crafts 
     
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 handmade books 
       Read all about my handmade books.
 circle journals 
       My friends and I have done a few circle journals. Read about them here:
If you'd like to participate in the next round, just let me know!
 temari balls 
       I saw a craft show segment featuring Japanese Temari balls on television and was fascinated. The host declared at the beginning of the show, "Now we know you're not going to run out after you see this and start making these, but they are amazing!". Well, I was so intrigued that I literally did run to the store for supplies that same day and after a few mistakes and a bit of practice, I was creating works of art.

You can see some pictures of my creations.

The basic steps for creating a Temari ball are:
  • Start with a 3" styrofoam ball
  • Wrap the ball with batting
  • Wrap the ball again with yarn (any color)
  • Wrap the ball AGAIN with thread (yes, thread!) until the entire ball is covered (this part takes quite a while)
  • Measure out and mark the ball according to your design
  • Stitch your design using various strings, threads, or floss
The best source for detailed instructions would be either an illustrated book or a hands-on lesson. Maybe one day I will write up some good directions online, but in the meantime, here are some of the books I have used to help me master this craft:
  • Temari: A Traditional Japanese Embroidery Technique -- This book has wonderful color pictures of every step of the process. If you want to see exactly how it all comes together, this is the book for you. There are also color pictures of numerous sample designs.
  • Temari Treasures: Japanese Thread Balls and More -- This book highlights the technical aspects of this craft and provides tons of detailed black-and-white drawings that show you how to mark and divide the balls in many different ways. There are only a couple of color photographs.
 jean quilt 
       January, 2001... After seeing the idea in a magazine years ago, and collecting my old jeans since then, I finally gathered enough to make this queen-sized jean quilt, which I backed with bandana fabric.
 hardwood floor 
       November, 1999... My father and I were pretty proud of the hardwood floors we installed ourselves in just 2 days. You can check out pictures from four different angles.
 starburst posters 
       My patience for meticulous artwork has allowed me to create several posters made from candy wrappers over the years. Pictures and brief descriptions follow:

Starburst (including closeups!)
Created in 1990, this poster was my first foray into the candy-wrapper-as-art world. It is comprised entirely of Starburst wrappers, and measures 22"x28".

Spiderman
In early 1999, I finally got inspiration for a second poster -- this one o f Spiderman, made for a friend's birthday. Also measuring 22"x28", this one is also completely made of Starburst wrappers. The eyes were made using wrappers from the available-for-a-limited-time "Mystery Flavor" of Starbursts.

Tux and Tux (including closeups!)
The success of Spiderman prompted me to create two more posters for friends in mid-1999. Since Starburst wrappers don't come in black, I had to try something new to get these posters colored right. These two identical designs color Tux (the Linux mascot) in a variety of candy wrappers, including Smarties, Tootsie Rolls, Peppermint Patties, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Dove Promises, Hershey's Treasures, and yellow Starbursts. Both posters are 16"x20".

Catbert (including closeups!)
As a gift for my chief Starburst wrapper supplier, I played off his love of the Dilbert Comic Strip, and created this Catbert poster in August of 1999. It's made completely of Starburst wrappers, and measures 16"x20".

Winnie the Pooh (including closeups !)
Another commissioned work -- for a co-worker's son's room. Completed in November of 1999, Winnie was created solely with Starburst wrappers and measures 16"x20".

Tux
Another Tux poster, made for a friend. It's 16"x20" and made from the wrappers of Tootsie Rolls, Smarties, yellow Starbursts, 100 Grands, and Hershey's Treasures.