Get Happy Series: Crafty Goodness
Hey all,
Needless to say last week was a big week--what with 6's eye surgery and living in a not-baby-proofed hotel room with a 19 month old who loves to climb and tug and pull and eat wires, and sleeping four people in not nearly enough space, and a slippery bathtub of DOOM where both my boys nearly slipped and cracked their heads open during their typically rambunctious bath time. But we're back now and settling into the summer routine, which--thanks be to the baby jeebus--usually involves lots of crafts. I'll come out and say it right now:
I love crafts.
I will also say this:
I suck at crafts. I am much more fartsy than artsy when it comes to...all things artsy. I can draw a cartoon now and then, and make a mean Yo Gabba Gabba cake if time and stress levels allow, but painting, beading, crocheting, sewing, drawing real things that are not cartoons--I stink at all of it. Maybe it's because I lack training or talent or both, but I find the awesomeness of the end product isn't such a super big deal to me. I enjoy the process most of all. Art projects are a great way to fill a kid-infested (and I mean that in the nicest way a person can say infested...it's like being infested with flowers or rock candy or sunshine) summer afternoon when it's too dang hot to go outside and play.
My stepdaughters and I spent all afternoon last Sunday painting.
Here was my final result:
Here was my elder stepdaughter's:
It's clear why her's was framed in a pretty frame for father's day and mine is now sitting on top of the cabinets collecting dust until we move. (I will be hanging that scary-ass sparrow on our new walls, however. I have decorating plans that involve covering every wall with things to look at in order to compensate for years of not nailing anything to a wall because we knew we were going to move and need to sell our home.)
But--hideous final painting aside--I still had a lot of fun and plan to sit down with a brush again this weekend and play. I'm also goig to try to make my husband a Manly Necklace for a retirement present with some Steampunky charms I got a Michael's last weekend. The Industrial Chic line is on sale 2 for $8 until this Saturday. Bring in a bonus coupon from the monthly ad and that's some fairly affordable crafty goodness:
So what about you guys? What crafts do you enjoy--whether you excel at them or not? Any summer recommendations for me and the stepdaughters? (6 joins in too, but his attention span for craft-related activities is usually less than 30 minutes.)
Back with an actual book related post tomorrow about finishing Juliet Immortal and my editing process.
Have a Thursday!
Stacey Jay
Needless to say last week was a big week--what with 6's eye surgery and living in a not-baby-proofed hotel room with a 19 month old who loves to climb and tug and pull and eat wires, and sleeping four people in not nearly enough space, and a slippery bathtub of DOOM where both my boys nearly slipped and cracked their heads open during their typically rambunctious bath time. But we're back now and settling into the summer routine, which--thanks be to the baby jeebus--usually involves lots of crafts. I'll come out and say it right now:
I love crafts.
I will also say this:
I suck at crafts. I am much more fartsy than artsy when it comes to...all things artsy. I can draw a cartoon now and then, and make a mean Yo Gabba Gabba cake if time and stress levels allow, but painting, beading, crocheting, sewing, drawing real things that are not cartoons--I stink at all of it. Maybe it's because I lack training or talent or both, but I find the awesomeness of the end product isn't such a super big deal to me. I enjoy the process most of all. Art projects are a great way to fill a kid-infested (and I mean that in the nicest way a person can say infested...it's like being infested with flowers or rock candy or sunshine) summer afternoon when it's too dang hot to go outside and play.
My stepdaughters and I spent all afternoon last Sunday painting.
Here was my final result:
Here was my elder stepdaughter's:
It's clear why her's was framed in a pretty frame for father's day and mine is now sitting on top of the cabinets collecting dust until we move. (I will be hanging that scary-ass sparrow on our new walls, however. I have decorating plans that involve covering every wall with things to look at in order to compensate for years of not nailing anything to a wall because we knew we were going to move and need to sell our home.)
But--hideous final painting aside--I still had a lot of fun and plan to sit down with a brush again this weekend and play. I'm also goig to try to make my husband a Manly Necklace for a retirement present with some Steampunky charms I got a Michael's last weekend. The Industrial Chic line is on sale 2 for $8 until this Saturday. Bring in a bonus coupon from the monthly ad and that's some fairly affordable crafty goodness:
So what about you guys? What crafts do you enjoy--whether you excel at them or not? Any summer recommendations for me and the stepdaughters? (6 joins in too, but his attention span for craft-related activities is usually less than 30 minutes.)
Back with an actual book related post tomorrow about finishing Juliet Immortal and my editing process.
Have a Thursday!
Stacey Jay