26 November 2010

wonkylations make me smile

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i know i go on & on about my love of the japanese nearly2dollars store (yes, they raised prices!), but can you blame a girl for gushing? recently we were in need of birthday prezzies for a mini who loves the store as thehobbit & i do, so off we went!

one thing that i love about the store is the wonky translation to be found on packaging - it is always fabulous. this time there were notebooks sporting wonkylations (real word), so i took photos of my favorites, just for you!

a sewing theme:


a bear, with balloons:


are they not the most wonderful things? what is making you smile today?

~peace.

15 November 2010

promise, postponed


photo :: property of click here
 i want this record player, want it so! i do think santa should get this for me - i've been a very good girl. mostly. well, ok. i truly haven't, but i meant to be.

the gorgeous player has, sadly, nothing to do with this post. i have no access to sheba (she's in laptop hospital), so needed a photo to keep you riveted to my every word. :)

i know i said i would have the frame tutorial soon, but my photos for it aren't on this borrowed laptop. sorry! no worries, sheba is not dreadfully ill, so the tutorial's postponement should be short.

for now, you can stare dreamily at the above photo with me.

~peace.

11 November 2010

everything old is new again

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so much is new around thebelfry. mostly it's elfling-related - words abilities, etc - such is the world of a bébé. i shan't bore you by gushing over how brilliant he is. i mean really now, what mama doesn't think her offspring is the next einstein? of course mine is. i also have some new treasures to share.

the above is a gorgeously tattered quilt. it was made by manlyman's grandmother's older sister. how's that for a mouth-full? my mother-in-law rescued it eons ago, when her mother was going to throw it away. gasp!

recently she nearly made me cry by passing the quilt on to me! i think i was actually somewhat near to being ever so slightly speechless for a moment or two. never was i so happy that manlyman's siblings don't like old things.


this sweet little shelf for the bathroom is my latest thrift shop find. i think it is the perfect shade: not quite white, not quite beige. its shallow shelves aren't the most practical, though it does manage to hold a few daily necessities.

                      

for years now i have wanted this poster, & now i have it! in a wonderful old frame to boot! well, sort of. look more closely at the photo & you'll see it is, in fact, printed off my computer - frame & all. i know!

coming up, i have a tutorial for making frames such as these - though in card stock, not computer paper like mine. speaking of which: am i the only one who makes things better for others, than for herself? do you do that as well? please tell me you do. lie to me if need be.

rats, i had more to chat about, but a certain elfling has decided to wake early from his nap. thanks for visiting!

~peace.

09 November 2010

just popping in

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the pumpkins go marching one by one...

to say hello! i have been a bit discombobulated the past few days, trying to get eleventy million things done. today is more of the same, but i did not want to let another day go by without visiting. i shall have a proper post for you tomorrow.

until then - have a glorious day, do!
~peace.

~~ the holiday sale is still happening in theshop !! ~~

03 November 2010

love is in the air


kats in the belfry has been getting some love on a few oh so nice websites/blogs. it is quite a wonderful feeling, i must say. lookie here:

* pure pixie features autumn. doesn't he look handsome?

* a few items are shown on natural suburbia, though only my portobellas are mentioned. if you look closely you may also spy my mini mushroom set, & spring on the bottom shelf.

* scroll down oh my! handmade goodness' fantabulistic (real word) holiday gift guide to see my birthday crown.

if all that were not woohoo enough, today i spoke with a woman about carrying my birthday crowns & birthday tiaras in her lovely boutique! we shall see where that path takes us. & yes, i am speaking of the royal we :)

i hope you get some love today as well.
~peace

02 November 2010

chocolate skulls, a tutorial

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in honor of my mother's first year as an ancestor, instead of sugar skulls, we opted to make chocolate ones. she loved dark chocolate. is there any other kind? i mean, really now.

we had planned on making the skulls, then decorating them after they'd cooled, but we chose the lazy way. hence the above (hobbit-named) bloody skull look. this is a child-friendly craft, by the way.

what you'll need: small skull molds (google lists many places from which to purchase molds), your favorite chocolate (we used bittersweet), & colored sugar. edited to say :: you'll see that i'd cut the mold into strips. it makes it easier to pop the sugar skulls onto the drying rack. you don't need to do this for chocolate.


* melt your chocolate in a double boiler, or microwave. to do the latter, nuke it for one minute on high, stir, then 20 seconds more, & stir. that should be long enough.


* place your molds on a cookie sheet that fits in your freezer. if you haven't one, cut a piece of cardboard to fit. sprinkle the colored sugar into each skull.


* carefully fill each skull with chocolate. we have tried many ways of getting the chocolate into molds, & a fork was voted the best by thehobbit. you can plop in the bulk, & the last bit drizzles nicely off the tines. easy peasy.


* once all the mold's skulls have been filled, carefully pick up the mold, & tap it on the counter. this should remove any air bubbles.

* pop the tray of skulls into the freezer for at least 15 minutes. the longer you can leave them in, the better. you need their centers to harden.


* sprinkle sugar on a little plate on which you've jauntily placed a bloody skull, & photograph it next to your fancy pumpkin. or just eat it. whichever.

if you do this project, please let me know. i want to see photos! enjoy.

~peace.

01 November 2010

dia de los muertos

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unrelated photo of a zombie aviator, aka thehobbit

also known as day of the dead, dia de los muertos (ddlm) is a celebration that has its roots in ancient times. to learn all about it, read what dayofthedead, or wiki has to say.

i have a lazy version of a ddlm tutorial for you, but not until tomorrow. stop pouting, because i have some fun ddlm links to tide you over!

* our favorite thing to do is create sugar skulls. mexicansugarskull explains the what & the why, has fabulous photos, & skull molds for sale. a great tutorial, as well.

* at azcentral you can find a list of crafts to, as they say, make this ddlm one to remember.

* coloring pages are always fun. use them to decorate you home, or enhance a homeschool lesson. i'm told they're great for quieting your little kids, so their older siblings can actually do their lessons. thecolor has some perfectly suited to the holiday.

* speaking of homeschooling, check out this wonderful education packet! i don't want to spoil your oohs & aahs by telling you what's there, so just go take a peek.

that is all for today! come back tomorrow for my lazy version of a ddlm tutorial. have fun crafting!

~peace.
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