Adventures with a Can of Chalkboard Paint, Part III

For some reason, I find that things taste better when eaten out of a glass jar.

And with just a little chalkboard paint, and a scrap of pretty paper, it's quite easy to disguise the fact that these are, in fact, old pasta-sauce containers.

For instructions on painting the labels onto the jars, try this tutorial. I would advise starting with recycled jars like these, rather than buying new jars specially for it, so that if something goes wrong it doesn't matter too much.

And for instructions on covering the lids, have a look here.

And don't limit yourself to food! I also plan to have jars for buttons, pompoms, and for all the bits and bobs to make my Christmas wall tree. And Justin has requested a jar to store nails and screws, and one for all the spare change he piles up around the house.

As always, if you have a go yourself, please post a link, as we'd all love to see!

Advent Tea: Closed

Ms. Tea Bag Loves Her Hot Baths, originally uploaded by aimee✿.

Thanks so much for all your interest in the tea swap for advent. We now have our full group six people! Tea bags will be travelling all the way around the world, from College Station to San Antonio to Beijing to London to Bungay to Norwich. For those involved, I'll be sending out details very soon.

Adventures with a Can of Chalkboard Paint, Part II

We all know about the circle of gift bags -- you have a birthday or a baby, and suddenly have a stash of six million bags to repackage with gifts for other people's birthdays or babies. And on it goes. Magic. But what about gift tags? Wouldn't it be lovely if you could just erase that "Happy Birthday, Astrid" message, and reuse the gift tag, too?

Well, ladies and gents, here it is, the reusable gift tag:

Chalkboard paint + those cheap paint-it-yourself wooden Christmas ornaments at craft stores = a gift tag that works again and again.

(Just be careful of tricksters with their own sticks of chalk -- a few minutes alone under the Christmas tree, and suddenly all the presents are for Uncle Jesper...)

Advent Tea: Revised

Okay, perhaps the twenty-five-person tea swap for advent was a little ambitious. I know, that's a lot of people to send to, and a bit more work than anyone wants to do. But, there are three of us dedicated tea-lovers excited and ready to swap with each other, and I just wanted to extend a final invitation to you:

The New Plan: After a little dose of reality, I've decided to limit the number of people to six. So, if sending out a maximum of five little parcels sounds more possible, then send me a quick message (in the comments or at: astrid@redredcompletelyred.com). We'd love to have you join in!

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P.S. If you're looking for Tilly, she's weighing in over at Totally Tilly from now on!

Adventures with a Can of Chalkboard Paint

Justin and I have recently fallen in love with this fancy kind of apple juice. Yes, yes, the pure-juice, good-for-you thing is nice, but what we really love is the glass bottle. It reminds us of moonshine.

So, once we'd drunk all the juice, I couldn't bring myself to throw the bottle away... and after a good soak, a bit of a scrub, and two coats of chalkboard paint, we've got a funny little jug for all those home-made drinks I always mean to make.

One of our autumn favourites is Lylabeth's cinnamon lemonade -- so simple to make, just add two sticks of cinnamon to store-bought or home-made lemonade, and let it sit for an hour or two.

Cheers to falling leaves, and the put-on-your-slippers chill!

Totally Tilly Has a New Home

Tilly would like to cordially invite you over to her newly decorated little home on the Web -- totallytilly.blogspot.com. From now on, all her updates, photos, and daily Tillyness will be posted over there, so pop on over and say hi! And don't worry, I'll still be here: sewing, planning for Christmas, and generally enjoying all things red!

Start Now and Be Ready for Advent

{update: If you'd like to join in with the tea swap 2011, check out this post!}

My family have always been big celebrators of Advent -- whether we were scoffing chocolates out of a Cadbury's calendar, or opening beautifully wrapped bibs-and-bobs that my Mum had collected in the previous months, my brother and sister and I could always expect the twenty-four days before Christmas to be exciting.

Perhaps I've matured a bit, or lost my sweet-tooth (um... no), but Advent is no longer all about the sweeties. As the nights get longer, and the last-minute preparations come together, those twenty-four days are a time to reflect on family, friends and community, and to connect with the people that matter most.

And in the spirit of connecting, this year I have a plan for something extra special. I was inspired by Kojo Designs' wonderful tea wreath (above). But, rather than going out and buying twenty-five types of tea myself, I thought, why don't we have a little swapsies.


The plan: You send me, and twenty-three others, one bag of your favourite tea (and keep a bag for yourself). Meanwhile, twenty-three others and I are sending you a bag of our favourite tea. Voila! Twenty-five teas to sample over advent. (And it doesn't have to be your favourite. Maybe there's a wacky tea you've always wanted to try, but didn't want to drink a whole box of yourself? Share it with us!)


The lovely thing is that a teabag won't cost very much to send, so this shouldn't break into your Christmas fund too much. And just think of all those exotic envelopes heading towards your postbox...

So, if you'd like to join me in brewing up a tea-rrific advent calendar from around the world, please leave a comment below, or send me a quick email to: astrid@redredcompletelyred.com. We need twenty-four people, so don't be shy! Family, friends, old and new readers are all welcome!

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P.S. For more advent calendar ideas, have a look over here.

Gather Ye Pinecones

For the third instalment of Start Now and Be Ready for Christmas, I've got some pinecones for you. There's something just lovely about bringing nature into the home at Christmas, and pinecones are relatively easy to find -- most craft shops sell them by the sack-load. But perhaps these ideas will inspire you to start early, and have time to collect your own this year.

1. Pinecone Wreath

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A lovely alternative to greenery, I'm sure this wreath would be quick work, with a variety of collected pinecones and acorns, a circular foam base and a lot of hot glue.


2. Pinecone Centrepiece

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Old candlestick-holders, pinecones, and a glittery star or two, and you've got a little Christmas sparkle for the table. I love that the pinecones are so compact, so if your Christmas feast consists of dozens of dishes, they will squeeze in nicely between the turkey platter and the brussel sprouts.

3. Pinecone Gift-Wrap

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If your family is competitive each year about who can wrap the fanciest presents, then perhaps a pinecone and pretty ribbon will finally put you in the lead?


4. Pinecone Garland

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Simple, natural, beautiful. I could imagine this garland in a cosy Christmas log cabin, or in a sleek Scandinavian apartment.


5. Pinecone Christmas Cake

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Martha Stewart design, of course. And though you can't eat the pinecones, the pine-needles are made of chocolate!


6. Pinecone Tree

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And if you hit the jackpot and find a mountain of pinecones, why not make your whole Christmas tree out of them! Just be careful if your dog is anything like Bella... or else Christmas morning might be a carnage of chewed cones!

(Start Now and Be Ready for Christmas is inspired by a series over at The Fable of the Table)

What I Know Now: Sixteen Weeks

What is a problem once won't be a problem forever. Tilly used to cry when she was digesting food, and I wondered how I could possibly solve that. Then she just got over it.

What works once won't work forever. We've tried so many things to get Tilly to sleep. At one point, when she was about five weeks old, we were doing it all at once: we would put on her Fisher Price water noises, turn on a fan, swaddle her, rock her, put her down in her Moses basket with a clock hung on the side, a watch under her back, her sheepskin propped up at the edges, and a drop of lavender oil on her blanket. Then, when her eyes inevitably opened, we would pick up the basket and swing her (sideways, not back and forth), then oh-so-gradually put the basket down in her crib. Slowly, we realised that all those things weren't really necessary. And our backs couldn't take any more basket-swinging.

Some babies really don't like to be rocked to sleep. Some babies scream even louder when you try to rock them to sleep.

No matter how hard they are to get to sleep, it's always so lovely to see them wake up again.

Pacifiers don't solve everything.

For us, the Baby Bjorn does solve everything. For about an hour or so.

Some babies are born with a decent amount of hair and then seem to get balder.

People at Walmart will touch your baby. Even if she is in a front-carrier.

People will talk to your baby even if they don't speak English. (And, by the way, Tilly seems to understand Japanese just as well as she understands English)

People will say "Who's this little guy?" if you dress your daughter in anything other than pink. Pale green with flowers apparently equals 'boy' these days.

Babies don't care at all about toys. Tilly has yet to grab for anything other than my hair or the cloth I'm trying to wipe her mouth with.

Tilly's eyebrows turn bright red when she gets tired. Nothing else... not the eyes, just the eyebrows.

Tilly's ears turn bright red on occasion. So do Justin's. What funny things we inherit.

Time goes slower in Tilly's room. Once, we were baking cookies, when Tilly woke up and started to cry. Justin went to put her back to sleep, and returned assuming the cookies were ready and I'd eaten mine. They were still in the oven, only half way done.

Babies surprise you. Though normally, Tilly would cry all through a trip to the pediatrician (five minutes from our house), when we took her to Temple (an hour and a half away) she did really well.

Babies will sleep through doorbells and vacuums and weed whackers outside their windows, but wake up the instant you try to watch a movie.

Sometimes, just the way they stand (Tilly leans slightly forward, butt out, staring at something) can make you laugh with delight.

There does come a day when it is possible to leave the house. Even to go out twice.

Ode to a Mutt

We had a terribly terribly sad day recently when our lovely dog, Itsabella Slagle, ran off through a poorly-latched garden gate. She was gone for twenty-six hours. Twenty-six long hours. Which meant that we spent a long, sleepless night looking at her empty bed, and a long, helpless day posting signs, praying to St. Anthony, and thinking about all the things that make our little mutt so special.

Bella, who is always right there watching over Tilly, wanting to comfort her, waiting to lick her feet.

Bella, who just yearns for five seconds alone with my nursing pillow so that she can pull all the stuffing out of it.

Bella, who lies in Tilly's doorway, knowing she isn't allowed in the room, but inching further and further in when she thinks I'm not looking.

Bella, the sheep mauler.

Bella, with the softest chin.

Bella, who claims the area under the sofa as her den, and loves to lie either with just her head poking out, or just her tail.

Bella, who always knows when you just need a little cuddle, and comes to lie her head on your feet.

Luckily, she came back to us -- exhausted, thirsty, and with a belly full of the cheap dog food that makes dogs very gassy -- but happy and safe. She'd been picked up not far from our house, had spent the night with college students, and their pitbull and mastiff, and had probably had the time of her life while we were worrying!

A Christmas Forest

Continuing in the Start Now and Be Ready for Christmas series, today I've got a tutorial for you on making Dr. Seuss-esque Christmas trees. Start now, and you could have a whole forest ready by December!

There are tons of books out there on repurposing old woollen sweaters, or recycling T-shirts. But where are all the books about what to do with grotty men's polo shirts in dismal colours that have shrunk and faded? If, like me, that's what you've got an excess of lying around, then grab your scissors! (If not, then really any green fabric will work: felt, cotton, fleece, old shirts, old scarves, old tablecloths...)

Sorry, Justin, this one has been kidnapped from your cupboard:

What you'll need:

• 2 scraps of green fabric, one at least 10" square, the other at least 4" square
• stuffing
• buttons
• green and red embroidery thread
• a pompom

Start by cutting a pizza-slice-shaped triangle out of the green fabric. Mine were about 10" in length down each side, with a 45 degree angle at the point. Smaller angles make thinner trees, larger angles make squatter, fatter trees.

Fold the triangle in half, lengthwise, with right sides together. Pin the sides together.

If the bottom corners don't quite match up, trim along the bottom edge so that they are even.

Stitch along the long side, where the two edges meet, from the point to the bottom edge using running stitch.

Turn the tree inside out, and place on top of the second scrap of fabric (wrong side up). Draw a circle around the base of the tree using a fabric pen, giving yourself about 1/2" of extra space.

Cut out the circle.

Pin the circle (right side down) to the base...

...leaving about a third unpinned, so that you can stuff the tree.

Fill with stuffing. I like to use a knitting needle to get stuffing all the way to the tip, which will help hold up the pompom. A bit of squidging every now and then should get rid of any lumps and bumps.

Once stuffed, pin the last third of the base in place, closing up the gap.

Blanket stitch all around the base of the tree, joining the two pieces together. (Not familiar with blanket stitch? Tutorial here)

And finally, decorate your tree! I like the look of pompoms on top, but a bell, felt star, or favourite ornament could work well, too. You could go with all-white buttons, and use colourful thread to sew them on, or use coloured buttons. If you've got children (or husbands) eager to get involved, perhaps let them pick out the decorations for a tree!

Even Pumpkin is getting in the holiday spirit!

I hope a few more dull shirts out there will get rescued from the backs of cupboards and reinvented as little festive forests. And, if you're looking for another Christmas craft idea to get you ready for the holidays, there's a brilliant Felt Christmas Card tutorial over at The Fable of the Table today... enjoy!

Fifteen Weeks

It's becoming clear that Tilly has opinions. And that she's not afraid to voice them. Whether she's insisting that she be able to stand up, calling out for her favourite rattle, protesting that she has to go to bed so early, or telling me off for not putting her to bed earlier, Tilly knows what she wants and won't settle for any less.

Tilly has never been a fall-asleep-in-public kind of baby. If we're out, she's wide-eyed, and hardly blinks for fear of missing something. So, it was quite a shock when, returning from a walk a couple of days ago, I leant down to kiss her cheek and felt her startle awake. Her little sun-hat had slipped down over her eyes, unbeknownst to us, and happily snug in her carrier, warmed by the setting sun, Tilly had dozed off!

Ever since she was born, I've been on the look-out for birthmarks. Both my Mum and I have similar ones on our right legs, and so I have half-expected/hoped for Tilly to have one there too. After a trip last week to the pediatric ophthalmologist (say that five times fast), we discovered that Tilly does have a birthmark... on her eyeball! A little freckle right at the bottom that I hope she'll be proud of. (And, if you're wondering what Tilly's opinions are on eye exams, she is not a fan.)

Mobile, yet? Not quite. Her little legs don't quite reach the floor while she's in her walker, but Justin loves to quietly put her in it, hide behind the corner, and push her into the kitchen, so that it looks as if she's toddled in on her own!

Ten Ten Ten

To celebrate the tenth of the tenth of the tenth today, I made a wabbit ten times the size of other wabbits. Please meet Pumpkin.

Pumpkin enjoys all things Texan, i.e. rocking in outdoor rocking chairs, drinking iced tea, watching the Spurs play basketball, and being larger than wabbits of other states.

And in case you were wondering just how big a weally big wabbit is, here you can see that he towers over Bella. She's made no attempt to chew off one of his arms yet. I think she's worried he'd fight back.

Yes, a four-foot flannel wabbit called Pumpkin. That's what I did with my spare minutes today. So, if there are no more posts on here, then you'll know: the men in white coats finally came for me...