Now Playing: You Won't Let Me - Rachael Yamagata
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A quick stop at Wal-Mart today to pick up a prescription sparked a sudden urge to celebrate Christmas like a grandma... obviously with crafting. What else would a 21-year-old senior in college want to do? And to think, all this was inspired by a glittery scented pinecone they stuck on an end cap to drown out the smell of Milwaukee construction and smelly children. Thanks for manipulating my young adult mind, Wally World. You trickster, you.
So, what other way to start my artistry than to head to MarthaStewart's website to get some ideas? Martha Stewart: although a little bit of a psychopath, she's got her stuff down. I think in order to be as successful as someone like her (well, that depends on how you define "success"), you have to be a little off in the noggin. Exploring that page can lead you to a.) discover new ideas to try within the comfort of your home, b.) distract you from work (whatever that may be) and c.) find something to spend your money on at your local Michael's or Hobby Lobby.
My good friends, Danielle and Erin, posted a Facebook picture of their successful attempt at creating one of Martha's holiday crafts: Magazine Christmas Trees. Not only does the site give step-by-step instructions, they also provide a video for those of you visual learners like me. However, in the hustle and bustle of failing at the next craft, no time was allowed today to make the cute little centerpieces. Later this week, I'm sure they're bound to be made (as long as I can find the motivation to put my fingers through agony due to creasing so many pages).
On to the second ambition of the day. My roommate and partner-in-crime for the evening, Kristi, told me about a craft she read about on Pinterest (her obsession) and we decided to dive in. Our drinking glasses always seem to escape the confines of our dated cabinets, so creating our own kitchenware using bottles around the house seemed like an inexpensive option. Given that we have tons -- probably too many -- wine and beer bottles in our house, these became our test subjects.
The process is nicely laid out on one of many how-to sites; I don't feel like typing it all out. Basically, using acetone or nail polish remover, cotton string, a bucket of cold water and some fiya (also known as fire), an ordinary person can create a smoothly-cut edge that can be sanded down to create the rounded lip of a drinking glass. Notice, however, that I said an ordinary person could do this. Since Kristi and I are extraordinary, we couldn't. Ever. No matter how many times we tried. Even searching for alternative ways only resulted in our eyes burning thanks to the amount of smoke in the house... and probably the guys' house upstairs. Oops. Not to mention the sound of every single one of our fire alarms going off probably interrupted their viewing of Monday Night Football or highlights of the Brewers' incredible season. Pictures are posted below of steps to help you reach ultimate failure just like we did. Enjoy.
But for real. Somebody please tell me that they've tried this, too, and couldn't achieve it, either. Then, at least I'd know that there are more than two of us idiots in the world. And then we could make a club: The Waste of Time and Effort Club. The name is a little raw, I know, but we can brainstorm a proper title at our first meeting.
As this may seem like an absolutely pointless post, it's not. And when I say "it's not," I mean it is. But hey, everyone has to start somewhere in the blogging world. So, here's my square one. With that, bear with me, guys. My goal in this escapade is not only to bring you all the comedic personality of Erika Hanson, but to also make way in the writing world and improve my skills across all sorts of media. As a major in Strategic Communications (advertising and PR in a nutshell), this kind of stuff does wonders to create a solid network. Now, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to address the reasoning behind my creating a blog, but I did it. So, deal with it (if you're still reading this and haven't gotten too bored). In the future, let me entertain you with rants from what rattles around inside this big, blonde head of mine.
Funny how a murmuring a phrase can get a song stuck in your head. Dammit. Now I won't be able to sleep tonight.
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Fun Fact: I plan on always posting a "Now Playing" header at the beginning of all my posts, so please feel free to holler at me with some suggestions. But, don't get mad at me if I don't post your suggestion. This is my blog, so... yep. I love this feeling of power. Plus, the song I choose is subject to my mood, so if I post anything like Lonely Day by System of a Down, call my mom. That's just depressing.
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Oh, yeah! Here's the pictures I promised you:
1. Lighting the string and our hands on fire simultaneously. It looked cool but didn't smell cool.
2. Scrambling to get the bottle into cold water yet still nothing happens. And yes, those are yellow submarine ice cubes; they go great in Bloody Mary's! ;)
3. Kristi's attempt at a frown always turns into a smile. I guess the laughs we got from this occasion made it almost worth it.
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Theme of the night? Try and try again. And again. And again. And again. Until your house catches flame. Thanks for putting up with me. You rock; don't ever change. ;)
Until next time,
erika
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