Here’s a glimpse into what’s been going on since August. :)

2010 – A Literary Holiday

Penguin Cover Story Greeting Cards
Accordion Garland Made from a Dictionary
Book Tree
Punched Pages Garland
Literary Gift Wrap
DIY Book Wreath from Living with Lindsay
Decorating with Books
2010 Cookie Selection
More Holiday Fun with Books

2009 – 1940′s/1950′s Homemade Holiday

2008 – Recycled Holiday

2007 – Woodland Holiday

Also, check out Chloe’s awesome spicy tomato sauce.

 Sunny Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS
• 1 small head of garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes with basil (or plain if you can’t find that variety)
• 2/3 cup roasted red pepper hummus
• zest of 1 lemon

DIRECTIONS
• Start by roasting the garlic. Remove the outer layers leaving the skin on the individual cloves. Cut off the top so every clove is exposed. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in tin foil, and roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until cloves are soft.

• Let cool. Scoop out the roasted garlic cloves and mash with a fork until you have a paste. Set aside.

• In the meantime, combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, and sea salt in a cold sauce pan. Stir while you bring to medium-high heat. Saute for 1 minute.

• Pour in the tomatoes and bring to a light simmer. Then add as much or as little of the roasted garlic as you prefer and the roasted red pepper hummus. Stir to combine and simmer until heated through.

• Sprinkle in the lemon zest and more salt to taste if necessary. Top your favorite pasta!

From The Basement
Didn’t everyone wish for private performances from their favorite musicians? This site brings you that experience through intimate performances from artists like Beck, Band of Horses, and The White Stripes. It’s a project created by long-time Radiohead collaborator, Nigel Godrich.

The Sixty One
This site simply throws new music at visitors so if you love surprises and are ready for something different, this is the place to go. It delivers music cleanly and beautifully.

The Hype Machine
People are talking about music all the time (guilty) and The Hype Machine is listening. This site scours music blogs from all over the web and brings the buzz to you.

Daytrotter
Sometimes new doesn’t always mean better. Check out Daytrotter Sessions for alternate versions of old songs, unreleased gems, and exclusive sets recorded between shows. This site makes you feel just a bit cooler every time you visit.

Tune Glue
If you’re someone who loves playing with cool web tools or just loves diagrams (I know you exist.), Tune Glue helps you find related artists through their mapping tool. Start by searching for an artist and see where you end up!

{Keep in mind that not every part of my apartment lends itself well to photography.}

{Both of these were painted by my father.}

{Both are photos I took in Brazil. The size and frame type worked great in my hallway.}

{Snapshots from Ireland with the same color pallet, Frame color and size matched too.}

{The piece on the left was done by my great aunt in Ireland and the one on the right was painted by my mother.}

{I have two more 24x36 photos from my trip to Brazil that both have yellow and green in them. I just haven't figured out where they're going yet.}

I also have two framed pieces from Germany. One is a beautiful print of a snow-covered German town and the other is a shot I took overlooking Heidleberg.  I just did not have both available to photograph and don’t know where they’re going yet either. There you have it; my galleries of two!

I just couldn’t figure out how I wanted things to look. My absolute favorite way to display art is in a gallery style. I just don’t have enough of one medium, subject, color pallet, or even frame style to make that happen. However I did seem to have quite a few sets of two. So my place is now full of mini galleries of two pieces each.

Here are some of my favorite gallery examples. Maybe one day…

{Image 1 & 3: Apartment Therapy, Image 2: Better Homes & Gardens}

This time around I was only interested in aesthetics and price. I just wanted to eliminate the look of the bare wall behind my bed at minimal cost. Also, I no longer have an outdoor space where I can work with materials like wood and paint. Fabric seemed like the best option but I couldn’t decide how to use it. Luckily, I already had two yards of different Ikea fabrics that had been waiting over a year for just the right project. I first tried to just tack the fabric directly onto the wall but that looked terrible and unfinished. However, it made me realize that one yard of fabric was the perfect size for a queen bed.

I also thought about making a large quilted pillow from the fabric and hanging it from a curtain rod similar to this, but my sewing skills are basic at best.  I then formulated the slipcover idea and planned on nailing together three wooden boards for a basic frame underneath. Then a walk through the hardware store gave me the idea to use PVC pipes instead. They were cheaper, lighter and no nails required! Total cost of this project (since I already had two yards of fabric) was $11.87!

Check out my simple tutorial.

MATERIALS (FITS A QUEEN SIZED BED)
• Two yards of fabric cut into two one-yard pieces.
I only used two different patterns because that’s what was on hand but I like having a reversible headboard!
• Straight Pins
• Sewing Machine
You could do this by hand as well…it’d just take longer.
• Thread
• Three 1.25″ PVC pipes (Two 53″ and one 50″)
Have the hardware store cut these to size for you.
• Two 1.25″ PVC 90 degree elbow joints

{STEP 1} Lay the two pieces of fabric on top of one another wrong sides out. Pin in place and sew together on three sides. (Leave the bottom open.) You should also iron your fabric. I forgot this step and had to do it later on.

{STEP 2} Using the elbow joints, join the PVC pipes together. The 53" pipes are the sides and the 50" pipe is the top.

Your frame should look like this.

{STEP 3} Turn your fabric slip-cover inside out and slide over the PVC frame. Then just place your headboard behind your bed! (Here are the two patterns I used.)

Here are most (but not all) of my new skull pieces.

{Dia De Los Muertos Sugar Skull Earrings in Red Yellow (these come in other colors)}

{Beaded Skull Stretch Bracelet in Charcoal}

{Beaded Skull Stretch Bracelet in Turquoise}

{Beaded Skull Stretch Bracelet in White}
{Beaded Skull Stretch Bracelet in Bone}

I’m currently trying to convince Andrea to make some skull stud earrings and single skull chain necklaces…stay tuned.

I did want to make them as natural as possible so aside from making my own pumpkin puree, I bought organic brown rice cereal and natural mini marshmallows (that came in the absolute CUTEST packaging!) All that paired with Farmers Market butter and freshly grated nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon produced the best tasting rice treats I’d ever encountered.