zakka life

Girl's Day Party

2012-03-04T21:10:00.009-08:00

Last week I mentioned I would be hosting a small party for Girl's Day. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing some of the pictures from the get together.

I tried to keep it simple and not go overboard with the decorations and food. The only thing I purchased for the decorations was this paper lantern from Daiso for $1.50. I painted it with water colors and added some steamers to hang from the bottom of it. We also had some dolls out that we display every year for the holiday.

For snacks I served monju which is mochi wrapped around red bean paste (top photo). The bottom picture is hina arare which is made only for the holiday (tastes like sweet cereal). I also served senbei (rice crackers), oranges and green tea. The girls were good about trying everything. They liked the hina arare and oranges the most.

Remember when I stood in the hot sun for a couple rolls of stickers (aka my second worst idea ever)? Well, it finally paid off. The Japan themed stickers were perfect for the party favors. I also gave out Japanese erasers and a pair of chopsticks that are heart shaped on top.

For the favor bags, I used some leftover bags I had used for a bridal shower. To make them a little more festive, I used mizuhiki cord to close the bags.

I also had the girls make a paper kimono. I forgot to take pictures of it (sorry). Not all parties go according to plan but this one ended up just about perfect. All the girls were well behaved, they enjoyed the food, had fun making the craft. I know this may sound weird, but it brought me such joy to see all of them having a good time. I know I'm fortunate in that I have the time and resources to throw parties like this.

This party cost no more than $20 to put on. I only share this because it's a good reminder that one can put together a special day without spending a lot. I tried to use items I had in my house before I went out and purchased anything.

Okay, I promise this is the last Girl's Day post of the year. Craft coming soon , if all goes well.

Happy Hinamatsuri

2012-03-02T21:03:00.006-08:00

Happy Hinamatsuri! Here's a cute Ekaki Uta (drawing song) that teaches children how to draw a Hinamtsuri doll set. Songs like these are created to help children remember how to draw a specific image. You can find more videos like this on YouTube.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Minimalist Hina-Ningyo (Girl's Day Dolls)

2012-02-29T08:03:00.006-08:00

Anyone celebrating Hinamatsuri (Girl's Day, March 3rd) ? Well if you are, there's still time to do a little decorating for the holiday. I found this minimalist set of Hina-Ningyo on BCOME that you can print for free. The blue doll represents the emperor and the red doll represents the empress. If you decide to make the dolls, you'll have to sign up with cut-sheet first to access the printable. Once you get to BCOME, you should see the link in the post.

Just remember to take your dolls down right after March 3rd or legend states that your daughters will not marry late.

Want to learn more about Hinamatsuri? Here's a post that tells a little more about it.

Printable: Hinamatsuri Card

2012-02-27T11:13:00.006-08:00

This year I decided to do something a little different for Hinamatsuri and host a party for my daughter and a few of her friends. Above is a picture of the invitation for the party. I'm ~~going~~ trying to keep it simple with light refreshments and a craft project. My plan is to pick up a few special snacks from the Japanese market. As for the craft, I still haven't decided.

You're welcome to use the graphic for personal use if you wish. Click on the image, right click, copy, save, and print. The graphic is designed to fit on a 4 x 6 card.

Here's what the card looks like printed out. I used the souffle pens to add a little extra dimension.

Souffle Pens

2012-02-23T20:38:00.009-08:00

Last week I was online searching for micron pens when I stumbled upon something very interesting, souffle pens. Have you heard of them before? They claim to have 3-D ink that leaves a raised line when dry. With that claim, I had to test them out. It was practically a craft call of duty.

I tracked down a set at Paper Source because apparently waiting for two day shipping is like eternity for me. As soon as I got home, I had those markers out and was doodling on everything, paper, pennies, plastic caps.

Left: ink in process of drying, Right: ink is fully dry

So I'm sure you're wondering if they really work? They do create a raised surface. It looks kind of like acrylic paint. It's not as raised as using embossing powder. To get the raised effect, the pens must be used on a non-porous surface. They also show up great on dark paper. The one drawback is the ink gets used up quickly. I've already gone through one third of the white ink. That said, I see these pens good for accents to artwork such as cards.

I'm still testing the souffle pens out and trying find unique uses for them. If you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear.

Printable Mini Paris City

2012-02-21T20:12:00.006-08:00

I bookmarked this paper project by Made by Joel for a rainy day. Turns out that rainy day turned out to be a sick day for me. I needed something besides TV to keep the kids occupied so I printed out the mini Paris city. My daughter spent an entire hour meticulously coloring the people and buildings. I even let her use my good Pantone markers.

Click here, for the free printable by Made by Joel.

While my daughter was coloring the Arc de Triomphe I overheard her say, " I think it's a toy shop....(long pause).....yep, it's a toy shop." I told her what it really was but I'm not so sure she was convinced.

Craft: Wine Cork Vase

2012-02-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

Today I've got a quick craft tutorial for you, wine cork vases. They're easy to make and only require a few supplies.

I can imagine these miniature vases adorning a table for a wedding. Sometimes I wish I had a wedding to plan simply for the crafting/decorating part of it. Maybe I missed my calling, party planner. But then again, I'm way too greedy with my weekends. I want them all for myself and family.

Supplies:
Wine cork
X-Acto knife
Small plastic vial - I used a plastic vile from a bubble container. The kind you find in the wedding section of the craft store.
Small craft saw

1. Soak wine cork in water overnight. This will prevent the cork from falling apart when you carve it.

2. Hollow out a hole in the center of the cork with an X-Acto knife. This takes a little time and patience. It took me about 10 minutes to carve out the hole.

3. With your craft saw, cut plastic vile to fit in cork.

*Don't have a bubble container on hand? Look around your house to see what else you could use. The plastic containers seed beads are packaged in would work just as well. Another idea would be caps from skinny markers. Check the junk drawer and get creative, you're bound to find something. Where there's a craft will there's a way.

4. Place plastic vial in wine cork, fill with water, and add a flower.

*Because the vases are so light, I recommend placing a removable glue dot on the base to prevent them from falling over.

Letterpress Love

2012-02-16T14:12:00.000-08:00

Isn't this just the cutest sriracha card you've ever seen? You know, because there are soooo many sriracha cards out there. I gave it to my husband for Valentine's Day. I wanted to share the card with you earlier but since my husband reads this blog, I had to wait until after V-Day. I purchased the card from Printerette Press on Etsy.

I also picked out this cute "feel better" card. Something about it reminded me of the retro Fisher Price toy doctor kits. I don't have anyone in mind to give it the card to. I just like to keep a few different cards on hand for all occasions. Although, today I kind of felt like giving myself this card, suffering from a migraine. But I'm feeling better as I type this so all is well.

Do you have a favorite brand for letterpress cards? Please share in the comments.

A Mameshiba Valentine

2012-02-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to do something a little different for Valentine's Day. Instead of giving my children candy or cards, I decided to knit them a batch of tiny mameshiba. Each mameshiba is about the length of a quarter (I knit them on size zero needles) Now I just need to decide whether to hide them around the house or package them in some cute Valentine's Day take out containers.

What are mameshiba you ask? Well, they're tiny bean dogs that show up in random places with random quotes. If you're curious about the bean dogs, you can learn all about them at Mameshiba. I've also written about them here and here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Vinyl Fabric Butterfly Hair Clips

2012-02-12T16:20:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: MaMan

Lately I've been seeing more crafts made with vinyl fabric . Anyone else noticing this trend? Usually when I think of the fabric, lunch bags and tablecloths come to mind. But, I'm loving all the unexpected projects popping up online. One craft that stood out were these cute butterfly hair clips by MaMan. You can find a detailed tutorial on her site to make your own.

You can translate the site to English with Google Translate.

via Sweet Tidings

Camp Galileo: Inspiring Creativity

2012-02-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: Galileo Learning

If you knew of a program that could give your child the tools to be creative, to be an inventor, to be an innovator, would you send them? I was recently introduced to a camp that believes they can do just that, Camp Galileo. And you know what, I believe they can too.

Before I share about this camp, there are a few things you should know. I was asked if I would do a series of posts on my site in return for free camp tuition. Most of you know I rarely do reviews. I don't write posts just so I can get freebies either. It really has to be something I believe in and something I think you can benefit from. The reason I'm writing about this camp is because their mission and philosophy is truly at the core of what I believe. To develop innovators who envision and create a better world.

When I visited the Galileo Learning website, I was impressed with the classes: Digital Photography, Fashion Design, Inventors, Go Kart Makers, Video Game Design, and Lego Robotics just to name a few. My inner child was screaming, "I want to take these classes! Oh-My-Gosh, is she making an orange leather dress? Where were these classes when I was a child?!" I thought this was a pretty cool camp but I really didn't grasp what they were trying to accomplish until I visited their headquarters. I believe after reading this, it will give you a new perspective on how you look at camp and what you want your children to gain from it.

Galileo Learning is an education summer camp for Pre-K through 8th grade located in the Bay Area, CA. They offer four camps which include Camp Galileo, Galileo Summer Quest, The Tech Summer Camps, and Chabot Space & Science Camp. I'm not going to get into the class activities today but rather what they are trying to accomplish through them.

Like most camps, they started out with a focus on activities and soon realized their true vision was on teaching a deeper level of skills to children. Now if you're like me, you're thinking that sounds great but how are you going to accomplish this?

During my meeting with the staff, I learned about their Galileo Innovation Approach. This approach is integrated into the camp curriculum or art, science and outdoor play. I could write about it but I think these graphics will explain it better.

(click on images for a larger view)

But they didn't just give examples of what their approach was. They also gave examples of how the children were using these skills after camp. One example was given of a kindergartner that dropped her ball down a storm drain. She came to her mom and told her about the problem and that she had created a plan for getting it out. It was obvious to the parent that camp Galileo had given her daughter the confidence to problem solve for real life. Before camp, the girl probably would have just asked her mother to get the ball instead.

After taking everything in, I knew this was something I wanted my kids to be involved in. Galileo Learning's philosophy spoke to what I've been trying to teach and instill in my children; they are creative and they have the power to turn their ideas into reality.

So I'm curious, have you ever heard of a camp like this before? What do think of their approach? I'd love to hear your thoughts or questions. I'll be responding back in the comments.

If this camp sounds like something you would be interested in, please visit the Galileo Learning site for more information. They also have a lot of great deals going on such as refer a friend and save $40.

Pixelated Hearts that Pop

2012-02-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: minieco

Kate Lilley of minieco created these cute and fun pixelated heart cards for Valentine's Day. She's offering up free template to make the cards pictured above. I love the simplicity of them and the bright colors she used. Stop by the site for the template or for more inspiration. Her site is covered in creativity.

via Craft

Rollerskating, Knitting, Macarons & ET

2012-02-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

Sorry there's no craft today but instead I'm sharing a little bit about my weekend.

It started out great with a night of rollerskating with my children. I forgot how much I love rollerskating. As soon as I put on those skates, I was transported back to my childhood. And then I was transported right back to reality when I woke up the next day achy with a migraine.

Since I knew I needed to rest, I decided to do some knitting. It probably wasn't the best way to spend the day since I had a migraine but I really wanted to try out some patterns. You understand, right? I knit the tiny plane pictured above with the pattern from Anna Hrachovec's Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi book.

If you're still reading this, you're probably wondering what the macarons are all about? Over the weekend we also had a very belated birthday celebration for my husband and I (our birthdays are in December). Instead of a cake, I requested pistachio macarons for my birthday dessert. Auntie Susan made them, she's the one who makes all of those gorgeous cakes for my kids.

And to end the weekend, I watched E.T. The last time I saw that movie was in the theaters when it first came out. I couldn't remember anything so it was like watching it for the first time. I ended up balling my eyes out in the end. I'm not really a crier but once in awhile things will get to me.

How did you spend your weekend? Did you make anything? Watch the Super Bowl? Make something and watch Super Bowl? Please share.

Get Creative with The Lorax: Truffula Tree Pencils

2012-02-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

Today I'm participating in the Get Creative with The Lorax blog tour. The tour is in support of the movie Dr. Seuss' The Lorax by Universal Pictures. I've always enjoyed the book & cartoon for its green message so I was eager to see it reintroduced as a movie. My kids are excited about it too. My daughter saw the preview and her exact words were "it looks so beautiful".

Below I'll be sharing a little about the movie and a craft tutorial I created for the tour.

I think one of the unique things about the movie is that they reveal the face of the once-ler. Did you ever wonder what he looked like? I know I did. Well now we get to learn a little more about the man behind those green hands. Or are they even green at all?

Truffula Tree Pencil Craft

Supplies:
Pencil
White Acrylic Paint
Black Acrylic Paint - I used a paint marker
Felting Wool in assorted colors - you could also use boa trim which you can find at craft stores
White Glue
Paint Brush
Acrylic Varnish (optional)

1. Coat pencil with white paint (two or three coats for good coverage). Let dry. Don't worry if the paint isn't smooth or comes out with drips, trees aren't perfectly smooth either. Also, it doesn't matter if the silver part of the pencil gets paint on it because it will be covered up later.

2. Using the black paint, make squiggly lines around the entire pencil (refer to picture). My six year old daughter made one of the pencils using a paint pen. For little hands, the paint pens make it easy for kids to make details.

*If you want the pencil to be more smooth and shiny, add one coat of varnish. Make sure the black paint is completely dry before you do this or the black paint will bleed into the varnish.

3. Cut off a small piece of wool, about two inches in length. Pictured left.

4. Lightly pull it apart to give it the appearance of the truffula trees.

5. Place glue all over the eraser and metal part of the pencil. Adhere the wool to it. Once the glue dries, that wool will not fall off. It may move a little when you write but it should be secure.

Timber!

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax hits theaters March 2nd. Visit the official site for the movie preview, pictures, downloads and more.

Want to see more The Lorax craft projects? Here's a full list of the blog tour.

Feb 1 Today's Creative Blog
Feb 2 Katydid and Kid
Feb 3 You're Here
Feb 6 Smashed Peas & Carrots
Feb 7 Whimsy Love
Feb 8 Little Birdie Secrets
Feb 9 Art Projects for Kids
Feb 10 Dabbled
Feb 13 Prudent Baby
Feb 14 Tonya Staab

Post is brought to you by Universal Pictures.

Word Play

2012-01-31T15:40:00.000-08:00

Just in case you haven't found enough ways to squander your time on the internet, I've found a site to help you out and it's called Tagxedo. Tagxedo helps you create word clouds from a URL, twitter feed, theme, etc. But what makes this word cloud site stand out is that you can make the words into any image you want. You can even change the font, font direction, color, and more. To test out the site I uploaded one of my profile pictures and created a word cloud based on the Zakka Life URL. It was fairly easy to make and fun to do. Check it out and tell me what you think.

An Out of this World Valentine

2012-01-29T17:08:00.000-08:00

Are you guys getting tired of me posting valentine cards yet? Yes? No? Well, I've got one more card to show you. I decided to make something a little less traditional, a space themed card. The inspiration came from my son's super ball which reminded me of the planet Jupiter. It's hard to see but the super ball is actually embedded in the paper. Scroll down below to see the how-to.

Supplies:
Black Card Stock
X-acto Knife
Gel Pens - I used Elmer's metallic gel pens
Super balls
Cut out any size heart. Now you will need to cut a hole for the super ball. I made the hole slightly smaller than the circumference of the ball. I recommend cutting a hole out on a different piece of card stock. Once you get the right size, use that as a template to trace onto your heart. Cut out hole with x-acto knife.

Decorate your heart anyway you like with gel pens. This part of the craft is easy for children to do.

Last, place the super ball into the hole you cut out. It holds well on its own so there's no need for tape.

Valentine Cards with Heart Necklaces

2012-01-27T09:48:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I shared about the origami lucky hearts I was making. Well, my daughter and I liked them so much that we decided to make them into necklaces for Valentine's Day cards. While I was making them, I realized some of you may wonder why I even go through all this trouble. You may even be asking: Won't most of those go into the trash? Do the kids even appreciate them? Here are my thoughts. . .

First, I love creating and making things. I love the design process from beginning to end. I can tell you right now if this wasn't my passion, I would not do this. Instead, I would probably just buy the cards. Also, my kids like and appreciate the personalized cards.

The second reason I do this stems back to my own childhood. I absolutely adored Valentine's Day as a child. I can remember being so excited to empty my haul of cards onto my desk (those days we got to look at our cards at school). I would pull out each card an examine it thoroughly. In particular, if it was from a boy I liked, I paid extra attention to the words: did it say friend? valentine? were there any xoxo's on it? That was half the fun but what I liked most were the handmade cards. I was that child. I can remember one of the kids in my fifth grade class had an extra crafty mother. She always made fun cards. I can recall one that had a unique opening with jokes inside. I also remember a card of a heart eating heart. Now that I'm thinking about it, that's kind of strange. Nonetheless, I remembered, liked, and appreciated what she made. So, I can only believe that there is some child besides my own that will appreciate what I make. I'll probably never get as much as a thank you and I don't care. To me it's a small way of making the day fun and special.

Here are the templates for the valentine cards. The squares are designed to measure 3.3" x 3.5". To make your own, click on the template, right click, copy, paste and print.

Click here for heart folding video. To make the necklace just thread it with string.

To attach the necklaces to the cards, I punched two holes at the top and cut a slit from the edge of the card to the hole. This way I could just slide the string into the hole.

So the necklaces don't turn into a tangled mess, I taped them in the back. I used washi tape because it's low tack and will be easy for the kids to peel off.

At First Site: Mariela Dias

2012-01-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

I'm back again with my new series At First Site. Once a month I'll be sharing about sites/artists that inspire me. I hope in the process you'll discover something new and get inspired too.

Inspiring me this month is designer Mariela Dias who writes the blog Mariela Dias. Mariela designs, makes and sells felt accessories. Her bold colors and creative use with felt instantly attracted my attention. Usually when I think of felt crafts, I picture felt food and softies but Mariela is creating so much more with the medium.

Intrigued by Mariela's work, I decided to ask her a few questions. Here's what she had to say:

How and when did you start working with felt?

I studied Design at the University of Aveiro and during my training I did some work on design/crafts. From that moment, I understood that the design and craftsmanship could result in a perfect marriage. I started working with felt six years ago, first as a secondary activity. Four years ago it became a full time job.

My work aims to recreate the essence of Portuguese craftsmanship: based on floral and geometric motifs present in the pottery and embroidery ("lencos dos namorados") and in general, Portuguese traditional crafts and feminine details that coexist in harmony with today's trends.

Do you sew all your pieces?

It's all done by me. To make a bag, for example, I start by drawing and then the shape is all set. I make the bag template out of cardboard. Using scissors or a scalpel, I cut the felt in accordance with the drawing. Then I baste the pieces and finish the sewing bag.

What inspires your artwork?

I find inspiration in traditional Portuguese handicraft but also I do daily walks around town.

If you have a minute or two, stop by her site to see what she's creating . The photos above are just a small sample of her work.

Hello!Lucky Printable Valentine Cards

2012-01-24T20:57:00.000-08:00

Hello!Lucky is offering free printable valentine cards for their fans. There's a total of four designs to choose from which include a banana, cuckoo clock, monkey and owl. Stop by Hello!Lucky to download the cards. And if you have the time, check out their stationary. The letterpress cards are just delightful.

via Craft

Origami Lucky Hearts

2012-01-22T16:52:00.000-08:00

You've heard of lucky stars but have you heard of lucky hearts? They're constructed similar to lucky stars with only a few adjustments. They're also just as quick to make. Fill up a jar for a Valentine's Day gift or string one on thread to make a necklace. Click here for the video tutorial.

Heart Necklace

If you want the hearts to be sturdier, cover them in a coat of decoupage glaze. Besides making them sturdier, the decoupage will give them a nice shine.

Featured in Disney FamilyFun Magazine

2012-01-19T13:39:00.001-08:00

A while back FamilyFun Magazine requested to use my Superhero Lollipop Valentine idea. It has been a long wait but the February issue is finally out featuring the project. Also featured in the magazine are some cute ideas from bloggers Design Mom and Dollhouse Bake Shoppe. If you get a chance, check out the magazine. It's filled with lots of cute ideas for Valentine crafts. I particularly have my eye on the chocolate kiss ring project.

Photo of Superhero Valentine in FamilyFun Magazine

Minifigure Valentines

2012-01-15T20:41:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend I began the process of designing and assembling the kids valentine cards. From past experience, I've realized it's never too early to start. The last thing you want to find yourself doing is constructing 50+ valentine cards in the wee hours of the night while watching reality TV. Been there, done that, don't want to do it again.

This year I decided to go with a Lego theme since that's my son's current obsession. The Lego guys are supposed to be a minifigure version of my son.

My design was inspired by the MUJI Lego kits. I always loved the concept of combining Legos and paper. It's only now that I got a chance to play with the combination. To make the paper minifigures stand, they are wedged between two Lego blocks. I purchased the blocks at the Lego store where you can pick and choose which blocks you want. If anyone is curious, I purchased the small container which you can fill for $7.99. Sixty red blocks filled up half the container which allowed us to get some fun extras to play with.

Sorry guys, I will not be sharing a template for this project. But if you wanted to make something similar, I think it might be fun to use an actual photo. Another idea would be to place a standard valentine card between the blocks.

Kid Craft: Doll Napkins & Placemats

2012-01-12T21:11:00.001-08:00

Ever since my daughter received a Madame Alexander doll for her birthday, there have been many tea parties around here. But I realized the place setting was missing something, napkins. We couldn't have that, what would Emily Post say?! So I got out some leftover party napkins and made a mini set with them. I love that the doll now has miniature napkins just like my daughter's. It makes me want to design a doll themed birthday party. I can picture it now one table for the girls and another for the dolls. . . Oh yes, the wheels are turning.

Since this craft is for kids, I made the napkins and placemats with paper. You could easily covert this into a simple sewing craft as well.

Mini Napkin Instructions

1. Take one cocktail napkin and unfold.

2. Cut into four squares along folds.

3. Refold each square into quarters. Trim down if necessary.

Mini Placemat Instructions

1. Cut a piece of scrapbook paper into a 4" x 6" rectangle.

2. Trim with decorative edged scissors. Done!

Have a tea party.

Cute Cookies & Packaging

2012-01-10T20:26:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do when I'm at the Mitsuwa market is check out the cookie/candy aisle. Its true I have a sweet tooth but I'm even more interested in the packaging. It seems with every visit I stumble across something new. This time I found these adorable Moomin shaped cookies. For those not familiar with the Moomins, they are characters from a series of books and comic strips written by Tove Jansson.

This box also caught my eye for the cookie pictured on the box. I liked how the cookie looked three-dimensional. I know cookies are already three-dimensional but this looked different. Usually a cookie is decorated with a print or frosting, not more cookie. So I had to see what they really looked like and bought a box.

To my delight, they were even cuter in person. I fear I may never be able to go back to my basic animal crackers after seeing these.

Craft: Pinata Piggy Bank

2012-01-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

Okay, technically this isn't a pinata piggy bank but more of a pinata cupcake bank. But, pinata cupcake bank just sounded too strange/confusing for a title.

This craft was inspired by the Pearhead wooden piggy banks. Now where the pinata part came into the mix, I'm not quite sure. I'm guessing my train of thought was this > piggy bank > smash piggy bank to open> smash pinata to open > smash pinata piggy bank to open.

This is a fun craft to use up all those shirt boxes and tissue you have lying around from the holidays. Even though this craft is easy to do, it does take up a good amount of time. I recommend spreading out the steps into three days: 1st day - construct box, 2nd day - paper mache, 3rd day- cover with tissue. You can make your bank into any shape you want, get creative!

Supplies:
Cardboard - I used one large shirt box top
Colored Tissue
Glue stick
Masking Tape
Newspaper
Paper mache paste
White paint - optional
To make the cupcake bank, make two identical cupcake shaped pieces out of the cardboard. I recommend making a template with paper first. Next, cut 2 inch wide strips that could wrap around the entire sides of the cupcakes to form a box. It's important that your bank can stand on its own so your base needs to be proportional to the size of your bank.

Construct bank with cardboard and tape. Don't worry if it looks messy, this will all be covered up anyway. Cut a hole on top of the box to place money in.

Paper mache box to make it sturdy. You don't want it breaking open on its own. When dry, paint box white so newspaper print does not show through tissue (optional).

Fold a strip of tissue in half and cut to make fringe (refer to picture). Do not cut all the way up to the fold.

Starting at the bottom, layer tissue to cover entire box. Do this for all sides. You want to start from the bottom so only the fringe shows. If you start from the top, the folded part of the tissue will show instead of the fringe.

*When working with different colors, sometimes it's easier to draw out the pattern on your box.

Your pinata bank should look something like this when finished.

Sorry, I have to say this, just in case.
*Do not hang pinata bank. Do not hang pinata bank to open.

At First Site: Cookieboy

2012-01-05T20:54:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Cookieboy

For 2012 I've decided to introduce a new series called At First Site. I'll be sharing sites around the web that inspire me. Hopefully you'll find them inspiring too.

I'm kicking off the series with the blog cookieboy. Please don't judge the site by the banner. I promise the rest of the blog is not filled with cookies hanging off a half naked man. Instead, this blog showcases the work of cookie artist Yamatake Natsu Hilo. What made me choose this site was his unconventional approach to the basic sugar cookie and how he's pushing the envelope with his baking. I'll leave it at that and let the pictures do the talking. This site is in Japanese but can easily be translated with Google Translate.

cookies from a cookie workshop

Jewelry displayed on cookies!

Cookie Cafe Display - I would love to see Amy Atlas do something like this with her dessert tables.

P.S. A craft tutorial is coming soon, promise. If all goes well, it should be up Monday *fingers crossed*.

Printables: Blog Organizer Inserts

2012-01-04T08:46:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: My Girl Thursday

These blog organizer printables designed by draw! pilgrim have been around for a while but I thought some of you might be interested in them. They're great for organizing and setting goals for your blog. Even if you don't have an organizer, they still can come in handy. You can keep them on a bulletin board or your desk instead as a daily reminder.

Just out of curiosity, do you like to keep an actual organizer or do you use your computer/smart phone? I personally like to use an actual organizer to hold all my appointments and notes. However, I've been trying to keep more of it on the computer (ex. google calendar). This might sound strange but I feel like I can access/see it better when it's written down on paper. Anyone else like this?

Trying New Things

2012-01-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

Every year our family gathers together for a traditional Japanese New Year's Day meal. Usually my husband's grandmother prepares the food but this year we all contributed. I volunteered to make the Ozoni soup. It was my first attempt at making the dish. I think it came out pretty good and everyone seemed to like it.

If anyone is interested, I used the recipe from this YouTube video: How to Make Ozoni Soup.

Don't laugh, I also tried a new hair-do for 2012, the Messy Bun. I'm officially declaring 2012 the year of the messy bun (for me that is, you can have any hair-do you want). I've decided this is going to replace that sad pony tale I've been rocking all these years.

Front view of messy bun.

Those are my diva sunglasses by the way. They're ridiculously huge but I wear them anyway.

Have any plans for trying/learning something new in 2012? It doesn't have to be anything big; it could just be a recipe or a hair-do.

Craft: Oversized Sequins Decoration

2011-12-30T17:27:00.000-08:00

When I think of New Year's Eve, images of glitter, disco balls, and sparkly dresses come to mind. Playing on that theme, I decided to make some oversized sequins to hang from the ceiling. I also made a few smaller ones to decorate the table. If you're still looking for some last minute ideas, these might be fun to make. They're pretty quick and easy to create too.

Supplies:
Metallic cardstock - I got mine at Paper Source. You could also use wrapping paper. If possible look for double sided metallic paper.
Scissors
Scoring tool - bone folder, popsicle stick, etc.
Ruler
Exacto knife

Cut out a circle (any size you want). If your paper isn't double sided, cut out two circles and glue wrong sides together. Let dry.

Find center of circle and cut a small hole in it using your exacto knife.

Place ruler in the center of the circle, crossing the hole you just made. With scoring tool, make two lines, one at the top and one at the bottom (refer to picture below). Turn ruler to a 60 degree angle from first line and make two more lines. Do this until there are six scoring lines on your circle (refer to picture).

Using the ruler as a guide, score the purple lines in the center of the circle to make a hexagon.

Now you will make creases on all the lines you just scored. Start with all the lines on the outer edge of the circle. Next fold each section up until the circle looks like a sequin. This might take a little finessing to get it just right. Your sequins should look something like the one in the picture above.

Here are some smaller sequins I made to decorate the table.

*Raising my glass*

Here's to the bright New Year
And a fond farewell to the old;

Here's to the things that are yet to come

And to the memories that we hold.

Cheers,

Jessica

Printable Camera Calendar

2011-12-27T15:42:00.001-08:00

Need a new calendar for the New Year? Here's one of my favorites online, a camera calendar by Cannon Creative Park. The calendar folds down into a flat image of a camera. When the calendar is open, it folds into a square with four different 3D landscapes. It takes about three hours to make. My only complaint with it is that the open/close latches are difficult to use. Here are few pictures of the calendar I made.