Pinterest. If you aren’t familiar with it, this is where women (and some dudes) go to dream of outdoor weddings, Paleo-vegan baked goods, and paper mache lampshades. I’ve had a “Pinboard” for some years now, but had forgotten about it–until recently, after commenting on a spray-painted pinecone hanging from the ceiling at a dinner party. “Pinterest!” was all the hostess had to say when I asked “What” and “Why”, reminding me that I, too, have many pins awaiting experimentation. My subsequent adventure proved that it is one thing to click “Pin It” and another to actually attempt the activity. The fact that my Pinterest followers haven’t all been married thirty times should have enlightened me much sooner.
Nail Art
I bet you thought your nails were meant to protect your distal phalanx and surrounding tissues from harm. Wrong.They are actually blank canvases on which you must express yourself. I chose to go for miniature abstract portraits of Ke$ha on each of my nails, and I’d say they turned out well, wouldn’t you?
Microwaving Ivory Soap
I feel like I see this all the time and wonder two things: 1. What is the purpose of this? and 2. Is it as nice and fluffy as it looks in that little boy’s hands? The instructions to make this happen weren’t attached to the link (come on, Pinterest) so I consulted Chemistry.About.com. The scientific method instructed me to…microwave the soap. Thank you. I did just that, and despite what these photos imply, it is NOT fluffy; the consistency is more like a stale Cheerio. But my kitchen smelled so fresh after that I considered this one worth it.
Origami Bowtie
I was drawn to this particular craft because how eco-friendly and hip would it be to use recycled paper to be fancy? You’d be the environmentally sustainable life of the party. However, after some folding (is it okay to use tape in origami?), crumpling, papercuts and a few tears, I decided that old newspapers should only be used to wrap presents and create trendy greeting cards to be sold at Papyrus for $12.00.
Rose Cupcake
You know what? I’m glad this didn’t work. What’s the point of creating something beautiful and just shoving it into your mouth? I guess this is one aspect of Kristen Wiig’s Bridesmaids character that I lack. At least we can both do the important things, like get drunk on airplanes.
Scarf as a Headwrap
Did you know that any accessory can also be another accessory? For example, this plaid woolen scarf is now a perfect springtime headband. It may appear bulky and uncomfortable, but that’s only because it is. This moody scarf selfie could be perfect but I think I chose the wrong filter.
Nutmeg as a Hallucinogen
So obviously I was intrigued to hear that a spice used in Mama’s pumpkin pie may have the same effects as a psychodelic drug. How is this legal? Is it even real? Should I try it alone? I can’t answer the first question, but the answer to the second is yes and the third is no. Don’t try this at all, ever.
I hope I have provided the Pinspiration required to release the artist within you. It is your turn to attempt to use something for a purpose other than its intended one. Best of luck. #diyforlife