Just A Little Neglected

Oh the list.  You know that list of things that you should get to and for some reason or another you just don't get to it.  There are fifty other things that are more important.  Okay, so maybe not fifty.  Maybe I am being a little more than overdramatic.  Any-patting-myself-on-the-back-hoo I have been knocking stuff of the list.

The last two weeks I have uttered the words "I need to clean the fridge".  And then that statement got left just like that because of all the things in this world to do, cleaning the fridge is not on my top thousand and seven.  Then I went to the Farmer's Market.  I couldn't put my nice locally grown fruits and veggies in my poor neglected fridge.  It needed some tlc, not just throw stuff out cleaning.  I mean take everything out...try and guess what the heck it started life out as...toss, scrub, rinse...possibly bleach..repeat.  What was supposed to be a quick job turned into a hour and half later and me cursing under my breath because I just wreckity wrecked my nails that I did the night before.

Then there was my Clover's room.  Which I wish that could say looked like any other preschoolers room but then I would be lying because it looked worse.  I knew I was going to be in there for awhile.  We got the job done and I only threatened to throw everything away less than five times.  We sorted toys and washed the area rug.  Then we organized the dresser and labeled it.  I was very proud of myself at the end of the day.  I celebrated by going grocery shopping.

I also forgot to add that I spent an hour working on a nine month old coffee maker that just decided that it was a bigger diva than I, and quit.  So since my day was spent in the bedroom then shopping and putting groceries away the rest of my house looks like a tasmanian devil ran through it.  So instead of cleaning it, I'm blogging about it.  There are fifty more important things I could be doing.  Blogging is one of them.    

Alice Inspired Altered Tee

One of the things I wished I could do is draw.  If nothing else, just to get all of these ideas out of my head and on paper.  It would free up some brian space.  And I think we would all agree that I could use all of that prime brain real estate!

The latest project I was trying to explain was an idea for an altered T-shirt.

I was doing some online research (googling) for Alice In Wonderland T-shirts.  I found some cute ideas but they were either too pricey ($30-40 for a Tee?) or weren't available in my xl size.  So then I had the idea to just make one myself.  The design was quickly thought up in my head, but alas I just couldn't convey what I wanted to do.  This is where the wish to be able to draw comes from.

So I started with a plain white Tee from Old Navy.  I figured that Old Navy would still have short sleeves.  Especially considering that it is still triple digits here!  They already had long sleeved out.  Searching for white short sleeves was kind of a pain.  Especially with Clover hiding in the racks and running out screaming "BOO!".  I did score a green short sleeved shirt in the clearance rack!  It bothers me slightly that they switched out the shirts.  I wear short sleeves all year round.  Why can I only find them for three months?

Anyhoo.  Before I started painting my fabric away I had to wash the sizing off the shirt first.  Also when you wash, do not include fabric softener the first round.  It stops the paint from soaking into the shirt.

I found this dye on amazon.  It's a dry version of Tie Dye.  Instead of soaking the shirt you can spray the dye on while the shirt is dry.  The colors even come in handy dandy little spray bottles.  So I sprayed the shirt with the dye.  I didn't have a plan at this point and just sprayed all willy nilly.  I used a garbage bag inside the shirt to keep the dye from running through to the back.  Then I hung to dry.  Once it was dried for a day I threw it in the dryer to heat set the entire shirt.  I also ironed the shirt but that was to get the wrinkles out before I started painting again.

Then I searched my few cricut cartridges to find a Teapot and cup that liked.  I found one in the options of the Everyday Paper dolls.

Hubs bought me a cricut two years ago as a Mother's Day/Birthday present.  I use it for everything.  Scrabooking to general craftiness to birthday party fun.  It gets a lot of use!  

For the stencils I used contact paper.  When I was teaching I used clear contact paper to protect everything from little fingers and developed a hate for contact paper.  After finding some crafty uses for it I have started to love the stuff.  I picked up some white contact paper and cut it to 12x12 sheets to run it through the cricut.  Once I found what I wanted to cut out I turned the speed down to low on the machine.  That way it doesn't pull up the contact paper as it cuts out.  I have used contact paper for stencils and for what I call "reverse" stenciling.  I put the cut out shape down and paint the edges.  Then I take the shape off to reveal the image.  This time I used it as a stencil.

I roughly cut out the stencils and figured out an arrangement.  Then I peeled off the paper backing and stuck them down on the shirt.  I pressed down the inside edges to make sure that the paint didn't run under the stencil.  Then the fun part!  The painting!

 It looks like a blobby mess right now.  I mixed some black acrylic paint with the textile/fabric medium according to the directions.  I added a tsp of water to thin it out a bit because it was super thick.  Then I started painting.  I start at the edges of the stencil and dragged the paint onto the shirt.  I have found that if I go out to in then I reduce the risk of the paint running under the stencil.  While the paint was wet I sprinkled on some fine glitter.

While the paint was still tacky I VERY CAREFULLY peeled the contact paper off.  Then I let the shirt dry.  The paint leaked through the shirt but that was kept from the other side by the large piece of cardboard shoved in-between.  I made sure that the shirt wasn't stuck to the cardboard before I left it to dry.  The next day I hung it up to finish drying and then heat set the shirt.  I then sewed on a strip of black lace on the bottom.

Tada!

I just recently received my copy of 101 Tees by Cathie Fillian that I ordered last week.  This was the book I was looking for, only not to find it locally so I had to wait for it.  It has a similar painting method I have used it in.  Looking forward to getting some inspiration from it and trying out more designs.  

Finding a Memory

Every now and then while at the craft store, looking for something else, I find treasures.  I find these treasures and then decide to buy them with no laid out plan in my head.  Sometimes these treasures sit somewhere half forgotten until I figure out what to do with them.  This has happened more than once.  The latest treasure to sit until the right time was my package of sewing charms.

For the longest time they sat.  I knew that I had to buy them.  They reminded me so much of my Grandmother.  She was an amazing woman who loved to sew.  I have a few of her hand made items that I keep near and dear to me.  These charms were in my craft hall and I would catch a glimpse of them and it would make me sad that I never found the right project.  I tried several times but every time I tried it just didn't seem to fit.  Then one of my very crafty friends started making button bracelets.  She is an amazing jeweler and crafty chick.  I have several of her pieces and in no way do I want her to think that I was trying to steal her idea.  All of the inspiration is her!  When I saw her button bracelets, something clicked.  I got it.  This was the project for my charms.  I went with pastel buttons because my Grandmother loved to make things for her grandkids.  So to me pastel buttons just made sense.  I am very happy with the way this charm bracelet came out.

The other piece I worked on last week was also a Memory piece.  I found these scissor charms at the craft store and they reminded me so much of my husband's aunt who has recently passed away.  She was a beautician her entire life and loved to cut hair.  She did mine more than a few times and even permed and dyed it at my whim.

She lived her life very simply, so I didn't want to over complicate the necklace.  The scissors being the main part of the necklace I added some fresh water pearls on the side since Pearls where also her birthstone.  I like the simplicity of the necklace.  It's very light and wears very well.

I have a few more found items that I discovered on the internet sitting in a box waiting for me.  It's all about finding the time and the right project.

I Guess It Happens

It sucks when one of the people you are mad at happens to be yourself.  If you start yelling at yourself, someone will more than likely call and order you a straight jacket.

For some reason when I yell at myself in my head, the referee is on a coffee break or something because all the thoughts come out and there is no one to stop myself from telling myself that.

Speaking of coffee (nice segway huh?)  our coffee maker broke mid labor day weekend.  I descaled it about two months ago but I guess that wasn't enough so after Hubs and I both looked at it, Hubs brought down Mr. Coffee and raided the coffee bean stash.  We have to wait for the descaler that Hubs bought to come so we can do the maintenance on the quote on quote newer one.  Maybe it's just my opinion but a coffee maker should not cease to function after only nine months of use.  Can't you tell I'm just slightly grumpy about the whole situation?

Anyhoo.  I've got some more posts coming just been busy and tired at the same time so I haven't been able to get a post in.  Not to mention I was running solo for almost all of last week.  Lots of pictures coming.  

Sharing The Love

Just wanted to give a shout out and say I love my followers.  All 9 of them!  When I first started I wasn't sure I would be all that into blogging but I have to say that I have found it somewhat addicting.  That little stats button is really cool.  It's neat to see how many people are stopping by.

I wanted to say Thank You to all of you for following along.  I also wanted to say Hi to all the lurkers and Hi to all the peeps who have been dropping by from overseas.

A New Found Love

After reading a half a dozen food blogs I decided that I was going to go out and see what all the fuss was about.  I attended my first local Farmer's Market.  I guess in my head I had thought that the prices where too high.  All those economics classes teach you that the higher the turn around the cheaper the price, so wouldn't the grocery store have better prices?  They see more customers in an hour than people see at the Farmer's Market all day.  Here is where I admit that my loosely based theory was wrong.

We hit a couple of tables where they had $1 per pound specials.  So I bought a bag here and a bag there.  I bought some cherry tomatoes because my daughter thought she should try some.  We hit the strawberry table and Clover went nuts.  Thankfully I had a friend with me who didn't mind keeping an eye on her while I eyed produce.  Clover really thought it was an all you can snack buffet.  She was so happy when she got to pick her own grapes.  I don't remember the name of them but they really do look like little blueberries.  They are delicious!  The early Thompsons I picked up where also yummy.  They were sweet but a little tart at the end.  Just the way I like them.

I consider myself a Foodie.  I love to try new things and have been known to browse Whole Foods and Trader Joe's just for fun.  I am totally kicking myself for not taking full advantage of my local farmers sooner.  The quality of what we got is phenomenal!

I had a moment where I wondered if there was a difference in taste.  This was before I got home and tried all of my goodies.  We bought two large tomatoes and a bunch of cilantro for salsa.  I made fresh salsa this afternoon.  Without even thinking, I grabbed a handful of my local farm cilantro and threw it in with my fix ins like I always do with my grocery store stuff.  Within minutes it was evident that I used way too much.  This stuff was potent.  It had tons of flavor.  Of course I ate it all anyways because I love cilantro.  I just want prepared for kick.  It was totally like "IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, HEY I'M CILANTRO".

I'm having a "Where has this been all my life?" moment.  Oh yeah, it's been there and I have been at home twiddling my thumbs missing all this deliciousness!  Without a doubt I can tell you I will be back next week to see what goodies they have out.

A Quick Thought

To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right.

--Confucius