First Attempt at Cake Decorating

For a while now I've been excited about trying out cake decorating, and this week I finally had the help I'd been waiting for. When I was 17, I went to study abroad in Germany and I was very lucky to stay with a family that immediately became my own. They visit me at least once a year and we always have lots of fun being as much of ourselves as we can be. It’s some kind of magic how well we fit together.

So, we planned a messy day of butter and sugar (it’s essentially what baking sweets really is).  For the cakes, we used my aunt’s simply delicious recipe. For the frosting, we decided to try buttercream (but there are other options, such as glace or marshmallow icing). We got some food coloring, chocolate bars, decorating bits, and zip-lock bags for improvisation.

Ceramic Painting for Family Fun

So, I missed the Wednesday deadline for my post this week. But I have the best excuse: my parents were visiting all the way from Brazil! They left a land with one-sun-for-every-person for a cozy snow storm in NY. As I tried to maximize my time with them, the only way to have a post this week was to incorporate a craft afternoon into the program, and it was the perfect idea!

How to Craft the Weather - Crochet Snowflakes

I was 17 when I first saw snow; and although I have seen it plenty now, every time feels like a moment to remember. I love how it makes the air smell fresh, how it makes the busiest city quiet, and how it delicately rests on my hair. Above all though, I love how it makes everything look like a big, sweet cake with powdered sugar on top! This winter I missed the few snow falls in New York. Thus, I decided to add snowflakes to my life by crocheting some, perhaps as a means of emulating an indigenous rain-dance ritual to help make it snow.

Bon Vivant Cork Stamps

This week I was focused on learning how to carve my own stamps. I’ve been very excited about this idea, perhaps because now I am old enough to play with knives, yay! I started with the wine corks. They have so much character and, of course, an irresistible bon vivant concept to them. Unfortunately, my favorite wine is not sealed with a cork, so I didn’t have any lying around at the house. Not to worry - I stopped by the BYOB place in my neighborhood to ask for some corks and left with a handful. I had two kinds of corks: natural cork and some kind of spongy fake cork. Both worked great for the stamps, though they cut differently. The natural cork will make a more “rustic” stamp, which I love.

Fabric Origami Wallet

I was so pleased with the result from my Fabric Origami Card Holder that I decided to try something a little bolder today. Most paper wallets you see cannot be considered origami, because they use scissors. The true origami art does not use scissors or glue, just creases. So, I found this really nice design online of a true origami wallet and I decided to try it with fabric! 

Fabric Origami Card Holder

I’ve always been fascinated by origami; this timeless technique of folding paper into something admirable, elegant and unique. So much so, that my wedding invitations and decorations were made of origami (more about that in a later post). And had I known then, that I could do the same on fabric, maybe my wedding dress would have been origami-styled as well. ; )

So, this week’s project was the suggestion of a dear friend who got me very excited to try origami on fabric! The project is a little, versatile card holder. You can use it to store your business cards, or as a wallet that will fit anywhere from coat and pant pockets to that tiny party purse you love.

Needle Felted Gnome

This week’s project was so much fun! How come I've never come across needle felting before? Sculpting wool into form is quite challenging, but oddly relaxing. You get to prick your stress away…! I started by trying to sculpt a strawberry, but quickly decided to switch over to a gnome instead. Gnomes are fascinating characters that have often been reinterpreted to suit the needs of different story-tellers, even as creatures fond of crafts! So, whether you want to decorate your plant pot, carry it around the world when you travel (“roaming gnome”), mischievously hide it around the house, or protect yourself from evil sorcery, this felted gnome will do it all! But be aware - gnome kidnappers may be around. ; )

Thank You Card - Dinner Stamp

This card was sent to Florida to thank my husband's aunt and uncle for their lovely Christmas gift: dinner in NYC! It would also be a nice design for a personal thank you note to hosts of a dinner party. As always, I advise to do the writing first. On this card, the lettering was done by ink pen. I love the results of ink pens, but it can be challenging to make it look nice on a first try. I have to wonder how hard it must have been in the past to write with feathers! The fork and spoon stamp I purchased at Michael's and I use it also for recipe cards, especially when I am giving it to someone. Everything else is just card stock paper and you can use the colors you think the recipient may like the most. It is worth noting though that the stamping does show better on light colored paper.

Este cartão foi enviado para a Flórida para agradecer aos tios do meu marido pelo carinhoso presente de Natal: um jantar em Nova York! Também acho um design leagal para uma nota de agradecimento aos anfitriões de um jantar, por exemplo. Como sempre, eu aconselho começar com as letras. Neste design, as letras foram desenhadas com caneta tinteira. Eu adoro o efeito da caneta tinteira, mas aviso que pode levar um tempo para dominar o processo. Nem imagino como deve ter sido difícil no passado escrever com canetas de pena! O carimbo "garfo e colher" foi comprado na Michael's e eu utilizo-o também para cartões de receita, especialmente para presentear a alguém. O resto é apenas papel cartão e você pode escolher as cores que o destinatário mais gostar. 

Thank You Card - Christmas Lights

I made this card for my very sweet parents-in-law, to thank them for a wonderful Christmas Holiday. They always put so much care into organizing a great time for all of us! My husband and I made this together and it was fun and easy. The light bulbs were cut-out of card stock and the thick black lines were drawn with water-pencil. By the way, the later is so impressive! I've had this set of water-pencils for at least 15 years (seriously!) and I never knew how amazing they were. There's no way they are lasting another 15 years - I'll be using them like there is no tomorrow!

Personalize Your Mat Strap!

For my first project of the year, the Yoga/Pilates Mat Shoulder Strap, the first thing I wanted to do was try some embroidery work. As a kid I learned some cross-stitching with my Grandma, and I remember thinking how wonderful it was that I could "draw" with yarn! For this project, I chose to embroider the word "breathe" because, being a longstanding Yoga and Pilates enthusiast, I know what difference this little reminder makes in our everyday life as well as while crafting! Breathe... and every challenge will be easier. Truly though, I also chose this word because it carried enough meaning by itself, making my embroidery work short! ; ) If you go to one of those studios that allows you to store your mat, it might be nice to embroider your own name or initials.

Yoga/Pilates Mat Shoulder Strap

I have decided, 2013 will be my year to pursue new craft skills! I am creative and crafty enough, but it's time to finally build some skills. That being said, I am committing myself to completing a craft-related project every week. It can be anything, really, as long as it requires me to explore and learn something new. This will be an adventure and I'll try to keep it as varied and fun as possible! If you find yourself inspired to try some of these projects with me, please do and let me know how it goes!

So, my craft adventure is beginning with something practical that I have been in need of for a long time: a strap for my yoga/pilates mat. After going through several rubber bands (I know, I'm frugal) that snapped on my fingers every time, it is time for a more permanent and pretty solution. Here we go!

Dear 2013...

Here is my very own and favorite New Year's tradition: on December 31st, I pick a pretty stationary and write a letter addressed to the year that is about to start. I begin with "Dear 2013" and proceed to write about all the wonderful things that have "happened" during that year and that I am grateful for. Of course none of these things will actually have happened yet, so the letter is ultimately a list of my wishes for the new year.

Floweret Christmas Wreath

This has been a very busy pre-holiday week but I am proud to have squeezed in my Christmas Wreath! I couldn't have done it without the loving help of my husband, who diligently cut leaves and flowers while I sewed them. This project was very fun to make, as each completed piece of the puzzle made me jump with enthusiasm and kept me going. I have a small door, so I made a small wreath, but you can adapt the design to whatever size you want, with bigger pieces, more flowers, you choose it!

Christmas Card - Reindeer

This is my Christmas card design for 2012 - in line with my reindeer obsession phase. And I should clarify that, "Feliz Natal" means "Merry Christmas" in Portuguese. As I am from Brazil, most of my holiday cards go there.

I love the simplicity of this card, and how the solid lines and colors really catches one's attention. I suggest you do the writing or stamping first, because that's where you are most likely to make a mistake (trust me, I went through this). If you need reference, draw a light line with a pencil and erase if afterwards. Then glue the parts of the reindeer together before gluing the whole thing to the card. The heart and nose are made of red felt and everything else is just plain card stock paper. If you want to give it a try, feel free to use this reindeer template.

Ho Ho Ho I'm painting again!

Last time I painted anything was in 5th grade. Our art teacher made us reproduce, with our various skill levels, the famous Van Gogh's Sunflowers. I believe I did a pretty good job, for an 11 year-old, and my master-piece still hangs on a wall in my parents' home - though not in a prominent location. Since then, my paint has expired and my brushes have disappeared.

Who Doesn't Like Cookies and Knickknacks?

I'm the biggest fan of knickknacks - it's actually one of my given nicknames - and I am a strong advocate of their importance and utility. Nevertheless, I've had these Christmas cookie cut-outs for years and had never used them. It's one of these things you buy because you think they are essential, that it's something everyone has to have. But the truth is that they are only essential if you actually use them! So, this weekend, I decided to prove to myself and to the world just how much I do need my cut-outs. 

Chit-Chatting Tree

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in my little home! This year I decided to upgrade our Christmas tree from paper to fabric. I flirted with the idea of finally getting a real tree. They sell them on every corner of my neighborhood and the smell follows you everywhere. But then I remembered my newly made commitment to craft and came up with a yo-yo tree instead. It looks beautiful and gives me that wonderful sense of ownership and accomplishment that we crafters know so well.

The Arts & Craft Movement???

Was I the only one who had never heard of the Arts & Craft Movement from the 1800s? The story is quite fascinating, and yes, this is the opinion of a History enthusiast. But what do you think?

Rudolph's Red Nose

I had a reindeer obsession week. I think it's a great obsession to have... very productive anyway. It started with a felt ornament, moved to a card and landed comfortably on my living room pillow. Then, to finish it off, I had to watch Rudolph and Herbie!

Crafting Some Dinner and a Pie

Thanksgiving is a new holiday for me and I am still trying to get used to it. My first experience, 3 years ago, led to turkey on the kitchen floor before it ended up in sandwiches, soup, pasta, salad, and whatever else we were eating until the meat just started smelling weird. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Brazil and we typically reserve the turkey extravaganza for Christmas Eve. That being said, my husband and I decided we would always celebrate Thanksgiving with a culinary experiment, and be thankful for whatever comes out of it. 

So, when do we have time for our hobbies?

I believe time is the most precious asset of a hobbyist. Since my last/first post I have been eager to start my next project, but a busy week just won't let me do it. And having to wait for the weekend to arrive again is just so stressful! I thought hobbies were supposed to relax us!

I have seen it my whole life, at home. I mean, the lack of time for the things we truly enjoy. My dad is probably the greatest hobbyist I have ever known. Everything is of interest to him and he is always working on multiple projects at a time. The fact that he has two jobs and many other commitments doesn't seem to stop him, but it sure slows him down. He always finds time, but is far from being enough. So, when do we ever have time for our hobbies?

All-Purpose Drawstring Bag

I was one of these crafty kids that would take every opportunity to start a little project and let creativity flow. I was convinced that birthdays, X-mas, Eastern and every other special occasional existed just so that I could hand-make something for someone. And I always did. Whether I did it for the pleasure of creating it, for the smile on the recipient's face, or simply because I was seeking for compliments, I still don't know. One day, I will probably discover it's all of the above.