by lynn krestel

how to!!

tuesday is 'how to' day on etsy..and yesterday they featured this video making a natural wood wall hanging. it is simple and sweet -  thought i'd pass it along to you...

How-Tuesday: Wood Wall Hanging With Meg Allen Cole from Etsy on Vimeo.

i love it - modern, minimal, natural...enjoy!!

dress fitting

saturday, a wedding...in our rwandan family. they have been here two years. five siblings. coming to our country. alone. trying to rebuild their lives. they are courageous. loving. forgiving. truly amazing....our lives have been so blessed by just knowing them.

so for now its dress fittings, lingerie shopping, flower picking, and jewelry making!! a busy week ahead...but so much fun!! my jayme will be a bridesmaid. a first for her...

   

i'll keep you posted on our progress!

a resin recap

so, you've printed your picture, made your bezel, poured your resin....cleaned up side one, turned the charm over and poured you last layer of resin. oh such excitement! such satisfaction! in a few short hours you will be able take up your finished memento charm and admire it, create with it, wear it!!

unfortunately - when you go to check your finished charm, the resin has slipped off of the top and created a pool around the bottom...

get a small dish with water and your file. begin to sand away the excess dried resin. dont forget to keep dipping the charm in your water as you sand. it really makes the job faster and easier.

 

sand away. try to sand it as level as possible. note the bubble underneath! prepare a fresh batch of resin and layer it on.

 

this is probably where you find the most frustration. you are anxious to be finished...and it doesnt always go as you planned! i say it often...but its so true. most of all be patient. with the resin. with charm. with yourself!

success will come!! send me a picture! i want to see your work!

blessings

lynn

class pics!!

a day in the classroom - part 2

maureen, bonnie, and estella preparing to mix their resin

 

rebbeca and raema getting into detail worked... and still smiling!

a little class time...

 

suzie...still smiling!!

julie taking on soldering!

 

karen creating bezels!

sonia pouring a layer of resin!

 

estella doing a little hammering!

 

maureen with her torch in hand!

 

bonnie preparing her rose petal for resining!

raema layering resin!

    

jill - with the mad camera skills!!

again, thank you to each one of you for coming and taking part in the memento resin class. we truly had a wonderful time in class together, and i really loved getting to know each one of you!!

keep on mixing it up!!

resin exasperation!!

ok memento charm students, how it going?? i've had several emails of disappointment with your projects...

some have had resin overflow, others resin not setting up properly. and i sense you are exasperated and maybe even wanting to throw them into that drawer with those other unfinished projects!! 

wait!! dont!! its not a loss!! if you have had overflow...and now the front of the charm has a glob of matte resin stuck on to it - what now!? get a small dish of water, dip and sand. carefully sand away that extra resin...level off the surface of the charm. it will be matte - unclear..but prepare your new batch of resin, pour it on carefully. and the photo will become clear. try to put you dish that you pour in, in a quiet out of the way location. dont move it after your pour the resin...otherwise, of course it will spill over!!

now for the resin that is not setting up properly. it is remaining wet and sticky...when you measure the two parts, put you measuring spoons/cups down on your work surface. pour both and look to make sure they are both equal before mixing them. then stir thoroughly! as long as you dont continue incorporating bubbles into the mixture after it is beginning to set up, it should be fine!

remove as much of the sticky resin as you can, whether by wiping it off with a baby wipe or sanding it away with a wet sand. make sure your charm is sitting level before you pour it.... the new layer of resin will harden over the not so perfect previous layer!!

dont give up!!!

bliss...

bliss...thats my word for the day...actually the past few days!! i just arrived home tonight after two days at the puget sound bead festival...thursday night was meet the teacher night, friday - 9-5 was my creating memento rein charms workshop.

i had 9 wonderful ladies join in and work all day at learning and creating their own mementos. my sister so kindly joined me and helped me through both days. i wouldnt still be standing if she hadnt!! thanks so much, jill!!

i wanted to post everything tonight but i am sooo beat - its been non stop all week!! so i'll give you a few glimpses inside the doors of our little day of creating and more tomorrow!!

 

meet the teacher night!

 

class in session!!

self portrait!!

resin gone awry!!

thanks jill, for being such a good sport!!

so for now, good night! sweet dreams!

20 years...

20 years ago today i married my sweetheart! i remember planning the wedding and wondering if the day would ever come...and in a moment, it is years! twenty!!

i cant even begin to summarize what my husband means to me....but he is thoughtful, and  kind (to everyone)- in 20 years i dont know that i have ever heard him say unkind things about anyone! he will speak the truth about how he perceives a situation, but will not degrade or criticize hurtfully... that is possibly one of the greatest traits a person can have. i wish he could say the same of me...!!

i could go on ..and probably should...but for now,  i am the lucky girl! and happy to look ahead to more years of adventure with the one who loves me just the way i am!! 

we are spending the week in seattle as i get ready for the puget sound bead festival, and after dinner last night came home (to my sisters place) to an (unexpected) surprise...which of course if it was expected...couldnt be a surprise!!

a bouquet of sunflowers - my favorite!! pictures from the past years! and 7-11 (for my hubby - he has a slurpee thing) and starbucks (for me- i have a coffee thing) gift cards!! how much fun is that!

it was just such a sweet surprise to wonderful occasion...thank you!!

family fourth!!

just a glimpse into a family fourth of july!!

fun in a box!!

 

too happy!!

 

let the games begin!!

 

making the fire for s'mores!!

 

reading the kindling!!

 

success!!

 

should we delete!!

 

crazy glasses - 1!!

 

crazy glasses -2!!

crazy glasses -3!!

my fav - bottle rockets!!

hope you all had a fun, family fourth of july!