Urban Comfort

Spring at Afton Villa

 
Ask people who or what inspired their aesthetic and they'll cite any number of influences. But it's taken me a long time to recognize that most of my personal aesthetic is inspired by the unparalleled beauty of trees in the South. Perhaps it's the birthright of a Southerner to have a strong sense of place, but the trees...It's one of the primary reasons I needed to come back home.

At any rate, I was looking through these photos I took a few weeks ago at Afton Villa, where only the gardens remain, and I realized that nearly everything I surround myself with or live with somehow looks good under those trees. Whether it's the colors I choose, the contrast of clean lines played against graceful abundance, or the well loved aspect of my favorite possessions, when you get right down to it, they are intertwined with those trees. 

Now I know. And now that I've gotten that glimpse into my decorating psyche, I hope you'll enjoy these photos. I can never quite capture how spectacular these trees are in person, but that never stops me from trying!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blackberry Cobbler

The blackberries are already showing up in the market, perhaps due to the early spring this year. But with strawberry season virtually over, here, I welcome their arrival. I usually make blackberry crisp, but I stumbled onto a cobbler recipe in one of my cookbooks, Bon Appetit, Y'all by Virginia Willis, which brought back memories of the cobblers I used to prepare when I was growing up. 

You see, cobblers are so simple to throw together that as an 11-year-old (for a brief time living in the country), I would run out the back door after supper, pick the berries I needed, and make a cobbler right then and there. We usually served it with vanilla ice cream, though I find I'm just as happy with freshly whipped cream as an adult. 

The one difference is that I'd never baked cobbler in a cast iron skillet before. But I will from now on! I love the way the edges get crispy/chewy while the rest of it is soft and moist. This recipe is definitely a keeper (and if you need a cast iron skillet, see the Lodge website).

Have a great weekend!

Blackberry Cobbler
(adapted from Bon Appetit, Y'all)
(Serves 6 to 8)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups fresh blackberries
1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling, if needed
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream or ice cream, for accompaniment

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the stick of butter in a large cast-iron skillet or ovenproof baking dish in the oven (takes about 5 to 7 minutes).

2. Place half of the blackberries in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher to release some of the juices. Add the rest of blackberries and toss. If the berries are tart, sprinkle them with additional sugar (up to approximately 1/4 cup).

3. To make the batter, in another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the 1 cup sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, and stir until evenly blended. Remove the skillet from the oven and add the melted butter to the batter and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the skillet, then add the blackberries and juices to the center of the batter.

4. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean, approximately 1 hour. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Stenciled Glasses

I've used and purchased products from the Martha Stewart Crafts Paint Line by Plaid since the day it was introduced last summer. But that didn't stop me from feeling a little giddy when I received an enormous box of supplies from Plaid with a directive to create a Mother's Day gift. Admittedly, I was overwhelmed by the bounty but finally decided to share one of my favorite products with you (the rest of these goodies we'll get to in time).

The self-adhesive stencils are brilliant.  In fact, I need Martha Stewart Crafts to design more of them - a whole lot more!  They're incredibly easy to use, there's no paint bleed, they never seem to lose their stickiness (even after multiple washings), and there's nothing better for stenciling curved objects. I don't think I could love them more. 

Now, on to the gift. My peach lemonade is usually requested for both Mother's Day and Father's Day, so I decided to use that as the basis for the gift and the color palette. While I usually lean toward neutral, muted tones I wanted to create something fresh and summery, and I was loving the Tiger Lily pearl paint, which was perfect. So, big shock - I opted for stenciling glassware (if you've been reading my blog for awhile you know I have a little problem/obsession with glassware).

I had an unused set of white glasses I bought at IKEA ages ago and I thought they'd show off the painted design nicely, playing up the color and the delicate details. The beauty of this paint is that it's dishwasher-safe (after 21 days of curing). But it's not food-safe as far as I know, so I kept my design on the outside of the glass and below the drinking area. As for the design itself, I kept it fairly organic, which means that each glass is slightly different but works together as a whole. I just started from the bottom of the glass and worked my way around. With a stencil like this, it's hard to get it wrong.  

To pull the whole thing together, I added a round tray, striped paper straws, and disposable coasters that I topped with wrapping paper scraps. Easy, doable, and pretty.

 

A sampling of what I had to work with. It's hard to see it all because there's so much here, but to give you an overview - The Martha Stewart Crafts Paint Line contains over 160 colors in five different finishes, specialty mediums, pre-cut stencils, a multipurpose heat tool and stencil film for cutting your own stencils, various types of brushes and bottle applicator tops, even a tool that converts the bottled paint into spray paint. It's a dizzying array of products (and you can find them at Michaels and Jo-Ann fabric and craft stores).

 

Directions:

You'll need:

• Drinking glasses (clear works fine as well)
• Rubbing alcohol
• Paper towels (both dry and wet)
• Self-adhesive stencils (Fair Isle collection)
• Martha Stewart Crafts paint in the color and finish of your choice (I used Tiger Lily in Pearl finish)
• Foam pouncer tops
• Brush and stencil cleaner
• Small stencil brush (optional) 

 

Prep:  Clean the outside of the glass with rubbing alcohol to remove any fingerprints, oil, grease, dirt, etc. that would keep the paint from adhering properly.

 

Step 1: Attach the foam pouncer top to the bottle of paint and dab until the paint begins to flow. Align the self-adhesive stencil along the bottom edge of the glass in a straight line and carefully apply the paint in a pouncing motion. Remove the stencil from the glass, wipe the paint off with a damp paper towel, then repeat step 1 on each of the glasses.

 

Step 2: After you've painted the first set of designs on each glass, go back to the first glass (which should be dry by then) and place the stencil for the second set of designs - look for curves in the pattern where the second design will look natural and don't be afraid to place the self-adhesive stencil over the dried design. The idea is to make the designs look connected, but not in a strictly repetitive fashion.

Repeat this process on each glass, then go back to glass number one and place the stencil on the right side of the first set of designs and work your way through the glasses again. Repeat this process, left side, right side, on each of the glasses until the glass is covered. (You can also just work around the glass if you like. Personally, I prefer to work my designs from the middle out.) 

 

Cleaning Your Stencils: Due to the delicate nature of this particular design, you may find that you need to clean the stencil periodically as you work. (You'll know when it's time as your design will become fainter.) What I like to do is adhere the stencil to a piece of plastic or acetate (I just use a piece of the outer packaging) and put it on a flat surface. Then I apply a little Brush and Stencil Cleaner, work it into a lather with a bit of water and use a small stencil brush to clean the paint out of the crevices. If I have paint on the sticky side, I clean that off as well. Rinse, then gently blot dry.

The finished product!

 

Resources:

 All craft supplies from Martha Stewart Crafts for Plaid

Glasses and SMARTA serving tray from IKEA (The particular glass I have may no longer be available, but the DIOD glass is very similar. The LEENDE carafe would also work well with this stenciled pattern.)

Striped paper straws from Shop Sweet Lulu (Orange Sherbet and Yellow)

Chipboard coasters can be found on Etsy

 

An Alternative:

To round out this tutorial I tried the paint on clear glasses, just so you could see how it translates. I tried various colors, but personally, I liked the color against white and opted for metallic paint in Yellow Gold for the clear glass. But that's just my preference. You may be happier with a vivid color - and you can always wash off colors you don't like and try again. 

Also, I created this design on a shorter glass and concentrated my design at the bottom, filling in the entire bottom area instead of leaving any gaps in the design. But I did keep the staggered edge at the top, some of the designs rising higher in places than others. 

For the record, this glass is from CB2 (Marta double old-fashioned)

Get inspired with more of Plaid:

• Follow Plaid on Twitter (@plaidcrafts)
• Visit Plaid on Facebook
• Get inspired by Plaid on Pinterest

Disclosure:  I wrote this post as part of a paid campaign with Plaid and Blueprint Social. However, the opinions in this post are my own.

Inspired by Feminine Design

I'm having my annual girl moment. It seems to happen in the spring so it must be my Pavlovian response to the sight of flowers in bloom.  Almost subconsciously, I begin to lighten up my living space, indulge in a few pastels, use glass in my decor more (and retire elements that are wood based or deeper in color). It shows up in my Pinterest boards as well, when I find myself pinnning more feminine interiors and color palettes. It's fleeting, just like spring, but I enjoy the moment when it's in front of me.

 

via Lavendela

 

Photographer Edward Pond for Style at Home

 

 Period Living

 

 Country Living

 

Hans Blomquist for Skona Hem 

 

Tine K Home

 

Hans Blomquist for Elle Interior 

 

via Sacramento Street

 

Designers Guild

 

Top flower photo from Saipua

Pink Grapefruit Cake

If you had told me I'd become obsessed with a grapefruit cake, I wouldn't have believed you. I like grapefruit, yes, but I tend to drink it - in sodas or cocktails. I have never once thought about baking with it.  I had no idea what I was missing.

It started with a pretty photo of a grapefruit cake with buttercream icing (yet another experiment I'll have to undertake) that I found on Pinterest. I pinned it because the color of the frosting was irresistable, but then I just had to Google "grapefruit cake" and see what came up. What did I find? A recipe from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home, which I happened to own anyway (a clear sign that I need to spend an afternoon sifting through my many cookbooks and tagging what I want to cook!).

I made it that very afternoon, following Keller's directions exactly. But I ran into an issue with unmolding the cake after the syrup had soaked in and I lost the entire top of it. So it was ugly, to say the least, and I didn't bother making the glaze. But I tasted it and kept tasting it and I'm pretty sure over the next 24 hours ate most of it myself. So I made another one.

This time I altered the technique a little, which was more successful for me. And this time I'm trying to pace myself just a bit, maybe even share with others. So good!  If you don't believe me, try it for yourself.

 

Pink Grapefruit Cake
(adapted from Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller)

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon grated pink (or red) grapefruit zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Grapefruit Syrup

1 cup strained fresh pink (or red) grapefruit juice (approximately 4 large grapefruit)
2/3 cup granulated sugar

Grapefruit Icing

3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh pink (or red) grapefruit juice 

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Grease a 10-by-4-inch or 9-by-5-inch loaf pan (or a pan with a 7-cup capacity). Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

2. Sift the flour and baking powder together and stir in the salt. Set aside.

3. Combine the sugar and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is thickened and the whisk leaves a trail. Beat in the milk, then the oil, grapefruit zest, and vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate; scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Spread the batter in the pan. Put the pan on a small baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the pan around so the cake will color evenly and bake for another 30 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack.

5. Meanwhile, combine the grapefruit juice and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and simmer for 1 minute. Set aside.

6. After the cake has cooled for about 10 minutes, use a long skewer to poke deep holes every 3/4 inch or so all over the top of the cake. Carefully unmold it onto a cooling rack, then turn it right side up. 

7. Begin brushing the grapefruit syrup over the top of the cake. It may be necessary at times to wait for the syrup to soak in, but continue until you've used all the syrup. Let the cake cool to room temperature.

8. Stir the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice together in a bowl until smooth. Using a spoon, drizzle the icing on a diagonal over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Slice the cake and serve. (The cake keeps well, loosely covered at room temperature, for up to 2 days.)

Serves 8-10 (or one)

My Notes:

1. The original recipe calls for a light oiling of the pan, no flouring or lining with parchment paper. However, on my second attempt at making this cake, with the tweaked unmolding technique and a nonstick loaf pan, two of my corners still got stuck in the pan and came off. So I looked at one of Ina Garten's recipes for her lemon yogurt cake (made in much the same way as this cake) and substituted her greasing directions instead.

2. The original recipe calls for putting the syrup on the cake while it was still hot and in the pan, then unmolding it. I did this and lost the top of my cake. Taking the cake out of the pan before adding the syrup was the answer and I didn't have any issue with the cake soaking up the syrup, even after 10 minutes of cooling.

3. I didn't use all of my syrup - probably 2/3 of it. Once the cake seemed really saturated, I stopped. On my first attempt, I used all of the syrup and the top got a little gummy because it couldn't soak up any more. That may have been why I lost the top.

4. If you're using a darker or nonstick coated pan, lower the oven temperature to 325 so that the crust doesn't darken too much. I cooked it for the same length of time at the lower temperature and it was perfect.

This Has Happened - Words and Images After the Crash

On April 14, 2011, David Brehmer and his best friend, Alex Chappell were driving back from band practice in Oakland, California when they were hit from behind by a drunk driver. David survived the accident with critical injuries, Alex did not.

Over a year of grieving, navigating the legal system, and learning to walk again, David put his thoughts and emotions into words. Unbeknownst to him, Alex's mother, Jeannine Chappell was processing her own grief and loss through visual images. Months later, as they learned of each other's work for the first time, they decided to collaborate on a book about their respective journeys.

One year later, This Has Happened - Words and Images After the Crash is ready for publication and a Kickstarter campaign has been launched to make this project a reality. The Kickstarter campaign has 12 days to go and the initial funding goal has been met, though it's only half of what will ultimately be needed. I encourage you to visit the website, read more about the campaign, and see samples of the book, as well as contribute to its publishing.

Those who have experienced grief and loss know the terrain is rocky and the road map unclear. And when it is an avoidable tragedy caused by the negligence of another, the journey becomes even more complicated. But I believe, in the midst of tragedy and loss, that creativity is a wonderful tool for healing. Indeed, it is a gift, something to be shared with the world.

Kickstarter Campaign 

Project Website: This Has Happened

Reimagining Vintage Botanical Prints (Part II)

So I thought the orange botanical prints I posted last week were fun, but I knew I wouldn't be able to live with either of them. They just weren't right for my home.

Instead I went back to the drawing board and ordered Inkodye in black, expecting that I'd create prints with a chalkboard feel. That wasn't quite what happened, but I'm very, very happy with the results of this particular batch of experiments and I learned a number of things, so it seemed worth it to post a tutorial this time.

 

 

What I Learned:

1. The black Inkodye didn't develop as a true black on fabric, but rather as a deep, deep teal with touches of black. I was satisfied with this effect because it was much deeper than the blue of traditional sunprints. It's possible that the glass had an impact, though even the edges of my fabric weren't a true black. (It was black, however, where the dye had gotten on the white foam core. So you could always try this on a base other than fabric.)

2. Different textured fabrics create different effects. I did most of my prints using a thin cotton muslin with slight striations in the weave. The dye picked this up, creating that same slightly striated effect in the finished print. When I used a textured linen look cotton fabric, the condensation patterns under the glass were so pronounced that the final print looked like it had rust patches on it. Still cool, just a very different effect. One other thing about texture - I used a garbage bag under my fabric to protect the foam core I was using (and I didn't tape it down). On one of my prints, the garbage bag was bunching up a bit due to the moisture and that effect came through in the final print as well. 

3. Each piece is truly unique. My prints were similar, but some differed in ways that I can't offer an explanation for. But this is definitely part of the fun!

4. The color of the ink on the drawing makes a difference. For my first print, I used the white Sharpie paint pen drawing. The white allowed just a little bit of light to come through, which gave the illustration a slight sepia tint instead of white. When I used black for the drawing, the illustration came out in a range of whites. 

 

 

Directions:

Materials:

Botanical engravings (or the drawing of your choice)
Glass pane (I used the pane of glass from a frame)
Pens of your choice - either white Sharpie oil paint pen (in Fine and Extra-fine) or black artist pens (I used waterproof, smudgeproof India ink markers) in Fine and Extra-fine.

White fabric (cotton, linen, or silk)
Foam core or cardboard
Garbage bag (optional)
Masking tape (optional)
Straight pins
Inkodye (1 bottle made four 11-x-14-inch prints)
Small foam brush
Small dish for Inkodye


Prep:  Print out a copy of botanical art and trace over it with the pen of your choice onto a pane of glass. Let it dry for about 15 minutes before using. 

 

Step 1:  Cut your fabric to size, iron it, then stretch it out on your foam core and pin it in place. (Note: I started by using a garbage bag covered piece of foam core, then eliminated it altogether. Either works, but if you use a garbage bag, I'd suggest taping it in place to minimize wrinkling.)

 

Step 2: Working in dim light, brush a thin, even coat of Inkodye onto the fabric. The fabric doesn't need to be soaking wet, but damp.

 

Step 3:  Turn your drawing inked side down onto the dye covered fabric. Carry it outside to a bright, evenly sunny spot.

 

 Step 4:  Set a timer for at least 5 minutes and watch it develop. You'll begin to see a color shift almost immediately, as shown here.

 

Step 5:  You can see the dye developing more fully. The streaks under the glass are from condensation forming between the glass and fabric. Some of this may show up in the final print, creating a unique appearance in each print.

Finishing:  If after 5 minutes, the dye isn't as dark as you'd like, let it sit for another minute or two. Then take the piece inside, remove the glass, and quickly rinse the fabric in warm water (this will stop further development of the dye). Handwash your fabric with a gentle detergent such as Woolite and rinse until the excess dye is removed. Hang it up to dry, then iron the fabric when dried, trim, and frame.

 

Results:

I started with the white paint pen drawing on muslin. The striations that developed were from both the weave of the fabric and the condensation that formed under the glass. Note how most of the drawing has a sepia tone instead of white.

 

This was the second printing using the white paint pen drawing on a textured, linen like fabric. It almost feels like it has rust spots from the condensation that formed. This didn't happen on any other fabric, so I assume the texture of the fabric itself helped create this effect. 

 

This was my last print using the white paint pen drawing. It's harder to tell in this photo, but the tone of the illustration is actually a pale blue. This is because the paint started to break down a bit by the third printing, allowing more sunlight to come through and creating a tone-on-tone effect.  Note the condensation marks on this print. They came from the wrinkling of the garbage bag underneath.

 

This time I used a black ink drawing on muslin and eliminated the garbage bag. As you can see, the wrinkled effect completely disappears and the drawing itself has a white tone. It's also a slightly finer print than the ones created with the Sharpie paint pen.

Tips:

 Buy more than one bottle if you can. It's addictive!

For the most consistent results, use bright, direct sunlight outdoors.

You'll be able to use your drawings for several prints if you're careful. Even though both my paint pen and India ink said they were waterproof, I did find that they started to break down a bit after being exposed to the dye. If you're careful when you remove the glass, you will avoid smudging your design. Let the condensation dry completely. You can go back and fill in any details that may have worn down a bit. Also, you may find you're left with streaks or light patches of dye on the glass. I didn't bother trying to remove these. 

 

Resources:

Inkodye can be purchased from Dharma Trading

The botanical engravings I used were from The Graphics Fairy:

Poppy engraving

Clover engraving

 

UPDATE:  It appears that black Inkodye has been discontinued for the moment. Here's the explanation from Dharma Trading (and what Lumi, the makers of Inkodye, hope to accomplish in the future):

You may have noticed the cut back in color selection from Inkodye. This is due to the difficulty in sourcing quality, raw pigment materials. It seems that a year or so ago the last few remaining factory suppliers of the needed pigment components closed their doors forever. The folks over at Lumi Co. have not given up the search! But rather than offer substandard dye in the mean time they have decided to keep the quality at a premium and stick with the colors they are confident in. There are plans to revitalize the color line and slowly bring back more as a reliable supply is found.

12 Free Fonts

You can find me on Momster today with a roundup of free fronts.

Book Review: The Homemade Home for Children

I've looked at a lot of craft books over the years. If a book contains at least six projects I want to make, I'll generally buy it. But then there are the few craft books that are so lovely to look at, so inspired, that it takes a while before I'm even willing to put them away in a bookcase. That's how I felt when I received The Homemade Home for Children by Sania Pell. (CICO Books, $24.95. www.cicobooks.com)

The book is packed with 50 innovative ideas that cost little to make but are stylish enough for the most discerning of parents (and children). There are projects for the nursery as well as bedroom decor for the older set, projects for children to use in play, fashion accessories to make, outdoor projects, and one of my favorites, stylish storage ideas. The styling and photography are gorgeous and the projects are accessible, with clear, concise directions. 

If you have children or need ideas for unique gifts, this is definitely a book to add to your library. And for more of Sania Pell's unique perspective, you can purchase her first book, The Homemade Home. She also has a beautiful blog, At Home.

 

Play Sail

© CICO Books

 

Curiosity Cabinet

© CICO Books

 

Treasure Jars

© CICO Books

 

Clay Butterfly Garland

© CICO Books

 

Graphic Boxes

© CICO Books

 

Artist's Palette Chalkboards

© CICO Books

Reimagining Vintage Botanical Prints

When I was brainstorming for my column in the May issue of Family Circle, I decided I wanted to make sunprints out of vintage botanical clip art using Inkodye, a sun sensitive dye that comes in a variety of colors, not just the traditional Cobalt blue. I started by printing out this vintage engraving of a poppy from The Graphics Fairy, placing it under a pane of glass, then tracing over it with a black, fine-tipped artist marker. I coated a piece of white cotton fabric with a thin layer of the Inkodye, then placed the glass face down over the coated fabric and exposed it in the sun. The image shown above was the result of that experiment.

I knew immediately that it wouldn't be right for the magazine, but I knew just as quickly that it was perfect for me. I love the faded, mottled look (which occurs due to the condensation that builds up between the glass and the dye coated fabric as it sits in the sun), the uneven printing. It works for me. My next experiment will be with black Inkodye. I'm hoping for a mottled image that feels like a chalk drawing on a dusty chalkboard. (See update on this experiment.)

After this semi-failed experiment, however, I still had a column to do and I knew I wanted to do something revolving around botanical prints. I also liked the tracing on glass. I found it easy to do (lacking any and all ability to draw) and interesting to look at. But the black was too harsh for what I had in mind. I definitely had my heart set on white. 

I picked up a couple of oil-based Sharpie paint pens (Fine and Extra-Fine tipped) at my local Michaels and tried again. Success! The pens were great to work with, capable of the finest detail, opaque and quick-drying. The result of that technique was a cleaner, sharper look - the opposite of my sunprinted image. Still, two paths that I'd like to explore further.

But what do you think? Which technique do you like the best?

 

 

I used this tutorial as a basis for my sun printing experiment. It recommends using dry erase markers, which is fine if you can find them with really fine tips. Otherwise, use fine tipped art pens (available at artist supply and craft stores) that are used for technical drawings and illustrations. Just make sure they're water and smear-resistant when dry. 

For more information and examples of the botanicals created with the Sharpie paint pens, see Momster.

Etsy Find: Empty Nest by Lucy Snowe Photography

I've added another piece of affordable photography to my collection and I'm just as happy as can be with it, so I thought I'd share it with you. No, it's not a pretty washed pastel version of a nest with eggs in it, but that's not the kind of photograpy I live with anyway. I's beautifully printed and nuanced and makes me happy whenever I look at it. It's also living very comfortably with the rest of my collection. 

The photographer is Lucy Snowe and you can find this photograph, French Country Empty Nest in her shop on Etsy (available in two sizes). She has lots of other nature photographs as well, both in black & white and color. 

Blog Love: Aunt Peaches

I'm a little obsessed with coffee filters after making my flower baskets and carrots, so I spent some time looking for other coffee filter crafts. My search kept leading me back to Aunt Peaches, who I daresay might be the queen of coffee filters.

Filters aside, Aunt Peaches is irreverant and fun and not at all afraid of color (like I am), so I greatly enjoyed the different perspective  and thought I should share her blog with you, in case you're not familiar with it. I learned how to preserve blown eggs with ModPodge on the outside and the inside of the egg, figured out exactly what  to do with the vintage costume jewelry I have hanging around once I saw  spangled slippers made with tile adhesive, and suffered serious pangs of envy when I saw the most amazing coffee filter roses EVER (pictured above), along with a tutorial for coloring them with acrylic paint.

I think you'll enjoy her, so go visit. She definitely inspired me!

Coffee Filter Flower & Carrot Easter Favors

When someone once asked my son what I did for a living, his response was that I made pretty things and mailed them to other people. That's just about right, so during holidays I try very hard to make things for his Kindergarten class. His look of pride when I arrive with gifts makes it all worthwhile. 

This year I was tossing around the idea of making crepe paper flower baskets, modeling them on versions found in one of my vintage craft books. However, I was so smitten with the coffee filter flower bowls featured in Martha Stewart Living that I decided to alter my approach for a faster, easier, less expensive version. But those frilly flowers just weren't going to cut it for the boys in the class. My son and I settled on carrots and I was still able to make them with coffee filters, which visually pulls everything together.

As fussy as these projects look, they came together very quickly. I dyed all of the coffee filters in stacks, which was a breeze. The greatest time commitment was the overnight drying time (which could be shortened by creating smaller stacks of filters).  Once you get the hang of it, each basket or carrot takes about 10 minutes to make, so definitely a doable project, even for a large class. 

Fortunately, they meet my son's rather exacting standards, which is all that counts. I caught him trying to sneak a carrot in his backpack, so I know we have a winner.

 

Flower Baskets:

Materials:

Junior size basket coffee filters (4-6 cup size)
Food safe food coloring (I used McCormick Neon, Regular, and Fall (orange))
Shallow dish
Paper towels
Large rectangular baking pan or wire racks
Scissors
Nut/candy cups
Floral stems (for basket handle)
Glue dots (optional)
Quick-setting gel glue (Beacon 3-in-1 Glue)

Directions:

1. Dye your coffee filters:  Mix 12-20 drops of food coloring into a small amount of water (approximately 1 cup).

For the leaves: Put a stack of filters in the dye (as they absorb the dye, they will completely flatten out). Let them sit for a minute or two, then remove them from the dye. Let the excess drip off and then put them aside to dry on a paper towel lined baking tray or on a wire rack set over paper towels.

For the flowers:  Working in stacks, dip the edges of the filters into the dye, letting it work its way up as high as you'd like, but not saturating the bottom. Remove the stack from the dye, let the excess drip off, then put them aside to dry face down, keeping the shape of the filter intact. 

2. Stack 5 dry filters together (2 of one color for the middle, 3 of another color for the outer petals), then fold in half. Make a slit in the middle of the half, then cut those two portions in half again. Finally, cut slits along the folded edge. Round the cut edges to make petal shapes.

3. Cut a floral stem in half, then bend it to form a "U" shape. Attach it to the sides of the nut cup using glue dots or another strong glue.

4. Take the top coffee filter and push it into the nut cup, arranging the petals as desired.

5. Put a little glue on the bottom of the nut cup and around the top edge on the outside. Attach the second coffee filter around the outside of the nut cup. These two layers will cover it.

6. Run a line of glue around the bottom and the outer bottom edge of the petal covered nut cup and attach the third coffee filter, cupping it up a bit so it connects with the glued edge. Attach the fourth and fifth filters by gluing them onto the bottom of the cup.

7. Fold a green filter in half, cut a leaf shape, then glue it to the bottom of the flower basket.

 

 

Carrots:

#6 size white Cone Filters
Junior size basket coffee filters (4-6 cup size)
Food safe food coloring (I used McCormick Neon green, and Fall orange)
Shallow dish (9-inch square dish is perfect)
Paper towels
Large rectangular baking pan or wire racks
Scissors
Quick-setting gel glue (Beacon 3-in-1 Glue)
Pinking shears (optional)

Directions:

1. Create a dye bath for the carrots and one for the leaves.

Carrots: Lay a stack of #6 cone filters flat in the orange dye bath and let them soak for a few minutes. Remove the stack, let the excess drip off, and set aside to dry on a wire rack set over paper towels or in a paper towel lined baking sheet. 

Leaves: Dip the fluted edges of a stack of basket filters into the green dye and let the dye travel up around the edges of the filter. Let the excess dye drip off, then put the stack aside to dry face down, so that it stands up and retains its fluted shape. 

2. Make a cone shape from the dry orange filter and secure with a line of glue along the seam. Fill the cone with candy, blocking the bottom hole with a piece of candy (chocolate eggs are perfect). Fill 2/3 of the way up.

3. Pinch the edges of the orange filter together to create a carrot shape. Take the green filter and gather it into a point at the bottom. Snip off the bottom tip with scissors or pinking shears. 

4. Run a little glue along the outside the orange carrot top; place the green filter over the orange "stem" and squeeze shut.