I can’t point a finger at any specific inspiration. I seemed to wake up one day and decide, ‘today I shall make myself an enormous skirt!’ That is exactly what I did! Really, no thought or measurements were taken at all. I just started picking out yards of printed cotton out of my collection of fabric and went to town cutting it all into squares. I had help…

Mountains of fabric squares were put together like puzzle pieces and sewn together in rows. From one side of the hallway to the other!

Once the skirt was constructed, I soaked the entire thing in a big vat of navy blue dye to darken the prints and add variations. For absolutely no forethought, I think it turned out quite nice! Whenever I wear it, I receive so many compliments. It’s very comfortable too, just in time for the hot weather. I see myself making at least one more skirt in this style. Maybe with a little bit of thought beforehand though..

Where are the hair clips, the paintings, the bits and bobs? Well, they haven’t gone anywhere. In fact, I’m keeping myself busy. But for the moment, I’m biting my tongue. The only activity that can be viewed by the outside world is the updates I have been doing to different accounts. The neglected DeviantArt account (search for BloodHoneyDesigns) is getting pictures uploaded every other day. Occasionally I log into the BloodHoneyDesigns Facebook account to show off crafts I have made and general chitchat.

What about Etsy? Well, nothing to see there. Not yet, that is. All the behind-the-scenes action is… behind the scenes! I’m setting up a PO Box, amassing a collection of Flat Rate boxes, and trying to get my business Paypal account set up. It may seem a bit premature. Why all the work when I’m really nothing more than a shy gal who spends her days making creepy accessories? If you’re going to do something, do it right and give it your all. If I want to be known as an artist, it’s time to kick it up a notch. Nothing gives me more pleasure than creating, and I want those who purchase from me to have the best experience possible.

As requested, I give you pictures of some of the hair accessories that were available for purchase when I was vending at the Freak Bazaar. Not all of these sold, so I am giving serious thought towards putting them up for sale on Etsy. Maybe, maybe. Anyway, without further ado, I give you…

My personal favourite! They were a blast (and a mess) to make. First, I painted the entire skeleton hands in a light magenta acrylic. Then I put them in the bathtub, diluted a bit of black and red paint, dipped my brush in the mixture, and dripped, splashed, and splattered. Finish it off with a couple coats of a high gloss, and you have a pair of gory and girlish barrettes!

The process of making this unique hair clip was torturous. Imagine how my back felt after hours of being bent over, hand painting each tiny leopard spot with bright blue fabric paint on each individual petal. I really dig the finished flower, but what a chore! For a bit of sparkle, the edges of each petal are painted with sparkling fabric paint too. I popped in some crystal clear and lavender gemstones as well.

The glitter-filled resin hearts that I made have found a home on top of pale pink satin bows. Of course, I couldn’t just leave them lookin’ cute like that! I painted layers of fine red glitter to the edges of the satin ribbon and glued a little scary plastic spider to the corner of each heart. It’s the type of barrettes that get second glances when you wear them out. No one expects the spiders. Bwahahaha.

With the change of weather, I had images of snow and winter in my mind when I put this together. Shimmering silver paint is along the edge of each petal and crystal clear gemstones spill out from the center. I think it’s beautiful in it’s simplicity, but I feel like I may return to add different colors to it somehow. Opinions?

I like zombies. Do you like zombies? Zombies really couldn’t care less what you think of them, they just want your brains. These zombie hands want your head! They have a special surprise too. One that only comes out when you turn off the lights..

Tada! They glow in the dark! Just leave them in bright direct light for a couple minutes and you’re good to go for quite a while. Wouldn’t these be a shock to see coming towards you in the darkness? I think it’s incredibly amusing.

If you fall in love with any of these hair clips and barrettes,  please let me know. I’m toying with the idea of taking them along to other vending events or putting up for purchase online, so contact me directly before they’re sold off.

I have been receiving message after message requesting that I talk about the Freaks Bazaar and show off everything that I made. Well, there’s a little catch to all this. I will tell you that I had a marvellous time there and that quite a few people were happily surprised by my offerings. Also, I should mention that I recently acquired a new computer that doesn’t have the necessary programs I need to upload images off of my camera. But sit still and be patient, because they are coming!

For those in the Virginia/Washington DC/Maryland area, there’s a nifty event coming up this Saturday afternoon. The time for the yearly Freak Bazaar has arrived! All are welcome- that means you.

To sweeten the deal, I will be there with a plethora of adorable/creepy hair clips and examples of the beautiful synthetic dreadlock hair pieces that I make.  I greatly dislike sitting still, so if you come by even just to say ‘hi!’, you would be a bigger help than you know.

I’m always  late on the latest trend. Creating crazy pendants using resin isn’t anything new but it’s my first time. Oddly enough, once I knew I was going to give it a go, I knew exactly what I was going to encase. Some may think it’s boring, others will find it gross, but these babies are dripping with love. Except for the spider. That I just randomly had laying around so I tossed it in.

Glitter! Weee! My husband was horrified when he saw me pull those vials of sparkle out of my desk. For good reason too. I tried my best to keep the tiny flecks under control but they clung to everything. My hands, my pants, the carpet, my desk..Oopsie. If you ever find yourself in that predicament, break out the duct tape. That sticky stuff will round ‘em up.

The blue is my favorite but it’s my favorite color, so of course I would. The red mix is a lot of fun too though! You can’t tell from the picture but there are tiny silver stars mixed in. The barbell was a piece of body jewelry I used to wear. It was my favorite piercing too, so I’m thrilled that I can now keep it with me always.

I have lots of resin mixture left. I am thinking of making a bunch of ornaments for friends to use on their Christmas trees. I like the stuff, but I don’t wear necklaces as it is so more will be no benefit to me. These three are all I need.

It’s the time of the year where the weather grows cold and the party invitations start flowing in. I love a good shindig because it gives me an excuse to make tasty treats! Nothing kills the excitement of handing over my delightful home-made cookies to the host like presenting them on a plastic plate and tin foil. Ouch. That’s not an experience I want to have twice!

I didn’t want to buy a nice plate and have it inevitably left at someone’s home after an event. Luckily, I had a big brown box waiting for a purpose. Brown is a bit boring though. With a bit of glue, tissue paper, and patience, it looks much nicer!

Isn’t that much better? I think so. You can do the same too! All you need is a box with a porous surface (if it’s shiny or feels slick to the touch, it probably will not work), glue that dries clear, a paint brush, a small bowl, and tissue paper. Mix equal parts of the glue and water in the bowl and apply with the paint brush to the box. Add the tissue paper as you desire. Take your time! Tissue paper is fragile as it is and even more so when it is wet. Once you have it arranged as you like it, put it aside to dry for at least 24 hours. After that, feel free to decorate it with paint, seal for a glossy finish, or just sit back and smile at your achievement.

Lately I have been loving the professional look. Oddly enough, it is when I am not at work that I wear button-down pinstripe shirts, neckties, and dress pants. After weeks of crossing my fingers that my local thrift store would contain the perfect vest, I took it upon myself to create it. What else would it be made of but brocade?

The neckline is lower to accommodate women’s shirts, which typically lack a button or two up towards the collar. I assure you that it is not as stretched as the picture would lend you to believe. It has been dark and raining so it’s difficult to get an accurate photograph without using lots of flash.

The back of the vest is nothing worth noting except that in this picture you can clearly see the design on the brocade. I wish I had picked up more of it, but it was a remnant that I scored for a fabulous deal.

This is one of many projects that I am in the middle of that revolve around brocade. Can you guess what my favorite fabric is?

Sewing and painting isn’t all I do in my free time. I also shop at thrift stores! I find it such a thrill to dig through the piles and come away with lovely gems. When I was flipping through shirts, I found this wonderfully full blouse. It was BRIGHT pink but I knew there was too much potential to leave it behind. So I brought it home, tossed it in a plastic bucket, and dumped boiling water with black Rit dye all over it.

Tada!
It doesn’t exactly match the red of the skirt that I had made, but I’ll make it work. A tutorial is unnecessary- read the back of the Rit dye bottle or box

I am always the last to jump on social networking websites. Tell me to sew an elaborate ballgown in a week and I’m on board. Show me a neat website and I will look at it in utter confusion. I’m not technologically savy… at all. Not in the littlest bit.

But look at me now! I have a Twitter account. Excitment! Go ahead and follow me. It would make my day if you did.

Click here to see MissBloodHoney’s Twitter!