Visions of Sugar Plums

Fibers on Friday: WIP

2012-01-26T20:59:00.003-05:00

Hi Guys! Here we are in our sock challenge where we should be able to show our works in progress. Next week....woooohooo....we should be done! So, here's my second sock as of a few minutes ago. Tonight I'm working on the heel flap.

Have You Seen the New Craft Hope Project?

2012-01-24T08:33:00.003-05:00

I was excited to see what the newest Craft Hope Project was. As I started reading about it, I wanted to shut down the computer, go back and pick my kids up from school, and hug them tight all day long. It's a hard one. It's about kids. Sick kids. It would be much easier to put the blinders on and continue knitting my happy little socks or my happy little NY Cardigan, but no. I'm going to pour my little heart into knitting a beanie or two for this project. Wanna join me?

A Birthday Card: CPS 252

2012-01-23T15:13:00.004-05:00

**If you're my cousin and your birthday is this Saturday, please read no further***

My card stash is incredibly low. I really need to beef it up. I needed a Birthday card today so I made one using this week's CPS sketch (my go-to!) I really didn't go assembly-line style (I should have), I just made two cards using the same sketch.

Card stock: PTI
Patterned paper: Cosmo Cricket
Stamps: PTI Everyday Button Bits
Ribbon: PTI

Fibers on Friday: Moving Right Along

2012-01-20T09:24:00.005-05:00

Another wonderful Fibers on Friday!! I'm happy you're here!

I've finished one whole sock and am on to the leg of the second. How are you coming along?

I've got my plan for what to knit after this sock challenge! I'm going to knit the NY Cardigan pictured here:

(image source)

I've ordered and received my yarn from Knit Picks. I went with the Gloss DK in Fedora. I'm excited.

I've also decided to knit another pair of socks. I know!!! So soon??? I'm going to knit a pair for my kids and I'm going to MAKE MYSELF knit them using the Continental method of knitting in order to speed along my knitting. If I'm going to be a sock knitter, I need to train myself to be quicker.

If you're participating in the Turning Heels Challenge, here's where we are in the schedule:

By Dec. 30th everyone needs to have gathered their supplies and checked their gauge.

January 6th we'll show off our cuffs and leg of the sock.
January 13th we'll show off our heels. Yes, Turning Heels in the New Year!
January 20th we should be done our gussetts and foot and be ready to close the toe.
January 27th we'll be well into our second sock and we'll display our works in progress.
By Feb 3rd we should be able to take a picture of our feet adorned in TWO fabulous socks!!

Valentine Wreath

2012-01-19T07:37:00.000-05:00

Oh how I love how this turned out! The inspiration came at first from this idea at Life in the Thrifty Lane, she covered a heart shape in felt rosettes. I knew I wanted to make a wreath, but use the same rosettes. In her post, she directed folks over to this site, Take Heart, for the rosette tutorial. I also knew I wanted to use yarn....what with my love of knitting and all...I thought it only fitting.

This is what I started out with. The styrofoam wreath is one that is flat. I intended to wrap the yarn very neatly around the form.

But as I worked on it, I thought it needed a little more dimension, so I'd wrap very neatly for several inches, and then go back over criss-crossing a little.

I found it useful to work with small balls of yarn at a time....although I kept dropping and unraveling them. I used a spot of hot glue every here and there.

I made a bunch of the rosettes after reading the tutorial and glued them on. And I added some bling because that's how Veronica did it...beautiful.

And here it is in all of it's NATURAL LIGHT glory!! Ahhhhhh, so bright and crisp and contrasty and fresh and lovely!!

Now, I fully intended for this wreath to be hung on my front door, but it's too white!! We live so close to a major road, it's just too dusty and yucky and I know it wouldn't stay clean. So, I hung it on my mirror right in the entry way....I've never hung a wreath from a mirror, I feel so trendy :-) And that only means one thing....I need to make something else for the front door!

Valentine Specimen Art

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Specimen Art! Who knew? Thanks to blogland, I do! I saw this idea at Embellishing Life. I got right to it. She printed out a bible verse, but I opted for this poem which has several words suitable for highlighting in red.

A White Rose

The red rose whispers of passion,
And the white rose breathes of love;
O the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove.

But I send you a cream-white rosebud
With a flush on its petal tips;
For the love that is purest and sweetest
Has a kiss of desire on the lips.

~ John Boyle O'Reilly (1844-1890)

Also, in keeping with the "specimen" aspect of this project, I used little push pins to make it look like the hearts were pegged on that way. Click on the image for a better view, if needed.

I really love how my Valentine's "mantel" is coming along. Stay tuned for one more piece....

Chore Charts

2012-01-16T14:39:00.003-05:00

Kinda behind the power curve, aren't I? I've never done an official chore system with my kids. They are very big helpers, but they've never gotten credit (or paid!) for their help. While I feel there are things they should be doing that are just part of life and don't deserve payment, I also feel it's time for them to earn their own spending money so they can see what it takes to SAVE and WANT and WAIT for what they want.

So, here's a chart I've implemented. I spent quite some time looking through ideas and trying to determine what would work for us. I'm not even sure this is it, but it's what we're going to try for now.

I got the frames from a thrift store and painted them this mossy...glossy...green.

I picked out some nice scrapbook paper and matted my chore list.

The girls each did their name and a little embellishment.

I put the glass back in the frame so they can use a dry erase marker to check off what they've done throughout the week. I've yet to decide what their allowance will be. Maybe .10 per check mark??

They were both quite excited to do their chores this morning even though last week when we were discussing the whole prospect, Paige said, "I'm not playing that game."

Fibers on Friday: There's An App For That

2012-01-12T19:55:00.003-05:00

It's Fibers on Friday and we should have TURNED HEELS IN THE NEW YEAR this week!! If you're participating in the sock challenge, and you've never knit socks before, I hope it went smoothly! I can't wait to see your progress.

I want to share a little "techy" thing I found this week. But, I'd like to preface it by saying I'm NOT techy!! In fact, when my husband got his iPhone a few years ago, I refused to even touch it. Like, I would not lay a finger on it. If it rang, I wouldn't grab it to hand it to him! I think I went a full 6 or 8 months without touching it. But recently, a terrible thing happened. My ipod AND GPS were stolen from my car (that made me LOL....I'm NOT techy). So what's a girl to do? Replace both of those gadgets or roll them into one by getting an iphone?

I went for the iPhone. The young dude at Radio Shack LAUGHED and RIDICULED me when he saw how ancient my phone was. It was funny. I was proud.

But now I have to embrace this technology. I have to remember there are lots of resources right at my fingertips. So, the other night as I was knitting my socks, I needed to track my number of rows. I was about to grab a scrap of paper, but it occured to me.....there might be an app for that!!

Low and behold, here's a free app for counting stitches and rows. It's adorable. A little confusing at first, but play around a little and it won't take long to figure out how to use it. And here ya go....if you have an iphone....I've done a little of the work for you (check out the screen shots.....oh yes, I'm high-speed!):

My search in the app store:

Install the one by KAZE and create a work list

You plug in the number of rows you need to knit (or stitches) and every time you complete a row, you tap on the little kitty in the bottom right corner and it keeps your tally.

There's even a spot for disabling the sleep function of your phone, so it will stay awake while using this app.

So, that ALONE, is worth having an iPhone, right? RIGHT!!!

And now here's my sock progress. I turned the heel

And picked up the stitches for the gussets and worked about an inch of the foot last night.

Fibers on Friday: Show Us Your Legs!!

2012-01-05T16:28:00.003-05:00

Helllooooo!!! How's everyone doing on their socks??? Here I am leading this challenge and I barely made the first deadline. My pattern calls for a 6" leg, measuring from the cast-on edge. But I like to make it about 7", so I'll work a little bit more tonight. Here's a pic from earlier this afternoon and I've since knit another inch.

Furthermore, I finished off this super easy, super quick drop stitched scarf. Our February ski trip is fast approaching, so the girls needed new scarfs.

I can't wait to see your sock progress! If you're having any difficulties, please reach out and we'll try to help! And if you're behind, don't worry! Just have fun!! Here's the rest of the plan:

By Dec. 30th everyone needs to have gathered their supplies and checked their gauge.
January 6th we'll show off our cuffs and leg of the sock.
January 13th we'll show off our heels. Yes, Turning Heels in the New Year!
January 20st we should be done our gussetts and foot and be ready to close the toe.
January 27th we'll be well into our second sock and we'll display our works in progress.
By Feb 3rd we should be able to take a picture of our feet adorned in TWO fabulous socks!!

A Cricut Card and mini-tutorial!

2012-01-01T12:15:00.007-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

I've spent the past several days making thank you cards. It turned into a WAYYYYY bigger project than I'd ever intended, but it was fun and it really got me acquainted with my Cricut. I'd never made a card using it and, let me tell you, it took a little research and tweaking to get it right.

I pulled out all the stops!! I used the Cricut...I used embossing techniques....I used glitter...I used buttons!! And my girls helped with much of it.

Since it was such a project, I took pictures along the way so that if YOU have a Cricut and have never made a card with it, you might be inspired to do it now.

First things first, I went to Card Patterns for sketch inspiration.

Then I looked through my Cricut cartridges for card ideas. I have Winter Woodlands and it has a card function button, so I researched how to use it.

Choose the "card" button and then the image you'd like cut out. I chose the mittens,
Choose the size. I made a 5" card, so all my dimensions will be to fit a 5" card.
Cut out card.

I wanted to add some texture and design to the mittens, so I stamped them with snow flakes using Versa Mark and then embossed them using my new heat tool! fun stuff right there!

Next, cut out a frame of patterned paper to matt the image.

Load a full sheet of patterned paper and move the blade down and over 6". It takes a lot of paper to do this, unfortunately. but you can use the scraps for something else.
Hit the center point button. This will allow you to cut a square and then a circle without having to find the center point of each.
Cut a square by hitting shift and the square shape. You need to cut a 6 1/2 inch square. The dimensions for this are measured on the diagonal (that was a huge learning point!).
The blade will return to the center of the square.
Then cut the circle from the middle of it. Hit shift and the circle shape. Change the size to a 4 1/2 " circle. Cut.
You now have a nice matt to adhere around your image on the card.

Next I wanted to add glitter to look like snow around the mittens.

Put 2 strips of packing tape over the image on the inside of the card so that the sticky side is facing out on the front. Be careful not to touch the exposed tape with your fingers or the glitter will not stick properly. Also, do this step on a craft matt so you'll be bale to pull it off and do the glitter!
Turn it over and glitter away!

I wanted the white glitter to really look like snow, so I found that applying a white piece of paper over the tape on the inside really let me achieve that. So, I cut a 5 X 5" piece of white paper for that.

Lastly, I put 3 buttons along the upper edge and my "Thanks" sentiment along the bottom.

Whew! As you can see I made several. I always do! Assembly line style is the way to go.

I hope this little tutorial helps someone :-) I was shaking my head at how much time I was taking to make these cards, but I really enjoyed putting my Cricut to the test and using it to the fullest potential!

Fibers on Friday: It's On Like Donkey Kong

2011-12-29T20:58:00.003-05:00

Are you ready for this? It's time for second annual

TURNING HEELS IN THE NEW YEAR SOCK CHALLENGE!!!

I'm so excited that a few of you expressed interest and some of you even got a little head start....yay! I am ready to start; my big project (the sweater vest) is complete, I bought my sock yarn, and I got the cool sock button loaded back onto my sidebar and it's ready to GRAB! So, please grab it and spread the word!!

So, first things first; here is the vest! I am really thrilled with it. I knit it to fit a youth size 10-12. Here is my model, a six year old, so I think it should be perfect. I used Lambs Pride Bulky Wool and it's so incredibly warm. The pattern is called Keep Me Warm Vest.

I really enjoyed learning how to do the cables and I cannot wait to knit something for me which includes cables! I need a nice cardi/hoodie, so if you can recommend one, I'd appreciate it. So far I've considered the Central Park Hoodie because I know Stitched Together knit one and enjoyed it.

So now....on to BUSINESS!! I hope you're IN on the sock challenge. Please accept the challenge as a friendly invitation to jump into sock knitting whether or not you've ever tried. If it's something you've always wanted to try, please do! And we'll all do our best to help along the way. Jump in!! Again, here's the outline of my plan. Next week, please come back and show us the cuff and leg of your first sock!

Here's my plan: to knit a pair of socks by the end of January:

By Dec. 30th everyone needs to have gathered their supplies and checked their gauge.
January 6th we'll show off our cuffs and leg of the sock.
January 13th we'll show off our heels. Yes, Turning Heels in the New Year!
January 20st we should be done our gussetts and foot and be ready to close the toe.
January 27th we'll be well into our second sock and we'll display our works in progress.
By Feb 3rd we should be able to take a picture of our feet adorned in TWO fabulous socks!!

Modge Podge Clip Boards

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

My friend....whose blog shall remain nameless since it's now defunct.....STEPHANIE!!!!....made me this personalized clipboard a couple years ago.

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she beautiful? Isn't she wonderrrrrrful?

My kids are always asking to borrow it, so I decided to make them each one for Christmas. A nice little homemade gift from mama.

I'm no Modge Podge pro, but this was pretty easy and relatively quick. I read some tips on using modge podge in order to avoid bubbles and tackiness. What I learned is to apply a thin coat of the glue to the board. Then apply a thin coat to the back of the scrapbook paper you're applying. By the time you get around to placing the paper, the board will be almost dry. Use a credit card (or pampered chef scraper!) to smooth out the air pockets. Then apply a thin coat over the paper and embellishments. Let it dry completely between extra coats. I did three coats in all over the course of a few days.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-28T12:50:00.001-05:00

Meatless Monday: Granola

2011-12-26T17:11:00.003-05:00

I've been testing many granola recipes. This is my third or fourth batch. I scour pinterest for recipes and this one is a winner. It's lightly flavored with cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. It baked up perfectly crunchy and golden brown. I eat this over yogurt with my honey from Puerto Rico and I'm in heaven every morning.

From the Well Fed Soul

Ingredients

Dry
3 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I used about 1/4 cup of ground flax instead)
2 cups whole, raw, unsalted nuts (I usually use cashews, almonds, and sunflower seeds, but experiment with what suits your fancy)
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/3 tsp ground allspice (or ground cardamom is tasty too)

Wet

1/3 cup juice (whatever you have in the fridge is fine: cranberry, orange, apple...)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

"Preheat oven to 300 deg F.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the dry ingredients together. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, then pour over the dry, and stir well to combine.

Spread in an even layer on a rimmed cookie sheet. I like to have big chunks of granola at the end, so I pack mine down gently with the back of the spoon. Bake for 25 minutes, then gently stir the granola around the pan, bringing the crisper edges to the middle, so it cooks evenly. If you prefer to keep the nice, big clumps, don't overmix at this point. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until golden, then allow to cool completely. (The granola crisps up as it cools.) Once cool, store in an airtight container. Will keep for several weeks." (I baked this straight through for the first 25 minutes, but then did the stil-every-10-minutes method for probably 30 more minutes.)

Fibers on Friday: Cables at Christmas

2011-12-22T17:34:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday!! I'm trying to post this week's knitting picture from my phone....

Wow! That was easy....but boy, is it ugly!?! Well, you get the idea. The vest....my first cabled project...is coming along nicely (despite how it looks in pictures!). I've completed the back entirely, cast off for the neck, and have the shoulder seams on holders. Now, I'm finishing off the front neck and it should be ready to ship!

Who's ready for this year's sock challenge??? We have a lot of new followers, so let's look back at last year when we did our first annual "Turning Heels in the New Year". Have you knit socks before? Are you an old pro who proclaims there's no sock like a knit sock? Have you always wanted to knit socks but haven't had the courage to take the plunge?

Well, in any case....join me!!! Below you'll find my projected schedule. Last year I found this time line to be the perfect amount of time to complete each phase without too much stress. If you'd like to join in, you have this entire week to gather your supplies, maybe get a book if you've never attempted socks before (may I suggest Getting Started Knitting Socks?), and check your gauge. And we'll take it from there!

Here's my plan: to knit a pair of socks by the end of January:

By Dec. 30th everyone needs to have gathered their supplies and checked their gauge.
January 6th we'll show off our cuffs and leg of the sock.
January 13th we'll show off our heels. Yes, Turning Heels in the New Year!
January 20st we should be done our gussetts and foot and be ready to close the toe.
January 27th we'll be well into our second sock and we'll display our works in progress.
By Feb 3rd we should be able to take a picture of our feet adorned in TWO fabulous socks!!

What do you say? Sound doable? Are you game? Here are the supplies you'll need:

sock yarn- 2 balls
double pointed needles-size US 2 or size to obtain proper gauge
this pattern-Silky Soft Socks by Premier Yarns as found on Ravelry and here is the PDF
The one and only sock knitting book I own is called Getting Started Knitting Socks. Maybe look for it at your library this week if you're so inclined. I found it very helpful.

I'll work on our button from last year so we can all show that we're participating in the sock challenge. I'll try to do that this week.

Meatless Monday! Candy?!

2011-12-19T07:33:00.000-05:00

Are you getting ready to bake some Christmas goodies this week? May I suggest adding this to your list? I posted this recipe last year at the same time. I made several....SEVERAL....batches of these salted caramels last year. They were such a hit! Warning: it IS a time consuming process, but I really think they're worth it!

Can I post a candy recipe just this once for Meatless Monday? I want to share this recipe for Salted Caramels anyway and right now is the perfect time for sharing candy recipes, what with the holidays and all, so I'm breaking the rules and this is my Meatless Monday :-)

I made this batch as a test batch last week. Riiiiiiggggghhhht, a test batch!

Tomorrow I plan on making about 3 more batches as gifts for Christmas. These caramels are super yummy. I used coarse sea salt from Costco and set the grinder for as coarse as it would go. So you get crunchy bites of salt every now and then and it is divine.

Be prepared to stand at your stove for a full hour. This recipe is from the latest edition of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.

Salt and Pink Peppercorn Caramels

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 16-oz. pkg. packed brown sugar (2-1/4 cups)
2 cups half-and-half or light cream
1 cup light-colored corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 to 1-1/2 tsp. flaked sea salt or smoked flaked sea salt
1/2 to 1-1/2 tsp. pink peppercorns, crushed * I omitted this entirely*

Directions

1. Line an 8x8x2-inch or 9x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter the foil. Set aside.

2. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add brown sugar, half-and-half, and corn syrup; mix well. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan (see Candy Thermometer, below). Reduce heat to medium. Continue boiling mixture at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, until the thermometer registers 248 degrees F, firm-ball stage (40 to 50 minutes). Adjust heat as necessary to maintain a steady boil.

3. Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. Stir in vanilla. Quickly pour mixture into prepared pan. Cool 10 to 12 minutes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. When firm use foil to lift candy out of pan.* Use a buttered knife to cut into 2x1/2-inch size pieces. Wrap each caramel in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Store up to 2 weeks.

*Test Kitchen Tip:For easier slicing, freeze caramel for 10 minutes before cutting.

More Meatless Monday at Midnight Maniac Meatless Monday

Fibers on Friday: De Ja Vu??

2011-12-15T20:40:00.004-05:00

Yes, we've been here before.

Yes, I'm nuts.

Yes, I made SIX more sock monkeys as Christmas presents for the kids in my family.

Yes, we have no bananas.

Yes, I have no knitting or crochet to show you.

Now that those are packed up and on their way to kiddos, I sat down and made couple more fabric gift bags. I made several last year, six of which served as the wrap for the sock monkeys I shipped off. So, I made six more out of fabric I bought on clearance last year. Tomorrow I can make a ton more with some bright, fun, fabric with ornaments all over it. I really, really love not having to buy paper gift wrap (or maybe just one roll to make Santa's presents non-questionable!) I plan to add more to my stash every year...passing them on to those I give gifts to...and eventually they'll just all be circulating amongst us!

Here are a few pictures from Puerto Rico, too!!

Christmas Ideas!

2011-12-12T16:55:00.000-05:00

****Hola, folks! Just got back from Puerto Rico. It was fantastic! Until I have time to post something new, here is a post from last Christmas Season****

I know! I know! You don't want to see another Christmas Tree or Gift Idea! BUT, I have to share this now since I didn't have time before the holidays and I don't want to wait to show you these ideas because they require a little planning (and drinking!).

These wine cork Christmas Trees were circulating blogland this year. I had a nice {little} collection of corks {ok! 64 to be exact} and I was excited to put them to use. I came up a little short, so I put a shout out on Facebook for friends to give me their corks. I got enough to make three trees! So, if you think these are as adorable as I do, start saving your corks now for next year!

And if you are so inclined, here's my advice for glue: use Gorilla Super Glue and work one row at a time. Hot glue simply did not work for me.

Second idea for next year: Fabric Gift Bags! My friend over at My Year in Haiku wrote about her attempts at a paper-free Christmas two years in a row. I was immediately inspired last year and started a collection of alternative packaging right away. This year she showed a picture of gift bags she sewed and I remembered a stash of Christmas fabric my mother-in-law gave me years ago and I got to work.

This yardage of fabric, plus another, yielded 9 gift bags! As you can see, it was perfect fabric because of the square images.

What do I post this NOW? Because I think now is the perfect time to head over to your fabric store, look at the Christmas clearance section, use a coupon, and start your stash for next year!

Fibers on Friday: Cables

2011-12-01T16:59:00.004-05:00

Hello! I've managed to get this post done before I head out to Puerto Rico for a week....woohoo! We're attending a wedding on Saturday in San Juan and then we're off to the other side of the island, Aguadilla, to visit friends for the rest of the time. I know we'll be doing tons of exploring and site seeing...I can't wait.

I really haven't done too much knitting. I just got finished with the sock monkey project and then I jumped into making EIGHT more for Christmas presents. And for some reason, each one seems to take wayyyy more time than the previous batch. Hmmm???

And besides that, I've settled in to reading on my Kindle. When I fist got it 2 weeks ago, I have to admit, I almost sent that sucker back. It was really hurting my eyes, giving me headaches in the middle of the night, and I just wasn't loving it in general. But, I pushed through the adjustment phase, I tweaked some of the brightness and color settings, and now I'm a happy reader. So happy, in fact, that I'm on my third book. I read Room; very intriguing albeit disturbing. Then I read the second book of the Hunger Games, Catching Fire, another page turner. And now I'm on Unbroken. I don't know how this device gets me turning through books so quickly, but I'm loving it!

Anyway, here is the progress on my first cable project. This is the sweater I'm knitting for Afghans for Afghans.

Oh yes, I am really enjoying the cables! Such a huge effect with very little effort! Everyone was right who said they were easier than one would imagine!

Meatless Monday! Rice Noodle Salad

2011-11-28T08:52:00.003-05:00

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

I'm making this tonight for Meatless Monday. I'll let you know later how it was! It's found in Cooking Light, Aug. 2011.

Fibers on Friday: Monkey Business

2011-11-25T19:22:00.004-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I did, despite being the first one away from our family in years. We have fabulous friends who helped us have a relaxing, easy, enjoyable day!

A delicious smoked turkey

A super cute kid's table

And lots of fun playing Ninja Fruit!

I thought I'd show you all the sock monkeys my Daisy Troop made to send off to Craft Hope.

No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!!!

More Capri Sun Projects

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

So, while I was playing around with Capri Sun pouches making this bag, I decided to throw together some notebooks, too. My kids LOVE having their own little note book/journal/sketch pad/diary.

These were so simple. Just a matter of punching some holes, sandwiching a few sheets of paper between, sewing up the sides with embroidery thread and adding some beads for extra bling! If you'd like to see a video demonstration, visit textiles 4 you on her YouTube Channel.

(I love their spelling. The picture on the left is of their trampoline. She spelled it "chraplen". Are my kids the only ones who hear a "ch" for "tr" and "dr" words?)

But then, my kids took it one step further. They created their own little wallets....a bi-fold...complete with teeeeeny tiiiiiiny I.D. card and a key....check them out:

They did this by cutting 2 inches off the bottom of the pouch and cutting up one side to make it open out. haha! Genius kids I have :-)

Meatless Monday! Treats

2011-11-20T20:40:00.003-05:00

I've had two treats pinned on Pinterest for a while now and I finally got around to making both of them last week.

First, I made these no-bake energy balls. Yum, yum, yum!! I guess my mom must have made something similar to this when I was a kid because they're very familiar and they bring me back. They're healthy and they are the perfect little something to grab when you need a little nibble. I think they even give me a little extra boost when I go out for a run. The recipe can be found here, Smashed Peas and Carrots, and that's where I grabbed the image, too.

(image source)

Then, I made my own granola bars. Another huge YUMMM! Kids even agree on this one (the energy bites are only so-so for them). I first had to make granola, so I chose this recipe, although there are several more I'd like to try. Then I proceeded with the granola bar recipe found on Back to the Cutting Board. Huge hit. We polished off the whole pan in 2 days, so I made more this evening!

They turned out extra chocolatey because I stirred in the chocolate chips while the mixture was still warm. On the pan I made this evening, I just pressed them on top. We'll see how we like it that way.

Anyway...I highly recommend these two healthy snacks!!

Fibers on Friday: Peas and Carrots

2011-11-17T19:21:00.003-05:00

Hello wonderful people! Happy Fibers on Friday! I come to you today with knitting and crochet....side by side....happy as peas as carrots!

The vest that I'm knitting is for Afghans for Afghans. I'm knitting the Keep Me Warm Vest. And get this....I'm trying my hand at cables for the first time! You all assured me last week it was really easier than it seems. And I must say, it's pretty easy! In the picture you'll be able to see my first twist.

The afghan I'm crocheting is the Offset Shell Pattern by Oh My Good Knits.

My excitement this week came in the form of the Kindle Fire that I pre-ordered a couple weeks ago. I was on the fence for so long about using an e-reader, but I finally dived right in and went for the Fire. I just got it yesterday...there are definitely some kinks to work out, but so far it's fun! Have you read anything you'd recommend lately?

School Files: Year Two

2011-11-14T11:12:00.004-05:00

Last year I showed you this idea that I saw on Blue Cricket Design. A really cool way of saving school papers from year to year.

Well, the other day I put together my files for my kids' second year of school.

I love having these pretty little files tucked up in their closets. When there's something I want to save, I just slip it in. And you get the added bonus of having their handwriting saved AND their school picture. So cute!!

Capri Sun Tote Bag

2011-11-14T10:49:00.004-05:00

I'm so behind the times when it comes to crafting with Capri Suns! Wayyyyy back in 2004, before blogging and sharing all our crafty goodness, my friend and neighbor went crazy with capri suns! She made tote bags and beach bags and pencil bags. Everywhere she went people wanted to buy one....especially school kids!

I finally decided I wanted to do something "reusable" with them. So, I sat down with some Textiles 4 You and got to work on a zippered bag.

Nothing makes me happier than when I work on a craft like this and my kids want to snatch it and use it right away. And Paige claimed this one as her book bag:

The perfect was to re-use those pouches! We don't go through too many here at home, but when we do, they're really easy to just cut the bottom and pop them into the dishwasher....dry them....and save for a project like this. And when you're conducting some sort of group activity where the kids all have one to drink, what a perfect chance to take them all home and make a bag!!

I also think it's the perfect craft to stock pile. So when your kids' school is soliciting for craft fairs or fundraisers you can pull some out and donate or sell. Cool!

Fibers on Friday: Crocheted Apron Complete

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Fibers on Friday comes to you on this fine Veteran's Day. I'll remember and honor all who have served today. And I'll be a little sad to miss my annual Veteran's Day dinner with my dad since we're now living so far away. Here we were two years ago on Veteran's Day:

I finished my apron earlier in the week. I LOVE it!!

The pattern comes from Oh My Good Knits. It's called Tessa. It's perfect!! In fact, I'm kind of on a roll with her patterns. I made her Mary Jane slippers, which I'll show you soon, and today I started her Off Set Shell Stitch afghan.

It's also that time of year again for my annual knit for Afghans for Afghans. This will be my third year! I've done two sweaters (seen here and here), so this year I'm going to make a vest. I'm excited to announce that I'll be taking this opportunity to learn cables, a feat that's been on my to-do list for way too long!

Collecting Bottle Caps

2011-11-08T08:40:00.000-05:00

I re-publish this post every time I package up my bottle caps and send them off to Aveda as a reminder to everyone else who may have started doing the same thing and also to let the new followers of my blog know about this program.

In light of this recent article on NPR, I find it especially important to do our part in recycling as much plastic as possible.

So, please...read on and consider saving and recycling your bottle caps.

It was probably a year ago that I started saving bottle caps for a fundraiser. A friend was collecting them to fund a child's chemo treatment. The fundraiser finished, but I was unable to start throwing bottle caps away again. So, I continued to save them knowing I'd eventually come across another fundraiser or something.

Somewhere along the way I heard that Aveda (the beauty company) collects and recycles these bottle caps and turns them into their own shampoo/conditioner/beauty product bottles. I did an internet search and only came up with information about taking them to an Aveda store. I don't have an Aveda store, so I e-mailed them.

I was happy to get a prompt response telling me I can, in fact, send a box or bag full through the mail. Here's the response and the address:

Thank you for your interest in the “Recycle Caps with Aveda” Program. You may bring your caps in small amounts (1 shopping bag or 1 paper box) to any participating Aveda Experience Center (store) or send them in by mail to:

ACA Waste Services
40 Eads Street
West Babylon, NY 11704

Caps included in this collection are any plastic “twist on” caps. Some examples are; water bottles, soda bottles, laundry detergent bottles, ketchup bottles, and shampoo/ conditioner bottles. Caps that are NOT included are any metal caps and any “snap fit” plastic caps. Some examples of snap fit caps are; margarine and cottage cheese caps. Thank you for your help with the “Recycle Caps with Aveda” Program.

Have a great day!

Kendra Fleischer
Aveda Cap Collection Program
capcollection@aveda.com
1.877.AVEDA09

Isn't this GREAT? Won't you get yourself a cute little container and collect these bottle caps? I'm telling you I've collected at least 5 paper lunch bags full over the past year. It makes me feel good that they're not in a landfill. It's not that hard to keep a little collection and mail them in maybe twice a year.

Fibers on Friday: Día de Muertos

2011-11-03T20:27:00.005-04:00

Hello and welcome to another Fibers on Friday!

I recently participated in my first ever craft swap! My cousin invited me to join a group of her friends who swap every year for the Day of the Dead. Have you ever learned anything about this Mexican Holiday? I really never read too much about it, but after being a part of this swap, I have to say I can really embrace this tradition of honoring and celebrating those we've lost. You can read more about it here, if you'd like.

There were five people participating in this swap. I received a lovely bracelet in meaningful colors associated with the Day of the Dead. I also got two pot holders (hot pads) which MATCH unbeknownst to each of the senders! Cute! And lastly, so far, a gorgeous felted pin in the shape of a sugar skull. One item is still en route to the U.S. from Ireland (read no further, friend, if you haven't gotten mine yet or the surprise will be spoiled).

So, in keeping with the textile theme of the swap, I decided to crochet my project. Check it out.

Aren't they great? Little crocheted skulls with decorative flowers. They can be hung as ornaments or placed on a mantel. I found the pattern for purchase on etsy here. They were very fun and easy and the pattern was written perfectly. I hope these special skulls have found their special place in the lives of their recipients!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

Do you wanna play with me? I sure wish you would!

Have you read about Craft Hope's latest project; Sock Monkeys for Texas? When I saw it, I knew I had to do it. And then I figured out a way to get my Daisy Troop involved. It's a little complicated for the little girls to do all the steps involved, but with a little planning, we'll take a couple weeks to get them completed.

Last week each girl brought in one pair of socks. Next week I'll have them all cut and ready to stuff so the girls can do that fun part. And then the moms who are willing to sew will all get together and complete the finishing touches. Right in time for sending them off by Thanksgiving.

Yesterday I made a practice monkey. I wanted to get my feet wet, figure out the quirks, and discover any problems that might arise. I am quite please with how he turned out!

So.....monkey see, monkey do??

Meatless Monday! Sweet Potato Casserole

2011-10-31T07:33:00.000-04:00

**I'm re-posting this yummy dish for November.....just in time for you to consider serving it for Thanksgiving!***

I make this dish for Thanksgiving every year. I love it! I had to take a picture of these humungo sweet potatoes. It only took two to make this whole dish they were so big. And actually when I was buying them the check out lady said some people were refusing to buy them because they were sure they were pumped up with fertilizers or nuclear waste or something. I bought them anyway. But, last week I had some beautiful organic yams delivered (yes, I recently signed up for produce delivery....it's wonderful and organic), so this dish would be wonderful with them.

Then I used this fantastic vanilla from Mexico that my friend gave me. Oh my! It is soooo good and so different from what you can get in the super market or even Costco (which is what I usually use).

And I guess I didn't take a picture of the finished product, but here it is (with the recipe) courtesy of Cooking Light.

Fibers on Friday: Crocheted Apron

2011-10-28T08:49:00.004-04:00

Hi guys! Thanks for the little break last week! We had a fabulous time visiting our family in NJ. It will be non-negotiable every year....we must visit the north in October in order to revel in the Fall colors!

I started crocheting this apron (called Tessa) found on Oh My Good Knits:

(image source)

This is how far I've gotten:

->

Fibers on Friday: This Regularly Scheduled Program....

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

.....will return next week. I am back in NJ for a quick visit with my family!

Earring Holder

2011-10-20T16:46:00.003-04:00

My girls got their ears pierced a couple of months ago. I think the reason they really wanted to do it was so they could have one of these cool earring holders! One of their little friends has one and they wanted one exactly like it!

We went to the thrift store and picked out some frames that could stand a coat of paint.

I removed the innards and got ready to staple in some mesh screen material. My husband had to buy some shorter staples....you'd think that this would maybe be a little CUE in my head to be careful where I stapled. But no! I stapled into the thinnest part of the frame, the staples pushed through and shattered the wood all to bits.

What's a crafter to do when their child is looking at them like, "I can't believe you just did that!"

Well, said crafter takes a look around the craft room and sees an embroidery hoop and thinks, "adapt and overcome!" Enter.....my version of the earring holder (it's probably been done....but I haven't seen it).

I took the hoop, pressed in the screen, and ran a nice ribbon around the perimeter. Then, tied a big bow on top. The frame holders came from IKEA, unpainted, so they got a nice coat of spray paint.

I liked this version better than where I was headed with the picture frame, but of course, one of my kids didn't. Paige said she loved this one, so it's hers. Madison wanted the original picture frame idea so Daddy got to work with the wood putty and another coat of paint.

Just like new!

We're now all set with two pretty earring holders!

Meatless Monday! Cheddar Apple Frittata

2011-10-17T15:25:00.004-04:00

How on earth have I not ever posted this one? I don't even have a picture because when I made it the other night, I thought for sure it was something I had posted before so surely I'd have a picture. Evidently not.

This is a favorite of mine. From Parenting Magazine.

Cheddar Apple Frittata

* 2 tsp butter
* 1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced
* 4 eggs
* 2 egg whites
* 2 Tbs water
* 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar
* Salt and pepper
* 4 strips precooked bacon (fakin' type! to make it meatless :-)

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a 10-inch oven-proof skillet (e.g., cast iron). Add apple slices and sauté 1 minute, or until softened.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites, and water until frothy. Stir in cheddar, salt, and pepper.

4. Put bacon strips on top of apples. Pour egg mixture into skillet. Cook 2 minutes, until bottom and sides of frittata are set. (Resist the urge to stir!) Carefully transfer skillet to broiler and cook 6 inches from heat, 2 to 3 minutes, or until top is set. Cut into wedges.

Happy Meatless Monday!!

Fibers on Friday: EARLY!!!

2011-10-13T14:09:00.003-04:00

This week's Fibers on Friday is EARLY because I'm beyond excited to show you the MULTNOMAH SHAWL in it's entirety!! Plus I haven't posted in a week! Blame it on the Daisy's again :-)

So welcome! It's great to have you here. Won't you join us in showing off your knit or crocheted or otherwise fiber related project?

Without further ado, here she is:

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful? This project was pretty exciting to cast off from because the beauty was hidden on the needles that whole time. The ripples, the ridges, the fanning....all scrunched up and secretive because they won't let themselves known until they're freed from the needles. And then....they're still being shy until they take a nice bath and then a nice massage onto the blocking towel. Not until all that do they break out and scream.....'Hello!! Aren't I beautiful?!'

Mercy this was such a pleasant project!! Completed just in the nick of time, too, because next weekend I'm heading up to NJ and I'll be able to give this to my Mom. Yes!

Fibers on Friday: An Invitation

2011-10-07T08:28:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! Welcome to Fibers on Friday, a link party dedicated to knitting, crocheting, sewing, or anything else fiber related.

This week I was really hoping to be able to show you my finished Multnomah Shawl. I honestly saw no reason why I wouldn't finish it. BUT....I didn't :-( I have volunteered to be a Daisy Troop Leader and I am a bit surprised at how much time the start-up is requiring. So......

Instead of showing you the same shawl as last week, I'd like to invite you to read about the latest Craft Hope Project, Sock Monkeys for Texas!!

I am totally doing this project with my new Daisy Troop! And if you guys want to participate, I'll dedicate a Fibers on Friday in November to showing off our sock monkeys! The project deadline is Thanksgiving, so we have plenty of time to make some monkeys and we'll show them off in a few weeks! Let's do it! And of course, I'll show you what we come up with in Daisies!

Book Page Wreath

2011-10-04T17:17:00.004-04:00

One of the very first things I pinned on Pinterest was the Book Page Wreath, from Vintage Violet Style. I kept my eye out for the perfect book to use and finally came upon one at a yard sale for 25 cents. I liked the book I chose because it was a little brown around the edges of the pages and there was that gold, shimmery, ink on the very edges of the pages. Perfect for this project!

So, the tutorial is very nicely laid out on the website I linked above. What I would emphasize is this:

on your first (outer row) do as they suggest and kind of place each page directly across from on another so that the whole foundation is pretty balanced and even.
the pages on that first foundation row do not have to be touching eachother. If there is a little space between them, it's good, because the row you do next will nestle nicely in between.
on the third (inner most) row, it got a little tricky. It started to get tight and they kind of wanted to start spiralling (sp?) around rather than fanning out like the 2 other rows. It's workable, but it just kind of caught me off guard so I wanted to make you aware if you choose to do this project.

I absolutely LOVE how this wreath looks hanging over my bed. I highly recommend this project if you're in need of covering a wall!

Meatless Monday! Pierogie Bake

2011-10-02T18:23:00.002-04:00

Oh this was GOOD! The other night I had something bigger planned for dinner and I just wasn't feeling it. I knew I had a box of pierogies and I remembered my cousin feeding us a yummy, easy pierogie bake while we visited her. So, a quick search through her food blog, Savoring Earth's Flavors, and here's what I came up with.

1 (16 oz) package frozen potato and onion pierogies

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup reduced fat cream cheese

1/2 cup broth

1/2 cup (or more) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped tomato (I didn't have any tomatoes. Not even a can of diced! So I sprinkled some frozen chopped spinach on top instead.)

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Arrange frozen pierogies in an 11 X 7 inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray or oil.

3. Heat small amount of olive oil in pan over med-high and saute garlic 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add cream cheese, stirring until begins to melt. Stir! Gradually add broth, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour cream cheese mix evenly over pierogies. Top with cheese and green onions.

4. Bake for 25 minutes until thoroughly heated. Remove from oven and top with tomatoes and black pepper.

Fibers on Friday: Multnomah

2011-09-29T19:01:00.003-04:00

Well hello there! Welcome to another Fibers on Friday! I had the itch this week, my friends! I spent HOURS working on the Multnomah Shawl. I would say at least 5 hours since Sunday night. So here's the progress:

I'm so close to being finished. Under 10 rows left. But each row takes so long! I'm going to keep at it, while not adding any other yarn related crafting to the mix, and hopefully be done this week.

A Fail? A Work in progress? To Be Continued?

2011-09-28T20:39:00.002-04:00

I've been wanting to make my own hand soap pumps for a little while now. You know....it's all the craze, turning a mason jar in to a soap jar. I love the idea. I didn't want to use plastic pumps, though. So, when I saw good quality, METAL, pumps advertised in last month's Organic Gardening magazine I knew I was ready for a project.

I ordered the pumps from onedreamdesign.com. I already have tons of mason jars.

Then.....oh then....Pinterest got the best of me. I saw an idea for turning a bar of soap into liquid handsoap. I got excited because I have lots of bars of soap from Goat Milk Soapers, but I'd rather it be liquid soap. So.....I got to cookin'.

Ugh! It's been 24 hours and this is the gobbly goopy mess I have right now! I've read through the comments on the soapdelinews site, because lots of people had to tweek their recipes. Originally my batch turned out too runny, so I added a tad more glycerin.

That didn't work.

I used an immersion blender to whip it up.

That didn't work, just made it milky in color with all the extra air.

I added a salt water mixture. This step thickened it up, but it's still pretty gloppy and yuck as you can see.

Has anyone ever done this? Do you have any advice?

I'm going to keep working it because I'd really love to figure it out...fill my beautiful pumps (which I'll show you later) with lovely soap that's not laden with chemicals, and eliminate all that plastic from store bought soaps. I'll keep you posted!

Meatless Monday! Pumpkin Bread

2011-09-26T08:28:00.004-04:00

This counts! Oh yes it does!!

I'm doing everything in my power to make it feel like Fall here in Florida. My Fall decorations have been up for weeks, we had friends over for chili night, and I've made this pumpkin bread twice! It's so good....

Ingredients

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup water

Directions

In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water. Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack; cool completely.

For the glaze, melt 4 TBS butter. Whisk in 2 cups of powdered sugar. Cut with about 2 TBS milk until it's a nice glaze-like consistency. Spoon it over the top of the cake and push it over the sides to make those pretty drips ( I learned that when I decorated cakes for Baskin Robbins.....oh yes, I did.)

Happy Fall, Ya'll!!

Fibers on Friday: Hair Pretties

2011-09-22T20:51:00.006-04:00

Hi! Welcome to Fibers on Friday! Thank you so much for continuing to party last week even though I had nothing to show! This week, I crocheted two things; a bunch of hair pretties and a baby cocoon for photo shoots.

Here are the hair pretties. A terrible picture taken in the dark. I'm sorry.

And now I can't, for the life of me, find the link that showed how to make them. Argh! Essentially it was this:

chain 6 and connect with a slip stitch to make a ring.
chain 2
2 HDC through the center, chain 2
slip stitch through the center
repeat 4 MORE time. (as you can see I only did 4 total which leaves me with only 4 petals. I think 5 would be better.)
Then hot glue a button on the center and glue it, along with some ribbon, onto an alligator hair clip.

As for the baby cocoon....TEASER!! I really want to wait and show you when I have an actual baby posed in it! I took pics of a baby yesterday, but she was having nothing to do with the cocoon, so it will have to wait. Maybe next week.

Wordless Wednesday: More Creepy Crawlies

2011-09-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

On the outside of our bathroom window every night. The light above the toilet attracts the moths and the geckos come to eat the moths. It's cute, I have to say!

Meatless Monday! Waldorf Salad

2011-09-19T15:01:00.003-04:00

This Waldorf Salad recipe is out of this month's Cooking Light. I substituted carrots for the radicchio because I can't find it anywhere around here. I served myself this big plate full for my lunch the other day. I really liked it at first. I liked the bite of the steel cut oats. I liked the flavor combination of the sweet apples and grapes, with the savory blue cheese. But, then it got to be too much. If I make this again, I will only have it as a small side dish or just top a salad with a little bit of this.

Fibers on Friday

2011-09-15T21:45:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! Happy Fibers on Friday! I've had a long day. Actually a long week, so I'm going to publish this party without any pictures of my own. I ran out of yarn for my Multnomah Shawl. It was supposed to only take one skein, but I was misreading a part of the pattern and increasing too much for a little while. I don't think it's messing it up, so I'm not ripping it all out. I just need more yarn! I bought this in NJ before we moved. I called to see if my former yarn shop still had some to send me, but they didn't. Anyway, I found it on line and I'm good to go.

Until I have more to show you, I'll let you guys lead the way with show and tell!

Wordless Wednesday: Invasion of the Millipedes

2011-09-14T08:58:00.001-04:00

Fibers on Friday: Pot Holder

2011-09-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hello friends! Happy Fibers on Friday! I'm glad you're here to join this party dedicated to knitting and crocheting!

Because it's fiber related, and because I think it's a wonderful thing to do, please check out my post from yesterday about the Christmas Stocking for the latest Craft Hope project.

This week, in crocheting news, I made a pot holder. A Fanciful Flower Pot Holder, which can be found on ravelry. Oh it's gorgeous, isn't it?

I LOVE how it LOOKS. Love it! But, I'm very sad to say I burnt the ever loving snot outta myself when I tried to actually use it on a hot pan of cookies. Dropped the cookies. Cookies went splat. Burn on my thumb. Perhaps a couple profanities, but I can't be sure.

The patterns suggests that because of all the layers of ruffles, it should be perfectly usable. I say it probably is, but you have to be super careful to have it folded up perfectly so as to not be burned.

The yellow yarn is Lion brand Cotton. The fuschia is Cotton Fleece from Lamb's pride (I think). The aqua is from Knit Picks Dishies. The pattern is written without the very center part filled in. I simply made another little loopy magic ring thing and did a couple half double crochets and sewed it in with yellow yarn. I likey.

Craft Hope: Christmas in Dixie

2011-09-08T15:34:00.004-04:00

I just finished sewing four Christmas Stockings for the current Craft Hope Project, Christmas in Dixie. This project feels good. If you knit, crochet, or sew you still have time to whip up a stocking or two before the deadline of September 23rd.

(Front)

(back)

I found this free pattern on-line. I totally overlooked the fact that the instructions make FOUR stockings. I thought I was just making one....and this had me BAFFLED as I cut sooooo many front and back pieces, lining fleece, and lining fabric. I was focused on the fact that the pattern said it yielded a finished, seamless, stocking that was beautiful inside and out. So, I'm moving along thinking "wow....it takes A LOT of fabric to make such a nice, finished stocking". Eventually I got to the point of asking my husband how on earth all this was going to come together and he broke it to me, "hon, you're making FOUR stockings." Well, that's wonderful. It's what I would have made anyway....BUT, I would have made four different, coordinating, stockings.

Nevertheless....that was my little brain spasm for the week and here we have FOUR IDENTICAL stockings that are lovely and beautiful and have a lot of love sewn into them in hope that the tornado survivors will have a little peace and happiness this Christmas.

The fabric I used came from Raspberry Creek Fabrics on Etsy. I won 5 coordinating yard of fabric last year....what a nice use for some of it!

Wordless Wednesday: 21 years in the Making

2011-09-07T12:24:00.001-04:00

Fibers on Friday

2011-09-02T08:41:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone! Welcome to Fibers on Friday! I hope you're all gearing up for a nice, long, final weekend of the summer. Unfortunately for us it's predicted to rain all weekend. Oh well, we have a bedroom to paint and maybe the girls and I can get some crafting on!

This week I worked on two crocheted flower patterns. This is one I found on Pinterest:

Source: made-in-k-town.blogspot.com via Beth on Pinterest

And here's mine:

I've been using this one as a mug rug, but these would be great sewn on a pillow or something. I had fun with it!

I also have a flower pot holder in the works, but it's a tangled mess of loose ends that need to be weaved in, so I'll show it to you next week when it's all finished and pretty.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

Vinyl + Wooden Letters + Paint = Make-over

2011-08-29T10:29:00.003-04:00

My kids' rooms in our new house needed a little make-over. Paige's room was kind of dark blue. We tried to just live with it and brighten it up by using pretty, girlie, decorations, but it just didn't cut it. So we painted it a bright yellow (called Summer Sun), which is quite similar to the color of her old room.

I wanted to update more of her room, too. I knew I wanted to do something with the wooden letters that have made up her name since before she was born. I remember picking these letters out and painting them vibrant, primary colors while I was still pregnant. They've hung on both girls' walls ever since.

So, to update her name to match her room and her age a little better, I decided to paint them and make them pop a little by placing them within these "bubbles". At first I thought I'd trace out some circles and paint them in by hand. But then I had a light bulb moment:

vinyl!!!

Enter Marni, at Sassy Sites. I knew she sold vinyl letters, so I e-mailed her and asked her if she could cut just plain circles. She kindly said she could and even went out and got the colors I needed. Yay!! Look how it turned out:

I love the dimension that the wood-on-vinyl gives. I used blue tacky putty to adhere the wood to the vinyl. It's repositionable and holds well. In fact, that stuff has kept the letters hanging tight for 6 years.

I think this was a nice little update. Paige is happy with it, too. Now, on to Madison's!!

Fibers on Friday: My First Amigurumi

2011-08-25T19:31:00.003-04:00

Hello friends! Happy Fibers on Friday! I'm glad you're here to join this party dedicated to knitting and crocheting! I had a BLAST this week working on my very first Amigurumi!! Thanks to Kathleen at A Surprise Every Time [..."and it's hard to say if they're happy, but they don't seem much to mind...."] for leading me in that direction!! Maybe someday I'll be as good as her, but NEVER in the story telling...she's a master! Plus, she's an Ani fan....I guess she just rocks my world :-)

I used this monster pattern from Crafty is Cool. It was fairly easy, but I'll admit I had a little trouble with the magic loop thingy to start. I've got it down now. I knit these pieces a little each night. My kids were so intrigued to find out what they'd end up being. But, I wouldn't tell them! So, last night I had a couple of tops and bottoms and the intention of finishing them today while they were at school. Well, I finished these guys, but not a fourth (to make it even for both kids), so they're still in the dark......hahahaha! I love the suspense!!

Wordless Wednesday: If You Build It, They Will Come

2011-08-24T09:48:00.003-04:00

Fairy Forts, Flower and Rock Circles, and Love Notes.

Sharing this WW at 5 Minutes for Mom

Meatless Monday: My Gourmet Pizza Creation

2011-08-21T21:55:00.004-04:00

Homemade pizza was on the menu the other night. I had the dough made and rising when I realized I had no tomatoes to make a sauce. No problem, we'll go white. I started grabbing things I had on hand and came up with this delicious pizza.

Start with the dough of your choice. I made this food processor dough found on the Cuisinart website, but I substituted 1/3 of the white flour with whole wheat. This is not a huge substitution, but wow does it ever change the dough. I mean it was good...fine...delicious. But, it really added a lot of texture and substance to the dough.

I par-bake the crust first, then add toppings, then finish off baking.

I topped it with:

caramelized onions
mushrooms, which I lightly sautee'd along with 1 chopped garlic clove with the onions when they were almost finished.
sliced pear. Slightly under-ripe worked well. Sliced it thinly and did not cook it at all before adding it to pizza.
a jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
toasted pecans (walnuts would also be great)
a sprinkle of Italian seasoning since I had no fresh herbs
a little mozzarella cheese on top (gorganzola would have been divine...next time)

This pizza was really, really tasty and wholesome and wonderfully filling.

Fibers on Friday: More Crochet

2011-08-18T19:31:00.005-04:00

Hello friends! Happy Fibers on Friday! I'm glad you're here to join this party dedicated to knitting and crocheting (or anything else fiber related...sewing?).

I made another crocheted washcloth this week, along with plugging along on my Multnomah Shawl. I'll show you the progress on that next week.

Guys, I really love how quickly crocheting goes!! I love that I have a finished project to show you (albeit merely a washcloth), while still making slow progress on my shawl.

This is the Grit Stitch Washcloth from the Sandy Shore Washcloth Set found on Lion Brand's website. The one I did last week was also from this set; the Double Crochet Washcloth.

I need to move onto something else now....suggestions for a nice step up from washcloths??

I Played with Paper!

2011-08-17T08:33:00.004-04:00

My card stash is almost depleted. I MUST get to work at creating more! We have a little boy's birthday party to go to tonight, so I had a little fun making a BOY CARD!! My go-to source of inspiration is Mama Cow Creations because she is the GODDESS of everything paper. She highlighted this week's Card Patterns Sketch and sweetly encouraged everyone to join in. So I did!!

Here's the sketch

And here's my take:

I used Cosmo Cricket's Cogsmo paper kit. I don't know where most people get their Cosmo Cricket paper, but I've gotten all mine through Miss Paper Jane. They always include packets of free stuff in your order. In fact, this chip board die cut robot was in a free pack! They're awesome!

I had fun putting that little guy together...adding googly eyes....and wire antennae with beads! This card is heavy with all those elements, but it will be hand-delivered, so it's ok. I plan on making some duplicates of this card, but toning it down a little in weight so it can go through the mail with ease.

Ahhhhh, that felt good! Hop on over to Card Patterns to see all the other paper playing going on! And hey...join in!

A Little Pop of Color for my Bedroom

2011-08-16T08:01:00.003-04:00

This new master bedroom of ours is huge. Huge by our standards, anyway. Bigger than any bedroom we've ever had! Accentuated by not having to have my craft space in it anymore, too! Further accentuated by the fact that the closets are in the bathroom (totally weird to me). So this leaves four....big....blank....walls to decorate and make look not so blank!

I'm not doing so good with that task yet....but one little think I did was painting this coat tree with a nice vibrant color.

I've had this coat tree since 2000, our 5th wedding anniversary. It was the first gift my husband gave me that follows the traditional anniversary gift standards. It's been unfinished for all this time.

Note the gorgeous art from my talented friend, Brandi. She painted that for me in 1999.

And now it's nice and bright and RED and I LOVE it!! I think it picks up on the red in my quilt wonderfully. Now, I'd like to find one of the paisley prints found in my quilt to make some curtains!

Fibers on Friday: A Horse of a Different Color

2011-08-11T18:06:00.008-04:00

Hello friends! I am so excited about this Fibers on Friday! I'm glad you're here to join this party dedicated to knitting and crocheting (or anything else fiber related...sewing?).

Ever since I started hosting this party and looking through all of your wonderful projects I've had a little tiny itch to learn how to crochet. There are so many darling projects out there that you have shown me and I just feel a little limited by not being able to jump in and crochet a thing or two.

So, like I don't have enough to do right now (like us all); like finishing up my craft room....actually crafting in my craft room, knitting my mom's shawl, treating my kids to their very abbreviated summer by having as many fun days as possible before school, working on my list of furniture pieces I'd like to refinish.....I decided to learn how to crochet!! My kids say I'm "coo coo nuts"!! I'll go with that one!

Yesterday I sat down with the lap top, opened two pages on Lion Brand's website; Learn to Crochet and a washcloth pattern, and I got to learnin'!

This was the first washcloth pattern I picked. I ended up unraveling it at this point because it wasn't turning our great. I'm finding the stitch definition in crochet a little more ambiguous than in knitting. So, when it called for "slip a stitch in one half double crochet...then half double crochet in the next stitch" I wasn't really sure I was ever in the right stitch.

No problem. I chose another pattern. I'm liking this one much better. It's mostly double crochet and now I'm on to the edging which is single crochet and making corners. Lots of learning here! As you can see I started out with my chain kind of tight, so the cloth is not perfectly square. That's OK.

Also, my edges are kind of wonky. Like I'm not ending each row the same way each time. I don't know about that. Any advice? It's just not as cut and dry as knitting. Or maybe it's just me.

Anyway....I'm really enjoying this new endeavor! And in all actuality it's not an entirely new endeavor. When I was a teenager, I knew how to crochet. I made a couple afghans, but the only thing I knew was how to make a Granny Square Afghan...and I probably wasn't doing it entirely right. So, this has brought me back a little and it's given me the sweet opportunity to dig out my Grandmother's old crochet hooks and think about her while I crochet....imagine her hands on these hooks...and it makes me feel peaceful and in tune with her.

Look at this old stuff in her sewing chest. That old beat up wooded round thing was used for darning socks. It looks like that one was used a lot! The three pick-like things are needle holders (made from Ivory....yikes...no comment). Her needlepoint eye-glass case with her name and lots of other old tools.

Meanwhile, my girlies are really asking to sit down and knit more and more often. Paige does about 5 stitches and then asks me to finish the row. Madison, on the other hand, will sit and knit a few rows at a time. Look at her awesome progress:

Oh...and I almost forgot...I did finish last week's knitted washcloth!

Wordless Wednesday: Locks of Love

2011-08-10T06:00:00.001-04:00

Sharing today at 5 Minutes for Mom

Sidewalk Paint: Homemade Style

2011-08-08T19:30:00.003-04:00

I had a case of Crayola Sidewalk paint that I bought at a thrift store. We used it up quickly! My girls had a lot of fun with it and I knew I'd be able to make our own....cheaply!! And without having 4 more plastic bottles to recycle.

A quick little search brought me to this site with a recipe.

Bada Bing Bada Boom....we made our own.

It was quick, easy, and fun! And it worked!

Just mix 1/4 cup of Corn Starch with 1/4 cup of water and add food coloring to suit your taste.

I will say the green and blue needed more than one layer to be vibrant, but honestly, so did the store bought stuff. Also, this stuff is Slippery When Wet!! So, be careful if it rains shortly after painting!! We painted in the garage since it's so blazing hot and sunny...we were in the shade and had a fan blowing on us. Daddy had to hose it all down so he didn't slip while trying to work in there!

Fibers on Friday: I Scored!

2011-08-04T22:19:00.005-04:00

Happy Fibers on Friday! Welcome to this fun party dedicated to knitting, crocheting, and anything else fiber related! I was just in my craft room...organizing and unpacking...and I was startled into realizing it's Thursday!! Yikes! I gotta do Fibers on Friday!!

It's a little late. I don't feel like taking pics of the minimal knitting progress I've made this week, but I will show you my awesome score from today and how my craft room is coming along.

Last week I was at Hobby Lobby. Yes!! Hobby Lobby!! I should have added that "spot" to my list of spots from this post!! There was a scrapbooking organizing cubby type shelf thingy way back in a "clearance" corner. The box was torn up and it was the only one there. Anyway, I talked myself out of buying it, although I'm desperate for some organization in my craft room.

So, today we made our way back to Hobby Lobby and I told myself that if the kit was still back there, it was meant to be mine. And here she is in only part of her glory:

Only part of her glory because this thing is so big I don't even have room for it. And I have a ROOM now!! So, I just assembled it to fit my needs right now and all the other parts will be stored or used somewhere else until a later date. It's so modular and versatile. I took the doors off this closet and have bins with fabric tucked under the desk it's sitting on. A perfect little nook.

Spare parts

The best part: it was only $47 marked down from $146!! Whoah...what was I thinking to pass that up the first time?

Anyway...here's the rest of the room waiting to be put together. I never...in my wildest dreams...thought I'd have a room dedicated to crafting. Now I'm having visions of actually having one of those *to-swoon-over* pretty crafting spots we always see in magazines. Haha....not really, but I'm QUITE thrilled with this little spot of mine!

Here is the custom made scrapbooking table that my talented man built me. This is the only space I had to work with in our old house...and it was in our bedroom! I love it, though, and it will still be put to good use. And it will finally be painted!!

And there's even a little room for exercising tucked back there in the corner. Nothing like sweating while you're gazing around your room dreaming of what to do next! Maybe it's just what I'll need when get those creative juices flowing!

Another Homemade Cleaner: Soft Scrub

2011-08-02T10:48:00.003-04:00

Homemade cleaning products are the latest craZe, aren't they? I have my favorites....I'm loyal to my homemade laundry detergent, my homemade deodorant, my vinegar in a spray bottle for windows and most surfaces, my baking soda to clean baked on grime and ovens. This one caught my eye for some reason and I have to say I am so glad I gave it a try. It is

fabulous!!

I saw it here on Make it Give it. I mixed it up, substituting the lavender oil with lemon oil since it's the only one I had.

Here's my grimy sink I know you would just love to see. I cleaned it when we moved in, but not very thoroughly....just enough to be comfortable that I wasn't washing dishes in someone else's funk. And then it kind of got neglected as we settled in and unpacked.

But then I put this fabulous smelling cleanser to work and it shined up in a jiffy and smelled oh....so good!!

Give it a try! You'll love it, I know it. And as a funny little side note, after I mixed it up, one of my kids took a big whiff of it. She loved the way it smelled and said...." I smell mint"....yup, there's mint. Then she said, "I also smell Tea Tree Oil" LOL! My six year old not only knows what Tea Tree Oil is, but can pick it out of a line-up!! Love it!

It's Monday, but not Meatless

2011-08-01T13:20:00.003-04:00

I have to share this creation I made the other morning, although it's not meatless. It would be just as delicious as a vegetarian meal, so go ahead and try it for Meatless Monday sometime....I know I'll make it again!

I took two portabello mushroom caps and sauteed them for a few minutes with olive oil.
I had deli ham that was sliced a little thicker than I prefer for sandwiches, so I grilled up two slices.
I thickly sliced a nice, ripe tomato.
I scrambled 4 eggs.

Then I layered it all up on top of the mushrooms and topped with cheese and fresh parsley.

Wow! It was a delicious, satisfying breakfast. I can think of several other ways to make this meal; with feta and spinach, for example.....and more sauteed veggies mixed into the eggs. Yum!

Fibers on Friday

2011-07-28T20:26:00.003-04:00

Happy Fibers on Friday! Welcome to this fun party dedicated to knitting, crocheting, and anything else fiber related! Can you put your finger on one of those moments that your heart just swelled up and was about to burst? Well, I can. And it was last week when this party just picked right up where it left off a month ago. Wow! Thank you!

I've done a couple more rows on the shawl, but what I've realized lately is that almost all of my handmade dishcloths have holes in them, so I started a new one. A nice small project to pick up when counting stitches on the shawl just won't work (read:any of the kids' waking hours).

I'm going to make another Cabbage Patch pattern, like this one:

I love the color. So fitting for this nice Florida summer....yeah right@!! It's been raining every.single.day!!! I should just make a grey one. Grey would be more fitting. Oh well....this will cheer things up!

Wordless Wednesday: Moving Boxes Turned Fortress

2011-07-27T09:40:00.002-04:00

Meatless Monday! Tofu and Brussel Sprouts

2011-07-25T08:38:00.000-04:00

Happy Meatless Monday!! I'm going to re-publish this recipe from back in 2009 because I have no new recipes to share with you, but also because we just made this the other night and it's just sooooo good!!

I was really worried moving to another state that I wouldn't be able to find some of the ingredients that I love cooking with. Ingredients that are easily found at Whole Foods or Trader Joes. We have neither of those stores....bummer. But I did stumble across a co-op grocery store in Pensacola called Ever'man.....I'm sooo thankful I did!! It's awesome! They have tons of bulk items like grains and oats, bulk coffee that is organic and fair trade, bulk greens, even bulk maple syrup and honey....just bring your own container. Nice!

I almost jumped up and down in the isle, though, when I found my favorite tofu I love for this recipe; Soy Boy. They only carry it in the "Tofu Lin" flavor, but it suited this recipe just fine.

reposted:

I happen to like tofu, but if you're a little turned off, this is the recipe to start with! I've been cooking a couple tofu recipes for years. I would do a pan glazed tofu in Hoisin OR Sweet and Sour tofu in the crockpot. But, then my sister turned me on to this recipe on 101 Cookbooks:

Carmelized Tofu

This is a delicious one-pan meal that is super easy.

The first time I made it, I used plain extra-firm tofu, which I pressed and drained. But, a couple of times now I've opted to use a marinated tofu from Soy Boy (which I've only found in Whole Foods). I made it with the Caribbean tofu and also a Smoked tofu. No matter how I've made it, it's delicious. If you use a marinaded tofu, you don't have to press it.....so it's a little easier.

You'll find other recipes and blogs dedicated to the cause at Meatless Monday.

Fibers on Friday: Let's Catch Up!

2011-07-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Fibers on Friday! Welcome to this fun party dedicated to knitting, crocheting, and anything else fiber related! Since it's been way over a month since my last Fibers on Friday party, let's play catch up!

Have you been knitting or crocheting a lot? Or has the summer time routine kept you busy at the beach, or out in the garden, or at the pool?

I haven't gotten very much accomplished on my Multnomah Shawl. Had I not been needed to drive one of our vehicles from NJ to FL during our move, I would have happily knit away the hours as the passenger on our journey. But, that wasn't the case. And my knitting time was sparse with all the camping we did. But, I have made it to the border design, so it's still a fun and interesting knit. It does, however, take me a good 20 minutes to knit one row!! Lots and lots of stitches on teeny tiny needles :-)

I've Got Spots

2011-07-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhh! Thank you so much for hanging in there, friends!! My life is finally becoming my life again. It has been a hard, hard month. It started on June 22nd when we left all of our friends and family in NJ and took an 8 day camping trek down to Florida where we'll be living for the next three years. We expected to arrive in Florida and within a few days arrange for our furniture to be delivered. Much to our dismay, however, we had to wait 15 days!! So, after living in a camper for 2 weeks, we got to our new house and had to "rough it" for 2 more weeks. Basically we moved everything we were living with in the camper into the house! Needless to say, even with the sunniest outlook for this summer adventure, our patience wore thin...our moods were shot...our expectations were a little let down...and we were SPENT!

But I'm here now! And I'm settling in more and more every day. I mean, look...I've got spots!!

My knitting spot

Even though it's still surrounded by boxes and the room is barely furnished, I can say I have a "knitting spot". This chair has been set up and is perfect for knitting right in front a huge window that gets great afternoon sun. Ooooh, and note the Sonic cup....I sat and sipped on a Cherry Limeade (happy hour!) the other day.....lovely!

My composting spot

Oddly enough one of the hardest parts of not being settled in is the inability to compost! Is that crazy? We've gotten so use to it, that to throw scraps in the trash or down the sink is just not right!! So, I set up this little micro-compost system to use until we get a big one set up. I just drilled holes in these 5 gallon buckets, added soil and leaves from the yard, and it's all set for fruit and veggie scraps. I'm not sure how well it will work, but I'm happy.

My gardening spot

I bought these kiwi plants on our very first trip to Lowes. I don't even have a designated garden spot, but I purchased these on impulse....no pots, no shovels, no potting soil, no nothing....and I bought kiwi plants! They almost totally croaked while waiting to be transplanted, but I think they'll be ok. I read that they like to be potted for the first year and then set in the ground after that....for now they're in these pots sitting in the middle of my HUGE back yard waiting for other garden surroundings!

So, there you have a look at a few of my new spots. I'm happy to be back and sharing things! Get ready for Fibers on Friday, because I plan on hosting this week!!

Wordless Wednesday: Fire Ants: Yup, We Got 'Em

2011-07-20T12:34:00.002-04:00

I Miss You!

2011-06-28T09:31:00.002-04:00

We are knee deep in this summer time journey of ours! I miss blogging and I miss YOU!

We left NJ packed up in our camper last Wednesday after having already lived in it for a week. We hit Washington DC, then headed out to North Carolina, and we're currently in South Carolina. Tomorrow we head out for Atlanta, Georgia and we'll be at our new home in Florida on FRIDAY!!

We are having fun, but we are excited to get there! We found out yesterday, though, that our household goods will not be delivered for 2 more weeks....yikes! So this adventure will continue. We'll be sleeping on camper mattresses in an empty house for a while. But this gives us plenty of time to paint!! And explore our new town!

I hope you all are enjoying your summer and perhaps having an adventure of your own!

Fibers on Friday: Welcome, Tooth Fairy

2011-06-09T19:33:00.004-04:00

Happy Fibers on Friday! Welcome to this fun party dedicated to knitting, crocheting, and occasionally a pillowcase or two!!

Mass chaos is about to ensue around these parts. In six days the movers come to pack up our stuff and move us to Florida. It's sad, but exciting! We've started saying our good-byes to family and friends. Those are never easy, but we've got a lot to look forward to.

So.....we may have to put this party on hold for a while :-(

Boo!! Hoo!!

Who knows....maybe I'll be itching to jump on the lap top and publish a party while we're enroute. But, if time does not allow, please know I'll be back ASAP!!

I started to panic the other day that we'd have our first lost tooth while we're in transit!! Yikes! I have big plans for summoning the Tooth Fairy!! Paige's tooth is quite loose, so I got the sewing machine out while I still had a chance to make a special pillowcase for nights we're awaiting the good Fairy.

I have two girls, but I only made one special pillowcase. I thought that just having one would make it extra special for the one who just lost a tooth. I envision making a big deal out of the bedtime routine....placing the tooth just so....under the pretty, girlie, pillow with satin and sparkles. (Who wants to wager that we'll ever be expecting a visit from the Tooth Fairy on the same night?!)

I took this photo outdoors in an attempt to capture the sparkles in the fabric. Unfortunately, it didn't happen, but trust me, they're there.

And then I made a frilly little pouch for the tooth (and ultimately, the treat).

So, we're all set! Ready for the big day, whenever it happens! We'll be taking a long journey on our way down to Florida, camping along the way! Our special pillowcase will be with us, just in case the tooth fairy needs to find us in a campground!! Fun!!

Wordless Wednesday: Projectile

2011-06-08T06:00:00.003-04:00

How much damage can my husband do when left with a lawn mower and some windows?

Do you remember this Wordless Wednesday?

I think I may have to take over this particular household chore.

Meatless Monday! Udon Salad w/ Spicy Tofu

2011-06-06T11:08:00.003-04:00

This is what's for dinner tonight. From Cooking Light 5/11

Udon Noodle Salad with Broccolini and Spicy Tofu

This was pretty good, although a little strange being a cold salad. I think we would prefer it hot. As you can see I didn't have Udon noodles, so I used Soba noodles. I also substituted broccoli for the broccolini. Not bad, but not one that I'll keep in my files.

Fibers on Friday

2011-06-02T20:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Fibers on Friday! Welcome to this fun party dedicated to knitting and crocheting!! Thank you for rockin' last week's party while I was gone! I had fun using my husband's iPhone to check out the links that were rolling in!

We had a blast on our camping trip! And would you believe I did not take a single picture? Steph did, but I chose to remain camera-free! The weather was outstanding, albeit buggy. It was warm enough that the pool felt wonderful and we enjoyed every day at the water park. Year past, it was too cold to enjoy those treats! We had fantastic, mouth-watering, home cooked meals which had us all yummmmmm'ing at the picnic table. But best of all, we enjoyed a last traditional trip with our dear friends before we move to Florida.....precious memories and we can't wait to be able to link up again....anywhere!

As for the knitting. I did a little on the car ride to the ferry. I also knitted on the ferry while trying to keep my mind (and semi circular canals) off the rocking of the boat and let the dramamine do its job. Not much to show for weeks of sporadic work on the Multnomah Shawl, but here it is

I love the color (which seems a little brighter than in real life in this picture). It's called Everlasting by Dream and the color is called Tide Water. So nice!

Bracelets for Craft Hope

2011-06-02T13:02:00.003-04:00

Have you read about Project 12 from Craft Hope? It's called Orphan Outreach and they are collecting bracelets in hopes of sending smiles to orphans in Russia. I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to get our Daisy Troop involved in a nice, heartwarming, project. I presented it to our leader and it was a GO!

Lots of pretty bracelets were made! The girls had such a good time with this project and it was a good way of teaching them and sharing our love and warmth.

Then, we had to goof off.....

So, if you'd like to participate in this project, I encourage you to read about it and make some bracelets! The deadline is June 15th, so there's some time left! And as a side note, they are also collecting blankets for the families affected by the tornadoes in the south....also due June 15th. I need to get crackin' on that idea!

Fibers on Friday

2011-05-26T20:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Fibers on Friday! Thanks for joining this fun party dedicated to knitting and crocheting!!

I'm not home right now. I've scheduled this posting. We are enjoying our 4th annual camping trip to Ocean City, MD. I know I'll be doing a little knitting while we're away, especially during the car ride and ferry ride, but we'll also be enjoying....

Campfires

S'Mores

Geo Caching

Fairy Forts

The Beach

And goofing off

Meatless Monday! Pizza

2011-05-23T08:26:00.004-04:00

Do you have a favorite homemade pizza recipe? Before now, if we were having pizza at home, I'd just buy a Boboli Pizza shell. But then my sister told me of this super easy food processor pizza dough and now I'm hooked!

This is the recipe from Cuisinart for the pizza dough.

But for the sauce, my sister told me to simply take a can of diced tomatoes (preferably with Italian seasoning already in, but just add them if you only have plain). Drain them into a colander and then smash them with a fork to make a nice, thick sauce.

Top with your other favorite cheese and ingredients and you have a delicious, FRESH, pizza!

I made two batches last week and split one amongst my kids and the other was for me and my husband. I partially baked the crusts on parchment paper before I loaded them with toppings and found it to be so easy to transfer into and out of the oven that way.

Enjoy!

Fibers on Friday: Washcloths

2011-05-19T20:00:00.000-04:00

Hi there! Welcome to Fibers on Friday!! I'm happy to have you join this fun party dedicated to knitting, crochet, or anything else fiber related!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I would be knitting some washcloths to put on the bake sale table at my Mom's fundraiser this weekend. I also mentioned that I knew I would only be able to pound out a couple because it just doesn't go that quickly for me. Well, I did complete two! I knit the horsey washcloth as planned and was thrilled with how it came out. I still had time to knit another, so I opted for the cabbage patch pattern, which I ADORE! I can't wait to make some for me!

Today I received a package in the mail from Cris. She volunteered to crochet some washcloths for this event! Despite having a little faux pas whereby her stash of washcloths was innocently taken by a friend, she was able to get SEVEN washcloths to me!! Amazing and thoughtful!!

The Princess and the Polyester

2011-05-19T14:01:00.003-04:00

This afternoon I put the finishing touches on Madison's quilt. It's on her bed and waiting for her return from school!

It's so bright and fun and girlie! I can't wait to move and get into a new house with new rooms to paint.....and coordinate everything around these quilts!!

This one took me several hours more to finish because I decided to sew the binding by hand. I did Paige's quilt binding on the sewing machine, without knowing how to do a blind hem, so it's not the best way to do it. This one, though, I did a blind hem by hand. Wow! That was HARD on my hands....and neck....and back! I give serious credit to those of you who quilt the whole thing by hand! In the end, it's a much prettier finished product and like my husband said last night as I was plucking away at it, "If it was easy, everyone would have quilts." Yup Yup.

How do you like the sheets I got to go with it? I had a heck of a time buying sheets. I could not find a suitable shade of blue (in a good quality sheet) to go with this quilt. I looked high and low. So, I settled on this set from Wal Mart even though they're cheapy. I figured a 6 year old would not be too particular about the quality of her sheets. I mean what does she know about cotton/polyester blends and thread counts?!

HA!

5 minutes after putting her to bed she comes out to tell us she can't sleep on her new sheets because her feet are a little clammy and they're sticking to her sheets! We sent her back to bed having her deal with it for goodness sakes!

The next night her feet were clean and not clammy (OMG!).....she still said she didn't like her new sheets.

I think we shall write a new children's book entitled The Princess and the Polyester. We have created a monster :-)

Trash toTreasure {Boxes}

2011-05-16T06:25:00.003-04:00

I almost feel a little guilty about this project. Almost. A little.

My kids love treasure boxes. Both kids have different ideas for what they love to keep in them. And it changes from day to day. Sometimes it's rocks, other times it's silly bands, and the next day it will be Squinkies.

They've had these boxes for years now. One was a build-your-own craft from Home Depot and the other was a little trinket box they decorated at a Princess Camp they attended.

As you can see. They had fun with markers, stickers, gems, and glitter. But, the "pretty" factor?? Ugh....here's where my guilt creeps in. So, I asked them....."Would you mind if Mommy re-painted these and made them match your room?" They agreed.

Ahhhhhh! I LOVE how they look now! I chiseled off all the gems, peeled the stickers, and sanded the glue off. I removed the hinges from the two of them and primed them all. Then I used a white, glossy, spray paint. The purple and aqua paint for the hearts is interior paint samples we had left over from another project from their rooms, so it remains coordinating (and once again kept me from needing to buy anything for this).

The rosettes came from quilt scraps. I must say the quilt scraps have gone a LONG way! I should put together a post that encompasses all I've done with just scraps!

So pretty! And the girls both love the transformation!

Fibers on Friday

2011-05-13T16:20:00.003-04:00

Hi there! Welcome to Fibers on Friday!! I'm happy to have you join this fun party dedicated to knitting, crochet, or anything else fiber related.

I know I'm not the only one, but I'm a little frustrated that I have to rewrite this post. I had it all set to publish last night and Blogger had their malfunction and it was lost. Gone.

All talk of socks is OVER! Done! Here they are in completion and I'm sure I will not be knitting another pair any time soon. I love wearing knitted socks, but I don't much like the process of knitting them. Maybe next winter when I'm living in Florida and can't stand to have anything much bigger than socks sitting on my lap while knitting.

I also finished this horse washcloth for my Mom's fundraiser. I just have to weave in ends. I'm not thrilled with the lack of clarity of the horse head. I swear, I can barely even see it. I handed it to my husband last night to see if he could figure it out (he's been away) and he saw it right away. Who knows...

I knit it in the Sugar and Cream cotton, Denim. I like the yarn. I also just ordered some of knit picks new cotton yarn especially for washcloths, and I got a dark brown. Maybe I'll try another horse with that color and see if it shows up better.

Wordless Wednesday: Jump!

2011-05-11T07:51:00.003-04:00

Hula Hoops

2011-05-09T20:02:00.005-04:00

We have bought hula hoops a couple of times. Cheap, bendy, weak, plastic hula hoops for $5 from your everyday supercenter. But, they're junk. They're too light to get a good hoop action going, the kids like to lasso one another and as soon as they do, the cheap hoops bend.

So, I went on the hunt for DIY hula hoops. I'm so glad I did! Right before Christmas, I found this site. I went to Home Depot and bought all the supplies; irrigation tubing, PVC pipe cutters, couplers, and colorful electrical tape. It was a small investment, but I decided I was going to make several hoops as Christmas gifts for all the young people in my family.

These hoops have been sitting out in our back yard through all sorts of weather. They are used almost daily. They haven't bent or gotten damaged in any way. They are sturdy and heavy enough to get some good hula hooping action going. I LOVE them!

I made one for me and my original goal was to be able to hula hoop straight through this song. It took a little time, I'm proud to say....I got that! My favorite time to practice is after a run, while cooling down, on the back porch.

And here's my superstar hula hooper providing some basic instruction :-)

Fibers on Friday: Pillow Craze!

2011-05-05T20:01:00.004-04:00

Hi there! Welcome to Fibers on Friday!! I'm happy to have you join this fun party dedicated to knitting, crochet, or anything else fiber related (like hand made pillows!)

I'll have more to post on the knitting front next week. I only have the toe to complete on my sock. I have cast on for a shawl I'm going to knit for my Mom. And I will start my washcloths for my Mom's fund raiser I spoke of here.

In the meantime, though, I went a little crazy sewing pillows yesterday and today. I've had these scraps laying around from my quilt projects. I knew I was going to make pillows, but I wasn't sure exactly what kind of pillows until I saw these Sprocket Pillows....I fell in love! This is as close to adventure sewing (as my cousin calls it!) as I'll probably ever get!

I didn't have full pieces of fabrics big enough for each wedge, so I made scrappy pieces of fabric from which to cut the wedges....so brave of me :-)

I used plain white muslin in between the scrappy wedges. And here you have it!

Then I needed to make one to match the other quilt. The quilt itself is not complete, otherwise I'd have already shown it to you. But here's a sneak preview of the fabrics I used. Again, I pieced together left over scraps. In this case, I made four 9" squares and sewed them all together and made this pillow which sports and envelope-type opening in the back for easy removal and washing.

And by now I was on a roll! I needed to make one for my bed. In this case, I only had one of the fabrics used in the making of my quilt. So, i looked through my stash and found two shirts that were already a little cut up for other projects. The off-white one is just a knit top. The green one is a shirred top.

I put it together with the blue print that matches my quilt and there you have it!

I didn't have to leave the house for any of this! Good thing, too, what with gas prices as they are. You have to make things work with what's on hand!

I LOVE how they all turned out. I love having a couple more touches of handmade on these beds which are quickly becoming more and more handmade with all the quilting I've been doing. Handmade touches all over the house. It makes me happy!

Hummingbirds!

2011-05-03T19:55:00.005-04:00

Mom will come soon.....I promise :-)

I was going to sit down and blog about a project I did today. I made a scrappy pillow to match my girl's quilt I just made. But, I've been pointed in another direction. Sometimes you just gotta roll with it.

Today I put my hummingbird feeder out full of nice fresh nectar. Within hours, I had my little visitors! I had no idea they were even in our area yet! Sneaky little rascals, traveling all the way here from Mexico and not even announcing their arrival! Maybe if they weren't hummingbirds I would have known. That's what dad would say. Maybe if they flew in shaking their tambourines and pounding drums I would have known. Oh, but wait, that's what the gypsy moths do. Nope, the little hummingbirds glide right in, quietly humming and looking no worse for the wear after their long journey. Amazing....but hungry!!

A blog friend told me she liked my Dad just by virtue of seeing his beautiful leather work and hearing the things I say. Well, it's no wonder. My dad is probably the most likable human being on the face of the planet. He'll say I shouldn't have said that. But, it's true. Humble, he is.

So, in honor of my hummingbirds arriving today I'd like to show you MY prized possession that Dad recently made for me.

Stunning! And apropos for today.....Happy Hummingbird Day!! So, if you saw the pictures of the purse he made for my sister, you'll recognize that we each got matching hummingbirds. That's so special to me!

So, there you have a little more about my Dad and his beautiful work!!

~~Happy Hummingbird Day~~

Spring Nuggets

2011-05-01T20:11:00.003-04:00

I finally got my own Limitless Label set from Papertrey Ink. I borrowed my friend's set last year when I made these. I was excited to get them working, so made up some nuggets for my kids' Spring party at school (I know you don't need to see any more Easter ideas, but imagine the other things you can do with these labels!)

If you've never seen these in action, let me tell you....the stamp fills the size of an address label perfectly. And as you can see from the image above, you can customize each stamp with a little sentiment or icon of your choice. I happened to order the labels from papertrey this time and I must say they are superior to ones you'd buy at an office store....just really sticky and wonderful.

And one address label wraps around a Hershey Nugget just right!

And there you have a cute little treat that's perfect for almost any occasion. I plan on making more for our swim instructors when this session is over.

Fibers on Friday: Charitable Knit, Anyone?

2011-04-28T14:31:00.009-04:00

Hi there! Welcome to Fibers on Friday!! I'm happy to have you join this fun party dedicated to knitting, crochet, or anything else fiber related!

Would anyone be interested in a small, charitable, knitting project? My Mom is a horse riding instructor who has a barn and a business teaching horseback riding. Part of her program is a therapeutic riding program designed to help those with physical, emotional, or social differences (you can read more here on her website).

On May 22nd she's having a fundraising event for this program. We all know times are tough. People don't have the money to spend on "fun" things like horseback riding. Unfortunately, this means financial struggle for Mom and her business. So, the event she's planning is going to be lots of fun. Live music, pony rides, a bake sale, and games. I told her I'd try to think of something crafty to make and donate. Of course, I go directly to knitting projects. But what can I knit for such an event? Ohhhhhh, I know! This:

It's called Pete Dishcloth on ravelry

***** Edited to add: the pattern shown above is not a free download. Sorry I didn't realize that sooner.

But here's an equally adorable one that is written out and available for free. I would say perfect for the beginner knitter.******************

I know I won't be able to pound many of these out in under a month 'cuz I'm a pretty slow knitter (evidence is in my sock progress). And today I had a brainstorm. Ask my knitting friends to contribute!

So, if you're interested in knitting a washcloth and donating it to this cause, please let me know. Of course you could knit any horsey pattern washcloth because I think these horse people will FLIP over such a thing. First, because everyone loves a knitted washcloth. Second, because there's a HORSE on it.....So adorable! I would just need it sent to me before the 22nd of May and I'll put it up for grabs at the bake sale table and just ask for a donation in return. What do you think?

I haven't told Mom about this idea, but I know she'd be so happy! And I'd love to show up with more than 1 or 2 washcloths.

OK......thanks for considering my proposition! Now, onto Fibers on Friday! I've been knitting my second sock like a crazy lady. I'm actually back into it, thankfully! I really appreciate all of your advice on cable knitting from last week. I have bookmarked several of your ideas and intend to start a cable project as soon as I can make it all the way over to the yarn store (an hour away, soo sooo sad).

Wordless Wednesday: Trust

2011-04-27T06:00:00.001-04:00

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

2011-04-26T19:40:00.004-04:00

The winner of the Thirty One Accessibility Tote was #3, picked by random.org

Curls & Laughter!!!

Congratulations!! Thanks to everyone for making my first giveaway a fun event!

Please contact me, Curls & Laughter, to claim your prize.

Squinkies Satchel

2011-04-25T20:40:00.003-04:00

Between the Squinkies and the Gomus I could not keep up with the little toy pieces strewn about the house. I made these little satchels to keep the girls' latest treasures. I really enjoyed the pattern and the tutorial found here.

Now it's so easy to have the girls pick up the pieces and they know exactly where to put them and where to hang the bag when they're done. Perfect!

Fibers on Friday: I'm Stuck

2011-04-22T08:32:00.005-04:00

********* Don't forget to enter my first Giveaway!! *******
Details on how to win a Thirty One Tote bag can be found here.

Hi there! Welcome to Fibers on Friday!! I'm happy to have you join this fun party dedicated to knitting, crochet, or anything else fiber related!

I totally thought last night was Wednesday, so I'm late at getting this party going. It's Spring Break for my kids, so I'm a little out of whack! Also, it's their Birthday this weekend....on Easter Sunday actually. So, we have lots of stuff going on.

I need advice por favor: Where is the best place to start in terms of learning how to cable knit? That was one of my goals for this winter and it never happened. So, now I'm trying to choose something to knit for my Mom and I'd like it to have cables. I LOVE Elizabeth Zimmerman's Hand-to Hand Aran, and she says use whatever cable pattern you like. Thanks for your advice!

Here is sock #2 on my needles

I'm LONGING for a bigger project....must find time!!
For more Fiber Arts Fun, visit Wisdom Begins in Wonder!

Wordless Wednesday: Move

2011-04-20T07:36:00.001-04:00

My First Give Away!! Thirty One Gifts!

2011-04-18T19:49:00.000-04:00

You didn't see that coming did you? I sneaky sneaky.

I really should have had one when I hit 100 followers, but let's live on the edge! I like 134 better.

A few words about our sponsor, who happens to be one of my bestest buds, Stephanie. She is a consultant with Thirty One Gifts and she is giving away an awesome bag just because she loves me, loves my blog, and loves to have fun. Thirty One is a home-based business that specializes in personalized handbags and totes. Let me show you some of the bags I have:

I have this exact purse, the Ruffle Skirt Purse.

Now, this exact pattern isn't in the current catalog, but this beauty is.
Go browse the catalog, these skirt purses are interchangeable! You buy the body of the bag and different skirts snap on and off with ease! No more changing out the contents of your bag...just change the skirt! Genius!

I also have this Utility Tote. It stays in my car and is perfect for loading groceries from Costco or any other big box store that doesn't bag your stuff. It's also perfect for carrying gifts to or from a party, or beach towels and toys to the beach, or to load all your goodies when you're out antiquing or thrift store shopping.

I also have this smaller Organizing Utility Tote, which is not only smaller than the large utility tote, but has outer pockets. I use this bag for trips to and from swim lessons. It nicely fits two towels, a change of clothes, and the pockets hold swim caps and ear plugs.

So, there you have a small sampling of the bags I own and love. Take a minute now to browse the Thirty One Catalog and dream about some bags that would work for you....and don't forget to think about personalization! Everything can be monogrammed in your choice of font and color!

And then come back and leave me comment for your chance to win this bag.

This is the Accessibility Tote in Criss Cross. It says "Crafty Chick" because that's what all are here.

And because Steph is extra generous and ThirtyWonderful, she's offering free shipping to readers of Visions of Sugar Plums this week! If you'd like to take advantage of this offer, contact her through her website to arrange payment minus the shipping costs! Sweet!!

How to enter:

~Leave me a comment! That's it! Make sure you include an e-mail I can use to contact you if you win.

I will randomly draw the winner on Tuesday, April 26th. I have no idea how to do this at this point, but that gives me a week to figure it out!

Meatless Monday! Chipotle Burritos

2011-04-17T20:09:00.004-04:00

Yes! A new Meatless Monday recipe! These burritos were delicious and easy. The chipotle chili powder adds just enough zip to kick these up a notch from a taco bell burrito (in terms of taste), but not too hot to ruin the meal.

The recipe is from Cooking Light.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained
3 tablespoons refrigerated fresh salsa
6 (10-inch) reduced-fat flour tortillas (such as Mission)
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato (about 3)
1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
6 tablespoons light sour cream

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in chile powder and salt; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/3 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salsa. Partially mash bean mixture with a fork.
2. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup bean mixture into center of each tortilla. Top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons cheese, 1/4 cup tomato, 1/4 cup lettuce, 1 tablespoon onions, and 1 tablespoon sour cream; roll up.

Fibers on Friday

2011-04-14T19:37:00.004-04:00

Hi there! Welcome to Fibers on Friday!! I'm happy to have you join this fun party dedicated to knitting, crochet, or anything else fiber related!

As you may have guessed, my travels last weekend left me little time for knitting (I was the driver!) I worked a little on my sock (still singular at this point) last night and this afternoon. I'm going to tune into a couple of missed shows right now and try to finish it up ( I will post pics as soon as it's done). I need to finish this pair and that's probably it. I'm not really loving knitting socks.....too slow....too boring....too little pay off.

OK, here's one down!