Sunday, July 11, 2010

Crafting for Dummies

I don't know what kind of bug I've caught, but it might be contagious and it requires lots of energy and money. It's called the Do-It-Yourself bug and it's why I can't stop painting, adjusting, and fluffing things. It may or may not have something to do with Real Gil's dreamy moods these days about moving somewhere else. (I must wonder if he likes my results when he keeps talking about putting a For Sale sign in the yard...) But he puts up with this little epidemic with very little complaining. In fact, I can't think of one complaint...even when I hung a chandelier on a bird cage hook next to his side of the bed. Look here, I'll even get my lazy rear end up out of this chair and take a picture...


It's dark, of course, because that's when I get a chance to type. But you can see, there is no mistaking the chandelier hanging off a birdcage hook. Poor man. He did offer to switch sides of the bed which might have been indicative of his distaste, especially considering he's a creature of habit and has slept on the left side of the bed for twelve years.

Anyways, all this to say, things are changing around my house.

Have you heard of Cathe Holden's blog, Just Something I Made. I often wonder if they have some kind of hormone replacement therapy that can infuse some of her artistic eye directly into my blood. Probably not. And that's all right. I'll just copy her. But even then, I'm still intimidated by her stuff. Not too long ago, I went to my dear friend's house where Queen K is never afraid of Mod Podge, and regularly produces amazing crafts. She coached me and prodded me and gently urged me through this project so much so that I want her to become my running coach and prod me gently through every miserable mile. If she had a blog of her own, she'd be complaining right now about what a craft-wimp I am. But she doesn't, so I'm off the hook.

Here's what we - no, here's what she made - wait, no. Here's what she copied...


A Life-Size Measuring Tape!
(As with all amateur photography found on this blog,
please disregard the toys strewn across the background. These are not real, they are just props. My
yard is never littered with toys, children, or other miscellaneous objects.)

The picture is terrible, but at the top, you can see that I hung the entire 7-foot
growth chart from a wooden, spray-painted clothing hanger.


The great part is that after I translate and transfer Real Gil's handwritten measurements of our children from the wall onto this measuring tape, it can grow with them and move with us if needed.

Queen K, and perhaps many of you, can make classy crafts that look like you spent a lot of money. I am not part of your club so I just might be overly proud of this growth chart.

And it's got me to thinking...did you know there is a whole world of glue guns and cotton balls to be explored? Who knew?! Get your craft on, even you non-crafters, says I. Like these...
All homemade, no less! Do you know how expensive it is to buy kitty-cat Santa Claus cotton ball beards? Or gold-glittered antlers that sit between the feline ears? They never stay up like the package says they're going to...unless you make them yourself, says I.

Or this...a ski mask made from a simple McCall's 1960 pattern. You know, they just don't make ski masks like they used to...



I'd write more, but I have to go find my glue gun and paint brush.

Resting in Him,
Karen

3 comments:

Cathe Holden said...

Hysterical post! So glad to be a part of it!! (Love the chandelier lamp!) Please don't be intimidated by my craftiness, when in reality it only makes up for my lack of laundry and cooking skills, not to mention I can't keep even a house plant alive for more than a month. And playing with tissue paper and glitter never kept a family fed or clean. So, hope that helps.

And...that last photo freaks me out in a kind of sweet-yet-disturbed way. Still trying to wrap my mind around it. Could possibly keep me from ever learning to knit.

Karen said...

I can hardly type, my fingers are shaking...is it really Cathe Holden commenting?!! Cathe!!! I've never been a groupie until I read your blog. Readers, make me proud, and don't say anything embarrassing on the comments section. And Cathe, as long as you don't read any further than just this post, you'll still think I'm a good crafter. But what would you think if I learned to knit so I could make myself a ski mask? I'll do it if you do it.

Karen said...
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