Heavy-duty day

The idea was beeping in my head a long time, but every time I pushed it deep with excuse, that "I'm not sure if I can do that". So yesterday  I decided to push myself for the big job:o) interested what it was? :o)) it was slippers + socks combination or as we like these days to say 2in1. It's no big deal really, just a big workout and the fear to fail after probably 7 hours of hard work. The template was big, took almost all table. I take off my hat to people who felt booties/valenki by hand. I've found one woman on internet, it took her a few days to finish!:o) Well... I'm not so brave so I decided on slippers with socks. And here's the result :o) so proud of myself :o)))

After that kind of workout my hands needed some rest so I decided to finish one of my five jewelry projects, that are laying on my bench. Very simple, just play with Baltic amber, ammonium patina and brass tubes.

Experiments' time

I did not forget the jewelry, just got into kind of sport to perfect the felting slippers and I LIKE experiments, so it goes both ways. Day with rolling/felting, night with metal clay. It's just- with wool is simple - you got or you did not. And after 5-6 hours you see more or less result, with metal clay it's not so simple and the process much longer and I frequently "play by ear", if it's not my way so it's clay's way:o))) Right now I'm trying to put two things together hardware and threaded construction in one piece. Be patient one day I'll show the result (or I hope so...:o) But at least I've finished one more tutorial: metal clay, resin, patina, hardware.

Meanwhile .... yesterdays felting result- double layered slippers. And I definitely will perfect size 38-all friends' shoe size-38! pity, what should I do with wrong sizes?

Busy time

Destruction/reconstruction work day today. I've bought old shoe lasts from cowboy boots shoemaker and decided to give them a new life. The form wasn't good for slippers so I cut off these cowboy boots' pointed tips and decided that I want them adjustable. On internet I saw variety of adjustable mechanisms and liked that one. So my husband decided to make me happy by helping me with my "toys" :o) So here you go... size 32-34 (20-22 cm)

Meanwhile...., our "little" doodle Archie got too matted and stinky and no home grooming would help. So I decided to put him into "capable" hands of groomers from petsmart. The goomer was happy that the pup was very well behaved and wasn't biting even when he didn't like what was happening and likes teeth brushing (mommies boy:o) And I payed additional 20$ so they wouldn't shave off, but de-matte the tail. But "oi wey" (as my son says) what we have got!!!!

From this.................................  to THAT!!

Sealing ammonium patina and ...

You remember my happy post about the ancient bronze (see below) Well I ruined it. Put overbright coating and something went wrong (maybe too much, maybe that coating doesn't work with ammonium patina... who knows) so I madly began to sand it, then Oops! remembered to pictured my failure, so somebody won't get into same trouble. 

before sealing and after sealing with overbright (and part that I sanded in my hysterics:o)

Second time ammonium didn't want to stick to bronze, it took a few days and a few cleanings and dippings into salt water. Now it's more... let's say  "colorful", still with some bronze patches, but much more better then after sealing. Now I'm sealing just with renaissance wax, so far it kept my patinas more or less OK. So here you go..

before and after renaissance wax. much more acceptable, but I'm still considering throwing the piece back to kiln......

Meanwhile... finished some Canadian sliver (roving) and now fully immersing into Lithuanian wool, that is much more finer in microns and that means much more shrinkage. I did thought about, but definitely not enough, because I've got very nice felted sturdy slippers, but 2 cm smaller then needed :o( oh well.. that what we call real life experience, don't we? :o)))