Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Project: Button Bowl

I cannot even begin to tell you the hilarity that ensued with this project. Some smart-ass with buttons and an idea made this lovely bowl below, and worse, made me think I could make one too. Basically, you glue buttons to a blown up balloon and when the glue has dried, you pop the balloon, leaving this nice accent piece behind.



First, I went out to buy buttons. I should have known right from the get-go because I couldn't find them anywhere. I finally found normal, round buttons at a fabric store, but they cost me a whopping $5.00 for a pack of about 50 buttons. I bought 3 packs with the intention of making 2 bowls.

Now the fun part - I blew up my balloon and drew a nice shape on it to go by. I made the executive decision that the best thing to glue the buttons to the balloon was puzzle glue since it dried clear and is meant for gluing together tiny pieces anyway. Seemed to make sense.

After applying a nice, thin coat of puzzle glue to the balloon, I began painstakingly arranging my buttons on the balloon, being mindful of size, style, color, and placement. What a good job I did! I placed my completed balloon on a cup to dry upright and headed to bed.

The next morning, I awoke to this:



Yikes. My buttons had slid down the side of the balloon overnight. Nice.

In a desperate attempt to salvage the Christmas project I was trying to make for my mom, I put new buttons on the edges and trapped them with a nice, thick coat of glue all over. Surely, as they dry overnight, I'll have a lovely button bowl by morning.

Next day....
"Alright!," I said to my skeptical husband, "I'm going to pop it!" POP!
The sound that the balloon made as it popped and half a pint of puzzle glue crinkled and contracted in panic, was absolutely awful. There are no words to accurately describe the HORRIBLE noise, which lasted a good 30 seconds.

Are you ready to see my button balloon bowl?


Here it is after I removed the balloon:



Bwaaaaaahahahahahahaaa!!! No need to ask for a rating, this was a serious Craft Implosion!!!

In short, I do not recommend this project for anything but laughs!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Project: Pringle Can Bracelets

Alright! I have attempted a Pinterest craft - Pringle Can Bracelets. Before it hit Pinterest, the craft originated at The Happy Housewife but the full tutorial is over at Shakespear's Stage.



 <-- This is what they are supposed to look like.




<-- This is what mine look like.













What do you think? -- Was this a Pin WIN or a Craft Implosion?

Things I've learned:

1. To make a line on the Pringles can you can cut on, put a rubber band around the can and trace with a permanent marker.

2. I used a straight razor to cut the Pringles can. It was not as easy as I thought it would be.

3. I used a hot glue gun to attach the ribbon and embroidery thread. It worked fine. Note: If you are going to do the embroidery thread ones, they take FOREVER.

4. You can't go straight up and down when you are wrapping the ribbon. You need to move at an angle.

5. I did three different sizes. The larger they are, the easier it seems to wrap them.

If you try this craft, we'd love for you to send us pictures!!!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Welcome to PinterShit.

Since Pinterest has happened, we are all now:

- Iron Chef
- Martha Stewart
- Wedding Planner
- Philippine Manicurist
- Stand-up Comic

And we suck at being those things. 

Enjoy.