Custom Cake Pedestals

I host a lot of get-togethers with themes and color schemes. And I make a lot of desserts. Like, A LOT. So I like to have fancy pantsy dessert pedestals to display them on. It's my favorite thing, but they can get pricey and it isn't always possible to find exactly the color and size I'm looking for. So what do I do?? I make my own! Easy peasy directions after the jump!!

Summer Kids' Project: Mugs

Well, we're six weeks into summer vacation, and I don't know about your kids, but mine are ready to eat each other. Swimming, playing at the park, and mindless video games have lost their luster and I've been forced to get creative. And cheap. 

A friend suggested taking them to Color Me Mine to decorate ceramics. But dude, have you been there?? It's totally expensive! So I got creative. And cheap. Ergo, these hand-decorated, one-of-a-kind mugs:

Details after the jump!!

Spring Garden

It's February! Time to get your sun hat on and head out into your gardens!

Today we're exploring the time-honored tradition of bell jars.

More after the jump!

Thanksgiving Table Scape

Helloooo!! In my head, that sounded just like Julia Child.

I trust everyone has had an easy transition into November, what with the Daylight Savings and all. I haven't, but is that really surprising? It was dark at like 4:30 yesterday afternoon. So naturally, I didn't realize what time it really was and OF COURSE we had dinner before 5.

ANYWAY. On to fun things! Like eating! YAY!! Specifically, I'm referring to eating Thanksgiving dinner, which, is there anything better than that? I declare that there is not. So I've created a really fun, easy, interesting and INEXPENSIVE tablescape for the Annual Thanksgiving Holiday Gut-Stuff, which is how I like to think of it.

You may have seen last week's post on my Thanksgiving Trivia Cornucopia over at CraftGossip. This post is an addendum to that post, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already. I made a cornucopia filled with cool, fall-type thingies. Feathers, squash (squashes?), holly berries, golden roses, turning leaves, pine cones, corn husks, etcetera. It's all in there.

All of it. It's right in there.

Because it's the centerpiece, I thought it'd be neat to use elements from the cornucopia to liven up the individual place settings. Soooo, I did. For really funsies, I set each place with clear glass plates, and then placed red and gold fall leaves underneath.

I also hollowed out a couple mini-pumpkins with an apple corer and used them in place of traditional candle holders.

Instead of napkin rings, I tied each napkin with a ribbon and tucked a different element from the cornucopia into each bow.

I like how well everything coordinates without being so matchy-matchy. There's a lot of wonderful texture, beautiful fall color and the best part is how easy it is to pull together. It's a lovely departure from a traditional holiday table setting without seeming too casual.

What are your Thanksgiving plans?

Happy Anniversary!

Hello all you sexy crafters! This is our one year anniversary here at Crafty Butt, and I can't believe the cyber police haven't arrested me yet on charges of craftular incompetence.

When I started writing this little bloggy-poo I never imagined anyone would read it, and yet every day you people continue to amaze me by coming back (probably to mock me, but I won't dwell on that). I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I'm taking the day off to celebrate and raid my kids' Halloween stash before they get home from school, but in the meantime, I've written a guest post for Craft Gossip. You should totally check it out; it's awesome (relatively speaking, this is me we're talking about here).

So here's to another year of hot glue and chalk paint!

Cozy Sweater Candles

People who know me know that I can't knit. Actually, they probably wouldn't know whether I can or not, since knitting isn't something I talk about with people who know me. Or with anyone, actually. Since I can't knit. Ahem.

But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate lovely cable-knit sweater. And who doesn't, really? I love 'sweater weather' and I defy you to find anyone who doesn't. Sweaters are so rad we use them as weather adjectives.

After all, we don't say 'Bermuda shorts weather' because Bermuda shorts are horrible.

I think I may have gone a bit off the rails there. Anyway, sweaters are awesome, and I've fashioned some little sweaters for my candle holders because candles are awesome too. 

The no-knit tutorial is after the jump!

DIY: Chalkboard Cheeseboard

This project was inspird by this slate and bamboo cheese board. And although it's sort of reasonably priced, it's only available in the UK. In quantities greater than 25.

But I don't live in the UK. And I don't really need 25 cheese boards. I mean, cheese is delicious and all, but I have to draw a line somewhere.

So I made this:

More hot cheese board action after the jump!