The Pinterest Challenge

I was thinking to myself the other day about the facets of Pinterest. I remember back in my grade school days when in class or sunday school, we'd be doing an art project and I'd be doing creative little quirks that I thought were oh-so-special and ingenious. I'd snicker to myself, "Mine is so cool...I put two different shades of green glitter on this tree instead of one."

But then...ohhh then...I'd look to my left and see that my friend had not only used two different shades of glitter but had used cotton balls to make clouds as well as the sheep!! I'd be filled with envy and want to beat my head on the table screaming to myself, "Why didn't I think of THAT?!  How could I be so stupid?! Mine SUCKS." I'd spiral down into a self loathing creative funk and begin smoldering my paper with my hate filled laser-glare.

I was having trouble a few weeks ago, in which I was feeling just like this, again. I was on Pinterest, scrolling through craft and organization ideas and I just felt worse and worse with every amazing idea that I saw. "That's incredible! I should have thought of that...stupid..stupid..stupid." I was sick that everything I had been making lately had been based off of someone else's ingenuity and creativity. Sure, I changed things up a bit, but seriously? Where's the creativity in that? Suddenly, all of my drive to create was gone. I knew I could never think of anything original because everything has already been pinned.

I told my boyfriend about this and he challenged me to go all day with not only not going on Pinterest,  until I had kicked this funk. He knows me so well, it's crazy. The first day I did this, I created five things in the space of a few hours. Normally I only have time for one thing a day, but I was a machine! It's amazing how much time I had when I wasn't getting lost online looking for "inspiration" or replacing my own good ideas with "better" ideas I had found.

I have all of the inspiration I need inside of me already. I am creative, I am ingenious, I am crafty, purposeful, and resourceful. It was challenging to do something I hadn't done before and have to think of how to do it without the help of others. It was fun, invigorating, and confidence boosting.

I still love Pinterest and I still go on there frequently but now I watch how much time I spend and my attitude while searching. I make sure that I find happiness with two shades of glitter, because sometimes the reward of creating something all on my own is all that I need to kick start my creativity again.

Rachel

Twig Luminary Tutorial

I love being surrounded by woodsy, nature inspired crafts, especially in the winter time when the mountains are full of snow and hiking is on the back burner for a short while. I found these twig candle holders on Pinterest and pinned them for a "someday" project. I saw that my friend Lexi pinned them, too, and when the ice storm here brought down a plethora of branches, we got together as soon as we could to make them.

Source: webecoist.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I didn't read the tutorial until later so I didn't know that they used some kind of special adhesive for glass. Lexi and I used a glue gun and at first it the branches kept popping off, but once the glue got nice and hot, we didn't have any more issues.

I got some clear glass candle holders at the dollar store. I couldn't find any good round ones, so I got square instead, which I ended up liking a lot. 

The greenbelt behind her apartment had a ton of branches and we found some delightful red colored ones with clean bark (as opposed to the soggy, mossy ones that are so prevalent in these parts :P).

We dried them off and cut them down to the length we wanted. 

And then we started gluuuuuing!! I did mine in sections, putting the hot glue on the glass and then smooshed the branches...and my poor fingers, occasionally...into the glue.

I had some gaps between the branches...

Which I filled with smaller branches and then tied some raffiki..raffeta..rastafarria..crinkly plant tie stuff.

I always call it papery twine stuff. Whatevs.

I also found some tiny pinecones which I used on the other one I made. 

Here they are, all lit up! I love the branchy shadows they cast. 

There's something so magical about the power of hot glue. It's so wonderful for instant gratification type personalities such as myself! Lexi texted me later that night telling me that she was wandering around her house trying to find other things to hot glue. Seriously...I want to glue branches on everything now. Must gluuuuuue! 

Rachel

I linked up to

Pinterest Challenge: Pretty Necklace Board

I've never known what to do with my long necklaces aside from thumbtacking them to a wall, which is most certainly not pretty. When I saw this idea, I couldn't believe that I hadn't thought of it myself! This one is just to die for, I love the frame!

Source: etsy.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I'm currently on a tight budget and had to do with an absolutely awful bulletin board from Goodwill. I really should take before pictures of the things I find there. This was a regular bulletin board with white trim and the cork was painted a pale pink. Blech. Not that it mattered, since I painted it anyway. :)

This is mine:

Not as exciting as the one from Etsy, but just as functional!

Pinterest Challenge: DIY Whiteboard

I saw this idea a few years ago and have always wanted to try it. I saw this particular one floating around Pinterest and finally decided to do it!

Source: makeandtakes.com via Tonya on Pinterest

I went to Goodwill and found an absolutely awful photo in a great frame (not that hard at Goodwill...) and  bought a fabric remnant at Walmart. You have to choose a fabric that isn't too bold or dark so that it won't conflict with the marker you'll be using. I didn't look too closely at the frame I chose and I accidentally bought one that was professionally framed [read: a pain in the butt!] so it won't be as easy as I would have liked to change out the fabric. Oh well! :)

Here's my version!

I think it turned out pretty cute.