Friday, February 7, 2014

Flashback Friday: Epic Stepping Stone Fail

Hello There!

I've decided to start a new feature on Friday's called "Flashback Fridays." Now that I have over 300 posts spanning 5 years or so, I decided its time to reacquaint my readers with some posts they may have missed. In other words....

 

And now I present you with a Epic Stepping Stone Fail as featured on CraftFail.com. 

Hello Readers!

I often get asked "Is there anything you can't make?" Yes. There are many things I know I can not do. Quilting is one of them. I'm not careful enough to keep my cuts straight, and it's a disaster when I'm done. I also can not make jewelry (for the most part). And apparently, I can not make stepping stones either.

I got together with a group of girls for a little crafting a few months ago. We decided to make stepping stones. We purchased a kit meant for little kids and got to work. The instructions seemed pretty straight forward. It used descriptive words like "ice cream" and "cake." Mix the powder and water. Put design in. Paint when dry. We should have known that when we had to throw away the first batch of mix, it was only going to go down hill.

I have absolutely no idea how they expect young children to make these stones. Three capable grown woman were miserably defeated by these stepping stones. Since there was three of us and only one Popsicle stick to stir with, we had to use other devices. I was unfortunate enough to get a pencil to mix with. I thought it was going to be just fine to mix with a pencil. I didn't count on the mixture having super human qualities. As you're mixing it, it starts to dry almost immediately. There is no lag time to put in a nice drawing or put those shiny jewels they provided into the cement. You have a 60 second window max before you're creation is literally in cement.

I see my friends' stones and how quickly they dried, and I realize that I need to focus. Nothing can distract me during my 60 second window (including my crying daughter). As I start to stir in the water, I think about all the awesome things I'm going to do with my stone. I'm going to carve some stuff in it. I'm going to put jewels in. I'm going to paint the heck out of it. It's going to be the most beautiful stone ever. I'm going to hang it in my entryway so all visitors can admire my artistic talent. I'll probably immediately get orders to make creations for other people. It will catch on like wildfire. I'll probably be discovered by Better Homes and Gardens and be offered a job. I'll soon there after write a crafty book while touring the country. I'll probably be invited onto Rachel Ray and have my own show on OWN.

Then I see it. Wait. Why is this looking so clumpy? Why isn't it letting me smooth out? Oh no! The pencil won't let me smooth out the top. I struggle to some how manipulate the pencil into a magical spatula. I am powerless to stop the stone from setting. I decide to change strategies. I'll prioritize. First, the jewels need to go in since they need the most stickiness, then I'll use a toothpick to carve something.

At this point I have given up all thoughts of stone grander. I just want to put something into this stone before it's too late. I think to myself, I'll carve in the names of my family and then maybe, I'll create a stone someday when we have more family members. Yes. That is a great idea. A family memory to pass down. I'll carve a path in the beautiful garden I'll someday have on our dream acreage. My great grandchildren will look at my stones with appreciation and respect.

So, I get my husband's name in. Then, I move onto my daughters. Great. Then I go to put my name in. Wait. NO! STOP DRYING!!!!!!!! Ugh. It's completely dry. I now have a clumpy stone with my just husband and daughter's name. Awesome.

At this point you can imagine that we're all feeling quite defeated. I start to brain storm with my friends about what purpose a ugly clumpy stone with just my husband and daughter's name could be used for. Thankfully someone asked if my husband's birthday was coming up. Yes! Yes it is!

So, once we gave the stones a couple of days to dry, I presented my stone to my husband as a early birthday present. From our daughter. I wasn't going to claim I made that ugly thing.

It sits in amongst the weeds in the garden I don't have time to tend. Probably is a popular bathroom spot of various dogs that pass by. And the jewels won't stay in the stupid thing.

Enjoy & Laugh at our stone creations!



Don't be fooled. This one looks nice. The tray they provided at this pattern on one side and you were supposed to use the other to draw, paint and put jewels in.



And here's the other side. The jewels have different thoughts about staying put. I don't blame them. I'd run from our stepping stones too.


This is another friends. Her paint job is quite good. Especially next to mine.



And this is mine! Don't you just love the rocky clumpy surface? How about the the random paint circle? What about the fancy jewels (that have since decided to fall out)?








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