Building Bookends with Lindsey Stirling
OK, so she wasn’t actually there in person, but she has been an enormous source of inspiration. I was in a dark place for a long time and her message of transcending pain and limited circumstances by creating beauty in spite of those obstacles has helped me move forward in a way that little else has. So, of course, I needed to have her song “Transcendence” playing while I demonstrated the multi-phase process I use for making my bookends: start with an ordinary picket and a teacup that someone gave away because they didn’t want it any more, add some imagination and love, then top it off with some faux succulents and sparkly rocks.
For those who enjoy a more leisurely pace, here’s the step-by-step process.
1.Sand a picket super smooth. The last thing I want is for someone to get a splinter from one of my creations.
2. Measure, mark, and cut pieces to form the side and bottom of each bookend.
3. File the cut ends because I’m paranoid about splinters.
4. Drill pilot holes and attach the side and bottom with screws.
5. Stain the bases.
6. Cut floral foam for the succulent/critter to rest on and set aside.
7. Mix concrete in the tea cups and allow it to set over night.
8. Insert floral foam and secure with hot glue.
9. Use spray adhesive to secure pebbles for the succulent bookends and moss for the critter bookends.
10. Insert succulents or critters, secure with super glue.
11. Attach the tea cups to the bases using E6000 industrial adhesive.
Staging them isn’t a required part of the process, but it makes me ridiculously happy to see the final product fulfilling its purpose.