Today is one of those days where I am going to confess my sins - I am not Catholic but this post leaves me with an overwhelming urge to reveal one of my greatest parenting shames. Firstly here is what I have made,
An Elmo's World Night Light - Dorothy's Tank
A fish tank is a huge deal in the Mansion, because the youngest two will never experience the joy of pet ownership. You see folks I have been banned from further goldfish purchases, I am a fish killer! Now before anyone calls the RSPCA, these have not been intentional deaths but the first three kids flushed fish more often than any other kid we know and Julian finally said NO MORE!
Now he rarely says no but in his words, "the killings have to stop"
So when Madeleine became obsessed with Elmo, he has a pet fish and she loves to look at the fish in the shopping centers. I suggested to Julian that we get her a fish, without skipping a beat he said "I think she is too young to learn about death" so the poor kid has not been able to have one. Well this little fishy fits all my pet requirements and she is in love with it.
Here's how I did it.
Supplies:
Glass Cookie Jar
Vinyl
Digital Cutter and Files
Beans
Battery Operated Tea Light Candle
So this little tank did not go exactly the way I had imagined, I'd seen all these painted glass vases that had been done using Modpodge and food coloring - Ugg did not work for me! So I washed it and did not take a photo - sorry but honestly it looked like dirty water.
Then I painted it using blue acrylic paint
Washed it off because it looked horrible, by this stage I'm thinking, Oh No!
Then I thought I would cut out my fish, well little did I know I owned a beach/fish themed digital set, YAY. (My cutter is new and I'm only figuring out how to use it - I still cut by hand a lot)
So I cut them out
Then I applied it to the Cookie Jar
Added white beans inside the jar to replicate pebbles
Then I popped in a battery operated tea light candle and called it done!
Waited for night time to get a shot of it in the dark
So there it is a night light - which would never have come about had it not been for my friend Maureen at It's All Connected, who asked me what was left and mentioned 3 things, 2 of which had not occurred to me - including lighting. This is why she is the professional and I have my L plates on (that's what learner drivers have on display here, in case that doesn't happen anywhere else) Check out her place, it's 200 years old and just awesome!
DIY Delight or Disaster? Do you know what, this was not the project I had imagined but for $4 it's actually turned out pretty awesome so I am going with Delight! What do you think?
Also no fish were harmed during the making of this post, I even avoided tuna for the day!
Thanks for reading,
Mel xo
Be Delighted Every Day, Follow Mellywood's Mansion!