Podcast 004: Cross Stitch, Soft-Block Carving, Soup Beautiful Soup!, and Letterboxing

CLICK HERE to listen to Podcast 004. Right click on the link and save it to your hard drive, or better yet, so you don't miss future podcasts, subscribe using one of the links to the right.

Total length of this podcast: 40:00 minutes

You can download the MP3 audio file (which can be played in iTunes or other multimedia players) and skip to whatever segment interests you -- check the minute marker for each segment.

INTRODUCTION

Today's bumper music is an original guitar piece I call Belleville Blues.

Here's a photo of the costume I made for Teddy this year. He's in his second year (although he has junior standing) at the University of Michigan's College of Engineering where he's majoring in Chemical Engineering. The costume is an anime character called Organization XIII from the video game Kingdom Hearts. He ended up making a couple of modifications to the costume himself (the first time he ever used a needle and thread ! LOL!)

Here's Teddy's Christmas gift. I'm also going to make an earwarmer for him based on the scarf pattern. (Don't worry, he doesn't bother to read his old Mother-De-Mums's blog!)

Here's a photo from the crochet book I like, Happy Hooker Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet by Debbie Stoller. (By the way, Podcast listener gave me a heads up to check the book's Web site for corrections to some of the patterns!) I am hoping to make this sweater by Christmastime. It's on page 202 of the book. No, that's not a picture of me! One can dream!

Here's a photo of this podcast's Alice in Wonderland redwork, The Cheshire Cat. CLICK HERE to download the free pattern.

THE FIBER ARTS SEGMENT [Podcast minute marker: 9:02]

Here's a photo of Titus Andronicus, my son's newest kitten, playing with today's project, the Hearts and Violets Cousinet Biscornu. OK, it's not really a cat toy -- it's actually a pin cushion, but tell that to the cat!

CLICK HERE to download the Hearts and Violets Cousinet Biscornu project sheet.

Here's a slideshow of just a few of my mom's cross stitch creations. I wish I had better photos, but I took these 10 years ago.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Here's a really great software program you can use to design your own professional-level cross stitch patterns: Pattern Maker for Cross Stitch by Hobby Ware

THE PAPER ARTS SEGMENT [Podcast minute marker: 15:46] 

CLICK HERE to download my tutorial Soft-Block Carving 101.

Here are accompanying photos for the tutorial.

Tools and supplies you'll need

Cutting the eraser

 

Exercise 1

Exercise 1, Continued

Exercise 2

Exercise 2, Continued

Exercise 3

Exercise 3, Continued

RESOURCES FOR TOOLS AND SOFT CARVING BLOCKS

Linoleum (Lino) Cutters and Gouges

• Nasco Art Supplies
  
• Dick Blick Art Supplies

Soft Block

• Nasco Safety-Kut
• Speedball Speedy Carve
• Staedtler Mastercarve
• PZ-Kut Carving Material (this site also provides one-stop shopping for all your soft-block carving needs) 

Here's a picture of my version of wood cut artist Albrecht Durer's Rhinoceros from 1515. My carving was featured in Rubberstampmadness magazine several years ago. Yes, this is something you can accomplish after my next tutorial, Soft-Block Carving 201!

 THE RECIPE SEGMENT [Podcast minute marker 26:51]



Today's recipe is Savory Crock Pot Split Pea Soup With Ham.

CLICK HERE to download the recipe.

THE GRAB BAG [Podcast minute marker: 32:00]

Letterboxing North America

 

See you on the trail!

And remember,

Creativity isn't a race...

it's an adventure!