Friday, December 31, 2010

Fabric Garland

 
This whimsical garland would be a perfect decoration for a child's birthday party, a wedding, a holiday celebration or a baby shower. The fun bright colors and different sizes and shapes will make any space more festive and inviting!

Materials

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This is enough to make at least a 40 foot garland!
  • Lots and lots of scraps in at least 10 different patterns. This would be a great use of fat quarters and it's also a fun and effective way to whittle away at your stash! (You may recognize some of the above patterns from my previous projects such as "Fabric Window Valentines", and the "Patchwork Easter Eggs".) You can get at least 6 feet of garland for every 1/4 yard (or fat quarter) of fabric!
  • 1 spool Gutermann Invisible thread
  • 1 set of Garland Templates which you can download here and here.
  • 1 heavy paper bag

Cut Fabrics 

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Download and print the Garland Templates above. Transfer them to your paper bag and cut them out. I like to iron my paper bag first (but make sure not to use steam). It's helpful to use a heavy paper bag as opposed to just cutting out the original print-out because you'll be using the templates so much and you don't want them to wear down.
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Press one of your garland fabrics and fold it in half, wrong sides together (so the right side is facing out.) Trace your templates onto the fabric. I did at least one tracing of each template on each fabric I had, and I also tried to do more of the smaller shapes than the bigger ones. The biggest shapes work best as an occasional accent.
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Cut out each shape. Since you are cutting on a doubled piece of fabric every shape cut will actually yield two pieces, both with their right sides facing. Keep these pieces together, you will treat them as one piece from now on. That way the garland won't have a right and a wrong side.
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Cut the template shapes out of every fabric keeping like shapes together. Make sure to keep the front and back of each shape together as well.
This is the sort of project that's better to do over time as opposed to all in one day. I cut out the shapes in my spare time over a week or so (My hand got tired if I did too many!) and kept them in a box together until I was ready to sew.

Sew Garland 

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Thread your machine and bobbin with the invisible thread.
Sew with a 1/4-inch seam allowance along the top edge of each set of pieces. Again, make sure that you're keeping the front and back of each piece together.
Pick another piece at random, place it directly after the piece you've just sewn, and continue sewing. Do not pick up the foot.
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There should be very little (if any) distance between the sewn pieces. 
When sewing a flower piece, as shown above, sew your seam through the middle of the shape. For all other shapes sew with a 1/4-inch seam along the top.
Sewing the pieces together is the most fun part of this project. Try to vary the colors and shapes often. As you get going it will go faster and faster.
Just keep sewing in this manner until you reach your desired length. Keep the garland neat as you sew because it will get long quickly. You might want to wrap it around a piece or cardboard as it grows to keep track of it.
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Here is a picture of the final garland. Notice how each piece has two right sides so it will look good from any angle.


This also works with felt... in that case you dont have to double up your fabric!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Recipe Cards



Got a recipe box and cards for christmas that im so excited to start filling. Here are a few cute recipe card printables i found!

 Download recipe-note-cards-green-apple.pdf
Download recipenotecardspumpkin.pdf

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

diy: repurposed Book Page Wreath


This wonderful DIY Repurposed Book Page Wreath from the  Living with Lindsay blog would make the perfect gift for the lover of all things shabby chic.  Vintage appeal makes it suitable for hanging in the home all year round. 

Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas 2010

This was Marleys first Christmas! She got soo spoiled with thousands of toys from both my family and Bryans family! I didnt really realize how many presents we all got until it was to put away and organize it all! Now all my new cookware, my new Canon Rebel, all our new clothes, Marleys toys, Bryans tools, and his dj system all have found their new places... my piano is tuned (thank you mom!)  and life is a little bit more exciting!! Thank you God for an amazing year of growth... cant wait for all the places you'll take us next year!

Cute shelving idea

                                   

 a really cute way to use wooden boxes for shelves... find fabric that matches your decor... and voila!

diy:cloud shaped rug


 Faux Sheepskin Cloud-Shaped Rugs over on her blog Lifeflix. The two clouds above were crafted for her daughter's nursery, but of course you could use this project in any way that suits you and your home.  Head over to Lifeflix for the full tutorial.

Monday, December 20, 2010

My Christmas List

Woodland Creatures Wood Blocks 

on etsy here 

Woodland Creatures Wood Blocks Set of 6 



Old Skeleton Keys
Under lock and key Royalty Free Stock Vector Art Illustration 
 The Canon Rebel Xsi soooo excited for :)
 canon-rebel-xsi.jpgA white Kitchenaide stand mixer... yay!!!!

A Pocketwatch (which i "hear" i got 2)
free public domain image 44 line drawing of a fancy antique pocket watch and chain 12 53


A HEDGEHOG!! ok slim chance... but i would die. 







Baby Hedgehog

A Few Christmas Sweets to enjoy...



Buckeyes
Adapted from smitten kitchen
makes 36 to 42 tablespoon-sized candies
1/4 cup (2 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups honey roasted peanut butter*
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full size graham crackers)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
12 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
maldon salt or other flaky salt
Make the filling:
1
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together until combined.
2
Add the graham cracker crumbs and beat for 10 seconds.
3
Add the sugar and butter, and mix on the lowest speed, then increase the speed until the ingredients are combined.
4
Scrape down the whole bowl well, then mix again. The mixture will be quite sturdy and a little dry — perfect for shaping. Set it aside while you prepare the coating.
5
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop out about one tablespoon’s worth of filling and use your hands to form it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared sheet and repeat the process until all of the candies have been shaped. They can sit close to each other but make sure they are not touching.
Make the coating:
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Melt the chocolate either over a double boiler, stirring until it is completely smooth or in a microwave in 30 then 10 second increments, stirring before you start it again until it is completely smooth.
Make the candies:
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Using a fork or large skewer, drop each ball into the chocolate and roll it about so that the entire candy is coated. Gently stick a skewer into the ball and lift out of the chocolate, letting the excess drop off, then gently place back on the parchment. Play around with a few practice pieces until you find what works best for you.
8
Sprinkle each with a little salt, if desired.
9
Chill the buckeyes until they are set, about 30 minutes.
* I made my own peanut butter because I didn’t have any on hand, but you can use creamy of chunky, whatever you have on hand.



Friday, December 17, 2010

sweet pauls holiday recipes





20101008_Popcorn Balls_1099


Caramel Popcorn Balls
Easy to make and really fun to serve as an "upside-down lollipop.”
Makes 10
1 large bag of popcorn
1 cup sugar
Place the popcorn in a large bowl.
Melt the sugar in a medium pan over medium-high heat.
Stir once in a while so the sugar does not burn.
Once melted, pour the caramel over the popcorn.
Using clean rubber gloves form the popcorn into balls.
(It will be hot so don't let the kids do this.)
Store in an airtight container

TIPS!
A cute way to serve these is to make a handle using a lollipop stick. Hot glue rick rack ribbon.
Glue to the popcorn ball with some melted sugar.


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Chocolate and Orange Stars
Makes 35
1 1/4 cups butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Preheat oven to 340F.
Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.
Stir in cocoa, syrup and salt.
Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring well between each.
Add flour and orange peel; mix well.
Cover a large baking tray with parchment paper and pour the batter on top.
Bake for about 35 minutes.
The cake is supposed to be a bit sticky.
Cool and press out stars with a cookie cutter.
Dust with a little confectioners’ sugar before serving.
here are only a few of sweet pauls recipes but i strongly encourage you to look through the online magazine... find it here! 

Thursday, December 16, 2010

holgaroid

holga 

the Holga camera and Polaroid film- join forces and make the Holgaroid, a hybrid camera that takes pictures with the dreamy, hazy effect of the Holga but that accepts instant Polaroid film. uhhmazing

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

need easy (adorable) christmas treats?


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Tis the Season and Nutcracker Tale Cupcake kits (complete with Mouse King, Clara ballerina and Nutcracker cake picks), would instantly transform plain vanilla cupcakes into suitably festive affairs that company of all ages will be sure to enjoy!! 

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

holly jolly christmas



a great way to put my ever growing library to good  to use this christmas!

im obsessed with advent calendars... and this one is extra adorable... start your countdown!! 
2007_12_anthrowindows4.jpg 
pull out your scissors!! i lovve paper snowflakes and they are cute to make out of left over wrapping paper. 

 Studio 222 Photography   mininativity DIY Christmas Decor (on a budget)
Im obsessed with stumps/ anything wood... and these little homemade snow globes are amazing! just take a vase, flip it upside down on a little log and voila!  if you are fresh out of little figurines, these are really cute with just candles or you can take left over greenery from your christmas tree and make little trees in them! 

 

 igloo with milk cartons anyone? ok so maybe anthropolgie went a little crazy with the milk... and the chances that an average family can drink this much milk in a year let alone before christmas is slim to none... but if youve been saving your recyclables, and have kids... a smaller scale version of  this would be soo awesome!! 

Char orn 4
uhhh these handmade ornament stitchables are the bomb! get them on etsy here or just copy the idea and attach them to your gifts, or hang on your tree!

Monday, December 13, 2010

hollywoooood




my sister in law richelle turned 25, and to celebrate we all took a limo to the pantages theatre to see west side story... it was a pretty awesome night!! 

Lake Arrowhead




 
i grew up in lake arrowhead... so naturally it is always soo nice to go home. It just feels like the air is cleaner and the pace is slower (which is maybe where i get my  snail like pace from). Anyway, we went to the village, went hiking and stopped to drink some wine, eat some snacks and enjoy Gods amazing beauty along the way. I am excited about the bark platter and all the little acorns i got to decorate my home with and remind me of the place where i will always feel like i belong.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Sibella Court







 
Deep, dark textures and  patterns make sibella court a "site" to see! click on a picture and see for yourself!
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