Alternative to Paint

My sister-in-law sent me these links about applying fabric to walls as an alternative to paint or wallpaper.  Very cute idea, even for smaller objects that you want to dress up like this toy box—very cute!  Here are the goods from Sew Can Do:

Toy Box Redo: Plain to Punchy

I had this really great vintage toy box from my childhood nursery, but the stark white seemed too blah. I thought about painting it, but they don’t make no-VOC spray paint, so that was kind of out. Then I remembered reading about applying fabric to walls with liquid starch and thought why not try it on the toy box?

It worked like a dream! Super easy to apply and virtually goof-proof, since it’s easy to adjust when wet.

Here’s how to do it:

- Get some liquid starch (available at any grocery store)
- Apply with a paintbrush directly to the fabric and then apply wet fabric to hard surface.
- Smooth it out with your hands to remove any wrinkles or air bubbles and adjust position if needed
- Do another layer of starch over it with the brush again.

The best part is that it’s easy to remove without damaging either the fabric or the item underneath.

I loved how it worked out so much I took the leftover scraps and carefully cut out the shapes and applied them to the wall to add some design to my new peach paintjob. I didn’t like the positions of a few of the shapes on the wall, so I just peeled them off and reapplied the same way – no mess or damage at all! You can even wash the fabric to reuse for something else later. The ultimate recycling project;) I wish I’d have learned about this trick years ago when I fiddled around with messy stencils and stamps as wall art – they never turned out half as nice either.

And here is the nitty-gritty from Rental Decorating Digest:

If being budget conscious is necessary for you, understand that fabric prices vary and could actually run into quite a bit of money depending on your tastes – this can be easily remedied by discount fabric stores and clearance sales.

The good news is when you remove the fabric from the wall, all you will need to do is wash it. It can be easily re-used for another craft project, good as new!

Keeping all that in mind – let’s get busy.  These simple instructions will help you apply and remove your fabric.

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Materials:

• LINIT® Starch OR LINIT® Starch-n-Crafts™ Stiffener
• Fabric
• Clean sponge or paint roller
• Pan

Process:

1. Wash the wall to remove any dirt or film.
   

2. Lightweight fabrics, such as polished cottons, ginghams, and chintzes, are easiest to use. Measure from the floor to the ceiling and add a couple extra inches.
   

3. Cut the fabric accordingly. If fabric has a design, be sure to match the design before cutting the next panel as when using wallpaper.
   

4. Pour starch into a clean pan or paint pan or spray on if using stiffener (see Tip section if using spray stiffener). Apply starch to the top half of the wall with a sponge, paint roller or spray on if using spray stiffener.
   

5. Smooth fabric into place at the top of the wall, leaving about one inch to be trimmed later. Use push pins to hold the fabric temporarily in place. Apply more starch going down the wall as needed until you get to the floor, leave approximately one inch overlap at floor level.
   

6. Apply starch to the top of the fabric, brushing and smoothing the fabric in place to remove bubbles and wrinkles. Be sure the starch penetrates the fabric evenly.
   

7. Work your way down the panel, continuing to sponge or spray starch onto the wall, smoothing the fabric, and applying more starch.
   

8. Position the second panel, matching the design along the edge. Repeat steps.
   

9. Around windows and doors, leave a one inch overlap as with the ceiling and floor.
   

10. Fabric overlap should be cut when the fabric is completely dry. It will then cut clean and easily and any shrinkage will have occurred before you trim.

When Using Stiffener in Spray Bottle: Be sure to mask edges of ceiling & floor to avoid over spray. To Remove Fabric From Wall: Peel one corner loose, then gently begin to peel the fabric off of the wall panel by panel. If the fabric does not peel easily, dampen the fabric with water using a wet sponge and it should come right off.

Whether you choose to cover your entire wall or only a portion, you will enjoy the look of a professionally decorated room, without the permanence of paint or wallpaper!

 

Natural Antibacterial Hand Cleanser

I found a great blog from The Whole Child: An Integrative Pediatrics Blog today and LOVE this idea.  With cinnamon having natural antibacterial properties (see Care2 for even more details), and the cold and flu season coming, our family needs all the help we can get.  I will definitely try this out.  See an excerpt from the blog below:

The Secret of Thieves

The NY Times “Really?” column today profiles cinnamon oil as a natural antibacterial, part of my home-made essential oil hand sanitizer recipe modeled on the infamous “Thieves” blend.  What is this “Secret of Thieves”?

Props to Young Living Essential Oils (YLEO), the company that has popularized “Thieves” as a natural alternative to chemical alcohol-based sanitizers.  Their blend is a patented mixture of cinnamon bark, clove, lemon, rosemary and eucalyptus oils.  I have adapted this blend of oils for use as a DIY hand sanitizer, adding 1-2 drops of each oil (but 5 drops of the lemon oil – or grapefruit or orange, if you prefer) to a small dispenser bottle filled with filtered water and 1 tsp aloe vera gel.  We use it at the Whole Child Center and it’s been the feature of my last 2 Earth Day presentations at my children’s school.   We even made a cute how-to video.

 

Gluten Free Croissants—oh YEAH….

I was looking at sandwich recipes (uninentionally) and saw one with a croissant—my WEAKNESS!  I am trying to try out the gluten-free diet to see if it helps my son and myself, however it is SO difficult and life changing.  Well, I started to wonder if there was such a thing as a gluten-free croissant and I came across this AMAZING blog, I’m sure I will be using a lot.  Below was her post—great photos!  Thank you so much Gluten Free Gobsmacked!

Gluten Free Homemade Croissants!

with 50 comments

Dear reader or fellow gluten-free lifestyler,

Do you know what I ate two nights ago for the first time in eight years? Something so delicious and delectable that I practically made myself ill because I couldn’t resist and I ate THREE of them! I’m talking about homemade gluten-free chocolate-filled Croissants. Yeap. Catch you breath. I said the magic word – CROISSANT and GLUTEN FREE in the same sentence.

Last December, I was emailed a recipe that I just wrote about for Crescent Rolls. I had been wondering for VERY long time how I could make croissants to eat with my morning latte filled with chocolate (or not) or fill with turkey and cheese or whatnot for lunches. Typical croissant recipes require yeast, milk, the gluten of flour to create the flaky layers, and resting/rising time that most gluten free recipes cannot duplicate. However, with super slight modifications from the recipe I posted for crescent rolls, I have been able to make croissants the last few nights that I have been enjoying for breakfast and lunch.

It is a welcome change of pace for my taste buds.

The beauty is that this same technique (the rolling, turning, frozen grated butter) that has made the most tender and flaky pastry can also be used for filo dough. In fact, I have a little part of my mind planning to make some more baklava this weekend – oh babee! I’ve made baklava before following Rebecca Reilly’s recipes (Delish, by the way. This is a cookbook to own if you like to bake and also have to bake gluten-free. However, I was truly missing the flaky and tender pieces of filo dough that you normally have in baklava. I was curious about whether this dough would work for that – but was only convinced after my can-eat-gluten-but-doesn’t husband gobbled up a couple mini-croissants and exclaimed “Wow, Katie, you could make the best filo dough and baklava with this stuff.” Done. That’s *so* next on this baker’s agenda.

In the meantime, if you have some time on your hands and plenty of butter on hand, please make some croissants! You won’t regret it, I promise. You can fill them with whatever your heart desire. And trust me, you will want more of these buttery, flaky, tender croissants. I wish I could tell you what they are like on Day Three, but the ones I’ve made have yet to make it past Day Two!

In fact, for the first time ever, I’m rather bummed that my colleagues aren’t wondering what I’m eating for lunch because it looks so “normal” to them. It surprised my last night when that thought crossed my mind. Then I realized, they are usually curious about what I’m eating because they haven’t often seen quinoa salads or eaten homemade risotto or rice balls with smoked salmon. For once, when I want them to jump up and down with me on the desks at lunch, they are painfully unaware of my triumphant, scrumptious lunch. Meh. It’s for the better. They would all just want a bite anyway. LOL

My lunch today includes a croissant filled with turkey/white cheddar and one filled with broccoli/white cheddar cheese. I’m in heaven, don’t ya know. In fact, breakfast? Yeap. A croissant dunked into my coffee. Man, I’m bad! I have definitely had my butter intake for the next – oh – month or so, lol. But that’s okay. I am enjoying exploring the kitchen again.

This recipe takes time to prepare (more like time to roll out repeatedly and refrigerate), but after reviewing many gluten recipes for croissants over the last several years, the time is actually less involved than for traditional croissants.

I’m not good at rolling them up to look perfect, and have decided to stick with the mass-rolling technique of keeping them straight. Or, in the case of the ones filled with cheesy goodness or chocolate, I actually rolled them up a bit more like an egg roll + crescent to keep the filling within the croissant and not all over the baking pan. You can even seal in the goodness by filling, rolling over one flap over the top of the filling and brushing the edge with some beaten egg and folding up a *bit* (like 1/4″). Once you’ve done that, you can roll it like a crescent/croissant.

I do hope you try this recipe, please tell me if do! I’d love for us to keep this one on the exploration front – it’s worth it! Here are the basic steps I followed. Keep in mind that the croissants will NOT puff up/rise (there’s no yeast here) nor will they be as large as the ones you see at the market.

First, prepare batch of the crescent dough with the modifications I used plus a few others. I have retyped the recipe here because I have added a bit more of a few ingredients like cream of tartar, xanthan gum, baking soda, sugar and an additional flour (sweet rice flour).

I have also uploaded pictures of the steps (rolling) for you if they will help as well. Although, let me just say this, photography + massive amounts of sweet rice flour….. well, they just don’t always mix. LOL

Here’s the overall step-by-step picture. You can find details that explain each image on Flickr too. Just click on the big picture and it will take you to the Flickr page where you can read more.

GF Croissants
Recipe makes 14 small-medium croissants.

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter, (8 Tablespoons) slightly softened
1 stick of butter, frozen
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon GF cottage cheese
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon GF cream cheese
1 cup GF Flour Mix (rice-based or sorghum-based)
2 Tablespoons of sweet rice flour + 1 ½ cups sweet rice flour for rolling
1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ Tablespoons sugar
1 or 2 eggs, beaten (to seal the croissants closed and brush on the croissants before baking)

Directions:

1. Cream together softened butter, cream cheese, and cottage cheese until whipped, creamy and semi-yellow in color (about 3-4 minutes)
2. Add GF Flour mix, 2 Tablespoons sweet rice flour, xanthan gum, salt, cream of tartar, baking soda and sugar. Mix together until the dough comes together – mostly away from the sides and begins to form a ball or lump in the middle of the mixer (about 3-4 minutes).
3. Shape into a disk and place into a Ziploc bag. Refrigerate at least two hours, overnight preferred.
4. Grate the frozen butter (I used my food processor) and put it into a freezer-safe storage container/bag. Return grated butter to the freezer until you are ready to use. (By the way, it will store indefinitely like this.)
5. Work in a cool place or consider refrigerating the dough after Step 9). Place parchment paper, sweet rice, grated frozen butter, and the rolling pin on a large surface that you can easily reach to roll the dough thinly.
6. Remove dough from the fridge and divide into fourths. Return 3 of the 4 to the Ziploc bag and place in the refrigerator.
7. Reshape this ¼ piece into a disk quickly. (Try to touch the dough as little as possible in order to keep it as cold/cool as possible.)
8. Generously dust the top of the parchment paper. Place the dough disk into the center on a generous amount of sweet rice flour. Generous dust the top and side of the dough. Cover with another piece of floured parchment paper. Roll the dough as thinly as possible (about 1/8 of an inch or so). You should be able to see through the dough partially. I was able to roll the dough about 22” long and about 15” wide.
9. Turn the dough lengthwise. Generously sprinkle the middle 1/3 of the dough with the grated, still-frozen butter. Fold up the bottom third of the pastry over the top of the middle third. Sprinkle the grated, still-frozen butter over the top of the part you just folded on top. Fold down the top third of the dough to cover the center/butter again.
10. Turn the dough and fold in any edges that are thin or not part of the folded center. Generously dust the top, sides, and bottom (lift the dough gently to push flour underneath) of the dough. Repeat the rolling and butter sprinkling (Steps 8 and 9) one more time. You will sprinkle the butter on twice and roll out three times.
11. After the second sprinkling of butter and folding, turn the dough again and roll the dough out for it’s final time, once again rolling it as thinly as possible. Work quickly at this point as the dough is beginning to warm up again.
12. Lift off the top parchment paper and divide the dough in half with a pizza cutter. Leave the dough lying flat along the parchment paper.
13. Divide each half into long triangles with the pizza cutter. You will end up with 4 large triangles for each ¼ of the dough. At this point you may fill your croissants with pieces of dark chocolate or turkey/cheese, etc by placing your filling on the wide end of the triangle.
14. Roll the croissant up from the wide end carefully (as the layers are thin). Seal the end (to keep it together during baking) by brushing beaten egg onto top ½ inch before finishing the roll. Shape into a crescent moon shape or leave in a roll.
15. Brush the completed croissants with beaten egg (this provides them with a golden brown or they will turn a dark brown while baking).
16. Lay the complete croissants on parchment paper and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Repeat steps 7 through 15 with the remaining dough. OR bake the first batch, see what you need to adjust and then bake the others. The dough will keep refrigerated for two days.
17. Bake the croissants at 375F for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!
-Kate

 

Photo Display Ideas— without a frame!

I love these ideas, I wish I had known about the vellum idea for my wedding—how beautiful!!!!  Also, the accordian idea I LOVE—I am putting it on my craft list now.  Thank you Martha and the crafs dept. for this!

I love this idea for using your photos (printed on vellum) as a glowing summer centerpiece. Get the full how to here.—–

If you’re throwing a party for someone’s anniversary or birthday, the guest of honor will shine with a set of photo frame lanterns. They consist of three hinged photo frames set around votive candles. The black-and-white photos are printed onto ecru-colored vellum paper, which is translucent enough for the images to be visible by candlelight.

Photo Centerpiece How-To
Disassemble three like-sized frames, setting aside their fronts and discarding their backings. Paint or stain wooden frames desired color; let dry. Upload or scan photographs into a computer. With editing software, make the images black and white, and resize them to fit your frames. Print them onto vellum paper with an ink-jet printer. Slip the images into the frames. Using cloth tape, hinge frames together to form a triangle. Stand frames around a candle in a protective glass holder.

Sources
Colored bookbinding tape; $1.75 per foot; NY Central Art Supply; 800-950-6111 or nycentralart.com.—-

I’ve always loved the sophisticated look of this accordion frame. The photos are printed out on matte inkjet paper and glued to art boards. It’s so simple, but looks like a real work of art. See the how-to for attaching the hinges and mounting the photos here.—-

These frameless photographs are mounted on sturdy art boards and linked by small hinges for an accordion structure. Color and black-and-white snapshots, portraits, and still lifes add to the effect.

Tools and Materials
Small craft brushes
Acrylic craft paint
Precut 5 3/4-by-7 3/4-inch art boards
Decoupage glue
Ruler and pencil
T pin
Screwdriver
Small hinges and screws

Accordion Gallery How-To
Use as many art boards as you like, applying pictures to one or both sides of each panel.

1. On a computer, resize photographs to 5 3/4 by 7 3/4 inches, and print them.

2. Using a small craft brush and the acrylic paint, paint the edges of each board. Let dry.

3. Position one picture on one face of each board. Using another small craft brush, apply decoupage glue to back of each photograph. Attach to a board; let dry. Glue images to reverse sides of boards if desired.

4. Decide upon an order for the photos. Use pencil to mark the placement of the hinges. (Ours were 1 3/4 inches from the top and the bottom of each board and aligned with one edge).

5. With the T pin, bore small holes through the boards where screws will go (this will make it easier to insert the screws). Using a screwdriver, attach the hinges, and link the boards to one another.

 

Christmas Paper Crafts

So I know, we just got into summer, and no, I’m not trying to rush it… I just have had these crafts bookmarked and I wanted to get them on there so I would remember try them out this year (along with finishing my 3 year project of working on the wreath).

This one is Thanks to Martha Stewart:

Shimmering Stacked Trees

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From:

This shimmering stacked tree will add a festive — and eco-friendly — touch to your home this holiday season. These magnificent trees can also be stacked using any leftover aluminum foil, felt, or crepe paper.

Tools and Materials
4 ounces Sculpey clay
10-inch, 6mm thick knitting needle
Felt
Craft glue
Clear glass glitter
Receipt spike (optional)
2 pieces 6-by-6-inch card stock
Newspaper
Utility knife
Bone folder
Adhesive spray
Hot-glue gun and glue
2 paper Dresden stars

Stacked Tree How-To
1. Roll and flatten 4 ounces sculpting clay to form dome shape. Poke knitting needle horizontally through flat area of clay dome. Remove knitting needle.

2. Bake clay in oven at 275 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Reinsert needle into baked clay. Glue felt on bottom of base for surface protection.

3. Apply glue, then glitter, to the base. A receipt spike can be used to create a smaller tree instead of building a base using the above instructions.

4. To form tree, place 2 pieces of 6-by-6-inch card stock onto spike for stability.

5. Cut newspaper into 50 sheets of each size:
-6 by 6 inches
-5 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches
-5 by 5 inches
-4 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches
-4 by 4 inches
-3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
-3 by 3 inches
-2 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
-2 by 2 inches
-1 1/2 by 1/2 inch

6. Cut 25 1-inch sheets of newspaper.

7. Begin poking pieces of newspaper onto spike in descending order, folding and unfolding each piece of paper using a bone folder.

8. Spray tree with adhesive and immediately sprinkle with diamond dust. Set aside and let dry for 10 minutes.

9. Using a hot-glue gun, adhere 2 paper Dresden stars back-to-back to top of tree.

Resources
Paper Dresden stars and clear glass glitter can be found at D. Blumchen and Company, Martha’s Secret Source for vintage-inspired holiday decorations and crafting supplies. A receipt spike can be found at restaurant-supply stores. Knitting needles and clay can be purchased from most crafts stores.

And here is a gorgeous pinecone ornament courtesy of Inkspirations, thank you for teaching us how to do this!

It’s HERE!!!!!!! Tutorial for Pinecone Balls

Okay, due to the overwhelming demand for directions, I decided to do this a little earlier than I planned because SERIOUSLY you guys are all overloading my email box. I really hope you “get” them and that at the end of this tutorial you all will be happily playing with your pretty christmas ball. Bear with me, this will be my first time ever doing this . . .

INGREDIENTS:

1 sheet of 12×12 paper (or a couple if you like)
1 three inch foam ball (white foam kind)
1 package of pins (I use Applique pins – 19mm – you can get these at walmart)
1 length of ribbon (I prefer wide SU organdy)
1 thimble
1 paper cutter

STEP 1
Choose your paper(Mine is by K&I Memories). Small prints or loud paper work best when choosing which paper to use. As I learned with this one, white is not always the best color to have in the background. Once you have decided, cut the paper into 1 inch x 2 inch pieces (rectangles), the entire sheet.

STEP 2
Fold your papers to make a point (see picture). Both corners meet in the middle.

STEP 3
Pin points down on center of ball. Put all points together. Folds should be on the underside where they cannot be seen.

STEP 4
Pin down the other corner points on this first row, so that all three points of each triangle are pinned in on the first row. You will ONLY do this for the first row.

STEP 5
Begin row 2 by pinning down the two ends (not the main point) You center the main point on one of the lines, so that the base of the triangle is offset to the original pinned row. Then leave the point unpinned (this forms the pinecone like look) and pin down two other sides. Repeat this row over and over until you reach the halfway point (clear as mud? Maybe the pictures will help – I hope . . . )

STEP 6
At the halfway point, pin in your ribbon. I like to stick about 4 pins on each end. If you pin the ribbon in now, leave enough at the top to form a hanger. You are going to continue to work the paper over the ribbon, which will make it secure.

STEP 7
Continue rows up until you reach the top. As you near the top, it will become increasingly harder to push the pins into the ball and through your papers — this is where that thimble comes in handy. You will also probably run out of paper as you reach the top, or if you used 2 sheets of 12×12, will have used up 1/2 of each sheet.

STEP 8
Tie bow at top and add any extra ribbon you would like. “Pretty it up” You are done. Hang ball on your tree and enjoy. If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section of this post and I will reply to them in that location. This will keep me from getting a bazillion emails asking the same questions. Thanks *smiles*

Here is another link for this craft from Stamping Starlette!

 

A Festive Thanksgiving Dinner

I love how simple cornhusk can add so much to a votive candle holder!  We are growing corn in our garden this year, and I am so excited to try this out!  Thank you for this idea, Martha!

Cornhusk Votives

From:

Wrapped in dried cornhusks, votives cast a soft glow and serve as a reminder that corn was part of the first Thanksgiving feast.

Tools and Materials
Cutting mat
Ruler
Utility knife
Dried cornhusks
Double-sided tape
Votive holders
Ribbon
Scissors

Cornhusk Votives How-To
On a cutting mat, use a ruler and utility knife to cut the widest part of the dried cornhusks (available at crafts stores) to the height of your votive holders. Apply double-sided tape around a votive holder, about 1/4 inch from the bottom. Affix 2 or 3 cornhusks, overlapping the edges, to the holder. Finish by tying with a ribbon.

 

Cornucopia

I’ve always thought these were so pretty, but Martha by far has the most beautiful one here.  Seems a bit more of a difficult craft, but definitely something to keep on file for when you’re feeling crafty!

From:

A raffia cornucopia lined with a bed of dried wheat stalks holds an abundance of golden squashes, apples, and pears. Set on a wide sideboard or chest, it’s a natural Thanksgiving decorations that radiates good fortune: In Greek mythology, the cornucopia — Latin for “horn of plenty” — was a magical goat’s horn that filled itself with whatever food and drink its owner requested. It has become a universal symbol of bounty, and in America is closely tied to Thanksgiving.

Tools and Materials
2-foot-long wicker cornucopia (available at craft stores or floral shops)
2 yards of burlap
Scissors
Hot-glue gun
3 two-hundred-gram packages of raffia
Spool of jute string
Large binder clip

Cornucopia How-To
1. Pull the burlap around the wicker cornucopia frame, and tuck it inside. Trim any extra burlap with scissors, leaving enough to fold under at edges for a finished look.

2. Hot-glue the burlap to the frame, lifting the fabric in several areas to apply glue. Press firmly for several seconds so the burlap sticks. Inside the frame, fold the burlap edges under to make a clean hem, and glue to the frame.

3. Assemble a hank of raffia about 3/4 inch thick; using string, tie a knot around one end of the hank, and clip it to the table. Then wind the string around the raffia at 2-inch intervals to make a yard-long rope.

4. When you get to the other end, tie a knot. Make another raffia rope. Then, using a short piece of jute string, tie the two ropes together end to end to create one double-length rope.

5. Make a total of nine double-length ropes to cover a cornucopia of this size. For the lip of the cornucopia, make one double-length raffia rope, about 2 1/4 inches thick, tying the string around it at 4-inch intervals so the result is looser.

6. Tie the end of a raffia rope to the tip of the frame with string. Wind the raffia around, and apply glue as you go. At the end of the rope, tie it to another with string, and continue. When all but the lip is covered, ties a long piece of string to the end of the last raffia rope and wrap it around the frame; knot it.

7. At the basket lip, attach the thicker raffia tope to the last thin rope with string, tying at 4-inch intervals. (Note: If your cornucopia has a protruding, traylike base, as this one does, you can cover it with more raffia; but if you line it with wheat, the base won’t show.)

8. Apply more hot glue where needed to secure the raffia ropes to the frame. To display, line the opening with stalks of dried wheat, and add long-lasting fruits and vegetables.

First Published: November 2004

 

What to do with Pumpkins

So we recently planted a vegetable garden, and with it are pumpkins.  It’s more for my son, I know he will have so much fun watching them grow.  And while I love pumpkin pie, and will definitely puree some for future recipes, I’m sure we will find ourselves with pumpkins in excess.  So, Martha once again, has provided me with some GREAT pumpkin decor ideas!  I have wanted to try this one in the planters for a long time now—I hate how they look when they are bare—this will help fest them up! ;D

Outdoor Bouquet

From:

Showcase a sunset-hued medley of fall vegetables and foliage in decorative urns. In the process, containers languishing without summer blooms will get a new job. (If you don’t have an urn, look for one at a garden-supply store.) Leave the old soil in the vessels — or place large rocks inside — and cover the top with a variety of foliage from your backyard, such as maple leaves. Then pile on finds from farmers’ markets and pumpkin stands, such as viburnum berries, gourds, and mini pumpkins. The arrangement should last two to three weeks.

Pumpkin “Pie” Potpourri

From:

Use a pumpkin incense burner to suggest the cozy scent of pie just out of the oven. Cut off the pumpkin’s top and scrape out the innards; carve round vents with an apple corer. Rub cinnamon or pumpkin-pie spices onto the lid, or push cloves into it. With a lighted tealight candle inside, the pumpkin will give off a lovely fragrance for about six hours.

 

Fall Wreath

Okay, I love wreaths, I have been working on a Christmas wreath for the past 3 years and still have yet to finish it—yet I aspire to do them.  Maybe this fall I can get on my horse and do it!  This is once again from Martha Stewart—of course!

Midas Touches: In Full Feather

From:

The harvest theme takes on new dimensions when executed in unexpected colors and materials. Turkey quill feathers and magnolia leaves, colored on one side with floral spray, are mixed with stalks of wheat to create a stunning wreath. The feathers reappear as gold imprints on pillar candles, which are paired with faux-bois versions in a rich green and gold. Quinces, a nest of golden eggs, and more gilded magnolia leaves continue the unusual color scheme. Below, the modern table setting picks up the palette with chartreuse place mats on a bleached-oak table, contrasted with matte white plates and Venetian glass tumblers. The feather motif is repeated on the napkin and the place card. Twig breadsticks and a butter pat etched with a faux-bois pattern further the natural references.

Golden Harvest Wreath How-To
This 22-inch wreath form was decorated with about 90 magnolia leaves, 150 wheat stems, and 25 feathers. If you can’t find magnolia leaves, use any other sturdy, broad leaf. This wreath can last for several years: After the holidays, place it, front side up, in a flat box cushioned with tissue paper. Keep it in a cool, dry place. If a few of the magnolia leaves look tired when you unpack it, replace them with freshly painted ones.

Tools and Materials
Floral spray in brilliant gold White feathers
Magnolia leaves
24-gauge gold wire
Gardening shears
Wheat stems
22-inch wire wreath form
Hot-glue gun

1. On a clean, dry surface protected by paper in a well-ventilated area, spray the feathers and the top sides of the magnolia leaves gold. Let dry.

2. Bundle 3 leaves with a small piece of wire; snip end. Bundle 5 wheat stems with wire, and snip end. Repeat with the remaining leaves and stems. Wrap the bundles to the wreath form with a single piece of wire, alternating and overlapping bundles of leaves and stems. Keep them tight and close together.

3. Once the wreath form is covered, insert the feathers at equal intervals. Glue in place.

Feather-Printed Candles, Napkins, and Place Cards How-To
A single feather can be reused on several surfaces. This technique works equally well on any type of candle, cotton or linen fabric, and on heavy paper, such as card stock. If making napkins, you will need an ink pad with ink designed for use on fabric. Feathers are available at crafts or fishing-gear stores.

Tools and Materials
Feathers
Ink pad in metallic gold or brown, either fabric-safe or standard ink, depending on the project
Scrap paper, for blotting
Tweezers
Place cards, napkins, and candles
Brayer

1. Place a feather on ink pad; place a piece of scrap paper on top. Flip, then press with fingertips. With tweezers, remove feather from paper.

2. Place the feather, ink side down, on the surface you wish to print. Lay a fresh piece of scrap paper over the feather, then carefully roll brayer over the surface. Remove the feather with tweezers. Let dry. For napkins: Check to see if the fabric ink needs to be heat-set with an iron. For candle: The ink will only partially dry on the candle’s wax surface. It is still suitable for use, but can smudge, so handle with care.

Faux-Bois Candles How-To
We used 6 sheets of smooth beeswax to roll a pillar candle from scratch, although you could wrap a sheet of beeswax around a store-bought pillar (start with step 3, below). Keep in mind that the color of the sheet of wax may not match the store-bought candle.

Tools and Materials
Ruler Craft knife
Smooth beeswax sheets
Wicking
1-inch-wide craft brush
Glazing medium in gold
Wood-graining tool

1. With ruler and craft knife, cut a sheet of wax to the height you want your candle to be. Cut wicking 1 inch longer than this measurement. Lay wicking along 1 short edge of sheet, allowing a 1/2-inch overhang.

2. Fold edge of sheet over wicking, and roll tightly, adding sheets until candle is desired circumference. Trim. Smooth the seam with your fingertips.

3. With the ruler and craft knife, cut a sheet of wax to fit the just-rolled (or store-bought) candle. Lay sheet on a flat, clean surface protected with paper.

4. With the craft brush, coat the sheet with glazing medium.

5. Drag wood-graining tool across the wax. (If you don’t like the results, try again, wiping the tool between uses.) Let dry.

6. Align the edges of the glazed sheet with the top and bottom of the candle, and roll the sheet gently in place. The warmth of your fingertips should make it stick; if not, use a hair dryer set on medium to warm it slightly. Smooth out the seam with your fingertips, being careful not to smudge the glaze.

Return to Midas Touches.

 

Make your own Artistic Rug

Are you an artist?  I’m not, but I’ve always dreamed of being one.  Here’s a way you can display your art on the floor—for a better price than going out and purchasing a rug.  This is from Martha Stewart—she’s full of good ideas!!!

Canvas Rugs

Creating art underfoot is an easy step-by-step process, and no fancy supplies or skills are required. Just prime a piece of canvas, paint a design, and seal it with varnish. Our patterns are as simple to reproduce as scattering leaves from your backyard across a surface, marking stripes with tape rather than a ruler, tracing bowls for circles, and painting streaky brushstrokes on a grid. Use household tools and our stencils or create your own. Don’t worry about perfect lines; these rugs are handcrafted and should look it. So go ahead — make the floor your canvas.

Easy-Care Accents
These practical floorcloths are durable and inexpensive to make. They clean up with a damp mop and mild detergent. No wonder canvas rugs have been popular since colonial times. After the introduction of linoleum, they fell out of favor early in the last century. The craft was revived in the 1950s, when period rugs were made for historic homes. Modern materials have streamlined the technique; with today’s quick-drying, water-based products, you can paint a rug this weekend and have it for years.

Painting Tips
Use liquid acrylics (if you use heavy-body acrylics, which come in tubes, thin with water to the consistency of cream) and flat brushes in a variety of sizes. To match hues in your room’s decor, you can mix tints: Combine titanium white with other colors for lighter shades, or add a dab of burnt umber to give an earthy tint. If you would like a warm, neutral background, paint the canvas with a wash of titanium buff (1 tablespoon paint mixed with 4 cups water). When customizing a shade of paint, you won’t be able to reproduce it exactly once you’ve used it up, so don’t skimp on amounts; to paint a solid color on a door-size canvas, you’ll need about 2 cups. Use airtight jars to store the colors you’ve blended.

Prepping the Canvas
Tools and Materials
drop cloth
hollow-core door, or 1/2-inch plywood cut to size
number 10 canvas duck, cut to dimensions of door or board plus a 6-inch margin
staple gun
paper cups
paint roller on broomstick
roller tray and liner white acrylic gesso
medium-grit sandpaper

It’s easiest to stretch the canvas over a hollow-core door, which is lightweight and just the right size for a rug. For other dimensions, you can also use plywood cut to size. We primed both sides for added durability.

1. Working on a large table or on a drop cloth on the floor, center door or board on canvas. Smooth the fabric around to the back, stapling it at each side’s midpoint. Continue stapling from the center points outward, about every 3 inches. Fold one side neatly under the other; staple at each corner (far left).

2. Flip the door, and support it on upside-down paper cups. Using a roller, prime the surface and edges with gesso (if using plywood, prime 1 inch border of underside, too). Let dry. Lightly sand.

3. Remove staples, and flip the canvas. Reposition canvas on door, matching up fold lines; staple again.

4. Prime surface and edges with gesso. Let dry; sand surface and edges. Add another coat. Let dry; sand.

Making a Leaf Rug
Tools and Materials
liquid acrylic paints
paintbrushs in a variety of sizes
leaves or leaf stencil template
scissors
pencil
self-adhesive shelf liner
tracing paper

1. Paint canvas with a wash of titanium buff acrylic (1 tablespoon paint to 4 cups water). Let dry.

2. Gather leaves, and photocopy groupings of them, life-size or enlarged (or download our templates). Cut out shapes, and trace them onto self-adhesive shelf liner (to help them stay put while you work). Cut out stencils.

3. To create ring templates, place tracing paper over leaf patterns and draw abstract ovals around them. Cut out shapes, and trace them onto shelf liner. Cut out stencils; cut away inner circle of each to form a ring.

4. Scatter leaf stencils over canvas. Peel a corner of the backing from a leaf, and press down to adhere; then slowly peel and flatten remainder.

5. Adhere ring stencils over leaves.

6. Paint background canvas except inside rings. Let dry.

7. Slowly peel off ring stencils, but not those of leaves. Paint in rings. Let dry.

8. Remove leaf stencils; paint lines for leaf veins in background color. Let dry.

Finishing Your Rug
Tools and Materials
polyacrylic varnish
wide paintbrush
drop cloth
scissors
yardstick
pencil
1 roll double-sided carpet tape
bone folder or butter knife

1. Apply two coats of varnish to painted surface, according to label instructions. Let final coat dry overnight. Turn the door over, and lay it on a drop cloth on the floor; then unstaple the canvas.

2. The door’s edges create two fold lines that delineate the hem. Trim excess canvas just outside outer fold line (if plywood was used, mark and trim to 1 inch outside the fold line).

3. To miter the corners, fold in the hem on both sides of a corner so their edges meet; mark that point on each.

4. Lay the fabric flat again, and draw a line between the two points; it should intersect the corner of the inner fold line. Trim just outside the line that you’ve marked. Repeat with remaining corners.

5. Affix carpet tape to underside of hem on each side of canvas; press hem flat, and burnish with bone folder or the handle of a butter knife. Carefully turn over rug without bending it; let dry 4 days, or according to varnish directions, before using it. Lay it on the floor over a nonslip pad of the same size.

Leaf Stencil Template

We offer this file in a portable document format, or PDF, in order to make the details clear and printable. To view and print the file, you need a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader, which most browsers already include. If you have trouble downloading the file, or if you’d like to upgrade to Acrobat Reader 8.0, you can obtain the software for free from Adobe’s website.