Vintage Red

Ok Ok I knooooow that I've been a naughty blogger, but I really have been productive! (sorta) So in my last post I was going to start tracing my vintage pattern to resize! I did trace last week as promised and it went really well once I used a ruler (stop laughing, no I didn't use it last time.) and the new love of my life, architect paper. I'm constantly amazed by this paper people. It is on a role and it, of course, like all paper is want to do, rolled right off the table within a few minutes of use. So I immediately use some choice profanity and then thought "well there goes the paper, now it's torn...blah blah" ranting and raving and then went to snatch it off the ground to salvage the role. Well low and behold, it's isn't torn. It's not even wrinkled. In face I'm pretty sure it was laughing at me while mocking me for doubting it's paperlicious superiority. If it had fingers, it would have pointed while laughing, I'm sure of it. I was blown away by how fragile I thought it was but it's actually really durable. It doesn't wrinkle, or tear. I was even using heavy "weights" on it and when I moved them around it didn't even leave a mark. Booyah!
Speaking of weights. I thought you would all find this as amusing as I did. I found myself, fully prepared to get down with my tracing the other night, to realize I had nothing to hold the super-awesome-tracing-paper down. Being the resourceful smurf that I am, I walked into the kitchen and snatched a few cans to use. I must say once looking at them I thought, they are like my own little military toops! Look at them, all lined up and ready for duty...

But then I thought, no way the military would be involved with super-awesome-tracing-paper, it's just too cutting edge. This calls for superheros...dah dada dah...here to save the day! So I took them in a more flattering up shot, to show their true greatness. (yes, you are correct, I do have way to much time on my hands)


So then I got biiizay with my tracing, and it actually went WAY better than I thought. No really, I don't know how I made it so hard last time. ha, actually I do, but still. The paper was a dream and the only problem was if I accidentally moved the cans or shifted the paper, it was a total pain to line it back up again with the pattern underneath it, but that's what I get for moving stuff.


So after this epic adventure with canned food (please note that no food was harmed in this process, that happened later when I made chili and chicken pies from scratch...so. good.) I mentioned to my bfry that he should stop by Home Depot (oh the agony for a carpenter) and grab me some of those lovely slate tiles that are really heavy but about 2x2, peeeerfect size for a paperweight! And then I could make some fetching little covers for them, and then, voila! Fancy fabric weights! I saw this idea on patternreview.com and only wish I was so crafty with HomeDepot supplies. He of course said no because he always has a better idea "why would I do that when I can just make you some steal ones from scrap steal in the shop?" (smarty pants) Therefore, someday, in the foreseeable future, I will have brand spankin' new weights to trace with...muahahaha.

Until then my S.H.I.E.L.D. team will be workin' hard for the money. Did I really just combine a vague comic book reference with an 80s dance song? Sigh.

Next time on S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Mad Tracer we will explore computer aided design and the Mad Tracer's compulsive perfectionism at it's darkest. Until then...break out your leg warmers, full body leotards and that old sweatshirt and dance, dance, dance...

Officially. Gone. Crazy.