Kong Hee Fat Choy! A Little Late...

Happy New Year! Welcome to the year of the water dragon.

Every year for about the past 10 years we have celebrated Chinese New Year with some very dear friends. We are treated like royalty as we feast on over 20 different dishes, each more amazing than the last. In appreciation of host’s generosity I like to present a small thank you gift. I spend a great deal of time trying to create a gift that fits that year’s zodiac animal theme. Because this is the year of the dragon and our chief and host have a very special bond to dragons I agonized over this year’s gift. I knew I had hit on an idea when I discovered this fabric in a shop.

I used multiply layers of fabric to create depth and tecture. A few buttons were added and I gave the dragon red glowing eyes.

I made card banners representing the specific zodiac of each person we dine with... 

including one for a dragon.

Dusting Off the Sewing Machine

My project for  the last few weeks has been window treatments. We bought this house with the intention of only living in it for 2 years. We have now been here for over 15 years. With the state of the economy we figure we will be here another 15 years. With that in mind I deiced it was time to get rid of the mid 90's lace curtains.

I started in my 3 year old's bedroom. The nursery was originally decorated in monkeys, but I thought it was time to put away the baby stuff. That was a sad day. I let Neil pick out the fabric. It is not what I would have chosen for him, but it's his room and he wanted strips and an outer space theme.

The curtains for the kitchen are store bought, but I made the Celtic knot bunting to match. These light covers were bought on a trip we took to Seattle in June. I purchased them from the Bella Luz Studio  I love them so much that I turn them on every night.

This is the back door. I made this curtain out of some left over fabric. The bunting is made out of the same material as the ones in the kitchen. I added buttons for extra interest.

The felt garland was made by local artist Dina Fernandez.

I tend to buy fabric that I have fallen in love with. Then I store if for years on end until I fine the perfect project. This zodiac fabric is one of these fabrics. The bunting is made up of our families zodiac symbols.

Dia de los Muertos Necklaces

I adore Dia de los Muertos. It happens to be one of my most favorite holidays. Every year I try to come up with a new hand crafted project. This year I found these amazing resin skulls at Mexican Sugar Skull. They are really affordable at only $8 a set.

I sent them to my father who drilled holes in them for me. Power tools and I do not get along well.

I hit them with a coat of white paint.

Then each piece was painted to match the personality of the person who was to receive it. I added a few beads and a chain and voila , the Dia de los Muertos necklace was born.

One World One Heart International Event

THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED

I am pleased to announce that I am participating in the OWOH event this year. Last year was my first year and I was so amazed by how many wonderful and interesting people I met through this international event. I am sad to say that this will be the last year for OWOH but in honor of the 5 year anniversary I will be giving away five pairs of earrings, one pair for each of the 5 lucky winners.


Here is how it works. Just leave me a comment on THIS link. Please leave me only one comment; I will delete all extra comments before I draw names. Remember to leave me a current email address so that I can contact you if you happen to be a lucky winner. This is open to all people worldwide and you do not have to be a follower of my blog. I will contact each winner on February 17th. If I do not hear from you within 3 days I will redraw another name and announce that person the winner.

Now for the good stuff!

#1 Pink Flower Earrings

Glass, Crystal and Pearls with Serling Silver Findings

#2 Green Mismatched Earrings

Wood and Stone with Sterling Silver Findings

#3 Spiral Shells

Shell and Glass and Serling Silver Findings

#4 Hand of Fatima

Mixed Stones and Pearls with Sterling Silver Findings

#5 Fairy Earrings

Pearls, Bone, Crystals and Shell and Sterling Silver

These earrings were handcrafted by me and they are OOAK

Good luck to everyone!

Paper Princess

I love crowns, to make then, to wear them and to give them as gifts.  I think this stems from my childhood and wanting to be a princess. Now that I am an adult, I no longer want to be a princess (I can save my own self, thank you very much), but my love of wearing a crown has never gone away. I created these crowns for two of my friends. They like to dress up as much as I do.

These crowns are constructed out of paper making them very light weight and easier to wear. Each was painted in this bronze metallic color.

I cut out a crescent moon and added the fine silver glitter. Some paper flowers, butterflies, and long steamers of ribbon for were added for that touch of extra princessness.

Pile O’ Goddesses

Paper making is one of my many other hobbies. These goddesses are made from paper pulp. I whipped these up for a craft faire I am attending at the end of the month.

Venus of Willendorf

Sprial Goddess

A Wreath Fit for Any Door

I have been asked to create a “Halloween” item for a basket that is being raffled off at the end of this month. Because my time is so valuable right now (neck deep in costume making) I fell back on old talents. In another life I was a full time florist, for 10 years as a matter of fact. Wreaths are one of those rare things I can put together while, balancing the checkbook, planning dinner, chasing after Neil, talking to my mother on the phone and running a load through the washer.  It’s been more than 11 years since I work in a flower shop yet, I still dream about flowers and the crazy ladies I worked with.   

Dia de Los Muertos Potholders

Dia de Los Muertos is a very well celebrated holiday in our house. Each year I like to add something new to our ever growing collection of decorations. I found this really great pattern for a crocheted skull at Crochet Yourself Happy !!!  I added some leaves and flowers and made potholders.

A Very Dear Friend Turns 40

Julie, my life-long friend, is turning 40 this Monday. We meet in grade school and have been very close friends ever since. She now lives in Montana and I could not get there to celebrate with her. So to honor the day of her birth I put together a box of goodies.

No birthday is complete without a crown for the birthday girl. This started out as a cheap ($1) paper crown. After glitter, paint, paper, glue and a few gems this is what I created.

I made this bunting out of left over fabric.

Julie is a fan of owls so I made her this purse out of Japanese fabric.

And for a little touch of retro she got this owl apron. The pattern is the same one I used to make my Dia de los Muertos apron. She will look very "professional" while she is baking cookies for her family.

I hope her special day is filled with much merry making and joy.

My Grandmothers Frosting

I was asked by a dear friend what I had been up too lately… well, between cleaning out the basement, chasing around a two year old and getting ready to spend 5 glorious days at the ocean, I made a real honest to god home-made cake for my mothers birthday. To celebrate I pulled out a book of my grandmothers recipes. My grandmother was an interesting woman who lived a most extraordinary life. She grew up in Shattuck OK in the early part of the 20th century. Her mother died when she was 15 and her father was sent away to prison for bootlegging. She was left to raise her younger sisters with very little help. She had a high school diploma, attended art school and spoke several languages. After my grandfather died my family moved in with her so she would have help on the ranch. She was a part of my daily life until I moved away to Seattle. We were very close and when she died I was devastated. I still miss hearing her stories. One of my grandmothers greatest gifts was her baked goods. In her house you never, and I do mean never, got a piece of toast that was not burnt or a cup of coffee even a hardened truck drive could drink, but she made the most amazing pies and cakes. They did not look like fluffy, air filled pastries you can buy from a sparkly clean upscale pastry shop. Her baked goods had heft and they were never pretty to look at, but they always tasted like heaven. For my mothers birthday I made a family favorite, Caramel Frosting.

My grandmother always put this frosting on a chocolate cake. My mother is not crazy about chocolate so I made a yellow cake instead.

As you can see I am wearing my new apron, I forwent the black cocktail dress and heels and went for comfort instead, my grandmother would have approved.

This frosting is a bit tricky but I knew I had it right when it smelled like my grandmothers frosting.

Now if I just had my grandmothers oil sludge in a cup and one of her stories I would be truly content.

Rose Petal Jam

To me nothing tastes better than homemade jam on warm toast with coffee on a cool fall morning. That little hint of spring as winter approaches. Jam making is a messy process; well it is for me anyway, so I like to make several batches at a time. After perusing jam recipes on the internet I concluded that I would like to change up an old favorite and add a new recipe to my jam making process this year.

We have a hedge of wild yellow roses that borders our yard. They are magnificent when they are in full bloom, but they only last a very short time. They are prolific and it has always seemed a shame that all of the beautiful petals should go to waste. I have never eaten rose petal jam but it sound decadent and worth a try.

I made traditional rhubarb, strawberry jam (my favorite) but this year I added rose petals to the mix.

The lemon rose is new to my repertoire. It has a  distinctive sweet and sour flavor and a yummy golden hue.

And a family favorite raspberry

I found a recipe for dandelion jam which I think I will try next. That is, if I can collect enough dandelions.

Update...sheesh maybe I should learn to use spellcheck more often...