Blessing #185 - Brandon's K5 Valentine

Sometimes, when I work on a project, it's an automatic home run.  Everything works out, and things fall into place and it turns out just like I pictured it in my head.  Yes, that happens sometimes, but most of the time projects are not automatic home runs.  Sometimes a project is a swing and a miss, then swing again and miss again, then swing again, miss again, throw the bat down, and start yelling second cousin profanities, and then a swing again to finally have a solid base hit.

Brandon's kindergarten valentine was just that project.

It all started last week as we rode in the car. I asked Shad and B for ideas for B's valentines.  My idea was to take three pictures of B holding a chalkboard (yes, I do find a way to work a chalkboard into every project) and in each picture he's holding a different word. "Happy.Valentines.Day"

Then B asked for Duck Dynasty Valentine's.  Just in case you don't know what Duck Dynasty is, you can watch this. Shad, being the smart man he is, suggested "Happy, happy, happy Valentine's Day!" It was genius, and I consented that it was a better idea than my chalkboards (barely).

After the initial idea, here is how B's Valentine's progressed.

Swing #1: Paint Brandon's face with the black camouflage paint like they use on Duck Dynasty, and take pictures of him in camouflage.

Miss #1: There are still many people that have no idea what Duck Dynasty is.  I only had thick paint and not the real camouflage, and I'm pretty sure that the sight of a six year old with his face painted black is going to be very offensive to most people.

Swing #2: I thought it was an easy fix.  I would just paint his face with green and brown camouflage, and take cute pictures of him outside.

Miss #2: I should have painted his face green with brown spots instead of brown with green spots.  He looked like he had some kind of plague.....a terribly cute plague, but still a plague.

Swing #3: Make a fake beard out of felt, put a bandanna on him, and *wahlah* Willie Robertson!

Miss #3: Tuesday morning, I told B that the camo paint didn't work, but not to worry I was going to make him a beard and we would take pictures when he got home from school.

When I picked him up from school, B yelled, "Did you bring my beard?" Except, he didn't enunciate the "d" on the end of "beard." (Read it again and leave off the "d")

Another mom was standing there as he yelled this, and her eyes got really big.  I answered the best I knew how. "No Brandon! I have not made your beardddddd to wear on your face yet, your beardddd."

Somehow, my explanation only sounded slightly better.

Swing #4: When he came home I quickly made his beard, and he looked awesome! Very Willie Robertsonish!

Miss #4: As I was snapping pictures of B, I told Shad, "This beard does not photograph well." Suddenly, I realized with that skinny beard he looked kind of like this guy.

 I could not catch a break! (and technically if the baseball analogy were true I would have struck out one miss ago.)

Eventually, I went with what I had and made him this Valentine at PicMonkey.

This is not what I had in mind when I started this project, but it is a good solid base hit.  Brandon is going to be really proud to pass out his Duck Dynasty Valentine's, and in the end that is all that matters, but next year I'm going with the chalkboards.

Note: You can check out B's Valentine from two years ago here.

I am sharing this post with the Bower Power Blog Lovely Craft Valentines Party and House of Hepworths.