D.I.Y. Louisville

Product Review: PureForm Grip-Free Paintbrush

2019-03-05T09:13:00.000-05:00

I have several home and DIY projects on my radar come warmer weather, so when PureForm approached me and asked for a review of their new patented grip-free paintbrush, the timing was perfect. I was intrigued by the ergonomic design and also by the claims of pain-free painting.

The unique design of the PureForm paintbrush offers "greater control, reduced fatigue, professional quality, and unmatched comfort."

I took this brush on a little test-run to a friend's house that happened to be painting her bathroom. Initially, you know this is a quality brush. However, I will admit that it takes a moment to adjust to the grip-free design, as your instinct is to grab the brush in the standard way. Once you let the brush rest on your hand, you can immediately feel that your muscles are relaxed and yet you still have complete control of the brush. If you suffer from any hand cramping, muscle fatigue, or elbow pain from gripping, this paintbrush is definitely a great alternative to a standard brush.

If you're interested in learning more about the PureForm Grip-Free Paintbrush, you can check out their Kickstarter campaign that is launching today, March 5, 2019. From there, you can snag some early bird specials during the campaign's first 24 hours. Sets of 4 sizes of brushes for only $25 and two sets for $45. That's an amazing deal for quality paintbrushes! The suggested retail price is $9.99.

Watch video demonstrations and more reviews on their website at pureformbrands.com, plus follow along on Instagram and Facebook.

What spring DIY projects would you like to tackle with a PureForm grip-free paintbrush? I can't wait to share my next painting project with you!

Happy painting, DIY'ers!

julee

****This product was gifted to me in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Smooch Valentine Party

2019-02-13T18:10:00.000-05:00

Smooch. Smoochie. Smooches. I took this Valentine party up to a personal level. Because if you don't send your love grossly affectionate words of endearment, do you even have a Valentine?

This party was planned with my dear crafty friend, Craft E Magee, and it is the starter project of a big idea we have to continue to put together parties that we love. We're just getting started on some serious baby baby steps, but you can find more of our parties in the future over on Party in Lou. We'd love to have you stop by and follow our instagram, too. You know, if parties are your kind of thing.

Craft E Magee worked her magic on the seriously adorable pompom banner and I designed the Smooch cake topper and lip kisses in Silhouette. The cake was from Kroger and I can't get over its cuteness with the Valentine sprinkles and tri-colored cake layers. It's simple to add your own flair to cakes with personalized cake toppers and decor. Parties should be fun and not stressful, so take a look around your grocers' bakery to see what they're offering and don't be afraid to cut corners with store-bought cakes and pastries.

Here's to lots of love and smooches this Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, DIY'ers!

julee

Hello, Friday

2019-02-01T12:25:00.000-05:00

Hello, Friday. Hello final sunsets on a fabulous but largely undocumented year. Hello 2019 and hot cocoa mornings with kindred spirits. Hello dreaming, planning, and resolution making for the year to come. Hello shooing the dust bunnies away from this little blog of mine. Hello, You!

Happy Friday,

julee

eShakti FX Feature Review

2018-12-15T18:35:00.002-05:00

Do you know eShakti? You should! eShakti is an online women's retailer that gives you multiple options for customization of their clothing, all at affordable prices. Do you like your skirts long, or short? Do you like your necklines revealing, or modest? With eShakti, you get to decide!

I own two eShakti dresses which I wear in heavy rotation and rave about constantly. In addition to the many styling choices, I love that their height and measurement options gave me perfectly fitted dresses.

Now, eShakti has rolled out a new feature, eShakti FX, that lets you see their dresses transform as you click on the many style options. Most dresses feature customizable necklines, sleeve length, and skirt length. (As a bonus, and because eShakti knows what women want, most of their dresses have pocket options!)

I played around with the fun (and addicting!) FX features for...probably longer than I should admit. You can see in this gorgeous emerald dress above that just by changing the neckline and sleeves gives this dress an entirely different look. Here are other dresses that I styled with the FX feature:

Want to play around and style some beautiful dresses, too? Head over to eShakti and look for the FX symbol for products with this feature. What do you think? It's like DIY'ing a dress without the cutting and sewing and frustrations. I bet you'll love it!

Happy shopping!

~julee~

This post was written in conjunction with eShakti. All opinions expressed are my own, as always.

Kentucky Derby Easter Egg in Food Network Magazine

2018-03-30T12:17:00.001-04:00

How do you represent Kentucky with an Easter egg? With a Kentucky Derby Chick, of course!

I was extremely honored to be invited to contribute the Kentucky egg for Food Network Magazine's United States of Easter Eggs feature in their April 2018 issue.

Kentucky is many great things, of course, but I have traveled many places and know for sure that Kentucky is definitely one great thing to almost all across America and beyond: horses and the iconic Kentucky Derby. I created this little egg as a representation of that beloved culture.

To create the Kentucky Derby Chick, I enlisted the help of my crafty better half, Craft E Magee, and we experimented with a few techniques to give us the perfect hat shape and size for an egg. Then, we did on a smaller scale what we've done together many times on a larger scale. we created the derby flair with feathers, silk flowers, and tulle. You can see the full tutorial on making the hat here: DIY Mini Kentucky Derby Hat.

Look at all of these fabulous eggs representing The United States! I am astounded by the creativity of fellow craft bloggers. You can see each egg with links to all participating designers at foodnetwork.com/eastereggs.

Which state egg is your favorite? It's hard for me to have a clear favorite when there are so many great designs!

Happy egg creating, DIY'ers!

~julee~

DIY Mini Kentucky Derby Hat

2018-03-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Sure, Kentucky Derby hats are notoriously big and loud, and perhaps (with all due respect), a tad bit ostentatious. If you're in the stands at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby day, your hat better be blocking someone else's view of the track or you're doing it wrong.

So, if that's the case, you're probably wondering why you would ever need to make a mini Kentucky Derby hat. Well, I have a few ideas. For a doll, maybe, or even say, to top an Easter egg. Maybe you just like cute mini sized things. Whatever your reason, I'm going to show you how easy it is to make your own extravagant hat in a small size package.

For the hat itself, you'll need to gather some supplies: cardboard (I used a shirt box), a round glass or other object as a template, cotton stuffing or cotton balls, pencil, scissors, and a glue gun.

The circle size for the hat brim will depend on what size hat you want to make. Using the glass, trace a circle on the cardboard. Cut the circle, and then make a slit to cut a small circle from the center.

Overlap and glue the slits together on the brim piece to create a curve for the brim. (The bigger the overlap, the bigger the curve, or wave.)

Cut a half-inch wide strip of cardboard long enough to fit the center circle cutout. Glue the strip to the center cutout. Now you will have the two pieces of the hat and you will cover each of these with fabric separately.

For the brim, cut a circle of fabric large enough to cover the entire cardboard piece. Pull the fabric up tight and glue around as you go. Unless you use a stretchy fabric, you will create a pleated look. If you don't want a pleated look, use a stretchy fabric.

For the hat top, glue the cotton to the flat top piece and then cover with fabric the same way as you covered the brim: pull up tight and glue to the inside center.

Now, glue the top and brim pieces together. If it doesn't look perfect, don't stress. We're going to use embellishments to create a flawless look.

Now that you've got a complete hat, it's time to decorate. Kentucky Derby hats are traditionally decorated with lots of big colorful flowers and feathers. There's no right or wrong when it comes to embellishments, and the more, the better! I've chosen to use tulle, a silk flower, and a variety of feathers.

I used the tulle to create a band around the hat. (Hint, this also hides any unsightly flaws created when gluing the top and brim together.) Play around with your flowers and feathers until you get the look you want and use hot glue to secure everything in place.

That's it! A small Kentucky Derby hat big on traditional revelry!

Happy hat making, DIY'ers!

~julee~

Unicorn Birthday Party

2018-03-19T07:06:00.000-04:00

What girl right now doesn't want a unicorn birthday party? I mean, hello cuteness! My young friend Ava was no exception when she was celebrating her 12th birthday this year, and her mama was happy to oblige. She used a lot of Pinterest inspiration for this party, along with the purchase of some Etsy printables and delicious treats from local bakeries.

The unicorn face focal wall was really the highlight for this party setup. The unicorn eyelashes and unicorn horn were purchased and downloaded from Digital Curio on Etsy and then printed to size at Staples. The flowers were purchased at a craft store and we drew out the greenery and unicorn ears freehand and cut the pieces from poster board.

With a pink and rose gold color scheme, we kept the desert table minimal. The gold polka dot table topper was a roll of wrapping paper and a gold table skirt from a party supply store finished the look. The gorgeous cake was from local Plehn's Bakery.

The unicorn cookies were from local baker Sweets by Millie. White chocolate dipped pretzels with sprinkles and unicorn dip rounded out the sweets on the dessert table.

It looks like the birthday girl really enjoyed her unicorn party!

Happy party planning, DIY'ers!

~julee~

Louisville Love: Paint Paper Petal

2018-02-26T08:59:00.001-05:00

I'm a swooner, admittedly, and I blame Instagram. When I discover beautiful people making beautiful things, my heart swoons as I obsessively look at photos of their work and ooh and ahh and basically double tap the Instagram love endlessly. Such was the case when I came across local Louisville artist Alyson Thiel and her downright gorgeous paper flowers. Alyson showcases her paper flowers on her Instagram Paint Paper Petal and was recently the monthly artist in residence at a local library branch where I was fortunate to attend one of her workshops.

Alyson is a talented artist and a generous teacher. She obviously has a love for sharing her skills and was very encouraging to everyone at her workshop. On this day, participants learned how to make a poppy flower from heavy crepe paper. Most of us are familiar with crepe paper party streamers, but heavy crepe paper is thicker and more substantial. The thickness allows the paper to hold its shape when stretched and manipulated, thus creating nearly realistic-looking flower petals.

Thanks to Alyson's guidance, I am delighted with my paper poppy and I love the vibrant colors and the texture that the crepe paper brings to the petals and stems.

In her own work, Alyson uses various papers and paint to create many designs and textures. Check out her work on her website and Instagram: alysonthiel.com and instagram/paintpaperpetal.

What new-to-you artists have you been swooning over lately?

Happy artist discovering, DIY'ers!

~julee~

Hello Friday

2018-02-16T18:10:00.000-05:00

Hello week filled with lovely Valentine loveliness. Hello paper roses and craft night with my favorite crafty ladies. Hello morning kisses and surprise flowers from my love on Valentine's day. Hello filling my home with heartfelt quotes from our favorite books that make my heart swell. Hello Galentine brunch and silly laughs with my gal-squad.

Hello you. I hope your Valentine week has been filled to overflowing with love.

~julee~

Vintage Library Wedding Reception

2018-02-12T15:15:00.003-05:00

Alternate title: The Reception of a Writer and Bibliophile.

When my friend Liz told me she wanted to create her cake and punch wedding reception with a vintage library vibe, I may have squealed in delight. Squealed, I'm telling you. Because vintage. And library. Vintage. Library. As in, the stuff my dreams are made of.

We centered our inspiration for decorating the tables around a vintage suitcase and the bride and groom initial book cut-outs, purchased at a local shop. (I have since found them at Michaels if you're looking for a set.) Everything was set in the brides favorite colors - deep, rich, jewel tones.

The reception hall was a beautiful old building set back in a local park. The gorgeous exposed brick walls and large fireplaces on each end of the room created the perfect warm and cozy atmosphere for wanting to curl up with a great read.

The stunning three layered cake was made by a family friend of the bride. The baker used seasonal flowers as the topper and to decorate the perimeter. The flowers were purchased at Kroger and we used the remainder bunches split up in vases on the tables.

For the tables, we raided our personal libraries for hardback books plus we took a few trips to Goodwill to look for books with pretty decorative spines. Every table held flowers in jewel-toned bottles and vases, plus small tea light candles in holders.

We also found various small brass elements to compliment the gold on the book spines and table settings. Goodwill had plenty of brass tchotchkes to pick over. A few decorative skeleton keys found at Michaels added in nicely.

Finally, to finish off the table center pieces, I took to the internet and printed off several love quotes from various books and authors and placed them in simple black frames. Each table had a unique quote which became my favorite element of the tables.

An easy way to add visual depth when decorating a table is paper. The gold polka dot paper was a roll of wrapping paper cut to size. On top of that I used 12x12 scrapbook paper in the jewel tones. Easy and very effective at creating layers that tied all the tables together.

We also set up a kids table full of vintage Golden Books and coloring sheets and crayons.

Overall, this reception embraced the writer and bibliophile personalities of the bride and groom perfectly. Using many pieces from their home and personal library, as well as vintage elements found at thrift stores, we were able to keep this wedding reception highly personal and affordable.

May they live happily ever after...

Happy party planning, DIY'ers!

~julee~

DIY Mason Jar Photo Holder

2017-12-22T01:01:00.001-05:00

It's not too late to craft some last minute gifts this Christmas. These Ball jar photo holders come together quick. Seriously, you make four of these in an hour or two. That, and they're cute and can be personalized with photos and gift cards. Win, win, win.

Supplies needed: 4oz mason jar, craft snow, small bottlebrush trees, wire (I used 18 gauge). You'll also need a small nail, hammer, wire cutter, pliers, and hot glue. It'll be helpful to find something round to wind your wire around to help it take shape - I used a thread spool.

(I found the 4oz Ball jars at Walmart and Kroger. They come in a 4-pack.)

Start by creating the photo holder in the lid of the mason jar. Using a small nail, hammer a hole in the center just large enough for the wire to slip through. Create two loops with the wire (twisting around a round object makes this easier). Create a long tail at the end of the wire loop. Thread this through the hole in the lid and then bend a 90-degree angle on the underside of the lid. Use hot glue or similar to secure the wire underneath.

Once your lid is finished, create your winter scene inside the mason jar. Use hot glue to adhere the bottle brush trees and then sprinkle in the craft snow.

Screw the lid back on and add your photos or cards and you're done! Easy, cute, and personalized!

What last minute crafts are you making?

Happy holiday crafting, DIY'ers!

~julee~

Fall Wedding Shower

2017-11-20T06:31:00.004-05:00

Confession: Sometimes beautiful parties get lost in a deep, dark picture abyss on my hard drive. For two years. It's a shame, really. Truth is, I have more photos of projects than I have time to share.

I recently found these fall wedding shower pictures, and realizing that I had never shared this gorgeous party, thought the time was right to pull them from the dungeon of my computer and bring them to light. I love the essence of fall's vibrance and crispness in this shower, and felt that we portrayed the bride-to-be perfectly.

The theme of this party revolved around beautiful sunflower bouquets picked up at Kroger. Yep, Kroger. Using seasonal florals as your main decor can have a big impact and it doesn't have to be expensive.

I used floral bouquets everywhere: As the food table centerpiece, flanking the cake, next to the favors, and even on the front porch to welcome guests. Free wedding printables from Creative Bag were also used on tables throughout the home.

Free mimosa bar sign and juice tags were downloaded from By Stephanie Lynn.

Hand lettered signs created by my talented friend Meredith at Little House Studio KY encouraged guests to leave wishes and words of encouragement to the bride-to-be, as well welcomed guests at the front door.

I hope you've enjoyed this last bid to fall before we officially head into Christmas season next week.

Happy party planning, DIY'ers!

~julee~

54 Fall Craft Ideas from Shutterfly

2017-09-19T16:41:00.003-04:00

Have you already started your fall crafting? If you're anything like me, you're determined to squeeze the last bit of summer out of September before succumbing to the hysterics of FALL! ALL THINGS PUMPKIN! SWEATER WEATHER! Or, if you happen to be one of those people who are already sipping pumpkin lattes and dusting off your tall boots, you may be ready to take a look at this list of 54 Fall Craft Ideas from Shutterfly. Even I must admit that there are some seriously cute fall and Halloween crafts listed that are making it hard to resist the change of season.

Besides, if you take a peek at the compiled crafts, you might just find a tried and true favorite from yours truly.

Happy fall crafting, DIY'ers!

~julee~

Pottery Class at Beechmont Community Center

2016-05-25T20:57:00.001-04:00

Remember Valentine's Day three months ago? Yeah, well, my husband gave me the most perfect gift for the occasion: He signed us up to take pottery classes together. Six whole weeks of a planned out date-day, and I was in love. With my thoughtful husband, of course, but I also found a new love in pottery. But man, is she a tough love. In fact, I'm not even really sure if pottery loves me back, but I'm not ready to quit on her just yet.

I'm wrapping up the beginner's course for the 2nd time and feeling amazingly more confident in my skills. For me, the learning curve was a lot greater than I anticipated it being. I'd assumed that because I'm comfortable creating with my hands that I would have taken to the pottery wheel a lot quicker than I have. I'm getting there, and I've turned out a few pieces that I'm really happy with.

If you're in Louisville and are interested in taking a pottery class, Beechmont Community Center will again offer beginner and advance classes in the fall. They also provide an open studio space for a very small, reasonable monthly fee.

Super Bowl Party with Ross Dress for Less

2015-01-27T21:28:00.001-05:00

I asked my husband what he would like to have at his Super Bowl party, and he promptly replied with, Beer. Ok. What else? Food that goes with beer. Ok. Anything fun and cute? *blank stare*

So, when Ross Dress for Less asked if I would like to shop for my Super Bowl party at their store, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity for me to deviate a little from my typical cutesy parties and put on something a little more…manly.

I had a mission to look for party set-up pieces in woods and darker tones. Ross did not disappoint. The first thing I found were the fun nesting crates with yellow chevron. I hesitated since yellow wasn’t one of the Super Bowl team colors this year, but they are versatile enough that they don’t distract from the theme. I used those crates as my main inspiration and added the other pieces from there.

The chalkboard is a really cool shutter turned on its side. I found it hidden behind some wall décor and it fit into my theme so perfectly that I felt like I found a hidden gem!

Ross has a great selection of beer mugs, pilsner glasses and pint glasses. I chose the handled mason jars because they came with lids and I knew I would use them again. When looking for party pieces, I try to shop wise and purchase items that I can put to use around my house or for future parties.

My absolute favorite find was the wooden six-pack carrier. Absolutely perfect for this party! Also, the galvanized bucket was great for keeping extra drinks cold.

For food, I served a big pot of Cincinnati-style chili and a hot dog bar. Chili is always a Super Bowl crowd pleaser.

For party snacks I found a few of my husbands favorites in the gourmet food aisle: hot and spicy snack mix, wasabi peas, and toffee popcorn. The selection was great and it was hard to not go overboard picking out snacks and sweets.

I loved that this party came together without the need to add a lot of extra DIY touches. Finding perfect décor pieces and yummy snacks at Ross Dress for Less meant that I had to prep very little to put this party together. This easy party set-up is great for those who are busy but still want to impress their guests with great party style.

What are your plans for the Super Bowl this year? Any favorite party food recipes you’d like to share in the comments sections? I’d love to check out your blogs!

~julee~

**A gift card was provided by Ross Dress for Less to share my shopping experience. All opinions are my own.

Ultimate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

2014-08-19T20:15:00.001-04:00

I have practically lived on peanut butter and banana smoothies this summer. No exaggeration whatsoever here, people. This smoothie has been my lunch more days than I should admit. So easy to whip up, you should totally make one today.

Ultimate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

1/2-cup Almond Milk

1/2-cup Plain Yogurt

1 Frozen Banana

2-Tablespoons BP2 (or creamy peanut butter)

5-ish or so Ice Cubes (optional)

1-Tablespoon Honey (optional)

Blend. Drink. Enjoy.

What are your favorite smoothie recipes? I’m always eager to try new ones!

Happy smoothie whipping, DIY’ers!

~julee~

The Bouqs Flowers: Review

2014-05-17T14:46:00.001-04:00

There are few things that make me happier than fresh flowers in my home. So when The Bouqs reached out to share about their flower delivery service, I was thrilled. A no fuss way to send flowers? Yes. Sustainable growing methods that create jobs and quality of life programs for its farmers and communities? Yes. Affordable? Definitely. The bouquets start at $40 and includes delivery.

I chose the small Cake N’ Cream ranunculus bouquet. Ranunculus are one of my favorite flowers, so it was hard for me to resist these beautiful blooms. The website was honest in its description that this was a smaller bouquet that would take time to open, and that the flower colors would vary. Once I placed my order, selected my delivery date and instructions, The Bouqs Company sent me a confirmation email right away. I also received an email when the flowers were sent from the source with a FedEx tracking number. The communication was great.

As the description said, my flowers did arrive as small closed blooms. However, they immediately smelled heavenly! I followed the directions on the box for cutting the stems, using the provided flower food, and placed in water. (Greenery was also included in the bouquet, but I preferred the simplistic beauty of the ranunculus without the addition of the added greenery.) Within two days the blooms started opening. These photos were taken on the third day after delivery; Beautifully opened blooms, strong stems, and and a magnificent aroma.

Although my bouquet was gorgeous, my one tiny complaint is that the flower colors were nothing like the website showed. The description did say the colors would vary, but I was really looking forward to the deeper hued tones showed in the image on the ordering page, as that suits my aesthetic more than the super-romantic pale blooms that I received. Definitely not a deal-breaker considering the price and quality of the bouquet, but definitely pay attention to the details in the description.

Have you ordered flowers from The Bouqs? If so, what was your experience? If not, take a look at their beautiful bouquets and let me know which is your favorite.

~julee~

A sample product was gifted to me from The Bouqs in exchange for my honest review. All opinions 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links.

Local Louisville: Uber

2014-04-30T07:50:00.001-04:00

Just in time for the multitude of Kentucky Derby festivities, Louisville now has a new option for car service: Uber. Uber is a mobile app that will place you with a private driver within minutes, and all rides are charged directly to your credit card on file - eliminating the need to carry cash.

Louisville Uber riders can select between multiple vehicles: uberX, UberBlack, or Uber SUV. Uber states that the most economical ride will cost you 20% less than a standard taxi.

Using Uber is simple: Use the app to request a ride. Your driver will come to you and you’ll receive a text when your Uber arrives. Your credit card information is on file, and will be charged directly. A receipt will be emailed to you. That’s it!

First time Uber riders can enjoy a $20 discount with code DIYLOU, expires 6/30/14.

Have a fun and safe Kentucky Derby week, DIY’ers!

~julee~

Show Off Your Shoes with Ross Dress for Less

2014-04-10T22:59:00.001-04:00

Confession time: I’m a girl who loves shoes. True story, my 1st and 2nd jobs when I was a teenager were in shoe departments in retail shops, and that wasn’t a coincidence. So when Ross Dress for Less informed me that they were having a Show Off Your Shoes shoe selfie promotion and asked if I wanted to participate, I was all up for the challenge.

It works like this: Shop at Ross and find a fabulous pair of shoes, then take a shoe selfie with those beauties. Upload your photo to Ross’s Facebook page saying why you love your shoes, and ask your friends to vote for you. So fun, and you’ll have a chance to win a Ross gift card! (Click here for more details.)

So what super cute shoes did I find at Ross this week? Well, for starters, I was blown away by the selection. So many cute and trendy summer shoes, in so many pretty colors and styles: Flats, wedges, heels, strappy sandals, flip flops, boat shoes, sneakers – you name it, Ross had it at affordable prices.

Because the selection was so great, I had a hard time selecting a favorite pair. I am really in need of a new pair of heels to wear with summer dresses, but I fell in love these brown oxfords with the ribbon laces. (Despite the fact that I already have two pairs of oxfords, but who’s counting.)

Ultimately, though, I found a pair of strappy wedges that may or may not have made me whimper a little when I saw them – I have been searching for a similar style since last summer and I felt like I hit the jackpot with these babies. Behold (but look past the haphazard pedicure – it’s been a long winter, people):

This is my shoe selfie. Show Ross yours! Between now and April 18th, upload your favorite Ross shoes on the Ross Dress for Less Facebook promotion page for your chance to win. If you enter, leave your link here – I’d love to come over and see your shoes!

If you'd like to vote for my shoes, you can do so here: http://bit.ly/1gRz3n6 Thanks!

~julee~

A gift card was provided by Ross to share my shopping experience. All opinions are 100% mine.

Sugar Snap Pea Quinoa Salad

2014-04-10T01:41:00.001-04:00

Our meals rock a lot of quinoa around here. It’s healthy, easy to fix, and adaptable to just about any cuisine that it’s a staple at dinner quite often. This is one of my favorite quinoa salads. Just toss the cooked quinoa with the veggies and eat warm as a dinner side dish, or cold by itself for lunch the following day. The prep to this is so minimal, even all you other non-cooks like me can give this a go.

Sugar Snap Pea Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

3/4 pound sugar snap peas, thinly sliced

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1) Cook the quinoa according to package directions and 2) Toss with all the other stuff. Then 3) Eat up.

So a couple of things: We use our rice cooker to cook our quinoa. Add quinoa and water, push cook, and I never have to think about it again. Makes perfect quinoa. And, I never actually measure out the sugar snap peas. I love snap peas, and some days I feel like eating a million of those sweet little pods so I’ll use up a ton for this recipe. Some days, however, we only have a handful of the little gems hanging out in the bottom of the crisper so I’ll just toss in what scarce bit I have. The point is, this recipe is good with either a lot of peas, or with a few peas- adapt it to your liking.

Are you a fan of quinoa? What are some of your favorite quinoa recipes? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

~julee~

Candy Filled Paper Mache Eggs

2014-04-02T00:45:00.001-04:00

What’s your favorite Easter treat? I have a firm belief that all Easter eggs should be filled with chocolate. These cute paper mache Easter eggs can be filled with small chocolates, jelly beans and fun trinkets.
Due the drying time on these, you’ll need to plan accordingly. However, they have a good getting-your-hands-gooey vibe that kids love. Plus, you have to rip them open to get to the goods inside.

Supplies Needed: Water balloons, liquid starch, tissue paper. Also, candy or trinkets to place inside.
Start by cutting your colored tissue paper into 1 or 2-inch squares. If you’d like to add polka dots to your eggs, use several sheets of paper at once through a paper punch.

Inflate a balloon to your desired size. Brush on liquid starch. Leaving the balloon’s tie uncovered, wrap a solid sheet of tissue paper cut to size around the balloon to give it a solid base. Brush on the liquid starch as needed to keep the paper on the balloon. Then, add the squares of paper one by one around the balloon, again, brushing on the starch as needed to keep the paper down. Do not brush hard or the paper will rip. You’ll only need enough starch to affix the paper. The more starch you use, the longer it will take to dry.

Once the paper is fully dry, use a pin to poke the balloon, holding on to the tie as it deflates. The balloon should pull out easily. From the hole in the top, cut a small slit in the balloon just large enough to place your treats. Cover the slit with a small piece of tissue paper, and affix it with the liquid starch.

To remove the treats inside, the paper on the egg must be torn. Fun!

Happy Easter crafting, DIY’ers!

~julee~

Watch the video as I demo how to make paper mache eggs on WDRB in the Morning:

Egg Carton Easter Chick

2014-04-01T18:11:00.001-04:00

A little egg carton chick to hide some chocolate Easter eggs = Cuteness overload. Seriously. And while these egg carton Easter chicks are perfect for kids to put together, adults will have just as much fun helping – at least I did. And the best part of all is that you probably already have all of the supplies needed for this one.

Supplies Needed: Paper egg carton, yellow paint, tape, colored paper, feathers (optional), black marker.
1) Cut two egg holder pieces (do these have a technical name?) from the carton. 2) Paint. 3) Attach the two pieces together with a piece of tape to create a hinge. 4) Use colored paper to make the beak, feet, and wings (or use feathers for wings, as shown). 5) Draw on a pair of eyes. 6) Fill with candy and give to your best peep.

Happy Easter crafting, DIY’ers!

~julee~

Watch the video as I demo how to make recycled egg carton chicks on WDRB in the Morning:

Today’s Woman March 2014 Cover

2014-03-26T00:06:00.001-04:00

You know what’s weird to say? Well, Hey, I’m on the cover of a magazine!, for one thing.

So (enter weird voice), I’m on the March 2014 cover of Today’s Woman magazine.

Yep. No matter how many times I’ve said it this month, or talked about, or showed it off, it’s always weird. But a good weird. Like a weird and humbled kind of weird. Know what I mean?

You may have seen the announcement if you follow me on Instagram, but I thought I should maybe blog about it too before the month is over and the issue leaves the newsstands. Not because I’m a braggart by any means, but because holy amazeballs people, how cool is this dress I’m modeling?? I’ll be honest and tell you that I am still totally geeking out that I was asked to model this amazingly fun paper dress.

The issue is all about repurposing, and the genius creatives at Today’s Woman made this fabulous dress out of their past magazine covers. I can’t think of anything more perfect for me to wear on the cover of a magazine.

Most exciting is that I am featured among many other local reuse and repurpose artists. These ladies have skill and artistry that is truly awe-inspiring. Like my good friend Lynn Quire of Good Garbage who has dedicated the past year to opening Louisville’s first reuse store and creating a non-profit where children are given the opportunity to participate in reuse art classes and educators have access to free supplies for their classrooms. I feel honored to be featured with such talented community influencers.

Oh, and hey look, I’m on the inside too, showing off one of my repurposed coffee sack totes. Yes, this may be first time I’ve ever had my hair curled and worn fake lashes, and no, you’ll never catch me wearing so much makeup again. This entire experience has been wonderful, and I’m so grateful for the staff at Today’s Woman for letting me be a part of their publication this month.

Happy repurposing, DIY’ers!

~julee~

You can see the full online version of March 2014 Today’s Woman here:

Gold Dipped Wine Glasses

2014-03-14T17:20:00.001-04:00

When planning for my Oscar Party, I knew it was the perfect time to jump on the gold painted wine glass bandwagon and create some fancy-pants glasses for the occasion. I found these affordable stemless wine glasses at Ross Dress for Less that were perfect for the look I wanted.

Pinterest is full of some really great ideas, but my favorite look (and seemingly most popular pin) was Martha Stewart’s gilded glasses. Dipping the glasses creates an easy, smooth finish that’s hard to recreate with a brush or sponge. Only, to create Martha’s dipped look, she instructed you to use heavy-duty clamps, and some sort of hanging contraption so the excess paint will drip off of the glass flawlessly. Now, I don’t know about you, but even as a crafty gal with a room full of crafty hoard, I don’t own either of these things. And I had no desire to buy or build them, either.

So here is my alternative method for creating a similar look, without the need to hang the glasses for drip-drying.

Gold Dipped Wine Glasses

Supplies needed: Wine glasses, gold glass paint, washi or painters tape, exacto knife, bowl or container that will accommodate the wine glass (I used a paper bowl), and a drying rack or small items to sit the glasses on while they drip dry (I used tealight tins turned upside down). You’ll also want some newspaper to cover your workspace.

1) Tape off the bottom of the glasses. 2) Use the exacto knife to cut off the excess tape so that only the bottom is covered. 3) Dip the glasses in the gold paint, coming up the sides to create the look you want. Shake off as much excess paint as you can for at least 30-seconds. 4) Set the glasses on your drying piece(s). 5) Let dry before removing the tape from the bottom. 6) If you still have globs of paint on the bottom, use a scraping to tool to smooth. 7) Refer to the directions on your paint for curing time and procedures.

If you want more paint on the bottom or other side of the glass, you can do that. If you want a more uniform look to each glass, use painters tape to create those lines.

Have you attempted to paint or dip wine glasses? What are your best tricks for getting a smooth finish? I’d love to hear your tips and see your pics!

Happy glass painting, DIY’ers!

~julee~

Watch me demo this project on WDRB in the Morning:

Mini Red Velvet Cakes

2014-03-10T23:07:00.001-04:00

I made these mini red velvet cakes for my Oscar Party and, naturally, I’m in love with their cuteness. (And their tastiness is pretty awesome, too.)

Because I have never pretended to want to be a baker, I have no shame in telling you that I used a box mix for these little cuties. However, I used Belle of Beechmont’s alternate red velvet donut recipe. No fancy pans needed for these; this batter bakes perfectly in your cake pan to create a more dense cake that is easy to cut into round, bite size cakes before filling with cream cheese frosting.

Red Velvet Mini Cakes

1 Box Red Velvet Cake Mix

1 Stick Butter

1 Cup Whole Milk

2 Eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 Stick Butter

4oz Cream Cheese

2 Cups Confectioners Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

Mix the cake mix with the wet ingredients. Line cake pan with parchment paper so that the ends come up and over the side. Thinking about the thickness you want your cakes, pour a thin layer of batter into the pan(s). Spread the batter as evenly as possible. Bake at 350-degrees for 10-15 mins. Let cool in the pan for ~10-mins, and then using the parchment paper sides, pull out of pan and let cool on a cooling rack until ready to cut. Using a round cookie cutter, cut circles from the cake. Fill layers with cream cheese frosting, and add a dollop of cream cheese frosting on top. I garnished my cakes with stars cut from chocolate and powdered sugar.

Mini cakes = cupcake’s fancier cousin. Perfect for parties, and easy to gobble down.

Happy baking, DIY’ers!

~julee~