KMA SALE!

All this week, all items in my Etsy shop will be 25% off! This is a fantastic time to stock up on holiday gifts and gifts for your self too! And to say 'Thanks for reading and following my blog' I'm giving you a chance to save an ADDITIONAL 15% off all items in my shop! Just used the coupon code KMABLOG during check out. Who could pass up this killer opportunity to save some dough? So don't delay! Go forth, browse all the cute & adorable wallets and other crafts I've created, pick a few out and save some cold hard cash!

Wreaths

Here's a photo of the wreath I made last year using a straw wreath and some scraps of holiday fabric. I found it while the husband and I were purging things in our apartment. Instead of finding a proper home for it, tucked away, I decided it was (early) November already and safe to go ahead and hang it on our door!

I made a couple of these as Christmas presents last year, they're so easy to do!
I think my mom still has one I made back in high school.
Here's a close up:

ItzFitz :: Yarn Wreath
This is a cleaver and simple idea. I adore the felt flowers!

SweetSweetCircles :: Ruffled Wreath
More felt! This could easily be embellished or is just as pretty as is.

carenej77 :: Large Christmas Paper Ribbon Wreath

SucculentDesigns :: Living Succulent Centerpiece/Wreath
I love this! I know someone who may be getting one for Christmas this year...
I just wish I had more of a green thumb, or I'd try to make one myself.

Postage Stamp Quilt: Part 1

I found this great tutorial to make this crazy, awesome quilt that you could buy for over $200 at LLBean.com. The quilt looks like you spent years sewing tiny squares together, but tutorial shows some great techniques to to make it a heck of a lot quicker! I decided on a color scheme of red, orange and yellow, I'm excited to see them all come together!

First things first: cut up a BUNCH of 1.5-inch strips.

Mix up all the strips!

And start sewing them together!

I've sewn about 6 of these 'strip blocks' together already. I'll be working on this quilt in between other projects throughout the holidays. More photos to come!

Snowpocalypse 2010

It snowed in Seattle yesterday! I actually went to work in the morning for a few hours, and was grateful when our boss emailed the staff (all two of us who were in the office) that we would be closing at 12:30. I was also grateful that we live close enough to my job that I could just walk home, especially hearing about friends who were stuck on buses for 2 hours and others who were traveling on I-5 for 6 hours!

Here's a couple photos outside our window, taken in the afternoon, before it really started to come down:



After it got dark Mark and I went outside to peak around the corner, down the big hill that's on the other side of our building. We had been watching cars trying to go up and down the hill and our street all evening, slipping and sliding. The hill had at some been blocked, and our neighbors came out with sleds and laundry baskets to slide down the hill in/on! I wish I had brought my camera, but didn't want to risk dropping it in the snow.

This a video (taken on a street near our place) showing the stupidity of Seattlites who should've never tried to drive on the sheets of ice that covered our streets:

Rag Quilt

I've been on a sewing kick recently. While browsing Etsy I came across a style of quilt I never new existed: Rag Quilts. They are so easy and simple! I loosely used this PDF tutorial (if you want more thorough instructions please see this link!). The last trip to the fabric store I picked up a ton of flannel (1 yard of 6 different solids/patterns & 2 yards of solid white, enough to make two 35"x56" baby blankets).

Here is my helper, John:

I cut 8-inch squares of each fabric.

One yard of fabric = 20 8-inch squares

6 of the 7 colors I chose for the blankets:

I decided not to make a pattern for the layout,
but instead just make sure there was a solid in between each pattern square.
(Each square is double the fabric.)

Then sewed an 'X' through each square of doubled fabric.

And then sewed each seam facing up on one side.

1/2" inseam, though you can make them any size you want,
just as long as its big enough to snip later on!
You'll see what I mean...

Close up:

Then you start to clip all the edges!
About 1/4" between each snip, to help the fraying process.

Beware, this takes a long time...

This is the finished blanket, before washing.
I'll post another photo when I get a chance to take it to the laundry mat,
apparently that's the best place to wash and dry this kind of quilt.

Hello Kitty

I have a confession to make, I'm addicted to Hello Kitty. It's true, and yes, it's embarrassing. Lucky for me I found a man who shares this love for the iconic cat, we both are Hello Kitty debit card holders! I like telling people that I did not force my husband to get the debit card with a picture of Hello Kitty on it, but he saw that I had one and got one on his own accord! When we go out to eat and he pays, the waiter often hands me the card back without bothering to look at the name!

Sanrio has been driving a mobile shop across the U.S. in celebration of their 50th anniversary and they stopped in Seattle over Halloween weekend. Being a lover of games, I picked up this sweet item:

Amazon :: Hello Kitty Yahtzee Special Edition

And have since been dreaming of adding to our Hello Kitty Collection at home. These are some items on my wish list:

Perpetual Kid :: Hello Kitty Rainbow Lunch Box
There's a shop near our home that has this sitting in the window,
I drool over it every time I walk past it.

Perpetual Kid :: Hello Kitty Bandages
These are just cute! I actually have a coupon from
the mobile shop to pick up some HK bandaids from Target for free!

Sanrio :: Hello Kitty iPhone Cover
My poor iPhone has been abused over the past year or so,
I've dropped it more times than I'd care to admit.
I think it may be time for me to invest in a pretty little cover!

Sanrio :: Hello Kitty 2-Slice Wide Slot Toaster
I've always wanted toast with a picture of HK toasted into it!
That would cheer me up any morning!

Sanrio :: Hello Kitty Bowling Ball
A HK bowling ball?! I say hell YES!

Harry Potter

While I did not attend the midnight opening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1 this time around (I have attended other HP midnight premiers!) I'm still very excited to see the movie! I should've been reading the last book over again, since I devoured it when it came out a couple years ago, but I just didn't make time. Oh well! I'm sure the film will be amazing, and the fact that it's a two-parter (the 2nd half is coming out in July 2011) will leave me craving more, without question. Here are some great HP inspired Etsy items:

NanLawson :: Hogwarts Trio

SixAstray :: Firebolt Necklace

SaintAngel :: Harry Potter Plushie Pals Set

anniejacks :: Secrets of the Snitch Necklace

celestefrittata :: Owl Post Gift Wrapping Large Kit

Hats!

With the weatherman predicting the possibility of snow this weekend (SNOW?! in SEATTLE!?!) and the low on Monday may get down to 25 degrees, I've begun to dig out all my winter hats again. This has been my staple for the past year (and my husband wearing the hat I knitted for him!):

But I'm always on the hunt something new, something better! Here are some options:

Anthroplogie :: Doffed Cap
A bit of a splurge, but how darling is this?!
I can imagine my short bob poking out from behind this hat... So CUTE!

TwoSeasideBabes :: Womens Visor Buckle Beanie - Citron
Yellow! Bright, happy, cheery, and with a buckle, I love it!

colorscapedesigns :: Burgundy Bucket Hat
This is just too sweet! The ribbon really adds something to it.

TheMonkeyCannon :: GEEK CHIC bearded beanie
This is AWESOME!
Christmas gifts for next year maybe?

Chicken Taco Chili

Tonight is Taco Tuesday and my crockpot is on the kitchen cooking my Chicken Taco Chili to perfection!

Ingredients

• 1 bell pepper, chopped
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 package of frozen corn
  
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
  
• 1 can of tomato sauce
  
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of kidney beans
  
• Packet of taco seasoning
  
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3 chicken breasts
  

Instructions

Add all ingredients to your crockpot, laying the chicken breast on top of everything else. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. 30 minutes before serving take the chicken breasts out and shred them. Mix back into the chili, and let cook for another 30 minutes. Serve with tortillas, cheese, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and guacamole!

Serves 8, 5 points/serving (not including tortilla, cheese, and other add on's).

2011 Calendars

It's that time of year again when I start thinking about plans for the new year (only 1.5 months away!). I got lots of use out of my day planner this past year, with all the wedding related appointments, I'll probably need another one this year, just to stay in good habit.

katieblairdesigns:: 2011 screen printed calendar (Blue Sky)
So sunny and cheery! I'd be happy to display this year round!

aruricards:: 2011 Planner-Exercise Book
I love the design, I find it so inspirational!

cefn :: Perpetual Horizon Erasable Calendar - for 2011 and beyond
A modern twist on the dry erase board design. Clean, crisp, beautiful!

Annie42:: Matchbooks 2011 Calendars
I'm totally making some of these for stocking stuffer's this year!

SimpleShapes:: Unique Dry Erase Board Decal - Wall Calendar
I really want this on my wall, next to my desk at work.
The wall is a nice navy blue, I'd love to have the lettering in a cheery yellow-orange!

redstarINK:: one calendar. brown and blue
This would also be great for my office!