Sunshine!!

...lollipops and roses......oh wait, I'm dating myself, aren't I??

After a week of horrendous weather, the sun is out and the wind is only blowing about 60 mph, so I'm off in a bit to run a few errands. We've had our first day of above/zero weather since November on Thursday the 20th, and the sidewalks are treacherous, but the roads are fine.

I imagine we're not out of the woods yet, but it looks as though there IS hope!

I've been working away on the charms for my CM bracelets for DLTS (see prior blog) with mixed results; the first batch I had in progress last time was a COMPLETE loss. I've never had that happen before; I think it was a problem with the paper, actually, which seemed to absorb everything, no matter what I sealed it with, and thus was marred with dark spots from seepage. 

Second try, though was successful pretty much 100%, using photo paper, sealed prior to adhering to the blank and then sealed again 4 times each side using Mod Podge, before pouring the resin. 

Here they are:

Tomorrow I have to sand them, clean up the backs, and adhere the bails...and then I can attach them to the finished bracelets. 

As I had measured extra resin, I thought I would try something while I was at it, and use a dome resin mold I acquired a while back and hadn't tried. I poured the excess resin into the molds about 1/4" deep and added the (sealed) logo on top of it. Mixed results...one had a huge bubble under the logo...one was fine, but the resin couldn't degas with the logo on top of it, so we have this:

HOWEVER....I like the dome this creates a lot...so I had also poured just some extra resin into a few of the other spaces in the mold, and now I have some "domes" which I THINK could successfully be glued over top of a logo, on the blank. 

I have to see how that works out...

And, in the middle of the weather from H-E-double toothpicks the other night, I was at a class doing this, which I quite like. It will also be a donation to the National Inclusion Project for their Gala 2014 Silent Auction:

It's chainmaille, obviously, in a pattern called Clockwork Weave from Hyperlynks. 

Hope you are seeing a bit of Spring as well!

Working away....

This has, without a doubt, been the worst winter we've had in the 10 yrs or so I've lived here. 

As work has quieted a bit at this point, I'd love to be out and about...but each day seems to bring two choices weather-wise...it's either 400 below, or it's snowing ALL. DAY. LONG. 
In the last month, we've had more than 20 days of -20 or colder weather, which is completely unHEARD of here. 

Here's a picture down the street, which I took to show a friend living in NC that yes, indeed, there ARE 10 ft snowbanks; they're quite dangerous, as you can't see what's coming down the street until you're actually out IN it....

We're running out of places to put the snow when the driveway is shoveled...

I've pretty much been huddling by the fire when I'm not at work...but I have a project for the Foundation that I must have completed by Mar. 15th latest, to be shipped, so I am plugging away at that. 

These bracelets are to be prizes for the competitors in Dancing Like the Stars, which is one of our major fundraisers. 

Bracelets (6 ladies, 5 mens, 1 unisex) are done:

I'm currently working on stamping the back of the charm which will hang from the bracelets....

....these will be slightly domed when they are done, then filled with resin into which the logo will be placed....

The logos have so far been printed, cut, and treated to four coats each side of sealer. 

This is quite a time-consuming process, actually...and temps have to be optimal for the resin to set properly, so I'm hoping the weather will warm up a bit!! 

The resin is a bit chancy, so I usually make at least twice as many as I need to ensure one casting can hopefully be done. 

Then they need to be allowed to set, and have bails attached, and have those set. 

So....this is worktable Sunday in process!

Hope you are having a great GroundHog day!

Football? What's that??