Crafts will save your soul

So despite my whining about my parents, I have been able to find solace in one thing: creating.  Whether it's painting, or making little crafts with my friends I can always just relax when I'm in the process.

Yesterday I went to my friend Caity's house and we bought cheap canvases and painted random things on them.  I neglected to take a picture, but I'll make sure to upload it for my next post.  It's a bit creepy, and I'd like to say that it's inspired by Magritte, but I think it's to kitschy to be Magritte.  Anyway, it's hanging in my bathroom now and it creeps my sister out, so I like it.

Today I made this awesome terrarium with my little brother, and we made a compromise with the plants that went in it.  I picked out the two leafy ones and he picked out the cactus (as well as the dinosaurs).  I've had terrarium fever for THE LONGEST time.  On Etsy I have so many cool ones favorited, but unfortunately many of them are $50+, and therefore WAY out of my price range.  However, I spent like $13 making the terrarium pictured below, so for my first terrarium, I feel like I did pretty well.

I want to make a succulent terrarium with a weird shaped vessel, however my recent trips to thrift stores trying to find something cool enough has not been fruitful as of yet.  So.  When I find the right glass container, I'll make another terrarium, because I have a sneaking suspicion that my 3 year old brother is going to steal this one away from me.

10 3/4 Alder with a phoenix core, slightly springy

GUESS WHAT GUYS?

I MADE MY POTTERMORE WAND! (duh, I'm assuming you guys aren't blind.)

But yeah.  The other day I was on Pinterest (DON'T JUDGE ME) looking at Harry Potter stuff when I found this tutorial. At first I was like, NO WAY. NO FREAKING WAY WANDS ARE THAT EASY TO MAKE.

But lo, and behold, they are!

I was a bit nit-picky with mine and I wanted to get it as exact as possible, all the way down to the measurements.  So yes, my wand is EXACTLY 10 3/4 in. AND since I used bamboo it also happens to be slightly springy! Now, if only I could track down a phoenix feather....

Anyway, for all you Harry Potter die-hards out there, MAKE YO WANDZ. Go forth and fulfill your dreams of being the biggest nerd on the planet. But in all seriousness, I'd love to see how your wands turn out, because I like looking at cool pictures.

For all you folks out there who don't like Harry Potter.... Er, I'm sure there are some Hunger Game crafts out there :P

2 days till

I’m obsessed guys. I’m obsessed with making origami hearts out of dollar bills.

And thanks to the recent influx of cash from MY FIRST EVER PHOTO GIG I’ve been able to feed my habit. Let’s start at the beginning. Last Wednesday my yearbook adviser asked if I was going to be free over the weekend. I, being the lazy, awkward social pariah that I am said “No, not really,” with flippant shrug. It’s a good thing that I wasn't busy because she had already volunteered me to take pictures at the wedding of the daughter of a registrar at our school. When I met with Mrs. So n’ So she was a busy blur. She briefed me: I needed to take reception pictures at their venue from 2:30 to 4:30 and I would be paid $50.

I had to keep my eyes from jumping out of their sockets I was so excited. I asked if my sister could tag along to help and she agreed that it would be better with two photographers there. She bought the cards that we needed for our DSLR cameras and last Saturday I spent my afternoon acting like a professional, trying to capture intimate happy exchanges between the guests at the wedding. Since I am inwardly a creeper this was the perfect job for me. Also, there was probably around 200-300 guests there.

My principal was there and she was very impressed with my work ethic.

I was a bit stressed because there were people from my school there and I felt a bit like an outsider, but then I remembered that I was there to work, and not there to avoid socializing with people that I don’t really mesh well with. Once I got over myself I ended up having a lot of fun.

The bridal photographer seemed a little miffed that my sister and I were there and every now and then I would catch him glaring at me, but I got over that too. I was hired to take pictures of the guests, not the bride. I was NOT encroaching on his territory. I mean, he was probably being paid 10x what I was getting paid so I don’t really know why he had his panties in a twist.

I ended up spending a generous portion of my money on Christmas gifts for other people, but I like seeing people’s face’s light up when they open gifts, so I’m kind of glad that I’m back where I started: broke.

Well, not completely broke….