My 300th Post...and a Virtual Temper Tantrum

Yup, this is the big 3-0-0.  You'd think I'd have held out for something a little less crass than on online hissy fit, but not so much.  I got this great custom order last week.  This very nice lady from across the pond wanted me to make her a keychain like this one,

but with her kids' names on it.  No problem.  So I went out to the hardware store, grabbed a box of washers, and got started.  So far, I've wasted 9 washers.  NINE.  Out of a box of 8.  These suckers are apparently made out of diamond all of a sudden, and now I also have a flattened "a" stamp to show for my (wasted) efforts.  Then I went online this evening to find another washer order---which required, of course, a plethora of "a's." I am at the point, my friends, of name calling and plate throwing---and those of you who know me well know that's not a place I find myself in often.  

Tomorrow will be a day of hardware-store hopping---to Home Depot to snag a box of less resilient washers, and the to Harbor freight in search of a new set of stamps. 

%(^$&! I Screwed Up Again! (or "Momma's Got a New Keychain.")

I'm slaving away like a madwoman to get ready for my Show Number Three, and here's what I've got to show for it:

And this.  (Keep Calm and Pay Attention, Woman!)

And this. (Tricky, no?)

And, embarrassingly, this.  (Failure to plan...)

I take significant pride in the fact that I'm a spell-check with a pulse, but apparently this neurosis talent does not carry over to metal.  I've got a nice little stack of silver-plated mess-ups piled up on the floor next to the workbench, and I think I've figured out to do with them.  I'm gonna make me a windchime!  Because, really, the thought of just chucking those laboriously scavenged, polished, cut and systematically screwed up bits of flatware just rubs me the wrong way.

Meanwhile, I almost managed to do this one right---I was so excited!---and then I fudged the last letter.  So I've got a fancy new keyring, complete with wonky "n."

No biggie...Like the fabulous Jess, I can handle the wonk.