Our Hobby House

Favorite Things Christmas Gift

2016-12-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

Last year my mom, sister-in-law, and myself decided to give each other our 'favorite things' for Christmas. We decided on a $30 limit (which the shopper/deal getter in me pushed to the limit!) and other than that there no rules. Whatever our favorite thing/things were, we just had to buy two of the same thing for the other two girls. Not only did this make shopping easy, but it was fun to give things we've enjoyed and get new things in return!

Here's what I gave as my favorite things last year, still some of my favorites!

· Trader Joe’s Shave Cream-Smells & feels great

· Urban Halo Headbands-Comfortable, stay put, wash well, made in MN

· Gunflint Trail Strawberry Jam-Serve with brie cheese for easy app

· Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara-Makes make-up easier

· Whole Food’s Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels-Great with wine!

· Simple Wine Charms-Something different & easy to store

· Cities 97 Sampler-Acoustic mix CD sold every year for MPLS Charities

· Sharpie Pens-Fine tip, permanent, won’t bleed through paper

· Seche Vite Top Coat Nail Polish-makes any polish look professional, great to wear on bare nails too

· Champagne-Self explanatory!

DIY Keepsake Ornament Gift Tag

2016-12-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

Every year at Christmas we put up our white tree covered in snowflake ornaments. We also give a snowflake ornament to each of our nieces and nephews so they can have a collection of snowflake ornaments of their own!

I usually buy an inexpensive multi-pack of ornaments from Hobby Lobby and embellish them with ribbons and stickers to spell their names and the year. I use the ornaments as gift tags so they also serve a purpose, and look great under my tree until they're ready to give.

Simple Halloween Cards

2016-10-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

These Halloween cards were inspired by Pinterest and SO easy to make! Just some strips of washi tape, a Halloween sticker, and 'Happy Halloween' stamped on the bottom. Quick and simple if you need to make and get cards out before the 31st!

Halloween Place Card Bats

2016-10-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

When we needed some 'glam' place cards for last year's spooky dinner, I set out to Michael's to see what sparkly supplied would inspire me. As soon as I saw these glittery bats I knew they would make the perfect place cards!

Typically I'd buy some paper, get out my cricut and cut my own shapes but these bats were ready to go saving me a lot of work. I picked up some glittery letter stickers for the name and that was it. Done. More time to focus on decor and spooky effects!

DIY Halloween Kids Activities

2016-10-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Since it's no secret that I LOVE Halloween, I like to send Halloween treats to our nieces and nephews to share the love! Here are a couple of easy activities I made for the kids inspired by pinterest!

The bowling set was made with leftover craft paint and 2x4's we had in the garage. I just had to buy an 'eye' bowling ball at Walgreens and the kids can enjoy this for years!

For a more simple activity, I used a sharpie to craw on some paint chips and cut them up for instant Halloween puzzles! Perfect for toddlers since you can make the pieces big and easy to put together. Easy to mail too!

Simple Halloween Appetizers

2016-10-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for some spooky Halloween appetizers, here's full spread that's tasty and easy to make!

Eyeballs
(Olives and Mini-Mozzarella Balls)

Worm Infested Apple Crossantini

(Sliced bread with white cheddar, green apple, and caramelized onion, baked)

Open Wound Toasts

(Toast crackers with brie cheese and raspberry jam, baked)

Vulture Brains
(Mushrooms stuffed with blue cheese and bacon, baked)

Spooky Halloween Trees

2016-10-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

One of the easiest ways to add big-impact Halloween decor for NO money is with Spooky Halloween Trees! You don't even need the full tree, just some bare fallen branches. We used our patio umbrella stands to keep them propped-up inside, so they weren't going anywhere!

Fake birds and bats make these trees even more spooky.

I purchased these night lights at the hardware store to shine on the branches to create spooky shadows on the wall. Although it's hard to see in pictures it looked great at night!

Scenes From Our Spook House

2016-10-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween, and every year I love hosting our annual 'Spooky Dinner' as it gives me a chance to go all out. Even though I have a few bins of decorations, a few witches in the garage rafters, and a few skeletons in the closet, I try to keep the actual decor minimal. Ha! By that I mean that I like to do a lot with a little and achieve big impacts through lighting and by using non-halloween items, like candles and white platters. Since we host the same group of friends each year I try to change things up and do something unexpected and different than the year before. Our friends expect to see skeletons and witches but where they'll be is still a surprise!

Here are some scenes from last year's 'Spook House'. Some highlights include swapping my living room and dining room to accommodate 12 people for dinner, rented candelabras to add glam without taking up my storage space, and a bathing skelly. Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

Mummy Halloween Shirts for Kids

2016-10-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

When I saw this tutorial for a mummy Onesie on Carolina Charm last year, I had to make one for my newborn Niece! Since it was so easy I made one for my Nephew on a boys's shirt so they could match. The strips are actually the bottom of my craft room curtains that was cut off when I hemmed them. I love how they turned out!

Gothic Glam Halloween Dinner Party Invitation

2016-10-02T15:08:00.000-07:00

We chose a 'Gothic Glam' theme for last year's Spooky Dinner, so I definitely wanted to incorporate the theme into the invitations to kick things off!

Although they turned out fancier than most wedding invitations, they were actually pretty simple. I found the glittery black cards at Michaels, printed the text on white cardstock, and added a gold vellum insert to make it more formal.

The Vellum Insert.

I used a Cuttlebug folder to create the textured Halloween Scene.

The Inside Wording

Italian Inspired Halloween Dinner Menu

2016-09-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

Looking for a menu for your Halloween party or for a festive dinner before trick-or-treating?
Here's a menu for an Italian inspired Spooky Dinner!

Fall Fireplace Mantle

2016-09-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

Fall is here! If you have a fireplace mantle in your home, this is a simple way to decorate it now that will carry through Thanksgiving.

Cover with some greens, add a variety of small pumpkins including some gold for glam, and finish with a couple of simple white candles.

Everything I used is (fake!) from Michaels so I only had to buy it once, but it would look stunning with real greenery and pumpkins!

Fall Sangria

2016-09-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

This Fall take on Sangria is perfect for any Fall activity, from sipping on a chilly deck to serving at Thanksgiving. Since it's Maroon and Gold it's even great for Gopher tailgating!

Fall Sangria

To a pitcher or craft add:

1-2 cinnamon sticks

1-2 apples, cubed

2 orange slices

Fill with half apple cider, half white wine (I use Sauvignon Blanc, but any white will do).

The rations are just a suggestion and can be altered to taste. Make a day ahead for the flavors to incorporate. Serve with some of the fruit in each glass. I'll add more wine and cider to the same pitcher as I drink it so I can make it once and enjoy all weekend!

Personalized Onesie Using Cricut

2016-07-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

We've had a lot of friends have babies in the past year. A lot. So the crafter in me has been trying to keep-up by making personalized onesies as gifts! It's simple to do with a Cricut machine and I love that they're inexpensive and personalized!

Creating Iron-on Letters with Cricut

Use Cricut brand iron-on paper, available in plain or glitter

High Blade Setting: Med Speed, Med Pressure, Blade @ 3

1. Test what you want to cut on regular paper before raising the blade to make sure you have the correct sizing without wasting iron-on paper

2. When ready to cut iron-on paper, place iron on paper on mat plastic cover side down.

3. Press the ‘FLIP’ button and type the word you want to cut backwards, so you would type ‘DEBBIE’ in as ‘EIBBED’

4. Make sure the blade is set on ‘3’ and cut

5. If using a large sheet of iron-on, cut around the image you cut with a scissors

6. Remove negative space so only what you want to keep remains on the sticky plastic cover

7. Stick cut-out onto material and iron right over the plastic.

8. Peel off the plastic, and the letters will be stuck to the fabric! If there are any loose corners, simply iron them back down.

Welcome Home!

2016-07-23T11:32:00.005-07:00

This is such a simple and in-expensive way to add a little 'homy-ness' to your home! I did this a while back and I just love it.

On the door from our garage to our house I just used scrap booking stickers to write 'Welcome Home' on the door. Painters tape helped me keep it straight, as always!

It's nice to always be welcomed home.

'Go Hog Wild' Pig Birthday Card

2016-02-07T09:36:00.000-08:00

There are many things I love about craft club: seeing the girls each month, hearing what's new with everyone, Kathee's homemade dinners, DESSERT, working on my to-do list, seeing what everyone creates, the list goes on and on. In addition to lending each other stamps and tools, we also bring supplies we no longer use to set out for grabs, which is how I came to acquire a stack of cut-out pigs!

I came up with this card to use-up the pink paper pigs that says, "It's your birthday....GO HOG WILD!"

Here's the inside:

Valentines Day Shadowbox Craft

2016-01-31T10:03:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when we have guests I like to organize a craft for everyone to do to pass the time. When my family visited for Valentine's day last year, we made heart shadowboxes in honor of valentine's day!

Here is my Mom and then pregnant sister-in-law in my craft room working on their shadowboxes.

I purchased a 3-pack of shadowboxes at Michael's and set out heart punches and a variety of paper so everyone could choose their colors.

Folding the hearts in half makes them 3-D when in the shadowbox.

Here are the finished products on display. It was a fun 'girl's day in'!

DIY Valentine's Day Chocolate Buffet

2016-01-24T09:50:00.000-08:00

Last year my family visited for Valentine's Day so we set-up a Chocolate buffet! It was so easy to do, I just bought some fun chocolates (mostly from Trader Joe's) and set them out in martini glasses.

A chocolate buffet would also be fun for a movie viewing of 'Chocolat' or 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'. So many excuses to eat more chocolate!

Wine Tags

2016-01-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

We're always trying new wines and taking recommendations, but it's not always easy to remember why we bought a bottle or what we're suppose to serve it with. After labeling some bottles with post-its, I decided to make actual wine labels to keep myself organized and add a little flare to our wine rack.

The tags are easy and inexpensive to make. All you need is black 'Chalkboard' paper tags, a white gel pen, and rubber bands.

Use the white gel pen to write whatever you like, then loop a rubber band through so they can easily slide on the neck of the bottle. You can write on both sides of the tag to have more options to label the bottles.

Here is how the tags look in the wine rack in our new cupboards; subtle yet informative.

Most bottles are labeled with the food they should be paired with, but I labeled some 'Friday Night' or 'Tuesday Night' which is my code for 'cheap bottles' and 'nice bottles'.

When I decorate I always try to add small details that personalize our home and set it apart. I think that these wine tags have been a great way to add some personalization to our new kitchen!

Tea Tag Card

2016-01-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

Am I the only person who saves every tea tag with a fun saying? Or am I like everyone else who has no idea what to do with them?

It's either one or the other because I couldn't find any ideas to work through the jar of tea tags that were collecting in my craft room. It was to the point where I needed them out of my craft room but wasn't able to throw them out, so I put them all on a card. Yes, it's a bit overkill, but I thought it was neat having so many inspirational sayings on one card.

Merry Christmas!

2015-12-25T06:50:00.000-08:00

Red and Green Christmas Appetizers

2015-12-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

I don't think you can ever go too over the top, so if you're going to set out a spread of Christmas appetizers why not make the spread red and green themed?
Here are a few that look easy and delicious:
1. Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites
2.Spinach Roulade With Smoked Salmon
3. Marinated Cheese
4. Christmas Roll-ups

DIY Vacation Ornament

2015-11-29T09:11:00.000-08:00

Since we got married we've always had a snowflake themed Christmas tree to go with our holiday decor. While collecting snowflake ornaments I've also collected meaningful Christmas ornaments, including ones from our vacations. When we were in Aruba last year I couldn't find any ornaments I liked so I decided to bring back some things to make my own.

While walking on the beach we collected a bag of sand and some shells. When we were in town I bought a small turtle that said 'ARUBA' to put in the ornament as well. When we got home I picked-up some glass ornaments, stickers, and ribbon to make my own ornament.

I used a funnel to get the sand inside of the ornament and dropped in some shells.

Using scrap booking letter stickers I wrote 'Aruba 2015' on the outside of the ornament. Tape worked well as a guideline.

I kept the box the glass ornament came in for storage, and to hold the extra glass ornaments until I get back from more trips!

DIY Vacation Souvenir for the Home

2015-11-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

We're not really 'Souvenir people', and judging by all the sombreros and coconuts at Goodwill I don't think most people are. Although we forego the typical tourist junk, I start every vacation by saying, "It would be neat if we could find something cool for the house", and every trip I'm disappointed with what we find.

A couple of years ago we were in Cabo San Lucas where I was on the hunt for otomi napkins. I was able to get a great deal on one that went great with our decor, but there was only one. I bought it anyway, and when we got home I turned the lone napkin into an accent pillow for our living room. I love that is's a reminder of our vacation without screaming souvenir. Now when we go on vacation instead of looking for a perfect piece that doesn't exist, I look for things that I can use in less obvious ways to remember out travels.

How to Level Furniture Overlapping a Rug

2015-11-15T08:33:00.000-08:00

We recently purchased a larger area rug for our living room. I love that it fills up more of the space and defines the sitting area, but most of our furniture now sits half-on/half-off the rug. Since the rug is over 1" thick it created a real issue ( think of red wine on an unbalanced end table!)

After failed attempts to re-arrange the furniture, I turned to these felt furniture pads to extend legs that fell outside of the rug. I had purchased a huge package of them at Costco when we changed to dark floors to avoid scratches.

I love using the felt pads because you can keep stacking them to get the height needed. In my case, every foot outside the rug needed two pads.

Since our floors and dark and the pads were light, I colored them with black permanent marker so they wouldn't show.