Blog a la Cart

Month: December, 2011

DIY BONANZA

I haven’t posted something of substance here all month. And the reason is because I’ve gone totally and completely DIY insane.

Pair that with parties that have prompted me to bake and do things like make photo booth printables. And blog posts with a caramel popcorn recipes I could not resist making myself. And a number of knitting projects for friends and family’s Christmas gifts… and, well, you can imagine the state of our home. Yep, my crafting trunk has thrown up all over the house. James. Is. Thrilled.

But, I mean, c’mon! These photos alone justify James’ horrific trip to Michael’s and the piles of foam core and Exact-O knives strewn about our home.

I swear our house is totally safe for a 2.5 year old.

Anyway, after Christmas I’ll be back into my semi-regularly scheduled bloggy routine here. But first I must go bedazzle some fabric for a DIY Furoshiki post. Of course.

Cookie Exchange

This weekend some dear friends hosted a cookie exchange. And it was as delicious and festive as it sounds. I woke up on Monday morning with a sugar hangover. I wish I were kidding, but alas, it seems I just can’t handle sweets like I used to. If you scroll down to the bottom of this post, you’ll find the recipe I hold most responsible for this state of affairs.

To recap, the party went a little something like this….

I brought some photo booth props that I downloaded for free here. And we snapped great shots, particularly of the kids, in front of Christmas tree. What party isn’t enhanced by a good photo booth, eh?

Every guest brought a treat…

Then our hostess armed us with festive cookie tins …

And we piled our tins with a sampling of everyone’s baked goods. Such a delightful and fun way to diversify our holiday dessert offerings!

I brought my mom’s famous Creme De Menthe Brownies…

And the most delicious Molasses Cookies of all time.

And in the spirit of giving, I’m going to share the recipe with you so that you too may enjoy their awesome. Click on the image to see it larger. WARNING: MAY CAUSE SUGAR HANGOVER.

Do share your favorite cookie or sweets recipes in the comments!

I highly recommend these free Cookie Swap Recipe printables.

Paper Garlands

I have my brilliant friend Justine to thank for this project. She made these lovely paper garlands from old maps and sheet music. They can be strung around the tree. Hung by the window. Made into a mobile. Piled in a bowl. Wrapped around a present. Let your imagination run wild!

MATERIALS:
Old paper
2-3″ circle punch
Sewing machine

DIRECTIONS:

1. Create circles from the old paper using a circle punch.

2. Pair up the circles. Layering the two circles directly on top of one another.

3. Thread the circles through the sewing machine, right down the center. Run a few inches of thread between each pair. Thread circles until the garland is the length of your choosing.

4. Separate the circle pairs by folding the paper away from the center. This will open up the circles giving them another dimension.

Ice Skate Ornament

Oh how I love these little retro ice skate ornaments. I based this pattern on an ornament from my childhood that my Grammy must have made.  They’re perfect for child-friendly tree decorating and make a lovely present topper!

MATERIALS:
Yarn in colors of your choice
Jumbo paper clips
Scissors
Crochet hook (I used an H hook)
Tapestry needle

DIRECTIONS:

1. Double crochet 8 stitches onto the paper clip. Chain 2, turn.

2. Double crochet 8 stitches. Chain 2, turn.

3. Double crochet 5 stitches, Chain 2, turn.

4. Double crochet 5 stitches, fasten off BUT do not cut yarn. Leave attached.

5. With second color, at the opposite end of the row from where you just fastened off, single crochet 5 stitches.

6. Using both color strands, chain 15 stitches. Fasten off, leaving a 6-12″ tail to tie the skates together.

7. Make a second skate. Tie the two strands together in a bow. Tie in all ends. And there you have it! An adorable ice skate pair to dangle from the tree.

Luckiest Mama in the World

Not that that’s at all a biased opinion.

 

My Boo.

Despite my predictions, Ursa’s X-ray showed no evil tumors or signs of arthritis. We are now $200 poorer and I have counted 5 new gray hairs on my head.

Thanks for that, Urs.

As I’d predicted initially, despite our efforts at rest and relaxation, Ursa is so bat shit crazy that even under bed rest conditions the exuberant lass hasn’t given her shoulder enough time to heal from a run in with Hanna, the ultimate basketball pick. So now, girl’s gotta deal with life in the crate. FUN TIMES! Like we needed one more enormous plastic article of dependent accessory cluttering our modest 1-story home.

I spent the past 24 hours culling my computer for pictures of Ursa during her 5 glorious years as an only child. A time where she was the center of our Universe, i.e. unbelievably spoiled.

Shit has gotten REAL for her in the past three years. Two babies and another pup. Whatever happened to the good life when she could sleep on the bed and was featured in every family photo op?

When I say this dog can never die. I mean, this dog can never die. I consider her my first child.

A parent shouldn’t outlive their children. Now, if only that applied to our canine babies.

Wooden Gift Tags

Thank goodness I have a very handy partner that humors all of my strange DIY demands. Thanks to James I’m now equipped with a stack of wooden gift tags to bestow upon all of our friends and family. What’s nice about this particular tag is that it doubles as a lovely, all natural ornament for the tree. If you’ve got a Miter saw and drill press on hand, this project is a snap!

Find a log or branch in the diameter that you’d like your tags. Load it up on the saw and slice as thinly as you can. After slicing, drill a hole large enough to thread a ribbon through, and TA DA! You’ve got yourself some lovely wooden gift tags or ornaments. I gussied mine up with a variety of ribbons and some gold ink pen!

Having a partner who is willing to support your creative DIY endeavors is truly a blessing. By finding the perfect log or branch, carefully slicing it into thin pieces, and drilling a hole for ribbon threading, you can create unique wooden gift tags or ornaments that will impress your friends and family. Add a touch of personalization with various ribbons and even embellishments using a gold ink pen, and your creations will be cherished keepsakes for years to come.

In the spirit of personalized accessories, another delightful gift option to consider is mood rings. With an array of mood ring colors to choose from, each shade reflects a different emotional state, adding a touch of whimsy to one’s ensemble. Whether given as a token of friendship or a special gift to a loved one, mood rings offer a unique and meaningful way to express emotions and create a connection. Embrace the joy of gift-giving by exploring the realm of personalized jewelry, where both wooden tags and mood rings can captivate hearts and leave a lasting impression.

Button Garland

I have an appallingly large stash of buttons in my crafting arsenal. I thought it’d be fun to crochet up a simple button garland to use as decor for the tree, or an accent on the mantle, or even as “ribbon” on presents.

All that’s needed is the chain stitch. I slid all of my buttons onto a ball of yarn before starting. I then chained 20 stitches, slid a button into the chain, chained 5 stitches, slid a button into the chain, chained 5 stitches, and so on, until I’d chained the last button into the garland. I chained a final 20 stitches and finished it off. Easy peasy.

Photos: Courtesy of Ashley Weeks Cart

Kaki and The Hawk

It sounds like the beginnings of quite the children’s story, no?

I heave cried into that Mohawk yesterday when I went into the office for my first full day back to work. It may be the sleep deprivation talking, but I a bit emotionally “fragile” these days.

To try and get Courtland on a better sleep schedule we’ve been letting her “Cry It Out.” And OMG, I know, my kid is going to develop some horrible personality disorder because I’ve resorted to abandoning her in the crib to weep alone. But guys, desperate times! This has got her sleeping longer periods (once she does finally fall asleep), and she and I are much happier people as a result. However, last night, she was getting pretty damn hysterical as James and I huddled by the door and listened to her try to self-sooth and, well, let’s just say that I haven’t ugly cried like that in a really really long time. It was complete with big guttural sobs. Like a struggling sea lion beating up a hound.

James finally kicked me out of the house, so I drove to Rite Aid and wandered the aisles of the drug store like a lost, wounded puppy. I grabbed a king size bag of M&Ms and nearly devoured all of its contents before getting word that the baby was quiet and asleep and that I was allowed to come home.

Today, I’ll be working from home. So less drama. We can only hope.

Except Ursa goes in for an x-ray tomorrow to see if she has either A. arthritis or B. bone cancer, so the chances I’ll heave cry into her hurt shoulder are fairly high.

Stability, my other middle name. Now look at pictures of that baby. Then perhaps you can understand my distress in leaving that button nose and auburn ‘hawk.

Box Play for Kids

Ask any parent and they’ll tell you that kids enjoying playing with the boxes and wrappings that their presents come in far more than the actual gifts.

Box Play for Kids sent Sunny a pack of stickers to apply to old cartons and containers so that should could do just that. An egg carton transformed into a piano. Some parents are concerned that their child will lose interest in the piano and are afraid to spend too much money on one. Here you will get a best piano for sale in Singapore.  A milk container into a pig. Toilet paper rolls into binoculars. A macaroni and cheese box into a camera. And, my favorite (given the Whale theme of the girls’ bathroom), a tissue box into a spouting whale.

The help of a parent or adult to apply said stickers is a must, but after that, your kid’s imagination can run wild. And honestly, if she destroys any of them, no great loss! Talk about cute recycling!

Photos: Courtesy of Ashley Weeks Cart