The Aftercraft

Simple socks for knitting

2013-02-26T14:03:00.000-08:00

Lets see.. What can I tell you about socks?

I successfully finished my third pair which is for Kahuna ( boyfriend ). He's not fussy about socks on a good day. His idea of a good formal outfit if he ruled the world would be shorts, flip flops and a Hawaiian shirt.

I offered to make Kahuna a pair... And he made it clear he wasn't sure if he would wear them, but I said for work they may make for comfy tootsies during this wet cold winter. Last night after ~~much delay~~... other projects getting in the way..I finished AND reinforced the heels. Which I haven't done before but I think it's a great idea for highly used socks. I watched a super helpful tutorial here from Very Pink Knits. Her YouTube is a go-to whenever I encounter a stranger knitting question. I love how she doesn't edit her mistakes and how crystal clear her videos are. Nothing beats good footage and clear instructions.

Self striping from Everything Old.

I started my first pair about a year ago. The girls from my knitting group and I had head to Vancouver for Fibers West. You can read my friends blogs about all the fun we had here ( there's a pic of my yarn pre-socks) and here.

We had stopped in at Urban Yarns to cruise their yarnalicious (yeah that's a word now ) selection. I hunkered down with the patterns and pulled this one out.

It's fabulously simple and easy to follow. Literally just knit what you read.. DO NOT think just knit and turning the heel is less scary than say...making that leap to get that pixie cut you've been jonesing about. My original yarn was picked up from Everything Old.

My advice is get a self striping or a variegated for your first pair or two. Hiding ladders is a learning process ( that's the line of knitting up your sock created when connecting the round from needle to needle )

I also went down a size in needle for Kahunas socks, this gives more elasticity in the socks when you put them on.

As you can see Kahuna was happily modelling them for me....

I caught him in the middle of the day today curled up on the couch watching hockey wearing them.... Not bad for someone who doesn't like socks ;)

Baby diaper cake

2013-02-13T11:05:00.000-08:00

My coworker is due to pop in about five weeks! It's been so exciting watching her baby bump grow. I've been wanting for an excuse to make a diaper cake and I finally got the chance last week!

I used a package of 80 8lb-14lbs and got my stickers on sale at michaels. A friend of mine gave me a rubber ducky and I bought the baby bath lotion one sale for 3 bucks... so maybe it cost me.. 30 bucks? Not bad...

There are a million amazing tutorials online... Bikes.. carridges.. endless.

Got one done... And I think about 2 more to go at the moment. SO many babies right now.

I decided to try and stick to gender neutral since they don't know what they are having... along with the diaper cake I made blue and pink cupcakes and bought cookies from the store... dipped them and piped question marks.. so cute right?

Dream Craft Room WIP

2013-02-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you but for the last 4 years-ish I spent my days sewing on a round table smaller than the deuce tables at McDonalds... My serger and sewing machines would trade spots under the table and I had a set of old drawers that had knobs missing.. and that some of the drawers did not open on command.

Last fall I moved into my new home... and then last Saturday my dream shelving showed up.

I spent hours just sitting in my room after it had been built staring at all the space.. and marveling just how amazing and lucky I am right now.

OMG SO MUCH SPACE!!!

I split it up one side for my knitting and on side for sewing. When you move into a new space do you realize how much CRAP YOU HAVE?

Maybe good for a scrap vomit quilt from Imagingermonkey?

I've been ~~throwing out~~ donating lots of fabric and odds and ends. Finding things that I have forgotten about and keep saying " Oh yeah that project". It's a constant reminder of my schizocraftia disorder. Somewhere between knitting and sewing you'll find rug making, lamp making, purses, felted banners, seat belt webbing and an overhead projector. I realized I could do with an intervention.... OR DO I?

Look at these cute yarn cozies I bought? Perfect for when you are on the move and want to throw a yarn cake in your bag.

I have about 6 of them.. I don't know why. I just do.

I still have some more stuff , but as you can see the shelves are filling up at an alarming rate.

Check out these's little diddy's!!!

These suckers I've been looking for for years! They are bed lifts from Bed Bath and Beyond. 5 inch. They are PERFECT for sewing tables to raise it up just that few more inches so you don't wreck your back.
The 7 inch ones were waaaay to big. I felt like a midget next to my table. My 6'4 bear of a man however thought it was perfect... (uuuh not for us 5'7 folk)

Right back to the room. I'm having separation anxiety.

Bursting with love Cookies

2013-02-01T10:51:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year where women in relationships turn with whist full eyes to their men wondering what they might have up their sleeves for Valentine's Day....whilst men in turn look at their women and think "oh God!! Who invented this stupid holiday??!?!? ". Others like myself turn to the kitchen since really the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and by baking his favorite cookies.

Last year I saw on a blog these piñata cookies that were in the shape of piñata's with striped cookie dough and inside the cookie once you broke it open had loads of different colored sprinkles, it's as if it was bursting like when you hit it in real life.

It got me thinking how else could you apply this really neat technique? So after some thinking I came up with this bursting with love cookies idea.

First: you want to find your own sugar cookie recipe, mine is not the easiest rollout so you want to find one that you can roll out nice and thin.

Second : You'll need two cookie cutters, one big heart and a smaller one. you can also alternatively use a small circle or any other shape you want as long as you can create a hole inside cookie.

Third: Frosting Glue- I used Wilton's Melting chocolate in a ziplock baggie, but Royal Icing will also work really well.

Roll your cookie dough as thin as possible approximately a quarter of an inch if possible. Working in sets of three you'll want to cut two Outside cookies and one inside cookie. The inside cookie you want to use the smaller cutter to create a hole, this is where your sprinkles or your hearts are going to go.

Bake your cookies!

To assemble your cookies take your first middle cookie and using your "Frosting glue".. "Glue" around the edges and place onto your outside cookie.

Fill with your favorite sprinkles. I used these adorable hearts which I found at a local baking shop Creating Occasions in Victoria BC.

Frost the other side of your inside cookie and put your top on.

EDIT: Know what would be REALLY COOL?? Putting a personalized message in there... well it might get eaten by accident.. but COULD.. be cool.

Now decorate to your hearts content!!!! I really like using Wilton's melting chocolates because I find it very easy to use and I prefer the taste. Also I find it difficult to screw it up royal icing. :S

Hope you have a happy Valentine's Day.... Whether you enjoy loved one or batch of cookies.

More stichin...bio hazard style.

2012-12-30T13:44:00.000-08:00

My friend/coworker Evan asked a few months ago if I could/would stitch up a picture for him. I was in the mood for more stitchin so I said yes... but I didn't realize how intense this project was going to be.

There was alot of different colours involved... and I did have a few rip outs.

I highly underestimated the time it would take me.. I lost track after 10 hours. This seems to be a constant in my life, I think I can finish it off no problem.. and then it takes FOREVER.. dude really?

What I think it will take.. 1 hour

what it really takes 4 hours

why?

Well combination of set up/setteling in, bathroom breaks, snack breaks, phone/text and of course shiny things.

I'm working on restoring a quilt at present.. and I'll have to post some other goodies I've been working on.

The end is nigh! ...well christmas Is.

2012-12-28T21:03:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you but the Christmas season is always a feastathon. It ends up being day after day of this perpetual fullness. This year has been no exception. If I wasn't at friend and family gatherings I was up late baking dozens of cookies and goodies to fill baskets and give away as presents. Getting baked and homemade goodies is one of my favourite things and also giving them away. This year I added a few new things to my repertoire. I made chocolate gingerbread, double chocolate shortbread, apricot cranberry pound cake, hot chocolate on the stick, slow cooker trail mix (mom's recipe) , cake pops and sugar cookies.

As for the cake pops I had a friend of mine challenge me to make all the characters from the Rudolph movie. Of course I decided to do it late at night and ended up staying up to 130 in the morning but Mission accomplished challenge.

There's something really fun about having a table full of cookies and bags of icing lined up.
At this time of year whenever I bake I always think back to my childhood and helping my mother make candycane cookies.

Well I hope your Christmas holidays were as filled with friends and family and baked goods as mine was!! And if it was anything like mine you'll be hitting the treadmill January 2 to work off all this holiday "fun" that I gained.
Happy new year!

Bitch Please!

2012-04-09T11:47:00.003-07:00

It's been a hell of a month, lots going on.. crazy things happening. Good and bad. One of them.. my friends bday ( Good). Since I've been san computer for the most part and it feels I've just able to keep clean clothes on my body and food in my mouth I haven't been on FB. Which PS if you don't go on there.. life might pass you by. ( Bad )

I missed my friends birthday dinner cuz I didn't log on. pfffffft. ( super bad ) What a 21st century explanation eh?

When I saw a picture of this project I KNEW I had to make it for her. ( good )

It's been years since I've crossed stitched. I grew up with a AVID cross stitcher of a mother who bought me my own kits and put me in embroidery classes. My early memories came back of looking at my cloth and comparing to how fast and nimble her fingers were while I clumsily stabbed my fingers trying to get the needle up in the right spot.

Now 20 years on I zipped through this in a matter of hours while memories came flooding back.. I forgot how much I LOVE to do this. It makes me all nostalgic thinking of my mother in the front seat of our car on long road trips.. me skipping back between my friendship bracelets and a cross stitch project of dolphins swimming in a ocean against a sunset kit which although now I know she knew I could never complete, bought it for me anyways to tempt me into the embroidery world and pacify her daughter into spending another 20 mins in the store while I wandered, touching every skein of floss with an awe of the array of colours and textures.

Now... I use these skills with love to embroider slightly offensive but funny phrases... two worlds colliding. Memories made with every stitch.

Thanks mom.

*wanders happily to the kitchen for a hot cup of tea*

Oh yeah happy easter biatches.

Earring picture frame holder hanger... thing. and tutorial!

2012-03-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

There is this awesome little shop downtown that has ALL these amazing wooden frames. SO naturally I had to buy one... and decided to update my earring holder. ( yeah.. earring holder)

Any excuse to use an old awesome frame.. when I walked into the shop it was love at first sight.

You just need a few tools.

You'll need:

Ruler

Staple Gun

Scissors

Hammer

Screen

Pen

And of course... a frame.

This beauty of a frame only cost 10 bucks!

You can see there is a small lip. I decided to staple on in inside edge where my finger is pointing.

And this screening is availble at any hardware store for screens. (duh)

Pull your screen and staple along that the edge so its nice and tight.

Find your center and attach your hanging hardware.

How wasy was that? Now just place on the wall and start putting up your earrings and admire your work of art!

PS my friend Phaedra made these earrings and I've got them listed in my etsy shop, Just sayin!

Cherry Blossom Cookies!

2012-03-12T08:30:00.001-07:00

This week has FINALLY felt like a glimmer of hope. The sun is starting to feel warm., snow drops are out.. and of course in Victoria .. the famous cherry blossoms are lining the street again in all their pink and white glory. I love them so much I had them tattooed on me!

I stumbled across some AMAZING cookies on decorated cookie and saw her cherry blossom cookies and ran straight to the store.

I purchased blue fondant and colouring gels, whipped up a batch of my favorite shortbread recipes and got decorating.

didn't they turn out beautiful?? They tasted just as good.

Next time I'll have to remember to buy the pink since I thought watering down the gel would work... and it doesn't.

They still look good though eh?

Happy Spring!

A smile, Bedside and my Neighbour hood

2012-03-06T13:55:00.000-08:00

More from the instagram daily challenge.
My bedside table is quite honestly, a bit of a mess at times.. and I may.. not may not have.. cleaned it up just a little.. for this photos. Just maybe....

#marchphotoaday Bedside

OK although this wasn't my original entry for the day, I now herby retrack my original photo and would like to post this one as my neighbourhood. Every Saturday I go down to the water with Mr.Aftercraft and slurp coffee and walk Bobo watching the waves.. listening to tunes and I like to get some handsewing done. This is the view..just a few blocks away.

#marchphotoaday Your neighbourhood

Whilst running around to several hardware stores on the weekend, Bobo never lets an opportunity slip to go for a caride. Just once glance and I'm in giggles. I love my dog.

#marchphotoaday SMILE

Galaxy Hair

2012-03-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

I've been rocking the red for the past 8 months or so and decided after much consideration to have a re-vamp and have gone back to the purple and pink.

Took out all the blond..

It's joico colour which is so vibrant and it lasts forever.

Last time I had it done it was still super bright after 4 months.

6 months later people were still commenting on it.

Thank you Ashley from Lab!! I heart you and will miss you so much while you are away for 6 months.. Hopefully this will last!

Aaaand that concludes my photo shoot for the day. Thank you and goodnight.

Instagram Photo a Day - Fruit

2012-03-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

I almost went bust on this one.. I thought about using an old photo.. but REALLY want to try and take a photo a day this month.

Found in a cute little knick knack shop right before dinner.

This one was a picture a took last week on my way out the door looking up but I just was messing with filters last night and just FELL in love with the apollo filter on this one.

Isn't it great?????

March photo a day

2012-03-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

I have a new love.. actually we've been seeing each other for a while.. and it's called instagram.

If you don't know what it is and have one of these "smart" phones you can download the application and create everyday photos into artsy fartsy works of art.

Along with new and fancy things, come new challenges, contest etc.. and of course I decided to try one.

My photo is the view I have when I walk out my work doors.. it's a beautiful foyer and breathtaking view.

Are you in instagram? If you are let me know! I love snooping!

Stop being a bully!

2012-02-29T11:15:00.000-08:00

It's stop bullying today.

I have the chance a few weeks ago. There was a boy with his headphones on listening and swaying to the music.. trying out a few steps, blissfully unaware of the world around him.

Enter three boys about the same age..pants hanging off their asses, hats on sideways.. if you were from 50 years ago you'd be convinced that they didn't know how to dress themselves and were ~~mentally unfit~~ idiots.

They walked up to him and I watched as they started conversing.. it was clear quickly they didn't know each other. The boys face fell.. the three others laughed as they pointed at him and mimicked him.

My belly burned as did my cheeks. I removed my headphones and walked over right inbetween the boy and the three others.

I paused an looked at their feet and shook me head and looked them all in the eye....

"How the F#%K can you give him crap about dancing when you three can't even tie your shoelaces?!"

*complete silence*

One guy started giggleing.. he was the only one with shoelaces done up.

One made a comment about how "real" thugs don't dance they lean back... which I reminded him that he was 1) white and 2) from Victoria... that's two strikes. Word.

I felt good about it. They boy was laughing as he got on the bus clearly in better spirits.

Although I had moments of being bullied I've been pretty lucky over all but I know alot of people who weren't.. and it doesn't even stop after you're a kid! It happens even in adulthood.

Halo spinning.. CHECK out this site here for more information for Pink shirt day!

Have you ever stopped a bully?

Valentines Crash....

2012-02-14T22:37:00.000-08:00

Just winding down.. waiting for my Mom to get off the phone so I can call her and wish her Happy Birthday..

Just recovering from the Valentines sugar crash...and my baking crazyness last night. Here's a timeline avec dialogue.

630PM Sushi is picked up eaten and demolished.

Me "Baking Time!!!!"
Boyfriend " What are you baking for?"
Me "Uh Duh Valentines Day I'm going to make cookies and cake pops"
Boyfriend *insert stare* "...sounds... like alot you really shouldn't do that much"
Me" Bah! it'll be great!"

745pm

Boyfriend " How goes the baking?"
Me " It's great! I'm having so much fun!

845pm

Boyfriend "Smells good in here, how much more have you got?"
Me " uhm.. well.. the cake pops are almost ready to dip but I have these three batches of cookies left to bake and decorate first...but this is cool the royal icing is really fun.. I'm having fun.. yup.. fun."

945pm

Boyfriend "this is your last batch right?
Me "uh yeah.. then the decorating.. this is.. still fun"

1045pm

Boyfriend " You should stop now... this is insane"
Me " No no no, really.. I'm.. F*$king cookies are burning.. S*&T!! ... still..fun......"

1145pm

Boyfriend enters kitchen and just stares at the flour mess dazed looking girl in the kitchen with icing smeared down her face and front.

Me "Can I just leave these dishes?" *not delivered with enough suffering*

Boyfriend looks at the titanic sized mound of dishes and icing everywhere.

"no"

Well I got to bed around 1220AM ... he did let me leave some in exchange for some cookies.

but of course.. this morning...WHAT do I do?

Well of course I decide to drill a piece of wood for my cake pops of course in 8 mins right before my bus. Worked like a charm though!
Just was a little...saw-dusty for my bus ride.

The royal icing turned out well.. and for my second crack at cake pops they went really well!

There were gone in less than 2 hours... the cookies didn't get to see the end of the day.

Well I'm off to go sleep off my sugar crash.

Hope you had a good one!

Tickled pink for Valentines!

2012-02-14T07:21:00.000-08:00

I'm super thrilled to be a part of the Modern Quilt Guild "100 days of Modern Quilting". They are running a fabulous series that is 14 weeks long. Each week they are exploring different quilt themes along with a weekly tutorial. It's a plethora of information and inspiration. Seriously.. GO check it out.

Today they featuring my Union Jack quilt. If you haven't heard me pap on about it enough well here's your chance to hear some more!

Jane Sassaman meets Heather Ross

On a quick side note this baby is finally going to be flying across the world in about a month to its rightful owner so she can love it to death or do whatever she wants. I designed it for my pseudo step daughter who is the an inspiring amazing 12 year old.

Because her and her father are big Union Jack flag lovers I decided to make one just for her. I'd dabbled before in some thread drawing for her Dad on a quilt, but this one.. I wanted the whole deal... WITH NO PAPER PIECING. I have a fear of it. Ok it's just not mastered quite yet. One day perhaps.

Anyways after quite a few failed attempts I got it. It's super easy... each block takes about 45mins to an hour. You can decide how big you want it and I am currently working on a baby sized one in beautiful Moda fabrics.

Anyways thanks MQG for featuring me!

If you want to buy the pattern you can get it here ----> CLICK ME

AND to show my thanks, for the next 7 days I'm going to offer 20% off on my pattern in my etsy shop. Use the coupon code 100DAYS!!

Have a GREAT Valentines!! and of course HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I love you!

XO Sarah

Weekend away...

2012-02-12T21:13:00.000-08:00

birth mum, me, birth grandma and granda

If you don't know me, than you might not know that I am adopted and met my birth mom about 10 years ago. We don't see each other as often as one would like but as often as we can.
This weekend we decided to meet up half way. She lives on one end of the island and I live on the other so we decided to meet right in the middle in Parksville.

She booked us in at an organic blueberry farm..sadly it's not blueberry season, however the farm is beautiful.

Complete with a security geese.. this thing will defiantly let you know if there is an intruder on the property.. look at him.. he sure gave me an evil eye. I don't think he liked me.

Even though everything was just saturated in water... it didn't put damper on my mood.. get it? damper.. erm.. .

I enjoyed it, for even if you stop to look at the raindrops... it gives you a teeny tiny world to look at.

We had the honor of going into a Buddhist temple. So beautiful inside... and you feel instantly peaceful. You can't help it!

The colours are facinating!!!! I just loved it. It sure was inspiring for a quilt or something bright...

Even the ceiling was beautifully painted... every detail taken care of.

We finished off the weekend by a dip in the mineral baths at Tigh-na-mara. I could have stayed all day.

Ahh well back to the grind.

HAPPY Monday. *sigh*

Two hearts are better than one....

2012-02-09T00:23:00.000-08:00

Valentines day... does it suck or not? Now I'm not complaining... ok maybe a little...but it's not a big thing in this house for a few reasons. One growing up my mom's bday is Valentines day so it has always been about her.. (seriously not complaining) and through my dating years I always end up with guys who really.. well aren't into it. Mr.Aftercraft thinks that everyday is Valentines day.... I should remind him of that when i want him to do the dishes next.... hmmm..

I've wanted to make these earrings for ages. Last year I got half way through and abandoned because I didn't have the right thread, but I did it this year AND in time for Valentines.

You'll need to gather a few supplies.
Chain ( depends on how long you want them )
shepherds hooks
thread
needle
embroidery floss
filling
pliers

I cut out a heart from a piece of paper to make a template

I traced and cut out four hearts

Took a length of embroidery floss and used 3 of it's stands and sewed a running stitch around the heart and stuffed a little filling inside of it before I finished it off.

Added a jump ring to my chain and matched it to my shepherds hook.

Then I sewed my heart to the other end of the chain.

And voila! Valentines earring!!!

And of course two hearts are better than one!

I love them...

And they kinda match my "valentines" hair..

and nose... phew sneezed up a storm today!

What are you making for Valentines? Is it big in your house?

My Memoir

2012-02-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

cloud from a sad day

Ernest Hemming allegedly was once challenged to write a 6 word story... which was

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Gripping innit??

Whislt sipping a warm beer and nibbling on shortbread the other night I was watching the Jimmy Falon show, one of his guests was talking about the 6 word memoir. The challenge was to come up with 6 words that described your whole life. Imagine.. 6 words to sum up who you are and all that you have done.

surprise visitor

Today as I was humming away to the sound of my sewing machine it came to me.. I thought about all the things I've done.. seen.. the people I've known.. If I sat wondering about that for long enough I would need another lifetime since there seems to be soo much to think about.

There have been so many amazing people in my life.

SO much love given and received.

summer chives... mmmm...

More laughs than stars in the sky....

my first time in liverpool

Alot of tears some in happiness others in sadness....

beautiful fountain in manchester

.... defiantly have had things I have had to work for.. and work in general.. ..some more rewarding than others.

my dog.

Creative spurts which have amazed me, my friends and family.

I still can feel this summer heat...

My heart bursts when I think of all the "amazing-ness" my life has contained so far.

First New Years in Bolton

So.. my six word memoir.. which shall double as my tombstone inscription. is...

" I lived,played,crafted, loved hard."

What would yours be?

Melly & Me Kaleidoscope

2011-12-30T19:42:00.000-08:00

Do you like unicorns, bunnnies and moose? Add in a cup of cute and you've got Melanie Hurlston's aka Melly & Me book Kaleidoscope. I bought this a few weeks ago and was literally squealing with glee as I thumbed through the pages.

The very night I had the book I was already cutting out "Bella-boo" the bunnie. I made Bella-Boo and the Moose Melvin for my cousins kids this Christmas.

The pair together.

With Bella boo I was fearful that the dress would be difficult since it was so small but her instructions are pretty good... as long as you read them.

back of dress detail

Her patterns are a little different then some as you have use some pattern parts as a template and SEW on the line.. not cut.

so carry-around-able

I used a doll's needle and attached the arms on with a strong cross stitch and DMC floss to create durability and also made the arms articulated.

articulated arm

I used fabric on her head flower instead of felt.

When I finished embroidering her face I started squealing all over again. The pattern is SO FREAKIN CUTE! Don't you think?

Now these are the first dolls I've ever made other than the Alien with no pants. I was pleased they turned out ok.

Melvin the Moose.. now he is for a little guy and I omitted all the buttons on his overalls and I had to make her overalls smaller than the pattern was when it was finished. I'm not sure why.

Again I used DMC floss on his arms and on his antlers. Time will tell to see how well these hold up I think they may come off quickly even though they are secured really well. IF I were ever to make another I might make the antlers slightly larger.

maybe back pockets would make a cute addition?

front pocket detail

He is pretty fun too though... I can say I made a moose. That's right up there with I ran away with the circus.

I can't wait to make the backpack on the front cover... and of course the unicorn.

Sewing Borders onto the back of your quilt.

2011-12-22T22:30:00.000-08:00

I made a quilt for a friend recently and after putting together the top realized I had totally goofed on the measurements and hadn't bought enough of the backing... but I had more of another fabric which I thought ok... I'll make a border on it no problem... but then I realized I wanted a perfectly squared border on the back.. how would I do this? Where do I find out how??

Well a few fruitless google searches later I sat in a huff on the sewing floor and stared miserably at my quilt.

Then "eureka"

This is how I did it.

My top had been finished already completed with borders. I basted my top to my batting and stretched amy backing which just extended past my borders on the bottom.

I then stitched in the ditch around the border of my top which just came through on my backing..

I then cut my backing borders larger then I needed and placed them right sides together just past my stitch line I had created.

I did the sides first and then the top and bottom as I would a normal border... pressed it.. and was able to complete my binding as per usual!!! I was so stoked! It looked perfect and beautiful!

Are the other methods? I haven't a clue!

I totally adore this line by Suzy Ultman Critters Community! It is just toooo cute for words. I had a blast working with these prints and just cut and spread these guys all over my design wall until something spoke to me.

added along with that linen texture line.. sublime.

Candy Cane Shortbread Tutorial

2011-12-15T21:41:00.000-08:00

Are you doing any baking for the holidays? It's a christmas memory thing for me.. especially making these cookies.I used to make these with my mom when I was a little girl using a sugar cookie recipe, but since I've got a serious love for shortbread I decided to give it a go.

I made my normal recipe and then split it into two and added red food colouring to half of it.

I then made two finger thickness "snakes" one out of red shortbread and one of my white. About 8-9 inchs long.

Smush them together a little..

Cut your snack into thirds.

Roll out your new bi-coloured dough so its about 5-6 inchs long.

Roll your left hand towards you while rolling your right hand away from you so you notice the cookie dough "twisting"

Place onto cookie sheet on parchment paper and shape into a candy cane...

Bake as usual.. and enjoy!!

You could get UBER stupid fancy and do one half white dough and 1/4 green and 1/4 red dough.

I missed making these!! Seasonal Greetings and happy cookie making.

What's your favorite cookie ?

Doily Lampshade tutorial

2011-12-13T23:26:00.000-08:00

I saw a doily lampshade some time ago I haven't had the chance until recently to explore this. A number of "string shades" have been used which my best friend and I also explored and using a tutorial we found using wall paper paste we built one which proved successful.

I was really surprised how strong the shade was using wallpaper paste making this lampshade.

Now here in Canada you buy it at the hardware stores premade in a tub and it's going to cost 10-15 bucks.. England however run to the pound shop (poundstretcher was my favorite) you can pick up a bag of the glue flakes for a POUND! which is like a buck fiddy! No fair.. but aaaanyways. It works.

Due to the sheer gooeyness of the process I didn't get to take photos of the doing so I'll do my best to describe.

For the string lampshade we used my old exercise ball (finally a good use for it!) , but for the doily lamp I decided to use a balloon I had picked up at a dollar store.

Prep work:

We used a bowl to place our ball in to stop it from rolling around while working on it.

DO put a sheet down around your area. Between wallpaper paste and Vaseline you will thank yourself later.

use a bowl to do your submerging into the paste.. it just makes it easier.

This took about an hour between two of us.

1. Vaseline your balloon or exercise ball.

2. Take your doily's and saturate them in the wallpaper paste. Make sure you are leaving an opening where your lamp parts will go through. We left about a 4 inch hole. I put an extra layer of doilys' around the the hole for extra support.

3. Overlap by about an inch. Don't worry too much about overlapping since the more strength the better.

4. Once your ball is covered let it dry. It took several days for mine to completely dry.. but when it did.. and the balloon popped.. BOY was I excited.

My balloon is more "pendant shaped"

Now for the electrical I picked up the parts and assembled myself one with about 12 feet of cord. I wanted to hang in above my bed so I measured and installed the switch near the bottom of my cord.

We took wire and attached it to either side of the hole we left. I was happy to see how strong the opening was I had put an extra layer there so it was nice and strong. Then in the middle I created a hook or a claw like shape.

just needed a little bit to attach to!

With white electrical tape I created a large "bump" on my cord.

When combined the bump prevents my cord from sliding anywhere and it makes it easy to remove the light fixture to replace light bulbs

I hung from my ceiling...

and put another hook so my cord would fall down my wall.

I just LOVE it.

My cost breakdown

Lamp parts $20

Wallpaper paste $15

Doilys $15

-------------------------------

Total cost $50

IF I had shopped around or had a grandma to borrow some from I could have saved on the cost. I also could have had a friend mail me some paste from England.. I still might.

In retrospect I think even a cheap lace table cloth could be cut up and used.

How beautiful is it though? I think it's worth it.

Best shortbread recipe!

2011-12-11T20:07:00.000-08:00

My man is a shortbread fanatic. I have lost count how many times I have been asked at 1030 at night to "throw" together a batch of shortbread. We've tried a few recipes but this one by far is the easiest. I like to double it up to make about 24 large 4 inch diameter cookies.

Shortbread recipe Rara style.

1 cup of margarine or butter at room temp
2 cup of flour
1/2 cup of icing sugar
1 TBSP vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda

Take all your ingredients and blend them all together until you get a nice soft consistency.

Heat your oven up to 375 F and pop them in for about 20 minutes.

My new thing is to crush up hazelnuts and dip half the cookie in melted chocolate then dip them in the nuts... oh heaven!

Adorable halloween project!

2011-10-24T23:03:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post.. if you don't already you simply must check out this website.. because look at what you can make!!!

www.paper-and-string.blogspot.com

Happy halloween!!