Harts and Crafts Blog | Creative Jubilee

Soap-Making Sunday

By Christina Lee| September 22nd, 2019|Handmade, Homemade Soap, Oh My Crafts!|

After having made a handful of dish and hand towels earlier in the year, it’s time to pair them with homemade soap. This is my second go around at making soap using the melt and pour method, and I’m loving it. It’s simple to make and it has minimal cleanup effort. This time, I picked out a block of Shea butter and glycerin soap. Then I went ahead and shopped around my pantry for oatmeal, flowers and other natural ingredients. I’m excited to see how the texture pairs with the soap base. Unfortunately, I was out of coffee beans. How is that possible?! Next time!

While I’m a big fan of splashing a bit of color and dye into the soap base, I decided to take a minimalist approach with the glycerin to give it more of an all-natural, homemade feel. I really like how the oatmeal sits with clear glycerin; it’s just got this amazing texture and hearty, healthy wholesome feel. Then I threw in some blue hydrangea into another glycerin cube, but wasn’t as pleased. It turned out a little darker than expected and a few days later, it become even darker. I’m eager to try mint leaves next time to see how the color holds up.

With the Shea butter, I added pink, purpler and yellow dye along with some pressed flowers and rose petals. Since the feedback I got last time was it wasn’t as fragrant as store bought soap, I was more generous with my essential oils and added a few more drops than I normally would. Hopefully, that did the trick.

Overall, I think they turned out good. Stay tuned for my next soap-making adventure!

The Broad

By Christina Lee| August 31st, 2019|Creative Inspiration|

Many of us in our younger years had birthday parties of our own or attended parties that had balloon artists who just stunned the audience with their fanciful balloon creations. Whether it was a flower, sword, bunny, cartoon character, or whatever you could conjure up with your imagination, balloon artists could always steal the show with their balloon twisting talent and unique, one-of-a-kind sculptures. Just about every one of us got to bring home a twisted dog or tulip that we held close until the unthinkable happened — it popped or deflated.

Balloon sculptures are a nostalgic childhood memory that still brings a smile to my face, so when I heard of Jeff Koons’ art installation at The Broad, I was thrilled to see it. The first thing that caught our eye was the mirror-polished Tulips. This colorful bouquet was so vibrant and ornate, and definitely a showstopper. I couldn’t help but think how lovely it would look in my home. That’s wishful thinking, but nonetheless, something I can hope for when I retire.

While the tulips brightened up one room, I could practically sniff out the famous Balloon Dog in the other. Seeing this guy in the museum was certainly a ‘wow’ moment. With the dog standing upright and his tail perked up, he’s just sculpted to perfection. I just wanted to squeeze the living life out of him and knowing that he wouldn’t pop gave me extra reassurance, though I didn’t dare defy the museum rules.

It’s certainly a worthwhile trip for all you tulip, dog and balloon lovers out there!

Who’s up for a little ‘Stitch & Bitch’ Sesh?!

By Christina Lee| August 8th, 2019|Crocheting, Handmade, Yarn Addict|

It’s easy to go days without dusting or even weeks, but who’s really counting? The fact is, you’re going to get to it… once you have the time and that perfect cleaning companion. I decided now was that time, so I better crochet myself a handy dandy dish towel that’s going to leave my place spotless — and using this organic white cotton yarn was going to be my proof of cleaning.

I decided with the Moss Stitch crochet pattern to give it body and texture for when I really need to beat down on those tables and counter tops, and scrub. But hopefully, we don’t get to that point. I’ve been there and it doesn’t make cleaning any easier. Plus, at the end of the day, I do hope to hang this crocheted dish towel on the rack proudly and make sure it’s not too bent out of shape.

The final touch I added were there sea green stripes to mimic the look and feel of my bath towels. I love adding those subtle accents to give it that homier feel and go beyond a simple white dish towel.

What kind of accents do you add to your crochet projects? Do tell.

Do What You Love and Love What You Do

By Christina Lee| July 10th, 2019|Creative Inspiration, Learning from the best, Oh My Crafts!|

Nothing is more intriguing than seeing someone do what they love and love what they do. I was lucky to spend a few days on the cobblestone streets of Mostar. Visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina ended up being a detour from my Rick Steves’ trip where vacation is all day fun and drinks. This is probably a spot that I wouldn’t have braved going on my own. Many of the buildings and broken down streets still suffer the tragedy of the 1990’s. Bullet holes, old warehouses and abandoned buildings still serve as a reminder of heartbreak, destruction and loss during the Bosnian genocide.

One of the most memorable moments was hearing firsthand how the war affected survivors today. Oftentimes, you hear stories of Red Cross saving lives and sending parachutes of food down to people from some of the poorest countries, yet rarely do you hear from those on the receiving end of those parachutes. Well today I got to meet someone on the receiving end and learn about war, destruction and near-death experiences from a lady who survived the 1990s in Bosnia Herzegovina. It was an eye-opening experience and a much-needed detour from the ‘good life’ to help me understand history, reconciliation of cultural identities and modern day Muslims.

Even with the pain and hardship, people are able to find peace in doing what they love.

Crocheting down the Ljubljana Canal

By Christina Lee| June 30th, 2019|Craft Day, Crocheting, Yarn Addict|

By now, you must know that I hardly leave the house without throwing a knitting or crocheting project in my handbag — and you better believe that going on vacation is no exception. One thing I do know about traveling is that it’s long and tiring, and the last thing you need is a complicated crochet pattern. I decided to go with the Shell Stitch Pattern. It’s repeatable, easy on the eyes and a pattern that I’ve been wanting to try. Lucky for me, I’ve got a good hour going up and down the Ljubljana Canal, so it’s time to take out my crochet hook and get going.

If you can double crochet, then you can easily do the Shell Stitch.

Going along with the beach theme, I picked out Lily Sugar N’ Cream cotton yarn skeins in Coral, Cream, Beach Glass and Sea Breeze and switched colors every two rows. So far, I really like the color, texture and pattern. I am making a kitchen dish towel, but think this pattern would ultimately look better on a big long, plush blanket. Maybe that will be my next project. Who knows?!

Creative Musings

By Christina Lee| June 9th, 2019|Craft Day|

Do you have a special place in your home where you can just sit back, relax and let the ideas flow? With a busy work week, a congested commute and a social media outlet that’s always on, you’ve got to find some time for yourself to let loose and decompress. I created this space for myself in anticipation for moments where I just need to get away from it all. This is a place where the phone is tucked away, the television is turned off and I can sit with the company of my dog, a little Pandora and maybe even a book. It’s a place where I can be creative and let my mind wander. It’s a place where I can think freely of yesterday, today and tomorrow. It’s a place that is peaceful and safe. It’s a place of my own. I hope you have a place you love just as much because it’s kind of important for us creative folks. You know what I mean?

Susanna’s Surprise Birthday!

By Christina Lee| May 6th, 2019|Craft Day, DIY Home, Humbling Hobbies and Habits, Oh My Crafts!, Scrapbooking|

If you haven’t already heard, I’ve accepted a part-time job as an event planner! With my sister’s 40th Birthday this year, my parents and I decided that we had to make it extra special. We were a little late to the game planning her surprise because initially a trip to Hawaii was going to be her big celebration, but we realized celebrating such a milestone without her friends by her side just wouldn’t cut it, so we’re now in crunch time for picking a theme and getting all the logistics into place. Since riding a cable car has always been on Susanna’s to-do list, we made that our theme and planned this ‘Susanna Style’ meaning every detail from the invitation to the party favors to the food and overall experience needed to be thought through carefully. In our family, Susanna is usually the one to plan all the family reunions and get togethers, so having to fill her shoes is a tall order. But I’m ready for the challenge (!)

My Mom and I divvied up all the tasks. While she did the research on cable car and thought through the decorations, I made the reservations and became the point of contact for all the guests. Her close friends and family dug through old albums to find photos representing ages 1-39 as I began putting together her birthday album. Her best friends Audrey and Lisa found ways to clear her schedule and come up with a story to keep her occupied on the big day. I made reservations for the cable car, food and cupcakes. My parents and I made running lists of all the food, drinks and decorations. Needless to say, there were plenty of trips to Michaels and the grocery store. Keeping in mind the small things such as the ice box, basket to carry the party favors and wine opener was a task in itself and one that my Dad happily tracked. There were many nights we spent talking about all the logistics and the fine details, and I think just about all of us — including her friends — nearly slipped when talking to Susanna and planning for her big surprise party. But we kept going. Susanna had her suspicions but couldn’t connect all the dots.

Much of the planning unfolded one to two weeks before her celebration. For party favors, we worked with Felix the Cook to custom paint cable cars on sugar cookies. Aren’t they cute?! They are so Susanna! Pairing them with mini cable cars and custom made birthday tags makes for a great memento and keepsake. And yes, I went to every Walgreens in downtown SF to sweep the shelves for 30+ SF cable cars.

With all the logistics in place, a plan to pick up Susanna, and her friends and family at the door 20-30 minutes ahead of schedule (repeat, ahead of schedule!), the day went off without a hitch and we took to the streets of San Francisco in style.

A big thank you to all her friends and family for being part of her big day and making her epic celebration a complete surprise!

Happy Birthday Susanna!! We love you so much and wish all of your dreams come true!!

If You’re Lucky, You Just Might See Him

By Christina Lee| April 16th, 2019|Daily Sketch, Marker Drawing|

With Easter just around the corner, I bet we’re all anticipating a visit from the Easter Bunny. Some will see him, some will not. I remain hopeful.

Keep your eyes and ears open. Have a carrot stick in your back pocket. Have a camera ready. It’s proof. When or if you do see him, ask him where he put the golden egg, then tell me.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter!

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