Famous Last Words - "I can do that!"

Okay. If you know me, then you know that I am a crafty kind of person. Now, hear me correctly. I didn't say I was good at it! For instance, I love to make scrapbooks, but if you opened one of them, you would not be impressed at all. I like to go to scrapbook retreats, but I don't like for people to look at what I am doing. I can judge myself harshly enough without their help, thank you very much! So, I like to buy scrapbook page kits. Some of the kits are so detailed, it takes me an hour to put them together, so I feel like I did something. It just wasn't my creativity - I bought it!

Then there is the occasion where I will see an item in a gift store or online and my jaw will drop at the price and this is when I say "I can do that!". ha! Let me show you some of the things that "I can do!" Don't laugh!

I saw (and bought) this:



OH I CAN DO THAT.......





Yep! Didn't work!


I saw this:



And, again, I said - "Oh, I can do that!" And this is what I got:



Getting closer!!! Not too bad. So I proceeded to make about 40 of these as gifts to some of my closest friends for Christmas.



I saw this Christmas Advent Calendar:




I wanted to make some for my children and this is what they got:




Now, I have to say that I am pretty happy with how they turned out. And it was tons of fun filling the tins up and then seeing their excitement each morning. I found a lady who makes the teeniest nativity scenes and put one in the #1 tin since that was the one they opened on Christmas Eve. I was surprised at how much they loved them!

There is a local gift shop where I live called The Spotted Zebra. I love that store! I spend money in that store! I love the owners and I try to go in once a week to see what is new. But I was in there recently and I saw this piece of tin cut into the shape of a heart and painted with polka dots. Something you would hang on your door. I really like them, but they are $25 and since Valentine's Day isn't a HUGE holiday at my house, I just couldn't see spending the money. So, I said to myself (nope, not what you think!) "Surely, I can make something comparable for less than $25." And this is what I got:



Now, I am happy with this project, too. It cost me about $6 and an hour of my time.

My "I can do that" attitude is not limited to home decor (using term loosely). I have made decorated glassware, dry erase boards and clipboards! When my children were small, I made shirts, pants, and bags. I bought an embroidery machine (you know, to save money - HA!). I made ribbon watch bands, ribbon belts and flip-flop buttons! You name it and I am willing to try it. My poor friends have even been the recipients of things I "could do". Thinking about it, I am sure they cringe at the sight of my gifts!!! My apologies to those of you who have suffered from my craftiness!

So, are you as talented as me??? I want to know! Tell me your story!

Until next time.....