{scissor variations}

nid de pensée ~ a nest of thought

each thought that is

welcomed and recorded is

a nest egg

by the side of which

more will be laid

~henry david thoreau

333 {faux tissue} paper flowers for $24.99

 

 

 

...yes, 333

 

  begin with this

     + also use these

  ...then begin doing this

 until it looks like this

   you will then need to do this

..... pull tighter 

  fan out the pleats

 + begin to separate the layers

  ...a little more

now peel back the layers on the other side 

  

   tie string ends together + thread a ribbon for hanging

 

Gather Together

"

8" x 11" sheets of waxed scale paper ( not household waxed paper), purchased at a restaurant supply store. It has a lovely milky white translucence

scissors

string or wire for tying your accordian folded paper

 

The waxed scale paper is easy to work with and is not so delicate, so it can handle the peeling back of the pleated layers without feeling too precious.

I actually did tear the paper a few times, but I just kept separating the layers and pulling towards the center--where the string was tied. 

You could not tell where the tears were --so there was no need to start all over on another flower and no expensive paper was sacrificed.

 

When you tie your accordian folded paper do not cut the string ends (or wire if using), but leave the ends hanging on the back side of your flower. Once you decide how you will use your flowers, you can use the string ends for creating loops to hang or as a "pass through" for a longer length of hanging ribbon or wire.

I used 6 sheets of paper per flower

It was easy to manipulate and re-shape the flowers as needed -perfect if you need to store them before transporting them to a venue + they will not go limp----perfectly suitable for an outdoor event.

You could also put 2 flowers together back to back to create a very full blossom.

Finished flowers are approximately 7- 8" in diameter based on the paper size used.

 

 

 

it started with a pen

 

 

 

 

 

 

{ tomorrow 333 "faux tissue" paper flowers for $24.99}

mom was so ahead of the marshmallow trend

 

I had a mother who baked every Saturday morning.

There were the standard chocolate chip cookies, chocolate layer cakes, pies and squares.

Oh my, the squares----brownies, brown and white goodies, tweed squares…..

 

….. AND marshmallow squares.

Fluffy, chewy, melt in your mouth mallow with a color to suit any occasion—pink for Valentines Day, minty green or blue for Easter or snowy white for Christmas. Sometimes they would be fancied up with a sprinkling of coconut on top.

It has been at least 20 years since I have even tasted these squares and probably the last time I had them they were made by my mom.  I decided to give them a try to see if they stood up to the mallow craze of late....

...I think they do.

 

Mom's Marshmallow Squares

Into a bowl crumb the following:

1 cup flour

2 TBSP brown sugar

½ cup butter

 

Grease the bottom only of an 8" x 8" pan. Pat the above mixture firmly into the prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven until firm 15-22 minutes.

Let cool.

 

Cook the following for 10 minutes over medium heat while stirring:

 

1 cup white sugar

1 ½ TBSP gelatin (approx. 1 ½ packets of the Knox gelatin)

1 cup water

 

Remove from heat and pour the hot gelatin mixture over the following:

1 cup icing sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

- add a few drops of food coloring, if desired

 

{ have the above items in your mixing bowl + ready for the gelatin mixutre to be poured over once it has finished cooking}

 

Beat with an electric mixer until really thick anywhere from 12-15 minutes, maybe longer.

You will know! 

It will be quite thick. Spread onto cooled base.

Sprinkle with coconut if desired.

 

Let set for a couple of hours or overnight, covered, in the refrigerator.

May be kept at room temperature, well covered to prevent drying out.

 

Cutting the squares:

 

 

 

Cut the squares using a sharp knife that has first been dipped into hot water then wiped with a clean kitchen towel.

 

It is easiest to slice the entire length at once--just drag your knife through.

Dip your knife in the hot water each time you are making a fresh cut.

 

These are sticky--but forgo the fork, these are for fingers!

 

 

" Hmmm. Hmmm. Hmmm. Hmmm. Hmmm.

I should have another one.

How come you've never made these before?"

 

 

24 hours as seen in 5 minutes

 

{"hang out the wash" in lower left photo by mummysam}

pretty recycling

 

 

 

 

We’ve all seen this project before,

but today I was reminded of it once again as I was sorting the recycling.

 

 

 

Gather together

metal food cans ~ empty + washed

decorative paper (wall paper, graph paper, pages from a favorite magazine, old food labels a color copy of a child’s drawing)

 

glue stick

scissors

 

 

Cut labels or other paper to the same height as your can.

If the label does not go all the way around, no worries, cut another piece of coordinating paper to fill in the space ( my labels did not go all the way around so I cut a piece of vintage paper to fit the gap)

Glue your label to the can.

 

 

Your project is finished.

 

Unless…. you want to punch some holes in either side and add some handles for hanging.

I used a crop-o-dile. A dremel drill or nail and a hammer would work as well---let’s make this easy (although I will admit the crop-o-dile cuts through cans like butter).

 

 

I used vintage chain, a section of an old tape measure + a length of number ribbon.

These would be pretty hanging on a door knob--or filled with fresh flowers and left on a neighbor's door knob...maybe when the weather is a bit warmer (in these parts anyway).

 

More can love:

• If you have the opportunity to purchase canned food products from an Italian grocer save those wonderful cans for desk storage. I am especially fond of the tomato cans
• Use the cans as they are, with the labels they came with. Elevate that bean can to a place of stature on your desk top- filled with pens + pencils
• Some cans do not have paper labels but have the logo directly printed on the metal-great for small flower bouquets, especially several of them grouped together
• the prettiest of pew markers--cover with decorative paper to suit your wedding colors or theme, fancy the exteriors wth bits + bobs, a monogram perhaps

a simple idea = craft room happiness

 

get your craft on...

...new items just added to the shop:

vintage paper scraps + a great assortment of sequin tubes in new colors + vintage sequins still on their original strands + vintage lucite butons + vintage chenille in 6 new colors + vintage "sweetheart" pins + form-o-uth paper brassiere labels ....

Lots more crafting goodness, as well as re-stocked favorites can be found here.

x.o.

pursuing baskets

i think i finally found the perfect basket for my organizing needs

 

or maybe i found the perfect basket for my vintage number collection...

 

+ only $5.99 each at my local grocery store of all places

{i think an office make over is in the works}

symmetry is what we see at a glance ~ blaise pascal