I love her blog....great crafts, DIY and a great link party on Wednesdays, too. She is so friendly and welcoming. I appreciate her quite a bit, since I'm still fairly new at this blogging thing.
Enjoy!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Guest posting at Ginger Snap Crafts
Hey! Happy New Year's Eve eve...if you haven't noticed from my sidebar, Ginger Snap Crafts has been hosting a Christmas Break to-do these last two weeks and yours truly is featured over there today. To get there, just click on the button over there....
I love her blog....great crafts, DIY and a great link party on Wednesdays, too. She is so friendly and welcoming. I appreciate her quite a bit, since I'm still fairly new at this blogging thing.
Enjoy!
I love her blog....great crafts, DIY and a great link party on Wednesdays, too. She is so friendly and welcoming. I appreciate her quite a bit, since I'm still fairly new at this blogging thing.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
A Doll's House
My baby girl got a dollhouse for Christmas. She's going to be three next month and she has run a little low on toys in the girl department, seeing as she has an older brother.
We used black spray paint on the roof and had to do a lot of touch up with a sample can of white paint from the hardware store. It also gave the white a more finished look and of course my six year-old loved to help with the painting!
A few other projects that we did.....we picked out a fat quarter at the fabric store and made curtains. They are attached using little velcro strips in case our girl wants to change them in the future.
I used the same fabric and a bit of batting to make a bed cushion. (the star fabric is my son's choice and insists on it being there)
I think this may have been a nativity at one point...there is a little nail in the front where you might hang a star and there is a light at the back. It makes it nice so you can see what you're doing. : )
And....we made a rug out of fabric and felt. Here you can see the finished doll house....
Also gifted to Sweetie was the dollhouse family from her brother.....too bad they don't have any furniture yet. Welcome to the real world, dolls.
Here you can see it without the light and the roof shows up better.
Our girl loves it! Next up is to get some furniture going....I may try my hand at making some. Special thanks to my mom and dad who thought of Annie when they found this. : )
So, when my dad found an small dollhouse at my parents' lake cabin, he dropped it off to me and thought it would be perfect for our girl. C and I spent a lot of time working on it in the last few weeks.
Without further ado......what it looked like at the start.
It was all unfinished wood, so we sanded it down well.
We started with a coat of white paint. First, we used spray paint and it gave it a pretty good base coat.....but it was a bit thin.....
We used black spray paint on the roof and had to do a lot of touch up with a sample can of white paint from the hardware store. It also gave the white a more finished look and of course my six year-old loved to help with the painting!
A few other projects that we did.....we picked out a fat quarter at the fabric store and made curtains. They are attached using little velcro strips in case our girl wants to change them in the future.
I used the same fabric and a bit of batting to make a bed cushion. (the star fabric is my son's choice and insists on it being there)
I think this may have been a nativity at one point...there is a little nail in the front where you might hang a star and there is a light at the back. It makes it nice so you can see what you're doing. : )
And....we made a rug out of fabric and felt. Here you can see the finished doll house....
Also gifted to Sweetie was the dollhouse family from her brother.....too bad they don't have any furniture yet. Welcome to the real world, dolls.
Here you can see it without the light and the roof shows up better.
Our girl loves it! Next up is to get some furniture going....I may try my hand at making some. Special thanks to my mom and dad who thought of Annie when they found this. : )
Party Time......
Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life
Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime
Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles
Sunday Shake-up at Jacque's Soda Parlor
Fabulous Friday at Ohh Baby
Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection
Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill
Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation
Tuesday Talent Show at Chef n Training
Flaunt Your Flowers at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Flaunt Your Flowers at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Monday, December 26, 2011
That's the ticket
Wow....another Christmas down in the books. I hope you had a good one! Although ours is busy, we are so fortunate to have our families close to us and to be able to spend time with them for the holiday. : ) I've been enjoying a nice break from school and it has been so good for the mind and body!
I wanted to share a gift that I gave my husband this year.....I have two gifts to show you all that I either made or enhanced. I'll post the other soon.
The first is a collage. The backstory is that some members of my family attend a racing event each year......the Indianapolis 500. If you are not familiar with this type of event, then you may not have an idea why anyone would want to go and watch cars go around in a circle for a few hours. I've been going since I was a kid, so I LOVE it.
It is quite the event. And ever since I got married, I think my husband would count the addition of this event to his life as one of the primo benefits of being married to me.
So....each year, I save my ticket stub. That makes about eleven or twelve since I started attending the race again after I got out of college and finished marching drum corps.
So, as a gift to my husband for Christmas, I decided to collage the tickets. I started with my ticket pile as shown above. I bought a nice big frame.
The tickets themselves are very cool....little portraits of winning drivers and very artful. This one is for the race this year. It was the 100th anniversary, so it was designed as such.
This ticket is commemorating the 90th running of the race and is laser-cut with those words.
After I cleaned the glass of the frame, I started arranging them. I didn't want to tape them in any way, in case I ever wanted to take them out or rearrange them--and I don't want them to get damaged! I was having a tough time, so I started arranging them on the backing before I would lay the glass over it. This part was a bit tedious to find the right and pleasing arrangement.
Once I was happy with it, I laid the glass on top, then the frame and held it tightly together to fix the hardware on the back.
And....voila. Race memories, in a frame. This would be a great way to display any kind of ticket or memento you might have. I love personalized and meaningful displays!
My husband loved it. : )
Party Time......
I wanted to share a gift that I gave my husband this year.....I have two gifts to show you all that I either made or enhanced. I'll post the other soon.
The first is a collage. The backstory is that some members of my family attend a racing event each year......the Indianapolis 500. If you are not familiar with this type of event, then you may not have an idea why anyone would want to go and watch cars go around in a circle for a few hours. I've been going since I was a kid, so I LOVE it.
It is quite the event. And ever since I got married, I think my husband would count the addition of this event to his life as one of the primo benefits of being married to me.
So....each year, I save my ticket stub. That makes about eleven or twelve since I started attending the race again after I got out of college and finished marching drum corps.
So, as a gift to my husband for Christmas, I decided to collage the tickets. I started with my ticket pile as shown above. I bought a nice big frame.
The tickets themselves are very cool....little portraits of winning drivers and very artful. This one is for the race this year. It was the 100th anniversary, so it was designed as such.
This ticket is commemorating the 90th running of the race and is laser-cut with those words.
After I cleaned the glass of the frame, I started arranging them. I didn't want to tape them in any way, in case I ever wanted to take them out or rearrange them--and I don't want them to get damaged! I was having a tough time, so I started arranging them on the backing before I would lay the glass over it. This part was a bit tedious to find the right and pleasing arrangement.
Once I was happy with it, I laid the glass on top, then the frame and held it tightly together to fix the hardware on the back.
And....voila. Race memories, in a frame. This would be a great way to display any kind of ticket or memento you might have. I love personalized and meaningful displays!
My husband loved it. : )
Party Time......
Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life
Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime
Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles
Sunday Shake-up at Jacque's Soda Parlor
Fabulous Friday at Ohh Baby
Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection
Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill
Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation
Tuesday Talent Show at Chef n Training
Flaunt Your Flowers at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Flaunt Your Flowers at Tootsie Time
What I Wore/What's Up Wednesday at Rae Gun Ramblings
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Christmas Treats, Part 2--Caramels
The other treat I make annually? Caramels. I have a voracious sweet tooth (or a sweet molar....) and caramels are right up there. I found this recipe in the paper several years ago and decided to give it a try. I must say, my first attempt was less than stellar. Let's just say it would have made a lovely caramel.....sauce.
To start, a buttered 8x8 pan.
Although this recipe is labor-intensive, I love that it fits into one of my favorite cooking categories--five ingredients or fewer!
You will need a candy thermometer....
The mixture will be heated three times to a certain degree. Basically, caramels are just burned sugar. : )
After it has been cooked up, you stir in vanilla and pour it into the pan.
Typically, I let them cool overnight before I cut them.
Cut into 1in pieces and wrap in waxed paper.
The recipe is a bit long with the boiling instructions! : ) If you would like it, let me know by comment or email and I will send it to you!
To start, a buttered 8x8 pan.
Here's what I started with....cream, two kinds of sugar and a bit of salt.
You will need a candy thermometer....
The mixture will be heated three times to a certain degree. Basically, caramels are just burned sugar. : )
After it has been cooked up, you stir in vanilla and pour it into the pan.
Typically, I let them cool overnight before I cut them.
Cut into 1in pieces and wrap in waxed paper.
The recipe is a bit long with the boiling instructions! : ) If you would like it, let me know by comment or email and I will send it to you!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Where the magic happens
I cannot believe we have only four days until Christmas. Wow! December has been flying by. My last day of school was last Friday, so I have certainly been enjoying the time off and finishing up preparations for the holiday.
I've also been living in sweats the last few days (and loving it....)! I had a student--who I'd seen at the grocery this fall--a few weeks ago that commented to me that I looked cute at school and I wore jewelry and stuff. So, I said, "And I guess at the grocery, I was wearing......sweats?" She nodded and it was like she did not want to say anything not very nice. Yeeeeaaaaah. Oh, well.....I've been known to rock sweats and no makeup on my days off. : )
So, I was working in my sewing room, wrapping presents and doing other general Christmas prep. The mess was getting to me and I started to frantically clean up when I thought, I should take a picture of this. It's where the magic happens.....
Wow! I hope no one wants to come over and spend the night.
Oooh, there are some essential items there on the ironing board. Phone? Check. Coffee (at 3pm)? Check.
Ugh. And I'm itching to vacuum......
Hope you're enjoying some holiday prep as well! I've got some cool presents I've made that I'll share next week (can't give them away now!) and I'm going to be featured over at {Ginger Snap Crafts}. She is doing Christmas Break at Ginger Snap Crafts for the next two weeks....
Check it out! And hang in there this week!
I've also been living in sweats the last few days (and loving it....)! I had a student--who I'd seen at the grocery this fall--a few weeks ago that commented to me that I looked cute at school and I wore jewelry and stuff. So, I said, "And I guess at the grocery, I was wearing......sweats?" She nodded and it was like she did not want to say anything not very nice. Yeeeeaaaaah. Oh, well.....I've been known to rock sweats and no makeup on my days off. : )
So, I was working in my sewing room, wrapping presents and doing other general Christmas prep. The mess was getting to me and I started to frantically clean up when I thought, I should take a picture of this. It's where the magic happens.....
Wow! I hope no one wants to come over and spend the night.
Oooh, there are some essential items there on the ironing board. Phone? Check. Coffee (at 3pm)? Check.
Ugh. And I'm itching to vacuum......
Hope you're enjoying some holiday prep as well! I've got some cool presents I've made that I'll share next week (can't give them away now!) and I'm going to be featured over at {Ginger Snap Crafts}. She is doing Christmas Break at Ginger Snap Crafts for the next two weeks....
Check it out! And hang in there this week!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Christmas Treats, Part 1
Last weekend, we began our Christmas treat blitz. We usually do it on a weekend, one of the last before school lets out. I like to tuck some treats in with the teacher gifts for my kids' teachers!
We started out with Christmas cookies. Now, these are not the Christmas cut-out cookies that you traditionally see. Although more fun, I find the cut out process to be a bit time-consuming for us.....and I don't own a rolling pin. : ) Maybe we'll evolve someday. We do sugar cookies and decorate those.
I use a cream cheese icing for these cookies....I got the recipe from my sister. It's easy to make and to color.
And....here are my son's decorated cookies. I'm especially lovin' the ones with the sugar decorations. I let him pick out something at the store for decorating....sprinkles or whatever.
These would be my two year-old's cookies....we did the icing for her and let her do the sprinkles. The heavy saturation look to some of hers gives me a chuckle!!
The other treat we took on that day as we waited for cookies to cool off was peppermint bark. It is a super easy recipe and my kids love to help.......with the peppermint crushing. You put all of the mints in a big baggie....
And you let them go to town. Crush away!
Mix in with melted white chocolate, peppermint extract and rice krispie cereal and peppermint bark you shall have! I also added some melted milk chocolate to the top.
Sugar Cookies
1c powdered sugar
1c butter
1c sugar
1c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
4c+4T flour
1tsp salt
1tsp baking soda
1tsp cream of tartar
Mix all ingredients. Roll dough into small balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press cookies down with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
16oz powdered sugar
1 8oz package cream cheese
1/2c butter (1 stick)
Soften butter and cream cheese, beat well. Add powdered sugar. Can be colored, refrigerated or frozen.
Easy Peppermint Bark
8oz peppermint candies, crushed (about 2c crushed)
4c white chocolate chips
3/4tsp peppermint extract
2c puffed rice cereal or a bit more to taste
Spray rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray. Crush candies. Melt in microwave, heating one minute at a time (be careful, chocolate can burn easily), stir in between until melted. Stir in candies and rice cereal. Immediately pour mixture right away onto baking sheet. Use spatula and spread to 1/4in. thickness. Chill until firm. Break into pieces. Store at room temperature in airtight container or in fridge or freezer. Can drizzle good quality dark chocolate on top in zigzag pattern. Chill again before breaking into pieces.
We started out with Christmas cookies. Now, these are not the Christmas cut-out cookies that you traditionally see. Although more fun, I find the cut out process to be a bit time-consuming for us.....and I don't own a rolling pin. : ) Maybe we'll evolve someday. We do sugar cookies and decorate those.
A kid-friendly part of this recipe is the "squashing" of the cookies with a glass dipped in sugar.
And....here are my son's decorated cookies. I'm especially lovin' the ones with the sugar decorations. I let him pick out something at the store for decorating....sprinkles or whatever.
These would be my two year-old's cookies....we did the icing for her and let her do the sprinkles. The heavy saturation look to some of hers gives me a chuckle!!
The other treat we took on that day as we waited for cookies to cool off was peppermint bark. It is a super easy recipe and my kids love to help.......with the peppermint crushing. You put all of the mints in a big baggie....
And you let them go to town. Crush away!
Mix in with melted white chocolate, peppermint extract and rice krispie cereal and peppermint bark you shall have! I also added some melted milk chocolate to the top.
Sugar Cookies
1c powdered sugar
1c butter
1c sugar
1c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
4c+4T flour
1tsp salt
1tsp baking soda
1tsp cream of tartar
Mix all ingredients. Roll dough into small balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press cookies down with a glass dipped in sugar. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting
16oz powdered sugar
1 8oz package cream cheese
1/2c butter (1 stick)
Soften butter and cream cheese, beat well. Add powdered sugar. Can be colored, refrigerated or frozen.
Easy Peppermint Bark
8oz peppermint candies, crushed (about 2c crushed)
4c white chocolate chips
3/4tsp peppermint extract
2c puffed rice cereal or a bit more to taste
Spray rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray. Crush candies. Melt in microwave, heating one minute at a time (be careful, chocolate can burn easily), stir in between until melted. Stir in candies and rice cereal. Immediately pour mixture right away onto baking sheet. Use spatula and spread to 1/4in. thickness. Chill until firm. Break into pieces. Store at room temperature in airtight container or in fridge or freezer. Can drizzle good quality dark chocolate on top in zigzag pattern. Chill again before breaking into pieces.
Party Time......
Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life
Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime
Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles
Sunday Shake-up at Jacque's Soda Parlor
Fabulous Friday at Ohh Baby
Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection
Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill
Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Stocked up
Growing up, my mom made the cutest, most special stockings for me, my sister and my brother. She is skilled at sewing and although I am learning to sew, I hope to someday be able to sew like she does!
I am excited, though, to have made stockings for our family.....my weapon of choice? Crochet. Now, I am not a crochet expert, but I am fairly competent at following a pattern. I found a pretty easy stocking pattern and customized a bit for each family member.
First, my husband's.....his favorite color is red, so I picked red with white trim and some stitching around the edge.
My son also likes red, but also favors blue. His is a red stocking with a blue cuff. I've been meaning to add a bell at the bottom of his stocking, but have found only dinky, small one!
Now....the girls' stockings are much more fun. For my own, I picked a crushed velvet-looking yarn in dark green with a white cuff. I also added a few pom poms in white!
And my personal favorite is my daughter's.....I chose a raspberry pink for her. I did a simple contrast trim at the top in cream and attached a big crochet flower.
I believe the yarn I used is Lion Brand and it is called "Thick and Quick." Basically, you make two stocking halves and crochet them together.If you would like to have the pattern, I would be happy to share it with you...just send me an email or comment that you would like it. : )
First, my husband's.....his favorite color is red, so I picked red with white trim and some stitching around the edge.
My son also likes red, but also favors blue. His is a red stocking with a blue cuff. I've been meaning to add a bell at the bottom of his stocking, but have found only dinky, small one!
Now....the girls' stockings are much more fun. For my own, I picked a crushed velvet-looking yarn in dark green with a white cuff. I also added a few pom poms in white!
And my personal favorite is my daughter's.....I chose a raspberry pink for her. I did a simple contrast trim at the top in cream and attached a big crochet flower.
I believe the yarn I used is Lion Brand and it is called "Thick and Quick." Basically, you make two stocking halves and crochet them together.If you would like to have the pattern, I would be happy to share it with you...just send me an email or comment that you would like it. : )
Party Time......
Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life
Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime
Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles
Sunday Shake-up at Jacque's Soda Parlor
Fabulous Friday at Ohh Baby
Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection
Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill
Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Rustic wreath...Norwegian style
Hey! Wow....have I been pathetic with posting or what lately? It's not for lack of inspiration or material. I've been like a crazy woman the last week, just trying to get stuff done after the kids are in bed! Online shopping especially. I figure a few late nights now will pay off when it's all done later and I can relaaaaaaaaax.
That word is not quite synonymous with the holidays, so here's hoping.
I decided to make a new wreath to hang on my big mirror over the couch. Lately, I have been obsessed with wreaths hanging on mirrors or windows. I started with a basic wreath I picked up on sale last winter...
Trusty glue gun got heated up to help out.
I had all of these cool straw ornaments that my mom's cousin from South Dakota found when she went picking. She thought the quality of these were quite good and striking with the red thread. I agree!
I really like the look of these ornaments with the red thread! I wish I had some more. : )
I glued them onto the wreath.
I also added a bit of twine for some interest. It is hanging from a red ribbon--which picks up the red in the thread. I also added some beaded garland I bought many years ago from Pottery Barn.....it was a good investment from when I had much more disposable income. ; )
And the display.....
My only beef is that the wreath is a bit too small. A bigger one would fill up the space more. I'm considering buying another of the same size on sale after Christmas and piggybacking it up there underneath the one there for next year. I've seen that a bit around here and there.
Stay tuned this week....more to come. My last day of school is Friday...woo to the hoo!!!!
Party Time......
Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life
Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime
Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles
Sunday Shake-up at Jacque's Soda Parlor
Fabulous Friday at Ohh Baby
Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection
Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill
Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Door decor....holiday style
Christmas has arrived around here and most certainly at our house! I decided to change it up a bit this year with my front step pots.
Here was what I started with after removing the mums and pansies. I wanted to incorporate the ornamental cabbage that I had in the pots this fall. I've really loved pics I've seen in magazines of holiday decor with the ornamental cabbages and kales.
I wanted to add some red berries, greenery, pinecones and a bit of metallic. I used these sticks that I had leftover from pruning down a plant a few years ago....
Oh, and how could you forget lights?!? I saw these great lighted twigs at Target....but I'm on a brief hiatus of buying Christmas decor. So....I decided to make my own. I had two sets of these lights on hand.
The twigs got a coat of silver spray paint. I used white thread to wind around the twigs and attach them. I used three twigs for each strand of 35 lights.
Add in some pinecones and faux greenery.
I like the texture of the cabbages. I am hoping they last through the new year!
This is our Christmas wreath. I made it several years ago, using red berries and some thin grapevines twigs I got at the craft store. However, it wasn't bright enough....our old house had a front porch with a large overhang and you couldn't see the wreath. So, I decided to spray paint a papier mache letter from the craft store a metallic color and attach it to the wreath. I love the way it pops and the personalization of the wreath.
It was a pretty easy and cheap way to update a tired wreath! If you want to try it, but don't have an initial that lends itself to being tied by a ribbon, you could cut through the papier mache with an exacto knife and tie the ribbon through the letter.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....: )
Party Time......
Time Travel Thursday at The Brambleberry Cottage
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Show and Share Day at Just a Girl
Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life
Addicts (not so) Anonymous Addicted to Decorating
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime
Tip-Toe Thru Tuesday at Crayon Freckles
Sunday Shake-up at Jacque's Soda Parlor
Fabulous Friday at Ohh Baby
Pinspirational Thursday at The Artsy Girl Connection
Make the Scene Monday at Alderberry Hill
Sunday Salvation at Sassafras Salvation