Key Holder upcycling

 As Christmas is well and truly over I am safe to post one of my Christmas pressie makes.

My brother and sister-in-law said they would like a key holder so I thought I would try making one rather than buying one.  

Not something I have ever made before but I decided to have a go.

A few years ago I decided to take off my red rubber stamps from their wooded bases in an attempt to save space.  Now the wood was lovely and smooth so too good to throw away so I have had them all stashed away until I can think of something to do with them and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

I sanded, gesso'd and stamped a hummingbird and the word "keys" which I embossed then coloured in with posca pens.

When it dried I added a few coats of varnish and bought some key hooks.

I was really pleased how it turned out, not too fiddly just a bit of time for the drying between the layers etc but quite effective and totally personal (sis-in-law loves hummingbirds).

Now I just have about another 40 odd blocks of wood to use up!  Any ideas?

Happy crafting

Kyla

Institue of Making London Pt2

 Welcome back to my blog and Part 2 of the catch up of my recent trip to London.

Day one we visited the RA Summer Exhibition and I blogged about that in an earlier post.

The following day we went to University College London (UCL) to their Engineering department for a free Festival of Stuff!

 They took over a large outside space and inside one of their labs too

 There was free ice cream, coffee and music too!

 Whilst there was a lot children could do there was a lot of adults without kids (like us) taking part in the experiments

Willow weaving large balls

 Homemade silly putty

 I made a LED badge with copper tape and a battery (again a free workshop)

 There was a handmade geiger counter demonstrating the radioactive levels of bananas and brazil nuts!

 Alka-Seltzer rockets were exploding round this corner

 This group were hand carving a large wood cut image 

 and then using a steam roller to act as the press!

 Printing on a HUGH scale!

 There was copper bowl and spoon making sessions

 Lots of explosions and things on fire!

 Many hands on tables.  This was aluminium smelter and a neon plastic where without a light source the cut end glowed

 

 This was a fine knitted metal mesh which looked dull grey until a certain spectrum of light shone on it and it glowed white!

 As you can imagine with all these experiments taking place there had to be a certain level of Health and Safety.  For once common sense ruled as these were the only signs I saw!!

 

A fantastic free afternoon.  I like to think of it as extreme crafting!

Kyla