DIY Project: Embroidered Lampshade

This colorful DIY project is relatively easy to make though it takes some time. These sunny days offer a good light to work with embroidery technique. You will need: a basket style lampshade, spray paint, woolen embroidery yarn (yellow, 2 shades of green, coral, 2 shades of red) and cheap transparent nail polish.

These lampshades cost only 1€ per each at the flea market. I spray painted these with pink color.

I was surprised how difficult it was to find woolen embroidery yarn. I looked at the internet and local shops but did not find any place that would sell these. Finally when I asked at the local yarn shop they had little bags of embroidery yarn in their drawer. I remember that couple of years ago every yarn and craft shop had a special stand for these. Maybe these do not sell nowadays so well.

The design is simple. Count the middle of the work from your lampshade and begin at the middle of the pattern.  Take a short piece of embroidery yarn to tapestry needle and work one color at the time making cross stitches.

To finish the yarn ends use transparent nail polish to fasten the knots and cut off long yarns.

The white cord was too pale so I decided to crochet a cover from cotton yarn. Chain 6. *Chain one to turn and crochet one simple crochet in every loop (6 loops). * ** repeat. Measure the height of the cord and crochet accordingly. End the work when you reach the height. Fold the piece around the cord and sew the long seam by hand with the same yarn you used for crocheting.

I changed summer curtains but these are too white for my current taste (these are old curtains I had in my storage). Now I have plans to dye these with machine color. We will see how that goes :) I have already bought a coral color package.

Colorful DIY moments to your all!

Sannu

Easy vegetarian hamburger recipe

This easy vegetarian hamburger recipe brought the taste of coming summer to my mouth. This is super tasty and if you got a grill this is good vegetarian (or actually vegan) option for a barbecue. I made this in the kitchen using a frying pan which was simple and handy as I cook just for myself. For bigger portions a grill would be quicker.

You will need:

***

2 avocados

some cherry tomatoes

one red onion

2 garlic cloves

some jalapeno

lemon juice

black pepper

salt

***

a good white bread

one courgette

1/2 paprika

oil for frying

salt

black pepper

***

french fries

asparagus

salt

1. First make the guacamole. Put peeled avocados, red onion, cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves and jalapenos to a mixer and run to an even paste. Spice with lemon juice, salt and black pepper.

2. Prepare the french fries as it is advised on the package. You can also take some potatoes, chop them to about 4 pieces and massage some oil, salt and rosemary and but them to an oven to 200 Celsius degrees for about 20 minutes.

3. Then prepare the asparagus. Add some salt to the water and boil. Add the asparagus to the hot water and boil about two minutes. Take the kettle off, pour the water off and let the asparagus be for a while before serving.

4. Now chop the courgette and paprika. Take good loaves from the bread. Put some oil to the frying pan and let it heat. Place the courgette and paprika chops and bread loaves to the pan to get a nice golden color to the surface. Spice the courgettes with salt and black pepper.

5. Now combine the bread, guacamole, paprika and courgette to a hamburger.

Simple, beautiful and tasty.

Bon Appétit!

Sannu

Home is a big mood board

Home sweet home! I am back home and blogging after one and a half months of living and working away from home. Wonderful experience that was, it was still a bit surprising how much it effected to my creativity that I was not surrounded by all this colorful DIY material. I noticed that if I don´t see all these piles of yarn, paint, fabric etc. my brain will stop planning new DIY projects. I did some crocheting though, but the "normal" constant stream of ideas was away (You know that hard to get sleep -feeling when you just burst with creativity?). It is like this home and this stuff inside it forms a big mood board for my project planning...

Situation is now completely different :) I have been in the local yarn shop twice, bought some spray paint and started three different projects. I would also like to do something with my balcony. At least clean and organize it, to start with.

Winter has changed into spring at some point. Last week I was skiing, now it is plus 15 Celsius degrees! Some trees have begun to grow small leaves and birds are crazy about spring screaming (singing) their voices out. After few weeks I will be able to drink morning coffee or read a book at the balcony. I just love this time of the year. What comes to making, taking photographs and writing, spring gives needed light. During the mid winter the day light lasts for few hours, now I can work till ten p.m.!

Crocheting and embroidering that is what is coming next weeks. Now I will go back to embroidering. At the end of the week you will see what that project is about :)

Sannu

Flowers of the Spring

The Easter holidays went quite quickly this year. I watched lots of movies, ate chocolate eggs and made some flower arrangements. I also lighted last candles for this spring. Now there is so much light in the evenings that candles don´t show.

I have been planning to craft something from the insides of the chocolate Easter eggs (you know those plastic thingies). Lets see what I will create :)

Best wishes

Sannu