Dragon in an Egg: Pour It, Paint It, Don’t Rush It

This little dragon is one of mine. Eco resin, a mold, and a lot of paint. He is sitting in a cracked blue egg with a white, speckled interior, gold horns and wing, green-blue scales, and that slightly surprised look you get when you have just hatched and the world is too bright.

People always ask if they can do this. Yes. Buy a mold, buy eco resin, buy paint, pour, demold, paint. That is the short version. The honest version is that the pour is the easy afternoon. The part that makes it look finished is everything after that.

What you need

- A dragon-in-egg silicone mold (the kind sold for resin or soap)
- Eco resin or another two-part casting resin meant for figurines (read the label; “eco” still needs gloves and air)
- Mixing cups, stir sticks, a kitchen scale if the resin is mixed by weight
- Gloves, and a window or fan
- Fine sandpaper (around 400–800 grit)
- Acrylic paints: blues, greens, gold, a bit of brown or black for shading
- A small brush set — one tiny detail brush matters more than a fancy kit
- Optional: metallic or iridescent paint, a clear satin or gloss sealer
- Patience you did not budget for

The pour

1. Read the resin instructions once, then again. Mix ratio is not a suggestion.
2. Work on a covered table. Wear gloves.
3. Mix only what the mold needs, plus a little extra. Stir slow so you do not beat in a cloud of bubbles.
4. Pour into the mold in a thin stream. Tap the mold on the table to walk bubbles up.
5. Let it cure the full time on the bottle. Overnight is common. Peeking early is how you fingerprint a half-set dragon.
6. Demold gently. If it fights you, wait longer.

You now have a pale casting. That is not the finished piece. That is the homework.

Clean-up and paint

Sand the seam lines and any rough spots. Wipe the dust off.

Paint in layers, not one heroic coat.

- Egg exterior: blues over the scale pattern, a lighter blue or grey in the recesses so the “shell” reads as shell.
- Egg interior: off-white or pale blue, then a speckle with a dry brush or a toothbrush flick.
- Dragon body: green and teal, darker in the folds, lighter on the snout, belly, and knuckles.
- Horns and wing: gold, then a tiny bit of brown in the grooves so it does not look like a sticker.
- Eyes: leave a highlight. A dead eye kills a cute dragon.

Let each layer dry. If a colour looks cheap, it usually needs another thin coat, not more paint in the brush.

Seal when you are done and the paint is fully dry. Satin is kinder than high gloss on a hatchling.

The part I will not pretend is quick

Mixing and pouring is an hour, plus cure time. Painting this one took far longer than the pour. I keep going until I am happy, and “happy” is a moving target. You will miss a seam. You will get gold on the snout. You will think it is finished, sleep on it, and add three more shadows in the morning.

That is the craft. The mold gets you the shape. You get the dragon.

If you try one, start with a small mold, mix less resin than you think, and paint slower than you want to. The egg will wait.

How to Rescue Mushy Peaches and Soft Plums with One Jar of Fridge Jam

No peeling, no packet pectin, no full canning day, no human-wrinkle joke reference. 🤣

Late-season peaches from a BC trip. Four large ones left. Flavour was meh. One from the original bunch had already gone moldy — always the one near the bottom.

There were also a lot of plums still on the counter, already soft and wrinkly, the kind that will not last another week. A few days earlier I had put up about 25 jars of straight plum jam the long way: full water-bath, shelf-stable, the whole process. I did not want to fire all of that up again for one small rescue batch.

So I made fridge jam. One jar. No peeling. No packet pectin. No measuring cups lined up like a science project. The fruit that was about to be compost is now a jam that actually tastes like fruit.

This is how.
What fridge jam is (and is not)
Fridge jam is cooked fruit and sugar that sets enough to spread, then lives in the refrigerator. It is not canned. It is not shelf-stable. You do not water-bath it. You eat it in a few weeks.

That is the point. When you only have a handful of tired fruit, you do not owe it a full canning day.

What I used

- 4 large late-season peaches, unpeeled, chopped small
- About 15 plums (maybe more), already soft and wrinkly, unpeeled, chopped small
- About 1½ cups sugar (somewhere between 1 and 2 cups; I landed closer to 1½)
- A splash of water to get it started
- About 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more if a taste test said it was too sweet
- 1 clean jar with a lid (the jar in the photo)

No commercial pectin. Peaches and plums both have some of their own. Lemon juice helps the set and keeps the flavour from going flat.

How to do it

1. Wash the fruit. Cut out bruises, soft spots, and anything that looks off. Do not use moldy fruit. The one moldy peach from the bottom of the bag was already gone.

2. Leave the skins on. Chop the peaches and plums small. Skins cook down and add colour. That deep pink in the jar is mostly plum skin doing its job.

3. Put the chopped fruit in a pot with a splash of water so nothing sticks on the first few minutes.

4. Add the sugar and the lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the fruit starts to break down.

5. Cook and stir. This is the whole method. No timer that matters more than your eyes. The fruit will go from chunks in juice to a thicker, glossy mix that sheets off the spoon instead of running like syrup.

6. Taste as you go. If it is only sweet and the fruit has disappeared, add more lemon juice. That is what pulled this batch back. The peaches started with almost no flavour. Lemon and plum did the rescue.

7. When it looks like jam you would actually spread — thick, not glue, not soup — take it off the heat.

8. Spoon it into a clean jar, lid on, cool, then fridge.

That is the jar in the photo. One pot, one jar, fruit saved.

How you know it is done

- It coats the spoon.
- A little on a cold plate wrinkles when you push it.
- It tastes like fruit first, sugar second.

If it is still runny after a good cook, keep going. Fridge jam can be a little looser than shelf jam. It will thicken more as it cools.

How to keep it

Refrigerator only. Use a clean spoon every time. Plan to eat it within a few weeks. If you want jars that sit in the pantry all winter, that is a different project — the 25 jars of plum jam already covered that.

Why this works when the fruit is disappointing

Late peaches can be mushy and dull. Soft plums can feel like they missed their moment. Cooking them together with enough lemon concentrates what flavour is left and hides what isn’t. You are not trying to make perfect-peach jam. You are trying not to throw good-enough fruit in the bin.

This batch is not too sweet. You can taste the fruit. That is the test.

Look at the Sunset. Then Leave People Room to See It Too

Happy Friday!

I pulled over for this one. The sky was doing that late-September thing it does out here: peach and coral smeared across the clouds, the mountains gone to silhouette, the fields still holding a last strip of green. The road was quiet. The fence line was quiet. For a few minutes the whole scene just sat there and let itself be looked at.

That is the whole point of getting out early.

You leave when it is still easy to find a shoulder, a pull-out, a bit of grass that does not already have three tripods and a family picnic on it. You give yourself time. You wait for the light. You take the picture, then you actually look. The phone goes down. The shoulders drop. You notice the way the colour sits on the ridges and how the yellow line on the pavement is the only bright thing left on the ground.

It is a good day to do that. Any clear evening is. We spend so much time rushing toward the next thing that we forget the sky is putting on a show whether we booked a reservation or not.

Then the latecomers arrive.

They always do. They swing in after the best light has already started, after the spots are taken, and they treat the remaining inches like they are public property that belongs to whoever is boldest. A little shove. A bag dropped in front of someone already set up. A body planted so close you can smell their laundry soap. The unspoken message is: I showed up, so I am entitled to the front.

I get tired of it. I do not think that makes me a mean cat. It makes me someone who got up early, found a quiet place, and would like to keep the quiet.

Being kind is not only holding the door or saying please. Being kind is also noticing that another person already occupies that two feet of gravel and choosing not to occupy it too. Space is not an insult. It is basic manners. You can still see the sunset from three steps back. The mountains do not get smaller because you are not standing on someone else’s toes.

If you arrive late, you get the view that is left. That is the deal. The people who planned ahead did not do it so they could pretend they are more important. They did it so they could stand still for ten minutes and watch the colour change. Let them.

So this Friday: pull over if the sky is putting on a show. Take the picture. Then look with your actual eyes. And if someone is already there, leave them the room they claimed with their own early start.

The sunset does not need an audience packed shoulder to shoulder. It just needs people willing to stop.

What do you think? Have you noticed the same thing at lookouts and roadside stops, or am I just lucky in my timing?

 

How to See Five Big Crowsnest Pass Stops in One Short Drive

 

If you are driving Highway 3 through southwest Alberta and want more than a gas-and-go, this loop is the one. Five stops. About twenty minutes of driving between them. Waterfall, a famous dead tree, coal-mine ruins, Canada’s worst mining disaster, and the Frank Slide.

KassDays walked the route in this video:

5 Incredible Stops in Alberta (All Within 20 Minutes!)
https://youtu.be/h8feqfWtB6Q

How to do the route

Go west from Pincher Creek / Lundbreck or east from the rest of the Pass. Stay on Highway 3. Pull off when the signs say so. You do not need a full hiking day.

Lundbreck Falls
Provincial recreation area just off the highway. Twin drops on the Crowsnest River, platforms at the top, stairs into the canyon if you want the mist. Picnic tables. Fishing. Campground downstream. Stay out of the water above and right below the falls. Parking fills on nice days; use the overflow lot across the bridge if you have to.

The Burmis Tree
Limber pine, centuries old, dead since the late 1970s, still standing because the community braced it after wind and vandals. Pull-off beside Highway 3. Read the panel. Take the photo. Do not climb it or lean on the supports. It is a heritage symbol, not a jungle gym.

Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site
Stone ruins of a Canadian-owned coal plant that lasted less than ten years. Manager’s house, powerhouse, coke ovens. Self-guided paths. Donation in summer. Washrooms and picnic tables mid-May to Labour Day. Dogs welcome; leash on the paths. Stay on the gravel walks. Do not climb unstable walls.

Hillcrest Mine Disaster Memorial
Short detour into Hillcrest. June 19, 1914. 189 men killed. Worst coal-mining disaster in Canadian history. Cemetery, mass graves, later memorial. This is a working cemetery and a place of mourning. Keep voices down. Stay off graves. Do not treat it like a photo booth.

Frank Slide
April 29, 1903. Turtle Mountain let go. Part of the town of Frank buried in under two minutes. Seventy to ninety people died; most are still under the rock. Walk the marked paths on the boulder field. The Interpretive Centre is the place for the full story if you have extra time. Do not scramble off-trail on loose rock.

 How to keep the day decent

• Check 511 Alberta. Pass weather changes fast.
• Fuel in Pincher Creek, Blairmore, or Coleman.
• Bear spray if you wander any trail beyond the viewpoints.
• Pack out everything.
• Private property and cemetery rules are not suggestions.
• Pair the loop with Waterton, Castle, or a night in the Pass if you have the day. Do not try to rush Frank Slide and a long hike in the same afternoon.

Beauty here is mixed with grief. The waterfall is easy. The tree is stubborn. The ruins show how fast a fortune can fail. Hillcrest and Frank ask you to stand still for a minute.

Watch the walk-through, then drive it yourself:

https://youtu.be/h8feqfWtB6Q

Helen
Helen’s How To

Rowley Alberta, the Town That Refused to Die | Exploring Ghost Towns

 

 

How to Explore Alberta Ghost Towns (Without Crossing the Line): Rowley, the Town That Refused to Die

If you are hunting Alberta ghost towns, abandoned prairie villages, or a Drumheller day trip that is more than hoodoos, start with Rowley.

Rowley sits in Starland County, north of Drumheller in the Alberta Badlands. In the 1920s it had hundreds of people, a train station, stores, a hospital, a church, and three grain elevators on the skyline. Then the Dirty Thirties, better roads, and the end of rail traffic emptied it out. Today eight to twelve people still live there. They mow the grass. They keep the saloon. They call it a historical village more than a ghost town — and they are right.

KassDays walked the streets in this 23-minute video already live on YouTube:

Inside the Abandoned Ghost Town That Refused to Die! (9 Residents)
https://youtu.be/tSDHEJurHYE

You will see the three grain elevators, the old hospital, the church, the bank, Sam’s Saloon, the community hall, and the speeder car on a short stretch of track. Hollywood has used Rowley as a period set. Locals still run Pizza Night on the last Saturday of the month to pay for repairs. That is why the place looks cared for instead of collapsing.

How to find Alberta ghost towns to explore

• Search “Alberta ghost towns map,” Starland County, Special Areas, Crowsnest Pass, and Highway 9 / Highway 56 corridors near Drumheller.
• Good public or semi-public stops: Rowley, Dorothy, Wayne, East Coulee, Atlas Coal Mine, Leitch Collieries, Nordegg, Bankhead (Banff area ruins), and parts of the Crowsnest Pass.
• Use Travel Alberta, municipal heritage pages, and recent visitor photos. Old map pins are often wrong or on private land.
• Pair Rowley with Drumheller, the Royal Tyrrell Museum, the hoodoos, and the Atlas Coal Mine for a full Badlands loop.

Mind the signs. This part matters.

Many “ghost towns” still have residents, private houses, working farms, and buildings owned by the community association. Rowley is one of them.

• If a sign says Private Property, No Trespassing, or Residents Only — stop. Do not walk around it, do not try the door, do not film through windows.
• Stay on public roads, marked paths, and clearly open townsite areas.
• Do not enter boarded buildings, climb elevators, or treat someone’s home like a movie set.
• Dogs on leash. Pack out everything. Do not move artifacts.
• Ask before flying a drone.
• Pizza Night and posted summer tours are the welcome mat. Random weekday peeking into yards is not.

A ghost town that still has nine people in it stays alive because visitors treat it like a living place, not a free-for-all ruin.

Watch the full walk-through here:
https://youtu.be/tSDHEJurHYE

Experiment first. Please yourself. Keep going.

These two photos are from a Friday at the workbench. A resin sword on the mat, blue fading into gold like water meeting sunlight. Small pours nearby. Brushes in every cup. A colour chart on the wall. A UV lamp. Molds waiting for the next try. It looks like a studio. It was really just a table and a person learning out loud.

Almost everything is an experiment when you are still figuring out the why and the how. You mix, you pour, you wait, you sand, you look at it under different light and decide whether it is finished or whether it is only another step. Some pieces land. Some do not. Both teach you something the instructions never will.

The point is not to make something the internet will crown as perfect. The point is to make something that pleases you. That is harder than it sounds. Insecurity likes to sit on the edge of the table and ask who you think you are. The only useful answer is to pick up the next cup and pour anyway.

Beauty lives in the eye of the beholder. That includes the person who made it. If the sword makes you smile when you walk past it, it has already done its job. If someone else sees a mermaid tail or a toy or a failed pour, that is their seeing. It does not cancel yours.

Time and patience are the real materials. Resin is just what you pour them into.

Helen
Helen’s How To

 

 

Easy Eco Resin Skulls

Easy Eco Resin Skulls | One of my favourite molds

Make what you like. If skulls please you, pour skulls. Dragons next. A spoon rest when the idea is ready. The craft is the same: a mold, a mix, and a finish you actually want to look at.

What you need
An eco resin (water-based casting resin — mix to the maker’s ratio), a skull mold, a scale or marked cups, a stir stick, a release if the mold needs it, and a level work tray. Gloves. Paint and sealer only after it is fully cured.

Pour

1. Clean and dry the mold. Mist or brush release if required. 
2. Mix the eco resin exactly as the bag or bottle says. Scrape the sides. Do not guess the water. 
3. Tint in the cup if you want colour through the whole skull, or leave it raw for paint later. 
4. Pour slowly. Tap the mold to lift bubbles. 
5. Leave it undisturbed until the cure time is done. Demolding early is how faces tear.

Finish
Sand any seams. The speckled skull with a pink jaw and the pearly one with blue sockets are the same pour in different clothes: dry-brush, inks in the eyes, a wash in the teeth, then a sealer so they can sit on a shelf and not stay tacky.

That is the whole trick. The mold does the anatomy. You do the character.

I have not used the spoon rest mold yet. Same steps when I do: mix, pour, wait, then make it look like something I would keep. Art is not a committee. Pour the skulls. Paint the dragons. Use the rest when the idea shows up.

A Few Minutes of Flowers, a Buck, and Letting Go

 

A Few Minutes of Flowers, a Buck, and Letting Go

I put together a short clip — mostly stills — of flowers, a beautiful buck, and a little art. The soundtrack is one of those AI nature tracks from Filmora. It is fine. It is not special. I did not want to hunt for something better, that is not really the point of this point, I babble a bit here and there.

Nature does not have to be a mountain range or a perfect sunrise. It can be a bloom in a yard, a deer standing still long enough to be seen, a piece of art that holds a bit of wonder. Whatever form is in front of you is enough.

The goal is simple: look at what is there. Let the noise drop, even if only for a short stretch of time. You do not have to fix anything. You do not have to keep the feeling all day. A few quiet minutes counts.

Watch the clip, share your thoughts with me, just be in peace, if even only for a few minutes.
If it gives you even a small pause, that is enough.

 

How to Capture the Beauty of Waterton National Park Alberta

How to Capture the Beauty of Waterton (and Come Home in One Piece)

A couple of years ago I stood on a hillside in Waterton Lakes National Park and took this photo: a weathered snag reaching over turquoise water, mountains holding cloud, new green pushing up around old wood. I have not been back since. Next year I really must. Places like this do not just look beautiful. They reset you, if you let them.

This is a how-to for getting there, staying ready, and actually seeing what is in front of you.

How to get to Waterton Lakes National Park

Waterton sits in the southwest corner of Alberta, right against Glacier National Park in Montana. The practical way in is a car.

From Calgary it is about 270 km south — roughly three hours. Highway 2 south, then Highway 6 into the park. From Lethbridge it is closer, about 130 km. You need a Parks Canada pass at the gate. Summer weekends get busy, so a weekday or shoulder-season visit is kinder on both nerves and parking.

Check 511 Alberta before you roll. Fuel up in Pincher Creek or Mountain View if you are arriving outside peak hours. Once you are in the townsite, the lake and the peaks do the rest.

How to get ready for the trail if your knees or ankles have a past

Better to have the brace and not need it than to need it and not have it.

I found that out the hard way. An old ankle injury woke up on the way down, not the way up. Fancy that. Uphill you are working and paying attention. Downhill is where the joint takes the pounding, the trail gets steeper than it looked, and pride says “I’m fine” a little too long.

If you have weak knees or ankles:

• Pack the brace even on an “easy” day
• Use poles on the descent
• Slow down before the joint tells you to
• Turn around earlier than your ego wants

Waterton trails can look gentle from the lake and still chew you up on the return.

How to pack so the day stays a good day

Carry what the park actually asks of you:

• Bear spray, where you can reach it, not buried in the pack. Know how to use it before you need it.
• Bug spray
• An extra layer — Waterton weather changes its mind
• Snacks
• More water than you think you need

Then add the unglamorous stuff: the brace, a bandage, a little tape. Beauty is easier to notice when you are not limping and hungry.

How to share the trail with wildlife that does not want you there

This is their home. You are passing through.

Keep your distance. Make a little noise on brushy stretches. Never let food or scented items wander. A deer, elk, or bear that does not see you as welcome is not a photo opportunity first. It is a reason to give space, stay calm, and leave them the trail.

Watch the edges of the frame — the shoreline, the berry patch, the blowdown. That is often where they are.

How to let go of what is dragging you and actually see the place

This is the part a packing list cannot do for you.

Stop. Put the phone down after you take the shot. Breathe in through the nose, out longer than you want to. Look at the dead tree and the living green around it. Look at the water changing colour under cloud. Let the day you brought with you sit down for a minute.

Capturing beauty is not only pointing a camera at mountains. It is noticing the snag, the little yellow flowers at your feet, the fact that you made it here at all. The picture I took that day still works because I paused long enough to see the whole scene, not just the postcard peak.

Waterton will still be there next year. So will the list of things that wear you down, unless you practice leaving them in the car.

Go prepared. Go slowly on the downhill. Carry the spray and the water. Keep an eye on what lives there. Then breathe. That is the how-to.

#WatertonLakes #Alberta #HikingTips #HowTo #NationalParks #GetOutside

Location: Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada

How to Lighten and Stripe a Dark Purple Eco-Resin Dragon Belly

This little dragon started with a solid dark-purple belly. The finished look is lighter overall, with clean white-to-lavender stripes across the tummy and a bit of shine so it doesn’t look flat. You can do the same change on a painted eco-resin piece without stripping the whole figure.

What you need

• The painted eco-resin dragon (fully cured)
• Fine sandpaper (400–600 grit) or a sanding sponge
• Soft brush or damp cloth to wipe dust
• Acrylic paints: a pale mauve/lavender, a light magenta or soft white, and a tiny bit of metallic silver if you want the claws/horns to pop
• Small detail brush and a slightly wider flat brush
• Water cup and paper towel
• Optional: acrylic varnish (matte or satin) and a pearl or interference medium if you want the pearly glow from the second photo

Prep Wipe the dragon so it is clean and dry. Lightly scuff only the belly scales you plan to repaint. You are not trying to remove all the old colour—just give the new paint something to hold. Wipe the dust off.

Paint the base of the belly Mix a pale lavender (mauve pale plus a touch of white works well). Paint the whole belly in thin coats. Let each coat dry. Two or three thin coats beat one thick one on resin. Keep the edges neat where the belly meets the sides so you do not have to fix the rest of the dragon.

Add the stripes Once the pale base is dry, use a slightly darker purple or a clean white (depending on how strong you want the contrast). Follow the existing scale lines. A thin flat brush or a liner brush makes this easier. Paint every other scale band, or every second row, so you get even stripes. If a line wobbles, wait until it is dry and tidy it with the pale colour.

Details Touch up the claws and horn tips with a little silver if they look dull. Check the eyes and snout so they still read against the new belly. Let everything dry fully—acrylic on resin can feel dry on top while the layer underneath is still soft.

Seal A thin coat of acrylic varnish protects the new paint and evens the sheen. If you want that pearly, slightly translucent look, mix a drop of pearl medium into the last pale coat or into the varnish. Do not flood the details.

 

Tips that save a redo

• Thin paint. Thick paint hides scale texture.
• Work in good light so the stripe edges stay crisp.
• If you hate a stripe, sand that band lightly and paint it again. Eco-resin can take a gentle scuff.
• The frog-on-the-toilet in the workbench photo is optional. The dragon is not.

That is the whole change: scuff, pale base, stripes along the scales, seal. The before is the dark solid belly. The after is the striped one sitting on the table with the paint tubes still open.

Sometimes the Best Remedy Is a Pair of Dancing Boots

Let's Dance 

This past weekend in Okotoks, the Chinook Country Line Dancers took the stage at the Chilli Fest and reminded everyone how good it feels to move to a simple beat under an open sky.

No fancy choreography required—just a group of people stepping, turning, and smiling together while the rest of the festival carried on around them. Watching it is pure, uncomplicated joy.

In a world that constantly pulls us toward screens and endless scrolling, moments like this are a quiet invitation: step outside, find something lively, and let yourself enjoy it. Whether it’s line dancing, a local festival, a walk, or simply standing still long enough to notice the weather, getting out into the real world has a way of lifting the weight that online noise can pile on.

The short clip of the dancers is linked below. Watch it, smile a little, and then maybe go find your own small reason to step away from the screen today.

Do Art! (And Finish What’s on the Go)

 Hey All You Artsy People,

Welcome back to the website, how to do what? Who knows right, just how to breathe somedays! Today’s post is a little peek into my current art corner and a gentle reminder I needed to hear myself.

Here’s the workspace right now: brushes standing tall like a forest, bottles of Liquitex gloss varnish, DecoArt metallics, acrylics in every colour, and a few pieces I’ve been working on. Front and centre is the skull—nearly finished, with its soft pastel washes and that rosy jaw. Beside it sits a shiny coppery-pink owl, a little blue mushroom house, a clear resin sphere filled with dried flowers and citrus slices, and a couple of other experiments still finding their way.

I made all of these. The skull is so close I can almost call it done. The others? Honestly, I’m not sure what their final story will be yet. And that’s okay.

Somewhere along the way I saw a sign (wish I could remember the exact wording) that said something like: “I’m not a hoarder of art supplies… I’m a collector of what I may need in the future.” That hit home. The shelves are full, the brushes are waiting, and the paints are ready—but right now my focus is on finishing the projects already started. Once those are complete, the door opens for brand-new ideas.

Over the years I’ve learned so much through simply showing up and making. Some days it feels like you haven’t progressed at all… and then you look back and realize how far the quiet practice has carried you.

So if you’re doubting yourself, keep going. Find the peace you’re seeking and let it develop from there. The supplies will wait. The ideas will wait. Just do the art that’s in front of you today.

Moral of the story?
Do Art!

What are you working on right now? Any nearly-finished pieces sitting on your desk, or a favourite “collector, not hoarder” quote of your own? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Happy creating,
Helen of How To Just BE
#DoArt #ArtStudio #FinishWhatYouStart #HelenHowTo

Two Beauties from Pioneer Acres

More Treasures from Pioneer Acres 

 

The Irricana Pioneer Acres Museum Annual Event is always a highlight, and this year was no exception. Steam engines may take centre stage, but the grounds are full of other gems that stop you in your tracks.

One of the most impressive is the big white farmhouse that sits quietly on the property. That classic two-storey home was not built here — it was carefully moved onto the site. The original family donated it when they decided to build a modern house. The museum arranged the entire move, preserving a traditional prairie home with its large rooms, generous dining space, and solid old-style construction.

Step inside and the dining room is set as if company is expected any minute. A long oval table covered in a gold cloth holds a full formal place setting of white china, cups, bowls, and serving dishes. Dark wooden chairs, lace curtains, a china cabinet, and soft natural light complete the scene. It’s easy to picture family dinners, Sunday roasts, and conversations that stretched long into the evening in a house that once had plenty of room for everyone.

Out on the open grass, that same house provides the perfect backdrop for a sharp red vintage dump truck — solid tires, open cab, and the big tilting box ready for work. Both the truck and the house sit together on museum property, two different chapters of Alberta’s working past side by side.

Add in the ornate McClary cook-stove we also admired, which sits inside the house, and you start to feel the full picture of pioneer life: the practical machines that built the land, the solid homes that sheltered families, and the well-made household pieces that made daily living a little more comfortable.

Pioneer Acres does an outstanding job of keeping these stories alive. If you get the chance to visit, take time to walk through the house, sit for a moment in that dining room, and imagine the lives that once filled it.

More than Just a Jump with a Motorcycle

More Than a Jump

At first glance, the photo is simply thrilling: a rider soars high above a dirt track, motorcycle angled perfectly against the open sky. Behind him rises the familiar skyline of Calgary, the Canadian flag fluttering nearby. It is a striking image of skill and motion.

But look longer, and the picture begins to open the mind.

What we see is the result of years that the camera cannot capture. Countless early mornings on the track. Repeated falls into hard-packed dirt. Bruises, sprains, the sharp sting of failure, the quiet decision to get back on the bike anyway. Mastery is never sudden. It is built one careful practice run, one recovered injury, one stubborn return at a time.

The rider in the air has already paid that price. The jump looks effortless only because the effort came earlier—out of sight, away from the lens. The city in the background reminds us that ordinary life continues while extraordinary focus is happening just a few kilometres away.

Photographs often hold more than we notice at first. They freeze a single second of triumph, yet they quietly point to the long, unseen road that made that second possible. The next time a picture stops you, pause. Wonder about the practice, the tumbles, the quiet courage that brought the subject to that exact moment.

Sometimes the real story is not what is shown, but everything that had to happen before the shutter clicked.

How to Explore and Appreciate the Past

Sometimes history feels like a distant textbook story—until you stand in front of the real thing. This short video takes us to an abandoned house on the southern Alberta prairie, part of a quiet ghost-town search. Weathered wood, broken windows, and a lone dead tree tell a story of hope, hard work, and eventual departure that no written account can fully capture.

Visiting places like this changes the picture. You start to wonder who lived here, what the winters felt like, and why the town faded. The details—creaking floors, prairie wind through empty rooms, the vast empty fields—turn abstract history into something personal and alive.

That is the simple “how-to”: go look for yourself. Step away from screens, walk the old roads, and let the remnants speak. The past becomes clearer, richer, and far more human once you experience even a small piece of it firsthand.

Watch the video here:

Create Art as Your Heart Decides

This little skull was never meant to follow a trend.

I poured it in eco resin, chose every colour myself, painted the bone tones and soft pinks by hand, and gave him a pair of golden cat-like eyes that stare right back at you. Not to make him spooky or macabre. Just to give him life. I want my creatures to be able to see. I want them to have character. I want them to feel like they could sit on a shelf and quietly watch the world go by with a bit of personality of their own.

He isn’t perfect. He isn’t trying to be. He is simply what happened when I stopped asking what “they” are making this week and started listening to what I actually wanted to make.

Sometimes the loudest advice floating around is to copy whatever is currently popular, to match the colour palette the algorithm is rewarding, to produce the same shape the crowd is already sharing. I understand the temptation. But I keep coming back to a quieter truth: create as your heart decides. Not because someone said it was trending. Not because the mob has already decided what “good” looks like this month. Create from you, for the betterment of you.

When the work comes from that place, something shifts. You stop measuring yourself against strangers online and start measuring the piece against your own satisfaction. Does it make you smile when you look at it? Does it feel like it belongs to the person you actually are? If the answer is yes, then it has already succeeded—long before anyone else ever sees it.

This skull is one of those pieces for me. I like him. The soft peach of the bone, the white of the teeth and the brain-like ridges, the unexpected brightness of those feline eyes. He sits there looking slightly amused, slightly curious, completely himself. And that is enough.

So if you are standing in front of your own materials right now, wondering whether your idea is “on trend” or “too different,” I offer the same quiet permission I give myself:

Don’t be one of the crowd.
Allow yourself to be unique unto yourself.

Make the thing that only you would make. Give it eyes if it needs eyes. Choose the colours that feel right in your hands. Let it come to life in whatever way your heart decides.

The rest will take care of itself. Below you will see my other little friend, I nearly typed fiend, but look at him, he looks kind of happy, doesn't look mean, not really a fiend.  The fellow at the top of this page, I would be more worried about him, if we are going supernatural. 😁 🖖

 

Going With the Flow: Resin, Random Projects & Why I Refuse to Stick to One Thing

Some days I sit down with a clear plan.
Most days? Not so much.

This photo is a perfect example of what my studio table looks like when I’m just… going with the flow. There’s a big circular resin piece full of swirling colour and dried petals, a little rectangular one packed with deep red flower bits, a tiny purple square with soft hydrangea blooms, a sparkly pink crescent moon with a face, and a few other half-finished experiments hanging around the edges. None of them were made on the same day. None of them followed the same “recipe.” And that’s exactly how I like it.

I’ve learned that I don’t have to do the same kind of art every single day. In fact, I work better when I don’t. One afternoon I’m pouring a big coaster-style piece and watching the colours swirl. The next day I might be obsessing over a tiny moon charm or carefully placing dried flowers into a small square. Then suddenly I’m eyeing some new silicone mold or a bag of glitter I “needed” and the cycle starts all over again.

If I’m being honest, I’ve developed a bit of an addiction to acquiring other art creation pieces and supplies. A new mold here, a different pigment there, a pack of dried flowers I couldn’t walk past… it adds up fast. But instead of feeling guilty about it, I’ve started treating it as part of the process. Every new little item is just another invitation to try something different.

That’s the real “how-to” I want to share today:

How to create without forcing yourself into a rigid routine

1. Let the mood decide the project.
   Feel like big and bold? Make a larger pour. Feel quiet and detailed? Work on tiny charms. There’s no rule that says you have to finish one series before starting another.
2. Keep a few different things going at once.
   Having unfinished pieces sitting around isn’t failure — it’s fuel. Looking at them often sparks the next idea.
3. Embrace the “ooh shiny” moments.
   Yes, collecting new art supplies and molds can get out of hand. But that curiosity is also what keeps the work feeling fresh. (Just maybe don’t buy three of the same mold in one week like someone I know…)
4. Photograph the mess.
   Even if the photo isn’t perfect (this one definitely isn’t), capture the stage you’re in. It becomes a reminder that creativity doesn’t always look neat and finished.

I used to think I needed to pick one style and master it. Now I realize bouncing between projects is its own skill — and one that keeps me excited to show up at the table.

So if your creative life looks a little scattered right now, with half-finished resin pieces, random molds, and a growing pile of “just in case” supplies… you’re not doing it wrong. You’re just going with the flow.

And honestly? That’s where the best stuff seems to happen.

 

How to Make Speckled Skull Castings with Eco Resin – Two Different Finishes

How to Make a Speckled “Happenstance” Skull with Eco Resin (Plus Two Different Finishes)

Today’s project is extra special because one of these skulls is made almost entirely from leftovers!

Both skulls were cast from the same mold using Eco Resin, but they turned out completely different.

The Speckled Skull Story

For the white/pink speckled skull on the left, I didn’t add any new pigment on purpose. Instead, every time I mix Eco Resin, I save the leftover resin that sticks to the sides of the mixing cup. Once it dries, I break it out and keep all those scraps in a jar.

When I poured this skull, I threw a bunch of those random dried resin pieces into the mix. The colourful flecks you see are literally waste from past projects! I love how it created this fun, confetti-like effect completely by accident. Why throw it away when you can make something cool with it?

The Metallic Skull

The second skull (right) is the same base casting, but fully painted with metallic silver and glossy blue eyes. It shows how one mold can give you two totally different vibes.

Why I Love This Recycling Method:

• Almost zero waste
• Creates unique, one-of-a-kind results
• Saves money
• Feels good to reuse materials instead of tossing them

I also worked on another scrap project today — breaking up old cured Eco and Epoxy pieces and embedding them into bigger molds. The small one should be ready to demold tomorrow, and the big one will need a final clear layer.

Being “cheap” (or as I like to call it — resourceful) has its perks in the art world!

Have you ever tried recycling your leftover resin? Would you try the “happenstance” speckled technique? Let me know in the comments!

Happy crafting,
Magdelene 

A Dollar Store Makeover | From Plain to Whimsical Fairy

From Plain White to Whimsical Fairy – A Dollar Store Makeover 🧚‍♀️

I spotted this little fairy at the dollar store and immediately knew she had potential. When I brought her home, she was completely plain white — no colour, no personality.

But with some acrylic paint, a bit of time, and a whole lot of fun, she turned into this cheerful little mushroom fairy!

I chose bright blue wings, purple hair with tiny white flowers, a vibrant red dress, and of course the classic red-and-white spotted mushroom. She even has painted toenails for extra cuteness!

The best part? She only cost a couple of dollars.

This little project reminded me of something important: Art doesn’t need to be expensive to be meaningful or beautiful. You don’t need fancy supplies or years of training. Sometimes all you need is a cheap blank piece, some paint, and the willingness to try.

Taking the time to sit down and paint her was relaxing and joyful. Every brushstroke felt like adding a little bit of magic. And now she sits on my desk, smiling and reminding me that creativity can be simple, economical, and incredibly rewarding.

If you’ve ever thought “I’m not artistic enough” or “I don’t have the right supplies,” I hope this little fairy encourages you to give it a go anyway. Grab something inexpensive, pick colours that make you happy, and just enjoy the process.

You might surprise yourself with how cute the result can be!

Have you ever painted or customized something cheap into something special? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments!

Eco Resin vs Epoxy Resin: Same Fairy Cottage Mold, Two Completely Different Magic Results!✨🏠

Eco Resin vs Epoxy Resin: Same Fairy Cottage Mold, Two Completely Different Magic Results! ✨🏠

Hey everyone! Welcome back to Helen’s How To. 

Today I’m sharing a super fun experiment I did with the exact same silicone fairy cottage mold. I cast one version in eco resin and the other in traditional epoxy resin — and wow, the difference the colours make is honestly mind-blowing! 

One gives you that dreamy, glowing transparent look. The other delivers vibrant, blended colour magic. They both turned out gorgeous, but in totally different ways.

The Two Finished Pieces

1. The Translucent Pink Beauty (Epoxy Resin)
This one is crystal-clear pink/magenta. The light shines right through it, making the little fairy house, door, roof tiles, trees, and flowers glow beautifully. It has that ethereal, magical feel — perfect for a candle holder or night-light style piece.

2. The Vibrant Gradient Yellow-to-Green (Eco Resin)
This one is full of life! It gradients from sunny yellow at the base through fresh greens into soft turquoise at the top. The colours interact with the raised design in such a unique way — the house, chimney, door, mushrooms, and foliage really pop. It feels whimsical and nature-inspired.

Same mold. Same design. Completely different personalities. 

Quick Comparison: Eco Resin vs Epoxy Resin

Here’s what I noticed using the exact same mold:

Feature	Eco Resin (Yellow-Green Gradient)	Epoxy Resin (Pink Transparent)
Demold Time	~30 minutes (amazingly fast!)	24 hours (patience required)
Transparency	Opaque / beautifully coloured	Crystal clear & glowing
Colour Behaviour	Colours blend and layer in a soft, vibrant way	Pigments stay true; great for solid transparent colours
Finish	Lovely matte-to-satin mineral look	High-gloss, glass-like
Safety & Fumes	Very low odour, indoor-friendly	Stronger fumes – needs good ventilation
Best For	Quick colourful pieces, gradients, home décor	Transparent/glowing effects, clarity lovers
My Verdict	Love the speed + how colours come together	Love the transparency & glow

Both have their good points and not-so-good points — exactly as I always say! 

Eco resin wins for speed and that gorgeous colour-blending effect. Epoxy wins when you want that see-through magical glow.

How I Made Them – Simple Step-by-Step (Works for Both Resins)

What you’ll need:

• Fairy cottage / fairy house silicone mold
• Your chosen resin (eco resin or epoxy resin + hardener)
• Pigments or resin dyes (pink for the transparent version; yellow, green, turquoise for the gradient)
• Mixing cups & stir sticks
• Gloves + good ventilation (especially for epoxy)
• Optional: mold release spray, heat gun/torch for bubbles, sandpaper + polish for finishing

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep your workspace
   Cover your table. For epoxy, open windows or work in a well-ventilated area. For eco resin you can usually work indoors with minimal fuss.
2. Mix your resin
   • Eco resin: Follow your specific brand’s ratio (often powder + liquid). Mix thoroughly but gently. 
   • Epoxy resin: Measure precisely (usually 1:1 or 2:1 by volume/weight) and mix slowly for 3–5 minutes, scraping the sides and bottom.
3. Add colour
   • Transparent pink (Epoxy): Add a few drops of pink resin dye or alcohol ink to clear epoxy until you reach the desired shade. 
   • Gradient yellow-green (Eco): Mix separate small batches — one yellow, one green, one turquoise. This is where eco resin really shines — the colours layer and blend beautifully as you pour.
4. Pour into the mold
   Pour slowly into the lowest point of the mold so the resin flows up the details.
   For the gradient effect, pour your colours one after another or swirl gently with a stick for soft transitions.
   Tap the mold on the table or use a heat gun/torch to release air bubbles (more important with epoxy).
5. Cure & Demold
   • Eco resin: Leave it alone for about 30 minutes. It should be firm enough to demold carefully. 
   • Epoxy resin: Leave it for a full 24 hours before demolding (I usually wait overnight).
6. Finish
   Pop out your piece gently.
   Trim any flash with scissors or a craft knife.
   Sand the base flat if needed.
   For extra shine on either piece you can buff with resin polish or apply a clear sealer (especially nice on eco resin if you want more gloss).
7. Optional final touch
   Pop a battery tealight or fairy lights inside for that magical glowing effect — especially stunning on the transparent pink version!

My Honest Thoughts After Making Both

• The epoxy pink feels delicate and enchanted — that transparency is addictive. 
• The eco resin gradient feels joyful and full of colour personality. The way the yellows and greens settled around the house and trees was so different from how pigments behave in epoxy.

I genuinely love both for different reasons and different projects. 

If I want something fast and colourful → eco resin every time.
If I want something glowing and see-through → epoxy is worth the wait.

Final Tips

• Always test a small batch first if you’re new to a resin. 
• Temperature matters — warmer rooms speed things up for both. 
• Don’t rush the demold on epoxy — it’s worth the wait for clean edges. 
• Eco resin is super beginner-friendly and great if you have kids or pets around (much lower fumes).

Would you like me to do a full video-style tutorial on one of these (or both) next? Or shall I show you how to create even more colour effects with these molds?

Drop a comment below and tell me — which one is your favourite? The glowing pink or the happy gradient? 

Thanks so much for reading, lovely crafters! 

Happy casting! 🌿🏠✨ 

Helen x