Showing posts with label Makin' Stuff Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Makin' Stuff Monday. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

21.

In the good ole U S of A, turning the big 2-1 is a milestone usually celebrated by going to a bar and drinking your face off. You get to bid farewell to that trusty fake ID. You get to say bye-bye to the big black Sharpie 'X's on your hands (and you can use Chapstick for just your lips!).  You can finally purchase alcohol on your own, and you get to experience your first legal alcoholic beverage!


Well as you may or may not know, my dear cousin Gaby celebrated her 21st birthday a few days ago (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GOOB!). In America, 21 year-olds like to try and consume 1 drink for each year they have been outside of the womb. Keeping in line with this American tradition, Gaby accepted the challenge. Since it was going to be unlikely the next day that she would remember what she drank the previous night, I created a log for Gaby's liquid consumption--more commonly known as a SHOT BOOK.



It's simple. You need 21 pages (or more if you want to fit photos too), pretty paper, stickers, markers, and whatever else your creative mind encourages you to gather. Make sure the book is small and portable. I also like to buy the mini keychain Sharpies, because those are also easy to carry and pass around. This is how it works: (1) Buy the 21 year-old a drink; (2) Write down the name of the drink; (3) Sign your name, and also ask others who shared the drink to sign.


She wasn't my first victim. A couple years ago, I made my first shot book for Tamie! She is a champion, for she filled out every page of that book (I allowed one page for water!). Although she may have felt horrible at the end of the night and into the next day, she can now proudly say that she completed an American challenge. She can also say that she's able to drink more than her little cousin. Gaby only made it to number 10. Don't worry, 11 more are coming your way!





Tuesday, November 16, 2010

CottonHeadedNinnyMuggins


Have you ever seen a cotton field? Until this weekend I hadn't. I wear a lot of cotton, I know what cotton balls look like and I've heard of cotton plants but the full connection between the plant and my shirt never occurred until this weekend. Rows and rows and rows of cotton plants occupied the field outside of my weekend getaway (please pardon my lack of posts.) Upon arriving I had to stare, "Is that what I think it is?" Cotton. I couldn't wait to jump out and get my hands on it!
The touch, the feel.

I made my way through the field and picked a few cotton buds from their shell. It felt like you would think: like a cotton ball. However, there were small impurities embedded among the fluffy, white mess. The crop was out of season so it looked a bit wilted and frosted but the fluff balls that once bloomed were still white and soft despite past encounters with the elements. I grabbed a few fluff balls, snapped a few shots and we headed down the road to Nashville, TN.


I must admit that I am a bit fidgity. Sitting in a vehicle for over two hours with a cotton ball in my hand could only lead to one thing- my picking, pulling and removing its impurities from the ball of cotton all the way. I made it my goal to make my first homemade cotton ball from what I harvested by hand. This is what I ended up with. It was soft, lush and dense as it appears. Although, I still wasn't sure it was safe for me to use as I would a store bought cotton ball.
Great Ball of Cotton!

A few moments surfing the world wide web (how's that for a throwback!?) led me to find that what I have been using as a "cotton ball" or "cotton swab" is really made of synthetic fibers. How could I have overlooked something so obvious?! The cotton balls that many of us use are made of polyester or polypropelene-ick! Cotton, Inc. attests that these fibers are reletively slippery and slick on the skin, are more abrasive to sensitive skin and don't hold the same emollient qualities that natural cotton does. (Source) Note taken! Boy do I feel like a cottonheadedninnymuggins!


I suppose next time I'm visiting down south I'll have to spend some time making more homemade cotton balls if I can get away from picking the neighbors' crop ;)

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Happy Birthday to Ewe!

Tonight's post features TWO of my recent creations! The first was a gift for my friend, and the second was a gift to myself (a.k.a. my Halloween costume).


(1) For Ellen's birthday last week, I painted her something she requested about 8 months ago: "All I want for my birthday is a paisley lamb." So here it is...the paisley lamb!




(2) As you may have already seen in Toni's Sunday post, I was a narwhal for Halloween. All you need are some snorkeling flippers for a tail, an empty gift-wrapping paper tube for a horn--along with white duct tape and a headband, couch cushion covers for fins, a gray ensemble, someone to help you walk backwards all night, and someone to help you adjust your arm fins when they fall off because you don't have fingers. Next year I'm going as a unicorn.


This is what I was aiming for...


Oh yea, one more thing... HAPPY BiRTHDAY, CHAU!!!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

I AM SUCH A GREAT FRIEND/ROOMMATE'S EX-GIRLFRIEND

A few weeks ago I learned that my friend, Ryan (aka Beardsley), was coming out with his very own CD! My first brush with Beardsley's musical talent was when I witnessed him play Rock Band at the EXPERT level on both the drums and guitar, making little to no mistakes--AMAZING. My second was when we got back from a bar in Raleigh at around 2 a.m. and he drunkenly played his rendition of the Foo Fighters' 'Everlong'--sounded pretty good and not too slurry as one would expect.

Anyhow, when the CD was done, I requested an autographed copy. I listened to it. To my surprise (no offense, Ryan), he is way more than a Rock Band expert and drunken guitarist/singer. On his CD, Ryan sings, plays the guitar, the bass, the drums AND the keyboard! 

Well the next step was ALBUM ART, so of course he asked ME! I agreed. I asked for his favorite colors, a list of "likes", anything he specifically wanted on there, and for him to tell his roommate to stop buying stupid things for his car. I got "blue, orange, red, black, planes, particle physics, WWII, instruments, and he won't listen to me because he doesn't listen to anyone." (Ok, fine. I made that last part up.)

My first two ideas got shot down, so it finally came down to bald mustache man (an image out of a favorite book of Beardsley's). Idea #1 (shown below): City skyline, Japanese sun but orange/blue instead of red/white (he had just gotten back from Japan), Guitarzilla chasing little drumanese through the streets. Idea #2: Bottom half of Beardley's face, overly hairy beard, instruments protruding from beard. Winner (shown below below): serious, non-cartoony, incorporating picture from a novel, not Celene-style, but still awesome because Celene made it. 
Idea #1
The Winner (NOTE: This man is not Ryan.)
And don't forget to check out his music HERE!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Awreatha Franklin

     A couple weeks ago, a bittersweet sensation came over me as I was driving down Snowden River Parkway. I was on my way to Life Time Fitness when I looked out my window out of curiosity--I wonder what store is going to take the place of Filene's Basement (RIP, great bargain store. *tear*). [[BITTER]]  To my astoundment (not because I had heard of this store and already knew it was amazing, but because the name of it is awesome), there was a brand spankin' new HOBBY LOBBY!! [[SWEET]] I freaking love hobbies. And rhymes.

     So instead of going to Globo Gym, I decided to stop into this creativity wonderland and take a gander. I felt like I had hit the arts and crafts jackpot. Hobby Lobby > Michael's + Joann! All of my random-stuff-making needs in one big happy place.   

     ANYWAY, I went craft-crazy and bought a bunch of stuff, including everything I needed to make this pretty, wintry yarn wreath! I know I got a little bit ahead of the seasons, but I didn't think I'd be able to finish a fall one before fall ended. BUT NOW I WANT TO MAKE ONE FOR FALL, SUMMER AND SPRING! AND EVERY HOLIDAY!


                             A WREATH.                                                A FRANKLIN.

^ A work in progress: my winter wreath, 
inspired by my favorite yarn-wrapping Etsyan, KnockKnocking!