Crafting with Intention

Please visit ...

2015-11-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

I have moved to a new blog that I hope you will enjoy and benefit from: Crafting Life with Intention. Since my crafting has become spottier, I wanted to expand the scope a bit. My goal is to publish thoughtful, thought-provoking, and inspiring pieces every Friday. Please have a look and leave me a comment on your thoughts:

www.craftinglifewithintention.blogspot.com

Thank you for following me on this journey.

Love,

Samah

Have Eid, Will Travel ...

2013-08-04T21:12:00.002-07:00

The Eid countdown has officially begun at our house. The calendar is covered in stars, suhur is starting to get very sketchy (Cinnamon Toast Crunch anyone), and the Quran recitations are drawing to a close. It sounds trite, but it surprises me every year how fast the month flies by.

In our continuing mission to infuse Eid with our own blend of the unique and traditional, a group of us is doing something that I think will make the day after Eid super special. A very creative friend used the inspiration of the "back-home" tradition of visitations to come up with the idea of a Traveling Eid Party. In many places in the Muslim world, particularly on the greater Eid, the three days of celebration are divided up with the first day's visits going to family (above and below ground), the next day to friends, and the third ... I can't remember. Everyone opens up their homes and you end up staying for a short time at a number of different places. I used to think there was some sort of magical quantam physics that made it all work without planning or coordinating, but apparently, it does happen that you go to visit someone and they are out visiting someone else. So... NEXT!

What Zakia (see creative friend above) did through the marvels of modern communication was to send out feelers to see who and how many were interested about two weeks before Eid. From there, everyone volunteered their homes (or a park nearby) where the revelers would all come during a designated time: around 30 minute intervals. The host is only asked to provide one small item or treat for the gift bag and some small snacks for the kids to munch on while there. Then, hasta luego; onwards to the next house for more of the same. As it's our first time doing it, I'm sure there'll be some kinks to work out. I also envision a lot of vehicular musical chairs which should be fun in itself. One of the neatest parts is that the travel time will count as part of the party (I hope). Also, no one family has the burden of hosting all day all by themselves. In typical me fashion, I chose to be the first house so that once my slot is over, I can just enjoy the rest of the day. (Any participants reading this: of course it is also because I live the furthest away - that is a totally legit reason for me to call FIRST)

Would love to know if anyone else is doing anything like this and hear about any variations, improvements, or suggestions. Will let you know how it goes for us.

In the meantime, please keep my family and community in your prayers during these next blessed nights.

Painless Cafe Awnings

2013-04-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

No, the chickens have not pecked me to pieces (though Regina George *see below* would like nothing more than to make me into chicken feed) - but this new life is more time consuming than I would have expected. We're still trying to make our house "fit" us a little better and every weekend seems consumed with the endless to-do lists I swore I'd never let into my adult home.
But not all to-dos are created equal. Some - namely dormer window related ones - just need to be shared with the world. I've never lived in a house with dormer windows, and though I don't love the corresponding sloped ceilings that have concussed me more times than I care to admit, I have not yet tired of the charm of dormers.

Because of the close walls, the interiors of the dormers give you the opportunity to fulfill your lifelong desire to make cafe awnings (Don't even pretend - I can hear you humming La Vie en Rose). Did I mention it only took ONE afternoon and the sewing skills of a Chihuahua?
I'll let the pictures do (most of) the talking:

After measuring the width and adding enough for side hems and estimating the length, fold the bottom edge up, right sides together.

You don't necessarily have to use a Tinkertoy's lid to trace your scallops, unless you too want to appear casually hipster

This is still the wrong side of the fabric

Flip your scalloped pockets right side out and iron them flat. I am not a fan of ironing while sewing. I adhere to the Friedrich vonLazypants school of sewing. But even Freddy would agree here that ironing makes a HUGE difference.

Make a pocket on the top to fit your tension rod and then sew some ribbons to hold the second rod in place.

Yup, that's just two tension rods!

Et voila!
And though I have very ambivalent feelings towards France these ~~days~~ years (apparently liberté only extends so far), this awning has made me feel like opening a very Frenchy baguette stand in the girls' room - only here, all religious symbols would be more than welcome...

And with no further ado, introducing: Regina George...

Glitter Memo Boards

2013-02-02T14:08:00.000-08:00

Remember last post when I told you my seven-year-old turned nine? I just want to clarify that we didn't skip eight. It'd just been that long since I posted! Good transition to the party we threw for said nine-year-old. Theme?: Crafts, what else?

The Invitations

Thinking up party crafts for nine-year-old girls is a bit of an ancient Greek riddle. They had to be challenging enough (so they wouldn't get bored), easy enough (ibid), and be completable in about 30 minutes/each.
I had planned three different crafts but starting with the sewing project ~~was a horrible idea~~ slowed us down a bit. And by sewing project I mean making three lines of simple running stitches that were supposed to make a little drawstring pouch. Somehow, after trying to teach the running stitch while threading 800 needles after 45 grueling minutes each guest did in fact have something resembling a pouch to use as their first sewing kit.
While I set up the next activity, I sent the girls upstairs to decorate their own cupcakes. Luckily, they counted this as one of their crafts so I was still pretty smugly on schedule after all.

A close-up of this most awesome cake. All icing! And all edible! The buttons are cookies,
the pincusion a cupcake, and the tape measure? Fruit roll! I so wish I could say I made this, but alas...

The most successful project of the day had to be these glittered memo-boards. I am now of the opinion that glitter is like shredded cheese, it just makes everything better.

Aside from glitter and a glue gun, the other (dollar-store) supplies you need are:
Wood plaque or scrap wood
Straight wooden clothespins
Pretty paper

Spread some glue on the front flat side of the clothespin and then cover them with glitter. Leave them to dry for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, trace your plaque onto the paper and cut it just slightly bigger (or exactly on the line - I like to sand the edges)
Spread some glue or mod-podge on the plaque and put the paper on. While this is drying put a heavy book or two on top so it dries flat.
Glue gun the non-glittered flat side of the clothespins and place them on your board (I recommend a dress rehearsal prior to the glue gun getting involved).
That's it, your memo board awaits. The plaque I picked up already had a hanging chain, but if you're using scrap wood, just loop a ribbon on the backside and staple gun away.


Somewhere there is a little girl who cannot use two of her clips. Be sure to have your clips all pointing in the same direction. No refunds for human error.

We never did make it to card-making, but I promised them I'd post the instructions for them soon. There were a lot of requests for the accordian card on the left, so I'll start with that.

Home-made Play-dough

2013-01-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

Knock, knock! Hello everyone. For those of you still here, I just had to share something I made today. No need for long precursors or apologies, right? What's a few months between bloggy friends? (Granted, the seven-year-old mentioned in the profile is now NINE! but whatevs. Not whatevs that my little girl is growing up, whatevs that, oh never mind ...)

Okay, so this morning we ran out of Play-doh.
No, we didn't run out. We had lots.
But every tub lid opened to reveal gross, dry, crumbly (moldy?) former Play-doh.
Here's the thing though. Even if you have a good supply of the commercial stuff (because your children actually cover their stuff instead of letting it air-dry) do try this recipe. It will DAZZLE your family. Not just the two-year-old you made it for. The five of us were standing at the counter playing with the stuff. They kept looking at me in utter awe ... like they just found out I had graduated from Hogwarts - with honors!

Home-made Play-doh*

1 cup flour
1 cup water
3T salt
1T oil
2t Cream of Tartar

1. Mix all the ingredients in a medium saucepan until it's smooth
2. Once smooth, heat on low and keep mixing until it forms a jagged clump
3. Slap it on the counter and start to knead it. Don't worry if it sticks to the counter, as it cools and you keep kneading it will start to stick together
4. In a few minutes, prepare for ...

Each batch makes a big ball. This is a chubby toddler hand that cannot quite pick up the whole thing. But lest you think this stuff is for babies...

Snail races!

I don't know how long it will keep, but it's super moist. I'm just going to wrap it in kitchen wrap and stick it in a ziploc bag. However, I am looking forward to making some more. The oohs and aahs never get old!

*(this is not my invention, it's a mix of a bunch of different recipes from online)

Eastern Toybox Sale

2012-07-19T06:57:00.002-07:00

This is not me being too lazy to post something of my own, this is me doing you a favor by sharing a lovely new(ish) company whose products I have seen firsthand - everything is very well done. In addition, their customer service is fantastic.
They are currently having a sale for Ramadan, so take a look and see if you're not tempted to buy that sliding camel toy :D

Eastern Toybox

Happy Ramadan, all!

Clearing out the Freezer/ Easy Chicken Recipe

2012-05-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

I recently read a great book that I'd highly recommend to anyone: The Kitchen Counter Cooking School. The basic premise is a Cordon Bleu trained chef who mentors nine "ordinary" women in feeling more comfortable in their kitchens. Many of the lessons are pretty basic, but the book + our impending move + a random piece on NPR with Mark Hyman about toxicity in foods made me look at my kitchen in a different way. I've never thought of myself as a hoarder, but nothing will shatter your delusions of minimalism like packing house. The amount of "just in case" foodstuffs I had stuffed in my freezer and pantry is downright embarassing. The worst part is those bags of "just in case" appetizers from Costco never lived up to their promise of stress-free entertaining. "Oh, you're down the street and want to pop in, sure no problem!" Instead of sashaying to the freezer/pantry and grabbing something, this is always followed by a frantic phone call to The Husband asking for a list of brand-new ingredients to try out a brand-new recipe. Whatever is left over gets put in the freezer/pantry. Can you picture what happens over the years? It's as though some part of me is planning for a post-apocalyptical food shortage and is afraid to use those candy wafers, boxed cake mix and whipped topping ... you know, ... just in case! Because who wants to face the dissolution of society as we know it without cake pops?
SO, for the last 5 weeks, I have been shopping out of my freezer and have only purchased dairy products (we don't have a cow yet) and a few produce items (tomatoes aren't even in the ground yet). And somehow, I've managed to put together some pretty great meals. Stuffed artichokes in a brothy bechamel sauce anyone? Chicken sumac on a bed of carmelized onions? There is nothing so satisfying as The Husband and Kids wiping their mouth asking, "When did you have time to go grocery shopping?" and responding with a faux-modest smirk.
The best/worst part is that after 5 weeks, the stores of food are still embarassingly full. I know we are blessed to live in such plenty and am grateful that an over-stuffed freezer and pantry is my problem. But I also worry that I will be held accountable as steward of all this .... suff.
One of the recipes that has become a staple is one that I had previously only passed on to family and very close friends and sworn them to secrecy. It is sometimes known as Gravy Chicken, sometimes as Mmmm Mmmm Chicken, sometimes just mumbling as it is being shoved into the mouth. I will provide the basic recipe but the best part is that you can replace the chicken with firm fish fillets and the onions with any frozen vegetables you have on hand (though I would still saute the onion first).

This was made with salmon fillets and a bag of rescued frozen vegetables

Mmmmm Mmmmm Gravy Chicken

1/4 cup flour

Salt and Pepper
Chicken pieces
Butter and Oil
Onion (chopped)
Chicken Broth (about 3/4 - 1 cup)
Lemon Juice
Thyme

Mix flour with salt and pepper and dredge chicken pieces in this (easiest way is to put the flour in a ziplock bag and then throw the chicken in and shake)
Warm pan and put in a pat of butter and olive oil.
Brown chicken on both sides until golden and set aside
Add onion to pan and saute until softened
Add the remaining flour and let onion "absorb" the flour
Slowly add the broth and mix quickly, it will thicken fast
Add lemon juice and thyme to taste
Put chicken back in the pan and cover with sauce
Bring to boil and let simmer until chicken is cooked through
Plate chicken and then ~~pour~~ drizzle the sauce on top.

This is not gourmet, nor is it particularly healthy, but it is something that you can make relatively quickly and be sure that it always turns out. It's also a good way to use up (blech! What a horrible thing to say about food) odds and ends of vegetables you have in your fridge/freezer/pantry.

Five weeks of eating out of my freezer and pantry have shown me how bizarre our consumption habits are. It's something I would encourage everyone to try if for no other reason than to spare the world from me sharing all the insights I've gained from this "project" (i.e. gain them yourselves!)

We're Movin' on Up!

2012-04-24T17:50:00.001-07:00

Come on now, you all remember the Jeffersons. Sing it with me.

Well, except that we're not really moving "up", more east I think. But the reason it's big news is that we are moving to a house in the country. As in septic tank country! For realz! The house also has quite a bit of land so we are - God willing - going to try our hand at some true-blue homesteading. Chicken coops, bee hives, maybe goats, and of course sustainable agriculture with canning and freezing to maximize sustainability.

Now, stop chewing on your finger nails, I know what your thinking, "But what does this mean for me?"

It means that though CWI will continue chronicling my attempts at craftiness, I will probably be inundating you with tedious descriptions of how a California-raised city girl is going to try to hew a working farm out of this rugged Canadian landscape. (You know I'm kidding right? Niagara is the Napa Valley of Canada)

Not mine ... actually from an American Greetings Card: "The Road Not Taken" (seriously)

Big News*

2012-04-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

Stay Tuned ...

(*Big for me anyhoo)

Coffee Filters Peonies

2012-01-27T10:50:00.000-08:00

(AKA, Coffee Filters find use in a Keurig-using home)

If you feel the urge to tell me these look more like carnations than peonies, please resist. There are already those among us who have earned my wrath for the mere hint of it.

I know we're not the only family to say, "Wowzers!", but I'm guessing we're the only ones that have had to precisely define it.
I have the honor/privilege/utter joy of having one of the cutest little girls on earth as my niece (actually, all five of my nieces are brag-worthy). This girl is incapable of hearing a new word or phrase without asking what it means. Woebetides anyone who spouts gibberish in front of her - she will call you out on it.
So she heard the kids and me saying "wowzers" and narrowed her big round eyes to slits: "Amma (Auntie) Samah, what does wowzers mean?" I can't capture the earnestness with which she asks this question, it has to be seen to be believed.
I had to think quick before I lost her respect ... "Well, it actually equals double wow. So instead of saying wow twice, you would say wowzers. And if you say WOWzers, then it's like a triple wow."
She nodded gravely and then waddled off. I later heard her explaining this new SAT word to her sister with no detail left out.

SO, with that explanation, I will say about this project: WOWZERS! (That's quadruple wow for those of you not paying attention).

Coffee Filter Flowers:

Peonies are my favorite flower. They are like the southern belles of my garden, all over-the-top pretty and just wavin' and noddin' their heavy heads back and forth -practically waving their scented hankerchiefs at you.
But, my peonies are a distant memory here - and will be for several more months. Maybe that's why I revisited these coffee filter peonies. West-coasters whose roses are still in bloom, go away, this project is not for you.

While there are -surprisingly- numerous blogs featuring this project, Michelle Marie's tutorial was invaluable at walking me through the steps. But, like the annoying reviewer on Allrecipes.com, I will just add the steps that made the project more doable for a ~~lazy~~ ~~accident-prone~~ special crafter such as I am.

1. I didn't use two sizes of filters. Not a principled decsion, my store just didn't have them. So whatever you find, use.
2. After folding the filter the fourth fold and notching, don't unfold! Notch (or round) the other side while still folding AND do the scuffing up bit also while still folded. (see #3)
3. The scuffing up. Michelle's tute was amazing, but left me high and dry on this most important step. Here's a real peony:

You see how the edges are kind of rough? Well to mimic that, what I did was while the circle was still folded, I held it firmly together and used the inside part of the scissors to very quickly snip and pull (not too hard). Then I opened the scissors all the way and sort of rubbed them like a nail file over the rough edges.
4. On the first and second circle, I used an orange/yellow marker to mimic the stamen by drawing a starbursty-type thing in the middle. It will only show a little, but enough to make me think it was worth it.
5. Every so often, make a slit in the circle along where one "petal" naturally ends. It will help with the twisting as well as making it look more natural.
6. Finally, glue is your best friend. When you're done, look at your flower and if it's all kattywompas, pull out your scissors and prune, then put a tiny dab of glue and press parts of the layers together to get the shape you want.

And for you fellow Keurigers out there who don't have filters in your home. Don't despair - and don't run out to the store. If you have cream colored tissue paper, you can do the same thing. Just lay 10 pieces together and cut out the circles in one cut (about 6" diameter).
The top picture shows the cream flower made with tissue paper.

California Dreamin'

2012-01-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I will try to taunt my Californian family and friends about their lack of four seasons. Seriously, who wants to be looking for shade during an outdoor(!) wedding in November (!) (Answer: Me.) I try to play up the romance of an actually functioning fireplace as opposed to one used for storage (Yes, you know who I'm talking about) But let's be real, there comes a day every winter when I would trade anything short of my kids -and maybe my husband (... what? he's the one who got me into this mess!) for a few days where the primary conversation is not about snow tires and how much vitamin D is required not to die in this place. Nobody outside of the Northeast actually dreams of a white Christmas. Irving Berlin wrote the song in ... you guessed it, California!
Yes, I'm done now (for a few minutes, I may resume my rant midway through the post ... you've been warned.)
My kids, however, embrace winter like a long lost friend - that friend that always comes over right before dinner and leaves before the washing up, that friend that calls and wants only to talk about their own troubles and forgets that you're a person too, that friend that ... oops sorry.
They love all things winter related, but I'm starting to wonder if their love of the cold is just a foil for post-cold coziness. The same kids that are not allowed juice until they finish two cups of water first (please no comments from Urologists) are plied with hot chocolate multiple times a day throughout the months of December, January, and February. Maybe I'm overcompensating for not giving them the Pacific Ocean childhood I had. Whatever the reason, they milk it (pun totally intended) for all its worth.
Another winter must-have for my kids is their rice bags. I've tried to come up with a more elegant name for them, but rice bags stuck and now I can't get rid of it. These rice bags spend one minute in the microwave and provide enough footheat to last until you're to far asleep to notice the below-zero temperatures. They are also the easiest sewing project in the history of the world (I've checked - and since Wikipedia is down, you can't fact-check me).
So for all of you still too daunted by zippers and buttons to pull out your sewing machine, or for those who want an introductory project for little sewers, here we go:

5-minute Sac de Riz (everything sounds better in French)

You only need two rectangles. I decided to go all fancy and quilt this one, but feel free to just use one layer ... if you dare! Mwahahahaha. Also notice the awesome ironing job I did.

The perfect quilting sandwich. Again, just ignore if you're only doing one layer.

Ignore... ibid

Now just pretend we're starting again with two rectangles

Putting fabric right sides together is pretty much all you need to know about sewing

With right sides together, sew around the rectangle about 1/2" in leaving a gaping 3" hole on one of the long sides

Using that gaping hole, turn the whole thing inside out and you now have this thing of beauty

Do as I say, not as I do... put FAR LESS rice than you think you should. Otherwise, your children will hear you saying things they never should as you try to sew it shut. I advice no more than halfway full. This is also where you can add a drop or two of lavender oil if you like.

Fold the ends of the gaping hole in and topstich around the outside to close it. There are no pictures of this part because I was busy yelling at my sewing machine at this part. See caption above. This is nothing if not a cautionary tale. This guy is ready for a one-minute microwave.

See: now she can pretend that her left ear is in a sunny place. My son is in the background composing, "Ode to Winter"

Tea Sampler for an amazing person

2012-01-13T16:43:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, the kids and I found out that our favorite librarian was sick with pneumonia. They immediately started clamoring that I had to make her a get well card the minute we got home. I tried to explain to them that cards - while a beautiful gesture - are not necessarily curative.
They just looked at each other with cocked eyebrows as though I had just said the world was flat.
Anyway, I did make the card; one I'd been meaning to make for a while: with three "pockets" to hold tea bags. I didn't take any pictures at the time, but I followed these fantastic instructions and came out with something pretty close.
Recently though, a friend of mine has been going through biblical plague-type circumstances and has managed to trudge through it all (including death in the family, a member of an already stretched-to-the-max staff quiting with no notice, men in HazMat suits ripping out the walls of her home/work, etc...) with remarkable aplomb. I designed a special card/book/tea sampler just for her. This time I did take pictures and copious notes so that I wouldn't forget how I did it.

She happens to be a teacher so I designed it to look like a little binder. Though it looks complicated, the only real "difficulty" is getting the numbers right. If you're going to use Stash tea like I did, then you can just use my numbers. Otherwise, see below for instructions on getting your measurements right with a different sized teabag.
Stash teas measure about 2.5"x3.25, so you will want each paper cut to: 6"x6.25"

You might as well do four pockets at a time.

On the 6 edge, score (with a bonefolder or blunt part of a butter knife) at 2.75" and 5.5"
On the 6.25" edge, score at 3" and 3.25"

To make your pocket, fold up the small lip and put adhesive on the outside of it. Fold again on the middle scoreline to close.

Fold again on the scorelines going the other direction and your done.

Don't get confused by the change in photo direction, I am punching on the open parts of the pocket, NOT the folds.

To make it look more finished, notch out a half-circle from the top of each pocket (I used a circle punch but you could do this with scissors)

With four pieces of paper, you end up with eight pockets, I haven't tried going any bigger than this, because I would worry that the "spine" of the binder would give out.

For the outside, the spine will need to accomodate the four pockets which each have a quarter inch spine, together they add up to one inch officially, but with the paper, it goes a little over. Plus, you don't want them squished so that you have room for the tea!

So: cut the outside card paper slighly taller than the pockets x slightly wider (x2 +1.5).

Come on, seriously, I haven't lost you have I?
You have to double the width because the card has a front and back, and you have to add the 1.5" for the spine.
See? Easy Peasy.
That works out to 3.25"x8"
Score on the long side at 3.25" and 4.75"

Add adhesive to the spine of the pockets and carefully place them flat on the inside spine of the card one at a time, starting with the two outside pockets and leaving a bit of space in between.

You're done!

Actually, one more thing: to close the binder, you'll want to adhere some ribbon all around,leaving enough of a tail to tie.

Now you're on your own in terms of decorating your little binder. I happen to be a stalker of all things tea-related, so I happen to have theme appropriate stuff on hand, but that's just me.

Don't forget to find yourself a pithy inspirational quote by some famous wordsmith...:)

Paste Waste No More

2012-01-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

Who uses tomato paste? Okay, hands down. Now, who uses one or two tablespoons of tomato paste and ends up throwing out the can two weeks later when it has started to froth over and developed primitive speech?
You will erect a mini tomato paste blob in my honor!
After years of accumulated guilt, a lightbulb finally went off.
Parchment Paper + Small Tray + Freezer = Happy Dance.
I flash froze tablespoon-sized lumps of paste and then popped them in a little ziploc bag. Not only did I not have to cry over spilt paste, but the next time I need said paste, I just toss one or two of them into the pot.
Brilliant? Or Genius? You decide.
(Sorry, no pictures, inspiration struck so fast I didn't have time to pause to record for posterity ... this post will have to do!)

Back in the Crafting Room

2012-01-04T16:19:00.000-08:00

I'm not even going to mention my obvious and prolonged absence, just gonna jump right back into posting and hope nobody noticed the egregious violation of craft-blogging manners.
One of the very first things I bought years ago when I started paper crafting (less pompously known as: making holiday cards) was a set of wooden shelves from IKEA. I'm sure you've all seen them, but for those two non-IKEA fans out there, they look (looked) like this:

Imagine my horror when I discovered that IKEA had discontinued this gem of a product. Who makes these decisions? I've found that at restaurants I love, too. I go back with my digestive enzymes all wearing happy hats only to find that they've "retired" my favourite dish. WHY? WHY???

I need a snack.

So, in honour of these drawers who I hope are somewhere sunny and warm in their retirement, I finally got around to giving them the snazzing up they've been begging for since they first entered my life.
The before:

The after:

Whadya think? I don't think this warrants a full tutorial, because it's pretty self-explanatory, but I've included some captioned pictures below with some details of my doings. This took a couple of hours scattered throughout one weekend. But now I'm starting to look around the house for any other unfinished wood that I can slap some nice paper on; and in the absence of unfinished wood ... ooooooh, Seeeeeeelma!
In leiu of a tutorial, just a couple of pictures of the process, though, as I said, it's fool-proof

Template-Making 101. No measurements were taken during the making of this project

I hope it's clear that there is some gluing happening under this heavy book.

One strong recommendation: after gluing, sand edges and corners. It makes a huge difference. I am not one for extra work, but this step not only makes the whole thing look more finished, but makes sure you don't have any extra paper flaps that might catch and rip the whole thing off. Right side is sanded, left side is unsanded, see the difference. Sponge sanders may be the best thing in the entire hardware store!

Unlike the sanding, the "distressing" is entirely up to your discretion. I find that I'm ambivilent towards the whole "shabby chic"/antiquing trend. I do it because it's a cool crafty thing to do (and I'm nothing if not cool and crafty), but the Egyptian in me just thinks, "Why would you want to make something new look old???" You decide.

Take the night off

2011-06-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

I know I keep promising Candyland themed posts, but I just had to post this, it's such a milestone.
As all Type-As know, it is MUCH easier to do things yourself than to have people (especially little people) help you. But it dawned on me that my days of hearing, "Mama, can I do that?" may be numbered. I can envision the day when a languid teenager lies on the couch mumbling something about how he/she is too tired to help with dinner (I shudder as I write).
After judging this book:

by its cover and using up my 40% Borders coupon ... I discovered this book:

at my library and snatched it up for 100% off :) (I love my library!). The recipes are very simple, but I realized that my Type-A-ity (look it up) has left my kids helpless as babes in the kitchen, so it was actually perfect for them.
I left it lying around conspiciously wondering if they would take the bait. They did! Before their backpacks hit the ground they were already arguing over who would make what.

My daughter wanted to make sure that whatever dish she was making would require her to wear her April Cornell apron (I never said they weren't sartorially prepared for the kitchen!) so I set her up with Zucchini Moons which required some stovetop time.

What was especially nice about this recipe was that instead of dry sauteeing in hot oil, it's almost more of a butter bath for the zucchinis, so far less splattering. Surprisingly for something with so few ingredients, it was delicious. Recipe below.
My son's requirement was the minimal amount of standing time, so he got to make the Black Bean Quesadillas. To make it fun for the quesadilla filling part, I drew a half-circle with my cookie decorating markers indicating where to fill the bean mixture in. Then it became a competition to see who could "color in the lines" closest without going over. (Also, it satisfied a psychological need)

Look at that!

He went commando ... as in apronless, for the few minutes of grill time

It was such a pleasant experience that the kids asked for it to become a weekly tradition. Quite honestly, the fare at chez kidlets was simple, but tasty and I certainly wouldn't mind having it on a weekly basis. My hope is that we will increase our repertoire of dishes they can make and then put together a little cookbook for them.
Call me slow, but I just never realized how much "stuff" there was to cooking. We talked about the history of the salt trade, the temperature that certain magical cooking things happen, and how languages develop (inspired by my repeated, 'It's kaysadEEah! KAYsaDEEEEEah! Not Kwesadila!'), ... all without cracking a book.

Slightly altered from Pretend Soup
Zucchini Moons:
2 small zucchinis (we use yellow)
1 t butter
2 T water
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 t grated Parmesan cheese

Cut zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds
Heat pan to medium-hot
Put in zucchini, butter, and water
Add salt and pepper
Stir and cook until it seems done (5 minutes)
Sprinkle with cheese

Quesadillas:
A few tablespoons of refried beans for each one (your own or canned) mixed with a little mild salsa
Tortillas
Handful of grated cheese
Cilantro (if you like it)

Spread the beans over half the tortilla, top with cheese and cilantro and grill lightly on both sides on an oiled griddle or pan until golden.

Gumball "Machine"

2011-06-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

Despite what my family, close friends, enemies who know me well, neighbors, postmistress, librarian, and pharmacist would tell you, I don't like to brag. But of all the preparations and decorations I made/bought for the kids' Candyland themed party (pictures pending ... ahem, "Z"), the gumball machine begs to be bragged about.
Equally proud was I of my son who - as soon as he saw it - nonchalantly remarked, 'Oh, neat, Mama, you made it out of X, Y, and Z' (suspense is the better part of valour, you'll find out soon enough).
See if you can deconstruct it as quickly as my eight year old did. I swear crafting runs through that boys veins.

Here are the pieces (all from the dollar store or the floor of my garage):
A terracotta pot with it's matching base
A round glass bowl.
And, um, that's it.
(I used E-6000 adhesive because I learned here that glue guns are not as serious about adhering as their name suggests.)

By turning the pot upside down and giving it a hearty coat of Watermelon Red, it became almost unrecognizable. The base of the planter becomes the removable lid. And the cap off a bottle of bubbles I found became the top doo-hicky.

If I had thought of this earlier, I probably would have made a hundred and handed them out as party favors (smaller sizes though). Lucky for me and the parents of our guest, I only thought of these on my penultimate trip to the dollar store before the party.
If you are an overachiever, you can always print off a little "metal" clip art to stick to the front. I am not an overachiever, so I did not.

Working my way backwards

2011-06-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

It all began with a stamp store that used to be in a lovely part of our area called Port Dalhousie (pronounced: Daloozie!), home of the 5c old-timey carousel rides.

The Port Marina

Before this auspicious meeting, I had only heard of scrapbooks as a glorified picture album. I just didn't get it. (I still don't, really ... no hate mail, please). But when I saw the handmade cards on display, I knew I had found my calling. A few hours later and a hundred bucks lighter, I had made lifelong friends with the shopkeeper and her husband and after a couple holidays became known as the handmade-card-girl. I cannot tell you the thrill of walking into a friend's home and seeing one of my cards on display. My mom has some of my earlier, more elaborate stuff framed (!), but then again, she gave birth to me, so there's that.

Anyhow, that's what began my foray into the world of papercrafting. I made the typical beginner's mistake of overbuying: I'd walk into the shop, see a card on display and say, "Give me all the stuff I need to make THAT!" I don't think people know just how far crafting expenditures can go, I'm sure there's a Amex Black Card just for stampers. But I put the brakes on my stamping and card making one day when I was in the store picking up some cardstock and a freshly blown-out blond (no offense, just being descriptive!) breezes in asking for tinkleberry cream embossing powder. When Pat, the delightful owner told her they were out and expecting a shipment, she literally stamped her foot in frustration and - her already high pitched voice rising an octave - whines, "But I NEED the tinkleberry cream embossing powder!!!!"
The next part is kind of a blur, but in my narrative, I dropped the card stock, letting it fall in slow motion (but it's heavy, so I can't make it flutter as I would like to in this story) and ran out of the store, breathlessly jumping into my husband's waiting car yelling, "JUST DRIVE!!!!"
I never want to be that woman (though I envy her blow out). So I left the whole business for a while.

Since coming back to card-making, my designs have become much simpler. My embossing gun (which cannot be used as a hair dryer Poppa), lives in a dignified semi retirement and I've learned to appreciate the simplicity of layering papers.

After this weekend's Candyland extravaganza (relevant posts to follow) where many of our friends joined us to commemorate Baby S's birthday, I needed to produce a bunch of thank you cards with enough speed to compensate for the delay that will be caused by Canada Post's mail strike. So I returned to my roots and opted for a simple design with just a few embellishments that you could forgo if you don't have the tools.

I only recently started using Martha's craft punches. These punches are a really neat tool to have; while they're not exactly cheap, with the ubiquitous coupons you can usually get them for well under ten dollars. Add 3-D glue dot to your shape and you've got a design that pops off the page.

Another recent change I've made is the use of clear stamps. I've seen them for a couple of years but just walked right by, not quite getting the how and why of them. (Not to mention I have an embarrassingly extensive collection of wood mount stamps). But if you are a beginning stamper, I HIGHLY recommend them.

With wood mount stamps, you ink your rubber, say a prayer, and hope it lines up properly on the page (it never does). With the clear mount stamps, you can actually see exactly where you are stamping. The difference is phenomenal.

So, stay tuned as I bring you a couple of my favorite crafts from the actual party. Looking through some of the pictures, I realize that I am surrounded by enablers; not a single friend or family member ever took me aside, grabbed my by my shoulders, and said, "Enough." Maybe I should have been posting as I planned!

True Appreciation

2011-05-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

After the graciousness my kids' teachers showed in receiving their cake pops (yes, Azra, they were duds), I felt I owed them a real appreciation gift for Teacher's Week.
If you haven't noticed by now, I love post-its. Every time I open a new package I can almost smell the promise of an organized, productive life. Once a task is written on a post-it, you might as well consider it done around my house (which probably explains why there are so many unfinished tasks).
In other news, our local Office Depot is going out of business. I'm a Staples girl myself, so I was only mildly heartbroken and not above going in to pick the bones of the place. I found these sign holders (Slanted Vertical Sign Holders, thankyouverymuch!) for less than a dollar each and bought a bunch not really knowing why:

I don't endorse Amber or even know if she exists

So this is where my impulse purchase meets my love of post-its. I cut a piece of scrapbook paper that went with the post-its I had on hand and stuck it where Amber put her bizarrely coiffed model. If you want to be really neat, you can actually print out your message, stick it on top of the scrapbook paper (you'll remove it later) and then go over it with your paint markers. I just freestyled.
Then, using my Terrifically Tacky double sided-tape (sheesh, when did I sell-out to corporate, name-brand overlords? I'm not even getting commission!), I stuck my post-it pad centered on the frame.

I think that just about covers it, don't you teachers?

I used a bit of the scrap to make a ribbon which is actually not just decorative. I don't know why they've made the new post-its so they don't come off the pad in the straight sober way they used to. All the pads on the market now come out so jauntily and disorganized. So there's no longer any real top and bottom. All this tomfoolery means that without that demure little strip the pad would look like Alice in Wonderland's pop-up book by the time it got to the teacher.

(Robert Sabuda is a genius)

And methinks that would express about as much appreciation as the fake grass I used to cover up the styrofoam cake-pop holder being strewn all over the gym and school hallway.
But I digress.
Of course you could do all your writing/decorating on the inner paper itself instead of using paint pens as I did. I just liked the added dimension of writing on the actual frame - it also ensures they are stuck with the gift forever and can never EVER recycle it for another purpose or -perish the thought- regift it.

Don't worry, the stamp is only on the first page. How obnoxious do you think I am?!

And speaking of post-its, look at this. It must have taken HOURS:

Cake Pop Fail

2011-05-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

What cakepops were meant to look like

Always go with your gut.
When a friend first introduced my to cake-pops long ago, I smelled a rat. Too complicated, I said. Everyone else in the discussion started throwing verbal tomatoes telling me how foolproof they were. Well, that was until cake-pops met this fool. They are - as I always suspected - diabolical. With the sweet, creamy face of a cherub but the soul of, well, of the opposite of a cherub.
I went ahead and tried them anyway, mostly as a political statement against Starbucks (who is now selling absolutely delightful cakepops ... or so I hear).
Making the cake was obviously no problem, my friend Betty who lives in my pantry always comes through for me.
Crumbling the cake and mixing it with a tub of frosting (see friend Betty above) was also no problem.
Balling, chilling and sticking a lollipop stick in the pops ... ditto, ditto, and ditto.

Then it came time to dip the pops into the melted candy. I want to pause here and ask if anyone has seen Bakerella's video where she demonstrates this process. It is a thing of beauty. Her movements are graceful and subtle. With a deft flick of her wrist, she manages to submerge the pop, swirl it a bit and that excess candy obediently drips right off back into the bowl. Don't believe me? Check it out.

This didn't happen with me. In fact the first pop is somewhere in candy melt purgatory, it just plopped right off the stick never to be seen again. Search and rescue spoons did what they could, but ...
I tried again, this time pushing the stick in further to the pop and dipping into the candy veeeeery sloooooowly to catch it before the point of no return. It made it about 1/3 of the way in before it was clear he was going the way of his friend. I pulled back just in time and - I should've taken a picture - it looked just like a punk-rock (the melts were pink) Friar Tuck.

Can you picture it?

I persevered and finished a small batch. I had already mentally committed to making a little bouquet of them for the teachers at my kids' school and wasn't about to let some cakes on a stick beat me. The bright side is that of course, you really can't go wrong with the taste - cake, frosting, and candy melts! And I think maybe the sprinkles distracted the eye from the peekaboo cake nudity going on beneath the pink. What do you think?

It's the thought (and taste) that counts ... the label reads: May God reward you...

These socks were made for ...

2011-04-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

...pulling yourself up on teetering furniture, taking a couple of steps, and then plopping down on your diapered-backside before you start the whole process all over again. It's really magical to watch.

A lovely family member dropped off a mountain of socks the other day. (I won't say which family member, but I will say it's the one who always gives me a disapproving look when she sees Selma sockless, grabs her chubby foot and exclaims: She's freezing! In fairness to me, I like having her feet easily accessible because at any moment the need to squeeze or raspberry may strike.)
While the gesture was ~~pointedly judgemental~~ very kind, the socks themselves weren't very practical for this stage in Selma's motor-life. They didn't have those rubber treads that we as 21st century parents have come to believe would be the equivalent of feeding our babies vats of BPA. But they were an irresistable bulk deal and now I couldn't justify going to Children's Place to buy the good stuff. What to do?

Puffy paints, natch! I accidentally picked some up instead of flat fabric paint and until now their only purpose was to serve as a visual reminder that I don't usually know what I'm doing. But they now grace the bottoms of the cutest, chubbiest feet since Ghengis Khan (funfact: Ghengis Khan had chubby feet).

From Banana-Peel-Slipperiness

To Infallible-Unfallibles (or at least if she does, it won't be because of the socks)

These puppies grip so well (inshaAllah!) that she'll have to pick up her legs with her hands to take a step ... hmmm, maybe some glue mixed in would give me the five minute bathroom break I need!

New Stage, New Diaper Bag

2011-04-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

I don't care how cliched it sounds, but it is impossible to believe that my itty-bitty baby is now almost one year old! It's so amazing to look back and think, 'At this time last year, she was just a dream, not yet a reality.' And now, here she is and it's impossible to imagine life without her. So almost Happy Birthday, bloggie! You little cutie pie!
Also, my biological baby is now almost 11 months. And while she still enjoys the use of a diaper (and has many times tried to convert (revert?) us to to its convenience and that extra sumpthin' it gives your backside), she rarely needs the monstrous full-sized diaper bag I made for her way back when.
With little more than a scant yard of fabric and a Thursday afternoon that should have been spent finalizing a final, she is now the proud owner of:

this sleek, chic, mod diaper-ette and matching change pad.
What's that you say? A tutorial you say? When I should be making up fool-proof multiple choice questions?
Well of course!

Selma's little brown diaper clutch and change pad:

(or, I wish I had this with me when I made a quick visit to a friend's house and had to change Selma on their cold metal washing machine)
You will need:
1 yard of fabric
a little bit (measure that carefully) of flannel, quilt batting, or an old sweater, etc....
Velcro
All the usual sewing suspects (thread, machine, ironing board, blah, blah, blah)

The pieces:

A, B, and C for the change pad, mine are: 12x24 but if your baby happens to be very tall or wide, you do what's right for you, we don't judge.
D and E (7x22) are the for the diaper pocket, one for the exterior, one for the lining. Oooooh yeah! We're lining alright! This isn't some two-bit operation.
F and G (4x7) are the flap to take this baby to a whole new level.
You'll notice my piece C looks like two pieces, well, as Joy Behar (or Fred Armisen playing Joy Behar says: So What, Who Cares!?

I didn't have enough so I had to piece two smaller pieces together, but so what? who cares? If you happen to have one piece big enough, then go on wichyobadself!

Lay out pieces A, B, and C in the following order: C: flannel (or fleece, or whatever soft thing you're using), then A right side up, then B right side down

Sew all three layers together leaving about 6 inches open on one of the long ends.
Use the 6 inch opening to turn the whole thing right-side-out with the flannel sanwiched in between the two pieces of fabric

Press the pad flat turning the raw edge at the opening in to match the seam of the rest of the pad. Then go over the whole thing with a topstitch to close off that opening.
You're done. Now on to the diaper clutch.

Take piece D and fold it in half with the right sides facing, sew up the sides and bottom leaving the top open.
Do the same with piece E and you should have:

Decide which one is your favorite and make it your external piece and make the other, lesser loved piece your lining. Turn them right side out and cast them aside.

Take pieces F and G and round the top two corners. I used my favorite mug from the Old St. Angela Inn. But I understand that not everyone has such a mug from such a place, so I suppose any old mug/cup/round shape would work ... I guess.

With right sides together, sew along the sides and top leaving the bottom open. Then notch (make little V cuts) around the curves. This will keep things tidy when you turn it out.

I also trimmed down the seam with my pinking shears. It's just how I roll.
Optional but recommended step: Once you turn it right side out, top stitch along the edge.

Slap that velcro on dead center.
Go grab pieces D and E. Take whichever one is your favorite (it should be right side out now) and ~~line up the flap between the two side seams and sew along the top making sure NOT to sew the pouch shut~~ do this:

We will now call this piece "X"

This is where the faint of heart might want to grab a bag and breath into it for a few seconds. Just bear with me. It would take me two seconds to show you if you were right here with me but you're not, so instead I have to employ a whole bunch of words that will make it look all complicated. It's not. This step will take you all of 17 seconds.

Find your sorely neglected piece E (he should be inside out) and put piece "X" INSIDE piece E with the flap sandwiched in between them. See look:

There's the flap there, you see the velcro?

Sew all around the top edge (don't sew the pouch closed please. This is why my phone number is not on the blog, I don't want ~~obscene~~ frantic phone calls), leaving a few inches open so you can turn this whole concoction right side out.

Turn the whole concoction right side out

Now you see the unsightly opening...

Now you don't.

By what sorcery did I vanish the opening? The wonders of modern technology know no bounds. I should have be hectoring you all along about pressing your pieces after each step. Seriously, it makes such a difference. You know I am ALL about shortcuts and cheating, but I have learnt the hard way that skipping the iron is a shortcut that will come back to haunt you like Goofy in Mickey's Christmas Carol. (That gave me nightmares for years). So take your iron and board out before you start so you don't let the sirens of laziness steer you wrong.

Topstitch along the edge of the pouch (not the flap) to close the opening and you are DONE!

Oh yeah, the velcro on the pouch ... I won't insult you with details

Three Size 5s fit snugly inside

The final step should be sewing a coordinating ribbon on the backside of the change pad so you can close the whole thing up, but I didn't have ribbon that I loved enough to commit to. So I just put a drop of fabric glue and stuck embroidery floss in it. Lay out the change pad with the pouch in the middle and fold it over neatly. You'll have a nice little clutch.
If you want to get super snazzy (and looking at the picture I may just do this myself), you can find these magnetic snaps at Michaels, Joanns, Hobby Lobby, etc...

and use those as closures instead.

Breaking it in...

Scratch and Sniff Watercolors

2011-04-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

Since I was already acruing fines on my Kid Concoction library book, I wanted to make my last weekend with it count. My son found this idea upon his first perusal of the book and - thinking that we had all the ingredients in the pantry - I promised him we would make it.
Turns out I'm a ~~better~~ more health-conscious mom than I thought and I didn't actually have any kool-aid mix on hand! Turns out you can buy little packets now so you don't have to commit to any one flavor. Buying kool-aid and being in the general area of crystallized sugar drinks made me miss the days of ignorant health bliss. I have a not-fully-developed theory that you are safe from the harm of things if you don't know the harm that's in them. So, all the ~~junk~~ ambiguous chemicals that make for more-cherry-than-cherries flavored drinks are just fine until you start sticking your nose where it was never meant to go. What I'm trying to say is ... I MISS TANG!!! Especially the big tub of Tang where you could add more than the recommended amount of orange ~~cocaine~~ juice crystals!
Anyway, the project:

Scratch-n-Sniff Watercolors:

Put a tablespoon or so of different colored juice crystals (unsweetened) in separate containers. Add about a 1/4 cup warm water and mix.

Protect your furniture, clothes, and loved ones and let your kids loose with thick brushes and big pieces of paper.

Dawoud's "Signature" Art ... wasn't sure how I felt about "Scratch n Sniff" used for Lafth al Jalala, but he promised there'd be neither scratching nor sniffing involved ... the colors just apparently inspired him and he couldn't resist.

You're going to have a hard time keeping your kids from licking the papers. I kid you not. The powder is unsweetened and bitter as hemlock, but I kept catching them with the telltale techni-color tongues and fingertips!

Back with a Glittery Vengeance!

2011-03-07T11:36:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe how long it's been since I posted! That's what a three-week long vigil at the computer during the Egyptian revolution, handing out and grading midterms, and travelling to California and back will do to a girl.*

And speaking of travelling to California (see above), I've discovered there are hazards to moving to Canada as an adult. Namely, forgetting about that diabolical "black ice" Canadians are so fond of. Seriously, how was I supposed to expect that the parking lot of the shi-shi hotel a friend took me to last night was now an unmarked ice rink? I was wearing boots (yes, sensible ones, not cute ones), took one step, and WHOOOOSH, side planted right on my hip. The only saving grace was that my friend said I fell more gracefully than she'd ever seen - apparently, I looked like I was curtsying!
And as my life flashed before my eyes, I realized that my little blog would end right there in the parking lot and there was so much more crafting to be done and shared! So, I'm back with a little something I've prepared for the kids spring break craft list:

It's always a toss-up whether to do crafts like this alone and present them with pomp and trumpeters to my admiring fans, or to allow said fans behind the curtain to participate in the creation.
I have to admit to craving the oohs and ahhs after my bruised hip/ego, so I snuck it in during a few minutes of alone time.

From "The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions"
Glitter Tubes
Ingredients:
Sealable Tubes
Light Corn Syrup
Glitter/Confetti
Glue Gun (Recommended)

I used the tubes that the Super Glue from the Dollar Store come in because I like the size and shape. I'm still on the hunt for something longer and rounder on the edges. Any suggestions?

Fill up the tube 3/4 of the with the corn syrup, add water and glitter/confetti leaving just a smidge of breathing room on top.

Depending on your tube lid, you may want to seal it with a glue gun if it is not an airtight seal. That is unless of course you want glittery corn syrup all over your house/car/kids' hands. Hey, it's a free country, and I don't judge.

That's it, decorate it as you see fit, and your kids' hero for a few minutes.

Of course what the picture doesn't capture is the delay that the corn syrup causes. So that when you flip it upside down the glitter just sloooooowly works it's way down/up like a lava lamp.

* Not to mention that although the Egyptian Revolution is technically over, there is still a lot of unrest in Egypt. More urgently, the situation in Libya is unfolding into a Rwandan-level massacre before our eyes and the world seems to be doing nothing about it (again). My husband actually lost an old friend who had moved back there a few years ago. This man was killed be a mercenary as he was coming to the aid of an injured man. Each will get justice, but it's been hard to focus on anything but lately.
However, I won't derail the post doing was al-Jazeera does so much better.

There are no words...

2011-02-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

Do you Ruch?

2011-02-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

So I have a long sleeveless jersey top to which I am inexplicably attached. However, did I mention that it's jersey? And do you know what jersey does to a body that doesn't look like an ironing board? It ain't pretty. So as scary as it is to alter clothing for which you've paid more than a dollar, I took the chance knowing that if I didn't it would be relegated to the "don't-know-why-I-can't-quit-you-but-will-never-wear-you" pile.

In walks the technique known in the Project Runway world as "ruching". For those of you who have been sewing for years, this just means creatively gathering up the sides of a garment.
Using needle and thread of an obvious different color, I sewed a wide stitch up along the side seams. (Make a knot so that you don't lose your thread when you start pulling, which will happen.. NOW!) Pull the thread and you'll see the fabric start to pull up. Pull as much or as little as you like and then make a knot at the end of the thread to temporarily lock it in place.
Go over this line again with a tighter stitch - either by hand or with a sewing machine. I found using the sewing machine to be a bit cantankerous and almost started verbalizing its grievances. So, full disclosure, on the other side, I just found it easier to make little tucks/folds as I sewed along the side seam. The result is indistinguishable.

Speaking of the result, the effect of the ruching is that it creates distracting layers of, um... ruches. While I'm not going to post of picture of me wearing my new objet d'art, here's the final product:

It's not a great shot. It looks like I just crumpled up the dress and threw it on my bed, but that's only because of the kind of fabric and the fact that I intentionally (cough, cough) made my gathers erratic. It looks really cool on.
Remember, it's essentially just sewing a loose stitch along one side (or even a diagonal), pulling the end of that thread until it gathers the way you like, and sewing over it again. Here's a picture of tight ruching on a stiffer fabric:

On another note, the protests in Egypt are still going on, even if Anderson Cooper has come back to America. I've been on semi-strike from blogging because it's been hard for me to do much of anything lately, and frankly, it just feels so wrong to be thinking of and detailing crafts, when my fellow countrymen and women are risking their lives and futures for the noble struggle towards a just and safe society. This is not a communist plot, this is not a Muslim Brotherhood plot, this is the brave youth of Egypt demanding self-determination and accountability for crimes committed on such a big scale that they have been swept under the international rug. ("The greater the crime, the greater the amnesty"-International criminal Henry Kissinger)
Keep these heroes in your prayers, and think of them sleeping under army tanks for shelter from the night air when you tuck yourself and your children in bed.