A quick bookish project

So, playing with my beading supplies, and ways to use the odd bits of leftover ribbon I've got stashed, and found this idea online.  There are tons of variations, of course, as simple as it is.  Searching on Etsy provides multiple ideas, as well as searches on Pinterest or in the blogosphere.  Flamingo Toes, for example, is a crafting inspiration favorite of mine (and has more than one version, as you see), but there are tons of others too.  Everyday Beauty by Andrea Singarella , Adventures of a DIY Mom, A Creative Life by Debbie Saenz, Rings & Things, Shelterness, Country Living, Intimate Weddings... the list goes on.  Oh, not all those are instruction sites - some are just finished projects or photos of things available in their shops.  Still, as simple a project as this is, that's really enough.

The instructions can be found on several of those websites, or at least variations thereof.  A lot of the variation comes in the attachment of the beads to the ribbon - are beads on both ends of the ribbon?  Are they attached by crimp bead or by larkshead knot or sewn into a fold in the ribbon?  More personalization can be added by the ribbon and bead choices.  Fancier ones use velvet ribbons and sparkly beads or old jewelry findings.  I used what I had in my stash :)

  

So what did I do?

1. Start with a length of ribbon that is longer than the book(s) you would be using it with.  I just used the lengths I had left on some of these (I was stash-busting after all).
2. Add a ribbon clamp to each end.  Ribbon clamps can be found at jewelry or craft supply stores, or just big-box stores.  They come in different widths, usually corresponding to standard ribbon widths.  I think I got a multi-size pack from Wal-Mart, so it doesn't have to be fancy if you don't want it to be.
3. Add beads to the loop on the ribbon clamp.  These are just attached on head pins, like I attach dangles to my stitch markers.

And, ta-da!  All done and in use!

 

The Penguin crochets now too!*

*more accurately, the Penguin CAN crochet, though she definitely still prefers to knit.

 

 

One of the programs we have at our library is a knitting and crocheting program.  Knitters meet in the evenings on 1st Tuesdays, crocheters on the 3rd.  Mostly basic learn-the-craft type instructions, but that's all good too.  Everyone has to start somewhere, right?  And no, I actually don't run them. My shifts are usually during the day, because of my own programs and duties, and we have another knitter on staff who leads these groups.

 

Last month, it looked like there'd be a night where I actually did have to lead the group, though.  And of course, it wasn't the knitting night.  It was the crocheting.  So I had to brush the rust off and fill in some gaps in my crafting knowledge.  It's only a beginning group, like I said, but I still need to be able to answer questions, right?  The way things turned out that week, I didn't need to cover the group's meeting after all, but that wasn't before I'd already knocked out two and a half dishcloths relearning the crochet stitches!

 

Not wasted time and effort though, since I might have to cover one or the other group again in the future (the only other needlecrafter on staff), and it gave me the motivation to actually figure out crocheting.  I've known the basics (in theory, not in practice) for a few years now.  I am comfortable making a chain, and using crocheting to edge my knitting or to seam it or to add tassels or something.  But an actual crocheted object?  Not until now...

 

 

One of the biggest hurdles was the act itself, not just making the stitch.  You hold a crochet hook usually one of two ways: like a pencil or like a butter knife.  This is INCREDIBLY awkward for a lefty holding a hook in her right hand.  It took a good bit of repetition to just feel remotely comfortable doing that motion alone!  Why don't I just use my left hand, you ask?  Because as I'm re-teaching myself, I'm depending on images and videos online or in magazines; I don't have someone I can easily ask in person.  And there are many, many more righty directions than lefty.  So, to make my movements match the directions, I have to use my right hand (easier to do than trying to mirror everything while still learning).  Plus, whenever I feel brave enough to try a crochet pattern, that'll be written for someone using their right hand.  I've learned to transpose my knitting directions as needed, but I'm not quite ready to do that crocheting!

 

So what did I actually make? 

 

 

I ended up making 5 dishcloths (4 shown above - the 5th is just another round one like the 4th).  For the first three, I chained about 20-25 stitches, then worked a stitch until the piece was dishcloth-sized.  Left to right below (and above, actually), we have a single crochet square dishcloth, a double crochet, and a treble (triple) crochet. The single and treble crochet squares actually came out pretty neatly.  I don't know what happened to the double crocheted one, coming out wonky like that.  I mean, I know it's because my stitch count changed between rows, but why I was not tracking... a mystery for the ages.  Probably got too absorbed in the episode of whatever I was watching!  :)  Still, very good practice and it's perfectly functional as a dishcloth.

 

   
 

The last two were ones worked in the round.  I found a basic diagram and just worked it in single crochet until, again, it was dishcloth-sized.  I'd provide the link, like I always try to, but I probably couldn't find it again if I tried.  It's a pretty basic crochet-in-the-round circle, though, nothing too fancy.  And like I said, I made two round ones.

 

 

Overall, yes, I do definitely prefer knitting.  My hands got more tired crocheting than they do with knitting.  When I knit, I don't turn my work; I'm always looking at the right side.  This is a little unusual, but it also means that I'm not ALWAYS doing the same movement.  Gives my hands a little bit of a break, which means that I can keep going longer without getting sore or stiff.  In practical terms, I can knit through a whole movie without feeling cramped or stiff, not just a TV episode (standard units of measuring time, right?).  Crochet uses the same motion all the time, and always with my right hand.  And I probably grip my hook a little tightly too.  A consequence of still learning and being a bit unsure of what I'm doing.  Perfectly understandable, but it is more tiring on the hand.  It's like writing really long essays by hand, if you remember those days in school.  Your hand just gets tight and stiff and a little sore if you keep pushing it.  That's how crocheting was for me.

And in general, I like the knit stitch and it's resulting fabrics better than I like the crocheted equivalents.  Not that there aren't cute or pretty crocheted pieces.  Just in general, I prefer the look of knitted fabrics.  Personal preference, so just take it for the quirk it is!

 

 

Still, crocheting is very fast, and can use up a lot of yarn very quickly (the crochet stitch uses more yarn per stitch than the knit or purl stitch does).  Perfect for gifts or for using up craft acrylic or dishcloth cotton!  And it is always nice to have another crafting skill under my belt, just in case I want to make that super cute amigurumi...

Requisite kitty-crafting picture, you ask?  Take a look at the very first picture.  Yes, those are kitten toes at the edge of the frame.  Scruffy has to investigate anytime I'm taking pictures of my crafting stuff, but I was able to snap the shot before he decided he wanted to sit on it to gain my attention. :)

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everybody! The weather has finally cooled off, it's Friday, and we've finished some larger projects at work, so I'm in a pretty festive mood right now.  Festive tidings to all! Or... BOO!  Or whatever one says on Halloween :) 

Right now, Zach is unfortunately working an evening duty, so I'm chattering away here and watching the trick-or-treaters come 'round. 

We've had some fun this year too - our first Jack-o-lantern!  Between one thing and another (mostly crazy work schedules) we've really only started celebrating Halloween since we got to Texas.  Was a harder holiday to make work in California (like I said, work schedules).  But since being in Texas, we've been able to have trick-or-treaters each year, and this year, a Jack-o-lantern too!  

 

To quote Calvin and Hobbes, "Ok, Jack, time for your lobotomy!"

   

And all done and lit!  Fun fun!!

 

And of course, with pumpkin carving, comes toasted pumpkin seeds.  My first time in years making them, so here's the recipes I found.  And my notes, so I don't forget next year :)

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Recipe from Simply Recipes

Ingredients

• Pumpkins seeds
• Water
• Salt
• Olive oil

Directions

1. Scoop out the innards of your pumpkin.  It's easiest to do this if you cut the top off, to get access.  If you're making a Jack-o-lantern, as we were, you're doing this already, so just set the goopy pumpkin insides to the side until you are ready to shift from pumpkin-carving to pumpkin-toasting.  I suppose if you're multitasking, you could start the seed prep-work as you carve, but we were both focused on the carving.  Seeds had to come later.  :)
2. Wash the seeds.  You'll need to do this by hand, in order to separate the seeds from the stringy bits.  Use the colander; it will help.   And yes, your hands will be pretty messy.
3. Measure the pumpkin seeds in a cup measure before you place them in a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt to the pan for every 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds. Add more salt if you prefer your seeds on the saltier side.  According to Simply Recipes, boiling the seeds in salt water before you toast them lets the salt permeate the seeds, instead of just sitting on top of the shell (like it would if you simply tossed the seeds in oil and salt before toasting).  
4. Bring the salted water and pumpkin seeds to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes. 
5. Remove from heat and drain well.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F. 
6. Spread some olive oil on the bottom of a roasting pan or thick baking sheet (I used a cookie sheet with a lip around the edge).  I say spread "some" because I just drizzled the oil, but Simply Recipes recommends about a teaspoon or so. 
7. Spread the seeds out over the sheet in a single layer.  
8. Toss them a bit to coat them with the oil on the pan. I used our silicone basting brush to spread the oil around and cover the seeds.  Worked well, and I didn't have to risk literally tossing my seeds across the kitchen (which is probably what would have happened!).
9. Place sheet on the top rack of your oven and bake until the seeds begin to brown.  This is the tricky part, because it could be anywhere from 5-20 minutes, depending on how big your seeds are.  Smaller  seeds may be done in 5 minutes or so, but large pumpkin seeds may take up to 20 minutes. SO!  Keep an eye on your pumpkin seeds!   I set my timer for 5 minutes at a time, and checked regularly. 
10. When lightly browned, remove the sheet from the oven and let the seeds cool. You don't have to let them cool ALL the way down before eating, but you do want them cool enough you don't burn your tongue.
11. Enjoy!

Notes, References, etc.

As I said above, I used the recipe on Simply Recipes, but there are lots of other variations on toasted pumpkin seeds, as it turns out.  Do you boil them, do you just toast them, do you use olive oil or melted butter, do you toast them on high for less time, or longer at a lower temp... lots of variations.  What I particularly liked were the flavor variations people mentioned!  Here's a sampling:

• 101 Cookbooks - Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: 3 Ways.  The variations there are Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds, Black Tea & Butter Pumpkin Seeds, and Curried Pumpkin Seeds.
• 101 Cookbooks also has a Thai-spiced pumpkin soup recipe, and Simply Recipes has several pumpkin recipes, too - if you're cooking pumpkin anyway...  ;)
• All Recipes is always a good stop.  A basic recipe, but lots of helpful comments. 
• Michael Chiarello's recipe on Food Network.com.  Again a basic recipe, but there are some good tips in the comment section (I think food websites are the only ones where I read the comments anymore!)
• Food Network Kitchens, also on Food Network.com, has a bunch of variations - Italian, barbeque, Indian... definitely a few I want to try next time!
• Food.com lists some good optional seasonings too.  Chili powder, garlic powder, cajun seasonings...

My last comment is a reminder to WATCH YOUR TOASTING!  Mine did end up a little burnt :(  Probably should have stopped at 10 minutes, instead of 12.  It's like popcorn.  Light and salty and delicious if done right, but go just a little too long when cooking, and you end up with that burnt aftertaste, like you're eating charcoal. 

So, definitely worth a repeat, and some yummy looking variations I want to try, but also learned a lesson on toasting them.  Just wait til next year!  :D

Oh So Pinteresting Wednesday: I have joined the ranks of the tutu-ed runners!

There was a Halloween-themed race in our area on Saturday last, with a separate costume contest for the Little Monsters, of course.  The bigger monsters were also encouraged to come in costume - so I did!  I've done other runs in costume, but hadn't done a tutu yet.  But they are getting really popular, so I thought, why not?

The tutu itself is incredibly simple and offers a lot of variation for costumes, theme runs, and similar silliness.  The craziest part?  People will charge $30 or more to make them, when they are SO simple to make yourself!!  So (being the cheap, crafty type that I am) I set about doing some research (Pinterest, of course) and buying some tulle :)

What you will need:

• Tulle - you'll need 2-8 yds of tulle.  Comes in tons of colors, as well as shiny and glittered varieties.  I used 2yds each of 3 colors (black, purple, shiny orange).

• It's an inexact science to figure out how much you need, but rule of thumb: More tulle = Fluffier tutu.
• You probably want the finer mesh tulle - less scratching as you're running.  But, personal preferences and all that.
• ALTERNATIVE: tulle ribbon.  These are found in the wedding/floral sections of the craft stores.  Probably need about 4 spools, judging from other instructions I found out on the Internet.  I just used tulle off the bolt - required more cutting, but cheaper and had the colors I wanted.

•  Ribbon - long enough to go around your waist and tie securely.

• ALTERNATIVE: elastic.  1/2 to 1 inch wide elastic works just fine.  Don't really want to go narrower than that - you are running in it after all, and want it to be at least a little sturdy. If you're using elastic, you'll also need needle and thread.

• Scissors 

What you do next:

1.          Cut your tulle into strips about 4 inches wide.  The strips are attached to the skirt band doubled over, so you'll want the strip lengths to be twice what you want the skirt length to be (i.e., if you want a tutu 9 inches long from the waist, cut 18 inch long strips). 

• If you are using tulle-on-a-spool, that's easy - it's already at the width you want, so you'll just cut it to the length you want.  Remember - 2x the length of the skirt.
• If you are using tulle from the bolt, fold the piece of fabric so that it is length you want, and then cut into strips.  

2.          I cut all my strips, and kept them grouped into piles by color.  I held one strip of each color in each bundle that I attached to the ribbon.  Other variations I saw made their skirts striped, so each bundle is one color only, alternating colors around the band.  All in your preference.

3.          To attach the bundles of tulle, you tie it on using your choice of knots.  Some instructions just tied on the tulle with an overhand knot, but most used the Lark's Head knot (even if they didn't know what it was called).  The Lark's Head is the 'up, over, and pull-through' knot, about as simple a knot as you can get.  Yay for learning this stuff in Girl Scouts!  I'm not going to explain it any more, because there are tons of clearer directions out there with videos and diagrams and all (including in one set of the instructions below), so I'm sure you can find one that is clear to you. 

4.          Since I was doing a no-sew version, I was attaching my tulle to a length of ribbon, long enough to go around my hips and tie.  I started attaching my tulle in the middle of the ribbon and worked out from there, adding bundles on each side.  The more tightly squeezed in your knots are, the more tulle your skirt will have, and the puffier it will be. 

5.         Keep adding tulle until you run out of space or of tulle.  I had ended up not cutting my strips evenly, so I had more orange and black than purple.  I added a few bundles of black and orange (and even just a few orange-only), but they blend right in.  There's so much color and movement in the skirt anyway, that a little unevenness like that won't show :)

6.         Ta-da!  You're done!  Go tie it on and have some fun :)

Other references I used (there are 1,000,001 different instructions for tutus out there; these are a few I looked at for research, in no particular order):

• Idiot Runner Girl 
• Sparkling Fashion 
• The Hair Bow Company
• Hyvaa Paivaa Textiles (don't worry, it's in English)
• My Happiness Redefined
• Cut Out and Keep
• Healthful MD - very good description of the Lark's Head knot too, if you're unfamiliar with it.

And then the race itself!  

The skirt was the final piece in my costume which also included striped knee-high Halloween socks and a hairband with a tiny witch's hat.  So cute, and only $1 at Target!

 

If anyone asks, I chose the ribbon with the apples because witches and poison apples and the whole deal.  But really, it was the first one I grabbed out of my stash that didn't clash completely :)

Thoughts?

• Fun, ridiculously silly, ridiculously easy - win win win!
• There are tons of ways to customize these suckers.  As I said above, you can make them striped or color-blocked, depending on how you arrange the colors.  You can add ribbon to add some contrasting color, or use strips of fabric or wide ribbon instead of the tulle to make a different kind of skirt altogether (swishy, rather than poofy).  And just playing with the colors of tulle, there are tons of options: I've seen ones with different holiday color schemes, ones for each of the Disney princesses, red ones with large white spots as part of a Minnie Mouse costume, blue ones with large stars as part of a Wonder Woman costume, lots of pink and purple ones for fairies, green ones for Tinkerbell... the list goes on and on.
• I don't know if I'd be able to run longer than a 5K in the costume I used on Saturday.  I was pretty pleased with my race time and I like the skirt, but the tulle can get bunched between your legs as you run.  I did have to walk a few moments during the last mile to rearrange my skirt.  In the future, I'd either need to make it shorter, so that it sticks out more than it drapes, or wear running tights - which it was definitely too warm for on Saturday... yay Texas :(
• All in all, though, a fun project and a fun race!

Oh So Pinteresting Wednesdays: Race Medal Displays - The Projects

So, after all this, allow me to show you what I turned out for myself.

I made one for myself, and have supplies for a second very (well, fundamentally) similar one.  It's a basic shelf with a few picture frames slots and a flat surface below where I can add hooks to hang medals.  I was really searching hard for something like this, because I wanted a chance to show off pictures (I've got some great ones of me or me and friends/family at races or other runs) and I wanted the shelf for my (2!) trophies.  This one I found in Ross, of all places. 

 

I sanded it down a little, primed and painted.  My craft room has a lot of that teal color, but I wanted to be able to hang this wherever, not just in that one room.  I removed the hooks it came with and used mug hooks instead, measuring out staggered rows to fit in as many hooks as I could.  In some of the instructions I've seen, the writer painted the cup hooks first, but I liked the brass with the dark paint, so one less step for me.  I did have to use the drill to get the holes started, but after that, I could just twist in the hooks by hand.

 

Altogether, my supplies looked like:

• Primer (in stash)
  
• Paint - Rubbed Bronze (in stash)
• Mug hooks (Home Depot)
  
• Picture shelf (Ross)
• Lots of sandpaper

So, after lots of sanding and painting and drying time, the hooks are on the shelves, the shelves are on the wall, and the medals are on the hooks.  Look nice, don't they?  And it costs way less than one of the purchased ones, leaving me extra proud of myself :)

 

You can see better in the second picture the actual size of it all, more of the wall to put it in context.  There's a little wall at the landing at the top of our stairs which is the perfect size for this.  Oh, and Zach's medals are up there as well as mine - he's got bragging rights too!

Oh So Pinteresting Wednesday: Race Medal Displays - The Research

This week, my Pinteresting project involves my race medals.  Race swag accumulates like no one's business.  Bibs, medals, assorted other paraphernalia... little mementos of these events.  And of course, you want to show off the important ones.  I've always simply pinned my medals into the wall, stacked neatly in a column down a thin section of wall (like at a doorway or something similar).  But I've been thinking more about a neater way to do it.  More transportable (we do move a good bit, after all) and fewer holes in the wall.  And yes, maybe a little easier to add new medals to, since I'm kinda particular about how neatly things are hanging.  

So, after a bit of research via Google, etsy, and Pinterest, I found some ideas for DIY medal and bib number hangers.

At airplanes and treadmills (now Janelle Runs), she put together a joint bib/medal display.  I really like the paint effect, but I'm not big on the chalkboard paint.  I'm just not big on chalkboard paint in general, though.  It's one of those things sooooo-very-common on Pinterest that I just don't do.  Like burlap and mason jars.  Still, she gives very clear directions, which I definitely like.

Pavement Runner has directions for basic bib and medal displays (separate pieces, not a combination one like above).  She stenciled her displays, instead of the reverse stenciling (is that the right term?) like at airplanes and treadmills.

The girls at Southern Color have directions for a simple display - one number and a medal or two.  Seems like it would feel cluttered with more, but for displaying goodies from one particular race, I think it'd be a nice option.

Jenny over at Love Eat Run gave her directions for a photo display medal hanger.  I really liked this one.  And, as I've mentioned before, mile 11 pictures seem to work well for me, plus I've got some post-race pictures I really like too.  Yes, I definitely have some photos to display as well as the medals.

Liz Runs has another DIY option I really like.  She took a basic coat-hanger-with-shelf and added a few more hooks to make a simple display.  I like the shelf option here - an easy place to put a few trophies or a certificate, or an additional picture or two.

Running with the Girls has a different option altogether, though no instructions.  A gift from one of her running buddies was a medal display which looks like it was based off of a decorative small curtain rod.  A little different from the other options I've found, which focus on pegs instead.  Too bad there aren't instructions, but it was a gift, after all.  Found a similar one on etsy at Inspirational Piece - still no instructions, but a little bit bigger picture.

Finally, if after all this, you're still not sure you want to make your own version, there are numerous places online to find neat displays.  

• Gone for a Run has some lovely metal ones (my favorites are the I Run This Town series)  A nice point to this style is the extender bars - definitely a plus.  Gone for a run also has clips for the ribbons, to pin back extra ribbon as they are hanging on a display - a little more subtle than paper clips or binder clips!  The custom display option is there, as well.
• Sport Hooks (Heavy Medalz) has a whole bunch of Rock & Roll Marathon Series displays.  Yes I do have a couple of R&R medals (3 VB, 1 AZ, 1 San Diego) but I have a lot of other race medals too.  And yes, it would bother me to be hanging other medals on a R&R display.  I'm like that though - it would also bother me to have half medals on a rack labeled for full marathons, and vice versa.  Still, they are neat looking displays.
• Allied Medal Displays has some more very pretty, sleek metal options.  I really like their 50 States-50 Marathon designs (or 50 Half Marathons, too).  And the "give a girl the right pair of shoes" one too.  They also do custom displays.  Of course, custom = more money.  The eternal trade-off.
• In View Designs is more of the shadow-box style display, instead of wall-mounted racks.  A little different, but still pretty nice.
• Made 4 Medals has another different style of display.  This one might be easy to recreate, too.  I like this one, too, as it's a bit neater looking than simply hanging the medals.  Maybe one day I'll sit down and try to figure out how to do it.
• There are tons of etsy options (a quick search just now for "marathon medal display" turned up over 200 results). They have ones from metal workers, wood carvers, crafty types... you name it. 
• Running on the Wall is an etsy shop I particularly want to point out - TONS of varieties of displays.  They've got lots of different size and color and quote combinations.  Other sports are available too (triathlon, swimming, hockey, wrestling, custom...).  I particularly like their "13.1: Only Half Crazy" one :)
• Running Hutch has another purchase-able option - a belt or tie rack.  The one she found also has a shelf on it, for pictures or trophies.
• Anchors Aweigh doesn't list instructions or sells them herself, but this is her Top 10 list of displays, and I liked a bunch of them, so I wanted to include the link.  My favorites are the funny ones ("I got suckered into another one" and "Whose idea was it to add the 0.2?")  
• Anchors Aweigh also had another Pinterest idea for race medals - making magnets from them!  I tracked down two sets of instructions - from Everybody Loves VD and from Deemed Legally Fit.  I don't know if I'd do this, though.  Several of my medals have really pretty ribbons, and a couple are reeeeeally heavy, so would need a bunch of magnets to keep them up.  And then, I write the date and time of the race on the back of the medal, too, so that I can remember and see my progress.  So, don't know if I'd ever make the medal magnets, but still a neat idea.

So now that I see where I want to go with this, let's get started!   (To be continued!!)

Fun with Scissors and Spray Paint!

When we first moved out here, Zach had some pretty long days, busy with all sorts of trainings and new duties and whatever.  Which meant I was left home alone to be crafty! That was 3 years ago now, so as kinda an anniversary post, here are some projects that I did soon after we moved here.  Yup, another 'finally writing it up' sort of project :)  I don't really have instructions for these, or step-by-step pictures, though, just a lot of chatter about what I did.  

First up, I finally got around to recovering my pin boards.  I've collected pins for years, as swaps at conferences, or as souvenirs from places I've traveled or events I've participated in.  I've got them from all over, and display them on fabric-covered cork boards.  I started with just one, but have expanded my original single board into a whole wall-full! 

The picture above (with the blue fabric) is from our place in CA.  After 3 and a half years in a VERY sunny area, even with blinds on the window, the fabric had faded a good bit, especially on the largest board.  So they were due for a rework.  Also, the colors in the room the boards hang in now did NOT match the pastel blue that worked so well before.  Definitely reasons to rework these.

So, first up, I undid the old blue fabric.  The fabric tucks under the frame around the cork, so just needed to be pulled away.  Once the frames were bare, I repainted them a nice satin-finish black.

I used white-on-white patterned fabric to cover the boards.  I have 3 sizes of boards, the small and medium size ones shown with my pins, and the large one with my necklaces shown further down the post here.  All the board frames were repainted with the same black paint, but each size has a different fabric on them.  Not really noticeable in a picture like this, but I like it in person.  I was hoping to find a black-on-white fabric, but the only ones I could find were cow splotches and large damask prints (too busy and too much black for what I want to display) or tiny polka dots (the right size, but if I didn't get the rows lined up just so, I'd have driven myself batty looking at it - yes I am that nit-picky).  So, white-on-white it was!

Yes, I realize that several of the boards have only a handful of pins on them, but they are also divided up by category, to a mild extent.  So, international pins are on one board, academic pins are on another, military pins are a third, Hard Rock Cafe guitars are another, and sports pins are a fifth.  The two bigger ones are the general pins from US travel (also knitting and Scouts, since those also included US places).  They're much more full now than when this picture was taken. We've been out and about!  :) So yes, there is a method to the madness!

The necklace organizer below was recovered at the same time and in the same way as the pin boards - new black paint and new white fabric.  I used it while we were in CA, but had never covered it, just left it as a giant cork board.  It was hanging in the closet after all.  Now that it's in the room instead of closet, I definitely wanted it to look nicer, so paint and fabric it was!  Even covered, though, mine's still pretty basic.  You can see all sorts of pretty ones on Pinterest, though.  Tons of variation!  The lace-covered ones for hanging earrings are really pretty, but as I don't have earrings... 

The accent L on my necklace board is just a little extra I added.  The letter is one of the 99 cent ones from the craft store (Hobby Lobby, I think), with 3 thumbtacks attached to the back.  This lets the letter act as one giant push-pin and I can position it wherever I wanted on the board.  Then the whole letter-pin was painted black to match the frame.  I just use clear push pins to hang my necklaces on the board.  So much neater than necklaces forming tangles in my jewelry box!

 

So, yeah, not too much in this post, just me being proud of my painting skills and (tiny) organizing efforts. And hey, 3 years in TX now - less than 3 to go!

Colorado Trip: Craft Time!

Of course there was tons of knitting over the week.  Goes without saying with Sarah and I!  But we also played with new projects!

One of Sarah's projects lurking on her to-do list (and mine too!) was to make bath bombs and bath melts.  She had found a Craftsy course ("Blissful Bath Bombs" by Alia Einstein-Diez) which covered melts, bombs, tarts, and other yummy good-for-your-skin bath stuff.  I've found similar things via Pinterest and had also been wanting to experiment.  So while the guys were watching bowl games on New Year's Day, Sarah and I played in the kitchen!

These are super duper easy to make - melt, mix, cool, refrigerate, done!  We actual made 3 batches over the course of the vacation, and used several different scents.  Because we can :)  The blue ones pictured below are peppermint scented.

Part of why we made so many batches, besides giving us a chance to try out a bunch of flavors (scents), was that we learned a little each time we did them.  Our first batch was pretty soft, was hard to remove from the mold (especially the more detailed shapes), and would actually start melting in your hand.  So a few of the things we learned:

• The more solid the melts, the easier they are to pop out from the mold.
• Using a liquid scent and a liquid colorant made them very soft.  There is dry colorant available too, but what we had was liquid.  Cut down a little of the oil to help things solidify a little better.
• Tapping helps the air bubble rise up.  It's like how workers set concrete, you know?  The vibrations help the air bubbles rise in the mixture, so that the brick (or melt, in our case) is more solid.  We had laid our silicone molds on a cookie sheet, so tapping on the sheet for a few moments after pouring helped vibrate our trays enough for the air bubbles to rise up.
• If the melts are still soft, just keep them stored in the fridge until ready to use.
• These also work well in the shower.  Just rub over the skin as you would a bar of soap!

Of course, pets rule the house, so someone had to come supervise.  Since what we were making wasn't really edible, Frank (a German Shepherd) wasn't too curious and was more interested in the football games with the guys.  Buddha (the pibble) took over kitchen management :)

 

Like I said, I'd seen variations on this on Pinterest, too. I like the instructions Sarah had, though, since they had so many variations all in the same workshop. 

If you're interested in what's out there for free though, here's what I've found:

• Porphyrogene has an organic Bath Truffle recipe, similar to the bath melts we made.  I'm curious how the honey helps; I've heard it's good for your skin.
• TLC has a Bath Bomb recipe, though theirs look much neater than ours do!
• Of course, a Martha Stewart version - Bath Fizzies
• Martha actually has another bath fizzy variation too.
• Also along the same lines, but not quite the same, a Detox Bath recipe.

Zach had his crafts going too.  He is branching out with his chain maille work, not just armor, and has made some absolutely beautiful pieces.  So, am taking the chance to brag on my guy again :)

This one was my Christmas gift.  That is a quarter next to the chain in the in-progress picture.  Very very tiny links!  This one was one he designed mostly himself, and I love it.  The flower is a kit (yes, he made the flower too) and then he made the chain and attached it all.  There were several measurement sessions with "Close your eyes!  Can't look til Christmas!" as he was determining where he wanted the chain to reach.  It's a silver clasp, a silver colored flower, and brass chain, if you want materials.

 

This second piece was the one he was working on while we were in CO.  It's the same weave as the other necklace - Byzantine weave - but it's called Graduated Byzantine because every couple repeats, you change the size ring you're working with.  So, the larger, heavier rings are centered in the front and decrease around to the clasp at the back.  This one's all in copper.  Aren't they both gorgeous?

 

Pinteresting Wednesdays - bamboo placemat vases

OK, this one might be cheating a little.  Well, stretching the definition of Pinteresting juuuuuuust a little.  Yes, this project is currently on Pinterest, and pinned on my Craft Ideas board, but I was the one who added it :)  Still, the original website where I found it, Dollar Store Crafts, was one I discovered through Pinterest.  The website I pinned was the full instructions for this project at In This Life.  So, in a round-about way, I think this still counts as a Pinteresting Project!

 

I did make some changes as compared to the inspiration project, but it's definitely still the same idea, just tailored to my own decor and tastes.  Here's what I used:

• Glassware of assorted heights.  I didn't use the sugar shakers, but two vases and a drinking glass.  The Dollar Trees in my area didn't have multiple sizes of sugar shakers, so to make an assortment of heights, I turned to other glassware to suit my needs.
• Two plain bamboo placemats.  I liked the colored ones in the inspiration piece, but the colors don't match anything in our house.  The plain placemats were slightly more expensive, not being at the Dollar Tree but at the commissary, but they were still only about $1.25.  Not too big a difference.
• The third placemat came from Target (I believe) and is a black and natural striped pattern.  Still not a Dollar Tree placemat, but also still only about $1
• Scissors
• Hot glue
• Paint - black

What next?

I really followed the directions as given this time!  *gasp*  I know!  That's kinda unusual for me with my knitting and craftiness.  As I stated above, the website with the full instructions and lots of pictures is In This Life.  I'm just summarizing here and noting the few changes I made.

1. Make sure the glassware is clean and dry.  Set aside the tops, if using sugar shakers. I was using vases, so didn't have to worry.
2. If you are doing anything to the mats decorating-wise, do it before you start cutting and hot-gluing.  Painting over hot glue can get messy.  I painted two of my mats plain black using just basic craft-store acrylic paint and a foam brush.  Make sure they are completely dry before continuing on.
3. Trim a mat to the height of one of the glasses.  The easiest way to do this is to score the placemat first with a craft knife, and then cut it with scissors.
4. Wrap the trimmed mat around the glasses.  
5. Cut the mat to just fit around the shaker.
6. Be sure to secure the end pieces of the mat immediately with hot glue in a couple of places, especially at the strings.  This will prevent the mat from falling apart.  Otherwise, the sticks in the placemat will fall away once the strings are cut.  Not a mess you want to deal with!
7. Carefully hot glue the mat to the glass, wrapping the mat around as you go.  Be careful to keep the bottom of the glass even with the bottom edge of the mat. 
8. Secure with rubber bands and let dry.  Ta-da!

Repeat these steps with your other glasses, and you'll have a set.  Fill them with whatever you want!

All in all, the biggest changes I made to the inspiration piece were what glassware I used for the bases, and painting the plain bamboo mats instead of using the colored ones.  I ended up with 3 vases still, but in patterned black and natural instead of eclectically colored stripes.  Definitely more my taste.

Also, it is easier to paint the placemats a solid color instead of a pattern.  I had originially wanted to paint the middle-sized vase a black and white pattern, but things just kept smudging on the slats.  When I found the striped placemat, it solved my problem perfectly.  So, personal experience, it's much easier to make it a simple paint job than to try and do something involved on the textured surface.