Our Dog

Two weeks ago we lost our family dog, Bazooka. We named him after the bubble gum brand a few days after we brought him home as a puppy those thirteen years ago. I don't think we fully realized how much this small animal touched our lives until now.I made an album of happy times, thoughts and memories. You can view the full album by clicking the button right below:A page and some writing excerpted from the album: "Of all the fads, first crushes and have-to-haves of childhood and adolescence, the one love that never faded was for this little dog."

Silver & Gold

Wrappings from Christmas morning. Kraft paper, baker's twine and some homemade adornments...Book pages and sheet music, folded, icily edged. Stars, painted gold and glittered silver.Gift tags - frosty vellum and typewriter letters, red thread and captured snow. "They looked up and saw a star. Shining in the east beyond them far. And to the earth it gave a great light. And so it continued both day and night."Warmest wishes!

In the Lane Snow is Glistening

This morning, snow is glistening in a miniature Christmas village. I have coveted vintage glitter houses from afar in past Decembers, and this year with all these great resources I couldn't pass up the chance to make my own. These are all constructed from cereal boxes using patterns found online and some drafted by my brother (he and my dad helped me cut them out too - thanks guys!). They all have mica flake rooftops, vellum window panes, and acrylic painted siding with a fine dust of white glitter. The door of the church is silvery with German glass glitter and a few houses have homemade pipe cleaner wreaths.Of course every glitter village needs a forest of bottlebrush trees. These were formerly dark green trees from the bargain store until I bleached, dyed and decorated them. To their bristles I added glitter and mica snow, mini plastic ornaments and pearly beads. My method was very imprecise but this tutorial has really detailed instructions of the process for those interested.
I also found a bottle brush wreath on sale for a few dollars and I couldn't resist. I gave it a new ribbon and swapped out some of the smaller plastic ornaments for miniature glass ones from a few years ago.
I hope you've enjoyed this little tour. I have just a few more things to share later this afternoon but until then, best wishes to you and yours!

Soon It Will Be Christmas Day

Oh it's only days away, I can't believe it! During the week since final exams ended I've been doing much work on a project I'll get to share in 2010. Of course I've also been holiday shopping with Brett, tree trimming and partaking in family outings. This week I'm going to devote some time to making crafts inspired by the Christmases of the first half of the 20th century. I've gathered up Victorian paper cutouts, reproduction mica snow, bottlebrush trees, ambered sheet music, twine, tinsel and all kinds of glitter. What possibilities await!

Lights and Snowflakes

The two hour drive north last Sunday was night sky and strings of white lights over Christmas tree lots. Firs clustered under red and white striped tents, propped against fences, tall, full, narrow or flocked. In every city we passed. It's that time of year. Here at A Field Journal holiday things are getting underway. The first project of the season is one I created for Papermash. Winter whites, warm light and the most intricately patterned doilies I've ever seen - need I say more? You can download the nifty instructional .pdf for these Snowflake Votives at Papermash. Just note you'll need to use battery tea lights for these.

Gold Leaf

My last collegiate fall has come and gone too quickly. Rumpled sycamore leaves line the paths in the morning shadows of Moore Hall, crushed to a fine golden-gray dust under the hurried tread of passersby. The lancet windows in the coffee house still catch a bit of autumn light in their colored glass, but the embers of the annual pep rally bonfire have all but been extinguished in memory. Lectures today will be quietly halfhearted, most of the halls vacated by those already homeward bound. Final exams lie just days ahead, and it seems it's the close of both semester and season. This brings me to my last autumn craft of the year - I created table adornments for Project Wedding. If you're looking for last minute decor for tomorrow's dinner, the place cards are a snap to put together. As usual, you can find the full tutorial at Project Wedding. To everyone in the States, Happy Thanksgiving!

Frills and Flowers and Buttons and Bows

I'm so delighted to share these. I've been dreaming of such headbands since late last winter, and now that holiday festivities are approaching once again I gathered up lengths of ribbon, a handful of feathers, a vial of beads and three plain old plastic headbands. The outcome was a trio of new adornments. One is a tiny garden of silk, satin and crushed velvet. A second is a simple black band with antique button. And a third in deep green velvet is plumed and specked with gold. I think these would make lovely handmade presents - for the gals on your Christmas list or of course, for your bridesmaids and flower girls. The complete tutorial for these is up over at Project Wedding.

Apple Week: Apple Cider

It's the final day of Apple Week and this last recipe is especially apt for the wintry months ahead. It'll cozily fill your kitchen with the scent of cloves, citrus and cinnamon as it simmers. This series has been such fun - I really enjoyed experimenting with photographing food and I hope you've enjoyed these simple classic recipes. Next week I'll be back with the usual crafty, photographic fare. Until then!

Ingredients:
4 cups cider
1/2 an orange, sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, to taste

Combine ingredients in medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil then reduce heat a little and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Strain before serving.

Apple Week: Candied Apples

For today's dose of apple I must direct you to Martha's recipe, which we followed with much success last year. These seemed a little intimidating at first, namely because I feared I'd never see the bottom of my saucepan again. But I'm glad we didn't let that stop us - hot water will dissolve the mess away quite easily. And the reward couldn't be sweeter - a batch of homemade candied apples, all an enchantingly glossy red.