Andy's MST3K Birthday

I love birthdays. I think everyone should celebrate them and like to go above and beyond to make the birthday person feel special. So as Andy's birthday approached I asked him what he wanted his birthday theme to be. Now my husband is not over excitable or enthusiastic like I am. We are opposites in this way. So to indulge me he told me what he really wanted: To have his friends over to watch a movie with prepared jokes in the style of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

I had my challenge. They don't make ANY MST3K party supplies so I was going to need to make everything myself. I created my plan. Napkins, Cups, Cupcakes, Decorations, and Invitations.

Invitation:
Easy, just used Power Point and the Internet.

Napkins:
This was more thinking. I figured I would stamp them and contemplated making a potato stamp. Instead I printed things off the Internet, used transparency paper and traced them on the transparency paper with puffy paint. Once they had dried for 24 hours I attached them to extra foam pieces I'd saved and with the help of friends stamped several plain napkins. The big thing to remember is to print your images backwards because I didn't and where ever there were words they were backwards. Oh well, live and learn.

Cups: I didn't do much with these because of time but I just printed images of Crow on leftover labels and stuck them to the cups. You'll see photos below.

Decorations:
I did two main things for decorations. I printed out a bunch of images on 11x17 paper and put them up all over the walls then I cut a giant bone out of cardboard, spray painted it and had my husband decorate it with a sharpie to make the Satellite of Love. Lastly, Andy had a calendar form 2008 which was all Monster Movie posters. Perfect!

Front Door

I also went with a slight movie theme because it's much easier to find movie themed items and had popcorn cups and boxes of movie candy. Wait til you see the cupcakes! :-)
Another little detail I made were labels with the Gizmonics logo on them. This transformed any regular person into a member of the Gizmonics workforce even if they didn't wear a costume. Luckily for me our friend Joe has white hair and accidentally wore a long sleeve black shirt which made him look exactly like TV's Frank.

Had MST3K on the TV while people hung out

Easy Signing board!

Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank

Cupcakes:

Andy specified he wanted Boston Creme cake, but I wanted to make cupcakes so I just modified it and hulled out the middle of all the cupcakes to pipe in creme. I also piped the frosting on because it make it easier to cover the hole. Once that was done, I popped them into homemade wrappers and added marshmallows. To make the marshmallows look like popcorn I used a pastry brush to dab a little water onto them before shaking on yellow sprinkles to give them the buttered look. All in all I really like how they came out. I also was able to flip over a trifle dish, add a tap light, tissue paper, and an MST3K window cling which I had given Andy last year to create my perfect centerpiece.

Homemade card to Andy. We are cuddling in silhouette.

To top the whole thing off, I had purchased Andy a shirt to finally iron his Gizmonics patch to. (Previously gifted to him.) He became the "normal guy in a red (green) jumpsuit" and I dressed as the Dr. Forrester with stuff I had around the house because wearing a mustache is hilarious to me. I believe I accomplished my mission and Andy had a memorable birthday.

FOR ALL THE PHOTOS CLICK HERE

We took the Plunge-r

Abbey and Matt are getting married! I was told no penes at her bachelorette party so I wanted to bring something else funny. I remember seeing something like this when I was a kid and it always stuck with me so this was my attempt at a bridal plunger. Total cost $15.50 versus $32 already made.

"We took the plunge"

I'm going to go Step by Step with photos, since I remember to take them while I made it.

Step 1: Buy a plunger from Walmart along with wedding related items.
Step 2:Cover the plunger hole and treads with painters tape.
Step 3: Find a wrench or clamp to use to hold the handle straight up. This way you can paint the whole thing without touching it.
Step 4: I used spray paint and trim paint I already had but if you don't have gold/silver or white paint buy that too.
Step 5: Paint the handle and bottom. Wait for them to dry completely.
Step 6: Put plunger together. You can also spray it with a clear coat if you want. I did it but I'm not seeing the benefits at this point.
Step 7: (Not pictured) Put the bride/groom items on a piece of cardboard. Trace around them without writing on them. :-) Leave a space for the plunger handle hole. Cut out this piece. (I did it twice and glued them together for extra durability.
Step 8: I taped the bottom to an empty beer bottle and spray painted it silver as well.
Step 9: Heat up your hot glue gun. Take some lace and pleat it around the outside of the cardboard. I use a thimble to prevent burnt finger tips.
Step 10: Hot glue bride/groom item to the top of the cardboard. (Lace side)
Step 11: Trace the handle hole on a piece of paper and center on top item. My top item happens to be a wedding cake candle so it was soft and I knew it would be easy to carve out. If you have something you can't drill into, you might want to consider using a bottle cap that fits over the handle and hot gluing it to your item so you can hot glue the bottle cap to the handle top.
Step 12: I used a Dremel to carve the circle out of the bottom for the handle. I left the plastic on my candle because I thought it looked nicer. I also cut a white paper circle to stick to the bottom to cover the bar code info.
Step 13: Put a roll of toilet paper and the cardboard/lace/bride/groom piece onto the handle, BEFORE you use puffy paint to write on the handle. I used silver puffy paint to write "We took the plunge" and remember to leave room on the top for your topper. I used painters tape to mark it.
Step 14: Decorate your toilet paper with a ribbon and sign card. Whatever you want! I put the couple's name on it and the dates of their court house wedding and big wedding.
Step 15: I added a plastic diamond ring and ribbons to jazz it up. Even included matches on the back for the candle and smelly poos. Notice the "Just Married" on the duck butts.
Step 16: Finally hot glue the candle to the top of the handle. I also used 2 way tape and ribbon to cleanup the connection between the handle and the candle.
Step 17: Admire your work.

I think Abbey appreciated the poo joke and it's kid friendly. They took the plunge, twice. Matt says the toilet paper is going to be his emergency roll.

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Current Projects 2/23/12

Since I've started up again I thought I should update my last current projects list (which I forgot I had.)

1. Finish new craft table (very soon!)
2. Get new computer (ongoing thought process...what would I do without my work computer?)
3. Jewelry organizer: I had one but it's now too large for the redesign of my boudoir. I want to make something like this. But am still looking for a frame or artwork that will fit in the space I need it. I've reached the point where I think I just need to build my own from scratch but I know where it's going and the sizing is starting to take shape.
4. Organizing of Craft room - almost complete and Basement - not even started
• I am picking up bins from Walmart today to continue sorting and labeling. This rooms still needs a cool name.
• Basement - I've sorted stuff but I still need to figure out how to arrange it effectively and what types of containers. It's not the same as a craft room.
5. Sewing craft for Fallon - Done so check it out!
6. Tshirt Quilt
7. Zombie target
8. Unicorn motorcycle? maybe
9. Harajuku pillows and doll - Need to go to Ikea for pillows

Fallon's Banner

Fallon's birthday was coming up and I was heading to Chicago to see her. In addition to packing a box of balloons, streamers, candy, and other birthday regalia, I wanted to make something. Partly to practice with my sewing machine which I know how to use now!!! but also because it's nice to have something that isn't disposable. I have plenty of jean material from jeans that have ripped or no longer fit so I figured I'd make a bunting like banner with Fallon's name on it. I made a template out of cardboard and used pinking sheers to cut it out so it wouldn't fray. Then I added a zig zag border and attached the top border to a long ribbon. This was great and really easy. Then I debated on paint vs. felt vs. embroidering the letters onto the triangles. I realized afterwards that I probably should have determined this before sewing them together but that's all part of me being crazy and experimenting. I decided to embroider it since I didn't want to stop using my sewing machine. The results were not perfect but definitely fun and homespun.

What have you tried to make for a friend?

Once upon a table...

I had been having a difficult time with my craft room table surfaces for awhile. I had two found desks pushed together with a giant piece of ikea table wood on top of it. Neither desk was the same height so I shoved some books under it to level it out and it worked for awhile. But I didn't like it and the TV/computer wasn't in a productive area so it was more of a distraction. I knew I wanted something flexible but wasn't sure what. I have no idea how I started on the idea of a pedestal table but that's what I began searching for on Craigslist. Low and behold there was one in my town that had two arms/wings which could go up when you wanted the table larger or smaller. It was $65 dollars and I asked to take it for $50. After finding out what kind of place I was getting it from, I probably could have haggled more but didn't. (The sellers were in the salvage/estate business and had a whole warehouse down the road from me of stuff...this for another days adventure. Muah-ahhahahahaa!) Andy helped me get it home and it eventually made its way to the basement.

Before

Yes, I'm going to work on my picture taking skills but it's all due to the fact I don't want to break momentum. Pictures are always my favorite part of blogs too. Now I just had to make this table permanent in the room and the only way to do that was to finish it completely.

THE PROCESS

1. Clean it and remove all spiders
2. Let it dry
3. Sand it down everywhere you are going to paint
4. Wipe it down and let it dry
5. Cover parts you don't want painted with painters tape. This table had metal feet ends so I covered them. I think I may spray them silver to match the room.
6. I painted the pedestal part with the same door/trim gel paint I used with my bi-fold doors, you could just put a coat of primer like I did with my top.
7. Let dry
8. Painted pedestal with second coat of white door/trim gel paint.
9. Put a coat of Behr Sweet Mandarin on the top of the table using a brush for the sides and a roller for the top.
10. Let dry
11. Put a second coat on the table top.
12. Let dry
13. Put down arms. Now you could paint the insides of the arms...let's call them the arm pits but my plan is to sand down any paint bumps created from paint that got in there and dried.
14. Wiped down and let dry armpits.
15. Paint armpits.
16. Let dry.
17. Second coat if needed otherwise clear coat table top.
18. Let dry.

Now presently I'm at step 10 and will update this after I'm done but I wanted to at least get my progress up.

After 2 coats on the pedestal and 1 coat of Sweet Mandarin on the top

I just put on the 2nd coat of Sweet Mandarin and I'm going to need another. I slacked with the primer and only put 1 coat. I should have done two. As much as I love to craft, I hate waiting for paint to dry.

Fun Fact:

You don't need to wash your paint brushes and rollers out everytime if you are going to use them again. Just wrap them in cling wrap and then put them in the freezer. The paint won't dry and you won't have to wash them.

Wrapped up paint brushes

Freezer food and paint brushes

I'm looking forward to utilizing my new craft table for everything. The old desks are being moved. One of them may become my sewing station.

Yay crafts! They make me so happy!

Jax

PS: Realized I should add a photo of the wall which the Sweet Mandarin is leftover from. It's the storage wall from my craft room and I got it from the polka dots in the curtain.

Bi-Fold Door - Part 2

Some Supplies

So part two of this endeavor. Here's part 1. I used a staple gun for most of the world after cutting the fabric with pinking sheers. I use the screw driver and pliers to remove staples which have gone askewed. Nothing is ever perfect.

Start by cutting your fabric a half inch larger than the opening on all sides. You don't need to use pinking sheers this just helps it from fraying. Be sure to check your fabric for it's repeating pattern and whether or not you want something to be centered. I used damask and had the print centered. (After completing, the two sides of the door are off in pattern about 1 inch but atleast they are all facing the same direction.) Staple the fabric to the top of the back and pull it taught to the bottom. In some areas, I was able to do it at an angle closer to the inside of the frame.

Backside

Push the staple gun flush with the front of the door on the sides and staple all the way around. I did this to cover the empty slots instead of just keeping the fabric flat across the back. It helps if you do a few key spots, like the corners and center, to make sure you aren't pulling in one direction more than another. You can always use the flat head screw driver and pliers to pull out a wrong staple. Hammers work for hitting them further in too.

Close up of slot coverage with staple

Stapling over the slots

Once I went all the way around for each panel, (4 times) I did add some trim to the back. On second thought, I wish I hadn't. I might eventually take it off because it prevents the door from opening all the way or I might change it to flatter trim.

Put your hardware back on your doors and reassemble them to the opening. Matt helped do this. It is done and it is sparkley. I think on it's own it looks great but I presently think it contrasts with the abstract bacon painting in my kitchen. I might need to update this.

What do you think?

With just the laundry room lights on

Kitchen lights on

Open

Looking into the kitchen



This is what excitement looks like....

And it comes in the form of Harajuku Lover fabric. <3