Summertime will be here before we know it! I am looking forward to a bit of slowdown time. Going with my son and his family to Sanibel Island, Florida for a week. I love it there!
I hope everyone has a great summer!
Easter Bunny Time
It’s Easter Bunny time and my six-year-old granddaughter is so ready! Check out our collection of Spring and Easter ribbons at our Etsy shop. There is a good variety of flowers and bunnies.
Spring is coming!
Spring is coming soon and there are a lot of flower ribbons in our shop. Our Etsy shop is always open online so you can shop anytime!
Valentine's Day!
Valentine’s Day is coming and we have many ribbons that work for wreaths, bows, and crafts. Be sure to check out our shop on Etsy.
Winter Time is Here!
Winter time is here and I am not a winter person. I have quite a bit of work to do so I am lucky I can work inside. I grew up in Orlando, Florida and it was awesome. That was before Disney World so it was a lot different when I was a kid. I love going back to visit and miss the beach so much. The beach is definitely my happy place.
Hope everyone has a great winter!
My Grinchmas Time
There are a lot of Grinch fans out there and I am one of them! I completely changed my colors last year from blue, silver, and crystal to mostly Grinch decor. There are decorations in the den, foyer, dining room, kitchen, and even the bathroom! I fell in love with the Grinch all over again.
Ribbon Types Part 2
6. Brocade ribbons have designs woven into them. They have a right and wrong side and the intricate designs on the ribbon make it very suitable for elaborate projects, like home decor.
7. Picot Edge ribbons have fine decorative loops called picots on either edge. Usually, it is a satin ribbon or a grosgrain ribbon with fine loops along the edges.
8. Taffeta is a woven ribbon that is made of lightweight and translucent silk, rayon, or polyester; most of them are wired. Even without wire, they have crispiness which makes them hold their shape somewhat.
9. Organza is a thin, plain weave, sheer fabric traditionally made from silk. Many modern organza ribbons are woven with synthetic filament fibers such as polyester or nylon.
10. Mesh ribbon is usually made from polyester, nylon or spandex. These are synthetic materials that last a very long time. In addition, mesh can be made of metal to give the fabric a shiny appearance. Although all mesh fabrics have the same mesh-like structure, they can differ in weight, thickness, color and finish. In addition, the material is available with fine or coarser holes.
Fall Display
Every year I do a fall display in my yard. Until this year I had always used real flowers, but last year made me stop and say, “No more!” Last year I put those mums on the bales of straw and there was not a single flower left the next day. The deer had eaten every single bloom in one night.
I went on a hunt for fake flowers for fall. The prices shocked me! So I ended up at the Dollar Tree. I have to admit, I love that store! I bought some buckets, foam blocks, and fall-looking flowers. I spent about $30, including some garland with fall leaves, some artificial gourds and pumpkins, and a couple of other things. That is cheaper than I would have paid for real flowers, garlands, and gourds.
The pumpkins are artificial. I have had them for a few years and if they get worn, I just paint them. The Scarecrow is a few years old and I purchased it in Gatlinburg, Tennessee on one of our visits. If you’ve never been there, it is worth a visit, especially in the fall. But it sure gets crowded when the leaves are turning.
Below are a few more of our Halloween decorations. The cat is real and her name is Spirit. She is such a sweet girl and the newest member of our family.
Ribbon Types Part 1
Ribbon: rib·bon /ˈribən/
noun
A long, narrow strip of fabric, used for tying something or for decoration.
1. Satin ribbon is smooth, shiny, and easy to tie. This ribbon can be single-faced, printed on one side, or double-faced satin. Most satin ribbons are made from nylon, rayon, or polyester. You will see many ribbon bows made from satin types of ribbon.
2. Grosgrain ribbon is a hard-wearing fiber blend and is used for all kinds of craft activities. Grosgrain is also used for sewing projects and gives hems a bit of body due to their stiffness. It ties well and comes in a wide variety of colors and can have printing too. They have distinctive crosswise ridges on the surface.
3. Burlap is a coarse cloth made of fibers of jute, flax, or hemp. It has a wide appeal for crafts or décor when you want a natural or rustic look.
4, Raffia is another one made with natural fibers. It is used for giving items such as wreaths and bows a farmhouse or rustic look. This ribbon also is used often for gift wrapping.
5. Velvet ribbon is soft and plush because they have a cut pile. They are used a lot at Christmas time for bows and crafts. It is also used as a winter trim on clothing.
Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
With Halloween and then Thanksgiving, the pumpkins are out and plentiful! My kids always loved pumpkin seeds; they are so easy to roast for a great snack. They are also high in antioxidants, fiber, and protein. So next time you carve a pumpkin save the insides and roast those tasty seeds!
Pumpkin Seeds
Here’s how to roast pumpkin seeds:
Separate the seeds from the flesh and strings. Wash the seeds and lay them on paper towels
to let them dry. Preheat the oven to 275°. Toss the dry pumpkin seeds with melted butter, margarine or vegetable oil. Spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. of kosher salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
You can spice them up by adding 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce. Or try adding some cayenne pepper for a spicy kick. Munch on!!
Barbie Inspired Christmas
The new Barbie movie has been so popular that adults are being inspired to bring out their old Barbie dolls. A lot of women loved it, men not so much, but that was to be expected. Now if it was a G.I. Joe movie it would have been the other way around!
Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy company Mattel, and launched in 1959.
The movie is a drama/comedy and covers compassion, seriousness, and joy. It is rated PG-13 and stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken.
I was in Hobby Lobby last week and looking at the Christmas decorations and saw lots of pink! After talking to my granddaughter who is 17, I had already listed on my site some “Barbie Inspired” ribbon. Looks like “Barbie” Christmas trees will be popular this year!
Barbie Inspired Ribbon
Sparkle!!
When my seventeen-year-old granddaughter was about six we were doing some crafts which involved glitter. I was worried about having the right amount of glitter on our project. She looked at me as seriously as she could and said, “Nana, you can never have too much glitter!” That is one of those memories that has stuck with me for years. These days I work with ribbon every day. Not all of it has glitter but if you are in my business you are bound to get some glitter on you.
Starmaker’s Attic has a lot of ribbon with glitter. For those who don’t like glitter, we have others with the “sparkle” without the glitter that can come off easily. There is ribbon that sparkles from glitter that is in the material, some with metallic threads and a lot of ribbon has metallic edging.
Plenty of “SPARKLE” at Starmaker’s Attic! These are just a few listed below.
How I Make Deviled Eggs
I have an easy tip for making deviled eggs, also known as dressed eggs. After boiling eggs, I let the eggs cool and peel. I slice them in half and put the yolk in a zip-lock bag. To that bag, I add my favorite ingredients for my deviled eggs. I use a little mayonnaise, a bit of pickle relish, a bit of mustard, salt, and pepper. You can use whatever you like for your ingredients. I then zip up the bag and squeeze it all together. After all the ingredients are mixed, I squeeze it toward one corner and snip off the end of the bag. Then just fill up the egg halves. I sometimes sprinkle a bit of paprika on top. Easy to do and clean up is a breeze!
Crafters Alert - Christmas is Only 105 Days Away!
If you are a crafter you know that it’s not too early to be making things for Christmas, especially if you will be having booths at craft shows this fall.
Below are a few of our Christmas Ribbons. We have over 300 different ribbons for Christmas!
How I Store My Wreaths
I used to keep my wreaths on a spare bedroom wall and when I stopped making them I wanted a place to store the ones I was keeping. I didn’t want to keep them hanging on a wall and get dusty, nor did I want to invest in a wreath storage box for each one. I have a lot of wreaths and those wreath storage containers can get expensive.
I finally came up with an idea and decided what kind of storage container I was going to use. I went to U-Haul and bought a wardrobe box for hanging clothes. You can buy these at other places, such as Lowe’s, Home Depot, and more. Then cut the ends on one side so when I opened either end I could lift out a wreath.
After that, I went to our dry cleaners shop and asked to purchase some of the plastic bags they put over the dry cleaning. Trash bags would work, but I wanted to see what I was getting out of the box. They gave me a dozen and wouldn’t let me pay for them.
The box lays down and fits just right under the Ikea table in my basement. I slide it out and open one end, then the other. The box measurements are 49x21x24 inches. It will hold 12-16 wreaths*, depending on the size.
I put a wreath in each one of the dry cleaning bags and put them in the box in order of when I would use them. Starting in January as I have a New Year’s wreath, then a winter wreath, then Valentine’s Day, etc. Now when I take one out it comes from one end and I put the one I was using and put it away in the other end. They stay in order, stay clean and all I have to do is fluff it up a bit. I have been doing this for two years and it works perfectly!
Hope this helps with all your wreaths!
JoAnn
*I do not store the crayon wreath in the box as the crayons might break. (Picture in a previous post.)
My Favorite Halloween Wreath
A couple of years ago I was making and selling wreaths and I made quite a few to keep. This is one of my favorites!
Combining Ribbons for Wreaths & Bows - A Few Fall Suggestions
Gnomes have been so popular lately. These would make a cute wreath or an adorable bow for the fall season.
We have more gnome ribbon for the Christmas holidays!
We have these ribbons and more at Starmaker’s Attic for the fall season. Below is a few of our fall ribbons. There are more than 850 different ribbons available in our shop.
Fall is Coming
Fall is coming and Starmaker’s Attic has a great selection of fall ribbons. Here are just a few of them, along with some Halloween ribbons. We have many more in our shop so be sure to check it out!
Fruit and vegetable Ribbon and a Summertime Recipe
With the abundance of summer vegetables, especially tomatoes, we can’t get enough. We love most vegetables, but I always think of my roasted tomato-basil soup even in the summer.
Tomato Basil Soup
2 pounds on the vine tomatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves of garlic – chopped
4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
1 Medium onion – chopped
1 cup of fresh basil leaves – chopped
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon butter
2 15oz. cans of fire-roasted tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet with a rim. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. In a stock pot add the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add butter, chopped garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Stir and saute until tender, about 7 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, including oven-roasted tomatoes and any liquid in the pan. Cook uncovered, for an hour. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree soup to desired consistency. Enjoy!
Back To School
I know it’s not “Back to School” time everywhere, but it started here on August 1. I hope everyone is ready and as excited as my granddaughter was for her very first day. I made this wreath a few years ago and it was so easy. Just a flat wooden circle, a glue gun, and lots of crayons! We have some great ribbons for “Back to School” wreaths, hair bows, and more!
