Driveway Drinks Party

June 30, 2012 by mymateriallife

We had a little drinks party yesterday to welcome some school friends who just moved into the neighborhood.  Since our house is oriented perpendicular to the street we have an awfully long driveway; it’s fun to put that real estate to use for something other than cars now and then.  A driveway party is also nice because it means you don’t have to clean your house (well maybe the bathroom) or worry about what to do with people’s kids (let […]

Categories: Beverages, Celebrations, Other Holidays, Paper, Sewing • Tags: caspari, custom printed cocktail napkins, elderflower champagne cocktail, elderflower syrup, housewarming napkins, ikea, party bunting, rattan cocktail napkin holder

Styrofoam Prints

May 15, 2012 by mymateriallife

     The prints on these notecards are made from a styrofoam printing plate that Samantha created at school. I received the styrofoam plate as a Mother’s Day gift, but I didn’t find the actual note card package until I opened Samantha’s backpack on Monday morning.  Apparently she was hoping to use them as invitations to some event she has planned.  I can’t say that I blame her, but I took possession of them anyway.  Of course the beauty of printmaking […]

Categories: Kid Stuff, Paper • Tags: styrofoam prints

Paper Cup May Baskets

May 1, 2012 by mymateriallife

I wonder if anyone else does this anymore (Wikipedia says the practice has been fading in popularity since the late 20th century you know).  We don’t go crazy, but we like to leave flowers hanging on our neighbors Sharon and Rolf’s door and Samantha brought a basket to her teacher and I hung one for Samantha on the hall bath door because her own doorknob still hasn’t been replaced since the time she locked herself in her room when she […]

Categories: Kid Stuff, Other Holidays, Paper • Tags: flora, louise abbéma, may baskets, paper cup may baskets

Easter Favorites 2012

April 10, 2012 by mymateriallife

       In photo order (top to bottom): Large tissue paper flowers (instructions here courtesy of Martha Stewart) with home-glittered letters from a party store “make your own banner” kit. My friend Camille’s Meyer Lemon Pound Cake (recipe here courtesy of Amber Simpkins) – flawless in taste, texture and appearance. Camille’s tip:  skip the boiled lemon slices and their brew called for in the recipe.  She made a test run of the recipe and found that they didn’t work for her. […]

Categories: Beverages, Easter, Paper, Savories, Sweets • Tags: featherbed eggs, jelly bean cocktail, marion cunningham, meyer lemon pound cake, tissue paper flowers

Easter Craft Experimentation: Decoupage Egg in Crochet Nest

April 8, 2012 by mymateriallife

I’m kind of surprised by how these two things complement each other because I didn’t originally have them in mind as partners.  The egg is one of those brown paper mache ones from the Phillipines that I found in a package of six at Michael’s. By the way, I’m switching my previous position on the spelling of the paper part – or maybe I’ll just go back and forth between paper and papier depending on my mood!  The decoration was […]

Categories: Crochet, Easter, Paper • Tags: crochet nest, decoupage egg, hemp cord, paper mache

Papier-Mache Waste Can

March 13, 2012 by mymateriallife

    Look what I found at the Container Store yesterday.  I only went in to use the restroom, but then this fantastic can caught my eye and I just had to bring it home with me.  Isn’t it beautiful – that red interior! Whenever I use my sewing machine I eventually remember that I need a place for trash (thread clippings, seam clippings, etc.) and I usually end up using a paper bag.  This will be so much better. […]

Categories: Easter, Kid Stuff, Paper, Sewing • Tags: container store, papier-mache, papier-mache waste can

Two Hearts

February 14, 2012 by mymateriallife

I made the felt one for Samantha and she made the cardstock one for her dad and me.  They look sweet together, don’t they?  Samantha’s project comes from the Usborne book I referenced in this post.  Mine is the second felt heart I’ve made with the inspiration and instruction provided by this Living Crafts blog post. Click here if you’d like to see last year’s felt heart pouch.  I think I’m going to make S. a new felt heart each […]

Categories: Kid Stuff, Other Holidays, Paper, Sewing • Tags: cut rose paper heart, felt heart, valentine's day

Lovebirds and Roses

February 9, 2012 by mymateriallife

Do you know Usborne Publishing?  They are a UK publisher of children’s books of uncommon quality and beauty that I’ve admired since Samantha was a baby.  I think our first Usborne product was a jigsaw puzzle book and from there I became obsessed with their art instruction  and activity books.  They should really market them to adults; you certainly don’t have to be a kid to enjoy them and be able to produce rather amazing works with their assistance – […]

Categories: Other Holidays, Paper, Reading Material • Tags: crayon and watercolor roses, tissue paper lovebirds, usborne publishing, valentine art, valentine things to make and do

One Sketch A Day

December 31, 2011 by mymateriallife

Lots of people claim they just can’t draw and seem to believe you’re either born with the ability or you’re not.  I think of drawing – or sketching which is what I like to do – as really just another muscle that we can either choose to exercise or not.  I love to do quick sketches with pen and what I love about them is this – even a bad or mediocre one is so much better than no sketch […]

Categories: Other Holidays, Paper, Reading Material • Tags: one sketch a day, robert regis dvorak, the magic of drawing