Thoughtful Thursday – Last Minute Ideas To Save the (Holi)Day!

Put on that antler headband, and beat the bah-humbugs with our list of last minute holiday cheer!

Christmas is less than a week away, and yuletide is upon us. If you haven’t made your home festive (or you want to add some extra,) or if you just haven’t been able to come up with gifts for you friends, neighbors, or that relative that’s really hard to shop for, here are some last minute ideas to make your season merry and bright. (Click on the images for more info.)

Easy Decorations:

 

This has to be the prettiest, simplest tree I can imagine. Outline with lights and add paper cutouts of stars (or snowflakes!)

Speaking of snowflakes, here are some beautiful patterns to use!

 

Make an inexpensive outdoor star decoration with yard sticks.

 

Forego the can of fake snow, and break out your glue gun instead!

Free Printables:

Buddy the Elf printable.

 

 

Holiday subway art printable.

“Noel” banner printable.

 

Forget the expensive wrapping supplies. Use magazine or newspaper, plus these cute printable tags.

Quick Gifts:

An adorable gift for the women in your life!

A natural home fragrance that smells like the holidays. A great gift for the neighbors!

 

What tween or teen girl wouldn’t love some pretty lip gloss in their stocking?

 

Whip up a big batch of this manly smelling shaving cream, and divide into small containers for a great gift. Add a straight razor (and print out a good how-to) for a gift the guys will use all year!

Of course, don’t forget our giveaway to enter to win this gift-able handmade necklace:

 

Share the Love,

Chelsea

 

Join us for a good scare!

You may remember the custom orders we did for our friend, Tiinia, and her Friday the 13th wedding at a Dallas haunted house’s grounds (which was all featured on Offbeat Bride – how cool is that?)

We’ve become friends with Tiinia and her husband Kevin, who play delightfully creepy characters at 13th Street, and Alex, the owner/operator of the haunt grounds, and we’re constantly in awe of their talents!

Several weeks ago, our friend Stephanie from Studio Longoria sent me a message with a great idea. Since we (JuJu Eyeball) and another of our Etsy teammates, Amy of Larkspur Studio and Frankensister all sell Halloween appropriate items, why shouldn’t we contact some local haunted houses to see if we could set up shop on the grounds?

I instantly thought of Alex and his awesome haunts, 13th Street Morgue and Dungeon of Doom (which neighbor Reindeer Manor.)

So, I got in touch with him, and we’ll be setting up booths this Friday, 10/18, and next Friday, 10/25; we’re so excited! It’s definitely a unique job. It’s not an arts and crafts “show” or convention, and we won’t be working typical show hours, which are usually morning to mid afternoon, or afternoon to evening. Nope, we’ll be set up in time for the houses to open at 8, and we’ll close the place down around 12:30 a.m. So, if you’re in the DFW area, and you’re looking for some fantastic Halloween fun (maybe after a Friday night football game?) come out and see us!

It’s Always Time To Give!

If you’ve been watching the news, you probably know that Moore, OK has suffered through devastating tornado damage, and is trying to rebuild thanks to the awesome amount of assistance they’ve received. Unfortunately, it’s that time of year for tornadoes, and other places that have suffered damage may not qualify for government assistance, or get a large amount of media coverage to let people know how they can help. One example are our neighbors in Hood County, TX, who are also trying to recover from a tornado that demolished the towns of Granbury and Cleburne just one week before the tornado in Moore. Fortunately, people everywhere are fantastic and giving, and a couple of ladies from our Etsy team suggested we use our annual craft party as a way to raise money to donate to the disaster relief in Hood County. You can find more information about the party and how to donate here.

In other news, our team member, Julie, of Coco and Cocoa, is giving away a $40 gift card to another team member’s shop: Peach Plum Pear! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment with your favorite piece from the Etsy shop, so get yourself on over there.

Share the Love,

Chelsea

Whatever Weekend – Local Arts & Crafts Shows

If you’re looking for fun, inexpensive, or family friendly events to check out in the Dallas/Fort Worth area this month, take a look at the wonderful festivals and arts and craft shows that are going on!

Local shows and festivals on Pinterest.

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Chelsea

Thoughtful Thursday – Back On Track

I’ve taken some time off from blogging since my aunt’s passing to regroup, delve into some big projects here at the Tri C, and help take care of my mom. There’s lots going on right now with her health, and she’s getting ready to schedule surgery for a torn rotator cuff (due to the multiple falls she’s had since the development of polyneuropathy.)

My aunt’s memorial went well. It was a little awkward, since the only time our family has met her husband’s family was their wedding, but overall it was nice and relaxed. Things have been so busy that I’ve barely had time to let it sink in. I’m thankful for all of the creative outlets I have, including a major makeover here at the Tri C! We spent 3 days painting one of the back rooms to transform into a game room, and it’s almost done. I’ll post pictures when it’s finished (kicking myself for not getting “before” pictures!) Next, we have a lounge, a devotional room, and a library to work on. No shortage of interior decorating practice, that’s for sure.

Etsy817 is on fire right now, since we’re planning a “make and take” booth at the Cowtown Indie Bazaar in Ft. Worth, a float for the Arlington Parade of Lights, and the Handmade Holidays arts and crafts show at UTA, all within the next few months!

Click the button on the right sidebar for more info!

To top it all off, there’s the 2nd Annual Winter Wonderland Festival at church (Park Row Church of Christ,) of which I am the official event coordinator. Due to some scheduling conflicts, we had to move the festival up a few weeks, which puts a crunch on planning. I can’t wait to make it bigger and better than last year!

Click me for more info!

Once I get the game room completed, I’m going to have to carve out time each day to make new items to list and sell at the upcoming shows. I’m welcoming that quiet, creative time with tired but open arms.

Share the Love,

Chelsea

Weird Wednesday – Our New Etsy Shop!

We’re so excited! We’re opening up a new Etsy shop, JuJuEyeball, as the twisted sister store to Buy Me Love. It’s the place where all of our weirder, wilder creations will live, and we can’t wait to fill it to the brim with strangeness. Teaser: Mom is working on a hat featuring a vintage doll head, and I’m working on little wearable monsters.

We’re really feeling the itch to let loose creatively, and while we love making pretty, frilly, sparkly things for Buy Me Love, our true passion for creativity comes from a slightly more demented place. One of the reasons we love this job is because we’re allowed to have the best of both worlds!

So, I’ve set up the shop and I’m working on a banner and avatar to make the place feel more like home so we can start filling it with “artful oddities to wear and admire.” Keep an eye out! (Hardy har.)

Other exciting news:

Join us and team Etsy817 for facepainting and fun this Sunday evening starting at 5 pm. Click the pic for more info!

 I’ll be hanging out with our friends in team Etsy817 at the free face painting booth! We’ll be promoting the team and all of the shops that make up Etsy817, including BML. If that’s not cool enough for ya, we’re giving away handmade prizes from participating shops! The celebration is going on all weekend, from Friday through Sunday, in Dalworthington Gardens. Check out this blog post for more info.

Hope to see you there!

Share the Love,

Chelsea

Whatever Weekend – I Turned Into A Fairy (Who’s Scandalously In Love With A Pirate)

Tom and I went to the ren faire yesterday and made lots of friends! Who doesn’t want to be friends with a fairy and a handsome pirate?

Here’s how my wings turned out:

My little wings! I took off some of the greenery, and replaced the elastic arm bands with wide brown satin ribbon. Much more comfy.

The final costumes:

Not to get too country on you, but is this what "buttin' a stump" means?

A coveted picture with Twig the fairy:

Her wings and costume are magnificent! I tried cellophane on mine, but couldn't get it to work. I'll definitely have to try again.

We ate renaissance pizza and baklava, and Tom drank all the rum.

I bought a sweet mini-parasol with scalloped edges and a hand-painted cherry blossom design. If anyone knows a way to water proof rice paper, let me know! I also bought a walking stick made of cedar from a man named Cedar (I’m not kidding. He lives totally off the grid in Oregon.) You can see both of them in the picture with Twig.

Tom and I both got henna designs this time – it’s usually something I do to relax while he walks around. For those of you who don’t know what henna is, it’s a natural plant-based dye used in Asia and the middle East. The paste is greenish, applied through a small tip, which dries on your skin. When you remove it, the stain of the design is left behind in a rich, terra cotta color. Mendhi is the art of henna, creating intricate designs on the hands and feet for everyday, but especially big events like weddings. It looks like this:

Tom's mandala design. I got a lotus design on my foot.

The designs have been Americanized, and henna is now an alternative to temporary tattoos, since the stain usually lasts one to three weeks.

We walked our butts off and watched the joust, the royal court dance, and acts like bellydancing, whip crackers, pub singers, and joked with the roving faire characters. When we just couldn’t walk anymore (plus, the faire was closing) we took the long trek out to the car and made the long ride back home, where we soaked our feet and watched an episode of ye olde Bones.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Share the Love,
Chelsea

A Break From Blogging

Happy summer everyone! My dear hubby gets a few weeks off from school before summer classes start, so we’ll be catching up on quality time together. My blogging will probably be scarce – if I have something really cool to share, I will! Meanwhile, you can always check out what’s new on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/230622362213, (we’ll also list new items soon in our etsy shop: http://buymelove.etsy.com) or read our other blog: http://patientsvoicewhocares.blogspot.com.

I hope you’re all having a safe, sunny week!

Share the Love,

Chelsea

Whatever Weekend – New Blog! And Other Random Stuff We’re Doing.

Hi everyone! It’s a beautiful, sunny Saturday here in Texas, and I have plenty to keep me busy.

First is a new blog: http://patientsvoicewhocares.blogspot.com/. It’s a combined effort between my aunt, my mom and me. We’re writing about our (and others’) experiences in healthcare: what went wrong, what went right, and things you can do as a patient, friend, or caregiver to make a situation a little easier. When you visit, be sure to take part in our survey to the right of the page – “How do you feel about your current doctor/specialist?”

Next, I’ve been trying my hand at painting, which I’ve always enjoyed, but it’s never been my art of choice. I was asked by a pregnant friend if I would paint letters (that spell out her baby’s name) to match the nursery. He has a vintage sports themed nursery, so I copied the style of the bedding to match:

Letter painting attempt numero uno!

After posting this picture on Facebook, two more of my pregnant friends asked if I would paint some for them! I figured the letters could be my baby gifts to them, so I’m working on a Texas Rangers themed set (6 letters) for a friend who’s due any day now. The other couple decided to wait on letters until their little girl can decide what she wants on her own. The momma got an IOU and a nursing necklace at her baby shower. 🙂

In other news, I have some housecleaning to do. Boring.

I’ve also been working on our costumes for the ren faire next weekend! The base of my fairy costume is complete, and the wings are halfway done. I’ve still yet to find cello wrap for a decent price. I may have to suck it up and go back for the $5 roll. Tom’s pirate costume is complete! (Unless we find something that will work as a cool vest.) I found unlined khaki color linen pants for about $4 at a thrift store, and a large women’s matching linen tunic for $3 at another thrift store. I cut the pants legs jaggedly just under the knee, and I’m going to muddy/stain them and the shirt. We added his black and white checkered bandana (it’s huge – turban sized – he got it in Afghanistan,) his own worn leather belt, a sash made from dark grey Halloween netting, and various pieces of jewelry like shell necklaces wrapped around his wrists, hoop earrings, extra rings, and a feather in his hair (made by – who else? Mom!) Plus, we have a fake “bottle o’ rum,” with a skull on it, and he has a wooden waster (sword.) It’s all about the details. Here’s what it all looks like now:

Things you'll find in a fairy's closet.

I don't think most pirates have closets ...

Oh! One more thing – this is a cool site to check out the walkability of your city/neighborhood: walkscore.com  Our city doesn’t rank very high, but our neighborhood is 80% walkable!

Hope you have a fatastic, safe, and relaxing weekend!

Share the Love,

Chelsea

Make It Monday – Onion Dyed Eggs

For more crafty egg ideas, check out creative Etsians, like ReverieCreations.

I used to dye eggs with my Nana and mom every Easter. We would usually do a variety of the brightly colored guys, and then Nana would do a batch dyed with onion skin. I remember staring at the marble patterns created by the yellow and red onions, and marvelling at the idea that you could use food to color food. It’s super simple to do, earth friendly, and less messy than the crayon-colored alternatives. It’s especially handy if you’re already making a dish with onions for Easter. Here’s how to do it.

What you’ll need:

– eggs

– onion skins (yellow and/or red; you can also use carrot peel, beet, or any other colorful veggie you think might be fun to try)

– rubber bands or string

– a pot of slightly salted boiling water

– vegetable oil (optional)

How to do it:

1. Soak your skins/peels in water until soft. You can use them dry, it’s just a little easier to wrap them around the egg when they’re flexible.

2. Wet the eggs to help the skins stick to the egg’s surface.

3. Wrap the eggs with skins and secure with rubber bands or string.

4. Boil eggs for 7-10 minutes until hard boiled.

5. Drain the hot water and run cold water into the pot to cool the eggs.

6. Carefully remove the bands/string and skins from the eggs, and viola! You have beautifully, naturally dyed eggs.

7. Optional: Put a little vegetable oil on a cloth and lightly rub the eggs to shine them.

Share the Love,

Chelsea