Beans Bags & Bottoms

Hookin' Up

2012-01-21T11:33:00.004-06:00

I have really had a blast crocheting again. It's one of those things that I'll do for a few months and then put it all away.

I made this shawl, and my son promptly took it over. He said I made it for him.

I made a few dish cloths for a swap on a message board. I hope the mamas like them!

I couldn't resist making this heart garland. My son hung the hearts all around the house as I was making them.

Christmas Crack Candy

2011-12-23T07:51:00.003-06:00

I've seen this recipe in several different places, so I don't know where it first came from. I've seen it also called Christmas Crack or Saltine Toffee Candy. Whatever you want to call it, you'll definitely call it delicious. I think of it as "easy on the teeth toffee".

Crickle Candy

1 sleeve saltines (might need a few more crackers depending on your pan size)
1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 pkg. chocolate chops
Chopped nuts, coconut, marshmallows or whatever you want to top it with.

Preheat oven to 425.

Line 10x15 cookie sheet with foil. You want to use a pan with a rim around it. Lay out crackers in a single layer, touching sides.

Melt butter in saucepan. When melted, stir in brown sugar. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour over crackers and place pan in preheated oven. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until edges get a little darker.

Sprinkle chips over cracker & toffee. The heat will melt the chips and you can spread it with a spatula. Top with whatever topping you want. Cool and refrigerate until set. Crack apart and keep in refrigerator.

*I've seen other suggestions to use graham crackers and top with marshmallows for a smores candy. You could also use white chocolate and peppermint.

Crochet hat

2011-12-08T10:01:00.000-06:00

My husband works outside quite a bit, so I crocheted a wool hat to keep his head warm. This pattern went together quickly. I think I might make him a couple more.

I can't keep up!

2011-12-07T09:57:00.001-06:00

I am having a hard time keeping up with my blog right now! I just clean, sew and cook it seems like.

Here's a few more things I've done:

Tea wallets

Pot holders

Mama cloth for a swap

Bamboo velour tops

Flannel backs

My list keeps growing and growing!

Busy busy!

2011-11-15T07:57:00.001-06:00

I can't believe it's been a month since my last post!

I have been pretty busy sewing. I had a craft show last weekend and have one this weekend. I've also been trying to sew some stuff for my Etsy store. So between sewing and normal household chores, I've let the blog slip!

Here are a few things I've sewn lately.

Rice bags with removable cover

Aprons

Bibs

Crayon rolls

Zippered bags

A month without groceries followup

2011-10-15T09:15:00.003-05:00

I'm a little behind! I did pretty well the first half of the month as far as not going to the store. Then things went a little downhill, but not too bad. I added up what I spent for the month and I came up with 218.11. I don't think that is too bad for 2 adults and a preschooler.

A few things I started with:

4 lbs. butter - used 3 lbs.

25 lbs. hard red wheat - used about 2 lbs.

20 lbs. AP flour - used about 10 lbs.

4 lbs. cheddar cheese - used it all!

The stores had some pretty good sales, so I stocked up on items. There were trips I made for those items, so not all of what I spent was for that month.

My ideas of grocery shopping are constantly evolving. I am focusing on stocking up when things are on sale. For instance, last week a local store had coupons in their flyer. Oscar Meyer bacon was $2.69 for a 16 oz. package after the coupon. I bought 10 packs. They also had good prices on lunchmeat and cheese. Husband takes sandwiches him to work, so I have to keep enough on hand. This week, there is a good sale on peanut butter. I bought 6 jars. That should last us a while!

I have decided to start keeping track of grocery spending in a ledger. I am curious to see how my spending averages out after a few months. I know there will be months when I spend more because of sales. But there will be months, when I spend less because I already have plenty.

I really love Azure Standard for my bulk shopping. I order my wheat berries, dry beans, popcorn, dry fruit and some produce from them. Everything I have purchased has been excellent!

I would like to try this again in the spring/summer when my garden is producing more and I can use the farmer's market better. It was an odd time to try this because we are at the end of our growing season.

Still trucking along...

2011-09-25T09:08:00.000-05:00

I am still doing a pretty good job of avoiding the grocery store. I have had to pick up a few things here and there, but nothing like I normally do. I have been getting a little more creative with meals and making substitutions. It's been a nice learning experience.

I did get some pears last week. I have been asking everybody I know if they know of anyone with a pear tree. I think the heat really did a number on the trees because those who have trees, don't have pears! A lady I know went to a local produce auction and she got me 25 lbs. of local pears for $4.50! I canned halves and made pear butter. I have another 20 lbs. coming next week from Azure Standard too.

I also starting pulling out my tomato plants. I still had a few green tomatoes on the plants, so I picked those and made Green Tomato Hot Dog Relish from the Ball book.

No Groceries - Days 3-7

2011-09-07T10:04:00.000-05:00

So far things are going well. I did have to buy a gallon of milk. For supper the past few nights I've made ham and beans, chili and pizza.

I stopped in at a local orchard and bought a bushel of apples and 10 lbs. of peaches. I like to buy the seconds because they are perfect for canning.

I spent Sunday and Monday canning everything. I think that I am just about done for the year. I would like to do a few more jars of applesauce if I can get some more apples.

Apples

Spiced apples

Apple pie jam

Applesauce

Peach jam

Peach preserves

No Groceries - Day 2

2011-09-02T20:50:00.000-05:00

Today was pretty boring. I made blueberry muffins for breakfast. We took my mother-in-law out for a late lunch/early dinner tonight, so no cooking here! This weekend will probably be dull as well, since the husband is working.

The Awesome-est Blueberry Muffins

3 cups minus 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Heavy pinch of salt
Dash of Nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 generous cup plain, unflavored yogurt (throw in extra if you want)
2 cups fresh blueberries
Vanilla Extract
Softened Butter, for muffin tins
Turbinado sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 385 degrees.

In a large bowl sift flour, baking soda, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl whisk together sugar, oil, cap-ful of vanilla, egg, and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and stir to a count of 10.

Add blueberries, reserving 1/2 cup, to mixture and stir 3 times.

Add mixture to well-buttered muffin pans. Sprinkle remaining berries on top and press down lightly. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over top. (Brown sugar can be used instead.)

Bake 20 to 25 minutes and allow to cool completely.

No Groceries - Day 1

2011-09-01T16:25:00.000-05:00

Well, we are starting off well! I do want to get a watermelon because that will probably be the last watermelon for awhile.

Breakfast:
eggs, bacon, toast

Lunch:
free for all: the boys had PB&J sandwiches, I had Gatorade

Dinner:
leftovers: smoked turkey, cheddar parmesan potatoes and apple cobbler

I am going to take note of some staples and the quantity that I have. I am curious how much we actually go through in a month. These are items that I use quite a bit. I think as I continue this month, I will be able to see how much meat we actually eat. The baking supplies will be a little tougher, so I am going to keep track of weights on those.

We started out this morning with:
4 lbs. butter
25 lbs. hard red wheat
20 lbs. AP flour
4 lbs. cheddar cheese
1 gallon milk
2 dozen eggs
1 pint yogurt

New Pet

2011-08-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

We have a new addition to the family. Since 3 dogs and a cat aren't enough, we now have a rabbit!

He is the cutest little thing! He is a Lionhead mix and has quite the personality. He is going to be a good fit in our crazy family. We named him Roscoe P. Coltrane. The poor guy really wants to play with the cat, but the cat wants nothing to do with him.

It's really hard to get pictures of a black rabbit, but here goes:

A Month Without Groceries

2011-08-30T12:48:00.001-05:00

I have been reading this blog and have been inspired to try and not buy many groceries from a store for one month.

I have a pretty good food supply built up and a freezer full of meat. Since I try to cook as much as possible from scratch, I have plenty of staples. There will be a few things I will have to buy, such as milk, eggs and some produce. We have a nice local farmers market, but we are getting to the end of the growing season. I also know a lady that sells eggs, so I will try to buy from her as much as I can. I'm sure there will be a few meals that I will need to run to the store for, but I am fine with that. I am will probably have to get creative a few times too!

I am going to start on September 1st. Wish me luck!

New overalls

2011-08-29T10:58:00.000-05:00

I have been doing a little pattern testing for Fishsticks Designs and this is the latest pattern she released. She has a small group of testers to sew up different sizes and make notes along the way.

I can't say enough good things about all of her patterns! They go together quickly and make complete sense.

My model isn't the most cooperative model, so the pictures always look a little odd.

I just finished testing a new pattern and I can't wait to show it off. It is so cute!

Patterns can be purchased here.

Sauerkraut

2011-08-09T06:08:00.006-05:00

I planted 6 cabbage plants this spring with the intention of making sauerkraut. With the horrible weather we've had, I ended up with 3 heads that were big enough to do anything with.

I only had about 5 lbs. of cabbage, so I altered the Ball Blue Book recipe. It has instructions for working in 5 lb. batches, so that's what I did. I used the brine like it said. I can't remember when I made it, so I have no idea how long it fermented. It started to smell and look like kraut, so I decided it was done!

I got 6 pints out of it. I can't imaging using 25 lbs. of cabbage. We'd never eat it all

Sauerkraut

A peek in my cupboards

2011-08-08T12:09:00.000-05:00

Friends always make comments how they want to spend the day with me and see what I do. The thought of canning or making bread seems so odd to them, they just can't grasp it. I always tell them they need to learn these skills because they come in useful. When we had the blizzard this past winter, we were quite comfortable at home. I had enough food and ingredients so that we weren't lacking for good meals. We didn't need to go out of our home, because I had stockpiled enough that we were set.

I have also noticed that my style of cooking has changed. I don't have much processed food anymore, but have everything I need to make a recipe from scratch. If we want brownies I have flour, sugar, cocoa, eggs and butter. Chicken and noodles? I have broth that I froze and the chicken also. I can make egg noodles quicker than running to the store for some. It is faster for me to make a pizza than to order one and go pick it up. Plus it all tastes so much better.

I still do buy some convenience foods. The husband likes to have canned soup to take to work, or crackers to snack on. And, I have been known to use a cake mix in a pinch, or even boxed red beans and rice!

Here's what my cupboard looks like:

Baking items

Misc. stuff

Rice, lentils, seeds, beans

Frequently used recipes

Pantry:

This is where I keep bulk items. I have wheat berries, dry beans, oatmeal, coconut, some canned items, grain mill, yogurt maker and some odds and ends.

Utility room cupboards:

Tomatoes

Jams, jellies and salsa

Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

2011-08-06T09:06:00.000-05:00

I came across a recipe for Oatmeal muffins that sounded perfect for breakfast. I tweaked it a little bit and the result is delicious!

Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

1 c. dry oatmeal
1 c. sour milk, yogurt or buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. applesauce (I like to used spiced)
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/4 -1/2 t. ground cinnamon (depending on personal taste)

Mix oatmeal and milk together and let set for 10 minutes. Stir in egg, sugar and applesauce. Add flour, soda, salt and baking powder. Mix until just combined, do not over beat.

Grease muffin pan. Spoon batter into cups and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes until done.

This Moment

2011-08-05T08:44:00.000-05:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Canning along

2011-08-04T16:16:00.002-05:00

My poor garden is still limping along in this horrible heat. I think Summer isn't very fun for anyone right now. My tomatoes are still producing, but they aren't as big as they could be.

My husband brought home some hail damaged peaches from a local orchard. They were so sweet and juicy! I told him he was the official peach buyer from now on.

I canned slices and also made the Zesty Peach BBQ sauce from the Ball book of canning. It is a spicy sauce that will be delicious on chicken or pork.

I've also made some Mexican spiced tomatoes. I can't wait to try them in chili.

Azure Standard had a great price on organic Bing cherries this month. I couldn't pass it up and bought 8 lbs. We have eaten quite a few and I canned the rest so we can have pie or cobbler this winter.

I have really had a blast canning this year. I will probably have a few more batches of tomatoes to do. I am ready for fall so I can make some applesauce.

This Week's Canning

2011-07-23T12:14:00.001-05:00

I got all the tomatoes canned, along with some plum tomatoes from my garden. It will be a few more days before I will have enough to can again.

Whole tomatoes and garden vegetable juice

Italian herb seasoned tomatoes

Sewing Fit For Travel

2011-07-19T10:38:00.000-05:00

My mom has been doing a little traveling lately, so I made her this duffel bag. It was a complete pain in the you-know-what to sew, but I can't wait to make another!

I have entered the e-reader universe. I love reading on my Nook more than I thought I would. Of course, I had to make a cover for it!

Jackpot!

2011-07-18T10:35:00.000-05:00

I stopped in at the farmer's market and started talking to our neighbor who sells there. I asked her what they did with their tomatoes that were seconds. She told me to stop by their house on the way home and get all I wanted! I need to let some of them ripen a few more days, but I can't wait to can them!

My poor garden is limping along. I had a major aphid attack and got that under control. Now it is so hot and dry that I think my plants are giving up. The plum tomatoes are about thumb size. I'll take what I can get though.

Plum tomatoes from my garden

Tomatoes, salsa, zucchini relish

Getting back in the swing of things

2011-06-20T15:29:00.001-05:00

I haven't sewn much in the past couple of weeks. I did get a few small projects done recently.

Clothespin Apron

Boxes and tank for the boy

Purse for a purse swap

Neck coolers

Blueberries and Peaches

2011-06-19T15:26:00.000-05:00

It is that time of year again! The local you-pick blueberry patch opened last week. They have a great crop this year. We picked 10 lbs. in about an hour. I made jam, pie and froze some. I'm ready to go back and get some more for the freezer.

Peaches are also starting to ripen. We passed through Marionville and stopped at the orchard there. Their peaches will be ready this coming week, but that had some super tasty Arkansas peaches. I picked up a box of seconds and made peach butter from them.

My roma tomato plants are really starting to load up with little green tomatoes. It won't be long!

May 22 Tornado

2011-05-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

My hometown of Joplin,MO was devastated by an EF5 tornado on May 22. I can't even describe the damage and news pictures don't capture it. Thankfully my family is fine and suffered no damage.

Please consider donating to the Red Cross or Salvation Army. Help will be needed for a long time.

www.redcross.org/DonateNow
www.salvationarmy.org

Still Here

been scared and battered.
My hopes the wind done scattered.
Snow has friz me,
Sun has baked me,

Looks like between 'em they done
Tried to make me

Stop laughin', stop lovin', stop livin'--
But I don't care!
I'm still here!

Langston Hughes, Joplin native

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2011-05-15T09:09:00.000-05:00

We finally got the garden all in. I hope the weather cooperates with us this year. We have had some weather issues in the past that affects our garden (freeze, hail, wind etc). I really want to see how much I can produce and can this year.

My experiment this year: Pinto Beans. I hope they do well. We eat a lot of beans and the fresher the dried beans are the better! They cook up fast and just taste better.

Tomatoes. I planted 4 Roma, 3 Big Boy and 1 Arkansas Traveler

Bell peppers, egg plant and zucchini. I also planted some green bean seed just to the right of the zucchini.

Cabbage. I'm going to make sauerkraut this year.

And a couple of cucumbers.

We also planted 5 blueberry bushes, 4 peach trees, 2 plum trees and 4 strawberry plants. Slowly but surely we are becoming more self sufficient.

Happy Snap One Size Diaper

2011-05-07T07:55:00.000-05:00

I am now an approved Happy Snap One Size Diaper seamstress! I can't wait to start offering this great diaper on my Etsy shop. It will fit babies from 10 lbs. to 35 lbs. The nice thing about one size diapers is that you only have to buy one size instead of newborn, small, medium and large. It is also a great solution if you have more than one in diapers.

Crunch time

2011-04-24T09:21:00.000-05:00

My 40 day challenge ends on Tuesday. I have a few more things I really want to get done.

Here's what I got done this week:

Who made this mess?

2011-04-21T08:52:00.000-05:00

It surely wasn't me! My sewing room has turned into a complete disaster area. My husband gets the heebie jeebies whenever he comes in.

My plan over the next week or so is to get unfinished sewing projects done and clean this room!

What's lurking behind the door?

AHHHHHH!!!!!!

This Moment

2011-04-15T08:06:00.002-05:00

Continuing on...

2011-04-10T10:28:00.001-05:00

I got a little bit more sewing done this week. It has been a little crazy around here, so I didn't get as much done as I wanted.

Here are some trainer's for a friend:

And a lunch bag for a co-worker who is switching jobs

Garden Makeover

2011-04-05T08:01:00.000-05:00

Last year was our first year with a vegetable garden. We have done tomatoes in buckets or in a little patch in the past, but I wanted something more. We turned our flower beds into vegetable beds! We still had nice greenery and colors, but the vegetables were a little more giving. I really got into canning and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I put in my two weeks notice at work last week, so now I will have a little more free time. That translates to more time to garden! We decided to enlarge the flower bed this weekend. We got a little more than we bargained for though.

Taking out the sod

You can tell how much bigger we are making the garden

Turning the soil

Wait, what's that?

Prying out a big rock

All done!

Etsy Treasuries

2011-04-03T08:52:00.000-05:00

Some of my items have been featured in Etsy Treasuries. A Treasury is a place where members can highlight some of their favorite items. Sometimes a Treasury can even make it on the front page.

Here are the one's that my items are in:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d7f66c3fa526d91d813c410/think-spring-baby

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d6fdf85b2f98eefaf8f380e/tis-the-season-of-new-life

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cf426c9c0dc8eeffb08b568/jomo-favorites

There are some great items on there. You should check them out!

Versatile Blogger Award!

2011-04-02T13:43:00.001-05:00

Thank you Karen at Reflections of a Paper Addict for the award!

As it goes, the rules for the award are as follows:

Thank the person who sent it to you
Tell us 7 things about yourself
Send/reward 5 other bloggers

7 Things about me are:

I LOVE fabric!
I haven't broken any bones.
I am a huge music fan.
I fancy myself as a Domestic Diva.
Purple is my favorite color
I enjoy riding my motorcyle, although my opportunities are few and far between.
I am a very curious person and love learning about other people.

The 5 Bloggers who I feel are deserving of this award are:
   1. Kim at http://kimberliscreations.blogspot.com/
   2. Kasey at http://ourlbh.blogspot.com/
   3. Char at http://www.notyourtypicalmom.com/
   4. Raquel at http://raquelsscrappinpages.blogspot.com/
   5. Lucy at http://mybyrdhouse.blogspot.com/

This Moment

2011-04-01T10:07:00.000-05:00

The apron I received

2011-03-31T06:10:00.000-05:00

This is the apron that my swap partner made for me. I am just over the moon about it. I can't wait for summer to come so I can use it in the garden.

It is a gathering apron. (Please ignore my bathtub! That is the only place I can get a picture of me from the waist down.)

A little more sewing

2011-03-30T11:09:00.001-05:00

I haven't gotten to sew the past few days because I've been busy at work and home. I hope to get more done this weekend.

Here's some more completed projects:

Double pot holder

Boys tank from Fishsticks Designs (http://fishsticksandfries.com/blog/?p=1380). It really isn't as crooked as it looks in the picture!

I also go to test a new pattern for Bonnie at Fishticks. It's the Lazy Day Lounge Set. I can't wait for this pattern to be released!

Hopefully I'll have more to post this weekend!

This Moment

2011-03-25T06:25:00.002-05:00

Apron for Apron Swap, Part 2

2011-03-23T10:25:00.001-05:00

I was trimming up loose threads on the purple apron when I found this:

Of course it was in a place that I couldn't cover or repair.

I put my thinking cap on, did a little searching for apron patterns and found on that I like much better. I think will be just perfect for my swap partner.

The picture isn't the best, but it has a full top with an adjustable neck. It is a good fit for larger chested women.

Apron for Apron Swap

2011-03-19T12:56:00.000-05:00

I made this as part of an apron swap. We were paired up and each made the other an apron. I hope she enjoys it!

My Fabric Disaster

2011-03-16T10:28:00.001-05:00

I sure hope the 40 day sewing challenge helps to clear out some of my fabric! This is what it looks like now:

Wovens in the top two drawers and fleece/felt in the bottom

Misc. pile of flannel and wovens on top. First two drawers are patterns.

Third drawer is diaper fabric and the bottom two are knits.

The brown sewing machine at the bottom is my first machine.

My mom bought it for me when I was in high school.

I had to pile up my scrapbooking stuff to make room for flannels and felts.

I have also draped fabric over the back of my chair to the point where I can't see any of the back of the chair.

My goal is to make enough of a dent that I can get all the fabric in drawers so it's not on the shelf or on top of things.

Spring apron

2011-03-15T16:56:00.000-05:00

I made this apron as a prize on Chatterscene. They are having a spring cleaning challenge and this is for the winner.

I am also participating in a 40 day stash sewing challenge and this is my first completed project. The goal is to sew as much as you can out of your existing fabric stash. Since I have run out of room for new fabric I thought this might be a good idea!

Orange Marmalade

2011-03-05T17:20:00.000-06:00

My 2011 canning season has officially started!

Oranges have been on sale, so I thought some marmalade sounded pretty good. I hope it tastes as good as it looks!

This Moment

2011-03-04T09:49:00.001-06:00

Overnight trainers

2011-02-27T11:48:00.000-06:00

I hope these work. He hasn't been peeing at night so I thought I'd try some underwear with a little absorbency. I did put a waterproof layer in the crotch.

He's going to wear them tonight, so I sure hope he doesn't pee!

This Moment

2011-02-25T07:43:00.000-06:00

The Dip that Caused Me to Eat a Whole Can of Beans

2011-02-23T21:30:00.001-06:00

This dip is somewhat addicting and I ended up eating the whole thing. Good thing it is healthy!

No precise measurements here, just make to taste:

1 can cannellini beans, drained

garlic cloves (I used 4 and that was pretty strong)

cilantro (once again, use the amount you want)

few squirts of lemon juice

dribble of olive oil

chicken broth if you need to thin it out

Whiz in a food processor and serve with pita chips!

Another baby gift!

2011-02-19T06:00:00.001-06:00

I made this for a friend to give to her sister. I just love to sew little baby clothes!

This moment

2011-02-18T08:48:00.000-06:00

This Moment

2011-02-11T08:08:00.000-06:00

A great idea from SouleMama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Poor ol' diaper

2011-02-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

This poor diaper saved me alot of money! And it shows.

April 19, 2009

February 7, 2011

This was one of the first diapers I made. I used an old t-shirt that my husband didn't wear. This diaper looks pretty shabby, but it still doesn't leak and served us well.

Sugar Cookie Cut Outs

2011-02-07T07:43:00.000-06:00

There's only so much to do when trapped in a house with a 3 year old. I was running out of ideas of things to do, so I thought we could make sugar cookies. The kidlet loved it and really let his inner artist come out!

Sugar Cookies

1 c. butter
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 t. vanilla
3 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

1. In a large bowl, mix together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually stir flour mixer into butter mixture until well blended using a sturdy spoon. Chill dough for 2 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire racks.

Frosting

1 T. butter
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 T. milk
food coloring

In a small bowl, beat the butter, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Mix the milk in one tablespoon at a time until a good spreading consistency is reached. Stir in food coloring to desired shade. Decorate cookies and place on wax paper to harden.

Hot Chocolate Mix

2011-02-06T09:46:00.000-06:00

Mix together:

1 c. nonfat dry milk powder
5 T. sugar
3 T. cocoa powder
dash of cinnamon

Combine in jar.

To make hot chocolate: put 4-5 tablespoons of mix in a mug and pour boiling water over and mix.

This Moment

2011-02-04T21:29:00.000-06:00

Blizzard Sale!

2011-02-01T19:58:00.000-06:00

Because of this:

I am offering 15% off all orders at my Etsy store. Just use code BLIZZARD through Feb. 3 at midnight cst.

Potty time!

2011-01-16T09:50:00.002-06:00

So the kiddo has finally decided that it is ok to go on the potty. Yippee!! I made him a few trainers with fabric that he picked out.

These are from the Tinkle Time Trainer pattern. I really like the snaps on the front. They are easier to take of if there is an accident.

Getting Organized!

2011-01-11T10:08:00.002-06:00

I really need to get a little more organized. I decided I could dust off the old Day Timer from my administrative assistant days and put it to use.

I downloaded the T0-Do calendar from Motivated Moms. It is a big help in getting things done through the week. As long as I keep track, I don't get the "OMG, my house is a disaster and must clean it all in one day" feeling.

I am also going to plan meals for 2 weeks at a time and shop accordingly. I will have to go to the store on the off weeks for milk and fruit. I hope this will help to reign in my crazy grocery bill.

I am also compiling all of my recipes in a separate notebook so I can find them a little easier. More on that later!

To-Do lists

Menu plan

Quilt Blocks

2011-01-01T08:30:00.004-06:00

I made the 3 quilt blocks for a rememberance quilt. A sweet mama on a message board that I love lost her baby at 33 weeks. The ladies on the board decided to make her a quilt and a quilt for each of her 3 boys. These blocks are for the boys.

I used the Double V pattern.

Lunch Set

2010-12-27T09:51:00.000-06:00

I made this lunch set for a co-worker. She's about the only person I know that would appreciate my dog fabric!

The bag is insulated with a drawstring top and the lunch bags are various sizes to hold whatever she wants.

Sourdough Bread

2010-12-26T09:50:00.003-06:00

Well, my starter is going pretty well, so I made a loaf of bread. It isn't the prettiest thing, but it tastes pretty good.

Sourdough Starter Day 1

2010-12-18T06:00:00.001-06:00

I decided to try and make my own sourdough starter. My husband has to eat alot of sandwiches with his new job, so plain ol' wheat bread gets boring. I'm going to try and make different breads to give him a little variety.

The recipe:

2 c. warm water

1 T. yeast

1 T. honey

2 c. unbleached flour

Dissolve yeast and honey in water. Stir in flour. Cover with towel and leave at room temperature.

I'll keep posting updates as my experiment continues!

Holiday Diapers

2010-12-17T12:05:00.003-06:00

I had a request for some holiday diapers. Theses were fun to make. They look pretty cute on the kiddo too!

Etsy Cloth Diaper Team

2010-12-07T10:04:00.003-06:00

I am now a member of the Etsy Cloth Diaper Team! It is a great way to see shop for diapers without having to go through listings for burp cloths, diaper bags, diaper cases etc.

Baby Gift!

2010-11-05T10:03:00.004-05:00

Phew. I have been a little lax about posting, but I am going to try and do better!

I made this gift for a nurse at work.

Nursing pads

Sleeper and hat

Mama cloth

2010-06-15T09:28:00.000-05:00

I made some mama cloth to try out. I hope it works well.

Crochet Potholder

2010-06-13T08:55:00.003-05:00

This is a pretty simple potholder to make. It is best to use cotton yarn like Peaches 'N Cream. Use whatever size hook you want. I usually use a H hook.

First: Make a chain. The chain will be the diagonal across the potholder, so make it as long as you want. I made mine about 8".

Turn and single crochet through the back of the chain.

When you get to the end, you will start working in round. Crochet single crochet in the back loop of the stitches.

When you get to the end of the row, just continue working the back loops.

It should start to look like this:

When you have reached the end of the rows push the edges together so they meet.

It will look like this before you push the edges together.

Make a chain for the loop and pull yarn through so you have a tail. Stitch the potholder together down the middle.

Finished!

The kid finally has some shirts

2010-04-22T08:01:00.002-05:00

I've been a little busy around here, and have neglected my blog.

But, at least I have something to show for it! My kiddo finally has some shirts to wear this summer! I still need to get the shorts sewn up though. It's never ending.

I just love the Patrick Raglan from Fishsticks and Fries. It goes together nicely, and is a great fit.

10 things

2010-04-14T07:45:00.003-05:00

that make me happy.

1. My family

2. My animals

3. Listening to my son laugh

4. Sewing

5. Warm sunshine

6. Traveling

7. Days off from work

8. Gardening

9. Music

10. Cooking

Thank you to Kasey for sending me this award!

So on with the Rules of the Award...

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

2. List who gave the award to you and use a link to her blog (or hyperlink).

3. List 10 things that make you happy.

4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit their blog to let them know about the award.

I am sending this award to:

Punk Rock Momma

The Frugal Farmhouse

Crazy for Cloth Diapers

Certain Uncertainty and Unpredicability

Crap I've Made

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-14T05:52:00.002-05:00

So much to do...

2010-04-13T08:24:00.003-05:00

and so little time, it seems. My To-Do list keeps getting bigger instead of smaller!

I did manage to get this set made yesterday so my poor child has a pair of shorts for the summer. I have about 6 more shirts cut out and I need to cut the shorts out.

Here is the horrible pile I still need to cut through. And to make things worse, I have more fabric coming!

The stripe and polka dot fabric is going to be curtains for the dining room. They will look much better hanging in the window instead of taking up room on my table.

Who wants to come help?! Please?

2010-04-09T08:03:00.001-05:00

Strawberries!!

2010-04-09T07:57:00.004-05:00

I had a busy day on Wednesday. Strawberries were cheap, so I made jam, marmalade, strawberry lemonade concentrate and canned strawberries.

Mmmmmmmm................ yummy.

Friday Follow Time! April 2nd!

2010-04-02T07:36:00.002-05:00

It's going to be a beautiful day today!!

Our daily bread

2010-04-01T10:38:00.008-05:00

I am trying to revamp our diet by introducing more whole and traditional foods. We have a local dairy that we can buy raw milk at. I make my own kefir and I have a yogurt maker on the way. My mom has a grain mill, so she grinds flour for her and me to use. The husband and I are going to turn our flower beds into vegetable gardens this year. I hope to can more this year too.

Making our bread was the easiest place for me to start. I have always loved to bake and this recipe makes the best home made bread for sandwiches. It stays nice and soft even though it is whole wheat.

My mom has a grain mill so she grinds our wheat for us. I have tweaked the recipe just a little, but you don't have to do my changes if you don't want too. I add 1/4 c. each of raw sunflower seeds, wheat bran and wheat germ. I don't put all the flour in that the recipe calls for. I start with 2 cups and add my bran and germ. Then I add more flour as needed to make a nice dough.

EZ Wheat Bread recipe (from here)

1 1/4 cup warm water
1 Tblsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup honey or 1/3 cup sugar
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat gluten
1 tsp salt
2 Tblsp nonfat non instant dry milk
1 Tblsp butter/margarine/oil
1 Tblsp vinegar
1/4 cup potato flakes (NOT potato pearls)

Mix ingredients in order listed in mixing bowl of mixer with dough hook attachment (like kitchen-aid) for 12-15 minutes. Let rise until double, 1- 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down, and shape into loaf or rolls.

Let rise again until double.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped.

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-31T09:59:00.001-05:00

Latest sewing

2010-03-27T09:18:00.004-05:00

Just a few of my latest projects.

AI2 diaper

Wallet for my aunt

Baby gift for a friend

Friday Follow Time! March 26th

2010-03-26T07:51:00.002-05:00

It's that day of the week again!

My Favorite Hobby

2010-03-25T05:00:00.001-05:00

And no, it's not sewing!

I love to ride my motorcycle. My dad has always had a motorcycle, so I grew up riding behind him (or in the sidecar!). I always wanted my own, but could never convince my husband. Then I hit 30 and decided it was time.

My brother had a 2001 Ducati Monster that he sold to a friend. That friend wanted to sell it, but I wasn't ready to buy. I came home one night and hubby said he had a surprise for me. I looked in the shop, and there it was! I was ecstatic!

I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, and got my license. My dad rode with me on my first ride across town to get tags on the bike. That was the first of many rides with Dad.

My dad and brother like to go for long, scenic rides in the Ozarks. If I wanted to ride with them, I needed to get the ol' butt toughened up quick.

My first year of riding I put over 10,000 miles on the bike. We rode to Birmingham, AL for the superbike races, a couple of trips to Iowa and small rides around the area.

My husband decided that if he was going to spend any time with me, he needed a motorcycle too. He rode for a few years, and then sold it when I was pregnant. So, now I just ride with my dad and brother.

I love the feeling I get when I ride. I notice so much more when I'm riding than when I'm in my car. The smells are stronger. I love how it can be hot, and when you ride under some shade, I instantly feel the temperature difference. It is just an amazing feeling.

Gas stop in Alabama

Cooky's Cafe - Golden City, MO

Mickey Mantle's childhood home - Commerce, OK

Sydney, IA - loaded up and ready to head home

Shenandoah, IA

Garden Grove, IA - my parents said they never remember this house being painted, it is now torn down.

After we did a tail chop, no more goofy piece of plastic coming out from behind the seat

Pit stop in Oxford, MS, brother was doing a roadside repair on his motorcycle

Garden Grove, IA

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T09:10:00.000-05:00

Tab Top Curtain Tutorial

2010-03-19T13:13:00.002-05:00

Tab top curtains are easy to make, and aren't much more expensive than store bought.

When we repainted our living room, we needed new curtains. The curtain selection in this town is pretty dismal, so I decided to make my own. I found the perfect fabric at Wal-Mart, of all places! It is great match for the color and style of our living room.

Here is a step-by step tutorial on how to make your own tab top curtains.

Lay out the size of your curtain. Decide how much of a hem you will need on all four sides. Also figure the size of the tabs and include seam allowances. I like tabs to be about 1 1/2" wide. Be sure to figure in the seam allowance on the bottom of your tabs. If not, they might be shorter than you want!

Hem the sides. I folded over 1/2" and then 5/8".

Iron the top. I folded the edge over 3/4" and then 1 1/2" so I would have a little wider hem at the top.

Cut your tabs. This is where a rotary cutter comes in very handy!

Fold tabs in half, wrong side out, and sew.

Turn tabs right side out.

Press tabs and top-stitch. I like to have the seam go down the center of the back of the tab.

Eh, my pictures got out of order. You get the idea!

Finished top stitching.

Fold tabs over and zig zag the bottom, to help prevent fraying when you wash the curtains later.

Pin tabs to top of curtain. Space them as evenly as you can!

Sew hem and tabs down near the bottom of the hem.

And again across the top. Pictures are out of order again! I just like to keep you guessing!

Finished top.

Hem the bottom and you are all done!

Friday Follow Time! March 19th

2010-03-19T13:07:00.001-05:00

How to Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

2010-03-16T14:41:00.009-05:00

I have been making my own laundry detergent for about a year. My clothes are clean and it is so much cheaper than buying detergent. You just need 3 ingredients, water, 5 gallon bucket and an empty detergent bottle.

Ingredients:

1 Fels-Naptha bar (or Zote)

1 1/2 c. Borax

1 1/2 c. Washing Soda (not baking soda)

Grate the Fels-Naptha bar into a pan.

Add 2 cups of hot water and cook until soap is melted, stirring frequently.

It will look like this when it is melted. I always seem to have a few chunks that don't melt. I don't worry about those.

Pour the melted soap into a 5 gallon bucket.

Add Borax and Washing Soda

Add some hot water and mix well to dissolve powders. Fill bucket up to the top with hot water, cover and let sit overnight.

Your detergent will be ready the next day! It is a little gelatinous looking, but stir it up and it will break up.

Pour into a clean detergent bottle and you are set! I use 1 1/2 cap full for a full load of laundry.

You can find the ingredients at a grocery store or hardware store.

Happy Snap Tester

2010-03-14T08:26:00.001-05:00

I was selected to test a new pattern that a women has developed. It is the Happy Snap One Size diaper. It is a great diaper, and a breeze to sew. I made a fitted out of 3 layers of knit, with a snap in soaker. It really fit my son well. Other testers have tried it on newborns and it fit great on them also. This is a perfect option for those with more than one in diapers.

The best action shot I could get with a wild 2 year old!

Newborn Fluff

2010-03-13T08:20:00.005-06:00

I had an order for 10 newborn diapers. A mommy wants to try cloth, so I tried to give her a nice variety so she can get the feel for cloth! I hope she likes them and will continue with cloth. It really is so easy too!

Top row: 2 Trimsies AI2, Hippy Hippy Snap AI2

Bottom row: 2 La-Da-Da AI2, Hippy Hippy Snap cover

Top row: Hippy Hippy Snap fitteds

Bottom row: La-Di-Da fitted

I just loved sewing up all of this newborn fluff!

Friday Follow Time!

2010-03-12T08:07:00.002-06:00

This is a great way to find new blogs and help others find yours!

Just what I need...another hobby!

2010-02-26T10:44:00.002-06:00

I have decided that I want to learn to knit. I don't know why, because my time is pretty much taken up with sewing, scrapbooking and crochet (well, mainly sewing!).

I bought a kit at Michael's several weeks ago. It has a book, some needles and other little necessary thingies. I broke into it last night after I broke a needle on the sewing machine. It is so hard to figure out! I only have 3 stitches cast onto my needles! This is going to be such a slow learning process for me.

To-Do List

2010-02-15T08:29:00.006-06:00

I really need to get my To-do list down so I can keep track of my projects! I think of so many things to do, that I forget everything.

So, here's my list:

5 AI2 diapers (snaps applied to one, 4 cut out, need to cut one more and sew all up)

4 Fitted (snaps applied on 3, need to cut out one more and sew them all up)

1 cover

I am making a variety of diapers for my friend. She wants to try cloth diapering, so I thought a few different patterns would be good, because all babies are different!

OBV diaper for a giveaway on another blog

4 bibs for etsy store

1 brown print purse for store

1 purple print purse for store

1 messenger bag for store

I also need to start to work on Logan's summer clothes. I have quite a bit of fabric to start with. He needs raglan shirts and some shorts.

I forgot I need to make curtains for the living room! I have the fabric washed and ready. Just waiting on hubby to hang the curtain rods so I know how long to make the curtains.

Mom's Tool Bag

2010-02-11T08:34:00.003-06:00

My mom wanted a bag to keep her tools for the house in. I made her a tote with pockets all around the outside and also the inside. It is a home dec weight fabric, so hopefully it will hold up!

The sewing maching got a workout

2009-11-16T22:10:00.002-06:00

I got quite a bit done over the weekend.

Shirt and pants for Logan

New trainers

Mat for the coffee pot. Aparently the coffee pot is scratching the counter top when we slide it.

Another apron. This one was a booger to sew. The yellow fabric was pretty cruddy and hard to work with.

Another purse

2009-11-15T22:19:00.003-06:00

I had to make another purse. I got lucky and had enough for a matching wallet. I found the pattern for the wallet here.

It's official...

2009-11-15T22:01:00.003-06:00

I'm a licensed La-Di-Da Diaper Seamstress.

I love the way this diaper fits on Logan. This is the diaper that I submitted for approval.

Phew...got some stuff done!

2009-10-26T10:29:00.004-05:00

I have been in a sewing frenzy the past couple of weeks! I made an apron, a dress for me, and a shirt and pants for my son. I also have some other things cut and ready to sew. I think the gloomy weather makes me want to sew since we can't be outside!

I can't wait to make another apron. I feel so classy when I wear this one.

This shirt pattern came from Fishsticks and Fries. She has such neat patterns. I also got the trainer pattern from her.

It's been awhile

2009-09-28T09:36:00.003-05:00

I've been pretty busy lately with life things in general, so I haven't had time to sew. Things are starting to slow down a little now, so hopefully I can start sewing more.

I have a few new patterns and ready to start playing with them.

Logan is starting to show signs of wanting to use the potty, so I made him a new pair of undies yesterday. They fit really well. Thankfully this pattern goes up to a size 5, so I can

get some pretty good use out of it. I am going to add extra layers in the crotch so they will be more like trainers.

Thought I needed to make a purse

2009-07-11T20:57:00.002-05:00

I thought I needed to make a purse. Yikes. I don't know if I'll do that again!

Finally got a few more things done!

2009-06-20T20:55:00.003-05:00

I finished my son's baby blanket, two years after I started! Ugh.

My water bottle sweats so much I had to make a coozie for it.

I made this diaper for a friend. I like it so much, I made one for my son.

I got a new set of snap pliers in the mail today. Now I can start adding snaps to diapers. I'm going to try that out tomorrow.

Productive Weekend

2009-05-31T22:02:00.002-05:00

I made 2 diapers for someone off of Craigslist and a diaper bag for a friend.

Busy weekend!

A few new burp cloths

2009-05-22T08:07:00.000-05:00

New stack of burp cloths.

2 New Projects

2009-05-15T08:20:00.000-05:00

Both of these were custom jobs

Pocket Diapers

Diaper bag

Here we go!

2009-05-07T20:55:00.001-05:00

This is my first attempt at blogging!