Friday, May 23, 2025

Mather DIT Wearable Art Kit: Clay Beads and Pendants

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This are the materials for the Clay Pendants and Beads from the free Mather art kit for Wearable Arts.

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I've used Model Magic before for kid's crafts, but this small package was enough to do lots of jewelry pieces. 

Since the classes are for seniors...the clay is non-toxic and very easy on the hands and to work with. We were encouraged to pick up things in the kitchen for impressing into the clay. 

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I had letter stamps, a cookie press(teapot) and some old clay stamps from my Pottery days and lots of this and that for textures. The Model Magic has a fluff texture and tends to bounce back after impressing and loosing some of the texture. I left the heavy clay cookie press sit on the clay for quite a time...and that gave the cleanest image

Pendants were made simply by flattening a ball of clay and pressing images into the clay. The pendant was trimmed and I used rubber letter stamps and some lace to texture it.

We used ka-bob sticks to make holes and string our beads on to dry. 
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The beads that once were perfectly round were squishy when impressing and got a lumpy shape. The more I pressed the messier they became...so I just went with it.

An hour class really cuts into your FUSSING time, which is probably a good thing, LOL.

I knew enough to spin/twist my beads on the stick to keep them loose. As clays dry, they shrink, and so will your holes.


The second week!
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After drying for an entire week, it was time to paint and decorate. I sealed my pieces with modge podge before I painted. Here you can see how I stained the words on my beads, DANCE, Giggle, Create, LIVE.

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You can see the textured edges, you can lightly sand those off or go with it. The holes need to be opened more as the puff of the clay closed these up a bit.

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Painting was fun and annoying....lol. filling crevices that are so soft means you have to accentuate the actual desired shape. I definitely fussed with this for the full hour class. I used the class acrylics, and then went in with a Micro-point marker to enhance and define the designs a bit.

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I used some glass beads from a cut up bracelet to add spacers...we used the enclosed embroidery floss encluded in the kit. I will probably switch the floss out for something more substantial, hemp or rayon cord.

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BE TOO MUCH! As an old lady---I've learned THAT, to enjoy life.

I won't wear this piece but will use it in an imspirational multimedia construction for my Grand Girl. 
The pendant on the right...was too indistinct ...and eh...

I like the sunflower piece...and may use that with some of my other beads in a piece for myself

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That was simple and the marking pen added the details.

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This will end up on the wall in my 1:6 scale diorama Bakery Coffee shop. the blue was quite transparent in the colors....and this was three coats and then I gave up.

All the pieces were sealed with Modge-Podge gloss....that was included in the class box. I would consider a spray sealer if you really want to use them as in Chicagoland humidity Modge-Podge can be a bit sticky. 

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Will I do this again. Maybe not...but I will drag out some Sculpey or Polymer clays and play a bit...the harder finished product will give cleaner imprints...and who knows where that will go.

Thanks to Mather and Ruth Guerry  for a fun two classes.

Mather Communtiy Information for Free Classes is HERE.
So many different types of online FREE classes for those over 55.

Remember


DANCE* Create* Giggle *LIVE

Thanks always for visiting, 


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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown.  








Sunday, May 18, 2025

Fifteen-Thousand Photos and Counting


OLDNEWGREENREDO has been on Blogger the entire time I have been blogging. I've always loved taking photographs and the digital world is wonderful when it comes to taking images. I can't believe I have over 15,000 photos sitting on blogger. 

I'M  sharing a few of my favorites from over the years.



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This image is my Avatar and as a Google and Etsy photo. This sweet repaired ceramic was one of Mom's favorites...I also used her in the collection of photos that I use for my header on Etsy.,
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I've actually adjusted this original montage photo for Etsy and have since tweaked it. I simply wanted to show the items I loved to indicate my vintage products on BarberryLane on Etsy.

I started using two different cameras...I'm not a name brand person, basically I have no idea what they were, but every photo was stored on a memory card and then had to be transferred physically to the computer.  Lately I have taken most of my photos with Iphone or IPAD. The ease of transferring them to the computer through the cloud is just so simple. Editing is done directly on my computer in my Mac's photo program. I thought I would share some favorite photos from over the years.

FAVORITE PLACES: I've never shared tons of personal information...but my Hubby and I were both born on the shores of Lake Michigan 200 miles apart. The water and the waves are an integral part of our being, and though the hometowns on the Lake are far away, we try and visit often.

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Lake Michigan Beach

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Hubby's home town has a distinct Light House as does mine.

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Stunning isn't it, my hometown lighthouse is one of the oldest and tallest on Lake Michigan. I'm compelled to visit the park on the grounds every time I go home.

Personal Favorite Photo

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Our graduation photos from UWSTOUT in 1970-71.

Always our FAVORITE: 

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We are blessed with one Grand Girl, who is now 12...and camera shy always. She was 4 here and playing in the sandbox at Gramma and Grampas.

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SIMPLE FAVORITE: The favorite photos from the blog are actually the mundane and everyday...wash on a line.

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FAVORITE ANTIQUES: My mom's fish poacher which resides on the counter or in displays. I've only poached fish a couple of times, it's French and very old..

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FAVORITE SHAPES: The artsy part of me, often takes random shots of interesting shapes...this is a wicker lamp top out on our porch, which is full of antique wicker.

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FAVORITE FAMILY HEIRLOOMS: These three pieces are always on display or use in my home. The large jar on the left is HEAVY cut glass and top is below. It was once silver plated but the silver was polished away. I think it was Great Grandmother's. 
The lady is a piece from Grandmother the next jar is also crystal and holds cinnamon and sugar on my stove shelf in the kitchen now and was my mom's from where, I'm not sure. NUM!

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Shadows and form....love this.

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FAVORITE PATINA: I don't make these vignette's very often now...but this was a Spring display of some favorite things. I still haven't polished that teapot---I just love the patina it has. I have polished the tray to use for bouncing mini lights glow in the winter.

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FAVORITE BLUE: Our home is full of blues, but Favorite things include my family blue enameled coffeepots. I somehow ended up with three (1 sold). They are German enamel and designed for the old drip coffee fabric pouches that tied on to a neckpiece. I have two still in the kitchen I use for flowers and serving coffee.

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FAVORITE FLOWERS; Flowers of course are a favorite and I  have oodles of photos of Pansies, a family favorite...here is a whole flat from years ago.

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MORE: Wisconsin is dotted with fields of Sunflowers and one time we stopped and I took maybe 15 photos of some stunning Sun Flowers in a huge field. Who knew they would become a political symbol of support for Ukraine.

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MORE: I love all flowers but the stately IRIS (which are just started to bloom in our yard) are always my favorite. I imagined them as Queen of the Fairies' robe and dress, hanging out to Dry. I had a vivid imagination as a child.

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FAVORITE GARDEN SPOT: These two are my favorites in the yard no matter what season. Here they are quite new and not all covered in age and moss.

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Last year...Sometimes they are swallowed in foliage.,

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Very early on when the bushes were so small. My girl and boy's cane poles are blown away, and I periodically have to replace them. You would think this is sheltered area, but it's a wind tunnel of West to East Chicagoland winds.

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Oh, Dear! The pair fish all year round, and I just have to take a photo of what they are up to even when it snows.

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Another favorite pond early on...with the old pump from the basement of the family Fishmarket. This was the first year, I think...and the right corner is now swallowed in Day Lilies. My son keeps giving me Frogs...LOL. I have oodles of garden frogs, some are faded and need some REDO.


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FAVORITE NEW: Of all the NEW things we did, building the Greenhouse was one of my favorites.

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It functions well and needs a new coat of paint this year...even that top board, we will use wood stain this time, the paint didn't hold up to the sun at all on the cedar. Last year we laid a stone floor which really helped hold the sun's heat this season.


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I ran across these photos---of our kitchen planning 2016. We designed and installed an IKEA kitchen by ourselves and a family cabinet and drawer assembly picnic.

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Since 2016 we have added new appliances, a small shelf installed to the left where the microwave is on the counter. Also added a spacer shelf next to a new stove for griddles and racks. New stove, hood, refrigerator and dishwasher. 

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One thing about designing a kitchen your self---is everything has a defined place...and I wouldn't change anything about our design at this point. Switching to almost all drawers was brilliant for our age. Everything has pull out shelves, very good for old people who can't get on their knees to look for things. 



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FAVORITE FOODS: Picture from 2013 of garden produce ...wow, we do grow everything sometimes.

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FAVORITE FOOD: Strawberries are up there on the list along with anything homegrown.

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I've always canned foods...Pumpkin Butter and Pickle relish...from our garden.

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Not everything is a powered machine. This crank juicer gets used every year...and simple tools that make canning ing easier....Rich Dark Tomato sauces pureed in the strainer.

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This is an old photo of our old stove...canning frozen tomatoes that were saved to do later. 

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And US: This one is even a bit old...6-7 years ago...but we are just grayer and older now.

Such are OLDNEWGREENREDO's  FAVORITE  PHOTOS! 

WHICH ARE YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOS? 

Thanks always for visiting, 


Join me at these fine blog parties:




All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown.  


Friday, May 16, 2025

Midwest Gardening 2025: Large Raised Container Gardening and more.


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Midwest Gardening 2025: Large Container Gardening


Last year's purchase for container gardening. This year I will actually fill them with dirt...and herbs.

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We are definitely getting older, so I explored Large Container Gardening in the form of metal Raised Beds in January/February. I hit a sale on a cheap site  and ordered two large 6'x3'x2' high metal planters for our vegetable garden. Good quality, but of course the directions weren't great, American to Chinese to American...not so good. Many sites sell these, and I could not get a photo without attaching a specific source...so just search raised metal planters.

PS...American made would be 4 times the cost..so as fixed income seniors...I ordered these in February.

Hubby doesn't bend over, and while I do---I can't do everything on our little .27 acres, so we thought this would be a good idea. 

Think: 6 panels, 4 corners, 2 side supports, 3 cross bars and a thousand screws, LOL.

Assembling the raised beds was really a pain---but easy once you figured out a system. We finally set up two table surfaces out on the patio, placed the walls half put together and then worked inside between the walls of the planter. Between Hubby's shaky hands and my hand-numb finger weakness we got them together in about 6 hours for the two. 

Lightweight we carried them into the garden. That was the easy part. Now we had to fill them with 32 cubic feet of something.

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  I filled them a third full of brush and branches, neighbor's bamboo stalks, and lots of leaves. Then came the dirt...we ordered two pallets of 40# -150 bags of dirt, a good mixture without fertilizer. Alternating with our compost dirt and the new dirt, they got filled to the top. I stirred it all up and we watered between the layers.


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Hubby built a plastic conduit trellis frame between them and I used some wide netting to make the sides and top. The idea is to train Zucchini and Yellow Summer squash to go up the trellis, so we can walk through and pick them...HA, we will see. 

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The mesh is hard to see on the sides, but here on the top it's visible.

On the fence raised bed (we added 6 more bags  of dirt to that) and I planted Pickle Bush pickles in one and Bush Beans in another along with squashes to climb up the grid on the fence.

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I'm hoping to freeze a ton of beans which our favorites this year. So easy blanch, chill, drain and bag. Mesh helps to keep out the squirrels and birds from eating the seeds. 

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So this week we are planting the beds and lots of pots.  Hopefully I can get the greenhouse emptied this wee. We think we have the bunnies ostracized from the garden at this point, I did see one hiding under the grill...but no sign they are eating anything...two bags of Critter-Rid has also helped so far.

I am moving the sunflowers all into the garden or fenced areas, so they have a chance to grow from the large seedlings we have in the greenhouse. I hope to plant Tomatoes in pots, I did get some Pepper Plants in pots before the rain.

Last night we had quite a rain, FINALLY, so we can til the rest of the garden after we get rid of all the WingyDingy's the Maple trees gave up in the wind last night. 

We were spared the worst of the storms that traveled across the Midwest  last night...So glad we had the plants were safe and sound in the greenhouse. Leggy tomatoes wouldn't have made it outside with the pelting rain and the WIND...!

We had over 90 yesterday and high 80's today, so I have to plant, PLANT, PLANT!


Some pretty...Transplanted Hydrangeas 

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I did get all the beds cleaned out...finally this week. Our tulips were so gorgeous.

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Our Viburnum isn't very happy this year, I will cull many branches out of here to encourage the new growth. This shrub/tree is over 38 years old best we can recollect, and the heat and dry of last year took it's toll.

Wasp catchers are everywhere---because I'm allergic, they really do work as do the Fly catchers which reduces the flies, too.

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Tulips were gorgeous....and the colors were super!

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I have two pansy pots with a Peppermint plant in them for bee protection.

HAPPY GARDENING!!!!




All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown.