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9/14/21

A tutorial for making Wishing Wands

I've made a large batch of "Wishing Wands" and thought I'd take a few photos along the way on my second batch so that those of you wanting to make your own would see how I created mine.The first batch of wishing wands I created I wanted them to have a fairy vibe, so I added a vine that wraps around each wand along with moss, rhinestones and glitter. Of course the all important label proclaiming they are "Wishing Wands"The following tutorial for the wands doesn't show how I created the vines, I wanted these wands to look like plain ol' sticks. If your interested, in how I made them... continue reading :-)

The supplies are readily available at any dollar store and craft store. For the actual wand itself, I used a 10 pack of wooden dowels I got from the Dollar Tree. I used a pencil sharpener to create a pointed end to each dowel. I also picked up some florist wire there too. The string of crystals I had purchased from Joann Fabrics. You will also be needing hot glue and paint.  Firstly, your needing to cut a small piece of the craft wire and string it through the hole in the crystal your wanting to use. You will be using this to wrap around the wooden dowel to ensure the crystal won't pop off of the wand in years to come. Next, you wrap the wire around the dowel. Just a quick wrap will do....You can use painters tape or masking tape to help attach the wired crystal to the wooden dowel. I place the tape over the bottom of the crystal to cover up the wire coming through the holes. This helps to stabilize the connection of the crystal to the dowel. It is already looking like a wand. Once you have your wands constructed, your going to need your glue gun to transform the wooden dowel into something that resembles a wooden stick.  I like to start with running a line of hot glue around the crystal on top of the tape. I then start adding glue down the dowel to about mid point and then stick that in a container to let the glue set up. I then repeat that a few times to build up a fatter area around the crystal. Once the top is looking great, I then work from the middle down to the point. If you get high bits in the glue that don't look so good, simply take the hot tip of your glue gun (no need to squeeze out any glue) and let the hot tip remelt the areas your not liking. Easy peasy~Now comes the fun part where you get to paint your wands! I find that regular craft paint doesn't stick easily to hot glue. You can do it, but your going to be putting on a lot of coats of paint. I covered each crystal with some painters tape, and spray painted each one with some brown paint.
You'll find that the spray painted hot glue ends up feeling sticky/tacky, but once you paint over it with acrylic paint that goes away.  I painted a light wash of color on each wand trying to create the look of wood.  I used a mixture of black, nutmeg brown and a lite Mocha. Any color combination that would make the wands look like wood would work. I used a paint brush- but I found just rubbing the wands with paint on my finger tip gave me a more natural look of wood.The flash of the camera distorts the colors, in person, they really look like wood.I'll be attaching a printed label that reads, "Wishing Wands" on these as well. Because, you know... these are for wishes. *wink* Wouldn't a wishing wand be adorable attached to the top of a baby shower gift? a wedding gift???  a graduation gift?... You could even  send one along with a Christmas card that read, "I wish you a Merry Christmas"

I'll be selling these wands at the upcoming Gem and Mineral sale I'll be participating in next month. I'll be selling them for $5.00 each :-)

9/8/21

Happy Birthday to me!

Boy, I sure am missing having parties at my house... *sigh* I was hoping things would be getting back to a safe normal-- but I think that is still a ways away~

To help me celebrate my birthday this year, I got myself a life size pirate skeleton to sit in my den. When I bought this fella, he was naked and bald. Now he is fully clothed and has a little bit of hair to call his own. Doesn't he look handsome?

The shirt I got for the skeleton to wear is actually a vampire shirt but I felt it looked very piratey. (The shirt is called, "Very cool Vampire" if anyone wants to look as dapper as this fella this Halloween. I got it from "California Costumes")I also got the sign that reads "Captains Quarters"... I was going to put it on my bedroom door but I just plunked it down by all the other pirate stuff for now. I was playing in this area de-cluttering it, if you can believe that! One mans junk is another mans pirate treasure! I've still got a lot of dusting to do--- blah--- I'd rather do anything than dust! So what did I do? I cleaned out my fish tank.......my 36 gallon bow front fish tank. I love that tank. That took me ALL. DAY. LONG. Sheesh, I would have been better off dusting! I've never done a water change or a deep clean of the tank and felt it was time. It wasn't stinky or anything--- basically, I was needing an excuse to redecorate it *wink* I only have two fish left in this big tank, a dwarf Otocinclus Catfish and a tiger barb. I also have a tiny ghost shrimp. But that doesn't count because you only see it once a week if your lucky.Here is a close up. Very pretty if I do say so myself :-) I purchased a new filter that is super quiet and a new heater for the tank too. I'm going to let it settle for a few weeks to build up some good bacteria before I add some new fish.Once the tank was clean, I got busy making outfits for two smaller skeletons I picked up along with the larger one. One is battery operated and says a bunch of funny things like, "I'd go inside with you, but I don't have the guts" I also added a red velvet jacket to the daddy skeleton that I got long ago from the same company as the shirt he is wearing. I think the family looks adorable. I've got another pirate in the garage that moves and talks... I may bring that in and make it into the mommy. I've also got a skeleton kitty and puppy... yes, I'll be bringing those into the scene too. 

Yesterday, I was gifted two Pirates of the Caribbean flags that are attached to swords and the little sign the skeleton girl is holding that reads "Swab the deck or walk the plank" What perfect gifts!!! Such generous souls out there!

I hung one sword/flag on the edge of a huge antique framed map that is over my fire place. 
I'm needing to figure out where to place the other one, but for now it sits on the coffee table.

I also bought myself an antique doll this past week. What a cutie pie! I wasn't planning on buying her even though she was only priced at $10... nope, wasn't going to get her. I don't need her, nope.... let someone else get the great deal, and was walking away... then it happened. The blasted... "Oh, you can take it for $5" Gawh, OK. So, here she is. Her name? Her name is "Lucky Eight"She looks like an antique Horseman doll--she is 22" long and is partially made from composition and cloth and has sleepy eyes/closed mouth. I haven't looked at the back of her neck for any markings. One day I'm sure I'll get curious enough to research her, but for now, she just makes me smile. I have a small collection of antique dolls, whats one more.*wink* That mentality of "whats one more" is going to catch up with me one day lol 

This week has been a good start to my birthday month. Like I do every year, I've got a list of stores I'm going to hit up to buy myself things I'm wanting. I mean, I shop all.the.time... but this is special because I've got an actual list of things I'm going to get instead of just buying what catches my eye... I crack myself up LOL

9/3/21

Wire Earrings

I have 35 more days until the huge four day selling event that I'm going to participate in takes place. I range from..."I've got this" to "I need to make things to sell, and fast!" In order to appease both of those feelings/emotions, I cranked out some wire and bead earrings.
I do love to make multiples...

I must admit, I do have a super hard time with creating a natural boho  look/feel. I did try... but then my OCD took over and I took the "free flow" and got it down to a precise wrap.... I crack myself up. I'll be selling these for $5 each... or two for $8.