| The Secret of Ville-Sauvage, Chapter Fourteen: Yule Tidings, pt. 3 |
[27 May 2012|12:48am] |
James and Scops just got back from Gabrielle's, where they met her husband, Nicolas DuLac, who was the son of a French Death Eater (he and Scops bond somewhat over this). Nicolas says that, had he not been old enough to remember, he believes his father--now ashamed--would have lied about his participation. Scops says that Draco has always told him the truth, for which he is grateful. He and James talk about this for a moment, James awkwardly mentioning the subject, and Scops shrugging it off, then challenging him to a race back to the train. They get there at the same time, and Robards lets them in without any further conversation.
Table of Contents So Far
( The Secret of Ville-Sauvage, Chapter Fourteen: Yule Tidings, pt. 3 )
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| How-to: Glitter Medallion from a Mason Jar Lid |
[23 May 2012|11:00am] |
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http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/2012/05/23/how-to-glitter-medallion-from-a-mason-jar-lid/ http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/?p=7032 
When I was doing craft markets, there was inevitably the shopper who’d poke her head into my booth, look around, and ask me where the glue and glitter were. If only I’d thought of making this upcycled necklace back then!
If you’re a regular reader here, you’ve probably noticed that I’m an avid collector of Mason jars. When you craft with a Mason jar, sometimes you’re left with those little lids and rings, and of course they seem way too useful to throw away. I haven’t played with Mason jar rings yet, but one of those flat little lids was just screaming to be covered in glitter and turned into a medallion!
You can hang your medallion on any necklace you like, using either a jump ring or just knotted kitchen twine or embroidery thread to hang it (I went with the latter). If you want yours to look just like mine, you can follow my t-shirt scarf tutorial over at Green Upgrader to make the necklace part.
Mason Jar Medallion
Materials
- 1 Mason jar lid
- fabric glue
- glitter in two colors
- hammer, nail, and scrap piece of wood
- paint brush that you don’t care too much about
Directions
1. OK, so I actually did this step out of order, and it was annoying but doable. Don’t be like me! Before you put any glue on anything, grab your hammer, nail and wood. Place the wood on a flat surface, put the Mason jar lid down face up, and use the hammer and nail to puncture a small hole at the top. This is the hole you’ll use to hang your pendant.
2. Use your glue to draw a chevron shape on your lid, being careful not to get glue in the hole you just hammered.
3. Dump a bunch of glitter on top (just one color for now). Let that dry for about an hour.
4. Carefully pour off your excess glitter – you can put it right back into its container. You’re all done with that color, so you can put it away.
5. Use your glue again to fill in the empty spaces that your first chevron pattern left on the medallion.
6. Dump a bunch of glitter on there, then ever so gently tap the medallion onto the table a few times to spread the glue out evenly. Wait another hour, then dump off the excess glitter and put that away. Now’s the hard part where you let your medallion dry overnight. In the morning, gently nudge it with your finger, and if it’s still wet, let it dry for a few more hours and check again. Depending how much glue you used, it might take a long time to dry. Wait it out!
7. Pour a little bit of fabric glue onto your pendant, then use your paint brush to paint glue over the whole top of the medallion, adding more glue as necessary to cover it completely. Take your time and make sure you completely cover everything. This will help seal the glitter in, so you’re not hemorrhaging glitter when you wear this necklace. Your shirt, car, and everyone you come in contact with will thank you. The glue goes on white, but it dries clear, so don’t fret!
8. When your pendant is totally dry (you might have to wait overnight again), use a needle to poke a hole through the glue, if it’s clogging the hole you hammered earlier, then hang your medallion on the necklace of your choice!
Have you guys done any Mason jar crafts that use the lid or the ring? I’d love to hear more ideas in the comments!
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| Green Sriracha Sauce Recipe |
[21 May 2012|11:00am] |
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http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/2012/05/21/green-sriracha-sauce-recipe/ http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/?p=7083 
The first batch of hot peppers are ready to pick in the garden, and around here that means one thing: hot sauce!
My husband’s not crazy about spicy food, so I tend to cook things up mild and then douse my own plate in hot sauce. Store bought hot sauces are delicious, but did you know that it’s super simple to make your own hot sauces at home? I’ve got a roundup of hot sauce recipes coming on Friday, but I had to share this green sriracha-style hot sauce that I made last week. It was excellent!
Sriracha is a pretty thick hot sauce, so when all was said and done, this recipe reduced down a lot to make a very tiny amount of sauce. If you have enough peppers handy, I’d recommend multiplying this recipe. You could probably go up by 4X and still not fill up a half pint jar. See
Green Sriracha Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large cowhorn or jalapeño peppers, stems removed and cut into large chunks
- 1 clove garlic
- 1T brown sugar
- 1/4t salt
- 1T apple cider vinegar
Directions
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth in your food processor.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir constantly for 5-10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens enough that it clings easily to you spoon or spatula instead of running back into the pan.
 3. Store in a glass container with a airtight lid in the refrigerator.
Do you have a favorite homemade hot sauce recipe? I’d love to hear it! We have a ton of hot pepper plants in the garden this year, so I’m planning to make lots of hot sauce this summer.
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| The Secret of Ville-Sauvage, Chapter Fourteen: Yule Tidings, pt. 2 |
[19 May 2012|08:50pm] |
James's life is looking up a little bit. He's able to get over the awkwardness of Celia's rejection, largely because Lily sends him the Keys to the Castle--the Marauders' control spells for the Map--and his friend Michael was able to get a tourist map of the Whispering Caves to apply the spells to. This puts him back in the frame of mind to help Celia win. At the same time, Elodie decides that she was a bit curt with him (she's a little clueless about how she comes off) and says that she'll go to the Yule Ball with him if he reads Carrie and still wants to be her date. He does. Knowing James, he probably thinks it would be exciting if she suddenly started throwing things around telepathically. ;p
When the Beauxbatons decorations go up, Gabrielle finds him and says that she'd like to have him over for supper, and invites him (along with Scops, who happened to be there). She has just met them at the gate in a hippogriff-drawn sleigh. It's not snowy enough for a sleigh, but she's not actually planning to go overland, so it doesn't matter.
Table of Contents So Far
( The Secret of Ville-Sauvage, Chapter Fourteen: Yule Tidings, pt. 2 )
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| To Do this Weekend: Atlanta Streets Alive! |
[17 May 2012|05:00am] |
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http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/2012/05/17/to-do-this-weekend-atlanta-streets-alive/ http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/?p=7108 
Are you guys getting excited about Atlanta Streets Alive?
The event is this very Sunday from 2-6pm on North Highland Avenue. The organizers are working with the city to close the street to motorists. The event is going to transform that usually car-filled street with pedestrians, cyclists, art and food.
It’s going to be big, y’all.
Become a Volunteer
I’m super excited about volunteering at Atlanta Streets Alive this weekend, and if you have a couple of hours to spare on Sunday, they could really use your help! They were about 40 volunteers shy of their goal when I heard from them yesterday, so even if you can only help out for a bit, I bet they would appreciate it!
They need folks to do all sorts of things, from taping off routes to handing out water, so don’t feel like you need any special skill to help out. You can register for one 90 minute to 2 hour shift or more than one.
If you want to become an Atlanta Streets Alive volunteer, you can register here.
Attending Atlanta Streets Alive
If you’d rather attend than volunteer, there’s so much fun stuff in the works! The organizers have awesome activities planned all along North Highland Ave including:
- The Great Atlanta Bicycle Parade
- A walking play produced by Wonderroot
- StoryCorps
- Laughter yoga
- Double dutch
- Soccer in the Streets
- A bicycle rodeo
Starting at Virginia Ave near Murphy’s restaurant, the route goes through five Atlanta neighborhoods: Virginia Highland, Atkins Park, Poncey-Highland, Inman Park, and the Old Fourth Ward, ending at the Highland Bakery. The route connects to the Freedom Park Trail and the Atlanta BeltLine project.
Check out the flyer with a map of the route:
Image Credits: Photo via Everyday Celebrations; Route Map via Atlanta Streets Alive
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| How to Make a Skirt in 30 Minutes + Awesome Organic Fabric Resource |
[16 May 2012|11:00am] |
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http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/2012/05/16/how-to-make-a-skirt/ http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/?p=7009 
Summer is just around the corner, and what better way to round off your summer wardrobe than with a sweet little skirt?
If you guys subscribe to my newsletter, then you’ve probably already heard about Organic Cotton Plus. They were kind enough to give me a discount coupon code just for newsletter subscribers, and they sent me some of their goodies to play with, as well.
I made this skirt out of Thirty-Nine Sateen, an organic cotton fabric by Harmony Art that they carry. They also sent me their kelly green twill and a couple of yards of organic cotton twill tape. The latter is especially exciting, because I’ve had a hard time finding organic cotton tapes, and they’re so great for everything from using them as ribbon to finishing edges in projects.
I asked my contact at Organic Cotton Plus, Jeff, about their fabrics and their dye processes, and here’s what he had to say:
All of our production is done in accordance with the GOTS requirements, and we recently got our Warehouse certified to the standards! Almost everything we have in stock is fully certified right through packing, and as we move out old inventory, every yard of fabric will be to GOTS.
The dyes we use are “Fiber Reactive”-which are very eco-friendly and are approved by GOTS.
GOTS certification is the real deal when it comes to organic fabrics. If you want to learn more about what it means, check out my piece about GOTS certification at Crafting a Green World. Fiber reactive dyes are also much better from an environmental standpoint. They absorb into fabric very well, which means using less dye and it means less waste water.
How to Make an Elastic Waist Skirt
This elastic waist skirt took me about 30 minutes to make. It could take you a bit less time or a bit longer, depending on your skill level, but as making clothing goes it’s super duper simple. Here’s how to make your own elastic waist skirt tailored to your measurements.
Materials
- 1 yard of organic cotton fabric
- 1″ braided elastic
- measuring tape
- sewing machine, thread, scissors
- 2 safety pins
Directions
1. Measure your waist where you want the skirt to sit. That number is how much elastic you’ll need. Mine was 30″, so I cut a 30″ piece of 1″ braided elastic.
2. Measure the width around your torso around at the widest point – mine was around 40″. The width of your fabric needs to be this number plus 1″, so my fabric is 41″ wide.
3. Measure from your waist where you want the skirt to sit down to where you want the hem to fall. That number plus 2.5″ is how long your fabric piece needs to be. Mine was 20.5″ (I am high waisted), so my fabric was 23″ long. That means the fabric piece I’m cutting is 41″X23″.
4. Fold your fabric in half, right sides together to form the body of your skirt. My folded piece of fabric measures 20.5″ X 23″.
5. Sew up the side seam of your skirt using your machine’s zig zag stitch. Don’t forget to back stitch a few times at the top and bottom, so your seams will be strong.
6. Hem the bottom of your skirt. With the skirt still inside out, fold the bottom seam over by 1/2″, iron, then fold over again by 1/2″ to hide the unfinished seam. Use a straight or zig zag stitch to finish the seam.
7. Now, you’re going to make the tube for your elastic! Fold the top seam over by 1/2″ and iron, then use your machine to baste all the way around. Fold the seam over by another 1 1/8″, and sew almost all the way around, but leave yourself about a 2″ opening, so you can feed in the elastic. This tube you just sewed is called the casing, and it’s where you’ll feed the elastic through in the next step.
8. Grab your elastic and use the safety pin to attach one end to your skirt near the opening on the casing, then put the other safety pin on the other end of the elastic. Trust me, the safety pin makes it worlds easier. Now, just be patient as you work your elastic through opening in the casing, all the way around the skirt, and out the other side. Feel around and make sure your elastic isn’t twisted anywhere in the waistline, and straighten it out, if it is.
9. Overlap the two ends of the elastic by about 1/2″, then pin them together while they’re still sticking out of the opening in the casing. Use your machine’s zig zag stitch to sew the elastic band closed, then tuck it up into the casing.
10. Put your skirt back into the machine to sew that opening in the casing closed, flip your skirt right side out, arrange the fabric over the elastic, and give it one more press with the iron.
That’s it! You’re ready to rock your easy peasy elastic waist skirt!
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[15 May 2012|07:59pm] |
I didn't know the guy who got shot, personally. We had mutual friends, and I'd seen him perform, but I didn't know him. Regardless, it's a tough blow. Crime's been ticking up around these parts again, after we worked so hard to clean the area up. One friend carjacked, another mugged, a third's car stolen from his driveway. This doesn't count the incidents I know of, but only marginally know the people involved, or the two attempted kidnappings around the corner.
This poor guy walked up to another vehicle at the drive in to ask for a jumpstart when his car wouldn't re-crank after the movie. The guy he asked for help shot him, point blank. No provocation, and of course the shooter has a record a mile long. A three county police chase, dumped car, dumped passenger, and the police still don't have the shooter in custody. ANother person died during the chase.
Tragedy all around.
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| today I unearthed some seriously old photos |
[14 May 2012|11:56pm] |
I miss the Chamber. La.
printed real film photos, rephotographed with a cameraphone. classy!
this was from a benefit for the armed forces, if I recall correctly.
Jenn and Wayne, my view from the podium.
my two favorite writers, at the Highlander
Some random Halloween, I was "Hello Kitty" Jenn was a Marine.
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| Getting Crafty with Burlap + 5 Burlap Craft Projects |
[14 May 2012|11:00am] |
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http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/2012/05/14/burlap-crafts/ http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/?p=7056 This is a sponsored post from BurlapFabric.com. All opinions are 100% mine.
Have you ever crafted with burlap? As sustainable fabrics go, burlap is among the most cost-effective, and once you get used to working with it, it’s a lot of fun!
Burlap is made from jute, which actually has quite a bit in common with hemp. Like hemp, it grows fast, requires few to no pesticides, and doesn’t need a lot of water to grow. Also like hemp, it also improves the soil where you plant it, rather than depleting the nutrients. Unlike cotton, you don’t have to worry as much about whether your burlap is organic, because as far as I know there is no genetically modified jute out there.
Where to Find Burlap
I haven’t been able to find burlap at the fabric store, but there are a couple of easy ways to get your hands on some.
- The coffee shop. If you’re in good with a local coffee shop that roasts its own beans, try asking them if they have any leftover bags you can take off their hands. “Green” (unroasted) coffee beans often come in big burlap sacks.
- Online. BurlapFabric.com, the sponsor of this post, is a great online resource for burlap fabric and even some burlap sewing notions. I am itching to get my hands on their jute webbing for my next tote project, and I love that they also offer reclaimed burlap coffee sacks for sale for those of us too shy to hit up shops ourselves. You can find their fabrics in their shop and keep up with them on their Facebook and Pinterest pages.
How to Sew with Burlap
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when you’re sewing with burlap:
- It is messy. Cut burlap loves to shed, so be prepared to wipe down your sewing table after you’ve been working with burlap. It’s also a good idea to clean your machine a little more often if you’re using a lot of burlap. Nothing serious, but use that brush to clean out the area around the bobbin case, since all of those tiny fibers will get into your machine.
- Burlap is a loose weave. You can use a straight stitch with burlap, but for finishing I have found a zig zag or other embroidery stitch to work better. Because it’s a loose weave, the extra stitches help catch all of the fibers to create a better finished edge. Your finished project will be stronger this way.
Other than that, you can really treat burlap like any other medium to heavy weight fabric.
5 Burlap Craft Projects
 Right, so you have your burlap, you know how to use it….what now? Here are some burlap craft projects to get you going!
- Make a burlap fabric box.
- Whip up some burlap sunflowers.
- Burlap sunglasses case
- Create a burlap bird ornament.
- Dress up an old lampshade with burlap ruffles.
Have you done any fun burlap crafts lately? Share your ideas in the comments!
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| The Secret of Ville-Sauvage, Chapter Fourteen: Yule Tidings, pt. 1 |
[14 May 2012|01:00am] |
Eh, screw the outline. Let's just see what happens. ;p (Outlines only ever worked for me in Forest Guard and Hunter's Moon, anyway.)
James is not having a good lead-up to the Yule Ball. First, the girl he wanted to ask, Celia, not only shoots him down, but tells him to go ask Elodie Lejeune so he can spy on her. Then Elodie sees right through him (possibly because he gives her a direct and true answer when she asks if he's looking for her alibi) and also shoots him down, citing her fear of having pig's blood dumped on her, given the way she's generally treated at Beauxbatons. (Though she does give the impression that she really does want to go.) Then, in a snit, he goes stalking off down the river, and when he sees something gold on the ground, it turns out to be one of Grindelwald's coins (I'd called the regular French coin he was expecting a solidus, but I'm changing it, on Sylvia's suggestion, to Magus; I think I'll keep it simple and say Grindelwald didn't change the name of the money during his reign).
I realized that, in an earlier section, I did some math badly for the age of Gabrielle's children. There's no way they'd already be at Beauxbatons. So we'll just pretend that she didn't imply that they were, right? ;p (And I'll go back and fix that.)
Table of Contents So Far
( The Secret of Ville-Sauvage, Chapter Fourteen: Yule Tidings, pt. 1 )
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