Learning the hard way!

Craft lessons learned today:

1. DO NOT choose a fabric just because its a "good deal". If its a pain in the bum to sew, it could have been free and it still wouldn't be worth it!

2. DO NOT force anything, especially a half-finished Halloween costume, on a stubborn 19-month old who needs a nap.

3. When convential crafts fail you, digital crafts won't. On the computer, there's always the "undo" button.

I wish I had some photos to post with this, because looking back it was stinkin' HILARIOUS, but at the time I was extremely distraught.

I spent well over an hour sewing a Tinkerbell costume for my daughter. Which is where I learned todays lesson #1...I found the fabric in the clearance section, plus it was marked down another 50%. It's a shimmery metallic green, I have no idea what TYPE of fabric it actually is, other than a real pain to sew. Its the kind that just seems to shred when you bring it within 2 feet of a needle. Grrr, but I already bought it, and I was determined to make it work. I wasn't using a pattern, but it was going okay I guess.

And then I tried to get it on Madeline. Looking back, perhaps it was a bit too narrow since there wasn't much give in the fabric. And then I learned lesson #2...I swear, it was just like the Hulk. She literally RIPPED the tunic off herself. (Keep in mind the fabric's tendency to shred, just so you know my kid's not completely out of control!)

Ah well, I'm still learning!

But I was kinda bummed that all that time went to waste, and I wasn't ready to tackle another attempt at Tink or start my son's Peter Pan costume (although maybe I can use the remains from the Tink tunic for his Peter Pan...hmm, there could be a silver lining here). So I decided to try some of the digital "crafts" I've been wanting to attempt.

And I think I'm in love!

Look at the header for the blog now. That was my first digi-project today, and I think it turned out okay.

Seriously, it takes forever on my computer (so slow!) but I think its so much fun! I'm not very good at cutting paper and all those fine-motor-skills required to do real life scrapbooking, but I think I'm gonna be good at digital scrapbooking. I tend to like a more simplified look, not so many trinkets and stuff on there. Plus the more image I import, the slower the program works so there ya go.

I'm working on making my own blog background, but that takes a little more techie know-how, so it may be awhile before I figure that out!

Anyways, there's my crafting for the day. I can hear one, maybe both kids waking up from their naps.

Mod Podged Scale

First post of my new blog, and its a doozy!

I did this craft sometime last week, when I was stuck at home with two whiny kids and buckets of rain coming down.

In scouring the craft blogs, I've discovered everyone seems to have a mutual love for the oddity that is Mod Podge. Never having used to stuff myself, nor having seen my mother ever use it, I figured I needed to jump on the bandwagon and give it a try. Then I could say I was a Real Crafter.

After scouring Michaels for longer than deserved, I found the elusive little bottle, on prominent display some 3 aisles from where it normally would have been. It took me a good 3 days of pondering and debating before I actually opened the bottle and used it. My first attempt was for this notebook. It was okay, but I put contact paper over it as an added protection, seeing as my 18 month old terror - I mean daughter - was the owner.

Which brings us to that frustrating, rainy afternoon.
Naptime.
So many projects I could do, but no attention span to complete them.
And so I started browsing the Blog world. And I found Mod Podge Rocks which led me to this idea for my afternoon craft.

I, like any NORMAL person out there, hate stepping on my scale. I figured it couldn't hurt to make it a bit more cheerful.

My scale is the cheapest one from Walmart. I used some pretty wrapping paper I bought ages ago for another project that has yet to happen, and some thin hot pink ribbon. And of course I used the worshipped Mod Podge.

Apparently I could use a little more practice. Mod Podging is not as easy as all the craft blogs make it look.

There are wrinkles and bumps all over, but then again I was stuck using one of those cheap kid's paintbrushes. But it does brighten my day when I walk past it (as long as I don't actually use it!)