the story of: the october desktop

October's story is a long time favorite of mine. I'll share more about my childhood experience with this story later in the month, but let's just say that the Elves and the Shoemaker were a story that I love, love, loved to watch.



It makes me very happy that these shoemaking supplies will be gracing the desktop of my family's computer (in our kitchen for all to see!) during October. And I hope they get a spot on your computer too!

Download the October calendar desktop in JPG or PNG.
(One size fits most, with the fill screen setting)

great showdowns

Have you noticed that I like things with faces? I do. Take a normal object, add a face, and I think it's just the cutest thing ever.

Well, Scott C. is an illustrator who has made some fantastic depictions of things with faces. But here's what makes his work unique. First, his style has a cute, but vintage-y feel. But better still, he takes famous objects and gives them personality. Specifically, famous objects from movies.

Scott's blog, Great Showdowns, features his illustrations, "chronicling of some of the greatest confrontations in film history." Many are of people against people, and many are from films that I don't always recognize (I don't see tons of movies), but there are soooo many wonderful things to look through. I encourage you to fully explore his site.

Don't you just love them? Which is your favorite showdown?

All images used with permission.

print: blog contact pages

Not long ago, Tara and I put together some blog planner pages. Recently, someone commented that they would love to have pages for adding contacts to their planner. And so here we are to fulfill that request!





How did we not think of this before? It's quite handy to keep around. Also, thank you Tara, for reminding me that having a place for "Email" was a good idea. (Yes, I nearly forgot that on my original plan...really.)

These pages print with two per sheet, and have places to write down name, phone, email, blog, shop and twitter. These aren't editable files, so you'll have to write things down the old-fashioned way, but it will give you an excuse to try out some cute new pens!

Download the color version
(robin's egg blue and orange sherbet)

Download the B/W version

new blog friends

On Saturday, a few people who live near me (or relatively near!) met me for coffee and crafting. It was sooooo much fun. Take a look.



Left to right in the top photo: Jennifer, Molly, Sally, Me and Kimberly. My sister came too, but she's the one who took this photo. Actually, she took all of these, because I was so caught up in making things and chatting, that I forgot to take pictures. (bad blogger!)

The coffee shop was somewhat busy, but we grabbed an area with some big chairs and a large rug and we spread out (yes, we sat on the floor!). I noticed a few stares, but we didn't mind because we were having a good time. I brought supplies to make some little badges (I made one for me, one for my sis, and one for a friend)...they're easy and fun!

Then we settled into some other projects that we had brought, and it was a happy time. I'd definitely do this again...and soon!



Thank you, ladies for coming to make things with me!

coffee week giveaway winner

Thank you all so much for the lovely response to last week's giveaway from my generous sponsors! That was pretty huge! There were 145 entries, and the lucky winner is...

rosewendy

Congratulations, dear! You'll be hearing from everyone soon about your prizes.

my new bookmark

I have a new bookmark.



It has a little mole on it, which I drew a long time ago.



It also has a long ribbon.



It's waiting in a book that is waiting to be read.

It was also really easy to make. This is just muslin, felt and ribbon. I like it because it's perfect for a small bit of embroidery. And I like small, teeny tiny embroidery. It's just so cute!

coffee week: snapshot saturday

A perfect way to end coffee week. Coffee and crafting with new friends.

coffee week: make a coffee gift bag

Last year for Christmas, I received a gift that came from World Vision. A coffee mug, delicious fair-trade coffee, a carved scoop, and a handmade bag. First, I love my parents for getting me this. Second, the bag that it came with is fantastic. And it inspired today's project.

A simple gift of a bag of coffee can be made extra special with a little hand-stitched bag. It upgrades an $8 bag of coffee, and says, I care about you enough to spend a little time on this. And honestly, it doesn't take very long. I sewed the entire bag by hand (no sewing machine!), and still was up for making more.



Here's what you need:
Patterned fabric (8x24" is more than enough)
Plain fabric (8x5" should be good)
Embroidery floss
Thread (I used quilting thread)
Ribbon or thick string
Helpful: pins, pinking shears



Cut your fabric so that it will fit the a bag of coffee when folded and sewn into a bag. My piece was 8.5x24 and came out a bit looser than it needs to be.

Cut the piece in two, about 6" in from one end. This is where you'll place an inset.



Embroider a design onto the plain fabric. (This pattern was one from Wednesday's free patterns) In hindsight, I would have stitched this right in the middle, but oh well. This is the inset.



Pink the top and bottom edges of the inset, and lay out the bag as you see here.



Pin the embroidered piece into place. Using a doubled length of thread, sew the inset to the patterned fabric along the top and bottom. A running stitch will work well.



Double fold and press the top edges of the fabric. Pin and sew. This will be the top hem.



Turn the bag right sides together, pin, and sew down the sides with a running stitch.



Ignore the fact that I didn't match the plaid (My mother was disappointed in me), and slip a bag of coffee inside.



Tie with a pretty bow, and share the gift of coffee!

This was inspired by a coffee bag, and is made for coffee, but of course, you could sew up a bag like this for lots of things. And if your sewing machine is kind to you, imagine how quickly you could whip these up for gifts! My mom has asked me how many I'll be making for Christmas presents, and it might just be a lot!

coffee week: coffee and crafting

At the end of coffee week, as in, this Saturday, I'm having a little coffee meet-up for people who are in my area (or who want to drive a long time to have a cup of coffee). We'll meet, chat, sip and create. Everyone who comes is welcome to bring a project to work on, and I'll be bringing supplies for everyone to make something (see above...this will make some wearable cuteness!).

If you're already planning on coming, consider this your reminder!

If you're just hearing about this, the details are here.

coffee week: favor bags

If you're having an even (big or small!) any time soon, you're going to love this idea from Kaitlyn of isavirtue. She's an apple cider kind of gal, but this would be perfectly wonderful filled with coffee too!

ever since i was little, i have loved autumn. i love the crispness in the air, the ability to wear layers of clothing and the sense of possibility and excitement as a new school year begins and the holidays approach.

when i was younger my parents always used to bring home jugs of apple cider for my brothers and i. so when they started selling cider at tim horton’s in canada, i was beyond delighted! and, as i once did with my family, i now enjoy apple cider with my husband. for us, apple cider is about finding time to spend a moment together. it is about relief at the end of a hard day, or a miniature celebration for a job well done.

we wanted to share this little tradition of ours with our loved ones at our wedding, so last year we decided to make apple cider favors!



we sourced little cotton drawstring bags from the kraft outlet online. they had that slightly rough, burlap aesthetic that i was looking for – but i knew cotton would be the easiest to stamp on.



we described our idea to a local tim horton’s franchiser, and after all was said and done, they let us purchase four large bags of apple cider powder at wholesale cost, and they gave us six more for free! we could have used mini zip-loc bags for the powder but i wanted something a little bit nicer so we used little cello bags – the same style i use to pack my stationery products! and of course, we had to include a little cinnamon stick with each package!



i used a set of acrylic alphabet stamps and an acrylic block to create the black “love is sweet” stamp. it took longer than expected to dry so if you are pressed for time, have little room or are uncomfortable with stamps, i would recommend a print and iron on transfer!

we finished off the favors with a little note from us, and an explanation of the contents inside. the project took a lot of time, but was well received by our guests. and in the end 160 favors only cost us 93 dollars!

Thanks, Kaitlyn, for sharing this fun way to package a favorite beverage!

coffee week: greek coffee

In addition to this being Coffee Week, today is also a day when my sponsors share some fun things. Sécia from Petite Insanities is here with the instructions for Greek coffee, and I am really looking forward to trying this some time!



If you haven't tried Greek (or Turkish) coffee before you're in for a treat. It's creamy, sweet, strong and even a little bitter and super yummy.

Here's what you'll need:
a Briki {Greek coffee pot}
Greek coffee
sugar
water
one or more demitasse cups and saucers; to serve

Let's discuss the ingredients before we begin. First, the briki comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can find many varieties in Greek markets and online here, here and even here. Any one will due however you MUST use a briki because it's an important part of the process when it comes to making the foam. Also, keep in mind that they are tiny so make sure you buy the proper size for your needs {ie: 2, 4 or 6 demitasse cup pots}.

Now for the coffee. It's all about personal taste but I recommend Venizelos (which I'm using in this tutorial) or Loumidis. You can even get a decaffeinated version here!

Now, WE BREW!

Use a demitasse cup to measure the amount of water into the briki;

1 demitasse pre-brew = 1 demitasse brewed.

Place the briki on the stove on low heat.

When the water is warm, add a teaspoon of coffee and a teaspoon of sugar for every demitasse. note: you can use as little or as much sugar as you like but keep in mind that this coffee is strong and slightly bitter.

Heat until it begins to boil and foam (it will rise slightly too).

Remove from heat and pour into demitasse cups dividing the foam evenly. Enjoy!



WARNING: If you want to add sugar now... don't! Every second the coffee is settling at the bottom of your little cup.

So now you're sitting there enjoying yummy, Greek coffee and you're thinking "okay, that was cool but I wouldn't necessarily call it fun." We're not done yet.



Make sure not to drink all the way to the bottom of your cup or you'll get a mouth-full of sludge.



Instead, when you come to the end of your cup, flip it over on its saucer and turn it 3 times.

Wait a few minutes...



Now the fun part: flip your cup over and see the designs that the coffee sludge has created down its sides.

Look carefully and see what images you come up with. This is your FORTUNE.

I have such fond memories drinking Greek coffee with my mom and reading our fortunes together. I hope you enjoy making some for yourself and please do let me know how you like it.

xoxo
sécia

Thanks so much for sharing this fun treat! I'm not one to believe in fortunes, but I do like seeing the shapes that show up in things like this. A Google search will turn up some interesting results on reading Greek coffee, if you're so inclined!

coffee week: sponsor giveaway

Is that post title misleading? I'm not giving away my sponsors, but they are giving away some really fun things. There are five prizes, and ONE WINNER will get all of them! Check out these fine offerings, and then read all of the details for entering at the end of this post.

Rachell from No Mark at All has a coffee photo print to share from her shop!
Coffee and Cream • 6x6 Matte Finish • Signed

Tell Its Story: Journaling the Memories of your Stuff (an ebook from Lemon and Raspberry) will help you record all the memories you have surrounding your coffee mug collection, your child's security blanket, or any other object you hold close to your heart.

This ebook walks through the ideas behind material culture and the value of physical objects in our lives. We discuss real life examples (like music or your childhood homes) … and then go on to discuss specific techniques to record the stories of your objects. The final chapter looks at 4 or 5 different projects you can make to help record the stories of your things – your heirlooms, your souvenirs, your every day objects.

Tell Its Story is half a discussion of what is important and meaningful in our lives …. … and half a photography and craft project.

(Amy is also offering 25% off with the code WILDOLIVE)



Anita from Sew, Vintage, So Fun! has this to share: This month to celebrate the coffee theme, here is an 8 ounce bag of Starbucks 2011 Anniversary Blend Whole Bean Coffee and a matching mug. And because I loved Mollie's story so much, I had to add a grinder! This one actually grinds coffee though, and it is by Mr. Coffee. Enjoy!



Harmony from Feed Your Soul Art has an 8x10 art print to share! The winner can choose from her shop.



Isabela from Ooh Leela! makes cute cup cozies, and the winner will receive their choice of cozy from her shop, plus a Starbucks giftcard!

There are lots of ways to get entries, so you'll have lots of chances to win all of these goodies!

Leave your name and email - 1 entry
Follow Wild Olive - 1 entry
Follow No Mark at All - 1 entry
Follow Lemon and Raspberry - 1 entry
Follow Sew, Vintage, So Fun! - 1 entry
Follow Feed Your Soul Art - 1 entry
Follow Ooh Leela! - 1 entry

That seven chances! Be sure to leave a comment for each entry, otherwise, I won't be able to count them.

The giveaway will close on Sunday, September 25 at 11PM CST, and a winner will be announced on Monday.

PS: I know that at least 3 of the prizes are eligible to go to an international winner.

coffee week: funky finds

We all like finding fun things, and that's what Jessica of Funky Finds is best at! Today she's sharing some funky coffee finds...enjoy!




Each week, I post a themed "Funky Five" on the Funky Finds blog. I thought it would be fun to share five coffee-related finds discovered via Pinterest. Visit my Pinterest boards for more funky finds!

1. Autumn Coffee pinned by Tina Tina
2. Iced Coffee Recipe by The Pioneer Woman pinned by Michelle Hoffpauir
3. Retro Poster Print by ReStyle Design Prints pinned by Mary Beth Fleming
4. Mug pinned by Hannah Oosterhout
5. Coffee Lovers Ring by SmilingSilverSmith pinned by Linn Svanbäck

The Shops @ Funky Finds is an easy-to-use & affordable online marketplace. Open a Shop @ Funky Finds and receive THREE FREE ADDITIONAL MONTHS!

Great finds! And yes, a morning without coffee is like sleep!

coffee week: embroidery patterns

I've found that sipping a cup of coffee with some stitching in hand is just about perfect. And over the last few years, I've stitched many coffee cups, but I just can't get enough.

For Coffee Week, I've made a PDF with three designs in it. The coffee cup you see above (which I used to make a gift bag), a coffee grinder (like the one in this month's story), and a commercial coffee pot (I picture it with an orange handle, even though I never drink decaf).

Download the PDF, and stitch up some coffee!

New to embroidery? Check out my Embroidery Basics series.

coffee week: know your coffees

A long time ago, before I had ever visited a Starbucks, I read a thorough listing of different specialty coffees. Based on that reading, I decided that a Caramel Macchiato would be the beverage for me. I was right. Other than my Pumpkin Spice (and Christmas time Gingerbread) lattes, Caramel Macchiatos are my favorites.

You may have seen the print above before (it's quite popular on Pinterest). It might not give wordy descriptions, but it does depict some coffee favorites...and with faces! I love, love, love it!

Kate Moore, the creator of this adorable caffeinated (and sometimes decaffeinated) design is one creative gal, and she's recently started a blog! Be sure to check out Make Moore. Of course, she also has lots of lovely things in her shop, and what's Moore (I couldn't help myself), she's offering 15% off for Wild Olive readers with the code WOCOFFEE0911. Thanks, Kate!

Now, go read up on all your coffee choices!