made a one off fashion art doll for this exhibit. Materials include fabric, clay, wire, thread, paint, yarn, acetate, and hobby fill. The doll is truly a one of a kind as her clay face has no mould. I've used a variety of techniques to make this doll. She has wire armature inside. Her clothes have been embroidered and spray painted. Her synthetic weft hair has been hand stitched and styled (and spray painted). Plus the doll comes with her own star stand (also spray painted). My proudest point of this doll is her kimono which is also a hoodie. Now I only wish this kimono came in my size.
If you're about Melbourne I recommend visiting incube8r, not only to check out Lights Camera Fashion, but to also explore the onsite shop offerings from local artists. Make a day of it in Fitzroy.
Life is not linear. Have you noticed? You zig zag from place to place. Memories can drag you backward. You shuttle toward the future pulled along by anxiety. Then just when you think your head might completely spin off you're dropped into a lull-less ocean, completely devoid of ebb and flow. From there you have a choice – float and wait things out, or... you can cup your hands and gently begin swimming in some direction.
I used to be a floater. I still am to some degree, but only when I'm fatigued. When I feel I've floated long enough, I choose a direction, any direction, and I begin to swim. Very rarely do I hit an island, but that doesn't seem to matter. The important thing is that I'm swimming. It's important to balance these things out – rest and swim, rest and swim.
'Cup your hands' and 'swimming' are my metaphors for the work I do, whether that be Content Creation, Illustration, Photography, Design and Doll Making. These jobs are the peg that anchor me in today.
Do you ever feel this way? Do you have an anchor? What activities make you feel whole?
With restrictions beginning to ease, I am once again excited to spruik on about my entry into the incube8r exhibit Lights Camera Fashion. The show date was pushed back to later in the year, and now here we are. This particular exhibit will not have an opening night, but it will be open for a glorious four weeks.
This week on My Poppet Makes I have created for you a 'no sew' heart pillow project. It's super easy and fun for everyone. Head on over to My Poppet Makes to access the template and instructions.
So, who remembers hacky sacks? They've been around for decades in one form or another. Balloon hacky sacks and Freddie Prinze Jr were on trend when I was in high school. And now we can get them back on trend again (Hacky sacks, I mean.). Head over to Kidspot to find out how to make these juggling projectiles.
And here's a little nostalgic appreciation for hacky sacks, abstract performance art and a certain nineties teen crush:
Head over to Kidspot to get your hands on a Felt Art Template set I created. This set is the perfect starter kit for creating felt images. This activity is perfect for isolation, or travel (life after isolation).
In My Poppet land, I have shown how simple and easy it is to marble a three dimensional blank canvas.
Here's a fun fact about the marbling ink (Bokuundo) used in this project. I bought the marbling ink from an art store fifteen years ago, and it's still good to use.
I have signed up for a swag of short art courses. I've completed a portraiture course that combines water colour with digital elements. The other courses I'm working through include BJD making, Art Toy Design, and Pop-up Book Making.
In this time of social distancing, which can make a messy cocktail of loneliness and boredom, it makes all the difference having activities to keep your mind busy and engaged in a healthy way. Here I've put together a bunch of new projects that can help you in this slightly new found hermit existence.
Have you got a pile of holey socks which, apart from the unravelling blackholes, could be perfectly fine. Rather than throwing out those holey socks, head over to My Poppet and try a simple darning tutorial. A few things I love about this activity – it's easy, basic sewing; it'll add colour to your otherwise humdrum socks; it doesn't take long to repair the holes, and will extend the life of said socks.
A loss of routine and uncertainty can produce distress. The act of working with your hands can help calm the mind, whether it be through sewing, drawing, baking, or really any form of creation. If you or your family members are feeling lost and out of sorts during social distancing, try making a worry doll. I have produced my own version of a worry doll for Kidspot, in a very easy to follow video tutorial.
Did you know worry dolls originate from a Guatemalan legend? It is a Mayan tradition to present children with a worry doll to free them of their nightmares. Before going to bed a child can whisper their worries to the doll. The doll is placed under the pillow, and the next day the child wakes worry free. Exploring deeper into the origin of the worry doll the tradition is connected to the legend of Princess Lxmucane, who received the gift of problem solving from the sun god.
Another recent Kidspot craft tutorial I recommend checking out is a DIY Stationery Caddy. You'll laugh when you see what I used to make this. While home based learning is in progress, having an easy to carry stationery container can be the perfect item, and craft activity, for the kids' temporary school space.
One last item in my activity round up, if you have a love of paper craft, mobiles, cherry blossom, and Japanese culture, then I have something for you. It is a DIY Paper Cherry Blossom Mobile. That's a mouthful! You can decorate your home with one of these mobiles. Or make a handful of them for a garden party.
An amazing plus to this project – if you own a Cricut cutting machine, there is an SVG file version of the flower template. Having a Cricut will save you so much time and energy in cutting out these intricate flower designs.
The past couple of months I've had an amazing paper craft project in the works. It's been a while coming, and I'm so thrilled to announce that it is finally... finally live at My Poppet Makes. Happy clap!
I take immeasurable delight in flowers, culture and ornamentation. So it was an absolute passion project producing this Japanese inspired cherry blossom mobile, which doubles as a lantern.
In you're looking for other crafty projects here's a list of other recently produced tutorials:
