Christmas Elving... Part 2

Delivery #2...

Remember back when I was working on making Penny Rugs and felted wool phone pouches... well, I've decided that I truly enjoy working with these materials. I began doing on research online looking for a place to buy wool felt and the needed supplies. I found a neat site called Prairie Point Junction where you can buy felt, embroidery floss, and patterns for all sorts of different projects.

Around the time I found this site my family pulled names for our annual Christmas exchange... I picked out my Aunt Nancy's name and knew immediately that I wanted to make her something. I looked around  the website for an idea and found a pattern that didn't look too complicated, but was still cute and fun. I am not quite sure what you call it... it's not a table runner, but something to put in the center of a table. It took me about a week to follow all the steps. Soaking and drying the wool, ironing, copying the pattern onto freezer paper, cutting, assembling, and finally sewing. It is a nice project
for the evenings, especially when it is cold outside.

I am excited about how it turned out. I learned a bunch of new techniques for how to make certain kinds of stitches. I found many helpful tutorials on "You Tube" when I got stuck and needed some help. I have already returned to the site looking for a new projects. You'll have to check back for future reveals.

Here it is...

Christmas Elving... part 1

This Elf has made delivery #1...  

I baked a couple of different cookies to share with my coworkers this year.  I made "Spice Cookies" and "M&M... the BEST ever" cookies. The recipe says they are the best ever... and they truly are... if you want the recipe I will share. 

The "Spice Cookies" are for rolling out and shaping with cookie cutters. I decided to use a gingerbread man... I was able to get 4 dozen cookies without throwing the rolling pin out the window.  I haven't had the best track record in the past... but I am realizing the more I practice the better I get... hmmm? Something I tell my students all the time, I guess some lessons take a little longer to learn. 

Delicious! Crispy and just the right amount of spice! 

Small plastic bags, cute paper and a little snowflake bling! 

I also made Christmas cards to share. Here they are... This might be the only chance to see handcrafted cards of the season. I just ran out of time. 

Maybe I'll be green and go digital!

May your Christmas be filled with Joy. 

I can't show you....

but this elf is very busy. 

I am trying a few new things this year and keeping on top of some Auntie traditions.

I am even attempting a sewing project.... and it is going okay!  The sewing machine hasn't been thrown out the window... yet. 

Look for updates after Christmas! 

Happy Holiday Crafting! 

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Erika! 

Happy Birthday...

To my brother, brother-in-law, and uncle.... 

Happy Birthday! 

(I got a little lazy... and all 3 guys got the same design. Hope they don't mind!)

The best and worst kind of card...

I understand that death is a part of life, but not a fun part. I have always struggled with the right words to say and so usually I avoid and say nothing. I am trying to get beyond that and send a card when someone has lost someone close to them....

I think they are the best and worst kind of card. They are meant to encourage during a time of sorrow. I have decided I do not like making sympathy cards, but will make them anyway.

"There's an opportune time to do things. a right time for everything on earth: A right time to birth and another for death... a right time to cry and another to laugh, a right time to lament and another to cheer..." Ecclesiastes 3 (The Message)

22....

Happy Birthday to my dear sweet baby sister.... She is not so much a baby any more! She just started her senior year of college!!!  She has grown into a beautiful young woman with an even bigger heart. She has a contagious laugh and a smile to light up any room. 

I am glad to call her my SISTAH!!! 

Happy 1st Birthday!

How cute is this guy??? 

Noah's birthday party was this weekend. 

It was so fun watching Noah eat his cake... open his gifts.... 

and chase after his balloons! 

Happy Birthday Noah! 

Phone Pouch

While on vacation this summer Erika and I escaped for a couple of hours and got lost in  a favorite store in Tuftonboro, New Hampshire called Apple Hill. 

While we were there I found these... 

They are little pouches for a phone. I fell in love with them immediately... but when I looked at the price tag I couldn't justify spending the money. I took a picture and was determined to go home and make my own. 

Well.. it turns out it was not as easy as the picture make them out to be... but like I said I was determined. What I liked about this project was even though I am not great at sewing I could stitch it together by hand and make it work... But at the same time because I don't have a clue how to really sew, I wasn't able to figure out how to make the fabric lining. And.... the sewing helpline I use wasn't available... so I decided to proceed without the lining, saving me a lot of time and frustration. 

Here's mine... 

The wool came from some sweaters  I had felted back in February to make these hearts.  The sweaters were a nice shade of "Scarlet" and "Gray"... so I ended up with an Ohio State color combination... Go Bucks! 

Happy Birthday Nancy

To the "greatest" on her birthday.

Jewelry Frames

A creative way to keep track of all my jewelry... 

(Thanks Sarah H. for the idea)

So far I am using them for earrings... 

I am planning to add larger frames to organize my necklaces and bracelets. 

Hi!

 One of my favorites. A simple hi.

Penny Rugs

My sister shared with me a blog post she found about an interesting craft... and instantly I fell in love with the idea. It is called a Penny Rug. I have seen examples of Penny Rugs in antique/primitive/country shops and always thought I'd like to have one. After reading the post I realized I could make them myself. 

Here is my first Penny Rug: 

Adventures in Relish Making

Summer is the time for adventure. I spend my summer with my family and friends back in New England. There are so many great places to travel for the weekend or even a day. I filled the last seven weeks to the brim with all kinds of adventures. One of my favorite adventures took place last week in my Aunt's kitchen. Together with Rebecca (my sister), Julia (my cousin) and Nancy (my aunt) we made Green Tomato Relish using my grandmother's recipe.

We went to a local farm with a five gallon bucket in hand. They sent us out to the field and showed us where to  pick the green tomatoes. We cut up lots of tomatoes, green peppers, and onions. The recipe calls for grinding up the vegetables. We (and by we I mean Julia... ) used my grandmother's hand grinder and then mixed everything up together. The mixture went into the fridge overnight. Early the next morning, Nancy got up and poured salt over the vegetables. Four hours later we were ready to combine all the spices, sugar and vinegar together on the stove... add the vegetables... and then can our bounty. 18 jars later we finished jarring up the relish. 

It was so fun to work together and produce something handcrafted. It was also great to learn how to can from Nancy... she always has great things to teach and I thank her for a wonderful "Auntie Adventure" and her willingness to share and pass down family traditions.

Here are a few pictures from the "Adventure in Relish Making":

Yum! 

Cooling Down with a "Coolie"!

During vacation at the lake "Grammy" pulled out her sewing machine to make a craft. She had bought this thing you wrap around your neck to help keep cool on hot days.  She wanted to recreate it... I read a blog post last summer with the same project idea. I bought all the supplies,  and managed to make one with my mediocre sewing skills. Sewing and I don't have the best track record. So when "grammy" suggested the craft I was all for it!

The "Coolie" is made with fabric and "Cracked Ice Crystals''. The crystals are small hard rocks, but when soaked in water they swell several times their original size. We created a long narrow tube with small chambers to hold the crystals. We deposited about a half of a teaspoon into each compartment and sealed the tube. 

Once it was sealed and everything was trimmed and pretty... we soaked the "Coolie" for about 15 minutes in a bowl of water. Then it was ready for trying out! By the end of the morning we made 5 "Coolies". 

They are great for the beach and the boat or just laying on the couch on a hot day!

"Grammy" working her magic!

Before Soaking in Water

After Soaking in Water

A very happy COOL kid!

Cake Decorating 101

I have discovered something I have no desire to dabble in... Cake Decorating with Fondant.  I will leave this to my dear sweet sister, Heather. I do not have the patience to deal with the preciseness needed to complete the various stages. I did learn that I am good moral support during the 4 hours needed to complete a birthday cake for a cute little girl who just turned 1! 

Here are the pictures I took to document the stages...  I give Heather an A+ for her first attempt in fondant cake decorating!

1st bake cakes and ice with a thin,
smooth layer of buttercream frosting.

Kneed and Dye Fondant (you will need elbow grease...)

Roll out the fondant...
(1/4 inch thick... measure diameter of the cake, plus the
 height and add two inches for wiggle room...)

Make sure you have a good supply of powered
sugar and keep moving and flipping the fondant
so it doesn't stick to your work surface! 

Carefully move fondant to the cake
smoothing and forming it to the cake.

Cut off excess fondant.

Repeat the process if you are daring or
crazy enough to add more tiers.

Come up with a creative way to hide the seem.

This is where I helped... otherwise Heather might
still be working on this cake!

Use cookie cutters to make pretty designs to
decorate the top and sides of your cake.

Ta-Da! 
Four hours later and you have a very pretty cake!

Carlene loved it!

She also enjoyed how it tasted!

So, if you are brave, daring, and very patient... give fondant a go! But, it you are like me leave it to the professionals or someone like my sister!