Recycled Crayons Tutorial

I love making recycled crayons! They a great way to use up those little broken crayon nubs that no one wants to color with. Recycled crayons are perfect for making texture rubbing art and are fun eco-friendly party favors. They would also make lovely homegrown activity for the "kid's table" at your next family function. Just cover the table in butcher paper and put one of these at each place setting!

How to make recycled melty crayons:

1. Peel the paper off of old broken crayons (this is a great kid project). We collect these broken bits in a bag as we find them. When we have a nice selection, we get cooking!

2. Find a mold. I use a star shaped silicon cupcake pan. This makes is easy to remove the crayons and gives them a fun shape! You can also use a normal cupcake pan carefully lined with tin foil. (If you are not lining your pan you need to dedicate it to crayon making, as it will be very hard to get clean enough to use for cooking again!)

3. Fill your molds. You may wan to group colors together (different shades of green, pink and purple, or primary colors). You can also fill at random for crazy combination. I like to over-fill my molds a bit as the crayons will meld down as they bake.

4. Bake your crayons at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until they are completely melted. (Enjoy the unique and strangely pleasant smell of crayons baking.)

5. Let them cool completely.

6.  De-mold your crayons. If using a soft pan, you can carefully pop them out. If using a tin foil liner, peel off the foil.

 

Check out your local thrift store for great deals on fun mold shapes! Personally, I'm partial to the star. You can get several colors by rubbing it flat, or you can get more precise by just using one of the points.

Gingerbread Houses

Here's a little leftover holiday magic as you get ready for the new year! (Who doesn't love an artfully arranged candy buffet?)

         

Gingerbread houses make a great party activity (for adults too)! It gives everyone a change to get creative in a very forgiving medium. If working with a younger crowd, you may want to build the houses ahead of time. When the frosting has had plenty of time to dry, you don't have to worry about not-so-gentle-fingers knocking down the house. You won't believe the creativity that these little structures unleash or the stories that get told while hands are busy. (Make sure you buy twice as much candy as you think you'll need. Eating it is half the fun!)

Dried Apples

 

I must confess, I'm having a love affair with my Nesco American Harvest food dehydrator! It's been a long standing affair (we're going on 12 years together)!


There is simply something so satisfying about taking produce at the height of the season and storing it away for the winter. Or, at least, that's always my plan. Usually my dehydrated treats get eaten less than a week after completion. But, who can argue with a snack that's healthy, homemade, and so easy to pack in lunches? Here is the jar of apples that I just finished from the last of this year's apple crop. I picked these Honey Crisp apples up during what will likely be one of our last farmer's market visits before they close for the season. These apples were huge! Luckily, they were also extraordinarily delicious, and will continue to be delicious until the last carefully preserved slice is snuck out of the jar.

Fresh off the Drum Carder

I call this one "80s Dance Party"! It's sparkly bright pink wool topped with tons of silk noil. Yum, fiber eye candy!

Drum Carder Cleaning

 

I'd been having trouble getting my drum carder clean, I mean really clean, as in "card a black batt and then a white batt" clean. No matter how diligently and carefully I used my doffer brush, there were always some pesky fibers that just stay put, only to show themselves on my next batt! Then, I realized that the solution was right in front of me! I have this nifty little dog grooming brush that I used to smoosh down the fibers as I card. This lets me really pack my batts full. (Tip: splurge on the expensive dog brush. I tried using a cheap one at first, and the little bristles started popping off into my batts! It will end up costing you less than most of your other fiber tools anyway!)
  

This little brush makes a perfect drum cleaning tool. Just brush up using a flicking motion. This gently digs deep into the tines and pulls out stubborn fibers. If it doesn't flick them out completely, it will certainly loosen them enough so that your doffer brush can easily pick them up. No more drum carder cleaning frustration! Happy carding!

Collection Gallery Inspiration

Here is another "Collection Gallery", a pleasing arrangement of small items that make a big impact. This one is unified by frame color (black, collected from vintage and discount stores) and content (botanical drawings). (Yes, it's probably hung a little too high over the sofa, buts that's a project for another day!)

      

I've always loved Victorian style scientific and botanical drawings. However, they can be monsterously expensive! I found this delightful book on Ebay  for about $10 plus shipping and used my favorite pages to fill the frames. 

      

Cost of Project: $79.00 (I paid more for the frames and book for this collection gallery)

Time Needed: 2 hours (plus shopping for frames and content)

***Side note: Yes, I too love my blue vintage sofa! I looked for years to find one that was in my price range and didn't require reupholstering as all of those tucks and tufts make it too difficult for a do-it-yourselfer. The secret? Keep trolling Craigslist and take care of your Karma!***

Hallway Gallery

     Owr new house has a very unsightly breaker box in the hall that I've been meaning to disguise for some time. Of course, decorating an entire hall on a budget can be difficult. My favorite solution? The local thrift store! I purchased several mismatched frames in brown wood. (I even got most of them on clearance! Check with your thrift store. Most do deals for certain colored tags every day.)You can mix sizes and textures, but you want to have something unifying, like the color, to keep the display from being too busy. I already have a botanical drawing display in black frames above our couch, which I'm quite pleased with.
     When you're looking for frames, you can go for empty ones or nice frames with questionable "art" inside that can be easily replaced. Don't forget to check the hanging mechanism of the frame to a make sure it's sturdy. Table top frames can be hung with the addition of picture wire. If your frame has a hanging mechanism and a table top stand, you may need to remove the stand for it to sit flush against the wall. You can usually pull the stand off with a pair of pliers.
     Next, fill your frames. Look for unusual (and inexpensive) items that you find beautiful. I used some family snapshots, laser cut paper keys (usually used for scrapbooking or collage), and some pages of beautiful script from an old German book. I further united the collection by keeping the color scheme in neutrals and green.
     Next, determine your layout. Do this on the floor before you start putting holes in the wall! You want to make sure that your display is balanced in size, color, and contents. Now, you're ready to hang and enjoy!

    

     
     So, what happened to that unsightly breaker box? It's hidden behind the four-paneled key picture. Voila!


Total cost of Project: $16.95
Time needed: 2 hours (plus frame shopping)

Fresh off the Spinning Wheel

        

Recent fiber fun including a mohair, wool, and lamb locks novelty yarn, a 2-ply BFL and merino mix, an assortment of samples, and one of my new favorites, a wool and mohair blend with eco-felt fish "swimming" in the yarn! Enjoy your Black Friday bargain hunting. (Personally, I'm stocking up on fiber!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving. May you share a special meal with meaningful people, and take a moment to remember all that you have been blessed with on this day. May your meal nourish your body and warm your heart.

It's the simple things that matter most, and I am thankful.

Turtle Pretzels

  These are the perfect sweet treat to please visiting friends and relatives while you wait for the turkey! They are easy enough for kids to help, and are done in a jiffy so you can get back to enjoying your guests. (You'll want to make twice as many was you think you'll need, these puppies disappear quickly!)
 Enjoy!


Turtle Pretzels
Pretzels (small twists or checkers)
Rolo candies (The holiday Rolos are out this time of year. However, if you go over one aisle to the candy area, they are much cheaper. You'll be taking off the cute foils off anyway!)
Whole Pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet and spread pretzels evenly across it.
Top each pretzel with an unwrapped Rolo.
Bake for 4-5 minutes until the candies are slightly soft.
Press a pecan onto each candy to squish it into the pretzel.
Let cool on the pan (you can even pop them in the fridge) and enjoy!

I hope these bring you many sweet holiday memories!

Hippie Batt

 

Fresh off the drum carder!







 
I call this batt "Hippie". It'd make a great funky super thick single (I'm thinking dreadlock style) with the beads and charms spun in for an earthy eclectic vibe.

First Snow

 I always find that the first snow makes me feel peaceful and serene. It's a poem in nature, a reason to stop and be still for a moment.Certainly, that moment is often followed by concerns about snow tires and warm socks. But, just for a moment, the first snow encapsulated the city in quite, envelopes us in the promise of a fresh blank page, and forces us to slow down and marvel.

Happy First Snow!

Treasure

A friend recently returned from Libya for a short US visit. She brought us this gorgeous trivet all the way from a market in Istanbul (a lot of bubble wrap was involved). I love this gift for several reasons:
1. Every time I use it I'll think of her.
2. She was thinking of us even while she was half a world away!
3. Objects that find their way into our homes from our travels make the world seem just a little bit smaller.
4. It's beautiful, and we can all use a little more beauty in our everyday lives.

Rosemary Parmesan Biscuits

When I plan my Thanksgiving menu, new recipes are not usually part of the mix. I want it to taste just like it did last year and the year before, just like Mom made. However, if you're looking to add a bit of excitement to your traditional holiday feast, why not try a new biscuit? These are easy to make and are so delicious. You'll find yourself making them a new Thanksgiving Day tradition and even baking them all year long.

Rosemary Parmesan Biscuits
Makes about 10-12 biscuits

2 Cups flour
1  Cup grated parmesan cheese (you can even use the kind that comes pre-grated in the bag)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced (or 2 tsp. dried rosemary)
Pinch cayenne pepper (this is the secret ingredient)
1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 milk

Combine the flour, cheese, baking powder, salt, rosemary, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
Cut the butter into the mixture, and mix by hand into a cumbly dough.
Slowly add milk until the ingredients are moist enough to form a ball.
Roll and pat the dough into biscuit sized balls.
Place balls on a lightly greased baking sheet.


Bake at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

Mulberry Silk

I simply must share the new jewels of my fiber stash. I recently purchased some lovely little hanks of mulberry silk top from TheCritterRanch on Etsy. I am in love with the maroon and teal colors. I think I'll spin each of them up in a two-ply and knit myself a festive lace headband. But, these little nuggets are so scrumptious I may have to wait for the perfect project. I love deliberating about "spinning problems". They are such a nice break from the many other decisions we have to make!

Pear and Apricot Tart

I'm a fan of the Dessert-For-No-Reason. So, in honor of...Wednesday I cooked up a new recipe for Pear and Apricot Tart. You can find the recipe here. I used my own homemade dehydrated apricots and some pears from last week's CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box. I though it made for some nice baking eye candy. Yum!

    

    

Tip: Make sure you bake it in a middle or lower oven rack. The high sugar content of the fruit makes the tart prone to burning.

Rainbow Rocks

This time of year makes me want to stock the cupboards, pile the blankets high, and stay inside with my knitting needles. But, every once in a while my mind is pulled back to the joyful memories of summer and (just for a moment) I feel a little warmer.

Today's reflection: A memory surfaced in my mind about a fabulously sandy day spent playing "rainbow rocks". This quirky game of unknown origin requires players to scour the beach searching for the perfect rainbow of rocks. Can you find a bluer blue? A brighter orange? (Good luck with the purple!) At the organic end of the game we compare our rainbows. It's funny; no one ever looses.

Here's to beachy adventures...until next year.

Vintage Buttons

Buttons are my zen garden. Rather than using a tiny (and probably overpriced) rake to make patterns in a small dish of sand, I sort buttons. If you sew or your mother did, you know what I'm talking about. You probably have fond childhood memories of searching through the button tin, or jar, or drawer and finding the perfect treasure for the next project.

I love vintage buttons, not only for the creative possibilities they suggest but also for the histories they have hidden in them. Was that crystal shank button from someone's wedding dress? Did that brass button dress up a soldier uniform? Sorting buttons allows your mind to wander and your hands to stay busy. Also, they're inexpensive if you can find them in bulk at a flea market or antique store.

For those of us who need justification for such an idle task, do it in the name of home decor. One of my favorite bookcase or curio cabinet accessories is a monochromatic jar of buttons. Try filling jars will all white and ivory buttons for a look that's more "charming vintage" than "church bazaar". If you are feeling extra generous, you can let the kids help you too. Yes, it's a strange family activity. And, yes, you'll be surprised how much kids love to sort and dig through the crafty past when given the opportunity. Now, just think of all the button sorting you need to get done!