Not Your Average Unicorn

I'm not really your average unicorn.  Actually, most of the time I'm just a kid. But I don't like being a kid.  Because of...other kids.  They call me names.  Not to my face, but I hear their gravelly whispers.  What a fattie.  What a loser.  What a bitch.  I don't know what a bitch is, but I know it's not good when you're called one.

When it gets to be too much--ugly stupid fat dirty idiot whore nobody--I become my true self, which is a unicorn.

When I'm a unicorn, I'm colors and I'm cotton candy and I'm cool summer breezes and I'm that hug between you and your favorite person and I'm the dream you had that you wish was real.

When I'm a unicorn, I'm golden like innocence and radiant like the sun hitting the ocean--a thousand sparkles kissing your eyes closed but they open again because they are mesmerized, in love.

When I'm a unicorn, I'm alone but I'm not lonely--bougainvilleas sing to me and willow trees whisper my favorite poem and dandelions wait for me to set their children free and shells dance on shore, flashing their shapes and hues as if to say, 'Pick me!  Pick me!'

When I'm a unicorn, I'm no one's joke, no one's loser, no one's outcast.  I'm not the kid you let sit with you at lunch but you don't even look at, I'm not the kid you pass in the hallway and whisper, 'Gay', to.  I'm not the kid you look down on and think poorly of, I'm not the kid you think you are better than.

When I'm a unicorn, I can't be touched.

Because unicorns only live when you've decided to let go.

Shell Light Garland DIY

                 I never understood the idea of

                 Christmas in July, but why can't

                 we have Christmas lights in July?

                Anyone who loves summer loves when

                summer nights are cool enough to

                hang out with great friends outside,

                and what better way to light your

                nighttime hurrahs than with a beach-y

                light garland?

              Three materials only!  A ton of shells,

           a string of lights, and a loaded hot glue gun.

Match up your shells in pairs according to size.

             Add glue to the plastic piece just below

             the light bulb and add a dab of glue to

             the tip of the bulb as well. Quickly adhere

             your first shell.

               Repeat the process on the opposite

               side of the bulb.  Then repeat the

               process for as many bulbs as you have

               on your string!

               Now summer can thrive long into the

               evening...long live summer nights!

Super Duper Easy Peasy Hair Accessory DIY!

This DIY couldn't be easier.

Actually, it could be, if you

had magic powers.  But for any

regular human, this really could

not be easier.  Seriously.

You need only these supplies:

loaded hot glue gun, small shells, bobby pins.

Carefully glue the shells to the closed ends of the bobby pins, and poof!  You're done!  Such a quick way to feel summery and creative at the same time, no?

Happy Summer, darlings!

Beach Treasures Wind Chime DIY

                         

                          Beach days are

                sunny days/turquoise-blue days/

                sandy days/hungry days/bright days/

                smiling days/shell-collecting days/

                splashing days/content days/lovely

                days.

                I had a beach day this past week,

                and one of my favorite things about

                beach days is collecting shells.

                Every shell is like a tiny master-

                piece; the variety of colors and

                shapes and texture is mesmerizing,

                as I could spend hours combing the

                beach for new treasures.

                Now!  That of course means that I

                have many a shell in my large collec-

                tion.  Shells make great art and

                conversation pieces on their own,

                but some shells work a little better

                when they collaborate with others.

                Welcome to the idea of including

                your beach treasures in a one-of-a-

                kind wind chime.

               Supplies are simple!  You need shells,

               string, and driftwood (which I actually

               bought at Michael's) or a thick branch.

               Tie a piece of string to both ends

               of one of your pieces of driftwood.

               I recommend double-knotting!  Cut

               off extra/loose pieces of string.

                 Tie one end of another piece of

                 string onto your first piece of

                 driftwood and tie the other end

                 around the middle of your second

                 piece of driftwood.

                 Tie various lengths of string to

                 your beach treasures (aka shells).

                 Tie your shell-strings to your

                 driftwood, remember to cut off

                 excess/loose string, and hang

                 your beach treasure wind chime

                 for all to admire and enjoy!

                   Happy Beach Days, lovelies!

Terrarium DIY and Variations

                 This is a project I've been dreaming

                 about for months now, and finally!  

                 I have a few moments to create it.  

                 Experiment, get messy, enjoy!

               You will first need to buy assorted

               small plants.  I chose succulents

               like Jade and Hens & Chicks.

               Other supplies include the following:

               potting soil, small pebbles (I used

               aquarium gravel), decorative stones,

               and activated charcoal (also called

               activated carbon, found in the aquarium

               aisle).  You also need a large glass

               container (see below) to serve as the glass

               house for your creation.

                Pour the pebbles in first.  They

                should be pile up to be an inch or

                so high.  Throw in a handful of the
                activated charcoal and mix with the

                pebbles.

                 Add a few inches of potting soil.

                 Remove your plants from their

                 containers and remove some of the
                 excess dirt from their roots. With
                 your finger, scoop out little
                 pockets for your plants and then,

                 well, plant them!  Add more soil
                 if you need to, especially if you

                 need to cover your plants' roots a

                 little better.

                 Water your soil until the water

                 begins to drip into the pebbles

                 below.  Add decorative stones to

                 fill in space not covered by the

                 plants.

                 Water your terrarium when the soil

                 looks dry; that could be every week

                 to every few weeks, depending on if

                 your terrarium has a top or not.

                 Make sure your terrarium has exposure

                 (but not direct) to sunlight every

                 day or so.

                 Below are a few variations to the

                 traditional terrarium; adding little

                 creatures, figurines, shells, and

                 other little oddities will transform

                 an ordinary terrarium into its own

                 little magical world...

Terrarium Farm

The beginnings of a Terrarium Zoo

Terrarium Pets

Terrarium Pigsty

Customized Award Ribbon DIY

As usual, this lovely lil DIY is suuuuuuuuuuper easy!

This is a fun, customized item that you can use as

                  a. a gift tag.

                  b. a token of appreciation.

                  c. home/wall decor.

                  d. a way to make someone's day.

              You will need scissors, a hole puncher,
              ribbon, a Sharpie, reinforcement labels,           
              paint card samples (which are totally
              free...yay!).

               Trim your paint card sample to size.
               It's better to cut less at first in

               case you need to adjust the size or

               trim up uneven sides later.

               Punch a hole in the center near the

               top of your card.  Don't punch the

               hole too close to the top; remember,

               you can always trim down, but you can't

               add what you've already cut off!

                 Using a Sharpie, write a little

                 note to your honored recipient and

                 add some designs!

                Now you have a customized piece of

                love for someone special!  It says

                more than a generic card and your

                recipient can display this all year

                long.  You can even make a super cute

                wall display using differing colors,

                sizes, and content!

                Now go make someone's day!

Independence Day DIY: Glittered Army Men

WARNING: This is not your typical Fourth of July DIY tutorial.

This tutorial stays away from the stars and the stripes and the red, white, and blue.  This tutorial goes for the heart of

independence: the soldiers who fought for it!

Kinda refreshing, no?

You'll need clear acrylic sealer, Elmer's glue, glitter, plastic army men, and a container to catch the excess glitter.

Cover your army men in Elmer's glue--apply generously!  Then douse your doughboy in glitter.  Shake your army men over the container so you can catch and reuse excess glitter.  Reapply glue and glitter as needed to uncovered parts.

And kabooooom!  After just a few easy steps, you are ready to celebrate Independence Day with new, classy style!