Category Archives: gifting

Christmas Banner Idea

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This is one of my favorite projects to come home with Abby. She was a mere four-years old when she made this, and I hang this up every year.

Preschool Christmas Project

Supplies:

canvas or burlap material (approx. 15″ x 19″), red and green tempera paint, sponge brushes (optional), permanent marker, dowel rod (3/16″ x 18″), hot glue gun or craft glue, 1/4″ ribbon (20″ to 21″)

Take your child’s hand and paint it green or dip in green paint that has been poured onto a paper plate. Stamp six handprints in a pyramid form, reloading paint on the hand as needed. Then have your child dip or paint one finger with red paint and “dot” the top of the third finger of each handprint. Let dry. Draw a little tree base and add your artist’s name and year, too.

After your banner is dry, place the dowel rod at the top of the banner and fold over the top 1/2″ inch (or whatever is appropriate) so that the dowel rod is within a “casing”. Using a hot glue gun or craft glue, glue down the canvas to secure the casing. If using craft glue, you may want to use clips or clamps to hold down the canvas as it’s drying. Tie your ribbon to the dowel rod on both ends, hang and enjoy!

Crafting Last Week

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It was a great turnout at the Craft Social last Friday night! Special thanks to the Craft Social team! Lots of great women came by and doodled with me: Katie, Lindy, Jen, Susan, Karen, Sarah, Susie, Simone, Krissy… wish I had a sign-in sheet so I could remember everyone’s name. Well, there were at least 26 people at the table because I came home with only four handouts. These crafty colleagues were so fun to talk and brainstorm with. My head was spinning when I got home. Good thing I had yoga on Saturday morning. It helped calm me down. I think the future might hold some special projects – I’m checking into the possibilities and will report on them.

On another front, from my sewing table:

Baby Blanket with ribbon tabs

This baby blanket was shipped to my long time friend, Jen, and her husband. They had a new addition to the family, and I was finally able to sit down and sew this. It was my first time working with the cuddly, soft, “bumpy” fabric. Not too bad, but I did have a little trouble with it bunching every so often. The ribbon tabs are a fun add-on for babies, and not that difficult to do. I think choosing the ribbons was harder. At the time of this picture, I hadn’t finished the topstitching around the border, but you get the idea. Abby felt like trying it out for a minute before I washed it the final time.

Testing the baby blanket

My little guy kept himself preoccupied with this puzzle while I finished up. I’m so proud of him.

Boy Genius

I Want to Make All This

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The other day my Facebook status was this:

“I get WAY too excited when my Martha Stewart Living magazine comes in the mail! Eeeeeeeee – what crafting and cooking pleasures await me!”

Felt Holly Corsage from marthastewart.com

** picture from marthastewart.com**

Glitter projects

Felt Holly Corsage

Decorative Decal Pillar Candles

The real question is, when will I set aside time to do this? I promise to update on the progress of my handmade holiday 2009…

Crafting again at the Chicago Craft Social

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This past summer, I attended the second Chicago Craft Social and led a table with this craft, Beaded Book Marks (a.k.a. Book Thongs or Book Wedgies). I had no idea how busy I would be at the table, but it was a great showing. I took no other pictures that evening. I wish I did; it was tons of fun. I really ought to post a tutorial on these, eh?

Ribbon and bead book thongs or bookmarks

So, I’m leading a table at this Friday’s Craft Social (Holiday version)! I’m going to tailor my latest obsession, scribble art (or doodling), into something people can learn and take home. From this…

A magenta design

… I started documenting the different patterns I use. Sort of backwards, but that’s okay. Work in progress.

Doodling notes

Tonight I took my notes, made a one page dictionary that I can hand out, and I’m planning on demonstrating the more complicated or complex designs on my daughter’s white board. None of them are really that difficult, but they might look incredibly intricate. Makes me feel like I’m brilliant.

Doodle dictionary

From twenty different patterns, you can mix and match (I’m bringing multi-sided dice, more than six sides), do little variations on them, and voila, you too can doodle crazy little things and maybe make a holiday card, gift tags, an iron-on t-shirt applique… the possibilities are endless. I’m working on our family Christmas card in black and white. This picture was a first attempt.

Christmas card idea

Hope to see you at my table!

Visiting Long Grove

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Visiting Long Grove

Every year, we like to visit Long Grove at least once. The biggest reason is for the brown bag apple pie from Apple Haus. It’s everything we want in an apple pie: flaky, buttery crust with a slight crunch, fresh apple chunks, not too sweet.

Raspberry Wine Chocolate Cup

But before Apple Haus, we stopped by the Glunz Family Winery tasting room and I had this shot of raspberry wine in a chocolate cup. What a great idea for a party opener…

Apple Haus!

So many things to look at in Apple Haus. Just around the corner are the display cases with…

Baby Apple Pie

…pies! This cutey says it serves 1 or 2, but the lady behind the counter said it was good for one.

Weird Mr. Egg dish scraper

This is not a great picture of me at all. I was trying to make a “Mr. Egg” face. Talk about cute dish scraper. I ended up buying it and the kids played with it for a few days afterwards.

Muddling

We do like going to the different stores around Long Grove, especially The Tuscan Table. Eastman is definitely scaring me with the muddler here.

Tired after Long Grove

They were so tired after walking around and having an apple donut and apple cider snack. It’s really amazing how much they look like each other. They’re so sweet.

Back at home with the pie

At last, at home with our brown bag apple pie. There’s actually a good chance we’ll be attending the apple festival later this week. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

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