DIY Tutorial: New Year's Eve Swizzle Sticks!!

Wow, has it been a LONG time since I've posted (!)  Here is a DIY Swizzle Stick Tutorial to break in the New Year!

I actually came up with this when I was rummaging through the Xmas clearance at Target like a little old lady.  I found a set of "swizzle sticks" half off at $2.50 for a set of 10 or 12, can't really remember.  They were cute, but...way too short, they would have made better cupcake toppers than swizzle sticks for a drink.  Plus, you could see the hideous clear rubber bands which were used to fix the tinsel on the stick.  PASS!  

I instead picked up a tinsel garland and a pack of bamboo skewers.  I had shorter ones at home but decided the longer skewers would make for more whimsical swizzles/cupcake toppers/*wands*...I have no intention of using these on New Year's, however they DO fit the bill:  sparkles.  (I'm saving mine for a UNICORN-themed birthday party.  Not mine, obviously...my little girl's  ;c) 

 I simply cut approximately 1-cm-long pieces of tinsel, folded in half around a gob of hot glue on the end of each skewer.  On some, I started with a piece of star-tinsel decorative wire wrapped around the skewer, secured by a ring of glue before added the tinsel pouf via the "gob-and-go" method.  Haha.  

I trimmed the hot glue wisps off for a more finished look.

My materials and approximate costs are listed below:

Tinsel: Target, $3, *xmas clearance*

Wire garland:  Target, $1-2, *last year's xmas clearance*

Bamboo skewers (long): Target, $1.69 (already had the short ones)

Glue gun: Home Depot, $4.97

Glue sticks: Home Depot, $5.46

As you can see, this one is pretty much a NO BRAINER.  Hopefully, even a busy mom *with* a full-time job can pull these little suckers off.  Yes, by the way, I AM cheating.  I may have a full-time job, however my wonderful (?) company has given me over a week off of having any professional responsibility (I return to the daily dredge on Wednesday!) so I happen to have some time on my hands to craft and share my way-out-there musings with others.  Let's see if this crafty/bloggy part of my life can survive even after my return to work.

*fingers are double crossed*

I am finishing this post up after a stomach-churning meal at Sizzler with the husband's family.  They all seem to enjoy it, but I swear, that place is like the poison-acid trip from down under for my stomach.  It's really no better than a school lunch, and for someone's whose stomach is accustomed to more delicate, well-balanced and "organic" foods...well, let's just say the knot in my stomach won't go away without a trip to the bathroom in the morning.  lol.  Sorry Sizzler, not trying to tarnish your good name.  You just screw with my insides in the worst way!!  

Anyway...I am planning to blog a detoxifying V8 Vitamix concoction tomorrow to help ease my stomach pains.   Yippee!!!


XOXO



  

My New Thrifted Closet System

Earlier this week, the husband brought home a huge set of *real wood* closet shelves/drawers.  He and his sister split the closet system, which came from her boss's beach house on Fox Island.  I think he is some sort of cosmetic surgeon.  The system originally cost just under ten grand to purchase and install, but his wife wanted to switch it out for something different.  Good for you lady, put that man to work!  ;-)

Anyway, because our house and his sister's, we were able to fit most of this closet system into our walk in closets.  YEAH, I know, right?!  I wanna say this "beach house" is probably more like a beach Mansion!

So...last night Chad worked on fitting it all together how he wants it.  This weekend, he is going to build a base to lift the system about 7 inches, and also install molding at the top so it takes on the floor-to-ceiling-built-in look.

See the LEFT view, and RIGHT view (as best I could take the pictures, as I did not want to step into the disaster of a bathroom just behind me):

 And of course, the Grand Central view:

It's pretty apparent in the first view that the "light fixture" may just be a simple bulb on a dangling plate...LOL.  I would like to replace it with a cute, easy to clean fixture.  I like the idea of the EDEN pendant from CB2, but this is already in the attached master bedroom - so the light in the closet should probably be smaller, or different in its design.

I actually have this light in my daughter's room as well.  It is VERY well priced at $49.95 + $4.95 flat rate shipping.  Ceiling plate not included however.  We used this Conversion Kit from West Elm, in chrome.   It is $15, but we got it during a blanket Lighting sale, so I believe paid a little over $10 - we bought quite a few.  They are nice to have around since no other retailer offers this product to fit with modern interiors.  

I have been eyeballing the Black Iron Pendant from World Market, which shows $89.99 online, but I swear I saw this, or something very similar, on clearance for half the price in the store!  This may be a little too dark for a closet done up in dark cherry, however, the interior looks like hammered gold.  So maybe it would work?  

Or maybe that is my inner artist trying to convince herself to buy something based solely on its beauty - and not based on whether or not it would "work" in its intended space!


I should probably keep looking!  Probably will hit up Ebay for vintage milk glass pendants, Jetsons style  ;-)


Well, this is all for now.  I should get my bum out of this coffee shop before my husband suspects I have gone out for a good time after a long morning consisting of stops at the DMV, Vehicle Licensing (2 different places in this state), and the sweaty gym!


XOXO.


 

Getting CRAFTY Again!

Late last week, Little A and I had a really crafty day.  It made me HAPPY.

I recently bought her a pack of gel-crayons. They are as bright as highlighters!  She LOVES them!  The drawing on the left is of a yellow caterpillar with spots, while the blue object on the right is the sun.

In her world, the sun comes in all colors of the rainbow  :-D

We also created our very first embroidery project using a simple hoop, floss, and piece of felt.  I supervised while Little A used the tapestry needle. 

These are ALL easy, cheap craft ideas to keep her busy when we visit my parents in a couple months.  :-)

XOXO.

My First Pear Pie

So about two weeks ago, one of my co-workers was going on and ON about how his wife made this pear pie at home.  Wait!  Let me clarify!  She made the pie at home with a store-bought crust, and fresh pears.

Now, I had not yet had a pie of pears...so all week I salivated over the idea of making a pear pie.  I cracked out the old 70's cake-n-pie book which Little A and I got at a local library bookstore, on a WHIM.  (yes, it's fantastic all the wonderful things we can find that are old and thrown away.  I LOVE thrifting!!  AND, we weren't even looking for a pie recipe book ;-) Anyway, my crust recipe came from this fabulous little book below:

I printed off the recipe for "fresh pear pie" from HERE, and arranged all the ingredients for both the pie crust + pear filling...

I actually (at first) followed the method "cutting" the ingredients together for the crust.  I used butter knives, per the retro pie booklet.  Then my husband walked up and showed me how to use a fork.  That went much quicker.  

For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of making pie crust from scratch, the ingredients get mixed COLD (that's butter, milk, shortening, flour, a bit of salt - *the milk and butter being cold, duh*).  The key here is to not allow the butter and*or shortening to "melt" in with the other ingredients.  You want to keep the fat source in chunks, as to create a "flakiness" in the crust.  For those of you whom appreciate a flakier, tastier crust, use more (or ALL) butter.  The reason for this is that butter is something like 80% fat, 20% liquid, whereas the shortening is 100% fat.  The liquid portion of the butter helps to create pockets/layers in the crust.  The shortening cannot afford this, as it is 100% fat.  You can use equal portions of each to substitute (that's what I did and it worked out well).  Another note:  shortening is flavorless, butter is RICH.

STAY CALM

and

EMBRACE THE

BUTTER

 See?  My pink pyrex pie plate (say THAT fast 5 times!) is also embracing the butter...

Roll out the pie crusts (top & bottom!)

 

Layer the filling (slices of pears, I used d'anjou, bosc, & those small apple pears) and sugar/dough mixture...

Remember, the recipe is "fresh pear pie" on allrecipes.com!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Both my husband AND Little A loved the pie!  They loved it by itself and with vanilla ice cream.

XOXO.

(I will later post the actual recipe for the crust...when I remember ;-)

Since I am feeling Crafty...

Alrighty...WELL, since working on the previous post I am in the crafting mood.  So, although I am short on time (what's new in my life, right?), I DO have a picture of the felt purse Little A and I made together.  SEW EASY!!  She even poked the needle through all the pre-marked holes!  :-)  

See below for Monkey modeling the results...

I wish I were a FAIRY

So...I have recently discovered "Once Upon A Time" on HULU!!  I am only two episodes in, yet already I am addicted!  It reminds me what it is like to be young, carefree, and full of adventure.  Yes, I am afraid the golden age has passed for me!  I am now buried in bills and worries.  I, for one, would appreciate some lottery winnings so I can leave the gnarled hands of society and find a quite cabin from which I may draw and write for the rest of my days.  Alone.  Unbothered.  Well, I would have my brother around so we could talk more.  Maybe he could have a cabin across the creak.  And my daughter could live in a tree house in the herb garden...or maybe in a turret attached to the cabin.  She is a princess, after all.

Long story shorter...I became ultra sad at the thought that I am in fact NOT a fairy in the forest, and that I am not living this hermittess lifestyle I so envisioned myself enjoying.  This made me remember the fairy tiara Little A and I made together - last MONTH.  (Yes, shame on little old me for neglecting this little piece of heaven I call a blog).

SO...DRUM ROLL PLEASE...here we go!!

Super simple:

pipe cleaners

felt

scissors

ribbon

play time!

XOXO.

Bunny Face

After seeing a coworker's daughter's similar craft, I helped Little A create her own Bunny Face mask.  We used only what we had around the house: 

computer paper

pen

pink highlighter

scissors (only for mommy!)

See below for the results.  A little somebody got carried away with the pink highlighter.  Bunny Face looks a little blood-thirsty...HAHA

 

Side-of-the-Fridge Art Gallery

 

Little A and I decided we would convert the side of our fridge into a miniature art gallery for the work she brings back from her daycare.  We were running out of space on our IKEA picture wire gallery in the living room...plus, it is so much nicer to look at a series of Pollack-style artwork while eating than the boring side of a white fridge!

Afterwards, she ran outside to play on Daddy's new toy....

I should really think about some homemade cushions for the Bertoia chairs.  They can get a bit uncomfy, especially when it is cold.  :-P

Kitchen Progress...making me Antsy!

Happy happy joy joy!!!  The Kitchen tile is looking great (so far)!  Our neighbor is doing a great job.  My husband is between classes for a week so he is able to help...but I reeeeeeeally want them to be done already.  

It will be SOOOOO nice to RELAX in a complete kitchen.  (Well, the trim at the top still needs painting, as well as the cabinets under the island, but I am choosing to ignore those little details for now)...

LOOK! The coffee counter is coming along pretty nicely.

My bamboo was in the way, so I went with it  :-)

The window and sill will be complete (soon)!  Then I can line up all my lil succulents along the way...*ahhhhh*

My Susan G Komen PINK Kitchenaid is really missing its corner right now!

Kitchen Progress: A Long Time Coming

We Are FINALLY getting around to tiling the Kitchen.  

F I N A L L Y.

Our Neighbor, who had agreed to help us with the backsplash tile, finally found time in his schedule (barely!) to get started. 

His work is good...and it's only been a week since our Kitchen has been torn apart.  

BUT...

I'm already DYING to get my kitchen back to normal!  And being able to utilize the kitchen coffee counter is like TOTALLY priceless!  See below for the evolution of the coffee counter area...Gotta love that IKEA butcher block: