Supersized sketch pad

Hi folks! 

I'm still fiddling about in our spare room, trying to turn it into a useful and inspiring work space. This morning I decided to transform my rather dull grey plastic crafting table into a useful sketch pad and doodling spot. I don't want to run to the expense of a new table when I have a perfectly functional one already but it is a very uninspiring, if practical, plastic fold up table. Great for doing fairs and shows but not great to look at on a daily basis and hardly conducive to flights of creative fancy.

I had thought about putting a pretty cloth over it but I need this table to be practical, especially when I begin to experiment with the resin jewellery again. Resin spills on paper are easy to deal with but resin on a plastic table may well stay there for ever. So, having seen something similar in a silver-smith's work room, I thought how positively spiffy it would be to have a table covered in paper so that I could scribble notes, designs, doodles, whatever, to my heart's content and then just screw it up and recycle when I'm done!

This very simple transformation required a box of greaseproof baking paper, scissors and sticky tape. Simply stretch out the paper, tuck over each end and stick in place. Pop a few extra strips of sticky tape at intervals to prevent it moving about too much. Repeat with another strip overlapping the last one, etc., until table is perfectly covered in paper. The table is plastic so there will be no harm in sticking the greaseproof paper to it with sticky tape.

There we have it - a supersized sketch pad. 

Perfect for researching my latest treasures and taking notes as I go or scribbling ideas as they pop into my head. 

What will you be doing today?

Take care folks

Melanie Melanie

Work in progress

Gosh I've been a very poor blogger lately. I apologise for my lack of communication but much of my spare time has been taken up teaching myself how to make resin jewellery. From some uninspiring beginnings I am at last creating things that I love.

These are my latest bangles - waiting to be sanded and finished.

The clear greeny coloured one was made from a mould I bought on Etsy but the blue ones are made from my own silicone moulds made using vintage bangles.

I love this lavender blue colour and the simple shape of the bangle. I've made these using bio-resin, which is sourced as a co-product or from waste streams of other industrial processes and has a significantly reduced carbon footprint than other types of resin.

I've been experimenting with suspending real gold and silver leaf in the resin and love the results this is giving. 

 

 

I have a lot more to learn and my next challenge is to polish the rough edges to a shiny finish. By the end of the evening I hope to have something I can wear to work tomorrow!