PROJECT 2: Memory Boxes

My husband jokingly said that this blog was going to cost us thousands of dollars in craft supplies. After reading through the instructions of the next project (memory boxes), I fear he might be right. A list of things I do not have:

Balsa wood
craft knife (I know, as a crafter, I should have one)
brown paper tape
contact cement
museum wax
paper label
Pexiglas

I can choose between two crafts, the shadow box viewed as a hanging on the wall feature, or a specimen box, demanding much more material than the first and viewed from looking from above.

After a long and not particularly good day at work, the specimen box looks like a lot of work, and I would rather have something I can hang on the wall rather than have to stand above. And unlike what I can only assume Martha's house to be, I do not have a lot of empty shelves that are easily viewed from above. So, shadow box it is.

Now I just have to decide what my theme should be for my shadow box. Should I continue on the wedding theme and frame my flower hair piece? Should I document my trip to Santa Fe with my mom? (I am not sure I have anything three dimensional from that trip) or should I create a box about my time living and working in Mexico? All wonderful memories with their own, hang-on-the-wall merits. Do I want to be one of these women with wedding stuff all over her house (scrapbooks, picture frames, etc)?

I am going to look through my stuff and see which moment has the best shadow boxability. I'll keep you posted.

PROJECT 1: Chapter A - Albums, Scrapbooks and Memory Boxes: PROJECT 1 - Scrapbook

The first project, the scrapbook, is probably the easiest. I am cheating a little, I started and finished my scrapbook before even starting this blog, but I promise I was thinking of this idea the whole time I was working on it. I also promise that when my mother gave me the Encyclopedia and I opened it up to the scrapbooking pages I knew instantly that I must finally dig out my wedding box from two years ago and start working. And I did and it turned out beautifully. I used almost everything from Martha's embellishment glossary, the rub on letters and transfers, the borders and photo adhesive tape. The only things I didn't use? Air mail envelopes and eyelets and hammers (for a wedding scrapbook that just seemed too rough)...

For the actual book I used a three ring wedding album that my sister in law gave us as a wedding present. Although I worried about there being no protective layer over the pages, I think it will last and if not, well then thank my lucky stars I live in the digital age and all those photos are still living in my computer.

That is all I have to say about the scrapbook. To me, this is the easiest and probably the least challenging as scrapbooks are made from our memories and our hearts, not the instructions of Ms. Stewart.

The Idea

The idea is to do every craft in Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts starting from chapter 1. I work full time, have a husband and am starting a non profit so I am not giving myself a year deadline or any other crazy timeline. In fact, just getting through the Encyclopedia, even if it takes me ten years, seems like something to be proud of. The reason I am doing this is because I need an excuse to write, I haven't written anything creatively serious for quite some time now and I need an outlet. Also, even if I told myself I could do all the crafts in Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia, I would never finish them, except if I had an audience. And the reason I am doing them in order, is well, quite simple, so I have no excuse to skip things that sound infinitely challenging such as the Gilding chapter that starts on page 134.

And to all you skeptics, I am not saying this is a new idea. Yes I have seen Julia & Julia and I fully admit the idea was born from that movie (not the blog, I apologize but I have never read the blog). And no, I am not hoping this humble blog becomes some hit movie with Meryl Streep. I just wanted to do this and I have no other justification. I just want to see if I can.

I hope those who love crafts will read this blog and share their secrets and challenges so we can all benefit.

And so, Martha Stewart, queen of all domestic artists, may the best lady win.