make: sheet metal earring display

I had a small piece of perforated sheet metal left after making my first sheet metal box and had propped it against a wall in my workroom. A few days later one of my husband's classmates (ahem, Ben) broke the glass in a small RIBBA frame I had. Not wanting to waste a perfectly good frame, I brought it, too, to my workroom and leaned it against the left over sheet metal. Then, genius struck! Ok, maybe not genius. To be fair, I already had the image in my head of the perforated metal earring display my sister had pinned (which inspired the sheet metal box).

I decided to cut down a piece of the sheet metal to fit into the frame and then ditched the board backing. I pressed the metal into the frame and secured with the existing clips and ta-da! A small earring display for the (maybe) 10 pairs of earrings I own. Sit on a dresser or hang on the wall. Now you'll never forget what you have stashed in that cavern of a jewelry box.

happy making!

the last big snow?!??

Fearing this might be the last big snow for us in Ann Arbor (it is almost March after all), I was determined to get Ella outside to play today.  During all of our previous snowfalls, the temperatures were hovering in the teens and low twenties and, as far as I'm concerned, that was just too cold to be out.  Today: a brisk 34 degrees.  

So out we went this morning, bundled up and ready to play, only to discover that what looked like snow from our living room window was, in fact, a melty, icy, white mess!  The sidewalks were a combination of rainy day puddles and ocean ice burgs.  But, we she had fun despite, and stumbled around while I shoveled the heavy stuff from our walks and driveway.

Desperately hoping this is the last "snow fall"!

on the boards: playroom/workroom {part 2}

Jane and her husband bought a great house with a few big projects that needed tackling (kitchen: check, powder room: check), but mostly, it was just a fantastic blank canvas for making their own. Their next project will be to turn the formal living and dining spaces, rooms they currently do not use, into a more functional play space for Baby E and work space for Jane.  I'm going to tag along with Jane on her room re-do journey and share it all with you here, every Tuesday, from design inspiration to what are sure to be the amazing AFTER photos.

This week I present to you the BEFORE pictures of Jane's formal living and dining spaces.  See what I mean about a blank canvas!

This week I met with Jane to measure the space and take stock of any existing furniture to be re-used and/or re-purposed for the space.  We also had a chance to talk more about her wants and needs for the space and this is what came up:

1. Locate play space in the former dining area, out of immediate view of the front entry.

2. Provide an arts and crafts area and art display solution in the play space.

3. Utilize as many existing pieces as possible.

4. Provide a space that can easily transition back to a more adult space in the future.

5. Identify a location for large toy storage solutions.

6. Create a plan that can be executed in stages. 

Jane had also chosen four color samples for the room, and painted them on the wall.  Paint and hardware stores now carry sample sized containers of paint mixed to any color you choose for a few dollars each.  This is a step that there is no longer any excuse to skip.  Make sure to get a range of shades to test on your wall, and see how they look in the light of your room, at all times of day.  It's much easier to paint a room once!

After looking at the colors for a week, Jane and her husband agreed on the Van Courtland Blue for both rooms.  As painting gets underway, I have begun working on the floor plans.  Check back in next week for finalized floor plans for the room and a round-up of all the DIY projects we hope to tackle to bring these rooms to life!

  

this weekend: birthday bash and boats!

I took Ella to her last swim lesson on Saturday morning, and surprise, she got to ride (or sit, mostly) in a boat! Yes, there was a boat in the pool at our local Y. I was quite surprised. All of the usually boisterous toddlers in her class were, all of a sudden, subdued when placed into the boat. We, parents, sang an overly excited rendition of "Row, Row, Row your Boat," to a boat full of very serious faces.

And Saturday evening we attended a birthday bash for one of Ella's best friends, Tate. We spent our time after swim class making a birthday card for him. I printed out a birthday message on the front of the card, and Ella had a great time decorating the card and signing her name inside.

baby shower, mini-style!

I am for going "found Friday" for a special post on the mini-shower my friend Kendra and I threw this morning for our good friend, due in April with her second child and, most importantly, her first girl!  Perhaps it's considered passe to have a baby shower for a second (or third, or fourth, etc.) child, but I believe every new baby deserves a mini-celebration.  And every momma deserves to feel like this pregnancy, the one they are experiencing now, in this moment, is special and amazing.

Though I am not pregnant, I do know how easy it is to get caught up in the day to day raising of the toddler running around in front of you.  It can take over your life and can easily overshadow even the most fantastically joyous of occasions.  This mini-celebration was a good chance to pause, look ahead, and start to get excited about the new little girl who will be joining this world soon.

Oh baby!

*UPDATE

I've had several questions about the decorations shown in the photos, so I thought I'd post DIY instructions.

I made both the garland and "oh baby" cake topper from scrapbook paper in light pink, light lavender, medium lavender, white floral, and brown kraft.  I also used pages from an old book I picked up at an antique market.  I chose the colors to coordinate with my friend's nursery.  Here's how to get the look:

supply list:

decorative and colored paper (use recycled material for a unique look)
2" circle craft punch
sewing machine
contrasting or coordinating thread
cutting mat
x-acto knife or scissors
kraft paper sticker letters (or other letters of your choice)
wood skewers
paper glue (I like Martha Stewart all-purpose gel adhesive.)

to make:

1_ For the garland, begin by punching 2" circles using your craft punch from your selected paper.  I used an equal amount of circles from each selected paper, but you can also vary the amount if you want a punch of a particular color.  For a 5' long garland, you will need approximately 60 circles total.  Punch a few additional to use to adjust your sewing machines' tension settings.

2_ Once all of the circles are cut and - VERY IMPORTANT - you've adjusted your sewing machine's tension settings, begin by stitching a 6-8" length of thread together.  This will be how you hang your garland.  After you've done this, you can begin to feed the circles through the machine.  Stack two circles of the same paper together and center on the needle, feed through.  Chain stitch all of the stacked circles through in this manner until they are all stitched together.   Finish the chain by stitching the thread together for another 6-8.  Cut and remove from the machine.  I recommend using at least an 1/8" stitch length.

3_ Tie a small loop into each end of the garland and find a place to hang temporarily.  While hanging, carefully fold the circles apart from each other, one by one, so that each set of circles becomes three-dimensional.  Folding them will be easy because you've already created a perforated line with the stitch.  But they will also be fragile depending on the paper used.

4_ Hang and enjoy!

5_ For the cake topper, begin by cutting down the wood skewers to length.  Hold the skewer up to the side of the cake to help determine your desired final height.  Cut with your x-acto knife.

6_ Cut a series of 3/4" wide strips from your remaining paper.  Then cut each strip into 3" lengths.  Fold each length in half, dab a small amount of paper glue on the inside, bottom third of the strip and press together, leaving the top portion open so that it can be strung onto the thread later.  Repeat this process for each flag needed.

7_ When all of your flags are constructed and the glue has dried, cut an inverted "V" into the bottom of each flag.  You can measure this out to achieve a perfect result, or you can eye-ball it for a bit of DIY charm!  Add a letter to each flag, string onto a length of thread or ribbon and tie each end to the wood skewer.

8_ Stick each end of the skewer into the cake and ta-da!  Sit back and admire your handy work!

color my world {teal}

When I think of teal, I don't necessarily get a good vibe.  Maybe I wore too much of it in the early 90's, often combined with hot pink, neon green, and bright yellow.  Man, was I stylish!  

Despite this initial aversion, however, I've discovered a fondness for teal (again, apparently).  I think it all started while drooling over the Wishbone Chair by noted Danish modernist, Hans Wegner.  As an architecture-type, it is in my DNA to drool over such things, and I am in love with the fact that they come in colors, introduced three years ago for the chair's 60th anniversary!

Here are a few of my favorite {teal} things:

1. Ampersand Screen Print \ 2. Canteen Hook and Knob \ 3. Bai Square Retro Wall Clock \ 4. IKEA Raskog Kitchen Cart \ 

5. Bicycle Pillow Case \ 6. Chive Pill Terrarium \ 7. Jonathan Adler Santorini Hera Vase \ 8. Hans Wegner Wishbone Chair

on the boards: playroom/workroom {part 1}

I had the pleasure of hanging out today with one of my most creative and talented friends, Jane, and her adorable 10-month old daughter. Jane and her husband bought a great house with a few big projects that needed tackling (kitchen: check, powder room: check), but mostly, it was just a fantastic blank canvas for making their own. Their next project will be to turn the formal living and dining spaces, rooms they currently do not use, into a more functional play space for Baby E and work space for Jane.

This re-purposing of spaces reminded me of a recent article in my BHG magazine, where Jaime Favor converted her unused formal living room into her dream craft room.  Check out photos here.  Why reserve rooms in your home for spaces that only get visited a few times a year when you could re-purpose them into spaces you'll never want to leave!  I'm going to tag along with Jane on her room re-do journey and share it all with you here, every Tuesday, from design inspiration to what are sure to be the amazing AFTER photos.

But before we dive into the BEFORE shots, I think a little design inspiration is in order. I love to start projects in different ways, depending on the problem(s) to be solved. In this case, there aren't many problems, just a large space (which most would die for!).  Jane headed to the fabric store this past weekend for her inspiration, to start pulling swatches and putting together a cohesive color story for the entire main floor of her house.  I think this is such an important step when you will be doing a project gradually. Once you've accomplished this step, it gives you a clear framework to shop within, as the need and ability to acquire additional pieces arise.  In this case, we know that the room will need to be able to change and grow as baby E gets bigger.  Design is never static!

Here is a little inspiration from Jane's shopping trip: 

from right to left: Rebecca Fern \ Zig Zag \ Ajanta Handprint \ Kilburn Surf

and from our conversation today about what she is envisioning for the space:

1. Classic Storage \ 2. Bench Storage  \ 3. Re-purposed Living Room \ 4. Magnetic Board \ 5. Storage Perimeter

this weekend: Chautauqua Lake

we traveled this weekend through four states to Chautauqua Lake in western New York. my husband and his high school friends planned an unofficial reunion of sorts, packed with skiing and snowboarding, eating and drinking, and general merry-making! i had a great time getting to know them better and it was fantastic to see Ella join in on all the fun. she recruited a lot of new fans!

i wish we had been able to do more exploring outside but it was too cold to be out for more than ten minutes at a time.  and unfortunately, we both forgot our mittens.  but the home we stayed in was beautiful, perched atop a small hill overlooking the lake.  falling asleep with the lights of the homes across the lake dotting the night sky and waking to the sun reflecting off the scenic, frozen lake was enough to renew my spirit for the remainder of this winter season.  

make: sheet metal box

my sister recently pinned an earring storage and display solution using a decorative sheet metal panel. it reminded me how much i love a perforated metal panel!

since i do not possess an earring collection even a tenth of the size of my sister's, i decided to come up with another application for the material. enter: new trinket box, now slated to hold my collection of greeting cards.  here's how i did it . . .

supply list:

large sheet of paper (for box template)
tape
metal ruler
x-acto knife or scissors
pencil
decorative sheet metal panel
tin snips
pliers
embroidery floss
large craft needle
brass fasteners or binder clips

to make:

1_decide what size box you wish to make. the box pictured is 6-1/4" w x 8-1/4"d x 3-1/2"h. then make a template. draw an outline of the desired size box on the large sheet of paper (I used a roll of craft paper from IKEA), leaving plenty of space around the perimeter to add the desired height of the sides. refer to the photo for the final template shape and layout.


2_tape your template onto the sheet metal. place the template square to the metal's pattern and in such a way as to create the smoothest edges. cut around the template with tin snips.  note: the metal will be sharp! wear gloves or work cautiously to avoid cutting your hands.

3_use the metal ruler to help create straight bend lines, and fold the metal up on each side to create a box. fold the triangular flaps into the box and place brass fasteners through the flaps and side to hold in position.

4_ stitch flaps to sides and corners together with colorful embroidery thread. knot at inside, bottom of box.

5_to create the top, repeat all steps, adding about an 1/8" to the box dimensions on all sides (1/4" overall). determine your side height and add 1/2". the finished side height of the box shown is 1", so I created 1-1/2 sides on the template. before folding the box into its shape, fold all edges over 1/2" and press down with pliers or metal ruler to achieve a finished edge.

6_fill and enjoy!

happy making!

this weekend: potato stamping

our household was still blanketed in sickness this weekend, but we didn't let it hinder our fun. saturday Ella woke up with quite a fever, but I decided to set up for a potato stamping and painting session anyway. turned out, it was a great distraction for her. she always has fun when I bring out the paints and stamping was a whole new technique for her to experience. what started out as a fairly neat endeavor quickly turned into an all out finger painting session. but she surprised me and produced this little gem:

I turned this and the rest of her paintings into valentine's for family with some inkjet print-outs and a prismacolor clear blender marker. here's how we did it!

supply list:

potatoes ( large idaho potatoes are often recommended but I chose smaller yukon golds so that Ella's hands could easily grip each stamp)

small cookie cutters

sharp knife

acrylic paints

large sheets of white paper (we used a thick white 11x17 construction paper)

sponge brushes

paper plates

splat mat and vinyl tablecloth

to make:

1_place a vinyl tablecloth over your table and a splat mat on the floor beneath where your little one will be working. this made clean up a cinch.

2_cut potatoes at largest circumference, trying to leave about 3/4 of the potato to hold on to. now there are several methods for creating the stamps. for some of the stamps, I pressed small cookie cutters into the potatoes flesh about 1/4". I then took a sharp knife and cut around the cookie cutter and then peeled away the removed flesh. these were very easy and simple to do. I also cut a few other unique shapes using a similar method. there are numerous tutorials on the web with videos. check out this one from martha stewart! place stamps flesh side down on a paper towel to help dry the flesh before stamping.

3_i then mixed up several shades off pinks and reds with my acrylic paints. I used artist acrylic paints, but buying pre-mixed craft acrylic paint bottles in the colors you wish to use would be much faster. I happen to enjoy color mixing. I mixed up each color on a separate paper plate.

4_then dip the stamps in the paint, brushing off any excess with the sponge brushes, and stamp away!

5_after the paint had dried, i cropped the paintings into 5x7 folded cards.  in photoshop, i typed up several appropriate phrases in a font size and layout that would fit on each card, reversed the type, and then printed them out on my inkjet printer.  to transfer the type, place the print ink side down and then color over the lettering with a blender marker.  there are many brands that make such a marker.  mine is a prismacolor clear blender.  after saturating the paper over the location of the lettering, use a burnishing stick to help as much ink transfer to the card as possible. and viola, you're ready to send to your favorite loved ones!

happy making!

found: paper eskimo baking cups

i love to bake, though i would hardly call myself a pro. sometimes i have great successes, and other times, gigantic flops (and usually when it counts). so when i see a product that might entice an eater to be brave and try what lies beyond the thin wall of a paper baking cup, i snatch it up. easy style for something that, knowing me, might not always turn out so pretty.

enter: paper eskimo baking cups! remember my obsession with navy? i picked these up precisely as a result of this. i love these small rigid baking cups in navy and white stripes with a scalloped edge. but if navy, or stripes for that matter, aren't you're thing, paper eskimo has a myriad of other options.

tonight, i'll be serving up a vanilla cupcake with a chocolate buttercream frosting to a room of soon-to-be-lawyers. and thankfully, today was one of my successes!

color my world {gold}

all that glitters is, well, gold ...

for much of my adult life, gold has been out. that is to say, yellow gold, and usually when speaking of jewelry. but as all things old become new again, i've grown particularly fond of many a gold product, especially my antique yellow gold wedding band that originally belonged to my husband's great-grandmother. you certainly can't shirk history, nor would I ever want to. so here i present a few of my other {golden} favorites:

1_gold wire barrel pendant, lazy susan

2_gold flatware 5-pc set, west elm

3_midas glassware collection, design within reach

4_gold moroccan linen pillow cover, lauren Alison on etsy

5_gold feather tray, williams sonoma home

6_a yacht to talk about in sunset, mod cloth

7_campbell crisscross cuff, shopbop

8_libations bar cart, crate a d barrel

9_stars (gold) wall sticker, ferm living

art therapy

i have been a bit under the weather since saturday. as such, i've been stuck in the house. there's nothing like being sick and confined to make one feel, oh, like crap. so yesterday while Ella napped, i drew. by hand. just lines. it has been too long since i've put pen (or anything for that matter) to paper. ok, well i suppose i have put needle to paper, but that doesn't count. i must commit to drawing more. it was quite therapeutic.

and, as for all those lines i drew ... i actually have a plan for them which i hope to post next week, when i'm feeling better.

happy drawing!

found: pot & box

i've posted a few "found" posts in the past and i quite like the motivation they give me to find new things and explore the world around me. plus, who doesn't love a good find! so i've deemed every friday {found friday} and can't wait to share with you my latest finds.

today i stopped in at a local favorite, pot & box, to check out their floral shop and event space. ive been, ahem, stalking them, if you will, online for months now but had yet to drop in. and what better reason than for their terrarium bar!

i have been coveting a terrarium for, oh, forever. finding the container is easy but who wants to buy a gigantic bag of gravel or potting soil and use just a few scoops? this was the perfect opportunity to create a beautiful addition to my dining room table in just fifteen minutes without having a huge mess to clean up at home. the young lady in the store was fantastically helpful and showed me exactly how much of everything to add and gave me instructions on how to care for it (which is quite important as i seem to have only black thumbs - is that a thing?).

i would highly recommend a visit, even if its just for the bird pants. yes, i said "bird pants."