Magic Band Decorating 101

 

I have the blessing of being a pretty creative person…but the curse of being both a terrible artist and craft impaired.  In my head I have all of these great ideas that I cannot make my hands do.    I have finally learned the hard way, after flushing many a dollar down the drain on failed craft projects ( and that was BEFORE Pinterest!) that I need to focus my creativity on figuring out what I can actually do and make look good.  So when I decided to decorate my Magic Bands, I had to scrap all of my grand artistic ideas of characters and swirls and glitter for something that I could actually execute.

So I present…MAGIC BAND DECORATING 101:  HELP FOR THE CRAFT CHALLENGED

I was really surprised at how easy it was to decorate the bands and how well they stood up to being used in the parks.

First of all, here are some of the supplies that I used for the project:

 

The directions are so simple; I do not even need to show photos!  It really is that easy, y'all!

The solid pink and the solid blue bands have a few coats of glittery nail polish that I scored on a Target run.  I used the color “Fairy Dust” by China Glaze (how appropriate that?).  I put a few coats of nail polish on, avoiding Mickey’s head so that it would be highlighted.  Keep layering coats of polish until you achieve a level of bling that you are satisfied with. I finished with a few coats of a nail top coat.  In this case, it was Orly Glosser.

The  green band, is use a few coats of OPI’s “Charged up Cherry” and a clear top coat over Mickey’s head.  I set of Mickey’s head with a micro point sharpie in Black (correct color not pictured).  It does look better if you Sharpie first and then paint the pink over top.  A few lighter coats of nail polish are better than heavy gloppy ones.

My “Tribute to Frozen” band in blue was probably the easiest of all.  I hit up the scrapbook sticker section of my local craft store and then did a little peel and stick.  I decided Mickey’s head needed a little something extra, so a few coats of a light blue nail polish (I raided my daughter’s stash and I am unsure of the specific color or brand)  and a few coats of “Pixie Dust” did the trick.

At this point, I started to feel a little smug over my results thus far, so I tried my most ambitious band to date….the “Minnie Polka Dot”.  The white dots were made with  simple acrylic craft paint that cost $0.99.  I used a stylus as my polka dot maker.  You can Google “polka dot stylus”, check your craft store, or check in the nail art section of a beauty supply store.  The major key to success is to PRACTICE before you start.  While I was running a bunch of polka dots across my practice page, I learned that I needed to dip the stylus straight into the paint and then dot it straight on the band.  No wiggling, no odd angles.  I also learned that to get the most consistent results, I needed to dip the stylus back into the paint after every dot.  I was concerned about a clear coat smudging the dots, so I opted to use the top coat brush and did clear polka dots over my white dots once they were totally dry.  Once the clear dots were dry, I painted the entire band with a tip coat for a nice finish.

Other ideas to try:

• Mickey head jewels that you can stick or glue on
• Temporary tattoos or stickers of your favorite characters sealed with clear polish
• Swarovski crystals
• A nod to your favorite sports team
• A seasonal band for the time of year you are visiting
• An "I'm Celebrating" band to share your special day
• A family themed band

 And there you have it, an easy-peasy Magic Band Craft for the craft challenged.  Hope it helps get your creative juices flowing!

 

 

 

Disney for the Expectant Mama….

A little over a year ago, we decided to take one more trip as a family of 4 before our littlest guy joined us in April.  I am just now reporting on this trip because, well, the baby is now one and I finally have time.

We chose to visit Disney in December for several reasons:  1. It would not be too hot.  2. It was my son’s (and my) birthday.  3.  We would be able to see the parks decorated for the holidays.  4.  I was well into my 2^nd trimester, but still far enough from my 3^rd to not have to worry about giving birth at Magic Kingdom.  And 5.  The crowds were low.  We made a last minute decision to switch from Art of Animation to The Contemporary so it would be more convenient for me to come back and rest.  Best decision ever.  Listen here all you mamas-to-be…that was worth every extra penny.  If you’re going to splurge on something for your Disney vacation as a pregnant woman, a Deluxe resort convenient to Magic Kingdom (and maybe a prenatal massage at the Grand Floridian), is where it’s at.  We absolutely loved the Garden Wing rooms at Contemporary.  The first floor rooms have patios, and if you splurge for a Garden View room, you can sit out and watch the water parade go by at night!  If this is out of your budget, a trip to Disney while pregnant is not out of the question, you just may need to call it quits well before your tired feet/legs/back/butt/family gives out on you so you have the energy to board the bus and make it back to your resort before you crash and burn. 

One of my concerns when planning the trip was whether or not I could even enjoy Disney while pregnant.  I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of activities and rides I could experience!  There were very few rides in each park that I couldn’t do, and I didn’t mind resting when the other three rode something that I couldn’t.  Hubby’s splurge of choice was to do the Pirates and Pals Fireworks tour that leaves from the Contemporary.  This was an awesome way for us all to see the Christmas party fireworks at Magic Kingdom.  It was extremely entertaining for the kids, and I could sit in the boat comfortably and not have to risk getting bumped or jostled in a crowd.  On a side note, the beach at the Polynesian is another great spot for viewing the fireworks without too much of a crowd, or, if you are in Magic Kingdom, we sat in Town Square on the train station side so that we could jet out in front of the crowds when the fireworks were over.

I can’t go without stating the obvious…wear comfortable shoes, layer clothing so that you won’t get too hot/cold, take breaks throughout the day and for goodness sakes, stay hydrated and nourished!  Don’t overdo it and make sure to know when to say when.  Having a sweet and understanding hubby who will take the kids swimming while you nap helps too (thanks babe!).  Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and enjoyable Disney can be to a mom-to-be.  The only thing I missed was the glass of wine to end the day as we watched the water parade float by!