This post originally appeared in SaltTree's 


Hello SaltTree readers! I’m Kirstin from Hello Kirsti blogging from Nashville, Tennessee. I love to craft, just bought my first house and I’m also recently engaged, so I’m excited about the crafty opportunities these two big things will bring!  Many thanks to Amber for having me and for getting us all in the Christmas crafty spirit!


Today I’m going to show you how to make a holiday mitten, this easy craft is great for adults and kids alike and each one is unique!
Materials:

• Fleece or Felt
• Embroidery Thread
• Needle
• Marking Pen or chalk
• Assorted decorations (Buttons, Ribbons, Christmas lights)

Steps:
Layout your material and have it folded in half so it is doubled up.
With your fingers together but your  thumb out trace around your hand with the chalk.
Cut both layers along the line.
With wrong sides together blanket stitch around the edges, except for the top. (Don’t know how to blanket stitch, here’s a good how to).
Blanket stitch each of the top edges (but not together)
Embellish!
I added several buttons and then strung miniature Christmas lights between them around the buttons. (I found the lights in the dollhouse section of Hobby Lobby)
Add a ribbon or in my case lights to the top corner of the mitten for hanging.
There are so many different ways you can take these with fabrics and embellishing, it would be so fun to have a family of them hung up in a row!

Happy Holidays!!

Happy Halloween Hello Kirsti Readers!!!!

I’ve got a special Halloween treat and recipe for you today.

As you know, I’m a teacher, and from time to time I like to surprise my co-workers with a sweet little treat to help them get through the week.

The recipe I used is a Christmas candy recipe. There are a million different ways to doctor this recipe. I’ve added sprinkles to make it more festive for different holidays and it’s all about the packaging (isn’t it!?!?!).

I’ve got to warn you---this candy is addictive, hence why I call it Candy Crack. I cannot confirm nor deny that I’ve eaten an entire batch on my own! (You won’t tell, will you?)

Candy Crack Recipe

2 bags of White Chocolate Melts (or 2 bags of white chocolate chips)
1 cup of peanut butter
4 cups of Rice Krispies
2 cups of marshmallows
2 cups roasted peanuts

Before you begin, you’ll need to get out a large (read: GIANT) bowl. Place the peanuts, rice krispies, and marshmallows inside and mix them together with a spatula. At this point you’ll want to lay out some sheets of wax paper. Enough to cover about 2 cookie sheets.
In a separate, microwave safe, bowl combine the chocolate and peanut butter. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Continue microwaving at 20 second intervals until chocolate is melted. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate. It will still look like chips, you’ll need to stir it to make it smooth.
Immediately pour chocolate mixture over cereal mix. Stir until coated.
Drop mixture by the spoonful onto the wax paper. Do this quickly as it will harden within about 10 minutes.

Once cool you can place it in a plastic zip up bag and it will keep for up to a week (if you can resist it for that long!).

I packaged mine in cute little orange craft boxes I purchased at Target. I placed a wax paper liner in each before putting in the treat. Figured I should put some cute labels on them to get people in the spirit.

You can get those labels here: LABELS

Hope you’re Halloween is filled with tricks and treats!

-Bestie

When I made Fun Thread’s Mr. October I knew that I wanted to make the hanging reversible, since I was working with a rectangle I didn’t think that a turkey design would work out, so I came up with a snowman design, it went off without a hitch thanks to the skills I learned in Mr.October. Want to make your own? I’ve done a full tutorial complete with pattern for you!

Materials

• Pattern: Download the FREE tracing pattern here.
• Backing fabric: cut to 23” x 13.5”
• White Fabric “Snow” 4.5” x 13.5”  I freehanded the snow drifts.
• Scraps for Hat, body, scarf, arms.
• Embroidery Floss
• Buttons
• Whatever border you want, I used 1.5” grosgrain ribbon.

Steps

Print out the FREE pattern and then trace it on to Heat n Bond Lite (if you want to sew around your pieces like I did in Mr. October) or Heat n Bond Ultra Hold like I’m doing here.  Then roughly cut out the pieces.

Dig through your scrap collection for the perfect hat, nose, and scarf fabrics. Then iron your roughly cut Heat n Bond Ultra Hold pattern pieces onto the wrong side of the fabric.  Let cool then carefully cut out the pieces following your traced line.

Take your White Fabric “Snow” 4.5” x 13.5” piece and cut ‘snow drifts along the top.


Sew the snow drifts on top of the bottom of your Backing fabric (23” x 13.5” ) (I chose to cut away the covered up backing fabric since it was showing through the white snow). The I sewed 5 rows of wiggle stitches following the curves to give the snow drifts some texture.


Remove the white paper backing from your snowman pieces, then layout the pieces on the backing deciding where you want everything. If you want to add embroidery floss accents to any of the pieces now is the easiest time. I added fringe to the bottom of the scarf by double knotting short pieces. I blanket stitched around the top hat. I whip stitched around the carrot noise. I added decorative stitching to the hat band as well.
 

Once you’re done decorative stitching lay out the pieces again and using a piece of parchment paper or a press cloth (helps keep things from moving on you) iron all the pieces to the backing fabric.

Sew on your button eyes and button mouth using embroidery floss.

Finishing

I placed the finished snowman on top of the finished Mr. October right sides together, then Squared the pieces so they were the same size.

I chose sandwich ribbon in my seam for my border. So I laid out the ribbon to figure out roughly how much I needed.

Then I pined the two pieces together sandwiching the ribbon.

I then sewed the Snowman-Ribbon-Mr.October together on all sides but the top (so a U)  with a 1/4” seam using a walking foot to keep all the layers together. (optional)

Through the top opening I turned the piece right side out.


I then pressed them nice and crisp.


Using two pieces of ribbon the width of the hanging I created a casing for hanging. I first sewed the two pieces of ribbon together at the top (the red dots in the photo). The I sewed that to the top of the hanging even with side ribbon. This left a casing that runs the whole length of the top.

I threaded some leather cord through the casing then since I couldn’t find a dowel I stuck two skewers in to keep it flat.

Then you’re done, enjoy your snowman!

Click for a massive detailed view.

On Monday Carol over at Fun Threads, posted the pattern for this little cutie, with his full Texas get up that totally translates to Nashville, I HAD to make him. (Hurry the pattern is no longer free after Thursday! He’s soo cute he’s worth paying for though =)

This might be the fastest, first sight to almost completion project, ever!
Monday Night: I printed the pattern, and was super happy and surprised I had the right color fabrics and fat quarters.
Tuesday:  I made him, all that’s left is the binding but I think I want to make another hanging on the back, maybe a turkey?
As Carol promised he went together quickly, and her directions and layouts were great, this was my first ever ‘more than a tee shirt’ applique project, so I was surprised!
I added some embroidery thread to  “tie up the treats” and made a feeble attempt to decorative/texture stitch the boot soles and pumpkin stem. Then hand embroidered “Treats” on the bag, and around the pumpkin.
 

What are you waiting for, don’t you need a Mr. October?

Bonus Tip:

Grid Ruler on top of an ipad with the screen on = temporary light box… at least until the cat decides Heat ‘n’ bond paper is fun to sit on. (Pepper’s latest idea… sitting in the crockpot, video here).


This post is partying here.

Happy Fourth, I hope your doing something fun to celebrate the fabulous USA today!

Andrew & I are headed to the Music City Hot Chicken Festival, where his Jazz band The Centennial Hiptet is playing a set, luckily it’s the first set from 11 to 12, seeing as Nashville was 108 last week, and tomorrow is set to hit 100.

If you need a quick decoration you should, check out my banner printable from 2010.

Also I’ll leave you with one of my favorite patriotic things I’ve found on YouTube, Red Skelton’s Pledge of Allegiance, where he defines each word of the pledge in a such a powerful way which truly reminds you of what it means to be an American.

I certainly was missing my Momma on Mother’s day, but luckily I have a Nashville Momma too =)

Andrew and I determined the only way to get his Mom to do NOTHING on Mother’s Day was to get her out of her house, and we succeeded!

The Menu

• Quinoa Stuffed Peppers – My Post Here
• These worked out way better than I expected for having people over, we had them stuffed and oven ready and popped them in the oven once A’s folks arrived and we were ready to eat in 20 minutes.
• Shredded Chicken Tacos – My Post Here
• Crock pot stuff is always great for company even if it isn’t always pretty, it's at least always hot!
• Neiman Marcus Popovers – From Authentic Suburban Gourmet via Pinterest (I made the strawberry butter too, soo yummy)

Décor
Cricut Cut Flowers and Mom (Hello Kitty Font, Mother’s Day Cartridge for the flowers) hung on ribbon with baby clothespins
Purse Card SVG from Shery K Designs (Free)
Email Invite Graphic – Myself using Free Green Bulb Gang Brushes

If this doesn’t need a LOLCATS caption I don’t know what does…. Hahaha this is my furbaby being silly, but look at that cute fuzzy belly!

A little fun photo evolution I made for my Momma for Mother’s Day!! When she comes to town we’re going to take a “purse cake” making class I found at Sweet Wise, it’s gonna be fun!

First a Lilly Valentine for you to share today!

And drum roll please…

A new page on Hello Kirsti, Lilly Pulitzer Wallpapers and Graphics

I’ve been collecting (hording) anything high enough quality to be useable that’s Lilly for ages, but I’ve finally organized them well enough to share them with you!

I think I have every one that has been released but if you have one I don’t have please email me at Kirstin@HelloKirsti.com with it attached or a link, the Preps will thank you!

Go get some pretty pink Lilly Wallpaper for Valentines Girlies!

Lilly Pulitzer Wallpapers at Hello Kirsti

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I made these cards with my new Cricut Cake, unfortunately in the many hours I worked I only made 12 cards much to my dismay, so a lucky 12 people got a copy this year, and the rest got this email, I think it still turned out nice!

Lots of great ideas and posts already planned for 2012!

Much Love,

Kirsti

1. Grab a dull old rotary blade (don’t waste a new one on paper)
2. your super cutting mat
3. your too big pile of presents
4. wrap like the wind!

This seriously made made wrapping presents sooo much easier and faster!!

You can use a ruler if you wanna be anal but most of the time I didn’t =)

Hey at least it's slightly less than a month after the fact, and Thanksgiving dinnering totally applies to Christmas dinner too!
I was head chef this year which was tons of fun with my sous chef Momma
The Menu:

Wild rice & Corn Soufflé (A holiday staple, see Easter post for directions)

Stuffing (Box beefed up)

• I semi-homemade'd the boxed stuffing by sautéing diced onion in the butter and added dried cranberries, I also made it with double butter, because it's Thanksgiving and you go with it)

Red Mashed potatoes 

• I mashed them on the stove over low heat in the pot with Mom's immersion blender, which worked really well, except they sorta turned to runny glue... so then we Pyrex'd them and baked them in the toaster oven for a few more hours which cooked off a bunch of the water in them and turned them into twice baked like yummy amazing-ness.

Bread - Dad rocked the bread machine with his yummy sourdough

Turkey Breast from Wegmans, it was sooo good. (There were 6 of us for dinner so it was the perfect amount).

Steam in Bag Peas (keeping it real here)
Cranberry sauce (can, keeping it real real)

Gravy =)

Dessert - Dreamy Apple Pie 

We even tried to give Grandma a feather but her hair is too short =(
Yes my dad is a pro feather-er, tehehe.

 Since Valentines landed on a Monday (Bleh) and Andrew recently mastered making amazing steaks at home,  we decided to stay in. Mr.Cupid Potato Head served as our waiter.
(Mr.Cupid Potato Head was a care package surprise from Dad Valentines of my Freshman year at Belmont, total Daddy's girl =)

 We had my favorite wine we discovered at Capital Grill at the Hermitage Hotel, Lonely Cow Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
(Gotta love the fun to say wine!)

 The Amazing steak Andrew made me =D

 Veggies too. 

 Andrew also made Au Gratin Potatoes, in addition to each other we LOVE us potato.

 Mr. Potato Head Approved.

Here's Pepper skipping out on the clean up!