Category Archives: Projects

DIY Hanging Fall Leaves

18 Thursday Oct 2012

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I remember making leaf rubbings when I was little. It seemed magical to see the veins and lacy outlines appear as the crayon was rubbed across the paper. We have been working on quite a leaf collection on our walks home from school, so we decided to preserve some of them by making rubbings. To make your own leaf rubbing cutouts you will need:

*Various Fresh Leaves (These are less likely to crumble under paper).
*Card Stock
*Crayons with Wrappers Removed
*Scissors
*Hole Punch
*Twine

1. Place leaf under card stock.
2. Rub crayon above the leaf until outline and veins are clearly visible. Be sure to hold paper still so leaf doesn’t shift.
3. Cut out leaf shapes.
4. Punch hole in leaf shape and string up.

Happy Fall!

DIY Tulle Jellyfish Costume

17 Wednesday Oct 2012

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Our Halloween costumes seem to have taken on an ocean theme around here.  Josie Jellyfish was considerably faster to make than Ada’s Mermaid costume from yesterday’s post.  The tulle gives a sort of underwater-floaty feeling and Josie was having fun spinning around and watching it move.  This costume is easy to make into adult or larger kid sizes.  You could whip out a whole family’s worth of jellyfish in an hour or two!  To make your own super easy Jellyfish Costume you will need:

*A Variety of Tulle

*Tank Top to Match Tulle

*Matching Leggings

*Scissors

*Needle and Thread to Match Tulle

*Crocheted Hat (Optional)

1. Cut tulle into strips.  (Ours are about 1 1/2″ x 12″).

2. Stitch the tulle strips one after another around the neckline of tank top.  Use small stitches on the front and larger stitches inside shirt.

3. The tank can be layered over warmer clothes if you are going outside.  (I always hated how Northern weather ruined my Halloween creations when I was little).

That’s it!  Happy Halloween!

DIY Knitted Mermaid Costume

16 Tuesday Oct 2012

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“Mama, can you knit me a mermaid costume for Halloween?”
“Sure!”  (How hard could it be to find a knitting pattern for a child’s mermaid costume?)  Hmm… Well, it proved to be rather difficult – impossible actually, at least where I looked.  So I had to make up a mermaid costume pattern in a hurry.  Here is what we came up with:

To make your own Knitted Mermaid Costume you will need:

*2-3 Balls Sport-Weight Yarn (We used two skeins of chartreuse wool/acrylic by Orsetto 1oz3/4 for 165 yards)

*Size 3.5 Circular 17″ Needles

*Large Needle for Stitching Up

*Pipe Cleaners (To give shape to the tail)

*Small Amount of Stuffing

This pattern is worked in the round and then bound off and worked back and forth for the tail. I found it easier to hold the work and use the circular needles for the whole pattern instead of switching to straight needles.   This is a relatively simple pattern that knits up quickly and can be adjusted for length.

Body:
R1. Cast on 116 st.
R2-7. Mark first stitch and K in Rib in the round for 5 rows.
R8-. K in the round for desired length. (Ours is about 17″).

Decrease Before Tail:
R1-4. B/O last st at end of each row, turn work. You will no longer be working in round, so treat the round needles as straight needles alternating K and P rows (stockinette).
R5. *K 10,SK 2 tog*,repeat to last two stitches and B/O last st.
R6. P to end, B/O last st.
R7. *K 10,SK 2 tog*,repeat to last two stitches and B/O last st.
R8. P to end, B/O last st.
R9-. Repeat Rows 5-8 until 48 st. remain.

Top of Tail:
R1. P row, B/O last st.
R2. K row, B/O last st.
R3-. Repeat Rows1-2 until 36 st. Remain.

Tail: (**You will make two of these Tail sections**)
R1-4. K 4 rows in stockinette w/o B/O =36 sts.
R5. *K2, M1*, repeat to end. = 53 sts.
R6. P row.
R7. *K2, M1*, repeat to last st. K last st. =78 sts.
R8. P row.
R9-19. Work in stockinette for 10 rows. =78 sts.
R20. K 38 sts (the center of your work), B/O 3 sts. =38 sts. per needle.
R21. P 38 sts, join second ball of yarn after B/O and P 38 sts separately. *The tail is now split and will be worked as two pieces at the same time*.
R22. Turn work, K across 38 sts. Switch balls of yarn and K across 38 sts on second half of tail.
R23-25. Work two tail sections in stockinette for 3 rows.
R26. K 19, M1, K 19 for both sections. =39 sts each.
R27. P row for both sections.
R28. *K1, M1* to end for both. =41 sts each.
R29-36. Work in stockinette for both tail sections.
R37. K1, K2 tog, K to last 3 sts, K2 tog, K1 for both sections. =39 sts each.
R38. P row for both sections.
R39. K1, k2 tog, K to last 3 sts, K2 tog, K1for both sections. =37 sts each.
R40. P 17 sts, P2 tog, P to end. =36 sts each.
R 41. First fin: *K 1, K2 tog*, repeat to end. Second fin: *K2 tog, K1*, repeat to end. =24 sts each.
R42. P row for both sections.
R43. First fin: *K1, K2tog*, repeat to end. Second fin: *K2 tog, K1*, repeat to end. =16 sts each.
R44-47. Work in stockinette for both tail sections.
R48. *K1, K2 tog*, repeat to end for both tail sections. =11 sts each.
R49. P row for both sections.
R50. First fin: *K1, K2tog* repeat to last 2 sts, K 2 sts. Second fin: K 2, K2 tog, *K1, K2 tog*, repeat to end. =8 sts each.
R51. P row for both sections.
R52. First fin: *K1, K2 tog*to last 2 sts, K 2 sts. Second fin: K 2 sts, *K2 tog, K1*, repeat end. =6 sts each.
R52: First fin: *P1,P2 tog*, repeat to end. Second fin: *P2 tog, P1*, repeat to end. =4 sts each.
R53. K2 tog to end for both sections. =2 sts each.
R54. B/O.

*Work up second Tail section as above. Begin by C/O 36 stitches.

Strap:
R1. C/O 4 st.
R2-. Work in Rib to desired length and B/O.

Finishing:
1. Bend pipe cleaners into tail shape, twisting together if more length is needed. Whip stitch pipe cleaners onto one half of the tail as shown. (This should be done onto the wrong/purl side of tail).

2. Place a small amount of stuffing on top of the tail piece stitched to pipe cleaners.

3. Layer second piece of the tail on top (wrong sides together), sandwiching the stuffing.

4. Stitch tail pieces together on all sides, carefully containing the pipe cleaners and stuffing.

5. Stitch on strap to form halter.

6. Work in loose ends.

7. Go for a swim!  Happy Halloween!!

Redecorating for Fall

12 Friday Oct 2012

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I like to change the painting in Ada’s room to match the tree outside her window.  I noticed some yellow leaves out there, so it is time for some fall colors.   It is also time to lay the girls’ rug back down on their floor.  The bare wood seems to keep the house cooler in the summer.  A warmer spot to sit and play is needed when the temperature drops.  We turned the heat on last night for the first time, (after a call to the repair men),  and I am getting out the warmer blankets this weekend.  Our (first!) spring-blooming bulbs arrived in the mail yesterday from White Flower Farm.  We are excited to get started on our new garden and will get the plants snuggled in the ground this weekend.  I can’t seem to stop thinking about soup and pie recipes.  This Cheddar Apple Pie from Gourmet is amazing.  What are you doing at home to get ready for fall?

DIY Lemon Honey Apple Jam

09 Tuesday Oct 2012

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We are getting addicted to canning things around here.  When I saw these Meyer lemons at Greene Grape Provisions I decided to work them into a jam with some of our abundance of apples.  I love planning food around what looks good at the market.  We used this recipe from the Food in Jars blog and added 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and the seeds from one vanilla bean to the cooking apples.  (I like to keep the split bean in there too).  The resulting jam is very honey/lemon flavored.  It is a bit odd on a PB&J sandwich, but I just put some on toast with blue cheese and avocado and it was delicious.  It would be great with cheese and crackers or stirred into a hot drink as the weather gets chilly.

Vintage Treasure

08 Monday Oct 2012

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Finds from a recent visit to Tinsel Trading Company in Manhattan.  Tinsel Trading is a magical place that has been run and owned by the same family for generations.  Their story can be found here.  They have the most amazing selection of vintage millinery flowers, trims, buttons…I designed many projects around Tinsel Trading finds when I was in fashion school and I used to visit often for inspiration when I worked in the city.  There is a huge set of drawers in the back of the store filled with an ever-changing array.  This visit it housed unused paper labels, cardboard animals and new old stock of red paintbrushes among other things.  I love wandering in without a specific project and letting the treasure speak to me.  I have yet to bring Ada, but Tinsel Trading is pretty much a crafty four-year-old’s dream.  Here is what I found:

* Reproduction French sticker labels.  (We will use them for jams and gift labeling).

* Vintage silver ribbon.  (Waiting to trim a package).

* Vintage gold stacking beads.  (I am thinking these would make a pretty necklace mixed with seashells we found this summer for Ada’s mermaid Halloween costume that I have been knitting).

DIY Acorn Necklace

02 Tuesday Oct 2012

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There are acorns falling in these parts, and it is the perfect time to make acorn necklaces. We first learned to make this easy project at a visit to our CSA farm a couple of years ago. It is a great project for tiny bits of leftover yarn. Kids can help with the acorn gathering, and yarn choosing and twisting. To make your own you will need:

*Acorns with Caps

*Small Screw Eyes

*Yarn – at least two colors

*Scissors

1. Gather freshly fallen acorns and wash if necessary. Snip off stem from top of acorn with scissors, leaving a flat spot at the top of acorn cap.

2. Twist screw eye into top of cap. If cap pops off it can be glued back on with craft glue.

3. Choose two contrasting strands of yarn and cut about 36 inches of each. (Adjust size per wearer).

4. Tie two strands together. Stretch out yarns with knot in the middle and have two people hold each of the two ends. (Or tie one end to a door knob if you are alone).

5. Twist each color of yarn in the opposite direction until yarn coils back on itself. Bring the two loose ends together and grasp. Grab the knot in the center and pull away from loose ends until the twist evens out. The two colors should now be evenly twisted around each other. Loosen or tighten twist until you like the way it looks.

6. Slip screw eye over the twisted yarn strand and tie the ends together.

Happy Fall!

Flea Market Finds

01 Monday Oct 2012

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Happy October!

My friend Leslie and I spent a kid-free morning yesterday at The Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market.  (Thanks Dads!)  It was a beautiful fall day, despite a few sprinkles, and the leaves had just started changing colors in Connecticut.  We both found some great stuff and had a lovely lazy morning wandering around.  I am still jealous of the bright blue and red umbrella Leslie scored!  Flea markets are my favorite way to spend a morning.  I love nothing more than wandering around and getting ideas, thinking of new ways to use old things, and finding inspiration.  Here are my finds:

Ironstone butter pats – also great for holding small jewelry or marbles, spices when cooking, or for mixing watercolors.  Ebay has some here.  (The opal glass is for Ada’s collection).

Glass drawer pulls in various sizes.  You never know when you will need the perfect set!  I am putting the small set on Ada’s dresser today.  The rest will be saved for future projects.  Etsy has some here.

Balsa hat form.  I went specifically to the flea for this and found the perfect one for $25.  I love it when that magically happens!  I am using it to photograph my headband crowns for my opening-soon Etsy store.

Giant wicker basket.  I love this thing!  I bargained it down to $35, and had no idea what I would do with it.  I was thinking of maybe using it for a laundry basket, or blanket storage, or towels, or maybe a future baby bed…It seemed to grow when it got into the trunk of our car and by the time I got it home it seemed really big.  Ada and Josie saw it and begged to put it in their room as a ‘nest’.  They have been reading books and snuggling bears in there.  I am still not sure where it will end up, but it is good in the corner of their room for now.  This figuring out the perfect use for something that was once loved by someone else is exactly why I love the flea market.

New Clay = Happy Girl

26 Wednesday Sep 2012

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Sometimes it just takes a simple $8 package of clay to make Ada happy, and to make my life a little easier for a couple of hours while she carefully unwraps packages and makes sculptures with scissors and string and pipe cleaners.  I can completely relate to her excitement over new supplies.  The potential is so endless!  Last month Katie from Katie’s Pencil Box had an amazing post about her favorite online office supply store Present and Correct.  (If you haven’t visited Katie’s beautiful blog, you should).  I am making my list of supplies to work into Christmas gifts this year.

DIY Apple Maple Jam

25 Tuesday Sep 2012

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Josie and I made jam today from some of our 20 pounds of apples picked this weekend. The house smelled like apple pie and the sun was streaming through the kitchen windows as the fence builders were busy outside. (We are finally fixing up our back yard and the work from just two days has already made the house so much brighter!  More about the fence building soon).  Please don’t judge me for the ugly kitchen in the photos…It is on the list of projects.  This recipe was adapted from the Ball Blue Book.  To make your own Apple Maple Jam you will need:

*12 Half-Pint Canning Jars with Seals and Lids

*15 Cups of Peeled, Cored and Chopped Apples (We used a combination of Cortland, Gala and Yellow Delicious)

*6 Cups Sugar (We used Raw Cane Sugar)

*1 Cup Maple Syrup

*2 teaspoons Cinnamon

*1 teaspoon Allspice

*1 teaspoon Nutmeg

*1/2 teaspoon Cloves

*Seeds Scraped from 1 Vanilla Bean

1. Prepare apples and combine all ingredients in large pot.  (This is my favorite apple peeler).

2. Slowly bring to a boil.

3. Stir frequently and cook until jam is thickened to your liking. (Ours took about an hour).

4. Remove from heat and spoon into washed hot jars, leaving 1/4″ headspace.

5. Carefully wipe rims and screw on two-piece caps.

6. Slide jars into warming water and boil for 10 minutes.

7. Remove from water using a jar lifter and allow to cool.

8. Jar tops will depress as they cool.  Any that don’t should be reprocessed or eaten within a few days.

9. We decorated circles of paper, carefully unscrewed lids and placed the circles on top of the sealed tops.  Screw lids can be replaced to hold the papers in place.  Be sure to label each jar with the contents and date.

**This jam is yummy warmed on vanilla ice cream, pancakes or PB&Js.  Store unopened jars in a cool dry place and eat within one year.  Enjoy!