Challenge: Week #1

Well we did it! Mom and I both finished our projects on time this week. When we talked midweek I wasn’t sure it was going to happen. A week isn’t a very long time to find a treasure and develop it into a project and we were both feeling some pressure. Time will tell whether or not we can keep up the pace.

My project began with a set of Smithsonian souvenir cookie cutters. The set includes a star, flag, airplane, elephant and dinosaur. When I saw them in the store I just stared at them trying to figure out how I could use them. My daughter stepped up next to me and tipped me off to an idea: use the cookie cutters as a stamp.



I spent a day or two trying to figure out which stamps to use and what to stamp them on. I stopped by a second hand shop and found a white cotton dresser scarf which was just perfect. I decided to go with a patriotic theme and chose the star with red, white and blue paint. The stamping was really easy and only took me about 30 minutes to finish. In the end, I decided to do a little spatter painting to add a little interest (those are the blobs you see!). I think it adds a little interest. Cookie cutters come in so many shapes and sizes and I think this idea would work well for personalized curtains, pillows and even t-shirts. There are so many possibilities to ponder.


Mom did a great job on her project. She picked up a house shutter at a yard sale. It was a natural color when she bought it and she painted it the color you see. She bought the bird house and the fence at the craft store and painted them up, too. I love the charming, country look of this project. I can imagine it hanging on a porch welcoming visitors. She has it hanging on a wall in her kitchen. Not that this is part of the competition, but Mom’s project cost her $2.75 and mine cost me $4.00. Not a lot of money for so much fun!

We each have our projects for this week picked out already. She spent the week-end at yard sales looking for supplies and I popped into a consignment shop. Again, her project sounds more substantial than mine. I’m going to have to step up my game. Maybe next week.