Lip Service - Enough Already

Hmmm...to moisturize, color, plump or shimmer?

How dry can lips get? Desert dry if you were to look inside the zipper compartment of my purse. I humorously admit that I have 4 varieties of lip products stuffed in that compartment. I have convinced myself that I need each one. For me, finding just the right lip product "is a journey, not a destination."

Still going strong.

Many people happily traverse life with nothing more than a tube of basic, standard, no-nonsense chap-stick. Much like salt and pepper, white, unflavored chap-stick is a staple lip product. It’s been around for as long as I can remember. Used by men and women alike, it has rightfully earned a spot in every bed night stand, purse, jeans pocket, fanny-pack or sock. Yes, I've tucked lipstick in my socks. Where else when you need to go purse-less? Some, like my husband Kevin, journey through life lip balm naked. Good for them. 

Venturing beyond basic chap-stick is where the "journey" gets tricky. Some high-end (and higher priced) makeup counters offer dedicated lip service. (Chortle, chortle) That's fine if you have the time, money and desire. The last time I tried a premium lip service I suffered from a cold sore from the constant "trial and error" removal of each shade.

And this is just one aisle.

I typically stroll the makeup aisles, wondering if spinning in circles and throwing a dart would be easier. Searching for just the right lip product is overwhelming: Ultra-Rich, Super Lustrous, Ultra Matte, Velvet Matte, Melted Matte.

Lip Primer, Lip Pumper, Lip Color, Lip Gloss, Lip Liner, Lip Stain. Shoot me now. It's no wonder my purse and makeup drawers fill with unused lipstick sticks, tubes and applicators.

An upside to lipstick shopping is being amused by some of the clever and brazenly named products: Be Legendary, Full Throttle, Pump it Up. Other shoppers glance my way as I laugh out-loud at the more risqué names:  Ecstasy Express, Big and Sexy, Studded Beloved and Wildly Whipped. My loudest guffaw erupting from this doozie: Chubby Stick. (Did I stumble into the wrong store?) 

Full Throttle

Little did I know that those early days of simple, no-nonsense, chap-stick use would become a lifetime quest to find the holy grail of lip protection. A “journey" I'm not sure I'll ever fully enjoy.

Chubby Stick

Studded Beloved

The Possibilities Are Endless. Part 2

Searching the internet for suitable fairy/gnome home material, I stumbled across the product ShapeCrete. Not carried in-stock at Home Depot, I placed an on-line order through their store. Days later it was delivered for pick up - no shipping costs. I was eager to learn about my discovery.  

Humble Beginnings.

Fairy/Gnome Form

My initial excitement however was tempered when I busted the first "gnome home" form out of its container. There was nothing exciting about the hunk of concrete in front of me. I'd been here before: the beginning of a new project. I was familiar with the twinge of anxiety I felt: "Can any good come of this?" I wondered. (See blog post: Fear Gets You Nowhere.) Determined to answer "YES", I rolled up my sleeves. 

Can any good come of this?

Seeing is believing...more pictures, less words.  

Click on pics to enlarge. 

The base was not level - that'd need fixing.

Tracing the door (and windows) for Sculpey molds.

  

Shaping Sculpey to match the traced pattern.

To the oven.

Molding and cutting Sculpey to an exact fit was challenging. I hoped aluminum foil would stabilize the door and window molds, as they needed to stay curved to fit flush on the house. I am not sure if the molds were jostled in the transfer, but they baked flatter then intended. Another issue to tend to later.

Post baking construction trouble. 

                                                                                   

Little by little. Detail after detail.

Great...the door and one window box cracked after baking. 


Curtains look nice though.

PVC chimney and...

...pine Cone "shingles"

Greenery added.

Thanks to Sculpey base is now level.

Detail painting to give the Gnome Home...

...a sturdy "brick" foundation.

Welcome!

Doubts cast aside...nineteen pictures and 2-1/2 months later, my humble hunk of concrete took on a new life: 

Humble Beginnings.

Metamorphosis Complete

                           360 Degrees.

                     Welcome to their world.

Staging - the fun part.

The Possibilities are Endless

First Gnome Home on the block.

When I constructed and installed my first twig-covered gnome house at the the base of a tree last summer, I knew that the passage of time and weather would result in the cozy abode slowly deteriorating. Not only would the sun, wind and rain weaken the stick structure, but visits from the critters inhabiting our woods would take a toll:  squirrels, birds, mice, rabbits, etc. As the seasons and fairy-scapes changed - I found myself performing maintenance on the house, usually re-gluing a fallen stick or patching the roof. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised how well the gnome-home endured the extremes of Minnesota weather. Still, I knew I could do better. It was time to do some research.

 

Hypertufa containers.

I'd never heard of Hypertufa until I began my research: A stone-like material which mimics concrete. It is composed of three substances: perlite, Portland cement, and peat moss. Once combined, the "batter" is poured into a mold to create plant containers. Interesting, but not quite what I was looking for. I wanted a more versatile product.

It was while reading about Hypertufa that a smaller ad on the webpage caught my attention: ShapeCrete. 

As I read the manufacturers description, I knew I'd found what I was looking for:  

"ShapeCrete is an easy-to-use, shape-able concrete mix that can be rolled, molded, pushed or poured into any shape imaginable. Just add water to the dry mix to get clay-like concrete...it becomes rock-hard and durable in about 24 hours...ShapeCrete is stronger than ordinary concrete...it can be pigmented, stained or painted..." 

Perfect. The possibilities are endless. (It was a moment I was truly grateful for the Internet.)

Dry, unmixed ShapeCrete is much like the texture of flour: fine, dusty and powdery. I would not recommend working with ShapeCrete indoors. I did only because it was January (garage was too cold) and I was anxious to get started. I was sure to wear protective gear.

Powdery ShapeCrete

Molding the "clay"

Once the proper ShapeCrete/water ratio was attained, (similar to clay.) I pressed the mixture into several different molds and cured for 24 hours. Click to enlarge pictures.

 

I kept the shapes easy and simple. The unfinished pieces were crude, but I knew once  painted and detailed, they would perk up. This was my first try. I've already thought of improvements for the next batch. ShapeCrete 2.0

Bottom of 2 liter pop bottle.

Give them legs and a little color.

Plastic works best: wine glasses, auto funnels, OJ container.

          

Crude and rough looking.

This one I mosaic tiled.

Now painted, cheerful garden or plant critters.

These should add a splash of color to my garden this spring.

Can any good come of this?

I wasn't as easily convinced regarding the potential of the round-ish cylinder and funnel shaped pieces. I knew these would require work...much more work. They would be the foundations of future fairy/gnome homes - the original purpose of my research and ShapeCrete purchase. They were going to "last forever". I had to make it work.  

Detail after detail, the first gnome home eventually evolved.  Mondays post will be dedicated to the unveiling of my first completed ShapeCrete Fairy/gnome home. Wow, the metamorphosis surprised even me.

Where Did the Last 365 Days Go?

It was one year ago to this post, (Sunday) that I retired from Nahan Printing. It is hard to believe that an entire year has gone by...flown by actually. I now understand the sentiment retired people often express about being busier than before they retired. I am fortunate to have multiple hobbies and interests that keep me busy and satisfied. And there is always that closet, drawer or garage that needs tidying. 

My Welcome Binder - Jan.17, 2000

I worked with great people and have many fond memories of my 15 years at Nahan. However, I'd be lying if I said I miss going to work every day. What I do miss are the simple, daily interactions that one enjoys with friends and co-workers. It was always nice to get regular updates about peoples' families and children. I also miss Monday morning greetings and hearing about peoples' weekends and vacations. I used to love seeing co-workers become new moms. While on maternity leave, they would bring their new babies to Nahan for everyone to ooh and ah over. There was something uniquely special about baby visits that compelled even the busiest workers to stop for a moment and take a peek.

Since retirement, I've enjoyed lunches and happy hours with former co-workers. Talking and laughing with them I am reminded of the comradery we once shared. I wistfully realize that not working alongside each other anymore, in the trenches, our once shared comradery has faded. 

The flip side is that I don't miss waking up to a 7:15 alarm every morning. I definitely don't miss the daily trudge to the closet wondering what to wear each day, trying to recall if I'd worn this shirt or those pants last week - or the day before. (Wouldn't want to wear the same clothes within two weeks of each other.) Nor do I miss the nightly chore of packing a lunch; or the long, tundra-like walk from parking lot to building (and back) in sub-zero weather. 

My last day. Do I look happy?

 

All these are normal reactions - nothing that gives me pause to regret my choice to retire. There is much to appreciate about retirement. One routine I savor most - every single day - is sipping that first cup of hot coffee and reading the morning newspaper in my comfy lounge clothes. Silly, huh? 

Retired or otherwise, happiness, satisfaction and contentment (for me) always seems to go back to that oft used and simple statement: "It's the little things." Occasionally, after an especially fun weekend, Sunday night rolls around and those old, but familiar "Sunday Night Blues" resurface. I stop and remind myself to relax and smile: I'm retired. For that, I am so very grateful.

I am looking forward to publishing Fridays' post. I've been tinkering with "cement" the last few months and just finished a project I am excited to share.