Flower Necklace for you on Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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This is my friend Emily.  She's uber talented in so many ways—from amazing actress to her special projects she puts together where she works—she is tip top! 

The necklace I'm wearing is a special project I made for Jewelry Making Daily to celebrate a new video of mine.  We are launching Remixed Media:  Transforming Metal Found Objects for Your Jewelry.  In the video you get tons of ideas for how to use those cool metals that you can't solder to.  The necklace is titled Stirring Up Sunshine because I used iced tea spoons for some of the components.  My mom was a big sun tea maker and I think of those bright days growing up every time I see those long handled, skinny spoons. 

I hope you are having a Happy Valentine's Day.  I know for us single people it can feel a little third wheel-ish.  :)  I'm focusing on loving my friends and family instead.  Seeing happy couples gives me hope that it's possible!  I sent little texts to my friends and tonight I'm helping my parents carry a big cabinet in from their truck.  Dad is making steak for his Valentine's (and help, LOL).  XOXO.  Candie

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Valentine Idea!

February 11, 2011 By 1 Comment

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Signed.  Sealed.  Delivered.  I'm yours! Heart.  Ready to make one?

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Collect some hearts.  I found these at the thrift store for 25 cents each.  I think their past life was spent at a wedding.  I'm reincarnating them into some Valentines.

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Paint it how you like!  I used Folk Art Cardinal Red and Licorice.  I painted the edges with gold brushy stripes too.  Don't worry if your lines are perfect—let it be you!!!

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You can find LOTS of old stamp lots on Ebay.  Then, break out the Podge and seal those stampers down.

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A few black dots around the edge…then varnish, varnish, varnish.  Gloss or Satin.  You pick.

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Signed on the back and delivered last night.  I tucked it into my friends decor and she didn't notice until later.  I love a good surprise! 

XOXO, Candie

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Craft and Hobby Show

February 8, 2011 By 1 Comment

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The Craft and Hobby show was a blast!  This is where I hung out pretty much the entire show, here in the DIY jewelry/fashion area of the Plaid booth.  It was awesome!

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Plaid Craft TV is coming out this Spring with Cathie and Steve!  There will be lots of inspiring guests and ideas you can check out right from your computer at home!

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Pretty lines!  We used the two on far right to make necklaces for four straight days!  Dazzling Geodes and Beautifully Baroque.  I brought home some creations I made during the show too!

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There are Make and Take stations all over the show floor where visitors can try new products, learn new techniques and take home a neat little finished project.  In the Plaid booth, you could learn jewelry making, glass painting with stencils, how to paint flowers on wooden surfaces, decoupaging with fabric and be on the new Plaid Craft TV.  IT was a party!

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Happy "Minions" from Chica and Jo with their Beautifully Baroque necklaces!

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Dazzling Geodes!  This piece looked so pretty!

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This was her first time making jewelry!  Look at all those layers!  We both agreed, she's hooked!  No turning back now!

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Be watching for Plaid's new Denim Destruction kit too!

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There was a huge table with tons of jewelry made with present and past Plaid jewelry components….people loved checking out all the different looks.  I could have sold a lot of it too!

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Beadalon let us use my favorite ergo pliers set and bead mats too!  Thanks, Beadalon!

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I loved this person's design.  Her and her friend were the very last make and takers of the show and so nice.  It was a great way to end the day and show…

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Geode Jewelry

January 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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I'm so excited to be leaving for the Craft and Hobby show in a couple days where I'll be doing the make and take for Plaid Enterprises and catching up with my crafty friends!  This year we are making some beautiful necklaces in the Plaid booth with the new Dazzling Geodes line.  I can't take credit for the photos btw.  I asked the gals at Plaid for them because I wanted to share ideas for how we used the geodes and components to create the sample projects.  I love to layer parts and pieces and the flatness of the rocks makes it really easy.

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This bracelet uses the prong setting findings.  You can use the prong settings for pendants too. I went to JoAnn Fabrics last night to pick up some pieces to make more jewelry with them.  Have I mentioned how much I love all the geode colors!?!  Only a thousand times, right.  I came home with black, pink and yellow.

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Tons of silver and gold charms as well as sparkly links like this.  You can get the geodes in honkin' big or smallish size.  This is only the beginning–you could decoupage images to them or glue flat back crystals on the side.

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Think bold!  And love that it only takes five minutes to whip up! There is also a book with more project ideas like this with the components.  JoAnn's has their jewelry section 40% off this week.  Now's the time to stock up on your findings….there's still winter daylight to burn and sanity to save.

Filed Under: Jewelry

Sunday to Monday

January 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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Last night my friend Mikey gave me a tip that an open jam session was going down at the local coffee shop, Modocs.  It was a blast and great to see so many warm, smiling faces.

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Mikey.  I've known him since 8th grade! (he was singing a Jack Johnson song)  If you are looking for someone to play some background music at your next party—this is your man!

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Then this morning I woke up so excited because over the weekend I got stuff to make baked oatmeal.  The snow was (and still is) trickling down quickly and I sat in my kitchen booth seat by the window happy as a clam with a heaping bowl of it drizzled in half and half (I don't mess around).  

If you like baked oatmeal cookies fresh out of the oven, then you're going to love this…LOVE IT!  I PROMISE!!

Baked Oatmeal:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Mix wet ingredients together.  Combine both, then add the fruit.

  • 3 C. quick cooking oatmeal (i do half quick and half old fashion)
  • 1 C. packed brown sugar
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 C. low-fat milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 C. butter melted
  • 1 peeled and chopped tart apple
  • 1/3 C. peaches chopped (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/3 C. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 handful of dried fruit (dried cranberries or anything really, even some sliced almonds)

Place in a greased, 8" square dish and bake 35-40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Grandma got me hooked on Mexican Vanilla and now I can never go back to imitation.  She sells it in her store and as my Aunt Jane says, "it really makes a difference."  It does.

*I got this recipe from the Taste of Home website and then tweaked it to suit my cravings.

Filed Under: BAKING, Friends

Winter Aid

January 23, 2011 By 1 Comment

DSCF7501 Y'all know I needed some winter aid if you read yesterday's post. I was pretty over the ice and brisk wind and numb fingers and toes.  Here's the thing though and tell me if you feel the same—I love the ambiance of a pretty winter day IF you don't have to  venture out  (unless it's a hike with sweetie, Rocker, of course).  Yesterday, the flakes were absolutely dreamy as they wistfully sailed by the window and I felt like I was in one of those snow globes that I've always wanted to make (see: "winter wonderland in a jar."  Boy, I do love Martha).  Dreamy or not, the fall brought me back to reality.  And how!

DSCF7509One thing I do to beat the chill is to cook something simple that has garlic or onions, and butter because well, you know why.  It smells amazing.  Second thing to do is make some muffins or biscuits so you have a reason to fire up the oven.  I also lit a couple candles and started a fire.  I totally act like I know what I'm doing, but truthfully by Feb 18th I'll be ready to burn my mittens and move to Florida.  You feel me?

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So this is a long awaited carrot soup recipe that I've been wanting to try.  Last night I found myself with a heap of carrots that needed used so away I went.  I called a long distance friend while I peeled and chopped and it was so nice to catch up.  Which, while I'm thinking about it, I'm so happy it doesn't cost 87 cents a minute to talk long distance anymore.  Aren't you?  Ok, the soup recipe:  It hit the spot!  I had to make a few modifications because *I didn't read carefully because  I run back and forth to the living area where my computer is.  Because, firstly I don't want to put my Mac in the kitchen where soup or wine or stock could spill on the keyboard and fry it.  This has happened to a few friends and because I haven't bought Apple Support like said friends suggest, I'm not going there!  Why not print it?  Well,  the first is because I'm cheap when it comes to using my ink.  But let's say it was ink worthy, I can't seem to get a printer driver downloaded for my HP printer that is compatible with Mac.  Heh.  This is my life!  Crikey.

Ok back to the soup modifications:  I put one T of red curry paste and a couple dashes of cayenne pepper because the word on the review street was it was pretty spicy.  I added one can of pumpkin (*because my soup was too thin) and a T of brown sugar.  I also added dashes of  both pumpkin pie spice and ginger.  Yes, it got a little crazy.  Some of the reviews said it was too salty so be careful there.  Add a splash of cream or half and half and hit it with a cilantro garnish.  Done.  I loved it and can't wait to have a bowl for lunch.

P.S.  For all you beautiful nostalgics out there, I included the old school woven hot pad that my sister scored a set of at a flea market (thanks, Carrie!) in the finished soup shot.  Sweet, huh?  I have a loom or three down in my studio if anyone wants to come over and weave their own.  You know you want to.

Filed Under: Food and Drink, Get Crafty

Hello Saturday!

January 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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I awoke to the prettiest snow coming down around the cabin and pumped to do some chores around here.  Laundry especially.  I was heading down the stairs (outside) with an arm-load full and WHAM!  Next thing I know I am on my back!  Ugh.  It scared the silly outta me!   Then I laid there in shock assessing the situation, and here comes the throbbing on my lower back and arm.  So I roll over, LOL, leave all laundry behind and crawl up the stairs into the warmth. I remember thanking the sweet Lord I wasn't hurt over and over…feeling dizzy…and the sting of cold…and promising I would be more cautious, salting the stairs and then…more dizziness and heat and then…I fainted.  It was crazy!  Why did I faint?  I have no idea.  But, I'm here and awake now, blogging with Sleepless in Seattle playing in the background and it's Saturday, so life is good!  Stiff, but good.  It is in these moments that a LOUD AND CLEAR familiar voice inside my head says, "you better take a couple aspirin."  My mother's and so I did.  Moving on. 

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Do you ever go to the thrift store or flea market?  It's one of my favorite places to buy stuff to paint on.  This is a little heart mirror I got for a quarter.  Actually, once upon a time there were three and they spelled Peace, Love and Joy with Scrabble letters.  They were cute.  The other two found good homes.  When you are on the prowl for pieces to transform, go for the non-varnished/shiny ones.  You don't have to sand them first that way and can jump straight into painting.  This one was base coated green and then topped off with two coats of Extreme Glitter.  The letters were glued on with Dazzle Tac.   Mod Podge Rocks has all kinds of ideas for revamping thrifted finds. I think you'll love it.

Ok.  Sigh.  Momma's off to shower and find a stiff drink to loosen up this stiff back.  LOL.  Kidding, but maybe later… it is Saturday and all.

Filed Under: Crafting
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