I've been slacking in my blogging duties, and I apologize.
The older litter of guinea pigs is weaned now and one (Patchwork) has already found a home. Runt turned out to be the only boy, so I've had to separate him from the rest of the herd today when I caught him rumble-strutting for Curly. I feel bad separating him, he spent the next hour checking the cage sides, crying to his family, and they spent their time checking the cage wall and talking back to him. My main priority this next week is to find Runt a home so he doesn't have to be alone.
I'm waiting for more seeds in the mail, and then I plan to do at least one more seed tray, possibly two. I'm running out of space to put them, but my parents said I could set up a garden in their yard - so I will have space once I can move plants outside.
My most recent project was a long time coming. I kept seeing instructions to make your own wind spinner or wind chimes using plastic beads melted in the oven. I would see it and think "I should do that!" but then never got around to it. So - when I saw it again on Friday - I went and got my beads and my glass bowls, and the kids and I sorted beads and made the coolest wind chime. I'm very proud of it. The kids now want to make coasters in the same way, but I will need to find a dish that is bigger than my small one, but smaller than my medium one - so it will work for coaster size. I may check the dollar store. My next project I have in my mind is to try making a record bowl - where you melt a vinyl record over an upside-down bowl to make it bowl shaped. I have a couple records that are too scratched to be able to sell - so why not make them into a fruit bowl or piece of art? Again, a trip to the Dollar Store might turn up just the right sized dish!
I've gotten back on track to go through the 45's I bought a few years ago. The intent was to sell them, but I got busy with other stuff and set it aside. It feels great to be productive!
The older litter of guinea pigs is weaned now and one (Patchwork) has already found a home. Runt turned out to be the only boy, so I've had to separate him from the rest of the herd today when I caught him rumble-strutting for Curly. I feel bad separating him, he spent the next hour checking the cage sides, crying to his family, and they spent their time checking the cage wall and talking back to him. My main priority this next week is to find Runt a home so he doesn't have to be alone.
I'm waiting for more seeds in the mail, and then I plan to do at least one more seed tray, possibly two. I'm running out of space to put them, but my parents said I could set up a garden in their yard - so I will have space once I can move plants outside.
My most recent project was a long time coming. I kept seeing instructions to make your own wind spinner or wind chimes using plastic beads melted in the oven. I would see it and think "I should do that!" but then never got around to it. So - when I saw it again on Friday - I went and got my beads and my glass bowls, and the kids and I sorted beads and made the coolest wind chime. I'm very proud of it. The kids now want to make coasters in the same way, but I will need to find a dish that is bigger than my small one, but smaller than my medium one - so it will work for coaster size. I may check the dollar store. My next project I have in my mind is to try making a record bowl - where you melt a vinyl record over an upside-down bowl to make it bowl shaped. I have a couple records that are too scratched to be able to sell - so why not make them into a fruit bowl or piece of art? Again, a trip to the Dollar Store might turn up just the right sized dish!
I've gotten back on track to go through the 45's I bought a few years ago. The intent was to sell them, but I got busy with other stuff and set it aside. It feels great to be productive!
Plastic wind chime made from plastic pony beads! This one has eight pieces, and a total of 20 drilled holes. The project took two days, about 1/4 gallon bag of beads, and some fishing line.
For anyone wanting to make a melted bead project, it's pretty simple.
What you'll need:
Oven-safe dish (I used glass baking dishes for the bigger two and a glass condiment dish for the smaller pieces)
Plastic beads (I used pony beads - readily available in most craft stores)
Oven mitts
Fishing line
Drill (I used a Dremel)
You will want to do this project somewhere with very good ventilation, because it smells terrible! I had two ceiling fans and two windows open and it still smelled awful. Fortunately, it dissipates pretty quickly.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400-degrees (Fahrenheit)
Step 2: Put a single layer of beads in whatever color or design you want in the bottom of your oven-safe dish. You may choose to make a design (as I did with the top piece) or use a color theme (like I did with the bottom pieces), or just make a random colored assortment (my middle piece was done that way).
Step 3: Put your oven-safe dish with your beads in the oven for 30 minutes. I've found that different beads melt at different times. The original directions I found said 20 minutes, but I found 30-35 minutes worked better, and the top rainbow piece was in the oven even longer than that.
Step 4: Once your beads are melted, carefully remove the oven-safe dish from the oven and put it aside to cool.
Step 5: Once your bead design has cooled and you can handle the dish with your bare hands, carefully turn the dish upside down and remove your artwork. I found that I had to give it a little twist in the pan to loosen it before it would come out. No greasing or lubrication needed, it will pop right out.
Step 6: Drill holes where you need them.
Step 7: Use the fishing line to attach several pieces together, or just to make a loop to hang it up (if you only make one).
Step 8: Take photos and share with your friends and family!
What you'll need:
Oven-safe dish (I used glass baking dishes for the bigger two and a glass condiment dish for the smaller pieces)
Plastic beads (I used pony beads - readily available in most craft stores)
Oven mitts
Fishing line
Drill (I used a Dremel)
You will want to do this project somewhere with very good ventilation, because it smells terrible! I had two ceiling fans and two windows open and it still smelled awful. Fortunately, it dissipates pretty quickly.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400-degrees (Fahrenheit)
Step 2: Put a single layer of beads in whatever color or design you want in the bottom of your oven-safe dish. You may choose to make a design (as I did with the top piece) or use a color theme (like I did with the bottom pieces), or just make a random colored assortment (my middle piece was done that way).
Step 3: Put your oven-safe dish with your beads in the oven for 30 minutes. I've found that different beads melt at different times. The original directions I found said 20 minutes, but I found 30-35 minutes worked better, and the top rainbow piece was in the oven even longer than that.
Step 4: Once your beads are melted, carefully remove the oven-safe dish from the oven and put it aside to cool.
Step 5: Once your bead design has cooled and you can handle the dish with your bare hands, carefully turn the dish upside down and remove your artwork. I found that I had to give it a little twist in the pan to loosen it before it would come out. No greasing or lubrication needed, it will pop right out.
Step 6: Drill holes where you need them.
Step 7: Use the fishing line to attach several pieces together, or just to make a loop to hang it up (if you only make one).
Step 8: Take photos and share with your friends and family!
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