the tutorial that wasn’t

December 3rd, 2010

I’m going to be honest with you: I waited until the last minute to make this ornament and write the tutorial. Well, it seems the last idea I had was not so hot. Things can look so fantastic in your head and then you go to make them and turns out it’s actally crap.  I don’t want to give you a crappy present, so I thought I’d just fess up instead. I had a good run for a while there. I hope you liked the week (-1) of tutorials. I really loved making them.

If you are jonesing to make another christmas ornament there are a few hiden away in my archives that you might like: The one on the left is my tutorial for a half eaten gingerbread man ornament. And the one on the right are tutorials for some woodland ornaments I did for Sew Mama Sew’s Handmade Holidays a few years back. The pinecone is still one of my favorites.

tutorial for a half eaten gingerbread man ornament tutorial for woodland ornaments

This week was so busy I forgot to remind you about the advent calendar coloring pages I did last year. I posted one everyday of advent for you guys to download.  I also put the whole coloring book in PDF form back up on etsy in case you’d like to make some coloring books for gifts (St. Nicholas day is this weekend).

I love you guys and I hope you can forgive me for re-gifting.  We all have crappy ideas now and then, right? I know I’ve had my fair share.

Posted in misc.

20 Responses to the tutorial that wasn’t

  1. Bethany says:

    The gingerbread man is super cute. I made a few this year and my kids think they are pretty great.
    Thanks for sharing

  2. I love you forever now. I think it is awesome that you were honest about this last idea just not working. And that you showed us the stuff you were playing with, too. Really. How many times have I sat for hours trying something new that ended up in the trash! Thank you.

  3. erin says:

    are you kidding? most of my ideas don’t work. and i certainly am not one for keeping to my own timetable, either. in my mind, this is just another reason why you are so great, meg. xo.

  4. Kirsty says:

    Just love the work in progress. I have crappy ideas all the time…amazingly some of the crap turns to gold. Lovely post Meg.

  5. Dacia says:

    Oh gosh I know how that goes. I have a continuing post called Failed Project–I haven’t posted one in a while because it is rather depressing to fess up to it. But we all have these–sometimes I feel like my failed projects outweigh the successful ones! But, such is the process of creativity! I love your pinecone. I’m really wanting to make this wreath: http://blairpeter.typepad.com/weblog/2010/12/a-simple-wreath-of-avoidance.html#comment-6a00d8341c589653ef013489b65fe7970c
    and I think your pine cone would be a super cute addition to it! thanks for sharing.

  6. Skooks says:

    I just wanted to tell you that the Advent Page a Day project was one of my daughter’s favorite activities last Christmas. :)

  7. mixette says:

    This post is *exactly* why you are awesome. I’m a pompom making machine these days for that killer straw/pom garland of yours.

  8. Rae says:

    oh meg, you are awesome. I just had a total flop of a project last week. It happens all. the. time. nice to see it happens to everyone else too…misery loves company. :)

  9. Wendy says:

    If I didn’t already think you were the best I really do now! I love that you shared a failure with us because around my house, I am starting to feel like failure is imminent in just about ever day. I am so glad that I’m not alone ;) I have absolutely loved all of the tutorials that you shared with us this week. I also really loved looking at the pics of what you have done in the past. The pine cone is quite wonderful!

  10. jen says:

    shit happens. you’ve given us so many good things to make… still love my half eaten gingerbread man from xmas ’07.

  11. Ali says:

    My crap ideas outweigh the ones that work about 3 to 1, so your 1 in 7 doesn’t seem bad at all!! Good to know even someone who creates such wondrousness has a flop once in a while.

  12. katy says:

    Good for you for showing how 50% of new craft ideas end up – not so good. Very normalizing for those of us who read craft blogs, awe inspired by the beautiful projects that are shared. I’ve been on a streak of great ideas that didn’t quite work. It is terribly frustrating, though, isn’t it? Good luck for your next one!

  13. Kimberly says:

    Oh you are so funny! I really like it when bloggers refer to older posts. They are still gems, even though time has elapsed. And I have to imagine that the posts are new and exciting to those who haven’t seen them before (like myself). I appreciate each and every one of your ideas, new and old alike. Thank you!

  14. Pascale says:

    You bet! Just put down something that was so crappy, I won’t look at it ever again.
    But I really enjoyed your tutorials – not crappy at all!!

  15. Lorajean says:

    We all have those. :) I carefully photographed a tutorial about making hair ties from a sock and after wearing one all day it had no elasticity at all! I ended up not posting it because they were crap! Good thing I tested them out before posting. :)

  16. Anne Marie says:

    I love how you fessed up!!! You made me laugh and it reminded me of all the brilliant projects I have started tyjat in the end have not been so brilliant.

    This post was probably much funnier than it would have been had you succeeded or had you not fessed up. See? Nothing is as bad as not being good for something. :-)

  17. Hi, I love your half eaten gingerbread man ornament. May I put a link to your tutorial in my post about gingerbread…. I’d like to include a picture of the ornament as well.
    Let me know if that is OK.

  18. Holly says:

    You are so awesome. Seriously. Also, thank you for the mention on Whip Up–and right back at ya with the blog love.

  19. kat says:

    hi meg! as you know your advent coloring pages are the cat’s meow with my daughter, she is still requesting more print ups. i also wanted to tell you that your gingerbread ornament is the cutest ever. i carried it around with me doing the buttons and embroidery the other day at 2 of our homeschool activities. the adults and kids that saw it were so excited and could not stop commenting on it. i told them all where to find you ;) thanks for sharing your great ideas with us!

  20. Kristina says:

    Hi. I love the gingerbread man ornaments and I linked you on my blog where I tried out your tutorial, you can check it out if you want to see pictures.

    http://sirbubbadoo.blogspot.com/2010/12/cant-catch-me-im-gingerbread-man.html

    Thanks again for sharing the wonderful tutorial!