I'm late, I'm late, and my creative dilemma!

Once again, I seem to have given myself a bit of a challenge! What better time to do this, than when you're supposed to be madly shopping, creating, wrapping and sending gifts off to the west and the north? Rats! I do this every single year, while vowing to never do it again. Despite this fact, I don't remember ever being late for the big event. If you pay enough dollars to the postal gurus, and remember to send your parcels a few days early, your package will get there on time (I always keep my fingers crossed,and still worry). Although most of my shopping is done, I haven't wrapped a single present, despite the fact that it's already the 16th. I know what I'll be doing, later today!! But wait, I ran out of tape......aaargh!

Back to my dilemma! I don't really want to wrap, I want to play! I seem to be in a high creative phase, and I've been madly working with both Ice Resin, and Apoxie Sculpt. Not in the same project, of course, and both are quite different, but fun just the same! For those of you, not familiar with Apoxie Sculpt, it's a two-part epoxie clay, similar to Crystal Clay. BeadFX carries both products, and the only reason I've chosen to work with this one, is that I already had a couple of tubs of it, in my stash. I also like the fact that it comes in a plastic container, with a tight fitting lid. That's important, when you're not planning on using it all up on a single project, as it won't dry out. I purchased a fairly large quantity (like the ones, shown below), before I realized that BeadFX carried the product. Another interesting fact about Apoxie is that, while it has a fairly long shelf life, you can actually freeze it, to extend it even further (but I don't know if the same can be done, to Crystal Clay). You will also be able to thaw it out, use it, and then re-freeze, without compromising the integrity of the product. Sculptors use it to sculpt and carve, and I've seen some very creative pieces, made out of this medium (especially in the world of dolls). You can even use it to repair, almost anything. As usual, YouTube is full of videos to delight you!

My personal challenge, is to come up with a project, that's completely different from many of the two-part epoxy pieces, that I've seen in the past. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love the look of the crystal based pieces, but I have a burning need, to make something completely different! Not being a sparkle girl, and still in love with my techniques, I'll be designing something, more mixed media inspired. My first piece is actually finished, although it seems to be more of a hybrid, than true mixed media. It does include crystals, but I also mixed in some pearls and metal, to give it more of an edge. The components are already laid out for my second piece, and it's turning out to be quite different. More metal, a teeny bit of sparkle, and a non-traditional coating or two. Will it work? Only time will tell! I'm working this up for a class sample, so won't be able to show the photos, until it's up on the site. I believe that this new workshop, has been scheduled for February.

I originally purchased the Apoxie Sculpt, for last year's Toronto Bead Society, Bag of Beads challenge. I made a doll, out of a silver plated spoon, fork, plate, fibre, polymer clay, and the challenge beads. I ended up attaching the face to the doll, and the doll to the base (a small silver plate), with the Apoxie Sculpt. I've learned that it will virtually attach anything, to anything!!! The photos, don't really show the Apoxie Sculpt, but believe me, it's on there, and it's rock hard!!! I buried a few beads on it, and sculpted it to look a little like grass (I never said that I was a sculptor, did I?).

The Ice Resin piece that I mentioned earlier, is a gift, so I won't be discussing it, except to say that it involves my monoprinted paper, metal, leather, and I'm happy to say that it's finished! While it's curing (resin dries overnight, but takes 3 days to cure), I'm going to let myself play with the Apoxie a little more. Now, what are you up to this week? Still scrambling to buy, or make that perfect present? Or perhaps you're just relaxing with a snack, beverage, and sappy TV movie of your choice? Whatever you're doing, enjoy the season!