Happy birthday, Stella! Thank you for being such an inspirational force in my life. May you always be filled with wonder. You are so loved!
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January 2012
I’m finally learning my way around Illustrator thanks to Nicole Gerulat and Co. Know what? I. LOVE. IT. SO. MUCH {hyperventilating into a bag}. I’m still an overwhelmed amateur but having so much fun. Bonus: my newly acquired skills are coming in handy with all this birthday business. I sketched the mermaid above by hand, scanned her in, and then traced and painted over my original drawing in Illustrator. Of course she has blond hair and green-blue eyes like S. Below is a party sign I made using a font called Sign Painter. I’m hoping to print it out large-scale on a plotter.
I made these little tags for the goodie bags.
“I’m just an unassuming polite sea star! Thanks for coming!”
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My baby is turning 4 this week! Yipes! How did that happen? I’ve been full-tilt prepping for her “Under the Sea” birthday carnival on Saturday. I’m up to my eyeballs in seashells, fish themed party favors and blue-green bunting. I won’t lie – it’s been fun to get huge shipments from Oriental Trading and stroll the aisles at Michael’s. We even own a bubble machine now. Yeah yeah, maybe I’m a little out of control.
Picture frame: Marshall’s (thank you, Guppy Al!)
Faux aquatic plants: Michael’s holiday markdowns
Teal bucket: Michael’s
Octopus: Amazon
Fish net and shells: Oriental Trading
Paper bubbles (poster paint on poster board)
Sea horse & crab: Oriental Trading
Galvanized bucket: Home Depot
Paper lantern: World Market
Paper sea horse & starfish (poster paint on poster board)
This face is killin’ me. Who wouldn’t plan this kid a big party?
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Via Twitter…
My to-do list just got longer –> 18 Valentine’s craft tutes rounded up by @ASewingJournal
Goodies I’m going to make –> 3 DIY Valentine’s Day treats from @30daysblog
Handy reference –> A lovely Guide to Basic Seams via @elsiecake
Good advice for your first craft fair stall –> Top 10 Craft Fair Tips via @FNCrafts
Things I didn’t know –> You can sew pintucks with a twin needle + a grooved pintucking foot. Thx @modomestic!
Decor I want to make –> Custom Fabric Wall Decals via @splendidamy
Via Instagram…
Vintage clowns: scary or cool?
Paris inspired window dressing makes me happy
Vintage Tom Thumb kid’s typewriter @ Briarwood Antiques
Happy bunny girls @ Briarwood Antiques
And something really cool…
Red Tricycle published a list of Top Mom (& Dad) Craft Blogs this week. Guess what? PeepThread made the list! Hooray! I’m pleased and honored to be listed with the likes of Tater Tots & Jello and Alexandra Hedin. Red Tricycle is an amazing resource for local things to do, see and eat with kids. Check them out.
Happy Friday 
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I found these treasures on a recent adventure to the antique store. I love the simple, mushy phrases on these old school love notes.
How cute is this on the back?
Do you suppose Vidia and Calvin stayed sweethearts all through school? Ended up married with 5 kids and 12 grandkids? I hope so
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This ain’t no peanut butter birdseed bell like you made in 3rd grade. These hearts are made with flour and water, so you know they’re extra fancy. Ok I’ve seen the birdseed heart on many a crafty blog but I wanted to try it for me self. Guppy Al and I cracked open a couple of champagne cans and got down to business yesterday. The process was simple.
You’ll need:
4 cups birdseed
3 tbsp honey
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup water
Cake pan or some sort of mold
Non-stick spray, butter or Crisco
String
Straws cut into thirds
Adornments as desired
Mix the first 4 ingredients until well combined. Press the birdseed mixture firmly into your greased mold. We used a Wilton six-heart cake pan sprayed with Pam. Decide where you want the holes to be and insert straws all the way through. Put the birdseed “cakes” in the freezer for 15 minutes, then check to make sure they’re pretty well set and flip the pan upside down. The birdseed hearts should fall right out. Arrange them on a flat surface and allow them to dry and firm up overnight.
Once they’re completely dry you can run string or ribbon through the holes. We used cotton cooking twine and added die-cut paper hearts.
I had some tiny helping hands.
“Mom, let’s put the birdseed hearts in bags for everybody.”
You could also pack your hearts into little boxes. Either way, a fun little valentine to give and to hang in your own yard.
Peep peep!
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Jello is the best. Cheerful and funny. Sweet and wobbly. A coy way to say, “Be my love monkey” on Valentine’s day. In fact, I’m going to surprise Mr. PeepThread with some J-E-L-L-O on February 14th. So I tried out the layered technique everybody is using to make rainbow jello.
It’s so easy! Let me walk you through the steps.
Ingredients:
Jello (1 box for each color)
1 container Cool Whip
Make the first batch of Jello according to the package directions (use the quick-set method). Reserve 1/3 of the liquid jello and pour the remainder into glasses/dessert dishes as desired. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Create the next layer by mixing the reserved liquid with Cool Whip at a 2:1 ratio. I used an immersion blender for this step. Pour the mixture on top of the first layer in each glass. Refrigerate for 20+ minutes. Repeat these steps until you have the desired number of layers. I like to top mine with Cool Whip before serving.
I used cherry, raspberry and grape flavors. Loved the first two layers but wasn’t crazy about grape, fyi.
“Watch it glimmer, see it shimmer”. Does anybody else remember the old Jell-O jingle?
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Via Twitter…
Want to make –> lace ruffles slip/skirt @seekatesew
Fantastic blanket stitch tute over at @30daysblog
Adorabs: RT @livinglocurto Paper Straw Heart Garland – Craft Tutorial
I want Anke Weckman’s calendar. Such fantastic colors. Ooh, it’s on sale too.
A great way to learn quilting: The @SewPo + Sparkle Quilt Along
Meow! kitten origami = ridiculous cute @howaboutorange
Trends that make me happy –> @designed2nines: ikat is on the rise for #2012
Things I want to make for my DD –> @TaylorMadeBlog Little Girl Table Runner
Great inspiration boards for an #ocean themed #party –> @CheddarGuppies Under the Sea
Let’s bring baby’s breath back! RT @eventlucky
Images courtesy of blogs referenced
Via Instagram…
My brand new gargantuan craft punch. “Excuse me, I said I ordered the large.”
A shipment of ocean creatures arrived. We’re throwing an Under-the-Sea carnival for Stella’s 4th birthday.
A new tea cozy for me
Valentine inspiration found at Paper Source Santana Row.
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Please excuse the crap photo lighting. I didn’t feel like waiting for daytime
A face only a mother could love. And I seriously do. Koji! I wanted to make him all last year after seeing him in Wee Wonderfuls. It makes sense that he should be my first completed project in the new year. My Koji is a little bit of a hipster with his Navajo print tummy and black corduroy. Here is the original design by Hillary Lang for comparison.
I couldn’t find felt beads so I used buttons for eyes instead. He is glamouring you with his intense blue stare.
Such a handsome profile, that Koji. Oy!
Somebody rub spf 70 on his little dinosaur back. Pronto.
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Man, that is one crooked horizon!
You know what they say about moving forward. It’s important to take a look back to see where you’ve been, recognize how far you’ve come, then turn to the future with open arms. Preferably while smirking and slurping some green tea (mmmm). I’ve set my intentions for the year but I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to 2011. What a busy and fruitful 12 months! I made big leaps with my sewing skillz, visited wonderful places, met soooo many lovely new friends and (most importantly!!) birthed a crafty baby girl named PeepThread. Thank you for letting me share and connect with you over the last year. If you’ll humor me a little longer, here is my personal highlight reel from 2011.
Prom dresses: who knew? One of my most popular posts of 2011 was about DIY Prom Dresses. Every single day at least one person searched the interwebs for “DIY prom dresses” and landed on my site. Every. Single. Day. All year long. Craziness.
The Alameda Flea Market was a huge source of inspiration for me last year. Talk about shutter candy! Not to mention, all of the priceless little gems I scored for my own collection. The Alameda Market sparked my lust for vintage jars and coffee cans. Without a doubt.
Zippity zip zip. Anybody who has tried to sew a zipper for the first time can attest to the anxiety about doing so. Then you do it and you shout, “HEY! I can actually do this! It’s really easy and kind of fun. In fact, I’m going to make 500 zipper bags right now! Also, I love caffeine!”. It was the ah-ha moment where I realized how accessible sewing could be. These lined zipper pouches were one of my very first projects involving a zipper and I still love them like my first babies. My little cotton babies with lip liner stains on the inside
The SJMade local vendor fair started in 2011. The events really opened my eyes to all of the crafters, artisans and food trucks in SJ. I enjoyed the opportunities to support local talent, especially since Silicon Valley is often perceived as artistically void. SJMade has made me proud to be San Jose-ite.
First Annual Etsy Craft Party 2011!! What a fun day that was. I teamed up with my crafty partner in crime to host our very first maker party…on-a-stick. Folks really got into the spirit of creating AND posed in our photo booth with their crafts on-a-stick. Such posing the likes of which has never been witnessed. It was truly amazing and poem-worthy. What’s our theme for 2012? Wait and see, amigo. Wait and see.
One of my photos was used in a Groupon last year. This was a cool moment because I enjoyed the photoshoot and getting to know Victoria of Satori Tea. She has been a great supporter of PeepThread, especially in the early days when I had no idea of what I wanted PeepThread to be.
It’s true, these little business cards were fun to make last year. They were a bridge to so many new friendships. And that’s the best part.
I issued a challenge last year and people actually answered. I loved seeing all of the submissions and trying new skirt patterns myself. It’s a great feeling to put something out into the world and get a positive response.
One of my favorite weekends was spent in Portland last spring. I especially enjoyed meeting and talking with the folks at SewPo, Modern Domestic and Bolt. Portland is a crafters dream. Sigh.
Maker Faire 2011 was a blast. The Craftzine panel was amazing (hello, Jenny Hart!) and so was the post-session demonstration (hello, Jenny Hart again!).
Ring ring, it’s Judith calling. How could I talk about 2011 without mentioning this delicate flower and her icy stepford stare? She will forever haunt my nightmares, eat my soul, and grace my favorite pillow. She is my spirit animal.
The best meal of 2011, hands down, was at Blue Plate in Portland. Bacon mac & cheese fit for the gods. Food so good you’ll slap your mom on the lips. Do you even think I’m kidding?
BlogHer 2011 really rocked my socks off. Great sessions, brilliant women, all-around a fun time. It was at BlogHer that I met two of my favorite bloggers: Oh Jenny Mae and Club ChicaCircle.
Let’s talk about the best thing in my 2011. Stella. She is my little sunbeam and she makes me laugh and push myself to be better. Without her I wouldn’t be where I am today, and that is the honest truth. And yes, she drives me crazy too. Still, I loved doing craft projects with her over the last year and look forward to a lifetime of creating/laughing/arguing together.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading my long post! I can’t wait to share with you in 2012
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