Crafty subbie camper

That title is a mouthful isn't it?? 

Remember this picture ???

Well I have been working on it...... discovered I must have an allergy to the sealant -- I have been sneezing and coughing like crazy and I sprayed the damn thing outside!! But I persevered and have finished it....... 

And am now working on building the fairy garden....... this little gem arrived last week......... 

And I have this little door that eldest daughter gave me........And these fairies .... (have to admit I have ordered a couple more) 

 I think I am looking forward to long hot summer days at the campsite 

Christmasy post

No updates today on my 'naughty girl list' ......

Sunday was a Christmas day -- I had plans to try and make something called Santa Sleighs that I had seen years ago in some magazine.

I vaguely remembered candy canes and kitkat bars and small chocolate bars -- ribbons and bows..........

  
I spent most of the morning wrapping small chocolate bars -- juggling them into a pile -- hot glue gunning them together then hot glue gunning ribbons and bows.  Sometimes I get these bright ideas for Christmas crafts and they turn out to look tacky and home made.  But to be honest -- I was quite impressed with the outcome..........

Now all the kids on my Christmas list will get one -- and even some of the "kids at heart".

Sunday afternoon Angel stopped by for coffee and I had picked up some Christmas shortbread (no I am not making any this year -- my baking list involves sandwich cookies and maple fudge.)  We had a really nice visit and caught up on all the news.  It was like old times !

And that was my Christmas Sunday -- 

I promise for those of you just dying to know more on the 'naughty girl list' I will continue that theme tomorrow......

Experimenting............

Yesterday morning when I was outside visiting with our neighbourhood skunk I had an inspirational moment.  I went to get my camera and took some shots of the fluffy snow that blanketed the trees and bushes,  

Truthfully all this picture taking just made me more determined to go back to school and take some photography classes................ 

For those interested - here are the pictures I took ............

TA DA !

Some of you offered up great suggestions to get the paint to stick to the Christmas ball yesterday. 

But ya know - you don't spend 30 years doing crafts with kids (little kids at that) and not have some tricks up your sleeve.

So Thursday evening - before I left school - I mixed two parts white paint with two parts school glue and re-fingerprinted my blue ball and left it to dry.

Friday morning I took a big breath and picked up the permanent markers and started to add the details to my snowmen.  

The paint didn't flake!!

The glue worked !!

And everyone was impressed with my Christmas Ball craft.  

 Now the fun will be helping each kiddie make one to take home ......... BEFORE Christmas 2012 !!

Easy as pie.....

Ya think I'd learn - nothing is ever as easy as they say............... 

I wanted to make the above ornaments with my lil guys at school.  The directions sounded easy ......... 

Glass Christmas Ball
white craft paint 
permanent markers for details.

Paint the child's hand white - then place the glass ball in the palm of the hand - separate fingers - and gently roll them up the side of the ball - pressing the fingers onto the sides.  Remove hand - wash hand - store ball to dry.  Once dry add snow man details.... 

Well I tried one first - and it went ok - my snowmen were a little smudgy - and not nearly as distinct as the one in the picture but it was ok.  I let it dry - and several hours later when it was dry I went back to add some quick details.

And that's when the problems happened.

When I tried to draw on the simple details - the white paint started flaking off... and didn't stop flaking............ 

The only good thing was - by the time the flaking had finished - a quick rinse under hot water and all the paint was gone and I could start all over again on the same ball......... 


I have looked everywhere for suggestions to keep the paint on the ball - I googled it - I surfed it.......... and everywhere they say - craft paint (well on the sites for children and as I am working with children - I need kid proof paint!!)

 
can I say HELP !!!!!

 

Talent???

OH I forgot to tell you - our lil holiday this past weekend??? We were in Ottawa - playing tourist.

On the Friday night - to kill time between check-in at the hotel and dinner - W and I ran across the street to a big mall.  W loves to poke around shops - me ?? not so much. 

However while we were poking - I came across a Kiosk.  Now Kiosk's can be interesting - Kiosks can be fun.  They are not (usually) big named stores with the usual crap.  Most of the time Kiosks are small independent whatevers - with - sometimes - some really intriguing stuff to poke through.

What drew me to this one - was the strong smell of nail polish (not exactly my favourite smell in the whole wide world - but I can think of a whole lot worse smelling stuff) Anyway............. this wasn't just a nail polish vendor.  No No !!  This Kiosk was selling "nail stamps".  What are nail stamps you ask??? (me too btw)

Have you ever noticed a woman's nails (I guess there may be some men with it too - but I haven't seen any) that have patterns painted on them??? I have admired some of the patterns/nails and wished I was talented enough to decorate my nails that way.  Oh I have looked at stick ons at the drugstore - bling to add to your nails - but that wasn't quite the same.  I even bought and tried the "crackle" nail polish.  I never could get used to my nails looking like I had marked them up while doing the manicure.

The young salesgirl was quite enthusiastic about showing me how "nail stamps" work and doing one of my nails.  Of course I didn't ask for flowers and bows I wanted something "oriental".  After much hunting and pecking she found some oriental lettering and proceeded to demonstrate how "easy" it was to use.  She even got me to try it .. and after a couple of false starts I did manage to transfer the pattern from the silver disk to my thumb nail.  

W was watching intently and suggested I buy the kit.  I was sorely tempted - BUT - come on - we all know how easy it is to do your nails with your right hand (left if you are a lefty) and how damn difficult it is to do the opposite hand.  I figured I would buy the kit and do my left hand ok - but never master the opposite hand.  

W was all gung-ho - the salesgirl just quietly cheered me on - telling me it really wasn't that difficult.  So - after much thought - and some persuasion I decided to buy a kit.  W haggled a bit with the girl and got her to empty one of the starter kits and add the silver plates I wanted (one oriental - one multi-patterned flowers and ribbons and bows and one Christmas one - snowmen and Christmas trees etc) as well as adding the nail polish colours I wanted (red and black) 

Now I have to admit I was excited and wanted to try stenciling my nails the minute we got back to the room.  However - my logical side won out.  IF I screwed it up - I didn't have nail polish remover - so the package was tucked away until I got home.

Yesterday I couldn't wait any longer.  

Out came the package............. 

And the nail polish remover..............And I started.......

If you look closely in the above picture you will see the silver plates.  Each plate has 7 different patterns to choose from...... See the flat pink rectangle in the picture - that is the scrapper - see the round pink plunger sort of thing?? that's the stamper.

Ok - so here's what you do....... 

You pick a pattern and cover it with the thick nail polish - then you use the scrapper to scrap off the excess polish and at the same time fill the grooves of the pattern.  Then you quickly (operative word being QUICKLY) stamp the pattern with the stamper and immediately transfer the pattern to your freshly manicured/painted nails.

I learned pretty damn quickly if you don't move fast - it doesn't work ....... and if it doesn't work properly you have to remove the pattern - which removes the nail polish/manicure and you have to start from the beginning ................. 

Needless to say - it took me a couple of hours to actually get the hang of it........ sort of.

I didn't pick any pattern as advanced as the one I posted at the top............ but hopefully I will work up to multi-coloured patterned nails........... 

For the time being ......... this is what I accomplished with my "nail stamp kit" 

Am I talented or what???   (no comments from the peanut gallery )
 

crafty

After the success at Easter with my jelly cups..... I am feeling very crafty. 

W and I are going over to drakor's for coffee this afternoon.  I strongly suggested that he wear the lil slut skirt and top so that he could model it for W.  He came back with some whiny answer that the skirt probably wouldn't stay up.  sighhhhhhh........ Now you'd think a good slave would just say "yes ma'am" and make it work.. but not drakor.. never drakor.. he really acts (sometimes) like a spoiled lil slavey boy.  


On the weekend I was asking my girls if they had any idea where I could find brooch backings - so that I could make a flower brooch for a boringly grey dress I have.  (which is true - I did buy a bright red silk rose to pin to it to add a punch of colour)  They suggested Walmart (ugh) .......... So W suggested after he and i have lunch together that we head over and see if i can find these brooch backings.  While we are at walmart - I am hoping to find some supplies to make a tack roller (I am feeling VERY crafty) kaya's finished product encouraged me to make one......... 

So that's the plan - lunch .. walmart.. and then coffee for some (hopefully) skirt adjustments.  I will bring my camera - so you can all expect some photos tomorrow of the lil slut slavey boy.


This is the picture of the pretty pink rose I intend to use as a waist cincher for the slut skirt.