Nutcracker Place Card Holders

December 22, 2012 by mymateriallife

These are inexpensive nutcracker ornaments from Michael’s that I turned into a set of place card holders with those miniature wooden clothespins that you can find at craft stores.  Such a snap to make; wouldn’t a set of these make a fun gift?  Crate & Barrel had some nutcrackers in white and silver and gold that were a little more expensive, but they’d make a beautiful set too.  I might see if they still have some of those at the […]

Categories: Celebrations, Christmas, Miniatures, Other Textiles • Tags: diy, glass mugs, home, ikea, marimekko, nutcracker ornaments, sugar swizzle sticks, wooden clothespins

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

DIY Dish Mat

June 4, 2012 by mymateriallife

Now this is something I’ve been planning to do for ages, this dish mat.  I just dispensed with the yucky dish drain system I’ve used for years.  You know the one with the plastic mat and the coated wire rack.  That system had so many problems:  the coating on the rack was chipped, the mat would get covered with hard water deposits, and the water from the draining dishes would run under the mat and pretty much just stay there […]

Categories: Sewing • Tags: dish mat, ikea, rationell variera, trader joe's, viscose kitchen cloth

Aspen Oatmeal Bars from Maida Heatter

January 11, 2012 by mymateriallife

If you like butterscotch then I think you’re going to like this recipe.  I was looking for an oatmeal cookie recipe when I ran across this old favorite in Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Cookies.  She describes these bars as “the height of ease and simplicity“, and they certainly are.  I’ll share the recipe for them in a minute, but I have to tell you I’m equally excited about the Ikea picture frame that I’m using as a sign frame.  I’m not […]

Categories: Sweets • Tags: aspen oatmeal bars, ikea, maida heatter, tolsby

Chocolate Chip Shortbread and The Lemonade Stand

August 13, 2010 by mymateriallife

Gosh, I’m sorry this photo is so big, but I’ve just got to show off this lemonade stand and the next size down really doesn’t do it justice!  See that umbrella?  Got that at Ikea for $14 back in June.  It was the last one in the store and  I didn’t even get the entire pole, but my husband figured out a way to mount it to the table with a flag pole holder.  The table is Ikea too. Got […]

Categories: Furnishings, Kid Stuff, Sweets • Tags: chocolate chip shortbread, ikea, lemonade stand

Paper Bouquets

August 13, 2010 by mymateriallife

We visited my sister last week and instead of bringing real flowers we brought this book of paper bouquets by Ray Marshall that we found at Anthropologie.  The book contains five paper floral arrangements and it’s called Paper Blossoms.  We just happened to be at my sister’s house for five days, so we got to change the arrangement and enjoy something new each day.  Did you notice that bird of paradise?  I think that one is my favorite.  Something different […]

Categories: Paper • Tags: apron, ikea, josef frank, paper blossoms, ray marshall

Ikea’s Textiles

June 23, 2010 by mymateriallife

Do you have a “happy place”?  I always wondered where mine was until it hit me yesterday – it’s Ikea.  Ikea is my happy place!  And it’s not only my happy place, it’s my daughter’s too.  Ikea has been one of her very favorite places to go since she was two.  Is it our Swedish ancestry that draws us there?  The macaroni and cheese?  The frozen yogurt?  Their stuffed dog collection?  Well those are a few of her favorite things […]

Categories: Other Textiles • Tags: cecilia, fabric, ikea, ramso, varmt