Resin Dollhouse Geode table, working in miniature with resin and Polymer Clay.

Making Miniature Resin Geode Tables

Ok I'll be honest, I absolutely love miniatures.  To sit down all day and make everything in mini would be freaking awesome!!  I was feeling sorry for myself the other week, resin allergy, no one interested in my art, when something popped into my head and filled me with excitement.  Miniature resin Geode table for a dollhouse.  OMG yes.  I had to do it.

Polymer Clay popped into my mind for the base of the table, and that moment I went searching in the garage for all of my clay tools.  With Mr 4 by my side we began playing with scrap clay.  My scrap clay is a mixture of all the brands, Kato, Sculpey and Fimo.

 Here are my four basic geode shapes.  I just rolled some clay out, and cut out random shapes.  They went into my mini oven for an hour and then they were ready to play with!!

 I made up a very small amount of resin.  The great thing about miniatures is, it uses less of everything!  I placed the bases on upturned cups and began my experiment.  A very small amount goes a long way, so I did have trouble getting the distinct lines I can get on my large geodes.

 Obviously glitter played an important part, shiny pretty glitter.  What could take the place of the rocks, glass and gems that I use on the large geodes?
Beads of course.  I have a plethora of beads, finally time to use them!!  I mainly used microbeads, which are teeny tiny, obviously.

I also used some glitter gravel that I bought from a cheap shop.  It actually looks nice in geodes.



After the first resin layer was dry, I added another, this one I put in more glitter and tried to define the colours a little more.  It basically took a lot of patience and a steady hand, moving the resin where I wanted it to go, then using the heat gun sparingly to blend the colours.  I also added some gold leaf on the third layer.

After the fourth or fifth layer was completely dry I brought out the posca pens and drew some more defined lines around the geodes.  This made them start to look like something worthwhile.  I was a little worried to begin with.  (Apologies for the dog barking in the video).

I wrapped the edges of the mini geodes with painters tape, leaving about a 3mm edge above the geode.  I did this so when I poured the next couple of layers of clear resin they would build up and completely cover all the beads and make the table flat.  It worked!!

To remove the resin that had dripped onto the bottom of the geodes I used the heat gun and a small chisel to carefully get them off.  The resin actually came off quite easily, which was awesome.  Time for the edges of the geodes.  I used Mont Marte Leafing Size glue, and gold leaf and prettied those edges up.  I was actually really surprised at how easy the glue made putting the gold leaf on.  That one is a definite win, and I will use it again.

Mont Marte Leafing Size link.

The saga of sanding and using my dremel to cut some wood for the legs, ugh, wood and cutting just not my favourite thing.  I am actually in love with the way they turned out, I love the thickness, and I can see all the layers of resin and glitter and beads that lovingly did.  Let's not forget the swollen eye from my allergy to resin, the rash that spread like chicken pox, and the misery I was in from the pills and the itching.  To sum it up, it was worth it.  I will do it again, and again and again.

GLAM SHOTS!!

I'm happy with the experiment.  My doll house, everyone's dollhouse deserves some glam geode tables I think.  I absolutely love them :) 

I have also made some experimental resin tiles for a dollhouse.  I have embedded microbeads in some tiles, glitter in others and of course I have made a glow in the dark sample. All different styles and colours.  I will be doing a project with them in it sometime in September.  I will post my progress of that too.

Etsy mini tiles for sale here.

 I've also been glamming up miniature cheese boards for the doll houses as well, adding resin to them to make the glam mazing!!

Please follow me on facebook........... KristinaObrienart

I am also on Instagram.......... https://www.instagram.com/kristina_obrien_art/
Aaaand Pinterest....... https://www.pinterest.com.au/krystalrose316/pins/
And now on Etsy.........  https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/KrystalRoseCreations?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

Until next time.........

Depression and it's lies, how to see the truth in the dark.

DEPRESSION AND IT'S LIES

I am not going to lie, I want to, but I am not going to.  I am super depressed and just breathing and moving is a hard thing to do this week.  I don't want to type this, I don't want to sit, or stand, I just want to lay down and melt into my bed.  I want to press the pause button and just be nothing, not moving, not dead, not alive.  Why?  The question that is always asked, why do you feel this way?  Trust me if I knew why I would stay away from it, so I never felt this way again.  My head can tell you the reasons why I think I get depressed.

I looked in the mirror, my pants are tight, I made a mistake twenty years ago, no one wants to buy anything I make, I am a loser, I am useless, the list goes on and on.

I can honestly say that one thing usually makes me smile, not happy smile just ok smile.

When I open my garage door (art studio that shares with a car), and I see something like this looking back at me.  A painting, any kind of painting, but dammit I love painting.  You have no idea how hard it has been just to get Aquaman this far.  I had to force myself to put some paint on it.  Here he sits, three days later, nothing being done to him, which makes me even more depressed.  

If I actually think about it, just the fact that he is there, waiting for me, gives me a sense of hope that I will break out of this darkness to finish him.  I do my best on days like this, but today I just was.  I did what I had to do, and then I laid in bed.  I let myself relax, guilt consumed me, but you know what, I bloody deserve a rest after this week lol.  I am covered in a rash again, I seem to be failing at everything I touch, my son hurt himself doing something stupid, I've been socialising more and that really wears me out.  Just being the only adult in a house full of kids is tiring.  I put myself out there and put some items on Etsy, but of course, the photos I took are crap, they are stupid things that no one wants and the list goes on and on, according to the darkness in my head.

I am still not in the mood for this blog, I want to forget everything, crawl back into my hole and starve, but you know what, I am not going to let that bloody disease beat me again.  I'm not going to let depression take me for too long again.  I actually got things done this week.  Yes I am almost a week late with my blog, but I am doing it.  I am here.  So, this week I will just show you some things I have finished, that I have been working on.  That my brain is telling me to just throw away.

I did two smaller geodes, that are display pieces.  I want to make a thing that they sit on, the word eludes me right now lol.  I prefer the green geode, and it also glows.

I also did a very quick resin tabletop, which I must admit I actually love.  I'm beginning to realise it is the unplanned things that turn into the most amazing items.

It may not look like much, my inability to function and take nice photos tonight does not enhance it's beauty.  Tomorrow I will put it together along with the coasters that match it, and I will take some gorgeous photos that I will put at the end of the blog.  I'm thinking "Oriental Swirl" as a design name.  It looks oriental but also ice cream like lol.

I also painted, which made me super happy, gosh I love painting.  I did an Art Sherpa tutorial, which I really wanted to succeed at.  My Mother says I did great but I have my doubts on her opinions sometimes lol..

My third try on this Whale tail.  I think I did better than my previous attempts.  This is an Angela Anderson Tutorial with the photo reference from Pixabay.  I did it, I bloody did it, all since I last uploaded on the blog.  I'm beginning to realise that maybe my brain tricks me into believing that I achieved nothing.

I could go on and on with what I actually did this week, but I think maybe you get the point.  I'm super depressed, I believe I achieved nothing, did nothing of value, but when I look back at the photos for the last ten days I see that I have done a fair bit.  I did something of value, maybe no one wants to buy it but dammit, I painted, I finished, I did.  I made this creature below smile, and laugh and socialise with his cousin.  I actually succeeded in getting some things done, despite my brain telling me otherwise.  I did everything I could for my kids and my family.  Even though I still believe that I am a failure, I hope to one day look back at this and think, hey, on my super depressed weeks I got a shit tonne done.  Maybe, just maybe, I am not the complete loser I think I am just because I have gained weight.  Maybe weight has nothing to do with achievements.  Maybe......

So, even though this blog taught nothing, had no goal, it actually made me feel like I helped myself a little.  Maybe I could help one other person realise that the darkness lies.  It's ok to relax, it's ok to have a lazy day, it's ok to mentally recharge, in fact it's required.

So when you have this week, or day, or month, take photos of anything you achieve.  Be it making dinner or watering your flowers.  Driving the kids to school or doing tax, don't let the darkness trick you into believing it's lies.  Take photos, accept it is a "bad week", and allow yourself that.  Depression is awful, it's hard to explain, there's no reason for it sometimes, it is impossible to snap out of, but believe that the darkness will fade a little.  You will realise your worth, your importance, your purpose.  You are worth it and you are allowed to have bad days.  Take photos, write, remember, anything, do anything to get you through the tough times.  Please, look after yourselves, and maybe obsess about painting a little lol.  Until next week, be ok.

I'm thinking if I have a plan maybe the blog will come to me easier, so next week I am going to have a tutorial about a father's day project to do with the kidlets.  It's almost father's day here in Australia, I know it's different in other countries but I will do this.  I will do it.

Please follow me on facebook........... KristinaObrienart
I am also on Instagram.......... https://www.instagram.com/kristina_obrien_art/
Aaaand Pinterest....... https://www.pinterest.com.au/krystalrose316/pins/
And now on Etsy.........  https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/KrystalRoseCreations?ref=seller-platform-mcnav