Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Happy Holidays!

Here we are again, just a few days before Christmas and I'm wondering where the time has gone.  I was feeling pretty good about making some of our gifts this year, that is before I realized the date and thought "ut oh". 

I've finished my shopping, except food for Christmas Eve dinner.  I've sent out my cards and packages.  I've hung the tinsel and garland but I'm realizing that I haven't finished all those little holiday projects I'd planned.  Well, maybe I'll just finish them up after Christmas that way I'll be ahead of the game for next year!  Yeah!

Anyway,  I wish you all a very Happy Holiday season, and a very Merry Christmas!


Maggie's First Christmas!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Estate Sale Treasure!

I have a moto:  "it's not what it is but what it can be".  I apply this moto every time I venture through a yard sale or estate sale.  It was an Estate Sale that caught my attention last week in our neighborhood.  A professional company was running the sale so I figured I might find some good treasures!  Boy did I! 

I dug through books and kitchen items but really scored when I discovered a closet full of sewing items!  Lots of fabric, yarns, patterns, etc....but the real treasure was a shoebox full of lace scraps!  I'm always on the look out for lace scraps, especially vintage laces.  I snatched up that box and headed to "checkout" with my other discoveries. 

It wasn't until I got home that I realized what a treasure I had found.  That box of vintage lace scraps, turned out to be vintage lace collars!  All appear to be handstitched or tatted!  Some have closures on them, some are missing the closure but all are in wonderful condition!


I'll have to decide if I can use these in my work or if I can part with some through my etsy shop.  Hmmmm... have to think about that one for a while.   Aren't they just beautiful?

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Thanksgiving Recipes/Traditions

Every year, as Thanksgiving approaches, I start to panic that I won't be able to find all the recipes for our traditional family dinner.  Maybe you do the same.  You see, my husband (Mr. D) and I host our family's Thanksgiving celebration.  It's our tradition.  We have family join us from California to Virginia.  We even have guests of the four-legged variety!
So much fun!

Well, this year, I decided to eliminate the panic and gather all my recipes together into one book, Traditions!  Best of all, everything I used came from my "stash"!

Start with a chipboard book, although you could use anything; an old book or even paper bags!   Then pick out several different scrapbook papers and magazine pages to fit your theme and cut them to fit the pages of your book (8 x 8 in my case)


Using glue, gel medium or what have you, attach the papers to the book pages. 
I used Traci Bautista's Collage Pauge.


I also used a brayer to get all the bubbles out of the pages.  This was most effective with the pages from the magazines since they were thinner papers.
Instead of gluing the front and back papers, I tucked them into sheet protectors then
used a heavy duty double stick tape to attach them to the covers.
That way the covers are protected
in case I set the book in a messy or wet spot while cooking.


Once all the pages were covered, let the book dry completely.  Then the real fun begins!  
Gather your recipes, print them out on whatever paper you'd like or even 
handwrite them on recipe cards.


Now, embellish, embellish, embellish......have fun with it, there are no rules here!


After embellishing the pages, tie ribbons around the spine of the book and knot.
I used a different ribbon,string and seam binding ribbon around each page.

Finally, you'll need to fashion some type of closure to hold all the goodies in!   
I fashioned a closure using a rubber button and some twine.
I sewed the button onto the front cover with twine then tied the end of a long length of twine so it could wrap around and "close" the book.



That's it!  Voila!  I have a few more recipes to add, although they are locked in Mr. D's head right now....I may just be taking notes while he is cooking on Thanksgiving morning.




Mr. D suggested I make another for our Christmas traditions and Easter traditions.  Hmm good idea. If you have family favorite and traditional recipes, put them in a book!   Not only will it save you from panic each year, but it will be a treasure to pass down to the next family member to take over the tradition.

Share your creations!  I'd love to see them.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

BOO Y'ALL!

Hi!  Maggie here!  This is my pumpkin!  Yup it's mine!
This is my first Halloween and I'm really excited!


Ok, thank you Maggie!   I'll take it from here....

Happy Halloween all!  We've carved Maggie's pumpkin in preparation for tonight.  It had been a very long time since I carved a pumpkin.  I bought one of those little double edged saws at the grocery store.  It works alright but was pretty bent up by the time I was finished.  

I drew a pattern and taped it to the pumpkin, then punched little holes to outline the pattern....very Martha Stewart!  The pattern started off looking a little like Maggie but I think it ended up looking like a cat.  That's ok, we'll take it.



Happy Halloween!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

It's a New Day!

A new day, new beginning, right?  

This photo was taken with my Canon EOS Rebel @ 6:25 am on Sept 4, 2011

Well sort of.
This new blog isn't completely a new beginning, more like an addition.  Sort of a way to organize my thoughts.  I'd like for Pumpkinhead Patch to be a place where I can share more domestic ideas.  Anything from crafts and sewing to decorating and cooking, and of course life in general.

 
So now, you can find me at both 
www.pumpkinheadstudio.blogspot.com

Wish me luck as we embark on this new journey.