scrumdilly-do!: coconut chia seed pudding parfaits

Hop on over to scrumdilly-do! for an easy peasy and super tasty picnic recipe...coconut chia seed pudding parfaits!

fiesta diy: painted doily garland

 

This happy bit of color is so simple it is silly. I cut my doilies in half and taped them to their yarn. To make it even more simple fold your doilies in half, add a line of glue on the fold and fold the doily over your length of yarn. These pretties can be painted up any which way you choose. I went for bold fiesta-happy colors.

I think I might just keep a bowl full of painted doilies hanging around as they make me that happy! Have fun!

fiesta diy: crepe paper picado

I think I can officially be called a garland-maker. Maybe it's my calling. Stringing up bits of arted up paper makes me very, very, happy. For Cinco de Mayo, I created three different garlands. I am a big fan of the beautiful papel picados that hang all over Olvera St. in Los Angeles and wantd to infuse that kind of happy into the tiny casa.

To create this garland, you will need a few different colors of crepe paper which can be found in the party aisle at most supermarkets, drugstores, big box stores, party stores, etsy, and online. I used a large sheet of white paper to start (you tend to have these things when you teach kiddos art) but I think this could translate onto index cards as well. Truth told, the large sheet of paper will create four flags quicker than using index cards but any type of paper will work...even old magazine pages will suffice.

Materials:

*11 1/2" X 17" paper or other large/scratch paper

*5-6 colors of crepe paper streamers

*scissors

*glue

Gather up your large sheet of paper and cut in half lengthwise. Roll out a length of streamer so that is matches the length of your paper, cut. Gather up the remaining colors of streamer and trim to match.

Roll up a length of streamer so that is about two to three inches across. Use your scissors to scallop, fringe or zig-zag the bottom edge. When you unroll it, the whole length of streamer will be happily festive. Repeat for each color and vary your trimming. I made a few scalloped, a couple trimmed and one was left alone.

Working from the bottom up, apply a line of glue about an inch from the bootom that travels from one end of your paper to the other. Gently press down your first choice of streamer. Next ,add another line of glue in the same manner about half and inch from the top of the first streamer and press your next layer down. Repeat for all of your colors. If your paper is too tall, simply trim the top blank edge. Set aside to dry.

Once dry, flip over paper and trim excess crepe paper. Next, cut fringed sheet in half to create two happy flags. Repeat entire process until you have the number of flags you like. To create your galrand, stitch across the top of your flags with a sewing machine or staple a length of ribbon or bias tape across the top. You can also glue a wide width length of bias tape or ribbon along the tops. There are many ways to turn your flags into a banner. Take a look at what you have available and run with it. Clothespins and paperclips will work as well.  Dîas Felices!

paint a tinted garland for St. Patrick's Day!

Here is a grown-up version of my ombre garland from scrumdilly-do! By grown-up I mean I cut the bottoms a smidge fancier than a kiddo would and stitched the whole thing together instead of stapling. I finally got a bit of crafting in what with being sick and all. Oof! 

One color of paint with white added a wee bit as you paint each fold of the paper. After cutting, fold over each strip and scallop it all up before stitching it. You can also use a whole punch and string it up, or maybe some glue or staples even. It doesn't need to be fancy, just happy!

pinterest: edible love

My pinterest boards are bursting with ideas, recipes and projects. Most of the time, they serve as eye candy or color inpsiration though I have managed to attempt a good number of the recipes I have pinned. Mostly though, I pin and then kind of, sort of, forget about it until I take a walk through a baord and think...."Oh yeah!"

Occassionally, I am so smitten with a pn or idea that I drop everything and DO it. That is what happened when I spied this popular pin. Thank goodness I was actually going to the market anyway and so I picked up the store brand in all it tubular glory. 

 After fearfully pressing the spoon into the seam,  I was able to liberate the dough and so I got to rerolling. I had to pinch two smaller lenghts of dough together to create one log that I then formed into a V before rolling the tops inwards to create the heart.

My cakepan was a little too large to nestle the whole bit of pretty inside but I went for it anyway.

 After baking the rolls for the allotted time, I added the icing and then a healthy does of Valentine's sprinkles. After a photofest, I may have enjoyed three with a hot vintage mug of creamy coffee. 

My hearts aren't quite as heart shaped as the ones in the pin but they were still a kick to make...and eat. Hop on over to Spice Blog to see how they did it! 

diy holiday flair

Mister and I had a holiday party to attend last week that requested festive attire. Not feeling festive enough with the dress and other bits we assembled I whipped up these wee corsages of sorts to adorn our jackets.

In all honesty, the wee red picks came assembled from Michael's, I added the white flower centers (scrounged from the wedding aisle) and a bit of tulle to mine and then wrapped 'em up with some washi tape.

After a dose of hot glue they were ready to pin. I wish I had a photo of our festive selves but it was dark and so we heeaded out. Here is a wonky photo of me in my wee corsage. Seriously, these took me all of fifteen minutes to put together. 

Happy Holidays! 

make a surprise egg

instructions can be found at craftzine

fabric chain fun

a few months ago i picked up an awesome vintage charm pack from Home Ec Shop. Resolving to make sure i actually use fabric i buy even if it is "too pretty" to use, i decided to whip up this happy fabric chain garland to add a little holiday oomph to the tiny casa. you can whip one up in a cinch.

i cut each wee square in half and then half of them in half again. alternating between two thin and one thick scrap.
the thicker links were stitched on the machine...the thinner links utilized my never-ending box o' glue dots...see? easy peasy!have fun!