Make Custom Wine Tags Using Picnik

How great is it to be able to make your own wine tags? You can create a basic design and save it, then easily update it or personalize it for future use. Here's how!

Step #1 is to go to your Paint program (like Microsoft Paint) and open a new document. Don't do anything to it! Save it as a blank doc to your computer.
Step #2: Head over to Picnik and open that blank doc.
#3: Under the "edit" tab, go to "effects" and scroll until you see "duo tone". This creates your background color.
#4: play with their "stickers" and add "text". There is a section in stickers for Hanukkah and for Christmas, and New Years, so there should be lots to choose from!



If you like the tag I made, you can save it to your computer and open it on Picnik. Find "geometric shapes" under "stickers" and add a rectangle. Change the color to white and expand it to cover up my text. Then add your own text!


When it's time to print I changed the setting from "fit to page" to 4x6. Use cardstock for added stability.

I used a paper trimmer to cut my tags to 3x7, making sure that I had enough space on top for my punch. Use a circle cutter or a punch to make a 1.5" circle. Just below the circle punch, make a fold in your cardstock so your tag will lay nicely against the bottle.

You can round the corners or use an edge punch, or add embellishments. Make it your own!

Enjoy!

Hanukkah Craft #2 - Dreidel Holder

Why not have a special container for dreidels? Even though I really appreciate the Hannukah gear available now at Target, Home Good and Bed Bath & Beyond, there's something nice about a homemade table. The dreidels could rest in any old bowl or cup, but I had this little tin bucket laying around and thought it would be perfect.
I used Stazon ink, which is a solvent ink pad and that stuff sticks to almost anything! Plastic, glass, paper, metal, ceramic, leather, etc. So even if your container is a plastic bowl, or glass, Stazon will stay on, and it dries quickly, which is important when there are little ones running around!

I might even take this as far as to see if I can pick up a few more metal buckets and bowls, assorted shapes and materials will be fine, and let Nash and Margot make their own.

Hanukkah Craft #1 - Paper Gelt Pouch

I am so very excited that Hanukkah is late in the month this year because I have more time to have my decorations out. Also, it gives me more time after Thanksgiving to get ready! So, to begin with, here's a little project I've been working on using easy materials to make a fun Hanukkah treat for the kids: little dreidel and star gelt pouches!

I used old grocery bags and and drew my shapes onto the wrong sides, which is the outside of the bag, (I free handed the dreidel and star, but can always looks for a template online,) cut out two sheets, still wrong sides together, following my lines. I used the wrong sides because I wanted the blank inside of the bag to end up being what showed on my finished product!
I began to sew. Just a few things about sewing paper on a sewing machine: use a sharp needle, make your stitches longer than you would on fabric, and make sure to hold both pieces of paper together since the feed dogs won't pull the bottom layer of paper through. I left the candy out until I was about 3/4 of the way done with my stitching, then put it in and finished sewing.
The paper didn't stay completely in line, so I ended up trimming my edges. I might have used some decorative scissors just to make it a little prettier, but a friend's borrowing mine right now so I just left it straight.
I wrote the first letter of my kids names then traced it in glue and added glitter, just to fancy it up a little. I love embellishing! Go ahead, add buttons, ribbon, rick rack and anything else you want. The more the better!
And maybe the best thing about this is that if you don't sew, just use glue!!
Have fun getting ready for Hanukkah!



Thanks for the request, Amy! Happy to share my post with One Artsy Mama.

I Get By With A Little Help

I am so proud of my friends! I am a lucky girl to know so many caring and talented people. A lot of new exciting things were happening with them this week, so I'm happy to share their achievements.

My friend Brook opened an Etsy shop called Cutie Pie Collars where she sells glammed up pet collars!Head over and check them out - pets deserve holiday gifts too.

Beth is an amazing photographer and decorator and her newly renovated home was featured onLife Made Lovely. What she and he husband have done is absolutely inspiring! Look at this kitchen! Her entire house is this cool, it's completely amazing.

Stef made cupcakes benedict over at Cupcake PrjoectAnyone who makes these for me will be my best friend.

And Sara shared a recipe with the Chesterfield Patch for some pretty incredible looking whipped sweet potatoes.Um, yummmmmmmm!

It's so much fun to see my friends doing all these exciting things, hope I can share more soon!

Stamped Cookies

You can do amazing things with rubber stamps! I had so much fun with this project, though I had an awful time getting the royal icing to set up flat enough.

The story goes like this, as most of my stories do: I was looking on Pinterest, saw something cool (can't remember what,) went to check it out, then started looking at that person's long list of craft blogs. Eventually, somehow, I got to these very pretty stamped cookies. Why do I want to make everything cool that I see?? Don't know. It's crazy. But later that day I baked some sugar cookies and made royal icing.

I'm not always such a perfectionist when it comes to trying new things. I like to say it's my "style" to be a little rough around the edges, but maybe that's just an excuse to make up for lack of tidiness. It usually works for me, and I think it works here too.



I liked the little birdie and ended up using it and other small images a lot because I had a hard time getting my icing smooth enough to hold a big image, as you can see in the cookie above. I had a lot of fun using the food writers to make little dots and add some color that way. Experiment! Have fun! Then eat. Nom nom.




Here's the how to:
-Frost sugar cookies with royal icing and wait overnight for the icing to dry completely, otherwise it will crack when you press the stamp down.
-Use new or well washed rubber stamps and color the stamp with your food writer quickly, then stamp your cookie. (Just a note about using old stamps, it's not preferable. But, most inks are non-toxic, so with a good washing it should be fine.)
-Be careful not to smudge the ink while you wait for it to dry!
-Be sure to show off to your friends and family before you eat it up.

Library Book And Bunting Quilt

Project begin date: May, 2011
Project end date: November 13, 2011
I am so happy I got to finish a project!! This one started with this quilt, from Don't Call Me Betsy, books on a bookshelf. Living With Punks got ahold of the idea and did a little reworking to the pattern, then made this adorable book skirt, which I love. My problem with the skirt is that it's too cute to last just one season! I decided to try the quilt, and here is what I came up with:
I'm happy! I wish I could say that I'm a planner and knew what I was going to do with this from the beginning. But this took on a life of its own. From the shape, to the processes used to quilt and applique, and the final addition of the bunting, everything done here was on a whim. I know it's not how my Grandmother would have approached making a quilt, but it's nice to be able to improvise and still be happy with the results!

Thank you Living With Punks and Don't Call Me Betsy blogs for the tutorials and inspiration!

This blog post was shared with Life Made Lovely Mondays xx

To gift or keep?

Dying over this beautiful gift set from L'occitane.

Spotted it in the store the other day and ran past without smelling. Doesn't matter, they had me at packaging.

They have bath bombs and lips glosses in cool sliding tins. I usually love to give and get Philosophy gift sets at holiday time. But they don't seem to have anything new this year. Time to move on! L'Occitane has lots of beautiful products in new scents. Check 'em out!

Also really love this gummy bear lamp from Uncommon Goods!

Giant Ice Cream Bowl DIY - Martha's Bundt Pan Challenge

Posted on Martha's FB page was the question, what new use can you think of for a bundt pan? Since I like to help out Martha when I can, I thought I'd think of an answer for her.
I own a bundt pan, but it's not something I usually use. This probably makes me a better candidate to figure out a new use for it.

I decided to try and flip it over and use the underside for baking, as a mold to create a large bowl. It worked!
I love the way the ridges from the bundt pan gave my bowl texture.
I filled it up with enough ice cream and toppings for 8, and got ready some wooden ice cream spoons, which I customize and sell in my Etsy store. I think it would be so much fun to use a party-sized ice cream bowl! Can't wait to use my bundt pan again.

I made the bowl pictured using pie crust. It took a few tries to get it right. I have a few recommendations for anyone trying this at home:
- Do not cut out the hole in the center of the bundt pan. The dough needs the support! Otherwise it will crack in half.
- Pop the whole thing in the chill chest after you get the dough laid out on top for a good 15 minutes.
- Cut a few small slits in a large piece of tin foil (for venting) and cover the entire pie crust. This will also help to keep it from cracking and falling apart. After the pie crust is baked, remove the foil and keep it in the over to brown a few minutes longer.
- Leave the crust on the bundt pan until it's cool. It will be fairly sturdy when you remove it!

Look how pretty!

Knowing what I know now, I may go back and try doing this with a crisp sugar cookie recipe. I also like that I can fancy this up! For a party I would dip the top edge in chocolate and cover it with sprinkles. Also, imagine how yummy this would be with a cobbler inside... yummmmm.

Enjoy!

Preparation!

I have been busy busy and figure you have too! So, I think I need to approach holidays this year with a little help under my belt. For the first time ever, I am going to organize my holidays! Lists and menus and all the things people say you should do to keep from getting crazy.
Here are the 10 things I am making a priority:

1. Gift lists. For family. For hosts. For neighbors. For teachers. For friends & their kids. It's a lot of gifts - better to start planning way in advance so you don't forget anyone.

2. Clean out toys and clothes to make way for new ones.

3. Get out old November and December editions of Martha Stewart, Bon Apetetit, Disney Fun Magazines to get ready for menus and craft projects, get decorating ideas for my house and things for my kids to do. By the way, I have a special magazine file just for holiday editions so they're easy to find. That's a great time saver too!
4. Make menus for the next 2 months. Not just for the holiday dinners, but for every night of the week. Seems crazy, and this isn't something I usually do. But, hopefully it will make things easier to know what I'm making instead of toil over dinner every night. Also, it's supposed to be cheaper to plan in advance, and healthier to have an overview of monthly meals.

5 Get rid of old projects laying around. For me that means thank you cards from Margot's birthday party 2-3 weeks ago, and store returns I've needed to put in the mail for 2 months. Also need to make it around to a few local stores for some returns.

6. Book babysitters early!

7. Collect coupons. In one place. And don't forget to use them.

8. Make a gift list for yourself. Scan Pinterest for ideas, if you don't know what you want. You'll find 200 things you never knew you needed.

9. Shop craft fairs! It's a great place to meet interesting local talent. Shop ETSY! It's great to get out of the huge stores and support people who works for themselves!

10. Don't forget to have fun. It sounds silly, but we get so busy with everything we have to do and everything we want to do. If you've decided to bake cookies for all the neighbors for the holidays and you still have 20 things to do, just send your husband to the store and buy some! Put them in a cute little bag and the neighbors won't even know the difference. Then, when you're done delivering them, put your feet up and have a drink! It's the holidays, after all.