Month: July 2020

hey sugar.

I found another hobby: sugar cookie decorating! Omagah, so fun! And such a good mom skill to have for future celebrations (PS I’m preggo). Yelp NOLA and Fait Main Foods hosted a cookie decorating workshop and I am obsessed. I also looooved that they had the option to ship supplies to out-of-area folks because I got to join in the fun and gain a new skill. Fait Main Foods is based in Mandeville, LA. They specialize in couture sugar cookie designs (seriously beautiful stuff!) and their cookies are legit tasty, soft, and addicting. For this special event their kits included ice cream, donut, and candy shaped cookies, and it came with four icing colors and two sprinkle mixes. In the workshop we first practiced drawing lines with the icing and getting comfortable with the icing flow. We learned all the cookie decorating secrets including how to stack colors, add designs, and tricks for what to do if you mess up your design. The only secrets we didn’t learn are their perfect cookie and icing recipes …

friendship.

I’ve been teaching crafty workshops all summer, and I finally participated in one as a student! I attended The Neon Tea Party‘s heart pattern friendship bracelet virtual workshop and it was the most fun! Marisa, owner and creative everything of The Neon Tea Party, taught us two friendship bracelet knots, we created the heart pattern together, and at the end of class she reviewed how to read a friendship bracelet pattern. My mind is blown. I don’t think I made friendship bracelets as a kid; not this kind at least (I remember lots of bead bracelets…), so it was fun to learn as a grown up. Also, shout out to all the kids in the class with their friendship bracelet making skills and bravery for showing face on Zoom. (It seemed like most of the adults were hiding. :)). For this craft we only needed minimal supplies – two yarn colors, a pair of scissors, a ruler or tape measure, and tape or a safety pin to hold your project in place. You can make …

palomitas.

Since we’re celebrating the physical distancing / non-traveling to places way, my Sister and I schemed up a virtual happy hour to celebrate Father’s Day with the whole family. Here’s a delayed recap from my Father’s Day Happy Hour, but note it’s never too late for a happy hour idea! I sent a paloma cocktail kit from The Epicurian Trader (they have a few to choose from!) to my Dad so he would have all necessary ingredients. It turned out he already had everything (I should have known!), but now he just has more fun ingredients to play with. Hubby and I gathered ingredients for the non-alcoholic version, the palomita. My Sister gathered items for her household, too. To make the celebration a little more extra, I created a Father’s Day sign and sent a matching one to my Dad so it was like we were in the same room. Plus honeycombs because those are always a good celebration idea! Who needs a virtual backdrop when you can create your own? 🙂 The plan was …

crafty challenge.

This month I am a featured maker in the CraftBuzz Crafty Challenge. Over the last couple of weeks, five creatives (including me) have been sharing easy DIY tutorials on the CraftBuzz Instagram page. I hosted a tassel tutorial! You can also learn how to create herbal bundles from the Rah Rah Collective, all about meditative drawing with Rae Miller Arts, furushiki gift wrapping with Bestowe Gifting, and tie dye with Crave Workshops. If you share what you make now through July 31 you are entered to win prizes from all of the participating creatives. This month’s Crafty Challenge benefits Black Artists + Designers Guild, too! Here’s the companion tassel tutorial in picture form! Materials and tools: Yarn Non-stretchy cord (like embroidery floss or baker’s twine) Tassel tool (can be a sturdy book or cardboard, select something that is at least the length of your intended tassel) Scissors How to: Hold your tassel tool in one hand. Secure your yarn either on the tool’s notch or under your thumb. Wrap yarn around your tool (do not …

tostada tuesday.

Everything is virtual these days, including Yelp events. I’ve been participating in all kinds of cooking demos ever since pizza night with Homage. Some were Yelp Elite events and others open to the entire Yelp community. And what’s been really cool is that I have been able to attend events across the country, and in Canada, too! My favorite so far was chorizo tostadas with Maggie of Whisked Away Cooking School in Phoenix, Arizona. I learned a new recipe, and picked up some cooking techniques and pro tips. This was a fun class because I had never made tostadas before nor cooked with canned refried beans (honestly, I was a little scared of them). Also, I don’t normally use arugula and radish in dishes because of the bitter flavors, so it was fun to learn a recipe with both that I really enjoyed. Behold: my beef chorizo tostadas with refried beans, cheese, sour cream sauce, and an arugula, radish, lemon, and jalapeño salad! It was crispy, a little spicy, creamy, savory, fresh…so good. I’ll definitely …

makin’ stuff.

Craft shows aren’t happening, but I’m still busy making felt goodies! Here’s what I’ve been up to lately for Feed the Fish co. Pennant Party at Jenny Lemons I taught pennant making with Jenny Lemons for their virtual craft night. All participants received a pennant kit and craft night snacks, and I demoed a few shapes and letters, plus tassels. I was also the featured maker in their shop for June so they sold my Hurray and Yay! pennants as part of their special edition grad packs and featured my pennant craft on their blog. Vote – Resist – Yay! I received a special request to create pennants that faced the other way. This was kind of a trip to make, but they turned out perfect! Flower Crown Update My friend Dia spotted one of my crowns and requested a different floral pattern. So instead of making a new one, I gave this lavender-inspired beaut an update, keeping the crown shape, but re-organizing the flowers and adding more leaves. Frolicking ready! The Graduate It’s always …