i know...i know...  i just threw up a little in my mouth too.  blek. the cuteness... it is making me feel faint...  i think i might need to lay down!  

phewf.  that was close.  this all started one day long ago, while i was paroozling pintrest and found this...

right?  it's like, THE cutest DIY'er i have ever seen.  however, when i followed the link, here, it didn't really work, so, this is what i came up with.  my version.  

i painted some lil plastic animals, put an eye screw into the top of the pink hippo, cut some felt, used embroidery thread to sew the top and put a shmancy safety pin on the back.  i used thin wire to make the jump ring to hang the lil guy from it.  and viola! 

whats your spirit animal?  i'm thinking you need to make yourself and everyone you know one of these immediately...now go!

the sea, crystals and the sun were my inspiration today.  i wanted to literally weave them all together.  so, i did.  with purple bakers twine.  i do believe i will go on a scavenger hunt collecting trinkets in my art studio, along the beach and find crystals that wish for a new  home in these magic little hanging art altars.

it was really hard to give this post a title.  most awkward name ever. can you come up with another? still giggling because i don't know what i just made.  but, i am in love with it!  i think you should make a thingamagigga yourself!

i used to macrame when i was younger.  hemp necklaces, wallet chains, hanging plant hammocks.  i i loved taking any type of string, twine, or yarn and being able to make a 3d object with it.  so, naturally, while slurping oysters and sipping white wine on a sunny day last week, a light bulb went off!  i came home, washed the shells through the dishwasher (they came out so beautiful) and i got to wrapping them.  was funny at first, trying to remember how.  but soon i was one handing knots while holding the others in place on the shell.  you could also do this by tying regular knots but you will need some prior knowledge on knot work or a lil youtube  scour to get started.  

if you are like me....you'll just try and giv'er a go.  so, i'll post a wee DIY diagram on the square knots i used for this.  i used 8 strings so that you are working with 2 knots (4 strings each) on either side, then splitting them and adding to your new knot with 4 strands (using 2 each from each of the previous knots) and then splitting again...and so on...that will make your wrap around your shell.   it'll all make sense once you try it out.

what i love about this project, is you can add anything to the shell or whatever little container you choose.  i love air plants because  you can pretty much use any medium to place them in and they are sooo easy to maintain!  i used sand from the beach.  you just need to know proper care for the air plant you use.  here is a great site...air plant care.

let me know how yours turn out!!!!

level with me people.  do you know how good life can be?  lounging in front of a mimosa bar forgetting about time and cheersing the day away?  k, i sound parched.  but, seriously, big time awesome fun times.  and not just because of the bubbles!  if you are having people over for any daytime buddy times, this watering hole situation is a must!  it's fun, it's beautiful, it's fresh, it's a conversation starter, and it's a load off when you are hosting a gathering because your guests make their own drinks, leaving your arms free to do spontaneous robot dances to entertain your peeps. bonus!

mimosas, if you are not familiar, are delish liquid libations that are usually 50/50 champagne and orange juice.  i personally like a 70% bubbles and 30% juice ratio.  thats just me.  blush.  

there are variations on this drink, such as the bellini, which is a yummy friendship of peach puree and champagne.  well, when it was invented in italy, presecco was used.  which, ladies and gents, is the total jam!  presecco is, in my opinion, far superior to champagne.  it is a sparkling italian wine that tastes better and doesn't give you nerf ball head.  


k, now for the mimosa bar equation, think fruit, juice and bubbles.  i usually try and have 3 fruits, berries are great.  fresh or frozen.  i've used plums, peaches, frozen watermelon cubes, etc.  be creative but also use what you have!  i like offering 3 different juices; always straight orange, something with peach and another fun one that is a different  colour (than orange).  


set out champagne flutes or something like it, an ice bucket (i use a croc) to keep the champagne cold, carafes or pitchers for the juice and fruit bowls.  make labels for juices and a lil instructional sign saying something like, "choose juice, add fruit, add bubbadubs".  and there you have it...fun bubbles.

these are cool too.  take a printed paper napkin and tear it into smallish pieces so that they can wrap around your egg without too much wrinkling.  using a paint brush,  paint on a layer of watered down glue (i used modge podge-any white glue would work, i bet) and then place the napkin pieces together on the surface of the egg, overlapping a bit.  use the brush to smooth down any wrinkles that buckle up.  you will love this one.  it looks a bit like cloth when it's dry.  my friend Patty showed me this technic recently at a lovely crafty ladies night she hosted.  blow your eggs out,  wash them and let them drain and dry before you begin.  you can also use egg whites instead of glue.  

egg decor.  i am getting jiggy wittit!  think i've decorated more eggs this week than i ever have before.  not one of them done with my little guy.  yup.  getting crafty...on my lonesome.  good thing you have come to join my eggciting party.  here are some of my fave's....

the blue robin egg looking ones (above) were hard boiled first.  i wish i had blown the yolks out because i love how they turned out and wish they would last forevz.  mos'def doing these again.  i dyed them in water with good ol' blue food colouring in it.  please, for the love of jahovah and all of his witnesses, do not buy egg dying kits at the store.  such a waste of packaging, cardboard, and your $.  if you are going for the easy, peasy, one, two threesy kinda dye job,  grab food colouring and adjust them to the colours you want.  boom, robin eggs.  

get some gold leaf at a craft store and follow the directions on how to use it on a few eggs..  i did not follow the directions.  big surprise.  i put it straight on the eggs, very carefully, but should have put some sort of glue on the egg shell first (turns out directions direct you in the right direction).  however, i paint brushed on a lil watered down modge podge over the gold leaf and it stayed down perfectly. i adore them.  i might cuddle the lil nest they are perched in when i hit the hay this eve.  sighs.

i've had these DIY temporary tattoos for a while now.  got them in potland, oregon.  decided to see if they'd work on these egg shells.  they did!  i am in love with how they turned out.  so simple and sweet.  filled them up with a little bit of water and put mini flower arrangements in them.  eggciting!

and now, here i am, adding this last picture of the last of todays eggsperiments.  way past midnight....still geeking out.  turns out, black sharpie might be my favorite egg decor.  who knew.  so easy.  i'm such a sucker for mix matching black and white prints.  its classic and clean and apparently totally gets along with easter eggs.  goodnight.  

easter is this weekend!  ostara...eostar...this holiday has been around the block in many different stories and religions and is essentially a time for fertility, birth and rebirth.  i love playing with all the symbols for these things.  eggs, bunnies, bees, flowers, etc. spring is in full swing.  this weekend will mos'def be filled to the brim with egg hunts, mimosas, brunch, children laughing and mommy crafting.

beeswax.  sigh.  the smell is absolutely heavenly.  i bought some from a local bee farmer a while ago and have been waiting for the perfect moment to make candles.  as i was blowing out some eggs to dye, a couple cracked a bit, so i decided to make candles in them.  i have an epic (and somewhat ridiculous) egg cup collection, so, any chance to use them, i do.  i am completely obsessed with this project!!!  sorry...in advance for the 9 million forty two pictures you are about to see...but i really think you will love them too.

you will need:

• wax...i used beeswax, but you can use soy wax or even melt down crayons (after taking off the paper wraps)
• wick...you can purchase candle wicks at most craft stores or online...but you can use a plethora of  other things you probably have around the house.  i've used butcher string but couldn't find it this morning so i used some twisted paper twine i had.  these ones are more for show anyway. using cotton string is great.
• a bit of tin foil (if you don't have a fancy candle wick that has a metal disc at the bottom already)
• egg shells...washed and dried.  i left mine a bit rustic looking and kept the tops.
• a double broiler...if you don't have one, a small bowl that sits on top of a small pot that has boiling/simmering water in it works great.  just make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the bottom of the pan.  
• a box grater.  the beeswax is really hard to get off (use boiling water) so, it's awesome to have one especially for beeswax.  
• stick of some sort.  i used a chopstick and taped the wicks on so they'd stay put.  if you are using a cotton string, twine, or a candle wick, just tie them to it.  you'll see in the photos below.

nail shots...like that? had to.

this is my fancy double broiler.  i found it recently at the recycling depot up the road for 25 cents!  boom.  i got caught doing a happy dance by someone walking by when i found it.  it is now only for beeswax.

this is pre-beeswax spill.  yes, even martha starfishizzle spills wax!  gasp.  i was attempting to pour the wax with my left hand and snap a picture with my right. umm.  don't try that at home, k?  yeah... if you should spill...grab a butter knife and scoop it before it hardens too much.  way easier.  you can use boiling water to get beeswax of of most things, however.

and there you have it.  pretty much the cutest easter/ostara centerpiece i have ever made!!!  i am completely obsessed.  it took no time at all and will make such a sweet gift!!!  i live in a rain forest in BC and have moss not far from my front door, if you do not...you can use something else...grass, flowers, twigs, or thinly cut tissue paper (keep and re-use your tissue paper!).  make them look like little nests!

happy spring! hope you are all enjoying the changing of the seasons as much as i am.  i adore this time where the cycles of the earth, animals, air, sky, and our daily life routines change before our very eyes.  fertility is in the air and thought i'd show you a baby shower i did recently. i kinda loved how it turned out.

had a bit of fun with the salal leaves that grow all over my property.  laurel leaves work perfectly too and you can get those at ANY flower shop.  first, i made a "BABY' garland for this lovely gold frame i have by using a black sharpie to write the letters and a gold paint pen to trace them.  i hung this over the mantle.  then i used a heart shaped hole punch and made these super sweet leaves that i tied with jute twine on the drink glasses.  easy peasy.  i sprinkled the little hearts all over the table.

i used these beautiful ti leaves, also found at the flower shop, to wrap around mason jars for the flower arrangements i made.  i love ti leaves.  just tie twine around them to secure them.

below is the picture i was sent to use as the inspiration for the decor . sooooooo adorable!  right? it is from www.fancylifecorner.com 

i made a batch of tissue tassels and strung them up everywhere.  love these.   they are so easy to make.  i'll do a DIY on them later. i also used tissue paper to make the poufs for the big hanging centerpiece that i hung from her chandelier. added a few store bought paper lanterns, some vintage crocheted lace strands and it was good to go.  

just thought i'd give you guys some ideas for little ways to make your own gatherings a bit sweeter. just add mimosas and you are on your way to fun times. 

alright, i have a confession, i am a bit obsessed with chalk paint right now.  it is awesome.  you can paint any surface and do not have to sand, prime or do any prep really, aside from cleaning whatever you are painting.  hello. thazz my style right there.  it is so easy to use.  it is a bit more expensive than other paint mediums, but i find it goes a long way and evens out, price wise, because you do not have to buy a primer.  also, you are spending less time, in general, on your project.  yes, your time, even craft time, is worth bucks ladies and gents!  there's my justification for the extra cash money you are shelling out. 

i went thrifting for a couple projects one day and found this big framed painting.  it reminded me of one my grandparents had on their wall above a similarly upholstered fuzzy couch they would force me to take naps on.  "i'm too big for naps grama!!", i would protest right before i would snooze my way through fuzzy couch surfing dreams.  i think i nabbed this baby for $15 dollars.  

took it home, gave it a good wipe down and went to town with my coveted chalk paint.  it was so fun painting over this landscape with white.  therapeutic even.  i had a whole plan going into it.  i was going to do this really cool colourful geometric painting on it.  however, once i was through and hung it on the wall, as is, i was completely in love with how it looked up there.  still looking for a big framed canvas to do that on, but this one will stay white.  

here's some photos i took of the process.  sorry about the quality, i was just snapping shots as i went along. happy painting!!!

happy valentines day weekend loves!  i love, love, love getting extra geeky about little ways to show affections around this time of year.  these are just a very cute little something to give your sweetheart or a buddy that could use a valentine.  

i am planning to pimp these out as the dessert arrives, after a delish dinner at our favourite local restaurant, Chaster Restaurant.  i'm going to take out a capsule and pour out the sprinkles onto our dessert and let him know that he's the sprinkles on my top!  oh emmmmm geezlehoffin, does that sound cheesy or what?  wow.  almost reconsidering posting this after re-reading it... but alas... with blushing cheeks... i will hit "publish".  livin on the edge baby!  living. on. the. edge.

now...lets get clear here, i have made 2 different kinds of "love pills" here.  ones that are filled with edible sprinkles, and the others i filled with, oh so very NOT edible, foil glitter.  the purpose is to make someone smile, feel loved and adored, and maybe...just maybe have a giggle or two whenever they look at them.  if you ingest one of the glitter pills....well....4 words... disco toilet party, batman!

you can do whatever you wish with these once you have made them.  they are a choking hazzard for the littlish little kids or for husbands who've had waaay to much vino, so, take caution;)  

i had these super cute little vials i got from here that i tried to make look like a cuter version of a pill bottle.  my friend, Nico, turned 40 a few weeks ago and i made a tiny glass vial into a necklace with one single rainbow sprinkle pill in it and told her that if she ever wanted to have fun again (after turning 40!!) that she could take the rainbow pill (lil Matrix reference) as i placed it around her neck.  she looked at me all suspiciously and asked with a suspicious smile, "w...hat's in it?"   i flashed her the same sneaky smile and replied, "sprinkles". k, yeah, funny moment...on with it...

what you will need:

• capsules
  
• sprinkles or glitter

and literally, that is it.  that and whatever you'd like to put them in.  a pill box would be suuuuper cute. you can get those at any pharmacy or dollar store.  here's a picture DIY.....have a fun v-day!!

you can find capsules at health food stores or vitamin shops.  i bet they even carry them at most pharmacies.  if you have the time, order them online.   i went crazy and made all the sprinkles i had in my baking cupboard into pills.  i'll use the rainbow sprinkles and the plain green ones for something funny on st. patty's day, etc....they are so funny and pretty unexpected.

oh the punches.  as some of you know, i am obsessed with these.  stars, hearts, tags, scalloped edges.  if you don't have a punch, you can get tags at any craft store or in the craft isle at the dollar store.  you can also just cut one out or use a sticker.  

valentines day can be such a mixed bag of emotions, failed attempts at romantic schemes, hallmark holiday strike lines, forced tokens of loves expression, true doting, breakfast in bed, stained sheets (um, because of the breakfast in bed...come on guys!), name written in the sky style romance (yeah. this totally happens) and super sweet surprises from your girlfriends (these are my fave). 

if you are a parent with a kid in school, i bet you've had the wonderful experience of  spending the night before valentines day pulling your hair out as your child takes 9 hours and forty two minutes trying to choose between transformer cards or go with the retro pack (which you are fond of and trying to sway his decision cause you wanna get the rock outta there already before you curse this love day into non existence)....thunder...thunder...thundercats...ohhhhh! 

then, just when you get home you realize, oh geeeziss, i need to have my 2nd grader address these to all of his 52 class mates, friends, teachers, family members...okay...back to calling off the holiday! where's the whiskey?

k...everybody remain calm. sit back, sip your whiskey and remember the cutest moments when you were little, walking around the classroom, dropping little treasured envelopes into cute valentine receptacles. trying to play it cool when you drop THE valentine into you know who's big heart. aww. adorbz! 

few hints: stay in that cute moment. be patient with your lil one.  they can mispell things and not start a card over.  but most of all....forget the store bought cards!!! oh my stars...come on...they just get tossed, hopefully recycled, candy pillaged and probz not even read. get creative...make something the other kidlets can keep and don't get swag candy to add the the hoards of sugar they will ingest that day! 


here's what we did this week.  you'll need:

• some sort of air dry clay. i used a paper based clay and liked it a lot. any craft store will carry it.
• a rolling pin
• some sort of letter stamps. i just got some leather stamps, but you can get little alphabet rubber stamps from michaels for $1.50! the dollar store might even carry them.
• i found little screw eyes at the hardware store, but anywhere that sells jewelry stuff will have something similar. this is for the pendants. 
• if you wish to make magnets out of the hearts instead...easier...then grab some little magnets at the craft store...i got mine at the dollar store. 
• paint. i used acrylic, but man...spray paint would have been a lot less time consuming. more expensive, but you'll only use a bit and have the rest for other projects in the future.
  
• wax or parchment paper
• heart shaped cookie cutter

start by placing a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. roll out a handful of clay with your rolling pin.  cut out heart shapes.  you can keep re-rolling out the scraps of clay to get all the hearts you can out of that chunk of clay.  you wont need much.

using your finger, smooth over the edges.  now, stamp out cute conversation heart sayings on them or if you have a list of the names of the kids in their class, you can personalize them.  if you want to make necklaces, you will carefully screw in the screw eyes into the tops of the hearts.  if you are making magnets, you will glue them on the back after you are done painting them.

they'll need at least a whole day to dry out.  when they are dry, paint them.  ours needed a couple coats.  i did the first coat and then Loji, my little guy, helped me with the rest.  he helped with stamping too. 

i picked him up from school the other day with some markers, card stock i picked up from the print shop and cut into small cards there on their nifty paper cutter, and took him to the coffee shop to draw little cards for his friends.  we had so much fun!  he loves to draw though...if your little one doesn't care to...you don't need to...you're done.  they'll just bring the little treasures to school and pass them out. 

here's some pics to show you what we did....have fun!