Friday, February 27, 2009
jannypie
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February 27, 2009
Bingo cards
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sew darn cute
i got my copy of sewdarncute in the mail today!!!
eeeeee
sewdarncute blog
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eeeeee
sewdarncute blog
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Vote for Meg!
Help an animal charity win $10,000 from Bissell!
Bissell is having a pet photo contest and the winner gets to chose a charity to receive a $10,000 donation. Zim Family Cockers, a website and forum for cocker rescue, has entered their best photo of their sable & white girl, Meg, and
needs your vote in the Bissell contest to help put Meg's photo on top. If she wins, they'll make sure the $10,000 goes to Cocker Rescue!
To vote for Meg's photo, go to
http://www.bissell.com/Redirect.asp?RP_id=95174
Please share that address with your friends, and ask them to vote for Meg,
too!
Subscribe to get the daily crafts, tips and recipes from MarthaStewart.com all in one spot on MarthaDaily.blogspot.com
February 25, 2009
St. Patrick's Day: Crafts
chip bowls
hand lettered signs from 07
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February 23, 2009
Copycat McDonald's Shamrock Shake
Dear Shamrock Shake,
Thank you for being so mintily delicious. Please come to Columbus, Ohio soon, so I can drink many of you.
Love always,
jannypie
Copycat Shamrock Shake
from Recipezaar
SERVES 2 (change servings and units)
Ingredients
2 cups vanilla ice cream or soy ice cream
1 1/4 cups 2% low-fat milk or soymilk
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
8 drops green food coloring
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
2. Stop blender to stir with a spoon if necessary to help blend ice cream.
3. Pour into 12-ounce cups and serve each with a straw.
4. Happy St Patrick's Day!
Subscribe to get the daily crafts, tips and recipes from MarthaStewart.com all in one spot on MarthaDaily.blogspot.com
Thank you for being so mintily delicious. Please come to Columbus, Ohio soon, so I can drink many of you.
Love always,
jannypie
Copycat Shamrock Shake
from Recipezaar
SERVES 2 (change servings and units)
Ingredients
2 cups vanilla ice cream or soy ice cream
1 1/4 cups 2% low-fat milk or soymilk
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
8 drops green food coloring
Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
2. Stop blender to stir with a spoon if necessary to help blend ice cream.
3. Pour into 12-ounce cups and serve each with a straw.
4. Happy St Patrick's Day!
Subscribe to get the daily crafts, tips and recipes from MarthaStewart.com all in one spot on MarthaDaily.blogspot.com
I feel so smart
I just learned how to forward a DNS routing from a custom domain to a blogger blog by changing the CNAME identity. I have no idea what that actually means, but it worked.
Works in progress
I haven't actually finished a craft project in a few days, as I have been trying to work on several things at once. I'm sure you all know how that goes- they all take longer to do!
On Friday I had the pleasure of meeting local crafter and head of the Columbus Etsy street team, Michelle. Michelle makes and sells jewelry, Jewels of Luxury on Etsy. She has given me the opportunity to remake the team blog, Etsy Team Columbus, and *duhduh!* create a site for their upcoming craft fair!!! *woowoo!*
Michelle created this graphic for the show, and I will be creating a site for it. Yeahhhh baby.
I have two other blog designs almost finished (Amber and Erin!) but some spacing issues are bugging me.
So hopefully I'll be finishing all that up this week :-)
Subscribe to get the daily crafts, tips and recipes from MarthaStewart.com all in one spot on MarthaDaily.blogspot.com
On Friday I had the pleasure of meeting local crafter and head of the Columbus Etsy street team, Michelle. Michelle makes and sells jewelry, Jewels of Luxury on Etsy. She has given me the opportunity to remake the team blog, Etsy Team Columbus, and *duhduh!* create a site for their upcoming craft fair!!! *woowoo!*
Michelle created this graphic for the show, and I will be creating a site for it. Yeahhhh baby.
I have two other blog designs almost finished (Amber and Erin!) but some spacing issues are bugging me.
So hopefully I'll be finishing all that up this week :-)
Subscribe to get the daily crafts, tips and recipes from MarthaStewart.com all in one spot on MarthaDaily.blogspot.com
February 19, 2009
My blog on facebook
You can help promote my blog and follow it on Facebook
http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/jannypie.com/
Thanks!
http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/jannypie.com/
Thanks!
CuteTree free background - more options
Readers seem to be loving the free backgrounds so far! I am so happy to bring you something you like. I've had several requests for a smaller CuteTree background to smaller monitors, so that the trees along the bottom don't get cut off.
Keep in mind that if you have a small monitor, or low resolution, how you see your blog is not how others see it with larger or higher res sizes.
For example, here is a gorgeous blog currently using this design, on my 19" monitor:
Mad Imaginations - beautiful blog! and you can see the row of trees all pretty
And here is that same blog, just viewed on my husband's 15" monitor. It's the same blog, but the trees look cut off only because of the size of the monitor.
Conversely, if you use a smaller design, it may look too small on someone else's computer.
So why do some layouts look ok small?
It's because they are very simple, and use a narrow blog space in order to show more of their design in the background.
Take this for example: "I'm Irish" background from CBOTB
That source image is actually 2000 pixels wide, so it will fit any monitor and resolution. But the actual area where your blog goes is very narrow, which is why most other free blog design places require you to change your layout to "Minima" before using them. If you use anything wider, your text will overlap the background.
Like this
In the future, I will try and make my designs more flexible, while still allowing a wider blog to be used for you all.
Keeping that in mind, here is the CuteTree design that is 800x600 in size for you. I have also removed the code that hides your navbar. It seems that more people use theirs than find it ugly, so I won't be including that bit in any other backgrounds.
Cutetree
Let me know how that works out for you!
Keep in mind that if you have a small monitor, or low resolution, how you see your blog is not how others see it with larger or higher res sizes.
For example, here is a gorgeous blog currently using this design, on my 19" monitor:
Mad Imaginations - beautiful blog! and you can see the row of trees all pretty
And here is that same blog, just viewed on my husband's 15" monitor. It's the same blog, but the trees look cut off only because of the size of the monitor.
Conversely, if you use a smaller design, it may look too small on someone else's computer.
So why do some layouts look ok small?
It's because they are very simple, and use a narrow blog space in order to show more of their design in the background.
Take this for example: "I'm Irish" background from CBOTB
That source image is actually 2000 pixels wide, so it will fit any monitor and resolution. But the actual area where your blog goes is very narrow, which is why most other free blog design places require you to change your layout to "Minima" before using them. If you use anything wider, your text will overlap the background.
Like this
In the future, I will try and make my designs more flexible, while still allowing a wider blog to be used for you all.
Keeping that in mind, here is the CuteTree design that is 800x600 in size for you. I have also removed the code that hides your navbar. It seems that more people use theirs than find it ugly, so I won't be including that bit in any other backgrounds.
Cutetree
Let me know how that works out for you!
February 17, 2009
St. Patrick's Day - Food
Here is the second installment of our annual St. Patrick's Day party planning. The food!
- O'Drinky's beverage napkins and McGoggles plates from buycostumes.com - I love them!! I wanted something "Irish Pub" feeling
- Shepherd's Pie, a traditional Irish meal of beef and potatoes
- Green beer - We buy dyed green kegs from a local distributor.
- Caramel Apple jello shots - Jellatio.com is so much fun
- Fresh green salad and all green veggie tray
- Appletinis for the ladies
- Cake!
- Beer Bread (okay okay I know it's supposed to be Soda Bread, but I can't bake to save my life. Tastefully Simple's beer bread saves my life!)
Like anyone, I'd love to have the cash flow to serve on real plates with silverware and glasses, like the wonderful parties I see on Hostess with the Mostess. Considering the size and nature (drinking) of the party, that's not really feasible. So we do use paper plates and plasticware, but we're okay with that! It makes clean up super easy.
We like to offer some traditional Irish food like the Shepherd's Pie, and also some healthier options such as a fresh salad and veggie tray, for all our guests. We also provide a variety of drinks- not all the girls (or guys) drink green beer. We also make it optional for guests to bring a dish as well. Lots of our guests like to help out in some way, and that makes it easier to provide enough food for everyone, as well as make it easier on me to prepare.
i am IN LOVE!!
i am feeling some extra valentine's day love- this custom reversible tote bag was made for me by Stephanie from Mada'sPlace on etsy
It is meant as a diaper bag, but as I have no kids I'll just be using it as a Jan bag! Stephanie made it from bird and branches cotton I purchased from Etsy, and brown poplin from JoAnn Fabrics. One side is circled with pockets, which will be so useful for my camera, cell phone, on-hand crafting needs, travel make-up, and whatever else I want!
Thank you SOOOOO much Stephanie, it's BEAUTIFUL! I love it so much!!
All you readers should check out her Etsy store for other high quality things she sews for babies and mommas!!!!
http://madasplace.etsy.com
<3
It is meant as a diaper bag, but as I have no kids I'll just be using it as a Jan bag! Stephanie made it from bird and branches cotton I purchased from Etsy, and brown poplin from JoAnn Fabrics. One side is circled with pockets, which will be so useful for my camera, cell phone, on-hand crafting needs, travel make-up, and whatever else I want!
Thank you SOOOOO much Stephanie, it's BEAUTIFUL! I love it so much!!
All you readers should check out her Etsy store for other high quality things she sews for babies and mommas!!!!
http://madasplace.etsy.com
<3
February 14, 2009
love this
flowers from my uncle. flowers in a giant pink margarita glass, it doesn't get more awesome than that. (the glass is actually clear and has pink gel and pink stones in it.)
Angry knife-wielding alien
I made this about 6 months ago, but I'm posting becuase it never made the blog. This is an angry knife-wielding alien called a Rocktopi from the novel Earthcore by Scott Sigler. They have 3 tentacles on bottom and 3 on top, and carry curved blades made of platinum. I'm a confirmed junkie of Sigler's free podcast novels- they're smart and funny, and Sigler reading them is smart and funny. Many a long hour at work has been passed listening to one of his stories.
He says, BLARGH!!!
He's handsewn from felt and stuffed with polyfill
And has angry googly eyes
He says, BLARGH!!!
He's handsewn from felt and stuffed with polyfill
And has angry googly eyes
February 13, 2009
Martha.Daily. returns!
Those who used to follow another blog I began, Martha Daily, know that I had to take a break from it around Thanksgiving time because doing it daily was too much! Well I asked recently on the blog if readers would like it to return, and many said yes, and that they wouldn't mind if it's weekly or semi-daily. So, I'll pick it up again, and it will be Martha.Daily...ish. :)
February 12, 2009
The day we're all Irish
Many of you may know already, but every year my husband and I host a large, loud, green... PARTY! We throw an annual St. Patrick's Day party for all our friends. We started in 2005, so this March will be our 5th Annual event (barring last year, when nature had other ideas and snowed us out).
Here's the joke: We're not Irish. Not even a little bit. Like, we don't even pretend to have a distant relative who married someone Irish. But we do like beer. And parties. And we have some Irish friends. And the one party of the year devoted entirely to drinking, is St. Patrick's day. (shut up, Mardi Gras).
So, we throw a huge party, and have even taken to making up an Irish last name for the day, the O'Dennisons. We are expecting over 40, maybe 50 people, half of whom plan on sleeping on our floor... or wherever they land. We'll have per usual a poker tournament, a large buffet dinner, and the 2009 Beerlympics Championship, with games of skill and chance, and prizes for the winning team.
And here are our 2009 St. Patrick's Day invitations
Handmade paper invitations with a "Bingo card" feel. Jello-shots-bingo will be one of the games we have!
These were sent to our closest friends. (They're in the mail, I swear)
A simple 8.5x11" page with the info, which we handed out to coworkers and others close by.
(forgive me blacking out the addy and website, for privacy)
I also created a simple web page with an RSVP form, party details, and directions and pictures to help people find the place. Gotta make use of all forms of communication in this age! (Do I make a Facebook event? Too much? Heh)
So, please wish us "luck" in the weather, so we can have a fun time this year! I'll post other party details as I plan them. Well, okay so I've already planned them all, and I'm just restraining myself from posting, but you'll get to see them. Sooner.
Here's the joke: We're not Irish. Not even a little bit. Like, we don't even pretend to have a distant relative who married someone Irish. But we do like beer. And parties. And we have some Irish friends. And the one party of the year devoted entirely to drinking, is St. Patrick's day. (shut up, Mardi Gras).
So, we throw a huge party, and have even taken to making up an Irish last name for the day, the O'Dennisons. We are expecting over 40, maybe 50 people, half of whom plan on sleeping on our floor... or wherever they land. We'll have per usual a poker tournament, a large buffet dinner, and the 2009 Beerlympics Championship, with games of skill and chance, and prizes for the winning team.
And here are our 2009 St. Patrick's Day invitations
Handmade paper invitations with a "Bingo card" feel. Jello-shots-bingo will be one of the games we have!
These were sent to our closest friends. (They're in the mail, I swear)
A simple 8.5x11" page with the info, which we handed out to coworkers and others close by.
(forgive me blacking out the addy and website, for privacy)
I also created a simple web page with an RSVP form, party details, and directions and pictures to help people find the place. Gotta make use of all forms of communication in this age! (Do I make a Facebook event? Too much? Heh)
So, please wish us "luck" in the weather, so we can have a fun time this year! I'll post other party details as I plan them. Well, okay so I've already planned them all, and I'm just restraining myself from posting, but you'll get to see them. Sooner.
February 9, 2009
Featured Crafter: Mary from Life on 19th
My second Featured Crafter is Mary from Life on 19th. I met Mary on the new crafting board on theNest, and I am loving her craft blog!
Like the tree-friendly reusable shopping tote Mary sewed using this ADORABLE fabric
with matching coffee cup cozy
And these stuffed birdies made from a pattern *swoon*
I am insanely in love with her kitty face pajamas because pajama bottoms are my favoritethingsontheplanet! Can you believe this was her FIRST sewing project?!
She has lots of other totes on her blog and some yummy looking recipes too! Go now!
Life on 19th
Thanks Mary!
February 8, 2009
Get Involved!
Valentines are in the air! Been thinking of ways to show people you like them? One of the best ways you can show your support for your favorite bloggers is to... tell them!
Getting involved with the blogs you read can be fun, and helps support the authors. You'll get more out of it as well, as the authors get to know you and respond. Here are ::5 Easy Ways to Get Involved::
1. Leave comments! Easy and the most effective way to get involved. Bloggers love hearing from their readers, and you may even make a new friend :)
2. Subscribe. The other best thing you can do- and it makes it easier to get your favorite content right when it's posted. Ways to subscribe include
♥ RSS/Feed Readers
♥ Email
♥ Blogger's "Follow This Blog" Feature
3. Share the link. Cutely called "Link Love", sharing the links to your favorite blogs will help other people find them too. You can list your favorite blogs easily on your own blog or website, and when posting content from another blog, be sure to also include the link where you found it! (This helps for copyright laws too, heh)
4. Feature them on your own blog. Also a great way to show you like reading someone's content. If your favorite blog is mostly about writing or jokes with not many photos, simply quote some of your favorite parts from it.
5. Visit them. Site hits are the #1 way blogs are ranked in search hits and sites like Technorati. For any blogger hoping to share their content, this helps other new readers find them. I for sure am guilty of mostly reading blogs in my Google Reader, and not visiting each blog individually. But every now and then I open up their site and leave a comment. This would be the Triple Attack: I subscribe, I comment, and I visit. Bonus: you get to see when bloggers change their layouts or sidebar content, which don't show up in the feed reader.
Of course, if the blog in mind is a personal or private blog, and not really trying to get more readers then many of these don't apply. But you can still show your love by leaving comments!
I hope this inspires some of you to show your love this week, I know I'll be making it a point to stop by my favorite blog spots. ♥
iheartyourblog image created using elements from royanna fritschmann
February 6, 2009
"Our Nest" signs
This week at craft night I finished up the last of my "Our Nest" signs for a while. I'm wanting to spend some time learning new areas of crafting.
Finished off the last two of these gems, and finally got a few good shots of them.
This one has paper leaves with a linen finish. I mod-podged them on but only on the bottom, because I wanted the paper and linen textures to still be touchable. I drew on little vines too for more depth.
The glitter sign- I started this in the fall with only the branches, but now spring is peeking at me I felt it needed some green leaves too. This is the only one of these I'll be making!
Finished off the last two of these gems, and finally got a few good shots of them.
This one has paper leaves with a linen finish. I mod-podged them on but only on the bottom, because I wanted the paper and linen textures to still be touchable. I drew on little vines too for more depth.
The glitter sign- I started this in the fall with only the branches, but now spring is peeking at me I felt it needed some green leaves too. This is the only one of these I'll be making!
February 4, 2009
Flickr Favorites
Some things I've been favoriting lately on Flickr
Owl Applique by Assorted Flavors
Owlie in blue & white by Vivika
Cherry Tree Diorama by OnceWed
Delicate Doily Garland by OnceWed
Book Ring Box by OnceWed
Owl Applique by Assorted Flavors
Owlie in blue & white by Vivika
Cherry Tree Diorama by OnceWed
Delicate Doily Garland by OnceWed
Book Ring Box by OnceWed
