Friday, December 10, 2010
Cute Onesie Tutu
I mentioned back in October that I had made a cute onesie tutu for a friend's baby. Thought I'd actually show you a picture. (It's only December, I'm not that late, right?) Here are the materials. Nothing fancy. Cute onesie. Some ribbon and tulle (and pink thread, not shown).
It was a quick sewing job. My tulle was very short (perfect for a onesie), so I didn't need to trim it at all, just fold it in half. I positioned the tulle so that it would not touch the baby's legs and bother her. I then sewed the folded tulle on; wrapping it twice, so that it is four layers. With that complete, I sewed the ribbon over the top of the tulle; and voila! Done.
Of course, before giving our gift, we had to try it on (so insisted my 3 year old). So, who better to model than her pink Sea Otter?
I know. Too cute.
Princess Tea Party
In honor of my just-turned four year old's birthday, I thought I'd share last year's birthday party. For her third birthday it was all about being big enough to have a real tea set and pretty, fancy things. In order to accomplish this, but not break the budget, we had to get creative. Something I love to do! First, I hit the second hand stores and scored a cup and saucer (matching no less) for each child at a cost of 98 cents a child. (We had 5 children, including the birthday girl and her sister--We keep it small around here)
After getting the cups home, I washed them, and grabbed the acrylic craft paint and proceeded to paint each child's name on one cup. Party favor one.
Next line of business was to sew cute gift bags that double as a dress up purse. For this, I made a trip to Walmart's sewing section and scored some hot pink, fuzzy fleece and pink polka dot ribbon (all on clearance/remnants). These were very simple bags that I lined with some fabric that I 'inherited' from old curtains in a former house. See, I knew I'd use it one day. ;)
Party favor two. Check. Oh, and to fill these bags, I managed to find a necklace, bracelet and ring candy kit at my local dollar store, plus a few lollipops I had in my stash and some dollar store trinkets. All in all, the bags (materials and filling) cost about $3 per child. So we're up to up $4 a child.
Next step was to decorate for the party. This involved streamers and pink tulle. The latter that I bought off of ebay for a steal! I also needed the cheapest pink bouquet of flowers (with at least 5 sprigs each) and balloons. For the balloons, I again shopped the local dollar store and got four white heart balloons and four pink heart balloons, and two 'special' balloons. Mylar. One dollar each. Also found lovely pink mums for $5 a bunch. Plenty for all. Here's how things were looking.
For the cake, my princess had a Cinderella cake. I purchased a Cinderella water Barbie doll and then baked a cake in one of my mixing bowls. I then inserted the Barbie (after wrapping her in plastic wrap) in the cake and decorated.
The plate is something I made another time. It's the "Birthday Plate" in our house.
When it was time for our guests to leave they took home a cute, fuzzy bag with goodies, a balloon, foam picture frame that they made while here, a personalized tea cup, and a mini bouquet of flowers. So, for our cost tally, we have the $3 bags, $1 tea cup, $1 balloon, $1 flower bouquet and about 50 cents for the foam craft. So, we spent less than $7 a child for a whole lot of cool stuff. That is $35 plus another $5 for the other balloons that the birthday girl kept; about $5 for the tulle and streamers. I made the cake, so only a couple of dollars in materials there, plus the Barbie, which doubled as a gift (about $10).
Birthday total: $45 Let's call it $50, since I may have forgotten something. So, there you have it. A fun and really cute Princess Birthday party for my then 3 year old. A good investment for the money. At this age I would rather pay this, than rent a facility to play at for $100-$200 PLUS have to have goodie bags, cake, etc.
Next line of business was to sew cute gift bags that double as a dress up purse. For this, I made a trip to Walmart's sewing section and scored some hot pink, fuzzy fleece and pink polka dot ribbon (all on clearance/remnants). These were very simple bags that I lined with some fabric that I 'inherited' from old curtains in a former house. See, I knew I'd use it one day. ;)
Party favor two. Check. Oh, and to fill these bags, I managed to find a necklace, bracelet and ring candy kit at my local dollar store, plus a few lollipops I had in my stash and some dollar store trinkets. All in all, the bags (materials and filling) cost about $3 per child. So we're up to up $4 a child.
Next step was to decorate for the party. This involved streamers and pink tulle. The latter that I bought off of ebay for a steal! I also needed the cheapest pink bouquet of flowers (with at least 5 sprigs each) and balloons. For the balloons, I again shopped the local dollar store and got four white heart balloons and four pink heart balloons, and two 'special' balloons. Mylar. One dollar each. Also found lovely pink mums for $5 a bunch. Plenty for all. Here's how things were looking.
For the cake, my princess had a Cinderella cake. I purchased a Cinderella water Barbie doll and then baked a cake in one of my mixing bowls. I then inserted the Barbie (after wrapping her in plastic wrap) in the cake and decorated.
The plate is something I made another time. It's the "Birthday Plate" in our house.
When it was time for our guests to leave they took home a cute, fuzzy bag with goodies, a balloon, foam picture frame that they made while here, a personalized tea cup, and a mini bouquet of flowers. So, for our cost tally, we have the $3 bags, $1 tea cup, $1 balloon, $1 flower bouquet and about 50 cents for the foam craft. So, we spent less than $7 a child for a whole lot of cool stuff. That is $35 plus another $5 for the other balloons that the birthday girl kept; about $5 for the tulle and streamers. I made the cake, so only a couple of dollars in materials there, plus the Barbie, which doubled as a gift (about $10).
Birthday total: $45 Let's call it $50, since I may have forgotten something. So, there you have it. A fun and really cute Princess Birthday party for my then 3 year old. A good investment for the money. At this age I would rather pay this, than rent a facility to play at for $100-$200 PLUS have to have goodie bags, cake, etc.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Chalkboard mats
I am finally getting around to updating my blog. I've been healing up my back, potty training the kitty, and making some cute chalkboard mats. I saw one briefly as I walked past it at a craft show, and thought 'I can make that'. Unfortunately, I did not take the time to look it over and get the details, but I've made my own version. I hear tell these are hot right now. So glad I'm a trend-setter ;).
As you can see, I have taken regular fabric (in this case Spiderman) and paired it with chalkboard fabric. I was able to find the chalkboard fabric at Joann's . When I searched for this fabric, first no one seemed to know what it was and second, it seemed a bit pricey to me, but I was able to get it here for about $4 a yard and free shipping. I bought several yards and I'm on to my 8th mat already!
If you want to make one, they are super easy. In order to maximize the CB fabric, I cut the pieces out 14 1/4" x 18" (which gives me two pieces along the width of the CB fabric, with no waste). I then take the exterior fabric and make that approximately 16"x 20". Next, lay the wrong sides together (regular fabric face down and CB fabric face up), then fold over the edge of the regular fabric to meet the CB fabric, and then once again to overlap it. Pin it this way along all four sides. For the corners, I fold the fabric over, bend the corners diagonally, and then fold over on to the CB fabric. The corners are now mitered. Sew a straight stitch along all four sides.
Now pick a tie. I have used ribbon and binding. If you use binding, sew along the 'open' side first. I do this with a decorative stitch to make it look a bit nicer. You'll need about 20-24" in length. Fold it in half and then find the middle of one of the short sides. Attach the tie onto the outer, fabric side (not CB side). You are now finished! Now, I like to also add in chalk pockets (The last of the above photos shows a couple of the chalk pockets.) and a piece of cloth (I use Velcro to attach this) to wipe the board off with as well, but you don't have to do this. I found boxes of skinny chalk (6 colors, 2 of each) at Wal-mart for $1, so I bought a couple of these and a couple boxes of white. I like to include four pieces of chalk, and this makes a fairly inexpensive gift.
Hmm, speaking of the price, let's see, I get about 4 pieces of CB mat per yard, so that's $1 for the mat. All of my fabric is clearance, and I probably get 2 pieces out of it, so let's say about $1.50 (probably less) for that. I already had all the binding and thread, but let's throw in 50 cents for that. And, finally, 33 cents for the chalk, since I split the box in thirds. So, overall, we're looking at about $3.50 +/- a little; and my time of course, but I still would have spent the time to shop and wrap if I would have bought it. These really are fun gifts. My girls each have one (the prototypes, so their's aren't so fancy) and we use them all the time. One of our favorite games with them is hangman. (Prototype below--no pockets or fancy sewing on the binding)
Happy sewing!
If you want to make one, they are super easy. In order to maximize the CB fabric, I cut the pieces out 14 1/4" x 18" (which gives me two pieces along the width of the CB fabric, with no waste). I then take the exterior fabric and make that approximately 16"x 20". Next, lay the wrong sides together (regular fabric face down and CB fabric face up), then fold over the edge of the regular fabric to meet the CB fabric, and then once again to overlap it. Pin it this way along all four sides. For the corners, I fold the fabric over, bend the corners diagonally, and then fold over on to the CB fabric. The corners are now mitered. Sew a straight stitch along all four sides.
Now pick a tie. I have used ribbon and binding. If you use binding, sew along the 'open' side first. I do this with a decorative stitch to make it look a bit nicer. You'll need about 20-24" in length. Fold it in half and then find the middle of one of the short sides. Attach the tie onto the outer, fabric side (not CB side). You are now finished! Now, I like to also add in chalk pockets (The last of the above photos shows a couple of the chalk pockets.) and a piece of cloth (I use Velcro to attach this) to wipe the board off with as well, but you don't have to do this. I found boxes of skinny chalk (6 colors, 2 of each) at Wal-mart for $1, so I bought a couple of these and a couple boxes of white. I like to include four pieces of chalk, and this makes a fairly inexpensive gift.
Hmm, speaking of the price, let's see, I get about 4 pieces of CB mat per yard, so that's $1 for the mat. All of my fabric is clearance, and I probably get 2 pieces out of it, so let's say about $1.50 (probably less) for that. I already had all the binding and thread, but let's throw in 50 cents for that. And, finally, 33 cents for the chalk, since I split the box in thirds. So, overall, we're looking at about $3.50 +/- a little; and my time of course, but I still would have spent the time to shop and wrap if I would have bought it. These really are fun gifts. My girls each have one (the prototypes, so their's aren't so fancy) and we use them all the time. One of our favorite games with them is hangman. (Prototype below--no pockets or fancy sewing on the binding)
Friday, October 15, 2010
More soon...
Oops, several weeks have gone by and I haven't posted. I've been busy doing things like getting a new kitten, tearing a muscle in my back, ya know nothing major. So, just to let you know I will be posting something soon. I just made some really cute, and quick, chalk board mats that the girls can roll up and take with them every where we go (I don't have to bend over to make these). Also a cute onesie tutu. Pictures and commentary coming soon!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Canning
This summer was my first ever attempt at canning food. It was very simple, though time consuming. I LOVE having food in my pantry 'made' by me though! My first attempts were to can tomatoes and strawberry jam; and then I tried my hand at pickles. (Which I actually can't stand, but we'll discuss later...)
To can food you need a very large pot, canning jars, and a jar lifter. I think you can make do with these things if you don't want to go buy anything (except that jar lifter), however I did stop over at Walmart and pick up an 'official' canning set. This consisted of the large pot with a rack and lid, jar lifter, magnetic lid lifter, and funnel. These items were in the $30 range, so pretty reasonable, especially considering this is something that I plan on doing a lot of. In fact that 20 lb box of Starkrimson pears I received last week are calling to me from the basement.
Here's my strawberry jam. Really yummy! And I used very little sugar. Just the minimum to successfully can.
To can food you need a very large pot, canning jars, and a jar lifter. I think you can make do with these things if you don't want to go buy anything (except that jar lifter), however I did stop over at Walmart and pick up an 'official' canning set. This consisted of the large pot with a rack and lid, jar lifter, magnetic lid lifter, and funnel. These items were in the $30 range, so pretty reasonable, especially considering this is something that I plan on doing a lot of. In fact that 20 lb box of Starkrimson pears I received last week are calling to me from the basement.
These two photos show you a little of the set up. I've got the really huge pot, which is the canner. The medium pot I am using to sterilize and keep warm my jars, and then the small pot is to put the lids in. You want to do this for just about 5 minutes before you need them in order to make the gasket flexible for a good seal. If you don't want to mess with having your jars in the boiling water for sterilization, you can use your dishwasher.
I'm just going to send you right over to Pick Your Own, they have a great description of how to can. Very simple! If you don't have your own tomato garden, run down to your local farmer's market or coop and pick some up. You'll just need some lemon juice and you are set.
If you don't think you're up for canning, give freezer jam a try. Just as easy as the jam I made, but you will put it right into the freezer instead of going through the canning process. Makes great gifts!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Cinnamon Bread
I fully intended to write Saturday, and even another day after, but I've had several episodes of internet outages that prevented this. So, tonight, I finally have a chance and I thought I'd share my recipe for Cinnamon Bread.
Heat up the milk until it is warm (about 110 degrees). Do not boil it. If it's too hot, you'll kill the yeast. Once it's warm, add in your butter or coconut oil and stir until melted. Add salt and sugar; stir. Add yeast and stir until dissolved. Pour the liquid into a bowl that already contains 5 cups of your flour. Mix well. You can use a mixer, like my KitchenAid, or just mix by hand. It should be pretty sticky. Add more flour, about a 1/4 cup at a time until it's starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl and not so sticky. Pour dough out onto a floured counter and knead in more flour to make a smooth, elastic ball. Then take the dough and place it into a greased bowl. Spray waxed paper or plastic wrap with non-stick spray, place over your bowl and then place a towel on top of this. Set in a warm spot and let double in size (about an hour).
When doubled, punch down. Divide in half. "Roll" out each half (I just use my hands to shape it, but you can use a rolling pin if you'd like) into a rectangle. You want it to be as wide as your loaf pan is long. Once rolled out, brush on melted butter (or coconut oil) over the entire thing. Next, sprinkle liberally a mixture of raw sugar (you can use regular if you don't have raw) and cinnamon. I don't actually measure this, but I would say about 1 cup of sugar to 1 Tbs of cinnamon. Next you'll need to roll up the bread; start on a short side. Place it in a greased loaf pan with the seam side down. Repeat for the second loaf. Cover the pans just as you did with the bowl and let double in size (about 30 mins). Bake at 350 degrees F, for about 40 minutes. Enjoy! We don't even add butter on top it's so yummy!
As you can see from this photo, my recipe will make two loaves. Which, if your family is anything like mine, is a good thing. They will devour an entire loaf in one afternoon. This bread also makes fantastic french toast.
5-6 cups bread flour (you can use All Purpose if that's what you have)
1 package of active dry yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons of yeast
2 1/4 cups milk (you can use coconut milk if you have a milk allergy)
2 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs butter or coconut oil
1 tsp sea salt
Heat up the milk until it is warm (about 110 degrees). Do not boil it. If it's too hot, you'll kill the yeast. Once it's warm, add in your butter or coconut oil and stir until melted. Add salt and sugar; stir. Add yeast and stir until dissolved. Pour the liquid into a bowl that already contains 5 cups of your flour. Mix well. You can use a mixer, like my KitchenAid, or just mix by hand. It should be pretty sticky. Add more flour, about a 1/4 cup at a time until it's starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl and not so sticky. Pour dough out onto a floured counter and knead in more flour to make a smooth, elastic ball. Then take the dough and place it into a greased bowl. Spray waxed paper or plastic wrap with non-stick spray, place over your bowl and then place a towel on top of this. Set in a warm spot and let double in size (about an hour).
When doubled, punch down. Divide in half. "Roll" out each half (I just use my hands to shape it, but you can use a rolling pin if you'd like) into a rectangle. You want it to be as wide as your loaf pan is long. Once rolled out, brush on melted butter (or coconut oil) over the entire thing. Next, sprinkle liberally a mixture of raw sugar (you can use regular if you don't have raw) and cinnamon. I don't actually measure this, but I would say about 1 cup of sugar to 1 Tbs of cinnamon. Next you'll need to roll up the bread; start on a short side. Place it in a greased loaf pan with the seam side down. Repeat for the second loaf. Cover the pans just as you did with the bowl and let double in size (about 30 mins). Bake at 350 degrees F, for about 40 minutes. Enjoy! We don't even add butter on top it's so yummy!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Bountiful garden
Oh my! It's been two weeks since I posted an update on how things are at our house. Mostly I haven't posted because we were off traipsing around Washington state, enjoying the gorgeous scenery and raw milk they, (legally), have to offer! Oohh, what fun! This photo is what my parents get to look at every day out their windows. It's a gorgeous view of Mt. Baker. Tough, isn't it?
So, while I was gone, I was thinking about food. Hmm, now that I think about it, I'm always thinking about food. Anyway, the pacific northwest, well, and California too, have some great food opportunities. I really love it that raw milk is legal there. (I know I already mentioned it). There are several coops are in town and everybody shops there! It's awesome. One of the things we did while visiting was to attend a farm-hop. We 'hopped' around to several local farms to visit their orchards, cutting flowers, and beloved animals (both meat and dairy). Lots of fun and a beautiful day. By the way, and for the record, I have never seen roosters on a leash... So, when I came home I was excited to see what my garden had to offer after almost two weeks away. (Thanks, honey, for cutting off the sunflower seed heads. Can't wait to try the seeds!) And here it is: A couple gigantic cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, chili peppers, a handful of raspberries (which my 3 year old promptly ate), and our 'accidental' potatoes, which I instructed said 3 year old to dig up.
Not bad for two weeks. Our first attempt at a large garden has gone really well, in spite of all the rain we've had this year. Rainiest on record I believe. In my quest to eat all that we grow, I cooked up the teensy potatoes for dinner this evening, along with some homemade, raw butter and sea salt, which accompanied the chicken I cooked (straight from the pastures of Iowa to my freezer). Mmm, fresh cantaloupe too. Then, only after the kids were in bed, I had the last scoop of (homemade, yes, I know) chocolate ice cream and a scoop of peanut butter ice cream (yeah, homemade too), with some chocolate sauce (no, I didn't make that, but I'd be willing to try). Shhh. Don't tell the girls.
I'm thinking tomorrow I should make some salsa and can it. I've got 20 lbs of pears to can as well. I think I'm going to be busy this weekend. Tomorrow I shall do my best to discuss my pickle experience, or maybe cinnamon bread. Or, I suppose I could share my ice cream recipes. Geez, see what happens when I go away? :)
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