Sewing Sewing, and More Sewing

All of a sudden I am having trouble prying myself away from my sewing machine. I think it is because every day my reader serves up a daily dose of inspiration from Made, Made by Rae, Crap I've Made, Grosgrain, etc.

So... I sew. So far I have made a denim wrap skirt and a kakhi wrap skirt. I made a spring top, Nate's Easter shirt, a coffee cozy, and... I can't remember what else.

Today at lunch I escpaed to the fabric store to pick up a few more sewing projects for myself. Here is what I have lines up:

1. Another spring top using this pattern and this fabric:



2. A summer top out of this pattern and fabric:




3. Sleep/Lounge Pants from this pattern and fabric:



4. I am going to try my hand at making a T-Shirt. I have never sewn on knit fabric before but everyone on the Internet seems to do it without a problem, so I think I can manage.

5. I Grosgrain Ribbon belt using these insturctions

I think that will keep me busy for a while. Oh and you might notice that I am fully embracing my punk side with all the skulls and tattoos. {{wink}}

New Blog to check out Plus The State Fair Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

So maybe everyone already knew about this blog but me, anywhere I just learned on Grosgrain today and I think everyone should check out her GORGEOUS clothes. I am completely IN LOVE with the State Fair Frock. If you love it as much as I do you should enter the The State Fair Frock Grosgrain Giveaway

How to Clean Your Powder Room in 5 Minutes with One Cloth

I'll be perfectly honest... I kind of like cleaning. I mean if it was a choice between a day at the spa and cleaning, the spa would win hands down, but there is something satisfying about taking something dirty and making it clean again.

Even though I kind of like cleaning, I really don't want to spend a lot of time doing it, so here is my 5 minute method for cleaning a powder room.

1. Put toilet cleaner in the toilet. I like Seventh Generation and Method.
2. Remove trashcan, bathroom rug, hand soap etc. Best to have uncluttered surfaces.
3. Clean Mirror with a clean microfiber cloth. Vinegar and water works great for this.
4. Spray all other surfaces (including toilet) with an all purpose cleaner. I like Sun and Earth and Method, but good old Simple Green works great too.
5. Wipe all sprayed surfaces with same microfiber cloth.
6. Scrub the toilet bowl with toilet brush and flush.

[At this point all of the things (toilet, sink, mirror, etc) in your bathroom are clean, time to hit the floor]

7. Spray the floor with the same all purpose cleaner.
8. Get down on your hands and knees and wipe the floor clean (YES, I ACTUALLY DO THIS). Your other option is to take the cloth you've been using to wipe down everything else and to attach it to your swiffer and use that to clean the floor, but I find trying to maneuver the swiffer in such a small space to actually be more work, so I do it the old fashioned way.
9. Find trashcan, rug, etc, wipe clean (if applicable) and put back in the bathroom.

That's it. Doesn't take long and it really can be done with one cloth. Just remember to do the mirror first and the floor last. Also, I use all non-toxic cleaning products. If you are using traditional cleaning products make sure they are safe to combine. REMEMBER TO NEVER COMBINE CHLORINE BLEACH and AMMONIA toxic gas will result and it can kill you.

Making Good on my To Do List

So a little while ago I posted my crafting TO DO list which included:

1. Finish the tan wrap skirt that is cut out.

2. Make the spring/summer blouse from this fabric before it is fall/winter.

3. Make this Tie Shirt for Nate in lieu of an Easter outfit.

4. Make a few bunny door hangers as Easter decorations.

5. Make a Can-Can Skirt for me

6. Finish Nate's birth sampler (before he finishes college, I think that is a realistic goal)

7. Learn to needle felt before next Christmas


I am please to give this status report:

1. Finish the tan wrap skirt that is cut out. Finished

2. Make the spring/summer blouse from this fabric before it is fall/winter. I finished this the other day, here are some pics,



3. Make this Tie Shirt for Nate in lieu of an Easter outfit. I posted about that here

4. Make a few bunny door hangers as Easter decorations. Tried and failed... I'm not so good at sewing curves apparently. Maybe I will try again with wonder under.

5. Make a Can-Can Skirt for me

Oh yeah and...

6. Finish Nate's birth sampler (before he finishes college, I think that is a realistic goal)

7. Learn to needle felt before next Christmas

Next on my docket is the finish a skirt that my mom had cut out for me. It was a yoked skirt and I put it together the other day only to find out it is too small in the waist. I removed the yoke and am going to turn it into a facing and the skirt should fit. I will post pics when it is finished.

Spring/Summer Bag

I like to get a new bag for the warmer months. I don't know why, I just do. Maybe it just freshens everything up or maybe it is because I like to carry a fabric bag in the summer as opposed the the leather bag I can in the winter. Who knows... anyway, I was looking at this Vera Bradley bag for this summer:

Saddle Up

I LOVE Vera Bradley, and I LOVE a saddle bag... but I am always hesitant to pay $65 for a fabric bag that, even with a good Scotch Guarding, might not make it to next year.

So I kept looking and thinking... then I started trawling Etsy.

And I found this:

Jenna Lou Designs

and then I found this:

Kathi's Kreations

and I fell in love. Oh how I love that Indie, Mod fabric, and the color combo and, and, and, everything about both of them... so I bought them... and I feel good about it.

Not only were they cheaper than the Vera, but I am helping to support handmade and helping other working women.

More Resuable Products

So you have all heard my rave about the reusable pads. I am sure some of you are thinking, please God don't let her talk about that again, pleas, please, please. Well, rest assured I am not. However I am going to talk about another product that I LOVE from Homestead Emporium (the company?) that makes the pads I like, and that is their reusable cotton balls... well they aren't really cotton balls at all, they are little rounds of serged Organic Bamboo Velor.

They look like this:

I use them to take off my eye makeup, to apply toner, almost anything that I would use a cotton ball for. I put the dirty ones in a small mesh lingerie bag and I wash them with my towels.

[Updated: I completely forgot to finish writing this post the other day. These are really easy to make too. If you don;t have any bamboo velor lying around (who does actually?) flannel works great too. My mom made her own set by cutting out two layers of flannel and zig-zagging the edges. Everything came from her stash so it was Ec-friendly and FREE]

Goodwill 4/13/10

I was having a crap-tacular day at work yesterday so I stopped at Goodwill on my lunch hour to see what they had. I have been inspired by Wardrobe Refashion to look for pieces of clothing that could be reworded into something else.

As you know Goodwill is hit or miss. Yesterday was a hit for sure.

I found a cute chiffon blouse for summer and a new pair of black Bandolino heels. I like to have two pairs of black heels for work. I wear them almost constantly and I was down to one pair after wearing the other pair to a funeral with mud so thick it actually sucked to shoe off my foot... there is really no going back from that.

So then I wandered into housewares and found the Williams-Sonoma Pumpkin cake pan that I have been coveting for year... maked at $2.

Then I walked through toys and spied a Thomas the Train play mat that nate would go biserk over. Sadly another mother snatched it up before I could get to it. As I was headed to the counter I looked down and found this beauty...


A Kik-Step library stool.... for $5. I remember when Meredith found her library stool at a yard sale and how jealous I was... I am jealous no more.

To Hubby: Happy Birthday Baby!

I love you!

Deal of the Day

I stopped at Target on my lunch hour to return two things and restock my supply of Lean Cuisines in the freezer at work.

I was walking through the refrigerated section when I saw a CLEARANCE sticker in the ice cream section....



Here a close up:



You see that... organic ice cream for $1.84!!!!!

Dryer Woes

When we bought our house, the washer and dryer were included. This was perfect since we were moving from an apartment. I was really excited to be able to do laundry and not have to walk down a fire escape!

When we moved in we noticed that there was no know on the dryer. The previous owners had been using a pair of needle nose pliers and turning the metal shaft that the knob would sit on to operate the dryer. Ok, so that was a pretty shady thing to see but one that was easily remedied. I found the make a model of the dryer, called the company and ordered a replacement knob. I have to shake my head here because the replacement knob was $4.95 (no bigggie right?) but shipping was $14.95 (WTF???). But what choice did I have. $18.95 is a lot cheaper than a new dryer and it solved the problem.

I haven't given much thought to my dryer knob until this past Monday. I was reaching for a cloth with which to condition my leather furniture when I knocked a new and totally full bottle of Ecover Fabric Softener back behind my dryer.

"Oh crap... I have to get that... it's brand new... it's full... it could start to leak... ok...."

So I got out the step stool and a flashlight and took a look behind the dryer. I can see the Ecover, I can see a bunch of dust cloths, I can see a Oxyclean scoop... and hey look, there is a screw driver. I also notice that there is enough slack in the gas line that I can move the dryer some.

So I move the dryer. I can't move it all the way out, but I can move it enough to get a better view of what's back there. I can also get something in there to scoop all the stuff out. So I get Nate's lacrosse stick and start scooping. Well, scooping doesn't work as well as I had hoped so I push all the stuff the the side and then around to the front and start pickup up the wayward items. The bottle of Ecover is in tact... the cloths get tossed, the screw driver gets put away, the Oxyclean scoop gets recycled and... wait, what is this? What is this white circle of plastic? Wait, is this the ORIGINAL KNOB TO THE DRYER???

Well my webby friends... it was the original knob to my dryer, intact and fully functional.

When I first saw the dryer and noticed the knob was missing I figured that it had broken or cracked or was pecked off my crows. I figured there was something wrong with it not that it suddenly went missing one day and the people went, "wow, I see the dryer knob is missing... I guess it vanished in to thin air... lets not look for it... lets just use these shady-ass pliers like HILLBILLYS!!!!!"

I ask you gentle blog readers... have you ever noticed that a fairly important and prominent part of a major appliance was missing with no explanation whatsoever and not tried to find it????

Tie Shirt Complete!

I am not onefor those "Easter outfits" you see in store with the bow ties and the sweater vests... I know lots of people are, but I never really felt the desire to dress Nate up like Orvell Redenbocker.

That being said, when I found this pattern and instructions for the Tie shirt on Crap I've Made I knew that was what Nate would be wearing on Sunday.

It took me longer to get out my sewing machine then it did to construct this shirt from start to finish... I could have made 1,000 of them last night that are that easy and fun.

The end result:



And a close up on the tie:


I used one of Nate's white undershirts, I have the fabric and the wonder under on hand, so this shirt cost us $0!

Happy Passover!

Crafty

I love to make things. I really do. It doesn't really matter if it is food related, clothing related, or gift/decoration related, I like to make stuff. The problem is that I rarely find time to actually make anything at all.

Currently on my crafting To Do list:

1. Finish the tan wrap skirt that is cut out.

2. Make the spring/summer blouse from this fabric before it is fall/winter.

3. Make this Tie Shirt for Nate in lieu of an Easter outfit.



4. Make a few bunny door hangers as Easter decorations.

5. Make a Can-Can Skirt for me

Oh yeah and...

6. Finish Nate's birth sampler (before he finishes college, I think that is a realistic goal)

7. Learn to needle felt before next Christmas


The only way I see any of this actually happening is if I chip away at it a little at a time every night after dinner, lunch packing, working out, etc.

Doesn't sound very promising... but I'll keep you posted.

Happy Day!

Well, the day has finally come when my friend Becca of The Bedrest Chronicles is actually in labor. She made it to 36 weeks (full term for twins) and started contracting early this morning. Keep her and her boys in your thoughts. Lets bring these babies into the world safely!

UPDATE: Asher and Benjamin were born at lunchtime today. Everyone is healthy and happy. Labor lasted 9 hours from start to finish... you can hate Becca a little bit... I won't tell.

So Let's Talk About Makeup

Because it's what I felt like blogging about today.

I am not always well rested. Shocked? I thought you would be.

I know what you're thinking. "Preposterou! You are the mother of a toddler with a full time job, how could you NOT get your 8 hours a night???"

I don't know what to tell you ladies, I really don't.

Anyway, my point is that although I don't usually get the sleep I want/ need, I have co-workers who remark on a regular basis that I LOOK very well rested... and that I chalk up to makeup!

I wear makeup to work and I suppose if you were counting products I use on a daily basis, I use a lot of makeup.

Without fail I use:

1. lip gloss -- I don't really have a preference other than it be pinky and high glass. Moisturizing is a must as well.

2. concealer -- There are 2 that I like. Soap and Glory's Trick or Treat is really thick and creamy and does the job when you haven't slept in a year but you need to make people think they should still trust you. The other is Benefit's Ooh La Lift and is not so much a concealer as it is a "luminizer," meaning that it reflect light back and hides the dark circles.







3. highlighting stick -- Also know as a "luminizer" Benefit's Eye Bright used in the inner corner of your eye, makes your face look brighter and, well, more well rested.

4. eyeliner -- I like a cream eyeliner. I think you can get a better application, with better shading, and less trauma to the lid. I like Smashbox's Cream Eyeliner.

5. mascara -- I truly believe that, although I LOVE diamonds, mascara is a girl's best friend. Nothing does more for your eyes then mascara does: darken the lashes, open the eyes, divert attention away from flaw... oh mascara what won't you do? I use mainly drug store brands, in black, non waterproof, but I got a free sample of Sephora's Triple Action Mascara and I am LOVING it! Seriously, it does not clump, ever, at all... I didn't know it was possible.

6. blush/highlighter -- I use two different ones depending on the season, the weather, the outfit I am wearing although the both do essentially the same thing... brighten: Benefit's Dandilion and Benefit's One Hot Minute.






Sorry... there is nothing remotely frugal about this post.

Guiness is Good!

In honor of St. Patrick's day I made Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Guiness Cake.

Although I have made this cake many times in the past, yesterday's baking adventure was a FAIL!!!

As you can see from the picture above, the cake completed sunk in the middle. I have no idea why, but since it was cooked and I didn't want to waste it, I frosted it and brought it to work anyway.

There was none left by noon, so I guess it was good!

Snowed In

There is a winter storm bearing down on us and we are expecting 12-18 inches between tonight and tomorrow. Hubby has to work tomorrow which suck-diddly-ucks but it gives me the opportunity to have some snow day projects of my own.

I think I will take a crack at making sourdough starter again. I tried Candy's recipe before and it worked I think, but this recipe from Naturally Knocked Up seems more promising.

Maybe I will make Pioneer Woman's Pecan Scones or maybe these Starbucks clones.

I need to order some prints from Shutterfly.

I will catch up on posting pics to Nate's blog.

Of course, Nate and I will also be playing with choo-choos and Buzz Lightyear, doing puzzles and valentines crafts, tackling the laundry and letting the dogs in and out 1,000 times.

Have a great weekend!

Full Stop.

So let's talk about menstruation.

[if you don't want to hear about all of the gory details of periods, bleeding, cramping, etc... I'd stop reading right now if I were you]

So periods... they are really funny things aren't they? I don't know about you but by the time I think I have them all figured out something happens and they change again. For example, I had a pattern of bleeding light on certain days and heavy on others, tapering off on day whatever. Then I went and had a baby and breastfed for over a year and everything went pear shaped. Seriously, I couldn't get a handle on what was going to happen when.

I went from being able to tell you that my period would start on Tuesday at 11 am to not knowing if I was going to get a period at all... I bought a LOT of pregnancy tests.

So this was causing numerous problems not the least of which was what type of "feminine protection" to use. Tampons were kind of out since my flow was heavy in the morning, light in the afternoon, then the reverse the next day. That left me with pads... not my first choice obviously. They are hot and sticky and always stick to the wrong things and not your underwear. They feel all plastic-y like you are wearing a disposable diaper... I was not happy at all, but what other options did I have.

That is when it dawned on me... maybe I needed to look for other options beyond tampons and disposable pads.

Years ago there was a product called Instead which looked like a disposable diaphragm. Apparently it is back, so you can see it here. I tried it years ago when I was in college and could never get it to stay in place. Ok, so that was out.

Then I read a blog post about the Diva Cup. It sounded interesting, could be worn longer than a tampon, was reusable so better for the environment... so I ordered on. Let's just say that I couldn't ever get it in despite numerous attempts. Ok, so that was out.

What did that leave me??? Really only one thing, the thing I was truly dreading the most... Cloth Menstrual Pads.

Really? Is this really an option? Haven't we come too far to go back to this?

But then I started thinking... I use cloth on Nate, why not cloth on me? I use cloth napkins, why not cloth "napkins"? It would be green, it would reduce my carbon footprint, in the long run it would be cheaper... so I decided to give it a try.

So I started looking around on Hyenacart and Etsy to see what I liked. I figured if I was really going to try this I had to LOVE the way they looked. There are lots of options out there and you can design your own at some places but when I found Homestead Emporium I knew I was in the right place.

I mean look how pretty they are:


They came in all shapes and sizes, so I ordered an assortment.

They came I washed them and but them in the bathroom until the next month.

Then I started to get nervous. Why did I buy these? What if they leak? They are going to be so bulky. I can't wear them to work. Maybe I'll just use them on the days when I don't leave the house. Maybe I could sell them on diaperswappers.

I had to get stern with myself. I have this habit of talking myself out of something before I have even tried it. So I said "self... try them." Don't make a decision until you have tried them... end of discussion.

So I did. I tried them... and you know what... I LOVE THEM!!!

They are so incredibly, worlds away from disposable pads different that I can;t even describe it.

They are comfortable and soft. They don;t feel hot or sticky or plastic-y. There is no adhesive so nothing gets stuck to anything else. They don't slip, they don;t leak, and as far as I can tell (even the "light" ones) are more absorbent that disposables. I even used them at work (the ultimate vote of confidence). I rinse them off when I am changing them, put them in a wet bag, and wash them with my towels. Easy Peasy!

So, seriously girls, if you are thinking about greening your period routine, looking for a way to reduce your carbon footprint, or just looking for a more comfortable alternative to tampons and disposable pads, I really do recommend that you give cloth pads a try. You might seriously surprise yourself. I know I did.

Amelia's

Oh how I love the grocery outlet... its like going on a treasure hunt. I went yesterday at lunch and this is what I got.


2 Bottles of White Grape Juice
2 Bottles of Pear Nectar
1 Box Organic Clifford Os (like Cheerios)
2 Cans Bush's Chili (for uhbby)
2 Cans Organic Sliced Carrots
4 Jars Marinated Artichoke Hearts
1 Box Organic Beef Broth
1 Box of Organic Cake Mix
2 Cans of Vanilla Prosting
1 Bottle of Dried Oregano
2 Cans of Whole Button Mushrooms
2 Cans of Cut Green Beans
2 Jars of Organic Apple Sauce

Not Pictured:

1 Kids Cuisine Frozen Dinner (a treat for Nate)
1 Bag of Organic Sugar Snap Peas
1 Box of Frozen Shrimp
1 Diet Iced Tea (treat for me)

Not bad for $34.86!

Crafting

I am skilled in many crafts... sewing, beading, card making, cross stitch, ribbon embroidery, and probably some others too. My problem is that I don;t really seem to have the time. Work takes up an awful lot of time... weekends are for family activities and pesky things like laundry and cleaning. By the time Nate is in bed on weeknights and dinner is made, cleaned up from, lunches are packed for tomorow, etc. I am too darn tired to do much more than flop of the sofa. So, I have found myself taking days off from work and hitting one project hard. This was the case with my denim skirt.

I was able to get mt tan skirt (from the same pattern) cut out while I was on winter break, but I fear I will have to take another day off to actually get it sewn together.

ALl of this makes the fact that I created something that is super cute and functional in one night from things I already had in the house all the more amazing!

Behold... my first coffee cozy!



The fabric is a batik that I had in my stash (love me some batik!). I used felt instead of batting for the inside which is trimmer while still insulating and was what I had in the house. The loop on the left is a hair elastic and the button is vintage and came out of a bag of buttons my mom found at a thrift shop a few years ago. It is fully functional and I love it.

The pattern I used was free online and can be found here.

New Blog to Read!

A friend of mine has put on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy (with twins) at something like 23 weeks. She decided to blog about her experience of being sofa bound at:

http://thebedrestchronicles.blogspot.com/

Check it out, its pretty funny... oh yeah, and I make several appearances ;)

As Time Goes By

Week one of my break is over and I really haven't touched anything on the list I made. I was able to get my ironing done, mop the kitchen floor, and get my tan skirt pinned and cut out... Now just finding the time to sew.

On the list for this week:

- make pumpkin bread
- make low carb bread
- condition the leather furniture
- go to Michaela and have picture frame
- buy a 2010 calendar

Hubby was off this week as well and it has been really nice being all together. All of our holidays were VERY low key which wad SO nice.

I hope everyone had a nice holiday season and accomplished some things on your lists too!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Emergency Kit

So the weather forecast is calling for something like 6-12 inches of snow for tonight into tomorrow. I guess now would be a good time to get the winter emergency kit together for my car. I was a Girl Scout and I like to be prepared.

I take a canvas L.L.Bean tote and stock it with:

• An extra pair of gloves
  
• A winter hat
• A pair of warm/thick socks
• A pair of hiking boots
• An extra blanket (I keep one blanket in the car all the time)
• A ziplock bag with some diapers/wipes/hand sanitizer
• Cheerios and a bottle of water

In addition, I keep in the back of my car a fold-up shovel and a large ice scraper/brush.

I always have a traditional first aid kit and an all purpose emergency kit in the car at all times.

What's in your winter car kit? And have you ever had to use it?

Update on my Update...

on my To Do List.

I was able to make really good progress this weekend!

1. Write out remaining cards
2. Make peppermint bark
3. Make peanut butter fudge 12/16/09 (although it didn't set properly)
4. Finish wrapping presents
5. CLEAN HOUSE 12/17/09
6. Prep for holiday brunch on 12/20 12/18/09
7. Other Duties as Assigned
8. Make Chex Mix 12/17/09

I am hoping to take care of #3 tonight. And #8 on Thursday. All in all, I am chugging right along

Happy Hannukah

My Other To Do List

We are rapidly approaching winter break... that joyous time of year where I get a full two weeks off while the university is closed. TWO WEEKS PEOPLE! It can't come soon enough. There are a few projects that I would like to tackle while I am off. If history stands to repeat itself I will get one maybe two of these done while I am off, but definitely not all of them.

1. Learn to Needle Felt.
2. Make my Tan Skirt
3. Take doors of the pantry
4. Buy more boot stays
5. Clean/Condition Leather Furniture
6. Inventory and Clean out as much as humanly possible


I'll keep you posted on how much of this actually gets done.

Update on To Do List

So I made some progress on my To Do List last night, kind of.

1. Finish holiday cards I was able to finish my holiday cards except that I ran out of cards and pictures to go in the cards. So, I have to get cards so that I can finish them. As for pictures, sorry anyone from here on out is not getting a picture.
2. Make peppermint bark
3. Make peanut butter fudge
4. Finish wrapping presents
5. Find Hannukah candles (maybe this should be #1 since Hannukah starts tomorrow) Searched high and low only to discover that I don't have Hanukkah candles and now need to buy some.
6. CLEAN HOUSE
7. Prep for holiday brunch on 12/20
8. Put wrapped presents under the tree I was able to finish wrapping hubby's gifts and get them under the tree so that is something.
9. Other Duties as Assigned
10. Make Chex Mix

I was in such a frenzy last night to get the cards written, get the gifts, wrapped and put under the tree and trying to find the damn candles that I completely forgot to make/pack Nate's lunch for today. I, apparently, also forgot to set my alarm. As luck would have it Nate decided to sleep in and thus I was late for work. On the up side, my mom had some extra cards that I could have and Walmart actually had Hannukah candles (I was shocked).

So the new To Do List looks like this:

1. Write out remaining cards
2. Make peppermint bark
3. Make peanut butter fudge
4. Finish wrapping presents
5. CLEAN HOUSE
6. Prep for holiday brunch on 12/20
7. Other Duties as Assigned
8. Make Chex Mix

Things I Think People in My Life Need

1. Stuffed Sushi --Its sushi and its hugable... you need this!



2. Tauntaun Sleeping Bag -- you can really get inside a tauntaun without having to deal with guts... how cool is that?

3. Inflatable Leg Lamp (from A Christmas Story) -- "You'll shoot your eye out!" or maybe your neighbors will shoot theirs eyes out if you put this on your lawn, who knows?

That is all.

I Heart Etsy

I love craft fairs. I really do. Maybe it has something to do with going with my mom when I was little or maybe it is the thought of finding away to work around corporate America and support "the little guy" that I like, I don't know. Monday I tried to take Nate to a local Arts & Crafts Show that I have been attending since I was a child. I didn't work, or it didn't happen because of a run in with some stupid and insensitive people. Which got me to thinking that this particular organization really screwed themselves since I don't really need to go there to get my arts and crafts fill... because there is Etsy.com.

I heart Etsy . It is the Craft Fair that is open 24/7 365 days a year. I have found the greatest stuff on there. Jewelry, needle felted miniatures, Christmas ornaments, clothing, cloth diapers, more unlicensed Twilight stuff than you can shake a stick at, you name it.

Some of my Personal Favs:

• Beneath the Rowan Tree -- She makes the most amazing needle felted creations. I have bought from her countless times.
• The Lab -- Labrador lovers rejoice... customized lab ornaments!
• Cranky Pants Knits -- Is there anything Amy can't do with wool. The cutest longies ever. I am partial to the Jolly Roger Crankies myself, but the Sock Money and the Monster Booty are yummy too!
• Up From the Ashes -- Everyone needs fairy wings... I mean everyone!
• Steve Williams Pottery -- I found this potter years ago in North Carolina but never found him again... until I found him on Etsy. The rising moon pattern is simply Gorgeous!
• Black Bird Fashion -- Custom made sock monkeys and sock monkey's friend socktopus
• Jenn Gee -- Home of the coffee corset (too cute)
• And of course, jewelry, jewelry, and more jewelry!

There are, of coures, some tacky ad questionable things on Etsy as there are at any craft fair. If you want to see them, check out Regretsy.com

Holiday To Do List

I am trying not to feel overwhelmed by holiday preparation, I am trying to remember that I like to do all this stuff and that if I didn't like doing it, I wouldn't be doing it in the first place, but increasingly "overwhelmed" is creeping in. So in an effort to keep "overwhelmed at bay"here is my to do list. Organization is the key Molly, organization is the key!

1. Finish holiday cards
2. Make peppermint bark
3. Make peanut butter fudge
4. Finish wrapping presents
5. Find Hannukah candles (maybe this should be #1 since Hannukah starts tomorrow)
6. CLEAN HOUSE
7. Prep for holiday brunch on 12/20
8. Put wrapped presents under the tree
9. Other Duties as Assigned

ok, so looking at it numbered and in list form it doesn't actually look that daunting. What is on your To Do List?

Happy Birthday to Me!

I am 33 today!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fostersfrostings/3453604147/

Happy Turkey Day!

Good Luck at Goodwill

I was out running errands at lunch today and decided to pop into Goodwill to see what they had. My mom has been having tremendous luck at Goodwill lately, like finding 2 complete sets of Geotrax for $7! Merry Christmas Nate!

Anyway, I didn't have any luck in the toy department, but I was able to find 2 pairs of Old Navy jeans for me, one pink Old Navy Cardigan, a summer blouse, and a little pair of Roobeez soft soled baby shoes (for another baby? who knows, they may be a gift for a friend expecting twin boys!).

For $16.25 it was a good haul!

Inspiration

I am always inspired by Pleasant View School House, particularly the sewing projects. Anna really makes the most amazing dresses from vintage patterns I am constantly OOOOing and AHHHing over the things she creates.

Once upon a time I sewed... a lot. That time was in high school, but still it is a time that existed! I always have good intentions of sewing again... I even had a sewing room although I never used it and it was turned into the nursery, but still.

So when I saw this skirt and this skirt again.... I knew I really had to start sewing again. They are from the same pattern McCalls 5430. I love me a wrap skirt and since I recently ditched my old denim skirt I thought that I denim wrap would be a great project to start on.

The pictures are terrible (a comination of my iphone, crappy lighting, and dark, dark denim, but here is my finished product.


I was very pleased with myself. Not only did I follow all the instructions, I pressed as I went and even made a pretty decent button hole for my thrift shop button.

Homemade "funfetti"

I have a weakness for the "funfetti" cake mixes. Admit it, they are fun. The different colors baked right into the cake, seem more festive to me. I have been making my best fried a funfetti cake for her birthday every year since we were college roommates.

I needed to make a cake fir a coworkers going away party and really wanted a funfetti cake. I didn't have a mix in the house and didn't want to go to the store so I decided to make one from scratch. I found a good recipe for a yellow cake and threw in 1/3 cup of rainbow sprinkles... Voilà! Homemade funfetti cake!

Happy Halloween/ Happy Samhain!

Blogging via iPhone

Thus is my first attempt to blog via iPhone. Let's see if it works.

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On the dockett for today...

1. Try onwinter coats
2. Put summer clothes away and bring winter clothes out
3. Make Chili
4. Make Cornbread
5. Make Caramel Apples

There is just something about the fall and the cold weather that makes me want to spend all day n the kitchen

Applesauce

I would love to tell you that I am the type of person who buys apples and makes all of my family's applesauce from scratch, but sadly I am not. There is a part of me that wishes I was and there was a time when I thought I would be that person... but life got in the way and I am not.

However, there is still a glint of that person in me somewhere because on Monday, as I stood at the kitchen counter looking at a bowl of apples beginning to wrinkle and rot I was seized with one thought... "APPLESAUCE!"

I gave Nate the keys to play with and started peeling and chopping. 45 minutes later I had a good sized container of homemade apple sauce and the satisfaction of knowing no fruit went to waste.

Applesauce is SUPER easy to make.

Take apples (however many you have, peeled and cored) and cut them into quarters or eighths. Put in a saucepan with a little bit of water (just cover the bottom of the pan). Put the pan on medium heat with a lid. After about 20 minutes check the apples. When they are soft get out the potato masher and mash the apples to a pulp. This will give you chunky apple sauce. If you like smooth, put everything in the blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

That's it! I add some cinnamon when I serve it, but no sugar, no junk, and no fuss!

ARRRRRRR!

This is Nate's newest diaper... a custom I had made by Preston's Pants. They are great diapers and fit Nate better than some of my other pockets. It is Black PUL on the outside and baby blue microfleece on the inside.

Back


Front



And a color coordinated tag!

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A Quick Goodwill Stop

I made a quick stop in Goodwill yesterday on my way home and am very glad I did.

I found:

2 board books for Nate: $1

1 knit top for me: $3.50

4 tapas plates in the shape of different veggies
(perfect holiday gift for a vegetarian friend): $6.00

A kit to make photo coasters (which will also be a gift): $5

I'm Lovin' It

It was time, definitely time, to try something new in the diet department. I had hit rock bottom but didn't know what to do to fix it. I tried my doctor's plan but when you eat lunch at 11:30 and don;t eat dinner until 8:00, it is impossible not to snack. Weight watchers was not an option this time. I wasn't going to pay for something I knew I wasn't going to use. I didn't want to track and count points, I wasn't interested. So what did that leave? My husband suggested I try the low carb diet that my dad was on, not really Atkins, not really South Beach, just don't eat carbs or really try to limit the number of carbs & sugar you take in in a day. What the hell I thought, I have nothing to lose... actually I have a WHOLE LOT to lose, but it is the only thing I hadn't tried. So I tried.

HOLY CRAP IT WORKS!

I hate to admit that both my father AND my husband are right about something, but they are... low carb eating really works. In one week I lost 4.1 pounds. Not only that, I didn;t have blood sugar spikes, I didn't fall asleep at my desk, I didn;t have that constant knawing craving for sugar. And I got to eat... real food... not diet food! Cheese and meat and nuts and eggs and veggies and fruit and dark chocolate (in moderation), and cheese... did I mention the cheese? I got to eat cheese!!!!

I know that it will not always be easy and that I will fall off the wagon. I know that this is not a diet but a lifestyle change (GOD! that sounds SO CHEESEY... oops, pun not intended but enjoyed), and that this is for the long haul, but I feel like I am off to a pretty Gouda (I HAD TO!) start. :)

Shoes

These are the shoes that I am wearing to work today. Bandolino... super cute... purchased at Goodwill for $5 (or less I really don't remember). I love them... but they are holding me back... Literally! My feet are killing me now (at the end of the day) and I had to do something I vowed I would NEVER do... put on sneakers with work clothes to walk across campus. :/

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