Decorated Bras for Breast Cancer Awareness

It's October so that means that everything is pink for Breast Cancer Awareness.  Every year, October also means the last outdoor truck and tractor pull for our company. Running these shows with our series, insuring them, finding sponsors, and televising them on NBC Sports is what we do for a living.  Needless to say, my summers are pretty "testosterone-y".  I have to put aside crafting, sewing, and being a ballet mom in exchange for diesel fumes, trucks, dirt, and engine talk.  But the last show of the year is different.  It is a fund-raiser for Susan G. Komen and a tribute for cancer survivors as well.  This year, the promoter and his family came up with a few extra ways to meet their donation goals, including a bra decorating contest.  Finally, a good reason to CRAFT that my husband supports!!  (He portrays himself as a crafting widower.  Give me a break!)

The object is to make something that the folks at the pull will "vote" for by making a donation on the entry.  The entry with the most votes wins bragging rights for the maker.  I didn't sign up for bragging rights; I signed up for a full day of crafting!  My husband even took our kiddo to the mall so I could have time to finish.  Is this a dream or what?!

So these are my entries... First the lady-like entry....

Although I had played with the idea of making a paper bra... even looking for a bra pattern before deciding that they really probably wanted us to start with a real bra and work from there, a hot pink one was the base for this.  I used my Explore and Design Space to size out several flowers from Mother's Day Bouquet, Flower Shoppe, and Art Philosophy.  I love spiral flowers.  They are so fast and look great!  If you haven't made those before, you simply start at the small end and roll them up using a quilling tool and just squirt a dab of hot glue on the base that is at the other end.  I let it un-twirl a bit and voila!  A flower!  For my Design Space flower file that I used:  https://us.cricut.com/design/#/canvas/project/21142630

The butterfly was a great find!  It was designed by Annette Yoacum and she not only provides the SVG for free, but she also provides permission on her blog to use this image for fundraising for a breast cancer foundation of choice.  To find that svg:  http://kraftynook.blogspot.com/2014/08/breast-cancer-awareness.html. I attached it with a piece of acetate so that it would float a bit.  

The next one... well... it is a bit much.  First let me preface this by saying that in truck pulling, there is a rule that headlights have to be off so that the driver doesn't blind the flagman at the 300' line.  It is actually a serious rule but I used it to kind of mess around with the slang of 'headlights.'  

I know... those on/off buttons....

And yes, they do work!  

Starting to look like minions to you now, right?  Is it just me?

I used Meridian Easy Touch Tap Lights from Walmart.  Just a few bucks each and they have a compartment on the back for batteries.  Since this is a two-day event, I wanted to be able to change the batteries!  (These are big so I had to get a larger cup than I needed for the floral one!)  I cut out circles from the bra cups and used Duck Brand silver waterproofing tape to attach the lights to the insides of the residual cups.  

Then I covered all of that up with white regular Duck brand tape, taking care to leave free the battery compartments.  

 I cut 5" paper circles with the Explore to make a loose cover to hide the black boxes and made a simple tape hinge for easy access with white tape.  I am not sure how these will be displayed so I didn't know if the backs will be visible. I did this just to be sure.

The tap lights were pretty heavy so I used artist board for the back and a small piece for the area in the front between the cups to keep them separated and make the whole thing sturdy.  

I used the Explore's writing ability to make a banner with text written on a shape from Formal Occasion.  I used the Print Then Cut feature in Design Space to make a tiny version of our logo and attached that with a bit of acetate so that it would hang below the banner.  

Text reads:  Headlights must be off before Green Flag will be dropped.  This friendly reminder brought to you by the Battle of the Bluegrass Pulling Series.

I left both of my entries on the silly hangers that they came on, as I am unsure how they will be displaying them and assuming that the hangers might come in handy.  

I am looking forward to seeing all the entries!  The ones they have peeked out on their Facebook page have been funny and creative!  Now, I need to work on the basket we are donating for the silent auction.  I am gonna squeeze out all the crafting I can today!  I hope October finds you in the pink!