Figure Skating Crystal Support group: Spanglers Anonymous

In last week’s sewing post, I mentioned that I need some sort of 12-step program to help me with my crystalling addiction.

Spanglers Anonymous is a 12-step, self-help group for figure skating parents who have a hard time saying no to bling. SA members see the world in terms of the Swarovski color chart and have a weakness for anything with an AB treatment.

Signs of a Crystalling Addiction

The sky isn’t blue, it’s medium sapphire.
The grocery list reads: 1/2 gross SS75 grapes, jonquil color
Everything that doesn’t have moving parts is covered in flatback crystals and nailheads
The skater complains that she can’t jump in her sparkly, new 50-lb. dress
A bling addict purchases E6000 glue by the gallon
Family and friends of a spangle addict put on sunglasses when the addict enters a room
The SA Member has a special room with a dedicated air system for crystalling

Hope for Recovery

The first step to recovery is recognizing that you have a problem. Reader Super Skater suggested that we crystal addicts might post photos that illustrate how we crystal figure skating dresses.

I have created a Spanglers Anonymous Gallery here on IceMom.net to help all of us recovering spanglers on the path to normalcy. Or, at least the photos will give us a good place to get ideas about what other Spanglers Anonymous members are doing to embellish their figure skaters’ dresses.

I’ll also post a link to my new Facebook Group: Spanglers Anonymous, a place where recovering crystal addicts can talk about their bling obsession in a supportive, non-judgmental environment.

Crystal addicts: I invite you to join me in recovery. Please visit the Spanglers Anonymous Gallery to upload examples of your need for a 12-step crystal addiction program. Join the Spanglers Anonymous group on Facebook and share your bling obsession stories.

Readers, if you are aware of other signs that someone might need a 12-step program to conquer a crystal addiction, I invite you to share those in the comments below. You might save someone’s life (if an addict’s husband knew how much 10 gross of Swarovski 40ss AB crystals cost) or a loved one’s sight (going blind from all that bling).

Do you have a question for Ice Mom or the Advisory Board? Awesome. I need one for July 2. Is there a post you’d really like to see? Wonderful. I’m working on my editorial calendar for July and I would love to have your suggestions. Do you want to write a guest post? Maybe you could write about how your club buys crystals in bulk. I’d love to read that. I think that Spanglers Anonymous members would love to read that, too. Let me know! Are you a figure skating expert? Be my new best friend and offer to come on Ask the Expert sometime in July. E-mail me at icemom.diane@gmail.com.

Photo credits:
Bling: jenny downing on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Kitsch (Spangler’s Anonymous photo): Pixel Addict on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Blingin (watch): tiffa130 on Flickr.com Creative Commons

fitwo

This is hilarious !
Newyorkland

To Hot Fix or Glue…… that is the question???
http://icemom.net Ice Mom

I'm so proud of you, Newyorkland. It appears that you are limiting yourself to just one crystalling medium, which is a sign that you are on the road to recovery.

Sadly, I've heard many bling addicts say this:

Hotfix AND glue!

Truly, Newyorkland, you are an inspiring individual.
invisiblesk8r129A

Glue! That way you always have E6000 on hand to hold the rest of the world together…
Newyorkland

Look, I just learned to add a new technique to my bag of tricks in sewing: rouching….. however, 850 crystals is in my mind for the final bling!! got issues I know….. cant' help it.

You know it is bad when the night before a competion you add another gross of crystals because you are a nervous mom.
http://icemom.net Ice Mom

It's also bad when your husband says at 4 a.m., “You're up early for the drive to the competition.”

…when, really you haven't been to bed at all because you've been gluing just one more crystal on the dress.
http://RaisingFigureSkaters.com Deb Chitwood

Here’s the link to the dress that earned Chrissy and me family membership in Spanglers Anonymous! http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/d7vNd0tKEJE/ISU+... Chrissy helped design the dress, and someone else made it. I just fell in love with it. I guess that makes me an addict AND an enabler!?!
http://icemom.net Ice Mom

Deb, I don't think I'm far enough along in my journey toward recovery to judge you as either an addict or an enabler.

What would help is if you sent me the pretty, sparkly dress. Then I could judge for myself.

I mean, a photo is great, but I could really test my recovery process if I saw the dress in my own hands under the light, shimmering…
fgrsk8inggirl

Hi
I was just wondering if you have ever tried the hotfix crystals? I use them and think they are easier because you do not have to deal with glue.
Thanks
http://icemom.net Ice Mom

Yup, fgrsk8inggirl, I use hotfix, but it's slower to use hotfix than it is to use glue. You have to heat up the glue on the bejeweler tool and then stick it to the fabric. With E6000, I just get a drop on the end of a toothpick, touch it to the back of a crystal and then slide it off onto the fabric. Sure, there's drying time, but the application process is much, much faster.

If I'm going to wash a garment in the washing machine, though, I use hotfix. It's a stronger bond.
Helicopter Mom

Hot fix crystals are definitely easier to use but to stone a whole dress, you need a tube of E6000 and as many crystals as you can get on the dress before passing out from exhaustion or going crazy from the glue! I use the hot fix crystals (that I bought before I developed my “crystal problem”) the night before the competition when I still want to add more bling (just one more, just one more!) but I've run out of flat backs!
sk8rtif

I use hot fix crystals, but I don’t use a wand to apply them. I put the stones I will need upside down (glue up) on a hot plate or flat electric skillet and plus that baby in. Set mine to med-low and the hotfix melts nicely (careful you don’t go too hot or the glue will turn brown). Bent tip tweezers to pick them up and put them on the garment. Quick and painless
sk8rtif

I use hot fix crystals, but I don't use a wand to apply them. I put the stones I will need upside down (glue up) on a hot plate or flat electric skillet and plus that baby in. Set mine to med-low and the hotfix melts nicely (careful you don't go too hot or the glue will turn brown). Bent tip tweezers to pick them up and put them on the garment. Quick and painless