Discoveries and project fails

I did some crafty things throughout the weekend, but most of them didn't end well.

I decided to paint this unicorn tape dispenser.

I've had it a couple years and was getting bored with the purple glitter.

I used this metallic spray paint.

The tape dispenser comes apart like this, so you can insert the tape roll:

After I painted it, (outdoors of course) it wouldn't go back together.
I greased the interlocking parts with some mineral oil I had left over from another project.

That totally melted the paint!

Well, I learned something new.

A good thing I discovered over the weekend were these buttons from Dollar Tree.

The assortment is not as large as the bag of craft buttons you can get at Michael's.

But the buttons were more colorful and better quality.

Many of them had brand names written on them, which was unique.

I didn't recognize most of the names. They appeared to come from Asia.

I decided to make a bracelet.
I didn't want to stack the buttons, so that I could still see the writing on them.

Eventually I decided on using stretch cord to string them.

At first it was going well.
I was having a hard time getting the cord through the holes.

I could have looked for a beading needle, but instead I started over.
I looked up a tutorial this time, instead of guessing.

The tutorial called for using a leather cord, not a stretch cord.

It curled up instead of lying flat!


Finally, I looked at the new rocks and shells I bought at the seashell store.

My co-worker wanted a geode air plant holder like the one I made last month.

I had found a similar geode.

But, my co-worker wanted it pink, because pink quartz is the thing.
These kind of geodes don't come in colors.

I decided to see if I could dye the rock!

I used a few different kinds of ink.

I didn't need it THAT pink, so I washed it off with water.

The results were unsatisfactory.

It was only a $3 or $4 rock, so it's not a total disaster.

I will put it away and look at it later...

Maybe it will look better tomorrow.