BBBB - Bags, Beads, Boxes, Birds

I had to take a little break from crocheting the bags because I pretty much cut the crap out of my index finger on my left hand from the plastic rubbing against it.  I've decided that wrapping the finger w/tape before I start crocheting is a good and fine thing, dutifully protecting that poor finger from any additional damage.

The latest bag is striped - very cool, although working hdc the entire bag gets very tiresome. I did, however, enjoy the change up in colour and I think it's probably my best bag yet.

The one really cool thing about using a beige or brown bag, especially one w/coloured letters, is that it looks exactly like rattan from a distance - I usually crochet whilst watching my girls' softball game, and I have people walking up to me all the time who just can't believe their eyes that they are looking at plastic grocery bags .

I have really dipped a deep dip in the foray of paper beads as well.  I started off using the leftover magazine bits from the boxes and making beads from long skinny triangles wrapped tightly around a toothpick.  Sounds gross, doesn't it?  But seriously, it is so kewl, I really liked them and proceeded to make dozens.. forgetting, as I did w/the magazine beads, that I wasn't done after creation - those little buggers each needed some individual attention from me in the way of lacquer, happy happy joy joy.  Blech.  

Then I discovered the real joy of the fake modge podge I mistakenly bought for my boxes - If I used that stuff to stick the layers together instead of glue, I got glued auto-lacquered beads, all in one step, woo hoo!  Ok, it's an addition, I admit it - I first knew I had a problem when I was standing around my kitchen during a GS meeting last friday and could not allow any of the leftover construction paper to get thrown out - wouldn't you know it, I made beads out of that, dang, and they are really cool!

Yes indeed - a use for all those bits and pieces of construction paper you find lying around after some kid has blasted through your kitchen in the name of "mom i have this project for english class" - it's almost as good as having a dog lick up the crumbs off your floor.

Oh - I must mention; I did not give in to the calling of my addition alone - no, I dragged in any nearby adult that happen to be hanging at my meeting and got them engaged in the process of construction paper bit reuse.  At least I wasn't the only one still peeling the lacquer off my fingers at 10:30pm later that night...

There's also the boxes projects - I am getting pretty good at the square-edged boxes, but I want MORE!  I want to make round boxes, heart-shaped boxes, oval boxes... but I can't find a thing on the internet to help .  Woof. 

At any rate, I tried my hand today at another round basket - little more success w/this one.  It was a lot easier to weave than the original newspaper version, probably because I used less paper .  I used the continuous weave pattern, which worked pretty well, although I am not sure I like the base, so I will be experimenting w/that a bit more.

In process.  Easily finished w/in a few hours, however  







Here's the two baskets I made from the delia catalog sans lacquer - the delia catalog has the cutest stuff in their catalog, so probably a good thing I chopped it up instead of shopping :) 

The one of the left is the finished continuous weave basked; the one of the right was an experiment to see if I could make a round basket, swedish-style w/the basket weave pattern.  I think it came out nice, although there is plenty of

One last thing - I love origami.  Saw that someone was making earrings out of the peace bird, so of course I had to do something w/the little bits of leftover magazine crap that has since cluttered every spare inch of my kitchen island - hence, birds.  These guys are small, I really should have been wearing my husband's magnifying lens glasses , but I just did them adhoc.  The magazine I did them out of was pretty thick .  I think they are cool, but they still need lacquer and earring thingies.  Still - at $10 each, I could make these babies til the sun comes in whilst watching Dancing With the Stars... too bad that show is almost over or I'd be a millionaire!