Easy Marble Necklace

I picked up a bag of marbles for $1 a couple weeks ago and decided to try this tutorial out. I love how it turned out--I can't wait to try out different variations of it.

A Very Fondue New Year's Eve

This fondue set was one of our favorite wedding presents that we received. It isn't something that we use very often but it is always such a treat when we pull it out. Along with it came a set of fondue recipes that are delicious which I thought I would pass along today. We've decided that fondue will be our new New Year's Eve tradition.

Classic Cheese Fondue:

8 oz. Emmenthal Cheese
8 oz. Gruyere Cheese
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 T. lemon juice
3 T. flour
pepper and nutmeg, to taste

Shred and combine cheeses and mix in flour. Rub fondue pot and cooking pot with cut garlic clove. Pour wine into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until warm, but not boiling. Add lemon juice. Add cheese, by handfuls, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until cheese is melted and mixture has the consistency of a creamy sauce. Add pepper and nutmeg to taste. Let boil once. Transfer cheese mixture to fondue pot and keep warm.

We ate our fondue with bread cubes, apples, pears, and grapes. We both decided that we liked the grapes the best!

My Favorite Projects of 2013

 1. DIY T-Shirt Dress  2. Pom Pom Valentine Flowers 3. Cat Stuffed Animal

1. Journal Prompt Jar 2. Dino Print Shirt  3. Wine Cork Trivet

 1. DIY Polka Dot Shirt 2. Pottery Bowl  3. Hello! Pottery Tray

1. Shoe Organizer 2. Farmer's Market Embroidery Bag  3. DIY Tee to Tank

 1. Square Block Curtain 2. Felt Stuffed Tree  3. M&M Cookie Bars

 1. T-Shirt Redo  2. Long Distance "I Miss You" Mugs 3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

 1. Birthday Box of Balloons  2. Cream Cheese Cake Cookies  3. T-Shirt Revamp with Lace

 1. Chocolate Chip Muffins 2. Cloud Hair Clip Holder  3. Map Journal

1. L'Abri Strawberry Scones  2. Simple Fall Wreath  3. Simple Fabric Napkins

1. Fireplace Insert 2. Mom's Apple Cobbler  3. T-shirt Revamp

1. Banana Oatmeal Bake  2. Knit Headband 3. Eugene's Weather Halloween Costume

 1. Turkey Meatball Soup  2. Woodcut Prints  3. Scratch Off Christmas Card

Painted Wooden Spoons

I gave these to my sister for Christmas!

To make your own:

Wrap painters tape around the part of the spoon that you do not want paint to be on. Then rub sandpaper on the portion of the spoon that you want painted. Once it has some texture to it, apply nontoxic paint to it. Remove the tape and...voila!

Heceta Lighthouse in Oregon

My hubby and I took a trip to the coast on Christmas. It was a beautiful day with clear skies and a shining sun. We took a new turn off and found this delightful trail that took us right up close to the Heceta Lighthouse. We've seen the ligthouse a lot from a different lookout but it was great getting up so close to it.

Christmas Scratch Off Cards

I've been sending out Christmas cards ever since I was a Junior in college. I just love them. I try to do something special every year...and I prefer them to be interactive. This year I got fixated on the idea of a scratch off Christmas card. One night, Nate and I brainstormed how to set it up and then I got to it! It took a long time but it was surprisingly easy.

To make your own scratch off: use white crayon to cover the words then paint over it with a mixture of 1 part dishsoap and two parts acrylic paint. That is it!

Woodcut Prints

 
My brother does word working so I had been thinking about getting him this book for quite some time. When I saw this tutorial, though, I knew that I wanted to make a set of woodcut prints for him for Christmas. Someday when I have the space and tools, I may do my own woodcut prints but for now this worked out great. I almost kept them for myself...

Invisible Bookshelves

My husband made me some invisible bookshelves for Christmas. I love them so much!

Easy Holiday Pretzel Buttons

I made these little pretzel buttons for my neighbors.  Head over here for the easy steps!

Merry Christmas!

A few glimpses at our Christmas...

Cookies!

Skyping with my family!

Stockings by the fire!

Christmas tree!

Dinosaur Nativity!

A Thawing Eugene

Crochet Chain Necklace

I saw this tutorial here and wanted to make my own so I watched this Learn How to Crochet Part 1 video. It is pretty cheesy but very effective! Thanks to the video, I'm now pretty good at the chain (since making this necklace) and am wondering if I'm brave enough to move on to Part 2.... 

A Snowy Day on Skinner's Butte

 

Oh Christmas Tree!

Christmas has officially arrived at our apartment! We went to a tree farm and cut down this Grand Fir over the weekend. When we were waiting to pay, the owner was telling me that it is her favorite type of tree because it smells like grapefruit...and she is so right! Our whole apartment smells like grapefruit now. Mmm!