Chez Beeper Bebe

Sharing: A Handful of Projects with Some Color

2012-01-24T15:56:00.000-08:00

This winter is so gray around here--dreary skies, damp chill air, yellowed grass peeking through the meager patches of dirty snow. Blah. All I want is some brightness, something to bring a little zing of happy color. This is where I am at this winter. So, these are the projects I have to offer up and share--every single one with pops of color or just outright color. A little something I could make that would give me a little smile when I reach for it--like those stripey-handled thrifted wooden spoons, or those thumbtacks spray-painted to look like Italian tacks, or the bright patch of color on those otherwise gray tights. Nice. Happy. Enjoy.

Projects links (clockwise from top-left): Painted Wooden Spoons from By Elke; Playful Storage from House to Home; Knee-Patch Tights from 3191 Miles Apart; Rainbow Cookies from Munchkin Munchies; Felted Sweater Blanket from Recover Girl; Faux-talian Thumbtacks from Scissor Variations; Handmade Leather Shoes from BluDor Magazine; DIY Mending from Martha Stewart.

Best Made Badges

2012-01-22T15:39:00.000-08:00

I love these sew-on badges from Best Made. Imagine all the embellishment possibilities: on a tote, a backpack, a shirt pocket, along the trim of a handmade blanket or quilt, on the cuff of a shirt as a bolstering reminder...you can find them all (and more) here.

A Pair of [wrinkled] Doll Dresses

2012-01-17T22:19:00.000-08:00

I made these two little dresses as Christmas gifts for my nieces--that is, for my nieces' dolls. A dress and a set of button barrettes for each (1 barrette for them, 2 smaller ones for their dolls). The doll's dress pattern is from Oliver + S Little Things to Sew by Liesel Gibson (love this book--but more about that later). Liesel designed this little doll dress after one of her other dress patterns for a child--and sewing it made me realize I really could set about making some actual clothes for real life people. Except for all that ironing involved with making clothing. There is way more ironing, even when making a simplified doll's dress, than when you make a plushie. And I hate ironing. Mostly because I do not do it well--I always inadvertently iron in creases (see above photo for further evidence), or never seem to really get out all the other wrinkles I am there to get out in the first place. Maybe I just need a better iron or to learn how to iron better or somewhere other than the basement in which to do my ironing--or maybe I just need to keep focusing my efforts on making toys?

Two Penguins and a Hop Skip Jump Book

2012-01-09T06:54:00.000-08:00

This is Arnold--and his friend, Arnold. I made them both for Christmas gifts--one for Beeper (this ended up usurping my plans to make him that Chewbacca), and the other for a certain little girl I know who has a particular fondness for penguins. I know. They are pretty adorable. That ridiculously long beak, the stocking cap--perfect. They were mostly made from recycled materials--the black and white wool fabrics were from old suit jackets I thrifted, washed and cut up into useable pieces years ago, the hats are from cuffs of old sweaters I keep in a basket in my workshop for just this sort of thing.

Arnold the Penguin is a design from Fiona Dalton's new book of plushie designs, Hop Skip Jump: 20 Eco-Friendly Toys to Sew published by Penguin. It is only being sold in Australia today, but I ordered mine and just had it shipped all the way here. For me, it was completely worth every shipping cent, every red mark against my carbon footprint because I cannot stop looking at this book and thinking about which plushie I want to make and all the reasons I can find to make them. There are so many ways this book is inspiring me...

I love how all the plushies feel modern and vintage at the same time.

I love the photos of the plushies and the fabrics Fiona chose for each--as well as the overall styling of the book (inspiring photo styling can sell a book to me--that eye-candy-effect that makes me want to keep looking at it again and again...)

I love the fact that the book focuses on making the toys from recycled or eco-friendly fabrics.

I love the little accessories so many of the animals have a (the fox with a handkerchief, the cat in a tie, the hippo with a party hat...)--simple additions that make me smile.

I love the array of designs, varying in complexity and time commitment. It also contains designs geared for boys (a robot, a rocket), as well as girls (2 doll designs)--and even babies.

And I just love the sewing-friendly design of the book (lays flat when open, nice large pocket contains the templates for handy keeping, lots of good illustrated instructions).

You can get a good look at the book here (including the complete list of projects), and order it here or here. You can also visit Fiona's blog, aptly named Hop Skip Jump, if you have never been and see what sorts of goodness she is up to over there. Fiona also has a lovely array of individual patterns available for purchase in her little shop, here.

As always, so much to make, so little time--but this is a good book with which to start your year of hand-making.

Happy 2012

2012-01-02T09:55:00.000-08:00

I suppose I should have done this before 2012 actually was upon us, but things have gotten a little lackadaisical over here with the holidays and all of this nothing we have scheduled. Regardless, I like to have a little look back at the year and what I managed to create and make and accomplish in my little crafty corner of the world--just because I perpetually feel like I did not manage to accomplish half of what I intended, given the way life has a way of interfering in all your best laid crafting plans (and also, the need for sleep). However, I did manage 6 or so tutorials (favorite among them was the Nature Explorer Bag), saw the publication of 4 books that contained some of my designs, put out my own little crafty project set (Spring Variations), and did some serious re-stocking my Etsy shop in time for the holidays.

Of course, I already have some big plans for the next year, including a new project set (Autumn Variations), 1 or 2 other plushie patterns I have had lurking in the recesses of my brain for some time now, and, of course, a few more tutorials for all of you. No doubt I will find plenty of distraction along the way to keep me from doing all I set out to do, but that is part of the crafting game. You make some, but you can never make it all...there's a little fortune-cookie-style wisdom for you.

How about all of you? What are your crafting plans and goals for the new year? Got a little crafting glimmer in your eye just waiting to come to fruition?

Read This: Seasons

2011-12-18T14:27:00.000-08:00

I love this book. So much. I really bought it for me--but am happy to share it with Beeper too. It is entitled, Seasons, and is by the fantastically talented french illustrator, Blexbolex. It is a thick book, grainy image stacked upon image, printed on this creamy paper that evokes the drawing paper I most commonly used as child.

It is a book about, naturally, the seasons and the everyday wonders and activities and things and moments that mark the evolution of the seasons for us...

...but it is also a book of analogies, opposites, cause and effect, words that sound a little alike when you say them aloud, related things, images that rebound between one another in their similarities, and some more oblique pairings.

It is a visual meal so rich you can dig right in (no need for fork or knife), but it is also good for conversations about the details in the images and how these connect to the bold red letters that label each image. It informs, and invites imagining of the story that is there between the images.

The bright colors, the bold red block-style text, the stark layered screen-printed images are so much happiness for my eyes. And I love that the book feels both modern and retro--just looking at this book I get nostalgia for the library I used to visit as a 5-year-old and the alphabet book I loved most there, but it also feels cool enough to set out on my coffeetable for others to enjoy. I so, so highly recommend this book--it would make a most lovely holiday gift for your child, or for your artsy friend, or your hip niece in art-school. If you want to see more, there is a lovely little Youtube video about the book put together by the publisher--check that out here.

Sandra Dieckmann's Illustrations

2011-12-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

Sandra Dieckmann's illustrations evoke winter for me. It is the combination of natural themes, the bright colors on pale backgrounds and the stark black and white lines underpinning it all. I have always said ours is a house that feels right in winter, something about all the dark wood and the glut of drafty windows and the brick fireplace--the house just feels more at home in winter, if that makes any sense--and for these reasons, I feel like her work would be so right at home in my house.

Digital Artist Magazine says this about her work: The best folktales have a dark edge. Conversely, the best folk art pops with colour--perhaps as a visual way of whistling in the dark, perhaps a celebration of the richness of northern Europe's storytelling tradition. Sandra Dieckmann's nature inspired illustration has got that elusive, comfortable yet disquieting quality in spades. Yep.

You can read more about Sandra and view more of her work here. She also has an Etsy shop where you can buy prints, totes, cards and pocket mirrors--and there is an even larger selection of her prints available here, as well as t-shirts and skins for your i-thingies available at Society 6. Have a look. She has a lot of wonderful, wonderful work.

A Bit of DS Inspiration

2011-12-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

I realize I am probably about the only crafter who did not know about it, but I just discovered the Denyse Schmidt Daisy Mae fabric line at Joann Fabrics. Luckily, it was all 40% off when I came across it because as you can see I sort of fell in love with much of what was there. Not sure yet what I am going to make with it but holiday gift-making is just getting into full swing over here so I suspect some of this will make into some little lovelies for family and friends (although I did actually return to Joann a couple of days later to buy 2 more yards of that blue diamond print so I could make myself a pair of pajama pants with it--it is so retro and old-mannish--which reminds me of this old man's pajama shirt I used to wear with jeans in college--ah, the grunge days of yore...).

My Etsy Toy Gift Guide

2011-12-09T00:05:00.000-08:00

My Etsy toy shopping is mostly done but I thought I would still slide in here with a little show of all the fantastic handmade stuff out there I love this year--there was a lot I loved. Much more than you see here--but here are the links to the stuff shown (left to right, from top):

1. Little Play House by DoggiePiggie, $40

2. The Gray Fox by Les Peluche d'Eveluche, $140

3. Circus Car by Fidoodle, $22

4. Kitten Pals Button Pack by The Black Apple, $8

5. Coco Doll by Goodbye Blue Monday, $44

6. Superhero Shoes Gold Wings by Small Fly, $24

7. Wooden Constructor by Dominna, $30

8. Superhero Felt Mask by Frida's Tierchen

9. Karim the Penguin by Raplapla, $40

10. Francine and Simone Stamp Creation Set by The Small Object, $35

11. Yellow Friendly Ghost Brooch by Misako Mimoko, $28.50

12. Color Your Own Plush Doll by Green Star Studio, $15

13. Wee Elephant Pouch by Blueberry Bandit

14. Color Wheel Barrettes by Nest Pretty Things, $16

15. Set of 8 Crayon Rings by Oh My Lucky Star, $36

16. AnaPad Wooden Creative Tablet by Twig Creative, $38

17. Printable Solar System Cards by Wild Olive, $3

18. Almost an Animal Alphabet Book by Eightbear, $18

19. Indoor Croquet Bocce Ball Game Set by Jack Be Nimble

20. Basil the Bee Lambswool Plush by Sara Carr, $44

21. Clara Paperdolls by Cupcakes for Clara, $6

22. Monkey Farts Fizzy Bath Bomb by Fresche, $3.50

23. Wooden Balancing Toy by Smiling Tree Toys, $38

24. 3 Mini Felt Woodland Friends by Royal Mint, $65

25. Butterfly Life Cycle Playset by Mud Hollow, $55

26. Clothespin Dolls by Mooshoopork, $45

27. Golden Wooden Sword by Friendly Fairies, $50

28. Circus Rabbit by Miko Design, $62

29. Fabric Alphabet by My Wife, Your Wife, $47.50

30. Stacrobots by Board Games

31. Bird Doll by Timo Handmade, $57

32. Folky Guitar Plush by June Craft

33. 12 Wood Peg People by Green Mountain Wee Woolies, $36

34. Splendid Coloring Book by Lund Studios, $10

35. Little Doll's Chalet by Mmthings, $75

36. Sticker Set Collection 2 by Minifanfan, $5.50

Happy Handmade Toy Shopping!

Eat and Drink This: Truffle Kettle Corn and Cranberry Fizz Cocktail

2011-12-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

I first ate truffle kettle corn about 6 months ago at The Red Stag Supper Club here in Minneapolis. It blew my mind--the combination of flavors was so much euphoria in my mouth. I imagined it must be a little like shooting up heroin because it was so hard to stop eating and it was so good. And then I became obsessed with learning how I could cook up my own version at home. As it turns out, it is easy. Once you locate where to buy a bottle of white truffle oil, you are so in business. The hardest part is not burning the sugar, but after I figured out that you should wait to add it until your popcorn has begun popping, that was no longer a concern. Okay, you do still have clean out the pan which does get seriosuly gunked up from the cooked sugar once it cools, but just put some water in it and let it soak until the next day and it will not be so much of a prob.

Needless to say, this is perfect holiday gathering food. So easy and inexpensive to prepare (yes, the truffle oil is not cheap, but a little goes a long way so think of it as an investment in your mouth's happiness) in mass quantities. All you need to accompany it is an easy little holiday-ish cocktail--so I made up one of those too. Again, this drink is easy to make by the carafe, delish and refreshing without being overly sweet. And it is a perfect complement to the truffle kettle corn--and listening to holiday music while you deocrate your tree or play games with your kid or have friends over...trust me, this is your holiday go-to dish and cocktail to serve up at a moment's notice. They feel a little special but they are so easy to make. Just try it. Let me know if you too find yourself a truffle kettle corn junkie too.

DOWNLOAD TRUFFLE KETTLE CORN AND CRANBERRY COCKTAIL RECIPE

In My Shop: Nature Explorer Bag and Child's Sewing Kit

2011-12-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

I have just put my one and only Nature Explorer Bag, fully outfitted with explorer supplies, as well as my one and only Child's Sewing Kit--also fully tricked out with all manner of sewing supplies--in my Etsy shop. You can find the Explorer Bag here, and the Sewing Kit here.

Of course, if you have the time and inclination, you could make your own of either of these--check out the tutorials for them over here.

A Full Advent Forest

2011-12-03T18:33:00.000-08:00

We finally have a complete pine tree advent calendar forest. I began this project last year as part of a project I put together for the Women's Day Christmas issue, but I only made half of the trees, mostly because I got lazy. Of the 12 that got made, Socrates got hold of the number 4 tree and made off with it, never to be heard from again. So, this year I set myself to finishing the whole set of 24 trees, including the long-lost tree #4. And so this is it. Done. And actually, it wasn't that hard or even that time consuming--just a bunch of hand-sewing the trees into cones while I watched old episodes of Nurse Jackie. If you are up for the challenge--or maybe just want a few trees for decorative purposes, you can find the project links for it here.

(Side note: I am so hating the yellow walls in my living room. They came with the house when we bought it and honestly I am not sure how I have been living with them all these years. They are so urine-yellow. Barf. First resolution for the new year is to paint them a lovely creamy white...)

Make This (and give it away): Breakfast in a Box

2011-11-30T01:45:00.001-08:00

Here's a little tutorial I actually put together last year--but I really did not even get these made and sent out until after the holidays (yes, I admit I am sort of notorious for belated gift-giving--I like to tell myself it is a positive thing because it is a nice surprise to get a little something unexpected after the initial glut of gift-giving) so I ended up saving this project for you for this year. As you may have noticed by the number of breakfast-y recipes I share around here, I love breakfast. Especially weekend breakfasts when I have time to make a little something especially warm and tasty. I think weekend breakfasts are like a celebration of the start of the day and all the possibilities that lay before you. I also think it is one of the most comforting meals and is as close to being love in your tummy as anything else you can eat. So, I put this together as a way to share the love with family and friends.

Last year was actually the second time I made this as a gift--the first was several years ago for our friends, and then last year we gave this to some of our family members. It is a box of nourishing, home-prepared and cooked ingredients that help to fill you up for the day ahead--like a hearty vanilla almond granola, an oatmeal pancake mix, and another mix for a whole-grain Irish Brown Bread (first discovered and fell in love with while I was living in Galway, Ireland many years ago). This is food that feels good to eat after all the sweets and excess of the holidays.

A friend we gave this to a few years ago told me that she really appreciated the fact that we included the recipes--she described it as us not only giving them fish, but teaching them how to fish. That made me smile. And she and her family still make the granola for themselves to this day.

I also love that this is very customizable as a gift. The first year we hand-delivered this to friends in the city, so we also included a frozen log of ground homemade breakfast sausage, as well as a bottle of real maple syrup produced locally. I think we also actually baked the Irish Brown Bread and gave loaves as a opposed to a mix. Last year though, we included a jar or two of our homemade jam canned earlier in the summer. But you could include a bag of your favorite coffee or tea blend, tuck in a jar of marmalade (which is delicious with the Irish brown bread, by the way), a block of some European style butter...put your thinking caps on and make it representative of the kinds of breakfasts you and your family love.

As for this tutorial, included are all the instructions on how to prepare the foods and package them, printable templates for the labels and other packaging, copies of the recipes, and links to some sources for the jars, lined food bags, etc. This is a great holiday gift project for "assembly-line" giving--meaning, you make multiples of the same thing to give. I often take this approach to gift-giving with our friends and family. To me, it is an easier way to give a little something handmade from your home without the chaos of making too many different things.

Here is the link to the downloadable tutorial and templates:

DOWNLOAD BREAKFAST IN A BOX TUTORIAL

Happy holiday gift-giving.

In My Shop: Counting Bean Bags and Recycled Crayons

2011-11-25T21:42:00.000-08:00

There are a few sets of counting bean bags plus some bags of recycled crayons in various guises in my shop . Find the bean bags here and the crayons here. What are you waiting for? Go. Quickly, before they are all gone forever and ever.

(...and I hope you are having a lovely thanksgiving weekend too...)

More Sharing: A Few Lovely Gifts for the Kiddies

2011-11-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

Need a few ideas for some lovely little gifts for the kiddies? I got some. Fiona's Poppy Doll just makes me happy to look at it and I really cannot wait to make one myself (how can you not love a doll with a Mia Farrow haircut?). And those wooden peg dolls from Kirsty are so colorful and sweet I could eat them--but then there wouldn't have anyone to live in Patrica's paper houses (which also come with little bed templates to put the dolls to bed in!). I love the easy-to-assemble tent kits for simple and quick gift-giving. And, if it all gets out of control over here and I find all of my crafting dreams of grandeur thwarted by holiday madness, I will, at a minimum, make the Chewy plushie in some brown cotton velveteen and tuck it in bed next to Beeper for a Christmas morning surprise.

Clockwise from top left, here are the project makers and links: Poppy Doll from Hop Skip Jump; Kokeshi dolls from Ginger and George; Little Mini Doll Houses from A Little Hut; Art Tote from H is for Handmade; Memory Game from Wild Olive; Fort Kit from Saltwater Kids; Stacking Wooden Rainbow from Shape of a Spoon; and the Chewbacca Plushie from Craftzine.

Hope you can all find some time to make some handmade happiness for the kiddies in your life. Now, go get to work and make something because there is only a month until C-Day.

Lucky Day Give-Away Winners of Kids Crafternoon Beading & Felting

2011-11-22T23:12:00.000-08:00

Hi there. Are you feeling lucky today? Well, if you are Mamafox (comment #9), or Bridget (comment #18), you should because you are the winners! Mamafox, the Beading book is coming your way, and for Bridget we have the fabulous Felting book. Please email me with your mailing addresses and I will get these off in the mail to you lickety-split (fortunately, my timeline for mailing things tends to be more prompt than my timeline for announcing winners on my blog...which really does not make sense because I love to blog, but I hate going to the post office...). As for the rest of you, better luck next time; and if at first you don't succeed, try, try again, and que sera sera, etc.

In My Shop: Stuff For Babies--and a Story about Sleepy Bears

2011-11-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

I have a fresh out-of-the-oven batch of Babies on a Stick. No, they do not contain actual babies--just rattles--so if you work for child protective services you can relax already. You can buy one for yourself here.

I also cooked up a few Chow Bebe bibs which are made with 100% recycled towels on the backsides. You can buy those right here.

I whipped up a side of Sleepy Bears too. These are one of my favorite newer designs--made from organic all cotton fleece it has a lovely dreamy feel perfect for snuggling. I happen to especially love this design because it was inspired by a plushie I had as a child--actually, it belonged to my older brother first and then it became part of my plushie menagerie later on. We always called him Sleeper.

Last year I unearthed him in my childhood toy chest and was just charmed by his sweetness (and look how threadbare he is--those are patches of love). His fur is a little curly and very soft--which inspired me to start with that organic cotton fleece when I began to cook up some of my own Sleeper designs. It took several iterations before I finally settled on the design you see here. While they are different, they are both simple, sweet and perfectly sized for cuddling by a child. I can only hope my Sleepy Bears will be as cherished as Sleeper was by my brother and me. (by the way, Sleeper has since reverted to living with my big brother, where he sleeps next to his bed--or so my brother's wife reports...just goes to show that love for a plushie can be eternal)

You can get your own Sleepy Bear here.

Kids Crafternoon Blog Party and a Lucky Day Give-Away

2011-11-18T23:44:00.000-08:00

Here I am, stop number 6 on the Kids' Crafternoon Blog Party--think of it as being a bit like a pub crawl, only with blogs instead of pubs, and kids crafts instead of shots of whiskey. Yes, Kathreen is at it again--putting together more fantastic books of kiddo-friendly crafts--this time centered on beads and felt.

For this portion of the party, I decided to let Beeper and his friend, Ivan, take over--meaning I had them take a look at the books and pick a project to make for their own personal crafternoon. They quickly decided upon the Robot Softie by Bianca Brownlow--which was a relief to me since they are 7 & 8-years-old respectively and it appeared to be a simple first sewing project.

Like any good little robot designer, I had them each start off by making a sketch of their robot and any special features they may have--like a yoyo that doubles as a weapon (always handy when bored and faced with a spot of trouble) that Ivan's robot sports , or the cell phone that Beeper's robot keeps handy in his chest cavity (I would assume for quick calls to his mom as needed).

Next, we cut out the felt pieces then I put them to work on the sewing machine--this was their very first time driving the sewing machine and they were naturals. That is Ivan's mom (Hi Chellie!) there overseeing Beeper's work like a good sweat shop supervisor.

Next, I gave them a chop stick and had them stuff all those narrow little robot limbs--and again, they were pros. Okay, maybe they got a little impatient with it after the second leg, and I jumped in to make quicker work of it--but still, for having the attention-spans of a tse fly, they were softie-making rock stars.

Et voila! Their finished robot creations. The best part was how very proud they each were of their work--Ivan declared he would be sleeping with his tonight. And then they each took their robots along with them as dates to the Children's Opera performance we went to later.

But, I suppose you might like to know more the types of projects you might find in these books--so, let me share a few of my own favorites...

From the Beading book: Woodland Beaded Cards by Sharon Baldwin; Lego Jewels by Nicole Vaughan; Push Button Canvas also by Nicole Vaughan; and Freckles Photo Frame by Lisa Tilse.

Oh, and look, its one of my projects from the book--a little bejeweled skull and crossbones tote. Swanky, eh?

And from the felting book: Stitched Jewels by Cassi Griffin; Zombie Critter Charms by Lisa Tilse; Upcycled Sherpa Hay by Lisa Siebert; and Designer Wallet by Claire Dollan.

Oh, here's my project in the felting book--some simple felt cards.

You can read about the first round of Kids Crafternoon books here, and if you want to continue on with the pub crawl--I mean, blog party--you can party on at any of these swell blogs:

Monica Solorio-Snow from The Happy Zombie 20-Nov

Cate Holst from Go Make Me 21-Nov

Shannon Cook from Luvinthemommyhood 22-Nov

Jennifer Casa from JCHandmade 23-Nov

Kate from Picklebums 24-Nov

Steph Morgan from Modern Parents Messy Kids 25-Nov

Kara Fleck from Simple Kids 26-Nov

Li’l Magoolie 27-Nov

Jackie Boucher from Oh Dee Doh 28-Nov

Bianca from Sadie and Lance 29-Nov

Tricia Hogbin from Little Eco Footprints 30-Nov

Lisa Siebert guest posting at Poppytalk 1-Dec

And, if you would like to get your hands on a copy of either of these books--well, I just so happen to have a copy of each to give-away to two of you. So please go ahead and leave a comment here telling me which book appeals to you most and whatever else you might want to share. But you should do that by the end of the day on November 20th and I will try to come back promptly on Monday. to announce the winners (but please keep in mind my track record here--so, no promises)

And just in case you were wondering, the Robot Stuffies spin exceedingly well on the floor--clearly they are gifted break dancers.

You can read more about the Kids' Crafternoon Felting and Beading books over at Whip Up, and buy your own copies of the books here. And don't forget to leave a comment if you want to be in the running for the book give-away.

Studies in Positivity: Studio Mela

2011-11-12T22:01:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I've posted about Studio Mela here before but I've been having a crappy couple of days and when I came across her Etsy shop again tonight--well, for me, it was just what I needed to see. So, I thought I would share some of Shelli's brand of optimism and positivity with you. Because who knows? Maybe you could use some of it too.

You can find all the Studio Mela prints above--and then some--here.

In My Shop: Stripey iPod Monster Cozies

2011-11-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

A dozen stripey iPod monster cozies are in my shop. Yep, right now. I think they might be having a party, in fact. That's what happens when you leave them alone together--mischief, kool-aid keg stands, hysterical giggling, finger biting--oh, and gobbling up iPods (iPhones, iPods--they aren't picky--although the littlest one does have a taste for the Nano). Actually, iPod gobbling is sort of their job (when not moonlighting as models for Kathreen's Crafternoon book series). If asked, they would probably tell you they were made of burrs, dirt and moldy fur--but really, it's just recycled wool sweaters that have been felted. Go have a look at them if you must. You can find them all here.

Sharing: A Handful of Some Late Autumn Projects

2011-11-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

When I was putting this list of projects I was of two minds--I was thinking about late autumn and that feeling of wanting to begin to hunker down in your home as the weather begins to get colder--but then, I admit, I was also thinking about the holidays. I am sorry to bring it up in early November, but it is right there smack in the middle of my own mind lately because I have already begun making and stocking my own Etsy shop for the holidays and have been thinking about all the things I want to make for my own family and friends. And if you hand-make things for gifts, I am sure you get this--because these things do not make themselves in a few days and it can take planning to realize all the grand crafting and gift-giving plans. So, this is what you have here in this list of projects--a bunch of projects I would love to make for myself at this time of year (that dyed plaid scarf, the feedsack bag), but also a list of projects that could just as easily translate to gift giving (the drawn-on porcelain, the whiskey and salted caramel truffles, that itty bitty walnut pincushion from Ariana that makes me want to die).

Here are the makers and the links to their projects, clockwise from top-left: Dyed Plaid Scarf from Readymade; Whale Plushie from Valaan Villapaita; Personalized Crockery from The Happy Home; Printed Photos on Old Dictionary Pages from Take-Out Photo; Feedsack Messenger Bag from The Crafty CPA; Personalized Shrug from Imagine Childhood; Salted Caramel and Whiskey Truffles from Bakers Royale; and Walnut Shell Pincushion from Crow Roosters Crow.

As always, happy crafting--and gift-planning.

In My Shop: Cute as a Button Barrettes and Hairpins

2011-11-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

I just made a whole buttload of my Cute as a Button hairpins and barrette sets. That's right--a buttload (okay, 11 sets if you need to get exacting about what precisely amounts to a buttload). They are all made with vintage buttons (which I suppose is why I made so many--I could sort through and play with my collection of vintage buttons endlessly--and incidently, I also used to do this with my mom's tin of buttons when I was a wee lass--and have since caught Beeper doing it with my tins of buttons--clearly, a genetic thing...). If you want some for yourself--find them in my Etsy shop, here.

Belated Post Ahead: The Great Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

File this spot away for next year--that is, if it happens to be October and you happen to be in central Illinois, right smack in the middle of an Amish community, lots of soybean fields, and small town America. It is called The Great Pumpkin Patch and is located in a Arthur, Illinois, down just about a million intersecting dirt roads, just past 100 or so farms, and take care not to hit the Amish teenagers driving that buggy there. It also happens to be just down the road a spell from where my in-laws live. There's lots to do--it's sort of like the Disneyland of Squash--check it out...

...learn your ABCs via squash...

...visit an old time school house...

...become a pumpkinhead--variety of your choosing...

...admire the rainbow o' squash...

...eat a freshly made caramel apple or 12...

...get lost in corn maze...

...admire the variety of presentations of squash...

Unfortunately, the actual Great Pumpkin Patch was closed the day we visited due to MUD, but it's not like there are any shortage of pumpkins to choose from...

Yeah, we took home a trunk full. I wish I had taken a photo of all the brilliant jack o' lanterns Mr. Beeper and I designed and carved--the one with two faces was my favorite...but, you'll just have to imagine what that looked like.

You can see more photos--but only if you really want to--because there was lots more to see and do--find it here.

Read This: Bone Soup

2011-10-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

The monster love is showing no visible signs of waning anytime soon around here. Zombies, vampires, witches, skeletons, oogley-boogly sorts of monsters are all equally adored and appreciated for their individual merits. Blood-suckers, brains-cravers, bony or warty noses--we are equal-opportunity monster fans. So you can see how this book--Bone Soup by Cambria Evans--would fit right into our little library.

I admit though, part of what attracted me to this book is that it is a spooky little twist on the classic Stone Soup story I grew up reading--except so much more fun when a town full of monsters are tricked into adding their most prized ingredients to the soup--you know, like spider eggs, toe nail clippings, stewed eyeballs and similar delicacies.

Of course, really, what is best about this book are the wonderful creepy-cute illustrations--just enough spook but still enough sweet to appeal to the under-10-set without creating nightmare-fodder. I mean, I would happily give any one of the monsters in this book a hug--or even spend the night in their wonderfully realized homes with secret-cupboards, cobwebby cellars and cracked mirrors. Or maybe even design a plushie inspired by one of the monsters--you know, something itty bitty that might be able to live in a matchbox or something? Hmmm...

But really--check out Finnigin the skeleton with his gigantic eating mouth and his very tasty bone soup recipe. Guaranteed to please and nourish. Get a copy here--or from your local library.

In My Shop: Matchbox Monsters

2011-10-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

Got a hankering for a little weeny monster tucked up all nice and cozy in his own matchbox? Why yes, you say? Well, I just so happen to have about a dozen of them in my shop, awaiting someone just like you to take one (or 2 or 3 or however many) home. They come fully outfitted in a nappie (the sort you never, ever have to change--I think they are self-composting) and with their own little fringed blankie so they can be tucked sweetly to sleep when not at play. Find them here.

Make This: Halloween Shadow Puppets

2011-10-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Kate's shadow puppet tutorial over at Minieco, I designed a dozen shadow puppets of my own to give to the kiddies along with some mini flashlights at our upcoming Halloween party. I essentially used Kate's tutorial to make these, except I painted my wooden dowels up in black stripes (using the same method I used to make my stripey pick-up sticks) because I love all things stripey, and made my shadow puppet designs just a little bigger with a few different designs. You can download my shadow puppet templates here, if you care to make some for yourself:

DOWNLOAD SHADOW PUPPET TEMPLATES

You can also find Kate's tutorial with her own downloadable templates here.

A Halloween Crafting Compulsion: Part 2

2011-10-20T05:24:00.000-07:00

Pretty creepy, huh? I love this Halloween crafting project. I mean, who does not want their own faux cured head on their dining room buffet? Another brilliant Martha project. If you happen to have a styrofoam head laying around, it's ridiculously simple to make using mostly stuff you can find in your kitchen--you just dip some crumbled papertowels in old leftover coffee, let those dry, and then paste them to the head with this flour/coffee/corn syrup mixture. Put the head on a an old silver plate tray you pick up at your local thrift store (which is also where my styrofoam head came from), arrange some similarly stained gauze around the base of the head, et voila! Your own dismembered and unwrapped mummy head. Sure to delight small children and horrify your adult guests--or maybe vice versa.

You can see more photos of my dead head here and find the project with Martha's full instructions here.

In My Shop: Two-Faced Friend Doll Kits

2011-10-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

I've just put a few Two-Faced Friend Doll Kits in my shop. These contain the pre-cut materials and complete illustrated instructions to make your own Two-Faced Friend Doll--including lovely vintage feedsack fabrics for the dresses, vintage buttons and notions, all wool felt for the hair and shoes, and recycled materials for the body, as well as the kit packaging. It's a handy little kit for someone who would enjoy making a doll, but is too busy (or lazy) to select their own materials--you get the credit for hand-making something while cutting out some of the work. I love it most because nearly the entire kit is is made from recycled or repurposed materials. Want to see some more? You can find the kits here.

A Halloween Crafting Compulsion: Part 1

2011-10-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

We are planning for a little Halloween party here later this month, so you can just brace yourselves now for the posts to come about the search for the right supplies and the mad crafting that ensues. It's all Martha's fault, really. I mean, she has so many good ideas for Halloween out there that it is hard to choose just one or two--so why not 5 or 6 or 10? Damn you, Martha and your wily crafting ways.

Exhibit A--the two projects above. The first are the creepy-cool skeleton invites, instructions and downloadable templates found here (plus many more genius invite designs here). I did not have any brads handy when I made these so I just used some small grommets instead--worked just as well. The black envelopes came from Paper Source, if you care to know. The second is the creepy-crawly snake wreath--instructions here. Not hard to make at all--bought the snakes at Target in the dollar bin, painted them with black craft paint, then had Mr. Beeper do the grapevine wreath up with some matte black spray paint. I just used thread and needle to attach the snakes to the wreath--worked fine aside from the fact that grapevines really like to snag your thread and thwart your sewing efforts. This is the first wreath I have ever made. I know. Wreaths are just not my thing--but they are sort of a crafting staple (sort of like how Meg describes owls), and it seems that if you do enough crafting, you will be compelled to make one at some point. Resistance is futile.

More Halloween madness to follow...

Sharing: Some Halloween-Inspired Projects

2011-10-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

I had a really, really hard time selecting the final 8 projects for this post. There are a lot of fantastically creative Halloween projects out there--more than almost any other holiday, I think. But I love all of these and do believe I have sufficiently regained my crafting mojo that I will likely get around to making some of these this time around--in particular, that doily turned spiderweb by Betz White, those fossil cookies from Martha, and I have been meaning to do that glow stick in a jar trick with Beeper all summer. I also have a soft spot for those "boo" and "eeek" embroideries from Sweet Paul--they just seem so simple to make so why not just do it? Okay, also I love that ghosty garland by Ginger and George that is endlessly customizable by you and the kiddies and it probably needs to happen one afternoon after school.

Here are the links to the projects and their clever makers, clockwise, from top left:

Bird Masks by Martha; Ghost Garlands by Ginger and George; Pumpkin Pincushion by The Long Thread via Whip Up; Fossil Cookies by Martha; Spider Web Doily by Betz White; Stars in Jars (source, sadly, unknown) via this Tumbler; Softie Owls by Moonstiches via The Craft Army; Boo and Eeek Embroidered Pictures by Sweet Paul.

Happy Halloween Crafting, my pretties.

In My Shop: Skelly Men

2011-10-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

Three little skelly men are in my shop--awaiting good homes where they can comfortably go bump in the night. Find them here.

Who Knew Post-Its Could Be This Creepy?

2011-10-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

Imagine: in your spare time, between raising twins and writing for a children's show, you draw these--on humble post-it notes, no less. That's what John Kenn does. He's Danish. His website where he posts these office supply micro-masterpieces is mysteriously named "Don Kenn". I really do not know anything else about him--somehow, I think he wants it that way.

Whatever the case, I love these. Every single one of them. They channel Edward Gorey, but also, my own home-grown heebie-jeebies that compel me to still sleep with my bedside lamp on when Mr Beeper is out of town. They are what we all know are out there, if only we would turn around and look.

You can see more of John's creepy beauties here.

Make This: Simple Skelly Men

2011-10-04T10:10:00.001-07:00

Look: simple little skeleton plushies. Inspired by their kinder, gentler, more edible cousin--the gingerbread man. They are a family of skellies, really. You can see that: papa skelly, mama skelly and baby skelly. Because even skeletons need love.

It's just a nice little embroidered something you can make for someone who might have a thing for skeletons (ahem, Beeper). They also function nicely as Halloween decor in between being played with.

Just know this: most of your time spent making these will be spent embroidering them. I happen to love that because it means I can get in my jammies, sit on the sofa, feet up, Mad Men on, and embroider away (in between sips of wine and periodic bouts of cussing when I draw blood because I've pricked my finger again-- damn you, Don Draper, and how you distract me!).

You can download the tutorial here:

DOWNLOAD SKELETON MAN TUTORIAL

Happy Halloween.

Lucky Day Give-Away Winners of Microcrafts

2011-10-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

Hey there lucky-day-give-away contestants. I've got a couple of winners:

1) Amanda of comment #9, c'mon down and collect your copy of Microcrafts and get to work on that taxidermy deer head for Blythe.

2) Mandy, of comment #36, the girl with a soft spot for Pluto, get on over here too and get your copy--and I hope to continue to see you around these parts with your clever commentary that made me smile.

Both of you: please email me with your name and mailing addresses so I can get some of these books off my hands and into yours.

The rest of you: go on back to your usual programming because I got nothin' for you.

Eat This: Sweet Corn Cakes

2011-10-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

Sweet corn cakes. Like pancakes hooked up with some corn bread and rolled out of bed to greet you on your breakfast plate. Seriously, I know. These make perfect autumn into winter breakfast fare--hearty, yes, but mostly because they are such a luscious golden color it will bring back memories of warmer summer days. Until they hit your tongue--then all you will think about is how you can hoard the stack in the center of the table all for you, only you.

Ingredients? Feel free to use frozen or fresh corn kernels in the batter--just make sure you cook them first. Actually, I'm not sure why I add the corn kernels at the very end instead of with the other wet ingredients--but I do and it seems to work all right so why mess with it?

And the best thing you can do, if you really want to know, is top these with real maple syrup and a sprinkling of grated cotija cheese. This is how they serve them up at Maria's Cafe, a Colombian breakfast joint here and the inspiration for this recipe. The dry and salty flavor of Cotija perfectly complements the tender sweetness of these cakes and makes your breakfast transcendant. Or, just really, really good.

Happy breakfasting.

DOWNLOAD SWEET CORN CAKES RECIPE

Scott Albrecht's Paper Works

2011-09-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

I dig Scott Albrecht's hand drawn typography on found paper. They are ephemeral,a little irreverant feeling, and simple in the best way. It is like something you could have found outside, picked up from the street and then attached significant meaning to it--as though it were prophetic, a message meant for just you. You can see more of his work here, or buy a tote with one of the above messages here.

Lucky Day Give-Away: Microcrafts

2011-09-27T17:06:00.000-07:00

This is a book called Microcrafts, compiled by Margaret McGuire, Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz and friends. The book is a collection of lovely, teeny-weeny crafts of all sorts--nearly every project in here is smaller than a spool of thread, and we all know tiny directly translates to sweet and clever in the crafting lexicon. The projects are designed by a pell-mell assortment of crafters--one of which includes me (giggling coyly behind my hand, blushing, swelling preposterously with pride, but also wishing you would all stop looking at me now...no, really, do stop now...).

I have two designs in the book, actually--my Bitty Bow Wow (listed generically as Dogs in the table of contents) and all of his itty bitty doggie accoutrement...

...and my Matchbox Monsters (called Monster Babies here) with their little diapers and matchbox bed with a scrap of a blankie to snuggle under.

Oh--but there is more. Lots more, people. This book has 25 teeny projects! The craft mediums range from plushie sewing to book binding to jewlery-making to button crafts to quilling to gardening, for god's sake! Check out a few of my faves...

...the taxidremy-inspired Deer Heads by Katie Hatz...

...the Candy Charms by Mei Pak...

...the Spool Dolls by Hope Watthanaphand...

...the Planets (Pluto included!) mobile by Alicia Kachmar and Melaine Kachmar...

..and what may be the sweetest little fairy-tale-inspired greeting cards ever by Larissa Holland (you know, from Mmmcrafts). The book includes clear step by step instructions for each project with full-size templates, as well as an appedix with further info on supplies and basic techniques. And the photography of the projects is really lovely (which may not matter to you, but good photography with nice styling is half of what sells a book to me--it inspires me in a way the project alone would not). I am just uber-pleased to be part of this book.

The book is slated to be released October 4th--you can pre-order a copy right here. But, if you cannot wait, and are feeling a little lucky, I happen to have a a couple of copies right here that I am giving away. Yep. All you have to do is leave a comment here by end of day, Friday, September 30th, telling me why itty-bitty crafts appeal to you, or which project you cannot wait to make, or what was the best teeny craft project you have ever made. I will announce two winners--maybe on Saturday, but you all probably know me better than to count on that. Let's just say I will announce the winners some time (in the not so distant future, perhaps).

And by the by, Micrcocrafts is published by Quirk Books--a clever little publisher who puts out some not-so-everyday-sorta-books. Which I tell you because they also published Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs earlier this year. I have read it and will be reading it to Beeper real soon because I know he would love it at least as much as I did--and you should read it too. I believe it is billed as a young adult novel but you should not ever let that scare you away from reading a book because a good book is a good book, no matter which age group it may be aimed at (do you need me to remind you how utterly fantastic The Hunger Games trilogy was and how those were all "YA books"). You can read about the book here, and should, at the very least, check out the intriguing video trailer about the book here. (and if you are still hungry for more--see the author's fascinating video journal about his exploration of abandoned homes in Europe in order to get video to use in the book trailer--right here...)

Harry Potter Magnetic Play Set

2011-09-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

I made Beeper another magnetic playset, at his request--a Harry Potter themed set. I used my tutorial here to make it. Making it was easy-peasy--finding all those Harry Potter images via Google image searches was the hard part. But still--not that hard. Although he does keep asking me to find other characters and creatures I neglected to include like Lucius Malfoy, the Basilisk, Professor Trelawny, and Buckbeak...oh, and also scenes from each of the Triwizard Tournament challenges...and maybe Honeydukes...and some spell books...and, and....

Read This: The Man Who Lost His Head

2011-09-20T23:01:00.000-07:00

This book, The Man Who Lost His Head, is everything I like in a children's book--eye-feasting illustrations, imaginative with a bit of absurdity, a well-written story, and a classic in that it has endured for almost 70 years. It is written by Claire Hutchet Bishop, and illustrated by Robert McCloskey who you probably know better as the writer and illustrator of Blueberries for Sal and Make Way for Ducklings (which won a Caldecott medal, in case you care).

The story, as one might imagine from the title of the book, revolves around a man who awakes one fine day only to discover he has lost his head (and who has not had a morning like that, I ask you?). From there, he goes about trying to replace his head with something temporary but suitable so he can feel comfortable in public while he tries to locate his head...

Naturally, he first tries out a pumpkin...

.. and when that does not quite work, overcorrects with a parsnip...

...but then works out that custom carving (a dangerous feat one might imagine with no head to begin with!) a little something may work best. With that done, he can truly set about trying to find his head...

...which, of course, involves a trip to the county fair where he plays toss the ring games, rides a carousel, and almost gets his replacement head taken off by a tiger--amongst other things (none of which involve actually finding his head).

Ultimately, he meets a bright if cheeky boy who is determined to help him find his head once and for all through whatever means necessary. I suppose the story is a parable, but I simply find it to be fun--unpredictable, filled with silly yet wonderful writing that never talks down to the reader, and black and white illustrations burbling with clever details. I am, in fact, so captured by the illustrations every time I read this book--the dotty pajamas the main character wears, the rural 1940's era characters in overalls, the black cat playing in the background, the boy's cowlick and freckles--that I could almost forgo reading the story--except that Beeper really wants to hear the story too because it is too good not to read.

And if it is interest to you, you may want to know that this is part of the New York Review Children's Collection--which is a collection of varied and lesser-known classic books, all beautifully designed and bound in such a way that it reinforces their status as books deserving to be kept, cherished, and read again and again, over time.

Sleepover Pals and Wee Wonderfuls Book

2011-09-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

I finally did it--I managed to get something made. These are the Sleepver Pals from Wee Wonderfuls: 24 Dolls to Sew and Love by Hillary Lang.

I made them for Miss Bean's 3rd birthday gift since it seems that putting a trio of little dolls to sleep in their conjoined sleeping bags would be something she might enjoy. And look:

They roll up all nice andy tidy for easy transport and storage--unlike most kiddie sleepovers I have born witness to. The second I saw this design in the book, I wanted to make it--it's that slumber party in a package that gets me. I also have a fondness for simple little dolls like these--especially with their balls of hair and those pouffy little sleeves.

I did make a couple of changes to Hillary's already awesome design--I replicated the felt hair on front and back so I could give them awake faces on one side and sleeping faces on the other side--just because I figured Miss Bean would like that. I also did not line my pre-quilted fabric since the quilted fabric I chose already had such a pretty fabric on the flip side it seemed a pity to cover it up. This did present some subsequent challenges which I managed to deal with by binding the edges of the individual sleeping bags with yellow binding tape.

And there are still about a dozen other doll designs I want to make from this book, like...

...Koji, some sort of dino creature made from corduroy...

...this little elephant as handbag...

...this doll in a kimono with buns in her hair that look like panda faces...

...and Betsy, a cloth paperdoll on a pillow with a little pocket in the back to store her wardrobe of outfits.

I really, really love this book--one of my favorites, actually. There really are no bum designs in here--they are all lovingly realized and I would enjoy making any of them. The book itself is really nice too--hard cover with a lovely yellow binding, good illustrated instructions, full size templates in the back. I read on Amy's blog a while back that one of her girls is so enamored with the book that she actually sleeps with it--which did not strike me as crazy at all because the book is so good it is the sort of thing that makes you want to curl up next to it and fall asleep with it--so it can be close by to inspire your own dreams of doll and plushie-making.

Like, that maybe one day you could publish your own book, so beautifully-realized, filled with 2 dozen or so of your own designs....you know what I mean?

Sharing: A Handful of Projects for September

2011-09-07T22:20:00.000-07:00

More stuff you can make, if you have the inclination, the time, the wherewithal, and god knows, the supplies. My wherewithal has not been so abundant lately--remember all those mid-summer projects I posted weeks ago and how I said I wanted to make several? Well, I have managed to make nary a friendship bracelet, not even a frickin sponge bomb, which is so simple to make I could have given all the supplies to Beeper and he would have turned out a bucketful in between episodes of Wild Crats on PBS . This blog is teetering precariously on the edge of becoming a blog about what all the other people make, I tell you. It is a sad state of affairs over here.

But let me just say that I still have crafting dreams--some of which involve some of these very projects you see above. Like those chemistry crayon labels, which I should be able to manage since they consist of a set of stickers you can order from Que Intersante's Etsy shop and need only slap them on a set of crayons. But really, my heart aches to make one of the Lowly Worms like those made by Stitch/Craft for her son's Busy Town birthday party, and that sweatshirt refashioned into a little jacket is so like something I would wear that I cannot believe it is not already in my wardrobe--but apparently, I need to knuckle down and actually sew it together. And those linen stacking pillows from Purl Bee?--I already have a spot next to the fireplace staked to place them once finished--that is, if I actually, well you know where this is going...

Anyway, for those of you interested, clockwise, from top left, here are the projects and their makers: Sweatershirt ReStyle from Dee-Construction; Three Bears Sleeping Bags from Flossie Teacakes; Tripod Camping Stool from Design Sponge; Whole Wheat Goldfish Crackers from Smitten Kitchen; Chemistry Crayon Labels from Que Intersante; Busy Town Birthday Party and Lowly Worms by Stitch/Craft; Linen Stacking Pillows from Purl Bee; and a Cape for all Seasons by Imagine Childhood.

Lovely. Someday, maybe inspiration will find me again but I until then I have everything everyone else is making to at least give me a little pleasure. Right?

Musical Lego Minifigures

2011-09-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

Beatles circa Abbey Road

Nirvana

Led Zeppelin

White Stripes

It is no secret around here that, for Beeper, LEGO are next to godliness. Okay, I admit, I was never ever really interested in LEGO myself as a child--but it is lovely the sort of discoveries one is led to as an adult a result of your own child's interests. As I have worked with Beeper on numerous LEGO projects and models over the past year, I have gained a sincere appreciation for the LEGO aesthetic--the thoughtful construction, the artfulness in their designs, how these simple little plastic pieces are used in a myriad of ways to build something as complex as Hogwarts School or a Star Wars spaceship, not to mention the open-ended creativity they invite.

Ultimately, this led me to some exploration of LEGO photography on Flickr and the things other big people are creating with LEGO--and this was one of the sets I came across that did nothing else if not bring a smile to my face: It is a series of LEGO Minifigures constructed to resemble musicians and various rock groups, made by Andrew Becraft (aka Dunechaser on Flickr). You can see his musical minifgure set here or explore more of his brilliant LEGO minifig creations here.

To me, it is amazing how entirely recognizable specific musicians are when made from LEGO--like Jack White, like the Edge, like all the members of Nirvana. How can you not love that? And then in some reciprocal inspiration bouncing between Beeper and me, this morning he saw me working on this blog post, inquired about the minifigure photos then disappeared for a bit and when he showed back up, this is what he presented me with:

This is Beeper's own LEGO minifig interpretation of our family, including Socrates with his green eyes, next to Beeper. That pretty much made my day.

Eat This: Tripleberry Jam

2011-09-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

First off, you should know that I meant to post this like 6 full weeks ago or something--back when it was still berry picking season around here. But, of course, I procrastinated on making the jam since our kitchen is not air conditioned (welcome to living in a home from the 1920's) and it felt like you were living inside someone's mouth about 6 weeks ago while that terrible heat wave was breathing all hot and heavy on the U.S. So, I froze the berries and waited--then I went away for a weekend to a dear friend's house and she not only had central air, but also a beautiful kitchen--so she kindly let me go to work and do my canning while I was there. But since then, sheer laziness has taken hold as the summer wanes and the jam sits in quiet little rows in the basement.

Oh, but here I am! I have the recipe all typed up and ready for download now. So, if you are still up for making some jam, try some of this--Tripleberry. It is a lovely little blend of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. I used what I had when I made this--which was a lot strawberries from when we picked them earlier in the summer, a lot of raspberries from our own urban patch, and some blueberries from the store when they were on sale. You could, however, add in blackberries and make quadrupleberry if you prefer, or adjust the measurements of berries if you would like it to be a bit more blueberry-y, for instance--as long as you have 8 total cups of berries all will be good. A little late, but have at it...

DOWNLOAD TRIPLEBERRY JAM RECIPE

Winner of the Tea Gift Certificate Lucky Day Give-Away

2011-08-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

Pssst....Olivia? Owner of the 30th comment about espadrilles for twins? Are you out there?

BECAUSE YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THE $75 TEA GIFT CERTIFICATE!

Just email me with your contact info (full name and email address) and I will get you set up with the lovely people over at Tea.

As for the rest of you, I got nothin' for you. Go on back to your usual programming.

Madeline Island

2011-08-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

Cliffs of Madeline Island

Old Fishing Cabin on Manitou Island

Lake Superior Rocks

Canoe near the Lagoon on Madeline Island

Mr Beeper and Beeper Exploring Manitou Island

Old Fishing Camp

Cabinet Remains in Fishing Camp

Lagoon on Madeline Island

Rocks and Drift Wood

Tim Naps on the Dock

Sailboat through the Grass off Manitou Island

Tom's Burned Down Bar

Mr Beeper's Favorite Sign at Tom's

Mad Island Style at Tom's

Hammock in the Yard of the Mad Island Public Library

Little Miss Lily Leaps into Lake Superior

Beeper Fearlessly Hops In

Canoes on Mad Island

As a rule, given the inhospitality of the weather around here most of the year, we deliberately make our vacation plans for near locales and try to make the most of the what is right here while the weather is lovely--you may have noticed this. Thus, we have been away in the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior, staying at a friend's wonderful new home on Madeline Island--and then saved a few days on the back end for a short trip to Ludlow's Island for our annual summer's end visit. I had never been to the Islands before and as you can see, the beauty is pretty staggering. For me, few things can compete the with the rocky shorelines, fresh water lake-swimming, boreal forests, and that rustic-feel of Lake Superior. Having grown up in northern Minnesota, those red cliffs and cold waters feel like coming home and I can shuck off whatever else may be preoccupying me and just be right there, right then.

And for future reference: when it would seem I have disappeared off the face of my blog, you can probably safely assume I was on vacation. I always have the best intentions of dropping in here to say hello, let you know where I am, squeeze a post in here or there about whatever we are up to--but somehow, I just fall into my vacation headfirst, forgetting everything else. I hope you understand.

I will be back tomorrow to announce the winner of the Tea gift certificate--I pinky-swear.

Christian Jackson: Children's Story Posters

2011-08-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

I love all of these modern and minimalist posters inspired by classic children's fairytales. I would like a room filled with them--maybe even my own workshop space. They are all by Christian Jackson. You can find all of the designs here--and buy them here.

Tea: Children's Clothing and a Lucky Day Giveaway

2011-08-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

I recently was contacted by a children's clothing company I had never heard of before: Tea. They were familiar with my little blog and kindly offered me a $100 gift certificate to purchase some clothing for Beeper in exchange for offering a review of their products right here. Now, you all know I do not usually do this here--but I have to admit that when I wandered out to their website to check out their clothing, I was pretty readily convinced that I would like to share it with you. Let me start by telling you a bit about them...

Tea strives to bring together modern children's fashion and inspiration from locales around the world. The design team at Tea actually travels to locations around the world, which later become the inspiration for their seasonal collections. They spend time absorbing the atmosphere and flavor of the place and then return and use this inspiration to shape a destination-influenced line of clothing for children from 0-12 years of age. They also make a point of using natural fabrics that are a little luxiurious while being durable. I am happy to attest to the quality of the fabrics after having felt them with my own hands--for instance, the t-shirts are a super-soft pima cotton with a nice heft that I am certain will stand up to my boy's head-first style of play.

What you see in all of the photos here are the pieces of clothing I recently purchased from Tea--initially, I thought I would just purchase a few things for Beeper, but when I took a peek into the girl's collection, well, I could not resist purchasing a dress for our little friend, Miss Bean (what you do not see here are the matching bloomers under her dress--so sweet!). For Beeper, I chose some pants that he can roll up for summer but then wear full length when he goes back to school. I was also instantly attracted to the beautiful blue plaid hooded shirt--just because it is more interesting than the standard tee or hoodie, while being less formal than a button-down shirt. Again, perfectly transitional for summer to fall when layered. And the worn-looking "el artista" tee? Okay, this may have ended up in the order because I sort of wish I had one for myself in my own size because I would wear it with old jeans, boots and a casual patterned scarf looped around my neck--but still.

All of these clothes are from their Catalonia-inspired summer collection. I would note that only a few pieces from the summer collection remain on sale--however, they do have a new fall collection inspired by Modern Mexico with clothing inspired by Mexican folk art and pop culture, sarapes, and Mayan graphics--which then make its way to designs on hoodies, tees and all manner of dresses.

From a pure parenting point of view, I am happy to tell you that their clothing sizes really seem to run true-to-size--I ordered all size 7's for my 7-year-old boy and, as you can see, they fit him perfectly with just enough room to grow through the next year. I also ordered a size 3 dress for Miss Bean and found the same to be true for her.

Oh, yes, and now for the really, really good part--Tea has generously offered a $75 gift certificate to give away to one of you. Yes, $75 to spend on anything your heart desires from their lovely new Modern Mexico collection. And did I mention they also have a small women's collection? Yep--I certainly wouldn't tell if you won the gift certiifcate and quietly tucked it away for you, all you. All I ask is that you leave a comment here by the end of Saturday, August 13th, sharing something you like about their clothing, or what would be on your wish list of items to buy from Tea should you win--and I will announce the winners back here early next week (see how I slyly sidestepped committing myself to a specific date--I have learned that I cannot be counted on to meet my own deadlines...but I promise I will announce the winner sometime next week)

And you should know, both of the kids liked the clothes so much they did not want to take them off after they put them on for the first time--that's as close to a certifiable stamp of approval as you get from kids, right?
You can find all of Tea's wonderful clothing for boys, girls, babies and women here.

Look What You Made...

2011-08-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

Counting Bean Bags made by Liz at Living My Sweet Life
(the numbers are freezer-paper stenciled--brilliant!)

Girl Pin Cushion from the Child's Sewing Kit made by ThisYoungMama
(so nicely done I almost wish it was a whole doll!)

Mooshy Belly Bunny made by Kristena at Thimbly Things
(described by Kristena as a jail-break-bunny)

Child's Sewing Kit by Linaloo
(love the denim cover with the applique heart)

Spelling Bean Bags by Tappity
(made with such a lovely array of repro feedsacks I feel a little nauseous with envy)

Nature Explorer Bag made by Kendra
(actually, she made 3 and she made them to be beachcomber bags for her kids)

Counting Bean Bags by The Crafty Kitty's Eco Crafts
(made from some luscious Cloud 9 Organic Fabrics and then
stashed in a fabric box designed by Stephanie to fit the bean bags--
and I love the blanket stitched numbers)

Rainbow Sunshine Plushie made by Larissa at MmmCrafts
(the chenille lion's face adaptation of my design just makes me smile)

Cloth Napkins by Kay at I Got a Notion
(like the letters done up in an array of calicos--very homey)
Some of you have been busy again--busy making stuff from my tutorials, busy making lots of counting bean bags especially, and busy making them all your own in that way you have. I love to see what you put up in the Beeper Bebe Projects Made by You Flickr group--and love to flaunt what you are doing around here. Because it should be flaunted and shared. In my perfect world, everyone would stop what they are doing to admire all the things so many people are out there hand-making, everyone would give handmade gifts, everyone would understand the value of handmade, and everyone would have a scotch and soda with a twist of lemon at 6:00pm sharp each day. Mmmm, scotch and crafts...

And just in case you got disoriented there for a moment after viewing so many awesomely realized projects, you can find the instructions for any one of the projects right over here.

Eat This: More Homemade Popsicles

2011-08-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

I made more popsicles again this summer--really, I made enough that I could open my own frozen confection shop in my 'hood. I made 6 new flavors, in addition to a couple of our faves from last year (pineapple coconut & orange vanilla cream--recipes here). I am telling you though, this year's layered coconut raspberry is lovely--and the strawberry lemonade really hits the spot on a hot, hot day (or day after hot, hot day as has been case up here this summer where the weather has felt like you are living inside someone's moist, fetid breath).

You can download my latest popsicle recipes right here:

DOWNLOAD NEW HOMEMADE POPSICLE RECIPES

Mostly, I just want to be the mom all the kids like because she dolls out popsicles like they are smiles--despite her humidity frazzled hair and mood. Blueberry lime raspberry bomb pop anyone?

Kids' Crafternoon Book Give-Away Winners

2011-08-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

Oh, hi. Did I say I would announce the winner last Tuesday? Really? Are you sure? Well, Monday is almost Tuesday--I mean, if you wait a whole week it is. Without any further ado, here are the winners of the Kids' Crafternoon books:

Commenter #20: Sweet KM wins the Paper Craft book

Commenter #33: Amber Dubberke wins the Sewing book

Now, you know what you need to do--email me with your mailing address so I can get these sent off in the post to you and into your crafty hands.

The photos above are my own of the two different projects I have in the Kids' Crafternoon Sewing book. And if you have not seen been joining Kathreen on her blog tour for the books, you should at least check out the tour stop at Checkout Girl where Melissa's daughter makes her very own i-Pod Creature Cozy and offers a review of the project...

Read This: D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths

2011-08-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with Greek Mythology when I was in first grade--I actually learned to read using early reading workbooks that contained simplified versions of Greek myths. I became such a mythology nerd, I had a poster of mythological creatures hanging over my bed in 3rd grade, and for my 6th grade special project, I made a hallway long mural that I drew of Greek gods and monsters (yes, uber-nerd, might be more appropriate). I even carried this love into college where I briefly became a classics major and studied the ancient Greek language, and ancient history, as well as literature. Suffice to say, there is a reason I was attracted to this book, D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire.

I gave this book to Beeper as a gift this past year. Each night we read a several stories--sometimes several more than we should have as we pushed out bedtime in order to read one more. Usually, Beeper falls asleep while we are reading--he never fell asleep while I was reading this book. Almost as soon as we finished the book, he wanted to read it together again. The way I see it, either my love of Greek mythology transferred to him genetically, or this book is just really good. Probably the latter.

The illustrations are a-freaking-mazing--lush and color-filled and even the bronze or black and white illustrations are clamoring with detail. Beeper and I would spend long quiet moments just examining the illustrations together before continuing to read the stories. The illustrations by Ingri and Edgar D'Aulaire, are truly works of art in and of themselves--both European born, they used an old-world, labor-intensive process of stone lithography which involved tracing their images on slabs of Bavarian limestone, which then produced the extraordinarily vivid illustrations you see in the book.

The writing of the myths themselves is perfectly balanced for a child--they are faithful to the myths themselves, revealing the gods and goddesses' might as well as their very-human-like pettiness and other foibles--while balancing just enough detail with just the right amount of action.

Beeper loved learning about each of the Olympian gods and goddesses and how they came into being (Athena emerging fully formed from Zeus' head during a headache, Venus arising from the sea on a cushion of seafoam), the great powers of the gods that once helped to explain natural phenomena to the ancient peoples (Zeus' lightning bolts forged by the Cylcopes, Persephone's return from Hade's underworld and to her mother, Demeter, precipitating the return of spring), as well as about the mortal children of Zeus, many of whom are the heroes of mythology (Perseus who cut off Medusa's head, Hercules and his 10 labors, Theseus who slayed the Minotaur).

This is just good stuff. Reading this book with your child will add a whole new layer of understanding to the world around them as our world is rife with references to Greek mythology--in classical and modern art, in great literature (Shakespeare) as well as popular books (Percy Jackson), in movies, and in popular phrases (Achilles' heel)--and suddenly Beeper catches and recognizes this stuff everywhere.

Whatever the case, you can find D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths here for just a little more than $12. It is a nice large format, measuring about 9x13 inches, and contains everything you ever wanted to know about the Olympians, the minor gods, and their mortal children. Who knows? Maybe Beeper will one day be the classical studies major I never was--or maybe he will just have an abiding love of Greek mythology his entire life, just like his nerdy mama.

Happy Town, USA

2011-07-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

On my list of favorite things in the world, vintage Fisher Price Little People rank high. I played with these when I was growing up, bought several sets for Beeper (okay, for me, really) over the years as gifts, and could easily name my favorite sets today (the A-Frame, the pop-up camper, Sesame Street, and the hospital, if you must know). So, of course, when I first saw these prints by Happy Town, USA, it was all immediate adoration. I love the bright acid-colored photography, and how the messages are either sweetly positive, or discordantly modern--but also just plain funny.

They offer 4x5, 5x7, or 8x10 sizes of all of the prints. They also offer prints customized with your own message, or a name. Sweet. You can find all the designs above, and many more, here.

Have Yourself a Lovely Crafternoon with the Kids...

2011-07-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

I am smiling as a write this--see: :-)

I have some very happy news to share with you--I am in my very first book! It is one of two books recently published--Kids' Crafternoon Sewing and Kids' Crafternoon Papercraft. Both books were curated and edited by the lovely Kathreen Ricketson of Whip Up and each contains 25 projects designed and created from many talented crafters around the world. Let me tell you a little bit more about the books...

{Pet Pillows designed by Karen Jester}

{Limby the Button-Eyed Dude designed by Lizette Greco + Grecolaborativo}

Each book features projects that can be completed in an afternoon by kids--most of which are designed to be completed largely independently with limited on-the-scene support from parents or other big people. While the projects are aimed at the 7-12-year-old set, there are many, many projects in here I know a 14 or 15 or even 16 year old would be interested in making for him or herself. Oh, and that is the other good bit--the projects are aimed to appeal to both boys and girls. Nice.

{Illustrated Softy Badges designed by Lisa Tilse}

The books are actually part of a series of craft books, all aimed at kids, of course, that Kathreen put together with Hardie Grant. Books with projects based around beading and felt will also be released at some point in the future (and I also have projects in each of those, thank you for asking).

{iPod Creature Cosy by me!}

{Sassy the Sock Softy also designed by me!}
Oh, and here are my two projects in the sewing book: the iPod Creature Cosy (2nd above--made from recycled sweaters and customizable to the size of your own MP3 player needs), and Sassy the Sock Creature with its tongue sticking out of its mouth all sweet and snotty-like (above--made from a stripey sock, can be handsewn too!).

It is a really thoughtfully put together book--clearly designed to make the projects as accessible as possible to kids. Above are the illustrated instructions in the books, just to walk a kid step by step through how to make the projects (Kathreen's husband did the illustrations--personally, I like that--a family effort gives it all more heart). And there is a pocket at the front of the books with the template pieces for easy access.

Here are just a few of the projects I love in the Kids' Crafternoon Papercraft book...

{Book Invaders Bookmark designed by Elod Beregszaszi}

{Pet Menagerie designed Nancy W Hall}

{Home Sweet Home designed by Cate Holst}

{Sewn Cards designed by Alison Hudson}

Do you like them? Want to make some of these projects with your own kids? Curious about the other fantastic projects in the books? Good--because I have a copy of the Kids' Crafternoon Sewing book and the Kids' Crafternoon Papercraft book to give away--one to each of my readers. All I ask is that you leave a comment by end of day Tuesday (July 26th) telling me what you like most about these books, or which project you can't wait to make with your kids or just for you (no shame there), or why you think it is awesome Kathreen put together these books in the first place, or whatever comment you choose to leave related to the books--and I will announce the two lucky winners on Wednesday, July 27th right here.

And if you are not so fortunate as to be one of the lucky winners, there are other options so listen up, people: you can either crash the blog party Kathreen has arranged around blogland (find the sites and dates here), or you can order your very own copies either through Booktopia or Amazon UK.

Imagine me dancing around all joyful-like with the books in my arms right now, elated as hell to be part of the crafty group represented in the book--because that is what I am doing (or let's be honest--maybe I am just folding some laundry right now but, well, you know what I mean...)

Someone Lost a Tooth...

2011-07-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

Not the first one he had lost, but he is pretty proud about losing a front tooth. Me? I am a little sad. You know, just that usual stuff about life going by so quickly.

Sharing: Mid-Summer's Projects to Check Out

2011-07-13T14:50:00.000-07:00

These are all the mid-summer projects I want to make--most of which I probably won't--but I think I can manage a few like those sponge bombs, and I MUST make some friendship bracelets because I have been obsessing about them for some time now. But maybe you can manage to be more industrious than I can in the summer when all I want to do involves a cold drink and a lake and a book...

Clockwise, from top left the projects are: friendship bracelets by Honestly WTF, painted mason jars by Joy's Hope, sponge bombs by A Little Tipsy, rustic pencil holder by Strawberry Chic, A-frame tent by Cakies, corn starch sidewalk chalk by Pink and Green Mama, hanging day bed by Ana White, and the stripey socialite skirt by Elle Apparel.

If I get my butt in gear, maybe I can even get around to the little A-frame pup tent--and one of those stripey skirts for me because I love all things stripey. But I still want to make our picnic quilt, and am in the midst of popsicle making (new recipes to come soon!), and there is our garden to tend, and grass to be laid upon, and sun tea to be drunk while sitting in the shade of a tree and reading Keith Richard's autobiography...

20/20 by Lucas Mongiello

2011-07-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

These are by Lucas Mongiello and are part of a series called 20/20. I cannot explain it but I love these precariously stacked assemblages of toys under glass cloches. Perhaps because they are like little bits and pieces of my childhood trapped under glass? So curious and wonderful.

Drink This: Vanilla Vodka Lemonade

2011-07-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

My friend, Chellie, introduced me to this drink last summer and I have been a dedicated maker and drinker of this beverage ever since. For me it has become the drink for summer gatherings with friends. Served over a glass of ice with an extra sprig of mint, it is the perfect refreshment for the backyard, the cabin, the deck, a picnic, or wherever you can manage to hold one in your hand without spilling it (which may become a challenge if you drink too many in one evening).

Chellie made this originally with a can of frozen lemonade--and while I do offer that version of the recipe as a variation in my download for those who want the quick and dirty method, the recipe on the card tells you how to make these from scratch--meaning, you make your own lemonade with freshly squeezed lemons (not that you make your own vanilla vodka though--I'm not freakin' Martha over here--vanilla Stolis works fine where I come from).

Just take care not to drink too many--it is easy to do. Um, speaking from experience (like last weekend's experience at a friend's when I returned with a splitting sugar and alcohol headache after downing these all afternoon). You know, drink in moderation is all I am saying--for your own good.

DOWNLOAD VANILLA VODKA LEMONADE RECIPE

July 4th

2011-07-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

grilled and listened to records with friends

made vanilla vodka lemonades (recipe later)

went to the beach when it got too damn hot

ate drippy ice cream

visited an organic strawberry farm and picked 9 pints

made some strawberry-rhubarb jam

spent a lot of time at the vet with Socrates who broke his paw

That's what we did over our July 4th weekend. What about yours?

Make This: Nature Explorer Bag

2011-06-27T00:46:00.000-07:00

This is the little nature explorer bag I designed and made for all the kiddies who joined us at Tettegouche Camp last week. Yes, I made 5 of these in less than a week, then stocked them all with a bunch nature explorer goodies to keep the kiddos busy. And it worked.

The bags actually were a big, big hit and the kids carried them around all weekend and did things like captured worms and a sluggish wasp in the bug jars, sketched wildflowers in their field notebooks, gathered treasured rocks in their tins, chased each other in the dark with their flashlights, and blew their whistles CONSTANTLY (yes, think twice about including a whistle that can be worn around the neck and carried with you at all times--especially if you are trying to have a peaceful, bucolic wildife experience.)

You can see I made them each in differently colored cotton-linen blend fabrics, then lined them each in constrasting homespun plaids. Don't let all those sweet smiling faces fool you--they were all evil whistle-blowing wraiths. Also snack-demanding beasts who moved in packs. And don't even ask about the platypus game and the dangerous hijinks that involved....but at least the differently colored bags kept the spats about whose bag belonged to whom at bay.

I designed the bag with several handy pockets, inside and out. The inside pockets were sized to hold little notebooks, a magnifying glass, a small set of colored pencils or crayons and other handy nature stuff.

I made the flap pockets on the front with accordion folds so they could expand to hold their bug canisters when they have some precious cargo to tote around and didn't want to jostle their insect friends around in the bag with all the other junk. I also designed the bag to have that easy fold-over top so the kids would not have to fuss with opening and closing the bag and could have quick access to their bag contents--I think I maybe love this aspect of the bag more than anything--so laissez-faire, so unstructured in the best way. Maybe this is why I want to make one for myself--only with a wider, adjustable strap--and why a couple of other big people asked me to make one for them too. I may have to open my own nature explorer bag making sweat shop.

If you like the design as much as me and the kiddies, you can make your own too because I have a nice little downloadable tutorial for you. Right here:

DOWNLOAD NATURE EXPLORER BAG TUTORIAL

Now, I have to warn you that making those accordion fold pockets can be a little confusing--I did put some detailed photos out in a Flickr set, here, and there is also a photo mosaic of all of the steps right here. While I love the accordion fold pockets and after making 6 of the bags now, could probably make them blindfolded with a full cosmopolitan in one hand, you should know there is always the option of just making flat, patch pockets and I will not think any less of you for it.

The tutorial, of course, has the usual detailed instructions with illustrations, but it also has links to all the places I bought my nature explorer supplies you see in the photo above, as well as copies of the labels I made to put on the tins and little notebooks if you want to customize some of your own.

Did I mention this is one of my all-time favorite designs and tutorials I have made? It is. I like it. I hope you will too.

Tettegouche Camp with Friends

2011-06-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

{View of Lake MicMac from Camp}

{Cabin A and the Water Pump}

{Wild Columbine}

{Tandem Jump into the Lake}

{Dininghall Porch}

{Lady Slipper Orchid in Bloom}

{Reading in the Grass}

{Old Boathouse on Lake MicMac}

{Uncle A-Bomb on the Dock}

{Miss Bean's Fancy Toes}

(Patch of Hawkweed}

{Beeper peering into the creek on a hike}

{Woodland Flowers}

{Ruins of a Root Cellar in Camp}

{Tettegouche Camp with Friends}

We have been away at Tettegouche Camp again for a few days. Still one of the loveliest places I have ever been, and even more lovely when your closest friends rent the other three cabins in camp. You can see more photos here or, read about trip last year here.

And for those of you who could give a rip about my vacation photos, I will be back later this week with a little tutorial on how to make a nature explorer bag for the kiddies--or with a few modifications, a summer bag for you, so stay cool.

Lego Zip Pouches--Make Your Own If You Want To

2011-06-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

I actually went sort of simple for Beeper's birthday party this year--just a little party outdoors at a favorite local playground with lots of friends and some balloons and cupcakes. Since it was still supposed to be a Lego themed party, I made these little zip pouches printed with multi-colored stacks of Legos as favors--I figured the kids could re-use them as pencil pouches, or just to hold a few Legos for building on-the-go. I stocked each pouch with a tiny set of markers I found in the $1 section at Target, a small half-moon envelope I made and filled with a few Lego-themed coloring cards, and one of the Lego mini-figures (dang, the kids love those figures).

Of course, there were some games. I bought a couple of large plastic bags of Legos secondhand at the thrift store and put them in a large jar for use at the party--then I dumped them out on a picnic table and had the kids work in teams to build as tall of a lego tower as they could in 2 minutes. In order to win, the tower not only had to be the tallest but it also had to be able to stand on its own--extra mini-figures went to the highly-envied winners.

I also had them build their own lego creations and present their creations individually to the group, describing what they had built and demonstrating any special functionality. This game was fantastic because they were each so proud of their creations--we gave out glassine bags of those lego-like candies you see in the first photo as prizes for each of them.

Other than that it was a lot of running around willy-nilly at the playground, eating loads of watermelon, playing with caterpillars that were falling from the trees, and spitting sunflower seeds at one another--or what I think may be the perfect party for a 7 year old.

As for you, well, if you are interested in making any of the above, here's what I've got for you:

1) Lego Zip Pouches--I have put the image of the lego stack I printed on the fabric out in my Flickr account if you would like to use it in whatever creative way you desire--you can find it here. There are also several Lego mini-figure images out there if you would prefer to use those too. I made the pouches using the same downloadable tutorial instructions I made a while back for the art supply pouches--you can find it here. These particular pouches were all made using a single 8.5x11-inch piece of fabric that I printed with the lego design (more about printing on fabric here too), and lined it was a nice bright lego-ish solid color that matched the zipper. Each pouch probably only took me about 30 minutes to make. I also uploaded a copy of the exact design I printed on the fabric, with the lego image placed for printing on a 8.5x11 piece of fabric which you can then turn into a zip pouch. You can download that here: DOWNLOAD LEGO POUCH. Both designs you see above are in there.

2) The Half-Moon Envelopes with the Coloring Cards--I put a template out for you to download in case you want to make some of those: DOWNLOAD HALF MOON ENVELOPE TEMPLATE. The coloring cards were all made from stuff I downloaded from the Lego website or from this website and this website--I just resized them so they fit 4 to a page. I also put the Lego-Man graphic--found here--on the front of the envelope, which you can customize with your own headline before you download it for printing. Incidently, I buy all my paper from Paper Source, if that is of interest to you--they make lots of nice bright sturdy papers that are good for printing.

3) The Invitation: while I never did post a photo of the actual completed invitation, I did share the photo I used for the invitation with you--see it here. For those I just printed the photo out and attached it to a bright yellow post card with red photo corners and sent it out in blue envelopes (again, Paper Source). But if you want to use the photo I made for the invite, please feel to use that as well--you can also find that in my Flickr account, right here.

So, there you go. Go forth and build you own Lego birthday party, if you want to. Or maybe just make one of the Lego-emblazoned pouches for a little someone special who has a soft spot for Legos. Whatever, do what you will--I'm just the hired help here.

I Did It!

2011-06-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! It's done! I did it! I really, truly made a quilt! High-fives all around, please.

Okay, but yeah, it's not perfect--I had a little problem finishing the binding in that nice seamless looking way it is supposed to be finished so I just gave up and sewed it together in whatever half-assed way I could manage. Also, yes, I took the easy route because I tied the quilt top rather than quilted it--but c'mon, it's a picnic quilt, which I thing lends itself to hand-tying and that low-tech, old fashioned sorta look--right? And really, I was not entirely happy with the combo of fabrics once I laid them all out--too much pattern competing for your eye and also the off-white calico I used with the little purple violets--well, it just did not work for me. I felt like my grandma came along and inserted her own nightgown in there.

But aside from ALL THAT, yeah, I am good with it. It came together pretty easily, and I really, really liked the process of hand-sewing on the binding--mostly because I like to hand sew, but also because the binding just makes a quilt come together, like putting a painting in the right frame. And most of all, when I gave it to Rae, well, she was just very touched and I really felt like making the quilt communicated the gratitude to her I feel--which is what it was all about anyway. Well, that and banishing my never-made-a-quilt-before-anxiety.

Next up? My own picnic quilt. Except this time I think I will make a Denyse Schmidt quilt design because she already has that whole solid fabric to print fabric ratio figured out and her designs are just so damn beautiful they make my stomach hurt. And who does not want to have a picnic quilt that makes their stomach hurt?

Birthday Counting Cards

2011-06-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

I have been making these Birthday Counting Cards for Beeper for his last 3 birthdays and he still loves them. In fact, I was informed by another parent that while Beeper was at another birthday party this week, she overheard him proudly telling another kid, "My mom makes the best birthday cards." Nice.

And here is this year's set of counting cards, with this year's loot. Yes, I put an i-Tunes card on the "1" card because he loves music but I was told that what he loved most from the cards were the 7 little photos of his friends--and then the 6 Star Wars mini coloring cards (downloaded and resized)--and then the 4 puffy bug stickers--and then the 2 sticks of fruit stripes gum--and then the 3 tattoos. Yes, the money and the gift card ranked last which just goes to show you do not need money or anything fancy to impress with these cards.

So I thought I would just remind you about my tutorial for these--in case you never had the wherewithal to dig all the way back in my blog archives 2+ years and so never caught this tutorial. It is still one of my favorites--and Beeper's too, apparently.

Where Do Doughnut Muffins Fit in the MyPlate Graphic?

2011-06-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe you should not really eat these--but you already want to, don't you? I'm not going to stop you. I'm also not going to tell you that these doughnuts disguised as a muffin do not taste good--because they are so yummy, so chocolate-y, and did I mention, they taste remarkably like a freshly-friend doughnut? Oh, yeah, except they aren't fried like other naughty little doughnuts out there--these are baked, all snug and happy in a muffin pan.

You can thank Joy for the recipe because that is where I got the recipe from. Right here. I have a total love-hate with her blog because I cannot resist making her stuff--like this and my goodness, I so want to make this--but really, I do not think any of these items would fit anywhere on that new MyPlate graphic from the USDA. What do you think?

And despite all that, I'm undeterred from telling you to try these--and I am even going to suggest you double dip your muffins in the chocolate glaze (there will be more than enough from the amount the recipe makes) and just pretend that chocolate and doughnut muffins have their own special food plate graphic not yet created. In the meantime, I am dreaming about making these again, but with a nice vanilla bean glaze, then dipped in coconut. Something to think about...

Dear Blank...

2011-05-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

I love these. They are cards made by Sapling Press. I ordered the first one and hung it in my workshop just because it makes me smile every single time I read it. The last one I bought for a coworker who works for Corporate Affairs and is always providing the less grammatically savvy amongst us with pointers about when to use a semi-colon, when to use an "n" vs. an "m" dash, when to just shut up and let her write the sentence for us.

I discovered these via Abby and this post covering the National Stationary Show. Isn't Abby's blog always a source of inspiration?

Summertime's List of Desires

2011-05-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

Although it seems antithetical to the lackadaisical ways of summer, I always have a list of the things I want to do, see and eat each summer. I attribute it to the Minnesotan in me--winter is long and summer is fleeting, and carpe diem is the only way to fly if you want to get the most out of that little respite of warm weather we have around here. But aside from all that, I just like the happy anticipation of making a list of all the good things you can do during the summer. And even though it s only 65 degrees here today, the sun is still shining and the garden is growing and I know there is so much goodness to come. So, here's my list:

1. An evening at the drive-in movie theatre with friends and lots of great food and drinks in the cooler
2. Monthly picnics, with an open invitation to friends to join

3. Can more jam--blubarb, raspberry, raspberry jalapeno, pepper

4. Monthly camping trips to escape the city

5. Make lots and lots of popsicles, including some new flavors

6. Dig a new, bigger garden bed for french green beans, small melons, kale, summer squash and tomatoes

7. Paint the outdoor chairs in mismatched bright colors

8. Build a playhouse for Beeper

9. Weekly trips on bike to the local beach

10. Hiking at at least 2 state parks we have not visited before

11. Dinner at a drive-in burger joint

12. Bike everywhere that we can

13. Dinner at the Tin Fish (local open air restaurant on the lake)

14. Lots of games of kick ball with the kiddies

15. Camp at Split Rock State Park on Lake Superior's north shore

16. Weekend trip to Madeleine Island in Lake Superior

17. Catch the Led Zeppelin cover band if they play the Lake Harriet Pavilion again this summer

18. Tettegouche family summer camp with friends

19. Weekly trips to the farmer's market

20. Catch some of the open air movies in the park

21. Attend our neighborhood Art Fair

22. Do a full day at the Minnesota State Fair and eat ourselves silly or sick

23. Check out the milk carton boat races and the sand sculpture competition during Minneapolis' Aquatennial celebration

24. Make lots and lots of new summer foods--burgers, kebabs, salads, pies, ribs, creative sandwiches--for picnics and al fresco dining

25. Outdoor movies in the backyard with the neighbors

What is on your list for this summer? Share already.

Rae's Quilt: Fabric and Label

2011-05-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Thought I would drop in and show you the very beginnings of that picnic quilt I am making for Rae (no, not that Rae), the head of the crazy department where I work for my day job. I not only owe my career to Rae, but she has also been a source of personal inspiration over the 10 years I have worked for her. Anyway, so she is retiring this month and I am making her a picnic/lawn/nap sorta quilt as a gift. Since this is my very first quilting endeavor (excluding the doll quilt I designed a couple of months ago--and the simple quilts I made for the Binky Bunnies), I thought I would share the process with you in more detail than you might care to know.

So, here is the stack of fabrics I purchased for her quilt. Bright pinks often show up in Rae's wardrobe so I wanted to feature that color. I also printed a label with the happy wishes on some fabric and will sew that on latter (full disclosure: making the label was part of my further procraftstination to actually get started with the real process of making the quilt). In further madness, I actually drew up my own quilt design (pretty basic, but still...) and worked out the measurements for the pieces and am working from that. I know. You can call me stupid later when I come to you sobbing because I have no idea what I am doing and am left with nothing but a quilt shaped mess of fabric.

The Birthday Invitation

2011-05-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

We are in the midst of planning for Beeper's 7th birthday over here. This is the photo that will go on the front of his invitation. What was an interest in Legos in the past couple of months has evolved into an obsession so all notions of a HP wizarding birthday party were chucked aside in the interest of Legos.

And if you are interested about the Lego figures above, some of the figures in the photo are from various Lego sets Beeper already owns, but many of them (the punk rockstar, the surfer girl, frankenstein, etc) are from the individual Lego minifigures (series 4) you can purchase for $3 each--we bought them as favors for the party. I love these figures (especially that gnome with the fishing pole--perhaps a favor for mommy?) but the downside about them is that they come packaged individually in little opaque bags and you do not know which figure you are purchasing--just that it will be one of the 16 that are part of that particular minifigures series. Honestly, this really irritated me at first, but then when Beeper and I opened the packages together it was oddly thrilling to discover what each package contained--it is all about cheap thrills over here, people. Anyway, you just have to be okay with the fact that you will likely have some duplicate figures (we did--the punker and the French artist).

I will be back with more party details as we manage to work out what they will be--including how you keep Legos contained when you plan to have the birthday party outdoors at your neighborhood park.

Quilted Inspiration

2011-05-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

Ungt Blod

EmiShimosato

Colorwheel Quilt (love!) from Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts, made by Silkaphyllis

Spinda Quilt by Maria Shell

Simply Robin

Fresh Lemons

These are all part of my recent quilt inspiration--something I am needing because I am hellbent on making my very first big-person-sized quilt--especially since Rae threw down the gauntlet over this when I left a comment on her blog mentioning that I had never made a quilt and was freaked by the whole prospect. She claims she will take on some new challenge of my choice if I make my first quilt (not sure she was serious--not sure what I would even challenge her with...but I am coming for you, Rae, so watch for my email...). But back to the subject at hand...

If you will recall, I bought that stack of Good Folks fat quarters some time ago with the intent of making them into a quilt for my bed--but they have been sitting dormant on my workshop shelves for over a year and I am rethinking my whole plan now. First, I love the quilt above made from the very same Good Folks fabrics I have and I am thinking I may attempt this and will call it a picnic quilt since I have decreed to my family and friends that there must be a picnic at least once per month through September (part of my overall summer plans--more about that later). But, more imminently, R., the wonderful woman who leads my department at work and who has been a mentor of super-heroic proportions to me (truly, I owe my career to her), is retiring this month and I want to make a picnic quilt for her as a farewell gift as she embarks upon her new post-retirement life on Madeleine Island in Lake Superior...so that quilt will absolutely come first and I have purchased some lovely fabrics that I think are to her taste. (is it wise to make your very first quilt and plan for it to be a gift? I think not...but I am compelled to do these stupid things at times and in some strange way, they are what ultimately moves me forward on a task I am waffling over...)

Also (stay with me if you can bear it), I still want to make a quilt for our bed--but I really think it needs to be made from cotton voile--ever since I touched that cotton voile quilt at Liberty of London I have been dreaming of sleeping under one for myself...but I think it will not be Liberty of London fabrics since I really do not think Mr Beeper would like it if I hawked his car for fabric--even if it is for a luxurious quilt certain to induce peaceful sleep and good dreams. I think some more Anna Maria Horner in cotton voile will work just fine though with far less severe financial sacrifices required.

Beyond that? Who knows...maybe a quilt for my mum because she should have one, and this lego quilt for Beeper because that would be certain to induce the best sort of little boy dreams for him.

How about you? What is your procrastination craft you have been dreaming about for far too long? Do you need someone to throw down the gauntlet to you--because I am happy to be that person, be your own personal Rae...it could be a "procraftstination" challenge. Let me work up the details on this and I will get back to you...

Happy Day to All the Mamas

2011-05-08T13:42:00.000-07:00

Beeper made this drawing of me and him under a sky that is raining hearts in a rainbow of colors. Really, is there anything better than being a mama when you are the recipient of so much love? Also, I like to see that he sees me as being so skinny with such long legs. Lovely boy.

And as long as I am here writing about my boy, thought I would also share a little poem he wrote for Earth Day--because it may be my favorite ever creative endeavor of his so far....

IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLD

If I were in the charge of the world

I'd cancel school and tomatoes and

really early mornings.

If I were in charge of the world

there'd be more dinosaurs and pet

octopus and candy every day.

If I were in charge of the world

you wouldn't have fruits or vegetables

you wouldn't have smelly socks

you wouldn't have shoes.

If I were in charge of the world

jellybeans and donuts would be

vegetables.

And a person who forgot to do their

homework and drink lots of water

would still be allowed

to be in charge of the world.

Hope your days are filled with some smiles and loads of love. Everyone deserves some of that--but especially mamas.

Eat This: Mama's Best French Toast

2011-05-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, yeah. This is french toast we are talking about here--not exactly requiring high levels of culinary skill to make, certainly nothing that everyone does not already know something about how to make. But I really, really, really love this particular french toast--like, I eat it for breakfast every freakin weekend because it just so tasty, and I sort of like to think that when made with whole grain bread it is even maybe somehow good for me (nevermind the bacon that usually comes on the side negates all those notions of nutritional grandeur...).

It is all about the toppings really--that combo of pecans, fresh blueberries and sliced bananas. You put that on some milk and egg soaked bread that has had the flavor turned up with some vanilla and cinnamon and to me it is fit for HRH Princess Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. I am sure she would like and eat this if only I could get it introduced to the royal kitchen in some way.

I do add a little flour to my batter just to give the french toast a nice brown crust that holds in all sweet and lovely cinnamon for you. And, yes, I just make mine with regular old whole wheat sandwich bread--but you could get a little swankier and make it with challah or some cinnamon swirl bread.

So you should try it. I've got the recipe right here for you:

DOWNLOAD FRENCH TOAST RECIPE

It would make a lovely mama's day breakfast if, like me, you really like french toast--plus it is a manageable recipe for the kiddies if they want to get in on it.

Happy weekend breakfasting.

A Little Color: Guerilla Art

2011-04-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

Phone Booth ala Afghan: by Knit the City

The world needs more guerilla art, don't you think? It just makes me happy when I think about coming across any of these little numbers. I think I may need to start a guerilla art movement of my own some day because you should be the change you want to see in the world and all that. Whatever the case, enjoy the color of street rebellion...

Lego Stone-Wall Filler: by Jan Vormann

Raining Color: via Street Art Utopia

Yarn Pot Hole Filler: by Juliana Santacruz Herrera

Fallen Trees as Colored Pencils: via Street Art Utopia

Lucky Day Give-Away Winners

2011-04-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hello. It's me again--that funny bunny prototype. You know, the one she almost ripped apart and refashioned in to some other bunny more to her liking? Well, I am happy to say that I will be leaving this cursed place where I was created and going elsewhere--namely, to one of you if you were one of the people who purchased a Spring Variation pattern in the past week. So, please listen up because I am about to announce the winners of the Lucky Day Give Away:

Winners of the Lucky Day Give Away Who Purchased a Copy of the Spring Variations project Set:

Give Away 1--Funny Bunny Prototype: Raven Waterfall

Give Away 2--Set of 4 Framed Spring-y Embroidered Designs: Naomi Taylor

Give Away 3--Gift Set: Kristin Geraci

And now for the lucky Chez Beeper Bebe reader Lucky Day Give-Away:

Gift Set Winner: Ally's Threads

She tells me she will be emailing you all shortly for your mailing addresses so she can send these off straightaway--but of course, she also said she would announce the winners on Saturday and here it is already Thursday. Shows you what kind of blogger she is (the sort who contemplates ripping helpless bunny plushies limb from limb, I can tell you!). I am off to stuff myself in an envelope in the hopes she will get me on my way to Raven dear as soon as possible. Ta-ta.