Melting down oil pastels and crayons

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  This started as me making a 'creative tutorial' for the Light Box blog, but turns out that I didn't feel very excited nor energised about making a step-by-step tutorial and wanted more of a chance to experiment and have fun with it.So away I went, not worrying about an end-point, not worried about photographing every little step. There is this thing (all over Pinterest and craft blogs) where you can melt down old ends of oil pastels, combine with crayons to help solidify and bind, then cook for just 10 minutes in the oven at 100 degrees, and you can make a whole new crayon/oil pastels out of whichever colours you like.But I like what I made more then that - more of an object (plus it's crap to use as a crayon!) reminds me of using resin, makes me want to take this further and try to set objects within the melted down waxes. Could I float little objects in grey pastels, so it's barely visible, like smog? What about just using wax? Those are notes to self!I did take some pictures. The slicing of the oil pastels was a wonderful experience. An unusual texture - very satisfying.

Simple way to create text artwork

I just found a brilliant tutorial over at the Wicked & Weird blog (A good'n for a variety of creative inspiration) The blog post was a re-post, originally taken from A Beautiful Mess, and the blog post has detailed steps and lots of images to help you with this DIY project.This is what you'll make:And this is how you'll do it:

1. Find a crap old painting
2. Use sticky letter stickers to spell something out on-top of the painting
3. Spray/Paint it all white
4. Then peel the letters off.

Exciting Christmas Gift Ideas

You'd like to give out exciting Christmas gifts, correct? I'd love to have the money and time to buy everyone something which will be special to them for Christmas. Something they'll use, or that will excite or inspire them, or simply make them laugh. It's tough at Christmas, gifts become thrown to the back of my mind and at the last minute I'm worrying. Or forgetting people. Or getting resentful that my family is so big.I usually make things, which I enjoy and keeps it cheap. BUT I know I'll be searching for those few special presents for those special people, so here's some  things I've come across recently which I think would make brilliant gifts, and maybe you will too.Banter Banner believe we should celebrate the everyday. "no longer only for holidays, but for the everyday. As art. As design. As inspiration"'Good Times' banner. Loads more sayings available: Joie De Vivre // Sweet Dreams // Celebrate The Everyday$10Buy it here at BanterBanner.com.'Wild At Heart' Rosette. Hot pink ribbon with gold text: 'Wild At Heart' A quote from Lula, in Lynch's 1990 Wild at Heart: "This whole world's wild at heart and weird on top."$16Buy it here at BanterBanner.com.Fake PooMakes for a brilliant present. Nearly everyone ever finds this funny "This pile of brown doggie doo looks so realistic you can almost smell it."Cheap from Amazon/Ebay/Jokeshops.'Coast' by Marco Suarez: "These photos capture the beauty of Northern Ireland. Framing this photo in a circle creates an awesome composition that is sure to be a highlight in any room. The circle has a diameter of 13" and is printed on Somerset Velvet watercolor paper with archival inks. This photo is part of a limited run of 50 and each print is individually signed and numbered."$60Buy this print and others at Marco's Etsy shop.Hand painted geometric pendant. Painted on wood with a silver chain. By Vickygonart$24Buy this and other jewellery at Vicky's Etsy shop.'Crap' Text Artwork. Shamelsss plug here! I made this. Each piece is completely unique, with the fine lines drawn freehand and each letter individually hand-cut.£23No Etsy shop at present, but email me if you want to buy this- hello@lucybarfoot.co.ukMountain Δ Triangle Necklace by Adrienne Wroath. (made-to-order with love and care.) Adrienne makes handcrafted precious metal Jewellery. Her inspiration for is drawn from simple lines and shapes found within her environment, often focusing on geometric forms.$42You can buy this and other pieces from Adrienne's Etsy shop. And here is her blog

Michel Gondry -Tiny

Ok one more, Michel Gondry is my favourite. I have great admiration for him. I hugely recommend this DVD of his music videos and short films.

Only £13.18 on Amazon

!

'Tiny' is sung in my head all day sometimes.I'm So TinyI'm so tinyit would take a million steps to reach youi'm so shinyi feel crappyi'm so tinyi'm so tinyi'm so tinymy crap is the size of a grain of ricenot so shinyi feel crappyi'm so tinyi'm so tinyi'm so tinyI keep falling into a cigarette hole?i 'm so shinyi feel crappy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97chld3TNK0