Don't Be Afraid

Things have been changing a lot recently here at We Who Wander. A few months ago my lovely business partner and friend Courtney decided that she could no longer juggle the shop in addition to her work and school commitments.

When she first told me...it sucked. I felt let down, discouraged, and more than a little bit terrified. There was a lot of very dramatic wailing and tooth gnashing. I wore sackcloth and covered my face in ashes for weeks. Ok...I did not do that last thing. But I did legitimately feel like I had to mourn something I had lost. Courtney and I had come up with the shop concept together, taken product photos together, gone to the Goodwill outlet together (anyone who has been to one will know how much of a bonding experience this is...and if you haven't been, just trust me), and done everything else needed to run the shop as a team. Since Courtney was always the genius behind things like networking and promoting our items, it was scary to think about doing all that on my own. However, I completely understand her reasons for leaving and I know her decision cannot have been an easy one.

Then, after a few days and numerous conversations with my boyfriend and family, I decided to continue running the shop by myself. I had been making decent money at my current job, but I hated it. So I decided to work part time, found a less stressful job, and I am working towards being able to support myself by crafting full time. It isn't quite quitting my day job just yet, but it is one step closer.

Although I have many days when I feel like I do nothing except freak out about the myriad of things I don't have in order, it is slowly getting better. And for the first time in a while, I have found myself getting excited about making things again.

One of the projects I am pretty excited about right now is the set of decoupaged votive holders and coasters I just made. Back in high school, decoupage was the first crafty thing I ever attempted. Because it is low cost, relatively quick, and pretty easy, it is the perfect project for someone who is just getting started out with crafting.

You probably already have most of the items you need for this kicking around your home. Start out with a big stack of old magazines, newspapers, patterned paper, tissue paper or whatever you would like. Then just cut out any pictures that strike your fancy.

You may want to choose a theme or stick to a certain color. I had a bunch of old gardening magazines so I decided to use pictures of flowers for this.

Next, gather the items you want to decoupage. I am making coasters out of some old tiles and decoupaging some clear votive holders.

Figure out how you want to position your items.

Glue your pictures on using a very thin layer of adhesive. I use Mod Podge but you can mix half Elmer's Glue and half water if you want. Smooth out any wrinkles and bubbles with the palm of your hand or something with a flat edge like the side of a ruler.

Let dry and coat with a few layers of varnish or polyurethane. If you are making coasters cut out squares of felt the size of your tiles attach them to the back using fabric glue. Then...you are done!
These cuties will be posted to the shop soon along with a bunch of other items.

Easy, right? With very little effort you can have a stylish place to rest your cocktail or a lovely candle holder. Just be warned- it may be a little addicting. In high school I decoupaged the entire top of my dresser.

So, whether it is your first attempt at handmade coasters, a career change, or something else entirely, try not to be scared of doing something new. I will do the same.

- Hannah