Starbucks AHAHAHA

Well then folks. The whole world loves Starbucks - the tumblr world, the instagram world, probably even the real world - but I have to ask, why? So it's all tumblr yesss, but guys, tumblr is so mainstream now. Seriously; it's an adjective, like 'google it' , practically not even a thing any more, and so you can't just go 'oh but it's soo tumblr baaaaabeee *giggles* ' and expect me to go along with it. Come on, today I got an expresso ( because I had no idea what it was) in this teeeeeeny cup, and it was tiny, and it cost £1.60  - WHAT is this world coming to? And because I thought an espresso was a normal coffee I bought it, and thought it was reasonable, and then when I opened the cup it was so small I could barely see it. (fume.) AND Starbucks is really unethical too. Hffff.

People are such lemmings.

*note. I mainly don't like Starbucks because I didn't realise what an expresso was, which made me feel foolish. Also, there isn't one in Petersfield, so I can't go that often, and when I did I wasted the opportunity. Sniff.

How to carve fabulous stamps from balsa wood

I would be the first to admit how much of a fangirl I am. The geekier a craft, the more excited I get, and anything that involves one of my many fandoms is fabulous. The brilliant thing about this project is you can completely customise it - that's the point. For example, I made a stamp for Chirstmas with a reindeer on, which I like to think inpired awe to all that recieved my  handmade cards. Alternatively they may just have cursed my mirserlyness at not buying people cards, but that's beside the point. Anyway, this is how I make them:

What you'll need:

A piece of balsa wood (it's a type of wood that's soft, so easy to carve)

A pencil

A design that you want to be on the stamp

A craft knife

A carpet or cutting board

A sharpie, or felt tip

A pair of hands (in working order. or you could always use your feet.)

First, take your design and lay it face up on the balsa wood. Then begin to trace it, pressing hard so that the pencil indents the wood below (please, unless you are feeling foolish, like I clearly was, do not use a pencil with an easily snapable (what do you mean that's not a word spell check. it is too) lead. just don't).

Here is my design, traced onto the wood. I went over it with pencil so I could see the marks more easily

Now use your sharpie to colour in all your negative (getting professional here) bits - the parts you want to go in (ie remove).

Now, take your craft knife and begin to chip off the coloured areas. You can do this by slipping your knife under the wood, and cutting round the edges

Continue this until you have removed all the coloured area. You can do the fine areas by pushing firmly down with a pencil. TADA YOU'RE DONE!!!!! It probably looks amazing, like mine, but don't worry if it isn't - you can always try again. Congratu very lations.

How to make button badges

So, if you're like me you belong to too many fandoms to even list right now. (Also, if I mention them I will start getting really emotional, and using all caps and so on so you're all much better of without that nugget). If this is the case then, again like me, anything relating to them will make you happy, especially if it's something you can WEAR!! Like a BADGE!! (ok I'm sorry I just got all emotional there. Whoof... And breathe...) I tried to make my own badges a while ago, but they were rather embarrassing and got many negative comments (philistines. they didn't appreciate my ART.) So recently I tried again, and this time I think I've cracked it.

How to make Button Badges:
You will need:

• Buttons
• Thread
• Glue
• Water
• A shallow dish
• A pencil
• Some prints you want on badges that are the right size

 

1. Choose your picture that you want on the button (the more fandom related the better because cool is too mainstream) and select a button that is the right size for it.

  2. Draw round the edge of the button (in PENCIL. Trust me. I made the mistake of using pen and I will always regret it. sob.) to check it fits, and then cut it out, making sure you leave lots of room round the edges


  3. Put this to one side, without losing it, and then take your button, thread and safety pin. Tie the thread on to the button, and then start to sew on the safety pin, trying to keep the thread as tight as possible. It's tricky, so don't worry if you can 't keep it completely tight - the next step is to put a blob of glue over the pin, and leave it to dry.

  4. Next, take your totally unlost piece of cut out paper (you remember where you put it, don't you?) and soak it for about 20 seconds in the water. Then, without handling it too much so you rub off the ink, smooth it over your button, making sure it is placed dead center. Smooth the untrimmed edges round the back and then leave the whole thing to dry. (You won't actually need to glue it down - not quite sure how that works but it does. spooky stuff)

Of course because you're not fools you will have put the safety pin on by
 now, so you wont have to do it all again. I didn't do that obviously. Ahem.

Now all that's left to do is varnish it if you want (I recommend it). I only had satin finish so I gave it a coat of clear nail polish after the varnish shown above. You can't use oil based varnish though, because it will smudge the ink or something (wise words from my father there guys). Anyway, below are all the badges when varnished - I'm pretty pleased with them. What do you think? (Yes, I know they're fabulous. But you can feed my ego by telling me again if you wish)

Huzzah for badges!!!

Make Your Drawers Delightful (Or boxes beautiful)

I am naturally a *fairly* messy person (as in very very messy), and like my room most of the time my drawers are permanently in a state of chaos. This is a tad inconvenient - I can never find anything, so I have to buy more stuff, which quickly sinks into the rest of the debris, so I can't find it so - and so on. It's SUPER annoying, but while I'm naturally messy I actually quite enjoy organising. I eventually decided to do something about my messiness, namely by making lots of compartments out of cereal boxes. My first target was the box under my bed. I can't show you a before picture, but be assured it was horrendous. Now, it looks lovely.  (Always agree)

 

I used some pretty wrapping paper to line the boxes, which is from Ikea, and I used cereal boxes to make the little boxes inside. I did this a while ago, and it's still neat, so I'm pretty pleased with it. A few days ago I opened one of my desk draws, and saw THIS:

Gah. Hideous. So I gave it the same treatment, although I haven't yet lined it with any papers, which I probably will when I have time (/can be bothered/ remember). Now it's transformed hah.

 

YAY!!!! IT MAKES ME HAPPY!!!! This is how I did it:

 

Now your drawers can be as amazing (ish) as mine are, you lucky person!