Sarah's Birthday, Service and A Workout (48:365)

I'm currently working my sister's birthday present which I will not describe until September 7th. That is my creation project for today.

I also sewed some pillow cases (way easy! and fast!) at a church activity tonight that we are donating to a charitable organization. All you need is 3/4 yard for the main part and 1/3 yard for the top section and you can whip it out fast! (I'm too tired to explain more. Just google it and you'll find tons of easy patterns.)

Also, I've been super bad about working out this summer. In June I started training for a mini sprint triathlon with a friend and then when we went away for the summer I totally gave up without having access to a gym. We've been home for 3 weeks now and I haven't worked out once! So bad. So tonight I decided to start anew. I went to our clubhouse gym and did the elliptical machine for 30 minutes and my legs feel like jell-o. I am so frustrated with myself for getting back to square one! Anyway, at least I did something and my goal is to go to the gym 3x week to get back into it. I have plenty of positive gym peer pressure around me so I'm going to do it! All my ladies out there, keep bugging me! Maybe sometime soon I'll join you all up in yoga...

Pictures, Pillows and Personal Progress (47:365)

Recently, a friend of mine showed me a sketchbook she is using for her creative ideas. Feeling a little lost and overwhelmed by my purpose on this blog, I decided to start a sketchbook too. In it I will jot ideas for creative projects and new designs. I am excited about it because it will help me to create some of my own ideas and designs, instead of getting ideas from others as much. Also, it will help me to not forget about projects that I want to do in the future and will allow to keep thinking about them and working on their concepts before I can actually get around to accomplishing them. 

Tonight I am working on some new pillowcase covers for our couch pillows. Right now they are hideous and I hate them. I recently acquired some awesome fabric from an estate sale and I plan on using some of that to make some classy pillow covers. I am deciding on fabrics tonight.

Also, today I met up with a couple of young women from my church to work on something we call Personal Progress (if you want to know more about it, click here). It is a program that our church has designed to help the girls set and meet goals and mature in positive ways. I am really excited about it and am working on completing the program myself. Believe it or not, but we had a good time studying some scriptures and talking about faith and how to become the type of person that can teach her future children how to be faithful.If you want to see what we read, click here. We read versus 45-48 specifically.

Anyway, it's been a fun day with some new ideas and activities a brewin'.
What did you do today?

Gathered Flower and a Homemade Button (46:365)

I made my first button! I bought a kit like this one and just whipped one out! It was really easy. Then I figured out how to gather fabric and made this cute little vintage style flower. 

Purse clip, jacket clip, hair bow for the girlies? 

I'm leaning towards clip so I can put it on jackets and bags to cuten them up. 

How do you think I should use it?

Bling Bling Binky Clip (45:365)

I saw some of these online here and here (surprise, surprise, I'm a blog stalker) and decided to make one for myself. Well, not myself, but, well, you know... my baby needs it, sort of.

Anyway, here it is. 

It's waaaay cute, but kind of heavy, so we'll see how functional it really is.

T-Shirt Flower Headband (44:365)

I made this headband on the way to our favorite "adult" store, Costco, since it takes an hour to get there. It's like Disneyland for adults. Bought some more of our favorite "ABC" (already been cooked) bacon. If you want to read more about my Costco obsession, click here and more about my "ABC" bacon obsession, click here.

Anyway, here is the headband. Another made from old t-shirt scraps. It has a black button in the middle that you can't see because the flower right behind it is black too. Wish I'd done green, then the black button. Oh well, too lazy to fix it right now. Maybe another day.

Also, I think the flower is a little small for my head, so this one will probably be passed on to the little ladies of the house.

Blueberry Lemon Cornmeal Muffins (43:365)

I found this recipe from a website about frugal cooking. It is super versatile recipe that I altered by substituting 1 cup flour for 1 cup cornmeal. I added 1 cup or so of frozen blueberries and like a tsp of dried lemon peel. Next time I'll add more lemon peel (we can't taste it) and more blueberries. They turned out well though! Can't wait to try out more variations.

Flower Earrings (42:365)

Made some cute little earrings today using this tutorial.
They were kind of really annoying to do, so tiny and hard for me to see, but I think I'll make some more anyway because they are so cute and Jane keeps begging for me to make her some clip-ons.

New Flower Designs and Bacon (41:365)

While whittling my time away this evening (crafting), Scott and I enjoyed an hour of Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale from our beloved Netflix queue streaming out of our TV (yes, I LOVE IT). Oh man, this guy is a FREAK!!! But in a good way. At least the first half of the routine. Then it gets kind of lame. Anyway, here is a little snippet of goodness from the show. Enjoy!




Now back to business.
Here are some of the flower designs I worked on tonight from scraps leftover from yesterdays project and some other old t-shirts and lace. I want to make some t-shirt headbands and a couple of barrettes from them.



I actually completed one, as a little sassy black barrette for Lucy. She's still pretty thin on top, but I'm hoping it will work on her soon.

Recycled T-Shirt Tote (40:365)

Hello, my name is Heather and I am a hoarder.
I still have clothes from 1997 (at least) that are sitting in my drawers or hanging in my closet that I probably haven't worn since 1997. I'm working on that. And to help myself conquer that disorder, I decided to cut up some old stuff to make new stuff that WILL GET USED. I got the idea from the book "The Feisty Stitcher" by Susan Wasinger (pages 40-41), which is now on my wish list, thank you free library system.

Thanks to a classic old black T from The Gap and a hand-me-up (I'm the oldest, so...) from my little sister, I now am the proud owner of a totally rad tote bag with Kip's face on it. (If you don't know who Kip is, you are lame and need to click here and here.)

Anyhoo, it took me an hour to do it, because, as you all know I have authority issues and don't trust people's directions...but I digress...
Regular people could probably do it in like 20 minutes. I bet I could whip out the next one faster.

Before


After


I want to see what you guys can do!
Send me pictures of your craftiness!

Flannel Board Complete and More... (39:365)

I finished making my flannel board today.

Now I just need to finish
cutting out all the fun stuff to put on it...


Also, yesterday I cooked with turnips for the first time (put them in a yummy "throw it in the pot" soup, i.e., throw whatever is left over in the fridge into the pot and boil. I chopped the turnips into cubes, sauteed in butter for 10 minutes and dumped it ALL into the soup.
The Soup = Leftover chicken drumsticks from a failed Weight Watchers recipe [failed our tastebuds], kale, carrots, chicken "better than bullion", water, pepper, basil, northern/white canned beans. Yum!)


And, yesterday, for my friend's birthday, I made this flower, va-va-voom!

into a brooch so she can put it on a bag or jacket


and made another brooch with 3 poppies out of some fabric sample scraps I got from an estate sale and buttons I got from another estate sale.



Those are my favorite things now, estate sales...except that I have a huge garbage bag full of awesome fabric (that cost only $5!) taking up space in my living room...so many projects, so little time.

Onesie Extenders Part 2 or Why I Feel Sheepish or Why I Want a Serger (38:365)

Success!


I figured it out. I think. I tried another stretch stitch and it worked MUCH better (i.e. it actually sewed instead of ate my fabric). Also, I moved the seam over to a little bit bigger than 1/4" so the edge had no possible way of getting pulled down into the depths of the machine.

Why do I need a serger? Why not?! I could have saved me some major time with the edges of this thing. Zig zag and cut at the same time? Heck yeah! That is my next craigslist purchase.

And, why am I so excited about Onesie Extenders? If you have skinny kids like I do, you'll understand. My kids NEVER grow out of something because they get too thick, but only because they get too long. So, these are a perfect solution! Lucy is enjoying the pink ones right now. Hooray!

Onesie Extenders or Why I Want to Cry (37:365)

I'm trying to make some of these (click here) and I found a great tutorial here to help me do it on the cheap. Looks way easy, right? So, please explain to me why my sewing machine will NOT sew stretch fabric without eating it up!? @%^#!? Yes, that is a computer swear word. I put it on a "stretch stitch" and my machine is computerized, so it automatically sets everything how it should be for each stitch. I also cleaned out the dusty insides and put a new needle in. Might not be the right kind of needle though? Argh. I don't know.

I finished one onesie extender, only to realize that one side of snaps was facing the wrong way. (That has to do with my issue with authority and deciding that the girl in the tutorial didn't know what she was thinking so I decided to sew them my way instead of hers...sigh.
I'll never learn.)

So, I cut it apart to fix it and now my machine will NOT sew the stretch fabric without freaking eating it to bits and it getting stuck inside the machine every time!

So, this is a day of attempts, with no results.

Help! What is wrong with my machine? (OR, what is wrong with me?!)

Cupcakes 5 & 9 (36:365)

I found this blog (click here) through a friend on facebook and boy, am I glad I did! Today for my creative venture I made both Cupcake 5 or Mango Cupcake with Buttercream Frosting and Coconut and Cupcake 9 or Sis's Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting.

The only change I made to Cupcake 5 was to add a little Coconut flavoring to the buttercream frosting for the Mango cupcakes.

#5


Just so you are prepared, the Chocolate frosting is SUPER THICK, like playdough thick, but still really good. I put some mini chocolate chips on top the of the Chocolate Frosting to add some texture and make the cupcakes look a little cuter.

#9


I'm taking these both to a department party for Scott's school. Hopefully they go over well and don't melt in the HOTTTT sun!

Let me know if you make any of the other cupcakes and how they turn out.

I just ordered some butane fuel for my kitchen torch so I can make a Smore Cupcake soon and torch the meringue frosting. Yahoo!
Flames + Food = Good Times for my belly

5 Minute Midnight Chocolate Cake (35:365)

This could definately use some improvement but is a satisfier at 12am, when the chocolate monsters looms in the dark...


I found this recipe on MANY blogs, but this one was the best because she was real about the outcome and felt the same way I did regarding the lack of salt and the chewyness of the cake. But seriously, it pretty well satisfies at midnight.

Let me know if you tweak your cake and how it turns out!

“This is for all you chocoholics! We used a 12 oz. mug in our 1000 watt microwave and it turned out great! Now we’re in trouble!”

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons chocolate chips ( optional )
3 tablespoons oil
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug into the microwave for three minutes at 1000 watts (vary the time just a little either way according the the wattage of your microwave). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed. Allow to cool and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (This can serve 2 if you want to feel sightly more virtuous).

Patacones and a Chiffon Rosette (34:365)

Tonight I made patacones for the first time. They are a love of mine that I discovered half my life ago in Costa Rica. I got the recipe here. That blogger also had some good tips. Fried plantains. Yum. I like to use them to scoop up refried black beans.

Jane actually tried a bite and enjoyed them enough for 2 bites, then ate her first taco! (She is a typical picky toddler.)

Scott, my ever sceptical palate, ate them right up!
Here is his happy face.

Lucy is struggling with solids and did not like me trying to get her to eat some before her bottle. Instead, she just played in it for a while.

I also started a project I've been meaning to do for 2 months now. I am making a rosette necklace out of hot pink chiffon with a chain wrapped throughout. This is a TERRIBLE picture because I was feeling lazy, but it will not the be last. Once it's totally done I'll take another and post it.

Silk Ribbon Flower (33:365)

Today I squeezed in a new cute and crafty flower. I found the tutorial here. I didn't have any ribbons that I loved, so I used a random pieced of red ribbon that I probably have left over from Christmas (or maybe even from one of our wedding gifts...I'm a hoarder. Don't judge.). I think it turned out cute, but even better is the little rosette that's in the middle. I'm excited to try the rosette out again using more two-toned ribbon. Best of all, no sewing is involved. You do need to be handy with the glue gun though.
I'm not sure yet where I'm going to use this new fancy flower...any suggestions?

Puff Pastry Palmiers (32:365)

We went to a friends wedding party today and I needed a dessert but didn't have the time or the ingredients for something as delicious as I would normally try to make. I googled puff pastry dessert ideas because I happened to have some in the freezer and this was the simplest thing I could find. It turned out pretty good! I used Lingonberry Jam (from Ikea) and some Apricot Preserves, then sprinkled them after cooling with some powdered sugar to make it look a little more elegant. (This blog explains more details, like to bake for 15 minutes at 400F.)

First Time as a Stake Dance Chaperone (31:365)

Tonight I chaperoned for the first time at a Dance for the youth of our church. It was a little surreal watching them dance to the same goofy songs I used to (about 15 years ago!), like Cotton Eye Joe and The Electric Slide. It was fun though! I boogied a little.
For your listening and viewing enjoyment, here are two classics!



Oh man, I've never seen the original. Maybe there's a reason...


I also had a blast celebrating two of my friends birthday's this weekend, sleeping over at a B&B. Last night was my first night without a kid in almost 3 years! It was a much needed good time. Thanks ladies and Happy Birthday Ashley and Cheryl!

Flower Headband from Old T-Shirts (30:365)

For my friend's birthday I decided to be brave and try making something I've been wanting to do for a while.

I made a flower headband out of old t-shirt material, a scrap of lace I found at my grandma's house, some beads and a little piece of elastic.

I copied the (way cute and easy!) headband idea from this website and based the flower loosely on flowers I found online at various sites.

What do you think? I can't wait to make one for myself!

Robert Henri Museum in Cozad, NE (29:365)

We are finally home!

On the last leg of our trip back to Lincoln we passed through tiny Cozad, NE. Each time we drive by it I want to stop to see their well advertised (little freeway signs) Robert Henri Museum, and each time I tell Scott that you pronounce Henri like Henr-I, not Henry. He didn't believe me...but I was right! Even though I can't remember anything else from my college years, at least I can remember how to pronounce Robert Henri's name...but I digress...
We had a nice little tour by a cute little old lady with an odd Midwestern accent that was hard to understand (example: "Ohia" = Ohio, "Cince-natty" = Cincinnati) . The museum used to be the home Robert lived in as a boy and is now used for local parties, one of the rooms is also a gallery for 2 local artists. The tour was okay, but the lady didn't really know anything about the home or any of the artifacts (especially since probably 95% of what was on display didn't belong to Robert's family), but she was cute.
The girls did well on the tour, probably mostly due to the fact that I bribed Jane with a sucker if she didn't yell or touch anything during the whole tour. She even "oooh'd" and "ahhh'd" with Scott and I as we responded to the tour guide's vast knowledge.
It was a fun little stop that allowed a little more experience than a gas station or rest stop. I think in the future I'll start looking up other little places like that to use as rest stops.

Photoshop Experiments Part 2 (28:365)

The Almost Lith Print

Before


After

Yesterday I found an awesome Photoshop magazine at Costco while I was supposed to be doing something else...and today since we are at a hotel I decided to experiment with Photoshop for my creative duty for the day. I couldn't figure out every command that was explained, but also, the internet wasn't cooperating so I couldn't find the help I needed. Anyhoo, here is an almost finished version of a Lith Print on Photoshop. It was fun to experiment and learn new tricks!

P.S. The Wi-Fi at Little America is slooooow.

Lucy Meets Mary or Vice Versa (27:365)

Me and the ladies got to hang with my old college roomie Mary and her kiddies. Mary and Lucy met each other for the first time.
That is our "experience" for today since I spent the rest of the day packing and preparing to return to life...
Oh, what is going on with my giant neck!? Ew.

The Book is Done (26:365)

Ahhh...I'm finally done! It only took forever, but I'm so proud of it! I haven't made a book in 6 years, so I feel like I've accomplished something big! Man, I forgot how much work it takes to get it done. I don't know if I'll be whipping out another stab stitch anytime soon, but I do like how it allows me to create a prettier looking spine that it would look otherwise. I also experimented with ribbon for the sewing instead of using waxed linen thread. Hopefully it will hold well. I didn't make the wholes large enough to be able to pull the needle through very easily, actually breaking 1 needle and stabbing myself in the thigh at least 3 times, but I learned my lesson and hope that next time it won't be so ridiculous!

I'm excited to give this to my friend for her b-day...

More Flannel Board Cutouts (25:365)

I am just going to cut out some flannel board pictures again today. Not my favorite project, I discovered, since I cut them out just the other day...but it's got to get done! This is one of those projects where I wouldn't ever finish it if it weren't for this blog and my need to do something productive each day. This is a learning and growing day. Gotta get it done!

Discovering a New Project (24:365)

Since we are vacationing within a vacation, I am hanging with my friend Bridget today. We had VERY GOOD INTENTIONS to actually make one of these (click here) paper wreaths, but we realized too late that we didn't have the right glue. So, instead she got to experience the competitiveness of my family while playing games. I played Bananagrams for the first time. Me and Bananagrams were not friends at first, but by round 3 we were frenemies. I think this is a game that I will eventually buy. And, in case you were wondering, I won at Quiddler, against 4 seriously smart competitors. I would like to thank the god of luck. Thank you.
Good times.

Earings (23:365)

We drove down to Cedar City today. During the drive I made myself 2 pairs of way cute dangly earings. I'm going to be brave now and wear them. I don't wear earings...I'm feeling cute with them though.

More Bookbinding (22:365)

Today I've been working on that book again that I'm making for my friend's birthday (she who must not be named). I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by it because the quest for perfection paralyzes me. I am currently squaring the book boards (the covers) because I have rudimentary tools here with me and was not able to cut the original pieces as straight as I'd have liked.
I also cut out the fabric for the spine (sort of misleading because I am doing am open spine).
I am going to try a new type of stitch that I have never done, so that is what is overwhelming me. I need to get my bottom moving though. I technically only have 2 more nights to work on this before we are leaving for home...

Flannel Board Figures and Ikea (21:365)

Today I am starting a flannel board project. I have yet to actually make a flannel board, however, last month while we were in SLC I picked up some flannel board cut-out figures about Easter and other scripture stories. I'm excited to use them for Family Night lessons. I think Jane is really going to like them since she is just finally getting good at and interested in sitting and listening to stories and books with more than 4 words per page.

Also, today I went to Ikea with my sister-in-law Steph. I LOVE Ikea and it was fun to walk around with someone else who also loves it. I bought 6 brackets to use for 3 shelves that I want to install over my craft desk using wood from our broken coffee table as the shelves. I will be going to my friend Sarah F. to get her to cut my wood up for me since she is apparently a power tool queen. (Gotta love friends with connections.)

Also, do you love the meatballs at Ikea as much as I do? I guess it's really that amazing gravy that they slather them in. I have also officially stopped getting the mashed potatoes with the meatballs and only get the fries now. They are probably my favorite fries. They taste like the ones DQ used to make. And, they are also amazing dipped into that luscious gravy.

And what is it about that Lingonberry stuff and meatballs?! I don't necessarily like the combination all that much, yet I feel compelled to eat them together because they are placed together on the plate, touching each other so you have to eat some meat with Lingonberry sauce if you want to eat every delicious meat morsel. Usually while eating my meatballs with Lingonberry juices on them I am thinking, "why am I eating this, it doesn't even taste that good...", and today for the first time I thought, "hmm, this is kind of good together. I get it." So, I had a culinary enlightenment at Ikea today. Lingonberry sauce and meatballs. I get it.

(P.S. The chocolate cake is the best dessert they offer. The others are mediocre, the chocolate cake is decent. I guess Swedes aren't so good at the sweets, just the meats.)

Lau Lau (20:365)

Had my first Lau Lau today. It was pretty good. I don't know if the pork was wrapped in spinach too, but having it steamed inside that taro leaf made it super moist and soft. Can't wait to go to Hawaii some day to eat at a real Luau. Until then, I'll just have to be content with this place (that's where I got this picture too) in SLC. They are yummy. Not sure if I'm ready to try the Loco Moco yet though. Seems a bit intense for me.

New Yummy Sody Pop (19:365)

I love to grocery browse. I had to get out tonight to have some mommy time so I decided to use that precious time at Whole Foods. While there I found some yummy treats, including their brand of Tangerine Italian Soda that is imported from Canada. JK. From Italia. Yummo. Tasted like tangerine juice made bubbly. All I could think of while drinking it was the word "bergamota", tangerine in Portuguese. Sometimes a word just works better in another language.
Bergamota soda. Sounds delicious!

Also, I tried their Red Velvet cupcake. Not my favorite. But their Chocolate cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream was sooo good. (Had that one last week.)

Lucy's First Trampoline Experience and she Meets More Family (18:365)

Lucy met her aunt Jenny, uncle Ken and their five kids today for the first time. She was SUPER tired so it was a tough experience for her, but they all still thought she was adorable.
Because she is.

Also, she and I rocked it on a giant tramp for the first time too. Baby bounces. She loved it. Had a little coy smile going on. Cutie pie.