Make Your Own Glittering Musical Ornament!

An excellent tutorial by Amber of SaltTree who shares how to make your own top notch ornament with a working music box inside.

Using this:

and This:

Step-by-step instructions are on Amber's blog: http://salttree.blogspot.com/2011/11/glittering-musical-ornament.html

The music box mechanism employed in this project is available here: http://shop.tunedteeth.com

Delightful!

Handmade Market at the Good Earth last weekend

This is what my booth looked like at the HandMade Market in Beamsville Ontario over the weekend.
The show actually went better for me on the 2nd day, rain and all. I will attribute this to the lights I added to the display on Sunday - plus, I do believe it's a serious and shopper crafts lover who comes to the fair in the rain.

I really like the little cabinet seen in the centre of my display. A lucky find, it suits my miniature music boxes perfectly.

I debuted the little folding heart lockets at the show on Saturday.

This is my point of view - the reverse side of the display

 It was a well organized and very well attended event. It was still hard to balance the expenses of coming from Toronto overnight though.I had some good conversations with some of the visitors. We chatted about clocks, music boxes, and Saturday morning cartoons of the 80's.

About a show: The More Than Metal Show

For the past few months I worked relentlessly to put produce a very successful jewellery show here in Toronto.

The show went great, just really tiring. I'm planning on doing it again, but with more help next time for sure. I did all the website stuff, press copy and releases, ad, postcard and poster design, door-to-door flyering (I was really paranoid about getting the word out effectively), getting sponsors, performed the catering etc. etc. OMG.

The funny thing is that the show was partially conceived out of frustration with my experience with a lot of craft shows - I wanted to put on a show that would suit my type of work and others like me, but of course I had no time at all to man my own table. Very ironic.

I only had a chance to take a small handful of photos, but you can see the ones I got with the help of a friend here some photos One of the participants blogged about it too http://sahetahscrazedwritings.blogspot.com/2011/07/more-than-metal-show.html

I mean, everyone looks like they had a good time and all of the written feedback I got from the artists says they had a very positive experience so I'm relieved.

5 Questions: Interview with Dave of Bix-Reed Handmade

I sat up and cheered when I saw these musical boxes on Etsy, handmade by Dave from Bix-Reed Handmade. Dave makes delightful wooden music box nightlights that incorporate charming retro woodland and nursery images.

They are meant to "keep the bogeyman away", but I think they are also brilliant decor items to light up the dark corners in any space.
I had to know more, and Dave very graciously let me into his creative mind to ask 5 questions.

Squirrel Buddy Musical Night Light by Bix-Reed Handmade

"Why did you choose to integrate music boxes in your work?"

since my night lights are primarily for kids (and adult kids), it just made total sense to add music to them.  my friend, who bought one of the first boxes i ever made, has said it's now turned into a tradition with his 2-year-old daughter: her tucks her in, reads her a story, then clicks on the light.  and before leaving, his daughter always points to the light, signifying she wants the music.  and he's said that the first few minutes of bedtime had been the worst for her.  she was always getting up or getting scared or calling for him to come back in.  now she just listens to the tune and nods off, while he and his wife get some much-needed quiet time.

"What is the most challenging step in your creative process?"

time.  i can only get into the workshop on tuesdays and thursdays.  but once i'm there, i'm just so excited to work on the projects i've been cooking up in my head that everything goes very smoothly.  since time is precious, i don't waste any of it fretting or doubting myself.

Duckie Music Box Night Light by Bix-Reed Handmade

"When do you know a piece is finished?"

this is lame answer, but it's instinctual.  i just know.  there have been plenty of times that i've finished a piece, but something about it just doesn't look right.  and if i don't immediately think 'love it!' then i know i need to rework it.  or shelve it altogether.  but when it works, it works.

Happy Cat Music Box Night Light by Bix-Reed Handmade

"Do you have a favourite piece?"

i love them all, really.  but if i absolutely have to choose i'd say "happy cat." "bedtime bear" is a close second, though.

"Where can we buy your beautiful things?"

right now, only on etsy.Shop: Bix-Reed Handmade

thanks!
dave

3 good things at my door

Three wonderful things arrived for me by delivery yesterday.

This spectacular mug by Meow City was the first. I think it's wonderful and I can't wait to see what this artist does next.

meow city ceramics, by Drury Brennan

This was the second; a Dancing Skeleton, just about the size of my palm




And the third was a Valentine from someone who knows I love flowers.

A cure for feral children

Given this....."the world has crumbled and the cities have exploded; uprisings and social disorder due to energy shortages have destabilized the country; and two mighty warrior tribes have gone to war. The crumbling remnants of the government attempt to restore some form of order, but life has become a whirlwind of looting and a firestorm of fear, in which men began to FEED on men."

I certainly did not expect this:



But it could happen, I suppose :-)

Toronto Erotic Arts & Crafts Fair

My Secret Music Box will be at the Erotic Arts & Crafts Fair this Saturday at the Gladstone. Remember, romance is erotic too! It looks like a good day to be at the Gladstone Hotel; Skin Tight Outta Site Rebel Burlesque will be performing downstairs, too.

Erotic Arts and Crafts Fair
Saturday, February 12, 2011

NOON – 8:00pm
The Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto
Admission: FREE
http://www.eroticartsandcrafts.com