Knit Cloche Hat

I was going through some old blog posts and I discovered this hat that I had posted about three years ago! I'm pretty sure this is one of the last things I have knitted, besides a few scarves here and there. 
Knitting  is so therapeutic and calming, and it makes me wonder why I ever stopped? I'm thinking about having a weekly blog segment about knitting along with tutorials and tips. But along with all the other projects I would like to work on (and chasing a baby around!), I don't know how much time I will devote to this. Something I would definitely like to try though... 

This Knit Cloche Hat Pattern I found at Zakka Life and it's by far one of my favorites to use! 

Knit Cloche Pattern

Easy to make Flower Embellishment I added.

Me... three years ago! :)

Gratitude Journal

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Now that it is a new year, I think that also means time for new attitudes or should I say new Gratitudes. I don't think of myself as an ungrateful person, but I do think I am not as grateful as I should be. That is why I think starting a Gratitude Journal would be perfect for me. 

I got this idea from Cassie over at her blog Primitive and Proper. She made some super cute gratitude journals that were very inspiring. 

I looked around my house for things I already I had on hand to make a journal.

 I had a journal I had never used, but I didn't like the cover. So I took the cover off and turned it around! 

For Christmas I got some coveted Cath Kidston Washi Tape. And I also had some peel and stick glitter letters laying around. 

I placed strips of washi tape over the journal until it completely covered the journal. Then I added the stickers. 

Very simple, yet something that will have an impact in my life everyday. 

There is always something to be grateful for in life! 

Rejoice Always, Pray Continually,
Give Thanks in All Circumstances.  1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Supplies used:

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Valentine's Banner *

*this is a re-post to get us in the Lovey Dovey spirit*

I said I would get crafty, so I got crafty! My original plan was to make a banner that said, Happy Valentine's Day, but that got a little long, Sooo... I shortened it to LOVE. And truthfully that is all I need. It was really quite simple. I learned how to make the Rosettes from this tutorial here.

What you will need:

Scrap booking paper sheets

Felt sheets (i used hot pink with glitter on it)

tissue paper

pipe cleaner

glitter letter stickers (i used Martha Stewart's from Michael's)

paper punch

ribbon

Make the rosettes from the tutorial using scrap booking paper of your choice.

• Take strips of tissue and glue them together to create a paper tassel.
• Cut out a circle of Felt and then glue pipe cleaner around felt circle.
• Cut out a smaller circle of scrap paper and stick glitter letter to smaller paper circle.
• Glue smaller paper circle to felt circle.
• Put hot glue all over the back of the felt circle, attach tissue paper tassel and quickly stick on the front of your rosette.
• Punch two small holes on the top of each rosette and string ribbon through all the rosettes.

Simple and easy!

Remember: Mind the Glue Gun!

Love Banner at my Wedding! 

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!! 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Recently we were invited to dinner and I offered to bring a dessert. Well of course I headed over to my Pinterest "Treats" board for some yummy-licious goodies!

I found this amazing recipe from the Picky Palate's Blog for Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwiches. She got the idea from something similar they serve at Disneyland. 

These sandwiches are SO easy to make!! And you only need 3 ingredients. You read that right, THREE! ingredients! Huzzah! 

Okay Ready?

1. 3 Cups Chocolate for melting (like chocolate chips, I used Hershey's Chocolate Chips)
2. 12 Graham Crackers Squares
3. 2 Cups of Peanut Butter

If you want to thin out the chocolate you can add some shortening or vegetable oil. I used a dash of vegetable oil so the chocolate would be extra smooth & silky. Also have a small cookie sheet ready that is lined with wax or parchment paper. This is essential because this recipe, although DELICIOUS, it is a bit sticky and melty. And you will need to keep these cool, either in the fridge or freezer.

Step one: 

Melt your chocolate according to package directions... low heat is the key! No burnt chocolate. UGH.

Once your chocolate is melted, take your 12 Graham Cracker squares and dip them one at a time into the chocolate. Place them on your wax paper lined cookie sheet and then put them in the freeze to quickly harden them up. 

Step 2.  Once your chocolate is set, remove the pan from the freezer and spread the Peanut Butter on each cracker. The amount you spread on there depends solely on how peanut buttery you want these to be! Once that step is done, pop them back in the freezer for about 10 minutes until PB is firm. While the PB is firming up, turn the heat off of your chocolate and let your chocolate thicken. (But not harden! big difference!)

Step 3. Messy Messy Messy. With a spoon poor and smooth the chocolate over the PB crackers. Coat the top and each side until covered. Once they are all covered, put them back in the freezer so the chocolate can get firm. It doesn't really matter if your chocolate squares are perfect right now, because you can break them into squares once they harden.

Step 4. When your chocolate is firm, take the last of the chocolate and drizzle over the top with a spoon. It doesn't need to be fancy, just have fun. Because these sandwiches are gooey, keep them in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to eat them. They are oh so good!!! 

Chocolate Peanut Buttery Goodness!! 

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Top 10 Projects of 2011

2011 Has been a great year at Superfluous! Moving into a new house always brings plenty of projects to work on... and work on... and... And then there was the invention of Pinterest, where I was and continually am inspired to create. So I wanted to highlight the Top 10 Superfluous Projects of 2011.

DIY Fabric Lampshade Cover 

While working on E's nursery I took a boring ol' lampshade and made a fabric cover. It was a super easy project and I loved how it turned out! 

Goodwill Chair Chevron Makeover

I found a really ugly chair at the Goodwill.  I spray painted it white and put a chevron cover on the seat. 

Amazing transformation! 

Word Art Project

Canvas, Stencil and Scrapbook paper made a really fun and inspirational word art project.

Halloween Wreath

Thanks to Pinterest, I got the idea to make a Halloween wreath! Spooky! 

Knockoff Anthropologie Mirror

I love Anthropologie, but I don't love their prices. I saw a mirror I really liked, but decided to DIY my own. 

House Love Projects

Around the house I worked on a few little projects...

Chalkboard makeover and Everett Banner! 

Entryway photo collage and fresh coat of paint.

New Curtains and pictures.

Glitter House

I love collecting glitter houses, but they can be rather spendy. So I decided to make my own! I found the houses at Hobby Lobby and I had fun decorating them! 

Clothespin Wreath

This by far was one of my favorite projects I've made this year! Clothespins, scrapbook paper, glitter and decorative washi tape was all I needed to make this awesome project. 

Christmas Decorating

First Christmas at our new house and I had fun decorating and making look festive and fun! 

Baby Everett is Born!

On May 8, 2011 I gave birth to Everett Timothy! By far my FAVORITE thing I've ever created. (with help from my husband of course!)  Everyday is a delight to stay home with this little guy!! Oh how we love him! 

2011 was a great year for projects! But I have a feeling that 2012 will bring many more DIY projects, home improvements and crafts! (although I can't guarantee there will be another baby. ;)

Happy New Year! 

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Final TWD ~ Thumbprint Cookies!

 

Thumbprint cookies (picture is from a previous baking session)

What is TWD you ask? Those of you have been reading my blog for years and years know that I used to bake alongside other cyber bakers in a weekly baking adventure. We are part of a group called Tuesdays with Dorie, an online baking club of sorts. For four years bloggers got together on Tuesdays and posted the weekly recipe out of Dorie Greenspan's book, Baking: From my Home to Yours. It was quite serendipitous that I had found this book at a thrift store and within the week found the Tuesday with Dorie baking group.

This past year I have not been doing much baking and TWD fell by the wayside... you know with getting married, getting pregnant and a new baby in a 9 month span.  

But when I was baking with TWD I truly enjoyed so many things about it! I made so many fun blog friends, where each week we would encourage each other with our successes, mishaps and sometimes total failures. 

For myself, I learned how to bake things I never thought possible, improving my skills and gaining insights into baking that I would've never learned otherwise. 

This is the final week of Tuesday with Dorie. And although I haven't contributed to TWD in awhile, it's bittersweet to see the group wind down. Dorie Greenspan even posted about the group coming to an end on her blog. I love what she said about our little group, "TWD is proof of the power of community and yes, of baking, of learning to make something with your own hands.  That you can share what you’ve made with those you love is another gift."

I can't tell you how heartfelt and true this is to me. Sharing what you have made with your own hands, whether in baking something or crafting or sewing is so much sweeter than anything store bought. 

Thanks for the fun memories and farewell to a wonderful group! 

Happy Baking!