To Do... Make Felt Cookies

I have been meaning to go to the store and buy some cardstock to make up a chore list for my kids. It can't hurt right? Partly because I walk everywhere and the trip downtown is somewhat of a luge run of ice, but also because a plain old list of chores and stars (as much as my kids ADORE stickers) just doesn't seem awesome enough to get my kids' butts in gear, I have been procrastinating. HA! Imagine, if I can't even MAKE the chore list, what kind of example am I setting for them to pick up their toys??? LOL, anyway, I digress...

Today my inbox had the PERFECT solution for me. Thank goodness I didn't spend that five bucks on paper and star stickers! Urban Threads, which is where I get my favourite embroidery patterns from, has a tutorial posted for THIS:

Brilliant, I know, right? I love the way Niamh and the other UT girls think. They make everything fun, and even if you don't own an embroidery machine, you can still make a version of this for your own little rascals. I really think this just might do the trick. We painted their room a bit ago and have built a loft bed into the space and I love how it is coming together, I just can't see the floor. Ever. So this is being done this weekend. Promise.

And since we are on a monster kick, if you're feeling crafty, you could head over here to vote for your fave monster from their readers projects. I adore the zombie bunny :)

Simple Thanksgiving Decor Idea: Paper Flowers

Loving the simplicity of kraft paper this season. I am putting a few of these into a garland for above the window in the dining room this weekend for our family dinner (Thanksgiving is this weekend in Canada). Some burlap or linen, tiny white pumpkins and mercury glass is it for me this year. I am generally not too fussy with my table decor for holidays, and this year, the look that has been around for awhile now in interiors and weddings, rustic glam or what-have-you... it seems to fit well with me. So a few examples and tutorial links for those who don't just wing it till ya get it like I do (smart people, in other words). Click on the photo and it will take you to that pictorial. Ahhhh... the wonders of modern technology...

Self Preservation...

OK, so this is kind of strange :)

 I was looking for a post on here about some of the things I have created in the past to send a link to somebody who wanted to see photos. I must have posted photos of what I make someplace here, right? NO??? Really? Wow...

 In the world of instant media gratification, and with so many places to put "you" on the internet, I seem to have lost track completely of where I have posted which photos, tutorials and self promotion! How odd. I think I am going to start having to use one of those things that people use for their kids where you get a gold star in the box when you have successfully completed your list of chores. I need a To Do list specifically for which email accounts have been checked, which sites photos have been uploaded to, and which posts and statuses have been updated. Sheesh! I am starting to understand why people who blog have "Such and such Tuesdays" and "Whatnot Wednesdays"! Helps you remember what you are supposed to be doing :)

I think it will take a bit for me to organize my things into specific posts, but since I have to write and upload an email anyway, I may as well start here and just send a link, yes? Well then, without further ado, I introduce some of my embroidered pillows. Just some things I threw together :) (Translation: these are my favourite ones...)

I always use sustainable and organic fabrics and fills when possible... and my etsy shop is here :)

How to Throw A UFO Space Cowboy Alien Party... Kinda

Note to self: 5pm on a Sunday that played host to a boy's fourth birthday is not the time to discover that you are out of pain killers.

Yes. Party. Yes. Headache. But not till well after everyone was gone. It's funny how your body knows to put things like a migraine on hold when your house is overrun with four 4 year olds, two 5 years, three 7/8 year olds and their parents, your parents, their dad's mother, and aunts and uncles. In my family, you smell cake and your instincts guide you.  Zero complaints. It was a blast! No really, I am not making that up... completely randomly put together and as my eldest says "this is the BEST birthday I have ever had!". Just wait till his birthday. Thank goodness I have a few months for that yet!

Rowan (who is seven) was more excited about planning this shindig than anyone. He comes up with such brilliant ideas, and if we had a mansion, a dozen minions and a pot of gold, he could throw a brilliant soiree. He was content to be in charge of making the invitations however.

The body opens to reveal the info...

This past couple of weeks, the toughest part of getting ready for the party was getting the birthday boy on side! First the only person he wanted to invite was a twelve year old girl who is in his brother's play. She plays the evil Queen, and somehow that seems a foreboding indication of the years ahead. We went and invited children anyway. Which I think was a good idea. The next issue was that he wanted to have a Space Cowboy party, but he also wanted the whole thing to be pink, orange and purple. He is very set on that colour combo. We went through site after site on the computer looking for space decor (not much out there that isn't NASA) and while this was a PERFECT opportunity for me to get creative, we were pretty much nil on funds and time... so I was stifled. Nothing at all got his attention. Except bunting! The only thing he got the least bit excited about was orange bunting. For a Space Cowboy party. Hmmm...

Well, the one thing that I (and my inner Martha) have learned to live with (her not so much, but she is working on it) is that sometimes the only thing you can do is listen to the little anklebiter. While I work very hard at making most things far more complicated than they need to be, often I have found that the kids are just happy to have had you listen to them. So bunting was made.

You know what? I love it. Don't look closely, it is the fastest bunting ever sewn together and it's a mess...

...but I love how happy it makes the living room look :) (Also don't look at the lamp... I hate it, it came with the house and hasn't been replaced yet...)

The only other thing that Liam specified was a purple UFO Birthday Cake... with eyeballs. Of course...

Grandma Berta to the rescue...

 So we ordered one from the Unidentified Food Organization.

And Auntie Ingy :)

 Ha ha. Just kidding, the cake was made by my family (group effort) and was the hit of the party... My mother phoned to tell me that she had discovered fondant and was going to try to cover the cake in that. (Snigger) I was really impressed that she was going to all that effort, and didn't think to tell her that my attempts at fondant have been complete disasters because, well, she is my mom and she totally rocks in the kitchen. I do not. 

And Grandpa Jim made a wicked stand for it! 

Aunty Ingy (her name is Lindsay, she adopted Ingy because she was the first person Rowan learned to say the name of and it has stuck,) says that the story is that the aliens had to leave their planet together because they fought constantly (they are brother and sister) and by the time they get to earth they have been forced to be in each company for so long, they get along famously. You know, sorta like human siblings :)

I did some wrestling with decorations beyond the bunting and the colour scheme as I usually have balloons on hand that have been re-used over and over (most have been rescued from elsewhere) but I refuse to buy new ones. Balloons are one of those things that are really nasty environmentally and don't actually serve much of a purpose. I knew I could do festive beyond what the "normal" party decor list generally calls for, so I got out some leftover tissue paper and made some of those balls that are everywhere right now. Martha has a tutorial on her site... they seem really frustrating when you are pulling them apart, but then they look great when done. The bunting is everywhere too but super straightforward. I recommend actually making some effort at it, and not trying to put it together at T minus zero, as it would be nice if I didn't cringe every time I looked at it. Pretty from afar, but I will be hanging mine as high as possible :) Those things and some stuff we had lying about the house that were sparkley made the place quite fabulous. I will be making up some butterfly garlands and a couple more strings of bunting for my own birthday party in spring!

The last word on kids birthdays? Have your tickle trunk out. We just let them go at it and ended up with a Space Cowboy / Batman / Wicked Witch / Oscar Diva Party. We didn't have to interrupt them at all, we just put in our built in earplugs (those ones that develop throughout parenthood) and gathered in the kitchen to chat. I recommend having dress-up stuff for both boys and girls, even if you only have only sons or only daughters. Although really, they are pretty good at improvising!

Most of all, HAVE FUN!

(Oh, and for the record, do NOT handcuff one of your nicest guests right before her cab comes... just sayin'!)

Linked to:  http://todayscreativeblog.net

Domestic Goddess I Am Not.

I learned two things in the kitchen today.

The first is that if you add spaghetti squash from last night into the pancake mix (along with a banana that came home in a lunchbox too squished to appeal to anyone, and half a bowl of creme of wheat from the day before) you have the BEST pancakes you have ever made! Hands down! I have started making pancakes out of pretty much anything that needs using up. The kids have taken to putting the remains of anything they haven't finished into the fridge "for later". A few days ago it was waffles with the last of the yogurt, sour creme, and I made sure that none of the old syrup was wasted (it was the good stuff) by rinsing the bottle out and dumping the water into the mix. Rice has become a pancake staple, as have whatever fruit gets half eaten... I used zucchini awhile back. It is truly amazing what can be hidden in such a simple meal! I suppose I should give them a title but really, everything sounds unappetizing. When I was growing up, we used to call Slurpees that were all the flavours mixed together "Swampwater," so perhaps they should be dubbed... Swampcakes. Mmmmm... YUMMY!

Not my pancakes, I forgot to take pictures.

The second thing I have learned is that there is no way in our house to weigh a turkey. The turkey my mother brought over for Christmas dinner was cooked by my mother. In my oven, yes, mostly, but I wasn't actually part of cooking it. I DO know that it takes hours and hours, which is why my father used to disappear into the kitchen (his escape room) to "tend to the turkey" whenever he cooked a special meal. We seriously wouldn't see him all day! I have only cooked one turkey in my life. My first Christmas living far away from home. The entire crew that my father lives with (the stepwitch, and her offspring) made the treck over because I promised to put them up in a hotel with a swimming pool. The lure of the Empress got them there. They ended up having to stay in a lovely place (not the Empress because I didn't make reservations) with a swimming pool, and dinner was served close to midnight. I made poached pears though, they were beautiful.

the Empress Hotel

Anyhow, today I made a turkey. I had to, there was one in my freezer that we had been given for Christmas. Strangely, everyone (everyone) gave us food when we moved into this house. Bags, baskets, containers, tins... and we are not even through half of it. So tonight, feeling domestic, and slightly less intimidated than usual, I braved the turkey that was taking up the entire freezer. I read online 20 minutes per pound. Per pound? OK, where on the bird does it tell me the weight? WHY would it not tell you the weight ON the bird when one measly pound means the difference of a raw or over cooked bird??? Well... not to fear, both Dylan and I compared the weight of the bird to the weight of our smallest child, and both figured on twenty pounds. Maybe fifteen. It was a very complex system. Lift the turkey... lift the child... lift the turkey... lift the child. So I only had to check it thirty-five times before it was done. No sweat.

Child= nearly 40 lbs.

Turkey= 15ish lbs. (maybe)

As it turns out, I cook a mean turkey.

Nothing Scrooge About It

I am kind of odd about how I spend money. I haven't had any extra for quite some time now, but even when I did, I wrapped my gifts in kraft paper with gorgeous satin bows and greenery. This year, I am using newspaper. I can't seem to find newspaper that looks the way it should (when did big ugly ads come in and ruin all the wordy pages like the classifieds?) but it is still black and white. (If you can find the NY Times I hear that is a good one esthetically to use. Why do I know that? How odd the random things you pick up from reading blogs!) I am taking it a bit further though this year and making a lot of decorations out of that and bookpaper. I love the look of the text mixed up with the greens and golds... black, white and green have been a long time favourite colour combo.

I have to confess, I think the decision to go with the very intense green in the living room was based on how I thought it should look for Christmas. I could envision a beautiful tree in the corner with the lights reflected in the glossy paint. Not that "tame" is really an option. I love all white interiors, but I don't think I could realistically live in one. My last living room was chartreuse. To balance out the green though, there will have to be a good amount of otherness going on. For the moment, that means paper. So with the kids help, I am building an immense number of paper chains, "balls" and weaves to put on the tree and everywhere else. The newspaper is obviously the inexpensive way to go, but it also looks great. I always have remnants of ribbons around from the sewing I am supposed to be doing, and these particular green ones have been used as streamers at no fewer than three parties, hung from trees at a BBQ, used on other gifts and gathered up afterward and occasionally used in the world of dress up. I am sort of the Queen of Re-use.


I had so much fun making these little paper ball ornaments that I thought I should pass them on. I don't do tutorials often on here, and my pics came out all blurry because I was trying to hold the camera on my knee while holding scissors and push the button and couldn't get it to focus properly. They are not too bad though. You will get the idea. Anyone who can tell me how to push the button on the camera if you are the only one home, don't have a tripod with a clicker thingy (suppose I could use my teeth), or the patience to use the timer option, please feel free to enlighten me :)

You will need:

a book no one will ever read
scissors
embroidery floss or other string type material
hole punch

chop paper
I made strips that were about 3/4" x 6"
do a few pages at a time
I used eight strips per ball, so did
four at a time and cut the strip in half

hold the strips (four at a time if easier to punch)
punch hole in the center at the end

I used a pretty small hole so that the
knots in the floss could be smaller
but I also thought that putting a bead on each of the
top and bottom would work too
and would add some sparkle :)

gently spread the strips out until you have a ball

...and VOILA!

How to Love the Holidays

I am moving.


I started moving in the last few days of October, when a friend decided on a last minute move and needed out of her lease. Having lived in a one bedroom apartment with two growing boys for nearly five years, I was all over it. I loved the building I was in, right downtown and beautiful with a great landlord who actually fixed things when they broke... but did I mention the two growing boys... and the single bedroom? Right, so when an affordable place with a yard came up, I overlooked the single paned windows and the fact that winter would soon be upon us in favour of having my own space and an outside. If needed, I was willing to "rough it" till spring just to have space for the boys to move around and for me to sew and create. Finding a decent rental in this town is like panning for gold. I figured if my darling (although much more durable and self reliant friend) could live (and sew) on top of a mountain for years, I could do a winter.


Thankfully, I didn't have to. The house is cold, but lovely, and we have deer roaming through the yard almost daily. And my own bedroom. Although, it gets so cold at night that the boys are back to bunking with me till warmer weather. The electrical in the tiny top floor can only handle one space heater at a time before blowing the fuse. I am not sure who built this house, but it was very obviously meant to be a summer home. And while tiny by most people's standards, it actually is the perfect size for us.



The Martha in me, who has been desperate for a house to decorate for ages, immediately got on the phone and invited everyone for Christmas dinner. I did not inherit my need to decorate and entertain from my mother, and in fact, pretty much everyone else in the family thinks of the holidays as something to get through. So I thought that it would be really nice to switch it up a bit, shoulder the preparations, and do it here. That also gives me the right to inject as much greenery and sparkle into it as I can and they can't do a single thing about it :)


Then I bought paint. The kind of green that takes four coats. I have a newly painted, very shiny green living room. The part where I am still unpacking boxes and trying to make the last of the gifts (yes, I said make, because that is what I do) was kind of an afterthought. Also, the Martha in me does not cook. Nope, nada. I can cook, but I don't. I decided to put the dinner on solely so that I could set the table (that I don't have). With random vintage plates and napkins that I also didn't actually have, no less. I mean, I had it all set out in my mind, and I have been scouring for them every few days at the thrift store and I now have thirteen of the sixteen settings needed... so we're gold :)


I had my bestest friend come over and drop her kids off for a crafternoon extraordinaire with me and the boys, and then the living room looked like this. Which is actually a step up from the way it looked the day before which is covered in no fewer than twenty large boxes full of things I hadn't looked at in over five years. You know that part of the move where you have already opened the boxes that were meticulously packed and organized by a sane mind... the ones that are easily unpacked... and you are on to the ones that were packed at the end with no rhyme or reason just to get the rest of the crap out of your house? Or, say, were packed by the seven year old? That is the stage I am at now. I open a box, and it is either stuff that was in storage or stuff that doesn't actually make sense. While I can place artwork till the cows come home, and adore styling bookshelves with objets and colour coordinated tomes, I have no idea whatsoever one does with, say, the toolbox. Or the blender. Or the summer coats and hats. I understand what people with basements and storage closets and such do with them, but what if you don't have those?

Anyhow, I am quite happily puttering around and telling anyone and everyone not to worry, that there will definitely be room for sixteen people by Christmas Eve... and I know in my heart that the place will be twinkling and pretty... and most of all, that everyone will have a fabulous time. It might take a bit of mulled wine and a few cookies, but it will all work out just fine. For myself, I already got my gift. I cannot tell you how happy I am to be in a house with space for a garden (already got the seed list on the go) and... did I mention? My OWN bedroom!

Piece by Piece...

I hear rumour that quilters are organized. That they IRON before AND after they sew pieces of fabric together!!! Well, let's not call me a quilter then. I am a fabric piecer togetherer. I have a favourite quilt that has fallen apart so completely that the other day my seven year old offered to take me shopping for a new one. Hmmm. So I figure what with me having more fabric than I have room for, making a quilt should be easy. The part where I DON'T HAVE ROOM for this fabric is really the key here though, as it would most likely have sewn itself into glorious fancy things ages ago had I had the right amount of space to do it justice... for right now though, the "studio" is over run with lovely little bits of thrifted vintage linens and such that I am puzzling together one piece at a time. There is most likely a term for this in the day of yoga and meditative everything.... I shall call this "intuitive quilting". Organic Intuitive Quilting, as in, I don't iron or measure, I just sew, sew, sew to get it done in two days. I will save the measuring and ironing for the pieces I do for others...

... Up Where the Air is Clear

So today I casually brought up the idea of planning a treehouse for next year at my parents new property. I have always wanted to build a tree folly and I believe every child should grow up with one but until now we simply did not have a place to put one. While my boys would most likely be happy with a ladder and a platform (and a coat of turquoise paint as my six year old is intent on adding as much colour to the world as possible...) I have always come at a project with the "go big or go home" mentality.


A few years ago I became obsessed with the Duchess of Northumberland's tree castle at the Alnwick Gardens. The project was a collaboration with the Prince of Whales to create what was to become the largest public gardens in Europe and the creativity and talent that went into them is nothing less than astounding. I followed their progress until the website changed over to basic tourist information. Many of the photos were unfortunately removed, but if you are ever able to put this on the itinerary for an excursion, I believe it would be more than worthwhile!




Not so long ago, the spherical treehouses from Free Spirit Spheres that originated on Saltspring Island (a place I once lived) made the rounds on sites such as Inhabitat and other design oriented blogs.

These are funky... still not my style though.

But these! Now this is something I could spend a great deal of time in... hell, this is something I could throw a great deal of martini socials in! I'm sold. They are prefabricated in Germany and I may have to sell a kidney just to cover the shipping, but there are some things in life that you just have to sacrifice for...

Baumraum has created dwellings that sit amongst the treetops in countries all over Europe and as far as the U.S. and Brazil. Just a trip through the galleries on their site has me dreaming of what fantastic things can be done thinking outside, and in this case, waaaaaay above, the box.

What do you suppose the chances of hoisting a retrofitted Airstream into a tree are? Fabulous, me thinks.