New Year’s Goals
A new year is upon us! I’m not one for grand resolutions (those don’t seem to last much beyond January anyway), but I do make a few goals for myself every year. This year I hope to open an Etsy shop and start a new…
DwellWellNW
MONDAY, DEC. 31, 2012
SATURDAY, DEC. 29, 2012
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 12: New Year's Glasses
Last year Ethan and I were on our honeymoon, sipping champagne on the banks of the Seine, on New Year’s Eve; this year, we’ll be celebrating with a few friends, a jig saw puzzle, and newly etched mustache champagne glasses—two very different celebrations, both perfect…
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 11: Thank You Notes
After the holidays, I actually enjoy sitting down to write thank you notes (though I’m not always the best at getting them out in a timely manner). It does take a bit of time, but taking that time to sit and remember the generosity and…
FRIDAY, DEC. 28, 2012
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 10: Spiced Rum Infusion
Hot buttered rum is a favorite hot holiday treat at our house. I’ve tried hot buttered rum at a few restaurants and made a few different batters at home. Most of those I’ve tested have been fairly weak tasting and have an oil slick of…
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 9: Aluminum Can Icicles and Snow Flakes
This Christmas season seemed extra busy this year, which means extending the 12 Days of Crafts beyond the 25th. Perhaps now we’ll all have more time to finish some projects. I hope you'll bear with me with some leftovers and New Year's crafts (that's a…
MONDAY, DEC. 24, 2012
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 8: Pickled Cranberries
I’ve made these for a couple of years now and I love them. They’re also a VERY popular gift around this time of year. Tart, sweet, with a little cinnamon, they taste like Christmas. And they’re really easy and fast to make. I found the…
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 7: Felted Acorn Ornaments
I love the simplicity and ease of these little acorn ornaments. I gathered acorn caps while walking the dog in the park a few weeks ago. They are easy to find around town…under the snow. You will need: wool roving in various colors needle felting…
FRIDAY, DEC. 21, 2012
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 6: Spice Ornaments
Years ago in Germany my mom bought some Christmas ornaments that I loved as a child. They were simple shapes (I remember an angel and a tree) and decorated with dried spices. I’ve tried to replicate the concept, though I kept the shapes very simple—you…
THURSDAY, DEC. 20, 2012
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 5: Peppermint Bark
Before this afternoon, I had never made peppermint bark, though I’ve eaten the bark of others. When I was searching for a recipe, I found dozens. Most were either white chocolate only barks with candy cane pieces either mixed in or sprinkled on top; those…
TUESDAY, DEC. 18, 2012
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 4: Washi Tape Coasters
More washi tape! This time, we’re making coasters. I like having holiday coasters to go with holiday décor and these are both easy and inexpensive. They would also be a good hostess give (especially when paired with a bottle of wine). You could make none…
MONDAY, DEC. 17, 2012
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 3: Paper Polka Dot Ornaments
These ornaments are made of paper and string with some glue and dimensional sealant. They don’t look like they are made of paper, but they are really kind of fun. I used a 1 ¼” circle paper punch for the ornament base and a smaller,…
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 2: Washi Tape Treat Bags
I’m always in need of treat bags during the holidays. I give friends and coworkers almond roca and these Spiced Vanilla Pecans every year, and also like having some bags on hand in case we’re invited to a party or someone stops by. Long ago,…
SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 2012
12 Days of Holiday Crafts, Day 1: Twig Reindeer
I love this reindeer; there is something so simple and cheerful about the decoration. In our house he hangs above a small table in the dining room, and I seem to smile every time I pass. All of the material for this project is fairly…
Crafts and Christmas Trees
The season is a bit late to start here at Dwell Well, but it is never too late to think about Christmas, crafts, and gift giving. In the spirit of all that is crafty, get ready for the yearly 12 Days of Christmas crafts (albeit…
FRIDAY, NOV. 30, 2012
Candlelight
This year I’m trying to decorate for the season with more candles and fewer lights. I was at a friend’s house recently and she had candles of different shapes and sizes in a variety of holders all over the house. Candles were her main lighting…
Weekend Events!
There is a lot happening in Spokane this Saturday (tomorrow). The first weekend in December is a good one for Christmas shopping at local events. I hope you have some time to take a break from the things that keep you busy and visit some…
Easy (and super cute) Knit Scarves
Last year I found this knitting pattern online for a simple striped scarf that uses engineered stripe yarn. I love the way the graduations of color slow down with this pattern. I love striped yarn, but, when knit, the stripes often feel too busy for…
SATURDAY, NOV. 24, 2012
Making Bacon—October Urban Farm Challenge
October’s Urban Farm Challenge was all about protein. We don’t have the space for an urban chicken coop right now, and while I did try growing beans for drying in the garden, they didn’t grow well for me. I took cookbooks off of the shelf…
SATURDAY, NOV. 3, 2012
Bloody Mary Mix
I tried something new with some of the end-of-season ripe garden tomatoes this year. I’ve never ordered a Bloody Mary myself, but I’ve had sips of drinks ordered by friends and I know that there is a HUGE difference in quality. I like spice and…
TUESDAY, OCT. 30, 2012
Preserving Round-up: August Urban Farm Challenge (a little late)
Fall is here. It has been for weeks, but I’m behind the world right now, and in a little bit of denial. I still have a box of tomatoes from the garden ripening in the garage and squash (the squash trellis was a success, I…
SATURDAY, OCT. 27, 2012
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Carving pumpkins for Halloween is always fun; I really don’t think it matters how old or young you are. When we were young, part of the yearly carving ritual was sorting through the pumpkin guts for all of the seeds. The process was messy and…
MONDAY, OCT. 22, 2012
Bat Mobile?
I couldn’t resist the title for this one, though I did not use the bat signal as a template for this project. Bats are not my favorite Halloween symbol, and I generally go for cheerful décor rather than scary, but I really like these guys,…
SUNDAY, OCT. 21, 2012
Halloween Trick or Treat Bucket
I haven’t been trick or treating for years (with reason…I’m too old, it’s true), but I do like fun containers, and this one is pretty great. We’ll use it to hold candy we’re giving out this year. I made it out of a clean paint…
SUNDAY, OCT. 14, 2012
Dried Chilies
We’re experimenting with heat in our household. This year we’re attempting our first batch of hot sauce (using fermentation for the first time as well); I’ll let you know how it turns out in when it’s done. I tend to be too shy with heat…
THURSDAY, OCT. 4, 2012
Events this weekend!
The Mennonite Country Auction and Relief Sale is this Saturday (October 6) at 10 a.m.on the Menno Mennonite Church grounds in Ritzville (1378 N. Damon Road Ritzville, 99169). The food is always great (try the sausage sandwich and the soups!), you can also purchase locally…
Artist and crafter Maggie Wolcott writes about craft events in and around Spokane, as well as her own adventures in creating and repurposing. Her DwellWellNW posts include project and decorating ideas, recipes, reviews of events, and interviews with local artists. Maggie spends her days as an English professor, and when she’s not grading papers, she can generally be found with a paintbrush or scissors in hand. She can be reached at mebullock@gmail.com.