DIY: Glitter Reindeer Silhouette

This project has been floating the internet (ahem...Pinterest) for a while and I finally got around to doing it. It stuck with me one, because I have an increasing love for deer (which sounds strange out-loud) and, two, I. Love. Glitter. But kind of in a secret glittered-toenails-in-the-winter and glitter-pillows-on-my-bed rather than the every-top-i-wear-is-shiney kind of way. Actually, I don't think I own any clothes that glitter at all. Anyways, back to what we're really here for: 

 Most, if not all, of the versions that I've seen have done it with glue and sprinkled glitter on top. Which, I think looks super great. However, I was at Target the other day browsing their dollar section (which I absolutely love!) and I found a bottle of silver glitter glue for, you guessed it, a dollar. So, I decided to do the project with glitter glue. It definitely looks a little different, but I like it. Also, it only cost me a dollar, which is rather nice for this college student (: 

 What I used:

:  

- Paper (A heavy, card stock kind or, in my case, a piece of old sketchbook paper) 

- Reindeer silhouette (I googled it, printed off one I liked, and cut it out so that I had the outline.) 

- Glitter glue

- Pencil & eraser 

- Scissors (for cutting out the silhouette to trace) 

- Strong coffee. This is optional, obviously, but gosh coffee makes things that much more wonderful.

 How I did it:

   

First, I traced an outline around the picture I had cut out in pencil. Do this lightly, or else it might end up showing through the glitter. Then make sure you erase any pencil marks outside of the lines that you don't want to show in the final project. It's a lot easier to do before the glitter is added, trust me on this one (:

Then, I just applied the glitter glue in a pretty thick layer (think: the amount of frosting you'd like on a cookie, rather than the amount of paint you put on a wall). After that I just let it dry for the rest of the day and it was all done!

Heads up, the glitter glue takes longer than you think it would to dry because we're applying it on so thickly. So, give it plenty of time to dry out and try not to poke at it too much (I'm totally guilty of this!) because it leaves funny little marks all over it once it's done.

   

And that's it! It seriously is that simple, but it's such a cute little piece! I think it'd be really fun to do a saying in glitter, or maybe some other silhouettes in different colors. You can really take this project anywhere. The sky is the limit. 

 Yay!

December Goals

 

Oh, December. Thanksgiving has passed, the leaves on the trees are gone, and the temperature hardly ever goes above 40 degrees. Pine trees are lighted and placed by windows, the smell of cinnamon fills the air, and the promise of snow lingers. I like December. I like Christmas and everything that comes along with it. I like snow.

Around here, December means business in the forms of final exams, Christmas, multiple birthdays, and our church's largest conference of the year. So, I think the biggest thing to remember for the month is this: slow down.  Take each day one-by-one, enjoy each moment and every activity, and remember to rest.

We're already quite a ways into the month (err...halfway through), but I thought I'd still make some goals to accomplish for the month because, well, why not?

- Do family time well.

- Finish Christmas shopping "early"

- Rest. Really rest.

- Try a new holiday recipe.

Sounds good to me.

Currently: California Edition

I am remembering how much I enjoy traveling. The packing, the busy airpots, the ending up somewhere different after just a few hours.

I am exploring beaches at low-tide, hi-tide, sunset, sunrise, and everything else in-between.

I am drinking two cups of coffee a day. No one tell my mum (;

I am using my flats for carrying pretty seashells to take home.

I am going barefoot whenever I can because it's back to boots and thirty degrees when I get back to the Midwest.

I am spending as much time as possible with the ones I love here.

I am waking up early and relishing in the quiet couple of hours before the rest of the house rises.

I am thankful for family, friends, and the season I'm in. Also, for cranberry relish. Yum.

P.S. I was actually in California over Thanksgiving break and haven't had the chance to post anything since then (thank you finals weeks!). So, here's a little something to fill the void of space here and something to remind me of my wonderful week on the beach.