Tea Cup Pin Cushion: DIY gift for Mom

No matter how old one gets, our mothers still seem to cherish most those gifts that are made by hand. So with Mother's day fast approaching I thought I'd whip up an easy DIY that combines two of my Mom's loves: sewing and tea.

During a recent window shopping venture I stumbled on the most delightful little teacup pincushions but with a less than delightful price tag I immediately thought of ways to recreate one at home. Although a quick search online revealed pages of how-to's for fun variations of this project, they all used the same basic elements, just personalized with favorite colors, styles or theme.
Not just for mothers or grandmothers, this is a sweet gift for anyone who enjoys sewing and cup of tea.

I used

a thrifted tea cup

a pot scrubby 

(you can also use fiberfill or a small pincushion if fits snugly)

rubberband

scrap of fabric

tiny scissors

ribbon or trim

accessories

glue

 wrap fabric around scrubby

secure with rubber band, trimming excess.

glue into cup and add trim and accents if desired
I added faux pearl trim and tiny flowers

a tag and mini scissors tied with ribbon makes a lovely (and handy) addition

I created tags with a vintage image from the fabulous the graphics fairy

A Happy Mother's Day
to Grandmothers, Godmothers, Stepmothers
Pet Mothers 
and
 Like-a-Moms 

Colorful Cape May: Victorian Bird House

Admittedly one usually visits a beach resort for sun and sand more than history and Victorian architecture, but delightful Cape May NJ offers the best of both worlds.
 In fact some of my favorite times to visit are "off season"; and while a dip in the ocean might not be a possibility during these cooler months, the country's first "beach town" still offers plenty to see and do. 
A recent quick girl's Spring getaway found us enjoying a painting workshop at historic Congress hall, sampling fabulous seafood at the many restaurants and browsing for treasures at the countless colorful boutiques and antique shops.
   

photos: CPaul2016 starting top left, sweet treats, Spring at the Virginia hotel, Exit Zero newspaper office, Mad Batter restaurant and Carroll Villa Hotel, historic Congress Hall lobby and entrance, colorful shops, The blue Pig tavern, the famous Pink House, Angel of the sea B&B

The famous Pink house now sells estate jewelry

Naturally we arrived home inspired by Cape May's charm. 

Among the most distinctive features of this delightful town are the

"painted ladies". These whimsically adorned buildings, many historic, boast intricate "gingerbread" woodwork and often brilliant combinations of cheery candy colors, distinctive to the era. So with hints of Spring in the air, I thought I'd fashion my own painted lady in honor of my feathered friends here at home.

Victorian Inspired Birdhouse

 I used

a wooden birdhouse 

Most craft stores carry very inexpensive unfinished versions-

 or maybe redo a thrift find or birdhouse you already have that needs a facelift

colorful acrylic and craft paints
dimensional puffy paints

My birdhouse is for indoor decor so I'm not sure how it would hold up outside, but outdoor friendly paint is best if it will be in the elements

lace or trim

shells and sand 

spray varnish

I mix and matched pastel acrylics and chalky finish colors 

playful - not too perfect patterns add whimsy

Spray painting trim adds a smooth finish and makes it sturdier and easier to be added as "gingerbread woodwork" detail.

 I trimmed it to size and accented with contrasting colors and dimensional dots of paint.

a playful cat and simple bike add character

Shells and sand give a nod to the beach setting

To Happy Summer Days ahead
Thanks for Visiting!

April in Paris: Parisian inspired round-up

While April can call to mind less than pleasant associations (rainy gray days, tax time) on a lighter note, turning the calendar page always brings to mind the classic song, (and later movie) April in Paris; those three words now epitomizing Springtime glamour and romance.

So, as an avid francophile it seemed a fitting time to revisit some of our french themed DIY"s, recipes and travel posts in a quick recap.

 It's easy to bring a little Joie du Vivre to your day with some easy projects. 

We made faux macarons in vive le macaron

a petit Eiffel tower from a garden store trellis in Springtime in Paris

We celebrated l'amour with candy wrappers, pink birds and a sweet dessert in

sweets for sweet 

love is in the Air

and

 Couer a la creme

and we shared some of our (budget friendly) travels 

on Pennywise in Paris

and

Pennywise in Paris 2

A Big 

Merci Beaucoup!

to all our

 lovely readers

Good Morning: April Fools breakfast

While most admit it's more fun to play a prank than be the victim of one, the target of this "fooled you" breakfast might not be too annoyed when you substitute conventional morning foods for surprise sweet treats.

There are countless fun and creative faux food ideas out there, 
(a quick online search yields a surprisingly dizzying amount of results) 
but I opted for a few simpler ideas I found to start my loved one's April Fool's Day with a smile.

April Fool's Breakfast

Faux fried egg, toast, hash browns and coffee
is really....

Vanilla Greek yogurt

mango (I used a chunk of frozen mango)

pound cake

chocolate pudding or mousse
chocolate sauce

apple
brown sugar
ground cinnamon
butter

Saute finely diced apple with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until golden brown and resembling hash browns.

 Carefully spread yogurt onto plate to make egg white shape. Roughly cut mango in circular shape and flatten with large spoon- adjust shape by hand and place "yolk" into yogurt

I've seen versions of this popular prank made with a half peach or an apricot might work as well

toast slices of poundcake until lightly browned and butter

I garnished with real fruit and sprig of mint

For "coffee", spoon pudding into cup, smoothing top and wiping off any excess. If desired pour layer of chocolate syrup over surface to create a more liquid-like deeper brown effect.
Yes that's a lot of chocolate!

a coffee press filled with the real thing adds authenticity and is a must lest serious caffeine lovers become disgruntled

April Fool's Fun Facts

   Some trace the roots of this holiday back to 1582 Europe when the Julian calendar was changed to the Gregorian calendar. Since news traveled a bit slow back then, many did not know of the change and were referred to as April fools.

In France the holiday is celebrated with similar pranks but targets are referred to as April Fish instead of fools and often images of fish are placed unknowingly on their backs

postcardcollector.org

In 1957 the BBC had many in the UK fooled when they ran a story about a bumper crop of noodles in the annual Swiss Spaghetti harvest. (See the hilarious video: Spaghetti Harvest.)
 Pasta not being a very familiar food in England at the time, some viewers called in to ask about purchasing their own spaghetti trees.

source unavailable

For more fun and foolish facts visit This day in history: April Fools

Thanks for Visiting!

Easter's on it's way: DIY recap

PennyWise is delighted to be celebrating it's third Easter season and I thought it might be fun to take a quick peek back at some of our very favorite Easter and Spring ideas.

 We created vintage inspired faux "sugar eggs" 

in the post A Good Egg

 We filled real eggs with Easter Surprises

We added a nautical twist to our Easter friends

 with our SS Bunny post

We set sweet wind-up bunnies Hopping Down the Bunny Trail

We crafted a hula hoop Spring wreath 

and relaxed with Teatime on the Bunny Trail

Wishing Everyone A Happy Easter

and

All the Joys of Spring

Lucky Leprechaun shoe: St Patrick's Day DIY

While leprechauns are known for their mischievous antics and perpetual search for that pot of gold, legend has it they also hold down day jobs as shoemakers. Why these legendary pranksters all happen to be cobblers by trade is unknown but it seemed only fitting to add a little festive footwear to my St. Patrick's decor in their honor.

Leprechaun Shoe Planter

I used

a thrifted or old worn shoe in desired style

multi surface paint

glitter and sparkly accents

small faux flowers or plants

printable for buckle

 Using multi surface craft paint, I painted shades of green and gold

I added some quick clovers and swirls for added  interest and brushed entire shoe with a lightly with glitter paint

dimensional gold puffy paint adds some sparkle

I adapted a fun printable from the The Graphics Fairy as a whimsical buckle

I brushed heel with craft glue and sprinkled with black glitter for a magical sparkle an let shoe dry thoroughly.

 Then I popped in some faux greens or flowers
(small live plants in appropriate containers will work but my clover decided droop so I used some faux roses)

Kilmore Abbey, Photo CPaul

Wishing everyone the Luck of the Irish this

 St. Patrick's Day