Thankful Cards - free printable

Are you a person or a family that has their act together enough to have thankful cards each November? It sounds like a good idea, but I usually remember it about halfway through the month, at which point it seems silly, or, more likely, I have 50,000 other things to worry about, what with Thanksgiving being right around the corner. I sound like a terribly ungrateful person in that very long sentence. But I'm not!

I do like the idea - to make Thanksgiving more than a day. To make it into a month-long thought on gratitude seems healthy. and grateful. 

So maybe this year we'll all try? Perhaps these cute tags will inspire you? Emily (their creator) has each member of her family fill one out each day (no duplicates!), and then they hang them on a "thankful tree" (i.e. branches in a vase). I think kid answers would be sometimes hilarious, and that adult answers would be sometimes caffeine related. 

What do you think? Have you tried to write down something to be grateful for each day in November? How does your family do it? Display on a tree? Put them all in a jar to read at once? Tell us!

ALSO!
Over on the Facebooks, I'm curious about slow cookers. Do you have one? Do you hate it? Do you use it every day? or does it take up valuable kitchen space and collect dust? I'm on the fence about getting one. Is it worth it if I don't cook meat?

p.s today I'm thankful for paid vacation time!

How to Spray Paint a Doormat

This was one of those posts that was supposed to be up last month, but since I didn't get it up then, you get it now. I was originally inspired by Young House Love to create my own winter/Christmas doormat for our new home. I wanted a bright red mat that spelled out "JOY." But you know what I learned? Js are really, really hard to make with painters' tape. So I went simpler, and I've still been happy with it. There's probably a lesson in there.

And although this was supposed to be a Christmas post, the you can use this technique to make a door mat for any season or event you'd like (or even no occasion). Add stems and a few leaves and this snowflake design turns into flowers. I think you could make firework-like bursts for the summer holidays or a sun. Birthday candles or a menorah would be pretty simple, and, excluding tricky letters like "J," spell out names, make a monogram, or try simple words. think: love, fall, boo. Stripes, chevrons, squares, crisscrossed lines/grid are easy straight-line designs. Of course, you could be fancier than painters tape and buy or make a stencil for more elaborate (or, ahem, curved) designs, letters, or even house numbers.

And it's easy. Get your spray paint. Make sure it's a good quality (not the $2 can please) and be sure it is for indoor and outdoor use. Otherwise it won't hold up. I used Rustoleum. Start with a blank mat. I picked mine up at IKEA, but they have similar ones at home improvements stores, as well as places like Target or Home Goods. On a dry, non-windy day (double check your paint can for temperature requirements), spread your mat out on a surface you don't mind getting paint on (like a lawn) or protect your work area with craft paper or newspaper.

If you're using two different colors, spray your "under" color (in my case white) evenly over the entire surface. It will take you a few passes to make sure you have even coverage. Take your time, but don't worry if it's not perfect.

Follow the directions on your spray paint for drying time. I waited a full 24 hours. Tape off your design. I just eyeballed it and tried to make all my snowflakes a little bit different and all slightly different sizes. Remember, the parts you are taping will remain the under color. Be sure to press firmly, especially around the edges for crisp lines.

Spray on your top coat. Again, go for even coverage. It's better to go light and have to go over the area another time or two than just pour on the paint. Wait for the paint to fully dry (I waited another 24 hours). Remove painters tape and enjoy!

Since we don't have winter weather here in sunny California, my mat didn't have to hold up to rain or snow, but according to Sherry and John, theirs did.

Have you ever made one of these? What design did you create and how did it hold up?

Kitchen Art

When Mr Official Taster and I combined households, two of the hardest collections to cull and integrate were our respective stashes of artwork. We both have a good number of photos, prints, paintings, etc. to hang on the walls, and our styles are, to say the least, rather different.

We've managed hang most of our artwork since we've moved, but one place I didn't have anything on the walls was the kitchen. It seems hard to believe, I know, but it's true. The biggest hurdle was the lack of wall space. Here's a before picture to help you remember:

The one real wall has a (much-appreciated) window taking up most of it. I'm (slowly) thinking of ways to spice it up, including stencils or just a bright paint color under the window. We'll see. Anyway, if you look carefully under the cabinets, you'll notice there's not wall there. The same black counter material forms the backsplash, and it reaches all the way to the bottom of the cabinets. According to the paperwork left by the previous owner, it's a quartz composite material, and even if I wanted to, there's no way I could pound in some nails to hang art. 

Enter, 3M hooks. I had the idea that I could use one of those 3M hooks to hang a picture with. You know the ones I mean- they have some sort of sticky stuff that will hold the hook+it's weight and then you can remove the sticky strip from the wall without leaving residue or a nail hole behind. (I swear, 3M has no idea I exist). 

So I perused Target's collection and ended up with these clear guys that are supposed to be used as utensil hooks. The package of three was in the neighborhood of $3-$4. Since the package says each hook can hold up to half a pound, and I'm somewhat of a worrier, I decided to use two hooks. I simply followed the directions on the box, eyeballed the hanging height I wanted, and centered my hooks. This particular model lies pretty flat against the wall and my art now graces the backsplash above the stove. You can still see the clear parts above the frame, but they don't bother me. It's the same print that was in our last kitchen, and I'm so glad I was able to find a home for it in this one. 

Obviously, I wouldn't recommend hanging priceless artwork above a stove, but I think it's a great place for dollar store frames and replaceable prints. Painted frames and glass wipe off easily, so I'm not worried about any splatter. I think spaces like this where you don't want something precious are perfect for pretty pictures torn from magazines, cute cards, or photos. 

Have you been hanging art in new places? Experimenting with paint? Have any bright ideas for my one real kitchen wall?

New Kitchen, New Knobs

A month ago, Mr Official Taster and I got keys to our very own home, and then we moved in over the following week or so. Needless to say, the past couple of months have been rather hectic and task-filled. I'm not complaining! No, if anything I am more grateful every day to come home to a place I already love. I know it's only going to get better.

As with any new place, we have a running list of things to do, to fix, to paint, to change, to replace, etc. Some of the things on the list won't be happening anytime soon, some will happen over a weekend (painting!), and some are quick, cheap, and can really happen whenever we decide. Our first couple projects fell in the last category.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Quick Bread in a Jar

Remember this yummy bread? Well, what I didn't tell you then was that I was really testing an "in a jar" gift recipe. I found the idea originally (via Pinterest, of course) on Sunset magazine's site. The recipe sounded promising, and the idea was a cute one for presents, so I gave it a whirl. I was pleasantly surprised with the resulting loaf, so now I want to show you how you can share this bread without overwhelming your friends and neighbors with perishable sweet stuff.

Impatiens

You totally thought I spelled that title wrong, didn't you? ha.

Earlier this week, I had 3(!!) days off in a row, and I took advantage of the time to complete a little home project I'd been contemplating. Here at Chez Sweets, our back balcony is doing just fine, thankyouverymuch, but I wanted to spruce up our boringly generic front door. The biggest challenge to finding something to grow there is the approximately 20 minutes (seriously) of direct sun that spot gets, at least in the summer. When the giant, shady tree loses its leaves in the fall, there will be significantly more light, and I already have some mums planned. But I digress.

I did a little research, hit the garden center, found nothing on my list, but then saw and remembered about Impatiens. ah ha! I remember these guys! They love the shade. So I picked some in a pretty color, forgetting about the brick red door mat we have, and found some pretty planters at Marshall's (yes, I had a good week).

Tin Cans as Planters & Garden Update

Left: this guy is winning so far with 3 baby tomatoes
Right: We ate salad greens I grew for dinner last night, and there's still more for tonight. win!

Happy Monday! It's an exceptionally happy one here because not only is it a beautiful day and I don't have to go in to work, but also a new cousin came into the world. Huzzah! Mom and baby are doing well, and I've even seen an adorable video in which she (the baby) yawns. Tough couple hours so far.

As you can see, our container garden, salad greens, and tomatoes are all thriving. All the sun lately has been great for them! We even are starting to get flowers on our pepper plants. You can really see a difference from three weeks ago.

These chic planters were once cans of tomatoes I used for sauce. All I did was spray paint them with some white Rustoleum (I checked when I got it for the tomato planters that it works on both metal and plastic), create some drainage holes in the bottom with a hammer and nail, add soil and seedlings, et voila! Almost-practically-free planters. I should note that this nail photo is from the first one I made. But by the second I figured out that I should make the nail holes first, then spray paint the can including the bottom to prevent rust. Pictured are nasturium and rosemary plants. As new cans become available, I'd love to have a few other herbs as well.

How was your weekend? Any exciting news or projects?

Grow Green Onions on Your Windowsill

This is the easiest DIY ever. 

1. Buy green onions for cooking something tasty, like these.

2. Use green parts for recipe. 

3. Stick the remaining onion in a glass of water somewhere sunny or bright.

4. Change the water every few days and add more onion as you use your original purchase up.

5. The ones in the glass will grow big and strong. Cut off pieces as needed. The onions will keep regrowing.

That's it. I started these at the beginning of March, and they are going strong. The new shoots taste just as good as the originals and didn't cost me anything. I suppose eventually they will run out of steam, but by then I will have certainly gotten my money's worth!

Planting Tomatoes in Buckets

The second unconventional planter I'm using on our balcony this summer is the humble 5-gallon bucket. I purchased two varieties of tomato plants that are container specific- two "Better Bush" and one "Patio." I picked up three buckets to plant them in, each for under $3. Since they were bright orange and advertisey, I also got some white spray paint to make them a little prettier. Later, I learned that Home Depot also sells plain white 5-gallon buckets for $1 more. Next time.

I spray painted the buckets in several nice and even and thin coats and drilled drainage holes in the bottom. Then I simply filled them with layers of potting soil and compost (our city gives it away free. If your municipality picks up compost along with trash and recycling, they may have a similar program) and planted my baby plants.

Et voila, three tomato plants that will hopefully produce some summertime deliciousness, and planters that are reusable and cost way less moolah than pots specifically sold as planters.

How's your garden looking?

Growing Spinach and Lettuce in an Upcycled Storage Container

When Mr Official Taster and I created our balcony container garden last week, I also wanted to figure out an efficient way of growing some spinach and salad greens. It didn't make sense to grow them in regular, deep planters because they don't need that much space or soil. As we walked through the hardware store, I mentioned to Mr OT that a kiddie pool would be a good solution, except that we don't have room for something that big. As I chatted with a nice guy about paint, Mr OT wandered off and returned a few minutes later with a plastic under-the-bed container.

It's shallow and even has wheels. He has some good ideas.

I drilled holes all over the bottom for drainage and added dirt. I chose spinach and baby romaine seeds and planted one row of each. I marked each row with pieces of different colored straws. My plan is to plant a new row of each seed type every couple weeks so that we will have waves of salad greens rather than a bumper crop all at once. Hopefully, we'll be able to eat our own lettuce for most of the summer and maybe even into the fall. 

Obviously, I don't know how well this will work yet, but I will keep you updated.

Have you gotten the spring planting bug? What have you started?

Creating a Small Space Balcony Container Garden

I mentioned on Tuesday that Mr Official Taster and I created a little balcony garden for ourselves over the weekend. We wanted it to be simple, efficient, and not cost and arm and a leg. I'm happy to say that we succeeded. (Roomba was impossible to keep out of this photo, sorry. She was way too interested in a) staying in the warm sun b) all the new smells and c) all the new tastes. she loves eating dirt. sigh)

We basically created a staircase out of planks of wood and cinderblocks. There are three steps. The lowest is set on top of sideways cinderblocks and the middle step is set on top of vertical cinderblocks. The third and highest shelf is set on top of "legs" made of three cinderblocks stacked sideways. Each step has three supports - one on each end and one in the middle. So for those of you counting at home, that's 15 total cinderblocks. Each plank is 4 ft long and 1 ft wide. We got everything at Home Depot, and those folks are nice and will cut wood for customers, so we picked a 12 foot long piece of wood and had them cut it in three pieces. That's it. We have a good sized balcony on our apartment, so this tight configuration means we still have room for more plants (tomatoes coming soon!) and for sitting outside and enjoying it all.

Have you caught the Spring Fever bug? What are you doing about it?



psst: I also started some spinach seeds- see how here

DIY - How to Make a Wedding or Birthday Card Book

or, How to Corral that Pile of Cards You Just Can't Throw Away.

Mr. Official Taster and I got married last year, and one of the perks of doing so is that your friends and family give you well-wishes and love in the form of cards (newsflash: sometimes they even come attached to a present). I wanted to keep these cards, and now that they have survived a couple moves, it seemed like a good time to do something with them more exciting that keeping them in a pile on top of the card catalog. Clearly, this concept isn't limited to wedding cards - birthdays, graduations, or any other special event might deserve a special book.

First, decide what you want to use as your book cover. I chose fabric, because we have a history of moving and because I thought it would be more durable than paper. BUT. Pretty paper also works, and might be somewhat easier to work with. Try here for some good paper instructions. If you're using fabric, be sure it's washed and dry, and iron it so it's nice and smooth.

Now, find your biggest card. In my case, the widest one and the tallest one were different, so I pulled out both. Using scrap paper, measure out a rectangle that's about 1/4" bigger on each side than your biggest card. So if that card is 5"x7", your template will be 5.5"x7.5". This is the size your book cover will be. 

Next, you need to trace that template onto whatever sort of cardboard you are using. We have had a lot of boxes hanging around lately, so I used part of one. You could also use foamcore, or the cardboard that comes on the back of note pads or legal pads. Cut out your cardboard rectangles - these are the book covers.

Lay out your fabric of choice, and decide how much you'd like to have to wrap around the cardboard. I probably could have used slightly less, but it doesn't really matter too much. At this point, you should also consider the pattern of your fabric and how you'd like that oriented, vertically or horizontally. For example, my fabric is striped, so I could choose to have the stripes going up and down, side to side, or even diagonally on my book. I went with vertically.

Now, you're going to cover the cardboard with your fabric. Make sure the fabric is face down on your work surface, and center the cardboard on top of it. I used Liquid Nails to adhere the fabric to the cardboard, and it worked well. It's also what I happened to have on hand, so there are certainly other options out there. The downside of using Liquid Nails was the looong dry time, so something like hot glue would be way faster. Start by glueing the long sides. (this process is a lot like wrapping a present, if that helps) Then I actually used some packing tape as an additional hold-down, which you can see better in some photos a little further down.

Just like wrapping a present, once you have smoothly secured the long sides, fold in the edges on the short side.

You want to make these folds as tight and flat as you can. Here's another angle to help you visualize all this.

Put some glue in the middle of the short side, and then fold the fabric up and over. Again, keeping it as tight and flat as possible. Repeat with the last side, and then I taped down the edges of the fabric as part of my flattening. 

Allow your glue to dry completely, according to the package instructions. I left mine under some heavy cookbooks for a while to help things stay flat. Depending on the type of glue you use, this step may or may not be necessary.

Next up: making the pockets. I looked at the inside of the book cover (where all the folded fabric is) and determined how much of it I should cover with the paper pockets. In my case, the original cover template was a pretty good size, since fabric had increased the overall dimensions of the cardboard. That also meant I knew the cards would all fit. So I traced what would become the back of the pocket on a piece of scrap paper (the one on the left, below). I measured to between 1/2 and 1/3 of the way up from the bottom to determine how high I wanted the pocket to come. (There wasn't enough room on the original piece, so I ended up making the pocket on a separate piece of paper and then taping them together.) Make sure the total length of the back+the pocket is not longer than the piece of paper you are using to create the pocket. I used a 12x12 piece of cardstock, so my total length was 12 inches. Finally, use your ruler to add on tabs to the back of the pocket. These will be what connect the back and the front. If you angle the ends, the finished product will look neater.

Cut out your template and double check that your largest card(s) will fit inside the pocket.

Trace your template onto your pocket paper. As I mentioned, I used a 12x12 sheet of cardstock. They are available in about a million colors and are in the scrapbooking section of craft stores. I bought three sheets- one each for the front and back pockets, and one extra in case I totally screwed up.

Once you've cut out your pocket, you'll need to decide how to glue it all together. I used these adhesive dots rather than glue, and I'm glad I did. They were easy, no-mess, and they don't have a dry time. There are a few different brands and sizes available.

Scoring the cardstock along the fold lines before you actually fold it will make those folds both easier and crisper. I don't have an official scorer tool, but a table knife and a ruler or other straight edge work quite well.

Place your adhesive on the "wings" and press the front of the pocket down firmly. Repeat those steps for the second pocket. If you are using glue, pause here until the glue is completely dry.

Almost done! I used thick ribbon (1.5" wide) to connect the front and back covers. Place your two covers side by side and lay some ribbon down. Don't attach it yet!

Put all your cards in the pockets. Place the pockets on top of each other. Then, to see how big to make your book, place the pockets on top of the laid out ribbon. Figure out how much ribbon you need to reach around the books, and how far that means the covers need to be apart.

Cut two pieces of ribbon to that length. Lay out your book to make sure it all works before glueing things down.

Firmly attach the ribbon to both covers of your book. Then, attach each pocket to the cover (yes, on top of the ribbon).

Technically, you're done! You've made a book! I, however, wanted to make my a little more secure, so I opted to basically make a ribbon belt for my book. I used the same ribbon I used to bind my book and D Rings from the sewing section of the craft store. Make sure the width of your ribbon matches the width of the D Rings you choose.

Measure out and cut enough ribbon to wrap around your book. Sew two D Rings into one end of your ribbon. I tucked the very end under to make it look slightly more finished.

Finally, wrap the ribbon belt around the book and tie off.

Now you really are done!

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. If I was fancy, I could embellish the covers with our initials, or wedding date, or something, but, for now, I'm happy with it as-is.