Author Archives: M. Keli Vidrine
Day 29: Rust-Dyed Roving
Today I dyed some wool/silk blend roving with a rusty old railroad spike. I won’t know how it turns out until tomorrow!
Day 29: Rust-Dyed Roving
Today I dyed some wool/silk blend roving with a rusty old railroad spike. I won’t know how it turns out until tomorrow!
Day 28: Encaustic Study with Tracing Paper
Today I did a test to see how well my tracing paper will work as a collage element in encaustic. Unfortunately, the answer was “not well”. I believe that it’s just not absorbent enough. I did get some fun results
Day 28: Encaustic Study with Tracing Paper
Today I did a test to see how well my tracing paper will work as a collage element in encaustic. Unfortunately, the answer was “not well”. I believe that it’s just not absorbent enough. I did get some fun results
Day 27: Repurposed Playing Cards
Today I removed the coating and most of the ink from the faces of some playing cards, using acetone. (I say most of the ink because there were traces left behind that the acetone couldn’t seem to do anything about.)
Day 27: Repurposed Playing Cards
Today I removed the coating and most of the ink from the faces of some playing cards, using acetone. (I say most of the ink because there were traces left behind that the acetone couldn’t seem to do anything about.)
Day 26: Modified Moose
Tonight I added long, messy, greying hair (the guard coat from an Icelandic sheep) to a stuffed moose. I may change it up later; giving him a hairstyle in imitation of the song Hockey Star is appealing too. (My hair
Day 26: Modified Moose
Tonight I added long, messy, greying hair (the guard coat from an Icelandic sheep) to a stuffed moose. I may change it up later; giving him a hairstyle in imitation of the song Hockey Star is appealing too. (My hair
Day 25: Wooden Box Conversion
This box was sold with smoked salmon in it, and had a probably-not-real-copper decorative panel inset on the lid. I pried off the backing on the lid and removed the copper panel, so that now I have a wooden box
Day 25: Wooden Box Conversion
This box was sold with smoked salmon in it, and had a probably-not-real-copper decorative panel inset on the lid. I pried off the backing on the lid and removed the copper panel, so that now I have a wooden box
Day 24: Parrot Perch Prototype
Tonight I had already gotten into bed before I remembered that I hadn’t yet done anything for Thing-a-Day. I convinced myself to get up again, but it was a close call. A friend of mine is making an elaborate perch
Day 24: Parrot Perch Prototype
Tonight I had already gotten into bed before I remembered that I hadn’t yet done anything for Thing-a-Day. I convinced myself to get up again, but it was a close call. A friend of mine is making an elaborate perch
Day 23: Papier Mache Blobs
These messy things will eventually be used as forms, like an armature, in a sculptural encaustic painting.
Day 23: Papier Mache Blobs
These messy things will eventually be used as forms, like an armature, in a sculptural encaustic painting.
Day 22: Purple Yarn
This isn’t the yarn I had foreseen the roving I dyed yesterday turning into… but when I picked it up today, it seemed pretty insistent that it should be on the large side, with some irregularity. It’s about an aran
Day 22: Purple Yarn
This isn’t the yarn I had foreseen the roving I dyed yesterday turning into… but when I picked it up today, it seemed pretty insistent that it should be on the large side, with some irregularity. It’s about an aran
Day 21: Dyed Roving
Tonight I dyed some grey Icelandic wool. I’ll spin it into a variegated yarn sometime soon. before: after:
Day 21: Dyed Roving
Tonight I dyed some grey Icelandic wool. I’ll spin it into a variegated yarn sometime soon. before: after:
Day 20: Hibiscus-Dyed Silk
This bit of silk I dyed with hibiscus flowers. I’m quite happy with the shade of maroon I wound up with! And yes, if you think you smell a larger project in the works, incorporating multiple bits of hand-dyed silk,
Day 20: Hibiscus-Dyed Silk
This bit of silk I dyed with hibiscus flowers. I’m quite happy with the shade of maroon I wound up with! And yes, if you think you smell a larger project in the works, incorporating multiple bits of hand-dyed silk,
Day 19: Rust-Dyed Silk
Today I unwrapped a piece of silk from the old railroad spike that it’s been snuggled up to for the last couple days, rinsed the vinegar out, and hung it up to dry. The results are pretty but very mild;
Day 19: Rust-Dyed Silk
Today I unwrapped a piece of silk from the old railroad spike that it’s been snuggled up to for the last couple days, rinsed the vinegar out, and hung it up to dry. The results are pretty but very mild;
Day 18: A Study in Gouging
Another encaustic study today, this one primarily concentrating on incising techniques.
Day 18: A Study in Gouging
Another encaustic study today, this one primarily concentrating on incising techniques.
Day 17: Study for Another Encaustic Painting
I tested a few different things here, and just generally made a mess in order to get a clearer idea of what I want to do with the actual painting I’m planning.
Day 17: Study for Another Encaustic Painting
I tested a few different things here, and just generally made a mess in order to get a clearer idea of what I want to do with the actual painting I’m planning.
Day 16: Another Encaustic Painting
This one simply refused to photograph decently, and I have to run out the door, so this is going to have to do. Untitled with Found Lipstick 3:
Day 16: Another Encaustic Painting
This one simply refused to photograph decently, and I have to run out the door, so this is going to have to do. Untitled with Found Lipstick 3:
Day 15: Stitch Markers
Tonight I made shrinky dinks for use as stitch markers. I plan to make more appealing ones at some point; tonight was about seeing how the size would work out.
Day 15: Stitch Markers
Tonight I made shrinky dinks for use as stitch markers. I plan to make more appealing ones at some point; tonight was about seeing how the size would work out.
Day 14: Encaustic Paintings
My day started at 5:40, and as a result I wound up with some extra time to spend in the studio in the afternoon. These are encaustic paintings, made with a mix of beeswax, damar resin, and pigment. The paint
Day 14: Encaustic Paintings
My day started at 5:40, and as a result I wound up with some extra time to spend in the studio in the afternoon. These are encaustic paintings, made with a mix of beeswax, damar resin, and pigment. The paint
Day 13: Dyeing the Novelty Yarn
Photographing yarn still in a dyebath is a fool’s errand, at least with my lighting options… and this will need to stay in the dye ’til morning.
Day 13: Dyeing the Novelty Yarn
Photographing yarn still in a dyebath is a fool’s errand, at least with my lighting options… and this will need to stay in the dye ’til morning.
Day 12: Messy Messy Novelty Yarn
Today I experimented with novelty yarn techniques… using utilitarian grey Icelandic wool. It’s a little hard to see, but the yarn’s full of boucle-ish bits and other artifacts of goofy plying.
Day 12: Messy Messy Novelty Yarn
Today I experimented with novelty yarn techniques… using utilitarian grey Icelandic wool. It’s a little hard to see, but the yarn’s full of boucle-ish bits and other artifacts of goofy plying.
Day 11: Heart Card
Tonight I was just plain wiped out and low on ideas, so I just added a torn paper heart to a blank card. I guess this means I’m doing Valentine’s cards this year!
Day 11: Heart Card
Tonight I was just plain wiped out and low on ideas, so I just added a torn paper heart to a blank card. I guess this means I’m doing Valentine’s cards this year!
Day 10: Etched Egg (Late Post)
On the tenth I was at a friend’s house, and didn’t have the supplies I’m accustomed to, so I improvised. I used a crayon (as a wax resist) and vinegar to etch one of the lovely eggs from their backyard
Day 10: Etched Egg (Late Post)
On the tenth I was at a friend’s house, and didn’t have the supplies I’m accustomed to, so I improvised. I used a crayon (as a wax resist) and vinegar to etch one of the lovely eggs from their backyard
Day 9: Block Print Doodle
Today I was spinning in circles with multiple projects, each of which I was missing just one supply I needed. Time for doodling. (This is a photo of the block itself, with some ink residue in the grooves, so it’s
Day 9: Block Print Doodle
Today I was spinning in circles with multiple projects, each of which I was missing just one supply I needed. Time for doodling. (This is a photo of the block itself, with some ink residue in the grooves, so it’s
Day 8: Mini-Skein of Tweed Yarn
Today I ran out of handspun yarn for something I’m knitting, so I made just a dab of this greeny-brown 3-ply tweed yarn. (I plan to post the knitted thing itself on whichever day I finish it.)
Day 8: Mini-Skein of Tweed Yarn
Today I ran out of handspun yarn for something I’m knitting, so I made just a dab of this greeny-brown 3-ply tweed yarn. (I plan to post the knitted thing itself on whichever day I finish it.)
Day 7: Polymer Clay Black-Eyed Peas
Today, I cast black-eyed peas in polymer clay. I then discovered that I’m out of acrylic paint, so they’ll have to be painted another day, but the level of detail in the texture came out well. These are destined to
Day 7: Polymer Clay Black-Eyed Peas
Today, I cast black-eyed peas in polymer clay. I then discovered that I’m out of acrylic paint, so they’ll have to be painted another day, but the level of detail in the texture came out well. These are destined to
Day 6: Another Kitchen Towel
The crocheted bit I added to a kitchen towel yesterday hasn’t really won me over, but at least part of that is my fault: the thing is a bit too long, so the towel winds up closer to the floor
Day 6: Another Kitchen Towel
The crocheted bit I added to a kitchen towel yesterday hasn’t really won me over, but at least part of that is my fault: the thing is a bit too long, so the towel winds up closer to the floor
Day 5: Crocheted Towel Topper
I’ve always found those crochet bits on kitchen towels- you know, the ones that let you button a towel onto a drawer pull or something- were a bit silly. For one, it’s usually a nearly useless wee dab of a
Day 5: Crocheted Towel Topper
I’ve always found those crochet bits on kitchen towels- you know, the ones that let you button a towel onto a drawer pull or something- were a bit silly. For one, it’s usually a nearly useless wee dab of a
Day 4: Experimental DIY Shrinky Dink
I never played with Shrinky Dinks as a kid, so when I read this post about making your own from #6 plastic, I was fascinated by the idea. Tonight I just made a quick test by tracing a face from
Day 4: Experimental DIY Shrinky Dink
I never played with Shrinky Dinks as a kid, so when I read this post about making your own from #6 plastic, I was fascinated by the idea. Tonight I just made a quick test by tracing a face from
Day 3: That Wasn’t Supposed To Look Quite So Much Like A Hairball
I must really miss having a cat, if I’m making my own hairballs now. This is less disgusting than it looks- it’s a felted soap. I never really saw the point of felted soap, but I had a fairly nice
Day 3: That Wasn’t Supposed To Look Quite So Much Like A Hairball
I must really miss having a cat, if I’m making my own hairballs now. This is less disgusting than it looks- it’s a felted soap. I never really saw the point of felted soap, but I had a fairly nice
Day 2: Crocheted Avocado Pit Cozy
I crocheted a cozy for this avocado pit out of cotton yarn. Stop laughing! It’s totally functional and not ridiculous at all. See, this way, if I forget to check the jar and let the water level drop, the avocado
Day 2: Crocheted Avocado Pit Cozy
I crocheted a cozy for this avocado pit out of cotton yarn. Stop laughing! It’s totally functional and not ridiculous at all. See, this way, if I forget to check the jar and let the water level drop, the avocado
Day 1: Stab-bound Blank Book
I made this blank book so that I’ll have a journal for a 28-day-long educational project I’m starting this month. I added the bees because they’re symbolic of pleasant hard work- and also because I had a small scrap of
Day 1: Stab-bound Blank Book
I made this blank book so that I’ll have a journal for a 28-day-long educational project I’m starting this month. I added the bees because they’re symbolic of pleasant hard work- and also because I had a small scrap of
Thing-a-Day Forever 