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on nickmas (the feast of saint nicholas)

By Tricia on December 6, 2013 in being Catholic, Feast Days, Handmade Holidays and Celebrations, Knits and Crochet, Sewing and Crafts

Nickmas, yes, the day that we celebrate two important days. Nicholas patron saint and the Feast of the same, Saint Nick. Many years ago, he took it upon himself to rename today Nickmas. Naturally, we all just play along.

Yesterday was quite the day. It’s not that I didn’t know it was coming but that I’ve been so busy I kept telling myself “tomorrow, tomorrow I will work on the gifts”. Well yesterday there were no more tomorrows and on top of that the kids and I had planned a trip to see The Nutcracker. Oh me, oh my!

I will share pictures of the ballet tomorrow for this will probably picture heavy enough with the handmade gifts.

Disclaimer: These gifts were all made by me in one day. That is not to brag but to excuse any sloppiness, and remind myself that I am exhausted right now and should not do this again next year. Also to be fair, the body for Matthew’s knitted Waldorf doll has been sitting in my knitting basket since he was in my belly so I already had that done and just had to make the head, knit the hat and stuff the body.

On the way home from the ballet, Poppa called me to tell me that we were expecting a bad snow storm tomorrow and I had better get some things at the store. Add that to my impossible to accomplish list. While at WF, I walked around wondering how I was going to do this and why oh why did I wait so long. My poor babies would be expecting something in their shoes tomorrow and I was empty handed. I went through the toy area at Whole Foods thinking maybe there would be something there that I could buy that would be as good and not junky but the items I did like were at least $20 each and that would spell about $160 on just Saint Nick presents. I could kick myself, surely there are so many other things I could spend that money on especially knowing that I have everything I need to invent some presents at home for free.

I did go through the bulk aisle and got them some organic jelly beans and gummy bears. The kind that I only buy twice a year because they are $8.99 a pound. When I got to the car, I whispered to Nick my dilemna. He assured me that I could do it. The kids once again pulled together to give me the time in my studio to make something…anything. Here is what they got. A Waldorf style baby made from a sweater sleeve which I am calling a Sweater Baby, a knitted Waldorf style lavender stuffed buddy, an angry ninja leather case for Nick’s itouch (given to him by his sister once she didn’t want it anymore, our children do not need cell phones) made from a leather skirt I thrifted years ago and a tool belt made from the same leather skirt, a locket for each of the girls which I need to cut silhouettes of each of them and couldn’t do it without telling them what I was making and two vintage super hero toys found during a thrifting escapade.

The final touches were completed around 3 AM. This morning I waiting to hear the kids running around but after waiting until 9 AM, I went out and found them waiting in one of their bedrooms all together not wanting to wake me up 🙂 They are all I could ever ask for.

I love mornings like this one where I see the childlike magic in their eyes, all of them, even the teens. I hope you are having a wonderful day with your family and if you celebrate it, Happy Feast of Saint Nicholas to you.

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label your pantry with free chalkboard paper

By Tricia on November 19, 2013 in Sewing and Crafts, Tutorials and Patterns

I do not like to spend money, you did know that right? Honestly, my first memories of life revolve around my mother trying to make it and keep us fed. I recall her saving her pennies in a gallon jug and taking it to the gas station to buy gas. She scrimped every cent and never bought herself anything. We always had what we needed and somehow she kept us in a private school (really no idea how she did that) and never wasted anything. She is my hero and that was imprinted on me at a very early age. Money spending…no. I like to save it.

So with so many projects to do here, I have to get creative to not break the bank. The other night while Poppa and I where waiting at the painting department for our paint to be mixed, I told him that I needed to find chalkboard paper but it was too expensive in the places I had found it and I didn’t want to buy a whole roll of chalkboard sticky paper to label all the jars in the new pantry. As I leaned on the counter, daydreaming a bit to pass the time, I turned my head and there it was, the perfect solution and free.

Now, my husband is used to me raiding the painting chips in the painting department for all kinds of little projects. Aren’t they great. But I must have had an excited look on my face as I zipped over to the wall full of paint chips because he followed me. These paint chips, the ones that are only one color per block are the perfect “chalkboard” paper. They are matte and they come in every color imaginable. I quickly decided on blues, browns and blacks and grabbed 2 or 3 of each. I told the girl mixing my paint what I was up to and she loved the idea.

So there you have it. There are so many color possibilities and some paint companies have paint chip cards as big as a post card if you need a really big label.

I just traced the jar lid onto the back of the paint card, cut them out and then just put them on top of the metal jar lid and then placed the jar ring on top. I know there are circle punches that would make the job way easier but remember what I said about spending money, scissors are free. Easy peasy. For the bigger jars that are not mason jars, I used my glue gun to affix the label to the front and just in the nick of time too, last night the girls made a batch of raising oatmeal cookies but confused the confectioners sugar for flour??? Our flour isn’t even white but they did it and of course it was not edible. At least now, everyone knows what is in the jars.

If you missed our new real food pantry post, here it is .