Category: Everything Else

#AtoZChallenge | Hand support with a little frozen rice and patience

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I thought I was developing arthritis in my hands. I had some numbness and general low level achiness. After a trip to my doctor, it turns out the likely culprit is carpel tunnel. There’s a family history so not surprising. What was surprising is that I didn’t think of it first.

While surgery may be in my future, I decided to try some short term treatments including making a hand support to use when typing on my computer and laptop.

When my husband brought back the large bag of white rice from the grocery store, I immediately put it in the freezer. In researching this project, I learned more than I wanted to about the potential for bug eggs in my rice. After one week in the freezer, I was hoping to say goodbye to any little critters that might be lurking.

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#AtoZChallenge | Glass etching to make my newly minted 21 year old some one of a kind wine glasses

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My love of crafting has prompted me to take dozens of art classes through the years. I have a vague recollection of trying glass etching during one of those sessions. It was a quick lesson and probably part of broader class covering other techniques too. The only reason I even remember was because with little idea as to what I wanted to create I ended up making a simple ornament design on a stemless wine glass and I bring it out every Christmas. Otherwise, I think I’d have completely forgotten I even took the class.

What I do remember, is that the etching process itself was extremely easy. It was picking and executing the perfect design that was the hard part. For this second round of glass etching, I had a much clearer idea of what I wanted for a design. My youngest daughter turned twenty one this past November and is enjoying drinking more adult beverages these days. She went back to school with wine bottles in tow but no glasses and no cork screw. While she’s on her own with the cork screw, I had a plan to create some memorable wine glasses for her.

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#AtoZChallenge | French mattress style and some extra coziness for our sleigh bench

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I knew before starting this project that it might be beyond my sewing skills but given the price point when I searched French Mattresses on Etsy, I figured it was worth a shot. After much googling and a trip down the rabbit hole that is YouTube’s how to videos, I had a general sense of the steps needed to make my French Mattress.

While there are many great tutorials on how to construct a French mattress, the two primary ones that I used as my guide in making my cushion were:

She Holds Dearly | French Mattress Cushion Tutorial : This video was a great overall tutorial on all of the steps used to create a French Mattress.

Online Fabric Store | How to Make a French Mattress Cushion : I liked the way they did the stitching in this video tutorial and used it as my stitching guide.

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#AtoZChallenge | Enchanted winter ice display

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Easy with a big impact does not always describe the crafts that I attempt but this one was extremely easy although to make enough for that big wow factor it does take a little time. It also helps to do this one when the temps dip below freezing which was not a challenge in Maine during the winter.

I put this one together in February and it made for the perfect enchanted winter Valentine’s Day display.

Round One

While the craft itself is simple, I did a test run. Fortunately, our January was light on snow so I was able to collect some natural items from around my yard to use in my ice sculptures. There are so many amazing things to choose from outside and just about anything small will work. Continue reading →

#AtoZChallenge | Decoupaged glass plates to elevate my Grandmother’s recipes

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I have a little red notebook filled with recipes that my grandmother saved. I keep it in the kitchen with my other cookbooks. It has great sentimental value as the recipes are in her handwriting but I rarely look at it. It stays mostly tucked away. It was time to change that.

I’ve seen versions of reverse decoupage on glass plates in magazines and craft books. The layering of paper, memorabilia and other embellishments to create a cohesive art display was intriguing. I was nervous going into the project. It is a special skill to create art in reverse but fortunately decoupage is a forgiving craft.

I started by photocopying a couple of the recipes from the book. I picked the first recipe because of it’s simple, descriptive title of “meat”. It just made me smile. It seems to leave so many unanswered questions. It’s so broad and so specific at the same time. I picked the second recipe for whoopie pies since it’s Maine’s official state treat. Continue reading →