Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Building a foundation

I noticed something the other day. Starting out with prop-building is similar to diving into a cooking/baking hobby 4 years ago. 

You know that eventually it will be cheaper overall and eventually it will be less intimidating, but getting started can be tricky. 

When I first got married I only had a few basics: one saucepan and a couple sautée pans, silverware that was gifted to us, a can opener, and a random assortment of garage sale plates and cups. 

Building that foundation was a slow process. I started out buying a couple spices and pantry staples per paycheck. We slowly added smaller items and over several years I invested in a stand mixer, food processor, etc. 

My confidence increased as I tried new recipes, techniques, etc. but I was pretty intimidated when I started. I would analyze a recipe for a long time before I attempted it.

Prop-building has followed a similar path. I started out with barely any tools. Over the last several months I've acquired a jigsaw, circular saw (that one was free!) and dremel. Building materials (free foam!) have been collected and I gathered things from our kitchen makeover that will be helpful (power sander, paint, etc.). I've purchased smaller materials such as adhesive, respirator, safety goggles, etc. 

Essentially, the necessary materials are ready. The shed is organized and ready for the first project. The batteries are charged. So what's holding me back? The confidence component. 

I have been reading tutorials on HalloweenForum and watching YouTube tutorial videos for close to a year now. The Dremel  user manual has been read, I learned how to operate the jigsaw, but I am still somewhat intimidated! Luckily this batch of foam is free so all I have to worry about is tossing it if I screw it up (and maybe losing a finger in the process). 

I need to move forward because I'm pretty sure Greg is sick of overhearing the same YouTube tutorials. Not to mention setup is only ~80 days away. Ahh!!