mmmcrafts

sad news

2013-05-16T10:25:00.001-04:00

Many of you have enjoyed Kathreen Ricketson's creative voice through her popular blog, WhipUp.net, as well as her craft books and Action Packs. I had the pleasure of working with Kathreen on two Kids Crafternoon books two years ago.

I have just learned this morning through a kind reader that Kathreen and her husband have drowned in a tragic swimming accident off of Ningaloo reef in Western Australia.

My heart hurts for her two beautiful children, and I ask you to join me in praying for this family. There are many in the blog community who would like to help in some way. There's been mention of an education fund being set up for her kids, and I'm hoping to give an update about that.

There is a post on WhipUp for those of you who wish to express your sympathy:
When The Best of Times Ends in the Worst of Times

Paula's needle book

2013-05-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

For my lovely MIL, given along with her card. This is the applique design I settled on for the new pattern, which is pretty much completed except for making more samples and taking some photos.

Even after making as many needle books as I have, it's great for me to have a pattern to refer to. I like to watch Netflix while I sew them and can't tell you how many times I've made a doofus mistake in the order of construction because I was too busy focusing on why Mal can't just tell Inara he loves her.

this time in purple, pink, orange and red

2013-05-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

The not-as-difficult-the-second-time-round MS flower card for my sweet MIL, Paula. You didn't think I forgot her, did you? I'm so blessed to have two lovely moms in my life! However, unlike my own mom, Michael's mom is computer savvy and connected to the interwebs, so I had to keep a lid on hers until now.

I sometimes wonder how much money I've saved Michael by making all our cards instead of buying them? Mmmmmprobably not as much money as I've spent on paper, felt and shoes, so let's change the subject.

Finished the card a bit differently this time by punching holes for a string tie, and so managed again to avoid making an envelope. (Patting self on shoulder.) Worked great!

I'm also thanking myself for buying that gift tag punch. Goodness, it's handy. I have two:

New one is the straightforward one and the fancypants scrolly punch I've had for a while. Different brands, same factory looks like. No more buying gift tags. Unless I want to.

Next post: Paula's needle book.

made it: MS pop up flower card

2013-05-08T17:49:00.000-04:00

The moment I saw this MS Mother's Day card project I fell in love. What's not to love? It's a gorgeous and clever design. Flowers are pretty. But pop up flowers? Shazam.

I finally got around to making one late last night, and it was a squidge harder than I thought it would be. Maybe it would be best not to attempt this after 11pm. But when it came together, it made me so happy. It's fascinating to watch the flowers pull in and collapse and then open again. I opened and closed the card a lot. Well, it was pretty late when I finished.

I watched this video about one thousand times to try and decipher the way you adhere the finished flowers together. I really like her voice! In the end, the written tutorial was the most helpful for that, so I recommend you use both their video and the written tutorial. Just keep in mind each flower will be tacked in three places, except for the middle flower which is tacked on every petal.

Helpful notes for you:

Do not use heavy paper for the flowers. I didn't have any regular 20 lb stock in pretty colors, so I ended up using a smooth construction paper, which is slightly heavier than 20 lb. It worked OK, but a lightweight paper would work the best, since you will be cutting through 8 layers of paper to cut each flower. Origami or printer paper would be the right weight.
Instead of double sided tape, I used small dots of my favorite paper glue Fabri-Tac because I didn't have any double sided tape, and it worked like a charm. (I know, technically that's a fabric glue, but I just love it for tacking paper because it dries almost instantly and doesn't pucker paper. However, I would never use it to spread over a large area.)
If you want to add some vavoom to the center of the flowers like me, I used a soft colored pencil and added the centers while the flower was still flat.
I added another layer to the outside of the card by adhering a darker ever-so-slightly-larger-than 10 x 6 inch piece on the outside. It gives it more body and adds some color.
Be aware the finished size of the project is 5 x 6 inches, which does not fit a standard envelope. You can always whip up one of your own, because you are crafty like that.
I added a faux tag in the back because I didn't want to write on the pretty pretty inside:

And I sent it with love along with her flowery needle book. Mother's Day just seems to call for flowers. (Don't worry, my mom doesn't have a computer so this post won't ruin her surprise. Yes, that's right. No computer. No smart phone. And she still manages to have a full and meaningful life.)

Happy Mother's Day to all my fellow moms out there who love, teach and nurture their children and grandchildren 24 hours a day, every day of the year. No better job in the universe.

Need other ideas?
Make a Momma Bird Card
More Scrap Cards. You Make One!
Make a Flower Card for Mom

needle book pattern underway

2013-04-30T17:44:00.001-04:00

Test run No. 1 from the pattern, successfully completed. It's weird making the applique from a pattern. I usually just eyeball it, but I have to admit that this will streamline the process a vast deal (as Lucy Steele might say). The pattern is written, diagrams done. Mods being made, pieces being tweaked. Many, many words being deleted. I'm always too much with the wordy words on the first draft.

six cushions only took ten years. now you make some.

2013-04-23T16:37:00.000-04:00

Nine years, eleven months, twenty-six days
to carefully think about it.

Four days to make.

I love them. My tush loves them. The girls both said, 'Wow, Mom, our chairs feel so GOOD now.' Poor kids. Looking on the bright side, I guess sitting on hard chairs may have built some character along the way. The chairs were purchased about ten years ago from Crate & Barrel and they are, in fact, pretty booty-friendly, even without the cushions. But it was time.

I love that 'booty' is in my dictionary. 'Shake one's booty'. *snort*

Anyways, all the cushions have wild, patterned fabrics from my stash on one side,

and conservative black ticking on the other.

I guess that kind of makes them the mullet of chair cushions.

If you want to make some similar ones, first you'll need to make a pattern from your chair:

There's a glimpse of my messy studio. I haven't cleaned up from cushion construction. I fling leftovers across the room as I go to keep them out of my way and off the work surface, and I honestly try to aim for the trash can with scraps, but mostly I miss. It's a pay-the-piper situation.

As you can see, I find it helpful to make construction notes to myself on the pattern as I go. That way if I use the pattern again I can avoid all the really goofy mistakes I made the first go round.

I measured the width and depth of my chair seats, then added about an inch all round to compensate for the stuffing. I made a paper pattern from those measurements and added rounded corners. You'll also need to add the seam allowance (I used 3/8 inch, the same size as the flange on the piping to keep things simple).

I wish I had made the sides of my pattern a bit more curved, because after you stuff the cushion the sides pull inward a bit. So you will do a better job than me.

Adding the holes for the buttons makes it easy to mark the placement on the right sides of the fabric when you trace and cut. Don't use a disappearing marker because who knows how many ~~years~~ days will go by before you actually finish the cushion, and you don't want the marks to vanish. I used a sharpie marker, which was fine because the marks are hidden under the buttons.

Plan to make a test cushion or two in order to work out the optimal size for the pattern and make adjustments. I like a chair cushion to be pretty much the same size as the chair bottom, not spilling over the edges or looking shrunken. Here's a test cushion I made that was pieced. (It used to be stuffed and have buttons but I robbed it all to use with the final cushions.) The final design is not pieced because I decided piecing + piping + 8 buttons x 6 cushions = Crazy Town.

You'll need to gather:

Fabric for tops and bottoms (Decor weight works best, but I used quilting cotton on some of mine. You can always add fusible interfacing to beef it up.)
Eight self-cover buttons for each cushion you make. I used 7/8 inch buttons on mine.
One-inch wide cotton webbing or ribbon for the straps. I used about 20 inches per cushion (four 5-inch pieces), but that will vary for you because your chairs are different.
Velcro for closures (if you buy the precut squares, you'll need two pairs for each cushion)
One package of premade piping for each cushion (Jo-Ann had a nice selection of Wrights bias piping, which comes 2 1/2 yards per package. I had about 18 inches leftover from mine, so this should cover a variety of cushion sizes.)
Scraps of fabric to match your piping for the self-covered buttons
Bags o' stuffing. I used 2 1/2 large bags (32 oz) of Polyfil stuffing for six cushions, and I probably err on the understuffed side. I really hate to stuff things.

Once you get your pattern figured out, the process of making them is pretty easy.

Cut lengths of cotton webbing or sturdy ribbon for the velcro straps. You'll need two pairs for each cushion. Use this formula for sizing:

Length needed to wrap around chair back and overlap opposite velcro

1/2 inch for finished edge

1/2 inch for seam allowance

*** Late Note *** After some real-life road testing, I've found it's probably better to use a longer piece of velcro (as opposed to a square) unless your house contains only placid adults who move with quiet grace, and do not squirm and fidget. Otherwise, a longer piece of velcro with more overlap will provide a more secure fastening.

To make the straps, press over 1/2 inch of one end. Tack with a dot of glue, then sew the velcro square so that it covers the cut edge.

Trace and cut out two pieces of fabric for each cushion from your pattern and mark the button placement on the right sides.

Glue baste the piping round the edges of one of the cushion halves (using the same method I used in my Four Leaf pillow tutorial) except if you used a 3/8" seam allowance you can glue the piping so it is flush with the raw edge of the material. Snipping the flange around the corners makes it easy to curve the piping.

Using a zipper foot, sew the piping down just a few inches along the back of the cushion half, so that when you hand sew the opening together later you won't be juggling loose piping as well as two layers of fabric. You can also take this opportunity to sew a corresponding line along the seam allowance on the other piece of fabric, so you can use that as a guide when you hand stitch it closed later. I highly recommend that.

Next glue baste the straps on with 1/2 inch overlapping the seam line, two straps per corner, one with fuzzy and one with prickly. Make sure that in each corner one strap is basted on with the velcro up and the other with the velcro down - learned that the hard way.

Glue-baste the other piece of fabric on top of that, right sides together, leaving an 4 inch opening in the center back so you can stuff it later. Pin for extra security. Using your zipper foot, sew as close to the piping as you can, all the way around except for the opening. Be sure to backstitch at beginning and end.

Notch the curved corners and turn it right side out through the opening. I always love that part.

Now set up your iPad on your work surface with Doctor Who Season 2 streaming (that last bit is optional) and stuff and stuff and stuff, until each cushion has a nice shape and is filled out but still pretty spongy. Add the buttons at this point. Thread a doll needle with a long piece of embroidery floss, doubled.

Go into the pillow at the mark you made, then out of the pillow at the corresponding mark on the other side. Thread on a button (which you have already covered in matching fabric). Go back through the pillow very close to where you came out, and come out on the other side very close to where you came in. Cut off your needle and tie a very tight square knot with the loose ends, pulling the floss as tight as you can to create a tuft. Tie an extra knot for security. Then thread on another button, tie another tight square knot and trim the ends so they are hidden behind the button. Repeat for the other three sets of marks.

The diagram shows a single strand going in and out of the pillow, but it will in reality be two strands since you've doubled your floss.

Now stuff more until the pillow is just the right shape and firmness all over. When you are done, pin the opening shut with your seam allowance tucked inside (aren't you glad you sewed the guideline there now?) and hand sew the opening closed. Finished!

Now go put them on your chairs and sit down a while.

one cushion done, five to go

2013-04-20T15:29:00.000-04:00

One chair cushion completed and installed. Oh, my. I just super duper love this one. Maybe because it is the one that is finished. Ha ha. Maybe because this AMH fabric is so gorgeous and I'm glad to finally find a use for it. I'm not sure I'm going to love the rest of the cushions and how they will all work together, but it's enough for now to just lovety love this one.

I finished the new black and white curtains (you can see them in the background there). They need...something. Like some black trim. Or colored trim. I am tired of thinking about it right now, so I'm making the cushions and then I'll look and ponder again. Do other people do this, I wonder? Stand in their kitchen and squint at their curtains?

The other five cushions will also have the black ticking on one side, and piping and buttons. The piping/button color will vary depending on the fabric. I think I will use the same black/white cotton webbing to make all of the loop attachments, which have velcro closures. I just couldn't like the bows. This looks cleaner.

The brightly colored and different patterned cushions are a deviation from the original plan, but that's because I now have black and white curtains and the dining area needs a splash of color. And they are all reversible, so I can flip them over to the ticking side if I want:

Progress is being made. And yes, I touched out the crumbs on my floor.

third go round on curtains

2013-04-14T15:53:00.001-04:00

I no longer trust my sense of color so I went with black and white. Failsafe. Right? Thinking of adding some contrast trim along the edges. We'll see if I'm still motivated when I get them hemmed.

bunny love

2013-04-08T09:43:00.000-04:00

PRECIOUS. This is my (crazy adorable) 14 mos old great niece hugging her mama-made Baby Binky Bunny. My niece, Erin, worked hard to get it finished for her by Easter. I just had to share the happy, dimply, baby cuteness because this is Monday. Ugh, Monday.

easter hoppiness

2013-04-01T20:29:00.000-04:00

Among the other treats were these two bunny mixtapes I made for the girls' Easter baskets of some of their favorite Christian artists. (Like my clever Washi-like patches over their names?) After burning the CDs I wrote their names on the actual CD and an Easter message from Mom and Dad with a Sharpie. I punched one-inch circles for eyes and nose and glued them on the outside of the CD cases, then glued on smaller circles for the middles of the eyes. I added the bunny lips with a Sharpie marker. Lastly I cut out two freehand bunny ears from cardstock and glued those to the back of the CD case.

We were blessed to spend some time with our extended family this weekend. We colored eggs on Friday, and the sight of PAAS boxes and the smell of the warm white vinegar transported me back to many of my childhood Easters and me patiently waiting my turn with the wire egg dippers and planning my killer color combinations. We had beautiful weather on Saturday for the Easter egg hunt, and a lovely cozy family dinner after worship on the rainy Easter Sunday. I hope yours was blessed with love and family too.

you may not like Aunt Norris but she can sure cut some baize

2013-03-25T16:46:00.000-04:00

I have just realized why I enjoy reading Jane Austen books over and over again. I mean besides the compelling stories, wry humor and elegant writing. It's because the ladies spend all day reading books, drawing, sewing and crafting. And this makes them Accomplished.

(Hobyn, do not snicker at my still life fruit photo prop. I am actually on a fruit eating binge lately. I think about fruit a lot. Especially pears. I guess that is better than Girl Scout cookies.)

test run dress, Simplicity 3743

2013-03-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

This tunic was made as a test run to figure out the fit flaws in the pattern (Simplicity 3743) before I made the real thing for the girls' Disney dresses. The only mods I made on this first run were taking out some width and adding length. I also added gathered pockets and buttons just for interest. The fabric is a nice blue/yellow shot cotton I had in the stash. I just love shot cottons. I need more. Yes.

It turned out to be cute and wearable, but it is a bit too narrow at the hem. I should split the seams a few inches from the bottom to make side slits. The tunic length looks great with leggings.

Oh, and do you like the new paint color of my bathroom? Used to be a light khaki color. Now it is Sherwin Williams Sea Haze, which is a really nice neutral gray that leans a bit toward the green side. I love it!

last minute appliques and dresses

2013-03-12T16:16:00.000-04:00

I ~~was hoping~~ assumed the girls had aged out of wanting a special appliqued something to wear to the Magic Kingdom, but no. A week before our recent trip one of them came into the studio and hinted around about what character they might want on their Disney dress, and uh, shouldn't I be starting those since it is only a few days away?

Um. Yes. I should. (ARrgh)

So, Tinkerbell for Thing 1 and a naughty dalmatian for Thing 2 were produced in a rush when I should have been packing. Excuse the purple marking pen that shows on Tink's in-progress closeup. The appliques were adapted from some images I found with Google. They are cotton fabrics backed by Heat N Bond and then machine sewn. I used a black fabric marker to help bring out some details. Tink is also embellished with seed beads, sequins and pearls to make her look all pixie dusty.

Here are the finished dresses in action as the girls meet Merida. I had the black and pink polka dot fabrics in the stash. I would have chosen something besides pink (like green or blue) to go with Tinkerbell, but had no time to shop for fabric, so I just closed my eyes and did it. If I had to do it again on the pink, I think I'd just outline her in white embroidery instead of doing an applique.

The simple dress pattern I used was modified from Simplicity 3743, which was a super-cheap pattern I purchased from Wal-Mart when the girls were toddlers. And when I say modified, I mean shredded. Almost all the youth patterns I own are sized too short and two wide for my girls. So I had to take away about an inch from the pattern on the fold, add about half an inch to the sleeve length and then add 12 inches and a curved hem to make it a dress length. I also don't use the recommended elastic lengths stated in the pattern, I use an inch or two less.

The girls enjoyed wearing them to worship on Sunday and then the Magic Kingdom on Tuesday, so it worked out great. I had to stay up late to pack and was generally frazzled, but really, when am I not frazzled before a trip?

Speaking of last minute and frazzled, here is a retrospective of other Disney outfits I've made the girls. Read more here if you like.

what I'm up to

2013-02-26T17:40:00.000-05:00

1) Mending Calico Critters clothes and Beanie Baby outfits. Not the most fun I've had. I love cute and tiny things. I do not love fixing them.

2) Trying to put together a supplemental hymn book for my congregation. A lot more work than I thought it would be. But very excited to start singing some new songs for worship. When I can get around to getting it printed.

3) Obsessing over my kitchen curtains. Again. I made a toile set ten years ago that I loved. Then I ruined them in the wash last year. "Oh, well," I said to myself. "It was high time for a change anyway." Since then I've made a new set, tried to love them, failed, given them away, purchased a new set, tried to love them, failed and sold them. Now I have blank windows once again. They are mocking me. Oh, and I still haven't sewn up the kitchen chair cushions. Which is providential since I just got rid of the curtains they were designed to go with. Pretty sure it is not supposed to be this hard.

make a quick princess card/gift tag (or a bear, or a puppy, etc...)

2013-02-18T15:21:00.000-05:00

Quickly made from card stock and construction paper for sweet Princess Jocelyn's 6th birthday. I punched a small hole in the left pigtail and tied the card to the gift bag with some pink baker's twine, so it really functioned as both a card and a tag. I love making oversized gift tags this way. No fussing with an envelope. And this is key: no going to the store to buy a card.

Here's what you do. It is really easy to put together. You can make your princess any color you like, but for simplicity's sake I'll keep the colors as they are.

(A word about circle punches: Get some. I use my simple circle punches in paper crafts a lot. A LOT. So much easier than trying to cut a small circle. As a matter of fact, I just ordered more circle punches in different sizes. By far and away the most useful punches I own. So versatile.)

1) Bring the short sides of a letter sized piece of pink card stock together and fold it in half.

2) Use a compass with a pencil to draw a circle that overlaps the fold very slightly and takes up most of the depth. Keep the compass set at the same width.

3) Cut out the circle from the folded paper so that you have a circular card. I flip it over so that any stray pencil marks will be on the back.

4) Widen the compass ever so slightly and draw another circle that's just a tiny bit bigger than the pink one on orange card stock.

5) Sketch a side part with bangs on the orange circle and cut that shape out. Flip it so the pencil marks are underneath. Rub a glue stick on the back of the orange hair, but don't put any glue on the lowest part of the bangs just in case you need to sneak an eye under there like I did. Adhere the orange hair to the pink circle with the fold of the card at the top of the head.

6) Using the compass or a handy jar lid, draw two smaller circles on the orange paper and cut them out with normal or scallop scissors for pigtails. Flip the pencil marks to the back. Add glue only to the front lower part of the orange pigtails and stick them to the back of the top layer of the card, on either side of the fold.

7) Fold a small piece of yellow card stock in half. Trace a half of a simple tiara shape and cut it out. Add glue to the outside edges of the tiara only so that it has some dimension when you place it on the hair.

8) Time to get out your trusty paper punches:

Use a 1 inch punch to make two white and two dark pink circles.

Use a 5/8 inch punch to make two blue circles and 1 pink circle.

Use a slightly smaller 1/2 inch punch to make two black circles.

9) Glue the pink cheeks even with each other on the lower part of the face, almost touching the edges.

10) Glue on the white circles for eyes, overlapping the cheeks, making sure the eyes are even and an equal distance from the edges.

11) Add the blue circles to the eyes. You can make them crossed like mine or looking in any direction. Experiment with it before you commit.

12) Glue the black circles in the middle of the blue circles.

13) Use a pop dot to adhere the pink circle nose centered between the eyes. The pop dot is great for adding a little shadow under the nose.

14) Fold a small piece of red paper in half and cut a tiny arch on the fold to make lips. Unfold and glue the top part of the lips centered under the nose. Keep the lower part unglued so it can add dimension.

15) Now get out your colored pencils if you want to add some finishing touches:

orange eyebrow(s)

black lashes

black smile

white highlights in the eyes

and a tiny white highlight on the lower lip (if she's wearing lip gloss)

16) Punch a 1/8 inch hole in one of the pigtails for tying with string if this will be functioning as a gift tag. Write a birthday message on the inside of the card.

It occurred to me that this same basic design could be used for other kinds of characters:

Add circles inside the pigtails, and now you have fuzzy ears. Add a little shock of hair, a circle for a snout and use a larger nose. Boom. Now you have a cute little bear.

Make the ears longer and fold them over, snip off the edge of a circle to add a tongue, and voila, a little puppy card.

Use black and white, add patches behind the eyes (and perhaps a bow tie) and you have a little panda.

Use brown hair and eyes instead, add the pigtails lower down, and now you have a Leia tag.

And on and on. You get the idea. There are a lot of possibilities. And so many trips you do not have to make to the store for a card.

I heart you, Schmoopie

2013-02-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Happy lovey-dovey kissy-face day to all of you and your Schmoopies, too.

If you need a quick printable, feel free to help yourself:

Valentine Schmalentine (You'll Do)

Wood You B Mine?

Mwah card and tags

birthday card for young Jedi Clark

2013-02-02T16:17:00.000-05:00

Another version of the card I made for Asher. The aliens are fun to make, and use only simple shapes and punches. Maybe a tutorial needs to happen for these.

(We don't think you're smelly, Clark. But aliens do.)

what we did (and bought) in Santa Fe

2013-01-29T19:21:00.000-05:00

This is the last compelling installment (I promise) about our girl trip to Santa Fe, NM. You can also read about where we stayed and what we ate if you are planning to travel there yourself.

Favorite museum stops included the Museum of International Folk Art and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Photos (sans flash) were encouraged at the folk art museum, but frowned on in the GO museum:

I was so intrigued by the folk art, but of course my camera died mid-visit. Imagine a very large space slam-packed full of every kind of handcraft display imaginable. I loved the detailed papercuts, like the Polish examples you see above. I had my nose on the glass trying to see how they were done. Robyn and I were both blown away by a large display of heinously complex and accomplished 18th and 19th century cross stitch samplers (not pictured). You had to squint to see the stitches. We were exclaiming over them to each other and then we realized that many were signed by nine-year olds. Great scott!

I bought the pretty matryoshka doll you see at the top of the post in the museum's gift shop. I wanted to buy a few, but limited myself to this one. Like every shop keeper's nightmare customer, I had them all unassembled on the counter, trying to decide. There was another doll who was painted holding a large black chicken that I loved, but the colors on this one were more unusual. It's now happily installed on a ledge in my kitchen.

I did really enjoy the collection at the Georgia O'Keeffe, but was disappointed that it didn't contain a lot of her well-known large florals or houses. It did, however, have an exhibition of biographical photographs, which were really fascinating. She was a very photogenic person. I came away with a couple of notecard sized prints that I like (shown above with some handmade pendants, bracelet, and Bandelier rocks that also came home with me).

(When I was a surly teen, I remember holding my mother in contempt for wearing a perfectly awful pair of large, cheap 'mommy' sunglasses. In an instance of karmic justice, I've just realized I have on the same pair of sunglasses.)

If you look closely, you can see the cliff dwellings and pueblo behind me and my ridiculous hat.

On our hike around Bandelier, we ran into a retired Park Ranger who gave us a crash course on the petroglyphs to be found there. My favorite was the turkey. What a nice guy! Despite the snow on the ground, we were able to peel off coats, hats and gloves later in the hike.

Not pictured: We made a sidetrip to the Birkenstock-friendly town of Madrid, where we walked up and down the main street and shopped the jewelry and jumble stores. We also attended a live National Theatre broadcast of The Magistrate with John Lithgow at the Lensic one night. I think Robyn and I might have been the youngest ones there.

One of my favorite shops in Santa Fe was The Spanish Table, where I picked up these pretty plates, bowls and Spanish olive wood spoons as gifts and souvenirs. They had a great selection of cookbooks and shelves of gourmet eats too.

We browsed through the Wheelwright Museum and then spent a long, very squeaky time downstairs in their trading post (the 'authentic' wood floors protest loudly with every step you make). I picked up some fun Native American themed paper crafts to do with the girls (we are currently studying early American history so it fits right in) and I had to buy corn necklaces too. I did not buy the $10,000 handwoven wool blanket.

Our four days there was the perfect girl getaway, if you measure by the LHAS (Larissa Holland Amusement Standard). We had an ideal itinerary of eating, shopping, lounging, watching, seeing, oohing and hiking. I realized at the end of the last day that I had forgotten to get my ritual city magnet for the fridge. Anyone in Santa Fe want to send me one? Pretty please?

what we ate in Santa Fe

2013-01-26T11:28:00.000-05:00

A bit of everything please, and to drink, melted chocolate.

We told our hosts at the B&B that we'd like to basically eat our way through Santa Fe and they came through with great suggestions for every kind of culinary yumminess, so we tucked in like locals. One thing we didn't do was take many pictures of the eats. Yeah, I know, what kind of blogger am I? I should have been setting up a lightbox on the table and getting artful, well-lit macro shots of our salted caramel brownies. A comedy of errors with my camera followed me around Santa Fe. I brought a camera, it promptly went dead, I finally went to a convenience store to get batteries, and those were also dead (so glad I paid $6 for them, gah), ended up trying to take a few with my phone (hence all the blurry, non blog-worthy shots). This is why I am not a food blogger.

The friendly proprietor. He lets you try every single flavor of drinking chocolate before you order.

Kakawa, the only place we went to twice AND got some pictures from, and it's not even a restaurant. It's a chocolate house. Oh my stars and garters. Sublime, thick, historical drinking chocolates in many imaginative flavors, served in pretty little cups and saucers. Flavors ranged from serious, 100% cacao Mayan Fullspice (a chile laden chocolate punch in the nose) to the more Larissa-friendly Jeffersonian (a buttery chocolate bear hug) with lots of variation between.

El Farol, for gourmet Spanish tapas. It's right on Canyon Road, where a whole bunch of galleries are. MMM mmm MM. Delectable. We split a five dish meal that included marinated portobellos, fried avacado, chile shrimp, seared tuna on spinach, and slow roasted pork with figs. It's too bad I got choked on a wayward swallow of water toward the end of the meal and had to spend ten minutes in the ladies' attempting to cough out my socks. I'm suave and sophisticated like that. Shouldn't swallowing water be kind of instinctive after you are forty?

Cafe Pasqual's the night we went to the Lensic, for organic nouveau foo-foo NM cuisine. Exclusive vibe (read $$) combined with cramped quarters (esp. the claustrophobic hallway to the ladies), eclectic decor, and slightly disturbing murals on the walls. We had fancy beet/bleu cheese/lettuce pyramids that were impressive looking but challenging to conquer with fork and knife in a graceful fashion. We split the pork chop special (scrumptious and perfectly done with cider drippings, sausage stuffing and some kind of flavorful wilted greens).

Other unphotographed deliciousness:

La Plazuela at La Fonda, ok, probably not a locals kind of spot, but still a great experience (delicious carne asada, juevos rancheros, spicy butternut soup). It was a great introduction to the Santa Fe hospitality scene and easy to get to from where we were walking around the main plaza on our first day, and the service was faultless and so friendly.

Tune-Up Cafe, where there was a definitely locals-only feel, and where I devoured THE best chile relleno I've ever eaten EVAR. We grabbed available table space in the small no-frills dining area filled with other smart hungry people. I almost licked my plate.

We tried some African cuisine one evening at Jambo Cafe. Wonderful roti (flat bread similar to naan), spicy lentils, rice, coconut chicken curry, but the much-lauded goat stew was not for me. The fatty chunks of meat put me off, but I did eat around them because the sauce and vegetables were still very tasty. Their hot chai was strong, fragrant, sweet and hot. Perfect for a cold night and some pretty serious conversation we were having about Life, the Universe, and Everything.

Next post: what we did in Santa Fe
Earlier post: where we stayed in Santa Fe

where we stayed in Santa Fe

2013-01-24T15:44:00.001-05:00

If you've ever wondered what Santa Fe, NM is like in January, it's lovely. Also it's cold. My superfriend Robyn is in the states for a bit and we decided on a girl jaunt to New Mexico instead of Christmas gifts this past year. Excellent choice. It's what I term an arty town, with great views, galleries, museums, shopping and food. Mmm. Food.

Actually I think the area was having an unusual cold snap the week we were there. As our plane touched down all I could see were grey skies and snow gusting around. It was two degrees F. Yes. Two. As in one plus one. With a -15 F wind chill factor. It was difficult to make ourselves go out of the cozy airport and get in the rental car.

But we are glad we did, otherwise we wouldn't have enjoyed gourmet breakfasts like this. Omelet with corn, cheese and spices and some kind of mole and cream drizzled over it. Nom nom nom. Whatever it was, it was gone in a matter of moments.

This is the breakfast room at our B&B, Ravens Ridge (great find, Robyn!). It's a few miles away from the city center, nestled back on a hill, with an excellent view of the mountains.

Our affable hosts, Judge and Phyllis, gave only the best recommendations for dining and fun while we were there, as well as filling us with scrumptious homemade foods and generally pampering us during our stay.

This is a really terrible shot of our room, but I wanted you to see the cozy kiva fireplace we had. (There are much better shots of the rooms and grounds on their website.) It was great to come in from the cold after dark, watch a movie and huddle by the fire.

It didn't stay grey and cloudy for more than a few hours after we arrived. The sun came out and it warmed up to the 30s and 40s later in the week, sunny every day and gorgeous. The cold was actually a nice change for both of us. You know Robyn lives near the equator and Atlanta was having another freaky warm spell when I left so it was nice to break out the sweaters and mittens for a change.

Next post: what we ate in Santa Fe.

pretties from Robyn

2013-01-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Looky what Robyn made me for my birthday. You don't suppose it had to do with the subtle hints I was dropping, do you? These delicate handcut birds were waiting to surprise me, tucked inside these gorgeous books:

Have you been lusting after these Penguin Classics like I have? I'm so happy to have these. Sigh. And now I have my own Cranford!

Also included in my pretty packages were these tiny things:

Little handmade soapstone boxes from Brazil. They are so small, and you know how tiny things make me happy. Just large enough to house some mini treasure. I should have put an acorn in the photo for scale. No lack of those in the studio. The smallest box is an inch and three quarters wide.

And something pretty to wear:

A handmade necklace from Brazil. I should be able to tell you the kind of nuts those large green ones are, but I forgot. All I really need to know is that it includes my favorite colors. Plus she sent some stroopwaffels and said I didn't have to share them. And I didn't. (If you don't know about stroopwaffels, that is just fine. More for me.)

And it all came beautifully wrapped in these packages. The wrapping is always a gift in itself. I really hated to open them.

Robyn, I love those fern stickers. Lovely, lovely. In conclusion, you are awesome. But you surely knew that.

Thing 1's woodland critters

2013-01-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

This is Stitches.

This is Buttons.

My 10 year old created these two softies using the embroidery book and sewing kit gifted to her by Miss Robyn and of course I must feature them too.

I invited Thing 1 to write this post also, but she became very quiet as I sat expectantly with fingers poised above the keys. Then she suggested no text, just pictures. Too much pressure.

Here are the backs. Thank you again to Beth for the very appropriate Stampin' Up fat quarter she used for Buttons. She zeroed right in on it.

Her preliminary sketch. She informed me these two are the first of five softies in a series she has designed, dubbed 'Woodland Critters'. How 'bout that.

I had to be all casual and smooth about it, because if I get excited or too involved it kills it for her. I don't want to be the crafting equivalent of a stage mommy: "Put down that silly book! Have you practiced your french knots today? You KNOW the Mother Daughter Pan Gran Embroidery Regionals are coming up! SMILE as you thread and no squinting! SMILE! Show me the sparkle!"

Thing 2's spongebob in felt

2013-01-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Spongebob

Sandy Cheeks

Mr Krabs

Karen

Plankton

Patrick

The whole gang.

Made by the eight year old during Christmas break. It was a surprise attack by her creative muse. She'd been pining for a set of Spongebob beanies for Christmas, then she just decided suddenly that she wanted to make them instead of waiting. So she just did it.

Spongebob was first. I made a few suggestions and helped her sew a couple of things and showed her how to stuff him. Then she decided that the whole sewing thing was just slowing her down, so she disappeared with a tray of felt, scissors and glue and made the rest of them.

Then she asked me to feature them on my blog. Heck yeah, I'll do that.

Mr Krabs' nose

I find it very refreshing that for her there was no planning or tracing or pattern making. She just cut them all out freehand and slapped them together and then very happily played with them after they were done. Total focus, quick follow-through and then satisfaction in her project.

Mommy could learn a thing or two from that.

handmade gifts 2012, part 3

2013-01-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

The last handmade gift is a reprise of the Phil 4:6-7 papercut I made for Robyn a while back. This version is for my sister, Leigh.

It fits an 8 x 10 inch frame. I changed it a bit from Robyn's with more leaves and no birds included. I included several background colors with it so she could switch it up and find one that worked best for her decor.

I gifted it to her along with a pillow cover you see folded and tied above that I made from some Crate & Barrel napkins. I forgot to take a picture of it on an actual pillow. Oops. It's a nice, Christmasy array of bold green stripes. I made it in my favorite, quick no-zipper-required envelope method, which took three napkins. Also no hemming, since the edges of the napkins are finished already. Boom.

In addition to those I gave some Rifle Paper Co. notes and the Penguin Classic edition of Cranford, in honor of the afternoons we spent watching the mini-series together and drinking tea. The scene about the oranges. Oh my word. "We will repair to our rooms... and consume our fruit in solitude." So funny. The book is a wonderful read, too.

That wraps up the making for Christmas. I had pie-in-the-sky visions of making the quilts for the girls, but I've set my sights on Valentines for that. Which is probably just as unrealistic. Oh, I did have one more handmade gift besides these, but you've already seen the photos. I made a gift of these two stockings to my lovely sister Lori along with some books. She's a book addict like me.

handmade gifts 2012, part 2

2013-01-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

For my nephew, Michael, who will be getting his own place soon. Presumably on Tatooine. I designed the coffee mug in Illustrator and produced it via Zazzle. I'm counting it as handmade even though I didn't technically make the mug. It was shipped so promptly and turned out just great, but of course I forgot to take a picture of the real mug. Blast!

These photos are from Zazzle's project preview, which is amazingly accurate. I've made a few things on Zazzle over the last few years and I'm always pleased with the result.

This quickly made light/dark switch plate was a last-minute addition. It was inspired by some really funny ones I've seen around the web. All it takes to DIY is a Sharpie and The Force. Ok, just a Sharpie.

Also included a bar of both white and dark chocolate in the package labeled as Luke and Vader's faves. Belabor the theme, I did.