I'd like to do this. . .

This is gonna sound a little weird, but ever since I first watched my dad do it, and got the opportunity to do it in some sort of "lets get kids interested in science" thing at the UofS, I have been interested in soldering. Yes indeed. . .melting a filler metal to join together two (or more) solid bits of metal. I even like the way it smells (which is probably a bad thing).

The question is, what can a girl like me do with this interest in soldering, with no practical reason to do it? I'm too intimidated by the notion of stained glass to apply my interest in soldering there. I'll leave that hobby to braver librarians (the kind who once served in the army and who enjoy tormenting students with generalized incompetence, and harrowing tales of personal history, eight hour commutes). So what to do?

The answer: frivolity!

A few examples of some soldered miscellania culled from the internet. Inspiration! Wouldn't this be fun?

purdy tree!

love the rough texture of the solder
for slightly creepy pieces like this

simple . .. would be a good thing to try for starts.

create interesting settings for colored stones

this is just badass

So . ..do you think I should ask Dad if I can borrow his soldering iron? And if so, what are the chances that I will horribly maim myself in use?

World in my Pocket

Little wander in the park "craft" for you. All you need is a tic tac container, a pair of tweezers, and a liking for playing in the dirt.

Basically, I collected some crap on my way home from work and made a little scene with it. It was a relaxing thing to do in the park. Maybe next time I buy tic tacs I'll make a more complicated scene.

sundown

sundown

daylight

tic tacs! 

Duct Tape Rose

Home sick from work today. Decided to nap, read, and be a little crafty until this killer headache leaves me alone. Here's what I made:

That's right, ladies and gents, a fabulous duct tape rose. 

. . .to put in your hair!

Materials: 

Roll of duct tape

Two bobby pins. 

Instructions: 

I modified the instructions from http://www.instructables.com/id/Duct-Tape-Rose/. For basic instructions, go there. Below are my modifications:

1) I used a bobby pin instead of wire. I began wrapping the petals over the open end of the pin, leaving the closed end as a loop. 

2) I made my petals more sloppy, not always with an even point, often using jagged squares, which I felt lent greater authenticity to the "petal" shapes. You know, because roses are obviously silver.

3) I folded down some of the outer petals at the end

4) Finally, once the rose looked rose-ish enough, I used a thin strip of tape to wrap around the bottom edge of the petals, keeping them bent open, and around part of the hair pin.

5) THEN, I hooked the second hair pin through the loop of the first, which holds the rose in place in ur hairs. 

\o/ and now we all know why I don't make things very often. Happy Friday! 

StuffyGuy!

Thread and needle: $4.00
Stuffing: $4.97
Making something this ugly for your boyfriend. . . .

PRICELESS!