... Leather Wrapped Stone ...

[TMLee]

I came back from a tour in the Bible lands with a souvenir I picked up from the Dead Sea.

 

i had in mind to use it as a paperweight on my workbench when I craft my journals.

(TR paper is so thin and lightweight, they can easily get blown off the table with slight wind)

 

The worry was whether the stone would mar the very delicate TR paper.

 

And so the stone was left lying around just waiting and waiting .... to be useful.

 

 

The stone I think is soft.

And it had two large chip-offs.

There were also cracklines quite obvious running round the stone.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/FullSizeRender01.jpg

 

the other side

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/FullSizeRender02.jpg

 

then just a few days ago, i received a Pinterest alert that carried this pic

 

https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=leather+stone&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiF8vadkOLTAhXLso8KHcH4Ad0Q_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=604#imgrc=wdtotVsH3Zku8M:

 

They look so much like durian seeds here - large pebble-sized seeds of a local popular tropical fruit - the infamous Durian !!

 

 

 

Eureka !

The perfect solution to dress up my stone such that it wont ever mar my papers !

 

 

I quickly messaged a newfound friend with excellent leathercrafting skills ....

and within an unexpectedly short time,

texted me back to give me sneak peek on what he had explored by then ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/FullSizeRender2.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/FullSizeRender3.jpg

 

:thumbup:

 

 

 

We started to discuss further and some of my inputs ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/IMG_1003.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/IMG_1005.jpg

 

 

or , incorporating cutout holes ...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/IMG_1006.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/IMG_1007.jpg

 

 

It was promptly executed ...

and burnished a little - which made a huge difference aesthetically ...

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/FullSizeRender5.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/FullSizeRender6.jpg

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/FullSizeRender9.jpg

 

 

I cant wait to receive back the final product :D

 

I just had leather pants made for my pet rock !!!!

 

I think it will look great on my workbench ...

 

watch this space !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Anne-Sophie]

 

I think you got an artifact.

 

The shape looks like an ancient stone tool and it looks like ancient handwriting in it, like cuneiform, whose " pictographs were either drawn on clay tablets in vertical columns with a sharpened reed stylus or incised in stone." per Wikipedia.

 

Cuneiform is the writing of Mesopotamia in the Antique Era.

 

The writing looks like the pictographs of the first picture in the page below.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform_script

 

 

[TMLee]

I think you got an artifact. The shape looks like an ancient stone tool and it looks like ancient handwriting in it, like cuneiform, whose " pictographs were either drawn on clay tablets in vertical columns with a sharpened reed stylus or incised in stone." per Wikipedia. Cuneiform is the writing of Mesopotamia in the Antique Era. The writing looks like the pictographs of the first picture in the page below. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform_script

 

 

You're pulling my leg right ?

[TMLee]

I was so fascinated with the stones (two of them) I picked up at the muddy / stony beach ... ( I now forget whats the name of that beach , the currently lowest point ... 420m below sea level )

 

I opened its wrapping after returning home 3 days later from Israel, (and 5 days after the Dead Sea visit) and discovered it was kind of sticky.

 

so I left it on the coffee table to dry it out ....

 

and yikes, it perspired profusely for days !!!!

 

this is what it looked like ...

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/2017-03-01-PHOTO-00001848.jpg

 

then I put serving napkin underneath

 

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u236/TMLee/Stationery%20Paraphernalia/LEATHER%20WRAPPED%20STONES/2017-03-04-PHOTO-00001861.jpg

 

 

I remembered it was days or at least one and a half weeks before it was dry to the touch ...

probably having being totally immersed in the sea for goodness knows how long....

 

The two stones are slightly different.

 

The lighter one is I believe a sandstone - the same kind we see on buildings everywhere in Jerusalem , as mandated by the British Authorities then, in an initiative to preserve the character of that place. I think the locals call it the Jerusalem stone.

 

 

The darker one seems different, smoothened over years of abrasion.

Edited May 9, 2017 by TMLee

[my63]

Cool idea I think we need a trip to the beach to collect some interesting stones. when I say we I mean myself and my workshop team (apprentices)

 

Here they are helping me cut the grass

 

20170326_212923%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

Edited May 9, 2017 by my63

[TMLee]

Cool idea I think we need a trip to the beach to collect some interesting stones. when I say we I mean myself and my workshop team (apprentices)

 

Here they are helping me cut the grass

 

20170326_212923%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

 

 

haha :lticaptd:

 

they sure look like you really worked them over real good

[grilledcheese]

TMLee are you from Singapore or Malaysia by any chance? (My husband is Singaporean and I am very familiar with durian, having so many times been told by his family, if you really love him you will try ____ with durian -- ice creams, freeze-dried, fresh, you name it!)

 

I'm amazed at how much water they absorbed. And I think it's so funny that they look like little leather pants! I made a crochet covering for a rock to use as a pattern weight for sewing, and a friend accused me of going too far and making a 'rock cozy', haha.

 

This is the pattern I used: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2010/07/18/margaret-oomens-little-urchin-crochet-covered-sea-stones/

Edited May 9, 2017 by grilledcheese

[TMLee]

TMLee are you from Singapore or Malaysia by any chance? (My husband is Singaporean and I am very familiar with durian, having so many times been told by his family, if you really love him you will try ____ with durian -- ice creams, freeze-dried, fresh, you name it!)

 

I'm amazed at how much water they absorbed. And I think it's so funny that they look like little leather pants! I made a crochet covering for a rock to use as a pattern weight for sewing, and a friend accused me of going too far and making a 'rock cozy', haha.

 

This is the pattern I used: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2010/07/18/margaret-oomens-little-urchin-crochet-covered-sea-stones/

 

haha ...

as my location indicated in my profile, yes, I am from Singapore.

 

and yes I love durians !

 

but I am fortunate that I don't go crazy if I don't have any , nor climb mountains just to have some to eat.

( I have friends who do ! )

I wont be surprised if the durian lovers will be smirking at me.

 

I have a fondness for durians that doesn't overwhelm me.

 

I am making a guess here ... If I am not wrong, you sound as if you don't fancy durians !

Am I right ?

 

Your crotchet work is wonderful

I think they look kool

 

They look like sea urchin skeletons.

 

I am wondering have you thought about using more colours,

or linen threads

or polyester threads ?

 

genuine linen threads are beautiful but expensive.

 

They are commonly used in basketry & other crafts ...

 

[Anne-Sophie]

 

 

You're pulling my leg right ?

No, I recognized some pattern in the stone, then looked at the picture with a magnifier and recognized more. I studied History and I am an History buff.

 

Wet, the way you found them, they look like regular sea stones.

 

Anyhow, the stones are in good hands with their leather wrap, and it is very fitting that something that, I believe, was an ancient tool, be used to help a contemporary artist make beautiful things.

Edited May 9, 2017 by Anne-Sophie

[Anne-Sophie]

Cool idea I think we need a trip to the beach to collect some interesting stones. when I say we I mean myself and my workshop team (apprentices)

 

Here they are helping me cut the grass

 

20170326_212923%5B1%5D by my0771, on Flickr

Beautiful Crew! Could you share their names?

[grilledcheese]

D'oh! There it is right under your name! Now I feel very silly. And you are right, the famous durian didn't enchant me, haha.

 

The crochet stones in the link are not my work, alas, I wish I could crochet that well, but that is the pattern I used. They would be very beautiful in linen, I must try it.

[TMLee]

No, I recognized some pattern in the stone, then looked at the picture with a magnifier and recognized more. I studied History and I am an History buff.

 

Wet, the way you found them, they look like regular sea stones.

 

Anyhow, the stones are in good hands with their leather wrap, and it is very fitting that something that, I believe, was an ancient tool, be used to help a contemporary artist make beautiful things.

 

 

GEE WHIZ !!!

 

This is gonna be more treasured than I ever imagined

 

would you mind pointing out what you saw ?

I cant make out what you managed to spot !!!

This is interesting.

 

And yes, now that you mentioned , the two large chips look like cutting parts ...

[TMLee]

D'oh! There it is right under your name! Now I feel very silly. And you are right, the famous durian didn't enchant me, haha.

 

The crochet stones in the link are not my work, alas, I wish I could crochet that well, but that is the pattern I used. They would be very beautiful in linen, I must try it.

 

 

Believe or not, I became a durian 'convert' at age 30 !!!

I still remember.

 

I gamely gave it a taste , when offered very good quality and species of durian.

And I was surprised myself, it tasted really really good.

 

 

When i was a little boy hardly in school yet, I used to ran far far away from the kitchen when mum and/or dad brought durians home for a feast.

I just couldn't stand the pungent scent of the fruit. Nauseating at times, even.

Its that potent that you can tell when your neighbours doors away are having durians.

 

never imagined I would now love durians and have specific preference for a certain species.

 

Its true , durians are an acquired taste .

 

Would love to see your pet stones clothed.

[my63]

From left to right Keela then Millie in the background next Zoe the liver and white and finally Keela's brother Diesel they are all rescue springer spaniels.

Zoe is our most recent addition she was a foster dog at first our 52 nd one and my son loved her so she stayed 😀

Sorry for hijacking your thread T M Lee

[TMLee]

From left to right Keela then Millie in the background next Zoe the liver and white and finally Keela's brother Diesel they are all rescue springer spaniels.

Zoe is our most recent addition she was a foster dog at first our 52 nd one and my son loved her so she stayed 😀

Sorry for hijacking your thread T M Lee

nah

 

no worries at all 😊

[TMLee]

deleted double post

Edited May 11, 2017 by TMLee

[grilledcheese]

I'm well past 30, but maybe there is still hope for me. I'll be in Singapore in August for a cousin's wedding, and I'm sure I will be given many " opportunities " to acquire a taste.

 

Here is my pet rock dressed in variegated cotton thread from Valdani. This was a terrible choice for someone who had never tried to crochet before, the hook I used was so small I felt like I was using a sewing needle.

[grilledcheese]

I don't seem to be able to attach more than one photo per post, so apologies for the double post. Here is the back:

[Anne-Sophie]

 

TMLee: I started making a graph of the stones with the writing patterns.

I need more time to distinguish them, and draw them, because it involves making the webpage bigger, check with the magnifier, find the spot on the diagram, mark it, then draw the letters, checking multiple time for accuracy. The last point, being a habit of history buffs and historians.

 

It is such a wonderous find, they wanted to be part of an artist workshop!

 

 

M63: Gorgeous Crew! Thanks for sharing this beautiful family portrait.

 

 

Grilledcheese: now, you, do have a run of the mill rock, but its wrap is nice and colorful.

 

 

[grilledcheese]

Haha, yes, I'm afraid my rock came from a huge barrel of them used for landscaping, they don't come more ordinary than that.