Engraved River Rock Jewelry

Making incredible pieces of jewelry using smooth river rocks is easy with the Proxxon Engraving Set.

I started with this smooth rock that I happened to find in our driveway. 

When drilling and engraving rocks and stones, keep a container of water at hand. Frequently dip the rock into the water to rinse away drilling debris and to cool the rock. Here's my set up:

I hold the engraver in my right hand and the rock in my left, with the rock supported on a towel. The towel absorbs excess water from the frequent dippings and provides a cushioned surface to work on.

You can draw your design on the rock with a pencil or freehand it. For this simple design, I chose to freehand it. Slow and steady is the key. The power of the engraver comes from the rotation of the bits, not from undue pressure. I used the corundum grinding bit that came with my engraving set. Corundum is second only to the diamond on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. Even so, it does take patience to carve all the way through a rock.

This stone was about 1/4" to 3/8" thick, and it took me around eight minutes of drip in the water/drill, drip in the water/drill, and repeat to complete the top hanging hole. The three shallow holes will seat crystals—it just wouldn't be "me" without a bit of bling :)

With the drilling and engraving complete, I polished the stone with beeswax, using my Proxxon Profession Rotary Tool with a buffing wheel,  (Note: You can also use the rotary tool with appropriate bits to engrave and carve rocks.)

After the buffing, I used E6000 adhesive to set the crystals. Notice that I use a precision tip to dispense the tiny amounts of glue needed.

I'm quite pleased with my engraved river rock, and will be on the lookout for more appropriate stones to engrave and carve.

Carole

Creepy Halloween Tombstones

Hi everyone Steph Ackerman here today.  With Halloween creeping up on us, it's time to create some Halloween decorations.

It's always fun to create something different and using the Proxxon Hotwire Cutter, you can create some amazing projects.

 

I started by drawing 2 tombstones on a 12" x 12" panel of Smoothfoam.  I cut them apart so I could easily work on each tombstone independently.

Smoothfoam cuts like butter with the Hotwire Cutter.

 

Each tombstone was painted with black paint.

 

White glossy paint was added to the cross on this tombstone.

To make them a little spooky, I added spider webbing around the tombstones and placed spiders on top.

 

They will look great in front of the house this Halloween.

Thanks for stopping by.

Steph

Boo Decor

Hello friends, Larissa here with you today. With all the holidays coming up I have decided to begin my DIY decor. Today I took three wooden blocks I previously had cut to make a Boo decor piece.

Using the Delta Sander  I sanded the edges smooth. 

Using a Gel Medium I painted on a thin coat on the block. 

I pre-cut 3 pieces of Halloween theme pattern paper and laid them on top of each block while the Gel Medium was still wet. I did the blocks one at a time since the Gel Medium needs to remain wet.

Once all three blocks were finished and dried and all the bubbles were out I took some black paint and paint the letters on each to spell the word BOO.

You can stack them on top of each other or side by side. I did not have the correct ribbon but I really wanted to wrap them in black tulle or ribbon and tie a bow at the top. Who knows I may end of doing it before it sits on my table for the season. :) 

Hope you enjoyed my post. Have a wonderful crafty day.

Larissa Pittman 

Hills and Valleys Woven Gourd

While at the Texas Gourd Festival a few weeks ago, I took a class on weaving hills and valleys on a gourd. The class was great and I decided I would try a gourd on my own now that I was back.

The Items needed for this project are:

Proxxon Jig Saw
Proxxon Delta Sander
Proxxon Rotary Tool
Brusho Crystals
Gourd
Reed Spokes
Reed
Yarn
Paint (brown)
Glue
Kamar Varnish

I really learned a lot in this class but I'm just going to primarily concentrate on the Proxxon Tools that I used in making this woven gourd.

To begin with I found what I thought would be a thick gourd and I marked the line to be cut and used my Proxxon Jig Saw for Gourds to cut it with.

This Jig Saw has become my go to saw when it comes to cutting a gourd. I then cleaned the inside of the gourd and painted the inside with brown paint mixed with glue.

The bottom wasn't quite level so I used my Proxxon Delta Sander to smooth out and level off the bottom.

I then colored the outside of the gourd with Brusho crystals and sealed it with Kamar Varnish. Once that was finished I used the Proxxon Rotary Tool with a drill bit that fit the size of the reed spokes to drill holes all around the gourd, which were spaced evenly.

I've got to say once again that I really enjoy using the Proxxon Rotary Tool! It makes it pretty easy to drill the holes at the right angle. I then glued the spokes into the gourd and let it set overnight to dry.

The next day the fun part began! I wove with reed and yarn around the gourd and finished up the ends of the spokes with beads glued onto the ends. I thought it really turned out beautiful and this one is going to be given as a gift.

What do you think of this latest project? Do you use any Proxxon tools or have you checked out the tools that Proxxon has to offer?

Barbara

End Table to Tween Table Tutorial

Hi everyone! Tammy here with you today with a fun tutorial on how to rescue an old end table and turn it into something your tween will love! We have had this old side table in our family for years and it is something I could never get rid of. Every few years, I refinish it into something fun for my daughter's room. This year she is a tweenager, so it had to be a fun and unique design for sure! I think I nailed it, what do you think??

Supplies I used:
Proxxon Delta Sander
Plaid Milk Paint
Plaid Ultra Dye
Plaid Milk Paint brushes
Plaid Ultra Dye brushes
Plaid Ultra Dye Varnish
Chalkboard paint
Plastic gems
Glue Dots Advanced Strength

Directions:
I started with a piece of furniture that has sentimental value. I chose this little table my dad made in wood shop when her was a teenager.

Use a Proxxon Delta Sander to remove any old paint and varnish from the table.

Stain with Plaid Ultra Dye stain in your choice of color. I used Raspberry Beret.

I used Plaid Milk Paint in Cottage Green and Plaid Chalkboard paint to add visual interest by color blocking the different areas of the table.

I used Glue Dots to add some plastic gems for decoration. I used many different colors and shapes for additional interest.

I also added gems to highlight the hand cut features of the piece.

I love how the table turned out! I know my daughter will love it because it matches the new bedding she picked out for her room remodel. I think this table rescue worked out great!

Let's be friends!

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Children's Puzzles Using the Scroll Saw

Everyone at my house loves puzzles!! It was with my two and a half year old grand daughter in mind that I made these two large-piece puzzles.

I mounted the printed pattern on 1/2" MDF board using this painters' tape method. Here you can get a glimpse of me using the Proxxon scroll saw to cut out the parrot puzzle. I recommend these large piece puzzles as a beginner project, because even if your cut lines are a bit off, the pieces will still fit together :)

I used my Proxxon Professional Rotary Tool to drill a hole for the parrot's eye.

Before painting the pieces I sanded them with 150 grit sandpaper using the Proxxon Delta sander.

After the acrylic paint was thoroughly dry, I sealed each piece with a clear acrylic sealant. These puzzles turned out to be a hit!! Here six year old Chloe is helping Anya complete them.

Carole

Christmas Basket Centerpiece

Hi everyone Steph Ackerman here today and with the start of September all things begin to change.  School is just beginning. Colors change with the advent of Fall and Christmas is less than 4 months away.  Well, there's no time like the present to get ready for Christmas decorating.

I recently rummaged through my mother's collection of wood pieces.  She passed before completing all that she wanted so I am determined to finish what she started.  I found a really nice wood basket that needed some TLC but I knew it would be perfect for a Christmas centerpiece.

Using the Delta Sander, I sanded it to a nice smooth finish. 

Then I painted Plaid's Folk Art Ultra Dye in Emerald City.  Once it was dry, I lightly sanded it again.  The Delta Sander is so light weight and easy to use that it makes any sanding job quick and fun.  I then added another coat of Ultra Dye and my basket was looking very Christmas-y.

Next, I used the Hot Wire Cutter to cut a Smoothfoam panel into 4 pieces.  The Hot Wire Cutter cuts through Smoothfoam like butter and in no time at all I had the perfect sized pieces I needed for my basket. 

Using Beacon Adhesives, I adhered 2 Smoothfoam pieces together then adhered them to the basket. Once dry, I inserted an assortment of Christmas picks.

To fill in the open areas, I placed some raffia amongst the picks.

And my basket is now ready for the Christmas table, or maybe I'll give it as a gift.

What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by today.