How to "Age" a Stuffed Animal

First, lets talk about Edga...

Edga is a small Webkinz Jr. monkey. He was given to Emma as a gift when she was very young to match her bedroom theme. Emma and Edga grew very attached over the years. Not once did we leave the house without someone yelling, "Did anyone grab Edga?". He was there for it all... The bumps and the bruises, the moving to a new home, the sacrifice of the beloved "Paci", and he even survived the invasion of a new baby boy in Hedges' household. Needless to say, Edga was a member of the family...

Lately, Emma's schedule has gotten quite busy. She has begun school, traveled to visit family, and even had to spend a couple nights in the ER for a boo boo on her foot. That's a lot for a small monkey to keep up with! We all knew it's was only a matter of time before Edga was misplaced. So to prevent heartbreak, Emma's mom decided a "backup Edga" was wise. He was an exact replica, just significantly more clean... Emma saw straight through the new Edga and would have nothing to do with it. Her Edga was far too special to be replaced. So, the new Edga found his way into storage...

About a week ago, Edga didn't find his way home. We spent countless hours trying to find him. We searched home, the cars, local stores, the doctor's office, and daycare. Edga was nowhere to be found. Playtime, nap time, bedtime, and even dinner time hasn't been the same. We knew we had to do something. In desperation, we turned to backup Edga... It was his time to shine.

Granted, this would not be an easy task. The original Edga was the keeper of almost four years worth of childhood, and saying goodbye wasn't easy for any of us... But Emma deserved to have her best friend back. No matter the cost.

But Emma knew her best friend.

She wasn't going to be an easy three year old to fool. We had to take this procedure VERY carefully. So to begin, we started in the laundry room... After a few "washings", we discovered he wasn't losing his soft texture and plumpness... We had to take more drastic measures; this involved a small incision in his bottom and neck. We then used a coat hanger to remove the stuffing that made the new toy "extra fluffy". It took some trial cuddles to ensure that his insides were properly distributed, but he showed great promise. We also detached his nose at this time, because original Edga had the same feature. It is very important that you properly sew up any spots that you cut open before continuing.

Now more limp and slightly worn, the new Edga was ready for his day at the spa. We began with a milk, mud and tea bath to stain and "roughen" up that fluffy fur. We allowed him to soak in the sun for about half an hour. (Don't allow the milk enough time to sour outside.) We then used the hose to spray a majority of the mud and grass off of his fur. (Otherwise you will have a very unhappy washing machine.)

Edga was then brought inside for one last trip through the washer and dryer... He took quite some time to dry this go-round due to how incredibly wet he was, so we allowed him some time in the sun before it was time to pick Emma up from school.

We wanted Emma to understand how much trouble it took for Edga to "find his way home" without actually revealing how he "made it home". So, we incorporated one of Emma's favorite TV characters, (Doc McStuffins) and a member of the family from a couple states over that she hadn't met yet. The letter discussed how Jenna (Emma's new "pen pal") had found Edga far from home. She explained how she sent Edga off to Doc McStuffins for a checkup. It was there that Edga told Doc McStuffins where he lived (Since all the toys come to life for Doc McStuffins)... Jenna then explained that Doc McStuffins said Edga would be fine after a ride home in the mail truck. Emma was very excited to have her best friend back, and she couldn't wait to write and thank her new friend Jenna. I was also very happy that I was able to capture this reunion; which you can watch below or through the following link: Edga Comes Home.

We all may have different reasons for making a stuffed animal look worn, but the sentimental value of toys like Edga can never be replaced. That was never the intention here. The original Edga had so many memories within him. We could never give that back to Emma, but she is now making new memories with her favorite monkey once again that will last a lifetime. We just hope this Edga can keep up with the very quickly growing Emma!

DIY Charcoal Mask!

I often spend hours drifting from the many sides of YouTube. From makeup tutorials to cat videos, I've seen it all (Lol, hardly)... But recently, I've stumbled upon a new trend called the Charcoal & Glue Mask. This video being the first I'd seen.

P.S. her voice sounds like Mila Kunis and that is beyond unfair...

ANYWAYS... After watching her review, I realized that this was just too intriguing and inexpensive NOT to try! Other than my face and $5.00, what do I have to lose?

Fast forward to a couple days later where I am standing amongst the endless selection of multivitamins and such in Walmart along with every other elderly human being in Georgia, searching for activated charcoal. After about half an hour of standing there like an idiot, I found the capsules in the digestive health section. I then picked up two bottles of NON-TOXIC Elmer's glue.

P.S. I only used about 1/3 of one of the glue bottles that I had purchased. So unless you are planning a face mask slumber party... Don't waste your money. Also, if you prefer a different brand of activated charcoal or NON-TOXIC glue, go for it... Just PLEASE, test any combination on a small patch of skin before applying it to your entire face. ♡

BEFORE YOU BEGIN...

First, throw your hair up in some sort of disorderly fashion, to prevent it being in your way through this process.

Next, make sure your face is free of any makeup or daily oils by throughly washing your skin. I would recommend using warm water while doing this to ensure that your pores are open and cleansed; however, after the mask, only use cold water so your pores are not vulnerable to debris while you sleep or go throughout your day. I used my Neutrogena hydrating makeup remover cleansing towelettes and Clean & Clear morning burst hydrating & oil-free facial cleanser to prep my skin for the mask.

MOVING ON...

I wanted to provide accurate measurements for you all when creating my mask mixture, but I'll be completely honest... It's all trial and error. I can tell you that I did use about three opened Charco capsules and slowly added about a tablespoon of glue as I went.

BTW...

WARNING: When opening the capsules... Don't be like me. Please change out of your favorite white shirt. As they are quite messy, and might ruin it. You will also, more than likely, lose a small amount of the charcoal whilst trying to accumulate an abundance of it. This will indefinitely lead to charcoal fingers, desktops, floors and cats; hence, why I decided to use three capsules for my mask... To balance with amount of charcoal that I was losing and getting all over my room. Odds are, you will not use the entire mixture on one mask anyways. Long story short... Keep wipes handy.



BACK TO THE FUN...

Dollop small amounts of glue into your bowl of charcoal and mix with a small brush. Soon, your mixture will be thick and grey. If you still see small granules of charcoal within your mask, you either haven't mixed enough, or need more glue. As I said before, this is all trial and error.

Once you have the consistency you like, begin applying generous amounts of the mixture onto your face. Your best option is to apply a thin coat first, because mine began to spread an reveal air bubble-like holes within my mask (As you may be able to see in the picture below). I am not sure if this is due to a need for more charcoal or the fact that I allowed my mixture to sit while I took a shower. This can be fixed by applying an additional coat shortly after the first. Keep in mind, the thicker your mask, the more time you have to allow it to dry. Also, please avoid any areas on your face that have hair, as this can make removal later extremely painful. If you do happen to get the mask onto an area with hair, a moist rag will clear the mixture off without pain.

Please allow this mask to sink into your pores and surround any debris you may have missed while conducting your face washing routine. The mask will develop a thin and black leathery texture and will no longer have any glue-like spots within thirty minutes to an hour (Depending how thick your mask is.). To remove, gently tug onto the outer skin surrounding the mask, allowing an edge to appear.

After you have a small edge to grab onto, slowly pull your mask off of your face. The best option is to begin at the bottom of your face or chin and pull in an upward motion, as pulling down could put unnecessary stress on your skin. The mask should peel off virtually in one piece, but breakage is possible. To remove the remaining bits, gently rub a clean cold rag on your face and the mask should remove with ease. Be sure to avoid leaving any residue on your face, as this is not good for your skin. Also, allow your face to adjust before applying makeup since your pores are still vulnerable, clogging them up so soon will only encourage future and unnecessary breakouts.

I truly enjoyed this mask from start to finish, there was no uncomfortable sensations while drying for me, but I understand all skin types are different. I didn't feel absolutely refreshed after my mask, but the next morning, my skin was firm and bright. I hope soon I can expand this DIY and possibly add essential oils or cleanser to my mix. One thing is for sure, I WILL be doing this mask again!