enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

27MATERIALS2

I was NOT planning on doing a big birthday project this year. I spent the past few months thinking about it and just couldn't settle on something that was inspiring to me. The last thing I wanted to do was launch "27 projects" and start the whole thing over again just like 26.

But obviously, I kept mulling it over because starting a new year off without some sort of craft adventure wasn't going to work either. (What the hell would I blog about?) And then when I started writing all my wrap up posts for 26, I realized just how rad the 26 projects plan turned out to be. Last year was my most creative year yet and I think it's thanks to setting a self-challenge.

It needed an extra kick though if I was going to do it again for 27. I thought back to my own idea of "getting in a box to get think outside the box" and realized I could make it more exciting and inspiring if I narrowed my options and committed to using 27 different materials.

The Rules : the 27 materials will result in 27 different projects. While each project will have a "main" material some will appear more than once. (Like paint might appear in the glass and paper project plus it's own project.) I have to have all 27 projects finished and all materials used at least once by my 28th birthday on 02.22.2013.

I spent a few days coming up with the materials. Some, like yarn, fabric and photos will be too easy. But stuff like clay and tile should be more challenging and fun. The plan is to really stretch my creativity and work with stuff I wouldn't normally. I want to go all out and take workshops for some. Like pottery! Where can I take a pottery class? And painting! I'd love to take an abstract painting class…

You might be wondering what I am going to do with another year of handmade stuff. I was wondering that myself until I looked around the room (I was downstairs on the couch) and counted 19 handmade projects in plain view. Nineteen. I still have a bedroom, two bathrooms and a loft space to decorate so I think it will work out. Plus I am hoping to throw Paul a 30th birthday party and host Christmas this year, so that will mean lots of reasons for creating too.

So hooray! I am so excited. I have been writing down project after project in a little notebook I carry around everywhere. Using the material as a jumping off point is easier than trying to pull these ideas out of thin air.

Twenty seven, I love you. Let's get crafty.

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45 responses to “next birthday project / 27 materials.”

  1. char Avatar
    char

    I love this idea! My suggestion is to try Mosaics. It is great fun…mosaic flowerpot/potholder etc. You could go crazy with it. Good luck. I’m looking forward to seeing them all.

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  2. Natanya Avatar

    What a great idea!

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  3. Vera Avatar

    Yay! This is going to be fun to follow. Looking forward to seeing the first of 27 🙂

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  4. r8chel Avatar

    Elise, what a great idea for your next series of projects!

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  5. natalie Avatar

    this sounds super exciting! i just found your blog & i am so happy to be following along 🙂

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  6. October Bishop Avatar
    October Bishop

    I believe it’s safe to say we are all going to enjoy following your progress, I’m especially intrigued to see what you do with glue!! xx

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  7. kimberly b Avatar

    What a cool idea!!!

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  8. Heather Avatar

    LOOOOOOOOOOOVE this idea!! Happy day 2 of celebrating 27, Elise! [I’ve been celebrating 28 each and every day and LOVING it!]

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  9. Caitlin Avatar

    love this plan! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

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  10. LizzyM Avatar

    This is a great idea! I’m looking forward to seeing what you make with each of these, especially the “harder” ones. I bet those are the ones that are going to push you out of your comfort zone the most, and may end up being the ones you enjoy the most. Very cool!

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  11. Rose Avatar

    I think this is a great challenge for yourself. It’s new, exciting and challenging. Good luck.

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  12. Lisa Goren Avatar

    what a FANTASTIC idea! I also have to say that carrying around a notebook for jotting down ideas is the best thing ever.

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  13. Kelsey Avatar

    So cool! Your creativity and enthusiasm are so infectious, thank you! And happy 27!

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  14. Kellie Avatar

    such a great idea!! i cant wait to see what you come up with. this past year i was seriously inspired by your 26 crafts, so i cant wait to be inspired even more this year!!

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  15. Ali Avatar

    This is such a COOL idea.

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  16. SKUnger Avatar
    SKUnger

    Sounds wonderfully exciting! Love that you are going to stick with some tried & trues, as well as working with totally new mediums. Regarding tiles – I refinished a night-table that my brother made me in trade school that had an arborite top (because that was the project) and put tiles on it, for my son’s bedroom. It took two tries to get the grout perfect, but I love how it turned out! I know that you love to refinish stuff. I also have a friend that used broken bits of tile to make a mosaic coffee table top, which she drew on first…

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  17. Katie Avatar

    brilliant idea! i can’t WAIT to see what you come up with this year – good luck!

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  18. Kate Ware Avatar

    Looking forward to seeing what you come up with, and glad you decided to give it another go! I’ve noticed, quite often, in your photos, that you do use what you create, in your space, and I love that. It makes it so much more personal. And I just stinkin’ LOVE your little apartment! I think you could go into interior design if you ever decide to stop blogging (which I hope you won’t!). Oh, and pottery! I’d love to learn to do pottery! Have fun! Can’t wait to be inspired! 🙂

    Like

  19. Molly Avatar
    Molly

    what an awesome project!! i love that idea and the way you continue to push yourself.
    it would be cool if you “crossed off” the materials list in the logo each time you posted a project.

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  20. krugthethinker Avatar

    What an awesome idea! You are such a great inspiration, Elise! Can’t wait to see all the projects take shape!

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  21. elise blaha Avatar

    🙂 thats the plan!

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  22. Jill Avatar

    LOVE this idea, Elise 🙂 Thanks for sharing it with us. I was just looking at your materials list and felt the urge to go to IKEA, Lowe’s and my local fabric store – like RIGHT NOW (but work comes first 😉

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  23. Cecilia Avatar

    you’re kidding! this will be such a fun challenge. i love how you’ll dive into anything and everything.

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  24. Amanda S. Avatar

    What a great, fun idea! Can’t wait to see your next 27 crafts! 🙂

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  25. Michelle Avatar

    Such a fantastic idea! Selfishly, I’m glad you’re embarking on another year of projects because I love to follow along 🙂 Just want to throw it out there – for your 28th birthday you should make a project with ALL the materials 😉

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  26. Lindsay Overbey Avatar

    Awesome 🙂 Great idea. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

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  27. alexandra Avatar

    So much fun! I was happy to see cork on the list – I love corks!!
    It just dawned on me that if I were to do this I would need to do 40 projects – yikes.
    I think I forget how old I am – and how young you are!!
    Anyway… thanks for inspiring me again : )

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  28. Dalyce Avatar

    Sounds great! You are so ambitious. I love it & I cannot wait to see all that you come up with. Happy 27 btw.

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  29. Jenny Avatar

    I agree with everyone else saying this is such an amazing idea. And I was hoping you would stick with projects as that is what brought me to your site and makes me keep coming back. Good luck and looking forward to your progress.

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  30. paloma1815 Avatar

    Amazing idea… if you need some follower, here I am!
    happy 27!

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  31. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    yay! happy belated birthday…I can’t wait to see what you have in store.

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  32. Frankie Avatar

    Oh Elise, you are such an inspiration. What a great idea! I cannot wait to see what you come up with. I’m sure everything will be unique and purposeful.
    As for the workshop thing, when you do glass you should look into finding a glass blowing workshop near you. My boyfriend blows glass (in a hotshop-large peices) and I know some colleges with glass or ceramics programs host both glass and pottery workshop days on weekends. In the past I’ve done torchwork, which is using a torch to melt and mold rods of glass into different things, like pendants, beads, and little figures. It’s definitely awesome.
    I know you’re already thinking out of the box, as always, but I thought that would interest you. Anyhoot. I’m super excited to see where this goal takes you and Happy Birthday!

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  33. Nancy Avatar

    Happy Birthday Elise! Love this idea and can’t wait to see what you come up with!

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  34. elise blaha Avatar

    that is exactly the sort of thing I would like to do. thanks for sharing! 🙂

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  35. Skye Avatar

    LOVE this idea! I can’t wait to see your first project!

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  36. Emily Avatar
    Emily

    this is brillz. Love it! And love your graphic, too!

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  37. kat :) Avatar

    i love love love that you do this. such an awesome idea. maybe i’ll try it, one day, but each year i keep getting older and 31 sounds like a LOT of projects… 😉

    Like

  38. Pidgen Avatar
    Pidgen

    Best plan ever! Seriously! I’m turning 30 in June {goodness!} and I have a list of 30 things {not all fun things} I want to do before I’m 30 … and I’m ticking off some of them. But I was looking for a new “project” for when I hit the big number … I think I may follow suit! Love you blog by the way! 🙂

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  39. Vics Avatar

    Happy Birthday! What an amazing idea – can’t wait to see what you make…

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  40. Rae Veda Avatar

    This is a great idea! I can’t wait to follow your progress. xo, rv
    http://aneclecticheap.blogspot.com/

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  41. Juanna Avatar

    thank you for being my inspiration! (;

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  42. *Dream Weaver* Avatar

    Awesome new project. Can’t wait to see all the crafty projects come alive 🙂

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  43. Casey Avatar

    Awesome new project. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. I am currently contemplating a year long project, might have to add in some of these!

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  44. anka Avatar

    Sounds really cool. I might try that for my 30th birthday next year… This year I have my hands full with my weekly muffin project and an owl a month one. Which reminds me, 4 days left of February and I don’t have my owl yet…
    Anyway, love your idea, this is what I wanted to say!

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  45. Hannah Lilley Avatar

    Love this idea, can’t wait to see the results! I’m new to blogging and its great to see what you can do with it 🙂

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