Natural Garland

 Pine Cone Swag

Pear Place Setting

I love this one! Spice anything up with the addition of produce…pears specifically. Done.

Squashtastic Turkey Napkin Holders

Living Room Decor

 Happy Thanksgiving!

Everybody loves bacon (the meat of the Gods).
And now we can bathe with bacony goodness.

This should be viewed as more of a jackass experiment than a “how to” by a soapmaking expert. I just wanted to see if it was possible to make soap from bacon fat.

The bonus challenge: make the soap look like bacon.

How I Made Bacon Fat Soap:
Supplies
• Bacon fat
• 100% Lye (sodium hydroxide)
• Purified water and ice
• Liquid Smoke (optional fragrance)
• Red food coloring (optional coloring)
• Stove
• Pyrex baking pan
• Chemical/solvent/heat resistant plastic bowl
• Measuring cup
• Cotton cloth or paper towels
• Wooden (or stainless steel) spoon
• Rubber gloves and goggles
• Metal can
• 1 cigarette

How to Prepare Bacon Soap:

This recipe is a basic soap recipe.
• 7.5 parts bacon fat
• 1 part lye
• 2 parts water

A). Melt the bacon fat on the stove. Do not get it too hot (not boiling/sizzling – very dangerous).

B). Skim off any particles or debris that float to the surface of the melted bacon fat.

C). Pour the melted bacon fat through cloth or paper towels into a large clean metal can (see photo), this will further filter the bacon fat.

D). Still warm, your bacon fat should now look uniform, clear, and junk free. Measure your bacon fat and calculate the proper amount of lye (1 part lye to 7.5 parts bacon fat).

E). Measure 2 parts purified water (feel free to even include some ice, because the lye will get very hot). In a heat resistant (not metal) container, pour in your 2 parts water, then slowly pour the crystalline lye into the water. (WARNING: You will want to do this in a well ventilated area – the fumes are evil and can cause serious injury. Make sure to wear rubber gloves and eye protection when handling lye. Also, the lye and water mixture will get very very hot, make sure to do this in the proper workspace and in a heat-resistant container).

F). Take a break, wait for the lye-water mixture to cool down, smoke a cigarette. Do not leave the lye mixture unattended. When the lye-water mixture is around 100ºF (the temperature of a hot shower), check your bacon fat and see if it is around the same temperature (if not, heat it on the stove until it is). Then slowly pour the lye-water into the bacon fat.

G). Stir the mixture for up to 2 hours as it cools. When the mixture begins to show “trace” (white soap stripes on the top surface), move on to the next step. Mixing can take several hours and if it is still liquid after two hours, move on to the next step and hope for the best.

H). While the proto-soap mixture is still a thick liquid, but showing signs of “trace,” you can mix in “Liquid Smoke” as a fragrance – add quantity to taste. It enhances the bacon smell. Also, you can separate a small portion of the proto-soap from the mix (in a separate container) and add red dye. Pour the beige thick proto-soap into a pyrex pan, then take the red-dyed proto-soap and pour stripes into it (makes it look like bacon).

I). Let the soap “cure” and “set” for at least 36 hours, then cut blocks of the soap from the greater slab (do this while the soap it still relatively soft).

J). Allow the blocks of soap to continue to cure for at least 2 weeks.

K). Cut into desired shapes and serve.

Click each link for full instructions, additional photos and sources.

1 ) Sweetheart Roses

Big surprise this is from Martha Stewart! Easy, clever, and gorgeous.

Tools and Materials

 
2 nesting glass vases or containers (such as a drinking glass), one shorter and at least an inch narrower
Valentine’s Day Candies (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 dozen tulips
Rubber band
Floral or other knife

2 ) Sewn Paper Valentine’s

 
Materials

Small Pieces of at least eight different fabrics.

Twenty 3 1/2-inch by 5 1/2-inch pieces of high quality card stock.

Several spools of 100% cotton thread in pretty complimenting colors.

One spool of 100% cotton thread in white. Wind a bobbin with the white thread only.

Download, print and cut out  Heart Template here.

 3 ) Paper Clip (He)Art

Super simple. Find some lovely-coated paper clips and have at ‘em. String ‘em together and make a necklace or a chain and strew them about.

4 ) Heart Money

All right, this isn’t really a craft…but come on! If you are going to spend the coin, make it mean something (a la the artful design) and give a sure-fire hit. Obviously not appropriate for every Valentine, but great token gift for tweens, teens, and offspring who still live at home.

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Miscelaney Holiday SURVIVAL Guide:

12 Days of Christmas

====================================================

On the ninth day before Christmas, 
Miscelaney sent to me 
9 place card settings….. 

These are some really great ideas. Use you imagination to take them to the next level and your holiday table will be unforgettable.

1) Cork Place Card Holder

Now, finally, something to do with all of those extra wine corks!

 source: GoodHouseKeeping.com

2 ) 3-D Paper Holiday Place Cards

Let your (paper) imagination go wild.

 source: Paper Source

3 ) Natural Found Objects

Leave it to Martha Stewart!

 source: Martha Stewart Living

4 ) Falling Snow Ornament Place Card Holder

 source: beau-coup.com

5 ) Knitting Needle Place Card Holder

I’m envisioning this modified with drink stirrers….oh yes.

 source: RealSimple.com

6 ) Shiny Object Place Card Holders

Another found object use which looks tres chic.

 source: EAB Designs

7 ) Apple Place Card Holders

Nice and simple OR you could easily spruce these up with decorative paper, glitter, ribbons, etc. Or place in a stark, white, pretty bowl. Stunning.

 source: yumsugar.com

8 ) Fork Place Card Setting

Super simple, yet elegant.

 source: do-it-yourself-weddings.com

9 ) Wine Glass Place Cards

This image shows a thoughtful saying on pretty ribbon, but why not put your guests’ names? Super cute idea.

source: countryliving.com

Click on the links for complete sources.

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Miscelaney Holiday SURVIVAL Guide:

12 Days of Christmas

====================================================

On the eleventh day before Christmas, 
Miscelaney sent to me 
11 crafts a makin’….. 

Click the links on each craft for full how-to instructions

1 ) Lemon Leaf Christmas Trees–Super cute! Who knew they sold preserved lemon leaves (and on floral wires, to boot?). This simple craft will most certainly get the table talking.

2 ) Christmas Wonderland Ornament–How awesome is this? You could use anything in there. And it’s all affixed with Tacky Glue. Let your imagination go wild!

3 ) Quick Holiday Napkin Rings–These are out of toilet paper rings! Easy, last-minute craft for the kids and adds a special touch to any holiday dinner.

4 ) Gift Card Holder– These are fantastic. You can make them retro or rocker or whatever you want! Click the link to get the pattern.

5 ) Doggie Biscuits–great for family Fido or a fun treat for a neighbor’s furry friend. Click through for recipe.

6 ) Adorable Mini-Wreaths–Got a cereal box and a phone book? Then you are half-way there.

7 ) Crunchy the Snowman–*Happy*. Love these chocolated-dipped pretzels.

8 ) Holiday Hand Print Card–Am I the only one who wants to do this right now? I’m envisioning a tie-dyed beared, or glitter dreds on Santa’s snowy trademark. And that’s just off the top-of-my-head.

9 ) Holiday Mmmoose–how cute is this? Would be a fun day activity (maybe set up a sanity station?) during those all-family lulls when everyone’s together in small spaces.

10 ) Party Favors–Super easy and super cute. These “take-out” boxes are avilable at The Container Store or Paper Zone. Use your favorite stamp, fill with yummies inside, and throw some greenery on top. Great idea!

11 ) Push Pin Candles–Simple idea which totally transforms the ordinary to extraordinary.

Click on the links for sources.

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Here’s a sure fire way to do-it-yourself and look just like you came out of the nail salon.

What you need:

• bowl big enough to soak your feet
• towel
• bath salts or foot scrub (optional, but lovely)
• instant cuticle cream remover (optional, but certainly makes life easier)
• pumice stone or foot file*
• non-acetone nail polish remover
• cotton balls
• toe nail clippers
• emery board
• foot lotion**
• tissue or foam toe separators
• base coat (optional)
• nail polish
• clear polish topcoat (can use as base coat as well if you prefer)
• glass of champagne (optional, but always nice and pamper-ish)

What do do:

Get your comfortable clothes on (I’d recommend pajama bottoms rolled up) and settle in on your couch, making room for a place for you to soak your feet in between your coffee table and the couch. Make sure you have everything close to you before you begin.

• Fill your bowl with warm water. Add foot salts or rub feet your foot scrub if available. Soak feet for about 15 minutes. Sip and savor champagne while you wait.
• Once you are finished soaking feet, take your foot file or pumice stone and file down dry, cracked heels and calluses on toes and under bottom of feet one-by-one while holding your foot over the bowl.
• Dry feet, rest them comfortably on the towel and one-by-one push cuticles down (with cuticle stick or with thumbnail). They should be soft enough after soaking, if not, soak them longer or use a cuticle cream (super easy,  apply and leave on for about 20 seconds and then remove cream by drying off which will simultaneously remove/dissolve overgrown cuticle area).
• Generously massage your foot lotion all over (foot cream options listed below).
• Use toenail clippers and trim nails straigh across. Use nail file to fine tune shape.
• Take your tissue or foam toe separators and wind them in between your toes.
• Apply your base coat (or clear coat). This well help prevent the color from the polish turn your toenails yellow.
• Once dry, add color polish.
• When dry, add top coat (or clear coat). The top coat gives you that “fresh pedicure shine” and protects you polish job longer.
• Let dry to touch (approximately 10 minutes). Polish off glass of champagne.
• Gently remove the tissue or foam toe separators.

Enjoy!

*I recommend the Red Clover foot file. It’s solid construction lasts for a long time and does a much better job than most foot files. Most professional nail salons use this file.

** There’s a lot of great foot lotions out there. Depending on your price point, options range from Freeman’s Peppermint & Plum foot lotion (available at most grocery and drug stores) to Aveda’s Foot Relief or InSpa’s Intensive Foot Resuce. Select something that works within your budget, is designed for the feet, and smells good to you. Most contain cooling essential oils and rich, moisturizing shea butter. It really does make a difference.

***For ongoing foot maitenance, I recommend Callex to manage those dry, cracked heels. Really works if used faithfully.

I’ve always had a love-affair with t-shirts. Whether it’s the Californian in me, or the innate marketeer (or both), I adore the timeless, casual, wearable canvass which selflessly offers a no-less-than-perfect opportunity to share with the rest of the world exactly what is on my mind. Different colors, shapes, sizes and fit–and different messages. A favorite band, sports team, TV show, cause, saying, photo, you name it, the unassuming cotton platform is yours for the taking.

Perhaps it was the old school, at-home “iron-ons”, or the first time I went in and custom-made a matching tee with my high school BFF (cringe), I’ve been obsessed ever since. Not only does a t-shirt provide vital (yet casual and comfy) coverage for your bod, along with a personal messaging billboard, it also affords a wearable snapshot into the past and serves as a sort of  personal, “mobile” historian (rock concert at the Hollywood Bowl in ’91, solstice festival of ’03, first-and last-all family reunion on the beach in 2000). Every time you pull it out of your drawer and see the familiar logo of the brewfest you hit last spring with old friends, you have the opportunity to re-live that happy moment in time, if even just for a nostalgic blink.

But I’m stating the obvious. America loves t-shirts (and we’re not alone). It’s big business and the demand is high, so the prices can be, too. A few years ago I was shopping in a boutique in Yaletown (Vancouver’s mini “SOHO” district), and I stumbled upon the holy grail of t-shirts, at least in my opinion. It was a baby-blue ‘beater with the words “I do bad things“. Love at first sight. It was customized with those crushed velvety, iron-on, puffy-round-block letters I used to iron-on my tee’s when I was young. I think they were charging upwards of $50 for this particular tee. GTFO! I felt it was highway robbery, so on principal, didn’t buy it (besides, that was lunch money necessary for an overpriced meal across the alley). Plus I, personally, could do this. I mean really (you’ll learn I get indignant and develop a false sense of self-competency when I see other people living my dream).

I still think of that shirt. Obviously. So fast forward to right now, with time on my hands (ahem), I  decided to put my ironing skills where my mouth is and make my own, customized tees. A trip to Michael’s for the iron-ons, a trip to Marshall’s for some high quality, yet low-priced tee’s, an ironing board, an iron, and the patience to read some directions. And voila. I’ve made my own t-shirts. With my own messages (and you can bet I have a lot of them, I’ve spent years coming up with them). And on the cheap (each shirt is less than $10). My options are more limited than say Cafe Press, or a high-tech brick-and-mortar custom tee business, but for now, it’s all I need to feel a sense of accomplishment and share a few thoughts, via my chest, with the world.