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Tuesday, November 30, 2010
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COME SEE US AND 40 OF THE MOST TALENTED NYC HANDMADE ARTIST AT THE HANDMADE CAVALCADE IN NYC ON DECEMBER 12TH.
This once a year shopping event will include, fashion, home goods, jewelry, beauty and yours truly!

Located at OpenHouse Gallery on 201 Mulberry Street in the Nolita section of NYC....just go to the site for more info....see you there!

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Monday, November 29, 2010
HOLIDAY HAIR-THE CHIC CHIGNON

This is an old post from {this is glamorous} but it is so appropriate due to the holiday season. The classic chignon is great for those quick meetings are an elegant event...easily customizable and diverse, not to mention it works with every hair type.

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{INSTRUCTIONS}


{one}
using a round brush, blow-dry hair smooth and straight, focusing on the top sections

{two}
once dry, use a large-barrel curling iron to create waves from the ears down

{three}
build height and volume at the crown by teasing hair gently with a fine-tooth comb

{four}
gather hair into a low ponytail; twist it along the nape of your neck, pinning as you go

{five}
once you reach your ear, shape the remaining hair into curls, and pin them back over

{six}

just add red lips with platforms and you're set!













(picture courtesy of {this is glamorous}
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Friday, November 26, 2010
PRETTINESS OF THE DAY: WOODEN CUPCAKE LINERS





























Gorgeous chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream in a wood paneled liner from Nellie Cakes by way of "Cupcake(s) of the day". The wood paneling cupcake liner was made by Nellie Cakes and is NOT edible, it’s just paper my friends.....but it looks so real doesn't it?
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Monday, November 22, 2010
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Anyone who owns an Android or I-phone knows how addictive the apps can be...there are applications for everything ( my personal favorite is the "Starbucks Finder") and it looks like Etsy has finally gotten on the bandwagon. For those of you who have an Etsy shop, you can now take advantage of Etsy App Gallery. These applications are from developers who have tapped into the Etsy community, building their own apps for the web, desktop and mobile devices. Just as with most applications, some are more "useful" than others. The following are some of my favorites:

1. Etsy Catalog- Let's you create a PDF catalog with all the listings in your shop. You can then use your PDF catalog at trade shows, craft fairs ,in emails or with your company newsletter (if you have one).
PROS: Very easy to use beta interface to easily create the catalog. You can also change the listing easily before pushing the "button" to make the pdf catalog
CONS: Limited in design and color theme but if you are Illustrator savvy, you can alter pdf catalog easily in Adobe Illustrator and save as pdf.




2. Clock Bot- Let's you automatically renew your listings by setting the date and the time. This app is brought to you by Statsy, which ( for those of you who are not familiar with) is similar to Craft Cult.

Pros: Can set it to automatically renew your most popular items so you don't loose sales when something sells during an "off peak time"

Cons: Taking the time to set your listings, which can be time consuming if you have alot of items in your shop






3.Etsy Text- Sends you a notification text when you sell somthing in your shop. For those of you who do not have an smart phone with easily accesible email options.

Pros: easy to get an update when you need a quick notice. free to install and use

Cons: this is the only thing this app does and standard phone messaging rate apply.














Do you know of any etsy apps that are useful?
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Monday, November 15, 2010
HOMEMADE GIRL SCOUT COOKIES:SAMOAS

Don't you ever wish that Girl Scout Cookie Time came more than once a year, I know that I am not the only one , that buys enough to stick in the freezer for the whole year.I am obsessed with girl scout cookies....having been a girl scout myself as well as selling them when they were still $1.50 a box, I wait every year for them to come around.Sadly we live in a world now where its not longer safe to go door to door, so I usually have to catch them one Saturday (in season) in front of the grocery store. So now that I found a recipe for them, I no longer feel "stalkerish" looking for the little green uniformed girls outside of Trader Joe's.

You can make Samoas ( or Carmel Delites as they are called) at home. Try them out... they are just as good as the real thing :)

HOMEMADE SAMOAS
yield about 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

{COOKIES}
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
up to 2 tbsp milk

{TOPPING}
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

{INSTRUCTIONS}
make the cookies:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a second, larger bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour mixture until combined. Add the vanilla and combine. The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky dough. If the dough isn’t coming together, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time as needed, until the dough forms a ball. It’s possible you may not need to add any milk at all. If the dough is impossibly sticky, sprinkle with a bit of flour.

3. Divide the dough into 2 or 3 portions. Roll out each portion between large pieces of wax or parchment paper to a thickness of no more than 1/4 inch. Transfer the dough and parchment to the refrigerator to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut dough rounds. If you wish to make your cookies exact replicas of the original Samoa, cut a smaller hole in the center of each cookie using a knife, the end of the handle on a wooden spoon, or any other small round device that you can find in your kitchen. Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets.

5. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly browned and the cookies are set. Cool them for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

make the topping:
1. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F ( 150°C). Line another baking sheet with parchment.

2. Spread the coconut evenly on the baking sheet and toast, stirring every 5 minutes, until the coconut is golden, about 20 minutes total. Cool the coconut on the sheet, stirring occasionally, until it cools to room temperature. Set aside.

3. Combine the caramels, milk, and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power for 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to stir it a few times to ensure the caramels melt evenly. When the mixture is smooth, fold in the toasted coconut. Using a small metal offset spatula, spread the topping onto the cooled cookies, using 2 to 3 teaspoons per cookie. If the caramel becomes too firm to work with, reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds. Let the cookies set.

4. Place 8 ounces of the chocolate, coarsely chopped or broken into pieces, in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power in 45-second intervals, stirring to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate, scraping it along the edges of the bowl to smooth it, and then place on parchment or wax paper to set. Transfer any remaining chocolate into a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with one corner snipped off. If necessary, melt additional chocolate. Drizzle chocolate stripes on top of the cookies. Let the cookies set or, to hasten the process, transfer them to the refrigerator. Store them in an airtight container.

Note: These cookies are fairly time consuming to make, but if you take your time and have fun with them, the results will be worth it.

Variation: Rather than rolling out the dough and cutting individual cookies, you can save a few minutes with this bar cookie rendition. Just follow the instructions above, making the following adjustments:

For the cookies: Use only 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter and omit the baking powder and the milk. After beating the butter with the sugar, beat in 1 egg and the vanilla extract. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour and salt, and combine until the mixture is crumbly and the consistency of wet sand. Press the mixture into a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake until the crust is set and the edges are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cookie cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

For the topping: After folding the coconut into the caramel, place dollops of the mixture on the cooled cookie crust and spread it into an even layer using a small offset spatula or, if the mixture isn’t too hot, lightly floured fingers. Let cool completely. Drizzle with the 8 ounces of melted chocolate as directed. If desired, melt the additional 4 ounces of chocolate and, after cutting the bars into individual cookies, dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate, scraping it along the edge of the bowl to smooth it, and then place the bars on parchment or wax paper to set.

NEED TO CONVERT THE MEASUREMENTS?

recipe courtesy of Baking Bites
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Monday, November 8, 2010
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This Felt Slipper tutorial is brought to you from good ole' Martha Stewart. These slippers make a great gift for yourself or others as they are easy to make and customize. Also felt is great to work with as it will not unravel when cut.
This template can be adjusted to fit a variety of sizes and is made with a minimum amount of sewing for some of us whose sewing skills are less than spectacular.
You can also add a thin sheet of cabinet liner or rubber to the bottom of the shoe to make it non skid and a little more durable. Just remember that these are not "all weather" shoes and probably wouldn't the good to go outside to get the trash in, lol.

The following is the tutorial/templates for all the felt shoes as well as the handy felt slipper size chart to make the shoes in different sizes.

ALL FELT SLIPPER TEMPLATES
FELT SLIPPER SIZE CHART

{For Branch Slippers}

1. Download slipper templates (2 slipper tops with branch outline, 1 left sole, 1 right sole, 1 branch), resizing as desired; print onto card stock, and cut out all templates.

2. Cut equal rectangles of heather-brown felt, salmon felt, and fusible webbing (leaving 1 side of paper backing on), each large enough to accommodate 2 slipper tops.

3. Stack brown felt and fusible webbing (paper side up).

4. Lay slipper-top templates side by side on stack. Using a pencil, trace templates, marking notches A and B as indicated on templates.

5. Place branch template on 1 traced slipper top, using marked points to position properly, and trace. Repeat on second traced slipper top, flipping branch template to trace a mirror image. Cut out branch designs, slicing through webbing and felt with a craft knife.

6. Carefully remove paper backing from fusible webbing; webbing should stay in line with cut edges of branches. Stack salmon-felt rectangle on webbing, and flip over (keep branch shapes in position). Iron, following webbing manufacturer's instructions, with brown side up. Lay slipper-top templates on fused felt, and align notches A and B with tips of branches and leaves. Trace with a disappearing-ink pen. Cut out slipper tops, cutting through notches.

7. Cut equal rectangles of heather-brown felt, salmon felt, and fusible webbing large enough to accommodate 2 soles. Stack layers, with webbing in middle. Iron, following manufacturer's instructions on webbing. Lay templates for both soles side by side on fused fabric; trace with disappearing-ink pen. Cut out soles.

8. With a sewing machine, sew closed the vertical seam at back of each slipper top with a zigzag stitch (do not overlap fabric; instead, align edges, and stitch).

9. Pin 1 sewn slipper top to 1 sole, brown side down. Starting at heel, sew around perimeter of slipper, leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Repeat to finish second slipper.
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{For Butterfly Slippers}

1. Download slipper templates (2 slipper tops, 1 left sole, 1 right sole, butterflies), resizing as desired; print onto card stock, and cut out all templates.

2. Cut equal rectangles of cream felt, white felt, and fusible webbing, each large enough to accommodate 2 slipper tops. Stack layers, with webbing in middle. Iron, following webbing manufacturer's instructions.

3. Lay slipper-top templates side by side on fused felt. Trace with a disappearing-ink pen, and cut out slipper tops.

4. With disappearing-ink pen, trace butterfly templates onto different shades of pink felt. Cut out shapes.

5. Secure butterflies to cream side of slipper tops with straight pins or fabric glue. Using a sewing machine, stitch along midline of butterflies to secure to slippers.

6. To finish slippers, follow steps 7, 8, and 9 in "For Branch Slippers," using cream and white felt (cream side down on soles).
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{For Baby Shoes}

1. Use the baby shoe template . Pin templates to wool felt; cut out. To make the heel seam, which shapes the top part of the slipper, fold the upper piece in half, and stitch along the straight edge.

2. Pin the top of shoe to the sole. Sew the pieces together. Turn inside out, hiding the seams. Glue rickrack on the outside or inside rim of the instep, or hole punch a pattern. Sew a button or snap on one strap; make a button slit or sew on the other piece of the snap on the opposite strap. Attach a tiny ribbon bow to the top of each shoe, if desired.


PICTURES COURTESY OF MARTHA STEWART
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Monday, November 1, 2010
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I happen to come across this tutorial at 4 in the morning and thought it was very neat. This is brought to you via Howcast, the network that brings you little "how to " videos on just about anything. Just take a look below at the 2 minute video on how to make a dress from a button down oxford shirt with no sewing machine.
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UPDATE: They have recently deleted video, so the instructions are below

Step 1: Choose shirt
Choose a shirt that is long enough to wear as a mini dress when the collar is held just above your bust line
TIP: Women’s shirts are best, since they have back darts. Shoulder darts, usually found on men’s shirts, will hamper the fit of your dress.

Step 2: Hold it up
Hold the back of the shirt with the collar over your chest and have a friend fasten the buttons in back. Then wrap the sleeves around your back. This is the basic dress shape

Step 3: Fit
Have your friend overlap and pin the sleeves together in back. Check the front to make sure it stays fitted and neat. If you don’t plan to keep the collar in front, cut it off now
TIP: If you’re using a short-sleeved shirt, there won’t be much to cut off.

Step 4: Cut sleeves
Mark and cut the sleeves in back, leaving several inches of overlap for buttons, buttonholes, and seams. Then remove the dress, cut the sleeves straight, pin them down half an inch, and hem each one.

Step 5: Lay out buttonholes
Lay out the buttons on the bottom sleeve. Draw four slits in a straight line along the edge of the top sleeve to mark buttonholes. Then cut slits just large enough to fit the buttons.

Step 6: Sew
Hand-finish the buttonholes by sewing completely around the edge of each slit with doubled thread
TIP:Use a sewing machine if you have one.

Step 7: Finish
Try on the dress and have your friend overlap the sleeves and mark where the buttons will go for a perfect fit. Mark through each buttonhole, remove the dress, and sew the buttons at each mark
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