You learn something new every day, and for today’s new trick, I’m learning to put “privacy film” on glass. You know the stuff. It’s what makes windows look like mirrors on the outside, but still be see-through, if you’re inside looking out.

Why, exactly, am I doing this?

Well, I’m making garden decorations.

I have three big lanterns–uhm, craft-store specials–and now, I’m being crafty. The hope is that when I’m finished, they’ll have sort of a gazing-ball feel, but with an unexpected flare. Something you wouldn’t find pre-built in a dozen different garden stores. (And hopefully, something I didn’t spend fifty bucks a pop on, not including a stand to put it on.) Quirky and relaxing. (JUST LIKE ME, DAMMIT!)

I haven’t completely decided whether I’d like to paint flowers and butterflies on the glass after I’m finished, or just leave it to reflect what’s actually there.

At the moment, though, I’m no closer to having lanterns than I was, before I started. I followed the instructions very carefully. (The guy at the store made it sound so easy!) I popped the glass out of the frames. I washed, soaked, and rinsed my panes of glass. I applied the fabulous reflective film to the wet glass.

And…

It  is not sticking.

I got on the internet, and about half way through a video, I found my mistake.

Apparently, I was not supposed to rinse my glass.

The soap is crucial for the adhesive to, well… adhese.

The internet goes on in loving detail about the exact proportion of no-tears baby shampoo to clean, sparkling water.

So, tomorrow, I start again.