Make Me

Call Me Half-Pint

It's the one where Laura and Mary don't want to help Ma make laundry soap and try to run away with Jack. Unfortunately they tell Nellie Olson they are going to join the traveling circus and she immediately tells Pa, right after she makes fun of them for making their own soap instead of buying it at Olson's Mercantile.

Um. Where was I?

Oh yeah. Laundry soap. I make my own. Like a freaking pioneer woman. On the surface I am not happy about this turn of events. It makes me a little more hippy-dippy than I want to admit to being. I feel as though I am just on the cusp of making my own clothing from tree bark and grass clippings. However, I do suffer from a number of detergent-related allergies and, after finding the detergents I can use on the supermarket shelves less frequently than they have been in the past, I had to resort to making my own. Yay.

I use this basic recipe I found on Being Frugal. I also like the recipe from Soule Mama. There are several benefits:

• It's remarkably inexpensive to make.
• I can tailor the soap to suit my hard water. (You may not need the baking soda if your water is soft)
• I can scent it as much or as little as I want.
• Very little is needed to wash a full load (I use 1-2 tablespoons per) so when I make a bucket, it lasts a good long time.
• It is more environmentally friendly.
• I no longer scratch like I'm a tick-infested peasant.

In other laundry news, try these more sound alternatives:

For stains I use a mix of hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle. Soak it down and throw it in the wash. For oil based stains, I still spray with the peroxide/water mix, then I rub the stained area with a Fels Naptha soap bar. Or you can just dampen the stain and rub the Fels Naptha soap on the dampened fabric. If it doesn't take out the stain immediately, give it a wash or two more before giving up.

I also use white vinegar in the wash. We have a laundry room used by all the condo tenants A few years back we switched to front-loading washers and I can't say enough bad stuff about them. Maybe they work better in one dedicated home, but for a community? No. The receptacle for your soap, bleach and softener does not rinse out. When you're Allergy Girl this is not good. So I use plain white vinegar to neutralize whatever is left behind. I put it in the softener and the bleach cups.  Vinegar also works well as a fabric softener and helps to reduce static cling from the dryer. If you're worried that your clothes smell like vinegar when you remove them from the washer, don't worry. The smell will dissipate in the dryer.

If you're still looking at the detergent aisle in the store for solutions, try looking at the topmost shelves. The older, less popular, less toxic items are usually displayed there.  Sometimes they may seem more costly, but check to see how much is used and see if you do actually get a better bargain. You may be surprised.

Or there are several vendors on Etsy selling laundry items. I've purchased the dryer sachets from Soft and Cozy. And powder from Prairie Grass Sundries. Both are great. I actually gave them to my mom for Christmas last year because I'm always using her laundry stuff when I visit. Also I thought it would be nicer if she used less caustic materials. Either way, it's a nice thing to have a laundry soap that you can personalize and not worry about allergies or killing off the environment. You know exactly what is in it.

Happy laundering! Ma's calling - I've got to go grind the corn meal for flour now.

Handmade Holiday - Gathered Scarves

Gathered and textured scarves are still quite popular. I've noticed that this year the gathering seems to me more sophisticated and structural than in the pas These are a few of the scarves I found on the Nordstrom website.

Then I got to wondering what the DIYers were doing. I think a lovely scarf would be a great holiday gift. The range of patterns and tutorials available online range from simple to ornate.

Ruffled Linen Scarf from Factory Direct Craft is simple and straightforward.

The Flannel Scarf with Gathered Panel is unique and sophisticated. From Sewing Craft Gossip.

Gathered Scarf from Rain to Hope is a really cool modification on this Gathered scarf from Monster Yarn. There is also another modified version using sock yarn from Little Purl of the Orient which is quite beautiful.

Gathering the fabric before dyeing gives you beautiful shibori scarves. This one by Silken Wind is an easy start. You can also do the shibori techniques with knitted scarves as Just Jussi shows here. Cynthia Reynolds shows an awesome shibori technique in her tutorial.

Happy Together has a great tutorial (and adorable photos) for making a gathered scarf from a store-bought base. Also check out her Ruffle Necklace tutorial for a change from scarves. 

There's a down and dirty Gathered Scarf with Elastic Thread posted on Craft Zine. It's also a good reference for sewing with elastic.

Hope Studios' Scrunchy Gathered Scarf is more sculptural that most of the ones listed here. I love the way it looks all wrapped around the neck

The Summer Scarf from Made is a variation on themes already featured, but I think the dimensions give it a new look.

The Super Easy T-Shirt Scarf from Ruffles and Stuff is made from a pair of jersey pants!

Ruffles the easy way using Cha-Cha yarn from Trendsetters. I think I need to make one of these for myself!

Patty from Brooklyn Knit Chick posted about a potato chip scarf she made in '07 from leftover yarn. I have one and I still wear it regularly. I always get complements, too!

While this Five Fat Quarter scarf from Tea Rose Home isn't gathered, I really like the idea of using fat quarters to create a cool scarf that looks like it came straight of the racks of Anthropologie.

Perhaps you have your own tutorial, or know of one I missed. Do share, please!

Treasure Trove TryOut

I've wished for a long time that there was a way to showcase an Etsy treasury or list of favorites. Then someone posted a link to Treasure Trove on Twitter and voila! A dream answered. Here I am testing it out because the code it generated was wicked long!

BTW, there is so much I'm loving about the new treasuries. First they do not expire. Second I can update them constantly. Third, they are more attractive. Fourth, they are searchable - type in hats, purple in the treasury search and there you go! Fifth, you can set your treasury to private until you're ready for it to go live. However, what I don't like is that they are somehow more difficult to weed through. You can't jump ahead to page 278 if you want to. You can't change the order by curator, only "hot" and "created" date. They also don't expire - even the ones that are incomplete. I think if your Treasury has fewer items than two rows of items, it should be expired after 24-36 hours, unless it is not on public view. Since I tend to shop via treasury, this has been a shift to the boring.  I'd like to get to see the treasuries languishing away in the middle of the 5500 pages, but I can't.  Only the hot and less hot, the new and old show up.

My Quirky Stay-Cation Souvenirs

French Butter Biscuit - A
PetitPlat$17.00 USD

French Fromagerie Sign Ph
PamLefcourt$25.00 USD

Red mini beret
Cajsita$20.00 USD

Apple and Pear. white plu
lapomme$32.00 USD

New-French Macaron Collec
KcSoapsNmore$4.50 USD

Compact FRENCH ENGLISH Di
SimpleJoysPaperi$40.00 USD

Mini Book - Turnip - Fren
stockannette$4.50 USD

let her eat cake .
beanforest$1.00 USD

Francs Very Much (set of
theRasilisk$10.25 USD

Il Fait Froid
risamay$10.00 USD

world landmarks acrylic r
plastique$22.00 USD

Set of 3 Paris Bookmarks
irenesuchocki$5.95 USD

PETIT HOMME ROUGE / VERT
PHOGLIe$14.00 USD

French bread - Baguette n
BaconFactory$7.90 USD

Normandie
t8designs$168.00 USD

Marie Beartoinette - Alte
BeatUpCreations$9.99 USD

 

Generated using Treasure Trove by packagery.com

 

Go ahead, test all the links. See all the coolness! Make a comment or two cuz I think this is one of my more rockingest treasuries and I'd love more people to see it!

It's That Time Again.....

I'm planning ahead for the holidays this year. Back on the Homemade Holiday bus. I'll be spending my time split between filling up the craft show and Lima Bean shelves as well as making my gifts for the holidays. If only I could manage to stop reading bloody vampire fiction, I may have the time. I just don't want to be scrambling around at the last minute like I usually am.

I've already been pattern searching. May make a pair of socks for my mom, but haven't fully decided yet. She's rather difficult to make stuff for. 

There will be edible gifts aplenty. Granola maybe. Candy most likely. I'm very intrigued by the Scottish Tablets mentioned on Not So Humble Pie. One year I made flavored vinegars. I think they turned out well, but I'm not sure the recipients liked them so much. Another year I made candies - toffee was the best of the bunch. Very, very tempting toffee. Yet another year I did the gifts in a jar brownies and snicker-doodles, only I got Christmas zipper bags from Current (those jars are expensive!) What edible gifts have you given?

So my goal this week is to comb Craftster, Ravelry, all the million sites I've bookmarked, and the gajillion magazines that are taking up a ton of my living space for good ideas for the holidays. I'm really missing Craft magazine now, though. Any ideas to get me started?

How I Do Color

I like seemingly random combinations of colors. I thought I'd try to show a bit of the process. Here is the latest card I've added to my Etsy shop.

I admit my color sense is not to everyone's taste, but I love how this turns out. And even though I made it as something to sell, I cannot make things I don't like. I have to have a "build it and they will come" approach to keep myself happy. When I attempt items that have a more "traditional" color sense, they are very dull and boring. Maybe this is because I haven't been true to myself.

1. I start with the flower photo.  I see the color fuchsia, but also the color green. In the center of the flower I notice a hint of it and decided that is my accent color. I don't know yet how it will play out, but I grab the speckled lilac cardstock that is my favorite, the stripe and the green that is marbled with silver.  Imagine that the trim in purple is not there yet.

2. I cut the pieces to what I think is the appropriate size. I know the card will look better in landscape and plan accordingly.  I think of colors as having weight. The busier or darker it is, the heavier. Heavy pieces will weigh the card down if not used sparingly.  I cut the striped paper into a thin strip, knowing which way I want the stripes to go. I think east to west has the movement the card needs. The green marble is serving as the anchor. It is the most medium weight of the papers. I cut it larger so it frames the stripes and holds down the photo. I use deep purple to frame the photo because it contrasts the photo and is opposite the green on the color wheel. As secondary colors, they sort of make each other pop. Not to mention it is one of my favorite color combos ever.

3. I experiment with placement.  I don't feel this layout is stable enough. The stripe piece becomes weak and unimportant. The marble isn't really holding the whole thing together. It just isn't cohesive; it lacks balance. The individual pieces take too much attention away from the focal point.

4. This is better. The green now anchors the photo and shows off the lilac and the stripe without taking over. However, that movement from the stripe isn't as apparent. It is just there.  I want more motion and vitality. I also think cutting the green paper in two with the striped piece doesn't give the card that impact.

For the final card I use the two patterned papers side by side. I like the tiny bit of narrow stripe that carries your eye to the right side of the page even though most of the action is on the left.  Actually, I ended up adjusting it just a squidge more for the final final.

I think it looks more polished and balanced here.

The thing about working with color is that it solely dependent on your own aesthetic. There are colors you like working with more than others and that will show up in your work.  The more you work with them, the more possibilities you will see and you will grow more comfortable AND more adventurous, the more you allow yourself to play.   Don't allow your brain to tell you certain colors don't "match". Get inspired from nature, buy yourself the big box of crayons and have at it. You're only making fun.

Fuchsia Flower Note Card listed in the Lazy Lima Bean.

My Etsy Makeover, Part 1,349,392,192

Yes! Yes! I'm still revamping my Etsy shop! It's a process, okay? Today I wrote a marketing plan that will help me maximize my exposure for a minimum of output. The idea being if I create a schedule that allows for daily, weekly and monthly tasks, I can limit the amount of time spent selling and make for time for creating. My goal is to spend 15-30 minutes each day on Etsy marketing.

What I've done so far is create some treasuries, comment in the forums a few times and re-instituted my "PLUG O THE DAY" on Twitter.  I've netted two sales this week. It's nice to see a return already. I'm also reading the Etsy newsletters and keeping a notebook of ideas and time expenditure.  The time thing is crazy because I can spend hours shopping on Etsy. I have to be focused.

The funny thing about the Etsy forums is there are some sellers who have posted that they're not selling anything, but haven't truly marketed themselves successfully. They think by blasting Twitter with links to their shops or by posting in Promos section of the forums, that they are doing enough work. I know I've had very few sales. I know I need to be more diligent and market myself better. What I haven't done until now is figure out a system that works for me; that allows me to get the job done without taking over my life.

Small steps. Perseverance. Patience.

Again, I highly recommend The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line. It's clearly written and gives a good plan for those of us who are a little clueless when it comes to self-promotion. 

Here's a sampling of some of my latest favorites.

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade Hilari.etsy.com

The Cookbook Game, cont'd

First, let me preface this by saying I don't normally cook meat. I usually only eat it when I'm out and I tend to overcook it when I eat in.That said, let me introduce you to this dish from Indian Deliciously Authentic Dishes. I picked up the book from Borders for $5.99. For now the cookbook is in the keeper pile, at least until I try a couple more dishes.

This is the Chicken in Spicy Onions dish. And I pretty much followed the directions, even though that is next to impossible for me to do. However, I made one big mistake. The first time the chicken visits the pan it is for a quick browning. You're supposed to remove it then and add it after the onion and spices are cooked. Unfortunately I did not realize this error until I had cooked (per the instructions) the chicken with the onions for 15 minutes AFTER the initial "browning". Yup. Overcooked chicken. I also used chicken breasts only. Thighs would have been a yummy addition. I also think the spices were lost because the cilantro took over. Here is the recipe with my changes.

Chicken with Spicy Onions

3/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1/2-1 tsp salt
3lb of skinned, jointed chicken parts
4 tbsp oil or ghee
4 small onions, finely chopped
I 2" piece of fresh ginger root, grated
1-2 fresh green Serrano chilies, finely chopped
1-1/2 tsps cumin powder
5 tbsp plain yogurt, nonfat
5 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp cornstarch
4 ozs coriander/cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Mix turmeric, chili powder and salt in a small bowl. Rub the chicken with the dry mixture and set aside.

Heat the oil or ghee in a skillet and low-medium heat. Add the chicken and cook on both sides until just browned (about 2-4 minutes). Remove chicken from skillet.

Add about 3 of the 4 chopped onions, the chilies and half the ginger. Cook a few minutes before adding the cilantro and cumin. Continue cooking until the onions are translucent. Add the chicken back to the skillet, as well as any juices from the plate. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow to cool.

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, cream and cornstarch together well. Gradually fold into the chicken and onions, and stir well until mixed.

Return the pan to the heat and continue cooking on low until the chicken is tender. Just before serving stir in remaining cilantro, onions and ginger. Serve over rice.

About 4-6 servings.

A Very Cozy Blanket

This is slow-going because the alpaca yarn I'm using is ridiculously cozy. Not the perfect summer knit. I think it will mostly be a laying-on type of blanket and not a covering up one. Unless the baby decides to move to Antarctica.  The pattern is by OrangeFlower and can be found here. I was worried the combo of green and brown would look too much like camouflage. I'm still a little worried about that, but am choosing to think of it as a forest floor, lichen and leaves kind of thing.

I think I've also found a shawl pattern for my Madeline Tosh yarn. It's the Dierdre shawl from Stockinette. I am also partial to Annis which boasts a tie-ability that I prefer in shawls.  But I may save that for my Malabrigo Lace Weight.

I've been sick for the past week. You'd think I'd have least gotten a lot of knitting done, but no.  I have pink eye in both eyes and an ear infection. I managed three rows of the blanket and had to tink half a row of that. The eye thing makes me squint and the ear thing makes me disoriented. Add the knitting and this is does not a happy menage a trois make.  Plus the wool fibers made my eyes itch. Hey! Can you get pink eye from wool?

I'm not letting myself get started with the Tosh yarn until I finish the blanket. The Tosh is my carrot because I so want to put this away until November. However, I doubt the mom wants to postpone the birth by almost three months.  Her theme is owls. I'm kind of looking around for a cute knit owl pattern. Know of one?

Me and Toe Up Socks - A Match Made in Purgatory

Here's the Madeline Tosh sock yarn I got at Stitches earlier this year. I bought it for the Elfine socks I've been dying to make. Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to start them because they are toe-up. Me and toe-up aren't on the way to becoming BFFs. And I don't know why, exactly.

I start out and there doesn't seem to be any problem. On one I even got to the heel. But then there is just something about how they fit after that. 

I've tried three times and I've not been happy enough to even finish the first sock. I wish I could point to specific problems, but I can't. The best I can say is, I'm just not into them.  But I'm going to try one more time. I do really like the Elfine socks a lot, so maybe that will be the encouragement I need.

I love how soft this yarn is. All squishy and smooshy. I bought three skeins in two different colors at Stitches. I thought I had my buy-plan all carefully thought out, but once in the big convention hall I was just way overwhelmed with the yarny goodness.  I got two skeins of this fabulous purple for the Mara Shawl, and when I got home, I discovered I needed three skeins. Arrrrgh!!

So now I'm trying to find a project I like that will only need two skeins, or 400 yards. I'd prefer a shawl or scarf, but am open to any suggestions. Anyone? Anyone?

I'm currently knitting another baby project - the Garter Rib Blanket from Orange Flower.  It's super easy and the mix of alpaca and wool yarns are making for a very dense and cozy blanket. I'll post a picture when I'm further along. We're having movie night tonight, so I anticipate getting a lot of rows done during Casablanca (which I've never seen, by the way!)

Of Cards and Cooking

I've been making these cards for quite a few years now. I love captioning these old photos. I tend to come up with more captions than photos because once I get them typed up and printed out, some of them just don't work when they are actually paired with the photo.

Since I've already re-worked my jewelry line to some extent (did I mention a sale at Lazy Lima Bean?) maybe I should re-examine the cards as well. Sales slowed at the last craft fair, but there was still a lot of interest. Maybe the new cards aren't as funny?

On another topic, I'm still playing my cookbook game, but haven't done a recipe for two months. I'm stuck on the Whole Foods Cookbook. I want to make this potato and onion fritatta, but I can't eat it all myself. So I've been cooling my jets and awaiting the opportunity. 

Um. You're not supposed to say, "why not just pick another recipe and move on?" Cuz then I'd just have to say that I'm lazy.