. Well.... The Thrifts are sorely lacking this time of the year, and as any true junky knows - when you need a 'fix', you'll go to any extreme!! 
Low and behold, there in the back, of the bottom shelf, in a little basket marked .25¢ each were six new bottle of PLAID Gallery Glass (faux stained glass/glass paint) - new and sealed.
Low and behold, there in the back, of the bottom shelf, in a little basket marked .25¢ each were six new bottle of PLAID Gallery Glass (faux stained glass/glass paint) - new and sealed. ~Explanation: The latest hair-brained idea that I have dreamt up includes a combination of clear vessel (vase, dish, etc...) with applied sea glass and adorned with 'faux stained glass' patterning. No idea if it will work. Rachel / Two Dog Pond - if you're reading this, I apologize in advance - I know 'The Real Thing' (no faux) would be much better!! ~
I looked at the back of the bottles to read the instructions. There were none. The bottles simply referred me to some 'PLAID' book. Figures. Hmph. Oh well, figured I could look it up on-line. I continued to scour through the supplies, the patterns, the mattes, and then what did I spot...
'THE' forementioned book! - .50¢!
For $2.00 I had enough paint supplies to give this a try. I knew I could gather plenty of stray vases at home, and there is never a shortage of sea glass in our house!! I've located a bottle of special glue that I picked up last summer - designed for adhering glass to glass, and it dries clear. All that was left was to pick up a bottle of the liquid leading.
Between snowflakes this week, I fit in a 'fix', and again found myself resorting to the craft section... different thrift... same story - NO GOOD STUFF ...except...
MORE bottles of PLAID Gallery Glass (textured) - New/Sealed AND a GIANT bottle of the LIQUID LEADING!! At this thrift they were 3/$1 though. I purchase $3 more of paints (Now my grand total for supplies for this project is up to a whopping $5.!! ).THANK GOODNESS there are people out there who ship their extra supplies off to The Thrift the minute they lose interest/complete the project! I probably wouldn't try half of the things that I do if I had to pay retail, knowing darn well that they may only be used for a short time.
I must commend all of you 'HAND-MADE' ETSIANS (is that a word?) out there? To find a niche - something you enjoy, and truly do well, and run with it gets my applause!!
There are SO MANY things that interest me, that I want to try and learn how to do (can we say 'scatter-brain'?!), that I can't just settle down to one media. I'm probably the world's worst 'ETSY customer'... I love looking, browsing, oohing and ahhing, but in the end I come away with ideas, inspiration and say "Hey - I could do that!"
Blame or Credit... I think it all comes down to my Dad. Growing up, he never let us kids get away with thinking there was anything that we couldn't do (still doesn't!). He isn't the 'cheerleader' type, he's the quiet, subtle kind. Didn't matter if I was a girl - I could rake the leaves just as well as my brothers! Same applied when I liked hanging out in his shop - he had no objection when I wanted to learn the basics of welding, or how to use a drill or a jigsaw. Of course Mom did her best to counteract this and made me take dance, instrument, sewing and cooking lessons... (all of which I'm grateful - though I have no desire to use...).
And so it has continued over the years... acrylic painting...reupholstering...meat canning...macrame...herb gardening...candle making...felting...refinishing furniture...mosaics...jam/jelly...embroidery...calligraphy...silk scarf painting/design...wilton cake decorating...soldering...plarn crocheting...scrapbooking... All of which I got decent at (except knitting and grape pie making - we won't even go there, let's just say I truly appreciate a beautifully handknit sweater or delicious homemade grape pie and will gladly pay the price!!), and then it is time for the next challenge.
I don't go into my adventures planning on making any money - they are purely for ME. I enjoy the heck out of them - and usually come away with 'lifetime' skills. Unlike others, my supplies get neatly stored in a 'train case' and labelled for future use - NOT quickly dismissed to the thrifts!! Thanks to The Thrifts, and frugal shopping my investments are minimal.
Anyone else out there still trying to figure out what they want to do when you grow-up?? Am I just a 'skill-seeker' , trying to complete some bizarre unknown-to-me Bucket List or was it 'just meant to be' that I haven't found that niche' yet??
7 comments:
This post could have been written by me! Well, except for the meat canning (what's up with THAT?). I could open a craft store or a bead store or a scrapbook store in about a minute with all that I've amassed over the past few years. One of my passions is sculpting, which I know I'm good at (never took a lesson, just did it) but of course the clay just sits there, hardening into a brick unless I remember to add a little water now and then. I know there are lots of women out there just like us and even if we don't find our niche, the journey trying to get there is just so much fun! I'm eager to see the result of your latest endeavor!!!
I'm still searching. I see the kid growing up and I realize that in a few years I am going to have to GET A LIFE. And, that is skeery.
Do I want to make things and sell them? Yes. Do I want a junk shop? Yes. Do I want to write? yes. Am I capable of any of those? I dunno.
I made the upper part of my kitchen window into a stained glass window when we first moved here with that gallery Glass stff. It as easy to do and fun. When it became utdated, I just peeled it off. Can't wait to see your creations.
And, uh, yea, what the hell is Meat canning? :(
I've used those "glass" paints many times. I have "faux" stained glass windows in all my bathrooms and I've also done the side light widows on my front door. It is a fun project.
xo, suzy
OKAY LADIES - CALM DOWN!!! In my previous work life, one day at work, one of the Architects was borrowing a pressure cooker from another employee to 'can' some of the venison that her husband has just gotten. I asked her about it and she explained the whole process to me. It suddenly jolted a memory - My grandparent's were Pig Farmer's and though they both died when I was fairly young, I can remember THE MOST DELICIOUS 'canned meat'. I called my Mom that night and asked her about it. You could hear a big smile in her reaction, and said she hadn't thought of that in years! Well, I didn't have access to 'fresh pork' anymore, but I did have brothers and lots of friends that hunted - so I had access to 'fresh venison' (it CAN'T be frozen before canning!!). I learned to use a pressure cooker (that was scarey!!), and I ended up with a basement shelf full of beautiful glass canning jars - THAT I DID! Oh, and it was SO YUMMY! You couldn't even tell it was venison - no gamey flavor, so tender, mmmm... SORRY - Don't mean to gross you out!! (which I'm sure I'm doing to Shara - and I apologize to all other vegetarians too!!).
I don't think canning meat is gross, just ambitious! LOL I know you can can whole chickens.
Sue, I feel the same way you do about skill-seeking. I think that's a good way to put it, instead of having Crafter's ADD. LOL I just think there is so much out there to learn in this beautiful and interesting world, and I want to have a taste of it all!
I think that creative people are naturally drawn to other creative pursuits, it's just part of what makes us want to make beautiful and interesting and useful things.
It does not make for clean craft closets, however. ;)
It isn't gross, just couldn't wrap my head around what it meant! Canned meat - I get it!
When I lived on Orchard St. the neighbor man would come into his kitchen each morning with all his upper body glory hanging out...chubby senior citizen who never saw the sun....My kitchen window looked right into his kitchen window. Gallery Glass was all I needed to change my morning view from ewwww to a pretty little fruit bowl that glowed in the morning sun. Miracle product if you ask me!
Mrs. M
Post a Comment