Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Heather.

Oh heeeey, blog. I haven’t forgotten you, it’s just that my husband and I thought it would be a hoot to move to Minneapolis from New Jersey, and we pulled that off successfully at the end of the summer.

So there was the packing, old-house details, then new-house details, and oh yes, the UNpacking. But the upshot is that there is a new craft room with lots of natural light, in a city that’s got crafters up to the rafters (and artists, too.)

I’m enjoying exploring the creative “occasional stores,” including The Cottage House and Your Lucky Day  for seasonal loveliness, interesting furniture, and other one-of-a-kind vintage treasures. And wow, Hunt & Gather Antiques is so special, I take out-of-town visitors there to peruse the old-timey kitchenwares nook, and cut-up license plates that you can reassemble to spell whatever you like. And taxidermy. And Red Owl food wrap, still on the roll. So yeah, all of life’s essentials, but boy is it fun in there.

More developments later! I pinky-swear.

Tiny Easter Baskets, Bunny and Chick Editions

My daughter and I made a lot of bunnies out of clothespins and paint. (Can you spot which ones were done by a five-year-old?)

 

I nested some of them into tiny Easter Baskets, surrounded by shred made from vintage foil gift wrap.

 

They have “eggs” made from painted and glittered acorns.

 

And here are the chick-in-basket versions. The basket looks like a hatched egg. These are available in my shop.

Happy Easter!

 

Cake topper workshop at {verdigreen}

The cake topper workshop happened! The {verdigreen} shop, where this took place, was so welcoming and cozy, especially with the workspace covered with supplies, refreshments, and incredible macaroons. Shop owner Azie was busy painting chairs nearby as we puttered away, adding to the workshop vibe.

I showed some tricks and tips for making a charming cake sign that can be used again and again. Mine said “Happy Birthday…”

 

One participant made a “cake” banner. (Could it be to dissuade others from eating it?)

 

And here’s a variation on the Happy Birthday theme:

 

So cozy and fun! I’m looking forward to more after-hours fun at {verdigreen} soon. 

Regional Candy Swap

Heidi Kenney at My Paper Crane is a font of awesome ideas, and her latest was to facilitate a regional candy swap. Participants were paired up and asked to select and ship at least $15 worth of local treats. An incredible assortment of Japanese sweetness (and Ghirardelli chocolate, which I forgot to photograph) found its way from San Francisco to Jersey, thanks to Jessica Coates.

I decided to go hyper-local and Jersey by selecting made-in-house chocolates from Holsten’s, the ice cream parlor where the last scene of The Sopranos was shot. (Jessica gets to photograph and blog about what I sent her.)

We also decided to include a small hand-crafted item; I received the sweet plush house ornament, bottom-right in the photo. I sent a velvet acorn ornament.

Thanks Heidi, that was fun!

Cake Topper workshop at {verdigreen}: March 6, 7-8:30 PM

Customers and fans of the shop {verdigreen} in Montclair have been asking for craft workshops, and here comes one now! We will be making cake toppers similar to the one shown here. Here’s the blurb from Corporate:

“Cake Topper workshop at {verdigreen}: March 6, 7-8:30 PM,$20 per person.

Spend a festive evening at {verdigreen} with other creative people & create your very own custom cake topper to enjoy again and again! Resident craft genius, Heather Donohue, will lead the activity and walk you through using cardstock, paper, and fabric to spell out your message of choice on a wavy banner.

You will also create a wee coordinating garland to further embellish your masterpiece.

Registration is now open, and closes two days before the event, March 4th at midnight.

There are spots for 6 people.  Register by email

Light refreshments & tasty treats will be served.”

{verdigreen} is located at 182 Glenridge Avenue in Montclair, NJ. Hope to see you there!

Happy Birthday!

When I was a kid, my family had a  handmade Christmas wreath covered in small gifts with handmade bows. It’s been in the back of my mind all this time, and I recently made a Happy Birthday version. Each package is hand-wrapped in paper, then tied with a handmade bow, ribbon, string,  ric rac, or beads. The wreathform is wrapped in coordinating ribbon, and another ribbon, bearing  a cardstock Happy Birthday sign, is attached for hanging.

Each wreath is unique and package styles vary slightly. The wreath is 8″ in diameter.

I figure this makes a nice gift, or you could keep it at home and hang it when birthdays strike!

Available on heatherdonohue.com.

Details, details

Also in the Birthday spirit, I made more Happy Birthday headbands in assorted colors. The hand-formed lettering spells “happy birthday” in pretty chenille stems, and the headband is wrapped in coordinating ribbon.