Hump Day Crafts: Easel Card with Paper Dolls

Our family has a lot of birthdays in January. They tend to sneak up on me after the holidays, so I don’t always get to create something cool for them. But this year, I just couldn’t let them all pass by and leave my cool new tools (yes, I’m talking about my Cricut Expression) sitting idle. So I designed this easel card for my nephew’s 8th birthday.

Looks a little schizophrenic, eh? Well at first, I just wanted to try an easel card, but the siren song of my two Cricut paper dolls cartridges was simply too strong. So I designed a fold out “closet” for the doll’s clothes and accessories and made three “outfits” for the doll.

I’d never made an easel card before, so I started my research at Split Coast Stampers. I decided on making a 6″x6″ card so my 4 inch paper doll would easily fit. This also made it fairly easy to cut from 12×12 paper. I used a 6×12 inch piece of green for the base (scored at 3″ & 6″) and a 6×6 piece of blue for the front. Here’s the inside. (Note the brad in the corner. That’s where I’ve hidden the closet.)

I used foam 3-D dots with a cardstock sentiment (double layered for sturdiness) to hold the card upright. So, the easel part was done, now I had to design the closet. I wanted it to be hidden for the most part, but easily accessible. I decided to place it underneath, with the aforementioned brad as a pivot point for rotating it out.

I cut the paper for the closet at 6″x11″. I scored it at 1″ (which might not have been necessary, but I’d do it again anyway - you’ll see why in the last photo) and 6″. I placed the brad 1/2″ inch from the corner on the card and closet, allowing it to easily rotate out to open.

I wanted to make the closet out of a glossy cardstock, so the reusable adhesive on the back of the doll and accessories wouldn’t pick up fibers from it easily, but I didn’t have any in the house. So, instead I used foil from the kitchen. Strange, I know, but sometimes you have to make do. Besides, I told myself, it looks a little bit like a mirrored closet. Well, if you squint and use your imagination anyway. Here it is with the closet open.

I added a decorative paper clip on the left side to hold the closet in place while the card is folded. And, because of that extra scored line on the closet, you can also use the paper clip to hold the easel card together and stand the whole thing up like this:

Let me tell you, this card was a hoot to make. Paper dolls are probably more fun to make than play with. (Although I hope my nephew enjoyed them a little.) I’ll definitely be looking for more ways to add paper dolls to my cards in the future. Enjoy!

Food Friday: Arroz con Pollo

Being a Navy family, we move around a bit. And sometimes, you have to leave things you’ve grown to love, not only people and weather, but also restaurants. We love to go out and eat Mexican food, but we haven’t always lived where there’s a good selection. One such place prompted me to fiddle with this dish trying to replicate one of my hometime favorites, Puerto Vallarta’s Arroz con Pollo.

No other restaurant has been able to match their dish to my liking, although it’s been so long since I’ve been that perhaps I’ve put it up on a pedestal in my mind. In any case, I come close enough at home now that the craving has been satisfied. In fact, I’ve been living near the restaurant again for over a year and haven’t been in to sample the original. Here’s my take:

Start with the mushrooms. I love mushrooms in my arroz con pollo! Saute in a large skillet with butter and olive oil, then remove from the pan and save for later.

Next, use a box of spanish rice. I like the rice a roni with the brown rice in it, so I feel like I’m making it just a little bit healthy. (Don’t tell me about the nutritional info and ruin the dream I’ve built.) It’s best to have one that calls for a can of diced tomatoes. Otherwise, you have to adjust the liquids accordingly to add one. Start it according to directions.

When it comes time to simmer the rice, add your cooked chicken (I pre-steam mine with cumin and other spices, but you can use any pre-cooked chicken), mushrooms and anything else you want. I often add diced green peppers, so we get some vegetables. Cover and simmer according to the rice directions.

When there’s five minutes left, add a few handfuls of shredded cheese (mexican blend if you got it!). Serve with tortillas, if so desired.

My family eats this up, and I hope yours will to!

Hump day crafts: etched glass mug

Happy Wednesday! Here’s another project idea that you can get started on with little or no skill. Not that skilled people won’t enjoy this.  I probably have some skills, I just haven’t found them yet, so I try to help others find projects they can easily get into. Today, it’s glass etching. Now, someday I’ll probably get into engraving , but etching is not as tool or skill intensive, so that’s where I’ve started.

First things first. You will need to get a few things. Glass etching cream (I’ve only seen Armour Etch) and a paintbrush are the essentials. Other things I used: protective gloves (whatever pair is closest, because I really try to keep the stuff off my hands, so these are in case of emergency only – oh, and protective eyewear too), masking tape, and a toothbrush. Oh, and a stencil that will stick to glass. You can purchase glass stencils or cut them from adhesive vinyl or contact paper. (Another use for your Cricut!)

Once you have your stencil, apply it to your glass object. Make sure it is well adhered around the stenciling area. Otherwise the cream can leak and you’ll get ugly etched boogers around your design. Also, you can use the masking tape to created a larger protective edge around your stencil to avoid getting cream on adjacent areas. Then with all your protective gear (and the kids napping or locked out of the room so they don’t try to touch it) apply the etching cream thickly to your stenciled areas. Any paintbrush should do, unless your cream says otherwise.

Next, wait the amount of time listed in your cream’s instructions, then rinse off. Here’s where I find the toothbrush comes in handy. Take care in removing your stencil. Most (including vinyl cut with your Cricut!) are reusable. Rinse again, then dry and admire your beautiful new creation where only plain glass was before. (Hopefully yours doesn’t look as dusty as mine!)

Now, go hit your glass cabinets or the dollar store and start creating wonderful gifts — to give or keep for yourself!

Note: The stencil above was created with Cricut vinyl on my Cricut with Sports Mania and the Street Sign font cartridge.

Food Friday: Just for you – Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Okay, I tried the Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate last winter and thought it was pretty good. (Except the time they put too much chocolate in it.) I must’ve been in the minority since they pulled it.

Fortunately, enterprising souls can still have their chocolate sweet, hot and salty. Savory Sweet Life has a post on this with some yummy-nummy photos. It looks good, but I’m kind of lazy, so here’s my take on it when you just don’t have time to do it up right.

I start with the Swiss Miss Indulgent Collection Dark Chocolate Sensations. Mix with a bit of Coffee Mate Toffee Nut creamer. Add caramel sauce (anything you like in a squeeze bottle is easy). Then add boiling water. Stir well. Top with whipped cream and a bit of sea salt. And, just to make pretty (and that much sweeter), add a little drizzle of caramel on the whipped cream.

To make it perfect, find somewhere to hide from your children and enjoy. Or make them some hot chocolate with marshmallows and spend some time together. Good times!

Hump day crafts: Tri-fold shutter card

Some weeks you just need a little boost to make it to the weekend. In this spirit, I offer hump day crafts. Just a little project or idea on Wednesday that you can either take a short break to do or think about to get you through until you have time to tackle it on the weekend.

This week we’ve got a tri-fold shutter card. I made my first one following this tutorial. Even though I didn’t have much time to embellish mine ( I was late for my mom’s birthday party), it still wowed everyone. (Some days it’s good to be the only cardmaker around.) Here’s my take on it:

You’ll need a piece of cardstock (5.5×12 inches for a 4×5.5 card), something to score it with, a cutting tool (x-acto knife), and paper and various things to embellish it with.

Steps 1 & 2: Score at 2, 4, 8 and 10 inches. Cut from the 2 to 10 inch scorelines 1-1/2 inches from the top and bottom.

Step 3: Fold. Using the top and bottom portion, fold at 4 and 8 inches making a Z (with the front of the card as the top of the Z). For the center portion, the fold will go the opposite direction at 4 & 8 inches. You will also fold back at 2 inches and forward at 10.

Step 4: Decorate. It’s best to cut your paper for each section, so it doesn’t buckle or pull when folded. Here’s the front of mine:

Not perfect, but it was a first attempt done in a short time.

These are a lot of fun to make, to give and to get, so start planning your next tri-fold shutter card now! Happy Hump Day!

First Food Friday: Corny dog casserole

Okay, it’s the end of the week. Everyone’s tired, but you don’t want to order pizza again. Or maybe you’re planning next week’s menu. In any case. I’m using Fridays as an excuse to share a recipe or food-related idea.

This week’s recipe is Corny Dog Casserole. My kids can’t get enough of it. The Cat will even eat it without complaining, which is saying something about a casserole.

Shopping/pantry list:
corn bread mix (plus ingredients)
hot dogs (3-4 should do the trick unless you want a lot more doggies)
small can of corn (optional)

Directions: Mix the corn bread according to directions. Cut up the hot dogs. Open the can of corn. Add both to the corn bread mix. Spread in greased 8×8 pan and bake according to directions. Er, well, you’ll need to add a few minutes for the extra thickness.

Ha! It’s that easy. Make sure you do something fun or spend time with your family while it bakes. It is Friday after all. Even moms need a reason to TGIF.

It’s been so long…

Yes, I’ve been MIA on the blog scene. I have no excuses. You can flog me with a wet noodle if you want. Or, you could just read this extremely brief update of our last 15 months.

We’ve had 7 birthdays in our family since my last post. The Cat has actually been here for 4 of them. So he’s made one birthday for each of the kids in their lifetimes. At least they can’t say the Navy schedule plays favorites. Thing 1 is 4 years old now and Thing 2 is a sassy 2. T1 is in preschool, and, of course, she loves it. T2 begs to go to Gma’s house every day.

It is a big change living near family.We ended up buying a house 1 mile down the road from my parents and 1 mile up the road from my sister. A little closer than we planned, but sometimes that’s how things work out. One of my brothers lives 10-20 miles away. so holiday plans are always a mess. But in a fun way.

Our house is older. I think it was built in 1974. So keep an eye out for remodeling posts in the near future.

I’m working part time. I’m in the office one day a week and have to fit another two days worth of work around the kids schedule. Luckily, they are somewhat self-entertaining and only occasionally scream or pick up the other phone when I’m on a business call.

The Cat is still on sea duty, although he only is deployed for 2-3 months, not 6, now. Plus, another crew takes the sub out, so sometimes it’s like he just has an office job. We like having him around.

The new place is still a mess. Maybe even worse than before, with two kids running around, a part time job, having a babysitter (Gpa) so I can play soccer 1-2 nights a week, and adding a few hundred square feet I need to clean. Yeah, I don’t really see that happening anytime soon. At least here in Washington we don’t really have to worry about cockroaches and stuff so much. Just rain and such. Still, life’s not bad, if a bit messy. But hopefully not so messy I go 15 months between posts again. I guess time (hopefully not as measured by the wall calendar) will tell.

Memory

So, it turns out Thing 1 really was checking up on me. Every night now she asks me what I’m going to do downstairs while she’s sleeping. Usually I give her one to three things on my to-do list: cleaning, relaxing, sewing, whatever. She repeats them back to me, perfectly. Then, the next morning, she asks me if I did each of them. She’s too little to see the dishes in the sink, so I can say yes. After all, in my world when The Cat’s gone getting the dishes to the sink counts as cleaning.

She’s not yet three, but I can’t believe how good her memory is. In fact, I try to avoid playing Memory with her anymore and stick to Candyland. I was tired of getting beat. It was so sad to see my four pairs to her eight game after game. I suppose I could’ve put more pairs out, but somehow I don’t think it would work out in my favor.

The thing is, I used to have a good memory. It’s the mommy thing that killed it. But I feel like I’m being a sore loser when I point out that she’s the reason I lose. Plus, the guilt trips don’t work that well at this age. Maybe in a few years…

I miss my memory, and I’d like it back, but at least I can take comfort in my daughter’s good memory. In fact, I plan on taking more than comfort, I’ll be taking advantage of it soon. I’m going to start giving her my to do list every morning. Then she can remind me what it was I was supposed to be doing. It’s not all bad for her either. I’ll have to get her a cell phone. That’s what every three year old wants, right? I just hope the preschool teachers don’t turn it off. I might forget to pick her up.

You cleaning, Mom?

As I leave Thing 1’s room at bedtime, this is how our exchange goes these days:

T1: “Will you leave my door open a crack, Mom?”

Momma: “Yes, dear.”

T1: “Where will you be? Will you be downstairs, Mom?”

Momma: “Yes, honey.”

T1: “What will you be doing? You cleaning, Mom?”

Momma: “Yes, sweetie. Good night.”

I really was planning on it. After all, the movers come in 2 weeks, the Cat is out to sea, and naps and bedtime is the only time I get to go through things without little paws pawing at my clean and dirty piles. But yet, somehow, I come across this:

http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2008/07/piata-pinafore-giveaway.html

Don’t ask how. Just know that I got on the internet with the best of intentions to look up something move related. The time I spent looking at this blog, however, was not move related. In fact, it made me want to unpack my sewing machines (ha, as if they’re packed yet!) and work from an inspired place. Her stuff (and her daughter) is beautiful and makes me feel…slow. I couldn’t sew one dress in a weekend, much less three. Plus, my attempt at making a dress for Thing 1 without a pattern didn’t turn out as well as I would’ve liked:

blue dress

Not bad, but rather boring. Plus, I was aiming for size 2 and it’s about a size 4 with a 18 month neckhole. We’ll see what happens with it. Perhaps if I keep checking back and being inspired by Kathleen’s blog maybe I’ll learn something. After all, my next dress attempt turned out a little better, even though I started with (and then deviated from) a pattern.

Spring dress

  (It looks better in person. Really.)

Of course, with the move it’s going to be awhile before I get time for that. Maybe I’ll just win some of the dresses she gives away on her blog. I think that’s the best solution. Especially since, for now, I’ve got to get back to cleaning. Because tonight Thing 1 asked me what cleaning I was going to do. I think she might be planning on checking up on me.

Aloha, Washington!

After weeks (months?) of promises, the Cat finally got his orders. We are going to Washington! I know, who in their right mind would be happy to move from sunny Hawaii to dreary western Washington? A mom with two kids under three who has family there, that’s who. We’ll probably stay with my parents while we look to buy a house. (Did you hear that? Clear out a guest bedroom!)

This next month is going to be difficult, to say the least. The Cat is going to be out to sea for four or five of the next six weeks. The movers will come to pack us up in less than a month. Two weeks later, when we see the Cat again, we’ll move out of our house. Then a few days later we’ll be hauling everything to the airport for the last time, at least for awhile.

I’m really going to miss Hawaii, but I’m really looking forward to having family to help out. And being on a much bigger land mass. With rising airfares I’ve been feeling the island fever lately. But I don’t want to complain too much, because I’m sure I’ll be missing all this sooner than I think. I better carve out some time to sit on our front porch and stare at the ocean.