Bobbin Talk

Pumpkins!

It's that time of year, when we watch horror movies and go pumpkin picking. I've already started overdosing on scary movies, but the pumpkins are still evading me. Unfortunately I don't have time to go to a pumpkin patch, but I can certainly visit the local farmer's market and pick a good candidate. The question is what do I do with it. Go for the simple carving method or splurge with bedazzling and spray-painting? Here are some excellent examples of pumpkins gone fashionable!

I have plenty of tape measures and thread spools laying around for this fashionable jack-o'-lantern.

But this lacy version from Better Homes is much more my style.

Red Shoes - Fashionable Technology

As much as I like creating projects within my new love, the Parson's design and technology program I love even more incorporating my love for fashion into the projects. This past weekend I participated in the Scrapyard Challlenge organized by Katherine Moriwaki and Jonah Brucker-Cohen. The task at hand is simple: create some kind of a switch, connect to two wires going into a computer rigged, output device making sounds. The challenge is to create something really creative and fun from scraps or recycled materials.

I chose to recycle an old pair of red high heels that have been collecting dust in my closet. I wrapped the heel and back side of the shoes in tin foil. That creates the surface for the switches. Then I run two cables through my pants to be connected to the foiled parts. That seemed to be the most fun part as my friends were helping me push and pull the cables.

Hereare the shoes with the foil before we get them connected to the wires.

We exposed the ends of the cables and placed them so they touch the foil on each shoe.

Then all we had to do is connect the other two ends of the wires to the computer.

And here is the final result with the shoes working as a switch! That's fashionable technology!

 

You can see other projects at ScrapyardChallenge.com

Henna Tattoo - DIY

The new school year is already on the way but the fist week is always exciting: new classes, new people, new professors, the weather is still warm and sunny. What's even better is that Parsons started the semester with a block party. They literally closed off a whole street between two avenues to have free food and drink, music and a whole lot of fun. Amongst the many things you could enjoy was the art of henna. I haven't had one of these temporary tattoos in a long time and when I saw how good this guy was I jumped at the opportunity. { I mean look at his own tattoos and pink hair! How could you not?!?}

He created a design on my right hand. Below you see my hand with the henna after it was applied. After about 15 min or so it dried, then I waited for another 4 hours to wash it. That sealed the ink and created the temporary tattoo.

Here is my hand after I washed the dried henna. Now all you see is the actual design.

When I saw how quick and easy it was to apply the henna I got curious and researched how I could do it myself. Imagine the cool things you could draw on your hands or even face, just for the duration of  fashion week maybe, especially when you know it will wash away after a few days! :)

So here is what I found most useful via PioneerThinking.com:

First: The henna must be fresh, green, and aromatic. A henna that is stale and has no smell will not work for dying the skin. The henna must also be fairly fine, so that it does not clog the tip of your applicator. If it is not quite as fine as you would like it to be, this can be remedied by sifting it.

The second most important thing needed to make henna is a slight acid. Lemon or lime juice will do for this purpose. The most basic recipe is just to add henna and lemon juice, but some prefer to use other ingredients. The most common, and most effective of these is clove. Clove contains a natural chemical that helps the henna make a deeper stain. The easiest way to add clove to your recipe is to boil a handful of whole cloves in lemon juice. Eventually the lemon juice will be infused with the clove, and you can strain it and add it to your henna.

Making the Henna:

1. Measure into a bowl about one heaping tablespoon of henna powder. Your henna powder should already be sifted, if it needs it. See below for instructions and suggestions on sifting.

2. Into the same bowl, add about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

3. Now add the liquid. It should be strained, if you are using fresh lemon juice or anything which may cause clogging. Start by adding about one tablespoon, and stir it in little by little to get the proper consistency. This is the hardest step, because the consistency must be quite right to be able to use it properly. It should be about like stirred yogurt, not so thin that it drips, but not too thick either.

4. Give it a good stir, to make sure that the liquid and henna are well mixed. Stir it vigorously for a few minutes, to make sure that everything is properly incorporated. This should remove most of the lumps, and the paste should be smooth and green.

Drawing with the mixed henna

Transfer the paste to a plastic ziploc bag and squish the henna as far down into a corner as possible, and once the air is compressed into the corner of the bag, slice a small bit off of the corner, to let the air and henna out. Now you can fill an empty applicator. A Jacquard bottle with a thin tip is best and easiest to use. Simply place the snipped corner of the bag into the open mouth of the bottle and squeeze. Tap it on a tabletop every so often to make sure that the henna has settled to the bottom. Then just snap on the top of the bottle, screw on the tip, and you are ready to go!

Important Note: You should NEVER use BLACK HENNA. A chemical called PPD, present in black henna, can cause chemical burns on your skin. {that warning actually freaks me out, because I've dyed my hair with black henna, but I have never had a skin burn, hmmmm! Is it true or not? Or is it just a different type of henna?}

 Here is another website, whith LOTS of great info on henna, mixing it, sifting it, drawing with it and all the different techniques and tools you can use: The Henna Page

 

Knitted Basket

What a fun bicycle basket! If I had a bike I'd knit it in a bright magenta color in the biggest needles for a chunky modern look although the green looks pretty cute too.

See the full how-to pattern at Knitting Today over on Craftster

Avocado Mask

This might be more of a weekend post but hey, why delay beauty tips!
I've been exploring a lot of natural options for body scrubs and face masks and have discovered some really easy and quick recipes that make so much sense I can't believe I haven't done any of these before. Hello. what could be better than employing mother nature to help beautify yourself?! And I'm certainly not claiming to be reinventing the world here I'm simply using what's already been used for years and years. So here is the first mask I did. It is extremely simple and very easy to make.

1/2 avocado
1 egg

The recipe I looked at called for ONE avocado but I had a really large one and I also started snacking on it while I was peeling it, and it seemed like a lot of schmear, so I just used half. Now, about the egg... I found that you should use a yolk for oily skin and an egg-white for dry skin. I usually have a combination skin and this time it seemed to be really normal so I thought for a bit and really couldn't decide which one, so I just use the whole egg! I figured it couldn't hurt, so why waist it!

Then I just mashed and blended both together. The recipe called for a food processor, but I didn't have one handy so I just used a fork to get the avocado really smooth and then blended the egg.

Next I just smeared my face with the mixture. It felt a bit liquidy, but it stayed on my face quite well. I found that the only parts that started sliding down my face were the small pieces of avocado that didn't get quite smashed. Next time I'll use a food processor or a blender to make it really smooth. And yeah, that's what it looks like!

After a few minutes it started tightening a bit (I'm guessing that's the egg drying out). I kept it on for about 15 minutes and rinsed with warm water.

My skin was really moisturized and smooth after the mask. Certainly one to use again and again.

Now there are certainly more ingredients to be added to this mask like honey or evening primrose oil, but this is one is a really easy one that takes very little effort and has easy ingredients that you might already have in the kitchen.

Upcycled Jeans from DAFT Danny

I love getting emails from young designers around the world. This project came from Danny Godfrey or DAFT Danny as he calls himself. His latest creation is upcycled Levi's 501 jeans and  car seat-belt straps, which he turned into a backpack. Easy to make and good for the planet.

His branding is the arrow, "Upcycle" {get it?}

Jessica Dance

Barely a graduate from the Arts University College at Bournemouth Jessica Dance is already gaining major speed in the retail world. She started her own label while she was still in school and won the Creative Marketing award with her multidisciplinary project Couture Creatures.

It's a collection of handmade accessories, but what really blew me away was the video she created with her boyfriend Rob Francis 

"The set is made of paper and is a replication of Jessica's real life workspace. She mostly works through the night which is represented in the animation.", says Rob.

If you loved the video you'll love the behind the scenes too! I know I'm always mesmerized to se how things really happen. Here is the behind the scenes to the making of Couture Creatures for Jessica Dance.

Behind The Scenes: Couture Creatures from Rob Francis on Vimeo.

Music: Jupiter One - Flaming Arrow
myspace.com/jupiterone

Debra Rapoport - The Artist - Part II

Here is Debra Rapoport again with her wonderful creations. Last tine she shared with us a necklace she created from shredded newspaper. This time she reveals the secret of how she made necklaces and hat flowers from recycled banana fiber paper.

I've come to really appreciate the power of hats and since there are only so many my budget can handle I welcome the opportunity to see the wonderful objects Debra creates by recycling found or acquired objects. Wit till you see what she did with used tea bags!! Debra, you are amazing!!

 

All photos and video by Aneta Genova for BobbinTalk

Debra Rapoport - The Artist - Part I

Debra has been featured numerous times in various publications including New York magazine as a really stylish woman with a unique style, so I was really excited to meet her. What I discovered was that she doesn't just have a love for fashion and accessories, she is a genuine artist who creates incredible wearable art pieces. She has been creating for years with a consistent concept of utilizing found or used objects and her ability to create interesting objects but stay true to her vision is fascinating! It is impossible to show you in one post all the wonderful things that I photographed so it is my pleasure to bring it to you in a few different posts!

The first one is about this neck-piece created out of shredded newspaper wrapped in vintage silver thread, vintage metallic copper ribbon, dried baby eggplant

How You Could Recycle Your Old Buttons

I'm sure most of you have a bunch of unidentifiable buttons, pins and other small objects carefully compiled in a bowl and you think some day... some day I'll need one of those and if I throw it away I'll never be able to find a matching button but that day never comes, does it!?! So if you've given up on waiting and you are just about ready to throw them out but your heart still aches at the thought of it, maybe you can just hot-gun-glue them on a vintage bag that you love but needs a face lift. Spray paint them in the ever so fashionable color of your choice (that could be 80's hot pink for all I know) Fay did just that with her favorite travel case. And no I don't have photos of step by step how to do it. C'moon it's really easy:
1. Empty jar with buttons
2. Don't prick yourself on random open safety pin hidden in the jar
3. Select brooches and buttons you want to use and object to be covered
4. Grab a hot glue gun and glue them all in any fashion you like and really anywhere you like
5. This step is optional and certainly the messiest. Make sure you do this in a well ventilated area and cover the floor with newspaper. Spray away and let dry!
What really makes this bag for me is the well thought out pattern she created with the buttons and the fact that some of them are upside down. Love the overall texture!

photo of Fay Leshner's bag by BobbinTalk