The Violet Hours

Time for Jar Lid Crafts

I save every jar, every lid, every bottle cap...my husband is about to go insane! But if ever there is a post to prove that my obsessive hoarding of trash has a point, it's this one. Here are 6 lovely, clever ways to upcycle jar lids.

This fringe technique that Design*Sponge is showing is what makes these lids looks so smooth and perfect. Love.

I love people that embroider the unexpected, like these lovely jar lids that I found on Pinterest.

 

What I love about this amazing owl craft found via Recycled Aw Blog is that the lid isn't painted, covered, or disguised in any way.

 

Are you serious? You can bake a tart in jar lids? I would probably never do it, but that's just amazing. Found via Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body.

 

I've seen a gazillion jar lights, but never have I seen a light with just the lid. Found via Pinterest.

 

How cute is this printable jar-lid matching game from Smashed Peas & Carrots?

Time for 3.14 ~ Pi ~ Pie Day!

It's March 14, hence 3/14, hence the reason to celebrate PIE! (If you are math-challenged, read about Pi here.) I'll take any excuse to eat, talk about, read about, look at pie. In fact, I think I need more pie in my life. I love this image of a potluck pie party from Bon Appetit. I could seriously get behind that. Feast your eyes on some more fun PIE play...

 

This felt pie looks good enough to eat. Found via Thursday Night Smackdown.

 

The first time I saw this pumpkin pie Thanksgiving kids' favor from One Charming Party, I nearly died. It was one of those "I wish I had thought of that" moments!

 

Cakes get stands, so why don't pies? I love the rustic look of these galvanized pie stands from BHLDN. They'd be great for the pie potluck!

Time to Plan a First Birthday Party

It's totally mind-numbing that my daugher is turning 1 in a month. I guess we as parents all have that feeling that the days are long, but the years fly by. So on top of the emotions that surround this milestone, it's time to plan a party. Fortunately, I just did this story for the March issue of Parents magazine (on stands now)!

One certainty of becoming a parent is the enormous amount of photographs that you take of your baby—from the first sneeze to the first time he stares at a toy. Riveting material. Here's an easy decor solution: use your baby's precious face to decorate the party! Find the how-to's on Parents.com. {Edit note: baby-in-hat garland is my little Sommer Alice!}

 

I don't know about you, but I have the hardest time throwing away baby food jars. Here are 3 cool ways to resuse them—favors, vases, and votive holders—for your baby's first birthday party.

 

Running 72 errands and buying 34 different craft materials is the last thing you want to do when DIYing your baby's first birthday party. I have such a crush on the crepe paper from Cartefini.com that I designed an entire party using that solo material!

 

The handprint is such an icon of babyhood. Make a stamp of your baby's hand and use it to decorate napkins. Click here to learn which ink pads are best for napkins. Plus you can watch a video too!

(Gorgeous photos by Tara Donne and genius styling by Martha Bernabe)

Time for Teacup Crafts

I always come across lovely, single teacups at flea markets and almost buy them. I think it's time I shell out the cash to make some of these amazing projects.

I don't know if these are pincushions or just little soft, teacup sculptures. And honestly, I don't care. I love them. Found via Susan Anderson's pinterest page. (Follow her if you don't!)

 

I think these are genius—bracelets made out of teacups. For the delicate wearer. You can buy them on Stay Gold Mary Rose's Etsy store.

 

You don't need any electrical skills to craft these precious teacup lights from Ideas Mag.

 

Use mis-matched teacups to store jewelry in your dresser drawer. It's almost too pretty to hide! Via Martha Stewart.

 

I always love the scene in Willy Wonka when he takes the daffodil and drinks from the center like it's a teacup. Then he takes a bite out oit. I think kids will love doing that with these edible teacups from the Disney Family website.

 

Another edible teacup, these look like they're made from marshmallows, Lifesavers, and nonpareils. Via Tip Junkie.

Time for Little Valentine's Surprises

My favorite way to celebrate Valentine's Day is in the unexpected. Seriously, you can really keep it simple with a big impact.

Add a little red food coloring to milk and freeze it in heart-shaped ice-cube trays. There is not a kid on this planet (or adult) that wouldn't blush over a little love with their milk and cookies. From A Subtle Revelry.

A little more effort (and a bit of skill) goes into this little Valentine's Day surprise. Just stitch a little red heart under his collar, so he'll see it when he's tying his tie in the morning. (Sadly my man wears a tie only at weddings, funerals, and bar mitzvahs. And the occasional geek-chic-under-the-sweater-vest-look.) Via Pinterest. (For the more casual dude, you can just embroider a heart on the inside of the pocket flap comme ça.)

The effort put forth in this cute heart-balloon-in-the-closet surprise from Oh Happy Day is primarily a pulmonary effort. Maybe go for the smallest closet in the house.

Oh yes. Indeed you can even hide a heart in a cupcake. By Sky Blue's Kitchen.

Oh Happy Day (yes again) went as far as to make a heart stamp for these cute cups, but really just grab a red marker and do it freehand. A little hot love on the morning of February 14th is a darn good thing.

Little surprise, big smiles. Will someone forward this post to my husband? xoxo

Time for a Toddler's Idea of a Birthday Cake

 

My birthday has come and gone, and as planned, Oliver and I baked a cake together. It took 3x as long as it would have alone, but it was adorable and his enthusiasm for "helping" was precious. The best part, for everyone involved, is the way he decorated it. I put together a little time lapse video so you can follow his genius from beginning to end (it's only 25 seconds, I promise).

Have a lovely weekend!

Time for Gumballs

This photograph makes me happy and sad at the same time. Happy because those first few moments after the turn of the machine's nickel crank (am I aging myself?) are the most exciting, anticipatory seconds. Is red going to be cherry or strawberry? Will the blue turn my mouth blue? And sad, well, because they are scattered on the sidewalk, just waiting to be swept up and tossed in the trash. So today, I felt the need to honor the shiney, sugary everlasting gobstopper of my youth: the gumball. (Photo found via pinterest)

I totally get the urge to wear gumballs around my neck. Doesn't everyone? Via Formal Fringe.

Why aren't there more gumball machine toys? I love love love this wooden one that I found at A+R.

Gumballs have the potential to be turned into many things. Least of which—apples. By The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle.

...or chicks. Also by The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle.

And lastly, I found the artist Stefan Sagmeister on The Jealous Curator and was fascinated by this exhibition that he erected called The Happy Show. In this installation, he asks the viewer to rate her/his happiness on a scale of 1 to 10 by taking a gumball from the corresponding cylinder. It looks like 7 was winning that day which makes me feel pretty hopeful. What number would you be? Today I'd say I'm a solid 9. Pretty good for girl woman who's turning 38 tomorrow.

Time for the 10 Best Valentine Cookies

Yes, this is my second baked goods post in a row; I'm not sure how to interpret that. This post could have gone on for pages, but I reigned it in to 10 of the sweetest confections to make on February 14th. In no particular order, here are my 10 favorite Valentines cookie treats!

{1} Conversation heart cookies had to make the list, but what took these beauties from Martha Stewart over the top were the sewn pouches.

{2} I love that these dot cookies from The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle are not red, white, and pink.

{3} Twice the love with these double-decker heart cookies from Bake at 350.

{4} I love the classic cookie and milk combo for sure, but the arrow straw? A genius confection and presentation by Cookies and Cups. (PS...if you want to try this, you can get these precious farmstand milk bottles at Shop Sweet Lulu.)

{5} You don't need a special pan to make these heart-shaped whoopie pies by Annie's Eats. Just trace a heart template onto wax paper and use a pastry bag pipe the dough within the pencil lines. So smart!

{6} This Hayley person is one talented chick! I love her color choices and the tone-on-tone "I Love You" cookies. Very chic. By Hayley Cakes and Cookies.

{7} Lovely cookie-lollipop combo by Martha Stewart.

{8} Love this stack of heart cookies by Patti Paige Baked Ideas.

{9} Need Valentine cookies for your manly man? These woodland ones from Whipped Bake Shop on Etsy are yours with the click of your mouse.

{10} Hugs and kisses or edible tic-tac-toe? These x and o cookies from Woman's Day can go either way.

 

Eat your heart out, lovebirds (sorry, I just had to say it)!

Time for My Impending Birthday

My birthday is a week from today (no gifts please) and all I want this year is to bake a cake with my son Oliver. He loves to "help" in the kitchen and he's recently been obsessed with the Birthday Cake episode of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (if you have a toddler and don't know this PBS show, you must check it out). And then, of course, there's the consuming of the cake.

Here's a little wishful thinking...

Oh, if only a 2-year-old had the dexterity for a needlepoint cake! (If only I had that dexterity!)

Basically I wouldn't be able to let the kid touch this gorgeous confection. By Kara's Party Ideas.

 

This is closer to what I'm going to get...and what I'll be totally thrilled with. We'll see if Oliver has inherited his father's color-palette-assembly talents. From Sprinkle Bakes.

Time for Snow Ice Cream

Did you know you can make ice cream out of snow? Wait til a fresh snow fall (which should be any minute if this winter continues as it has) and whip this up with your kiddies.

Visit this cute blog, Meet the Dubiens, for the recipe!