new project

Completed!

This lovely little project was a birthday gift from my sweet husband. Now to find a place to get it framed!

tea vs. coffee

"Moreover the British are as inept at making coffee as the Americans are at making tea. [...] Perhaps there should be an exchange of missionaries between the two countries."

-- John Seymour

rag rug

I haven't had much time or inspiration for crafting, lately.  I've had plenty of energy for writing, but no time to sit down and complete any thing I start.

The one thing I did finish in the last couple of weeks was a very simple, very easy, finger crochet rag rug.  The principle is the same as making a doily or an oblong blanket, except you use your finger.

up close and personal with my simple linen rag rug.

The fabric came from an old curtain that had been sitting in the bottom of my closet.  Upcycling!

It's soooo comfy on my feet in the morning.  It stays in the bathroom to keep my toes happy when first waking up.  And, it turns out, the husband is a fan. Win all around, I'd say.

butter!

Hello!

I accomplished something relatively large in my little world the other day: I made butter!

I was so tired of seeing things like "natural flavorings" on my butter labels, that I decided to try  making it myself.  Turns out, it wasn't so hard!

I found a wonderful recipe here, and made my first attempt.

Mine didn't turn out as well the recipe maker's, but I have many other opportunities to try again!


I wrote a slightly longer post about my experience here.

xoxo

jam? syrup?

Last weekend, Mr. Painted Table and I headed out to his hometown to visit some friends we hadn't seen in a while.  On the way, we stopped to pick blackberries.  It's the first time my lovely husband (still fun to say!) has picked blackberries, and I had something special planned for them.

The next day, I pulled out the blackberries, the sugar, my recipe book, and all my canning supplies.  This was the day I would make my first batch of blackberry jam.

Well...

We got started okay.

Hubby has excellent berry-mashing skills.

Everything was looking good...

This is over half the kitchen in this photo. Close quarters when making jam.

And then...

It turned out to be syrup.

Let's pretend it's syrup on purpose.

Sigh. Oh well.  The syrup is still very very delicious.

Our issue is being able to find the "gelling point" when making jam.  When I use pectin, there are no issues because we can use a timer and it's not based on our combined inability to judge when to take the jam off the stove.

Do you have any hints for us on a better way to tell the gelling point?  The first batch of jam we made without pectin was strawberry, and we boiled it for too long and ended up too sticky and solid to even eat.  This time, we were so afraid of over-boiling, that we under-boiled the blackberries and ended up with syrup.

Ah well.  Just means we'll have to try again!  And eat lots of french toast with blackberry syrup! (Or maybe some buttermilk pancakes?)

xoxo

the future and today

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin."

--Mother Teresa

Working on changing my small world this week.  Trying to make a few small changes at a time.

We have only today, and I am so thankful that that is what we have.  Why look any further than today?  Today is what we have.  Tomorrow has enough problems of its own; we can let tomorrow take care of itself.

Just a little thought.

xoxo

a thought to share

"To create something, you must be something."  -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Just a little something to consider today.

daisy chain

Remember my post about Chinese Forget me Nots?  Well, I'm also attempting to grow some Shasta Daisies from seed.

Is anyone else a big fan of daisies?  I think they look so happy! And cheerful!

Eventually, I'm hoping they look a little something like this:

But, over the last couple of weeks with travelling for our wedding and then our absence during the honeymoon, it looks like I've lost all (or most of) the daisies.  I'm mourning their loss and cleaning out the pots.  The silver lining is they cleared out a few terracotta pots for the plants that survived. 

Time to transplant!

Definitely planning to start more daisies from seed next year.  Any tips from you gardeners out there?  Keep in mind, I'm in a cramped place.  Plants have a hard time in my apartment!

wedding!

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

Mignon McLaughlin

Last week, we got married!  I am so excited.  I'm happy to have found a wonderful best friend.  I'm happy to be embarking on a new exciting adventure, and this adventure has a husband partner to adventure with me!

So, my apologies for being absent, but we were busy falling in love for the first time as husband and wife.  

I have pictures and stories and more posts to share with you soon!

scraps galore

I've been working hard on finishing up all the wedding-related projects!  I'm almost done! 

I had some scraps leftover from a few of the rehearsal dinner projects, so I decided to make a few fabric flowers.  Haven't figured out where we'll stick them, yet, but there's always a place for adorable creations. 

how-to: hanging map

I have a new project to share with you!  It's a map on corkboard!

I'm actually very proud of this one.  I did this project as a sort of present to both the future hubby and I.  It was his birthday, but we've both been wanting to have this. 

Not only was the result fun, but this was easy to make.  

Supplies I used: 

antique-looking map (I ordered one from Amazon when I couldn't find one in stores.)

Mod Podge

foam brush (for the Mod Podge)

corkboard (I found a framed corkboard at the Container Store.)

FYI: The hanging corkboard I used from The Container Store was already framed.  I couldn't remove the framing because of their design, so I ended up having to get creative and trim the sides of the map a little.  Then I slid the edges under the framing. 

Directions? It's easy! I placed the map on the corkboard, used some ModPodge to hold down the corners, and let it dry!

Voila!

I also picked up some little map pins, and we had so much fun pinning places.  We have different colors for places we've been separately and places we've both been to. 

Now, we just need to find a place on the wall!

short and sweet

There isn't much in the world that's more tasty than fresh produce from a local market.


Look at this beauty:

Just thought I would share something lovely.

My world is a bit hectic and crazy at the moment, but there's always something to appreciate.  Even if it's something as mundane as a tasty tomato.

sunday funny: telepathic moms

This weekend, I'm in Texas.  I'm at home with my own immediate family for the first time since Christmas, and it's been lovely.  Both of my sisters are in town, and our sweet next door neighbor and her two lovely daughters threw me a bridal shower.  It was so much fun!  We had pimento cheese sandwiches and played a few games and I got to see so many ladies that I love and cherish.

For today, I just thought I would post a little Sunday Funny.  Did you ever read the funnies on Sunday morning?  In our family, if you wanted to read them, you had to beat Mom to the paper. 

This weekend, I'll post one that goes out to all the telepathically communicating mothers out there.  Especially my own wonderful mother. 

how-to: chippy wooden frames

In the midst of all my diy and projects and details for my wedding, I thought I would share this project with you!


At a lovely bridal shower this past weekend, some of the ladies helped me make these adorable picture frames.  Eventually, I'm going to spray paint the inside glass with chalkboard paint. But, even without the chalkboard paint, I think they're adorable. 

In fact, I got so excited about the project that I forgot to take pictures while we were doing it!


Supplies:
cheap wooden frames (mine were about $3 from Hobby Lobby)
2 colors of paint (one that's appropriate for wood -- I had 3 color options and told everyone who helped me to just pick their two favorite!)
paint brushes
a wax candle (I picked one up from CVS for about $1)
sandpaper block


Instructions:


1.  Using the candle, rub wax on places around the frame that would get chipped in every day life: flat stretches, corners, etc.


2. Paint the first color on.  Wait for it to dry.


3.  After it's dry, use the sandpaper block to lightly buff the places you put wax earlier.  The paint should come off fairly easily.  Buff until it looks chippy enough for you.


4. Rub wax on a second time.  A good portion of it can go in the same places.  It's also nice to put some in new places on the frame so the first color will show through the second color a little. It's up to you, though!


5. Paint on the second color! Wait for that one to dry.


6. Buff with the sandblock again! Buff until you're happy with the final result.


All done! Do you love them?

Canning: first time around

This week has been so busy! I'm sorry that I haven't updated as often.  Our wedding is less than four weeks away, and we're working hard to get all the details sorted out.

But, in the mean time, I have decided to try my hand at something new: canning!

Why, you ask?  Why on earth would I try a new activity when I'm supposed to be planning a wedding?

The answer is simple: I love strawberries.

We went to visit the local farm this weekend, and they had strawberries for sale! 

They were delicious and beautiful and I had to have some.  So, my wonderful fiance bought me some strawberries, took me to Ace Hardware to get a few canning supplies, and we headed home to bond over a sticky, boiling, canning experiment.

The recipe was simple:

2 quarts strawberries
6 cups sugar

Crush strawberries.  Put strawberries in big saucepot on the stove. Add in sugar gradually and slowly bring to boil.  When mixture is at rolling boil and reaches gelling point, take off heat, skim the foam, and put into hot jars (that you've had sitting in simmering water the whole time).  Then process 15 minutes in boiling water canner.

Seems simple enough, right?

Sadly, we let it boil for too long. I misunderstood how to tell the gelling point. Whoops!  The strawberry jam turned out too thick to give to anyone else, so we'll eat it all ourselves and try again soon.

Do you have any favorite jam canning recipes?  I'd love to hear them!

Attempt #2 will turn out much better, I'm sure.

motivation monday: attack of the dust bunnies

This week, as part of my quest to reorganize the closet, I had to resort to cleaning out the space under the bed.


"Why?" you ask.  Why on earth would I subject myself to that kind of pain? Why would anyone voluntarily submit themselves to the wrath of the Dust Bunnies?


Well, the answer is simple: the comforter taking up all the space on the top shelf of the closet had to find a new home. Which meant that it had to go under the bed.  


The space under the bed hadn't been cleaned in a while (don't tell my mother), so I figured I might as well tackle that, too, while I had the motivation.  


So, last Friday, I put on shorts and got down to business.  

First stop: The Container Store.  Do any of you love this store as much as I do? They have all the organization products you could ever want wrapped up in one tiny store.  I was on a mission for a way to store the blanket, and I found the perfect thing: the blanket bag.

  

(click image to see product)

One planned purchase and one un-planned purchase later, I had my solution to The Comforter Problem.  I was able to fit the entire fluffy comforter/duvet-filler thing into the small bag!


I trekked home, pulled every single thing out from under the bed, tackled it with my fake swiffer (it has a cloth pad that I can wash and reuse!), wiped off the tops of containers, and put everything back neatly. Only took me about an hour! Hah.


Step one of closet reorganization complete! And, as a bonus, I finally got the space under the bed cleaned!


Perhaps my sense of accomplishment at completing this one task will spur me to complete all the others I'm working on. Maybe. 

wedding: the clarks

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of a friend.  A sneak peek of a few of the beautiful photos!  

little how-to: lemon salt scrub!

I have been working on so many small projects, lately!  Most of them are wedding-related, but a few are just for fun.  This one is both!

I've seen so many "recipes" for body scrubs around the internet over the last few months, so I thought I would whip up one of my own.  

Ingredients:

course sea salt

olive oil 

lemon juice

I didn't use specific measurements.  I put some salt in a bowl and added enough olive oil to almost reach the final consistency I was looking for (don't forget about the lemon juice!).  I was looking for something like a paste, but a texture easy enough to spread around with a washcloth -- not clumpy.  Olive oil is good for your skin all by itself, so don't worry about using "too much" of it.  

The last thing to go in is the lemon juice.  Be careful with that olive oil.  The lemon juice is more runny, so it might take a little testing to get the right consistency.

This is what my mixture looked like:

After I was satisfied with my mixture (and I tested it on my hand because I was curious), I put it in some adorable mini mason jars, threw a little touch of fabric in the lid, and tied a twine bow. Voila! Part of the bridesmaids' gift!  

To use: with already clean skin, rub the scrub in a circular motion over skin to exfoliate.  Rinse and enjoy!

motivation monday: inspirational photo

As you know, I've decided to tackle the closet as my new project.  Having an organized closet would make my life soooo much easier. It's about half the size I need for my things, and now I have to add another person. Time to organize.

First up, I've started the culling project.  Need to get rid of everything I don't use/need/need to save.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a closet this well organized?

I needed some inspiration to stay motivated, so I thought I would share.

So much space!

a room with a view...of books

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” 

― Marcus Tullius Cicero

photo via

I don't know if you've gathered this, yet, but I love to read books.  I love TV and movies as much as the next person, but I also love a good book paired with a cozy chair and fluffy blanket. Or a good book on the metro. Or a good book on a road trip.  Or a good book before bed.  Or a good book anytime, really. 


With the future husband probably moving into my teensy apartment, I'm going to have to reorganize the books.


Oh, the books. They're everywhere.


I made a decision this week.  I have decided that I simply can't bear to part with any of them, yet.  I can't do it. 


Poor fiance, but I just can't.  The only thing I consented was to donate or sell the duplicate books between our collections.  So there.  That's a start. 


Am I the only person with this problem?  I certainly hope not. 

motivation monday: stuck in the closet with you

After seeing the Take Ten posts on A Peaceful Mom, I have decided to get started organizing myself.  The idea is to take ten minutes a day to improve your life in some form or fashion. For me, this begins with organizing my home.

Let me begin with two pieces of information:

1.  I'm getting married in June.

2.  Rent is expensive in the city. 

With those two pieces of information in mind, the future husband and I have almost completely settled on living in my teeny tiny studio apartment for the first little bit of our marriage.  It'll be fun.  We like each other, obviously, so spending time together is fun.  And we haven't had time to accumulate enough stuff to fill a house, yet.  (Although, I'm having a hard time believing all our stuff is going to fit in a studio.)

Since the wedding is less than two months away (eek!), the soon-to-be-Mr. has expressed a wish to move some of his things in gradually.  I'll admit, this sounds easier than blocking off an entire weekend and being tired.  Whenever he comes over for an evening with me, he brings a few more things. 

This leads me to a new project.  The closet needs to be reorganized.  It's a tiny closet that matches the tiny apartment, and now it needs to house two persons-worth of clothing.  Oy.

So, I thought I would post a little motivation for myself.

Maybe you're not ready to be up close and personal with my closet, but here goes.

This is what we're starting with.  Messy, huh?  It definitely needs some love.

I'm starting by paring down things I don't need and reorganizing the storage space at the top.  I figured I would start at the top and work my way down. Anyone have any helpful ideas? (Keep in mind, I have little to no drawer space...)

There is more space on the sides, but I decided to spare you the photos of that. No need to embarrass myself more than I already have!

out on the water

I love this proverb.

I've been thinking about that idea quite a bit this week. 

As of tomorrow, my job position is being terminated, and I find myself curiously, unintentionally back on the job market.  I also find myself more bothered at the loss of control than the loss of a job.  The difference in this job search is that I am not the master of the timing.

Everything will work out. I'm sure of it.

For now, the temporary unemployment means more time to focus on this blog, on crafting, and on wedding plans.  And more time with the future husband, which is always a blessing.

And organizing my nightmare of a miniature closet. (More on that later!)

So here's to rough seas and new adventures.

belated wishes

You know what one of my favorite parts of spring is?

Easter lilies!  They're white and cheerful and tall and proud. 

I realize it's a bit late for an Easter post, but I accidentally sent my camera home with my fiance.  Whoops! 

So happy late Easter, and I hope you're all enjoying the beautiful spring flowers!

new life in a soupcan

I decided to try my hand at growing plants from seeds this year.  Yes, I know.  I don't have much room.  Yes, it's hard work.  Yes, I lost several of the seedlings and had to start over.  However, they're doing better now!


I'm especially excited for the Chinese Forget me Nots. Eventually, they'll produce small little blue flowers that I think are so adorable.  I can't wait.  I may have to wait another year for them to bloom, but, in the meantime, it's pretty exciting to watch them grow.  Plus, soupcans in my apartment are getting a new lease on life!  Hooray for recycling!


This is what my little Forget me Nots should look like in the future.  It'll take a while to get to this, though.

But, for now, my little seedlings are still developing.  (See picture below.)  They're so...enthusiastic!  One day, I hope to have a big, beautiful garden.  For now, though, I'll have to content myself with living in an apartment that is taken over by a makeshift container garden.

doily magic

Call me old fashioned, but I actually really enjoy thread crochet.  You know those lacy things that aren't quite lace?  Those doilies that your grandmother used to have around the house?  Yes.  I enjoy making those.  There's something satisfying about using your hands on a project and having it beautify your space at the same time.  I can place doilies and things under vases, on tables.  I can also use them as small presents for someone I know will enjoy it.

On that note, I found a new pattern I love!  This doily takes much less time to make.  It takes less than 5 hours to make this smaller doily. Which is lovely.  I got so enthusiastic, I made three!

I'm also working on a much bigger, pineapple doily that I'll share later, but these 10" doilies are cute that I had to share!

pitcher perfect

Time for some inspiration!

Some of you may have gathered that I live in a miniature-sized apartment in the city.  I mean, it's tiiiiiny. And, to top it off, most of the walls are cement, so hanging shelves is incredibly difficult.  

Storage in the bathroom has actually proved to be one of the most difficult things.  It ranks right up there with closet space and finding a place for all my books.

However, provided I ever find a way to work in a shelf or small cabinet into my teensy bathroom, I already know what will go on top of it.  Have you ever admired wash basins and pitchers?  Can you imagine how sweet these pitchers would be sitting on a doily on a pretty little cabinet?

 

First up, though, have to find that perfect little cabinet.

a friend of mine

I have a very special friend named Marge.  I see her twice a week, at church-related events.  She is 86 years old and one of the sweetest women I have ever met.  Marge is opinionated, loves to tell stories, cares deeply about her friends, and, as I learned last week, enjoys spending time in her garden.

I currently live in a miniature studio apartment (no patio or garden or anything), and growing or keeping flowers is quite the challenge. I've had to be creative when I want flowers or living things.  My poor excuse for a dining table isn't even used for dining, anymore.  Flowers and crafts.

Anyway, I had no idea Marge loved to garden.  Last week, Marge and I spent a few minutes talking about flowers and gardens and her low-maintenance yard.  She had spent all afternoon pulling weeds and had a sunburn, but looked happy.

This week, she surprised me!  She brought me flowers from her garden!  She had remembered that I love having flowers in my apartment and brought me lilacs from her own garden.

Aren't they just beautiful?

Quote for this week

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Plato

a cheerful note

Good morning! Look what I've been working on this week already!

I've decided to focus on a few paper crafts for a while.  I've never really had a chance to spend some quality time just with paper, so what better time to do this than in spring when I feel inspired to be crafty?

The only downside?  I ended up spending way too much time in PaperSource this evening.  Whoops!

What else could I add to these to make them even cuter?

P.S.  If you click the picture, you can find them on my new Etsy shop!

a spring wedding

Exciting news!

I'm headed to a wedding this weekend.  This is exciting for a few reasons:

1.  It's a wedding!

2.  It means a trip back to the town where I went to college. It's so beautiful up there (in Massachusetts).

3.  I get to find and wrap a present.  Love it. 

So, this time around, I decided to use some baker's twine and make my own card.  The lace I found at a local craft store that's going out of business.  They had a whole shelf of trimmings super on sale! I had to find a cute way to use it, and what better way than for a fellow redhead?

What do you think?  Don't you just love the teensy clothespins?