cotton v/s twirl

So today I made this cotton dress instead of the what the pattern called for on the knit and I really like it so much. 

But...no luck getting a model. 

How do women ever grow up to want to be a model if they hate it so much as a child? 

Oh well I guess there must be some kids out there that like it.  Maybe the models we all envy come from the toddlers and tiara's show, that's got to be it.

Sewin' up a storm

Lately, I've been wanting to sew something every day.  My latest thing was looking in the blog world to find a good bloomer's pattern for the dress I made about a couple weeks ago on here. I made a pair on my own but I definately don't like them as much as the diaper cover on the made blog that I follow.

The other outfit I made is from the sienna dress cut down to shirt size with a twirl skirt I modified to fit a newborn.  I hope both will fit when the baby is first born.
When I had all my kids I remember not having alot of things when they where teny tiny but loads of stuff once they got out of that 8 pnds phase.
I think I'm making up here for what I didn't get to do when I had my girls :) Because I still don't feel like I"m 'done'.

Feeling guilty now over for a while

I sew so much for the girls. 

I'm so glad that I got to make these pants for Tristan today. 

I bought this fabric about a month ago, it's a shame I know.  I fully intended on making them.  He loves blues clues and everywhere we go if he sees "The Paw Print" then I get to hear about it.  I was so excited when I saw this fabric because I thought they would make good lounge pants and Tris would love them also. 
Then I got off task as usual.  But today back on, hopefully.

He says he really likes them and I love them because they actually turned out that they covered his whole diaper bum. 

Here is my picture shoot with Tris. 

I'm loving his new pearly white teeth, they show up so much more now that he has those 2 big teeth in the front.  Poor guy.  Dumb allergies!  So glad that they make stainless steel crowns with white on front,yeah!

Okay this pic is kinda out there but as you can see in the next pic he was play hitting himself in the head.

No worries, not hard, just being silly!

Baseball T

So here is how Friday went..

Good :)

She was happy and so was I.

Here is a thrown in pic of Tristan insisting on being in a photo as well.

Next project = baseball tee

So I got an email from Madison's teacher saying she would like the kids to dress up in baseball themed clothes this Friday.  I can't wait to make Madison a baseball shirt with her school number on it!  The sienna dress is perfect to compare with your  basic t-ball shirt.  I actually found tutorials online and they were the same design.   So hopefully after a quick trip to the gym today, I'll get to work on it.

I also have a new favorite t.v. show.  I love Covert Affairs with the Piper Pibalo(sp?) chick.  It's so good!  It airs every tuesday at 10:00 p.m. on USA network.  I would definately recommend starting from the beginning episodes online and then going from there.  Normally I'm not into shows like CSI and etc..stuff like that... but this show is about Annie working for the CIA and thats all I can tell you for now.  It's hush hush, lol.  Check it out. The secret guy that this is plotting about.  OMG!  I'm even thinking the totally smart-geeky blind guy, Griffin should hook up with Annie.  His smarts makes him totally cool :)

Baby, Baby

  My friend Danette is having her 3rd girl in a couple of months.  I really wanted to make her something cute and that would actually fit when the baby is born. 

If not then maybe by 6 mnths time or so.  I saw this cute idea with pleats and decorative stitching on one of my sewing shows that I watch and I knew I had to do something comparable to this. 

This is the Sienna t-shirt pattern made with knit on the neckline but the body is not at all knit, which I didn't think about until I had this cute little baby done.  The poor baby might not even be able to wear it because it doesn't stretch on the body at all besides at the neck. 

I'm debating sending it the way it is for a test run or changing it to be open neck on the back somehow.  I don't really feel like I have enough expierence to do this successfully right now.  So I'm either waiting until I have an idea pop in my head or see a tutorial on how to do this and fix it. 

Here is the tutti fruity fabric that they sell at Joann's that is also good for shirring cute little dresses for summer.

A dress for Joce

 So I really enjoyed making this dress for Jocelyn.  It was so fun to make things with the fine tip paint.  It makes me excited to do some stenciling with freezer paper in the future. 

It does make me so happy to see the girls in dresses that I've made.  Totally thrilled!  Like all my hard work of staying up late and neglecting my housely duties has now paid off  :) 

Now I'm wondering if I could do one for me?  Nah...probally not. It would probally end up being a night gown if anything for me. I don't think I could get away with these colors like my beautiful girls do..

The first good smile I've gotten in a long time from her.  This is saying alot :)

Back view of the dress, I stenciled and traced on a bird design which doesn't feel like it belongs but I like it anyways.

Life doesn't get much better than this when they are paired up together with smiles.

2nd Aikido dress Sienna Style

Yes, it should be Jocelyn Modeling these photos.  But she didn't want to and didn't like it because she said the sleeves bothered her.  I tried to avoid anything itchy and sewing decorations on this one for her but on the sleeves I had to sew them down the middle because I didn't extend my sleeves pattern to be one way. 

So here is Madison the only willingly model.  I had to bribe her as well with chocolate chip muffins.  So I guess I should feel just relieved that I could get someone to wear it to put on here. 

Anyways I like this one a little bit better than the other one.  I made a braided belt to go along with it because Maddie requested an Aikido belt.  To funny :) Of course I didn't know that she would end up using it as a weapon like the Airbender she said.

Sienna Dress

 So I made my first 'Sienna' tee shirt dress that I've been working on a couple of days now. It would have probally been sooner but it being the weekend I did what I could with a small amount of time.  I really like it and I can tell that Maddie is excited to wear it to school tomorrow but I'm wishing i would have left off the decorative gold trim. Then Joce could have worn it, the one that it would have probally fit better with. Oh well, work in progress...I'm probally going to add another small layer to the bottom to fit her better for tomorrow..sometime in the night if I get a chance.

She insisted on doing that pose...

Then they all wanted to be in the photo shoot

Finally a Maddie give me a natural smile and pose picture.

Yes my daughter would enjoy modeling, I suppose.

Round Up of Things Mom Has Made

The girls love to wear skirts these days in the hot summer months.  It makes me so happy that on this day they both decided to wear my 'creations' to school.  Without even thinking about it they both picked these skirts and I had to take a 'shot'.  The first one is Jocelyn wearing a skirt comparable to the "Market skirt" that Dana Willard gave a tutorial for a while back.  I think this skirt was made last year and now it fits.

The second one is a creation I wanted to do to see if I could pull off making my own pattern to Ashley Hackshaws new Twirl skirt pattern before it came out.   It came out pretty 'twirly' but I am glad now to have the 'expert' pattern to go off of and see the correct way of things.  She also gives tips for knits and how to sew them. 

Beautiful Little Girl, Happy Birthday!

 A Little Preview of What I Made for Mila

Turning 3

Based mostly, with some modification off of this tutorial

I hope

 you enjoy

 many sunny days

playing on the beaches at Santa Cruz

Keep warm :)

Eclipse

Yesterday was such a blast with the Eclipse Midnight showing. 

Very memorable.  Just like this shirt I designed that I hope my friends didn't hate me too much for wearing. 

I've been looking forward to this movie for about a mnth so while I was waiting I had to do something right?

Thanks for putting up with me and my crazy shirt girls, it was fantastic to spend an evening out with you.

Can you feel it? HOT HOT HOT...oh yeah!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Summer is here for sure...I can feel it!  Today's forecast called for 105 whopping degrees..

~~~~~~~~


What do you do on days when it's so hot all you want to do is stay inside?  Well wake up at the wee early hours of the morning and start sewing of course...


With every day getting hotter, I anticipate getting the kids out of the house and lettting them have some fun at the pool. 

Luckily, the gym that I go to is awesome and has a wonderful kids pool.  

The only downside is..I am and probally always will be self conscious when it comes to showing my booty. I've had 3 kids and it shows! 

So when Dana from Made came up with this Beach towel dress, I knew I had to make time to sew this.  It will get many days use and will fulfill the purpose of hiding things that need to be hidden as I have to walk through the gym by all those heavy weight lifting males. 

Beach Towel Dress

I really like it but for some reason it doesn't look as skinny and thrilling as it did on her.  I feel FAT in it for sure.  I'm hoping it's just the towel and not my fat booty.  But then again, I guess my membership could serve a purpose. To get me to look great in the ....

Beach Towel Dress

sickness

Very much suffering here this week.  First I came down with what I thought was a bad burger,now I guess I have to double think.  2 out of the 3 kids in my family are not keeping anything down so I guess it means we officially have the stomach flu bug around here. 

The results are IN

AND drum rolling in the background....


I NEED MORE PRACTICE WITH MY DEHYDRATOR, that's for sure.

I started the process 6 pm (I think).  Me and hubby checked the items at about 11:00 pm when I was going to sleep but we both felt that they needed to go longer.  At that point, everything tasted really good but we thought they needed just a tad bit longer to have the dried out effect. 

The strawberries were my favorite at that part.  They popped in my mouth.  I should have just bagged them right then and there and forgot about it. 

Hubby tried one of the serano peppers that I put in there, just cut in half and not seeded. 

Okay my man can handle hotness like no other I've ever met and when I tell him at dinner sometimes that it is too hot for the kids (since all my tastebuds are in tact) he thinks it's not hot at all, that is until me and the kids are yelling for something to drink to drown out the hotness.  Then I say see, I told you so..yadda yada

This time though I had to laugh because he immediately turned red in the face and ran for the fridge to drink something, grabbed the OJ, then yelled out in remorse.  I laughed until I cried.

Our conclusion of that is that with the dehydrator it must keep all the flavor entrapped in everything. It was amazing (and amazingly hot to him. lol)

So at that point, back on the hydrator went.

Then...I got tired and told hubby I was going to bed and also instructed him that when he decided to go to sleep to unplug it. 

Umm what I was thinking?  I know how his brain shuts off, the man can sleep sitting up and probally standing if he tried.  So he of course fell asleep (err) and didn't unplug it until 3:00 am. 

I got up this morning and most had to be thrown out besides the peppers and a few that were okay. (I'll let him eat those, lol)

The dehydrator manual said to always put them into storage as soon they come out of the machine.  I think even at 3:00 they would have been probally okay; they just sat out too long and by this morning was stale and old.

So I think next time I will start this project early in the morning or not at all.  Cutting takes time with the veggies and fruit.  Between cutting fruits, veggies, and typing, I think I've developed carpo tunnel in my wrists.  My hands where on fire last night! Yes I googled what could possibly be wrong and that was all I could come to terms with. 

So I better go so I don't have more issues today since my hands feel better.

Here are some photos from the first attempt.  I know it's a learning process with timing and seeing how I like the fruits and veggies to be as far as keeping them in to my preference.  I'm still excited to try again sometime soon.

The way to dried out strawberries

Those are mangos and some kind of white nectarine  (or used to be)

I kept the tomatoes thinking maybe I could add them to chili or something un-noticable

The peppers I didn't try

The banana's where yucky (pitched)  apples where so so..

And that's all, my adventure coming to an end for today

or until I wash everything

Dehydrator

 Me and my hubby have been contemplating for years on getting a dehydrator.  We go back and forth on thinking what we could do with it and then put it off for a while and forget it. 

Well not this time. 

Here is the reasons I've told myself that I desperately needed to spend $50.00 on a dehydrator.

1.  I've been thinking lately that I wanted to start eating more healthy and feeding my family more fruits and veggies to do so.

2.  My son also has allergies so it's gets pretty limiting at times with his dairy allergy as well so the more snacks he can get the better.

3.  My hubby loves dried mangos as well and as a treat sometimes I buy the dried fruit at the grocery stores but you just don't get very much.


4. Yes I need a new hobby to make cooking more enjoyable.

5.  I want to make a garden this year (second attempt) so my veggies will get more use and not go to waste I will dry some as well.

6.  We have a lovely cherry tree that most have seen by now and I'm thinking I can dry some cherries as well.  Good thinking Mom.  Okay that's a great list!

Yes I am mainly buying this for fruits and veggies but it does much more for me. Did I mention sun dried tomatoes? That did it for me right there.
My own dried herbs and potpourri. Yeah!! Give me some fragrance now!


I seriously think that my mom and sis in law will love it as well.    My inlaws always make fun of me and hubby and how we have so many kitchen accessories. I do tend to go overboard on buying things if I think it will make cooking dinner easy.  I am one of those people that try and get the items in store that were previously as seen on t.v. If they have made it to Walmart or Target, then they must work right?  Some do work! 

I may have talked some people into buying my dehydrator just by reading my post. lol (If they don't already have one already.)

So here is my latest addition in my kitchen, I'm sure this one will get much use throughtout the summer months.  I may even send hubby away to go hunting and get some elk for beek jerky, lol. 
I wish!

The list could go on and on and as it did in my brain I thought, "Well this time, I'm going to order it once and for all. "

Organization: Mission Impossible

 With sewing, I have learned that organization is key.

My stash grows all the time, so therefore so does the space needed to accompy all these crazy things in my life. 

I recently wanted to do something with all the patterns that I have purchased since September along with the ones that I have drafted as well.  I also needed a place I could store all my tutorials (most important, lol), warranities, manuals, notebook and notes.  So I thought about it and came up with the idea of doing the binder folder and using a storage bin for my patterns. I originally bought the storage bin to hold my lovely serger and get that out of eyesight, but now I have to figure out another one for that as well. 

Here is pics of what I did yesterday and how it turned out.  I like it so much and feel like I have my own little pattern store.  The much needed binder organization is loved as well.

Here is the Pattern Bin

I grouped it by family member, and by topic

Next is pictures of the Binder I created

When you first open it up, it holds my notebook for sewing

Then I organized my serger and sewing machine manual

I couldn't decide tutorials or manuals first so I think last minute, I decided after the manuals.

Then warranties

Finally I organized all the notes I have taken

That's it.  In a nutshell as I say.  I do think it made a difference going from just laying around and in ziploc big huge bags to this. 

Organization makes me happy, I've learned.  I think I need to major in it.  Someday.

Apron Made For Mom

Many of you know that the much anticipated event is coming up soon, Mom's Day. 

Every year, it's weird. I get a little excited when I think of how I am a mother of 3.  Then it hits me that I can't call my Mom and say the same things year after year that I yearn to tell her. I love you. 

My mom has been gone since December 16, 2002 but for some reason, it still feels like it's only been a year max.  Probally because she was a great inspiring woman and mother and every day I want to live up to her expectations of a mother that she endured; along with missing her. 

On the other hand, I do still have much to be grateful for on Mother's Day. I have a wonderful mother through my hubby.  Also a great sis-in-law that really does feel like my sister as well. 

I recently wanted to make my mom something to give to her for being always so gracious to my loving family and loving to no end.  So I made her this, but I feel like she still deserves more.  I guess when you love and admire someone so much the gratitude will never end for me.  So..

Here is the apron I finished and sent out a couple of days. 

The cool thing is that the initial's work for both my sis and Mom.

Now I want to make one for me, I'll post it as well soon.

Tempura Chicken Nuggets A Big Hit

  Last week I decided to try and do some chicken along with the tempura that I was making.

First I cooked all my veggies in the tempura batter; then I did the chicken. That was due to the fact that just like using a cutting board; do the veggies first and then do the meat. 

I bought one tempura package and I'm assuming that most of it got used up while I was adding more regular all purpose flour in with the vegetables. (Don't forget to use ice)  For my veggies I always do brocolli first because it cooks in about 30 sec.  Then I do my red peppers and end with the veggies that take longer to cook because as I cook, my oil keeps on getting hotter.  The longer the veggie will take to cook; the more hot your oil needs to be.  I always make alot of tempura and one package of tempura isn't enough so I like to start out with 1 package and then add my own flour. As far as adding water as you go, I like different consistency with all my veggies.  I like a little bit of flour on my carrots so if the water and ice is more runny; then I use those veggies and dip them in.   After that I thicken it back up again by using just about a palm amount of flour at one time until it looks the way I like it.  I just sprinkle it all around then stir with a wooden spoon for about 15 sec.  Half way through cooking tempura, you need to add about 4 more cubes of ice to your flour.  I probally thicken my flour up and add more in an average of about 4 times and end up cooking about 4 pnd of veggies.

After frying all the veggies, I added more oil because it was pretty done by that time and needed more. There was only like 1/4 quarter old oil left by then and I at least like to have 1/3 or almost 1/2 of my wok pan filled up.  I added about 1/2 cup oil to what was already in there and picked out all the old tempura pieces with my slotted spoon.

Then a big key to have great chicken nuggets is your consistency with the flour batter. I like it to look like thick pancake mixture.  That is how you produce the chicken nuggets that have alot of batter on them and it kinda makes it like Chili's chicken nuggets if you have ever had them.

I also added a few spices to my flour mixture like paprika, Emeril seasonings and also a little bit of seasoned salt.  I think that made a difference too.

So I ended up doing 3 batches with having 4 BIG pieces of chicken that was cut up into bite size pieces.  The oil didn't cool off to much since I only added a little bit of oil so it didn't take too long to get back to the hot oil that is required to cook it fast and correctly.  You need to put it on high again for a few minutes then when it looks like it is boiling, reduce it to medium-medium high.  Of course for chicken you need to cook it longer than veggies to ensure safety and doneness throughout.  I take them out once they are browned and a little bit longer than that to be on the safe side.

That's it though; although it can be quite difficult at times.  It is worth it though. 


Tempura is a learned art of cooking.  Each time you get better at it and have less burning.  The chicken turned out really good.  My hubby said so first which means alot from him because I rarely get comments from him on dinner.   The kids said it was the best chicken nuggets they had ever ate.  Of course I couldn't do this meal all the time but it is nice every once in a while when I want to have something fryed of course.


Enjoy

CAR SEAT REMODEL

I'm so amazed at how my life has changed since September 09.

That's the month I decided to take up sewing.  Again.
I didn't do too good when I tried the first time to make something from a pattern I had bought from Simplicity back in 2002.  I guess my brain needed a few more years of babies and diapers to mature enough to be able to pull off making an actual pieced together garment.  Looking back it must have been the sleeves that stopped me, those darn infant arm sleeves are impossible!

Anyways..rambling on...

It's now 7 months later and I don't think I've looked back to much at my sewing purchases with regret. But lately I'm wondering if I'm going a little bit overboard with the projects and blog tutorials I want to do and buy fabric for.

I guess there are good and bad things about having all these sewing and craft blogs out there.  The good things are I'm able to maintain my sanity and create something new.  I love looking at other women's creativity.  I guess it's the reason I try harder to think of new ideas of my own.
The bad things are, "Okay mom when are you going to get off the sewing machine?"

Life changes once you are a sewer.  Life is a little bit more filled with "No limits" and "I could just make that myself and "Even pick my own fabric.".

But there are days when you can't stand the way your frame of mind has changed. Today is a very good example of the guilt that comes along with loving sewing.

I recently got a new-to-me Nissan Quest and I'm so excited to have a reliable car again.  My old car was a 1996 Chrysler Town and Country and it has made the trip across America 3 times.   So it was time to let old Betsy go and bring in a replacement. 

I really like my new car and so I decided to clean all the carseats out and wash the covers etc...
Then...I got the big idea..(feeling really guilty)...that I could recover them.

I have seen all those bloggers that have the covers for sell for the infant ones but my kids are older so I am beyond that phase.  I thought I would recover just the girls to begin with since the ones that are on there to begin with are both gray.  Yes I know, now they make the same company boosters pink for the same price.  But back then, they didn't that I could afford at least.

I didn't do too good on the first one and I thought it would literally tear up my sewing machine and my walking foot.  There were way to many layers and I was just trying to sew on top.  I can see why many people have indust. sewing machines now and the higher shank models.  I had to fight just to get it under my low shank one.  I won't get that bright idea again and will not tempt to do that many layers in the future.  I broke 2 needles and the cover is half sewed on but I am done for now....very done.

Maybe another day if it shows stress in the car I might take it out and hand sew it on more.  I'm not much of a hand sewer though.  That's the reason I sew on my sewing machine for sure.

So here is the after pic of the booster seats.  The girls like them and now they have an additional layer to help their tushes.

About the Shirred dress

So a couple days ago, I made a Shirred Dress.  I had not decided yet whether I wanted to give it away to the big sister of the baby shower I was attending; or give it to one of my girls.  In the end, I gave it away because I felt bad about the big sis being left ouf of the baby shower gifts.

I know it meant alot to me when someone brought the other siblings something too...But secretly..
I really wanted to see my hard work on my own girls.  But for some reason they are near impossible to please when it comes to me sewing. 

Most of the time after I get done sewing something for them, after literally sometimes spending all day on it, they won't even try it on.Then I rent and rave about how I'm never making them anything else.

I think they would be okay with never seeing my sewing machine again if it weren't for the fact that they recently started taking beginner lessons from me.

So my oldest finally gave in to me, since my youngest daughter refused.  It's usually the other way around for sure.

I spent 3 to 4 hours on this dress since I wanted to do a rolled hem and do most of the work with my serger. Then I had to figure out if the shirring would work.  It did and I was very pleased with the outcome.  Not so much on the tie strings but the dress turned out cute.  Next time I will know to use double bias tape instead of single.

Here the best pose I suppose I got that morning.  I think I probally bribed her with something to get it.

Shirred Dress

I sat up very late working on this tonight. I really like it but I guess the true test is if one of the girls will wear it tomorrow or not.  We shall see :)  More later on how it came to be.

My entry for Ruffles and Stuff

So a couple weeks ago I announced that I would be participating in the online contest on here. 

Ideas just kept running through my head, but I wanted something unique and that hopefully no one would have already choosen and submitted. 

I think I might have found it.  I made this tonight and I really think it is great.  My idea is very simple to make but will be thought about very often as how I love to read books. So my idea of ruffles is to make a

So you see, every time I read a book I can think of how I love to sew as well.

2 skirts for 2 twins

Here is the 2 finished skirts that I made for Maddie's school friends.  They got all excited when I told them they each had their names on it.

Market skirt

So this week, I wanted to make something for the birthday of one of my daughters school friends. I thought about all the differents things I could make and for some reason a market skirt came to my mind.  I haven't been sewing long, after years and years of sewing remission, but I've made about 5 of these skirts.

To be honest, this Market Skirt and tutorial is what brought me back to doing sewing after many years.  It talked me into buying my brand new lovely Brother 294 stitch, and even made me want to buy a serger to go along with it.

I have to first thank my lovely neighbor for sending me the tutorial.  Of course we blame each other for fuming our sewing obsession; which I totally agree upon. Then I have to also thank Dana at http://www.dana-made-it.com/.  Because if it wasn't for her and also lovely bloggers that share great tutorials and tips, then I wouldn't have the strive to keep at it.  Even if my stitch ripper did get to have a few nights with me and of course me cursing my head off at my blondness. 

Until September of 2009 I was totally unaware of bloggers posting their passions of sewing and creating things, and HTML coding as well.  Now I'm trying to learn both and I look forward to some day being passionately acceptable in the wonderful world of blogging and sewing until I can't see at night to even sew a straight line.  Do I really want to be like all these wonderful ladies that stay up until 2-3:00 am to complete tutorials?  Well I guess that will be more in the future, so for now I'm just enjoying being able to document everything here, YEAH!

There are many more blogs that I go to all the time.  I've sure over time, I will find a way to talk about it here.  So here is what I made, personalized with her name on it.  I hope she likes it!  I'm sure she will since she is 8 and totally into Hannah Montana just like my precious daughter.

Walmart 50% off sale

So tonight I went to Walmart with my neighbor that loves a good deal as much as I do.  Walmart was getting rid of all their fabric .  Everything was 50% off and it was a huge hit.  Alot was gone but I did find some selections that I liked.   I paid 30.00 in fabric and ribbon.  I figured I really got 60.00 worth of fabric.  I can't wait to make some things from what I got. I found some more of the fabric that I used for my bean bags so I figure eventually I will make something else to go along with them. I figured I should probally get a couple of yards considering I'll never be able to get that fabric scheme again.  All in all it was fun as usual when I get to get out for a little while with my dear friend and neighbor. 

Facebook and the typical 8 year old

I would like to start off this night by saying that my daughter is probally your typical 8 year old going on 12 in her young body.  She loves watching all the movies that unfortuately just aren't good for her age.  I remember when I was 8 years old I still hated seeing my Mom and Dad kiss at that point.  Not this little girl, she loves watching all the dating mumbo jumbo and just stares in awe when she sees me and her dad kiss. Ugh..

Tonight was a fun night for me heading off to Joann's with my neighbor and good friend.  But now when I get back home and put my 3 children down for bed, what do I see my new email list.  A confirm of her trying to change my facebook page so she can play her little games.  This really worries me.  She is constantly lying to me about the most simplest of things as well.  I don't know why but I always catch her lying to me and I feel like I have to literally nip all this techno wiz stuff out of her life before it gets to late.  The games are innocent enough and I don't mind them, they are fun for me to watch her play.  She even teaches me a thing or 2.  I've considered making a blog for her but I'm worried about all the prey out there to feast on my little one so I've put that one off for a while.  I do think it would be fun for her but who can trust the internet these days?  Not me I guess since I got home to having a new password.

Miso Salmon

This is one of my all time favorite baking recipes.  I always try to keep the ingredients on hand in my pantry for my favorites, this one is a keeper for sure.

Ingredients:

4 boneless salmon steaks

1/2 cup mild miso

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup mirin

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon ginger root (minced in a can or fresh is always best)

1 green onion diced

Defrost salmon steaks if needed.  Mix together all the rest of the ingredients.  Make aluminium tents for each individual salmon steak.  Make a 8x8 piece of foil and then put salmon in middle and pinch sides together on left and right followed by bringing in the middle section and pinching together.  Poor a little mixture on each salmon steak in the tent until mixture is gone. Cook for 25-27 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 425 degrees.  Serve with sauce on top with steamed rice and vegetables.

Jicama Slaw

Jicama Slaw

1 small jicama (about ½ pnd)

1/4 medium red bell pepper

1 green onion (green and white parts)

2 sprigs fresh cilantro (or however much you like)

1 cucumber (optional)



DRESSING



1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon grated lime zest

1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 tbsp. fresh lemon zest

1 tbsp. Fresh lime zest

1 tbsp. Fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper



DIRECTIONS



With a sharp knife, peel the brown skin off the jicama. Rinse jicama and pat dry with paper towels.

Cut jicama in half, then into thin slices, and finally into matchstick-size strips. Place jicama in a large mixing bowl. Cut cucumber into matchstick sizes as well if added.

Cut red bell pepper into 1/4-inch dice; add to bowl with jicama. Cut green onion crosswise into 3 pieces. Cut into thin strips and add to bowl. Coarsely chop cilantro (leaves and stems) and add to bowl.

Combine the dressing ingredients into a seperatea bowl and pour over the salad, tossing to coat. This is much better marinated for 1day, tossed to coat; then serve.

Hello revamped new header, I LIKE YOU :)

Wow!!   So here I am at 11:50 pm wondering why I'm not in bed instead of making a new header for this sewing and creating website that will one day have visitors. 

No, I'm not talented as others and I don't have a mother around anymore or any close by relatives to steal ideas from; but I'm always searching my mind for new ideas to make my home more eye pleasing to me.

Today I realized once again why I love where I live. 
Number 1:
My kids can now go out and play and can continue doing so for 9 more months instead of 5 tops where I used to live.
Number 2:
I just noticed today that my wonderful cherry tree has blossoms on it.  Cherries will be on it soon!  I'm so excited.  This is my second cherry season here and this year I plan on definately doing some canning.  There are so many cherry recipes online for canning.  I can't wait to try some out.
So here is my new header that I took outside this afternoon.   It also doubles to cheer me up as well, when the winter months come and the cherry's have come and gone. 

I really like it!

March fun and Contests

So I love to follow Ruffles and Stuff and the lady that does the stuff on the blog is no ameteur, that's for sure.



She is kicking off March with a banging contest, that I definately want to partipate in. She says do anything in "Ruffles" and she is going to pick winners to get some great prizes. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do to contribute and send to her.

More to come in the next few weeks ahead as I am in birthday party mode around here for my two lovely daughters, both which happen to have March Birthdays.

Bean Bags

Okay so it's been a long while since I've done anything that requires sewing. I guess I got into a funk where blogs just look like more fun that actually completing a sewing (assignment).  But I did however get to do a project and I'm actually quite impressed with the amount of work that I put into it and the reward that I got.   A couple of years ago my great sister in law bought me bean bags but unfortunately without a cover, they didn't last long.  I wish I would have been so into sewing back then because they where awesome.  So this time I purchased my already made bean bags from target.  I figured by the time I pay for stuffing; if I made it from start to finish it would be about 20.00.  So why not just buy it already done and then add the cover to prevent spills from hopefully getting through.  I did spend about 20.00 in fabric for the cover so it did cost a little but I think will be worth it in the long run.  So I found a pattern with Simplicity and decided that I would change it a bit and made the top and bottom both the same.  Mine is not to be like the traditional ones that way when I get bored with one side, then I have the other side. On one of the bean bags I actually decided to go with working with Knit and I am so glad that I did.  I did my usual checking the MADE blog to see what the Boy item will be today and I'm so glad that I did.  Naomi off of Omi Creates decided to do a onesis tutorial and co-host and gave tips on how to sew knits.  I am totally glad that I read that today.  One of the tricks that I didn't do before totally made a difference on my project, I know because on the first side I messed it up and on the second one, it looks good.  She said to first do ballpoint needles, (okay forgot that one, but usually I do I was just in a rush today)  and then the second great tip is to use the walking foot to make the knit fabric move in correctly.  OH MY Gosh did it ever make a difference.  I got a walking foot along with my Brother 294 stitch back in September of 09 but I never once thought about using it with knits.  It was amazing.  So amazing that I think I'm an idiot for never using my walking foot before.  I used it more besides just the knit that I needed to applique, lets just say that. Anyone without a walking foot should run out and get a generic version at their local Joann's if they don't own one :)  Well here is the finished project that with serging, and sewing, took me a week to put together for 2 bean bags.  Here is some pics done with my lovely free posers that love them so much they had to jump on them for hours tonight..