It's really not that easy

Hello!

As a crafter-sewing-knitting-person, I have to find some inspiration somewhere.

That's what I use as an excuse when I spend hours looking through various social media at things people have made.

What I've noticed while browsing through blogs, Pinterest, Tumblr, you name it, is that there are a lot of projects that are two steps long or something and say "You can do this really quickly and easily."

NO. You can't.

I thought I'd give it a go anyway, because I needed a quick and easy but cute craft for my friend's birthday. I knew she loved Mason jars and I thought "Who else loves Mason jars? Oh that's right, most of the Internet." So off we go.

I found this idea for a hot chocolate mix that I really liked and decided to follow it. So we begin. I will write here an accurate instruction for this project.

Ingredients/materials:

1. Unsweetened baking cocoa (2 cups)
2. Sugar ( 3/4 cups)
3. Chocolate chips (more rather than less)
4. Mason jar
5. Marshmallows
6. Ribbon
7. A paper tag

1. Gather your ingredients. And by that I mean, have your mom drive you to various stores because you can't drive and none of them are within decent walking distance. Find Mason jars. Go to next store. Spend ages finding unsweetened baking cocoa. Also grab extra chocolate chips because you didn't check if you had enough at home. You're pretty sure you have sugar at home, so you don't get any. Luckily you do have some.

2. Mix cocoa, sugar and chocolate chips. Promise your brother some when you're finished. Try not to get it all over the windowsill. Did I mention you have to do this around 5 o'clock when the lighting is starting to fade away slowly but surely?

3. Move to the kitchen counter for added precaution. Realize that you are hopelessly clumsy and decide that making a funnel out of printer paper is a good idea to avoid getting chocolate mix all over the counter as you pour it into the jar. You are wrong. The counter will be coated in a beautiful dusting of chocolate within 20 seconds of beginning this operation. When this is done, you realize that you said you would give some to your brother, so you scoop some out of the jar. Then you realize that  it only fills about half the jar, so you close it and ponder possible solutions.

4. The next day, get marshmallows at the local market when you get off the bus after school. Hurry home before the light fades and you can't take anymore decent pictures. Get mini marshmallows because you'll be able to put more in the jar and also you'll feel less guilty if you eat more, because they're smaller right? Stuff the marshmallows in the jar to the brim. Decide to wait until the next day to finish decorating the jar and to take pictures.

5. Add two ribbons to the lid. This step went relatively well.

6. Realize you should probably add a tag to the jar. Remove ribbons and write nice message on a paper tag before tying the ribbon up again.

7. Admire your finished product.

So you see? All the blogs and pictures that makes little projects seem really easy are hiding the real aspect of doing any kind of craft. It takes time, forethought and also a driving license. Although you can manage just fine without one, but it does help.

In the end, this was fun project to do and the taste was approve by my brother, so it must be good. Also, I do really love Mason jars. I bought one for myself, I don't really know what I want to do with it. I keep seeing recipes that have salads or desserts in Mason jars and I kind of want to try it. I'll keep you up to date.

I will be taking something of a break from sewing for a while, due to the fact that I stuck a sewing needle in my knee, that I made a dress two sizes too big and that I will have neither the time nor the patience for sewing in the next few weeks. However, I can't ever not do anything, so we'll see what happens. Stay tuned for more Blue Cat misadventures!

(PS. Tell me what you think of the bigger pictures! I kind of like them, I might stick with them.)