A Few of My Favorite Things (Early December Edition with an Alphabetical Twist)

December 5, 2018 by mymateriallife

“A” is for Advent. This is a German Advent calendar called Baumfrevel that I ordered from My Growing Traditions. I’m so glad I discovered MGT last year. I’d already gotten Samantha one of those tea bag calendars for this year, but when I decided to take a look at their site last week and I found this naughty doggie I just had to buy it too. We’re also enjoying Jacquie Lawson’s Online Edinburgh Advent calendar. Oh my goodness, the music, […]

Categories: Christmas, Savories • Tags: advent calendars, bells, christmas, favorite things, latkes, lebkuchen, polenta

The Easiest Kind of Cake to Mix Up and Bake

November 2, 2018 by mymateriallife

That’s a pretty little piece of cake, isn’t it? This is one of those “wacky” cakes that you can mix up right in your cake pan. Have you ever heard of those? I only learned about them earlier this year and that surprised me considering how old I am and how old these cakes are (Depression-era or WW ll depending on who you believe). Not only can you mix up the cake right in your pan (meaning no mixing bowls […]

Categories: Sweets • Tags: crazy cake, easy cake, wacky cake

A Spectral Ball Gown for the Lawn

October 27, 2018 by mymateriallife

Hello again. Are you still out there? Well I’m still here! And I’ve always wanted to make one of these chicken wire ball gowns to add to my growing menagerie of Halloween lawn spooks. The other day I found myself at loose ends or set adrift, whatever you like to call it. You see I’d been dumped from my service as a juror. Well that’s what happens when you’re just an alternate. One minute you’re in – using your juror […]

Categories: Halloween • Tags: ball gown, chicken wire, ghost, halloween, poultry netting

A Simple Idea for Your Phone

July 18, 2018 by mymateriallife

This is my phone. It does not show the idea that the title of this post speaks of, an idea that could cause me to finally fix the screen that shattered when my phone slipped out of my hands last December. I’m not sure why I haven’t fixed it yet. It could be because I’m lazy or because I’m cheap or because I’m in an anti-tech mood or maybe because I’m embracing some kind of wabi-sabi attitude towards the device. […]

Categories: People • Tags: iphone, wallpaper

Modern May Day & East Coast Spring Fun

May 1, 2018 by mymateriallife

Hello again. I’m still out here in case you were wondering. Still believing in the power of May Day even if I didn’t make a very good show of it this year. But here’s an idea for next year. You could simply use washi tape to affix paper flowers to your neighbors’ doors. These particular flowers are homemade, but they wouldn’t have to be. That’s a modern take on a May basket, don’t you think? I used Livia Cetti’s instructions […]

Categories: Other Holidays, Paper, Places, Uncategorized • Tags: may day, paper poppies, seaglass carousel, the exquisite book of paper flowers, the high line

Partying Like a Pisces

March 6, 2018 by mymateriallife

Samantha had another birthday late last month and while she’s been a teen now for over a year and certainly doesn’t need me to take the lead in planning her celebrations I was able to sneak in a couple of ideas of my own for her party last weekend. This first one is definitely something you should know about because it’s a paper chalkboard table runner(!) that I found by accident at my local Orchard Supply Hardware store. I was […]

Categories: Celebrations & Events, Paper • Tags: birthday, chalkboard table runner, party decor, string constellation

Love is a Many Splendored Thing

February 14, 2018 by mymateriallife

Wouldn’t you know I forgot to put that pair of embroidered heart labeled briefs in his drawer. Oh well, hope you’ve had a Happy Valentine’s Day ♥

Categories: Other Holidays, Paper • Tags: handmade valentine, photo valentine, valentine's day

French Knots are Your Friend (and Other Bits of Valentine’s Embroidery)

February 12, 2018 by mymateriallife

Some day I’m going to get some kind of large metal grid material from the hardware store and some beautiful red silk from the silk store and I’m going to cut that silk into strips and make big French knots in it right through the metal grid and it’s going to be awesome – that beautiful red silk on that industrial metal. I’m not sure what I’ll use for a needle exactly or what I’ll do with it, but I […]

Categories: Embroidery & Needlepoint, Other Holidays • Tags: embroidery, french knots, hearts, plastic canvas embroidery, silk ribbon embroidery, valentine's day

Let’s Weave Again – Revisiting the Potholder Loom

January 25, 2018 by mymateriallife

I’ve been upgrading things around the house lately and new potholders were in order so I decided to bring my potholder loom out of retirement. While I like the idea of an oven mitt, loom-woven cotton squares are my potholders of choice. I like the feel of them and I like their size (5.5″ sq). I keep them on the counter within easy reach of the stove/oven so the fact that they look nice is an added bonus. This time […]

Categories: Other Textiles • Tags: harrisville designs, potholder loom, potholders, weaving