celebrations | kimberly ah

Nov 08 2012

Election Party 2012

The 2012 Election Party was an epic night of worry (mainly me…everyone else was a lot more confident!), pundit chatter (our own and on television), tasty food (Chicago-style hot dogs & Freddy’s meatballs for-the-win!) and in the end, celebration.

I spent the day on Tuesday breaking out all of my red, white and blue decorations while watching pundits speculate on TV. For the dining table, I used my red table cloth and sprinkled the table with patriotic ribbon, candles (some were decorated with washi tape), VOTE cards (from the teacher store) and my collection of vintage election buttons. It was fun eating dinner and checking out some of the old candidates. Over the table, on our 1970s chandelier, I hung red, white and blue stars (from here).

In the kitchen, we had the “food buffet”. I didn’t get a picture of everything all laid out, but we had a nice spread. It all started with my red, white and blue napkins.

And it ended with these delicious red velvet cupcakes made by our friend Karen. (I ate the last one for dinner last night!)

In the living room, I had my garlands hung, my Abe Lincoln book on the table and of course my glittered elephant and donkey were ready to go.

And I sifted through my vintage book collection for the red and blue books to set out with my Barack Obama action figure (leftover from the 2008 election) and Lefty (a mini Beanie Baby my parents found for me).

And on my desk, I hung a partisan garland. (Naoto gave me those sunny tulips on Sunday night…aren’t they cheery?)

It was supposed to be a long night, but in the end it wasn’t. We broke out the champagne and toasted the President.

It was a good night…a very good night.

Tagged celebrations, election

Nov 05 2012

2 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures, Election Party

The Weekend Was Spent With Glitter

It took all weekend, but these guys are ready for their Election Party debut tomorrow night. Okay, it didn’t really take all weekend, but I worked on them throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday, and I even added a little more glue and a few more dashes of glitter this morning, so it feels like it took all weekend. (And for the record, glittering these guys is pretty much all I did this weekend as far as Election Party prep goes.)

I used this Martha Stewart tutorial for the idea. I used bookbinding glue (because it is my “craft glue”) and Martha’s “red corundum” and “azurite” glitter (from a 24 pack). And. in spite of the fact that the elephant and the donkey are pretty big, I feel like my vials of glitter are still full. It’s like magic…but it’s also a little annoying because now I feel like I’m never going to use up all this glitter!

Last winter, I glittered a family of tiny deer. By the time I finished two of the three, I was over the project. And, to be honest, that’s how I felt about these guys…I just wanted them to be done. I think waiting for the glue to dry and going back to fill in the bald spots kills my momentum and crafty spirit. But, as always, I’m glad I suffered through in the name of our 2012 Election Party. I think they look fun and flashy.

And I’m even sitting here right now thinking about all of the plastic toy turkeys that could be glittered for Thanksgiving…

Tagged celebrations, crafts, election

Nov 04 2012

9 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures, Election Party, little red toolbox

My Little Red Toolbox | Sakura Quickie Glue Pen

The Little Red Toolbox is back! And, with another pen (not on purpose)! But this one is not full of ink, it’s full of glue. Glue that streams out in a nice fine line. Glue that can be covered in glitter to add little more *sparkle* to your projects. Glue that can be used to stick the teeeeniest bits of paper to other bits of paper.

Sakura’s Quickie Glue Pen writes like a smooth ballpoint pen making it easy to add small glittery details to paper projects. I used it to add some subtle sparkle to some decorations (the Stars & Stripes Garland from Paper Source) for the Election Party. The Quickie Glue Pen writes with a 0.7mm point and is really easy to control. I traced the outline of the stars inside the circles and I had no problem staying along the edge, even though I am often careless, impatient and messy when I craft. When I first started, I traced small sections of the stars and added glitter to each section before “writing” more glue.

By the time I was on the last color, I was tracing the entire star and glittering all at once. (For the record, I only glittered six of these…see what I mean about being impatient?) The good news is, the glue stays tacky long enough to hold the glitter well.

I strung them up (with the included tiny clothespins and twine) and stuck them on the TV stand. I still have eight more circles and eight more stars that I can play with someplace else, if I don’t run out of time (or interest).

It’s hard to see the glitter in the picture, but it adds just enough sparkle to make things festive around here. As soon as the donkey and the elephant are glittered, they will join the garland near the TV for a little sparkle party.

But back to the glue pen. When the glue is still blue, it is a permanent adhesive. While I wouldn’t use a thin glue pen to glue large areas or heavy papers together, I do use it to adhere tiny bits of paper to other paper or to stick down that pesky corner that the glue stick always seems to miss. But for the most part, I use the glue pen just as I used it today–to add some glitter to decorations or cards. Because a little sparkle goes a long way around here. (And even a little sparkle creates a glittery mess that lasts for weeks…but it’s worth it!)

Tagged celebrations, crafts, decorating, election, little red toolbox

Nov 02 2012

3 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures, Election Party, thoughts

These Guys Won’t Even Know What Hit ‘Em

Election Party prep is in full swing around here. On Thursday I packed up all of the Halloween stuff and the weekend ahead promises to be full of cleaning and craft projects of the red, white and blue persuasion. Those guys up above (a plastic elephant and donkey from the toy animal bins at Michaels) are going to get a glitter treatment. We are still deciding on food and I’m trying to motivate myself to get the cleaning and decorating and shopping out of the way so I’m not rushing around on Tuesday while I’m trying to vote and obsessively watch the election coverage on television.

And, while everyday life goes on here, everyday life has virtually stopped out East. My heart is breaking over the devastation there. Cecelia, my longest-running pen pal lives in Manhattan and I am anxiously awaiting a letter from her so I can hear how she fared in the storm. Of course, I understand that it might take awhile as she focuses on adjusting to the new normal there, but in this age of instant communication, it’s weird for impatient me to have to wait for news in the mail…like we’ve turned back the clock 100 years. Cecelia and I have never exchanged email addresses or phone numbers, so I’m relying on John-the-Mailman to bring me news.

In the meantime, I will be hoping for the best for Cecelia and everyone who is affected…

Tagged celebrations, crafts, decorating, diy, election

Oct 31 2012

3 Comments

crafty adventures, Halloween, holidays

My Edgar Allan Poe Paper Playset

Happy Halloween! It is definitely going to be a scary one! The winds this week, courtesy of Hurricane Sandy, are whipping all of the leaves off the tress, leaving behind creepy bare branches. And the full moon has been shining through mists of clouds, and the filtered light is sifting through the branches painting spooky shadows on our walls. Between the shadows and the crazy flying leaves, Presley is going a little crazy around here.

So far to get into the Halloween spirit, I read some Poe (“The Murders in the Rue Morgue” for book group and “Ligeia” upon Cath’s recommendation), Naoto & I made dinner in our new dutch oven (I’ll blog about it soon!) and drank a bottle of Darkhorse wine, I watched a round of Roseanne‘s Halloween episodes (best TV ever!), we watched The Shining (It’s so scary to me…and to Naoto, too!) and I built my Edgar Allan Poe Play set (pictured above)…oh, and I also painted my nails with glow-in-the-dark polish. They are really not fun unless I’m in a very dark room…

But back to the Poe paper doll. A few years ago Naoto bought me this Edgar Allan Poe paper play set from Lisa Perrin. On Tuesday (proof that it takes me awhile to get around to things around here) I cut out the figures (using my favorite Kai scissors!) and assembled the play set. Isn’t it great?! I love that Poe is wearing bunny slippers! I’m looking forward to breaking this out again in January, for Poe’s birthday (January 19th).

What are your plans for Halloween? Any spooky movies or stories in your day? Are you dressing up? (I’m not…)

Tagged celebrations, crafts, Edgar Allan Poe, Halloween, holidays

Oct 30 2012

4 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures, snail mail

Smart Women Vote

When I was a college freshman, I voted for the first time by absentee ballot. I remember being so excited when the ballot arrived, punching my choices with the little stylus, and dropping the completed ballot in the blue mailbox near my dorm. It was really exciting, but I was so disappointed that I didn’t get to vote in the real voting booth and I didn’t get one of those I VOTED stickers. Upon hearing my disappointment, my grandfather (who always wrote me the most charming letters) sent me his voting sticker. I’d forgotten all about this kind gesture until a few years ago when I was sifting through all of my college mail and I found it folded in a letter written in my grandfather’s beautiful script. Just thinking about it makes me all weepy.

Since then, I’ve voted at the polls in every election–and I’ve always proudly sported my I VOTED sticker. And, for the past few Presidential Elections, I’ve sported these Smart Women Vote buttons. This year, I did a mass mailing and sent a bunch out to my friends and pen pals. It’s a “safe” political outreach, because it’s non-partisan…I’m a firm believer in agree-to-disagree…I know I’m not going to change anyone’s mind about their political leanings, just like they are certainly not going to change my mind. (I am very stubborn.) But I do think it’s important to vote–so, no matter which side you are on, or whether you live in a red state, a blue state or a swing state…as they say in Chicago–vote early and vote often!*

*Kidding…just vote once.

Tagged celebrations, crafts, election, mail art, rubber stamp, snail mail, washi tape

Oct 11 2012

6 Comments

Halloween, holidays, homemaking

The Halloween Desk

The desk, since it’s new this season, was the most fun to decorate. I was happy to hang up my new prints and to finally stick something–a glittery skull–in my curio lamp. It’s the just-right amount of creepy. The book is a collection of Edgar Allan Poe stories with wood block print illustrations. It’s my favorite, and since we are reading “The Murders of Rue Morgue” for book club, it’s handy to have the book around. The little mercury glass votive is filled with vintage flashcards that have creepy words on them, like “cadaverous “and “corpse” and “heinous”. Every year, I say I’m going to make something with them, and every year I don’t…this year shall be no different.

I’ve had my foam/plastic jack-o-lantern for years–he lights up like a champ at night. The jade plant is from Trader Joe’s. (Am I the only one who has a hard time passing up the plant section there?) And I bought the little Charlie Brown Halloween ornament last weekend at the Hallmark store–total impulse purchase. Who has a Halloween tree to hang ornaments from? Clearly, that didn’t stop me from buying it…I have such a soft spot for the Peanuts gang.

That’s all for now. I’m waiting to see my mom who has some pumpkins and gourds for me before I finish decorating the dining room. And, now that I’ve shown you my tidy, decorated workspace, I’m going to move my crafting mess back onto the desk and try to finish my watercolor project before I have to go to work this afternoon.

Tagged celebrations, decorating, Edgar Allan Poe, Halloween, holidays, home, homemaking

Oct 10 2012

Autumn Nostalgia

I’m still struggling to finish decorating for Halloween around here. Nothing is working for me, and I have the same stuff as I had last year. That might be the problem…boredom. But really, it will be good enough, especially since we aren’t having anyone over this month and I will have to quickly put everything Halloween away and haul out the red, white and blue for the Election Party. (Typing that sentence makes me wonder why I’m bothering with this Halloween stuff…) But, the good news is my new prints from Tag Team Tompkins look great above my desk, just as I’d pictured. (I will show you tomorrow when I have better light!)

I’ve had the little autumn squirrel pin above since I was very small…1982 to be exact. It’s vintage Hallmark, and even though it’s rather cutesy and child-like, I still wear it every fall. (And I occasionally troll Etsy for other vintage Hallmark pins because I love them so…) Ahhh, nostalgia…gets me every time.

Tagged celebrations, decorating, Edgar Allan Poe, Halloween, home, homemaking, memories

Oct 09 2012

4 Comments

celebrations, Halloween, holidays, homemaking

Halloween Treats

Halloween decorating is coming along slowly this year…until motivation arrived in my mailbox today with my treats from Tag Team Tompkins! The Tompkins ladies (a mother & daughter team) turn hand lettering and paper cutting into gorgeous letterpress designs. These are (obviously) Halloween-themed, but they offer everyday designs, too. The paper is nice and thick and the letterpress impression is just perfect. I like that their shop is filled with classic black and white designs, but I love that they went all out with the silver ink on black paper for these. I’m going to hang up some twine over my desk and clip them up with tiny clothespins. (I hope it looks as good as it does in my mind.) Tomorrow, the Halloween decorating will happen. In the meantime, here is Presley enjoying her favorite October spot:

Tagged celebrations, decorating, Edgar Allan Poe, Halloween, home, homemaking, letterpress

Sep 21 2012

4 Comments

celebrations, crafty adventures, little red toolbox

my little red toolbox | Sakura Stardust Clear Gel Pen

I’m afraid that the fabulousness of this pen is not going to be conveyed in my amateur photographs…

Remember when gel pens were super-popular? I gave them as holiday gifts to my students when I first started working in education…the kids loved them! I personally never saw the draw…until recently…

Sakura’s Stardust Gelly Roll in clear is my favorite tool to use when I want to create a little sparkly accent on cards, envelopes and decorations. It works just like a gel pen, but it leaves a little trail of glittery ink behind. I used it to color in the acorns on the envelope and to outline the acorns on the decorations (which are part of this Acorn Garland Kit from Paper Source).

It is pretty subtle (you can barely see it on the lighter papers of the acorn decorations, but in person it is noticeable), so I wouldn’t really recommend writing a letter with this particular gel pen, but the Stardust line comes in a bunch of colors, if glittery writing is your thing. I personally just love it because it’s a mess-free way to add a little pizzazz to my projects… without the risk of getting glitter in my eye!

*This and all posts about my little red toolbox are not sponsored posts. I just thought it would be fun to share my favorite tools for paper crafting. For more about my little red toolbox, go here.

Tagged celebrations, crafts, decorating, little red toolbox, mail art, snail mail