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!