To sell or not to sell....

Working in the design trade, I'm always trying to come up with new ideas and things to create that have my own special touch. Years ago, I saw an interesting looking Santa in a craft book and thought, "I could make something like that!" I've put my own spin on the design and have ended up with the Santa you see above. I make his face from Sculpey and glued on all the hair with a glue gun and a pin. His clothing and hat are all sewn (no glued-on trim here...) and he stands on a doll stand with a Christmas-themed music button in the base.

I've made several of these Santas over the years, no two the same. I've made a "Millenium Santa" for friends that were getting married that New Year's Eve. I'm made a "Backwoods Santa" complete with brown felt and snow shoes. My parents possess the "First Edition Santa" where hopefully I worked out all the kinks. He's in their favourite colour, blue and proudly sits in their living room all year 'round.

Each version is personalized for the individual they're going to. The one pictured here was for my mother-in-law and co-ordinates with her favourite colours in her decor. The Santa sack has treasures picked just for her including a miniature copy of our wedding picture and a pin from PEI. Her maiden name was Murphy and her husband used to call her "smurf".

I enjoy making my little santas (they're each about 18" tall) – each has his own personality. I'm in the process of researching what is involved in selling them and what would be the best venue for it (and if I have the time). A crafting market will probably be the place to start. I thought February would be a better time to think about all this than in November when it's Christmas Chaos!

If you're interested in my Santa's, I'd love your imput or if you're interested in acquiring a special version for yourself, I'd welcome your comments.

Monday is a good day to clean...

With Toothpaste

Who knew it could be used for more than just teeth?

Prevent fogged goggles

Stop fogging up when scuba diving or skiing by coating the goggles with toothpaste and then wiping them off.

Remove crayon from the walls

Use non-gel toothpaste squirted on the wall and a rag to scrub. The fine abrasive in the toothpaste will rub away the crayon every time. Rinse the wall with water.

Remove ink or lipstick stains from fabric

Put non-gel toothpaste on the stain and rub the fabric vigorously together. Rinse with water. If some ink came out, repeat the process a few more times until you get rid of all the ink or lipstick. It may or may not work, but worth a try to save your shirt from the scrap heap.

Spiff up your sneakers

Want to clean and whiten the rubber part of your sneakers? Get out the non-gel toothpaste and an old toothbrush. After scrubbing, clean off the toothpaste with a damp cloth.

Monday is a good day to clean...

Table Water Rings

Get those white marks – caused by hot cups or sweating glasses – off your coffee table or other wooden furniture with the simple steps below.

Solution 1

Make a paste of 1 tablespoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon water. Gently rub the spot in a circular motion until it disappears. Remember not to use too much water.

Solution 2

When your regular furniture polish doesn't work, try using a dab of car wax. Trace the ring with your finger to apply the wax. Let it dry and buff with a soft cloth.

Solution 3

Try petroleum jelly. Apply to ring and let it sit overnight. In the morning, wipe the watermark away with the jelly.

Solution 4

Gently rub some non-gel toothpaste on the wood with a soft cloth, then wipe it off with a damp cloth and let it dry before applying furniture polish.

Cool Stuff

Recycled toy sculptures. Check it out here.

Unusual belt designs. Check it out here.

Gun comb. Check it out here.

M-m-m-m Cookies...

Last week, we completed our homemade valentines (see previous blog) for my parents that live in Ontario. (Grammie in Halifax is getting one too). I was quite proud that we got them done ahead of time and in the mail – hopefully in enough time to make it to them. Next up – cookies.

My oldest daughter, Amanda, has Celiac Disease (allergy to wheat gluten), so some of the typical treat-based festivities at school can be challenging for us. We usually try to bring in something gluten free for the whole class so that Amanda can feel like just another kid in the group. On the weekend, I baked up 3 dozen gf sugar cookies in the shape of a heart (of course). Last night, we embarked on the fun part – decorating.

We started with your traditional icing sugar based icing – died pink – and then Amanda went to work with an assortment of sprinkles, coloured icing and gf, dairy-free and nut-free chocolate chips (her sister is allergic to milk, peanuts, eggs and tree nuts). It took us a while, but we got them all decorated – no two looked alike.

Now we just have to get them to the school in one piece...

A valentine from the heart

Inspired by one of the Usborne Craft books, I thought it would be fun to pull out all the papers and trimmings in our craft drawers and make some truly homemade Valentine's for the grandparents this year. A little help was needed from mommy for Emma's (she's 6) but all in all, it sure brought back memories from when I was a kid. At least we have more to work with now than doilies and red construction paper. Although I think glitter is permanently embedded in my tablecloth...

If you enjoy making crafts (with or without kids), I highly recommend the Usborne series of books. Beautiful crafts and instructions – a little more interesting than macaroni and silver spray paint. As an adult, I look forward to the next crafting project from these books as much as the kids do.

Check out the books here

Monday is a good day to clean...

With bananas

Who knew that bananas had more uses than just to up your potassium intake? See below for a few new ideas for our little yellow friend....

Tenderize a roast

Banana leaves are commonly used in many Asian countries to wrap meat as it's cooking to make it more tender. Some folks in these areas say the banana itself also has this ability. So the next time you fear the roast you're cooking will turn tough on you, try softening it up by adding a ripe, peeled banana to the pan.

Brighten up houseplants

Are the leaves on your houseplants looking dingy or dusty? Don't bother misting them with water – that just spreads the dirt around. Rather, wipe down each leaf with the inside of a banana peel It'll remove all the gunk on the surface and replace it with a lustrous shine.

Make a face mask

You can use a banana as an all-natural face mask that moisturizes your skin and leaves it looking and feeling softer. Mash up a medium-sized ripe banana into a smooth paste, then gently apply it to your face and neck. Let it set for 10-20 minutes, then rinse if off with cold water. Another popular mask recipe calls for 1/4 cup plain yogourt, 2 tablespoons honey, and 1 medium banana.