mí espejo

I could not count on all my toes and fingers how many projects and little craft things I would like to realize that I simply don’t do. I could spend days bookmarking pages, getting cartoony heart eyes over craft blogs and magazines, saving nifty tutorials and making folder after folder of ideas. I have all these scrapbooking and sewing supplies collecting dust. I forbade myself from buying anymore until I use ‘em [ or find some more storage space ;) ] Don’t ask me why, I couldn’t tell you. Having my own blog will hopefully inspire me to craft more; that’s the idea anyway.

Luckily I have me an amazing man that loves to craft too. More like woodworking than scrapbooking, mind you. I mean, our default channel of choice is HGTV. Jackpot. 

He’d like to learn how to sew, but he doesn’t need any more skills, this is mine. I’m so oldfashion I’ll be more than happy to mend a button.

I can’t remember exactly (and am too lazy to go through my magazines); think it was a 2011’s August issue of Martha Stewart Living? This section on decorating with a beachy theme— a four page spread or so. 
Oy. I was sighing in love at every page. Everything was gorgeous, but there was a sand dollar mirror that stole my heart. How-to instructions and all. She even linked (can you say that? can you "link" on print...?) to some east coast shop's website where she got her sand dollars.
My, t’was love at first sight; it was gorgeous! I folded the pages and put the magazine at the top of the stack for months. But alas, never got around to it.

The sand dollars are right off California’s central coast beaches. M’s mom and grandma spent a morning, probably a couple of years ago, a very early morning, collecting them. They knew they had to go so early before others picked ‘em up; which could not be truer because I have never seen a SINGLE sand dollar at our beaches that wasn’t the size of a quarter or broken. And she had a whole bag sitting in the backyard! They were just lying there like an unused little treasure, so I pushed M to wash them. It took us the longest time to get all the sand out. We followed an e-How article on how to clean them properly and left them to bleach in the sun for weeks days. I forgot about them until M’s sweet surprise.

That afternoon we went to every store that might carry mirrors like these, but they were either too small, had frames, square, etc. I love that we settled with this one, it’s the perfect size and shape. I picked up a bag of seashells, fake, for crafting. They were too cute to pass up; I wasn’t even planning on putting them all over, just as an accent if at all. But M made it work.
A glue gun + mirror + shells
I was so thankful she let us have those shells. It was only so easy to picture her with her mother, racing to see who could find more, bonding. She seemed happy we put them to use, too. That and plenty surprised at the finished product; said it looked so valuable and priceless. I was so scared bringing it home! Then I had to hang it up... all by myself.

Now it sits above my makeup desk/area. I don't remember how that spot looked without it. It's beyond perfect. I did my best to secure it, but I'm paranoid one really good earthquake will take it from me!
Excuse the low-quality phone photos, it's all I had on me the night we made it.

I can only imagine looking back at my reflection, our reflection, decades from now. A photo of our reflection on our wedding day. A photo of our firstborn's reflection.
I know, cheesefest.

Some people have rings, boxes, cards, whatever, that they pass down the family. Relics. Heirlooms. I think, I hope, I can have this the same way.

Y’know, if it survives. 

Crafted September 15^th 2012

✽terri