Category Archives: make and do

AT-AT day afternoon

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This animated short by Patrick Boivin makes me smile. I had to watch it 3 times (ok, 4 times). Visit Patrick’s vimeo to see how he gave life to a vintage toy.  I wish I could have gotten it to embed here on the blog at a larger size but the new embed code for Vimeo has got me stumped. Minus a few fun hours with old friends on Saturday, I spent most of my weekend in a funk. I’ve decided to take on some new personal projects to help snap me out of it. Mostly fun online tutorials, craft projects and brainstorming new things to add to the shop. Got a shiny new notebook today, can’t wait to scribble all over it! I found a fun tutorial over at Hank & Hunt last week that I’ve been meaning to share with you. And, I put what I learned to good use making little animated GIFs of my favorite AT-AT moments:

(Head over to Hank & Hunt for Photoshop tutorial on how to make animated GIFs like these.)

before and after :: dining room

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Finally, the sun came out today and I could take proper pictures of the completed dining room. As I have mentioned before, it’s a teeny tiny space. But now it’s a teeny tiny space with a lot more spice.

I started by choosing a color palette. Sherwin-Williams was a big help here. I consulted with a store associate (thanks, Tom in Riverside!) and utilized their online Color Visualizer app. Very cool. The main color is called Peppery. My mom sent me an awesome table runner (it’s actually a scarf, but awesome as a table runner and Mom-approved). How does she always know what to get me? (probably magic)

I now have a lot more storage. The table has a discreet yet spacious cubby at it’s base and the faux leather storage ottoman (stealthily hidden from Mr. Kitty under a quilt) holds my kitchen linens, special glassware and other fancypants whatnot. I put inexpensive sheers on the two windows, they filter the light perfectly and the leafy shadows that come across the table during mid-day are soothing (click the gallery above to see the images larger). I’m THISCLOSE to painting the even tinier kitchen space a midnight blue. Totally serious. Maybe this Fall?

I’ve made a lot more dinners since vamping this space and even more desserts. I love it so much.

make stuff

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It’s no secret that I love just about EVERYTHING James Hance does. (Obsessed much? Yes, I am. Thank you for asking.)  He’s got all sorts of goodness going on at Red Bubble (t-shirts & hoodies, kids shirts, stickers, iPhone cases) in addition to the prints you can order through his website. Anyhoo, I’ve found myself with a lot more free time lately (which is awesome, btw). I’ve redecorated, reorganized, weeded, planted, baked, napped…and now I’m making stuff. Or, making stuff better, I should say. I ordered stickers from James’ Red Bubble and turned them into magnets using MagneCote (I know a guy). The Red Bubble stickers come kiss-cut on a strip of decent quality vinyl. I stuck them on a sheet of magnet material and got out my scissors. With a smidge of precision and dash of patience, it was not long before I had custom fridge magnets. I recently got a shiny (ok, it’s not shiny, it’s just white) new refrigerator and I’m tickled every time I see these adorkable magnets. I’ve already ordered more stickers (since this project was somewhat of a test).

This weekend I have more DIY projects planned (Oh hello, Mother’s Day. Here so soon?) and I will finally post before and after pictures of my teeny tiny dining room. TTFN!

image © Aimee Elizabeth McEwen, magnets inspired by James Hance.

i smell cake

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The fox cake is all gone. The little guy lasted almost 2 hours, which is funny because that’s about how long it took me to make him. It was a tad more difficult than the bunny cake. He turned out pretty much how I imagined. You can click over to my Eats board on Pinterest if you want to see his construction. Here is the sketch I had up on my fridge all week until I was able to make the cake on Saturday:

images © Aimee McEwen

the wildlings are coming

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I “planted” a whole bunch of wildflower seeds in the front yard a couple weekends ago. There is a tiny rectangular space in between the two front stoops of the townhouse I live in. It was terribly unkept, overgrown and icky, so I spent 3 hours on a Sunday and cleaned it out. I added some fresh soil and then replanted two tiny olive trees that I was able to save from the lizardtopia the space once was. I put two little solar light in  the front (only one works, DRAT!) and poured, nay, dumped a ton of wildflower mulchy stuff into it. I have no idea how it’s going to turn out, but I’m hoping it’s lovely and colorful at least for a couple months. I’m also going to plant climbing jasmine and try to train it to grow up onto the iron work that frames my front entrance. We shall see!

image by me

easter parade

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Happy Easter! I’ve been playing around with Instagram (now available for Android) and I pretty much LOVE it. Me and the furry kiddles had a lovely day yesterday. I made a bunny cake (carrot!) while they napped. Then we (okay, it was just me) colored some eggs. It was a tad experimental since I was using brown eggs (fresh from the farm, thanks Ronnie!). Then Mac and I made a Dunkin Donuts run and went for a few walks. He ran around the back yard all crazyfaced last night and subsequently got a bath. We slept like babies when it was all said and done. I have a few more eastery crafts to do today but for now I’m off to make some egg salad, (my favorite) and take Mac on a very long walk. This has been the best Easter ever and I have the BEST friends EVER. Love you guys.

Bunny Cake inspired by this post at Silly Bee’s Chickadees

ombre effects how-to via pugly pixel

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Katrina, the self-described blog design enthusiast over at Pugly Pixel has a sweet tutorial on how add ombre effects to your images. If you’ve not visited Pugly Pixel before, I highly recommend you check it out. You’ll find lots of freebies and blog design insight but also a ton of affordable extras. If you are a designer or blogger (or both) you can’t help but be inspired by Katrina and her posts about design trends, fonts, blog resources, artists… the list goes on and on and…♥

image © Aimee Elizabeth McEwen

choose happy

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Did you know that happy is a choice?
If you could order your lunch with a side of happy, why wouldn’t you?

Some people are born knowing that or are on “happy” by default. You know them; they smile at their desk, in line at the pharmacy, probably even in their sleep. Others of us spend a lifetime learning (and sometimes forgetting and relearning) that the only one that can make us feel a certain way is, well, us. I admit it, I’m sensitive. I cannot watch anyone cry on T.V. or in person without tearing up (ok, and possibly hyperventilating). If someone close to me is stressed I soak it up like a sponge. Long story short, I let things bother me. I choose that. It’s my default (pun not intended). Sometimes I do really well with “choosing” my emotions. Other times I completely fail. But, every new day is a chance to choose all over again. A chance not to dwell on the crappity crap that you’ve been through and perhaps even appreciate that you don’t have to go through that anymore or ever again. I could go into a whole shpiel about positive thinking but you can click over to this post at into•mind for that (one of my newest favorites).

I hope you choose happy today because everyone is more beautiful when they smile.

Click image above to download CHOOSE HAPPY TODAY printable cards
(4 cards on one 8.5″ x 11″ page)

Heart-shaped grilled cheese links to source, Williams Sonoma.

what’s this…what’s this?!

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Somehow, in a (brief) moment of clarity (it can happen!) I was able to figure out how to link my three blogs together and they now operate as a cohesive whole. I know that it is a bit annoying when you visit a blog and everything has been moved around on you. It’s like somebody rearranged your medicine cabinet or driving someone else’s car. But I digress, the point is, take look at the new spaces: KNIT PRETTY (knitty goodness), MAKE AND DO (gallery site of crafty adventures). I won’t be rearranging the blog(s) for the rest of the year, scout’s honor.

Actually, I was kicked out of scout’s for tearing up my sister’s cookie order sheet… so I’ll just promise to keep things as is for a while so that you can at least find the Q-tips and turn signals. Sound good? Great. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, dears!

image links to MAKE AND DO

counting the days

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I know you all think I’m some kind of calendar fiend… and you are so right!. If you hop on over to Creature Comforts you can sign up to receive a free monthly printable calendar (subscribe to her Newsletter in the lower right hand area of her main page) from the lovely Ez- you can click here to see all the months she has made available so far. March’s calendar is very sweet. I have a suspicion that they all will be! Thanks, Ez!

Speaking of days… {BIRTH}days to be exact…I started a pinboard to help me plan for mine. You can check it out here.

image via Creature Comforts Blog