I have, in the past, been relatively crafty. And by "crafty," I don't mean clever or inventive, I mean (quite literally) adept at crafts. You know, arts-n-crafts -- macrame, crochet, small pillows make of panels that I hook-n-eyed into the shape of a pineapple with a diagram and cheap, scratchy yarn, etc. All through my school years, I was always creating something or other -- ugly Christmas ornaments made of beads and toilet paper rolls, anything involving puffy paint, looming nylon loops into coasters and potholders, and personalizing everything you could imagine. Let's not forget how fast my nimble fingers can work to create an explosive hair scrunchy using strips of fabric cut by pinking shears. That is what happens when your mother sews like a fiend, and you grow up with ornately-created halloween costumes, and end up taking part in activities like dance teams, girl scouts, playgroups, after-school programs, and sororities.
Full disclosure: I didn't say these crafts were good, pretty, or even likable. I just said that I made them. Isn't it the thought that counts?
In the past 5 years, I've been ignoring my crafty side in lieu of a more modern, spare lifestyle. I have deliberately tried to shake off my childhood of knick knacks, tchotchke creation, and general fabric store excess. I succeeded in my boycott until I found, and fell in love with, an antique window pane frame off of Craigslist. It came from a church in Boston. I bought it midway through 2006, and I've been stumped about what to do with it ever since.
Here it is - complete with bad color alterations on the photo. No, my condo walls are not the color of baby diarrhea, but it should give you some idea of the scale and size.
I have 9.5 foot ceilings and expansive, EMPTY walls -- do you see how puny those photos look on the right? That's another issue altogether. First, I was going to turn it into a collage-style picture frame. Then I was going to blow up just one photo and cut it up to fit in each section. Then I wanted to turn it into a mirror, but never got around to getting the mirror custom cut and didn't know if the structure of the frame was strong enough to support the weight of the glass.
So it stands, leaning against my foyer wall, laughing at me each day as I pass. It's the ghost of Crafty Jamie Past and Crafty Jamie Present combined -- and if I don't figure out what to do with it soon, I might just have to get rid of it. Lord knows it can't hold my holiday cards forever.
This week's idea is to mount it flush to the wall above where my desk will sit (once I get a computer) and use it as a very shallow curio cabinet of sorts -- a place to set notes, photos, and leave it glass-less. Almost like a wall organizer. But that's this week.
Any ideas?
Full disclosure: I didn't say these crafts were good, pretty, or even likable. I just said that I made them. Isn't it the thought that counts?
In the past 5 years, I've been ignoring my crafty side in lieu of a more modern, spare lifestyle. I have deliberately tried to shake off my childhood of knick knacks, tchotchke creation, and general fabric store excess. I succeeded in my boycott until I found, and fell in love with, an antique window pane frame off of Craigslist. It came from a church in Boston. I bought it midway through 2006, and I've been stumped about what to do with it ever since.
Here it is - complete with bad color alterations on the photo. No, my condo walls are not the color of baby diarrhea, but it should give you some idea of the scale and size.
I have 9.5 foot ceilings and expansive, EMPTY walls -- do you see how puny those photos look on the right? That's another issue altogether. First, I was going to turn it into a collage-style picture frame. Then I was going to blow up just one photo and cut it up to fit in each section. Then I wanted to turn it into a mirror, but never got around to getting the mirror custom cut and didn't know if the structure of the frame was strong enough to support the weight of the glass.
So it stands, leaning against my foyer wall, laughing at me each day as I pass. It's the ghost of Crafty Jamie Past and Crafty Jamie Present combined -- and if I don't figure out what to do with it soon, I might just have to get rid of it. Lord knows it can't hold my holiday cards forever.
This week's idea is to mount it flush to the wall above where my desk will sit (once I get a computer) and use it as a very shallow curio cabinet of sorts -- a place to set notes, photos, and leave it glass-less. Almost like a wall organizer. But that's this week.
Any ideas?
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