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October 26, 2015

do-it-yourself spooky!


Halloween is right around the corner, but there's still plenty of time to get spooky. I've got a bunch of tutorials to help you out to get your creepy on!

  1. Halloween iPhone Wallpapers
  2. Eye-See-You Earrings
  3. Salted Halloween Bark
  4. Zombie Make-Up Tutorial
  5. Skull Votives
xoxo, 
-m.e.




October 23, 2015

life | links

Ombre tree in St. Paul, MN

Instagram @wecanmakeanything | Twitter @wcmanything

It's Friday! I'm so excited the weekend is here. We are going dresser hunting! Heather & I are hitting up estate sales, thrift stores, & antique shops to try & find something that will hold our growing assortment of winter garb. I forgot how many clothes you need just to survive up north! I'm hoping we can find a sad little chest of drawers that needs some DIY love. That being said, I'm also eyeing this beauty
This week's links:
xoxo, 
-m.e.

P.S.  Halloween is so soon! If you need a last-minute costume idea, check out this zombie make-up tutorial.


October 21, 2015

kraft paper & chalk notecards

Kraft paper & chalk note cards DIY

I love snail mail. Who doesn't? (Except for bills, obviously.) As a kid, getting a card in the mail made you feel so important, & even as adults there's something sweet about getting a hand-written note in your mailbox. I was thrilled when JAM Paper reached out for a collaboration project that involved pretty note cards & paper (they have a zillion other products too), because the timing couldn't be better. I've been meaning to write home since moving cross-country to those I miss dearly.

Brow kraft paper notecards & while chalk - featuring JAM Paper!
There's no limit to what you can do with these note cards; they're quite literally a blank canvas. I decided to utilize a trick from middle school art class. If you've ever done a charcoal drawing, you know how messy it is, & that any kind of handling after the fact results in fingerprints. A spritz of hairspray will fix that, & that's exactly what I did with these cards. I love the look of white chalk on natural brown paper, & sealing it in hairspray means they can be handled without smudges. 


You'll need: 

How to permanently decorate brown paper note cards using chalk

Step 1. Design! | Since I'm sending these cards out just to drop a line, I wrote happy greetings on mine. If you don't have a steady hand (like me - I'm surprised how straight I got those letters!), I highly recommend using a stencil. That's how I got the patterned look on my cards.

Hairspray seals chalk marker on paper - no smudges!

Step 2. Spray! | Once you've decorated your cards, spray an even, light coating of hairspray over the entire surface of the cards/envelopes. The hairspray slightly darkens the color of the paper, so it's important to cover the whole surface, not just the chalk doodles. Don't fret if your paper looks wet & weird at first - it will dry. Don't handle them while they're drying, just lay them out in a ventilated area. 

Cute brown paper envelope tutorial

Done! Don't forget to decorate your envelopes to match. If your planning on mailing your cards, leave spaces for the send & return addresses. 

Matching kraft paper notecards & envelopes - supplies from JAM Paper
Happy little brown paper notecards - DIY

Even if you don't live far away from friends & family, think about how fun would it be to get a card in the mail! Just for giggles. 

xoxo, 
-m.e.




Disclaimer // JAM Paper was nice enough to send me these materials to play with; all thoughts & opinions are my own. 

October 19, 2015

out & about | autumn leaves

Autumn on the St. Paul/Minneapolis border

I grew up in Pennsylvania, a state that enjoys all four seasons. As a kid I experienced wet spring rains, late summer nights, crunchy autumn leaves, & piles of winter snow. Having just moved back up north after spending the last decade in Florida, I have a heightened sense of appreciation for seasonal change. Since moving here, I've kept saying, "I can't wait for winter. I can't wait for the snow," totally forgetting about fall! I know, more gushing. But I've missed it. Since Heather (a native Floridian) has never experienced a real fall, & since I can't stop freaking out, we went out & played in the leaves. Like total tourists. But I don't care.

Red Wing boots in red-tipped leaves
Minneapolis skyline in fall
Flannel = fall
Crunchy leaves, crisp air
Sitting by the Mississippi river

Go outside & enjoy it before it's gone!

xoxo,
-m.e.


P.S. Halloween is so soon, check out these glitter skull votives to spook up your space!


October 14, 2015

eye-see-you earrings

Eye-See-You-Earrings! Creepy eyeballs for your ears tutorial!
Pop your extra peepers with these DIY googly eye earrings!

Halloween is THE BEST & it kind of crept up on me this year. I haven't a single idea for a costume, & I'm not even sure where I'm going to be on Halloween. What I do know is that I want some creepy flair to wear to work the day before All Hallow's Eve. This is barely a tutorial (basically googly eyes & glue), but I just had to show off my second set of peepers. 

October 12, 2015

easy-peasy knitted cap

The easiest knit hat you'll ever make!
Super simple knitted hat DIY tutorial

Confession time! I am not a great knitter. My skills consist of being able to knit rectangles, squares, & more rectangles - which basically just means scarfs & pot holders. Learning how to knit in the round is something that just never happened for me. It's definitely on my to-do list, but so are a slew of other things (traveling the country, learning how to write with my left hand, nailing the nay-nay dance). Not having time (or motivation) to learn how to use my circular needles, I've settled on a compromise with this easy knit cap. Emphasis on easy.

An easy, quick knitted hat tutorial

While this cozy hat is made with a knit stitch, the pattern can easily be adapted to crocheting.

To make this easy-breezy-peasy cap, you'll need: 

What you'll need to make an easy, snuggly knit cap

  • Super chunky yarn 
  • A crochet hook
  • Long knitting needles (size 10-11)

All you need to knit is a large rectangle, & you're almost done with your hat!

To make the bulk of the hat, you'll be knitting a large rectangle. 
  • Cast on 50-60 stitches (this is dependent on the diameter of your head) on one of your knitting needles. 
  • Knit 30-32 rows of knit 1 purl 1 rib.
  • Cast off.
Fold the knitted rectangle in half & "stitch" along the side

Next, fold you rectangle in half widthwise. Using your crochet hook, weave a long piece of yarn down the side, joining the rectangle as a cylinder. Basically "stitch" along the side. Tie off.

Cinch & the top, & you've got your hat!

Using another piece of yarn & weave around the top of the hat. Cinch, & tie in place. 

Easy-Peasy Knitted Cap // Add a fuzzy pom-pom

Flip your hat inside out. To make a fuzzy pom-pom, follow our pom-pom making tutorial, making the larger of the two template sizes. Leave excess string when tying your pom-pom off, & feed through the top of your hat. Tie in place. 

Easy-peasy knit cap tutorial
Wooly, knitted cap DIY

I felt ridiculous while I was making this hat, because we were experiencing a seasonably warm 80ยบ day. That being said, yesterday's lows are today's highs, so I'm very grateful for the extra warmth.

xoxo, 
-m.e.




October 9, 2015

life | links

It's so fall! I'm so excited!
Lil baby pumpkins

Instagram @wecanmakeanything | Twitter @wcmanything 

Ugh, it is so incredibly, beautifully autumn-y everywhere I look. I cannot even stand it. I'll quit my seasonal gushing, because I have a request! I need your input. At my new job I have the great pleasure & privilege of being able to listen to my iPod for large chunks of the day. However, I am quickly plowing through all of my usual podcasts, & there's only so much Pandora I can listen to before I get bored. So I'm looking for suggestions! What's your favorite podcast? Which audio book should I listen to? Let me know!

This week's links:
xoxo, 
-m.e.


P.S. The temperatures are dropping so quickly that I've been wearing my giant snuggly cowl all the time. Every. Single. Morning. 


October 5, 2015

gifts to start making now (to be done by the holidays!)


Every year I have plans to give handmade gifts to everyone at Christmastime, & inevitably, every year I am rushing to finish everything in time. This year I'm being optimistic (despite my poor track record) because I'm planning ahead! Here are some gift ideas I came across that require some major prep time, but if started now will definitely be ready in time.

Gifts to start making now to be done by the holidays: Large knit & crochet projects, like this awesome sweater
Photo courtesy of Fringe Association
Knit & crochet projects | Nothing says "carpal tunnel" quite like speed-knitting to get a project done at the last minute. Do your hands a favor & start those big knit & crochet projects now. Crocheted baby blankets make thoughtful gifts for the expectant mothers in your life - or you could get started making the ultimate holiday present: a cozy sweater, like this awesome one.

Gifts to start making now to be done by the holidays: Like this no-piece geometric quilt
Photo courtesy of Craftaholics Anonymous

Quilts | What better gift to give in the middle of the winter? They take a lot of work, but quilts make fantastically cuddly gifts. If you want to keep a loved-one warm, get patching now. Whip up a comfy t-shirt quilt, or make this awesome no-piece geometric quilt

Gifts to start making now to be done by the holidays: Make extracts now to have them ready for holiday gifts
Photo courtesy of Kirbie Cravings
Extracts | This gift doesn't take a lot of hands-on time to make, but it does require extra time to sit & steep. Extracts make lovely little gifts, plus they can be made in basically any flavor (I'm thinking peppermint for the holidays - festive!). You'll want to make your extracts a few week ahead of time - check out this simple recipe.

Happy crafting!

xoxo, 
-m.e.


P.S. All this talk about the holidays has me wanting a cup of hot cocoa. Is it too early for that?


// All photos used in this post belong to their respective creators & were used with permission - check 'em out! // 

October 2, 2015

life | links

Carrots fresh from the Mill City farmers market in Minneapolis, MN

Instagram @wecanmakeanything | Twitter @wcmanything

It's been four months now since I moved to Minnesota. I feel like I've settled in here. I know how to get from point A to point B without looking at a map. I've got a favorite grocery store, & they have my order memorized at the coffee shop around the corner. It's starting to feel a lot like home here. The only thing that's missing is an active social life. This weekend I'll be researching social groups & local meet-ups. Hopefully I'll stumble across some fellow crafters & DIYers. What about you? How do you make friends as an adult? 

This week's links:


xoxo, 
-m.e.


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