Prep Day

This is a scheduled post.  I am gone for a few days, and I will not have access to the internet, which means I also won't be able to return your visit until I return home.  So I will leave you with a few things I prepped before I left.

I removed nearly half the pages in a hard bound book that was definitely stitched.  I make sure because I never want a book to fall apart from carelessness on my part of not checking for stitching.

Next, I headed into the very cold craft room, where I grabbed my 91% Isopropyl alcohol and my StazOn reinkers.  I had planned to dye this little bit of cheesecloth,

but added too much alcohol to the container,

so I ended up dyeing cheesecloth, fabric, and lace before I used all the alcohol/reinker mix.  I love doing this, though, because I get such a nice mottled look to the fabric.   And I love mottled.

While the fabric was drying in the craft room, I headed to the basement studio and grabbed my Sculpey tools I won when I created a tutorial a couple of years ago using their products.  I didn't want to get out my pasta machine because I have a new technique I want to try.  I spent about five hours cleaning it recently so I could try this new art technique that didn't involve polymer clay, but needed clean rollers.

So I grabbed two paint stirrers and laid them out the width of my index cards.  After taking the photo, I put on gloves and kneaded the polymer clay in my hands for a few minutes.

I flattened it slightly

then ran the roller over the clay 

pressing it into the thickness of the two paint stirrer sticks.  Believe it or not, I got three hearts, a bead and mixed it with other colors for a fourth heart.  The pink is now history and it couldn't have come a moment too soon.  Can you tell pink is NOT my favorite color?

These are now baked and ready for use when the spirit moves me.  I guess that's why I like prep days.  I can build up stock in anticipation of upcoming projects, or just to stay ahead.  My art friend Johanna calls it stash building, and I like that idea.

While in the basement, I got out my old radio that has cassette tape capability.  Yep, I'm really old school because I still sometimes listen to music on cassette tapes.  While I was kneading, rolling, and cutting these pieces, I listened to the Eagles, a band I fell in love with as a child.  I'm sure many of you know by now that Glenn Frey died Monday, so listening to the Eagles was something I thought was quite appropriate.  Guess I was born a decade too late, because all my favorite groups (I'm a die-hard rock fan) come from the 70s.  

Thanks for dropping by.  My apologies because I owe several people a visit from as far back as last Sunday.  I promise to visit as soon as possible.  I don't have the right technology to take with me, or I'd figure out a way to visit your blog while driving.  Again, have a wonderful remainder of the week and I will see you hopefully by the weekend.