This past Christmas, my (kinda)mother- in-law gave me and the mr these really cool honey bee pins in our stockings. Nothing fancy, just a little pin, but I think it was one of the best gifts that I had gotten all year. The pin lives on my winter jacket.
And now I am into pins.
So a couple of the little’s came over yesterday after school for crafts and dinner and I figured a bit of pin making would be a perfect little project for us to do. And being that it’s the big V day coming up,%u00a0 making these pins heart shaped was more then overly appropriate. (What’s Valentines day without cute little hearts?) Well pin making we did, or I did, not so much for them. They made a few, but in the end, they were more excited to beat the crap out of the mr and to eat carrot shavings with peanut butter and nutella.. Totally ok with me because really, I was the one that wanted a little craft time and the mr did need to get his butt kicked.
Sure I made these pins pretty much for myself, but imagine the possibilities. Make a bunch to give out to your friends, family, neighbors, or even the mail man!? Or if you have yourself a little, how great would these pins be make and to give to all their little classmates. I know that if received one of these pins in my homemade shoe box mail box meant to collect all of my candy studded, drugstore bought valentines. I would have been elated and rocked that pin all year long on my super cool backpack.(grade schooler, they have all the fun) Right after I finished painting and gluing all my pins, Miley then decided that they were freaking awesome and wanted to make a bunch more…. Well little little, to late, time to go home. But I did give her a bunch to bring back with her. She will just have to bug her mom to make some more.
And sure, I mention valentines day when talking about these pins, but really, hearts are for everyday, and are still really great long after V day is over.
Handmade heart pins = love!
Stuff you need for some awesome pins.
Polymer clay (I used white but any color will do)
red and white paint (preferably enamel or a high gloss paint) and a paint brush
bar pin backs (I bought these at Michael ‘s craft store. 64 for like 3 bucks!)
industrial strength glue (E600 is great and is used and recommended by many a crafters)
rolling pin or wooden dowel
small heart shaped cutter
sharpie pen to write on pins (optional)
Glitter( also optional)
A couple notes. You could use red clay but I have found that when I buy the red dyed clay, its always harder to work with and plus, it stainsyour hands. Also, I like to seal the clay and enamel paint does the trick. If you don’t want to paint it, just pain on a coat of clear sealer.
Start buy kneading a chunk of clay a little bit to get it to a workable state, then roll into a ball and roll out flat. I rolled mine out about 1/3 of an inch, but I also knew I wanted to squish it out a little flatter once I cut the shapes out.
Cut out your hearts, or if you want, free form them.%u00a0 What I did was used my tiny heart cookie cutter to cut the initial shape, but then used my thumb and squished them all out a bit bigger.
Note here.. Hears are awesome and amazing, but other shapes….Go for it. You probably have a shit tone of those pin backs.
And just before you bake them, make sure that the pins you are using will fit behind the hearts. (if you notice any visible pin, just smoosh the heart out a little more).
Into the oven,, out of the oven. Read the package to make sure, but the stuff I used only needed to be baked for 15 minutes at 275
Once out of the oven, let completely cool and harden.
Once the hearts are cooled, go ahead and paint them. Use straight up one color, or mix and make a few different shades. (red, white and pink are nice together)
You can add some glitter to the wet paint to add a little bling….
Or add designs or what have you. Do whatever feels right.
Now stick a pin thingy on the back of each heart with a blob of glue. (If you use the E600, make sure to use it near a window or somewhere ventilated.. it really stinks for a few minutes)
Let the glue dry (this glue was completely dry within an hour, but follow glue package instructions)
And if you want, grab the sharpie, make sure the paint is really dry (at least an hour) and write a little something on the hearts.
And now the hard part.. which one goes to who and which one (or 4) do you keep for yourself. (you can always make more!)
Have fun!
-C
Happy 2016! Happy Winter! Happy Snow!(a few weeks late, but super happy for it to come at last)
So did you have a great week off, or a slower then normal week? Lots of lounging, binge watching of the Netflix and eating all the left over cookies? Or was it back to work and back to reality? We go from holiday madness to all out crazy the week after Christmas.. There are birthday parties, littles out of school that need babysitting, and work. We keep on working cause that’s what we do. And remember last week how I told you I was losing my voice. Well it turned out that I lost it for the entire week. So I was a little sick and really quite which made for a weird and interesting one fore sure.. (especially babysitting without a voice. That got crazy)
And it happened again. New years. Did you party party and stay up til midnight to watch the (fill in the blank) drop? Not going to lie, the mr and I brought in the new year trying to watch tv together, but I just ended up reading. Then I actually fell asleep at 930. What can I say. I am an old lady. And no resolutions, just the average everyday, I need to do “this” or ‘that’ a little better/faster/cleaner or what not. Goals are what I have and there is not time line. But if you have resolutions, well good for you.
Today is actually the first day off we have taken since last Sunday.%u00a0 As of now, there are a few little things we are going to work on over at the house but we are not getting into the nitty gritty of it all until we get back from our plane rides of fun in February. Last week we got the ceilings sheet rocked and the mr is now doing the tape/mud this week. (I don’t even try because 1. I suck ass at it. 2. he is so good and3. he really likes doing it) I’ve got a butt load of paper/ bills/ things people want, to go through so this will be a good week to do that and to start whittling away at my spoon. Plus we have a lot of things that need to be done before we depart, like watching scary you tube videos of people trying to drive around Ireland on the right side of the road, figure out whether or not I can bring dried lentils in my carry on, and gather enough reading material to last me plane rides and early mornings spent drinking tea by the sea side.
So much. But not today. Today is for reading, coffee and tea,%u00a0 a warm cozy sweater and most likely some ice on the old back (sheet rocking ceilings kinda sucks)
I hope your day is spend well, doing good things and being happy.
Stuff I liked on the internet this week.
– I think this could work. The Taco Cleanse Is a Thing, So 2016 Will Be the Best Year Ever
–Keep Your New Year%u2019s Resolutions to Yourself, Please.
-I’ll take this cabin , just stick it in the woods
To all you party peoples out there. Want To Avoid A Hangover? Science Has Got You Covered
-Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2015 National Geographic Photography Competition
-The hottest food trends in 2016 according to Whole Foods and even better… Grandparents Predict the Food Trends of 2016
–These toys are the greatest!
-Keep Things Simple For A Healthy, Long Life
-If you stuck wheels on our living space now, it would kinda look like this.
And some pictures from the week.
I think of myself as a problem solver. I see a problem and I look for a solution. And not to sound like a broken record, but the problem that I am having now is that it is winter here in Vermont, but you wouldn’t know it cause it’s 50 degrees and there is no f-ing snow. Yes, this is a problem for me. I don’t think its just me, everything around here is acting weird.%u00a0 My plants are not going into winter mode and are starting to droop and be sad. My fall allergies are coming back, plants are starting to bud again, Washer is shedding like crazy, and my snowshoes have not left the barn. It’s just weird and it makes me sad.Vermont is suppose to be cold ans snowy right now. Sure, there are people that might like this wonky weather, think they are getting a little extra treat, but not me. NOT ME!%u00a0 So this is the problem. And the solution that I have come up with, short of moving, is to cover all the windows with wax paper snowflakes.
See. Problem solver.
We have been spending a good amount of time over at the new house working away so this is where I decided to plaster my flakes. In between cleaning up pieces of broken wall and moving 500 lb bags of trash out of the house, I sat down at the little table, plugged in the Christmas lights, turned on some Christmas music, and totally zoned out. Sipping coffee and sniping away..it felt so right. And the results were quite good if I do say so myself. A window full of flakes that made me smile. Maybe the snow gods will see my effort and grace us with a huge ass storm. Wouldn’t that be so lovely!
All you need to make some flakes is
wax paper (mine is slightly tan because it’s not bleached)
scissors
tape
Optional things
glitter/glue
paint/brush
Christmas music
A hot beverage such as coffee or cocoa
Note. Why wax, well wax paper is really thin and makes cutting through all the folds easy. It also lets light shine through rather nicely and best part, the wax keeps the paper from getting soggy and gross from window condensation. But if you want, use paper. I don’t mind.
This is how learned to make a snowflake… Start with a square piece of wax paper (any size you like) and fold it in half on the diagonal. Then fold that in half at the point.%u00a0 And fold old again at the point. One more time after that. (from start to finish, 4 folds) You end up with a little dart like triangle with a little extra point at the top. Cut that extra bit off.
And snip away.. It can be thought-out or random (I like random snips)%u00a0 Just make sure that you don’t cut off all the folded paper parts cause that is what is holding it together.
Now for the most exciting part. Open (very gently) and see your snowflake creation.
Note. This is important to remember.. No snowflake is the same, and no snowflake is ugly.
Now tape the flake to where ever it should land (the window)
Stand back and enjoy all of the snow you can handle. I have gotten to one window, just 10 more to go!
This one is my favorite.
Happy weekend full of snow!
-C
I love me a good tree, pretty much any tree, real or fake.%u00a0 And come December, my house if full of different little trees, of all sizes, shapes and colors. It’s my holiday thing because really, there is nothing better then a tree.
And yeah, I was feeling crafty, and maybe a little bit sad that there is no snow around here. And we still hadn’t gotten our real tree yet (but we just got it!) so I wanted to make some more little trees to make me feel better, and this time I wanted them to light up. I was also thinking that it might be nice to bring a few little tree decorations over to the new house so I have happy little trees over there while we are working. So yeah, I needed some more little trees. And I figure you do too, that’s why I am sharing this.
This is a great project to do with a few littles (they make the trees, you use the hot glue and sharp blade) or make while baking bread and watching a festive movie.%u00a0 You could even make and share with a loved one as a sweet little gift. And best part…it doesn’t need to be packed away after the holidays because trees are not just for Christmas. These are pretty little winter trees, for everyone who is awesome and likes a tree to enjoy all winter long!(even if winter hasn’t come yet)
The stuff you will need
A piece of cardboard about 12×16 (I used an old pizza box I found in the recycling)
assorted paper of size an color
white tissue paper (optional)
a strand of 20 lights (colored or white)
a ruler
scissors
hot glue gun
glue stick
tape
pencil
xacto knife
Note. If you have an empty shallow box that is a good size for you, just use that. And hot glue works best, bt can be subed out with any glue, or tape for that matter (if you don’t mind seeing tape on your trees)
Start with making the cardboard box base. Measure each corner in 1 inch and cut our the corner. Repeat with all corners. Once they are allcut, fold each side at the cuts to make the sides.
Tape the corners together and now you got yourself a sallow box. (now you can make boxes for everything !!!) Set box aside
Now to make the trees. Take a piece of paper and, depending if it is already a square or not, but it into a square. (does not have to be perfect, just eyeball it)
Got your square paper, now take an edge and fold it over about 1/2 inch. And then taking you scissors and snip of the corner edge at an angle (again, not going for perfections here)
The poin is the tip that was cut, now fold the two sides together.
So you can stop here ans glue or if you want light holes…..
Unfold the paper and with a pencil, mark off where you wnt the holes (random is good). Take the xacto blade and cut little x’x over each hole.
Then push through each x with the eraser end of the pencil
Now glue the cone together using the hot glue gun.
You will have a weird tail left on the bottom of the cone, so just trim that off and any extra that needs to come off to make it stand up straight.
Ta Da!! A paper cone tree. Now make a bunch of them, all different sizes and colors (or all the same size and color.. up to you) And not all of them need to have light holes in them either, a couple non light trees are good.
Once you have made all the cone trees, grab the box base and set up the trees how you want them to be on the base
Take the trees off and mark the spots with the pencil. Grab the xacto and cut X’s into the marks.
Take your lights and push the bulbs through (there will be a extra bulbs on the underside…. it makes the box glow.)
And tape down the trees back into place
So cute!
Note.. I stuck a couple extra lights through the box that have no trees. They will be covered in a minute with snow.. So you can do the same. (if you want)
Now you check it out!!! Love it right?%u00a0 And stop here if you like, or go one more step and add some fake snow.
Before you tape down the trees, take glue stick and glue random pieces of tissue paper all over the box, leaving the lights uncovered. (I covered over the extra lights I popped through to make it look like glowing snow)
Stick trees back on.. same way with the tape (You might need to fanagle the trees a little bit to get them to stay)%u00a0 and plug it in.
This makes me happy.
Now go get some paper and start making some trees.
Have fun!
-C
Another week gone by and another week without snow, except for yesterday morning. I got to enjoy a brief %u00bd walk with the pup in the wee hours of the morning to see the tiny dusting that developed over night. But even that was gone by mid morning. I am bumming here. I Want SNOW!
And I know that it isn%u2019t for another 11 day, but Thanksgiving. It%u2019s it 11 DAYS!%u00a0 That%u2019s 10 more day to contemplate pies and sides and all the things that could be made into existence. (I spend way too much time thinking about different pie variations, it actually causes me headaches.)
So what about you? Are you feeling the slight buzz of the holiday crazy yet? Are you a planner or a procrastinator, or are you just a guest and hanging pretty with nothing to worry about? Me. I am a planner but usually deviate from said plan and do something completely on the fly. What can I say; I have an overactive mind and am a bit indecisive about things. But the little bit of buzz…. that%u2019s part of the fun. Just as long as a little crazy doesn%u2019t turn into a lot of crazy, then I am good.
And as for my Sunday plans, I think the mr, the pup, and I are going to pack up and head for higher ground to get us some snow, although I should be doing so many things around here. Hum.. Chores or snow, we shall see!
Hope you are where you are having a relaxing fun day!
Some internet stuff from the week if you are feeling it.
-Definitely gong to go seer his exhibit . %u00a0This Art Exhibit Makes You ‘Wonder’ %u2014 And That’s The Whole Point.%u00a0
–You cat doesn’t really want to kill you%u2026.. But I am pretty sure mine does.
-Before and after photos of an amazing farm to home renovation.
-10 Easy Pieces: Problem-Solving Electrical Outlets/Covers%u00a0Some of these are pretty fantastic.
-Farmers Have Been Enjoying The Fruits Of Bee Labor For 9,000 Years
-Cool little prefab homes%u00a0
-I love looking at all the pretty colors ans patterns
-What to Simmer for a Fresh, Seasonal-Smelling Home.. Who doesn’t wasn’t a tasty smelling home?%u00a0
-The largest art festival in the world.. And it looks amazing! Another bucket list thing for me to do!
–I love these button lunch bags.. Thinking of making for gifts.
-So When I am being sarcastic.. I am just being smart.%u00a0According to science, here’s how sarcastic people are different from everyone else%u00a0
nd some pictures from the %u00a0week (note the gigantic bear%u2026 Out of control!)
I am not a fancy person by any means, like super, no frills, no one would ever consider me fancy. EVER.%u00a0With that said, I am always and forever a cloth napkin lady. I have a drawer full of them, in all sizes and color. I use one with every meal %u00a0(I am a sloppy eater).And napkin use is not just about functionality, it is also about looking pretty.%u00a0 When I go for a clean napkin, I like to pick one that looks good with the meal that I am eating. I think a pretty clean napkin really makes any meal just a tiny bit better. Does that sound weird? I don%u2019t know but this is just a little look into how my mind works.
And recently I have set a few too many of my kitchen textiles on fire (towels, napkins, and potholders) so I am in need of a few new, nice looking napkins.%u00a0
And let’s get this straight. Cloth napkins are not about being fancy, they are about wiping you hands and face with something lovely, that doesn’t need to be tossed into the trash after use. Cloth napkins are also a great way to add a nice splash of color tot a table settings or a nice doth barrier between your lap and all the food that ends up landing on it. I have even been known to do a cloth napkin-tuck into the shirt- type situation if I am eating something particularly messy and have on decent, clean shirt (doesn’t happen too often).%u00a0Cloth napkins also double up as a rag when the inevitable spill happens at the table. See, not just for fancy people. Cloth napkins just make sense. And sure, if you are introducing them at the Thanksgiving table that happens to set a bunch of guests, or maybe making a few, wrapping them up with a ribbon and gifting them for Hanukah to Christmas%u2026that would totally be cool and not at all showy and over fancy. You just seem like a leveled headed person that uses and or gifts totally cool and useful things. And whatever if it makes you badass for making them yourself%u2026. cause you probably are badass anyway.%u00a0
So if you got the desire and a little bit of time (this project is great to do while watching a good holiday movie) you should make yourself (or someone else ) some cool ass cloth napkins.
What you will need, besides a sew machine
Cotton Fabric that you would like to wipe you face with.%u00a0I use around a 15-20 inch square piece per napkin but you can make it any size you want.. just as log as it has 90 degree conners So count how many napkins you ant to make and get hat touch in fabric.
scissors%u00a0
sewing pins
thread that looks good with your fabric
ruler or tape measurer
iron (optional)
Step 1.
Start by laying out you fabric flat, and if you want, run an iron over it to remove creases %u00a0(I would haven but my iron%u2026 can’t find it anywhere!)
When your ready, fold all the edges in 1 inch and crease with either an iron, or a flat edge (my ruler works great here)
Step 2.
Unfold last fold and the refold %u00a0each side 1/2 inch and crease.
. You now have 1/2 inch and a 1 inch crease on all sides of your fabric.
Step 2.
Now go back to the 1/2 inch crease and stick few pins in otto hold it in place.%u00a0
Start with any corner %u00a0and fold the corner over 1 inch and crease.%u00a0
Step 3.
Take a fabric marker and mark that crease Repeat with all corners.
Step 4.
Grab a marked corner and fold the napkin in half, right side together,making sure the line you just marked match up, Stick a pin in it so it stays put.
Step 5.
Run a stitch through that line.
Step 6.
Snip off the remaining tip of fabric
Repeat step 3-6 with all corners.
Step 7.
And for the most fgratifing part,%u00a0fold over %u2026 Repeat to all corners
ALmost done!
Step 8.
Lastly, run a nice stitch around the border. I went with a simple stitch, but if you are feeling a little zig zag or some other funky-ness your machine can do.. go for it.%u00a0
See, fancy(but not), pretty, made by you. napkins.. and they are so easy!%u00a0
Have fun and if you know me and end up making yourself some, let me know so I don’t end up giving you more napkins for the holidays.
Have fun!
-C
How was your week? Are you in need of a good, causal, no expectations day? Me too, not that I have had a terrible week, it just wasn’t the greatest. My body is still recuperating from falling down the stairs (I am starting to wonder if I broke my thumb), and it’s been one of those weeks where a bunch of stupid little things have happened, like how I have set at least 3 dish towels and my last potholder on fire, or spending 1/2 hour on hold with the garbage company about paying the bill only to have the phone cut out.%u00a0And topper, this past farmshare pick up was the last one of the season.. BUMMER!%u00a0I could do a winter share, but the way our winter is planning out, I would end up missing most of it, so it doesn’t work.%u00a0I am coming to terms with it by knowing %u00a0I can just go to the weekly farmers market%u2026. so I am ok. Oh, and the weather.. WTF! Not exactly complaining, %u00a0(kinda not). but 70 in November is not ok. Sure I enjoyed not having to wear a coat or that we still haven’t turned our heat on, but to be honest, I want cold. I want to feel crisp and fresh. I want to snuggle in warm sweaters and blankets.%u00a0%u00a0And yes, I want snow!!! Bah!! But as any good Vermonter knows, blink and the weather will change. (I have been blinking a lot)
Today is going to be a %u00a0good reset day. I am going to do my chores early, get some food, maybe a trip the the library (I might have a few overdue books.. oops), make some new potholders, %u00a0and then sit on my butt (leaning to the right cause my left butt check still hurts), ice my hand, and rotate between reading and watching christmas movies (ones with lot of snow in them) for the rest of the day. And if I end up just doing one of those things, I’ll call it a success because again, today is all about no expectations.%u00a0
Interent stuff from the week.
-The Norwegian Secret to Enjoying a Long Winter%u2026. Good advice for those cranky winter people
–I love reading about apples.%u00a0Beyond the Honeycrisp Apple
-The Gum wall is being removed (old gum makes me gag)
-YES!! Harry Potter people..%u00a0Here’s a First Look at ‘Harry Potter’ Prequel ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
-In love with this house%u00a0.. and %u00a0this one too.%u00a0
-Buying Bags of Air%u2026. good reason to not buy that crap anymore.
-Any way to get more sky%u2026 the “more sky” window%u00a0
–Sicko me.. I have been visiting Martha Stewarts website.. always around the holidays.
Not a lot, but a few pictures from the week.
Happy Sunday! Have a great day!
-C
A simple little artsy craft project to get down with%u2026 apple printing. ALmost the same as potato print, except smells better and your apple comes with an interior fun shape to print with. And you have to use apple this time of year cause its apple season and there are apples everywhere!
I usually do things like this with a little or two, but at the time, I had no littles in my possession, so I went it did it all by my lonesome.%u00a0(which was actually a lot of fun)%u00a0I made myself big cup of hot coffee, put on some tunes, and zoned out and did a bunch of prints. It was a great little afternoon project that anyone, little or not so much, can do. And the best part about printing is%u2026 you can’t screw it up
And I know that this is going to be a cold dreary weekend%u2026 so this might just be the perfect indoor project to do!%u00a0
Things you are going to need..
apple(s).. And the apple that I use are fallen apples.. so I don’t feel bad about using them.
paper
a knife (or something sharp enough to cut the apple)
paint ( I used cheap-o acrylic paint, but any paint would work)
paint-brush
Cup of water (to rinse brush)
rag (to wipe hands)
Start by slicing your apple. If you cut in in half, you get the cool star shape in the middle, or just chop it into cool shaped pieces.%u00a0
Apply paint to the apple. I found that if I dipped the apple, then remove to much excess paint with a paint brush to work the best for me.. My suggestion is to play around with what works best for you.
Apple goes paint side down on paper%u2026 and that’s how it goes. Now repeat, either with the same shape, or use a new one. OR change up the color.. it’s all how you want to do it.%u00a0
If%u00a0
. I got a little excited with my fist print turned out a little chaotic(note print above)%u00a0but then I rained myself in.%u00a0
And did a few more simpler designs. %u00a0%u00a0
But do it anyway you want cause it’s going to look cool no matter what.
THE LOVELY CRAZY
January 7, 2020 by maximios • Blog
This past Christmas, my (kinda)mother- in-law gave me and the mr these really cool honey bee pins in our stockings. Nothing fancy, just a little pin, but I think it was one of the best gifts that I had gotten all year. The pin lives on my winter jacket.
And now I am into pins.
So a couple of the little’s came over yesterday after school for crafts and dinner and I figured a bit of pin making would be a perfect little project for us to do. And being that it’s the big V day coming up,%u00a0 making these pins heart shaped was more then overly appropriate. (What’s Valentines day without cute little hearts?) Well pin making we did, or I did, not so much for them. They made a few, but in the end, they were more excited to beat the crap out of the mr and to eat carrot shavings with peanut butter and nutella.. Totally ok with me because really, I was the one that wanted a little craft time and the mr did need to get his butt kicked.
Sure I made these pins pretty much for myself, but imagine the possibilities. Make a bunch to give out to your friends, family, neighbors, or even the mail man!? Or if you have yourself a little, how great would these pins be make and to give to all their little classmates. I know that if received one of these pins in my homemade shoe box mail box meant to collect all of my candy studded, drugstore bought valentines. I would have been elated and rocked that pin all year long on my super cool backpack.(grade schooler, they have all the fun) Right after I finished painting and gluing all my pins, Miley then decided that they were freaking awesome and wanted to make a bunch more…. Well little little, to late, time to go home. But I did give her a bunch to bring back with her. She will just have to bug her mom to make some more.
And sure, I mention valentines day when talking about these pins, but really, hearts are for everyday, and are still really great long after V day is over.
Handmade heart pins = love!
Stuff you need for some awesome pins.
A couple notes. You could use red clay but I have found that when I buy the red dyed clay, its always harder to work with and plus, it stainsyour hands. Also, I like to seal the clay and enamel paint does the trick. If you don’t want to paint it, just pain on a coat of clear sealer.
Start buy kneading a chunk of clay a little bit to get it to a workable state, then roll into a ball and roll out flat. I rolled mine out about 1/3 of an inch, but I also knew I wanted to squish it out a little flatter once I cut the shapes out.
Cut out your hearts, or if you want, free form them.%u00a0 What I did was used my tiny heart cookie cutter to cut the initial shape, but then used my thumb and squished them all out a bit bigger.
Note here.. Hears are awesome and amazing, but other shapes….Go for it. You probably have a shit tone of those pin backs.
And just before you bake them, make sure that the pins you are using will fit behind the hearts. (if you notice any visible pin, just smoosh the heart out a little more).
Into the oven,, out of the oven. Read the package to make sure, but the stuff I used only needed to be baked for 15 minutes at 275
Once out of the oven, let completely cool and harden.
Once the hearts are cooled, go ahead and paint them. Use straight up one color, or mix and make a few different shades. (red, white and pink are nice together)
You can add some glitter to the wet paint to add a little bling….
Or add designs or what have you. Do whatever feels right.
Now stick a pin thingy on the back of each heart with a blob of glue. (If you use the E600, make sure to use it near a window or somewhere ventilated.. it really stinks for a few minutes)
Let the glue dry (this glue was completely dry within an hour, but follow glue package instructions)
And if you want, grab the sharpie, make sure the paint is really dry (at least an hour) and write a little something on the hearts.
And now the hard part.. which one goes to who and which one (or 4) do you keep for yourself. (you can always make more!)
Have fun!
-C
Happy 2016! Happy Winter! Happy Snow!(a few weeks late, but super happy for it to come at last)
So did you have a great week off, or a slower then normal week? Lots of lounging, binge watching of the Netflix and eating all the left over cookies? Or was it back to work and back to reality? We go from holiday madness to all out crazy the week after Christmas.. There are birthday parties, littles out of school that need babysitting, and work. We keep on working cause that’s what we do. And remember last week how I told you I was losing my voice. Well it turned out that I lost it for the entire week. So I was a little sick and really quite which made for a weird and interesting one fore sure.. (especially babysitting without a voice. That got crazy)
And it happened again. New years. Did you party party and stay up til midnight to watch the (fill in the blank) drop? Not going to lie, the mr and I brought in the new year trying to watch tv together, but I just ended up reading. Then I actually fell asleep at 930. What can I say. I am an old lady. And no resolutions, just the average everyday, I need to do “this” or ‘that’ a little better/faster/cleaner or what not. Goals are what I have and there is not time line. But if you have resolutions, well good for you.
Today is actually the first day off we have taken since last Sunday.%u00a0 As of now, there are a few little things we are going to work on over at the house but we are not getting into the nitty gritty of it all until we get back from our plane rides of fun in February. Last week we got the ceilings sheet rocked and the mr is now doing the tape/mud this week. (I don’t even try because 1. I suck ass at it. 2. he is so good and3. he really likes doing it) I’ve got a butt load of paper/ bills/ things people want, to go through so this will be a good week to do that and to start whittling away at my spoon. Plus we have a lot of things that need to be done before we depart, like watching scary you tube videos of people trying to drive around Ireland on the right side of the road, figure out whether or not I can bring dried lentils in my carry on, and gather enough reading material to last me plane rides and early mornings spent drinking tea by the sea side.
So much. But not today. Today is for reading, coffee and tea,%u00a0 a warm cozy sweater and most likely some ice on the old back (sheet rocking ceilings kinda sucks)
I hope your day is spend well, doing good things and being happy.
Stuff I liked on the internet this week.
– I think this could work. The Taco Cleanse Is a Thing, So 2016 Will Be the Best Year Ever
–Keep Your New Year%u2019s Resolutions to Yourself, Please.
-I’ll take this cabin , just stick it in the woods
To all you party peoples out there. Want To Avoid A Hangover? Science Has Got You Covered
-Winners & Honorable Mentions of the 2015 National Geographic Photography Competition
-The hottest food trends in 2016 according to Whole Foods and even better… Grandparents Predict the Food Trends of 2016
–These toys are the greatest!
-Keep Things Simple For A Healthy, Long Life
-If you stuck wheels on our living space now, it would kinda look like this.
And some pictures from the week.
I think of myself as a problem solver. I see a problem and I look for a solution. And not to sound like a broken record, but the problem that I am having now is that it is winter here in Vermont, but you wouldn’t know it cause it’s 50 degrees and there is no f-ing snow. Yes, this is a problem for me. I don’t think its just me, everything around here is acting weird.%u00a0 My plants are not going into winter mode and are starting to droop and be sad. My fall allergies are coming back, plants are starting to bud again, Washer is shedding like crazy, and my snowshoes have not left the barn. It’s just weird and it makes me sad.Vermont is suppose to be cold ans snowy right now. Sure, there are people that might like this wonky weather, think they are getting a little extra treat, but not me. NOT ME!%u00a0 So this is the problem. And the solution that I have come up with, short of moving, is to cover all the windows with wax paper snowflakes.
See. Problem solver.
We have been spending a good amount of time over at the new house working away so this is where I decided to plaster my flakes. In between cleaning up pieces of broken wall and moving 500 lb bags of trash out of the house, I sat down at the little table, plugged in the Christmas lights, turned on some Christmas music, and totally zoned out. Sipping coffee and sniping away..it felt so right. And the results were quite good if I do say so myself. A window full of flakes that made me smile. Maybe the snow gods will see my effort and grace us with a huge ass storm. Wouldn’t that be so lovely!
All you need to make some flakes is
Optional things
Note. Why wax, well wax paper is really thin and makes cutting through all the folds easy. It also lets light shine through rather nicely and best part, the wax keeps the paper from getting soggy and gross from window condensation. But if you want, use paper. I don’t mind.
This is how learned to make a snowflake… Start with a square piece of wax paper (any size you like) and fold it in half on the diagonal. Then fold that in half at the point.%u00a0 And fold old again at the point. One more time after that. (from start to finish, 4 folds) You end up with a little dart like triangle with a little extra point at the top. Cut that extra bit off.
And snip away.. It can be thought-out or random (I like random snips)%u00a0 Just make sure that you don’t cut off all the folded paper parts cause that is what is holding it together.
Now for the most exciting part. Open (very gently) and see your snowflake creation.
Note. This is important to remember.. No snowflake is the same, and no snowflake is ugly.
Now tape the flake to where ever it should land (the window)
Stand back and enjoy all of the snow you can handle. I have gotten to one window, just 10 more to go!
This one is my favorite.
Happy weekend full of snow!
-C
I love me a good tree, pretty much any tree, real or fake.%u00a0 And come December, my house if full of different little trees, of all sizes, shapes and colors. It’s my holiday thing because really, there is nothing better then a tree.
And yeah, I was feeling crafty, and maybe a little bit sad that there is no snow around here. And we still hadn’t gotten our real tree yet (but we just got it!) so I wanted to make some more little trees to make me feel better, and this time I wanted them to light up. I was also thinking that it might be nice to bring a few little tree decorations over to the new house so I have happy little trees over there while we are working. So yeah, I needed some more little trees. And I figure you do too, that’s why I am sharing this.
This is a great project to do with a few littles (they make the trees, you use the hot glue and sharp blade) or make while baking bread and watching a festive movie.%u00a0 You could even make and share with a loved one as a sweet little gift. And best part…it doesn’t need to be packed away after the holidays because trees are not just for Christmas. These are pretty little winter trees, for everyone who is awesome and likes a tree to enjoy all winter long!(even if winter hasn’t come yet)
The stuff you will need
Note. If you have an empty shallow box that is a good size for you, just use that. And hot glue works best, bt can be subed out with any glue, or tape for that matter (if you don’t mind seeing tape on your trees)
Start with making the cardboard box base. Measure each corner in 1 inch and cut our the corner. Repeat with all corners. Once they are allcut, fold each side at the cuts to make the sides.
Tape the corners together and now you got yourself a sallow box. (now you can make boxes for everything !!!) Set box aside
Now to make the trees. Take a piece of paper and, depending if it is already a square or not, but it into a square. (does not have to be perfect, just eyeball it)
Got your square paper, now take an edge and fold it over about 1/2 inch. And then taking you scissors and snip of the corner edge at an angle (again, not going for perfections here)
The poin is the tip that was cut, now fold the two sides together.
So you can stop here ans glue or if you want light holes…..
Unfold the paper and with a pencil, mark off where you wnt the holes (random is good). Take the xacto blade and cut little x’x over each hole.
Then push through each x with the eraser end of the pencil
Now glue the cone together using the hot glue gun.
You will have a weird tail left on the bottom of the cone, so just trim that off and any extra that needs to come off to make it stand up straight.
Ta Da!! A paper cone tree. Now make a bunch of them, all different sizes and colors (or all the same size and color.. up to you) And not all of them need to have light holes in them either, a couple non light trees are good.
Once you have made all the cone trees, grab the box base and set up the trees how you want them to be on the base
Take the trees off and mark the spots with the pencil. Grab the xacto and cut X’s into the marks.
Take your lights and push the bulbs through (there will be a extra bulbs on the underside…. it makes the box glow.)
And tape down the trees back into place
So cute!
Note.. I stuck a couple extra lights through the box that have no trees. They will be covered in a minute with snow.. So you can do the same. (if you want)
Now you check it out!!! Love it right?%u00a0 And stop here if you like, or go one more step and add some fake snow.
Before you tape down the trees, take glue stick and glue random pieces of tissue paper all over the box, leaving the lights uncovered. (I covered over the extra lights I popped through to make it look like glowing snow)
Stick trees back on.. same way with the tape (You might need to fanagle the trees a little bit to get them to stay)%u00a0 and plug it in.
This makes me happy.
Now go get some paper and start making some trees.
Have fun!
-C
Another week gone by and another week without snow, except for yesterday morning. I got to enjoy a brief %u00bd walk with the pup in the wee hours of the morning to see the tiny dusting that developed over night. But even that was gone by mid morning. I am bumming here. I Want SNOW!
And I know that it isn%u2019t for another 11 day, but Thanksgiving. It%u2019s it 11 DAYS!%u00a0 That%u2019s 10 more day to contemplate pies and sides and all the things that could be made into existence. (I spend way too much time thinking about different pie variations, it actually causes me headaches.)
So what about you? Are you feeling the slight buzz of the holiday crazy yet? Are you a planner or a procrastinator, or are you just a guest and hanging pretty with nothing to worry about? Me. I am a planner but usually deviate from said plan and do something completely on the fly. What can I say; I have an overactive mind and am a bit indecisive about things. But the little bit of buzz…. that%u2019s part of the fun. Just as long as a little crazy doesn%u2019t turn into a lot of crazy, then I am good.
And as for my Sunday plans, I think the mr, the pup, and I are going to pack up and head for higher ground to get us some snow, although I should be doing so many things around here. Hum.. Chores or snow, we shall see!
Hope you are where you are having a relaxing fun day!
Some internet stuff from the week if you are feeling it.
-Definitely gong to go seer his exhibit . %u00a0This Art Exhibit Makes You ‘Wonder’ %u2014 And That’s The Whole Point.%u00a0
–You cat doesn’t really want to kill you%u2026.. But I am pretty sure mine does.
-Before and after photos of an amazing farm to home renovation.
-10 Easy Pieces: Problem-Solving Electrical Outlets/Covers%u00a0Some of these are pretty fantastic.
-Farmers Have Been Enjoying The Fruits Of Bee Labor For 9,000 Years
-Cool little prefab homes%u00a0
-I love looking at all the pretty colors ans patterns
-What to Simmer for a Fresh, Seasonal-Smelling Home.. Who doesn’t wasn’t a tasty smelling home?%u00a0
-The largest art festival in the world.. And it looks amazing! Another bucket list thing for me to do!
–I love these button lunch bags.. Thinking of making for gifts.
-So When I am being sarcastic.. I am just being smart.%u00a0According to science, here’s how sarcastic people are different from everyone else%u00a0
nd some pictures from the %u00a0week (note the gigantic bear%u2026 Out of control!)
I am not a fancy person by any means, like super, no frills, no one would ever consider me fancy. EVER.%u00a0With that said, I am always and forever a cloth napkin lady. I have a drawer full of them, in all sizes and color. I use one with every meal %u00a0(I am a sloppy eater).And napkin use is not just about functionality, it is also about looking pretty.%u00a0 When I go for a clean napkin, I like to pick one that looks good with the meal that I am eating. I think a pretty clean napkin really makes any meal just a tiny bit better. Does that sound weird? I don%u2019t know but this is just a little look into how my mind works.
And recently I have set a few too many of my kitchen textiles on fire (towels, napkins, and potholders) so I am in need of a few new, nice looking napkins.%u00a0
And let’s get this straight. Cloth napkins are not about being fancy, they are about wiping you hands and face with something lovely, that doesn’t need to be tossed into the trash after use. Cloth napkins are also a great way to add a nice splash of color tot a table settings or a nice doth barrier between your lap and all the food that ends up landing on it. I have even been known to do a cloth napkin-tuck into the shirt- type situation if I am eating something particularly messy and have on decent, clean shirt (doesn’t happen too often).%u00a0Cloth napkins also double up as a rag when the inevitable spill happens at the table. See, not just for fancy people. Cloth napkins just make sense. And sure, if you are introducing them at the Thanksgiving table that happens to set a bunch of guests, or maybe making a few, wrapping them up with a ribbon and gifting them for Hanukah to Christmas%u2026that would totally be cool and not at all showy and over fancy. You just seem like a leveled headed person that uses and or gifts totally cool and useful things. And whatever if it makes you badass for making them yourself%u2026. cause you probably are badass anyway.%u00a0
So if you got the desire and a little bit of time (this project is great to do while watching a good holiday movie) you should make yourself (or someone else ) some cool ass cloth napkins.
What you will need, besides a sew machine
Step 1.
Start by laying out you fabric flat, and if you want, run an iron over it to remove creases %u00a0(I would haven but my iron%u2026 can’t find it anywhere!)
When your ready, fold all the edges in 1 inch and crease with either an iron, or a flat edge (my ruler works great here)
Step 2.
Unfold last fold and the refold %u00a0each side 1/2 inch and crease.
. You now have 1/2 inch and a 1 inch crease on all sides of your fabric.
Step 2.
Now go back to the 1/2 inch crease and stick few pins in otto hold it in place.%u00a0
Start with any corner %u00a0and fold the corner over 1 inch and crease.%u00a0
Step 3.
Take a fabric marker and mark that crease Repeat with all corners.
Step 4.
Grab a marked corner and fold the napkin in half, right side together,making sure the line you just marked match up, Stick a pin in it so it stays put.
Step 5.
Run a stitch through that line.
Step 6.
Snip off the remaining tip of fabric
Repeat step 3-6 with all corners.
Step 7.
And for the most fgratifing part,%u00a0fold over %u2026 Repeat to all corners
ALmost done!
Step 8.
Lastly, run a nice stitch around the border. I went with a simple stitch, but if you are feeling a little zig zag or some other funky-ness your machine can do.. go for it.%u00a0
See, fancy(but not), pretty, made by you. napkins.. and they are so easy!%u00a0
Have fun and if you know me and end up making yourself some, let me know so I don’t end up giving you more napkins for the holidays.
Have fun!
-C
How was your week? Are you in need of a good, causal, no expectations day? Me too, not that I have had a terrible week, it just wasn’t the greatest. My body is still recuperating from falling down the stairs (I am starting to wonder if I broke my thumb), and it’s been one of those weeks where a bunch of stupid little things have happened, like how I have set at least 3 dish towels and my last potholder on fire, or spending 1/2 hour on hold with the garbage company about paying the bill only to have the phone cut out.%u00a0And topper, this past farmshare pick up was the last one of the season.. BUMMER!%u00a0I could do a winter share, but the way our winter is planning out, I would end up missing most of it, so it doesn’t work.%u00a0I am coming to terms with it by knowing %u00a0I can just go to the weekly farmers market%u2026. so I am ok. Oh, and the weather.. WTF! Not exactly complaining, %u00a0(kinda not). but 70 in November is not ok. Sure I enjoyed not having to wear a coat or that we still haven’t turned our heat on, but to be honest, I want cold. I want to feel crisp and fresh. I want to snuggle in warm sweaters and blankets.%u00a0%u00a0And yes, I want snow!!! Bah!! But as any good Vermonter knows, blink and the weather will change. (I have been blinking a lot)
Today is going to be a %u00a0good reset day. I am going to do my chores early, get some food, maybe a trip the the library (I might have a few overdue books.. oops), make some new potholders, %u00a0and then sit on my butt (leaning to the right cause my left butt check still hurts), ice my hand, and rotate between reading and watching christmas movies (ones with lot of snow in them) for the rest of the day. And if I end up just doing one of those things, I’ll call it a success because again, today is all about no expectations.%u00a0
Interent stuff from the week.
-The Norwegian Secret to Enjoying a Long Winter%u2026. Good advice for those cranky winter people
–I love reading about apples.%u00a0Beyond the Honeycrisp Apple
-The Gum wall is being removed (old gum makes me gag)
–Making Food Waste Edible (and Profitable)..smart folks.
-YES!! Harry Potter people..%u00a0Here’s a First Look at ‘Harry Potter’ Prequel ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
-In love with this house%u00a0.. and %u00a0this one too.%u00a0
-Buying Bags of Air%u2026. good reason to not buy that crap anymore.
-Any way to get more sky%u2026 the “more sky” window%u00a0
–Sicko me.. I have been visiting Martha Stewarts website.. always around the holidays.
Not a lot, but a few pictures from the week.
Happy Sunday! Have a great day!
-C
A simple little artsy craft project to get down with%u2026 apple printing. ALmost the same as potato print, except smells better and your apple comes with an interior fun shape to print with. And you have to use apple this time of year cause its apple season and there are apples everywhere!
I usually do things like this with a little or two, but at the time, I had no littles in my possession, so I went it did it all by my lonesome.%u00a0(which was actually a lot of fun)%u00a0I made myself big cup of hot coffee, put on some tunes, and zoned out and did a bunch of prints. It was a great little afternoon project that anyone, little or not so much, can do. And the best part about printing is%u2026 you can’t screw it up
And I know that this is going to be a cold dreary weekend%u2026 so this might just be the perfect indoor project to do!%u00a0
Things you are going to need..
Start by slicing your apple. If you cut in in half, you get the cool star shape in the middle, or just chop it into cool shaped pieces.%u00a0
Apply paint to the apple. I found that if I dipped the apple, then remove to much excess paint with a paint brush to work the best for me.. My suggestion is to play around with what works best for you.
Apple goes paint side down on paper%u2026 and that’s how it goes. Now repeat, either with the same shape, or use a new one. OR change up the color.. it’s all how you want to do it.%u00a0
If%u00a0
. I got a little excited with my fist print turned out a little chaotic(note print above)%u00a0but then I rained myself in.%u00a0
And did a few more simpler designs. %u00a0%u00a0
But do it anyway you want cause it’s going to look cool no matter what.
Have fun!
-C