Tuesday, December 31, 2013

For Auld Lang Syne

It's been awhile.  I know, I know.  Holidays tend to be a bit busy at my house.  So this should be a good and looooong post here on this chilly and overcast New Year's Eve...

Our Christmas decor is a good place to start.  I don't have the most gorgeous or fantastic decorations but I think I successfully filled our apartment homey, holiday spirit
.
Our tree fit perfectly next to the fish tank.
The patio door lights and garlands...
All lit up!
The fish tank got some garlands and lights too.
And the doorway to the dining room as well.
Our stockings hung on the wall by the tree.
I got all of this up on Sunday the 1st when Sky was at her dad's.  A couple days later we decorated the tree together:
Mommy's little helper!
Our pretty tree


We decided this year that instead of getting presents for every single person in our ever growing family that the seven adults (sans my parents) would draw names for presents.  Once for the seven adults and once for the seven children (though we drew names before Jax was even born).  I ended up drawing Matt and Ella.  I made Matt a knight hat much like this one:




I didn't feel right not giving anything at all to everybody else, so I came up with a plan.  I made some coconut and chocolate candies for my parents (and some for me too, cuz apparently we're the only ones who like coconut).  I made simple jars of oreo peanut butter, one for each family.  And then I made some cinnamon and peppermint gummy candies for each of the kids (except Jax cuz he's too little).

My gummies in their crystallization period.
The recipes I used for my delicious gifts were:
Quick and Easy Coconut Candies
Oreo Peanut Butter
Sparkly Gummy Candies
All were found on pinterest.

I decided last year when I found a little gingerbread girl photo ornament on clearance at JoAnns after Christmas that I had to start a tradition of having a special gingerbread girl ornament for Skylar every Christmas.  Early in the season this year I searched all through the decor section at Michaels and other places I shopped through trying to find a cute ginger girl for my cute ginger girl.  Well, since nothing I found could compare to something I could make and because, as usual, money is tight, I decided to make this year's ornament from scratch.  I've seen little salt dough imprints of the kid's hand or foot as the basis for other things so I thought Sky's chubby lil hand would be the perfect shape for the dress of a gingerbread girl.  This will be the only year that we can do this type of ornament since it did get quite large (8" tall).  I used the old tried and true recipe for salt dough, imprinted her hand, then freehand cut out the girl's shape.  After baking it, I painted her with several coats of craft paint.  I used ribbon and fabric paint to embellish and voila:
Skylar's gingerbread girl ornament, Christmas 2013  



Well, it's taken me a good chunk of the day (off and on, of course) to get all this up here so before we rush off to our New Year's Eve celebrations I wanted to share a couple of my Christmas faves:

Our tree on Christmas morning
Z tells Sky how it is.

Sky and Sammie making pretty pictures for great grandma and grandpa

  
Grandma and Grandpa's tree almost got lost in all the presents!

Later, I'll post some pics of Skylar interacting with her favorite new gifts.  Also, she got an Advent calendar from my mom before December started and I have a plethora of pictures of her enjoying it that I want to make into a sweet "Story" on photobucket.  For now we're going to head out for some fun!  Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year everybody!!!

Monday, December 9, 2013

Mini-Frame Keyring Holders

These 2 are made from 4"x6" frames with some decoupage and hooks:



Three of 3 Warm Accessory Organizers

The last features plastic canvas, hooks and a magnet strip:



Artists Against Hunger 9

Well, Artists Against Hunger has come and gone again.  I was only able to be there Friday evening because of work.  It was a fair turnout despite the extremely cold temperatures.  I unfortunately did not make any sales but that just means that all the cool things I made for my "Functional Facelifts" project are available for purchase at my website.



Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Two of 3 Warm Accessory Organizers

Here is the second which features plastic canvas for earrings, 2 hooks and 2 pegs for necklace and bracelet storage:


One of 3 Warm Accessory Organizers

I had 3 open back oak (barf) frames which I decided to use the same color palette on.  This is the first one completed which features 3 pegs for necklaces, a magnet strip for bobby pins, and a ribbon for hanging earrings or hair clips:


Decorative Memo board

Another of my favorite facelifts, a memo board of sorts with 3 clips and 2 pegs for holding keys, notes, pics, etc:



Decorative Keyring Holder

Artists Against Hunger is quickly approaching...as in 4 days from now.  So I'm wrapping up the "Functional Facelifts" projects that are almost finished.  I already installed the ones that were done and documented Sunday afternoon.  Here's a few of the stragglers, starting with a decorative keyring holder made from a wooden plaque I got from my dad decoupaged and painted:




Tuesday, November 26, 2013

SHIT happens

Well, today started just as SHITTY as yesterday ended.  Possibly even more so:
When I went to pull Skylar out of her bed this morning, she had smeared her shit all over her bed and herself.  This is NOT the first time this has happened either.  Needless to say, I cursed and yelled a lot.  And Sky got really upset.  But by this point she should fucking know better than to dig around in her diaper.  I scold her EVERY time that I catch her doing it.  My aunt has requested that DJ and I only put her in onesies for daycare to prevent it from happening there.   Well, she can't fucking wear onesies forever and I'm at a loss as to what to do about this problem.

How do I keep my toddler's hands out of her diaper without constantly putting her in a onesie?!?!?!

She is extremely headstrong and defiant.  Sometimes I think that she does things like this just to be defiant but maybe she really just doesn't understand why it's wrong.  I hate being mad at her but my whole apartment, not just her room, literally smells like shit right now and it's fucking disgusting.

Sooooooo, if anyone has any insight into this issue or a solution for this problem, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, enlighten me.  Thanks.

B.M.C.R.

I'm so frustrated and disappointed in myself right now.  I got a call back on that job I was hoping for today and I didn't get it.  I know why too and I feel ashamed and embarrassed that I couldn't get it.  It's worse because, in my mind, I already had it.  My cousin that works there says a second interview is pretty much a guaranteed job.  I guess that's not really the case...

I'm a freaking basket case.  Just when I think I've punished myself enough for this thing I couldn't even control, I lose it again.  I've got that trapped feeling again, like I'm doomed to work in retail until the daylight at the top of my debt hole is just a pinprick in the darkness and I'm swallowed whole...

I cannot even imagine how crushed I would be if this had actually been a position I really desired.  Job hunting is shitty business...I guess it's time to get stinky.  Again.

I need something positive to think about before I fall asleep or I'm going to wake up just as sad and frustrated as I am now...either way, it feels like my eyes are going to fall out of my head.  Seriously.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Beige Earring and Necklace Holder

This, one of the first, "Functional Facelifts" is a very basic earring and necklace holder, just 8"x10" in size, perfect for a petite jewelry collection:


Neon Jewelry Organizer

This "Functional Facelift" posed a few problems along the way but came to completion today.  It's a pretty basic jewelry organizer popping with neon colors:



Open front Shadowbox for photo clipping

This "Functional Facelift" was the marriage of 2 pieces of would-be trash discarded by customers at work.  I measured and cut the mock litho print to fit the shadowbox exactly scoring it so the picture would line it, removed the glass and stretched crocheted cotton chains across the front.  It's purpose is for clipping pictures and/or notes as a quick, easily interchanged display case.  I love how it turned out:



Accessory Organizer

This is one of my most clever "Functional Facelifts".  At least I think so anyways.  The main frame of it was actually a cast off from another project when it turned out I didn't need it for that.  I decoupaged paper on it and added hooks, pegs, a dowel, plastic canvas, and a magnet strip for the ultimate accessory organizer.


closeup of bottom left corner

closeup of upper right corner

Little Boy Photo Clip Block

The last of the four 5"x8" wood block projects, this one themed for a little boy:



Little Girl Photo Clip Block

The third of four 5"x8" wood block projects holds 1 (or 2) 4"x6" photos themed for a little girl:



The day's deliciousness...

I've been ultra productive today and would like to keep on a roll...but first I want to share the food I made today because it was freaky fantastic.

I've been watching a PBS show I recently found on Netflix called "The Mind of a Chef".  I felt compelled to make something I had never made before and something that I have been craving for quite some time.  I've wanted Pad Thai for a long time but I rarely keep all the necessary ingredients on hand.  So today I looked at a few different recipes for inspiration to create the flavors I was looking for with ingredients that I have.

I used this recipe, Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Legs, as the basic structure of my dish.  I used my favorite recipe resource yummly.com to search Pad Thai recipes for supplemental ingredients since I didn't have all that was needed for the slow cooker recipe.  I rarely measure things when I'm cooking (not baking) so this is a rather loose recipe of my fantastico delicious dinner:

6 skinless chicken legs
1 can of diced tomatoes with onion and garlic
about 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter
4 cloves of garlic
about 2 T soy sauce (more to taste)
about 2 Tlime juice
ketchup (just a squeeze)
brown sugar (to taste)
seasonings all to taste:
crushed red pepper
salt and pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
ground ginger
cilantro

Mix everything and pour over chicken in slow cooker.  Cook on low for 5-7 hours

My little legs just getting started on their journey to tastiness!





I served it with a really simple fried rice recipe I made in my rice cooker.  I just cooked some white rice (with salt and olive oil) as usual but with some mixed frozen vegetables and a little vinegar.  Once fully cooked, I added an egg, some garlic and onion powders, ground ginger and pepper.  Lastly I added some soy sauce.  It made a super yummy side to sop up some of that delicious sauce.

My plated finale:





I also made some banana bread using a recipe I've done before but this being my second time making it was far more successful, not just in look but also taste.  The recipe (which I follow to the letter except I use a bread pan and bake it for longer) is available here: Banana muffins with streusel topping.  And once baked (in an 8"x8" pan), looks like this:


Now I'm gonna go make my leftover chicken, sauce and rice into a soup so as to prolong the delicious!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Beachy Sunglasses Frame

This is one of the first "Functional Facelifts" I made.  An open back frame with a cool paint job and a bit of ribbon makes a sweet sunglasses holder:




Decorative Keyholder

And another:

This is another of my 5"x8" woodblock facelifts.  More decoupage, paint and ribbons...It is now a decorative key and sunglasses holder:



Fun Flowery Photo Holder

Another project for "Functional Facelifts":

I got 4 of these 5"x8" wood blocks from Y's Buys awhile back for $1.99.  This one transformed via paint, decoupage, and ribbon into a cutesie photo holder that can hold 4 images (2 at top, bottom frame is 2-sided).


Argyle Mini Mirror

I've been gradually finishing off handful of projects I've been working on for the upcoming Artists Against Hunger Exhibition.  The series is called "Functional Facelifts" in which I give thrifty found objects a new look and purpose.  I want to share them one by one as I complete and then document them.  So here goes...

I found this little framed mirror at the Goodwill for $1.50.  I primed it and then gave it a few healthy coats of yellow-orange paint.  I sassed up the front with a puffy paint pattern and the sides with some decoupaged argyle paper.  It's something like 3"x12" not including the frame.  I think it's totally adorable: