For this challenge, I decided to make a gingerbread cottage. We got a white Christmas tree this year and it looks really pretty with pastel colors so I was inspired by that and since today is the day we traditionally take it down, I took pictures with it while I still could. I blogged about the whole process and my very sad failed first attempt here - http://www.soverydomestic.com/blog/?p=6451

I had never tried glass etching before and I thought I'd give it a shot when I came across some etching cream (while looking for something else, of course).

It was a lot easier than I thought it would be! I have a bunch of pictures because I can hardly stop myself from taking them but it's so simple you don't even really need them.

I printed out words, but you can use whatever image you want really. Then I used transfer paper to copy the words onto a piece of contact paper. I just used the clear kind you line shelving with. Then I used an x-acto knife to cut it out. I stuck it on my vases and used a paintbrush to put the cream over the words on the contact paper. I actually ruined one because I put on too much etching cream and it dripped. Whoops!

It didn't take long for the cream to do it's thing. The first one was done by the time I checked on it after finishing the other three.

These were super fun to make and didn't take too long.

 

You will need:
1/2 cup citric acid (I got a jar of this at my local health food store)
1 cup baking soda
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
food coloring
essential oil(s)
travel-size spray bottle
silicone ice-cube tray
storage jars

Mix the citric acid, baking soda, and cornstarch in a heat proof bowl. Sift all the clumps out of the cornstarch and then add the sugar.

Fill a spray bottle with water and food coloring and spritz the mixture with it. It's so neat! Keep spritzing the water on the mixture until you can mold it with your hands.

Then press it into whatever molds you want to use! Let is dry overnight and voila! Homemade bath bombs!

There are a few more pictures on my blog http://www.soverydomestic.com/blog/?p=5935. I want to try scents now!

I made these from a baby blanket!! No babies around here now but the fabric is sweet so I put it to use!

I blogged about these here http://www.soverydomestic.com/blog/?p=4251 with more pictures but this tute should do!

You'll Need
Pair of elastic or drawstring pants that fit your wee one
2+ yards of cute fabric (how much depends on the size of your wee one)
Grommets
Drawstring
Pins, sewing machine, stuff like that...

First, fold the pair of pants that fit your wee one in half and lay them over the fabric. Trace around, adding about 1/2″ for the seam all the way around. Now do it again. Lay them right side facing and pin together.



Sew the curves first, down the sides and hem the bottoms.



This is the part that gave me trouble, I had to keep checking and double checking that I wasn’t about to sew the front of the pants to the butt, you know? I did it! If I can do it, you can defo do this.



Now for the grommets! You can make an actual drawstring waist or a fake drawstring like I did. Snip a wee hole to pop one side of the grommet through. Then sew up the rest of the waistband and voila! Super simple and way cute!

I made a cute skully guitar strap for one of our cousins for Christmas! It was a little tricky but it worked out well. I used a kit that came with the webbing for the strap, the plastic loops to put the finished strap through and the small leather pieces to attach the strap to the guitar.

I just followed the instructions in the kit, but I also blogged about it here - http://www.soverydomestic.com/blog/index.php/2012/02/28/4080/

     

I really wanted to make some jars with chalkboard paint labels and thought - why not try to make the paint myself while I'm at it.

It is incredibly easy! All you need is dry non-sanding grout (like for bathroom tiles) and paint. The only thing I'd mention is if you want the chalkboard paint to turn out a really vibrant color use the white grout and if you're going for the more traditional black chalkboard paint, use the black grout!

Here are a few pictures of the process and finished jars - I blogged about it a bit here http://www.soverydomestic.com/blog/index.php/2012/01/17/homemade-chalkboard-paint-and-cute-jars/

I feel like an 80 year old for posting some of my little collection of December knits, lol. Here are two pairs of socks and a stack of dishcloths. The patterns are all really simple and the cable-look on the facecloths is a mock cable! So they're a quick knit.


These are all this pattern - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-mock-cable-dishcloth (in Knit Picks Shine Worsted in Clementine, Green Apple and Wisteria)


These were fun to do! This pattern is called Wickerware Socks - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wickerware-socks (in Knit Picks Palette in Delta)


These were a really, really fast knit!! These are called Duckies - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/duckies (in Knit Picks Shine in Sprinkle Heather)

These muffins were made by my 10 year old. The recipe was easy enough for him to do it on his own and all I did was help with the oven.

 

Muffins: 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsps baking powder 7/8 cup superfine or granulated sugar 1 unwaxed lemon 10 tbsp unsalted butter 2 extra-large eggs 1/2 cup whole milk 2 medium apples

Topping: 4 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled 1/4 cup coarse brown or superfine sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sliced almonds, ground (optional)

Mix all the dry together, then the zest and make a well in the middle. Add all the wet into the well and mix it up.

Then chop your apples and make the topping. Sprinkle first the apples, then the topping and away you go! 375 for about 30 minutes!

These are so so so simple. I can't remember where I got it from honestly, it's been on a recipe card in my kitchen for years.

All you need is five ingredients and a few minutes. No cooking!

1/2 package of cream cheese
3 tablespoons of salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used marble, but really you can use whatever you like)
chili power or dried chilies
tortillas or wraps (I used tomato and spinach)

Mix the cream cheese with the salsa and spread onto the tortillas, then sprinkle on shredded cheese. Roll up the tortilla tightly.

Cut the logs into whatever length works for you, you may have to use toothpicks to keep the rolls secure.

  These were way too fun!!!  They are originally from http://www.bakerella.com/fast-food-fun/, that site is so inspiring!

If you can make vanilla cake, brownies, sugar cookies and buttercream frosting. Or really, a box cake mix, a box brownie mix, a cookie mix and a tub of frosting will do it!

The buns are vanilla cake bake in a mini cupcake pan, the burgers are brownies cut out of a circle pan with a shot glass, the fries are sugar cookies cut and bake in strips and the condiments are just tinted frosting!