For Today:

I keep this little note tacked up on my computer screen. It helps me remember who I am, what I'm about and how to live my life. Even when it's hard to do these things.

Kerry is giving away a spot in Revisiting Sanctuaries today. Stop over!

In Search of Summer: Giveaway

Hello friends,

Today is my 400th post. Hooray! So I'm planning on a little give away.

You could win a print of one of my In Search of Summer Photos (plus some vintage and awesome goodies)!

There will be two winners. Leave me a little note, making sure your email address is linked so I can reach you if you win! Giveaway will end at midnight on Wednesday. I'll announce the winner on Thursday Morning.
I'll be back later today with an In Search of Summer post...

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Congrats to Tara and Imene!

How To: Make your own 'pot holder' rug loom.

I've been wanting to make a loom for years, but I hadn't thought about it in a long time until, the Des Moines Farmers’ Market, on Saturday. I saw the most amazing woven alpaca, bamboo and cotton shawls. (Of course I neglected to take a picture). After a few minutes of chatting, come to find out this woman makes all of these beautiful shawls on homemade looms. Then proceeds to tell us HOW to make them. I make mental notes.

Then I see this on Design Mom’s blog today, seriously, today. And that gets my wheels turning. Let’s start with fabric instead of yarn. Then the task of making a loom might not be so daunting.

After dinner, while the kids were still in their baths (and husband was upstairs with them). I ran down to my studio in the basement and I grabbed what we had. A just-about-ready-to-be-thrown-out-white-board, box of rusty finishing nail-- hey, if I’m not sure this will work, I’m not buying anything-- and a hammer. Throw in a roll of blue painting tape and I ran back upstairs.

So... I took the blue tape and cut it into squares. I hate measuring and this look to be about the exact size apart I would want the nails to be apart.

Taped one whole side, nailed at each tape juncture.

Proceed all the way around the frame.

Place one extra nail at the start peg and finish peg of your loom to hold a tied loop, when finished loop can be untied and excess can be woven back into rug.

Thread as you wish.

And that folks is how you make a loom in 20 minutes. However, nailing will be loud, and may keep your kids up. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

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Are you new here? We'd love to meet you!

Some of my favorite posts: 

1. We bought a Coffee Shop

2. 2014 theme for the year--Repeat the Sounding Joy.

3. Join our Weekly Family Meeting

4. Gluten Free Recipes

5. Road trip (with a Report)

Connect with Mary on Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram.

I love:: valentines (11)

I think I succeeded in making Valentines, with Hello Kitty's no less! Last night, Eric took the kids to go get some groceries and run errands, so I cleaned up the house, vacuumed, baked cookies and packaged up these lovely little Valentines. We were running a little short on time (when am I not), so I took the empty house as a sign to get done as much as possible.

When Isabel got home she said, "Oooo I love them! They are just what I wanted! BUT, wasn't I supposed to help??"

Ooops. I started to say, "Well..."

And then she shot in with a cheerful, "There's always next year..."

And that was that.

As a little freebie, I've loaded the tags here.

And the Winner is::

The winner of The Pinkadink give away is Diane!

Diane, email me at theyellowdoorpaperie(at)gmail(com) with your shipping information.

Giveaway:: Happy Birthday to The Pinkadink!

 

Exciting this morning we have a giveaway from Andrea from The Pinkadink. In honor of The Pinkadink's first birthday, she'll be having a sale from TODAY until Sunday. So stop over to her shop to find out more. 

 

 

This beautiful package includes:

pink big girl beanie

dark pink 1.5 inch headband

NEW light pink sequin center flower

dark pink tropical flower

4 inch bow

 

Over $20 value!!! 

 

How to enter:
-You have until Midnight CST on Sunday, February 7th to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment. One entry per person, please.

-The winner will be randomly picked and announced Monday, February 8th. Check back Monday to claim your prize!

GiveAway: The Dotted Duck

Kim and Katie are two crafty mamas and beautiful friends, I've bragged about them here before. And now these girls opened their own home-based business! They make beautiful towel bibs and great custom cards!

Their new website is just adorable, and towel bibs are a great gift for any new babies or for older babies too. They are large enough to grow along with you. We used them for years with my kids. Sturdy and washable, but soft too.

And I love their cards don't you? With Valentines Day coming up, this would be the perfect gift for your sweetie. So stop by their store to browse around.

Today, I am so excited the ladies from The Dotted Duck want to give away their beautiful products!
Enter to win a towel bib or a custom card! We will have two winners!!!

How to enter:
-You have until Midnight CST on Sunday, January 24th to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment. One entry per person, please.
-For an extra entry "follow" my blog
-The winner will be randomly picked and announced Monday, January 24th. Check back Monday to claim your prize!

Christmas Tag Templates

As an early Christmas Gift to you, I've designed just a few sheets of Christmas Tags to add to your gift giving goodness.

I print mine out on sticker paper, but you could on any paper, really!

Thank you for such a wonderful year, I have appreciated the notes and encouragements from a wonderful group of people who have a special bond-- whether it's through knitting, crafting, green living, parenthood, rhythm of life or family. I hope you all a blessed season.

You can find them on my flickr photostream. Here's a link to individual pages,

Oh, My Deer!    Happy Tree.    Green Sleeves.    Awesome Ornaments.

I'd love to know if you use them!

Fun to use, please do not sell. For personal use only.

Magazine Update

I’m sure you’ll remember when I lamented over the demise of some of my favorite magazines. Rest in Peace, Domino.

But, necessity is indeed the mother of inventive searching. I went looking for some new things to read, new ideas to generate.

I stumbled upon N.E.E.T. Magazine years ago, and I loved the idea of a magazine, with no printing involved.

At the time, I was a magazine designer, but with lake pictures, text, grid-guides and color guidelines to strictly adhere to. It ruined my traditional magazine reading— ask my husband— I used to point out every mis-spaced text, misspelled words and missed dropshadow-ed photo (that isn’t a word I just made it up). In my pursuit of something I could read without getting nauseous, I looked for simple clean designs, where the line between ad and content is slightly blurred— not clearly marked as I was taught to design.

These magazines have made the cut, and they are digital. Awesome. They are simple, have wonderful ideas and they take magazine design to a whole new level. I like that. I haven’t subscribed to the paid ones yet, but the plan is that soon, I will.

So some of them cost money. And some of them are free. Some are for parenting, some for design and some for where those two intersect.

Enjoy the free:
N.E.E.T. Magazine


Small Magazine


Paper Mache


LMNOP


For the payin’ but worth the money:
Seeing the Everyday


Mankind Magazine


Dujour Magazine

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GIVEAWAY: It's not raining here...

But it is foggy. And I made these CD covers for my sister's rainy day mix...


Follow the directions below to win your own copy of my rainy day mix!


How to enter:
-You have until Midnight CST on Sunday, March 8th to enter this giveaway.
-Just make a comment ON THIS POST to enter — any comment. One entry per person, please.
-For an extra entry "follow" my blog
-The winner will be randomly picked and announced Monday, March 9th.

100th Blog!

Happy Birthday to the Yellow Door Paperie. We've been here now for 100 posts!


This free scarf pattern is from Susan at Susan's Yarn Garden in Sioux City.

Ruffle Scarf
Cast on 60. Purl this row.
Mark as right side. --Knit row—knit 2 together so that you have 30 stitches.
Purl across. Knit 2 together so that you have 15 stitches.

Knit 1 purl 2, knit2* all the way across, bring yarn to front and slip last stitch purlwise. Continue in this manner for 55 stitches.

ON right side-knit front and back of each stitch.
Purl a row. +30

ON right side- Knit front and back of each stitch. Purl a row= 60.

Bind off.

New Year's Resolution and a Cookbook Template

One of my resolutions is to be a better keeper of our family's history.

While I have some family members out here for an extended holiday vacation I thought we'd do a fun bonding activity and make a cookbook.

I put together a cover and inside pages with photoshop, printed out several pages (one for each member of the family). It has a place for an illustration and a recipe, those who don't want to draw can add another recipe or we could cut out magazines, clip art... for a more three dimensional page. I'll also suggest that they write where it came from or the story behind it.

I just want to have handwriting and thoughts of each person. I'll scan these pages into the computer and make a pdf for everyone to print off. Or maybe for next Christmas give the printed version as gifts.

I thought I'd give you an opportunity to make your family cookbook. The front page can be personalized and here is the inside page.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Let me know if you make a cookbook too!