Being “crafty” in China isn’t always easy! We have no craft stores like in the USA …no Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Pat Catan’s, Joann Fabrics, etc. I’m wondering, do other parts of the world have these huge craft stores where you can find just about anything you need or want? In China, I usually resort to Taobao, the Chinese “Ebay," to find supplies. It’s often still a challenge finding what I need! Just because 90% of what is sold in large craft stores in the USA is “Made in China,” that doesn’t mean the items are sold in China! When searching for something, the names of items are not easily translated, so it’s a trial and error method that can take some time. If you can find something in the same category, sometimes just searching the whole store can help. The first problem that I remember encountering was finding pompoms for kids crafts. When I eventually found them, the literal translation was “fur balls”!
I’ve recently been organizing my craft and sewing supplies and came across some fabric pieces that I had ordered a while ago. At the time, I thought I was ordering woven cotton pieces and got knit cotton pieces, so I just set them aside. I don’t even attempt to return items! Now, I decided to think of what I could do with these pieces. I’ve been making seasonal wreaths for my door, so thought of making a summer wreath, simple, right? WRONG!
All I wanted was a simple wire wreath frame, which you can find in ANY US craft store, and I’d tie fabric strips on it. Well, I couldn’t find the wreath frame. I considered buying an inexpensive wreath and taking it apart, but I still didn’t know what the base was made of. All I could find were simple single wire circles. I finally did a photo search and it came up with some interesting options: Some fan finger guards, and some stove cooking rings! Hmmmm, this could work! I bought a stove cooking ring, that had two metal rings so I could make two layers of fabric strips.
I sat the other night and cut my strips and started tying them on, not perfect, but looking good! When I finally had the rings filled with fabric and held it up, the top strips flopped down! I had considered this possibility, but thought it would be OK. As I shook it a little to resemble the door opening and closing, too many flopped, sigh, this would NOT be a good door wreath. Now what? I picked it up and walked around the house, how about hanging it level where the strips could hang down? I could hang something decorative from it to hang down… but where? Hanging things in a rental apartment is another challenge!
Then I saw the plant on the table, the ring would just fit around it! It’s the cats plant to eat (chosen after careful research of what plant was safe for them since they munch EVERYTHING green and growing!), so maybe this could hide the little pieces that fall around it when they chomp on it! Yes! It worked! But, it doesn't quite match my decor?
Then I thought it could also go on the balcony on my little table with a plant. It gets really dirty out there fast, so I don’t put much there, but this would be OK, and add a touch of color!
So, now, I’m trying to decide where to put my “plant wreath,” what do you think, inside or outside? Maybe I’ll start a new trend!
Is it a failure or a success?
There are so many quotes around about failure and success – here’s one:
“Everyone experiences failure and learns from it, but the biggest failure is never trying to begin with….”
So, whatever becomes of my “wreath” … at least I tried!
