Creating Your Own Christmas Ornament

Do I dare mention the C word already, but do you realize that Christmas is less than 90 days away? Isn't that a scary thought!

The reason I brought it up is because I actually have a glass Christmas ornament to show you today. No, don't be impressed, I am not ahead of schedule, I have to admit I am behind. You see, this is part of a wedding gift for a young couple who got married in July. But I didn't know about the idea back then so I'm going to send it to them belatedly. Thank goodness I kept their wedding invitation.

I took the picture a little bit off center so that you could see the printing on the 

ribbon. I thought it would be fun for them to have a special ornament for their 

first Christmas as a married couple.

I cut up the invitation using a border punch and rolled each strip around a pencil, 

creating spirals. There were not enough pieces to fill the large ball, so I used

gift-wrapping ribbon as filler. A smaller ball might have been better!  

Printing on ribbon is a tutorial in itself that I will be featuring tomorrow.

So this is an easy gift idea that you can make for

an occasion for which you receive an invitation or announcement,

such as a graduation, baby shower or birth (you could put in both).

For a wedding you could include the Save the Date announcement.

Freebie Friday

Today I want to spotlight a great website, One Pretty Thing,

 featuring DIY Craft Tutorials, including 11 pages of free downables.

The website is categorized into roundups such as :

• April Fool's
• Bath and Beauty
• Charity--ways crafters are raising $$
• Gifts for co-workers
• Gifts for geeks
• Gifts for grandparents
• Gifts for pets and their people
• Winter decorating--(one article is "Warm up a winter room with these cozy ideas from BHG")

The list goes on and on and there are articles, not just tutorials. The site is easy to navigate, and I think you might like it. So check it out, and see if it doesn't take you some idea you can use. I hope so!

Baker's Twine: Finding a Practical Way to Store It

I love, love, love my Baker's Twine! The colors are luscious and I enjoy using it on cards and in gift-wrapping. 

I have purchased all the colors in the smaller quantities, so as much as I liked the idea of using a sugar dispenser to host the bolts, I came up with a more practical way to store the smaller skeins.

This is a Parmesan Cheese Shaker that I repurposed to hold six skeins.

There is still enough room inside of the container for the twine to be pulled out

as you are using it without getting tangled with the other colors.

View my Linky Parties Page to see where I am participating this week
with my original idea for storing Baker's Twine. 

I rounded up some of the other creative ideas I have spotted on

Pinterest for storing ribbon, thread, and twine-- 

you know all those "tie-ables" that we crafters couldn't live without!

Muli-tiered pants hanger @ Creating Keepsake Blog

Optical disc spindles @ Makezine.com

 Metal funnels @ Martha Stewart.com

Plastic bin @ Spunky Junk

Homemade thread dispenser from Russia @ The New Museum

Soda straw dispenser @ All People Quilt.com

Tic Tac dispenser @ Cut Out and Keep

Small hardware store bins @ All People Quilt.com.

Shoe holder @ Celes :) tambien cose!

 Flowerpot string dispenser @ Martha Stewart.com

 Doll pins (aka old-style clothes pins) @ ECAB

Are there any ideas here that you can incorporate in your craft room
to help you keep your ribbon, twine, and string more organized?

This, That, and The Other

Someone asked me yesterday if these two bracelets I made were

for a child. No, this is the size of my wrist. I have often said, 

"Why do my wrist and fingers have to be petite?

Why couldn't it have been something more important

like my legs or upper arms??" Oh well...

So {easy jewelry-making} is my latest handicraft, but I have not 

given up card making, honest! This is just a slight diversion.

Thought I'd also show you the

{Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus}

I made last night. Yummy!

1. Take asparagus and break them at their natural breaking point.
2. Coat lightly with olive oil.
3. Take about 4-6 spears, depending on thickness, and wrap with a strip of prosciutto.
4. Sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt and pepper. Bake in 425 degree oven for 10 minutes.

 Note: You can do this with green beans too.

{Organizational and Storage Kitchen Idea} 

For years I have used a {wire dish rack to store lids to left-over containers}

in a lower kitchen cabinet. I have never found anything that keeps them 

more accessible to the containers, and at the same time keeps them easy to 

see and separates them so they are not piled on top of each other. 

Works great for me. Maybe it will be an

idea for you too if  this is a problem in your kitchen. 

Hope you are having a great week-end!

 

Thank you so much for stopping by.

 

And if you were so kind as to have left 

a comment I especially appreciate it

because then I know that you were here!

My Friday

I have spent the last two days learning how to make two bracelets at the new beading store in town. I will take a picture of them and show them to you tomorrow.

Then I went to Walmart for a few groceries and also bought a thin black scarf. I am trying to pull some of my pieces of clothing together to make up a fall wardrobe that might have a little bit of style to it. I am hoping that some scarves and jewelry will help! I would not know what to do with this scarf if it were not for the help of these awesome tutorials that you can find here and here. I also found an amazing YouTube Video on 25 Ways to Tie a Scarf that I hope I have correctly linked you to.

For Freebie Friday, I wanted to turn you on to The Vintage Workshop. Amy offers free vintage graphics several times a week and projects ideas. You can subscribe to her blog so that you won't miss out on any of these lovely graphics. Here's the one for today:

  

Isn't she lovely?

"Remember that no time

is ever wasted that makes

two people better friends."

--Anonymous 

When in Doubt Wear Red

I was going through My Pictures folder and found this craft fair

item that I have never showed you. I found these cheese boards

and spreaders at Michael's and bought the cocktails napkins 

in the clearance aisle at Pier 1 Imports. 

What would I ever do without my Spellbinder nestabilities?

They were one of my best sellers!

Reverse "Mask"ing

I used a classic Spellbinders rectangle to "achieve a reverse mask on my card."

 

I placed it in the middle of a piece of copy paper, 

the same size as the piece of card stock I was going to stamp on.

Here is what it looked like once it was cut out.

.

I placed it over the piece of card stock
and taped down both pieces so they did not move around.
It is best NOT to use textured card stock so that you get a crisp, clear, stamped image.

Stamp your image, applying a lot of pressure.

I used a Stampin' Up background stamp. 

Remove the mask and embellish.

I attached the 4 x 5-1/4" piece to a card base measuring 4-1/4 x 5-1/2", 

using dimensional foam tape. I like the white on white look, don't you?

"Reverse masking" is a fun technique that can create a clean and simple card.

Things to remember when "making a reverse masking card"--

• Use copy paper for your mask as you want it to lay flat when putting it over the card stock.
• Use smooth card stock for your stamping so you get a crisp, clear, stamped image
• Use a juicy ink pad.

Here is an image from Real Simple that I thought was appropriate since we are talking about "masks," and you know I always like to talk about friends.

Image by Tara Donne

"The most I can do

for my friend is

simply be his

friend."

--Henry David Thoreau

Is It Friday Yet?

Mr. Monster Migraine has been paying me a visit the last two days so I will be brief today.

But today is Freebie Friday so I did want to share with you two wonderful sites that have a tons of "free digital images, graphics, and sentiments" for you to use in a number of ways.

Create with TLC offers "free digital graphics, scrapbook paper and word art" that can be used not only for cardmaking but also for such projects as:

• tags
• packaging and gift wrapping
• invitations
• scrapbooking
• magnets
• candy wrappers and party favors

Pauline has freebies almost everyday that are easy to download. She also has a wonderful selection of "digi stamps for sale."

Wild@Heart has "free graphics such as vintage journals cards, note cards,
pillow boxes, take out boxes, tags, and recipes cards."

Tania sells her beautiful images but has "freebie friday" every week.
Click HERE to see her lovely "hydrangea rose pillow box" offered today.

It wouldn't take much paper or ink to print out a
set of vintage crockery recipe cards (with recipes)
and give as a unique gift.

Or package a little gift in a butterfly takeout box
or the hydrangea rose pillow box to make it really special!

Or if you already have the gift and the gift bag, why not print off
one of these Happy Birthday  or Vintage Fashion  tags??


Have a wonderful week-end, my friends, and thanks for stopping by.

Butterfly Birthday Moments

I created the background on this card by using Fluid Chalk inks on matte whitte cardstock. Starting with the darkest color, I sponged ink randomly, then moved on to the next color, ending in the lightest color. Then I heat set it before proceding. That piece measured 3-1/2 by 5-1/2, but I did extra for the smaller background pieces. I stamped the butterfly in Maroon and mounted it on Bazill Velvet, measuring 4 x 6. The other inks are Tangerine, Warm Red, and Warm Violet. It's ok to leave a little white showing.

The butterfly piece measures 3-1/2 x 1-1/2 and is clear embossed. The Bazill Velvet is 4 x 2 and is raised with pop dots. Butterfly by Cozy Cats Stamps.

The sentiment is by Hero Arts and is also clear embossed. The piece measures 2-1/2 by 1-1/4 and the purple piece is 3 x 1-3/4, also popped up.

The card base is Bazill Watermelon and the card measures 5 x 7.  

These are some of my favorite colors. What are yours?

Most Popular Pin

Good Monday afternoon. Our company has left and I am trying to recover from all of the activities! Also washing sheets, towels and getting ready for the next round of guests who will be arriving in 10 days. I think that will be the last of them for this summer. It has been a busy one to say the least!

I haven't been making as many cards as usual by relying on my stash to get me through the summer. That's a good thing in that I am using them up but it means I haven't had as many things to show you. I have also takien up beading which I said I WASN''T going to do. But there is a new bead store in town and they have be offering free classes or just charging $5 so it is difficult not to take advantage of that before I go back to my other home in a few weeks.

I have also been spending way too much time on Pinterest! Have you too? It is so fun to see what others are repinning from my pin boards. You are notified by email, if you wish, everytime someone likes a pin, repins a pin, or starts to follow you.

I thought I would show you what the most popular repin of mine has been. It is surprising because it was just an image that I found interesting and beautiful and pinned it to my pin board named YOU COLOR MY WORLD. It has been repinned 35 times ( and 4 likes.)

I have found some wonderful tutorials, party ideas, recipes, projects,

hoousehold tips and tricks, new gadgets, garden ideas, and so much more

via of Pinterest. 

So if you haven't checked it out yet,

here's a good place to start.

 

There's going to come a day when I'll actually get to some of these great projects! 

Unusual Week

This has been an usual and special week at our house. Both of our grown and married children have been here and we have shared special moments. Their spouses did not accompany them due to other commitments so it has just been the four of us for the first time in a very long time. We watched home movies that I had transferred onto a DVD. They saw themselves as babies and toddlers, as well as a grandmother and aunt whom they never had the pleasure of knowing.

I hope you will understand my absence on the blog, but I will have some good recipes to share with you that we made this week, along with a tutorial for lavender-scented salve that my daughter and I made yesterday.

  Book review

 

The Paris Wife is a historical fiction about the life of Hadley Richardson, 

Ernest Hemingway's first wife, written in her voice, and the seven chaotic years
of their marriage. It takes place in Paris in the 1920's, when Ernest was just

starting out as a struggling writer and partying with such people as Gertrude Stein

and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Hadley is an interesting character who remains 

supportive while trying to find her own self-worth and identity as her

egotistical husband rises to fame.  

The other members of my book club enjoyed the book and I did slso.

It would be one that I would recommend to you.

Freebie Friday

In keeping with the theme of The Paris Wife:

French Clip art at Art by Julie H.

20's style clip art by Art by Julie H.

Free tags by Art by Julie H.

Happy Labor Day

Just a quick kitchen gadget to tell you about today. 

It's a nifty can opener called the OneTouch--perhaps you've seen it on TV.

Place it on top of any size can, press the button, and in seconds,

it cuts beneath the surface of the lid so the sides are smooth leaving

no sharp edges. It stops automatically and lifts off the lid with a magnet.

It uses 2 AA batteries. You can find it at Bed Bath and Beyond for $19.99.

Watch the demo and see it in action!  

 I see it can even be purchased on Amazon.

I have to remind myself that Amazon 

is not just for books.

I love my OneTouch!

Books

Tomorrow is book club so I decided to post my book review of The Paris Wife after our discussion.

Hope you are having a wonderful Labor Day.

If you are on the road, safe travels. 

"I have friends in overalls whose

friendship I would not swap for

the favor of the kings of the world."

--Thomas A. Edison

Beef Tenderloin witn Peppercorns

I've made this twice now and both times it has turned out very well so I would say that it more than just a coincidence! We are usually not one to cook a steak inside, but this is good, indeed! Therefore, I am passing it on to you.

Beef Tenderloin with Peppercorns

2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns--rolling pin is good for this

2 beef tenderloin steaks

2 T. butter

1 tsp. flour

salt and ground pepper to taste

2 tsp. butter

1/3 cup half & half, light cream, or whole milk

1 T. horseradish mustard

1. Sprinkle cracked black pepper evenly over both sides of each steak; press in with your fingers.

2. In a heavy 8-inch skillet, melt the 2 T. butter over medium high heat. Add the steaks; cook, uncovered, to desired doneness, turning once. (If steaks brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium.).

3. Allow 10-13 min. for medium rare (145degrees F.) to medium (160 degrees F.).

4. While steaks are cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, melt the 2 tsp. butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and dash of black pepper. Add half and half all at once. Cook and stir for one minute. Stir in horseradish mustard. Remove from heat.

5. Spoon sauce over prepared steaks . Serve with vegetables and potato of choice.

Kick Back and Relax

Here's one of my semi-homemade cards using 2 DCWV pre-made cards, one of which I cut up and used on top of the other. I cut the olive back from the second card 4-1/2" by 3-1/4." Then I laid that in the center of the second card front, traced around it, and cut 1/4" inside that line on all four sides. There was a piece left from that to use behind the sentiment. The sentiment is from My Favorite Things(MFT) stamp set Let's Hear It For The Boys, which now comes in digital  for $3.00.

Freebie Friday

Bird Cage Digi Stamps

 

Chandelier Digi Stamps

These are just two examples of the vast number of beautiful free digi stamps

by Sherri K. Designs available to you. Check them out.

They are in zip form and can be unzipped by using a password

that is given in the post.

Tomorrow I have a yummy recipe and a book review to share!