Swelldesigner Craft Secret #79: I don’t finish projects

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I don't finish projects

This is the first of hopefully several super Swelldesigner secrets that I plan to share. Yes, I realize that #79 doesn’t make sense, but I think it is funnier that way.

Today, I want to reveal the girl behind the curtain here at the Swell Life and let you know that I am indeed not all that I’m cracked up to be.

See the project above? If you follow my blog, you may realize that it is indeed my Letter and Number DecoPauge Jars and my Colorful Collage Cluster Bottles. The truth is that I just sometimes get wrapped up into a project in the wee hours of the morning, want to get it posted, and will stop short, because it is “good enough” for a photo. Not to say the idea isn’t a good one or that I don’t like it, I just don’t finish it cause unfortunately, it ends up sitting in my craft room with no eyes to see it.

I have tons of projects like this. It’s just how I roll sometimes. Not all of my projects are like this, but several of them are. And I know I’m not the first person to do this. I know a lot of other people don’t finish the backs of projects for this reason.

Anyway, just wanted to let you in on this little crafty secret of mine. Are you or aren’t you surprised?

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

One of these days I will get to that…

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If you are a die hard crafter like me, it is more than likely that you have a large stash of unused or never opened packages of fabric, beads, buttons, paper, paints, or surfaces that you have stored in your craft room. And if you are also like me, they are stowed away in a random plastic shopping bag that you haven’t searched in for months (even years). You had every intention at the time of purchase to create something great, because you were so inspired that you had to get right home to make something fabulous! In reality, the project left your mind because you moved onto that other “great idea”.

So with that in mind, I thought I would share my projects and supplies I was so pumped to do that still remain unfinished!

orange vinyl for wall
This is a piece of orange vinyl sticker that I intended to make something for this spot on the wall. I put it up on the wall so I would be inspired. 3 or so months later, nothing has came to be. My friend Katie’s boyfriend was so nice and gave me this piece of vinyl from his work, and I want to do something cool, it’s just that I would like coverage over the entire wall, but I don’t have enough to do that. I have had ideas to do a coocoo clock, cutout cool words in a modern font, or starbursts or rain drops like this. I just don’t know. I should just dive into it one evening and figure it out.

beads
Fell in love with this yellow focal bead and the other purple iridescent beads in the pack; however, I just don’t know where to go with it. I haven’t come up with anything yet I want to do. Too bad there weren’t 2 focal beads so I could go the easy route and make some earrings.

cigar box purse
I want to make another photo/graphic purse like this and cover it in Envirotex Lite. I need to come up with a theme/photo I feel inspired to do something cool with. Something colorful with numbers and a distressed look sounds cool to me at the moment. Just haven’t gotten there.
T
I have a few of these embroidered letters that I bought like 9 months ago at Hobby Lobby (for 17¢ each, by the way). I would like to take the collegiate-like letter and used it in a mixed media way on a shirt or bag or wall hanging. We’ll see what happens.

bracelets
I have had these different bracelets (wooden and plastic) for a while. I want to do something different and unexpected with them, but haven’t felt the inspiration at all to do them. I’m thinking this would be more fun to create some bracelet crafts with a friend on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

janome
And unfortunately, I’ve never gotten around to use my sewing machine for a cool project. I want to whip up some pillows, cuffs, and sewing basics like figuring out how to do a darn zipper! My mom gave me some money toward sewing lessons, but I never took them (sorry Mom). It’s not that I don’t have the interest, it’s just that I haven’t a lot of time. Between blogging, working, concepting, and crafting (which admittedly, I haven’t been in all that of a mood to do as of late), I haven’t made time for it. I think part of that is that the sewing machine is a challenge and doesn’t come naturally to me, so I need to just jump in and figure it out. That being said, I also have the same feeling when I think about getting around to designing my new Swelldesigner home page. It’s been sitting idle for close to a year.

What idea/project have you not seen to completion or thought of in a really long time? Tell me about it 🙂

Until next time Swellions!
Alexa

Terrorific Tuesday: Vintage-Inspired Halloween Ornaments

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vintage-inspired halloween ornaments

Hello happy people (I guess you wouldn’t be so happy if you’re having a bad day, but perk up!). So we are one day away from when I turn the big 3-0. I’m not having that hard of a time with it, but I did get a card from my Aunt Millie the other day and just seeing the letters 3 and 0 in big bold print was a little hard to digest. I’m actually going to be spending tomorrow chilling with my friend Molly whose coming up for a visit. Should be fun. I think she’s going to take me out for my b-day tonight and I’m really wanting BBQ, there’s a great place here in Lex called Billy’s BBQ that I just love. The food there is so yummy!

Anyway, onto my project for the day. I didn’t have a chance to whip something out last night or this past weekend, so you are getting a craft I did a few years ago. It remains prob. one of my top favorite crafts I’ve ever made. I guess I just like their little expressions and I love the idea of having a big black Halloween tree filledwith fun little ornaments with personality like these. I’m going to share the very basics of creating them today. To have to sort the colors out for each exactly is a little daunting of a task that frankly, I just don’t want to do. So use your own discretion and whip up your own in every color of the rainbow!

Vintage-Inspired Halloween Ornaments

Supplies:
– Clear round glass ornaments
– Americana paint in a variety of colors
– Multi-Purpose sealer
– Craft Twinkles paint in a variety of colors
– Glow in the Dark Writer (optional)
– ornament hanger
– ribbon in various colors and textures
– styrofoam plate
– liner brush and flat brush
– paper towels
– plastic disposable drinking cup

Instructions:
1. Bend the ornament cap ends upward and hang ornament on ornament stand over styrofoam plate.
2. In cup mix 2 parts Americana Acrylics with 1 part Multi-Purpose sealer in cup. This will make the paint run easier down the sides of ornament. Pour over ornament, making sure to cover entire ornament. The paint should drip down the sides and create a small dip at the very base of ornament. This is ok. Let dry completely (this could take several hours).
3. Using flat brush and liner brush and desired colors, paint on your face. FYI: Paint pots come in handy in this case, cause you get several colors to use for a lower price. I referred to vintage Halloween faces and made up my own. Let dry.
4. Once dry, take off ornament hanger and use flat brush to brush on a coat of Craft Twinkles. Craft Twinkles and the paint look great together when they are the same coordinating color, but mix it up. The little green goblin of mine was coated with Gold Craft Twinkles. Put back on ornament stand and let dry.
5. Optional step: Fill in teeth and eyes with Glow in the Dark Writer for a fun touch. Let dry.
6. Seal with Multi Purpose sealer and let dry.
7. Bend down ornament ends and add funky ribbon for hanging.

Helpful hint:
When storing, place wax paper around them. I had one of them rip off paint on the side. It actually looked kinda like a scar, so it gave it more character, but in most cases, you don’t want to ruin your ornament this way!

Additional ideas:
– Instead of faces, make polka dot and stripe ornaments
– Hang them from the ceiling or from a chandelier for instant décor!
– Place on top of varying height candlesticks for an instant display.
– Create other fun characters like zombies, witches, scarecrows, etc. Further embellish them with other craft supplies like rhinestones, felt, foam, or doll hair.You could even create character ones like the characters from Star Wars, Wizard of Oz, etc.

terrorific web banner for promotion

Starting next week, I will be compiling some of the best Halloween posts on the web from some of the coolest bloggers and flickerettes out there! Let me know if you’d like to participate. I can’t wait to see what you whip up! Click here for more info!

Until next time Swellions! Hope you have a great afternoon!