Ready, Set, Craft!

This Saturday I was intrigued to find an email in my Tote Trove in-box from fellow EtsyNJ member Laura Yona. She was proposing something called the 30 Days Hath September Make n' Tell Challenge. What, you may ask, is that? It's a variation of that old favorite "show and tell." Each participant crafts one item (or makes progress on a long-term project) each day in the month of September, then blogs about it. Food is fair game as long as it doesn't come verbatim from a recipe. There are no prizes or anything like that; the motivation is simply the satisfaction of knowing that you've met the challenge (and perhaps tapped into some new well of creativity.) Sounds fun, right? 

So, what did I make for this first challenge? Well, I started by heat sealing a large tote I finished painting last night (first picture). I do this by ironing the opposite side of the painted fabric. This tote is for the bf's stepmom, who loves purple.

Next, I began painting the first coat on a new tote that I just sketched last night. As usual, it's a crazy hodgepodge of technicolor fruit, desserts, insects, black-and-white checks, and other odds and ends. For now the background is still natural, but I will probably end up painting that too. I hate leaving "white space" because I feel like it looks unfinished. Tomorrow (hopefully) I'll paint a second coat over everything. Next, I'll outline everything in black paint (probably Thurs.). Finally, I'll heat seal the tote, then attach rhinestones with Gem-Tac permanent adhesive glue (if all goes well this will be Fri). Sheesh, that sounds like a long time, doesn't it? I always wish I could just sit down, paint through the night, and finish a tote in one sitting, especially because I'm always dreaming up the next one. But even I'm not that extreme a night owl!

On that note, I think I'll sign off and take a peek at what the other Make and Tellers are up to.