Madigan Made { simple DIY ideas }

Guest Project: Recycle Sunglasses into DIY Jewelry

2012-05-25T09:31:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… Jewels of Sayuri a feature!

It’s Friday!! :)

And I really want to thank you so much for listening to me this week. I appreciate that you helped me celebrate my 2 year blogiversary and you listened to me go on about why I blog and my current blogging goals.

But… after all that blogging chatter, it’s time to get back to some crafty projects, don’t you think?

Well, I am so excited to share today’s guest project with you. Divya from Jewels of Sayuri has a very clever way to repurpose old sunglasses… turn them into pretty pendants! On one necklace she used decoupage and on other she used old bits of jewelry. I love how simple and sweet they both are!

Check out Divya’s tutorial for recycled sunglass jewelry!

Want to be featured on Madigan Made?

Please don’t hesitate to submit an idea!

I am ALWAYS on the look out for great ideas to feature here on a Friday.

Read this page for more details.

OR just go fill out this simple form. :)

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The Value of a Blogging Conference: Walking Away with Tangible Blog Goals.

2012-05-24T05:29:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… 8 blogging tips and lessons learned.

My mom asked me a question this week after I attended Bloggy Boot Camp in Philadelphia on Saturday, “What exactly is a bloggy conference? What did you do there?”

It is a good question and I realize that not all of you are bloggers or know much about blog workshops.

And I told my mom that this blog conference was a one-day event where 150+ social media savvy, online-loving women got together and learned from leaders in the blogging world how to better their blog. We also got to meet other fab bloggers, tweet a lot and enjoy a little wine at the end of the day!

You can find out more about the topics that were covered and the awesome speakers by checking out the SITS girls Bloggy Boot Camp Philly Page. (and find tons of recaps from other bloggers, too!)

I’m not going to go into great detail here about which speaker taught what point… ALL of the speakers were wonderful and experienced women. (I also don’t want to put words in people’s mouths in case I might misquote them!) But the list of tips below is MY takeaway from #BBCPhilly. These are goals I want to work on after hearing all the inspiration in the conference.

I’ve had a quasi list of blog goals swooshing around in my head for awhile…and I figured it would be an appropriate time to share my blogging goals with you during my blogiversary week. But going to a conference this past weekend was JUST the kick-in-the-pants I needed to write down and solidify these ideas. (and write my blog mission statement!)

Not only did the speakers give advice and say “You need to do this.” – But they also explained HOW. And that was key for me. It is nice to write down goals and dreams… but I think it is even MORE important for me to have a tangible action that I can DO to work towards that goal.

NOTE: If you follow me on Instagram (I’m madiganmade) – then you already know I love snapping photos of inspiring quotes I see. On cards, signs, magnets…. I love moving words! And I thought that many of these quotes were a perfect match with these goals. (And I snapped the photo above during Tiffany Romero’s presentation… I LOVED that she used quotes for her talking points!)

*8 Blogging Goals and Related Actions*

Goal 1: Be true to myself. Focus on the WHY. Always.

Almost every single speaker emphasized this point… understand WHY you blog. Ask yourself: “What is the purpose of your blog?” Once you do that… your decisions about what to write about… or who to work with…. or how you spend you time online will become clear.

I’ve had a draft of my mission statement for awhile and after attending the conference I decided to share it with you this week. (and an update to why I blog) It may sound crazy, but putting that purpose down in writing did mentally help me focus a little.

My Action: With every major post/project/opportunity… I need to reread my mission statement and think about why I blog. Ask myself: Does this idea match my WHY? If I can’t answer ‘yes’, I need to move on.

Goal 2: Grow my blog step by step.

There is sooo much to learn about blogging. Blogging almost reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. Just when you think you know where you are and know what do… you slip down the rabbit hole to another world. Then there is another whole big aspect to the business that you did not know about or fully understand.

There was a TON of great advice and information covered during the boot camp. It was a tad overwhelming! What I did appreciate from the conference is that it OK to chip away at small, individual goals to grow your blog. I have a few tasks that I can do and I plan to tackle each idea at MY pace.

My Action: Try to work on one small task to improve my blog each week. And on a grander scale, within the next 12 months, I hope to move to WordPress with a new site design and professional logo.

Goal 3: Go for it!

Another theme from the conference speakers that resonated with me was to push myself and try something new. Try a new way to connect with your readers. Experiment with different ways to generate income or garner recognition.

My Action: I really want to try video and vlogging. I’m a little scared to get in front of the camera but I think it could be fun to show you how I make stuff. I need to just go for it!

Goal 4: Organize my approach to blogging.

How do you keep yourself organized? This is a challenge for me. I have tons of great ideas for projects and posts floating in my head… but I need a better way to keep track of what they are and when I need to finish them. Many weeks, I have no idea what I’m going to be talking about in the next week. But it will help my blog grow if I can be better organized and have a stronger sense of purpose for what is the most important/pressing thing to work on.

Every speaker had their own advice for what helped them stay on track. Want to know what the common theme was? Google applications. (calendar, docs, etc)

My Action: Use Google calendar more often to outline my upcoming posts and post ideas.

Goal 5: Find balance.

Another common message from all the bloggers was to make sure that you balance your online life with your in-real-life life. Set limits to your time online and on certain tasks. Avoid distractions. Set office hours. Unplug.

Sounds easy, right? I struggle first-hand every day at finding balance and I will admit that I haven’t found a great solution. But, I have a few ideas I’m going to try.

My Action: I am going to try and set a timer when I sit down at the computer. When that timer goes off, I have to get up and off the computer for awhile. Also, when I write posts or edit photos…. EVERYTHING else on my computer (email, social media, etc) needs to be shut down. We’ll see if these things help me focus my time better.

Goal 6: Support others.

I’m grateful for the other women I’ve ‘met’ over time online as a blogger…. and I had a chance to meet some great bloggers at the conference that day, too. One of my FAVORITE piece of advice that was said again and again was to support other bloggers. Give back to the blogging community with encouragement and link love. It is important to remember that when one blogger does well and is recognized for their blog… it helps ALL bloggers everywhere.

My Action: Continue to share other blogger’s ideas with my readers in as many forums as I can (on the blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc). I also want to get back into the habit of telling you what blogs I’m loving.

Goal 7: Don’t be modest.

It was said several times during the conference that bloggers need to get out there and constantly spread the word about their blog, their posts and their projects. This piece of advice was a hard pill to swallow. I think many women, like me, have a difficult time pushing their work out to others. It feels like you are bragging or showing off.

But a good point was raised… while a few people might stumble organically onto your site, readers aren’t going to find you unless you put yourself out there. Your blog is your little home and for many bloggers, it is your little business. Be proud! It’s kind of like having a new cute shop in town. People aren’t going to stumble into your store and know you are there unless you advertise and tell them!

Aside from participating in the occasional link party, I’m not very aggressive at self-promotion. Some of it is due to my laziness. Some of it is due to time constraints… but I’d say that most of my hesitation is because of a lack of confidence in my work. I also hate rejection.

My Action: I need to get over my fears. I need to submit more of my content to bigger sites to be featured. I need to take a few minutes once a week to do this. And I also want to try to share more of my old content on social media.

Goal 8: Make sure something is in it for me.

One point that was made during the conference was to be sure that you are compensated for your hard work on your blog (especially when you work others… be it a brand or another blogger!). Now, that does not mean that you have to be compensated with money for every opportunity. Financial compensation is important but you can also get rewarded in other ways. You might gain more experience from covering that new topic or more recognition from that interview or more traffic from that guest post or more comments on that special feature. The lesson was that it is OK to expect something in return for all your efforts as you blog.

AND, what you get from those opportunities will only help your readers in the long run. Your gain is your blog and blog readers’ gain. You can invest in a better site design, you can bring in new readers, you can improve your photos/writing, etc.

My Action: Ask myself if each post/opportunity/request is going to help me/my blog in some way.

And finally, on top of all of these great pieces of advice above that I shared with you from the conference, I did give myself (and you!) one personal tip:

Accept that my blog is a work in progress.

There were TONS of great ideas shared at the conference about how to grow your blog to be a big blog. There were so many tips that my head was spinning a little. And I’ll be honest, I don’t know if it is a realistic goal for me to become a juggernaut blogging superstar. I’m happy growing my little blog at a slow and steady pace.

I outlined a bunch of great ideas in this post and I hope to tackle them bit by bit… but if I don’t accomplish them… THAT is OK. This blog (and me!) will ALWAYS be a constant work in progress. My hope is that as long as I try to stay true to my mission statement and enjoy blogging in the process…growth and success will slowly follow in due time.

P.S. Were you wondering what I was making last week for the conference with my Altoids tin? Well, it was a fancy new diy business card holder with my blog logo. It did not come out as nice as I hoped, but it worked for the event. I made a couple of other crafty branded projects for the conference and I hope to show you them in the coming week. Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

The reasons I blog today (psst… YOU are one reason!)

2012-05-22T05:53:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… a mission statement and my reasons for blogging.

I think by now y’all know I’m a bit of a ‘deep thinker’ when it comes to my blog and blogging.

I started this blog on a whim and I was not quite sure where this blog was going to go in the first year.

But I can tell you that everything I bring to this blog is done with as much purpose and intention as I can. (*Except when I want to talk about my coconut addiction… or when I feel the need to apologize to fruits and veggies. Hey, a girl’s allow to ramble once in awhile, right?)

When I first started to blog, I wrote a “why I blog” post. My goals at the time were basically to create an online space to journal and share about my creative passions. I also had wondered if this blog could grow into something ‘more’. My hunch was that the blog may become a springboard to open an online, handmade shop. Maybe I would sell purses or cute home accessories?

But now I have 2 years of blogging behind me. And as I’ve blogged and created more and more projects, I realized something. I’m not cut out to sell products in a shop. I am not the type of person that enjoys making the same thing over and over again. I enjoy the creative process of making one thing but then I want to move on to another craft.

BUT you know what I REALLY relish? I love showing YOU how to make that project. And I know that my readers share my appreciation for simple and elegant crafts, too.

So, the purpose of this blog has finally bubbled to the surface for me… I don’t need a shop or something to sell, I’ve created a classroom or mini-magazine!

This site is a platform where I can teach readers, support bloggers and inspire creativity. Madigan Made is a place where I can celebrate ‘simple creativity’ with others who crave it! (and if you crave chocolate, I’m sure you’ll appreciate this blog, too!)

The Mission of Madigan Made:

To inspire readers to create personal and home projects that are elegant, easy, AND budget-friendly. To support others who also understand this passion and share their ideas with the Madigan Made community. But, most importantly, to show readers that: yes, creativity can be THAT simple!

On top of clearly defining my mission, I wanted to better outline WHY I blog today…

Why I Blog: 2012 and Beyond

To teach and inspire others to create.

See that mission statement above? THAT is one big, HUMONGO reason why I blog.

I meet people all the time who tell me they don’t DIY or that they are not very crafty/creative. Or they say: “Wow, you made that? How?”

I want to show you that you can make your home personal and pretty… and it is easy to do! I want to encourage y’all to make stuff. Simple projects, mmkay? If I can do it, you can do it!

I also love teaching. As part of my day job as a pharmacist, I sometimes get to teach and mentor students. I enjoy sharing what I know and serving as a teacher. In a way, writing DIY tutorials is a way to teach others. When I learn or create something cool, I want to pass that information on!

To push myself creatively and learn new things.

I love making stuff. My heart is happy when I can create something beautiful. I started blogging because I liked writing, taking photos and sharing crafts. But I had NO idea that I would also enjoy creating this blog and community!

Don’t get me wrong, I will always want to craft with new mediums and make fun projects. But I also want to continue to learn more about blogging. I want to push myself to better understand social media, blog design, working with brands, SEO, HTML, and so much more. This is an exciting time to be online and the possibilities out there are what you want to make of it! The landscape of blogging has changed so much in 2 short years… who knows where this little blog can go in 2 more?

To support others who share my passions.

What I’ve loved the most about this blogging journey is the PEOPLE I’ve ‘met’ online (and offline). My readers (you!) are wonderful and they clearly appreciate my passion for simple DIY. I love reading comments from my readers… you guys “get” me and my style!

The craft blog community is incredibly supportive of each other. I am so grateful for the other women bloggers I’ve met online. I want to continue to share the blogging love… I always look forward to sharing guest projects with you on Fridays. If you ~~stalk~~ follow me on Facebook or Twitter, then you know I frequently feature other bloggers and their projects. Madigan Made will always be a place where we celebrate simple creativity!

To pay myself for my efforts and in turn, grow this blog even more.

This last reason might sound a little selfish, but hear me out. I’m not going to lie, this little site requires a LOT of work and time on my part. I love it, but I’ve realized that I want to be compensated for my efforts. This blog started out as a hobby… and while it is still a passion, I did decide to monetize this blog last fall. I explained in my ‘why I want to monetize’ post that running this blog takes time and it does come with costs. I will talk more about my blogging goals and how I want to grow this blog in another post this week. But, I can tell you that in order for this blog to continue to grow, it will require an investment (time and financially) on my part. (site hosting, site upgrades, etc)

And while I do work full time, I also hope that this blog can provide a small, additional source of income for our family. Who wouldn’t want to get paid for something they are passionate about? So, you will continue to see ads and the occasional sponsored post on this blog. Thanks so much for understanding this fact. You can read more about what I disclose here.

So, those are my reasons for blogging. But you may be wondering, “Ok, what’s next?”

How do I hope to grow this blog? What dreams do I have for Madigan Made?

I’ve been thinking about these goals for awhile. Attending the Bloggy Boot Camp conference this past weekend was JUST the thing I needed to solidify these objectives. Stay tuned later this week!

In the meantime, have YOU filled out my annual blog survey? I REALLY want your input to help this blog grow.

Won’t you fill out the survey? Pretty please?

Thanks sooo much! Click here to go directly to the form.

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

My Two Year Blog Anniversary! And a Survey!

2012-05-21T05:05:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… a blog feedback survey and a big thank you!

The middle of May marks two years on this little blogging adventure I call Madigan Made. I’ve come a long way from that first post and even last year’s one year milestone.

The longer I blog… the more I realize that this blog is NOT just about me. YOU are very much a part of this blog and its growth and success.

From the bottom of my heart… I want to say THANK YOU!
Thank you for reading! Thank you for sharing my posts and ideas with other people you know. Thank you for sharing my ~~addiction~~ passion for crafts and easy projects. I can’t tell you what it means to me to be able chatter on about spray paint, decoupage and chocolate with other women who ‘get it.’
Oh, and thank you for listening to me ramble… about my day job, my dog, my personal fertility struggle and my occasional blog plateau. Being able to share these stories is important to me and I hope you enjoy them.

Like last year, I don’t have any grand plans or fanfare for this annual milestone. I don’t host giveaways or contests. But I DO like to take this time to say thanks and reflect on where I want the next year to go.

I am looking long and hard at WHY I blog these days and I plan to share that post with you this week. I wrote a post about why I blog when I started blogging. But things have slowly changed for this blog (and me!) and updates are in order. (After attending Bloggy Boot Camp this weekend, I’m even more inspired to write this post!)

And as I mentioned above, YOU are a big part of this blog! To help this blog grow, I would love your input and ideas!

How can Madigan Made help you find simple DIY solutions and more? What do you enjoy about this blog? And what else might interest you?

Also - If you enjoy reading Madigan Made and want to tell your blog readers about it on your blog... Why not add a pretty button? Just grab the text in the box below!

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Please take a moment and fill out this short survey. It would mean so much to me!!

All entries are anonymous… so I hope to get your honest feedback! Thanks sooo much!

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Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
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How do you prepare for a conference?

2012-05-18T09:46:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… her first conference (and a few crafts, of course!).

I know. Today is Friday and I typically share a reader project.

I'm sorry, but I decided to skip doing a feature today because I’m excited for this weekend and just had to share...
I’m heading to my first blogging conference, the Bloggy Boot Camp in Philadelphia!

And, of course, I had to make a few DIY crafts to wear and use for the conference.

And, of course, I decided to make these things last minute, too! :o)

The picture above shows you one of the projects I worked on this week for BBC.

Any guesses what I’m making? This post ought to give you a little hint. I ran into a few snags with this project, so I hope it turns out OK. At the time I wrote this post (Thursday)… the project is still drying and I’m crossing my fingers that my solution works.

I’ll share some of the ”conference crafts” I made with you soon. And if you wanted a sneak peek, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (madiganmade). I plan to share a few pics about the conference, including these crafts… plus much more!

I’m nervous and yet really looking forward to Saturday. I’m hoping to learn a few new things from the talks. I hope to meet some new blogging friends. And I definitely think I will relish in the fact that I will be in a room full of other women who share a similar passion!

TGIF! Have a great weekend!

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Tie Dye Fabric Jewelry (guest post!)

2012-05-16T12:25:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… a guest post on Dollar Store Crafts.

Remember tie dye? That messy craft you did at camp or with scouts that involved a bunch of steps and soaks?

Well, I recently tried my hand at tie dye again when Tulip sent me one of their easy tie dye kits. All I had to do was mix their dye with water and I could create my own fun print!

I decided to make a fabric necklace and bracelet and I love how the colors blend together in these pieces. (and yes, those are more ponytail holder beads on there, too!)

Since this was an inexpensive project to make (all you need is an old t-shirt and a few craft supplies), Heather from Dollar Store Crafts asked me to share the tutorial on DSC!

Come join me on DSC today for the tie dye fabric jewelry tutorial!
You can find my full post disclosure here.

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Simple, Quick, and Handmade Greeting Cards

2012-05-14T06:38:00.000-04:00

 Madigan made… an easy greeting card tutorial.

Let's talk about something simple and easy today, mmmkay?

I thought I’d take a second and show you the homemade greeting cards I made for Mother’s Day to give to my mom, MIL and grandmother this year.

I’ve made handmade greeting cards in the past, with varying degrees of complexity. I've made simple Christmas cards (pictured below) and more complicated die-cut ornament cards.

I wish I had the time and desire to create intricate and layered greeting cards. But, like most of the things I do, I like to keep things simple and easy.
Plus, I am NOT very adept at stamping images neatly on cards. Things end up looking a bit crooked… kind of like my card needs a V8! Simple cards always tend to serve me better and I like one stamp, if I do use them at all.

Many of the rubber stamps I own are small with little words and holiday phrases. They make it easy to decorate a card or tag in a simple way.

One of my favorite ways to create a handmade greeting card is to use a single panel of paper with a small, stamped sentiment in one corner. You could make these cards for ANY holiday or purpose… Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Valentine's, birthdays, etc. Just change out the type of decorative paper you use.

How to Make Two Easy Handmade Greeting Cards:

Supplies needed for simple DIY cards:

1 8”x11” piece of card stock

2 sheet of coordinating, decorative paper

Paper cutter

Scrapbooking paper adhesive tape or dots (you could also use a glue stick)

Small holiday saying stamp

Ink stamp pad

Invitation size envelopes (available at office supply stores)

Follow these steps:

Step 1-2: Cut a sheet of paper and fold each in half.

Step 3-5: Cut a front panel of decorative paper. Attach it and stamp a saying in the corner.

Tip: If the front panel does not line up exactly with the card, I often will use my paper cutter to shave both sides so that the edges are even. Also, this size card will fit perfectly in an invitation size envelope (found at any office supply store).

I’m a sucker for pretty scrapbook paper and I love how this approach really allows the print on the decorative paper to shine!

Sharing with:
Tatertots and Jello, House of Hepworths

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Celebrating Mothers {past, present & future}

2012-05-13T08:35:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… a wish for all.

Today is a day for celebrating the caring and loving women in our lives.

There are so many kind women to think about…

I’m happy for all the mothers I know, but in particular I’m grateful to have my mom, my mother-in-law and my one grandmother in my life. And today I’m also remembering my one late (and very talented) grandmother.
Plus, I know that there are plenty of other women out there (like me) who hope to care for a little one someday and are still waiting for that miracle to happen. I want to think about them today, too.

And this week I was saddened to hear about a young mother who no longer will be able care for her children. My blog friend Heidi of Honeybear Lane, lost her sister-in-law, Alice Hansen, this week to complications following the birth of her third baby.
This story is so sad and so scary. You can read more about this tragedy and the sweet woman whose song was cut too short, too soon directly from Heidi in this post.

Heidi's family opened a donation account for Alice and her family. This money will go towards funeral costs, residual medical expenses, and the costs of raising children without a mother or a job. If you would like to help and donate money, please visit Heidi's blog Honeybear Lane. You can donate easily by clicking the "Donate" button on the right sidebar. Thank you… I know any help will be appreciated by Heidi’s family.

This sad event was just a reminder to me about how short and fragile life can be.

So be sure to take a moment today to show your appreciation for the caring women in your life: past, present and future moms.

Thank a mom, remember the memory of a mom, or give hope to a want-to-be-mom.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Guest Project: Last Minute Mother’s Day Mosaic

2012-05-11T09:45:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… The Art Annex a feature!

Yay!!!
It’s Friday!

Doris from The Art Annex has a simple beaded mosaic craft that is perfect for a last minute handmade gift for Mom this weekend. All you need is some glass tile or aquarium gravel and a little Mod Podge to make her this pretty sign!

Read more about this mosaic gift for mom at The Art Annex.

Want to be featured on Madigan Made?

Please don’t hesitate to submit an idea!

I am ALWAYS on the look out for great ideas to feature here on a Friday.

Read this page for more details.

OR just go fill out this simple form. :)

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

A Thrift Store Chair DIY Update

2012-05-10T06:21:00.000-04:00

 Madigan made… a pretty painted chair with vintage fabric.

I want to thank y’all for your kind words last week when I shared the personal background story regarding our one spare bedroom. It was not easy to share that struggle and it has been hard to work on projects for this room. But while I couldn’t share the post until last week, you should know that for the past month or so I did start a few things for this space.

My plans for this room are still tentative, but I hope that the room can serve as a place for extra guests and also an area where I can work on some things. (write, craft, photograph, etc) So, one thing that is going in the space is a small desk. I’ll show you the desk at some point, but that desk needs a pretty chair!

I found a lonely cane backed chair at a thrift store ($12!) and thought it would be perfect for my desk.

Let me show you where this chair started:

Pretty bad, huh?
I knew it just needed a little DIY love. (a.k.a. paint and fabric!)

But wait, before I go any further, can I gush a little about the upholstery fabric I chose?
I am in L-O-V-E with this fabric. I don’t know if you remember, but I picked up this vintage fabric over a year ago after a trip to Philadelphia’s Fabric Row.

The background is a pretty shade of light turquoise with a mid-century or retro gold and white sunburst pattern on top. It seemed like the perfect fabric for a white chair!

Let me explain how I updated and painted the chair:

First, I removed the seat. Then I cleaned and sanded down the frame of the chair. (Ignore that furry blur… puppy was trying to help but she did not get the sanding block into every nook and cranny like I prefer, so I had to help her.)

Then, I used a clean cloth and wiped off all the dust that was generated.

To keep the legs raised up so I could fully cover the edges with spray paint, I tacked a small nail in the bottom of each leg. This also prevented the ends of the legs from sticking to the material underneath as the paint dried.

Aside from the fabric, I have a new-found love… Krylon Dual spray paint! It is paint and primer in one and the paint goes on smooth and evenly! For this chair, I used almost 2 cans of Krylon Dual in white in very light, multiple coats.

Then, to recover the seat I first removed the old upholstery. I cut a large section from my vintage blue fabric to fit around the seat.

Using a big stapler, I stapled down one side, then pulled the fabric evenly to staple down the opposite side. I repeated those steps for the remaining two sides.

I pulled and folded down the corners of the fabric like a package to secure those areas neatly with more staples.

For a little, finishing touch, I added some gold leaf paint along the underside edge. It pulled out some of the gold detail in the fabric and I think the chair needed that extra touch.

I’m loving the way the chair turned out. Aside from the gorgeous fabric I put on it… it has a nice and cushy seat and supportive back.

And I love some of the chair’s details… the graphic pattern of the caning and front legs that almost remind me of bamboo.

In fact, the gold detail and bamboo legs have inspired a few other elements I want to bring into this space. I can’t wait to show them to you and more about this special room!

Sharing with:
Miss Mustard Seed, Addicted 2 Decorating, Thrifty Décor Chick, Tatertots and Jello

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Decorate your sunglasses (a guest post)

2012-05-08T15:48:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… a guest post on Mod Podge Rocks!

Sunny days are here again!

Ok, maybe not THIS week in Pennsylvania… but I hear the weekend is supposed to be nice. :)

Do y’all remember the diy sunglasses rack I made last year to hold my plethora of cheap sunglasses?

Well, I needed to add to my collection this spring because, true to form, several of my sunglasses last year either broke, went missing or suddenly became our dog’s chew toy!

Since I’m not really spendy when it comes to my shades (I’m sure you can imagine why not!), I looked for more inexpensive pairs of sunglasses. This time I decided to use a little decoupage to customize the side temples of the shades. Cute, right?

I’m hanging with Amy today on Mod Podge Rocks where you can find my decoupage sunglasses tutorial. Come and join me!

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Creative Blogs and SEO (3 Simple Tips to Know!)

2012-05-07T05:42:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… easy tactics you should know: SEO and blogs.

SEO. Those three little letters can be so intimidating for bloggers!

You might be asking: What is SEO? Well,it stands for search engine optimization… it is HOW people find your blog’s content through search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.). And there are some things you can do as a blogger to help those networks find your content. You don’t have to do these things, but SEO is an important tool that can help others discover your blog and so that your posts get to the top of those search engine lists!

But SEO for blogs is NOT an easy thing to understand. And this post comes with a few words of caution:

First, I should warn you that I am NOT an SEO expert. I’m just wee little craft blogger. I’m NOT here to tell you the percentage of keywords you should use per post OR how to make a sitemap. But I have picked up a few simple practices over time that helped me.

What I am sharing with you today are a few VERY basic tactics that I use with my posts to help those search engine bots find my tutorials. I’m always surprised when I talk to other bloggers online and they might not be using these methods yet. I figured that this post might help some of you that were unaware of these tips.

You should know that SEO is very complex and this advice barely scratches the surface of what you can do to optimize your blog for search engines. There are many, many more things you can do with your blog’s set-up and within your posts to help people find your content. I eventually would love to take an online workshop or get a book on SEO – but you can add that task to my very long bloggy to-do list. :)

For now, I thought I’d share with you 3 basic things that I do with all my posts for search engine optimization. If you are NOT doing them… you can start applying these tactics and they will help your blog.

NOTE: I’m going to talk below about using descriptive tags and key words. Now, there IS a science to picking good key words. You can research what are the best key words for your post by looking at Google Ad Words and following a few strategies. (And I’m not knowledgeable enough to really go into those methods this post.) If I have a post that I think will be a popular topic, I might spend a little time looking at Google Ad Words. But to be honest, I often just pick tags and phrases that I’d use if I was trying to find that idea or project online.

3 Simple SEO Tips for Craft Bloggers:

One. Post titles - be descriptive and specific so search engines can find you.

Give your blog post a title that clearly describes what is in the article. Ask yourself: What would people type in a search engine to find out more about your topic?

Say you are writing about your latest tote purse:

Good title: “How to sew a simple striped tote bag”
Bad title: “Tote-a-licious stripes!”

I know, I know. This approach kinds sucks the fun out of your title. Well, you can still let your personality shine in that first line or paragraph of the post instead. It is not as much fun as a clever title… But it will bring more cool readers to your blog. And that’s fun, right?

Two. Photos - rename them for better SEO.

You know that crazy image name your camera gives your photos? Well – it sounds like gibberish to search engines.
Search engines DO ‘read’ the names of your photos. And Google Images is a BIG referrer for me… in part (I think) because I change the name on my photos. It’s become habit for me to rename my photos as I edit them.

Good photo name: simple-striped-tote-bag-tutorial.jpg
Bad photo name: img_4590.jpg

Now, as I mentioned above, I am NOT an expert about using optimal keywords here. It is ‘best practice’ to try and do that for your photos. But I typically just pick words and phrases that make sense to me. I try to keep the tags simple and mix them up with different key words on each photo when I can.

Three. Tags – use them to tell search engines more about your content.

There are even more ways to tell those search engines what is in your post. You can tag certain lines of text and you can tag your photos.

Use header tags
Just like a newspaper or magazine article, you can break up your post with subtitles. Give those subtitles emphasis by tagging them. I would suggest using them sparingly and don’t tag your whole post!

Example:

Good heading: “Instructions for sewing a tote bag:”
Bad heading: “Follow these steps:”

How can you create a few header tags? I’m not familiar with how to do that in Wordpress but:

-In Blogger – Highlight a line of text and use the dropdown menu to change the words from “Normal” to a “heading” or “subheading.”
-In Windows LiveWriter – Highlight a line of text and change the words from “Paragraph” to Heading 3 or Heading 4 (from a style/size perspective, those are the headings I prefer).



Use alt and title tags
Did you know you can add tags to photos to share even more information about your content?
For photos, they are called ‘alt’ and ‘title’ tags. You can use keywords and phrases there, too. If you are given a blank space for a tag... Use it!!

Alt Tag Example: striped purse tutorial, easy sewn tote bag, sew a tote purse, etc.

How to set up alt and title tags (In Blogger and WLW):

-In Blogger – Click on the photo and go to “Properties.” A box should pop up that allows you to fill out the title and alt tags. Fill them both out with a few descriptive, key words.
-In LiveWriter – Click on the photo and go to the “Format” tab. Under “Properties” there should be a button to click for “alt text”. A box should pop up that allows you to fill out the title and alt tags. Fill them both out with some descriptive, key words.

If you have not been using these methods in your posts, I hope you find these 3 tips helpful. As I mentioned above, there are many, many more ways you can maximize your site for SEO. But these tactics are great for a beginner who wants to know where to start with SEO.

It is important to point out that “good” SEO might be moving target. Google can (and will!) change up its search engine algorithms from time to time. So, the advice you get today on SEO might not be true next year. (including this article!) Just do your best to keep producing quality and useful content so that when folks do find you, they want to stay awhile and visit!

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Guest Post: Make a Shrinky Cloud Necklace

2012-05-04T09:42:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… A Bird in the Hand Art a feature!

TGIF!!!
It’s Friday and time for another guest project!

There is something so sweet and charming about rain clouds. Jenny from A Bird in the Hand Art created this a-dor-able rain cloud necklace using shrinky dink material, chain and jump rings. I love how Jenny used the chain to mimic rain drops.

Read more and find the full tutorial for the shrinky cloud necklace at A Bird in the Hand Art.


P.S. I also wanted to thank you all SOO MUCH for the outpouring of support for my personal post yesterday. It means a lot and touched me more than you know. Thank you!!!

Want to be featured on Madigan Made?

Please don’t hesitate to submit an idea!

I am ALWAYS on the look out for great ideas to feature here on a Friday.

Read this page for more details.

OR just go fill out this simple form. :)

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Making ‘room’ for today.

2012-05-03T11:04:00.000-04:00

Madigan waited... to redecorate this room.

I wrote part of this post over a year and a half ago, but hesitated to share it. This is a post about decorating one of our spare bedrooms. But this post is soooo much more than that. It is personal, too.

I typically avoid talking about this subject with anyone except my husband and close friends or family.

I'm not sure where to begin, so I will start with talking about this room.

When we moved into our little home, this bedroom was every little girl's envy. A scene of rolling green hills and flowers and butterflies covered the walls. But as a newlywed couple with no children, we immediately wanted to neutralize the space. We painted the room a soft buttery cream.

In the back of my mind, I thought that this would be a perfect color for a nursery some day.

We put my old Ikea futon in the room for any overnight guests. The room slowly received various cast off tables and lamps from other rooms.

I did put up some roman shades that matched the wall color. Pretty, right?

I hesitated to change the furniture or put more energy into decorating the room, since I knew, 'Someday, this could be a nursery.'

I had hoped that 'someday' came already. For the past 2.5+ years, hubs and I having been trying to conceive.
After some time trying, my husband and I went to specialists. We've seen various doctors off and on. While we are grateful for what we do have, we always hope that we will be blessed with a child someday. I feel like our faith is being tested and it is hard to be patient.

But as I told you in my one word resolution for 2012, I am trying to live for today.

(After hearing this story, if you go back and reread that resolution post… you will understand how important that word is to me.)

And it makes me sad to look at this bedroom as it sits empty and waits in limbo, similar to our life… that feels like it is on ‘pause.’ And personally, I can’t sit in limbo anymore.

So, in the spirit of 'living for today', I am updating this room a little. It may not hold a baby right now, but I want this room to be another space in our home that we can actively use and enjoy.

This room update is not about giving up. It is more about living for today. I will always have hope and anticipate miracles for this space. And making our environment more inviting and special will only help to fuel that dream.

I want to thank you for listening to our very personal story about this room. It was not easy to share the fact that we have struggled with infertility. But I feel I’m ready to be a little more open about this issue. I also I wanted you to know the background about this bedroom and what these changes mean to me. So, stay tuned as I will be sharing some new projects for this special space.

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

10 Simple Spring and Summer Recipes

2012-05-02T05:09:00.000-04:00

 Madigan made… warm weather dessert and appetizer ideas.

I love this time of year… the weather starts to get warmer and we can spend more time outside. And it feels good to eat lighter fare when the temperatures heat up. Or… enjoy a fun frozen treat to cool down!

Do you need an idea for a spring appetizer? Or a summer drink? Or a cool treat?

Well, read on and enjoy the ‘best of’ spring/summer foods from Madigan Made! They are all simple recipes and oh so yummy!

One: Orange Creamsicle Fruit Dip

Two: Bicycle Beer Spritzer

Three: Frozen Brownie Sundaes

Four: Banana and Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt

Five: Easy Caprese Bites

Six: Herbed Cucumber and Cream Cheese “Flowers”

Seven: Frozen Pina Colada Pie

Eight: Mango Lassi Smoothie

Nine: Radish and Butter Crostini

Ten: Indoor S’mores

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Cute Cupcake Bouquet Idea

2012-04-30T05:46:00.000-04:00

Madigan’s SIL made… a cupcake display for Easter.

My sister-in-law never ceases to amaze me with her creations. Remember the cute fruit bouquet I showed you last summer that she made?

Well, for Easter she brought this adorable dessert and I had to snap a picture of it to show y’all.

As I understand it, my SIL glued a large Styrofoam ball into a tin bucket and covered it with yellow paper grass filler. Then she used the tops of dollar store wine glasses as cupcake holders in the Styrofoam! She also stuck fun marshmallows onto lollipop candy sticks to add into the mix.

Isn’t this cupcake display so cute? If you changed the colors, it would be a great centerpiece idea for any holiday!

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Guest Project: Blogging Tips (a vlog!)

2012-04-27T06:17:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… HouseTalkN a feature!

NOTE:This is a screenshot of the vlog. Click HERE to go view the video on HouseTalkN.

Yay!
TGIF! Can I tell you how happy I am to see the weekend?


And I get to share this fun post submission that I received from Kerry at HouseTalkN. She put together her first vlog… and I’m so impressed that it was her first attempt! (someday I’d love to do a few vlogs!)

Not only is her accent cute, but Kerry shares some great blogging tips and you’ll love seeing where she ~~hides~~ sits to work on her blog.

Head on over to HouseTalkN to view Kerry’s video on fun blogging tips!

(P.S. Kerry – I often blame the dog, too!)

Want to be featured on Madigan Made?

Please don’t hesitate to submit an idea!

I am ALWAYS on the look out for great ideas to feature here on a Friday.

Read this page for more details.

OR just go fill out this simple form. :)

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

What would you make out of these things?

2012-04-26T05:38:00.000-04:00

 Madigan made… received another crafty gift.

I haven’t shared one of these posts in awhile… but I thought you might want to hear about one of my recent crafty gifts.

Do people give you random materials because they know you love to craft and create stuff?

Well, my mother-in-law recently gave me some old silverware, confident that I could make something out of the utensils. I’m thrilled she gave them to me… and I love a fun challenge, too!

But I’ll be honest with you. I’m kind of stumped with this one… I’ve seen fork wind chimes, spoon jewelry and simple framed silverware. But I don’t have a really great idea for these pieces yet.

I’m sure I’ll think of something. Probably when I’m in the shower. Or watching 30 Rock. I’ll let you know when I figure it out!

What would you make with a bunch of old silverware?

P.S. Are your family or friends constantly handing you stuff that they think you can use for your home/crafts? I’d love to hear some fun stories!

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

How to make a bench (guest post!)

2012-04-24T09:35:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… a guest post at Pretty Handy Girl!

Hi there! I’m spending some time with my blog bud Brittany (of Pretty Handy Girl) and sharing a tutorial with her readers today.

Do you remember the bench I made from an old coffee table? If you want to see how I made it… head on over to Pretty Handy Girl today for the instructions:

.

Stick around and check out some of Brittany’s projects… that girl is a-m-azing with power tools and craft supplies! You will love her blog!

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Craft a vacation souvenir into memorable jewelry

2012-04-23T05:17:00.000-04:00

 Madigan made… a painted gold sea shell necklace charm.

Conversation you might have overheard on my last vacation:

Hubby: “Why are you picking up so many little sea shells today?”
Me: “Um… free craft supplies?!?” (duh??)

I don’t know about you, but my husband and I enjoy vacationing at the beach. Over the past six years we’ve been fortunate to be able to get away to Mexico, Florida, and Maryland. (and the NJ shore is not far for us, too.)

And my suitcase always returns home a little heavier from these trips due to my beach combing habits! I’m always on the lookout for pretty shells of all different shapes and sizes. They are great for home decor and crafts.

Have you noticed that some sea shells naturally have small holes in them? Well, I’ve thought that opening would be a perfect way to turn a little sea shell into a jewelry charm. Let me show you how I made mine…

(NOTE: If you did not have a shell with a hole in it, you might be able to use an electrical drill. Please only attempt it if you are comfortable using that tool to carefully drill your own hole.)

How to make a seashell into a keepsake charm necklace:

Step one: Gather your supplies for the shell necklace.

Find a small sea shell with a hole in it. Make sure it will fit on a necklace you already own. Then, all you will need is gold craft paint (I prefer a liquid gold leaf paint since it mimics the look of metallic hues well and does not show brushstrokes) and a paint brush.

Step two: Paint your sea shell.

Paint the back of your shell. Allow that to dry and then flip it over and paint the front of the shell. After it dries, you could seal the paint (if you wanted to) but I just strung the shell on my necklace and wore it.

It is that easy and so pretty!

If you felt a little more daring… you could use a couple of different sized shells on the same strand. They could nestle on top of each other for a stacked and layered look. But I prefer the simple, single shell.

And I love that when I wear it… I will be reminded of our trips to the beach!

I’m sharing this post with link parties here:
Home Stories A2Z, Today’s Creative Blog, Tatertots and Jello

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Guest Post: Rolled Magazine Frame

2012-04-20T08:30:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… Ben Franklin Crafts a feature!

TGIF!!
Time for another guest feature.

Billie Jo at Ben Franklin Crafts created this colorful framed mirror using rolled magazines and Mod Podge!!
The frame was time consuming to put together, but used a fairly simple process. I love how this craft recycles old materials, too.

Check out the full tutorial for this rolled magazine frame for more details.

Want to be featured on Madigan Made?

Please don’t hesitate to submit an idea!

I am ALWAYS on the look out for great ideas to feature here on a Friday.

Read this page for more details.

OR just go fill out this simple form. :)

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Simple Tips for Thrifting

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

Madigan made... a guest post about thrifting tips!

Are you getting excited for the spring and summer?

I am... because that means that it will be garage sale and flea market season!

Today I am sharing some simple tips about thrifting today over on Jenna's blog: SAS Interiors.
I review some basic essentials to finding a treasure and good reminders to think about before you make that purchase!

Why don't you join me?

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Mini Strawberry, Lemon and Shortbread Trifle

2012-04-18T05:07:00.000-04:00

 Madigan made… miniature desserts in shot glasses!

I think I’ve told you this before, but I am a sucker for mini foods… especially teeny-tiny desserts.
You know the kind I’m talking about – where you can’t eat just one?

Oh, and I love trifles. Trifles always look so pretty, so why not make them super tiny? I found 2 ounce shot glasses at the party supply store and knew they’d be cute for a little dessert.
Did I mention that I also love lemon?

Ok, ok, I apparently like a LOT of sweet things. You won’t hold that against me, will you?

Were you wondering what I made with my super easy lemon curd that I told you about Monday? Well, I wanted to bring a lemon dessert for Easter this year and I thought that lemon curd would be a great place to start… and why not add a little strawberry, too?

These strawberry and lemon layers were the perfect pastel shades for a pretty Easter dessert. But I also think that the would be pretty for Mother’s Day, a baby shower, or really anytime!

Recipe notes:

I cheated a little and used store bought shortbread cookies. They were a little hard to eat in the shot glass since their texture was so dry. I wish I had crumbed them up a little or used something with a little more give like pound cake. Next time!

If you don’t want to make homemade lemon curd… you could buy it or just make up a box of lemon pudding. But I assure you… the lemon curd recipe I use is soo easy!

The bad blogger that I am forgot to give you a reference in the pictures for the scale of these desserts (like a spoon or a strawberry) . Trust me, they are tiny and oh so cute!

Let me tell you how I made them…

To make the strawberry Jell-O and Cool Whip icing I followed these steps:
(adapted from this Allrecipe recipe)

Ingredients needed: 1/2 cup boiling water, 1 package strawberry gelatin, 1 8 oz container of Cool Whip.

Dissolve the Jell-O powder in 1/2 cup of boiling water and mix thoroughly for a couple minutes.

Cool Jell-O for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

Whip thawed Cool Whip into the Jell-O mixture until fully combined.

Place frosting in a piping bag with a frosting tip.

To assemble 24 trifles I used:

1/2 to 2/3 cup of easy lemon curd (it is sooo easy, I promise!)

Almost 1 lb of strawberries, sliced

Strawberry Jell-O frosting in a frosting bag with a piping tip (recipe above)

Shortbread cookies (I used store bought … you could substitute with pound cake or sugar cookies)

24 disposable 2 oz shot glasses

In each shot glass I layered from the bottom –--> up:
- 1 Strawberry slice
- Squirt of Cool Whip frosting
- Dollop of lemon curd
- 1 small cookie (or cube of cake)
- Another dollop of lemon curd
- Another strawberry slice
- Cool whip frosting, piped real pretty on the top

I love desserts like this. In reality, trifles are very simple to make… but the layers look so pretty! Oh, and did I mention that they taste good, too?!
YUM!

Sharing with link parties at:
Funky Junk Interiors, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

A Simple Way to Make Lemon Curd

2012-04-16T05:29:00.000-04:00

 Madigan made… a fool-proof (and yummy) lemon curd.

Ina Garten is one of my favorite cooks on the Food Network. Her recipes are simple, delicious and elegant. All qualities I can relate to!

When she shared a recipe for lemon curd that did NOT require tempering eggs, my ears perked up.

Disclosure: I can fumble my way through the kitchen, but some things, like tempering, are tricks I’ve yet to master. In fact, I told you about my attempt at a custard based ice cream recipe… and I ended up with bits of scrambled egg in the mixture!

This method below is sooo much easier than a tempering step. You beat the eggs into the mixture prior to getting near the stove and it comes out perfect every time!

NOTE: I did give a range for the sugar quantity below. Use 1.5 cups if you like your lemon curd sweet and only 1 cup if you prefer it tarter.

Easy Lemon Curd (no tempering!)
Adapted from this recipe from Ina Garten

Ingredients:

1 – 1.5 cups sugar

3 lemons

1/4 lb. butter, softened

1/2 cup lemon juice

5 egg yolks

1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:

Peel: Use a potato peeler to carefully shave the lemon zest off of 3 lemons. (avoid the bitter white pith right underneath)

Blend: Using a food processor with a metal blade, blend the sugar and lemon rind until the lemon is finely chopped and minced. Admire your pretty yellow sugar! Ooh. Pretty!

Cream: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and slowly cream the sugar with it.

Add eggs: One at a time, mix the egg yolks into the butter and sugar. Add the lemon juice and salt -- mix thoroughly.

Heat: In a 2 qt pot, heat the mixture very slowly on low. Stir continuously it for at least 10-20 minutes (mine took over 20 minutes). It will start out looking like a curdled hot mess, but don’t worry! In time, the liquid will smooth out. Use a candy thermometer and watch the mixture as it cooks. It will start to thicken up when you get to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cool: Remove the thickened mixture from heat. I strained mine through a fine mesh colander to make it extra smooth. Cool the liquid and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Now, what can you do with lemon curd? Well, you can spread it on toast or biscuits like jam. You could mix it with whipped cream for a tart dip or soft frosting. You could use it in a pie or tart. You could layer it in a trifle. Or just eat the lemony goodness with a spoon! :)

Stay tuned later this week to see what I made with mine! (after I had a few bites…:D )

Sharing with:
Tidy Mom, Tatertots and Jello, Positively Splendid

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Guest Project: Artful Bookshelf Decor

2012-04-13T07:21:00.000-04:00

Madigan made… Dans le Townhouse a feature!

Yay! Friday!

Time for another reader feature:

I love good storage ideas and I love a great IKEA hack!

Tanya from Dans le Townhouse came up with a clever way to hide some of the open shelving of her Expedit bookshelf. She used prestretched canvases (that she decorated herself) and hung them in front of some of the cubicles. So simple!

Check out Tanya’s artful bookshelf storage solution!

Want to be featured on Madigan Made?

Please don’t hesitate to submit an idea!

I am ALWAYS on the look out for great ideas to feature here on a Friday.

Read this page for more details.

OR just go fill out this simple form. :)

Thanks for reading Madigan Made! If you liked this post, why not find out what inspires me by joining me over on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter or StumbleUpon?
Content Copyright: Madigan Made.

Madigan Made { simple DIY ideas }

Guest Project: Recycle Sunglasses into DIY Jewelry

Madigan made… Jewels of Sayuri a feature!

The Value of a Blogging Conference: Walking Away with Tangible Blog Goals.

Madigan made… 8 blogging tips and lessons learned.

*8 Blogging Goals and Related Actions*

Goal 1: Be true to myself. Focus on the WHY. Always.

Goal 2: Grow my blog step by step.

Goal 3: Go for it!

Goal 4: Organize my approach to blogging.

Goal 5: Find balance.

Goal 6: Support others.

Goal 7: Don’t be modest.

Goal 8: Make sure something is in it for me.

The reasons I blog today (psst… YOU are one reason!)

Madigan made… a mission statement and my reasons for blogging.

The Mission of Madigan Made:

Why I Blog: 2012 and Beyond

To teach and inspire others to create.

To push myself creatively and learn new things.

To support others who share my passions.

To pay myself for my efforts and in turn, grow this blog even more.

My Two Year Blog Anniversary! And a Survey!

Madigan made… a blog feedback survey and a big thank you!

How do you prepare for a conference?

Madigan made… her first conference (and a few crafts, of course!).

Tie Dye Fabric Jewelry (guest post!)

Madigan made… a guest post on Dollar Store Crafts.

Simple, Quick, and Handmade Greeting Cards

Madigan made… an easy greeting card tutorial.

How to Make Two Easy Handmade Greeting Cards:

Supplies needed for simple DIY cards:

Follow these steps:

Step 1-2: Cut a sheet of paper and fold each in half.

Step 3-5: Cut a front panel of decorative paper. Attach it and stamp a saying in the corner.

Celebrating Mothers {past, present & future}

Madigan made… a wish for all.

Guest Project: Last Minute Mother’s Day Mosaic

Madigan made… The Art Annex a feature!

A Thrift Store Chair DIY Update

Madigan made… a pretty painted chair with vintage fabric.

Let me explain how I updated and painted the chair:

Decorate your sunglasses (a guest post)

Madigan made… a guest post on Mod Podge Rocks!

Creative Blogs and SEO (3 Simple Tips to Know!)

Madigan made… easy tactics you should know: SEO and blogs.

3 Simple SEO Tips for Craft Bloggers:

One. Post titles - be descriptive and specific so search engines can find you.

Two. Photos - rename them for better SEO.

Three. Tags – use them to tell search engines more about your content.

Use header tags

Use alt and title tags

Guest Post: Make a Shrinky Cloud Necklace

Madigan made… A Bird in the Hand Art a feature!

Making ‘room’ for today.

10 Simple Spring and Summer Recipes

Madigan made… warm weather dessert and appetizer ideas.

Cute Cupcake Bouquet Idea

Madigan’s SIL made… a cupcake display for Easter.

Guest Project: Blogging Tips (a vlog!)

Madigan made… HouseTalkN a feature!

What would you make out of these things?

Madigan made… received another crafty gift.

How to make a bench (guest post!)

Madigan made… a guest post at Pretty Handy Girl!

Craft a vacation souvenir into memorable jewelry

Madigan made… a painted gold sea shell necklace charm.

How to make a seashell into a keepsake charm necklace:

Step one: Gather your supplies for the shell necklace.

Step two: Paint your sea shell.

Guest Post: Rolled Magazine Frame

Madigan made… Ben Franklin Crafts a feature!

Simple Tips for Thrifting

Madigan made... a guest post about thrifting tips!

Mini Strawberry, Lemon and Shortbread Trifle

Madigan made… miniature desserts in shot glasses!

To make the strawberry Jell-O and Cool Whip icing I followed these steps:

To assemble 24 trifles I used:

In each shot glass I layered from the bottom –--> up:

A Simple Way to Make Lemon Curd

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