Tuesday, April 30

Today was kind of excited because I was able to finish a project that I’ve spent at LEAST half the semester waiting to do.

Around Easter there was this WONDERFUL can of chocolate eggs, and I just really really REALLY wanted the jar/can/container….it was just adorable :3 However, the bottom part was basically printed onto the metal so it was impossible to rip off and have a nice metal can.

So I did what every good DIY wanna be does. I did it myself and turned it into a lovely …. can. I don’t really feel like being an excessive DIY person, but I did take some process pictures. I’m really bad with planning in advance for my projects, I just go for it and design while I’m working. Something will inspire me at some point in the process, and everything just flows from there. It is a horrible method. If you are an aspiring artist don’t do that. Think your projects through.

Anyhow …. this is what it started as….

a lovely (but un-useful) container

Step One: cover up that RIDICULOUS printed bottom half. I chose to use some string/twine and a long piece of grey paper left over from a project I did this semester.

 
string on the paper….

and on the can! (and a piece wrapped around the neck…)

Step Two: I covered up the bottom because (sadly) that was where the nutrition label was and I didn’t particularly want that on my can, even if it WAS on the bottom…

much better

Step Three: Adding a bow so there is a pretty feature. I first tried tying the string and the ribbon together, but it was a massive build up of stuff, didn’t lay properly, and I just REALLY wanted to use one of those pearl things once I found them…

 
How I made the bow … did not know how to explain that first step in words -_-

See? Just look at how nice that pearl looks…

Step Four: Cover up that label on the top of the can. This actually was harder than I thought it would be since I was using a fast drying glue gun instead of take-forever-and-maybe-not-even-stick white glue…but it turned out alright!

 
Starting out and not knowing what I was getting into …. and then finished! (with another pearl OF COURSE)

And that was it! Here are some finished product shots … and how it’s being used now.

  
Ended up looking way nicer than I had planned … the flowers in it are actually taped onto pens…so its a pen holder!

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Monday, April 29

Today, though its not the first day I’m counting for this blog, is the first day I got to spend at home ALL DAY and do whatever I want … ALL DAY (Except when I had to work). So what did I do? I did what every aspiring, energetic, go-getter, 20-year-old university student on summer break does: I slept in until 8:30, didn’t do anything on my to do list, and made muffins.

As weird as it may sound that my first order of business was to make muffins…baking is a way for me to symbolize having time. I love to bake things (especially when I give them away!), and this was a recipe off weight watchers and I was rather intrigued. SO…..I bring you ….. Apple Oat Muffins!

Mmmmm……

They taste particularly good warmed up in the microwave with a tiny bit of butter melted on top. Since no one else in my family will be eating them I had to put half in the freezer for later.

Today I also went to buy prizes for my piano students! If they practice 5 times a week for a month they get to pick a prize from my prize box…and the box was empty…so I needed prizes. I’m super excited to see how  many of them followed through. It has been one of my favourite things as a teacher to see my students take control of their own learning experience and be involved and want to practice. I’m amazed at their progress since I introduced this reward system.

I don’t particularly have my list of things I want to do this summer nailed down yet … but I fully expect to do that…next week. As the Nestle commercial on Pandora tells me, summer is about road trips with friends, taking my time, and “raising a cone to summer” (aka eating ice cream). Not a bad idea…the ice cream part that is. So until next time, I’m going to go eat a muffin