A Melancholy Week in The Crypt

Been an interesting week in the Crypt this week. There has been much reflection, mental blocks and whole shit-load of melancholy feelings. 

There was a combination of factors leading to my melancholia, so I decided to clean my craft room.

Cleaning my craft room is something I like to try to do at least once a month it clears my head and I usually stumble across half finished project and then decide to complete them.

But this one was different, I was looking around at the crates and crates of stock I have made, and wondered why those crates and crates of awesome stock hadn't sold. I looked at all the craft supplies I have and remembered when I ordered them & realised how long they'd been sitting in storage waiting to be used. 

I thought of how poorly I had done at my most recent market & wondered if there was any demand for my creations.

I've never set out to make millions of dollars out of Crypt Creations, 

but it certainly helps to make a profit so I can continue going with my creative journey.

Now I know some people may be sitting at home and thinking "Oh no, she's going to pack it in and close shop" But I can't and I won't. The reason for that is: I love what I do. I love making things, I like challenging myself and I've always been into arts n crafts from a young age. So Crypt Creations will never close. 

I've decided to take a fresh approach to things, a re-invention. 

CC won't be expressly dealing with just jewellery anymore and I'm planning on discontinuing some of my designs for awhile. 

I've also decided to part with some of my hoarded craft things so I can start experimenting with new projects.

I am listing it on Ebay as auctions because I think its the fairest way to sell them as everyone has the chance to bid. I'm not doing it as a grab sale on my Facebook because there are too many vultures following me and copying my designs. Believe it or not I'vealreayd been contacted by people wanted exclusive rights to my destash after I posted a topic in a hand made sellers forum asking for interest.

Here's the link: http://stores.ebay.com.au/Crypt-Creations/SUPPLIES-DESTASH-/_i.html?_fsub=4741427017&_sid=756029127&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

In the meantime, I appeal to you CC fans: If you see something of mine you like, let me know! A comment on Facebook counts for so much now as it  makes my page more visible to other people. Share my page with your friends and family, and buy local. 

Respect my designs as well: You wouldn't go into an independent fashion label store and say: 

"Excuse me, where do you get you supplies from? I want to make stuff exactly the same as yours but can't find the same suppliers as yours from Google"

You'd be so surprised as to how many of these messages I get in a week!!

Expect to see the new look CC coming shortly. 

A tribute to Hocus Pocus - The Book Necklace

Hocus Pocus is one of my all time favourite films. Ever since I was a kid I have been spellbound by it (See what i did there?)

I have a lot of sisters and we fall into groups of those closest in age. I'm one of the youngest 3, and when we were little we were always called 'The three' or 'You three' so we likened ourselves to the Sanderson sisters whenever we watched Hocus Pocus, I was always Winifred, cos I was the oldest of the 3. 

When I moved into my first flat there was a great set of windows overlooking a large group of messy, wild bushes  weeds underneath. The first time my younger sister came to vist me I hung out the window while she was in the front yard and started shouting. "Boooooook! Book! Come home, or make thyself known!" and we both fell into fits of laughter. So it was only fitting I make a Hocus Pocus piece. 

I wanted to make something 100% original and from the heart and one night when I was trying to sleep it hit me: BOOK. 

I set about carving it the next day. Using polymer clay I started with a basic rectangular shape and then added the details. Doing the stitches was the most painful part as each one had to be made individually.

I was so impressed with how well it came out!

 I do about 4 coats of paint to get the 'withered skin' effect I am after. 

 Once she's dried it can then be varnished with a high gloss sealant and then polished to perfection. How creepy is the eye!!

The only thing I would like to improve on is getting the stitches to come out in greater detail - Sometimes the resin creates a bit of a bubble trying to get into the small spaces where the stitches are, but I think I have found a way to fix this. ;)

Available for purchase now in my webstore: http://www.cryptcreations.com.au/#!product/prd1/1133149691/hocus-pocus-%22book%22-necklace

Looking for something to do in Brisbane this weekend?

Well then I have just the thing for you! Yeah I know, you've done everything and been everywhere. Well I can tell you about something thats never been on before!

A special store event at Brisbane Pop Culture!

If you havent been to the store yet, then you are seriously missing out. The artwork on the building exterior alone will have you staring in amazement for a good 15 minutes, and then when you get inside you'll probably spend twice as long staring in amazement at their awesome range of products. 

I'll be there in the carpark selling a sweet selection of my hand-made goodness. But there will also be a Delorean, the epic time travelling automobile from the Back to The Future films!

Given we've been stung recently by a market that didnt go ahead, it would be great to see as many people down there on the day to support local Brissy businesses. Brisbane Pop Culture are even doing a 'Free with Purchase' offer when you spend $50 or more in store. 

For more details please see the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/187844584725125/

Remember to RSVP and share with your friends!

Panic Stations!

Its one week to Greazefest and two weeks to Rockabilly Riot and as such I have hit panic stations!

I have also developed the sick, probably due to lack of sunlight, stress and not enough sleep. 

Yes, I hear you say "Calm down Sheina, everything will work out fine" and whilst I'm confident everything will work out fine on the day, I'm a manic worry-wart, and completely unable to calm myself down. 

I have a very high expectation of myself and my work. And I wouldn't feel right standing there next Saturday morning and thinking, "If I had just pushed myself a bit more, I could have made 10 more of this or 10 more of that"

I also set myself the mammoth task of not only over-hauling and re-designing every element of my jewellery line but I also (rather ambitiously) began designing and making proto-types on a completely new range. I came to the realisation at 1am this morning after a quick evaluation that the range will not be entirely ready for debut at Greazefest like I had hoped but I will have some of it ready. You've probably seen the teaser roller doors on my website. 

And no, I'm not gonna tell you exactly what it is just yet. I think its such a great idea for a line I'm scared shit-less someone will pinch the idea and concept. But all will be revealed in good time. ;)

At the moment I'm taking comfort in the fact that there are lots of other equally stressed and tired people prepping for Greazefest too, and I'm not alone. 

So, get your glad rags out Brisbane people. NEXT WEEKEND, I shall see you there. 

Creative Process: Cooking up Resin Brains!

A lot of people have been asking me what the heck I'm talking about when I say I'm moving CC into a new more 'self-sufficient' direction, so I thought I'd put it up in a blog post.

My aim is to be able to create my key jewellery pieces in my home, which is where the self-sufficient part comes from. I also want to make my designs as original as can be, so crafting them completely from scratch is my plan. 

For an example I have chosen my new brain ring design. The first step is really to come up with the idea, but I can't photograph my brain thinkings so we'll start at step 2. 

STEP 2: Once I have an idea I then need to make a positive object. I make mine from polymer clay because its a very work-able product for me to use. This is my 'positive' brain.

STEP 3: Once the polymer clay has been baked, and sealed with a glaze (A process which takes about an hour and a half with baking, cooling, glazing and drying) I then need to make a mold of the positive. I use RTV2 Condensation cured silicone rubber. 

STEP 4: Cast the brain. I use epoxy resin suitable for jewellery castings (and its not too smelly for my little work-room) I tint it a brain-ey pink colour using resin pigment. The resin I use takes about 48 hours to fully set and harden. Its a long process considering I'm quite impatient. 

STEP 5: Is to pop it out of the mold, and then do some finishing touches. I paint the brain with a contrasting pink to bring out the full brainy detail. Once the paint has dried and I'm happy with it, I then sand off any rough edges, and seal the whole brain with two coats of resin finishing spray. (This also takes further drying time)

STEP 6: Is to attach the ring finding. The adhesive I use takes about 24 hours to fully bond, so this is another waiting process. 

 BUT once its dried I have a nice n pretty pink BRAIN ring! Even though I can get impatient with drying and setting times, its worth it in the end to be left with a piece that I have made from scratch to my original design. 

So there you have it! The creative process behind my brain rings. I hope this post shows you just how much work and time is involved in each piece of my new range. 

I'll be doing some more behind the scenes posts like this in the future so please check back if you're keen to see more. 

Sheina, 

The Crypt Keeper.

August Market Dates!

August is shaping up to be a huge month for me in terms of BIG markets. 

First up: We are doing Greazefest again. I had such a great time last year I absolutely had to go again. Big update to this years event is that it runs for TWO DAYS (Saturday 3/8 and Sunday 4/8) which means I will be one hell of an exhausted creeper that Sunday night!

For full event details see the Greazefest website: http://www.greazefest.com/

For full event details see the Rockabilly Riot website: http://www.rockabillyriot2013.com/

THEN the following weekend I have another huge 2 day event at Rockabilly Riot at the Brisbane Convention Centre, which is shaping up to be a massive event with some great exhibitors on board and some huge bands coming to play. 

So essentially I will not be sleeping for the last two weeks of July and first two weeks of August trying to cook up enough stock to cover these two great events. 

I am hyper excited though its going to be great fun. 

If anyone in Australia wanted an excuse to travel to Brisbane, First two weeks of August would deifnitely be the time to do it!

A week in the Crypt

Well it has been a busy week for me! With the opening of the webstore, I have had a flood of custom orders and sales come through and I'm loving every minute of it!

I still have a full time 40 hour a week job doing accounts for a large textile hire company in Brisbane. Its a stressful and demanding role, and I'm sure most people would think I'm mad when I say I go home at night to work on my own business!

I say that my day really begins at 4:30pm when I get home from my day job. I usually come home, have a quick snack and then dive into work in my craft room (or Crypt as I like to think of it)


I'm lucky that Mr Crypt is very supportive of me and he puts up with me running out at various stages of the night with half done projects in my hands saying "Does this look nice?" Or "What about this colour combo?"

For Xmas he bought me a framed Frankenstein film cell plaque which I have hanging in my craft room (Crypt) I like to think that I am my own version of Dr Frankenstein creating things late into the night. Except y'know my creations are bows, and not big men.

(Remember the creature in the story Frankenstein had no name, the true monster in that story was Dr Frankenstein for trying to re-create man. The creature Boris Karloff played is referred to as Frankensteins monster, or the monster)

Its one of my favourites I just had to jam that literary reference in there. :)