Catchup from the Holidays ...

Hi everybody!  It's been a while ...

Since the new job, I hadn't been making too much jewelry as of late, which has really been taking its toll on me recently.  It's all been a focus of clearing out stuff I'm not using, being more organized with my supplies and setting up a workspace that can be packed away a little more easily.  I have lofty ideas, but they're attainable.  I have come a little ways since my last purge; sometimes it takes more than one!

My flakiness might also be an affect of the closing of my Etsy shop.  I will say that I've learned quite a bit from my Etsy experience that I can take to further pursuits.  I may open up shop again!  All in due time ...

My recent posts may have given you a bit of a toothache; my modest kitchen turned into a badass cookie machine over the holidays, as I had opted to bake some delicious treats for family and friends.  As much as I didn't want to see another cookie between Christmas and New Years, I've got loads of ideas for Valentines Day ... as well as branching out on some other nifty baking ventures.

And with all that cookie karma that I gave out, Nick and I got something really nifty this year.  My Dad and stepmum had made us a set of stackable wood 'book cubes' made from knotty pine.  We've got a rather large book collection, and it was nice to see it from stacks on the floor to a unique bookcase that is easily moveable if we move or decide to change things around.  We made even add to it with our own cubes, if we're feeling ambitious!  Thank you, thank you, Dad and M - they're beautiful!

Merry Christmas!

May your days be merry and bright!

Cheating the Recipe ... and Winning!

I'm very lucky that I've 'bastardized' these recipes and had some reasonable success.  It's all about trial and error sometimes.  It's more fun that way.  Come check out the latest concoctions!

I had originally found this recipe on the back of the of a bulk box of Sour Patch Zombies when I bought them for Halloween.  The recipe is incredibly simple, but patience is needed when you're moulding your little dumplings ... or whatever you'd like to do.  I've scanned the clipping for the original recipe, called 'Monster Toes'.

Late Night Shortbread

So, I couldn't sleep last night with all the excitement and nerves of my BMT Youth Troupe classes performing after ten weeks.  The Theatre Tech class is having a bake sale to support the upcoming youth troupe production of Disney's Camp Rock: The Musical, and just so happens my work friend LA had let me borrow all sorts of fun baking stuff - including a guitar-shaped cookie cutter.

So, what's a girl to do when she can't sleep?  Fish out the secret family shortbread recipe and try it out for the first time.  I'd like to tell everyone at this point it was about three in the morning when I decided this.

Again, forgive the picture, it's from my iTouch.

No, I'm not giving you the recipe.  It's a family secret.  What you do see sprinkled on top are crushed rainbow candy canes, because who doesn't like candy with their shortbread?

The performances went very well, and the cookies sold out rather quickly.  Not bad for the first batch ever.  In life.  Mum, aren't you proud of me?

I'm going to bed now.

The Quickest Way To Santa's Heart - Christmas Baking!

I loved giving and receiving baked goods for the holidays.  Knowing the person took time to make it with love, and you're anything like me, you want to get every detail right in presentation.  Experimentation is always fun, too, adding different ingredients and having a little fun with different recipes.

I've been posting photos on Facebook of the stuff right out of the oven with my iTouch, with some fantastic feedback and demands for recipes.  So, I relent.  Here they are - and the best part is that you can probably mess with 'em a little yourself!

:: Banana Apple Cinnamon Tannenbaum Cakes ::

A Handmade Christmas: The Big Reveal!

Going for the handmade option in gift giving always adds a special meaning; the thought and time you've put into something that you've made just for them, knowing there isn't another "one of those" out there like it.  Now that they've all been given, here are a few of the many handmade gifts I had given this year!

Blogger's note: I haven't pictures of everything quite yet, as there was technical difficulties with the camera over the holidays.  I can always borrow the pieces for a photo shoot - they're not too far away!

 

The mailman was extra careful!

My best friend Graham received this totally awesome 'Nerdherder wallet' from Rockitbot on Etsy, made from herringbone-patterned mens suit material.  I nearly kept this wallet for myself when I opened the package - better than I expected!  These wallets hold everything all at once - all those little gadgets, loose change and minor necessities all have their own place in these well-organized pockets.  The best surprise - the stamp on the package when I received it in the mail!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Please, do pardon the absence over the past few weeks, as it has been quite busy - I'm sure it has for all of you! You were all in my thoughts this holiday season, itching to get back to blogging and sharing some new stuff with you all!  Among the many things that made it a 'handmade Christmas', I made some delectable Apple Cinnamon Banana muffins for a potluck at work, and decorated my own gingerbread house with some good friends.

The tree will be down any day now, so here's a picture of our tree this year in all its glory, full of handmade decorations from friends, family and what we made ourselves.  Placing these small tokens of friendship and love on a symbol that represents a spirit of giving, wonder and magic always makes my heart swell.  Maybe that's why I hate taking it down every year.

Hope everyone has a wonderful start to 2011!  Here's to a year full of new adventures yet to be had!

A Very Etsy Christmas: Supporting Handmade for the Holidays

Spoiling myself a little bit over the holidays, I took to Etsy for some of my holiday shopping ... while finding some gifts for myself!

The Hootie Owl necklace and Olivine Green candle holder both came from summerscreations.etsy.com.  I had my eye on this necklace for a while, and the candle holder was a present from 'Santa' to my boyfriend, Nick - who loves candles, seemingly.

 

This awesome tote came from my friend Tracy at thetotetrove.etsy.com, and was a gift to my sister-in-law.  She surprised me with a small matching change purse inside!  (The postcard had a message from Tracy, and it's of an Andy Warhol painting of a Corvette, that I still have on my fridge!  It's awesome!)

Visit their shops to find more awesome stuff!

Photos provided by their respective Etsy shops.

"Hey, Do You Have Any More Of Those Reindeer Antlers?": A Handmade Christmas, 2009

The benefit of a handmade Christmas is the money you save; that's the first thought that may come to your mind.  I'll be honest, that's the first thought that came to mine.  Since Nick and I moved out on our own, we knew we were working on a far stricter budget than we anticipated.  Fresh-baked cookies in a dollar-store Christmas tin may be cost-thrifty, but don't doubt that you'll be the hit of every Christmas party and family gathering - we certainly were!  Nick and I spent some quality time together in the kitchen making some Christmas treats, starting a tradition I hope we can keep up for next Christmas!

These cookies were a mainstay around the apartment during Christmas.  There was always a fresh batch made every few days, either baking for friends or family.  To be honest, probably half of each batch made ended up in our tummies.  This is your standard choco-chip cookie recipe, replacing chocolate chips with red and green M&M's and adding a quarter-cup of cocoa powder for extra chocolateyness.  (It's a word now!)

 

 

Handmade Christmas Cards

Yes, yes, yes!  More holiday cheer!

I've always loved receiving handmade greeting cards.  The sentimentality of receiving a gift that someone has put lots of tender loving care into its creation says a lot more than a store-bought gift.  For someone on a holiday budget, it's the perfect option to give a token of love!

I thought I'd take a try on some handmade Christmas cards, since I love the art of 'cut n' paste' since I was a kid.  My talent has become quite refined since childhood, and I'm rather happy with the result!  Let me take you on a walk through what I had been doing over the past few days ...

Shooting Star card in red/yellow

 

 

MORE Handmade Christmas Ornaments!

The holiday season is upon us!  Well, it's a month and a bit away, and the perfect time to start preparing was a month ago for artisans like myself!  I've been working like wildfire making a whole slew of Christmas goodies, kicking it off with my first custom order of the season.  I snagged these felt cutouts from my local dollar store when my imagination went wild with the ideas these little wonders gave me!  (I've already used them as part of my Christmas gift wrap!)  These ones can be hung from doorknobs, tree boughs, rear view mirrors, or anywhere else you'd like to enjoy these lovely holiday fineries.  I even had time to list them in my Etsy shop, with more fun holiday stuff to come!  You'll find it all in the d b c H O L I D A Y section in the shop.

Star of Light ornament

 

 

Handmade Christmas Ornaments!

It's a special Make n' Tell today, kids!  Yes, the holidays are upon us artisans!  And I've already finished some custom orders!

This custom order just finished is for my best friend's mum, Phyllis.  She had asked me to make her four Christmas tree ornaments, similar to the ornament that I had made for her last year. 

I called this ornament 'Carolers in the Snow'.  I fashioned these singers out of glass beads and a lot of jumprings individually attached.  (That was a lot of work.)  Faux pearl beads represent falling snow, a paper crane out of sheet music flies overhead.  This is all put on a lightweight chandelier earring frame.

This ornament, albeit I ended up with calluses after this one, was loads of fun to make, especially making the singers; experimenting with bead sizes, styles and colours to make 'outfits'.  I relished in the opportunity to make four more of these monsters.  The next few days were dedicated to furnishing these custom pieces for Phyllis to give to her family!

Carolers in the Snow, no. 2