4.07.2010

Yeah, So I Thought I was Crafty

Have you seen the So You Think You’re Crafty (S.Y.T.Y.C.) Blog?  I am a big fan, I really wish there was a TV show just like this, so I could watch the contestants compete live, you know, kind of like Design Star or Project Runway, only crafty.  Anyway, I had the chance to audition for round three and, ahem, I didn’t do so well.

I really had a great time with my audition and I’m hoping that maybe I can try out again someday.  Today I’m going to share what I made and some theories (excuses) why I wasn’t in the top 10.SYTYC audition 4My entry was a fused plastic traveling sketchbook cover.  Complete with pockets to hold tools and custom shrink plastic clasps.  This was something for me, it has been on my to do list for quite a while.SYTYC audition 5

BTW, these are new pictures that I took today, I have modified the original “finished” cover since I entered it in the contest.  I am really happy how this came out and I will use it a lot, my sketchbook now lives in this case and I have everything I need to whip it out and sketch at a moments notice, I am so happy to have finished this!

Now for the why I didn’t make the top 10 or as I like to call it, How not to enter a craft contest.

  1. Pick something really custom that doesn’t have a lot of appeal to the average crafter.
  2. Not deciding what you will make when you find out you’ll be auditioning.
  3. Procrastinate and wait until the very last minute to finish. 
  4. Just kind of finished and not really do it the way you wanted it because you are out of time.
  5. Make something using a super complicated process that may release toxic fumes.
  6. Take awful pictures on you living room floor at 10 o’clock at night.
  7. Use materials that are difficult to photograph (the fused plastic).
  8. Think entering a contest when you are nine months pregnant, where if you are in the top 10 it will mean finishing one super fabulous project with tutorial a week for 10 weeks is a good idea.

SYTYC audition 2 I guess I still think I’m crafty, maybe I’m just a little crazy.  Head on over to the S.Y.T.Y.C. blog and check out all the previous crafts and tutorials and get some inspiration.  And if anyone is interested I do have a PDF of the design I used to make the shrink plastic clasps, the line drawing with blank banner just waiting to be colored in to share, leave me a comment and let me know.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm interested in seeing instructions! I voted for you and am glad to have found your blog, but I also don't think it helped to be at the bottom of the list!

Crafterella said...

Thanks Barbra, I kind of thought that I didn't get any votes, it was hard to tell. I'll put together a tutorial and get the PDF for the clasp posted soon.
If you want to get a head start check out how to fuse plastic bags on the etsylabs blog: http://etsylabs.blogspot.com/2007/05/long-overdue-fusing-plastic-bag.html I used pieces from past projects and just zigzagged them together to make a larger piece of fabric.

DecoMOD Studio said...

I loved this craft. You know what I think is the biggest thing. Photos! This is a really cool project, but i don't think people were able to appreciate it as much because you can't see all of the cool details. Good job.

Crafterella said...

DecoMOD - agreed, I did a poor job with the photos, I should have drug out the light box or waited for a sunny day. I love it though, I take it everywhere.