14 Tuesday Feb 2012
Tags
baking shop, cookie cutters, cucumber, pb&j, playdough, tiny cookie cutters, toddler food, valentine party snacks, watermelon
We originally got these tiny 1 1/2 inch cookie cutters at a baking shop for Ada’s playdough. (There are some super inexpensive ones here). They are also perfect (after a good washing), to cut watermelon into Valentine party snacks. PB&J, cheese and cucumbers may also be shaped in order to trick a toddler into eating something healthy.
13 Monday Feb 2012
Posted in Likes, Organizing, Shop
Hooray for End of Season Sales! We recently got our Crewcuts order. These red shoes are making me smile. Both the former girl and shoe designer in me are in love with them. This order won’t fit Ada for another year, but I love to stock up when the prices are good. We store clothes in clear plastic bins, organized and labeled by size. It is like having a full pantry. Very satisfying.
10 Friday Feb 2012
Tags
fabric hearts, flag garland, garland, hand stitching, heart flag, Liberty of London, pinking shears, scalloped scissors, sewing machine, Valentine project
I started working on this flag garland for Josie’s upcoming birthday and realized it would make a great Valentine project. I promise it is easy and you still have a weekend to make it. These flags are small enough that we used only scraps from other projects and didn’t have to buy any new fabric. There is a mix of vintage and some Liberty prints here. (Oh Liberty of London, how I love you!)
You will need:
*Various fabric pieces. Hearts show up better on contrasting squares.
*Scalloped Scissors (or pinking or straight will work as well).
*Ribbon. We used satin 1/4″.
*Card stock to make pattern.
*Sewing Machine and/or needle and thread. I machine sewed the hearts through the centers, but you could also hand stitch.
1. Cut 4″ x 31/2″ rectangle from card stock. These will become 31/2″ squares as the back is folded over ribbon. (Any size you choose will work, just remember to leave 1/2″ to fold over).
2. Fold another piece of card stock in half. Trace half a heart to fit on the size rectangle you choose. Open and you will have an even heart pattern. Our heart was 3″ across widest point when open.
3.Trace desired number of rectangles and hearts and cut out. We had 20 of each.
4. Stitch center of hearts down on rectangles. Be sure to line up the bottom of the heart with the bottom of the rectangle. We alternated up and down hearts. Machine or hand stitching will work.
5. Fold the half inch at the top of rectangles back over ribbon and hand stitch down. Be sure to use tiny stitches on the front side. We spaced ours out about half an inch between rectangles.
6. Hang. Hooray Valentines Day!
09 Thursday Feb 2012
Posted in Likes, Organizing, Projects, Shop
Tags
art room, art supplies, easel, Etsy, Ikea, oil cloth, Organizing, studio, wooden silverware caddy, zipper pouch
The supplies in the art room were getting out of hand, so we made a trip to Ikea. Lucky for me, we took a wrong turn into the kitchen section and discovered these wooden silverware caddies.
I like that two small trays can stack the width of the large tray. Supplies for a specific project can be grouped and carried to another room. They would also be perfect for small tools and house projects. Ikea’s site is notorious for not allowing you to buy directly, so you will need to make a trip. (You can also find them here, but they are more expensive). Clear zippered pouches keep small supplies visible but contained.
We keep a square of floral oil cloth under Ada’s easel. It wipes off with a sponge and the retro patterns are always so cheery. Now I don’t spend so much of my precious time in the studio cleaning up after the kids.
08 Wednesday Feb 2012
Posted in Likes, Organizing, Projects, Shop
Tags
alphabet, alphabet book, Art Alternatives, blank book, Eyelike, kid project, letters, preschool project, sketchbook, sticker books, stickers, treasure hunt
This alphabet book is one of my favorite projects for preschoolers. We started about a year ago and add to it as we get catalogs or magazines to cut up. Each letter has a page or two where we paste in different fonts as well as pictures of things that start with the letter. (P for Peanut, Popsicle, Parrot). You will need:
*Big notebook. We used this one by Art Alternatives, but any large blank book will work. I like the spiral because it makes room for bulky pages.
*Gluestick
*Scissors. (I initially cut out the pictures, but now Ada likes to use the scissors).
*Recycled magazines, catalogs, grocery circulars, stickers, etc. We LOVE these Eyelike sticker books because smaller kids can help without the use of glue or scissors. The Eyelike images are amazingly detailed and the stickers are reusable.
This book is a great way to make learning letters and the initial concepts of reading more like a treasure hunt. I love the collage aesthetic and that one of the books Ada likes to look at on her shelf was made by her.
07 Tuesday Feb 2012
Tags
I cannot bear throwing out special baby clothes that have been stained with sweet potatoes. So I started dyeing Ada’s clothes as an experiment to see if I could cover stains and brighten colors. I used to use Rit black dye and pull it out early so it made a lovely dark purple. But Chris made fun of the Goth baby clothing and it eventually faded to a sad gray color. Then I discovered Idye and I am kind of in love.
Idye’s colors are bright and beautiful. It is super easy to use and the colors stay. The clothes will need to be washed with like colors for a bit, and you cannot use a dye pan for cooking, but the results are worth the separating. It is also easy to do the whole process in your washing machine. I especially like playing around with this alchemy on dreary winter days.
02 Thursday Feb 2012
Tags
blanket stitch, embroidery floss, Envelopemall.com, felt, fridge magnet, heart, Tiny Mighties, Valentine, vellum envelopes, wool felt, Woolfeltcentral.com
These wool felt hearts are really reversible magnets for the fridge. They are flat enough to put through the mail and make perfect valentines or invitations to a Valentine’s Day party. You will need:
*Felt. We used two colors of wool felt from Woolfeltcentral.com
*Embroidery Floss in contrasting color
*Stuffing
*Two small, strong Magnets. (You only need one if you don’t want the heart to be reversible). We used Tiny Mighties
*Glue
*Cardstock, or paper to make the pattern
1. Fold cardstock in half, draw half a heart along the fold. Unfold and you will have an even pattern. Trace onto felt and cut.
2. Glue magnets on inside top of each heart cutout. You don’t need much glue because the magnets will end up safely inside of the heart and won’t fall off.
3. Place a little stuffing on one side of the heart. You can adjust stuffing position as you sew, and the stuffing will help prevent the strong magnets from sticking to each other.
4. Blanket stitch the hearts together. Stuffing and magnets will be inside. Push any stray stuffing inside as you sew.
5. Allow glue to dry. If you are putting the heart through the mail you may want to fold it inside a note before putting it in the envelope. We used vellum envelopes from Envelopemall.com
XOXOX!
30 Monday Jan 2012
Posted in Likes, Organizing, Projects, Shop, Vintage
Tags
Acorn Toys, animal scarf, HIgh Country Knitwear, Organizing, Pat Feeley, Pyrex bowl, scarf pattern, vintage bowl
A bowl near the front door helps keep mittens, hats and scarves organized. The kids can help take care of their own things when they come in from outside, and you will always know where mittens are on your rush out the door.
We found this vintage Pyrex bowl at a stoop sale, but they abound on Ebay. The scarf pattern is adapted from one by Pat Feeley for High Country Knit Wear. You can also find super cute animal scarves at Acorn Toys in Brooklyn if you are more of a shopper than a DIYer.
20 Friday Jan 2012
We found these awesome wooden cat masks at Ben Franklin Crafts in Raymond, NH of all places…I find that towns with high 4-H participation and winters that keep people inside are the best crafting supply troves. You can also find the masks here on Ebay: Cat Mask. Oh Ebay how I love you.
Ada seems to have confused ‘nine lives’ with ‘nine eyes’. Oh well.
19 Thursday Jan 2012
Tags
Barbara Cooney, Byrne and Carlson, childhood books, chocolate bars, clam chowder, Donald Hall, Gus and Ruby Letterpress, handmade chocolate, Ox-Cart Man, Portsmouth NH, Strawberry Banke Museum, Warren's Lobster House
One of my favorite childhood books was Ox-Cart Man written by Donald Hall and beautifully illustrated by Barbara Cooney. The story is so, so satisfying: The journey made by a farmer to Portsmouth NH to sell the goods he and his family made and grew the year before. I love to read this story to my kids almost as much as I loved hearing it when I was little. I always think of it when we travel back to visit family in Portsmouth.
A few of the places I try not to miss when we visit Portsmouth:
Byrne and Carlson– Handmade chocolate that is as beautiful as it is delicious. I love their candied flower chocolate bars and I cannot believe the chipotle bar survived the ride home without me eating it in secret so I wouldn’t have to share.
Gus and Ruby Letterpress -How I love letterpress! This new shop carries gifts as well as letterpress goods. We found some stripey straws and twine for Josie’s upcoming birthday.
Warren’s Lobster House – This is technically in Kittery, ME but is only a hop over the bridge. The decor alone is worth the trip (diorama of knots and hooked rug lobster sign for example). The seafood is large and fresh and the clam chowder is the best!
Strawberry Banke Museum– Portsmouth just like the Ox-Cart Man days.
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