In the beginning...

Today makes 45 days since my arrival in Maryland, my new home for the next several years.  It's been a roller coaster ride, with more downs than ups, but life is looking brighter now, and I am eager to grow from this experience.  I've decided to try a blog.  This idea culminated from a few experiences, really.  It started in my mind as a way to document Pinterest fails.  I have so many.  I thought maybe I would try a different Pinterest project once a week, and blog about the results, whether I failed it, or nailed it.

But then with the move, I started doing these "weekly updates" on Facebook, and it seemed to have a loyal following.  And in discussing my blog idea with friends, some suggested I not limit it to just Pinterest fails and nails, but also include some of my adventures.

With all the recent changes in my world, and my new experience with chronic pain and depression, (which I never fully understood, even though I'm a nurse) I've decided to focus on the magic and joy in the world, to keep me sane.  Can't say my sarcastic cynicism won't occasionally shine through, though.  I am, after all, ME.

One thing you should know about me is that I am not a patient person.  I can pretend to show patience, but it's an act.  I'm sorry to any patient who had me as their nurse and believed me when I patiently listened to them drone on and on, but really I was thinking, "Hurry up! I have other stuff to do."  I'm not unkind, so I would never do that to someone, but I can't help myself from thinking it.  So there's a good chance that my failed Pinterest projects are a result of my impatience.  But I'm not going to accept that in this case.

A few days ago, someone on Facebook posted a tutorial for transferring any photo to wood.  I obsessed about that ever since.  I couldn't remember who posted it, so I googled "transferring photos to wood." Here's the photo I wanted to use:

I found two different methods.  The first one involved printing onto waxed paper, then using a credit card to transfer it to wood.  Click here for the link

The second method involved printing the photo on regular paper, then using a "gel medium" to transfer it to the wood.  That was the one I saw the video on Facebook about, so that's the one I wanted to try.  Here's the youtube tutorial.

First, let me tell you that if you think getting your supplies from Walmart would be a good idea because you can also get a few groceries you need while you're there, you will be wrong.  For one thing, Walmart this time of year is worse than Washington, DC traffic.  It's stupid busy, there are very few workers available to help, and when you find one, they either don't speak the same language, or just have no idea what you're talking about, even when you show them the picture of the item on THEIR OWN WEBSITE.  You will wander through the craft section, and the hardware section, and ask 3 different people from 3 different countries, and ultimately decide no stupid Pinterest project is worth your own sanity, and you will LEAVE.  (Later you will realize you also forgot the milk you needed.) Eventually you will end up at Michael's, where you will ask the first employee you see, who will escort you right to the exact item you're looking for.  In and out in 5 minutes, despite a long check-out line because, (and this is a novel idea) they are STAFFED with an adequate number of cashiers!  Anyway, I digress.  The items I needed were 1. Gel Medium  2. Modge Podge  3. Paint sponges.  I also bought waxed paper in case the gel medium method failed.

Speaking of gel medium, I have no idea what the hell it is.  There seemed to be a few options at Michael's, but I bought the one that specifically said "gel medium".  It was like $16 but I used a 40% off coupon, but still felt like this project was costing more than it was worth, even if it actually worked.

Well, here are my results.  You be the judge.

This was the gel medium method.  Irritating as hell.  You glop the stuff on, put the photo on and leave it to dry overnight, then rub it off with a wet rag in the morning.  As you can see, it doesn't all come off.  You can barely make out the outline of Mickey's face.  So I went ahead and tried the waxed paper method, which was way easier and cheaper.  Here's the result of that.

This one turned out much better, but still not something I want on my mantle.  LOL

All in all, I'm calling both of them Pinterest Fails and do not plan to keep trying to perfect my method.  Anyone out there interested in buying some gel medium??  Have I got a deal for you.