Swapbot Fishy-Tote

I just finished my very first Swapbot Trade. This was for the blog " Dollar-store Crafts." It's an amazing blog with crafts made from stuff you find at the dollar-store. It's in my price range, I love it!

They were hosting a " reusable grocery tote bag" swap. I figured why not? My partner ended up being a wonderful lady named Gooddog. She helps mentally disabled adults make crafts. That's just so cool to me, I could never do it, but we need more people in the world that can.

She also collects whistles shaped like fish. They are hard to find, but really cool. When I was little my mom went to Seattle and brought me and my sisters home fish whistles, so when I found out what she collected I knew what I wanted to do.

I went to goodwill and found a nice blue jean tote bag/big purse for $3.98. I could not make a bag as well constructed or as nice for that price. I made the fish from felt and fuzzy fabric and sewed them on. The appliques are 100% hand sewn. It was a blast to design and do. I wish I had a few more weeks of free time because I really wanted to add more to it. This project was so different from any of the other projects I have done it was a great blast. It was a great vacation to do some silly fish with googly-eyes and whistle lips.

Anyhow, here are the pics.

( Mickey-P took the photos for me, he did a great job as usual!!!)

I got an email from Gooddog, she LOVES the bag. She said she can't use it for groceries, instead she is going to use it for her best knitting projects. Hee hee.

Happy fish, happy dyp.

Henna Caravan & Flavia's Elephant

Every year the artists who frequent the Hennapage.com do a gift swap. Every year is a challenge to make a nice gift that is somewhat Henna related. The swap was getting closer and closer and not only did I have no idea what I was going to do, I had no idea WHO I was doing it for.

Time was getting short and I knew I was going to have to start my gift without knowing who it was going to be for. It's hard enough trying to make something for someone you might not know very well, or even at all, but to try and make something so generic anyone would like it, male or female... way difficult.

Mickey P and I made one of our ONLY trips out shopping this year in early November to try and find inspiration. Next to any Goodwill or craft store, the World Market is my weakness! It's cheaper than Pier One, Stocks more authentic stuff, and has a great cultural mix of EVERYTHING. The World Market NEVER lets me down for inspiration!

So, Mickey-P and I are digging through the toy section and this wonderfully soft elephant looks at me. We are talking the softest, sweetest, more adorable stuffed elephant in the world. And, in a lightbulb moment, I knew what I was going to do and who I was going to do it for.

There is a group called Henna Caravan and their mascot is an elephant. http://www.hennacaravan.com/ So I figured I would make this sweet little Elly a henna-embellished silk blanket and a head piece and really make her pretty in hopes I would land a Henna Caravan chick as my secret Santa. In particular I wanted to be the Santa for Flavia, the mommy of the Caravan's leader. Flavia is sweet as hell and works allot with the henna on silk. She did this piece... which was my inspiration. http://www.flickr.com/photos/14240015@N07/1449508782/

I drag home the Elephant and start to work. I almost complete her, then I find out who I am the Secret Santa for. Not only was it NOT a Henna Caravan Chick, it was someone I had no idea about what-so-ever. My heart said, " Oh HELL no, dyp, not happening, you can't send the elephant to her." The Elephant could not be given to a stranger! There was no question in my mind at all, no hesitation in the least, (which for me, never happens. I can't even pick out Jelly at the store without having a 40 min debate with myself about what kind, how much & what brand.)

In my mind the elephant already had a family with Flavia and the crew at Henna Caravan and she HAD to go home to them. Flavia graciously gave me her address, not knowing what I was up to. ( Brave Flavia!!!)

I am very happy to report, the elephant's long journey came to an end today when I got this email from Flavia:

"I can not believe how wonderfully thoughtful and creative you are!What a fabulous gift to us.Who would think we would be so jumping up and down with glee over a stuffed elly?You have certainly outdone everyone else, this is definatly the best gift this year.

Oh , wow!! We are so excited!! THank you , thank you , thank you. When she has gotten over her jet lag, Jessica is going to have aphoto shoot and post pictures of her in her new home.
wooopiiiieeee , we love her.

Flavia"

So- that is the story of the Elly. Here is her picture.

She is nothing amazing, but she has allot of heart and really made some people I admire and love happy.

In the end that is what it is all about. The art and the crafting they are just physical manifestations of invisable pieces of ourselves we give to other people. Nothing in this world is a better gift.

Crochet bag for my neice

Welp, the holdays are over- whoohooooo!!!!


My neice, who is 3, got a leapster, but no case, so I crocheted her a little bag to carry her new toy in.


Pink and black with a skull and her initals. ( As usual, there was no pattern. I just sat down with a hook and some yarn and went to town. )There is a little pocket on the back for a game or two and it is big enough to hold her leapster and headphones. Knowing my neice she won't use it for her leapster, but will stuff it full of anything and everything she can get her little paws on.

:)

Christmas Henna Ornaments

Welp, Its x-mas eve.... and we all know what that means.... dyp is sewing like a mad-woman to finish her x-mas projects.

I know; I know, "dyp, why don't you start your projects early so you won't be in a rush come x-mas eve?"

Well... I have actually been crafting since early November. Things were on schedule until I agreed to help Santa by painting faces for him. So; I WAS on time.... but I lost 2 weekends I could have been working on my projects. Yes yes... excuses, excuses....

(Us and Santa... hanging out.... )

So, for my mother I finally made her a tote bag... The fabric: upcycled placemats from the Dollar Tree. The picture on the front is Henna'd silk.

Here is a collection of Henna'd ornaments. The fabric: upcycled old blue jeans. Patterns were done in Henna, and some are just embrodered.

Here is a box Mickey-P made for cousin..... and the worm he made to go with it. ( I love the button eyes!)

Welp, that is it for now, there is more but since Santa decied to give me his cold for x-mas... I feel the need to rest a bit.

Happy x-mas.... from the Pantar/dyp clan.

What is all over her? FAQs "What is Henna?" Very simply put: Henna is a temporary all natural tattoo medium. "How does it work?” Paste is applied to your skin and left for several hours when you remove the dried paste you are left with a stain much like leaving a tea bag on a table cloth. The stain darkens over the next 24-48 hours and lasts anywhere from a week to a month, maybe even more depending on how well you care for the tattoo. "Does it hurt?" NO!!! I am the biggest baby in the world. I practically faint and the sight of a needle. Trust me, if there was any pain involved I would be the first person to run away. Henna actually feels WONDERFUL on your skin. It is medicinal as well as decorative. "Does it come in black?" "Does it come in any other color?" The absolute most important thing to know about Henna!!! Real All Natural Henna is NEVER any color but reddish. Palms and feet do stain darker than the forearms, chest and so forth. Commonly if Henna is colored it is because the mix contains additives. Those additives can be anything from tar to ammonia. A VERY popular additive is called PPD. It can be found in black hair dye. Lots of people on vacation get "Black Henna Tattoos" A good percentage of those people end up with horrible allergic reactions. Some people end up with PPD allergies so bad they cannot wear black colored clothes anymore most end up permanently scarred. Please avoid Black Henna. For more detailed information please email me or visit http://www.hennapage.com/.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog....

About me:I can officially say I am a mehndiwali (Henna artist) from near Kansas City Mo with 4 years expiriance. Body art and Henna are some of my many loves in life.

I get a lot of questions about the name "dyp" so please let me take this time to explain. "dyp" has double meaning. In English it looks like it would be pronounced "dip" which at times I can be. In Norwegian it means "deep" which also describes me well. I swing from both extremes.

I like to craft and in the process I get myself into interesting situations. In daily life I get myself into trouble; add glue, sequin, paint, fabric, quietly sleeping animals and you can only imagine the perdicaments I find myself in. It all starts noble enough, it "sounded" like a good idea at the time....

Like any good story, mine is enhanced by a cast of characters:

First is my son, Mickey-P - My wonderful 8 year old who is like Albert Einstein, Brillent without a lick of common sense. I know you are thinking, "how mean." But it is the truth. The rest of the boys in school are playing football, my son is pondering why birds poop on cars. Sure; laugh, but have you ever thought about WHY birds poop on cars? There HAS to be a reason, Mickey-P is dead set to find it through scientific evaluation. ( Mickey-P)

Second is my soon-to-be husband, Pantar - Great guy: affectionate, goofy, doesn't question when he comes home and I am trying to assemble a wallet from Condom Boxes. ( I will post pictures of that later.)

( Pantar and Mickey-P)

We also have 2 dogs Roscoe and Cow Pattie ( C.P. for short) and 2 recently adopted ferrets, Crom and Pixie. ( Yes as if it wasn't bad enough I try to make things out of everything.... I also drag home random needy creatures. The less likely they are to survive the more I am inclined to drag them home to nurse them back to health... Damn my bleeding heart.) ( Cow Pattie sitting on top of Roscoe, C.P. is slightly affected by "small dog syndrome")

( Our fearie babies- Crom, the white one and Pixie)

Poor Pantar, he NEVER knows what he is comming home to. In the last 3 months he has come home to a pet frog, 2 rabbits, a praying mantiis, and 2 ferrets and countless stray feeder crickets that excaped the jaws of the frog and mantiis. Might touch on that later....

Anyhow... Enjoy... More to come.....

~dyp~