"What the hell am I going to do with this thing?"

This week's project is inspired by a visit to Dallas Makerspace where I made a heart in their blacksmithing class.  I posted it on Facebook and my aunt asked me what I was going to do with it.  Instead of this being a tutorial, this is more the process that I went through making this piece.  

What AM I going to do with this thing?

I wanted to make it into some sort of wall art, and started playing around with the idea of making something similar to a dream catcher.  I liked the rustic feel of the hammered metal and I wanted to keep with that look.  I used hemp cord, wooden beads, and cast resin keys and locks to make this piece.

Making the Heart

Dallas Makerspace is one of over 100 workshops/studios that are available to the public.  They offer classes, sometimes with a nominal fee, and members have access the fun tools and experts to make sure they are used responsibly.  It's a relatively new phenomenon, but is growing.  I'll be taking more classes there!

Most of us had never done any sort of blacksmithing before.  Our instructors helped us hammer the ends of the rod we'd been giving into points, folding the metal in half, and curving the pointed ends until we ended up with a heart.  

Some people did complex, swirly hearts.  Others, like me, did simple shapes that I tried to just make as perfect as I could.  In the end, I am really happy with my first foray into blacksmithing.  That was definitely the most fun I've ever had while getting serious burns.

Dream Catcher

I learned how to make dream catchers a long time ago from a friend.  She made beautiful dream catchers that she'd give to friends as gifts.  If you're interested in learning how to make them, start here.

I had trouble with figuring out what to do with the top of the heart where my iron pieces touched.  Nothing I did looked pretty there until I decided to loop around the end and go back the way I came.  

I added beads to the web, tied the web off at one of the end points, and then added fringe.

Fun with resin casting

I cast several keys and locks from a Mod Podge silicone mold I have.  I used the AMAZING! casting resin that I had left over from making fangs.  The process is pretty simple, mix up the resin, pour gently into the molds, and wait for it to dry before painting. Mod Podge has a pretty good selection of molds that I've seen at Michael's.  They unmold easily and clean up well.  I made several casts with no problem whatsoever.  If you can't find Mod Podge in your area, look in the baking section at the silicone fondant molds.  The yellow one pictured here is one intended for fondant an the small orange one is the Mod Podge.  Both are about the same price. but the fondant molds are larger.

Finishing up

I wanted a less straightforward heart, something that had a bit more movement in it especially since the burlap fringe I'd envisioned wasn't quite as pretty as I'd hoped.  I put the fringe on one side only and trimmed each of the strands after attaching all of the beads.

I'm not much for hearts in general, but I love this piece. I think it'll stick around for a little bit.