Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Aren't they pretty?
Now I just need to use them!!!! (I do have 2 big yarn projects going, plus a couple of small things.) I bought the ribbon intending to use them in scrapbooking or for clippies....
On second thought, I just realized that 4 of the skeins are leftovers from previously completed blankets made within the past 2 years. Maybe I'm not just a collector after all!
Thursday, December 03, 2009
improvisation
What do you do when you have an idea for a project but lack the exact things or measurements you need? When it comes to cooking, I improvise. (When it comes to other things, I just put it off until it becomes a distant memory of an idea.) Well, between my searches for Christmas activities and friends' status updates and links on FB, and considering the fact that many of our beloved Christmas ornaments are in storage and will probably stay there this year, I thought we could make some ornaments of our own this year. Specifically: cinnamon applesauce ornaments.
I had applesauce in the fridge and cinnamon in the cupboard, so I should be all set, right? The problem was I did not have the exact amounts that any of the recipes called for. The simplest one said one part cinnamon to one part applesauce. I tried that. It was sticky. That's where the improvisation came in. I added flour. I should say, Bear and I added flour. So while I can't give you the exact recipe if you are interested, I can tell you that our mission was accomplished. We mixed applesauce, cinnamon, and flour and kneaded it to make a "cookie dough." We rolled the dough out flat on our cutting board, and used the only two cookie cutters that I could find to make bells and stars. (They happened to be in the play-dough kit. The other ornaments are probably buried in storage somewhere.) Conveniently, our tree is tiny, so the size should work out perfectly. We had to keep sprinkling with flour to keep the dough from sticking, but in the end we came out with at least 20 shapes. After we placed them on a foil-covered cookie sheet, I took a skinny straw and punched a hole in the shapes. I baked them on 200 for about 20 minutes, turned them over, then baked them for 20 more minutes. they are cooling on the stove, and the best part is the house smells wonderful!
Now Bear wants to make cookies we can actually eat. She tasted this dough and said it's kind of yummy but mostly yucky.
What do you do when you have an idea for a project but lack the exact things or measurements you need? When it comes to cooking, I improvise. (When it comes to other things, I just put it off until it becomes a distant memory of an idea.) Well, between my searches for Christmas activities and friends' status updates and links on FB, and considering the fact that many of our beloved Christmas ornaments are in storage and will probably stay there this year, I thought we could make some ornaments of our own this year. Specifically: cinnamon applesauce ornaments.
I had applesauce in the fridge and cinnamon in the cupboard, so I should be all set, right? The problem was I did not have the exact amounts that any of the recipes called for. The simplest one said one part cinnamon to one part applesauce. I tried that. It was sticky. That's where the improvisation came in. I added flour. I should say, Bear and I added flour. So while I can't give you the exact recipe if you are interested, I can tell you that our mission was accomplished. We mixed applesauce, cinnamon, and flour and kneaded it to make a "cookie dough." We rolled the dough out flat on our cutting board, and used the only two cookie cutters that I could find to make bells and stars. (They happened to be in the play-dough kit. The other ornaments are probably buried in storage somewhere.) Conveniently, our tree is tiny, so the size should work out perfectly. We had to keep sprinkling with flour to keep the dough from sticking, but in the end we came out with at least 20 shapes. After we placed them on a foil-covered cookie sheet, I took a skinny straw and punched a hole in the shapes. I baked them on 200 for about 20 minutes, turned them over, then baked them for 20 more minutes. they are cooling on the stove, and the best part is the house smells wonderful!
The ornaments were still slightly doughy on the bottom, which turned out useful for making the holes a little bit bigger on about half of them.
Another plus side to this recipe it's non-toxic, so if a 15 month old gets ahold of one and decides to munch on it, no harm done.
Another plus side to this recipe it's non-toxic, so if a 15 month old gets ahold of one and decides to munch on it, no harm done.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
On my way to domestic divaness? I think not.
However, it's been said that necessity is the mother of invention. I didn't take Home Ec/Family and consumer science/whatever the pc term is for the middle school and high school classes where you sew, cook, get organized, take care of eggs (or if you're lucky, dolls) as if they are your babies. However, my mom attempted to teach me the basics of sewing. So when hubby showed me his dress khaki's with a hole in the seam just below the pocket and asked if I thought I could fix them, I said I'd try. And I did. In less than 15 minutes tonight. I can also sew on buttons. Do I do either "properly", as in with correct stitches? Probably not. But who cares if the end result functions and looks decent.
While shopping with the big girls at the outlets in Foley, AL, I came across one last set of fairy wings. It didn't have a price tag on it. They did not have the rest of the costume in Bear's size, which is probably a good thing. Besides, I noticed that the wings were a slightly paler shade of purple than the purple on the costume they had at the store. Anyway, I asked the clerk how much they were, she want back to the stock room, and when she came out told me 9.99. Now, I'm cheap, and 9.99 is about what I would prefer to pay for an entire costume. However, knowing the store I was in (starts with a G), and noticing the quality was superior to some of the other wings in costumes I had seen... I decided to think about it.
We weren't going to shop on the way home from our trip to the beach. The outlets are literally on the route home, not out of the way at all. When hubby said he needed to shop for athletic shoes tha night upon our return, I suggested we swing by the outlet. Sure enough, he found a good deal at Shoe Carnival. And I stopped into that store... those fairy wings were still there. Still untagged. After waiting long enough for hubby to be perturbed when I got to the car, the manager gave up calling other stores (who didn't have any left) and gave them to me for the price I had been told 2 days prior. When I got home, I searched the G site, and the closest set I found was marked down to 14.99. I felt good about my choice.
But what about the rest of the costume? Well, Bear has a wand that Gramma gave her a while back. I thought about some fabric I had come across during our move... a swatch of antique lavender satin matching our bridesmaids dresses from our wedding, and some lilac/lavender lace. I remember thinking "what will I ever do with this?" But tucking it away instead of throwing it out. I found that fabric today....
So, can I do it? Here's what I have:
PLENTY of lilac lace
21" x 32" swatch of satin... I laid out one of Bear's skirts over it, and IF I make a pattern on paper first and very carefully mark out the pattern on the fabric, I might be able to make the skirt liner out of the swatch.
Here's what they look like together:
one set of purple fairy wings & one magic wand
The drawback... I don't have a sewing machine, and stitching in a straight line is difficult for me.
can I do it? OR should I take my sis up on her offer to buy Bear an expensive but gorgeous tutu for her birthday? Then I could try to make something that Bear might use longer... she asked me if I would make a purse for her out of the fabric.
However, it's been said that necessity is the mother of invention. I didn't take Home Ec/Family and consumer science/whatever the pc term is for the middle school and high school classes where you sew, cook, get organized, take care of eggs (or if you're lucky, dolls) as if they are your babies. However, my mom attempted to teach me the basics of sewing. So when hubby showed me his dress khaki's with a hole in the seam just below the pocket and asked if I thought I could fix them, I said I'd try. And I did. In less than 15 minutes tonight. I can also sew on buttons. Do I do either "properly", as in with correct stitches? Probably not. But who cares if the end result functions and looks decent.
While shopping with the big girls at the outlets in Foley, AL, I came across one last set of fairy wings. It didn't have a price tag on it. They did not have the rest of the costume in Bear's size, which is probably a good thing. Besides, I noticed that the wings were a slightly paler shade of purple than the purple on the costume they had at the store. Anyway, I asked the clerk how much they were, she want back to the stock room, and when she came out told me 9.99. Now, I'm cheap, and 9.99 is about what I would prefer to pay for an entire costume. However, knowing the store I was in (starts with a G), and noticing the quality was superior to some of the other wings in costumes I had seen... I decided to think about it.
We weren't going to shop on the way home from our trip to the beach. The outlets are literally on the route home, not out of the way at all. When hubby said he needed to shop for athletic shoes tha night upon our return, I suggested we swing by the outlet. Sure enough, he found a good deal at Shoe Carnival. And I stopped into that store... those fairy wings were still there. Still untagged. After waiting long enough for hubby to be perturbed when I got to the car, the manager gave up calling other stores (who didn't have any left) and gave them to me for the price I had been told 2 days prior. When I got home, I searched the G site, and the closest set I found was marked down to 14.99. I felt good about my choice.
But what about the rest of the costume? Well, Bear has a wand that Gramma gave her a while back. I thought about some fabric I had come across during our move... a swatch of antique lavender satin matching our bridesmaids dresses from our wedding, and some lilac/lavender lace. I remember thinking "what will I ever do with this?" But tucking it away instead of throwing it out. I found that fabric today....
So, can I do it? Here's what I have:
PLENTY of lilac lace
21" x 32" swatch of satin... I laid out one of Bear's skirts over it, and IF I make a pattern on paper first and very carefully mark out the pattern on the fabric, I might be able to make the skirt liner out of the swatch.
Here's what they look like together:
one set of purple fairy wings & one magic wand
The drawback... I don't have a sewing machine, and stitching in a straight line is difficult for me.
can I do it? OR should I take my sis up on her offer to buy Bear an expensive but gorgeous tutu for her birthday? Then I could try to make something that Bear might use longer... she asked me if I would make a purse for her out of the fabric.
Monday, August 18, 2008
One of my neighbors is hosting a craft n' chat night at her house tonight. Well, I decided it was time for me to go ahead and stock up on yarn. And unless something changes drastically in the next few hours, the girls' night will be a welcome change of focus. Of course, Bear so sweetly asked, "Mommy, will you make me a blanket?" So the multi-colored yarn is hers.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Another Tackle in Progress
"word scramble"
"word scramble"
I asked Bear if we should paint the letters green to match her name above her bed, or blue.
"Brother likes blue!" she responded.
Meanwhile, Bear tackled her own painting project, mixing the two colors.And miraculously, she did not get any blue paint on her shirt.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
1st crochet lesson
I've made a few unsuccessful attempts to teach myself to crochet, and so far my efforts have resulted in mere swatches. A sweet neighbor, who embroidered personalized burp cloths and a little snuggle duck for Bear when she was born, has offered to teach me on several occasions. So today, since hubby was off, I headed to her house during Bear's nap time.
Progress is being made. I'm sure it won't be perfect, but the pattern is forgiving AND makes the yarn softer than what I was attempting to do before. I've already worked on it longer than the 3 hour project estimate states and am just getting started (2-3 inches done), but maybe, just maybe it will be done before little man decides to come out. It should be a good size for tucking over him in his car seat. I decided to start small.
I've made a few unsuccessful attempts to teach myself to crochet, and so far my efforts have resulted in mere swatches. A sweet neighbor, who embroidered personalized burp cloths and a little snuggle duck for Bear when she was born, has offered to teach me on several occasions. So today, since hubby was off, I headed to her house during Bear's nap time.
Progress is being made. I'm sure it won't be perfect, but the pattern is forgiving AND makes the yarn softer than what I was attempting to do before. I've already worked on it longer than the 3 hour project estimate states and am just getting started (2-3 inches done), but maybe, just maybe it will be done before little man decides to come out. It should be a good size for tucking over him in his car seat. I decided to start small.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Coming Soon: Allybug Bowtique
Do you like hair bows and clippies? Does your dear daughter actually wear them for more than 30 seconds without pulling them out? Are you obsessed with finding the perfect accessory for your child's every outfit? Than you have to check out Allybug Boutique. Our friend Becky (whose hubby was a groomsman in our wedding) is a SAHM mom to two adorable little girls. She's taken her creativity from being a Kindergarten teacher and applied it to making hair bows and clippies for her daughters. Now she is sharing her creations with the public on her photobucket site, and soon she'll have an online store.
Check it out!
Do you like hair bows and clippies? Does your dear daughter actually wear them for more than 30 seconds without pulling them out? Are you obsessed with finding the perfect accessory for your child's every outfit? Than you have to check out Allybug Boutique. Our friend Becky (whose hubby was a groomsman in our wedding) is a SAHM mom to two adorable little girls. She's taken her creativity from being a Kindergarten teacher and applied it to making hair bows and clippies for her daughters. Now she is sharing her creations with the public on her photobucket site, and soon she'll have an online store.
Check it out!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
I think I may have to send out 2 or 3 different Christmas cards.
I am torn between the more formal:
and the very quirky cuddly family shot:
I think the only solution may be to just have some of each printed, and make sure Gramma M. gets the formal one since she specifically said she did not like the whimsical one.
FYI, in case you are wondering, I used the collage feature on shutterfly studio, which is a free download on shutterfly.com. It's capabilities are minimal, but I don't have another program on this computer and my other computer is unreliable.
I am torn between the more formal:
and the very quirky cuddly family shot:
I think the only solution may be to just have some of each printed, and make sure Gramma M. gets the formal one since she specifically said she did not like the whimsical one.
FYI, in case you are wondering, I used the collage feature on shutterfly studio, which is a free download on shutterfly.com. It's capabilities are minimal, but I don't have another program on this computer and my other computer is unreliable.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
If there is hope for me to learn crochet,
there is hope for anyone!!!
1st attempts:
Tackled over Thanksgiving weekend:
Why am I posting this when there are several obvious flaws in my first hotpad?
1) To encourage others to try and not be afraid of the struggle.
2) To encourage myself somewhere down the road, when I am working on a real project like an afghan for a friend's baby... I will be able to see how far I have come.
Crochet is one of many lost handcrafted forms of artwork in our society. Well, almost lost. But there is something special about a handmade blanket, whether it's crocheted, knitted, or sewn. My goal is to be able to make blankets that are worthy of being given as gifts.... eventually.
I know, I will have to actually count my stitches and make them looser. And learn prettier stitch combos. But you have to start somewhere.
1) To encourage others to try and not be afraid of the struggle.
2) To encourage myself somewhere down the road, when I am working on a real project like an afghan for a friend's baby... I will be able to see how far I have come.
Crochet is one of many lost handcrafted forms of artwork in our society. Well, almost lost. But there is something special about a handmade blanket, whether it's crocheted, knitted, or sewn. My goal is to be able to make blankets that are worthy of being given as gifts.... eventually.
I know, I will have to actually count my stitches and make them looser. And learn prettier stitch combos. But you have to start somewhere.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Have you ever done this before?
I've been thinking about easier to learn crafts, and Pretty Punch came to mind. It's something me and my sis did as kids, and it's in a box somewhere at my parents'. Dad mentioned it not-so-long- ago and I've been wondering if it could be used to make cute burp cloths and baby accessories. Because an embroidery sewing machine is so darn expensive.
I've been thinking about easier to learn crafts, and Pretty Punch came to mind. It's something me and my sis did as kids, and it's in a box somewhere at my parents'. Dad mentioned it not-so-long- ago and I've been wondering if it could be used to make cute burp cloths and baby accessories. Because an embroidery sewing machine is so darn expensive.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
my sister made her own birthday cake
and we get to help eat it tomorrow. (her birthday was the 8th. she's a quarter of a century young.)
it looks almost too cute to eat... almost...
and we get to help eat it tomorrow. (her birthday was the 8th. she's a quarter of a century young.)
it looks almost too cute to eat... almost...
Thursday, October 04, 2007
the craft bug bit me again
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the dollar store had fake flowers, ribbon, and cornucopias for autumn. I am not into decorating for Halloween. Though I don't object to trick-or-treating or jack-o-lanterns per se, I don't get into the witches and black cats. Plus, Halloween and Thanksgiving are so close together, it seems silly to decorate for both. I use the term "decorate" loosely. Anyone who knows me or has read this blog for any decent length of time knows that my home decor is fairly minimal. Not many pictures or paintings, knick-knacks restricted to out of reach places, and until today, I used the same wreath on my door for the past 4 years. Season in, season out. I may have put another one up at some point, but if I did, I have no idea where I stored it.
Anyway, I opted to wait to purchase my cornucopia and stuffing supplies until checking out the pre-made things at other places. Just in case I came across any good deals. I didn't. So today I decided to see what I could do with that cornucopia. It is too thick to fit between the storm door and main door, so I hope it doesn't blow away.
Oh, the first thing Bear did when she saw it was say "party hat" and put it on her head. :)
Friday, September 21, 2007
my 1st clippie collection (improved)
I figured out that I was trying to zoom in too much to take my photos. I am not thrilled with my first bow; I probably should have just made it a singe loop instead of attempting a double. I used the clear goody ouchless bands to hold the center together as my sis suggested, mostly because Bear hates it when I put her hair in pigtails so it makes a good use for them! But I think the bow is wearable, if not perfect. I love the dragonfly collection and the preppy pink.
How to make hair clippies
1) Buy alligator clips from beauty supply store (12/1.99 + tax) I could not find them at the superstores or dollar store.
2) Buy ribbon and embellishments that suit your style or go with the outfit you are trying to accessorize for your sweet girl. I used dragonfly gems and ribbon from wal-mart's craft department. They have small spools of 6 ft. of ribbon for less than $1 each.
3) Measure the amount of ribbon you need by wrapping it around the inside of the top (curved) half of the clip, all the way around the top, and about 1/2 " on the bottom. If you want, you can wrap the ribbon all the way around the inside of both parts. I opted to save ribbon, but I might make some with the ribbon wrapped on the inside because it can help reduce slipping out of hair.
4) Pinch open the clip using your non-dominant hand. Using a hot glue gun (I bought the higher temp one for 1.99 at hobby lobby), apply glue to the inside of the top half of the clip. HOLD IT OPEN OR ELSE YOU'LL HAVE A STICKY MESS!
5) Affix the ribbon to the hot glue, covering the inside of the clip completely with ribbon. Apply more glue to the top, wrap the ribbon around, and press to smooth out the kinks.
It really just takes practice. I had strings of cooled glue everywhere, and one casualty clip that had glue ALL over it.
6) Hot glue the embellishments where you think they look cute.
Allow to cool completely before putting in child's hair.
I haven't attempted bows yet, but my sister has. Perhaps she'll post how she made bows on her blog? I imagine you would wrap the ribbon as I described above, then attach a homemade bow to the clip. It's making the bow look cute that is hard for me. When I did the flowers for a friend's wedding, my partner in the project was the bow expert. There are people who sell their bows online and you can get ideas from them, that's how I came up with the basic idea for the ones I made. I think instructions on how to make them are available online, too.
If I can do this, anyone can. You just have to not freak out over sticky fingers or get upset by a few "wasted" materials early in the process. And it's a project that is best done after the toddlers are in bed! Older girls might have fun helping affix the embellishments.
p.s. I have discovered a need to revise my "design" and move the dragonflies down a bit. The pressure on the dragonfly when I squeeze the clips is more than it can handle and I have had 2 break. Thankfully the dried glue peels off and it will be a cinch to replace the broken-winged gem.
1) Buy alligator clips from beauty supply store (12/1.99 + tax) I could not find them at the superstores or dollar store.
2) Buy ribbon and embellishments that suit your style or go with the outfit you are trying to accessorize for your sweet girl. I used dragonfly gems and ribbon from wal-mart's craft department. They have small spools of 6 ft. of ribbon for less than $1 each.
3) Measure the amount of ribbon you need by wrapping it around the inside of the top (curved) half of the clip, all the way around the top, and about 1/2 " on the bottom. If you want, you can wrap the ribbon all the way around the inside of both parts. I opted to save ribbon, but I might make some with the ribbon wrapped on the inside because it can help reduce slipping out of hair.
4) Pinch open the clip using your non-dominant hand. Using a hot glue gun (I bought the higher temp one for 1.99 at hobby lobby), apply glue to the inside of the top half of the clip. HOLD IT OPEN OR ELSE YOU'LL HAVE A STICKY MESS!
5) Affix the ribbon to the hot glue, covering the inside of the clip completely with ribbon. Apply more glue to the top, wrap the ribbon around, and press to smooth out the kinks.
It really just takes practice. I had strings of cooled glue everywhere, and one casualty clip that had glue ALL over it.
6) Hot glue the embellishments where you think they look cute.
Allow to cool completely before putting in child's hair.
I haven't attempted bows yet, but my sister has. Perhaps she'll post how she made bows on her blog? I imagine you would wrap the ribbon as I described above, then attach a homemade bow to the clip. It's making the bow look cute that is hard for me. When I did the flowers for a friend's wedding, my partner in the project was the bow expert. There are people who sell their bows online and you can get ideas from them, that's how I came up with the basic idea for the ones I made. I think instructions on how to make them are available online, too.
If I can do this, anyone can. You just have to not freak out over sticky fingers or get upset by a few "wasted" materials early in the process. And it's a project that is best done after the toddlers are in bed! Older girls might have fun helping affix the embellishments.
p.s. I have discovered a need to revise my "design" and move the dragonflies down a bit. The pressure on the dragonfly when I squeeze the clips is more than it can handle and I have had 2 break. Thankfully the dried glue peels off and it will be a cinch to replace the broken-winged gem.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
where's my photographer when i need one?
I played around with the settings a bit and this was the best photo pair I could come up with. The camera didn't want to focus properly on these things. I am sure it's me... it is a new camera.
Anyway, this is my first attempt at making hair clippies. I did not attempt bows. I need to pick up some fine wire in order to do that. I'm not really sure what Bear has that they will match, but I think they are pretty cute. She does have lots of pink and purple, so I'm sure we'll find something.
I played around with the settings a bit and this was the best photo pair I could come up with. The camera didn't want to focus properly on these things. I am sure it's me... it is a new camera.
Anyway, this is my first attempt at making hair clippies. I did not attempt bows. I need to pick up some fine wire in order to do that. I'm not really sure what Bear has that they will match, but I think they are pretty cute. She does have lots of pink and purple, so I'm sure we'll find something.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
where, oh where has my hot glue gun gone?
i bought some ribbon, dragonfly gems, and alligator clips today. i really want to try to make pretty hair clippies, and maybe bows for Baby Bear. but my hot glue gun has disappeared. i have no clue when i last used it... years ago, i'm sure. i may be calling the dollar store tomorrow to see if they have any hot glue guns and glue sticks in stock. the lady at sally beauty supply said they might, and i did not feel like dragging bear back into the dollar store when i thought i knew where my glue gun was stored.
my creative side must wait a bit longer to try something new. such is life.
i bought some ribbon, dragonfly gems, and alligator clips today. i really want to try to make pretty hair clippies, and maybe bows for Baby Bear. but my hot glue gun has disappeared. i have no clue when i last used it... years ago, i'm sure. i may be calling the dollar store tomorrow to see if they have any hot glue guns and glue sticks in stock. the lady at sally beauty supply said they might, and i did not feel like dragging bear back into the dollar store when i thought i knew where my glue gun was stored.
my creative side must wait a bit longer to try something new. such is life.
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