Sunday, January 6, 2013

Daiso Finds!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to share some exciting things I found at Daiso. It's essentially a Japanese dollar store, and carries everything from chopsticks to snacks to.. craft supplies! I was looking around the store the other day as my friend went to go buy Hi-Chews (AKA the most delicious Asian candy I have ever had) and I happened upon the craft section. It's incredible! There are so many things in there that would be FAR more expensive any where else - like exacto knives, beautiful papers (not just origami paper), and sewing kits. The coolest thing I found, though, is felting wool! Also known as wool roving, this is the exact same stuff I used in my earlier tutorial on dryer balls - just MUCH cheaper. I have yet to actually try a project with it, but I'm very excited that I got such a nice quantity for such a low price - each package I bought was $1.50, while the same amount from Etsy or another online source would likely run ~$5. I've included some pictures below of my haul and a closeup of the packaging.


I highly suggest going to check out your local stores! Enjoy, and happy crafting!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Bracelets!

I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty darn good at making friendship bracelets. Above all the skills I have learned through six years at summer camp, this has been the one main thing I have excelled at. My favorite thing to do now is to follow exciting patterns - I wish I had pictures to show you of the time I made paw prints for my counselor (nicknamed "Momma Bear") or the bracelet of loons (the New Hampshire state bird) that I made for a fantastic woman named Stevie Ma'am at camp. I've been thinking about perhaps making a DIY for friendship bracelets, but I don't know how much I could help! If someone would like it, though, I'll make it :) Let me know!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Nail Tutorial: Galaxies


 

How I Got Started

So this morning I'm heading off to babysit three adorable little girls, aged three, seven, and ten. One of their favorite things to do is play with American Girl dolls and thinking about that helped remind me of how I initially got started in crafting.

When I was a kid, my mom constantly urged me to be creative. When I was a toddler I used to climb up on our kitchen counter to reach the cabinet where our art supplies were stored, and end up naked and covered in paint. As I reached the "doll" age, my mom finally allowed me to get my first American Girl. We never could afford the expensive outfits and accessories for them, so I made my own - and thus my interest in DIY was born. I wish I had pictures of some of the cute things I made when I was little to show you guys, but unfortunately they're all long gone.

Then as for nails, I honestly can't remember ever not liking polish. When I was a freshman, though, I went through a really rough patch in my family due to my dad's health and various other issues. Out of everything, doing my nails was somehow what helped keep me calm and happy. I started my other blog in the spring of that year, and through the blogosphere I quickly moved on from simple polishing onto nail art - and that's where I have stuck ever since!

How did you all get started in your respective hobbies?

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

New Year's Resolutions

Hello all! I just wanted to share my New Year's resolutions on here because I feel that posting them in public will make me feel more pressured to actually complete them - something I really haven't ever done in the past. This year, I've decided to give myself a resolution in every category so I can have some well-rounded self improvement. So here they are, in no particular order:

1. Social: To tighten my existing friendships, make more great friends, but also realize when friendships are no longer healthy and either repair them or, if that doesn't work, end them.
2. Family: To keep up a positive relationship with my parents, especially my Mom. I really want to create solid bonds in my family because I'm going so far away for college. Family has never been my strong suit, and I want to fix that this upcoming year.
3. Lacrosse: I want to be able to call myself a highly contributing member of my team. I've always loved lacrosse but I have stopped taking it as seriously as I should, so this upcoming season I want to be a great contributor and role model, as a senior should.
4. Individual: I'm 17 years old and much more lazy than I should be. I want to first get in shape because it will help my health now and in the future, and I want to run a 7:00 mile for lacrosse. I also want to work on my anxiety and get all that under control so I can live a generally happier life.
5. School: I want to not get caught up in being a second semester senior and keep up my good grades (while I'll probably slip from my 4.0, I still want almost all A's). Then when I'm in college I would like to balance my school work with all the social opportunities there, and be accepted into the Outdoor Education program.
6. Work: I'd like to get a solid part-time job starting at the end of my lacrosse season to really save up for the financial struggle that is going to be college. My perfect summer job would be to work at the summer camp I attended as a kid, but I've already applied so that is out of my control. Overall though, I just want to work enough that I go into college with a solid financial foundation and enough work experience to help me find great employment in the future.
7. Blog: This is obviously a new category for me, but I do have some goals regarding this blog. I hope to post at least 5 times a week, gain at least 50 followers, and accomplish one great giveaway. I used to have a very successful polish blog back when I was 14, and I'd love to get this blog up to that level. And if anyone is reading this, you've helped me with this goal already - thank you!

So those are my resolutions... what are yours?

DIY Tutorial: Ribbon Coasters


Tuesday, January 1, 2013

New Layout!

I'm so excited that this blog is being seen! I expected it would take much longer for anyone to even peek at it, let alone follow me. I decided I wasn't a fan of the default layout I used initially so I changed it - I hope you like it, it's simple but that's my style. I've been told that there is interest in a tutorial on the galaxy nails, so I'll see if I can get that up tomorrow or sometime this week. Thanks everyone!

Past Work: Galaxy Nails

Here is one of my favorite nail designs I have done in the past, galaxies! Unfortunately I have a bunch of projects I've done where I don't have good pictures of the finished project, let alone pictures of the steps I took in making it. But if I get interest in them, I'd be perfectly willing to make a tutorial. I hope you like them!

DIY Tutorial: Felted Dryer Balls