P Squared

Another Pintrest success!

This lovely has been floating around for a bit.

Source: virginiaandcharlie.blogspot.com via Leigh on Pinterest

My idea was to use the technique to create seasonally themed artwork. Then rather than using white, paint the canvas a seasonally appropriate shade. 

Since my drawing skills are lacking, I created stencils from online images.  My first plan was to print an image then use a sharpie to trace it on to the canvas.  I was counting on the sharpie to bleed through...didn't work.  Then I tried tracing paper...also a flop.  Finally I just cut and traced.

My Fall Creation: 

The Christmas Canvas:

The inspiration/stencil~ 

                                                                                      Source: restorationhardware.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Other than my initial issues of the getting the design on the canvas, this is was a simple, fast and easy process.  There are so many great ideas and uses for this project.  I can't wait to create another.

You should make one... but I have a few tips first:

1. use the thickest, puffy-ist paint you can find- to make thick lines!
2. since you'll be using thick lines... avoid detailed and intricate designs- especially ones with narrow gaps. Also round shapes or curves can be tricky.

3. use the same color puffy paint as acrylic (or as close as possible)
4. use a foam brush to paint

Anyone else use puffy paint lately? 

Memorial Day

Part of our holiday weekend was spent car shopping (my transmission died, and it isn't worth fixing)...but most of it was spent like this

actually most of the time people (and dogs) were in the water, this was after Monday's dinner.  

I made a delicious strawberry rhubarb pie.  

What did you do with your long weekend?

Easter

I was on spring break last week and my Mom came to help me with a bunch of projects. I was too busy to write any posts. We got a ton done!  I have a lot to show. (and a lot to finish still)  

Although my Mom left before Easter, I still wanted a bit of a traditional Easter dinner.  We actually had Easter dinner Saturday night. The plan was to go out of a nice brunch on Sunday....but we had a bunch of leftovers and woke up to a lovely sunshiny day on Sunday- so we canceled brunch.

This is the fastest (and least cute) bunny cake I've ever made- oh well.

Springy colored eggs 

"Easter dinner"- baked ham with raisin sauce, almond green beans, mashed potatoes and rolls 

Did you do anything special for Easter or Passover?

Pizzabration

Today is Valentine's Day, while we don't avoid or ban the holiday it certainly isn't a big deal in this house.   

The cookies I brought to school, ala Emily's simple-to-do-but-impressive-looking trick.

Our dinner- homemade pizza with fresh made pesto, a mix of goat and mozzarella cheeses and little pepperoni. Tasty!

How we're spending our evening- toasty fire, Monday night TV.

 

Was this another Monday for you or a BIG day?!

   

Happy Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year!! We celebrated with homemade Chinese food for dinner.

Skirt steak, water chestnuts and broccoli sautéed in sake sauce.  John did a great job!

We've gone though at least 3 bottels of this Williams-Sonoma Sake sauce.  My favoriate use- mixed into hamburger mixture. 

Did you celebrate?

Around and around- DIY Dare

My creation is nothing original, literally everyone and their mother has made one...an ornament wreath.


Every since seeing it floating around blog land last winter- most notably here, I wanted to make my own. But I had a very specific color scheme in mind- pear/kiwi green, cranberry/maroon red and antique gold. Each color in 3 sizes and 3 finishes (shiny, matte, and glitter). However, after spending the past year searching dozens of stores and websites I was unable to find those colors.  

So I finally gave in bought the closest ones I could find at Target. Sadly, the red options were lacking, and...I broke one. Here are the ornaments I ended up with-

It was harder than I thought to get the ornaments turned around and organized. And when I used a command hook in an attempt hang it above the mirror, as I did last year, it fell. So here is my somewhat funky looking 1st attempt-

I think the top two gold ornament look like little ears. :)

Go see Kim's list to pick our your projects for next year's decor.

Gifts Galore! {DIY Dare}

I love making holiday gifts! Once again, I owe this to my crafty mom. Every year she had my sister and I make Christmas tree ornaments as gifts for our teachers. And not just our current year's teacher, but all our previous teachers and specials teachers. We had our own little sweatshop operation going. Last year, one of my former teachers (yup, I'm nerdy enough to exchange holiday cards with a few of my old teachers) sent me two of the ornaments I had created for her.

I still love crafting some simple gifts for the current teachers I work with, and other neighbors, friends and family. Although I have branched out (pun intended) a bit from the ornament theme...well expect for last year.

This year I created two different gifts.

The first is really just a Leigh-bellishment. I used the same technique over the summer to make a gift for a friend.

You can add a design to a candle by stamping on white tissue paper, then using a heat gun to melt the paper into the candle.

I added some interesting detail and texture with raffia and beads.

A few tips- this does not work well with colored candles, be sure to buy a few practice candles, soften the wax a bit before sticking the tissue paper to the candle, hold the head at least 6 inches away & move in a slow circular pattern, attach the paper over the course of a few melting sessions so wax doesn't over melt, and use your fingers to rub out any winkles/bumps and to soften the edges of the melted wax. 

I'll be making about a dozen of these candles over the next few weeks. 

My second gift takes a bit more time to make but will last a lot longer. I'm making multiple sets (snack and sandwich size) of fabric ziplock bags. 

The set of bags will be paired with a jar gift of cookie mix, expect instead of jars I'll be using glasslock containers. I think they are more useful and reusable.


Go take a peek at what the others created. I've got plenty of inspiration for next year!

Yum! DIY Dare Cookie Exchange

Once again, I'm a bit late on posting my DIY creation. This week's task was...COOKIES! I luuuve Christmas cookies.

Growing up it seemed like my mom spent the whole month of December baking Christmas cookies. My sister and I would participate by sneaking cookie dough and creating very detailed cut-out cookies with mounds of sprinkles. Using recipes from each of my grandmothers, we bake multiple dozens of 9 varieties of cookies. These cookies are only, only made for Christmas. Each December, I now enjoy making the same cookies for my Cookies and Cocktail party.

Since I didn't have the time to make all 9 types of cookies, I picked Missouri Cookies. I have no idea why they are named that, we live no where near Missouri and have no family there (I think). While they aren't pretty to look at, they are darn tasty- a classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, and a bit chewy from the addition of oatmeal. And, as an added bonus, they are super fast and easy to make!

Missouri Cookies- from my Grandmother Celeste

2 cups sugar

6 tbl cocoa

1/2 cup margarine/butter

1/2 cup milk

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3 cups oatmeal

1. boil sugar, cocoa, margarine, milk for one minute. This is key, it has to be at a full boil and for a total minute. I normally let it go for about 90 seconds just to be sure.

2. stir in peanut butter and oatmeal

3. let cool for a few minutes to thicken

4. drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper and let cool (takes 1-2 hours to become totally firm)

Enjoy!

Hungry for more? Go check what the others whipped up!

A Fall Table- DIY Dare

Well, I'm about 2 weeks late posting this DIY Dare. And I have plenty of excuse, I was sewing table runners but scrapped them (they were ugly), Thanksgiving, etc. In the end I figured, since I did the assignment (and took a ton of photos) I might as well turn turn it in late for partial credit. ( Is the teacher in me showing?)

We didn't host Thanksgiving, but I planned to use the opportunity to finish matching table runners I start in early Sept. I love the look for two runners, parallel across the width of the table, acting as placements. Late in the summer I found a pattern on a blog that I thought was cute, and went fabric shopping with my mom for fall hued fabric. But once they were almost together...I just didn't like the look.

The final table

Napkin rings made from the Saran-Wrap tube. I used double sided tape and left-over orange ribbon from the thankful tree.

The flash did something funny to the color, they aren't as bright and not nearly as shiny.

This shot shows the color a bit more accurately.

Using Martha's directions, I made a dozen tissue paper flowers, four each of; golden, cranberry, orange. I tried laying them on top of the napkin and standing the water glass. I think I like them on the napkin best.

A parting shot...

Go check out all the pretty tables created!

Do You Dare?

I gladly took Kim's dare, a craft a week leading up to Christmas. Our 1st assignment was a Thankful Thanksgiving craft.

I was especially thankful that my mom was in town visiting while I created my craft. After all, she (& my grandmother) are the ones who taught me the love of crafting. And she helps me solve all my difficulty crafting problems, mostly because she has more patience and skill than me. :)

I love fall leaves and fall trees. So my Thankful Thanksgiving craft was… a Thankful Tree. Using simple and inexpensive supplies (and not much time), I made a fall tree for my dinning room table. There are fabric leaves (I hot glued wire to their backs, so they could be attached to the tree in realistic directions) and cardstock leaves. On the cardstock leaves we can write things we are thankful for. In theory, the fabric leaves will remain attached and the cardstock leaves will be replaced yearly. While, we aren’t hosting Thanksgiving dinner, it will still be a nice tradition for us to start. And it would be pretty cool to do with a big group gathered around the table for the Big Feast.

Thanks for all your help Mom! (She made the card stock leaves, and helped find/arrange the twigs, and tagged along on my shopping trip.) I’m glad you were here to do it with me!

Supplies-

Ikea hurricane (whatever their funky Swedish name for it is)- already owned= $0

River Pebbles- already owned = $0

Twigs- back yard = $0

Leaves- Joann and AC Moore- $5-$7 (there are tons leftover)

Floral Wire- already owned =$0

Card Stock- Micheal's $3 (with leftovers)

Ribbon- AC Moore- $7 total (with coupon, plenty leftover)

Go check out Kim's list to see what the 30-some odd other crafty bloggers have created. Do you want to join the party? It isn't too late, there is another challenge this week.