Six years. Long enough to have a baby and raise him/her until they are school ready. Long enough to date, get married and launch a career. Six years is long enough to remodel a house, launch a business, go to graduate school or change the course of your life. Six years is a substantial commitment and you may not believe this, but: I have been blogging for six years.

I will give pause for you to roll your eyes. You should. And you might think I am about to pontificate about my ability to own a soapbox, talk incessantly and blog blog blog into the horizon. Yet: there are more pressing matters, such as Halloween. And most importantly: what fancy, and wicked awesome drinks you will serve your party-comers.

The reason ‘six years’ is relevant is simply this: one of my most popular posts over the course of SIX years is my Dead Spider Martini. Apparently I have a penchant for Halloween cocktails. My tagline does state: janelle is known to wield knives, pitchforks and martinis. All things considered, I have a reputation for [inspired] drinks to uphold.

My quick two cents on Halloween cocktails:

• my quite famous Drunken Spider (or as I sometimes call it the Dead Spider Martini; it’s the hairy legs coming out of the glass that everyone loves).
• Purple People Eater
• Mummy Juice (when NOT Halloween I affectionately refer to this as Mommy Juice). For Halloween: wrap the glass in gauze.
• this year, I wanted to offer top shelf, classic Gin and/or Vodka martinis. Which means: a clear drink. Which then means: Halloween is captured in the garnish… the devil is in the details;).

Devil’s Martini: Up. Chilled. Blood-stained dark as hell olives.

Vodka or gin
Vermouth if required (I usually chill the glass, then put in a tsp. or so of vermouth, swirl it around and pour in well-chilled/ice-muddled vodka or gin)

Chilled, muddled, strained and served up with skewers of black olives (I filled mine with slices of red peppadews).Six years. Long enough to have a baby and raise him/her until they are school ready. Long enough to date, get married and launch a career. Six years is long enough to remodel a house, launch a business, go to graduate school or change the course of your life. Six years is a substantial commitment and you may not believe this, but: I have been blogging for six years.

I will give pause for you to roll your eyes. You should. And you might think I am about to pontificate about my ability to own a soapbox, talk incessantly and blog blog blog into the horizon. Yet: there are more pressing matters, such as Halloween. And most importantly: what fancy, and wicked awesome drinks you will serve your party-comers.

The reason ‘six years’ is relevant is simply this: one of my most popular posts over the course of SIX years is my Dead Spider Martini. Apparently I have a penchant for Halloween cocktails. My tagline does state: janelle is known to wield knives, pitchforks and martinis. All things considered, I have a reputation for [inspired] drinks to uphold.

My quick two cents on Halloween cocktails:

• my quite famous Drunken Spider (or as I sometimes call it the Dead Spider Martini; it’s the hairy legs coming out of the glass that everyone loves).
• Purple People Eater
• Mummy Juice (when NOT Halloween I affectionately refer to this as Mommy Juice). For Halloween: wrap the glass in gauze.
• this year, I wanted to offer top shelf, classic Gin and/or Vodka martinis. Which means: a clear drink. Which then means: Halloween is captured in the garnish… the devil is in the details;).

Devil’s Martini: Up. Chilled. Blood-stained dark as hell olives.

Vodka or gin
Vermouth if required (I usually chill the glass, then put in a tsp. or so of vermouth, swirl it around and pour in well-chilled/ice-muddled vodka or gin)

Chilled, muddled, strained and served up with skewers of black olives (I filled mine with slices of red peppadews).

Hassle-Free Handmade Holidays

By Rachel Klein of One Pretty Thing

Photo by tilaneseven

If you’re anything like me you think the same thing every year. “This year I’m going to make all my own gifts/bake the desserts from scratch/grow all the decorations myself! It’s going to be awesome!” It sounds so festive, so heartfelt. But how many of us actually have time to do it? It’s taken me a few years but I’ve finally got my handmade holiday system down to a science. A schedule of crafting and planning that starts in the summer allows me to create the handmade gifts that bring me so much joy, as well as save me money and stress in December. Sound overwhelming? New to handmade holidays? Pick one or two of the following ideas to try this year, then add another the next. I’m going to share ten hassle-free handmade holiday organizational ideas you can get started on now. I’m a Christmas girl, so these ideas reference that holiday, but are easily applicable to any holiday you might celebrate.

1. Gather your organizational supplies! I like to keep an inspiration folder for each holiday on my desktop. My Christmas folder has lists of menu ideas, decorating ideas, and gift lists. Set your folders up in advance and you’ll be able to find that beach-themed Christmas tree picture later.I also like to keep a binder for each holiday. These are perfect for storing magazine clippings, a list of Christmas card addresses, and post-holiday recaps. Again, get these set up before the holiday magazines start pouring in and you’ll be ready. My Christmas binder has dividers for decorating, recipes, activities, card ideas and the all-important recap-what worked, what didn’t, and what I’d like to try next year.
2. Putting up a tree? Decide on the theme now. If you know you want to put up a woodland themed tree, start searching for inspirational pictures. Pick out the handmade ornaments you know you want to make and add them to your crafting schedule. If you know what you’re looking for in advance, you’ll have time to search the craft store sales, yard sales and thrift shops. If you put up the same tree every year, get it out over the summer. Check that the lights are working and that the ornaments are intact. Make a list of what you need to replace and craft or shop sales over the next five months.
3. Cards. Cards are a big one. Are you doing a photo card? Set aside an afternoon to flip through Flickr and get ideas for your photo session. Engagement pictures are another fun source for photocard inspiration. Making your own cards? Choose a design now. Buying cards? Buy them now, make sure your address list is up to date and set aside the first crispy evening to address them. Don’t forget to save the envelopes from the cards you receive. It’s the easiest way to update your Christmas card list. As for me, I’ll be taking our Christmas card pictures this summer, ordering my cards early and crafting handmade envelopes the first week of October.
4. Most of my holiday hours are spent making gifts. Some years I like to make different gifts for everyone on my list, but most years I like to pick a theme and streamline. One year I’ll make knit gifts, another year art pieces. Think about what people would like, what they compliment you on, and what you wouldn’t mind doing for hours on end. Decided on an idea? Write out your list. How many hours will it take you to make each gift? Is it feasible? Break your gift list down. You have twenty weeks until Christmas. Can you make a gift a week? If so, write it into your calender and stick to it Resolve to spend a little time each week until you’re done. How wonderful would it be to have them all done by Thanksgiving? If I knit every night during The Daily Show, I’ll reach my goal no problem!
5. What about food gifts? I love giving them and receiving them. Plan it out now. Decide what you’re making and give yourself a few months to perfect your process, take advantage of supply sales and decide on packaging. Some gifts, like homemade vanilla take months and require planning. Check out my Edible Gift Roundup for lots of great ideas.
6. Speaking of food, start collecting holiday recipes now, then sit down early in the fall and go through them. Mock up your holiday menus so you have time to sprinkle the recipes into your everyday meals between now and then. Practice makes perfect, especially when you’re making something new. And if you know in October that you’re going to need three pounds of almonds and a bottle of Kahula, you can take advantage of sales. Super-organized bonus-plan freezer meals to have on hand for busy holiday weeks.
7. Do you plan on decorating with natural materials? The gardener in me loves growing special decorations for the holidays. Forced bulbs, branch wreaths, bowls of pine cones-I love them all! If you’re planning on using a potted tree this year, research their care now and buy one before the seasonal rush. Planning on forcing bulbs? Start collecting containers now. How about those wreaths? Assemble your supply list now.
8. Since I started blogging, I’ve seen so many amazing handmade advent calenders and I’m really excited to finally be making my own. It seems like a big task but not when you break it down. There are lots of advent resources out there, such as this one in which participants make one a day. Choose an advent calender, then break the project down into manageable crafting sessions.
9. Summer is also a great time to make a list of all the supporting characters in your life-the coaches, dog walkers, day care providers and teachers. If you plan now you’ll have time to make them a heartfelt holiday gift. Make a list, pick a gift and schedule gift making sessions. Check out my Roundups of Gifts to Make and Keep on Hand for more ideas.
10. Don’t leave out packaging! If you’re crafting all knit gifts or all painted canvas gifts, your packaging just got easier. If you have an inspiration binder, go through it and grab your favorite packaging ideas. Design your box or bag, gift tag and adornment now. Create a supply list. Schedule the necessary crafting sessions you’ll need to get it all done.

Remember, this list isn’t about doing it all. It’s about picking what’s most important to you and getting an early start. Incorporate handmade into your holidays in a way that is manageable, rather than waiting until the last minute. Happy holiday crafting!

Originally published Aug 2009

One of the most creative people I know, Colleen (of the great indie online fabric store Some Art Fabric & and the brand new Sloth Craft) has gifted us with this fabulous blue jean remake tutorial.  Born of a wrong sized thrift store purchase for jeans for her daughter,  this is a great example of how to take something ordinary and turn it into something way cool!   As always, we LOVE our guest posters!  Hope you enjoy this great tutorial as much as I did!  — Dot

Blue Jean Remake – by Colleen

I sew. Sewing defines me as a person and as a crafter. I don’t remember learning to sew, I know I did not spring from my mother’s loins with the skill. My dad taught me some time between yesterday and forever ago. I had my first job sewing before I was double digits, child labor was not an issue, since I worked for my dad.

Sewing lead me down the wicked path of fabric and fabric brought me to where I am now, someone who owns an online fabric shop, Some Art Fabric.

I also love thrift stores, I purchase most of my kids clothes there, as well as supplies for much of my craftiness. Recently I went shopping sans children. I found some jeans that I thought would fit #1 child. I was wrong. So I decided to deconstruct the jeans and add in some space so that they would fit. This tutorial is an idea, and assumes that you have made a pair of pants before or at least worn a pair enough time to be able to figure out how they go together.

If it don’t fit! Alter it!

Colleen has lovingly prepared the tutorial as a pdf.
Download the 5 page tutorial: Jean Remake

Hope you enjoy!
As always, we’d love to see it if you try it!
And if you want more inspiration from Colleen, be sure to follow her blog, Some Art Talk!

In addition to the traditional felting techniques that everybody uses (needle & wet-felting, dying my own wool, accenting with tufts of colored wool)  I also use an Airbrush to add shadows & gradients to my pieces.  I’ve found this to be a super easy & fast way to give my felting that little somethin’-somethin’!!

Airbrushing some Chocolate Frosting!!!

Here are all the supplies you need to help paint & shade your Felted Sculptures!!

*Airbrush, Compressor, & bottles
*Watered down Acrylic Paint
*Yummy Felted Cupcakes!!

This is what the cupcakes look like BEFORE any paint has been sprayed. Just plain, white frosting all ready to be transformed into Chocolate!!

I didn’t want to get any over-spray of the brown onto the “cake”, so I put a little paper & masking tape to cover that part. First layer of color is a warm yellow!!

I like to paint in light layers of many different colors. I think this gives the colors more depth instead of just blasting a color onto the wool. Also if you get too much acrylic paint onto the wool, it tends to bleed & get a little crunchy.

Slowly getting darker & darker!! Going from the yellow base to a warm brown.

Starting to look like chocolate with the darker brown!! This could pass as a Milk Chocolate, but I want a darker frosting.

Working with the darkest (almost black) brown to add some dark shadows within the “twirl”.

Yummy Yummy!!! Looking Delicious!! Love the dark shading in the creases!!

Almost done just need….

Cherries On Top!!! Yea! All done!

Thank You Dabble.org for letting me share!!  I hope this tutorial has inspired you to take another look at your chosen medium & maybe think outside the box!  Never feel confined by the “traditional” way of doing things!!

If you are interested in learning more about felting, or seeing some fun Tutorials on the felting process, Please visit my Blog:

FeltedChicken Blog

How to Make Tootsie-Roses

For the petals:
Starting with the smaller of your teardrops, wrap each petal around your flower base and continue until you are satisfied with the size.

For the leaves:
Take a green tootsie and also pull into a teardrop. But instead of using the petal, use the pointed end pinched over to make a leaf.

Once flower is formed, adjust peddles to desired position and then quickly run entire flower under cold water or plunge into a bowl of cold water to set it.

Once completed, remove from chopstick and cut the bottom of the rose off and place on cake/cupcake, or whatever you’d like to decorate!

———————–

Thanks Grieg for sharing this cool technique!

Of course, you can make a lot more than roses with these tootsie rolls..  They are moldable for all kinds of decorate cake toppings.  (If you remember, I used these as a ‘skull’ for my dragon on the dragon cake, then covered it with fondant.)

Hope you enjoy this, and be sure to send pictures if you try this technique!

Katie has given us a great step by step with pictures, but if you have any additional questions, just ask!

Making a Baby Sling

An older baby should sit comfortably on your hip. You only need to fold the sling in about ¼ of the way with an older baby, taking care to keep the 28.5 inch side closest to your body, so the sling makes a pocket.
If the sling is too big, you can easily shorten it by turning it inside out laying it flat and sewing a straight seem at the top to take it up. You can do this in ½ inch increments until you get to a size you like.
It can be helpful to leave the excess fabric when you take it up because it helps you find the top when you are trying to put it on. If you choose to cut it, you will need to sew the seam four times with a zig zag stitch to make sure it is sturdy.

We’ve features her fabulous work here before (here, and here), and she has graciously given us a tutorial on how to make some lovely V-day cupcakes.

See below for

• The Vanilla Cupcake recipe
• How to Decorate them

(a few translations from us Yanks, to the best of my ability: Icing Sugar = Powdered Sugar.  Castor Sugar = a superfine sugar, which you can purchase in speciality stores here in the states, or make by pulsing regular sugar in a food processor or coffee grinder)

I’ve included the pages as printable pdf’s at the bottom…

Download:

• Vanilla Cupcake Recipe – by Naomi Henderson
• Decorating Valentines Cupcakes – by Naomi Henderson

Thanks so much to Naomi for sharing!

Oh, and by the way, if you like food and cupcakes and dinner and such, check out the new Foodwhirl.com! I’m so excited about it.. stop by!

Today we have another lovely guest poster here on Dabbled,  Kelly from Tresijas!  I discovered Kelly through some of the really cool creations she had posted in the Dabbled Flickr group–especially her vinyl record creations–, and I asked her if she’d honor us with a tutorial.  And she agreed, so here it is…  Enjoy!

How to: Make A Bracelet from Vinyl Record

List of materials:

Toaster oven with tray
An old pair of scissors
stretchy gloves (to protect from heat)
record album
low grit sand paper
bracelet mandrel or other cylindrical object (a soda can or skinny glass bottle will work too)

Most of these items can be found at a second hand store. I usually work with 45’s because they are often times the most abused/non-playing. I try not to harm a record that cans till be enjoyed for its original purpose.

Instructions:

[Note, see photos following instructions for a visual perspective]

1. Heat toaster oven to about 150-200 degrees.
2. Since all ovens are different, take some time to get to know yours. Place the record in the oven for a minute or two, if the record doesn’t “relax” (see photo) turn the heat up slightly every few minutes until it does. If the record starts to melt or have a strong odor, the temp is too high.
3. Once the record relaxes, put your gloves on, have your scissors ready, then remove it from the oven. Quickly cut about a 5 1/2 inch strip from the record. The album will cool fairly quickly, but never fear because the beauty of vinyl is that it can be reheated. If you want to trim a little from your strip simply place it back in the oven and repeat steps 1-3.
4. Once you have cut the strip to your satisfaction, use the sand paper to take off any sharp edges. It helps to wet the sandpaper first.
5. Place the strip back in the toaster and wait for it to relax. Have your mandrel ready.
6. Once the strip is ready, with gloves on, remove it and quickly wrap it around your mandrel. Hold it there until it cools (about 15 seconds)

Voila! You have a new bracelet! Remember, if it doesn’t fit the way that you like, just reheat and form it again. Have fun and experiment, the possibilities are virtually limitless with this material.

Photos

[Click any photo to view larger/as a slide show]

About Kelly:

I’m a 35 year old, stay at home mom of 3 girls. My husband is from Argentina so we spend a lot of time in South America. The handmade culture is booming there and has had a tremendous influence on my own work. I started beading about 10 years ago, but quickly realized that although I enjoyed working with beads, I was beginning to look for another hobby that was less time consuming and that my young children would be less likely to throw all over the floor.

One day I was watching Reading Rainbow with one of my girls and saw a segment about a man that made unique record bowls on a vacuum form. I thought that it was a very creative idea. A few weeks later I found some red and yellow record albums at the thrift store and felt compelled to buy them to experiment with. My first creations were rough to say the least, but slowly but surely I became very comfortable working with vinyl. The rest, as they say, is history.

Even though I love my record creations I never stop looking for new materials to work with. Last year I started using wood salvaged from burn piles and this year I began experimenting with paper mache. Any project using recycled and readily available materials makes me smile! My kids also have their own Etsy shop where they sell their artwork. It’s very important for me to include them in the creative process and they inspire me every day.

Visit her Etsy shop to see more of her cool creations!

Hi there, fellow crafty bloggers!
No, this isn’t Dot writing, it’s Fanie from Art vs Craft.net!

While she’s away, I managed to sneak into her blog and give you a freebie! ;-)
Since we’re all busy shopping around, I guessed some of us could use some extra tags for presents. So I made a cute cat Christmas gift tag for you!

I made this easy, all you have to do is to click on the image or click here to start the download.
It’s a A4 letter size, in PDF format, with 6 Christmas tags on them.

Happy Holidays! :-)
If you liked this freebie, feel free to let me know via the comments on my blog.

(If you can’t download it, you may want to go to the Adobe Reader website to get the free software download.)

I’ve been admiring Kerry’s resin work in the Dabbled flickr group, and resin is something I’ve never worked with, but always wanted to try! I’ve asked Kerry to share a simple tutorial to take some of the mystery out of working with resin. And so she did! These little Christmas tree decorations would be fun to give as gifts, top a package, or decorate your own tree… hope you enjoy! – Dot

Resin Star Christmas Tree Decorations

From Kerry at www.pennydog.com

You will need:

• Resin of your choice- polyester or epoxy
• Star shaped flexible ice cube tray (mine is from Ikea)
• Fine glitter in your favourite colours
• Plastic cup
• Lolly stick
• Drill with 2-3mm bit
• Bakers twine

Step one:

Pour some resin into the cup. Add catalyst according to your product’s instructions- they vary between the different types. Then mix thoroughly with the lolly stick- try not to whip it though as you don’t want lots of bubbles!

Step two:

Add your glitter- be quite generous- and mix it in. I have used black and green here.

Step three:

Pour the glittery resin mix into the ice cube tray. I fill them ¾ full for a nice thick piece. Leave to set for at least 24 hours.

Step four:

Pop the pieces out of the ice cube tray. Drill through one of the points in the star from one side through to the other.

Step five:

Cut a piece of baker’s twine approximately 5 inches long. Thread through the hole. You may need to use a needle or a pin to help feed it through. Tie a double knot close to the thread ends to create a hanging loop and you’re done! I’ve been using these as samples for goody bags, they’re a great way of demonstrating the material I work with in a festive and cheap way!

About Kerry:

About me and my shop: My name is Kerry and I live in the UK. I make jewellery, homewares, knitting needles and all sorts really using resin, and I’m based in rural(ish) Leicestershire in a listed farmhouse. PennyDog came about when I adopted a greyhound- Penny- and I wanted to donate money through my craft to rehoming more of these ex-racers by donating to the Retired Greyhound Trust. I now have another greyhound- Fletcher too. I’ve always made things. My first craft fair was when I was 12 selling beadwoven jewellery. I booked the table myself, with my younger sister as my assistant. I think my Dad enjoyed having the house to himself that day, though it chucked it down and we barely sold anything! I’ve always been quite entrepreneurial, selling jewellery to teachers at school even! It was just second nature to me. I have an Etsy shop as well, my main website being www.pennydog.com and I also sell through 12 retail outlets here in the UK.