Made of Heart Link Up – Week of September 1st

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Samantha

Happy Labor Day! I hope you’re all enjoying the long weekend. I’ve stopped in to share a couple top shares from last week and invite you to link up this week:

week9-1

1. Pallet Swing by Carrie’s Rustic Rubbish

2. Snowman Ornaments by Moose Country Crafts

3. Thanksgiving Dress by Sweetpea Designs by Dee 

4. Azalea Makeup Bag by Bally and Lis

RULES:

What should you link? Handmade products or designs you have created. No mass produced items, this is for the handcrafting community.
What not to link: blog posts, Facebook or other media links, promotions, how to’s. This is a way to connect individual crafters and potential shoppers by networking together.

Link up to two [2] handmade listings from your shop using the widget below.
Please no licensed or trademarked character items.
Share at least two [2] items that others have linked here via social media, and use #madeofheart when posting!

*Do not Pin items to Pinterest without getting permission from the creator*

While not required; spread the word and tell other crafters about this link up! The more the merrier and the more exposure we all get.

Leave a comment about your favorite items, where you shared, or other encouraging words about supporting handmade.

Click “add your link” – in the first box paste the URL to your specific product listing, not your home page. In the next box, put a brief title describing your item. In the last box add your email address. Click Submit and then choose a thumbnail for the photo.

 Loading InLinkz ...

Posted in business | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Day 26 – Dinosaur Bento Box Lunch

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Samantha

I hadn’t originally planned for this to fall under the 30 Day Pinterest Challenge, but it just sort of worked out that way. I’ve been wanting to switch to the bento box style lunches for the kids and started doing some searching on lunch boxes. At first I wanted the Planet Box ones because we generally prefer to be plastic free, but I fell in love with the Yumbox and their “leakproof” lid. Once our little lunch boxes arrived I headed to Pinterest® to get some inspiration or at least an idea of where to start.

This was one of the first pins I found and I got excited because I already had the dino cutter and a new carton of eggs. Somewhere in the middle of all my pinteresting and Amazon hunting I had an “a-ha” moment and remembered and remembered all my cake making supplies hidden in a drawer. They haven’t seen gum paste or fondant in years, but they were going to be perfect for my new lunch making adventure.

20140824_102959[1]Just think of all the cute ways to use these! The bonus is they were already in my stash.

Turkey’s lunch in all it’s glory:

20140824_211259[1]

Unlike the original I peeled the egg and used icing markers to draw the spots. The flowers are sliced strawberries that we cut with the flower cutter. The sun is a mango slice I cut by hand. I had the dinosaur sprinkles in my stash and put them on some homemade applesauce. Then I made a big to do about making sure he knew to bring all this lunch items home after eating. Nearly trashless lunches can be stressful. He was a champ though and even brought home his empty milk carton (yea, we need to get a drink container I’ll put something besides water in). I like to think he was the envy of all his friends. Though maybe they just felt bad for the kid with all the greens. He ate them up and enjoyed it and just keeps gushing over his lunch. Since I was making it anyway I did an extra for Bean who was equally thrilled to be eating out of a “big boy” lunch box. Now they all have grand ideas for what they are getting next. Somehow I fear a PB&J will never be good enough again.

Products we used:

Posted in homemade, kidspired | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Made of Heart Link Up – Week of August 25

Posted on August 25, 2014 by Samantha

There were so many adorable items this past week. A few made it on to my wish list. Here are some of the favorites:

week8-25

1. Mushroom Button Art from Moose Country Crafts

2. Floral Zipper Pouch from Bally and Lis

3. Mystic Teddy Bear from Plumb Papaya

4. Bead and Leather Necklace from Raziela Designs

RULES:

What should you link? Handmade products or designs you have created. No mass produced items, this is for the handcrafting community.
What not to link: blog posts, Facebook or other media links, promotions, how to’s. This is a way to connect individual crafters and potential shoppers by networking together.

Link up to two [2] handmade listings from your shop using the widget below.
Please no licensed or trademarked character items.
Share at least two [2] items that others have linked here via social media, and use #madeofheart when posting!

*Do not Pin items to Pinterest without getting permission from the creator*

While not required; spread the word and tell other crafters about this link up! The more the merry and the more exposure we all get.

Leave a comment about your favorite items, where you shared, or other encouraging words about supporting handmade.

Click “add your link” – in the first box paste the URL to your specific product listing, not your home page. In the next box, put a brief title describing your item. In the last box add your email address. Click Submit and then choose a thumbnail for the photo.

 Loading InLinkz ...

Posted in business, etsy | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Day 19 – Pizzaghetti

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Samantha

Gonna admit trying a new pin every day has been difficult to keep up with, but at least I’ve done more than I had before and I’m inspired to keep at it for the long haul.

There are several variations of this on Pinterest and I’m gonna admit I only kinda flipped through them and then went in my own direction.

But here are a few you can try:

Spaghettti Pizza I | "I added meat to the sauce, extra cheese on top, and black olives to half, and the whole family swore it was awesome. Super easy to make, makes lots, and perfect for picky families!"

 

Spaghetti Pizza Pie. Easy way to use leftover spaghetti! How awesome is that?! #pasta #pizza

 

We already had spaghetti leftovers in the fridge from the night before made with sausage, peppers, zucchini, and the last of our homemade/canned pasta sauce. We wanted something to get it eaten without revisiting it exactly as we’d seen it originally.

Super easy! Basically we took our spaghetti and mixed it up with eggs then put it in a greased pan covered with cheese and pepperoni then pop it in the oven.

DSCN1480 DSCN1481Apparently my camera ate the after picture. Figures! It was good though. But the key to getting it to be more solid and less like spaghetti is to let it sit and cool for a bit. Our fresh out of the oven helpings were all floppy and falling apart while second helpings for those who had them held together like a pizza.

Posted in baking, homemade | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Made of Heart Week of August 18th

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Samantha

A bit of whimsy in our feature from last week’s link up:week8-18

1- Whistlestop Houses from The Disorder Emporium

2. Bunting from Monichelle Designs

RULES:

What should you link? Handmade products or designs you have created. No mass produced items, this is for the handcrafting community.
What not to link: blog posts, Facebook or other media links, promotions, how to’s. This is a way to connect individual crafters and potential shoppers by networking together.

Link up to two [2] handmade listings from your shop using the widget below.
Please no licensed or trademarked character items.
Share at least two [2] items that others have linked here via social media, and use #madeofheart when posting!

*Do not Pin items to Pinterest without getting permission from the creator*

While not required; spread the word and tell other crafters about this link up! The more the merry and the more exposure we all get.

Leave a comment about your favorite items, where you shared, or other encouraging words about supporting handmade.

Click “add your link” – in the first box paste the URL to your specific product listing, not your home page. In the next box, put a brief title describing your item. In the last box add your email address. Click Submit and then choose a thumbnail for the photo.

 Loading InLinkz ...

Posted in business, etsy | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Day 12 – Fruit Fly Trap

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Samantha

Confession, this is actually a trick I use regularly, but I found it on Pinterest. Every time I bring home a fresh pineapple I end up with fruit flies. Never fails! We had a pineapple last week and a few days ago I started seeing the stupid things. This morning we busted out our quick trick.

Put a piece of fruit and a bit of apple cider vinegar into a jar.  Lucky for my Bean had a banana with a brown spot on the end that he refused to eat. Twist a piece of paper into a cone leaving a small opening at the tip. Tape it to the jar and then watch as the little flying devils flit in, but can’t fly out.

In less than an hour I usually have a jar full. It’s almost fascinating to watch them wander around inside.

20140812_100902

They say you can then put the jar in the freezer where they all fall to the bottom and drown, then you can take your jar out and start over to catch the rest of your unsuspecting victims who are oblivious to the carcasses of their brethren.

Happy trapping!

Posted in DIY, household, how to | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Made of Heart – Week of August 11th

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Samantha

Tomorrow I will officially have a high schooler and Turkey is going to Kindergarten. I think we’re ready for calmer days, but then I remember that entertaining one child can be more work than several.

A new week means a new look at our link up. Here are the favorites from last week.

week8-11

1. Quilled Tree from Lady Lack’s Designs

2. Significant Otter Card from Tiny Bee Cards

Otters are my favorite animals, so I was happy to see this. It’s so cute!

RULES:

What should you link? Handmade products or designs you have created. No mass produced items, this is for the handcrafting community.
What not to link: blog posts, Facebook or other media links, promotions, how to’s. This is a way to connect individual crafters and potential shoppers by networking together.

Link up to two [2] handmade listings from your shop using the widget below.
Please no licensed or trademarked character items.
Share at least two [2] items that others have linked here via social media, and use #madeofheart when posting!

*Do not Pin items to Pinterest without getting permission from the creator*

While not required; spread the word and tell other crafters about this link up! The more the merry and the more exposure we all get.

Leave a comment about your favorite items, where you shared, or other encouraging words about supporting handmade.

Click “add your link” – in the first box paste the URL to your specific product listing, not your home page. In the next box, put a brief title describing your item. In the last box add your email address. Click Submit and then choose a thumbnail for the photo.

 Loading InLinkz ...

Posted in business, etsy | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Day 7 – Removing ink from containers

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Samantha

I saw this pin and meant to try it during the holidays last year and never got around to it. I always want to reuse the large containers we get from cottage cheese and yogurt etc, but there is nothing cute about them. Removing the printing gives you a blank canvas to decorate and means you don’t have to worry about getting them back. I think they’d be perfect for sending care packages, especially to a deployed loved one.

You just need a towel and 100% Pure Acetone. I also recommend gloves because acetone is drying.

DSCN1474

The pin says to soak your towel in acetone then wrap it around the container and after  while it will magically wipe off.

DSCN1475

I’m guessing I had a really stubborn container or maybe my towel wasn’t scrubby enough.

DSCN1476

After using nearly half a bottle of acetone I had better luck just putting some on a sponge and scrubbing. It totally required a bit of elbow grease.

DSCN1477

Though I may have already been weakened by the fumes. I recommend doing this in a well ventilated area. The second container wiped off more easily, but left behind a blue tint.

DSCN1479

 

My towel is an icky mess and might never be the same. There are a few spots that didn’t come completely clean, but I doubt anyone is going to look all that closely, especially if you let the kids color them or wrap them in a ribbon. Though it might be easier to just wrap them in cute paper. All in all not the worst of experiments. Though now I have to figure out what to do with these little containers. Who wants cookies?!

 

Posted in cleaning, DIY, household, how to | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Day 6 – Buffalo Style Cauliflower Bites

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Samantha

I apologize in advance for the cell phone pictures. I swear the camera has legs! I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before but I love all things covered in Buffalo sauce. When I was pregnant with Stinky the place I worked had the best Buffalo chicken strips and I ate them practically everyday in some form or another. I loved the sandwich! Seriously, if I could drink Frank’s Hot Sauce® I would.

Enter this pin:

I swear I can just smell them through the screen. I’ve been meaning to make these for a while, but most the people in this house do not have the Buffalo sauce love. It’s a taste I’m sure they will eventually learn to love though. As far as recipes go this is a super easy one and I can’t believe I didn’t try it sooner.

20140806_183251

The recipe said to mix things in a bowl but I just happened to have some Ziploc® bags on hand and used that instead. I mixed the flour and water in the bag then added the cauliflower florets and shook it up. Much faster and easier then dipping them and they were very nicely coated. I skipped spraying the pan because my stoneware is well seasoned and doesn’t stick anyway.

20140806_183707

While the coated cauliflower is coating you mix the Buffalo sauce and melted butter. Yum, yum, yum!20140806_185538

I plopped everything into a lidded dish and shook it up to coat. My bag had sprung a hole and was now out of commission. See, you can hardly tell it’s not chicken.  Part of me thought I should take the obligatory pretty pictures with celery. But let’s be honest we only eat celery with buffalo chicken to pretend there is something healthy about the whole dietary transaction that is taking place. This is already healthy(er), so sorry celery you’re banished until ants on a log day. 20140806_190404 20140806_190413I had them cold the next day and they were every bit as good as when they were fresh out of the oven.

Posted in recipe | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Day 5 – Newspaper Print Nails

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Samantha

I used to paint my nails all the time. Once I had kicked the nail biting habit it was fun. I keep seeing cute manicures on pinterest and wonder why I don’t do that anymore. Then I remember that the last time I had a mani/pedi the neighbor girl sleeping with my husband had taken me out for a girly day and was just pretending to be my friend. Joke was on me, right? But life’s not about them anymore and I’m taking back my joy.

The bookworm in me fell in love with this pin and it seemed easy enough.

Print sur ongles

Haha apparently nail painting is not like riding a bike. If you don’t do it for a while it doesn’t just magically come back. The 3 year old bumping your arm and the cheap polish paired with the fan and great cross breeze through the house meant the first wiggly pass was drying before I could even get to the next and things were pretty rough. The 5 year old wanted his painted too.

20140805_141448

Mine looked about the same, but we tarried on. The pin mentioned Vodka, but I’m a Margarita girl, so I used Tequila. Jose don’t fail me now!20140806_100245

I also found I don’t have a newspaper, but I decided to cut up someone’s newest copy of the Army Times. It’s okay he loves me. I found an article on PTSD treatments which seemed kinda fitting given my soft spot for that particular issue. 20140806_100326

I didn’t read the details for how long to soak and set etc. So kinda experimented with each nail. I found I got better results cutting the paper smaller to fit my nail size. Expect to get print on your skin too, but it comes off easily with a little remover and a cotton swab. I also found the top coat smeared the print a bit.20140806_101341

Tada! Well maybe it’s not real impressive. My results weren’t as dark as the sample. I might try again after practicing my painting skills a bit more.20140806_112624

Having any luck with your own challenges?

Posted in DIY | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment