Mara And The Outre

Sweet Treats, Zero Calories

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 08:18:00 +0000

Yup, you read that right. NO CALORIES. An adorably delicious sweet treat with none of the guilt and all of the indulgence. Well... maybe there isn't exactly anything edible to include in this post. I know! I know! False advertising! I promise the trickery is worth it though. I have come to acquire the love of shoes at a young age and I don't foresee that love going away any time soon. New, funky, out-there, and a little outrageous are always good qualities to have in shoes. So what exactly do these two worlds have in common?

Oh yes, these bad boys on my feet are exactly what I have sought to create. Yummy shoes! When you find a jackpot where shoes cost under $8 and they are mildly ugly, you don't just pass them up. Not when you are creative at least. You let the creative faucet open WIDE up and let the ideas just come in full force. Embrace the awesome power of creative direction! Let the lightening bolts of epicness strike you! (Okay, let's be honest... I saw some shoes on a certain website. Fell in love and damn near had a heart attack when I saw the price tag.) We all know I couldn't pass them up so I had to discover a way to make them my self. After a little trial and error and lots of "oh crap" moments, I have mastered the art of the yummy shoe!

My before and after!

I had to share my goodies on facebook and instagram (instagram @tatsmcgee32 just in case you were curious about my other adventures) Lo and behold someone was interested in what I made and asked me to make her a pair of flats. Needless to say I learned how to make polymer clay bacon too. Still harnessing that skill ha!

I need more fun food ideas for the next shoe! Berry pies? Old fashion licorice? Pizza?

How about just fun ideas in general? Little mermaid shoes? Starry Starry Night swirl shoes? Shoot them my way!

Wreaths, Wreaths Everywhere... And Not A Surface To Spare

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 21:45:00 +0000

I have been working like a mad woman, and yet I seem to have time to make wreaths (or maybe I'm just forcing time in there). I'm sure my sister is absolutely fed up with every surface and everything being covered with glitter and tulle. (Sorry sis) Because my new obsession has taken over and I finally had to guts to list something on Etsy.

I'm hoping to maybe send all these wreaths to loving homes! It is always a little sad to have a creation leave my hands, but if I kept everything my garage would stay looking a hot mess! Needless to say, there have been many trial and error periods with wreath making. Mostly my errors revolve around me scorching my fingers with hot glue and poking the hell out of my skin with wire. I swear sometimes crafting requires combat gear and a written will. After weeks of me inflicting injury upon myself, I am proud to say I have a sufficient love and appreciation for those gorgeous wreaths you see hanging on front doors all season long. There is a constant influx of ideas, my phone's note pad can vouch for that, and have started with mostly traditional wreaths. Here's the result!

Fancy any of these wreaths?
Be sure to head over to my new Etsy shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/maraandtheoutre

Stay tuned for a little more on the unconventional side of wreaths and be sure to check out my shop!

Step Right Up!

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 20:26:00 +0000

College has ended, I have a new city to explore, and a new room to decorate (and the the whole house to assist in decorating). Can you say OH MY GOSH, so exciting!? Needless to say, I am happy to have this experience at hand. Nothing makes a crafty chick, like myself, excited to have new and fresh ways to make my creativity happen. Now, don't let me get ahead of myself. There has already been some pretties put up in the downstairs to make this house feel like a home, but knowing me I have to plan, do a little research and come up with a boat load of ideas before I actually get to making anything remotely awesome. My room. What to do... what to do? In the past few months I have been working on a fun project that is circus related and KAPOW! Ideas explode out of my brain and splatter across the wall... well... less blood and grey matter much more paint and glitter. The soon to be theme of my room? A grown up circus with that twist of demented humor I seem to have an abundance of. More after the jump. ( Warning... this post is obese with pictures =] )

I may be chalk full of inspiration images, but you gotta start somewhere right? So here are the goodies I've collected for my jumping off point.

Everything is just amazingly perfect isn't it? I may get some of the vintage photos printed and put them in cute little frames, who knows what may come about. But now is the fun part. Things I already have in my possession. Things I either found that were absolutely right or things I pulled out of my twisted little mind and made into reality. (Please ignore the quality of these photos, sometimes I just get too excited about what I've made I bust out my phone and snap a photo... while completely forgetting I have my better cameras just upstairs... ugh... dumb...)

This was my final project in wood shop, you have probably seen this finish on a previous blog of mine - well here is the outcome and something I plan on using in my room. Also - say hello to Michelle my Vanna White for the day.

Lamp shade one...

...and two =]

These letters will make their way above my bed, how saucy of me! Haha They are fairly sizeable, each one of those tiles it is resting on is 4"x4"

Lastly, meet Beatrice. She is my Ross find. I happened upon her and couldn't let her go!

Now you all see the direction I am heading in and I will definitely be posting (better) photos once they are in my room! Eep! The circus has come to down and I'm not letting go.

Pretty Things For Pretty Little Girls

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 04:49:00 +0000

I must admit, I have fallen off the crafting train for the most part of 2013. My final semester of college (yay! officially an SDSU graduate!) really kicked my ass and made personal projects almost impossible to accomplish. Super bummer on that front, but on a lighter note - I'm back! After moving into a new place, one of my new roommates discovered my creative streak and it has been a smorgasbord of adorable head bands for her precious little girl on the way. So obviously, with a girl on the way, I had to bust out the tulle, rhinestones, ribbon and DEFINITELY the sequins. What little girl would be complete without some pizzazz? She may not even be born yet, but two days old or two years old - this kid is gunna be stylish. Enjoy the cuteness =]

Now some of you may ask, why on earth would you have a giant thing on a new born's head. My answer to you is - why not? It is way too hot here in the summer to wear a baby beanie, so sparkle, glamour and oomph are going to have to make up for the hat situation.

Hope I inspired a few of you out there. Happy crafting and glam on. =]

Lookin' Good and Feelin' Gorgeous

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:32:00 +0000

After doing family photos for several years, the most common questions I get pertain to what exactly people should wear, how to do their hair or anything else you can think of in relation to appearance. It's hard to give broad instructions without governing someone's personal style. So here I have devised the most broad and encompassing list of things for preparing for your photos ensemble

Things to consider:

What the hell are we supposed to wear?!

I never like to say, “wear these colors and never ever wear this or that,” because lets face it… no one has the exact same tastes that another family does and some just look better in one thing or another.

However, there are some guidelines to prevent things that just look a little silly/off/insane. (Always talk to your group and get on the same page before you meet up and look a hot mess.)
1. Wearing anything with a printed name/logo/large image is generally not a good idea. Sure! It looks great now, but what about in 15 years when you realize that big name brand you once sported is a giant joke now. Or maybe that big image on your shirt distracts from the fresh beaming faces that are in the photo. “Cleaner” clothing (like solids or a simple pattern) stand the test of time a little better and are less likely to embarrass in the future.

2. Contrary to popular belief - patterned clothing and layered clothing are totally rockin’ for photos. However, these can be tricky. Too many patterns (or too many varying colors like plaids) can start to look like 70’s furniture and just end up a smorgasbord of patterns. Same goes for layers, if one person is all bundled up and other is in summer wear it looks a little silly. Put together all your clothing choices before hand to see if they work together. If you are really unsure just scrap the pattern idea and go for solids. Solids are safe and easier to match with.

3. Pick a theme or a color scheme for your group. No, you don’t all have to be matchy matchy with crisp white shirts, jeans, and chucks (though, this does photograph well). BUT making sure you all look like one group is important. When part of the family is wearing more relaxed clothing and the other part is in a little dressier attire, it looks disjointed and like your wardrobe was an afterthought

Choosing a theme
- Everyone wears flip flops, and jeans. The girls wear cardigans and the guys wear button downs.
- Everyone wears a scarf or some form of snuggly warm attire like a coat, hat, or boots.
- try a classic look where “vintage” is your theme. Gentlemen try a pageboy hat, button vest, trousers. Ladies how about put your hair in pin curls, a peter pan collar top. Be playful with your choices

Choosing a color scheme (avoid the single color choice, unless there are many of you so variance in color looks intentional, or you are all wearing the same brand’s clothing that used the same dye lots. When there are 3 or 4 people in red, generally reds don’t match and it looks weird.)
- Color schemes should either be just choosing something in the same color family (like creams, whites, tans and browns or something like lavender, cream, rich purple and black). Or going for the fun and wild thing with many colors but making sure they are all the same intensity. What exactly does intensity mean? Well, if momma is wearing bright blue, daddy is in bright red, Joe is in bright green and Sally is in soft pink… Sally looks a little out of place and like she is meant to stand out. If everyone stays in pastels, brights, or neutrals colors, you don’t have to match but they do go together. Crossing of those three categories (brights neutrals and pastels) should only ever happen when you are working with in a color family.

What about your hair and makeup?
Gentlemen

- Your facial hair should be the best kept version of whatever your face forest (or lack there of) normally is. Shaving off your beard just because or growing a mustache just for the photos is alarming and doesn't look like the you everyone knows.
- Don’t use products/hair cut styles you have never done before. This is the WORST time to try that out. Maybe it will look smashing but… what if it makes you look like Gary Busey on a bad day? Stick with what you know looks good on you.

Ladies

- You are gorgeous the way you are with the normal make up. Extra amounts than what you normally wear can look harsh or just not like yourself. Don’t over do the blush, bronzer, or whatever else. Trust me to make you look good, it’s my job! Besides you want to look like YOU right?

Little tips

1. If you have light eye brows, pencil them in a little more than you normally would just so they don’t disappear on camera. You don’t need to go chola status, but just giving your brow a little extra depth prevents the flash from making you look like you shaved your eyebrows off.
2. Really dark eye make up can make your eyes look small or like you got punched in the face. Yikes. The lighter and fresher the eye, the bigger and brighter your eyes look which will ultimately make you look better in photos
3. Choose one thing to go bold on if you plan to do so. Either a bold lip or eyes. Don’t try to cram all your fabulousness into one face.
4. Having hair swept back from your face generally opens up your face more and makes it seem less like you are hiding behind hair. If you have long bangs, consider getting them trimmed a week before so you have time to play with styles and let it grow out just a smidgen so they don’t look freshly chopped and a little too structured (unless that’s the goal). Or try your hair in a fun up do. Always remember, seeing your face is the most important part, and not being able to see it while it is hidden behind long scraggly bangs is a bummer.

Ladies AND Gents

-DO NOT go tanning a day or two before. If you get fried, you will be a lobster in your photos. DO NOT get your brows done that day - puffy red skin isn’t attractive
- Try to look like yourself! This is the person everyone knows and loves!

Some photos for your wardrobe inspiration

Okay enough of the lecturing, the most important thing to remember is smile pretty and make sure you are having fun. =] Being comfortable is noticeable in photos and makes for the best keepers. Don’t be afraid to ask your photographer questions, or suggest things they may not have thought of otherwise. They are working for YOU, so you need to be a satisfied client. But also, trust them. You hired them for their ability and liked their style enough to ask them to photograph you and your family. We work with you as much as you are willing to work with us. Happy photo shoot and the best outcomes!

Quiet Books - Not Always For Toddlers

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 21:28:00 +0000

For those of you that know me, you know me to be a rather over the top and colorful person. And no, not just my hair is colorful. =P Many of you also know, I love to do things that are rather playful in my art. When tasked with a serious project or one never intended to have little eruptions of laughter around the room, rest assured - I'll make sure there is at least one smile in the room. Either a devious smirk or an innocent lil giggle, I will make it happen. In my fibers class we were assigned to embroider a self portrait. Now this didn't have to be an actual portrait of ourselves, it could be a representation or anything that was "us". Up went an eye brow and a crooked little smile appeared. Commence Dragulation!

Wait... what? Dragulation? Any of you RuPaul's Drag U fans out there will know this phrase all too well. Essentially - It means to do up in drag. Yes, drag. I chose to embroider my inner persona. A skinny lil black queen, with pink hair, dazzle for days, and a stage name of Creme Brulee. I know it is cuckoobananas, but let's face it - anyone with hair that looks like My Little Pony PROBABLY isn't the most sane person in the world. But I'm oh so much fun =P

I didn't just make ANY embroidery, I chose to make a quiet book. Quiet books are usually intended for the rambunctious child to entertain them with little activities in a softy book. Counter intuitive for a rambunctious child like me huh? That's half the fun though!

Behold - the not quite kid appropriate quiet book

Running Late, Looking Fabulous, AND On A Dime

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 10:29:00 +0000

These three things aren't exactly something you put together. You either get two of the three or just one of them. So how does all this come into play? Every one of us gorgeous beings with hair on top of our heads have woken up late and thought, "Oh crap... my hair is greasy. I'll just put it up." Problem. It still looks like you rolled around in fried food. I have the solution (and no... it doesn't involve expensive hair products. I will NEVER purchase these canned dry shampoos again!)

What is the magic device of witch craft that makes you look like a goddess with the hair of an angel in less than 5 minutes?! Dry shampoo. Hold the phone right? You gotta buy that stuff right? Think again. You can MAKE your own dry shampoo that is the exact scent to your favorite perfume/body spray/lovely smell.

How do you make this magicalness?

3 simple ingredients : water, rubbing alcohol, and cornstarch. (with the option of something that smells divine)

1 Tbl corn starch
1 Tbl rubbing alcohol
4 Tbl water

Combine all your ingredients into a whatever mixing vessel you have in mind and KABLAM! your unscented dry shampoo is done. Why does this work? The cornstarch absorbs the oils in your hair and the alcohol helps to dry the oils (along with the water you added to dilute the solution that makes it last longer).

( For those of you who are new to the dry shampoo, it is meant to be sprayed at the root where your hair is greasy. No need to coat your hair in this stuff to create a potentially caking effect. Just enough to spritz your roots and make that funk be gone. )

Here is the downside. It smells TERRIBLE. It reminded me of the sterile environment of a hospital and there isn't anything less sexy than that funky hospital smell. How do we rectify this stinky situation? The solution is so easy you may just tinkle with the sheer excitement of the endless choices you now have in play.

In steps your choice of body spray. The best part of this, body sprays are conveniently in a pump spray bottle which is perfect for applying the solution. Make sure this bottle is either clean and empty to allow for a new scent to be introduced with out mixing scents, or that there is a tablespoon or less of your desired scent in the bottle. Why does this work? It is alcohol based and mixes perfectly with your hair beautifying solution. You will have to shake up the mixture each time you use it since it settles, but big deal right?

The best bottle to use (I have found) are the travel size sprays found at Bath and Body Works. Not to mention the fact that some of these smell absolutely incredible.

Don't fret if your measurements are off a bit, this isn't an exact science. Just make sure your mix is VERY runny so you don't clog the pump and make sure you don't have a mix that is dominated by one ingredient. Easy right? Now go forth my lovelies, make the world beautiful in no time at all.

Bringing 'Em Back Y'all!

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:57:00 +0000

So trends are known to fade in and out, but honey some trends don't simply fade. They sometimes boldly step in and then make a grand exit. Well it is time to bring back one of those loud statements - epaulettes. Epa-whos? Epaulettes! They are those grand bits of shoulder candy worn by generals and modern pop icons. I say enough with the upper crust exclusively wearing these, and it is time to incorporate them into daily wear. I present to you... epaulettes.

(ok... please know this one is strictly a joke...)

Over accessorized? Yes please

Angry? No, just prickly =P

More than just shoulder candy? I'll take it

Pseudo traditional? Double yes!

Feathers?! Who doesn't love feathers?!

Ok - I have to shamelessly add my Halloween garb. Crazy makeup and all.

Being A Little Chunky Ain't All Bad

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:49:00 +0000

So it has been a lil bit since I have posted anything and I have just been bubbling over with excitement about the new haul of inspiration pieces I have added to the many files of fabulous on my computer. What is my latest fashion binge? CHUNKY JEWELRY. Ok, so maybe giant pieces of sparkly and gorgeous things just isn't your bag. Well, my dear, this is where you may want to turn back. Dun dun DUUUUUUUN!

I wonder if it's just my inner drag queen kicking in or if I'm just a gaudly woman (nice pun huh? =P) BUT no one ever said being flashy was a crime. Let's have a lil looksy at the magnificent things I have compiled.

Okay, okay, YES this is a bridal ensemble but who doesn't love pearls? These pleasant little clusters are so whimsical.

No statement needed, clearly it speaks for itself.

The bracelet has been done.... and done poorly... but look at that ring! It jumps up at your face and says POW!

The Results Are In!

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 20:55:00 +0000

As many of you fellow Pinners and Facebook friends saw in my previous post, I helped clear up the copper and vinegar wood stain conspiracy. Alas I have the results of the 4 mixtures I created. Each with their own recipe and each with their own wood stain sample. Exciting news for any fellow crafter looking to stain wood organically! (Not to mention that when your supplies are all less than $5 you may have just made your wallet grin from ear to ear!)

Frustrating as it is, testing and trying new concoctions is really the only way to go when you are trying something out for the first time, or even with new material.

For the simple ingredients to this project all you need to achieve this lovely colors are the following;

1. Apple cider vinegar (white works just fine - it just results in less yellow in your stains. aka more blue)

2. Hydrogen peroxide, buy a big bottle if you plan on testing out various intensities of stain

3. Copper pieces (Pennies do the trick just fine but require more monitoring and shaking to prevent the zinc inside the penny from leeching out and causing the whole mixture to be tainted with grey ick. Copper pieces of tube/sheet metal/ect work best because they are purely copper.)

4. A bottle to hold all that mixture

5. A paint brush to apply the stain

6. A piece of wood in which to apply stain to (I used a piece of poplar, a great light in color wood if you want variation in your staining. Ash is much better if you want an overall even stain on light colored wood. Also take into consideration, depending on what kind of wood you are staining the wood may react differently to how it accepts the stain, Mainly the color)

For these mixes do not use any heating to speed the process. The whole point of doing these cold is to get the exact color you want and heat makes the process happen so rapidly that getting the exact color you want is nearly impossible.

Blue Recipe

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

Enough copper piece to fill about half the amount of mixture you have.

1. Place all ingredients inside your container of choice, make sure it is all enough to swirl around the contents with out it spilling over. (DO NOT put a cap on your container at any time while the copper is in the container)

2. Make sure you check it ever 15-20 min to make sure your blue hue isn't sitting at the bottom and not mixing with the rest of the solution. Simple fix - swirl it around to mix them.

3. Your solution should be vibrant blue in about an hour to an hour and a half

4. REMOVE your copper pieces so further chemical reaction doesn't take place. VERY IMPORTANT!!!

5. Place cap on solution, and BAM! you are ready to apply on wood when ready!

Green Recipe -

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

Enough copper pieces to fill up half of your solution.

(Same instructions as blue, except only leave in mixture in for about 20 min depending on how cold your solution is. Just keep an eye on it)

Teal Recipe -

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup hydrogen peroxide

double the amount of copper from the previous 2 recipes

(same instructions as blue, except this processing takes about 45 min to an hour. Just watch to make sure it is the color you want)

Yellow Recipe

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

Enough copper to fill half the solution

(same instructions as blue. BUT be sure to watch this one closely. Since it is so yellow, the whole evolution for this color takes very little time and should be watched closely)

So now you have the color you want. Now what? I did a 4 row test strip with 4 layers on each color. Here are the results!

The very first application. Seems a little sad doesn't it? All that gorgeous color and nothing to show for it? Be patient! The colors don't start to come out until the stain is DRY on the wood and has time to oxidize on the wood.

After the first layer is allowed to dry. The yellow is very subtle and maybe not worth the effort, but the other three are soaking in marvelously.

Here are the 4 stains each with 4 layers of stain applied. You'll notice the edges seem much more colorful than the inside of the stripes. This is because the stain isn't all the way dry so it hasn't fully set in yet.

4 Stains at maximum potential, pretty gorgeous aren't they?

**Side note**

When applying your 2nd, 3rd, 4th, whatever layer DO NOT fret when you are painting on your layers and it looks like the layers below it are vanishing. They are becoming wet again and don't have the levels of oxidation that it had before you applied the new layer. This WILL become darker and more vibrant as you let it dry and set in.

*****A WORD TO THE WISE*****

As I mentioned in my other post pertaining to vinegar stains, please remember that all species of wood reacts differently to the vinegar and copper stain application. Woods have natural tannin levels which is one of the biggest reasons woods accept this stain in the way they do. Please always have a test piece of wood (in the same species as your project, or better - a cut of the same board/block/ect used in the project) or just use the backside/inside/non-visible area to see how your wood reacts to the stain. Some woods soak up the blue like there is no tomorrow, while others only seem to change only minorly. Don't be upset or fret that you made this stain improperly. This is entirely up to nature and as much as it is a bummer, ultimately we have no control as to how well the stain sets on our pieces.

Want more organic wood stains? Stay tuned for my next blogs of how to stain with coffee, berry, and other environmentally happy wood stains.

Pinterest -An Awesome Game of "Telephone"

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 04:14:00 +0000

As many of you know, I am an avid Pinterest user and enjoy the amazing things you can find on there. However, I have come to realize MANY pins are in fact just repins of previous pins of previous pins where the original had a false caption about the image it posted. Now this has become so common I pretty much look over it and giggle at those who repin with out even looking at the website they so happily added to their board.

BUT I have recently come across a ton of pins pertaining organic wood stains and how to accomplish them. Now the pins aren't wrong by correctly siting the website, it is indeed the website which is wrong. (I don't think it would be too kind of me to post the website where the information can be found)

Since I am an applied design major emphasizing in woods, I have taken a liking to using more organic ways to embellish on my surfaces. Many stains have very toxic chemicals and can ultimately cause bodily harm if inhaled time and time again. Sounds appealing right? Here is where my organic stains enter. I have taken a liking to vinegar and it's additive (I prefer pennies and steel wool) to make marvelous colors. As the websites suggest you simple soak either pennies or wool in vinegar and wait for the magic to happen. Wrong. This is absolutely wrong and was even tested to make sure that method didn't work. In fact just soaking pennies in vinegar can completely break the penny down and eat it to death, same with the steel wool. Proof of the annihilation of pennies:

This is what I got when I let the pennies just soak for a week in pure vinegar. FAIL

It actually ended up never producing the beautiful color it was supposed to, more

of a crappy greyish color.

THIS is how they should look when you are finished with your stain making.

Shiny, beginning stages of oxidation, and not the size of a dime with chunks missing.

The way the pennies stain should look

The beginnings of steel wool stain

So what was my secret to achieving the right results? First there are two ways to get what you want. Both are right, but one takes more time than the other. The only differing factor - heat.

Secret ingredient? HYDROGEN PEROXIDE. Magical stuff isn't it?

The recipes -

Pennies

- 1 cup vinegar (Either white or apple. Apple produces a little more of a teal color rather than bright blue.)

- 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

- 40 ish pennies (this number varies largely on the amount of tint you want to your vinegar.)

Place the pennies in the mixture (hot or cold) and remove once the desired color is achieved so the pennies don't get eaten to death by the vinegar generally no more than an hour.

Do this in a glass jar (for the heating) and DON'T put the lid on it once you place the pennies in. The chemical reaction causes it to off-gas and may make the lid blow off

You can choose to microwave the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide mix to a boil, this speeds up the process but does not effect the outcome. The cold mix should be left longer than the hot for maximum potential of the gorgeous blue hue.

Keep in mind this stain is harder to maintain with out a sealant and generally doesn't respond well to thick layers of sealant.

Steel Wool

- 2 cups vinegar

- 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

- 1 or 2 steel wool pads (the number of pads makes the mixture darker and red/rustier looking)

Same rule applies with the lid, the off-gas may make the lid blow off (but I have not ever put the lid on this mixture while it cured so I can't say for sure this happens)

I used a plastic jar since I used the cold method.

Again, heating the mixture speeds the process but really not needed for the process since the steel reacts much faster than the pennies.

This stain holds best on woods that accept stain easily and does well with all wood sealants.

SIDE NOTE - if you leave your steel wool mixture too long and it goes back to being clear, pour a little hydrogen peroxide in your mix to reactivate the color. Be sure to remove the steel wool so no more chemical reaction takes place.

Stay tuned for examples of the stain soon!

**** I have gotten several inquiries regarding the actual color that you get when applying to different kinds of woods. Please remember all species of woods have different tannin levels in their make up naturally, so whether you are using the penny or steel wool method your colors will be VERY VERY different from one wood type to another. Always have a piece of wood you designate as your test piece, or at least use the back/inside/non-visible area to test your stain. With the copper you can get anything from pale blue to dark green. Steel wool can produce anything from a rusty red to a black depending on the species of wood.****

Here is in fact a very very different result than what someone would expect using steel wool and vinegar. I was making my final project in wood shop and decided that red oak just was not going to cut it in the jazzy department. Lo and behold, my natural stains came into play. By applying one coat of steel wool and vinegar I got this very bold bluish/purple. I have to say, I love it.

The Second Lesson I Have Learned As An Art Major

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Everyone in the art building at SDSU can admit some of the classes they have taken are just not their style of art, or even something they are remotely good at. (If you are one of those majors that's just good at everything... we can't be friends anymore lol) However, I have noticed a kind of family that forms with in the walls of the poorly designed art buildings. Everyone is pretty much willing to help their fellow students, even the guys and girls in the Blick store. Which by the way is MUCH appreciated by us kooky students.

But the lesson isn't so much about people being good people and helping each other out, it is about the professors expecting you to be good at what they are teaching because their subject is the most important ever and every other professor else can go suck it. Crappy way of teaching right? Well, I guess the way I have explained it makes it sound awful and no one should ever go into the art program because all the professors are rotten people and expect the sun and moon to rise and set on their knowledge. Wrong.

The professors are actually excellent, well... most of them at least. By being pushed to perform at the quality level they expect it has challenged my own artistic ability in ways I didn't think I was able to create something. Take for example my metals professor; harsh critic, ridiculous expectations of workmanship, insane amounts of extra lab hours, and projects that seemed to fly by if you blinked too slow. This was by far one of the most difficult classes I have taken in my artistic career. Though, if it wasn't for him I would have never learned how to properly run my solder lines, have perfectly sanded EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING, nor would I have ever lived up to producing something of a finer quality. Days I would loathe that class for sore and tired hands as well as scarred, bumped, bruised and everything else in between, hiss at the thought of sitting through another grueling and often tortuous critique where very little positivity was mentioned, and the thought of spending yet another weekend/night/hours after class working on the same small, very small, detail until it was up to his standards. But looking back, I realized the way he taught made me hold myself to a higher standard and produce better work.

If Metal Shop Has Taught Me Anything...

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 21:28:00 +0000

If I have learned anything from a tedious class directed by a professor with standards nearly no beginning student could measure up to - it is that when in doubt have a clever story on hand. Rotten advice? No, just... creative. So you forgot to adjust the last of 85 rivets you just did by hand? Artistic license - I meant to do that. Maybe that cut line isn't as straight as your original sketches indicated. No worries, the ability to change your mind and have a new vision is simply the only logical reason! How about that design you obviously "borrowed" from an artist? No, no, no, it was my interpretation/homage/allegory of the original piece. (Catch where I am going with these "descriptions"? It isn't always about making the most amazingly perfect piece, it is about convincing your audience it is the most amazingly perfect piece)

Oh art school, how you have taught me to be a scoundrel! Or is this just a sneaky little ploy to get me to be more creative with my words rather than always with my hands? Either way, my metals class has instilled the art of b.s.ing. Awful skill to have possession of, but when your grade depends on it I will, with out shame, have an incredible back story as to how I came to my creative conclusion.

Speaking of creative conclusions, here were a couple I reached in that class :

Our assignment for the metal box was to create a box meant to hold an intangible thing. I chose debauchery. Typical me right? However - I chose a different approach than just making a box for a word. I ended up making the box based on the idea of a woman wearing a man's trench coat with sexy lingerie on underneath it. Pretty saucy huh? Behold!

This necklace was my final project for the class, we had to use nonmetals paired with metals. I ended up casting colored pencils in resin, cutting them sort of like a gemstone, and then polishing those suckers up. The metal is well... the metal-y part haha (Pardon my awkward rivets on the gems - it was completely intentional =P)

Remembering The Good Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:36:00 +0000

Not very often do I look through old photos I've taken. Why? I suppose I just forget that I have them. Maybe it is because I had a great time taking them and processing them so I don't want to tarnish the fond memories I have of the event. Needless to say, those excuses are lame.

As I scrolled through the massive folder (that I ultimately need to put on an external... my poor slow computer) I have come to see what a random variety I have in my photos. Rather than be selfish by talking about the photos and not giving you the slightest clue as to what I am capable of in my professional career, I figured it was time to share them... even if it is just a few ;]

Idle Hands? Never!

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:35:00 +0000

Being bored isn't something I find to be applicable in my day to day life. Why? I'm always making something on my art to do list. This week was a craft-filled week containing mostly jewelry. My inspiration for this week? Margeaux Lange (you MUST see her work), some vintage jewelry I saw at an antique store, and a trendy/overpriced mom's baby supply shop.

Read on to see more

There isn't a whole lot to say about these other pieces, other than they were super fun to make

So what, I chopped up Barbie =P

Every single one of these pearls started out as a little bead hung on a broken strand I had since forever. I hand strung each one and couldn't be happier on this bracelet.

Who doesn't love cutesy stuff now and again?

Delicious Fried Marbles

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:20:00 +0000

I never thought I would ever be compiling a recipe for jewelry. Then again, there are a lot of things I have discovered in my crafting ventures I didn't think I would ever be doing. I've discovered a how-to on a blog that had weird unclear pictures and I'm not sure English was their first language. Either way, I managed to deduce the instructions and give a simple recipe out of trial and error, lots... lots of BAD error. How bad of error? I'm still trying to get the feeling back into my index finger from slicing it off. Take it from me, I've made a recipe that is NON-finger slicing.

***Before you start this project, please please please DO NOT use marbles from a previous bake that didn't crack the way you wanted the first time around. Doing this can result in a complete crack and break in your hands. I cut the end of my finger off this way***

    That being said, let me explain what it is that makes a fried marble. It is a super heated marble that is then shocked in freezing water causing fissures on the inside of the marble and micro fissures on the outside of the marble allowing the marble to retain its shape. Sounds all sciencey and fancy huh? It is kinda like how we all thought vinegar and baking soda volcanoes were gnarly in second grade. It looks a whole lot cooler than the real science behind it.

    Here is the step by step process of making one of these bad boys.

1. Buy marbles. Sounds easy right? After much trial and error, the thicker the marble the cooler the outcome. In other words, don't buy flat vase fillers. The thinner marbles, whatever shape they are are more likely to crack. Also, ONLY buy clear or marbles that you can see through mostly. If you buy opaque marbles, it kind of defeats the purpose of frying the marble. You won't see the neat cracks inside

2. Get a bowl that holds at least 4 cups. Fill 1/2 to 2/3 with ice, the rest with water. Make sure you leave a good couple inches from the top so you can dump the marbles in later with out over flowing.

3. Place your marbles on a cookie sheet and put in the oven at 425-475. Now this makes them baked marbles instead of fried. I know, I know... I tried frying them but found it took much longer to get them hot enough and much more effort using a frying pan.

4. Let them bake for 20 min. No less or they will not heat up enough, any more than that isn't needed but it won't hurt the process.

5. Take marbles out of the oven and dump directly into the ice water. If you wait, you run the risk of the marbles cooling down and not cracking enough.

6. A few minutes is enough for the marbles to fully cool. Scoop out the ice and pour off the water. Dry the marbles however you see fit.

    If you want to make them into pendants like I did, this requires a little more patience, but is still on the very easy end. All you need are end caps or end beads, E6000 glue (I recommend this glue simply because has worked the best with my gluing experiments), and between a 14 and 18 gauge wire for making your bail with a base.

1. Figure out the best way to make to make your bail with the end caps so it says secured when wearing the pendent.

2. Put in the bail and glue the cap to your marble.

3.Wait for the sucker to dry and there you have it!

Here are a few I made =]

Going Against The Grain

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:28:00 +0000

On the rare occasion I stamp, I like stamps that are a little quirky, a teeny bit random, and a whole truck load of unique. I have always loved the look of wood grain and have never found a stamp that had what I was looking for. Either far too much detail was in a tiny stamp area or reaaaaaally plain. So what do I do when I want something and can't find it? I McGyver it up!

More after the jump =]
What could I have possibly made a stamp from? I pondered over it and came to the conclusion that if a stamp is made out of a rubber, I may as well use an eraser. I took two erasers I used in my drawing classes, halved them both so I could have maximum surface area, glued them to an old stamp wood base, and then went to work.

First, I waited for the stupid glue to dry and draw your brilliant idea. Note to self; don't use so much glue next time... it takes FOREVER to dry. Once the glue was dry, I took a couple fine tipped sharpies and drew on the design I wanted. (If you goof up the design, a little nail polish remover and a cotton ball cleans up the eraser perfectly.)

(You'll notice the eraser bits aren't perfectly level due to my wonderful cut-job, but that is fixed later on when cutting out the design later)

Second, take an x-acto blade and cut on either side of the drawn design. This is VERY important to do. If you don't do this step, when taking out your "negative space" the eraser will tear and make your personalized stamp look pretty crappy... kinda why the right side is sliced off unevenly (in the picture above)... that ugly bit had to go and start fresh.

Third, it is time to take out the white space between the drawn parts. I found a cuticle cutter is the best tool for this if you don't have a wood detailing/carving kit.

Fourth, look down the canals you just made to make sure you got all the rough eraser isn't high enough to catch ink and ruin your stamp.

Lastly, ink up your new stamp and have at it. However, I do advise you to take nail polish and a cotton ball to clean off the sharpie. It has the potential of mixing with your stamping ink and ruining the stamp.

My end result =]

Happy stamping everyone!

Whistle While You Work (And Maybe A Little Sashaying)

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:39:00 +0000

Being true to being a girl, I love my shoes, especially ones with heels.

Also being true to myself, I embrace my inner persona. Many have a sweet little old lady who cares for everyone they encounter, others have a devious little boy who burns ants and speeds down hills on radio flyers. Me? I happen to have a skinny, sassy, homosexual who dresses up as "Creme Brulee" on the weekends his drag stage character who LOVES the gaudy. Yes, my inner persona also has an inner persona. Jealous? =P

So where does Creme Brulee and my shoe collection come together, other than the fact that she would love to raid my closet? I had a pair of heels I loved to death, but were getting a little long in the tooth. Stains, scuffed heels, and sort of an out of style print.

Since I couldn't part with these obviously outdated and busted shoes, I jazzed those babies up and made them something new. A little acrylic paint to cover up the multitude of colors, booboos and oopsies. Then a TON of rhinestones, way too much time on my hands, AND glue that probably killed all of my brain cells... BAM epic shoes of ugly and amazing proportions.

Inspiration Round Up

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:52:00 +0000

I may be in the middle of a million projects, as usual, but the constant hunt for inspiration never stops. Pinterest isn't exactly helpful with my artistic ADHD. It IS however, an endless stream for additions to my ever growing inspiration file on my laptop. Inspiration this week? Lace.

Before I begin, let us all envision those HORRIBLE 80's dresses with the lace appliques topped with sequins and awful tulle fringe, mountains of shoulder pads to make any woman look like a burly linebacker, fingerless gloves, and crunchy shiny fabric. BLEH! Got that flammable and potentially blinding vision out of your system? Good. Now lets get on with the gorgeous things lace can bring!

Subtle uses of lace or statement pieces are the new and best way to utilize this age old art of lace. An entire dress made of lace? No, no, no. Not unless you happen to be a blushing bride, or reenacting a lady in waiting from some civil war homecoming. Lace is an under used accent in my personal opinion. I blame the 80's for this. The 80's essentially killed the desire to use lace in many women. I say pish-posh! Lets bring it back without any hesitation. I'm so tempted to run to the thrift store to find terrible 80's wedding dresses and pick them to pieces to get the over done lace strewn alllllll over them

Lace made into a cuff and then beaded? How devine?!

No girl can ever have too many headbands to choose from

I desperately want to find a loose fitting man's cardigan to do this too. So sweet and chic.

The love of cowl necks never stops with me.

What an easy way to take cut offs that are just a little too snug on the leg and make them loose fitting?

If you have any other gorgeous lace ideas send them my way! Inspiration is always welcome. =]

I Am A Highly Evolved Eight Year Old

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 06:41:00 +0000

Well, well, well... how does a twenty-something bring in the new year? By making shrinky dinks. Yes. Those stupid little plastic chips of goodness. I just about giggled when I took out the first batch. A drawing that shrinks down and some how is instantly cooler because its a miniature sized version of itself. Odd concept really... but intriguing none the less. I blazed through all six sheets of this shrink paper in about two days. I just couldn't stop creating goodness on this plastic. So what have I created? Here's a little looksy, more after the jump!

The process is really quite simple. Draw on the sheet of shrink plastic with colored pencils, cut out the shape, punch holes for jump rings, bake (which is really the best part to watch. It gets all warped and curled in the oven, eventually leveling its miniature self out), let cool, cover with Mod Podge glaze to set the pencil from smearing. Who knew this simply children's project would be so much fun as an adult.

Yes, I am obsessed with Hello Kitty

Eloise - One of my FAVORITE books as a child

Mexican wrestling mask? Don't mind if I do.

A few in the glazing process not quite dry.

The whole gang of ready Shrinky Dinks. You could say I'm in love.

Getting Into The Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 04:10:00 +0000

There isn't much I love more than the holidays. Soy peppermint lattes, lights and garland hung on the railing outside, packages with ADORABLE toppers under the tree. Which brings me to the best part. The tree and all the trimmings on this magnificent beast of perfectly twisted metal and probably some terrible cancer causing plastic pine needles. *Sigh* sounds so wonderful when I put it that way huh?

As we all know, I get a little cracked out around the holidays. It might be that latte kicking in, the need to make things before the day of presents arrives, the anticipation for the end of the semester... who am I kidding? It has got to be all of that rolled into one ball.

This year my ma and I chose our theme and I got to crackin' on the making of these decorations. Our theme is lacking in... theme-iness. Instead we chose pink and red to be the colors we focused on, with tons and tons of white, silver and sparkly goodness. Off we went to the dollar store for some plastic globe ornaments. Gotta love not being able to put up the extra special pretties that instantly shatter into six thousand pieces... thanks to my rabid hounds. I whipped up some neato ornaments and slapped those suckers on the tree. What did I come up with? Tada!

Santa - Definitely suitable on a tree

Ok - So maybe I didn't make these... my grandma made these 40 years ago, but she just used pipe cleaners and plastic graduated beads! Perfect little icicles to catch light on the tree

OBVIOUSLY I didn't make this amazingly adorable Hello Kitty, this is just the ornament my ma picked out for me this year. I love the tradition in the Day house for my sister and I to get a new ornament every year... this year's takes the cake.

See that lil peppermint? Ripped off 20 of those little buggers off one of those vase sprays thingies. Glued a bit of ribbon on the back and voila!

A ton of others made it up on the tree, but here are just a few. Now go get your holiday spirit cranked full blast!

Hello My Dear Old Friend

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 06:16:00 +0000

HOLY COW! It has been QUITE a while since I've blogged. School and work has taken up more than its fair share of time. Time to load up some inspiration! (I must confess... most of what I've made can't be shared online for fear of spoiling Christmas presents for some of you out there =P OR completely dedicated to a class drawing assignment) That being said, I think I should share some of the stockpile I have of adorable ideas cooped up in a dusty file on this old laptop.

What takes up most of the space on my computer? Cards. I have a special love for cards and am terrible at making them, so that makes my adoration of them just a little stronger. (No judging me if any of you get a poorly made version of any of these! haha) Here are just a few of the cutesies I've got!

Just precious, I mean who doesn't love getting a little happiness when you feel cruddy?

With 65 million buttons, this may just be the cutest way to use them!

Ha! Why have I never thought of looking at a snowman from the TOP instead of from the front?!

I think I just love the colors...

^-^ So CUTE!

Gift tags with a little pizazz, simple but snazzy

Whoopie Pies Anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 02:34:00 +0000

Off I went on my baking adventure again today. On my list of things to make; Whoopie Pies. Let me tell you... theses are EASY to make, really hard to mess up and no one could eat just one. (Ask my uncle D., he couldn't shove them in his face fast enough.) I'm not much of a chocolate girl, but these are divine. Recipe after the jump!

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening (or butter)
1 cup white sugar
1 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour milk (1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tsp vinegar)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup hot water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk
2-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg whites, beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup of shortening and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla and sour milk. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt, stir into the creamed mixture. Stir together the baking soda and hot water then mix them into the batter last. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm but not overbaked. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
To make the filling: In a medium bowl, cream together the 1 1/2 cups shortening with the confectioners' sugar and 1/4 cup of flour until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the milk and vanilla until well mixed, then fold in the egg whites. Sandwich at least 1 tablespoon of filling between the flat sides of two cookies. (I refrigerated the filling after making to ensure it would handle the weight of the top cookie)

That's Just Vial

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:48:00 +0000

    eBay and craigslist are my nemesis. Not because they are evil and destroy the universe, (ok maybe just a little) but because I always find little trinkets and things I can use a gajillion times cheaper than any craft store can offer me. The latest find came to me in the form of that image as a tiny thumb nail ^^^. I had no idea what I would use all ten precious vials for, but I knew if I didn't get them an amazing potential craft would pass me by. Here are just three I made.

    Now take into consideration that I had quite a difficult time deciding the contents of just these three. Such a precious resource of tiny vials could not be wasted!

Meet Vial of Unicorn Blood

His soul mate, Sprinkles

And their lovechild, Vial of Wishes

(yes... those are in fact dandelion seeds!)

UH-DICTED

noreply@blogger.com (maraandtheoutre) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 08:27:00 +0000

I think I should just own stock in a nail polish remover company because my mother swears I drink the stuff at the rate I go through it. Every couple of days my nails are a new color. Why? Why not?! It's an innocent addiction I must say. Having used just about every brand of nail polish known to man I can safely say this is the best I have come across. Sinful Color is by the bestestestest brand... the best part... $1.99 a bottle at Rite Aid. Epic win right? I've used $9 a bottle polish before, it was nice but nothing so spectacular for 9 bucks a bottle. Amazing how the cheaper stuff can end up being the best stuff out there. I decided to get a little creative with it. *Cue evil laugh*

I pretty much have every color under the sun, but these ones were just bananas and I HAD to have them.

Now before I show off a little I have to admit a teal base coat so it wasn't just the pure sparkles. However... I really wanted the variegated/layered awesomeness with the three glitters. I'm a little insane yes, but I figured if it really sucked I could just do away with my terrible mistake with that ever so important nail polish remover. Buuuuuut it ended up way better than I expected!