Making ice luminaries is easy and fun. Try a few and make use of the cold weather while it lasts! It might even inspire you to have friends over for a backyard bonfire before winter's over. They look best in groupings, so make a variety using whatever empty containers you have on hand. You can add flowers, fruit, rocks, shells, glitter, sticks... let your creative juices flow!
This scarf knit up very quickly on the small long Knifty Knitter once I got the wrapping pattern started. I came up with this very simple deviation from the normal double-knit and it gives the scarf a stitch that's both open and interesting. It reminds me of a backbone for some reason, but I'm calling it the "ladder" pattern, since that's a little more attractive.
Are you thinking about spring too? I love gardening, but since I live in Michigan, spring planting is still a long time off. I've tried growing seedlings inside the house but they've always ended up so spindly that they never really made it to the garden. I came upon this idea while surfing the internet one night and have wanted to try it out.
The idea is to plant seeds in miniature greenhouses made of old containers such as deli trays and Costco-sized pretzel jars and then set them outside for the rest of the winter. When the time is right - and the seeds will know when - they will sprout, protected from birds, from washout by torrential downpours, and from drying out in the wind. You'll get a very early start on your garden or flower beds with very little investment.
I've seen so many cool felted items lately - purses, hats, and even felted book covers. The online videos and books make it look very easy. So far I've only posted projects that turned out well, but that will change today! Here is the first flop that I'm willing to spend the time documenting.
Get ready for Valentine's Day by making a few! These woven paper hearts are a Scandinavian Christmas tradition, but I think they're cool for Valentine's Day too. By cutting and weaving two different colors of paper or felt, you'll have a cute little heart-shaped basket for a few candies. This can be a little tricky, but should be good for kids 10 and up.
