This weekend...

I made these cookies last year for our friend Rachael's birthday party, but the message is just as appropriate as we head into 2012. I can't wait! I genuinely think this is going to be the best year yet. I'm planning to print out this list just in case I need a reminder throughout the year though (thanks, Beth!). We're planning a simple celebration with dear friends to kick off the new year on a bright note. What are your plans? Whatever you do, I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Garland DIY...

The other New Year's Eve garland not working for you? Try this one, it's even easier.
You'll need:
felt
scissors
puff paint (I used two neon colors)
string
tracing pencil
chipboard letters (I found a set at our local craft store, but you can also print letters from your computer)

tacky glue

Here's how:

1. Choose your phrase and select the appropriate chipboard letters.

2. Use tracing pencil to trace chipboard letters onto felt.

3. Dot puff paint along traced line and allow to dry.

4. Cut out felt letters along dotted line.

5. Cut a length of string and glue to back of felt letters (don't worry, the tacky glue shouldn't leak through).

6. Allow the glue to dry, hang up garland, and have a happy New Year!

New Year's DIY...

As promised, here's a quick little New Year's Eve DIY that I made the other day.
You'll need:
felt
scissors
needle + thread (I used three different colors of neon thread)
iron-on glitter letters
iron
tracing pencil

small circle to trace (I used a pill bottle cap)

Here's how:

1. cut out glitter letters to spell whatever phrase you'd like.

2. arrange in order and trace small circles around each individual letter.

3. iron on glitter letters according to package instructions.

4. do NOT cut the letters out. Instead, layer another piece of felt behind that whole piece, pin together, and stitch around each circle, sewing the two layers together. I just used a simple running stitch.

5. Once all of your circles are sewn together, that's when you cut them out along the stitched line. I don't mind the faint blue line showing, but you could use a damp washcloth to remove it.

6. It doesn't have to look super neat on the back, right? To hang, use a long piece of thread and sew a line along the back of each letter. You can make a small knot to get each letter to stay where you want it.

7. Find a spot to hang your garland and have a happy New Year!

Out of the fog...

Phew! The Hendricksons have been down for the count this week! Today is the first day that we all feel relatively normal. The worst part of being a parent is when your children are hurt or sick and, when they are, it makes everything else feel inconsequential. Needless to say, it's a relief to have two happy, healthy kids tearing around the house again. Today is a busy crafting/baking day at our house. We have party hats to make, a New Year's Eve garland to finish, and a birthday cake to bake for my brother's (wonderful!!) girlfriend. Stay tuned for a New Year's Eve DIY first thing tomorrow morning. And thank you again for being amazing!

Ick day...

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. We appear to have caught laryngitis from my mother-in-law, so our peeps are going to take an ick day.

This weekend...

Have yourselves a happy weekend and a merry Christmas!

Love,

Abbey

Garland...

EZ E and I were in charge of organizing his pre-K holiday party, so we're headed out the door in a few minutes to get that set up. Craft projects, games, and pizza? Count us in! I'm leaving you with the Merry Christmas garland the kiddos and I made using graph paper, markers, string, and tape. We just cut out the letters freehand (the graph paper helps), colored them all, and taped each letter to the string. Super easy! Speaking of super easy, I also have a DIY project over on Life: Styled. Take a look!

High five...

My five favorite things from around blogland recently.

1. This space, photographed by Paul Brissman (found via Sycamore Street Press via Desire to Inspire), is what my ultimate dream looks like for our barn. PRH may have just lost his mind.

2. A cat tattoo? I have enough tattoos, including the ridiculously ubiquitous 1990's tattoo on my lower back (I know, I know!). But I digress. Maybe you need some ideas? This little beauty is by artist Chris Carter of i heart tattoo studios (found via Summer Allen via noodly).

3. This Triple Meteor necklace by Solis Jewelry. I'm pretending that I'm wearing that right now. I look fabulous.

4. Paper gem templates by Mini-Eco...need I say more? (found via I'm revolting). Get your folding hands ready, kiddos. It's all in the name of mathematics, no?

5. A painted driftwood tree from A Creative Mint (found via Eliza). This would be a fun project to make over a long weekend.

Lazy week...

This has been the kind of lazy week that I love, the kind where chairs become forts, we don't brush our hair, and we draw on walls...

where piles of toys collide in the middle of the floor and just stay there...

where plain copy paper and a napkin magically become a cozy bed for a rabbit and red-eyed bear...

where we plop on the floor in our pajamas and draw...

Unlike years past, I've made it a point to keep calm this week and not pile on unnecessary projects. It's been great! When things get crazy, as they inevitably do when you live with two young children, will you remind me of this week?

Thank you to Under Siege Vintage for sponsoring this post.

Homemade gifts...

Remember the 480 pounds of apples we pressed into cider? Well, now it's all booze. All of it! No applesauce, no juice for our children, no pie...all alcohol, people. PRH would like to interject here and say, "He did make a few apple crisps". I'd like to interject and say, "A few". Only kidding. PRH made several types of delicious hard cider and we're sharing it with our families for the holidays. You know, because nothing puts you in the holiday spirit more than a hangover. Um, yes. I spent part of our weekend packaging and labeling homemade hard cider. More was packaged than drank, so I'd call the weekend a success. Cheers!

This weekend...

I'm in a little crafting frenzy over here, trying to finish up handmade gifts and some freelance projects before next week. Hope you all have a happy weekend!

Illustration by Mary Blair (Baby's House) from Meet Me At Mikes found via Smile and Wave

Candy thief...

We saw these vintage-style packages of candy at the grocery store the other day and I couldn't resist bringing them home. Yes, I'm totally one of those suckers who buy things only because they're in old school packaging. A certain little girl couldn't resist them either...see that sneaky hand trying to snag a candy bar? That's my baby!

Studio in progress...

My studio is finally coming along. The houndstooth carpet has been gone for a long time, but finishing anything else in this room had been very low on the priority list. Having friends over for dinner (and the possibility of my slovenly ways being revealed) lit a fire under my butt. Now, almost all of the boxes are unpacked, there's actually a clear tabletop to work on, and I've started cluttering up the walls with my tzotchkes. Hooray! More photos once the room is a bit more presentable, I promise. Anyone else want to come to dinner and give me some more motivation?

Sock it to me...

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not typically a fan of funky socks; I tend to prefer thick wool, old lady socks. So imagine my surprise when I found myself digging through our laundry yesterday like a madwoman, searching for another pair of funky socks from Sock It To Me. They sent over several pair for me to try and I'm officially hooked. Warm, well-made, and fun...all qualities I apparently like in a sock. Who knew?! Thanks, Sock It To Me! Head over to their site to see more.

High five...

My five favorite things from around blogland recently.

1. This gorgeous log holder built by photographer Trine Thorsen and her partner (found via Ideas to Steal via PLAZA Interiör). I'd like something exactly like this next to our woodstove.

2. This studio space designed by A31 Architecture for artist Alexandros Liapis (found via kubodo). My dreams are filled with minimalist studio spaces.

3. Guinness dressed up as reindeer?! Need I say more? Photo from Life of a Modern Mom (found via Tonya Sweatman). For the record, I'm open to receiving beer for Christmas.

4. Who doesn't want giant letters that spell out the word 'rad'? These were used in a window installation, designed in part by Nicole Lavelle.

5. This list of modern dollhouses on copy please (found via Fergi Johnson). I particularly like this one, even though no builder is credited (via DaddyTypes). Does anyone know who the designer is?

Handmade ornaments...

I must admit that the holiday spirit has been slow to arrive at our house this year. We had to wait for plaster dust to clear before we put up our tree and, other than the ornaments for my shop, this is the only ornament I've made so far. I made a ton last year and it was so fun to see them all again and hang them on the tree. I really want to make more this year. This ornament is basically a large scale version of these geometric cubes with a screw eye in the top. DIY directions for the blocks are in the book State of Craft and on etsy (one word of caution: these blocks are NOT intended for children). Do you make handmade ornaments each year?

Research...

I've been looking forward to PRH's holiday break from school for a number of reasons, one being the opportunity for me to do more research about the history of our house. This beautiful document is our deed. I've skimmed it, but haven't sat down and read the entire thing (it's quite long). We do know that the property was purchased in 1870 and changed hands many, many times. I'm hoping to find out more though; why is the house in this location, what did the original owners do for a living, etc? Have you done research about your home? Where did you have the best luck finding information? What did you find out? Watch out, Historical Society, here I come!

This weekend...

I've never had much success taking a photo of our Christmas tree, so I was pretty excited to see step-by-step instructions on Unskinny Boppy. I have some more experimenting to do this weekend, but this is a decent first shot. Kicky's attentiveness, coupled with the fact that EZ E's sporting a Spiderman costume, makes me like it even more. Enjoy your weekend and I'll see you on Monday!

Celebrating the sparkle...

The snow on the ground from Wednesday night made every room in our house sparkle yesterday. It was beautiful in a way I simply hadn't anticipated. Instead of running errands, the kiddos and I decided to celebrate the sparkle and spent the whole day at home, baking cookies, making homemade wrapping paper, and wrapping gifts.



We only used markers and kraft paper, but they were both so thrilled to be making wrapping paper! Instead of ribbon, we used neon pink flagging tape from the hardware store to make bows.

The toy on the top is a Haba Magica Clutch toy; it's one of our go-to baby gifts. EZ E was particularly satisfied to see gifts wrapped in his drawings. I also used it as an opportunity for him to practice his writing. This morning, my friend Sosser shared this article about taking time to celebrate the seemingly mundane moments in life. That's what yesterday was all about.