Comments on: Fix the Pig: Second Day

By: Thea

Thea — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:46:04 +0000

Flowers in either piggy fist should really be sparklers. Krissie’s a real firecracker.

By: JulieB

JulieB — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:37:02 +0000

I hope there will be photos of the stages. It sounds neat.

By: Slave Driver

Slave Driver — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:09:48 +0000

You know that there are several companies that make “Paint Pens”. I’d try that instead of the sharpie, since you keep using them up.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:35:42 +0000

I hate to say this because I love all the paint suggestions I’m getting and want to try them all on something, but the acrylic primer is working. Evidently the bag has been through such hell that its waterproofing has worn thin. Four coats of primer so far–the stuff sinks right into the fabric–but I think a final coat of white acrylic should do it. Also have gone through many Sharpies. When it’s all done, I may go over the Sharpie in black paint, but I think not. It’s the Pig, not the Sistine Chapel.

By: Mischief_the_Vixen

Mischief_the_Vixen — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:47:54 +0000

Hey there =) I don’t know if this will help you at all but I use to sell painted celtic cloaks and we experimented with all sorts of different methods. The one that worked best was or at least that was my favorite as it was both dry-cleanable or machinewashable aka could spot clean with soap and water without worrying about the color running was Jacquard Permanent paint…they have various colors for different fabrics. I usually went through Dharmatrading co as they have good prices and a good rep. Here’s the url if any of you are interested. http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/1805-AA.shtml?lnav=resists.html I love the pic of the pig and the idea!! As for the blue suitcase…if not cookie monster there’s always Grover!!!

By: writing as Elle J. Rossi

writing as Elle J. Rossi — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:39:33 +0000

Hi Jenny,
First time visiting your blog and I found it very entertaining. I don’t know Krissie, but if I were you, I wouldn’t wait on approval…Just go for it and totally surprise her!

By: Micki

Micki — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:34:47 +0000

(-: Will look into it. Maybe my mom can send me some, Marta.

LOL! Hello, Killer Rabbit! Why does this remind me of cross-stitched wolves with tons of sharp pointy teeth?

Now I want a Little Red Riding Hood bag with the famous Thurber moral that goes something like: Little Girls are Not as Easy to Fool as They Used to Be. I was thinking Red with a large Pistol, but I’m thinking I don’t really have to go that far. Especially since I don’t want any trouble with the TSA.

I bet my friend could really use a Gwen Goodnight bag, with wolves chasing an errant husband who doesn’t listen up a tree.

Oh, BTW, Marta again: Mother Earth News’ latest issue recommends washing with dish soap after you come in. They swear it washes away the poison ivy oils before they have a chance to do much damage. Doesn’t do much good now, but maybe it’ll make a “next time” easier to handle.

Gosh, I’m a flutter-bee today. Better sit down and concentrate on something.

By: Marta

Marta — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:11:53 +0000

Plasti Dip definitely flexes; they use it to cover foam for wheelchair pads, safety equipment, costumes, etc.

I’ll be Plasti-Dipping myself if this poison ivy doesn’t clear up soon. Of course, I just found out the main side effects of the rash and itch relief ointment I’ve been putting on it are rash and itch. The mind boggles . . .

By: Slave Driver

Slave Driver — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:58:50 +0000

If the bag (ugh!) is made of leather… (time to trim my nails)

By: Slave Driver

Slave Driver — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:57:21 +0000

If the bad us leather try fiebing.com they make leather dye. I used them to refinishe saddles and they have a quality product.

By: DownUnderGal

DownUnderGal — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:36:19 +0000

Can’t help but see a web in the corner saying “Some Pig.
I think Charlotte would approve.

By: CrankyOtter

CrankyOtter — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:19:46 +0000

Plasti Dip! Great idea! I think I got mine at Home Depot and they had 6 colors (white black red blue green yellow) in tall narrow cans so you could just dip metal tool handles into it. I used it to coat hardware cloth to make a silverware try (why the sell silverware in sets of 5 and sell most silverware trays with 4 front compartments I’ll never know). I anyway, I cut all my pieces, dipped all the long narrow pieces in red, painted it on the wide base (or dragged it thru a tray maybe, it’s been a while) then assembled and touched up any dinged up looking connections. It’s 10 years old now. It doesn’t flex much but it’s still in good shape after years of silverware abrasion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_u9mn59EwU

And my repaired wrench handle is still sound. I’ve been looking for a good excuse to use it again. Maybe luggage painting will be it. I still have a useful black bag that could use some distinction. I would encourage anyone who thinks it would be fun or useful to go for it.

Jenny, please do share if you make Hello Armadillo or Hello Killer Rabbit

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:20:25 +0000

Lani wants a frog when she comes to stay at the end of the month, and she’s pretty sure her two girls will want different ones, too, so this may become a recurring feature for awhile. I told her we’d tell the kids to go for it: Hello, Armadillo; Hello, Platypus, Hello, Killer Rabbit . . .

By: AgTigress

AgTigress — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:55:02 +0000

Marta’s suggestion of cleaning down the surface with alcohol or some other solvent is probably essential, but I think there is a fundamental problem with applying any pigment to large areas; namely, the fact that the surface will undoubtedly flex all the time, because it’s a soft suitcase. Even if a large area of white (or any other colour) adheres well, it is still likely to crack unless it has exactly the same degree of plasticity as the case itself. I had originally envisaged a hard suitcase, which would still have been subject to knocks and scratches, of course, but would not bend. Or at least, not much.
Maybe you will have to go for a simple line-drawing without any blocked-in colour, which will greatly reduce the amount of paint that will develop cracks and fissures.

By: Marta

Marta — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:06:05 +0000

Micki; They have a Create Your Color kit that comes with tints you mix yourself. Ace Hardware is supposed to carry it. I don’t think you can use it on vinyl, but the same company has products for vinyl, too. They have a great website for info.

By: Micki

Micki — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 06:24:29 +0000

(-: I wish I could get my hands on some multi-colored Plastidip. That sounds like just the ticket!

I had two ideas — one would be trying a q-tip with some bleach, and seeing if you got white (or if it simply turned some nasty color). The other was, I wondered if shoe whiting (like you use to polish white patent leather) might work. Hmmm.

I have a computer case that I need to spiffy up. Since it won’t be going anywhere near the American Baggage Handlers’ Union (and their airline gorillas), I was thinking about using Japanese fabrics, and modge-podging them onto the Genuine Fake Leather case. Kind of like a crazy quilt, but without the sewing. (-: If I decide to try the shoe-whiting on it, I’ll let you know how it works (if I did, it would be kind of like a primer, I was thinking).

Very much looking forward to the Finished Pig. (My kids squealed over the pre-lims, and now they want to do their own bags, LOL!)

By: Marta

Marta — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 01:24:43 +0000

Okay, I just wended my way through plastidip.com, and must now thank Jenny.

If it weren’t for Fix the Pig, I would not have resourced fixing those rusting ends on my dishwasher rack, replacing the non-skid backing on my favorite entry rugs, coating the rust prone little pieces on the dog glide, and making ALL my clothes hangers non-slip.

Happy Day!

By: Marta

Marta — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:48:28 +0000

Sorry! Forgot to name the beast; Plasti Dip. They have versions you can use for costumes and props, etc., so I would think the Pig would qualify.

By: Marta

Marta — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:29:31 +0000

Jenny, I’m wondering if white tool dip would work. It’s that stuff you dip the tool handles in to make a comfy grip. You’d need to be able to clean the suitcase surface with alcohol to remove any lingering grease or oil, but the ‘paint’ should hunker down into the fabric enough to hold. It’s definitely flexible when dry.

By: GatorPerson

GatorPerson — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:47:11 +0000

Real idea for white paint: We found some white spray paint for appliances – frig, stove, dishwasher, etc. (Probably not the hot part of the stove). We used it on dings in the frig. It worked. This stuff was a higher quality than lawn furniture spray paint and should adhere to plastic. Don’t know about flexing, since one rarely flexes a frig.