Luminous Boutique Blog

White Christmas

2009-11-06T18:20:00.005-07:00

We haven't had a Christmas at home since moving into our house! Two years ago was hubby's family, this last year was my family. This year we are staying home and enjoying all the tradition that comes with it. I recently repainted my living room a bright cream and all my dark furniture and black and white photography is popping against it, which inspired me to add some white to the room... this made me think how beautiful and simple a "White Christmas" decor theme would be this year!

So the search began for cheap (important) easy (more important) and kid friendly (most important) decor. Good old Martha had some great ideas:

1. Paper Doily Wreath... isn't that just breathtaking? Look how it glows!

2. Stiffened Doily's hung as snowflakes in the window. It reminds me of some stiffened hand crochet doilies my mom had on our tree for years and years.

3. Doily tree star topper but I imagine them, rather than a tree topper (or along with) as ornaments, hung from the ceiling with mono filament, or strung together as a garland! Imagine how gorgeous they would be with a light dusting of iridescent powder?

So, with those three ideas in mind I set out to find materials and price out what this may cost me. I don't crochet or know anyone who does so instead of using stiffened fabric doilies I am going to use paper ones, which makes everything easier as all three projects require the use of paper doilies.
Locally, I could only find them at Michaels. I picked up a few packs today to start messing with. A pack of 4" doilies was 1.99 and contains 30. A pack of 6" doilies was 1.99 and contained 20.

Tips for the projects:

1. Martha's wreath suggests using what are known (in this country) as bouquet cuffs. They are shaped like a cone and are meant to have stems inserted into them. The problem is I could not only not find paper ones ANYWHERE in the US, but when I did find them (from a German supplier) they were WAY out of my budget at almost .99c per cuff. As you will see from Martha's post, they claim they used about 100 of them.. wow that's one pricey wreath! SO.. my mind starts turning and I realise that I can make my own paper doily cones quite simply. You simply cut 1/2 of the way into a doily and overlap at the cut, lining up the pattern at the top and tape or glue. At the tip of the cone, snip a space large enough to slip the Christmas light through.
EXTRA TIP: For more detailed instructions and photos on how to make such a paper cone, visit the brilliant blog of Zakka Life (here, she uses them to make Doily flower cubes.)
I purchased an 18" wire frame for 2.99, and using the prices at Michaels it should cost me about 6.00 in doilies, and a string of lights to make my wreath. All said and done the project should be less than 15.00 total and stored carefully should last for years to come!

2. As I mentioned before I don't have any crochet doilies so I am simply going to use more paper ones, perhaps folding them and snipping away at the centers ala 2st grade, and letting my kids tape them to our front window and front door with some double stick. Super simple and its really nostalgic and vintage feeling to me. I may attempt a curtain of them as well, by using a tension curtain hanger and stringing some on mono filament, but only if my kids agree not to yank it down 10 times a day (not likely.)

3. I may stagger some of the stars on garlands like these, also by Martha. I think these can be used sparingly to create a great effect and stored properly should last for years to come as well!

My best friend is flying here in ONE WEEK (cant wait!) and staying until the 15th of December which gives us plenty of time to work on these great crafts. I will post pictures of our progress and any new ideas I stumble on in the meantime, I cant wait to see how it all turns out.

The simple things in life are so good

2009-06-17T14:59:00.006-06:00

This morning I peeked at my lavender bushes and realised it was DEFINITELY time for my first crop. I spent about an hour carefully cutting and trimming and I ended up with quite a few bundles and lots left over for some lavender water, so that's what the kids and I have been working on this rainy afternoon.

I often forget how good the simple things feel.. how important they are. I grew up on a farm, not a working farm, a family farm I guess you could say. My dad grew Christmas trees and we had 2 barns and almost 5 acres of fun to explore, grow on, learn on. We had chickens, cows, goats, dogs, a barn cat.. we had owls and bats and bees and everything a kid needs to learn and explore and appreciate what life and nature really are about. My mom always had the most gorgeous gardens.. so beautiful people would stop in front of our house to tell her. Lavender was my favorite thing she grew.. I would sit in my tree fort and make "potions" with her roses and lavender, and the sweet old lady down the street would always so sweetly thank me and try them on. What a brave woman!

I love the simplicity and magic of going out and cutting leaves and buds off a plant I grew myself, bringing it in and carefully sorting and bundling, hanging it up to dry and boiling and distilling the rest of the leaves and buds to make a refreshing lavender spray. I love knowing that in a few short days I will have dried lavender buds to make soap and laundry satchels and drawer inserts and I can smell this wonderful spring smell for months to come. I love the joy my kids get on their face that this is a project they can help with and they love the finished product.

I need to buy some fine mist sprayers, I'm really looking forward to keeping a few bottles of the lavender water in the fridge so I can spray myself down when it gets really hot this summer. Some of it I will use in my lavender soap, some I might put up for sale.. if I am not too greedy about it, lol. I think this summer I am going to fill my yard with lavender. I have roses that are gorgeous but I don't get as much joy from growing much else... I tried a myriad of things but I am just not used to growing in the climate here and I don't get satisfaction out of it the way I do with Lavender. This year, I am going to go for the gold and grow only what makes me so happy. Next springs first harvest will be big, that's for sure!

Freezer paper "screen printing" Tutorial- ROBOTS!

2009-06-13T23:41:00.005-06:00

So I have been known to spill bleach/cold process soap/paint/food on my shirts. Every single time I swear I wont do it again, I'll be more careful... but alas, I have a drawer full of "bleach shirts". What to do with them? Now I have a solution.

Check out my new robot T shirt!!!

Every time I look at it I start laughing.. I just love his lack of expression and broken heart.. and the fact that I made him pink is just utterly superb in my world. So how did I do this? SUPER simple!

A few months ago I found a tutorial for using freezer paper to "screen print" clothes.. I dont have that original link.. but here are the simple simple steps in my own words.

#1. Prepare your image to "copy" onto the freezer paper. As you can see here I was inspired by old school robots like this fellow:
mini Q&A...*what is freezer paper?* Essentially its wax paper, but its only "waxy" on ONE side, making it simple to iron down the wax side to create your seal for leak free painting. I don't think you can find it everywhere, but I know they have it at Walmart and it comes in a GIANT roll that's very affordable.. which means LOTS of Tshirts! Buy the white, versus the brown, for easier tracing.

Using paint.net I made a simple boxy robot image, printed it out on a piece of printer paper, and traced it onto the freezer paper.

Now- remember that what you want "painted" you need to cut out, and what you want "tshirt" you leave on.. basically the opposite of your image you are tracing... so for my robot, all of his black body was "cut out", the "outline" ironed on, and the detail pieces like his eyes, mouth, and "heart panel" cut out as well, and placed/ironed last.

#2. Place your freezer paper SHINY SIDE DOWN onto your Tshirt (or whatever you are printing on), iron it down piece by piece, placing your detail pieces last. When you have it ironed down really well, you are ready to paint.

mini Q&A: what kind of paint do I use? You have options here... acrylic craft paint will work but may need MANY coats and may flake off in the washer. Fabric paint is best. I used acrylic because its all I had on hand tonight, and it dries quickly.. but I may use fabric paint in the future because its denser and doesn't soak in as much. NOW! STOP before you paint, and make sure you put something inside your shirt.. a piece of cardboard, another piece of freezer paper.. just SOMETHING to keep the paint from leaking through to the other side of your shirt.. because that would be a bummer.

Back to the paint.. You want to "dot" it on, as if you are doing a stencil on the wall, until you have a decent base coat.. then you can finish with a larger brush to get a smooth finish. Peel the paper off while the paint is still tacky but not wet enough to run.

Let it sit and dry for at least 2-4 hours before hanging it up and admiring. Isn't it FAB!? I love it! I am quite addicted to the process already, and my husband asked for a robot shirt of his own.. though, not in pink. What I love most is it would be so easy to add more detail.. like more hearts around him, by just adding on more layers of freezer paper.. or even doing multiple colors! So many options...

Happy crafting!

Is it getting hot in here, or is it just my dress?

2009-05-23T16:48:00.006-06:00

Summer is HERE ladies and gents. Well, maybe not officially.. but there has been 5 days of over 80 degree weather here so official or not, its hot and I need to update my wardrobe.

I also need to stay on a budget, so that got me thinking. How many summer looks can I pull together using discount chains but also still look cute?

Outfit #1... Hitting the town with hubby.

Twisted Flower Knit Tunic, $15.84 from Forever 21

Fab Mid-Length leggings in Black, $4.50- like these from Forever 21 (Walmart also has these for only $5.00.)

Outfit #2... Bike riding with the 'fam!Some nice capris (so my pants dont get caught in the chain!) and a nice airy cotton shirt!

Tandy Plaid Shirt II, $13.80 from Forever 21

Roll-Up Ripstop Cargos, $20.00 from Old Navy

Outfit #3.. Cotton sundress! so versatile! Grocery shopping.. slipping over my swimsuit to head to the beach..hanging out in the yard...

Azalea Floral Dress, $22.80 from Forever 21.

Ruffle Hem Woven Dress, $19.80 from Forever 21.

Some nice tank tops, some camis, some flip flops and I am good to go!

What has Kristin been up to? Soap, Watercolors, and Journals!

2009-05-14T13:15:00.009-06:00

I haven't blogged in awhile, just haven't been up for it.. but I have been keeping busy! While waiting for our new camera to get here, I just worked worked worked. Some of the new things wont be on ETSY, they will be saved for an upcoming show in July.. but I wanted to give an update on what I have been working on!

First off.. mini journals! I take mini composition notebooks and hand sew covers for them using eco-felt and cotton. The covers last forever, you can just change out the notebook as you use it up.
Here are a few of the designs.. sorry the pic is a bit whack but its just to give you a sneak peek.

there will be about 15 or so to choose from when I get them all finished and uploaded (as soon as DH gets a memory card for the new camera!)

Second.. watercolor paintings and cards! I don't have many that I am ready to photograph yet. I guess these feel more personal and so I am a bit more reluctant to show them yet... but I have a few of the smaller ones, cards, pictured in with some of the soaps at the end of this post. Those ones I am thinking would make ADORABLE birthday cards for little ones!!

The next thing I have been working on is cold process soap! Its been something I have been interested in for years, but as I am starting school for massage therapy, body and bath products have been in the front of my mind lately. My skin has been going crazy since moving to this hot, dry climate.. and so I want to stop using detergents on my skin and get back to basics. I have so far made a lavender tea tree oil soap for complexion and a coconut milk unscented soap for a nice moisturizing body bar. I'm really pleased with the results but it will be another 3-4 weeks before they are cured and ready to use.

I am also developing some recipes for a solid lotion bar, Vegan whipped lip butter (with NO beeswax... I'm going for more of a creamy non-sticky whipped butter texture than a balm); and of course working on massage oils, whipped body butters, body polish, and lotions which I would use everyday in my career as a massage therapist.

Here are a few pics of my soaps (so far) curing! I have a big walk in closet that we have been using as craft and clothing storage that I am going to clean out and use as my soap curing room. Its perfect as it stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer, already has plenty of shelves built in, and has a LOCK ON THE DOOR (very important with my ankle biters running around)!! I just need to get it done this weekend!

~some of the leftover bits from trimming. Going to save those and give out as samples with my business cards at craft fair - pictured in the back, some of my "kid" themed watercolor cards

~ Round soaps formed in a PVC pipe, these are coconut milk infused unscented bars. Coconut oil, Coconut milk, Distilled water, Olive Oil, Canola oil, Sodium Hydroxide, and soybean oil.

~ Some of the unscented coconut milk soaps poured into a mini brownie pan, for sample size boxes.

~Lavender and tea tree oil complexion soap; with Coconut oil, Canola Oil, Olive Oil, sodium hydroxide, and lavender infused distilled water.

Shop Closed for Bereavement

2009-04-20T13:06:00.000-06:00

Dont know when I'll be back. Thanks for understanding

Totally new Eco friendly Headbands!

2009-04-03T00:52:00.001-06:00

These fun and flirty fashion statements are hand crafted by me using eco-felt, which I hand cut and stitch to a skinny stretch goody headband. I dont alter the length of the headband in any way, so it truly is one size fits all.

I can do these styles of headbands in any color combo that you like! I started out small with just these three but if you request it I can make them in just about any color you can dream.

Its not just a headband, either. You can wrap this around your wrist, wrap it around a bun, wear it as a necklace.. let your imagination run wild!

How cool would this be????

2009-02-19T08:46:00.005-07:00

I may have the opportunity to sell my jewelry in a gift shop in my home town! I'm not going to count on it.. details are still fuzzy...but it would be really cool if it happened. I bought some genuine beach glass last night and I am going to set myself on the task of getting some pieces made up that reflect the area, but still have my style.

I am also planning to do the farmers market at least a few times this year, but we will just have to see. Its totally unfortunate that my husbands schedule works the way it does, because he will work every other Saturday, meaning unless I hire a babysitter, there is no logical way for me to do the market. My kids are just too young to come with me, it wouldn't be fair. He will be back on day-shift by then, so we will be able to do every other Saturday.. and it is very inexpensive to do a booth there.. so I think I will give it a shot and see what happens.

I'm a bad bad blogger!

2009-02-14T10:53:00.006-07:00

Okay I'll admit it, I let the blog kinda go.. I just havent had the energy to keep it going this winter. It seems to be dragging on and on and on, and its pretty discouraging.

I've been having a hard time finding the time.. (between trying to keep the house clean, which is practically impossible with two toddlers locked inside it all day long every day) - and trying to keep my sanity with DH on night shift again, I just havent had much time for anything but sleeping, cooking, and creating.

We definitely have the winter blues here.. its so endless.. snow every day, 20 degrees outside... no motivation to go anywhere, and nowhere to go even if there was motivation. I'm really looking forward to the summer, when the kids and I can go in the backyard and they can play on their jungle gym, and I can sit at the table and sew or make jewelry.. all is well in the world when kids can be outside having fun instead of cooped up in front of a TV all winter!!

So in other news, I have three new lines of items in my shop... First off, I have pincushion rings available in an array of colors. They are $6.00 and I can do custom color combo's if requested.

The next new item, which hasn't been posted to the store yet, are new styles of floral pins. They will be priced at $5.00 per pin. My favorite is this water lily
And last but not least, I am very proud of these new wood jewelry pieces. I have pendants, pins, rings, earrings, and much more to come. They are all made of Wood, decoupaged with decorative paper, carefully sanded, sealed, and attached, and then mounted to either rings or jewelry findings! $3.00-$9.00

To view all of these products in detail, don't forget to visit my ETSY store at www.LuminousMom.Etsy.com.

What I'm working on:
Microwave and heating pads for back pain, neck pain, knee pain, menstrual cramps, and other bumps and bruises. They will be double lined, well structured, and filled with the finest materials.
What I'm listening to:
American Boy - Adelle and Kanye West
Current Mood:
Thrilled! I am so excited about this line of heating pads. I have suffered back pain for years, and my dad has suffered back pain his whole adult life. It makes me very happy to know there is a safe natural alternative to electric heating pads or wet towels that can scald - that I can offer at a decent price and ensure the quality.

My shop was on TV!

2009-01-10T15:06:00.003-07:00

Gotta love it folks. I know I havent updated as much as I should.. but I have been buuuuusy! I re-did my website (still a work in progress) and I have been working hard on this CPSIA stuff.. now we have something to show for it, the local news actually did a story on us!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

read the story here: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=5276063
enjoy!
The dresses you see are by LevityInBrevity.Etsy.com and BugsnBees.etsy.com. The diaper covers and quilt are by OliveJanes.etsy.com and the rest is me

NO resolutions!

2008-12-31T18:59:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me today, as I read countless resolutions from people all over the internet... Myspace, Blogs... Cafemom... that I don't have anything I really want to make myself work on.. there is nothing bothering me.. nothing I feel like I need to "fix." Now...I am DEFINATELY not "perfect"... I know this, and that's not what I am saying. But for the first time in my life... I accept me for WHO I AM. I love me, I love my life and my friends and family... so for the first new years I can remember, I am NOT going to resolve to fix anything!

Resolutions... its such a nice thought... "I will promise myself to ______ and it will happen.. no matter how many times I have tried and failed to do it before." Hrmph. Not for me.. not anymore. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it NEVER works for some people. Some people are totally motivated by something like a resolution... and I can see why. Its therapeutic, really... because its your chance to say what is wrong (admitting it is half the battle!) and coming up with a way to fix it.

What I WILL do is continue to live my life as I do now... I will continue to love my husband with my whole heart, and appreciate him as much as I can. I will continue to tell him, every second of the day that I can, how amazing he is. How smart he is, and what an amazing provider he is. I will continue to do my best to give my kids everything I can... love, knowledge, fun, creativity, and empathy. I will continue to do the best work I can do to further my future, as well as my families future. I will continue to love and accept my home, my car, my clothes, my body... as MINE.. and I will NOT compare myself to anyone else. I will NOT play the "keeping up with the Jones" game and I will be PROUD and happy for what we have.

Maybe this means I DO have a resolution... and that is to simply to keep doing what I am doing, because it finally feels right. I am doing it for ME.. not for anyone else. These are scary times but we are OK and we will continue to be OK as long as we have eachother... and after taking a giant step back and looking at my life as a whole, I feel like for the first time I can say... this is good. I have everything I need, I love my chubby thighs, I love our house, I love my husband, I love my old Durango, I don't need to "compete" with anyone... and I don'tgive a flying monkeys butt what anyone else has to say about it! THIS is what I have been looking for all these years... its so beautiful to finally have it. I'm not perfect... but I am happy. I truly hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season, and has some time to stop and reflect on what we have.. instead of what we don't. Love to you all

Happy new years everyone!

I'm leaving on a jet plane

2008-12-21T19:19:00.002-07:00

.. I do know when I'll be back again... the 28th! We're flying home to be with my family, Brian has to stay home because he works the 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th from 5:45am-8:30pm... we will miss him so so much but it will be nice to see my family again, we havent seen eachother since September.
I'm a wee bit nervous about flying alone with an almost-2 and almost-4 year olds... but I just need to suck it up and stay calm! I sewed myself a big carry on bag, and a small carry on (purse) sized bag.. and I am just going to try and stay calm and stay happy so my nervous energy doesn't affect them! I love flying.. but I don't really like flying with kids (anyones kids.. I don't even like when other people fly with kids.. it stresses me out just to see them have to worry about their own kids! lol!) I just think it is not in a childs nature to enjoy being stuck in a seat for hours on end.. then again, what is school? hehe.
Toys and treats are packed, and its only a 2 hour flight.. so I am holding out loads of hope that this will be super easy and not too terrible stressful. It will be my dads 50'th Birthday on the 28th, so on the 27th we will have a party for him, and probably a small cake for Siddalee as well, since she will be 2 on Jan 4th. Time flies Bebes.

Happy Holidays to all of you! I may update but it will only be with pictures, as I was a lazy butt and packed all the gifts I meant to take photos of.. and I really dont want to un-pack said gifts... or ruin the surprise for all of my family who will be receiving them!! I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season, full of love and joy and family and friends... and HOORAY ladies, the holiday shopping season is over! You may now resume breathing as normal..

Luggage, Photoshoots, and Crepes

2008-12-17T00:48:00.002-07:00

Oh man. I've been a bad girl and I have not blogged in a few days, but I have a valid excuse... PURSES.. so many purses my eyes are beginning to cross. Chances are, if you are a family member or friend of mine and will be seeing me when I fly to Washington, you will be receiving a purse from me. I decided not to "assign" the bags to anyone because I just cant choose FOR people what they will like.. instead I am making a pile of bags and everyone will just pick and fight over the one they want, lol.
So, that has kept me pretty occupied! I am really picking up on the plaid trend this year, as well as gold tones that I used in grommets and chain.. they are my favorite bags yet. I incorporated ruffles and felt flowers in some, and others are very simple and clean.
Wednesday night or Thursday morning I will be doing a little photo shoot of all the bags I have completed so I am excited for that, they range in color and size and shape so there is alot to show! I also sewed myself some new luggage tonight.. I used some left over faux leather from an apulstry project, and some plaid to make a shoulder bag and a carry on to hold toys/cups/treats for when the kids and I fly to Washington in 6 days.

Last but not least I did some experimenting with crepes.. I made chocolate, and coconut... the chocolate was a little blah, but the coconut was shockingly good, funny considering I dont really "love" coconut! Everyone seemed to love them. Epic win!

CPSIA update...

2008-12-11T14:51:00.002-07:00

still waiting to hear from governor, news station, and Small business Ombudsman on our concerns.. nobody seems too "hasty" to get in touch with me about it. I will continue calling and emailing daily until they do.

Contact Patti (Patty?) Bittner with your concerns:
http://www.cpsc.gov/businfo/ombud.html
She is the Small Business Ombudsman, it is her job to provide guidance to small business.. thats us ladies. Im sure she is swamped, but shes the right person to contact.
Email her at : PBittner@cpsc.gov
Call her at: Tele. (888) 531-9070
- on her answering machine she also provides this number: 301-504-7945 (but the above number is toll free)

hope I hear from someone soon... not holding my breath.. but I AM holding my governor and senators accountable. They will hear from me every day until I hear from them. Dont let up ladies, we DEMAND answers.

Little red riding hood

2008-12-05T23:14:00.003-07:00

Just a quick check in because I have been a busy bee and havent been posting!

I am so excited, I went to Hancock fabrics today and plunked down around $100 but I have some AMAZING new fabrics to show for it... I am making Sidda a "little red riding hood" but I am making it reversable, a black "satin" on the inside, and the red is a luscious ruby suede... I'm thinking this will get alot more use!

What I am dying to do now, however... is make adult hooded capes. Maybe not red ones, or maybe just ONE red one.. but practical ones because I LOVE how chic they are.
I also got some fantastic grey and purple suiting's for purses (thinking family christmas) some cute brown with pink floral for a skirt for Sidda, and a PERFECT cotton that will compliment the Dupioni silk button pillow I made for my best friend.

I am really excited to start getting everything together for Christmas.. everyones gifts have to travel on the plane with me and the kids, so I am considering rushing through and shipping them in a week (its really only two weeks until we fly to Washington!!!!!!) but we'll see how it goes.

I decided we are not going to put up our tree this year.. but I came up with a solution we are all satisfied with as far as holiday decor so I will show you all tomorrow!

No etsy sales... but a custom order!

2008-12-02T11:41:00.002-07:00

Well, still no ETSY sales but I did get a profitable custom order! I'm excited because this will allow me to be able to purchase more supplies, I have a few things I am dying to try but with the economy the way it is I really cant afford to buy the supplies I need without.. sales!
I really want to make a line of skirts.. I love skirts I think they are so versatile and with the array of fantastic fabrics out there in the world they can be anything you want them to be.. classy, fun, dressy, mod, cute.. anything.

Well, off to package up half the order! Some of it will have to wait until Thursday when I can get supplies but most of it I already had made so thats great!

Do you think my family would laugh at me if any of them ask for Christmas ideas and I say fabric store gift cards? lol

"In Character" - Vanity Fair style, starring me and my guinea

2008-12-01T20:16:00.005-07:00

I love when my vanity fair comes in the mail every month... I savour every page like a rich piece of chocolate.. the ads (always giving me ideas for future reference.. you know, when I am a rich and famous boutique owner, lol).. the "style" pages.. crave worthy things worth over $5000 that I could probably make with a glue gun and some left over sequins... but what I like the most is a tiny little 1/3 page feature called "In Character"...starring (insert star here)

Here's whoopi doing her Characters...
(image property of vanityfair.com; written, directed, and photographed by Howard Schatz March 2008)
Left: You’re the ever obeisant wife of a charismatic televangelist, and you’ve just learned that a male prostitute is about to go public with his story of a years-long affair with your husband.
Center: You’re a fabulously wealthy Fifth Avenue matron, greeting your building’s doormen—whom you never tip—with a cheery “Merry Christmas!”
Right: You’re Barbara Walters, interviewing a recently divorced actress about her latest movie, suddenly going for the jugular with the question “Did it hurt more that he left you for a younger woman?”

~*~*~

WELL, I just adore this feature.. so Turbo and I, being as bored as we are (taking days off from work doesnt come easy to me, this is what I do when I am bored. Oh my.) decided to do our own "In Character" photo shoot. Enjoy! Or.. be scared.. whatever. lol

You’re a ditzy socialite known for nothing more than partying and having lots of pets… you have just witnessed your celeb-utard friend step out of a very low car, in a very short skirt… oops, no panties!

You are a loser at a bar, using some cheesy pick up line. "Hey girl, whats your sign?"

You're a 13 year old girl about to have your first kiss... adorable kiss face you practiced in the mirror? FAIL

You're a presidential candidate at an epic meet and greet fund raiser, holding your smile in place as you work the endless rope line

See how much fun it is!! lol

Gave in and made a Myspace.. 10% off!

2008-12-01T01:00:00.001-07:00

so I went ahead and made a Myspace, honestly I think I needed a place (other than facebook) which I could cut out the personal info, and just focus 100% on promotion and business, so thats what this page will be!
it is www.myspace.com/Luminousboutique
and if you "friend" me and read my first blog, there may be a surpise in store for you... how does 10% off sound? Woohoo!

IKEA fabrics, and why they rock

2008-11-28T23:22:00.007-07:00

Many people don't know this... but IKEA has fabric by the yard for sale, AMAZING fabric! They have for years.. but lately the prints have become more and more appealing! Now, an easy design trick to know is that..well, they come in sets or "series" and those sets are pre-designed to compliment each other, aka.. use one as a pillow, one for your windows, and another in a frame and voila, you have a color story! The only downside is you cant order it online, so you either have to live by an IKEA or have a friend willing to go buy some for you.

My latest obsession is the GUNILLA line. It has a distinct eastern flair with cute widdle birdies, orange for a pop of color, and the perfect colors for my room!
Black/White

Multicolor

Orange

Black/Multicolor

Turquoise

The whole lot!

I'm loving the turquoise and orange for pillows and pop art around the room... and the black/multicolor for curtain panels. I already have lovely black/brown panels on my windows but these would be nice, maybe sewn in 6" bands down the sides. The multicolor would make a PERFECT throw for cuddling up on the couch, and I see the black/white as being amazing lampshades... although I want more orange so that would work too!

I need to save up, but at only 7.99 per yard its very economical and its high quality cotton. They are very strong fabrics, I spent alot of time touching and coveting when we were at IKEA last weekend.. I highly recommend these for anything and everything! In fact.. I think they would make amazing fabrics for apparel (if lined, as they are not super soft, although not rough either) and accessories!

The other lines are just as amazing.. LENA line is dining room bound, eventually! INGER line has my kitchen all in a tizzy... ah if only fabric were free, lol.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/Textiles/10655/

You've just gotta love it!

Stuffed Mushrooms... Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T19:14:00.005-07:00

So its a bit late to make these for Thanksgiving dinner, but they are SO good I guarantee they will be a hit on Christmas or your next holiday party!

I stumbled on the recipe as a teenager and made them for my mom one year, now we make them every year any time we have an excuse, lol... but being that they are filled with bacon and cheddar, they are not as healthy as they could be... so I slimmed the recipe down a bit! Of course you can still make it the other way.. I'll include those instructions too.. but the taste wasnt all that affected and they were still delicious!

Slimmed down stuffed mushrooms

20 mushrooms, washed and the stems removed and set aside (SAVE THE STEMS!!!!)

6 slices of turkey bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped (in original recipe you use 1/2 package of bacon, lol)
1/2 of a small red onion, chopped small
the stems of your mushrooms, chopped small
1 cup low-fat sharp cheddar, shredded (in original recipe you use 1 cup regular cheddar, and 1 cup on top!)
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Saute your onion and chopped bacon until onion is soft, add in chopped mushroom stems and saute for 1 minute with pepper. Add in 1 cup cheddar and stir until it forms a mass.
Spoon into mushroom caps (tip: use a mini muffin tin to hold them flat and upright!) and then place in your preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until mushrooms are softened but not soggy!

optional: sprinkle a bit more cheddar on top before baking.

Calories: (according to Calorieking...)
6 slices of turkey bacon have - 180 calories
1/2 of a small red onion, chopped = 1/2 cup red onion - 32 calories
1 cup of lowfat cheddar cheese - 392 calories

so counting the mushrooms (around 15 calories each) - its about 45 calories each... 2-4 is a decent serving, so they are not that bad for you! Enjoy everyone!

ooooooh!!

2008-11-24T19:43:00.002-07:00

So, because I am 100% certain her mom would not ever see this... I can freely post that I am so excited, my friend Haley is getting married!! She just asked me to be part of her wedding in October of next year! I am so happy for her :) All my friends are catching up with me finally... first Bethy this September and now Haley next October.. I wont be the only married girl in the group! hehe. Plus, this means I get to go to Washington in October of next year which is always a good idea :)

IKEA!!

2008-11-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

We're goin' to IKEA... gonna eat a lot of peachessssss...

Bursting.with.joy!

2008-11-21T16:26:00.003-07:00

I am so happy! I had a full afternoon of two sleeping kids to work! I finished my air fresheners and the packaging, AND.... my new felt jewelry is coming along! This is the first sneak peek anyone gets at it! This is the first design.. I will have earrings, necklaces, bracelets, chokers, pendants.. you know, the works... but this one just happened. I am so happy with it! as far as I can find, this is completely original to ETSY.. and it happened so organically.. I think I have found my signature item that just makes me smile. I just love how these come together and they are worth all the pins stabbing me and all the swearing that goes into making something so tiny, lol! I hope you guys like them too :)

So here they are!! The new packaging for the air fresheners.. the new cards for jewelry and floral pins; and the new felt flower jewelry. These ones are buttons in the center but I bought some pearls today to use in the next necklace.

The Owl, The Whale, and the Coffee cup

2008-11-21T00:11:00.003-07:00

No, not a bedtime story.. more custom orders! Woo!

Aside from that, I've done a few more floral pins and tomorrow, after re-stocking my ink (stupid HP printer!) I will have new product cards for pinning the little lovelies on.. and new gift tags/business cards. Cant wait!! I am working on some super cute packaging for my air fresheners too.. the key is the packaging needs to be air-tight.. but also needs to be cute. I'm thinking penny candy style bags, with a spot for me to hand-write the scent in so I don't have to print a new label every time I get a custom order, after all, they are ALL custom since the buyer picks the scent. Cant wait to try the new packaging out!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Tomorrow is grocery, park, fabric store, craft store, post office, produce stand, office depot day... not to mention that pile of laundry yet to be folded... so I doubt I will be on here much. Wish me luck!

Custom order, so fun!!

2008-11-19T23:53:00.004-07:00

So my sister sent me a txt today asking if I could make 6 to-go coffee cup air fresheners for her... she's a barista and she thought they would make great presents for her co-workers, and I had so much fun making them!! I think they are pretty darn close to the real thing.. they are going to be scented vanilla because we agreed that's probably the safest bet to please 6 different women!

I even made tiny little coffee cup wrappers for them with vintage buttons!

to celebrate, because these coffee cups really make me that happy... I am discounting all of my little felt creatures by $2.00 each!!
These one of a kind lovelies are now only $6.00 each.. a hell of a savings, considering I saw an owl pin on ETSY today sell for 16.50 and it wasn't nearly as cute as mine. (says me.. lol)My OWL was featured on cafemom daily buzz after all!

check it out!! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5712607§ion_id=5714986

Here are the coffee cups: I love em! (sorry the pics are crap! its night-time and the lighting in my house is far from superior.)

New floral pins!!

2008-11-19T14:32:00.004-07:00

Today has been really bad for my ill family member, and I needed a distraction.. I needed to work, so I started working on some new floral pins today and I cant wait to take pics of them.. I am making a Sego Lily (state flower of Utah.. you learn new things every day.. lol), a white "trumpet" lily, an Orchid, and a peony. Pics coming later!

Cafemom ETSY Black Friday Sale!

2008-11-18T13:28:00.002-07:00

These beautiful talented ladies are offering sales! Check out the offers below!

CAFEMOM ETSY MOMS
BLACK FRIDAY SALE
_________________________

20% off of one item and Free Shipping off of orders over $40!
http://www.hopscotchsquare.etsy.com/

15% off of all items
http://www.turtlemommy.etsy.com/

Free shipping on all: Sensory blankets, Twisty Towels,
Baby Bibs, and Cloth Wipes. Black Friday Only.
Shipping will already be adjusted.
http://www.mamaslittlemonkeys.etsy.com/

Free shipping on all single flower pens. 20% off pen bouquets.
Black Friday only. Prices will already be adjusted.
http://www.fleurdeink.etsy.com/

15% off entire store
http://www.createmeacanvas.etsy.com/

20% off entire shop. Free shipping on orders over $50. Value packs
will be offered this day only on my Boobie Brigade Collection: Buy a
nursing cover, get a FREE pair of bamboo lined nursing pads milk minders
with paid order.
http://www.jazzyjemz.etsy.com/

Black Friday Sale. 20% off all items in store and
free shipping on orders over $50.
http://www.childishthoughts.etsy.com/

Free Shipping!
http://www.beautifulbowbaby.etsy.com/

15% off my entire store and free shipping for orders over $25
http://www.bowsforbaby.etsy.com/

Free shipping!
http://www.keepsakesbyjanell.etsy.com/

Free shipping on all orders!
http://www.stitchnlove.etsy.com/

For Black Friday Only: 20% off of all items. Free shipping on all purchases over $40.
http://www.ohhsopretty.etsy.com/

15% off everything in my store (even deeper discount on SALE items) and get a free
surprise tuxedo bow with every order! Must put CEM in the message to seller upon
checkout and wait for a revised invoice.
http://www.shelleybeansboutique.etsy.com/

Free shipping on everything and then 10% off of $50 order
http://www.outoftheboxx.etsy.com/

10% off of everything in my store and free shipping on orders over $25. Use code
BLKFRI in the message to seller at checkout and wait for a new invoice.
http://www.tarastieups.etsy.com/

Free shipping on all orders over $20. 10% off entire shop. Black Friday - Sunday only.
http://www.seemommysew.etsy.com/

Black Friday only: 40% off everything in both of my shops. No minimum purchase required.
S & H not included. Must enter promo: Black Friday in notes to seller at checkout for discount.
http://www.jacquijcrochet.etsy.com/
http://www.shutterbuys.etsy.com/

All earrings are only $4. Plus bracelets are on sale too, and everything comes gift-wrapped.
http://www.brocklee.etsy.com/

15% off of everything. Shipping not included, must put CEM in message to seller and wait
for revised invoice.
http://www.donotdisturb.etsy.com/

Free shipping as always. 10% off of everything on Black Friday. Please mention when
ordering to get discount.
http://www.madebyjade.etsy.com/

10% off total order not including shipping (wait for revised invoice). Plus free bow with
every order.
http://www.beacreative.etsy.com/

20% off all items in store. Prices will already be adjusted.
http://www.luminiousmom.etsy.com/

Free Shipping! 10% off total order on Black Friday.
http://www.jesscreations.etsy.com/

Black Friday Only. All sock monkeys, sock plushies, and more will be ON SALE!
http://www.eleganthobbies.etsy.com/

15% off entire store. Black Friday only!
http://www.momofmak.etsy.com/

Black Friday sale. 20% off all items, not including shipping.
http://www.tjb1127.etsy.com/

15% off all in-stock items. Free shipping on ANY order over $29.
http://www.dawnberries.etsy.com/

Buy 2, get the 3rd half off.
http://www.mommyslittlehelper.etsy.com/

Free shipping
http://www.1maddieandme.etsy.com/

Buy two, get one free
http://www.ollieollie.etsy.com/

Hair pretties, children's jewelry, & key fobs. Black Friday sale. Take 20% off total purchase
(excluding shipping) and FREE shipping on orders over $10. Order between midnight the 27th until noon the 28th to receive the discount. Amount will be refunded after payment is made.
http://www.sweetsoutherndesign.etsy.com/

Black Friday Only! 10% off my entire store, and FREE shipping on all orders $40 or more (before shipping)
http://www.smox.etsy.com/

25% off listed prices AND free shipping on all orders over $50
http://www.hecates.etsy.com/

15% off all items and free shipping on orders $25 or more.
http://www.preciousangelbows.etsy.com/

10% off all items and free shipping (within the US) for orders $25 and over. CEMBF in
in notes to seller.
http://www.cozycabinmom.etsy.com/

Black Friday Only. 10% off my entire store, and FREE shipping on all orders $25 or more (before shipping).
http://www.shopdavinia.etsy.com/

20% off and free shipping. Prices and shipping will be adjusted to reflect sale price
and free shipping.
http://www.queenbeebows.etsy.com/

50% off all full size Puzzle Ball Christmas Ornaments (sale does not apply to mini-puzzle ball
ornaments) 50% off all pocket mirrors and keychains.
http://www.donnapool.etsy.com/

Black Friday 11/28- Receive free shipping (US ORDERS ONLY) and half off international shipping. Please wait for an updated invoice before paying! *Bonus* Receive a free clip set with minimum $10 purchase in addition to shipping discounts.
Saturday & Sunday 11/28-11/29 - Free clip set with any purchase of $10 and higher.
http://www.manda5462.etsy.com/

Spa sets are back! Just in time for the holidays! For Black Friday only, these sets will be listed for $15! (Will be $25 after that)
http://www.bigblueeyes.etsy.com/

10% off (excluding shipping)
http://www.time4muzic.etsy.com/

15% on all orders! Free shipping on all orders over $50, before shipping. Free matching barrette with any tutu order.
http://www.bundlemeboutique.etsy.com/

Free shipping on orders over $20.
http://www.frecklesgalore.etsy.com/

Free shipping on orders over $50 (before shipping. Free shipping to Silicon Valley everyday)
Buy three, get one mystery bath bomb free.
http://www.magnifique.etsy.com/

25% off and free shipping on orders over $50.
http://www.kenziewenzieboutique.etsy.com/

20% off entire order (excluding shipping) Black Friday thru Cyber Monday
http://www.tiarastutus.etsy.com/

Black Friday only-Free shipping in US. Half off shipping International shipping.
http://www.lovetostamp.etsy.com/

Friday 28th & Sat 29th - Buy one, get one 1/2 off all items, including custom orders. Excludes gift certificates.
http://www.starwalkerboutique.etsy.com/

10% off all items, excluding shipping. Please wait for a revised invoice.
www.badcatjewelry.etsy.com

Black Friday thru Sunday- Free personalized ornament of your choice from my store with each purchase. Free shipping for orders over $40. Please mention CEM in the message to seller.
www.halfpintboling.etsy.com

10% off entire purchase, excluding shipping.
www.sophiecls.etsy.com

10% off all fleece hats in my shop.
www.macandcheeseshop.etsy.com

Meet our new addition!!

2008-11-17T17:52:00.007-07:00

Hello, everyone! I am Turbo the Guinea pig. I know what you are thinking... what does a Guinea pig have to do with crafting? Well LOTS... OK, actually.. not much. But I am cute.

STATS

I am 3 months young

I am sweet, gentle, calm, and I love apples and carrots

I was adopted from Pets Mart, because I was born there on accident. My mommy was sent to the pet store PREGNANT!! whoops. I couldn't be sold, because I wasn't technically born at the breeder.. but the nice PetsMart associate saw in Kristin a loving mom and entrusted her with my widdle furry butt! Best yet, since I was an adoption, I was free and mom got to spend more money on me! Can you say, Purple IGLOO?! woohoo!

Because I am just a baby I need more socialization and attention, so I spend ALOT of time with my new humans getting to know their faces and voices... they are OK... the girl one has fun hair, I like to get tangled up in it. Since I am so young, they will imprint on me well and I even greet them when they come in the room now!

I love getting my spine itched, and right behind my ears is the money spot! Scratch me there and be rewarded with lots of happy Guinea noises!

I am great with kids but I am startled by quick movements and loud noises so I prefer well behaved kids, if possible!

I don't bite, Guineas are very selective in what they put their mouth on.. if its not food I ain't tasting it! I may lick salt off your fingers though... earlier I caught mom with potato chip fingers.. yum!

I'm not so keen on physical activity but I think curves look good on me.

Thanks for getting to know me, humans! Since I have taken up a permanent residence on my human, Kristin's, shoulder.. I will be seeing alot of you! HEY- any of you sell on GuineaEtsy.com? This mascot is sorely un-accessorised. Silly humans.

Oooooh I am so excited!!!

2008-11-17T10:17:00.007-07:00

The SEW must go on!!! OK, so for the past few days I have been sick and I really have just been laying here feeling crappy and feeling sorry for myself... but while I was doing that, I of course was sewing because its practically impossible for me to sit down and not have something in my hands.

So a few new things I made, let me know what you think!

Stuffed flowers... I'm thinking I can link them together to make bracelets, hang one as a pendant.. made a tiny one that worked wonders as an earring, big ones are practically perfect pincushions, and I even think they would be FAB as rings! I embellished them with leftover pearls, glass beads, and buttons.. I love them so much!!

The second thing I started messing with was pinwheel ornaments and pins.. I saw these years ago on a MACY's tree.. they had GIANT metal pinwheels all over this tree and I always remember how beautiful it was.. so I decided to mess around with it and see what I could come up with and this is what I ended up doing! So I made this set, the green with the pink cotton voile for my tree... but I also made a turquoise one with a bit of blue and yellow floral to use as a pin on my new black cotton jacket! Its a beautiful jacket.. but it needs some punch, especially when I wear it over.. black. I wear alot of black, lol. I am so thrilled with how they turned out! I think its a bit late to sell them this year, for Christmas.. but I am hoping everyone responds to them well, because I would love to work on them all year and come out with a whole line to sell at Christmas craft fairs and on ETSY. I adore them!

Third thing... these cute little birdies!! This is a pattern I have been messing with for eternity.. I found a pattern I liked online, but it didnt come out right, no matter how many times I tried.. so I decided to use some guidelines I actually found in a japanese felt craft book. I'm not 100% happy with the face/beak yet, and I want to add wings, maybe feathers to the tail, eyes... but this is a start! I just LOVE the color combo!!

Last but not least, purely because I am so excited to see my kids reactions to it on Christmas.. another piece of their giant "felt play food" set!

The plague!

2008-11-14T09:44:00.003-07:00

AUGH! we're all sick. I feel so run down and pathetic right now.. I just want a giant cup of green tea and the Dirty Dancing DVD.. I just want to snuggle in bed and sleep all day... but thats so not going to happen. Can anyone explain to me how kids can be just as sick as adults... yet twice as energetic as normal? At least Sidda is still asleep, but not for long.. I have to go wake her up to make sure she will take a nap later. I think we all will need a nap later! Ugh.. no sewing today.. just lots of tissues, lots of saltines, and lots of tea

Yes, I am pathetic.

2008-11-12T14:18:00.004-07:00

OK I told myself this morning I would not be sewing today... I told myself I needed to take a day off, do some laundry.. drink some cocoa.. whatever. But.. the hubbs is playing "Fallout 3" and the kids are not interested in me in the least today so I decided to work on something thats been in my head for awhile...

sneak peek...

and thats all you get.

I rushed through this first one.. to see.. can I? and I can! now its time to go make a perfect one...

100% recycled and re-purposed materials... hand stitched detail... I am... excited. to say the least.

Bellingham, oh Bellingham!

2008-11-12T13:44:00.004-07:00

I am missing home so so much today, its just rainy and damp here in Utah, and its reminding me of home! One would think that's a bad thing, but to be honest I don't mind the rain.. when you grow up in Washington you tend to have gills by age 10.
All I want to do today is stroll through some cute little boutiques ... Bellingham Washington is THE place to be if you enjoy strolling through adorable, LOCALLY owned boutiques... I have to tell you, you could get lost for HOURS in some of them. Well, in y quest for home I started doing some clickty-clicking and looked up the websites for some of my favorite home-town shops.

#1. My new favorite- The Paper Doll - I was excited to check their website and see they are now downtown! They are at 1200 10th street, suite 103- Bellingham WA. I cant wait to see their new shop when I visit home in December.
So.. why the paper doll rocks? They are one of those sensory overload, kid in a candy store, cute-orgasm, love overload kind of boutiques. You walk in and you are smacked in the face by quality HANDMADE lovelies! This isn't grandmas gift shop... they give emerging artists a chance and sell unique handmade and even one of a kind items. Clothing, jewelry, bags, lingerie, toys, amazing paper goods, fun things for home, and much much more.
Even cooler? They do classes! Artists can come teach classes to groups, and they are affordable! Last but not least... the owner, Shultzie Fay is a wealth of knowledge about everything in her store (because its not just sent to her, she picks it, and she has great style) but her dogs name is Soupy Sails. Now you tell me a cooler dog name, and I'll give you a ribbon.. seriously.
I'm telling you girls, you could spend HOURS in this store, but be aware your wallet will suffer.. because its IMPOSSIBLE to not find one thing in the paper doll that you love so much, it must be yours. Im not kidding.

2. Frank James - FrankJamesClothing.com - In Bellingham and coming soon to Portland I see!
Well, when Frank James first opened by Ty when I was 5 months pregnant and needless to say, I could not wear a thing in the store... but I loved it none the less. Adorable little black dresses, tops you couldnt find anywhere else in the B-ham, and a denim bar to rival all others... denim denim everywhere! I hear Ty has sold the store (major bumms!) but then I heard the new owners are doing a fantastically amazing job with it, and considering they are expanding the FJ empire to Portland, I believe it!
So the website is down right now (I'm betting those ladies have their hands quite full with the opening of their new store!) but I am dying to get a peek of the new store and shop when I am in town now that I have.. eghem.. lost some "baby weight". Check their blog for a list of designers and some sneeky peeks of whats "in store" for you at FJ... I'm not kidding darlings...its worth it!

3.. well.. my son is destroying my house so I cant type them all out right now, hopefully later I can come back and update more but other stores in Bham I miss much are:

Left Right Left
Paris Texas
Mi Shoes
Four Starrs Boutique
Sojourn
Passion Fly (vintage and consignment)
and good old B-ham Value Village. Sigh.

December is too far away... Fast forward please, mkay?

full day!

2008-11-11T17:38:00.006-07:00

Well, all of my stockings are finally listed on ETSY! I hope I get a good response... these are some of my favorites:

but of course to view them all just head to my ETSY page at www.LuminousMom.Etsy.com !
I have a ton of new ornaments listed as well.. and I am working on eco-friendly felt and recycled fabric wallets tonight. I dont know how hey will turn out because its an experiment, but worth a shot!

ooh, and look what I made while I was waiting for all of my pics to load! Two new pairs of gloves! I'm loving them.. cant wait till it snows so I can wear them out and about... what do you guys think, worth selling? I mean, I dont make the gloves.. just sew my pretties onto them.. well, sell or not.. I adore them!

Fruit Topiary Tutorial

2008-11-11T13:16:00.007-07:00

You will need:
Foam cone, any size.. this one was 12" tall (you can use this over and over, too.. to its a great investment)
4-5 different fruits, cut into 1" chunks or balls using a melon baller
Fresh mint, star fruit, or berries for accents
Wax paper, cellophane, or better yet- lettuce leaf (for wrapping the foam topiary)
Box of toothpicks

Okay! So first we need to wrap our topiary. Personally, I prefer to use lettuce leaf because it creates the illusion that this whole topiary is made of organic material! I use rubber bands to secure the lettuce leaves to the cone.. its really simple actually! Just wrap the leaves around and snap, pop on a rubber band.
Now that your cone is fully wrapped, block out your sections... you could make this tiered (layered) or do it like I did, with fruit going up the sides in sections. Be creative! This will take time and trial and error.. but if the placement doesn't work, no damage done, just remove the toothpick and place again! Start at the bottom and work your way to the top, that's the easiest way... I also think its easiest to place big pieces first, leaving gaps, and then come back and fill with either mint leaves, starfruit, or smaller pieces of your fruit.

The results are stunning and nothing short of a culinary masterpiece! Everyone kept asking where I bought it... well, you CAN buy these, but they will set you back $50-$200!!!! No way!! for a $5.99 cone and $20.00 of fruit, we made our own beautiful topiary and now with the cone I can make them again and again.
You can use any shape of foam you want... I have seen these made from round balls, and wreath foam shapes as well! For the ball, you will want to buy a piece of wooden dowel and firmly secure the dowel into the round ahead of time. For an easy display option, place the dowel in a cheap flower pot and using plaster of Paris, "cement' it in! So adorable, right!

You could use other things on this as well, such as small mozzarella balls, olives, and cherry tomatoes.. be creative!

Tip: after using your cone, create a simple bleach water solution by diluting 1/4 cup bleach in 2 gallons of water, soak your cone in the water for 10-15 minutes and then let air-dry to sanitize in case any organic material made it into the foam.

As promised- recipes for greek feast!

2008-11-11T12:51:00.006-07:00

Chicken/beef/lamb/pork souvlaki

6 oz of meat (a typical chicken breast) will make TWO skewers, so get as much meat as you need for each family member. One skewer is generally enough for each person along with the side dishes, but for bigger appetites, make more! These store well for lunch the next day, as well.
Ingredients:
4 whole cloves garlic, chopped
2 lemons, juiced
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp onion powder

Cut your meat into 1" cubes, in a bowl combine with lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and onion. Cover and place in the fridge, let marinade at least 30-60 minutes, but you could prepare this the night before.. the flavor will get more intense however, so if you don't want it too lemony don't let it sit more than an hour. The lemon will begin to "cook" the chicken or other meat, so don't be alarmed if your meat looks "cooked". Soak your bamboo skewers in water during the marinade time and then thread your meat onto the soaked skewers. You don't want to crowd the pieced of meat, but they should be touching (so they don't dry out during cooking. They will cook fast!)
Cooking method.. well, be creative! You can grill them, of course.. but you can also broil or bake them. In the winter when I cant get out to grill I use my grill pan on the stove- but remember, those things smoke up the house!!

Serve warm, or wrap well and place in fridge. They will heat up well in the microwave, making them a great thing for parties! You can make these the day before and then heat them up right before guests arrive. For appetizers, just place 2-3 cubes on the end of a skewer for a perfect snack portion.

Kristins "Greek" salad (this makes a huge salad.. because I always save the rest and eat it for days afterwards! This is one of my favorite things to eat in the whole world)

4 large cucumbers, washed and peeled
1 large white onion, peeled
1/2 small jalapeno, seeded (skip if you don't like heat)
2 green peppers, washed and seeded
8 Roma tomatoes, washed
1 container of Kalamata olives (PITTED!!) RESERVE LIQUID, don't throw away!!
12 oz block of feta (I like blocks better than crumbles but use whatever you can get!)
4 tbsp red wine vinegar

cut all of your veggies into 1" cubes, and dice your jalapeno, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in your olives, then add red wine vinegar and toss again. Now slowly pour in olive juice and toss as you go until you feel like the salad has enough liquid to coat all your veggies and is the right taste for you. You can mess with this, I like vinegar so I add lots.. you could add less, or none! Its all up to your personal tastes.
Top with feta cut into 1/2" cubes

Roasted Potatoes
8-10 small yellow (or red) potatoes, washed but not peeled, cut in halves or fourths
2 tbsp SLICED garlic
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Toss potatoes in garlic, seasoning, and oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until fork soft. Sprinkle on your Parmesan and bake for another 2-5 minutes until it begins to brown a bit.

Taziki sauce (for dipping souvlaki in, good on potatoes too!)
Small container plain greek yogurt (plain yogurt will work too, just wont be as thick)
1/2 of a small cucumber, seeded and minced
1 tsp minced garlic
2 pinches dill (fresh or dry)
6 tbsp minced white onion

Mix ingredients together, and place in fridge until needed. The longer it sits, the more flavor it takes on! I like to make this the night before.

For my hummus and pita recipes.. check out my other blog, Housewife Gourmet...
Pita recipe: http://housewifegourmet.blogspot.com/2007/07/my-pita-bread-recipe.html
Hummus recipe: http://housewifegourmet.blogspot.com/2007/07/why-my-hummus-tasted-like-spackle.html

AHHHH!

2008-11-10T22:15:00.004-07:00

Have you ever had one of those nights where everything goes wrong, all at once?

So far I have:

broke THREE needles in my sewing machine. Yeah, I should have caught on that the bobbin casing wasn't seating properly after the second needle... but I didn't.
managed to alienate my husband by complaining that he was playing "Fallout 3" while I was sewing... yes, it IS distracting!!!
missed "Heroes" stupid Mountain time.. it comes on at 8pm instead of 9pm... boo!
ate twice as much at dinner than I should have... stupid girl.. and now my tummy hurts. Sabotage! I bought a pair of jeans today in my normal style... but they were 2 sizes smaller than last time! So what do I do? Gorge on pasta! Smaaaaart, right?
blah blah blah!... am I hexed?

Yes, I am whining. No... none of this is anyones fault but my own... boo! I hate it when I have to take responsibility for my own dumb self... I just needed to vent. Okay.. so.. off to Walmart. Gotta love Walmart. at 10:20pm. on a Monday night. yep.

Because I am frustrated... I need to vent a bit tomorrow, and so something other than work.. so I will be posting a tutorial on how to make the fruit topiary pictured on the back of this loverly table I created for my friends bachelorette party. (Cake by the fantastic Richelle Urie!)
and the recipes for Hummus, handmade Pitas, greek salad, and chicken and steak souvlaki.

dragging the feet

2008-11-10T14:43:00.002-07:00

Okay Okay I know I told myself the Christmas stockings would be done today... of course I forgot I babysit every Monday and I cant sew when shes here because she is a very curious little gal! Babies and sewing machines are a no no, folks.
So they will just have to wait.. later tonight I will finish sewing and since I need natural light for my photos, it will be tomorrow afternoon before all my lovelies are posted but.. they are all pinned and ready to stitch so hopefully it will go quickly tonight. I have a TON of ornaments to list too. I'm really excited, I already had a neighbor stop and just rave about a branches and birds themed stocking I made, she went on for about 10 minutes about how much she loved it, so I am optimistic that I wont be the only person in the world who likes them!
There is another ETSY seller based out of Canada who makes the felt stockings, hers are super mod, graphic, and really cool! She makes AMAZING wallets and other cool stuff too.. she has sold alot of her stockings so I might be a bit late in this but that's OK.. I've made these since I was a kid and I love doing them so if I don't sell them all I can always save them for next year! I am hoping to do a few Holiday shows next year so it would be just fine :)

Hope you all had a great weekend!

I got tagged!!

2008-11-10T14:23:00.004-07:00

Okay so I am going to play but I am not going to tag anyone because as far as I can see everyones been tagged!!
THE RULES:*** Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.*** Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.*** Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their name as well as links to their blog.*** Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. (So I wont tag anyone but here's my 7 things...)

1. I have been an insomniac since I was a kid.. I would stay up all night even when I was a toddler, and have ever since!

2. I love dry Quakers oatmeal... I know, I'm a freak

3. I cook bread from scratch, no machine.. I love making bread the old fashioned way

4. My husband and I both never wanted kids until we met each other.. now we have two beautiful toddlers and we absolutely love life!

5. Sherbet ice cream creeps me out!

6. I want to own my own boutique some day, but not until my kids are old enough that they don't have to ever come to work with me unless they want to.

7. My best friend and I have been friends since we were 8 years old, we are so close we call eachother sister.. and when we were in 10th grade we actually convinced one of our teachers that we WERE sisters... despite the fact that the teacher knew both of our older brothers, our parents, and we dont look alike... at all. haha

Whew

2008-11-05T12:35:00.002-07:00

thanks everyone for your nice comments and emails, I appreciate it! We will know later today what the next step for my family member is.. and I am feeling alot better about things.. especially after the election last night...ha! So I am back to work and back to life. Thanks again, everyone, for your support and I hope everyone has a great and productive week! I am almost done with my entire line of ornaments and stockings, so I am on cloud 9.. I cant wait to debut them on here and on ETSY! I love the holidays :)

And this, is life...

2008-11-01T19:29:00.002-06:00

I've just had some really sad family news and so I am going to set everything aside for a few days, so I wont be on ETSY, Cafemom, or Blogger for a bit. Its not a death or anything too serious, It'll all be better now that this has happened... but this is a serious health issue and takes great precedence over a very important member of my families life back in Washington.. so I know its my duty to be available to my family if they need me for anything. Sorry I wont be in very good contact for the next few days but I will try hard to check in if I can.
Christmas stockings are just going to have to wait!

priority...

2008-10-31T22:50:00.001-06:00

I meant to clean the bathroom tonight.. I really did. My mother in law is coming to visit tomorrow, so I want to spruce the house up a bit.. but I cant help it.. my priority tonight is this (Raphael Italian white crocodile ladylike clutch). Now, those who know me well know I would never carry a real crocodile bag... I detest real fur and skins and I am not shy about that statement. Fur is dead, people. However you cant deny the natural and organic appeal of crocodile, especially when it is white and the detail stands out, but it maintains its chic appeal. This bag+Me=Want.

So what to do, one may ask? Well, when you make purses its just a matter of finding some nice faux crocodile! I scoured and scoured and managed to find a suitable croc-skin replacement, a vinyl home decor faux-croc in white! At $40 a yard it certainly isn't cheap, but it is undeniably a better choice than killing a living creature for its skin. It comes in a lovely array of colors from natural, browns, black, reds, white, gold, and even a silver. I will be ordering this fabric as soon as some profits pick up in the store and attempting my own ladylike clutch, results will be posted and if all is well, I will sell them in the store! Vinyl/Poly produces many issues in the land of ill equipped seamstresses... it tends to stick to sewing machines, is rather thick, and has some stretch... all things that work at a disadvantage, but I am up to the challenge. I've been informed to have much patience, extra fabric on hand, good thread, and a Teflon plate (as well as nerves of Teflon)!

PS, they also sell Python, Lizard, Alligator (slightly larger print than croc), and Emu... possibilities are endless and no animals have to be harmed in the process. What a wonderful world!

My first post!!

2008-10-31T22:38:00.003-06:00

So I've been a cad.. thinking I could blog every single day on my official website, thinking it wouldn't bother me to have to sign in... launch website builder... type.. edit... type.. copy.. paste.. spellcheck... well.. it bothered me, to say the least. So here I am! At the suggestion of my Cafemom Etsy Moms I got myself a blogger and I intend to use it! This is such an awesome thing for me because I used to blog daily, but life got a bit hectic and I have been pushing myself really hard lately to sew sew sew and haven't made much time for myself.
What can you expect from this blog? Oh a bit of everything. Tutorials for sure, but they take some time so in the meantime you can view them on my website, http://luminousboutique.com/Tutorials.aspx . I cant help but to blog about my kids so of course you will see things about my life.. and I will always keep this up to date with new products... what I'm currently working on.. shows I may be selling at.. and so on!

Thanks for checking out my blog, don't forget to enter my November Contest... it ends on Nov. 15th so enter now!!
Go enter this months contest, here. It is for 8 note cards (made from recycled paper and a recycled book, "A dragon in a wagon". And 8 hand-made envelopes constructed from 100% recycled paper. Next months contest is for two handmade button doves, from my new ornament collection! Ornament collection will be listed soon, stay tuned!