Domestically Unemployed

Stitched

2013-02-04T13:16:00.004-06:00

I am here. Still stitching + loving it. I thought that I'd share some of what I have been making.

I love making every couple + hope that they are loved just as much!

-K

Stitching

2012-10-25T10:10:00.000-05:00

Life has been really hectic around these parts lately.

I've been stitching up a storm to get some Etsy orders done and taking very little photographs.

This week has taught me how important it is to manage your time. Hopefully this weekend will give me some time to catch up!

-K

Halloween Wreath

2012-10-02T09:14:00.000-05:00

I love Halloween.

I have been daydreaming how I would like to decorate our home for this great month. I don't usually care for most store wreaths because they are expensive + not quite my taste.

This year I was determined to make my own for the same price as a store bought one. The total cost for this project was about $20 + I am quite happy with it. It can also be changed year to year with different accessories.

Supplies

Grapevine wreath

Spider Webbing

Black spray paint

Spiders + accessories

Instructions

Spray paint the wreath black. I used a semi gloss and love how it looks shiny, but feel free to use any type.

Let dry and continue spray painting it black until fully coated.

After it has dried + the paint has set, you can start decorating it. I took the faux spider web and stretched it across the back of the wreath then added some spiders. Then I put some webbing on the front and attached the rest of my critters.

I hope you enjoy it + consider making your very own wreath this year!

-K

Snippets

2012-08-30T08:57:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had to get out.

To see how this little city was fairing in the gusts.

Find out how much storm surge we were really having.

And of course take some pictures.

{1} the marina docks {2} wind swept flag {3} submerged dock {4} old rusty pipe {5} boats at home {6} birds soaring {7} back to bed, where we belong on a stormy day.

The city is fine.

A little disheveled from all this wind, but still going strong.

We await the sunshine.

-K

Things I Have Learned About Cats

2012-08-14T11:19:00.002-05:00

Yes, I am a cat lady.

I have lived among felines for almost all of my life now.

Although the past six years have been the only ones spent with exclusive indoor cats.

I have learned many things sharing a home with these creatures.

{Some things I wish I could take back.}

Here are my tips for living with cats...

Learn to love cat hair.

Your favorite things will probably get destroyed.

If you think you smell cat pee, you do.

If you have searched the entire house + still cannot find the source of said odor,

check the clothes you are wearing. :/

Do not introduce yogurt {or other human foods} to them.

You will never be able to eat in peace again.

Your cat does not think he is smarter than you.

He knows he is smarter than you + will not hesitate to prove it.

Beware of that playful face your cat makes while laying on his back.

It might look like he is begging you to rub his luscious belly fur.

He is not. It's a trap.

They are constantly planning their escape routes,

and you are only hindering them.

Whenever you are working your hardest, they need your attention.

You will spend your future looking for furniture that is scratch proof.

And apologizing to others for their ruined furniture.

{Again, sorry husband..}

I also have learned that..

They helped me gain my independence.

They are the cutest little beasts I've ever known.

Everyday they melt my heart.

They have taught me so much about myself + the type of parent I will be.

They helped me fall in love with my husband more everyday by seeing his kindness towards them.

There is nothing quite as cute as a kitten.

What sage advice have felines {or dogs, or children..} lent you?

-K

Snippets: Daytona

2012-08-07T09:29:00.000-05:00

We got back from our short little trip to Daytona this week.

It was wonderful + relaxing {aside from the long car rides}.

The beach there is quite different from ours.

The waves are much larger on the East coast.

I saw a lot more pelicans fly by than I have ever seen.
It is a beautiful + enchanting place.

Thanks to my hubby for letting me tag along + enjoy the coast.
I will always cherish little trips like these.

{1} the long road ahead {2} final bridge {3} welcome {4} umbrellas on the beach {5} puffy clouds {6} pier {7} view from my bed {8} finally caught one of these guys flying by {9} good morning ocean

Where have you been recently?

-K

Home Tour: The Office

2012-06-20T09:02:00.002-05:00

Well we have been in our new little home for over a month now.

I think it's time to share some bits of it.

Now keep in mind we are still adjusting and creating spaces we like.

I'm not sure if that ever ends.

The office is probably my favorite room so far.

It is one of the first rooms that I have ever really felt reflects our life.

I would love to paint it a pretty pastel color, but our budget is still recovering from the purchase!
Luckily it {and the entire house} are painted in a neutral color that I can live with.

Without further ado..

There are lots of details that still need to be found, like a lovely rug and some more wall decor.
It is our creative space where we make beautiful memories.

I hope you enjoy it!

-K

On Buying A Foreclosure

2012-05-08T07:30:00.000-05:00

Buying a home of our own has always been a goal in my life. Ever since I have been living in apartments - some well taken care of, some of questionable construction, - I have wanted to own my place. To be able to pour my love, sweat, + tears into it.

And now that we are finally here, I am so thankful. Everyone has been so supportive of us in this venture and I know that if anything happens, that we would have no problem finding a hand to help us up.

The housing crisis has allowed us to purchase a nice home with a huge yard. Something I didn't think we'd own until our 2nd or 3rd home.

It has allowed us to get a loan with a great interest rate.

It has allowed us to make a solid investment.

But when I visit this home, sometimes I stop and think about the people who used to own it. I wonder what they were like and if they still live around here.

Their misfortune has been our luck, and this makes me feel really guilty.

This was their home that they lived + loved in and it was taken from them by their bank.

On one of our initial trips to our new home, I found a toy car out in the yard. Almost buried by months of dirt.

It made me sad.

Somewhere a little kid is without his toy, and his home.

I know that these circumstances are not my fault, and that if it wasn't us, it would be another couple purchasing this house. I am ever so thankful to be one of the lucky few that have a home to start a new life in.

In time this little house will become ours.

We will raise our babies here. We will have friends + family here. We will work hard here.

We will love here.

And that's all a house really wants.

-K

The Ocean

2012-05-03T08:12:00.001-05:00

I have a secret love affair.

It's with sand.
And sun.
And birds.
And crashing waves.

It's with the laziness of the beach.
The free spirited laughter of children and adults.
The trust worthiness of strangers that exists nowhere else.

It's the salty air filling my lungs + coating my skin.
The tingle of the cold ocean water cleansing your unknown wounds.

The beach has magical powers.
Healing ones.
It cures your racing mind, your dampened spirit, your stress, if for just a little while.
It makes people fall in love again as they dance together in the bobbing waves.
It makes us all young again; body surfing, floating, building sand castles.

I am lucky to be so close to one that is so beautiful.
One that reminds me how truly perfect nature is.
And how the day to day is not nearly as important as life is.

I look forward to basking in the hot, comforting sun as it turns my white skin a reddish tone; as it lightens my hair and my soul.

The beach is where I live.
Where the sun is there to warm you, the salt there to heal you.

-K

DIY Wall Art

2012-04-27T08:25:00.001-05:00

I just want to give everyone out there a big thank you for all of your support. We are looking forward to this new step in our lives and are very happy to know so many people are pulling for us!
Now onto the project!

For those of you who, like me, are not so artistically talented - I present you with a wall art task anyone can manage.

Supplies:
Canvas or paper
Stencil Film
Print out of your silhouette pattern
Paint
Brushes
Scissors
Tape

Tape your pattern to the stencil film and tediously cut out your silhouette.

Remove backing from film and place it over your canvas. You will probably have to rub the film in to secure it. Paint over the secured stencil.

Remove the stencil and you have a very nice silhouette that requires no artistic skill to create!

I haven't hung this anywhere as we might be moving soon. But I plan on making a set of these to hang in our future guest room. Maybe even another set of plant silhouettes..

-K

Dollhouse

2012-04-13T18:52:00.001-05:00

Today is the day that I finally finished constructing my dollhouse.

It took over a month and lots of painting, gluing, and patience. Lots of patience.

This was my anniversary gift from my husband. I have always dreamed of building a dollhouse and I am so happy to have finally completed it.

Without further ado..

Oh how I love it!!

This is a kit bought at Hobby Lobby {use a coupon!}. It comes in many pieces.
I used scrapbook paper and Mod Podge as wallpaper since I had trouble finding patterns I liked.
This was truly a labor of love, and if you have the time I would recommend building one. But after putting in so much work, I can understand why they charge another $100 for it to come pre-built!

I can't wait to look at furniture.

Am I the only one obsessed with dollhouses out there?

-K

Hand Embroidered Hankies

2012-04-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

One of my husband's many endearing qualities is that he always has a hankie on him. Anytime I need to sneeze or wipe my hands, he is prepared in such a gentleman-like manner.

His supply through the years has diminished and I wanted to get him some personalized ones for our anniversary. After searching, I couldn't find the right one for the right price.

So I set out to make him some.

I found a 13 pack of white cotton handkerchiefs in the department store for under $20.

The embroidery floss is a Michael's steal that I got on clearance.

After laundering + ironing them, I printed my designs up on a sheet of paper and traced the design on the handkerchief.

The embroidery floss I used was a bit too thick for this cotton, so I took out 2 strands and looped them on the needle.
I back-stitched around the penciled design and made sure to tie the ends up neatly.

Now my dearest can take a piece of me wherever he goes.

-K

Pics Around the House

2011-11-10T09:41:00.001-06:00

So I have been at my folks house a few days now. Being here is so different than our apartment. You can be as loud as you want and there is a yard! There are so many pretty things hiding out in every corner here. These are just a few that I took some pics of:

So many pretty things to see. Thanks for looking!

-K

Apple Crisp

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Now that it's not blazing hot outside, I get to use my oven more often. Today's treat is a delicious apple crisp that will curl your toes. You know how people selling their houses will bake cookies to help make the place smell like a home? The smell of this apple crisp could make a back alley smell like grandma's. I got the recipe from here, and if you haven't tried it, you absolutely must. Let's get started!

Ingredients

10 Cups Apples [about 8-10 medium sized apples]
1 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Flour
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Raisins [optional]
1 Cup of Quick Cooking Oats
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Cup [1 stick] Melted Butter

Preparation

Wash all apples, then peel [I chose to omit this step *lazy*], core, and slice into pieces.

Place the chopped apples in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix together 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle over apples. Evenly pour the 1/2 cup water over the entire apple mixture. [If you wish to add raisins like I did, now would be a good time to add them on top of the apples.]

Mix the remaining ingredients together and crumble on top of the sugary apple pieces.

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. [If the result is too watery for your liking, I suggest pour the juices over the top of the crumbled mixture.]

This would be a great substitution for apple pie come Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy!
-K

Marbled Marshmallows

2011-10-18T10:19:00.000-05:00

Ever feel like making art with food? I know that I often feel that way. Marshmallows are a great way to merge the two. You get something pretty and yummy. They are actually fairly easy to make, I used Alton Brown's recipe [since he is a culinary genius].

Ingredients

3 Packs of Unflavored Gelatin
1 Cup of Cold Water
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Light Corn Syrup
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Cornstarch

Preparation

Pour 1/2 cup of the cold water into a mixing bowl then add the packages of gelatin.

In a saucepan, mix together the rest of the water with the sugar, corn syrup, and salt over medium to high heat. Cover it and let it cook for about 4 minutes. Take off the lid and allow it to cook another 8 minutes [You are supposed to use a candy thermometer and wait till it gets to 240°F, but I don't keep one of those around]. Remove the pan from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour the hot mixture into the bowl. Be very careful with the hot sugar mixture as it will burn you badly [I advise all children and small animals to leave the room ]. Once all the mixture is added, crank up the mixer and let it whip for about 13-14 minutes until it becomes thicker. Add the vanilla extract in for the last minute. You can also use other extracts like almond and peppermint to get a uniquely flavored marshmallow.

While your mixer is busy at work, lightly spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray. Mix the cornstarch and powdered sugar in a small bowl and pour part of the mixture into the pan to give it a nice thick coating.

When the mixing is finished, pour the marshmallow batter into the pan. This is where the art enters. Put a few drops of food coloring on top of the marshmallow. I use a [oiled] chopstick to swirl the colors together and create a marbled effect.

Let is sit for about four hours until it hardens. Cup with a powdered knife and enjoy your beautiful snack!

If you swirl in some green and red you would have some very cute Christmas goodies!

-K

Repurposed Window Frame

2011-08-15T10:52:00.003-05:00

This is a project that I did a while back, but it sits prominently in our living room. The window frame is something my dearest mother found and kept. I know I get on to her for keeping so many things, but sometimes the "trash" she finds is indeed treasure to someone else. When I saw this window, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.
I wish I had a before picture because it was definitely in rough shape. I spent many hours removing dirt and paint from the glass, but I think it was worth it. I painted it a beachy blue color then sanded down the edges to give it a rough look.

I secured the pictures to the window using double sided tape on the front bottom of the pictures. However, if you were using pictures you wanted to keep afterwards, I would use magic tape and tape it on from behind so you don't ruin the photos. These tapes are pretty invisible and you can only see them if you are looking for them.
This pictures inside are not taken by me, but I scoured the internet looking for the ideal set. The great thing about this, is that I can change out the photographs when I am bored of them. One day I hope to have a set that I took, which means I need to get to photographing, right?

Hope you enjoy!

-K

Cheesecake Cupcakes

2011-08-12T00:01:00.005-05:00

Growing up, my mother always made cheesecake cupcakes at Christmas. It was a treat that everyone looked forward to. Once I moved out on my own, I started baking them much more frequently. They are perfect for sharing with friends, or making new ones. In fact, I am pretty sure these cupcakes are one of the reasons my husband decided to spend his life with me.
We are six months away from Christmas and the heat has become unbearable. So I decided to whip up a batch of these cupcakes to brighten everyone's moods. Except this time I wanted to add a personal touch. Enter the strawberry topping. These cupcakes are usually topped with a cherry pie filling, but I decided to make them a touch more pretty with some strawberry glaze. Here are the directions:

Cupcake Ingredients:

Three 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
Vanilla wafers

Step 1: Line a cupcake pan with baking cups, then fill each one with a vanilla wafer.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese and sugar.

Step 3: Add eggs to mixture & pour mix into cupcake pan.

Step 4: Bake for 30-45 minutes at 350°F.

For the glaze, I just cut up some strawberries (I had to use frozen since it isn't strawberry season) and cooked them in confectioner's sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract until it was a little bit thicker.
I hope you enjoy my childhood treat!

-K

Finished!

2011-08-03T12:10:00.001-05:00

I did it! I finished the chair. I am so happy that it is over. It took a lot of work and gave me plenty of headaches, but I think it looks much better and suits our style.

I learned many lessons from this project and feel more confident in my craft-abilities. It is by no means perfect, in fact there are multiple points I would redo if I could. Hopefully it will last a few years so that I won't have to recover it again, but when I do, I will be very well prepared! One of the best lessons I learned was to actually see the bones of an old chair. You really learn to appreciate handmade things when you see how much work and dedication goes into them. It has kind of encouraged me to go thrift shopping for furniture that has been previously loved so that I may make it my own.

I think this picture really exemplifies how much this chair has survived.

I have to give a thanks to my husband who has put up with the mess that came with this project. And for being supportive and patient. It took longer than I wanted it to, but I am just proud that I was able to finish it. Now I can return to my cleaning schedule and start working on some other crafts, ones that I can finish in a day!

There are more before pictures of it here. Thanks for looking!

-K

Quilting

2011-07-18T11:46:00.000-05:00

My mother left me her sewing machine the last time she was here so I could finish reupholstering the ~~scratching post~~ chair. I have been itching to sew something while I have it, but I don’t have quite the ambition for clothes yet. So I decided to sew a quilt because they look so cute and easy to make. Silly me. They are much harder than they look. Apparently, you have to make accurate measurements and plan ahead and, well that is just not my style.

I dove in head first without any formal introduction about the world of quilting. I looked at photos of some and said “Okay, looks easy enough.” They are very tedious little projects and require much more math than I could ever be happy with. My first one isn’t as wonderful and awe-inspiring as I’d hope it to be, but it isn’t completely horrible. The squares don’t line up and the corners aren’t quite right, but you know what, it is kind of cute in all its imperfection. It has Wabi-Sabi..

I did start making a second one before I even finished this one. It is bigger and more complex. I kind of planned ahead for this one. We will see if that helps any.

All of this work has me wondering if quilting is really worth it to me. No one loves blankets quite like I do, but I think my future projects will be much easier. I’m talking giant squares and minimal seams.

Quilting reminded me how much fun sewing can be. I remember doing a few projects in high school and how creative you can really get. I think what I really need is an introduction to sewing class.

-K

*Domestically Unemployed*