Zipper Lunch Box Tutorial

I think I spent twice what a store-bought lunchbox would cost, but at least my daughter got to customize the fabrics and I got to try something new!  I was hoping for some cute oilcloth or cotton laminate for the inside, but JoAnns selection was lacking so I tried Pellon Vinyl Fuse with some home decor cotton instead. My daughter was very specific in the style she wanted which it so happens is a pretty classic lunchbox (as opposed to a bag style like my Cowboy Velcro Lunch Sack). I based the dimensions (8 x 5.5 x 5.5") on this promotional Oakland A's freebie that we have that fits her reusable sandwich box, thermos (we do soups and chili a lot) and a bottle of water perfectly.

Clean And Light Summer Party Food For Mom's 60th Birthday

I received so many compliments on the food at my mom's birthday at La Nebbia winery that I had to share my strategy and menu. My mom is very heath-minded and I wanted the food to parallel her lifestyle (think Paleo) .  Also, everything needed to be do-ahead and self-serve since I didn't have a caterer or waitstaff.  Check out this Pinterest board to see lots of other fantastic ideas that didn't get used.  Here is the menu and keep scrolling for details and recipe links...

• Watermelon Gazpacho
• Shrimp Ceviche
• Thai Peanut Slaw
• Tropical Chicken Salad With Mint
• French Potato Salad
• Flourless Chocolate "Cupcakes"
• Mini Cheesecakes With Raspberry Lime Sauce

One of the first things I pinned was this Tangled Thai salad which spoke to me because they use a spiralizer to make carrot and beet "noodles" which is something my mom uses in her kitchen.  Also, I love a good peanut dressing!

From The Canadian Gift Guide

Awesome Chunky Chain Bracelets

I had another Pinterest attack this week. I made these chunky chain bracelets with my little cousin.  Well, she is 18 -- but I'm 36, hence "little".  Plus she is short, so it fits.  Moving on!  We found some super chunky chain at Hobby Lobby in the fabric section with the ribbon, one yard makes 4 bracelets.  They only had shiny gold color, but I prefer more tarnished looking gold tones or silver so I'll have to keep an eye out for where I can buy more chain like this.  We also got some suede cord and a toggle clasps. You could also use strips of fabric, ribbon, lace, and silky cord too.

Three Shabby Chic Fabric Flowers To Make

I had a little fabric flower obsession this weekend and looked at tons of tutorials and got out my fabric scraps.  Flower accessories are essential for baby girls, but I also like how they look clipped into a messy bun or adorning a pillow or beautifully wrapped gift.  I prefer the soft, loose, frayed, antique-looking kind of flowers. Here are three shabby chic flowers and how to make them.

Flower #1 The Pansy

Mixed Media Canvas Collage

Today I stepped outside of my crafting comfort zone, in a way. I wanted to make something sweet for a friend's birthday - I was thinking along the lines of a little zipper bag, until I came across a 4x4" canvas in my stash. There were some techniques I've been wanting to try, and I started collecting fabric & notion scraps and embellishments from my scrapbooking graveyard (a hobby that never stuck). And voilà... A mixed media canvas collage was born!

Random: mixed media or mixed medium?

Flag Banner From Home Dec Fabric Swatches

Recently JoAnn started selling all their home dec swatches for $1-2, and I snatched up enough to make some flag banners for the big party that I threw for my moms 60th.  (I also used them to make pillow covers).  It took me a while to warm up to the whole bunting trend, but since I was trying to create a French "style" to the party without all the Eiffel Tower and other obvious themed decorations, I thought this was a good way to achieve that.  La Nebbia winery had lots of great places to string up all three banners, but of course I only got one photo in the craziness of the day.

Dollar Store Tiered Chandelier Dessert Plate

I love me some dollar store!  Although, I don't always shop there with crafting in mind - it's where I get bubble envelopes, tissue and ribbon for Etsy orders, and buy junk for goodie bags and stocking stuffers... While planning a surprise party for my mom, I envisioned a tiered dessert tray dripping in crystal beads (it was sort of a French themed party, but more of a French "style" and without all the Eiffel Tower junk and other stereotypes). Here's how I brought it to life...

Custom Water Bottle Labels With Silhouette Cameo

My mom's party at La Nebbia Winery may as well have been sponsored by Silhouette because I used it for so many projects!  I was trying to create a French ambiance and one of the small ways I did that was to have un caraf d'eau on all the tables. Friends generously donated 1-liter glass water bottles and I made custom labels to brighten up the table and personalize it a bit.

Metal Stamped Wine Charm Party Favors

I threw a party for my moms 60th at La Nebbia winery, and made wine glass charms as a favor. La Nebbia generously provided a champagne glass and mini bottle of their sparkling wine to complete the gift.  I stamped each guests' name on a brass blank, added some beads and put them on a silver ear wire which are also sold as wine charm rings. See more metal stamping ideas here!  It's a fun and inexpensive hobby to start.

Repurpose A Kids Tent Into A Sandbox

I'm not gonna lie, I'm feeling pretty smug right now. Finally a cool repurposing idea that's NOT "Pinterest-inspired", that I came up with all by myself!  My brilliant idea was to turn a kids pup tent (pup tent? pop tent?) into a sandbox.  You see, we have a fenced-in pool and lots of concrete in our back yard, so I wanted to spruce things up for baby #3 - a water table, a basketball hoop, maybe a slide or a playhouse, and now a sandbox.