Birthday Crafting

I'm catching up through November, now! I didn't go overboard in the crafting area for my daughter's birthday this year, but I did manage to make a thing or two. I made this dress out of a vintage (if 1980's can be considered vintage) Care Bears printed fabric panel pattern that I got from a friend who never made it for her daughter. She loved it, as she does the show. It's definitely not my favorite, but after watching one, she came up with the new year's resolutions of "I will care more", "I will love everybody more", and "I will take care of the world more", so I guess it's not all bad. My little crafter in the making is showing the cute turkey she made for Thanksgiving. I love the food picture tail feathers, and her smirk. Her birthday crown got the addition of a surfboard charm (still yet to be affixed) to remember her 5th birthday!



For her beach themed party she chose the shark cupcakes out of the Hello, Cupcake book. They required the purchasing of horrific amounts of sugar containing components. But she loved them, as did the guests. (The shark body is a twinkie)


Lastly, for now, my nephew's birthday is also is November and I made a donut shirt for him. He loves donuts! (and thought the shirt was pretty cool too) I found the donut fabric on fabric.com and the pattern is Kai's Shirt from Weekend Sewing.

Staycation

Life has been too busy to check email on a regular basis, much less write a blog entry. But today has been the slowest, most enjoyable day I have had in a very long time. My dear husband and his parents have the kids and I am home alone to do whatever the heck I want. So since a facebook status just can't contain all the bliss I have experienced today I will recap here briefly.

I came home from being gone four weeks to my vegetable garden in full production. A beautiful site to my eyes. I even have figs growing on my volunteer fig tree that really shouldn't be growing right at the water heater, but I can't bear to part with it. I have wanted a fig tree desperately for the last couple years and this one CAME TO ME, how can I get rid of it? We won't discuss the tragedy of it being hacked back last year just before the couple figs on it were ripe. But the tree grew back strong from a tiny stump and now towers as high as the house. We really are going to have to do something. I'm hoping we can somehow dig it out and salvage it, but not until after this fall.

The first thing I did when I got home was to take a shower. Then I sat in silence for 30 minutes just thinking and praying, then I laid down for 30 minutes. It was so blissful. When I got up I was raring to get out in the garden.

I picked an eggplant, yellow squash, lettuce, strawberries, sungold tomatoes, broccoli, colorful carrots, basil, green onions, mint, lavender, and a bouquet of roses. The food was so beautiful I had to take a picture-unfortunately I don't have the camera - daddy does - so it was on my phone and will not be posted here. The picture is of the brandywine tomatoes that I was very sad to leave 4 weeks ago because they would ripen without me. But another little miracle gift is that they never did! They waited for me. One of them is just starting to turn pink now and I hope to enjoy it in the next couple days. I made for lunch my improvised version of ratatouille adding only olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little cooking sherry to my eggplant, tomatoes, squash, onion & basil. I ate it over a bed of lettuce with a simple balsamic vinaigrette. Strawberries were dessert. It was amazingly wonderful to eat a meal I grew from seed. One of the most gratifying experiences I've had in a while.

I read a cooking magazine in the sun. Made mint sun tea. Made an appointment for a facial tomorrow to use a gift certificate I have. Then I read a book (Eat Pray Love) and took a nap.

I went to the store to pick up some milk and eggs and am now listening to the whir of the ice cream maker freezing lavender ice cream and straining my homemade ricotta cheese. Not sure what I'm making for dinner, but I need to use my carrots, broccoli and ricotta somehow... Eating local doesn't get any better than this. And I am not buying another food item till the family comes home.

I'm not sure how I will spend the rest of the time. But I am thinking about watching a movie and doing some hand quilting tonight.

Thank you honey! I needed this!

Catching Up

Wow, it's been way too long since I've posted anything on here. The pace of crafting has slowed with the pace of everything else picking up. I guess it's September, back to the real world. Now it's almost October, yikes! Christmas will be here before we know it and I've got a hefty list of presents to create. Latest finished projects following:

Knit baby hat, which is supposed to be a Christmas gift but it knit up smaller than I thought so I'm thinking I have to give it now so the baby can actually get some use out of it. This hat was the inspiration for learning to knit and that I blogged about here. I planned to put a tulip flower from the pattern on the top, but it didn't turn out right so I improvised the one shown.

I've sewn a few more of my GreenGift bags that I've posted on Etsy. My favorite one is pictured here. I haven't sold any yet, though. I haven't been able to make/post any new ones for a while, though. I've heard the key is posting new stuff frequently. Need more time to sew!


Speaking of sewing - My friend and I made a new cover for our friend's car seat. She's having a girl and we wanted to spruce up her blue car seat that her son used. So we took a fabric that she used to make a diaper bag as our inspiration. It's from Amy Butler's Midwest Modern Collection - Garden Maze in Olive. The quilting I did on it gave me the confidence to try making a real quilt with my little Singer sewing machine. She was very surprised and loved it.


Lastly, I've been baking lots of fresh bread lately - daunted not by the heat waves we've been having. The book I've been using is Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. While I haven't yet followed any recipe to the T (I never can!) I have made some pretty yummy breads, and I love the concept that the book has taught me. Making large batches of dough that you store in the fridge and can easily make 3-4 loafs from with very little active working time. Pictured is the first loaf I made from the book. It was super yummy, especially dipped in olive oil & balsamic vinegar.

Lots and lots of projects in the queue. The one I'm most excited about is a quilt requested by my soon to be 4 year old for her birthday. It's going to be tough to keep it all a surprise though...lots of late night sewing in the next 6 weeks! I'm also knitting more hats, adult ones this time with (removable) flowers on them. And I want to crochet this adorable dress, I've ordered the yarn for it.

Roses, turkeys, tomatoes & yarn among other things

Vacation has been humming along merrily. We had a great bike ride and swimming in the Feather River on our 7th wedding anniversary. I also got some beautiful roses and my rings professionally cleaned. Our 3 year old took the photo of us at a burger place we stopped on our bike ride for lunch. We have also visited a farm for retired and rescued animals - the turkeys were a favorite with our littlest turkey. Our 3 year old is becoming quite the fish and has started floating, swimming on her own, diving, etc... all in the course of the last 4 weeks. Pictured below she's running through the fountains at the park. She also did her longest hike yet, three miles to see Boiling Hot Springs Lake in the Lassen National Forest. She even carried a little backpack the whole way.

We continue to make yummy food using produce from farmers' markets and our neighbor's fruit trees. Some of which are roasted vegetable torte, caprese salad, homemade apricot ginger gelato, strawberry sorbet, rocky road ice cream, homemade granola, sticky ribs.

During my creative interludes I've made a little clutch bag inspired by a project in Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol, a burp cloth, my first knitting finished project - a little infant hat, and matching dresses for the girls that coordinates with my green one from a couple posts ago.

The little one is either blowing a kiss, signing hot, eat or water...I think I'm going to go with blowing a kiss.

Summer Projects

I have high hopes for this summer in the creating department. We're heading out of town Saturday to Chico for a couple months to stay at my in-laws' house. The sewing machine and fabric are going along too with a list of summer projects that includes but is not limited to the following:
-For my girls - A couple lazy days skirts , this pattern of skirt, pants, dress and this top & pants. Fabrics pictured below with my daughter who helped to pick them out.
-Matching pillowcase dresses for my girls from a pair of pillowcases I picked up at a thrift boutique.
-More animals out of Sock & Glove- elephant & cat, at least. See dog made from the book pictured below. He used to be a pair of cashmere gloves from New Zealand.
-Make yard sale skirt, trapeze dress, coordinating shirred sundresses for girls & I, summer blouse all from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. I got this book from my sister for my bday and I love it. I have yet to sew from it, but have done lots of drooling and planning. Fabrics pictured below.
-Make felt dolls for girls, like the ones made for Craft Hope. (pictured below)
-Finish a few sewing projects for nieces and nephews. One of which is this pattern.
-Finishing crocheting this basket. My first ever crochet project.

I hope to have some of these projects completed and posted here for proof in the near future.


Also going with us on our trip is my new ice cream maker which I am very excited about. So far I've made Mascarpone Ice Cream topped with Roasted peaches (recipe from Food & Wine Magazine) and Blueberry Medley Frozen Yogurt. Both winners!

Below pics are fabrics to be used, several of which I just picked up at M&L Fabric Store in Anaheim. I am hoping there will be some cool shops in Chico, too from which to acquire more fun stuff.

Lastly, below are felt dolls my friend and I made for the Craft Hope. I recommend you read the beautiful post about the 405 dolls made for this project.

One

I was feeling a little emotional today and think it has something to do with the fact that my little baby (possibly my last baby - sniff, sniff) turned one yesterday. She was so sweet and fun all day. Just her normal good natured self. Highlights pictured below are her being very excited about the birthday crown that mommy made for her, with her intial embroidered on it. (Idea from the book The Creative Family by Amanda Soule aka Soule Mama) This was a project I started at 1am the night before (morning of) her birthday because I was feeling that she needed something special when I realized that some of the details I had put into my firstborn's first birthday were missing. I put a little flower button (the party theme was May flowers) on her crown and my idea is to add something each year to it.

I was so happy that she liked it. Mommy had fun making (banana flavored) flower cupcakes and she had fun eating the frosting using the candle like a spoon. She did that for a while before she picked it up and chucked it over her tray.

She also loved getting her very own doll stroller.

It was a lot of fun to see her be the center of attention and know it.

While I'm a little sad that she's not a baby anymore I look forward to seeing her grow into a sweet little girl. She is such a ray of sunshine.

And yes, we did all wear our matching Easter outfits again.

April Fools & Farmer's Market

Well, I've been at it again, more veggies for dessert. This time it's April Fools style. Peas & carrots, mashed potatoes & gravy, and corn on the cob were on the menu. Yum! This is another creation from the Hello, Cupcake! book. The ingredients included starburst, chewy sweet tart minis, caramel, & jelly bellies.

In other food related news, I just discovered the Farmer's Market in Long Beach and am so excited! I can't believe I had not been there before a couple of weeks ago (I've lived in LB for 7 years as of March 30th). I loved browsing and buying the seasonal produce, paying in cash at the different vendors, using my Chico bag, and then planning my weekly menu from what I bought. I felt like I was in a different time and place. It was so "my cup of tea" and so much better than shopping at the grocery store. The prices seemed pretty comparable, too. Of course, I still have to go to the store to get the rest of the stuff we need, but I ended up spending considerably less there than an average week. So what did I get and what did I make? I got strawberries, asparagus, leeks, beets, lettuce, nuts, etc... I made a couple things from my Simply in Season cookbook- Velvety Vegetable soup with the leeks and Shredded Beet Salad with the beets. I used the strawberries in Amish friendship bread, among other things. I also did one bread with macadamia nuts & white chocolate chips, which was yummy. I made a roasted asparagus salad from a recipe in the Food & Wine 2009 cookbook. That's all I can remember right now. I'm hoping to make it our new weekly routine to hit up Farmer's Market on Sunday afternoon, after church with the family, (it also happens to be close to In-n-Out, so burgers for lunch are a given) and plan my grocery store list around what I got there. Yeah! I know, I'm easily excited.

The bright side of having sick kids.

This past month, both my kids have been sick more often than not, so we have spent a LOT of time at home. Of course, I hate to see my kids not feeling well, but when given lemons...

The lemonade? With being home so much with kids that sleep more often, I've had some time to work on creative projects. The first of which was one I have been meaning to do since October. It is a book I compiled for my friend who adopted a long awaited, much loved little boy. We had a shower for her and people wrote messages to him (about how they've been praying for him, how we're so happy he's here, etc...), we took their pictures and I put together a book Here are a couple pics.


The background paper is scrapbooking paper I cut into 4, I glued on the cards with messages and pictures, and laminated it (w/ self stick- not the heat applied kind). Then I sewed on a fabric binding to make the edges soft. I bound it all together by punching holes, in each page, ran a piece of the binding through and made a fabric cover for the bound edge. It was one of those projects that I don't exactly know how I was going to put it all together, until it was done. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, though.

I knew of lots of babies that were born in February, and I made personalized burp cloths for a couple. It may seem a little silly to make a fancy burp cloth when it will be covered in, well, spit and other foul bodily fluids. But I like utility... and they're certainly useful, why not be cute too?


Finally, my magnum opus... a dress for my baby girl. The pattern is the Comfy Jumper Dress from Amy Butler's Little Stiches for Little Ones. A book I drooled over and wanted, then bought with a friend a few months ago, and I'm so excited that I actually got to make something from it - and for my own kid, nonetheless. So this is going to be her Easter dress and I'm going to make a coordinating one for big sis (which I'm going to try to do w/o a pattern - should be interesting). I was very good and stuck to the pattern for this dress, even though there were a couple things I wanted to do differently. If I were to do it again I would probably not have added the elastic band in the back that the pattern called for, it makes it bunch a little weird in the back. But I fell in love with these fabrics (from Joann) and bought three yards of each so I'll be able to make plenty more (kid-sized) clothes with them.

And of course, my little darling, modeling. I know I put a lot of pictures, but this little dress makes me so happy, because I was finally able to sew a nice outfit for my own child, which is something I have wanted to do forever.

Here's a little better picture (taken by Sam) of the cupcakes from previous post.

P.S. I cannot stand the way adding/working with images is done on blogger. Then weird spaces show up once it's actually posted. If anyone has any advice for me I'd love to hear it.

P.P.S. I love my hair cut and have actually gotten lots of compliments. My husband ended up being the one to help me shave, and straigten up the back. Ha! I'm feeling slightly less crazy now. But I think I'll probably get it cut by a pro next time.

Veggies for dessert and saving money

My girlfriends and I made "garden party" cupcakes from the Hello, Cupcake book. Unfortunately, the pictures came out horrible, and do not do justice to the cuteness. It was a lot of fun, although I don't feel the need to make them again. There are other creations in the book I want to try.

On another topic, I feel like I'm probably almost completely crazy. I have been feeling rather frumpy and wanting my hair cut for a while now. I had all planned out what kind of cut I wanted - adding bangs again, a steeper angle coming down to the front, a little assymetry... I just haven't had the stomach to make the appointment and spend $50 we don't have. So after midnight tonight I decided I could cut it myself. I've been cutting my hubby's (buzz), and daughter's hair for over a year now, so why not my own? (Of course there was always the option in between of super cuts or the like, but where's the adventure in that?) So here's the outcome - before and after. I'm actually pretty pleased.

The back is not ready for public viewing yet. I want to buzz it, but didn't have the guts to do that myself. What I learned (1) sharp scissors would have really helped (2) Though my hair is fine, I do have a lot of it. (3) it is actually quite a rush to cut your own hair, it feels like taking such a big risk.