"Make something cool from this $4 grab-bag of Michaels store discards, then blog about your results."
Now how could I turn down a offer like that, especially considering they both bought and delivered the bag of odd goodies for me?
I say it was "random" because the grab-bag was pre-made and sealed by the store employees. You couldn't tell what was inside the bag, but it weighed at least four pounds, so at $4 that works out to about a buck per pound of craft-store goodness.
The rules for the challenge are simple:--- Just make something, anything. As long as it uses stuff from the grab-bag. I accepted because, well, I am creative and artsy and all that... at least that's what I tell myself.
So I tore into the bag (literally, because I couldn't untie the knots) and discovered something shocking!!!
It was all... paper!!! Seriously, what can I make with paper products? There were no electronics, jewelry findings, metal, clay or anything else I usually work with. Oh, now I'm totally screwed, a failure, my feeble excuse for creativity exposed by the simplest of materials.
Luckily, my friend saw the look of dismay (terror?) on my face and, out of kindness, immediately amended the rules and added a clause that said I could add Electronics, 3d printing, CNC, lights, motors etc. - as long as I based the project on something from the grab-bag.
Whew, good save --- maybe I can do this after all.
As you can see, there was a lot, and I mean A LOT of stuff inside that bag. After the initial terror subsided, I even began to see some items I could use ---- maybe, sort of --- even if they were made of paper.
Within five minutes or so I had pretty much recovered and gleefully started sorting my free loot into separate piles for the projects that were vaguely starting to form in my brain.
I'm not ready to commit to any specific project(s) yet, but are the items I've set aside for the first round of play. I would say I've got more of a "good feeling" than any real "plans" for these items - like I can see an idea shaping around them, it's just not fully formed yet.
Stay tuned to see what I come up with. I'm seeing some goth black, some burlesque, several lanterns and lights, and a superhero saga. I will be as surprised as anyone if even one of the projects turn out okay.
Feel free to drop me ideas about projects. That's not really cheating, and all my ideas come about paper projects comes off Pinterest anyways.
AND!!! If I can get some of you folks to take the challenge (you know you have some scraps laying around) then my friend might join in and post her projects from her own grab-bag. I think that's only fair since this is much closer to their traditional medium than mine. So grab those boxes and bags of discards and start creating.
Till next time, keep on making.
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