Oh boy does googiemomma have a TREAT for you today!!!
That's right, at the end of this post, for the first time ev-ah--a PHOTO, of the ONE, the ONLY, me. (well, not really the first time...but the first shots of me since I stopped wearing diapers)
Sorry if that's a let down.
Anyway, let's begin at the beginning, shall we? (in other words, please try and contain yourself and don't go madly scrolling to the bottom just to see little 'ole me. ha. hahaha.)
A few years ago a good friend and her hubby were downsizing after the last child flew the coop. She is an avid crafter/sewer/jewelry maker, and in her purging passed on to me TONS of stuff.
Included in this windfall was an entire storage container of lace and trim. Seriously, there's a ton.
(This is only a sample)
Unfortunately, I don't really consider myself a "lace" kinda gal. I pull it out and look at it once in a while. I can't bring myself to part with it, thinking that one of these days I'll find some inspiration.
I decided to start playing around, and figured maybe adding...I dunno...lace to the lace would make me like it better.
I took two of the laces, and stitched them together using the ruffler foot on my machine:
Now what? Well, as they say in Blogcrafterland, when in doubt, make a headband. (what? they don't say that? well they should)
So I pulled some headbands out of the stash, and wrapped one in the thinner lace. Just a dab of hot glue at the bottom and start wrapping, with another dab of hot glue every 1/2 inch or so.
When that was done I took a section of the ruffled lace I made and did a simple fan-pleated flower (you know, like one of those fans you made as a kid out of paper, just like that). A healthy blob of hot glue stuck that just fine.
But it still needed something. So back into my gifted stash again, and I found this:
I can't tell you how handy this has come in for princess costumes :0)
Now that I'm on the lace train to Blogcrafterland, what's the next stop?
Well, I've been seeing those "Anthro"-inspired shirts all over, so I decided to give that a go. Took the thinner lace and sewed it down randomly over the left shoulder area of a basic brown top I had. Then I created more fan-pleated flowers from the pieces I sewed together, and stitched them on top, and attached the requisite bling.
And here, as promised, is me (and my shirt):
Here's my thoughts, in no particular order:
1. Its a very weird feeling pointing a camera at your...umm...chest and taking pictures to put on the internet. Even if it's COMPLETELY innocent.
2. I rejected about 25 other shots for making me look too fat, focusing too much on the "girls", making me look like I have 7 chins, etc.
3. The first pic made me laugh so hard when I saw it. Just as I snapped the shot one of the kids yelled, so I looked that way. Now I'm immortalized in a slightly pensive, vaguely constipated, remotely snotty sort of way...and yes, that's why I kept it.
4. I'm not really crazy about how the shirt turned out. It's not really "me" and I don't care for the thinner lace. The pattern is...aesthetically NOT PLEASING (who watches PR??? WHO? Can I get a Nina shout-out?)
5. I do think the flowers are cute.
6. NO, I didn't wear the headband with the shirt. I gave it to Girlfriend Girl. DO I LOOK LIKE A NERD? (see #3)
7. I did brush my hair today, but that's yesterday's makeup remains.
8. I don't think I brushed my teeth today though.
So that's it. And in the spirit of revealing myself, I'll sign off...
~Shannon (aka "the googiemomma")
I'm linking up to these fine pah-tays:
Well, I couldn't be happier. I finally, finally found a cool, cheap thrift shop with some neat old furniture! It's only about 5 minutes from my house, believe it or not, but in a section of town that I don't really frequent. And it's packed full of cool old stuff--for reasonable prices!
This was my first purchase:
It was $15. A little more than I wanted to spend, but it was EXACTLY what I had in mind as a night stand for our room. When we bought our bed and dresser, I refused to buy the matching nightstands. I didn't want a whole "bedroom suite"--waaay to "matchy-matchy" for me. And seriously, $15 is NOT that much.
So I took it home and pulled out the drawers, where I found someone's forgotten bra shoved in the back. Yup, a bra. The kids were all screaming like I had just discovered someone's severed hand in the drawer. Threw that away, moving on... (don't tell googiedaddy...it's his nightstand)
I gave the whole thing about 3 coats of black spray paint, letting it dry between. And then I let it...ahem, cure for a few days. (or I got sick of painting and left it sit on the porch for 2 days)
Either way, I should mention it was at this point that googiedaddy pleaded with asked me if I would like him to take it to work and spray it.
In the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that googiedaddy makes furniture. For a living. Like, professionally. Custom, high end furniture. And he has a big honkin' shop with a big honkin' spray booth, with spray thingys and lacquers and glossy stuff and tints and glazes and staple guns and dacron and upholstery type things. The point being, when I pull out the cans of spray paint and head towards a piece of furniture, it is the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard to googiedaddy.
However, I am not only the world's cheapest crafter, I am also the most impatient (is there a blog award for that?) And so, I spray paint.
Moving on...
After three coats of spray paint and sufficient "curing" time, I took sandpaper to it and distressed the edges, fronts and top. Then I watered down a rich brown acrylic and rubbed that over the distressed areas so they weren't so bright. A quick coat of clear to protect everything, and this is what we have:
(I should point out that I didn't do anything to the handles and knobs. I took them off at the beginning, and just screwed them right back on at the end, minus the one screw I lost in the process. I liked the way they looked.)
I think I may have gone a little overboard on the distressing, but once I got it in place in the room I really like how it looks. Actually, it may have to go on my side of the bed :0)
Now I have to get back to work on some more pillows for the bed!
Linking up here:
I'm working on a fun project for either tomorrow or Monday...depending on how much time I spend cleaning vs. crafting today!!! (I swear I'm cleaning honey...)
So in the meantime, here's the 99 things meme that I've seen in a few different places around the interwebber. I think its kind of funny. You bold the things you've done, and italicize the things you want to do. And, presumably, the plain ones you've never done, and don't want to do.
1. Started your own blog.
you're here, aren't you?
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
so long as elementary school flute counts hehe
4. Visited Hawaii.
Are you reading Mom & Dad??? HUH??? ARE YA???
(pssst...they just took my 15 year old brother to Hawaii. I got to drive them to the airport. Oh, and I got some Macadamia Nuts. Totally fair.)
5. Watched a meteor shower.
(in conjunction with #2)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland/world.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
does the shower count?
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
Are you reading this honey?? ARE YOU??? THAT'S ITALICS--meaning nope, I haven't, but I WANT TO!!!
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
right before baby #1 came, googiedaddy and I went away to the shore and our last night there a beautiful storm rolled through which we snuggled under the nasty hotel comforter and watched out on our 3rd floor balcony...it is one of my favorite memories ever.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
Something I've always longed to do, but with 4 googies already here, I don't know that it will ever happen...
16. Had food poisoning. There's a claim to fame for ya.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
Walked up, looked out for all of 10 seconds, and walked back down. Way more effort than my fear of heights warranted.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
Every year baby. Mostly from seed.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
See #12
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
Okay, as a mom I think this should be changed to: NOT taken a sick day when you ARE ill. And that would be bold--as in--yes, I've done it.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
This was a goal for this year. But then I remembered...I have 4 kids.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
32a. GO AGAIN.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
Besides a little Baby Sign Language so I can communicate with my BabyBear!
37.Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person.
41. Sung Karaoke.
Cruise, sister-in-law, I Will Survive. Need I say more?
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.
Although I did buy donuts and coffee for a homeless guy once.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
There should be another option for "hope I never"
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Every one is like a knife to the heart....(see #12 again)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
Home movies, yes...
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
Still doesn't totally make up for the Paris thing...but I do love him for it...:0)
64. Donated blood.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check.
Unfortunately...
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. Still got my Raggedy Ann that my mom made me, and my Midge Barbie (seeing a red-hair trend here???)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
ewww...
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
Motorcycle, yes...speeding motorcycle, no
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
Hmmm...I've been on the news. But I don't think I've ever been pictured in the paper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
SUPER ewwwwww!!!
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
I do want to do this, but I don't want to have to, you know what I mean?
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
Yup. Check, check, check aaaand check.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
Seriously? Maybe someone started this list in 1992.
99. Been stung by a bee.
So there it is...you now know a little more about me (because I know you were just dying to know a little more about MEMEMEME).
If you do/did your own 99 things post, let me know or email it to me! I'd love to take a look!
