My Hardware Store LOVES Me.

Yes, yes, they do. ((nods)) Or, at least, they LOVE to laugh at me. ROFL

Yest. afternoon I decided that I wanted to try something new. So I made the rounds through Google, looking up different projects for handmade projects that used 'odd' objects to make jewelry. I happened upon a tutorial for necklace pendants made using washers (like the kind that you put underneath the head of a bolt or a screw.) I thought it looked pretty easy (it has since become clear to me that nothing good can come from this) and the finished product looked really kinda cool. So I figured I would go for it!
I loaded the girls into the car and we raced to the hardware store, 'cuz I *thought* (again with the thinking) they closed at 4PM (they don't, they close at 5), to pick up some washers for my little project. Having been there before a time or two, I knew where the washers were located and headed back there straight away to find what I was looking for ~ the largest flat washers they carried with a large hole in the center (this is exceptionally important as the largest flat washers that they carry actually have a tiny little hole in the center and would not make a cool looking pendant.)
The lady (Yes, we have 'ladies' that work in our hardware store. They are, like, 60 and only know what they are selling you 'cuz they have been selling it for the last 40 years, not because they have ever taken the gloves off and actually *used* any of it.) behind the counter asked me if I needed any bolts to go with my giant washer purchase. And when I told her 'No', she asked me what I was planning to use my washers for? (What, 'cuz I *don't* look like the type that *needs* to buy 12 3/4 inch flat washers for the heck of it?) When I told her I planned to experiment at making jewelry pendants out of them, she looked at me like I had grown a third head (add to that the fact that I could hear one of the men behind the counter suck in his breath, and the farmer standing at the register next to me had to stifle a chuckle.) I am guessing that this is not something that occurs very often in my small town. ROFL
Anyway, I brought my heavy ass bag of washer home and started to follow the directions. I didn't have some of the supplies that it called for, but I thought 'Surely something I have will work?' And it did, fairly well.
Let me tell you what I learned...
E6000 adhesive is HORRIBLE. It clearly warns you on the tube (and on the packaging, and everywhere else) that you should only use it in a well ventilated area. Fine. What it doesn't tell you is that the 'well ventilated area' better be smack in the middle of a open air park and you had better have someplace else to go for the next 2 days 'cuz that's how long this stuff is going to take to dry and let off fumes while it does. It also includes the standard 'This product contains stuff that has been known to cause cancer in the state of California' warning. (Now, if you are anything like me, you are probably wondering why exactly it is that the ingredients manage to cause cancer in California, but not anywhere else? ROFL)
It also 'strings' when you use it. So if you apply the requisite 'dab' that you might need to seal something (say the opening of a jump ring that you don't want to come open again) and you just touch the little end of the tube to the thing you are gluing. You will pull back the tube and have this big, long, stringy line of wet glue that comes with it. Not to mention that when you try to clean up all the glue that you inadvertently get EVERYWHERE, it rolls/balls up like dirty rubber cement that WILL NOT come off your fingers.
It gets everywhere. It sticks to everything. And it REEKS!! Needless to say, that washer was destined for 'File 13' before the glue had even dried.
On to the scrapbooking adhesive by 3M. WHOO!! to the HOOO!! This stuff worked awesome. Not to mention the no strings, no smell, and easy clean up. I was a bit worried how the paper would glue to the metal, but it worked like a charm. So I was good to go there.
Once the first washer was dry it was time to start with the 'resin'. Now, I am not a huge fan of 'smelly' projects, so most of the time I don't use actual resin (especially when I don't have a TON of projects that call for using it.) I just use either Diamond Glaze or Glossy Accents It gives the same effect without the massively smelly, long ass, drying time. And honestly, I don't worry a whole lot about things like 'yellowing' or 'fading' or anything like that 'cuz I don't expect to still be wearing/using the things that I make by the time that kind of stuff occurs.
So, I take my paper covered washer and I cover it in my pseudo resin. Then I set is aside to dry overnight thinking that would be enough time. (Again with the thinking! I seriously need to QUIT that.)
When I wake up this morning to check out the finished product I find that the Glossy Accents I used to cover it has dried to the 'touch'. Touch meaning that if you don't put your FINGERNAIL into it, you should be good. I, however, was not so lucky and gouged a large HOLE into the shiny surface of my washer pendant (kicks self once.) Add to that the fact that the Origami paper with the lovely print and flowers I chose for my project, which I had the forethought to back with another heavier piece of paper, has absorbed some of the moisture from the Glossy Accents. Thus, making the Origami paper an odd see through kind of paper with flowers (kicks self twice.) And the paper I chose to go underneath the Origami paper with the flower, has bled it's color into the Glossy Accents (which should have dried to a *clear* finish, but dried to a bright HOT PINK color 'cuz the paper bled. Ask me why I couldn't just have used WHITE freakin' paper!!??!?! ~shakes head~)
Sooooooo...there goes washer #2 into the trash. And I go back to square 1 (kicks self for a third time.)
I have learned some things though. Mostly things like...Jewelry is meant to be PURCHASED; not MADE (or at least NOT BY ME.)
Glossy Accents takes a LONG time to dry (but it does not STINK.)
And, last, but certainly not least, when in the hardware store purchasing things for 'arts-y' type projects it is always best NOT to tell the little ol' ladies behind the counter what you are *really* intending to do with their stuff lest you cause them to take to their beds from the horror of it all. ;)