Another Pinterest Project! This time, a bleach pen designed t-shirt.

So.  It's time to splash about photos again here on The Blog.

One day, I was spending quality hours searching Pinterest for DIY ideas and came across this awesome one:  Bleach Pen T-shirts!

So I thunk, I can do this!  And so I did.

First, gather your materials.

As you can see, I have a shirt that is 100% cotton (very very important!!) that I found at a thrift store for $1.50, a piece of wax paper, something solid to use as a drawing surface and a Clorox Bleach Pen for Whites (also important!!).

First, some good tips:

1.  In order to do this project, you'll definitely need a shirt or fabric that is natural such as cotton.  It cannot be a 50/50 blend of cotton/whatever.  I'm told it just won't accept the bleach.

2.  Use a fresh Clorox Bleach Pen, and make sure it's for whites.  Importanty.  Also, shake that pen up.  Shake it.  Shake it.  Are you shaking it?

3.  This is bleach, people.  Use ventilation and don't get into your eyeballs and other logicky stuff.

4.  This project takes time.  From start to finish, it was a good 2.5 hours.  So, clearly you can't just rush this thing.  Or, if you do, you'll be shaking your fist at the universe.

Moving on.

So, you've got your stuff all laid out, right?  Like so:

What your eyes don't see, unless you've got X-ray vision, is that I've inserted the mat in betwixt the front of the shirt and the back of the shirt (basically I just slipped it inside on the side I wanted my design) and then laid the sheet of wax paper on top of the mat.  You could probably use a book or whatever.  I just grabbed the first thing I saw.  Also, I'm told you can use Freezer Paper and iron it to the inside of the shirt.  Whatev.  I just used my wax paper because it was handy.  The point is, you don't want the bleach to bleed through to the back of your shirt.

Let us begin.

Actually, wait.  I forgot a key ingredient to this!  You need a design.  So, I trolled the Googles and found a dandelion image that looked quasi-easy to recreate using a messy bleach pen.

And thus, I began.

And there is my design.  This is in the early stages, very wet and very smelly.  I'll tell you that drawing with a bleach pen isn't all that easy.  I noticed that some people used chalk first to make their design and then used the bleach pen over it.  I like to live on the edge like a rock star, so I just went with it.  Some of it looks uber goopy and lumpy, but I figured it would only enhance my design.  I let it sit like this for at least 20 minutes, just to make sure that the bleach would do its job.  I watched an episode of Monk whilst waiting.  You may choose to do something else.

After a chunk of time floated by, I was ready to rinse off the bleach.  I just carefully carried my shirt with the wax paper still inside to my kitchen sink and ran cold water over the design.  Now, here is where I'll tell you that I experienced that the bleach was hard to rinse off so I used a paper towel to help the process.  I tried to work fast so that no residual bleach would land anywhere else.  It wasn't too difficult.

Here is the shirt with the bleach rinsed off.

As you can see, it worked!  I immediately chucked the shirt into a cold wash cycle and then dried it like normal.  I even was bold and daring and just added this shirt to a load that was needing laundering.  Needing laundering.  Those words sound weird together.  Needing laundering.  Needing laundering.  Weird.

Anyways.  Here is the finished product.

BOOM.  Also, I know you're thinking the shirt color looks all weird compared to the other pictures- it only looks that way because I took the first set of pictures at night and the last picture was taken during the day.  Natural lighting.  Way different than light from a lamp.

And there you have it.  My bleach pen shirt with dandelions!

Meow. I'm totally copycatting my frenn.

Have I told you about my friend, Sasha from Lemonade Makin Mama?  Welp, she's pretty awesome.  I'm convinced we'd make excellent neighbors.  Anyways, I lovingly borrowed this idea from her today.  Here goes!

Currently loving... sewing.  Some days we're BFFs and some days I hate it with the passion of a thousand suns.  Lately, we're still friendly.  Ask me how I feel about it in a week.
Currently reading... Crossed by Ally Condie.  And The Fey on my iPrecious.  And soon, Lord of the Rings.  Have I mentioned that I lurve reading?
Currently waiting for... the dryer to stop.  Because, yet again, the dirty underwears need attention.   
Currently excited about... my trip to Florida next week!!  Harry Potter, here I come!!  Woooot!!  Have I mentioned that Butterbeer is the best drink ever??
Currently missing... my sister and her family.  She just had a baby.  A wee squishy little baby that I'm pretty sure needs to be mine.  "I shall call him 'Squishy,' and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy."
Currently trying... to sew a corn on the cob.  It is not my BFF. 
Currently working at... making smoothies every morning.  My blender and I are in the acquaintances phase of our relationship.  My goal, to be luhvahs.   
Currently enjoying... that my hair is growing!!  Have I mentioned I look like a boy?
Currently snacking on... granola mix.  There is not much to say about that. 
Currently using... "Day at the Spa" goat's milk lotion from my friend, Dawn.  She makes it herself!  It's awesome!!!! 
Currently wearing... a shirt with missing buttons.  Have I mentioned I'm not altogether that domesticky?  
Currently planning...on sewing a Quiet Book.  That someone will pay me for!  Have I mentioned I love sewing?  Also, ask me in a week how I feel about that.
Currently singing... "Colours" by Grouplove.  Yes I am.
Currently needing... a new pair of jeans.  Tres hard to find.
Currently learning... how to make smoothies?  Ooh, and how to sew puffy corn on the cobs.  Have I mentioned I hate the corn on the cobs?
Currently listening to...an airplane flying overhead.  It makes me hanker for some canned air and Sky Mall magazines.
Currently wishing... I could squish my squishy nephew.  Also, that I would lose 10 pounds, because isn't that what we all wish for?  
Currently doing... a look around my messy room.  Now I'm back to looking at the computer screen.  The screen is much better to look at.
Currently praying for...some new changes about to take place.  I shan't tell you now, no I shan't.  But soon, I shall.  Also, that my corn on the cobs don't suck.  And to lose 10 pounds.  And for my squishy nephew to be big enough to leave the NICU.  And...many things.  
Currently dreaming of... a vacation to Disney World.  Have I mentioned I'm just a big kid?  Nay?  Well, I am a colossal big kid.  Also, I'm sure that's redundant.  Yet, I am not going to change it.  Nay.  


Happy Thursday.    

DIY Onesies, or, the first time I used an iron in like, three years.

So.  I said that I would splash about pictures of crafts that I've done that I found on Pinterest.  Well, HERE I GO...SPLASHING ABOUT!!

My sister is about to have a baby.  Like, literally, she's about to have him any minute now.  A boy.  A wee babe with testosterone.  Thus, I decided to make customized onesies with wittyish sayings.  Because that's how I roll here at Chez Murphy.  With the wit and the saying of the wit.

Prepare for photo splashing.

What you'll need for this project:

1.  Ideas.  Or, you can just steal ideas from other people.  Dude.  It's not like we own the sayings.  Steal!  Steal away!  Also, don't tell anyone I told you to steal.

2.  Fabric Transfer Paper.  Idk why I capitalized all that.  I found my FTP at the Walmarts.

3.  Onesies.  Also found at the Walmarts.  With a coupon.  Word.

4.  Scissors.  For you shall cut and trim and cut some more.  And trim.

5.  An iron.  Which I had to hunt for because I don't do any ironing around these here parts.  That's what the dryer is for.  Also, I just revealed how great of a housewife I am.

Ok, now to get started on Fabulous Onesies With Wittyish Sayings.

First, go on your compy and create the designs you want to use.  Or, get your husband to do it like mine did, because My Hubs is the bestest.  Once you've gotten your designs/sayings/pictures/whathaveyou all ready, print them out on your Fabric Transfer Paper.  HOWEVER, DON'T FORGET TO DO IT AS A REVERSE IMAGE.  OR MIRROR IMAGE.  OR WHATEVER OPTION MAKES IT LOOK ALL BACKWARDSY.  I forgot to do this the first time around and thus cussed in my mind and sat frantically at the computer until My Hubs took over and figured out what to do.  So.  Lesson learned - read the instructions in the FTP which clearly state to make your images reversed.  Moving on.

So once you have your images printed out and they are backwardsy, cut them out leaving a very small margin.  Also, I should mention that I chose the LIGHT Fabric Transfer Paper.  Because I was using white onesies.  And thus, you shall have a pile of cut out images, like so:

The backwardsy look is confusing, I know.  Now you need to get your iron ready.  Make sure there is no water in your iron and the steam option is turned off.  Now heat up your iron for five minutes on the highest cotton setting.  Prepare your surface.  For me, that meant sponging off all the crumbs and whatnot stuck to my table.  Then I laid a towel on the table as my ironing surface.  The instructions say not to use an ironing board.  Idk why.  It's a mystery.

Now is a good time to get a helper.  This is mine.

She got bored pretty quick, though.  Not helpful at.all.

Now that your iron is all hotty hot hot, iron your towel.  To rid the towel of creases.  Now, iron your onesie or tshirt or whathaveyou.  Now your surface is ready for Witty Saying Or Image Placement.  Like so:

You place your image where it is on the fabric and where it's not showing all backwardsy anymore.  Get it?  Once all centered and such, iron that bad boy.

Have I told you how difficult it is to iron and take a photo all at the same time?  Nay?  Well.  Take my word for it.  Word.

Iron iron iron.  The instructions tell you how long.  I did it for around 45 seconds.  In smooth movements, emphasizing the corners.  OOH- I forgot to mention, when you cut out your images, make the edges rounded.  This prevents the edges not adhering and whathaveyouandthings.  So.  Now that your image is all ironed on your fabric, let that cool off for a couple of minutes.  While one was cooling, I was repeating all these steps with the next onesie.  I am practically as organized as Martha Stewart, I tell you.

Once your fabric is all cooly cooled, you are ready to begin peeling.  I just began slowly peeling away one corner of the ironed on image.  It's not rocket science.

Slow slow slooooowwww.  It's not a race.  Also, that scratch on my hand?  From a tree at work.  Christmas is dangerous, I tell you.

Now, your transfer paper backing is peeled off.  Voila.

Boom.  You're done.

Here are all my finished onesies.

And there you have it.  DIY Customized Baby Onesies With Awesome Wittyish Sayings.  Also, can you tell my family is heavily influenced by Apple?

Happy Year!

I left out the NEW on purpose. I'm not sure what the purpose is yet.  Give me a few minutes and I'll come up with something smarty pantsy.

So.  It's 2012.  The year the world will end, according to that movie with John Cusack.  I am just full of the hope today.

Also, aren't I supposed to list a whole bunch of things I want to accomplish this year?  Well, I love my lists, so I shall play along.

1.  Get out of debt completely.  We are so close, people.  *holds up finger and thumb really close*

2.  Figure out what exercise really means and then do it.  This is not because the December Fatty Me is writing this.  This is the It Keeps Cancer At Bay Me saying this.  It's like vitamins.  That make you sweat.

3.  Finish my little paranormal fiction.  I'm like...this close.  *spreads finger and thumb a little ways apart*

4.  And this is it, people.  The big one.  The real resolution I have made and plan to keep.  Are you ready?  I shall, each month, pick and do a DIY craft project that I find on Pinterest and splash it all over this little bloggywog.

SO.  PREPARE YOURSELF FOR AWESOMENESSOSITY, PEOPLE.  CLEARLY.

And may the rest of the 363 days go smoothly, with no cancer or life threatening diseases, gorgeous hair growing in and smaller dress sizes.

Also, I bought two Christmas presents yesterday for this year.  So, clearly I am seizing control of my year already.

Peace out.

It's sad that boosies and cancer are all I talk about here on the blog nowadays

Ok.  It's been ages and a decade since I last updated.  Or, a month.  I've been working like a crazy person both at my Mall Job and here at Chez Murphy, where dirty underwears never go away and sewing projects heap up begging for attention.  So sadly, you readery peeps don't get to know what's going on with me.  I know you're crying.

So what's happening, you ask?  Surgery tomorrow morning!  This surgery is called an exchange surgery where I'm swapping out my coconutty expanders for perky and plush silicone implants.  Also, is it weird to anyone else that I just oh, so casually talk about boosies like it's the weather?  Hmm.   Anyhow, I'm told by my nurse that I'll feel heaps better after this surgery and be much more comfortable.  What I was most excited about was buying a normal bra straight off the rack.  I'm practically normal.

Even more normal, my hairs are growing back.  It looks like my head is covered in black duck fuzz.  Also, I had to shave my legs and pits again for the first time in eons.  Sadly, I know that the novelty will wear off this current excitement and I'll again join the ranks of the complaining female masses in regards to shaving woes.  And the metrosexual peeps, too.

So, physically, I'm doing well.  I'm healing up from all the chemo biz, my poison has waned, I feel like myself again.

Intellectually, I feel like the chemo brain blanket that covered my brain synaptic powers is now gone, so I can think again and don't stand there drooling whilst staring off into oblivion.

Emotionally, well, I had a rough few weeks where I finally let all of my circumstances cascade down and I really felt them.  It sucked.  But, I am so grateful to the peeps around me who just sat there and let me go on and on about how lame and lousy things were and just nodded sagely when I said I was in a foul mood.  One friend even was like, "Well it's about time".  And I was like, huh, you're right.  I think I kept a smile on my face just so I could survive all these crazy last few months without going bonkers.  Anyways, now I feel fine.

Spiritually, me and Jesus are BFFs.  So.  All is good there.

And that's it, folks.  Since June, I've been sliced open and drugged and poked and prodded and bandaged and poisoned and encouraged and lectured and scared and hugged and loved on and dealt with this crazy thing called cancer.  It's been a hard but fast ride.  It's been scary.  It's been life changing.  I have scars that will never fade.  Some veins are shot for good.  But, I'm here.  I'm typing this cheesy post with working limbs and a brain and pizza in my belly.  My kids came out of this ok, with helpful teachers and family members who talked to them when they needed it.  My Hubs has coworkers and friends who have checked in with him and let him know we're being thought about.

We made it.

Did I do what I said I would do in June?  Did I "kick cancer's ass"?  Well, maybe for now.  Cancer is a bully, who might come back to push me around again.  My prayer is that all those pink ribbons out there and all those giving folks and all those brilliant scientists and all those cancer foundations find the answer and cure for this scary disease.

I pray that more women kick this straight in the derriere.  That more women will do self breast exams and screenings.  That more women will take the reins in regards to their own health and not wait for something bad to happen.  That more women will be proactive and learn what they can about how to prevent this from happening to them.  And, I pray that once women find themselves a victim of this horrid disease, for a good medical team, for strong supporting community to surround them, for financial blessings to pour in.  For strong families to bind themselves to these women, to hug when they need a hug, to listen when they need to listen, to do when they need to do.

Because, that's what I had this year, and I seriously do not know what I would have done if I hadn't have had that.

I am truly grateful.  I am humbled.  I am amazed.

So.  Tomorrow.  New boosies.  Growing hair.  Leftover birthday cake.

It'll be a good day.

Keyboard Confessions: The Post Chemo I Have My Life Back Edition

I like lists.  So there.

1.  Chemo is finally over.  That tremor you felt was me jumping for joy.

2.  Although, that fact that it's over didn't hit me until today.  Let's throw a party.

3.  My hairs are growing back.  Just a wee bit.  Just enough that when I walk really fast, they kind of blow around.  I feel like I have a Chia Head.

4.  I shall soon be getting rid of these blasted expanders.  I shall not cry when they leave my body.  Nosirree.

5.  For three weeks, my right eye watered constantly.  It was a chemo side effect.  So I rubbed my eye to remove said water.  This means, for three weeks I had no make up on my right eye.

6.  I practically reek of class and sex appeal.

7.  You know the one benefit to chemo?  Besides adding years to my life, of course.  I only had to shave my legs once a month.  I know.  Feel free to be jealous.

8.  I met Kiersten White, author of Paranormalcy last weekend.  She signed on my copy of her book  "You're bleeping awesome", which I'm pretty sure she signed on everyone's copy.  But still.  I felt pretty bleeping awesome.

9.  I have to drive some friends to the airport in a few minutes.  It's very late at night.   And I am var var tired.  Therefore, I shall sing R&B songs var var loudly to stay awake.  I'm feeling the TLC "No Scrubs" vibe tonight.

10.  NaNoWriMo is coming up.  Remember that little novel thingy I'm working on?  Well.  What if I told you I was going to work on it some more.  Would you believe me?  Yeah.  I wouldn't believe me either.  You know me so well, reader.

11.  I've made Christmas presents for almost everyone already.  Keep feeling jealous, people.

12.  I think I need a tattoo.

13.  I discovered this week that the lady at the Chick Fil A drive thru window knows who I am now.  I was like, 70%/30% proud/embarrassed.  Apparently, I eat out a bit too much.

14.  A friend of mine emailed me saying she was going to sing at a fundraiser concert for the Susan G. Komen foundation and wanted to know what songs inspired me whilst I dealt with this cancer biz.  I was like "Paper Planes by MIA?  Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People?"  Ok, so I admit my musical tastes are lacking in the inspirational department.

15.  I had a milkshake about an hour ago.  Which means in about an hour I am going to be hating life.  Why do I make these choices, I ask you?


I shall go drink some Diet Coke now, lest I fall asleep driving.

Nighty night, my fine readers.

Welp, it's time for another update from yours truly.

You know, let me aside for a moment before I jump into this long overdue post.  "Yours truly".  Just what exactly does that mean?  What if I'm not being true?  "Yours white lyingly"  "Yours just kidding"  "Yours had you going there".

Also, I talk like I'm cranky because I am cranky.  Just call me Cranky McCrankerson.  It's because I've not had a Twizzler in (carries the two, divides by soup cans, multiplies by no cable television) A WHOLE MONTH.

Also, I'm so over all this dumb chemo biz.

So, it's with joy that I announce my last chemo will be this next Tuesday.  Although, it's hard to look forward to Tuesday knowing how lousy I shall feel once Tuesday comes.

I'm over it all.

I'm over heating pad burns on my arms that take weeks to heal.

I'm over having no hair.

I'm over two week long periods because my girly organs are freaking out.

I'm over runny noses, and mouth sores, and feeling like my stomach hates my guts (get it?  hates my guts?).

Let me take a quick break so I can change my lousy attitude.

brb

Ok.  Just took some happy pills.  Aka, Chewy Chips Ahoy Cookies.  Little discs of chocolately pleasure.  I was going to save them for my husband, but, clearly I needed them more than he did.

Where were we?  Oh yes, all that poison and vitriol spewing from my fingertips.

Tell you what.  Why don't I highlight the good?  Yes?  Ok.

1.  I'm back at work.  This is nice.  My employers work with my crazy, bizarre, erratic chemo schedule.  They're way supportive and encouraging.  And I get paid.  So.  It's awesome.

2.  I had my last expander fill.  I no longer have problems sleeping on my stomach.  It's a wee bit weird when I bend over and the liquid sloshes around, but, whatever.  This is temporary.

3.  I'll have my "exchange" surgery sometime in November.  Switching the expanders for silicone implants.

4.  Pinterest.  The most addictive website ever.  Are you on it?  Are you a Pinterest Addict?

5.  Glee is back on.

6.  I'm sewing again.  Sewing stuff That's Sew Rad.  <--- my future etsy.com shop name is hidden in that sentence.  Betcha can't figure out what it is.  Also, I bet someone steals my uber cool shop name.  Alas.

7.  I'm in love with this song:



Such a nice message this song has.  Seriously.  Yet I lurrrrrve it.

8.  NaNoWriMo is just a couple of months away.  My wee novel is demanding attention.  Remember the excerpt I posted?  Well, I got lots mores to writes, yo.  <--- an excellent example of grammar and elocution.  Is it any wonder I tries to be a writer, yo?

9.  I still have eyebrows.  *High fives*

10.  I've been organizing Chez Murphy.  *Low fives*  Also, ask me how The Hubs feels about me organizing Chez Murphy?  Soon I shall highlight all my mad skillz of organization.  Also, I stole some ideas from Pinterest.  That's the way I roll.

Peace out, people of the innernets.