Rabbit and the Piggie

Raspberry Merlot Brownies

2012-02-06T19:02:00.000-08:00

I concocted this for a party we went to over the weekend. It was inspired by a cupcake I had a couple weeks ago...more on that later, here's the recipe I'd like to share:

Raspberry Merlot Brownies

2 sticks butter

7oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 ¾ cups light brown sugar

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup merlot

2 cups frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat (stir until smooth). Beat sugar and eggs until smooth. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, merlot and chocolate. Stir well. Pour into pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle raspberries on top. Bake 50 minutes.

Back to the inspiration. I went cupcake tasting in Santa Barbara a couple weekends ago with my friend Tania. We tasted all kinds of goodies from Alison of Sugar Cat Studio - Winner of Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. Alison is super nice and her cupcakes are to die for! If you're ever in the Santa Barbara area, make sure you stop off at one of the retail locations that sells her cupcakes. Check out her website for all the different flavors. Anyway, we got to taste 6 different cupcakes and my favs were the White Chocolate Coconut, Blackberry Syrah, and Cookies & Cream. I happened to have an opened bottle of merlot when I baked the brownies and thought why not. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed. It turned out very good : )

Play Mail

2012-02-04T16:44:00.000-08:00

I saw these on Pinterest and thought it was a wonderful idea to get rid of some of my left over felt. I made it with a velcro closure in the back. I personalized one for each of my kids and made a bunch with zig zag stitch.

Below is a template for your use.

Beauty Tip - Toner

2012-01-16T15:06:00.000-08:00

I don't know what took me so long to do this...I now transfer my toner into a little spray bottle and apply by misting my face and pat. I used to use cotton balls and it was driving me crazy that I was letting the excess left on the cotton ball to waste in the trash. That and the fact that I was creating trash from my daily routine. Initially I made re-usable cotton pads out of flannel scraps I had in my stash. Then one day, ah ha! I thought of the spray bottle. I love that I'm using every drop of the product and reducing trash : )

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

2012-01-12T14:06:00.000-08:00

Trying to get my kids to eat more veggies, I recalled reading about other mothers smuggling cauliflower into mac & cheese. I gave it a go last night. Turned out pretty tasty.

I modified the Real Simple's Cauliflower Mac & Cheese bake recipe with the following:
3 slices of wheat bread
seasoning - a couple dashes of Tabasco, 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, 1/4 tsp truffle sea salt
I made the cheese sauce with:
4Tsp butter
4c 2% milk
1/4c flour
4oz cheddar, 2 oz Gruyere cheese

Caring for Your Engagement and Wedding Rings

2012-01-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

source

This was the topic of a recent email I got from Martha Stewart - I'm still on the wedding daily email subscription since my sister got married earlier this year. I was particularly interested in the cleaning of your jewelry section:

Clean Your Ring

To keep your ring sparkling, clean it often to remove lotions, skin oil, and everyday dirt, which cloud it. (1) You can soak the ring in warm water and mild dishwashing liquid, and scrub with a soft toothbrush, says Tracy Lantz, associate director of public relations at the Diamond Information Center. Or (2) soak it in equal parts ammonia and cold water for half an hour, and let it air dry. Any brand-name jewelry cleaner is another good option.

I tried both options on my stud earrings. They were in dire need of a cleaning. I found that the ammonia concoction was far more effective than diswashing liquid. All the yucky grime simply melted off into the solution. Awesome!

Doll Stroller Revamp

2012-01-07T10:42:00.000-08:00

This was my daughter's play stroller at Grandma's house. It's seen better days. She got another one Christmas in pink I re-covered it with some fabric lying around the house so that my little guy will have one to push around too. The problem with the original was that it's make of cheap nylon with ugly teddy bear print. It tore at the bottom, so what ever stuffed animal or dolly riding in it, always fell out!

I spent the afternoon cutting and sewing and this is how it turned out.

I simply took apart the original and used it as pattern to cut the replacement.

Tech Sleeve

2012-01-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

I made this sleeve for my sister using this tutorial from Dog Named Banjo Blog. Since the original tute is for an iPod Touch, I made some modifications to fit a Kindle Touch. In the event you need one, here are the measurements:

14 3/4" x 6 - one of each for lining and exterior. I happened to use the same fabric.
14 1/4 x 5 1/2 - batting (i used instead of fusible fleece) to back the lining fabric.
14 3/4 x 6 - pellon fusible webbing for exterior to stiffen it up.
2 x 3 - one of each for lining and exterior flap (which I fused 1 piece with webbing)
sew on Velcro

Measurements for an iPad 2 are as follows:
20 3/8 x 8 1/2 - one of each for lining and exterior
20 3/8 x 8 1/2 - 1 to line the interior fabric
19 7/8 x 8 - pellon fusible webbing for exterior fabric
3 x 3 - one of each for lining and exterior flap (this time I sandwiched batting)
sew on Velcro

PJ Pants

2012-01-02T20:19:00.000-08:00

I made some lounge pants from my hubby's old PJs that was torn for my little guy. I simply laid a pair of pants that fit him now on the bottom of Mr's old pants, cut and sew! Since the fabric is worn nice and soft, these are super comfy. I did reinforce the seams with the serger, if you don't have one, just zig zag along the seam to prevent it from coming apart.

Succulents

2011-12-31T09:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a easy way to add a little green for those of us that do not have a green thumb. Succulents are low maintenance plants that are a beautiful accent anywhere at home or in the office. I saw some at the gardening center in glass containers that looked very modern. It's easy to replicate the same feel with found items at home.

I used a glass container from an old candle. After the fact, I realized it's better to lay down an inch of gravel or aquarium stones to help drain the soil. Then transplant your succulent, that's it! I bought mine for $2.99 and got 2 plants in one container.

Tomato Spinach Quinoa Salad

2011-12-30T07:41:00.000-08:00

I was at Farmers Market over the weekend and someone was selling a quinoa salad. I almost bought some and then realised I had some at home in the pantry. This is a very simple and quick preparation. Cook your quinoa and set aside. I added juice from 1/2 of a lemon, chopped sundried tomatoes, 1/4 bag of frozen chopped spinach (defrost in microwave), and tossed with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Next time, I think I try TJ's just chicken, curry powder, and some mango chunks. Sounds good doesn't it?

Glitter Nails

2011-11-18T13:35:00.000-08:00

I've seen a lot of glitter nails every where. Instead of going out and buy glitter nail polish, I used what I already have: clear nail polish and glitter (Joann's dollar bin). I applied 1 coat and sprinkled glitter on top, then another coat to seal it in.

Black Raspberry Swirl Cupcakes

2011-11-14T21:02:00.000-08:00

I made these black raspberry swirl cupcakes last week. I simply added a teaspoon dollop of black raspberry jam into the cupcakes ans swirled with a toothpick before putting them in the oven. These were finshed with cream cheese frosting.

Peter Pan Hats

2011-10-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

For the Piggie's b-day party, I made a bunch of these Peter Pan hats for the boys. Her theme was fairies. I ordered fairy wings for the girls, but wanted to give the boys something they can dress up with as well. Initially I wanted to do Gnome hats, but after consulation with one of my girlfriends, decided the Peter Pan hats would be a better route. I used the tute from Make It & Love It.

Cotton Web Belt - Peguin Knock Off

2011-10-16T13:23:00.000-07:00

The inspiration came from Peguin Clothing. The Mr saw this online and liked it. I told him I'll make it for him. How does my version measure up?

The only thing I would change is to go with a wider webbing.

Products I Love - Hand Lotion

2011-10-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

I wanted to start sharing on a regular basis on some of the good finds out there. So my here it goes.

I've used a lot of different hand lotions. Especially after having kids, I'm constantly washing my hands. I hate the greasy feeling you get with some products. I feel an effective hand lotion should moisturize and absorb into your skin. That said, my favs are:

These are premium priced products, but a little goes a long way. I think you'll love them just as I do.

Boho Bling

2011-10-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

Using the same technique as the Hippie Chic bracelets I made, I swapped out the ball and chain for a strand of rhinestones and made this. I love that it's understated bling. I also used a clasp instead of a bead for closure - more of a finished look.

Saving a candle

2011-09-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

I love scented candles. I think that's why I love going into Aveda or Anthropology...it's always scented in their stores. I usually get soy candles since they burn longer, at lower heat, and clean. A few years back I found Wicked Bean at my local farmer's market. I instantly fell in love with their unique scents - White Tea Cactus, Winter Sage, and Chardonnay & Apricots. Sandra, the founder taught me to light candles for at least long enough for the top layer to pool. That way you get a complete burn vs a hole down the middle. I thought this hold true with all candles, nope. I got a soy candle from Pottery Barn as a gift and no matter how long I burn the darn thing, it doesn't seem to pool the top layer. It's a total waste that probably 1/2 of it is left.

Solution:
Put the candle in the microwave to melt down the soy wax.

Drop in a wick and wait.

Ah ha!

Coco

2011-09-29T08:40:00.000-07:00

Coconut water is all the craze these days. When I was pregnant with my first, my mother used to buy young coconuts by the case at the asian markets and have me drink these. I got hooked! She still buys in bulk for me. I'm just not very good with hacking the tops off...so she has to do it for me. A case of 9 can go for only $6.99. When I'm in a bind, I settle for Vita Coco. It's as close to the real deal. Other times when the urge hits and I'm at a store that doesn't carry Vita Coco, plan B is Zico.

Instead of Cards

2011-09-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

What a great idea! I have another baby shower to go to this weekend. I think that's my 6th year to date! It was requested that in lieu of cards, to give a book and write your well wishes inside. That way the child would have something of permanence to enjoy. The only down fall is you really can't get popular books, in fear of the child getting duplicates. So I hope no one else go this one:

Pom

2011-09-27T01:55:00.000-07:00

My parents tree is producing a lot of fruit this year. I came home with 2 re-usable bags full of these lovely pomergrantes. I shared some with my neighbors with plenty left. I usually cut them and peel under a large bowl of water to prevent spraying. But today, I remember seeing an episode of Martha Stewart Living where she got the seeds out but tapping the skin with a wooden spoon! Here's the video clip with the

founder of POM.

I plan on juicing and putting it in the freezer for later use.

There's a ton for recipes on POM Wonderful's website. I can't wait to try the:

POM Sorbetto

Little Mave Guest Giveaway

2011-09-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

Little Mave Guest Giveaway

Grograin is hosting a $120 giveaway with Little Mave!

Coconut Cupcakes

2011-09-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

I make these a couple times a year, and every time it's a hit. I fell in LOVE with coconut cupcakes years ago when I used to work in Santa Barbara. My co-work Deb would make a batch a couple times each year and bring it in for all to enjoy. I really never even considered trying it, but everyone said I had to, even for someone who doesn't particularly like coconuts, I was an instant fan. Deb made her using Ina Garten's, aka Barefoot Contessa, recipe. Very good, calling for lots of sugar, butter and eggs = 774 per cupcake!

While listening to Good Food on KCRW (local LA NPR radio station), I heard about an interview with LA Times writer Noelle Carter about Auntie Em's. He even included the recipe in his article. So I gave that a try. Tastes pretty darn close to Ina Garten's. It calls for oil instead of butter and less eggs = 463 per cupcake. The recipe yields 18, but I always come out with 20. Mine are probably a wee bit less since I use low fat cream cheese for the frosting.

Special Thank You!

2011-09-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

Look at what arrived this week. I entered in Luke & Hailie Girl's giveaway sponsored by Under a New Light a couple weeks ago, and won!

If you have a chance, go check out both the blog and the website.

Banana Carrot Bread

2011-09-16T08:29:00.000-07:00

The Piggie and I made this lovely banana carrot bread over the weekend. I found the recipe on Preetys Kitchen blog. I modified it with 1 ½ cups of carrots and 2 mashed bananas. I didn’t have plain apple sauce on hand, but did have a small cup of raspberry applesauce I found in the refrigerator. This is a dense and moist loaf. We're enjoying it very much.

Hippie Chic

2011-09-14T08:15:00.001-07:00

I made these wrapped bracelets using the tutorial on Honestly WTF. Since I was out of town and couldn't find the supplies listed, I modified my materials using hemp cord instead of waxed linen, 2mm cotton cord instead of Greek leather, and plastic bead trim instead of ball chain. Looks just as great for a fraction of the price! I'll be trying out the rhinestone version for some extra bling.

This is what $7 buys at Whole Foods

2011-09-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

We went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner last night using the a Groupon we bought ($8 for up to $17 in 2 combo meals). Which is good for us because we go there maybe once a month. The Mr stayed with the Piggie as she finished her ice cream cone. *If you don't want the book they give you in the kids meal, you can swap it out for an ice cream cone. I walked over to Whole Foods because my sister has been raving about Icelandic yogurt being better than Greek. Anyways, I went over there with the intent of buying apples and yogurt. I walked in and saw a beautiful display of heirloom tomatoes and had to take one home for me. Finally on my way out I walked by a sea weed display. For $0.99 I wanted to try out their "low sodium" version. To be honest, I really don't know how it compares to the ones you get at the Korean market. Now I know the low sodium is 50mg...I'll make sure I check.

So here's the deal - I'm all about trying to eat organic and buy local. However for $7, I feel like I can get a lot more bang for my buck at farmer's market. I paid $2.49/lb on the apples and $3.59/lb on the tomato. I guess that's the premium I pay for getting pseudo farmer's market fresh on a whim. I'm just saying.

Bird Cage Veil

2011-09-12T17:54:00.001-07:00

Bird cage veils are all the rage these days with brides. My sister wanted one for her wedding to my surprise. You can find them all over Etsy and at Bridal Salons. We felt a little hesitant if it would work with her dress and didn't want to spend a small fortune on it. We found a great tutorial on ProjectWedding.com and I ordered supplies from on GS Boutique on Etsy. Total cost was less than $8.00! It totally completed her look : )

Fabric Button Magnet

2011-09-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

I keep a bag full of scraps from previous projects knowing that one day I can use it for something. Last night I made fabric button magnets. To make your own fabric buttons, you can pick up one of these kits from Joann's. I used pliers to pull off the button loop in the back and glued little round magnets to the back using my E-6000.

Multi-Grain Blueberry Muffins

2011-09-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

I got my most recent copy of Real Simple magazine in the mail a couple days ago. While thumbing through, I came across this Multi-Grain Blueberry muffin. It only has 189 calories per muffin and can keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. So I made a batch last night and they were delicious. I had most of the ingredients in my pantry, I just had to get some plain non fat yogurt and frozen blueberries. It worked out to be $0.40 per muffin.

I was planning to link the recipe from Real Simple Magazine, but they haven't posted it yet, so here it is:
1 1/4 C whole wheat flour, spooned & leveled
1 C old fashion rolled oats
1/4 C flaxseed meal
1/4 C pecans (I didn't use nuts in mine)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt (I used TJs sea salt)
1 C plain non fat yogurt
1/2 C packed light brown sugar
3 Tsp unsalted melted butter
1 T grated orange zest, plus 1/4 C orange juice
1 lg egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 C fresh blueberries or one 8-oz bag frozen blueberries.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a food processor, process flour, oats, flaxseed meal, pecans, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until finely ground.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, butter, orange zest & juice, egg, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture & mix until incorporated. Fold in blueberries.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 22-25 mins.

Muffins will keep at room temp for 3 days, and in freezer for 1 month - warm in mircowave 1-2 mins

I added 1/2 tsp of almond extract in a second batch and it makes it even more kid friendly.

Diaper sack

2011-09-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

I made a couple draw string bags for the kids to keep their socks and undies (hers) together. Then it dawned on me that I can make a sack as a diaper clutch. This holds a few diapers, wipes and a disposable changing pad. Nice alternative to a full blown diaper bag. I would have used the one I've already made, but left it at a friends house a few weeks ago when we were there for a birthday party.

Jersey Knit Scarf

2011-09-01T22:40:00.000-07:00

From the pile of fabrics I picked up a few weeks ago, one of them was this charcoal gray knit jersey with light grey lined pattern for $0.25! Initially I had planned to make a little ruffled skirt for the Piggie, but then decided on something for myself instead. I made myself a scarf for fall. I just cut strips and re-attached them on as one continuous loop. Turned out pretty cute. I would go just a bit wider next time for a fuller effect.

Hearts for Dinner

2011-09-01T11:02:00.001-07:00

The little Piggie is actually really good at eating her veggies. We don't have to do much to get her to eat corn or peas. She started really diggin on broccoli after reading "Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli" by Barbara Jean Hicks. We met the author last year at Santa Babara's Children's Books Festival and got a signed copy. Last night, I got an email from my sister-in-law about using muffin tins for feeding toddlers and got a little inspiration. I usually serve the kids their dinner in one of these slotted trays from Target. This time I used my heart shaped cookie cutter for her sandwich. She was DELIGHTED!

Veggie "Cupcakes" (Muffins)

2011-08-31T06:02:00.000-07:00

I made Dana's (MADE) Veggie Muffins over the weekend for the kiddos. I made a couple modifications: 2C shredded carrots, 2 bananas, and a little less than 1C of sugar. They were delicious!

Making a bow hair clip

2011-08-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

Make pretty preppy pinwheel bows for hair clips or head bands.
Supplies:
5/8 in ribbon
3/8 in ribbon
aligator hair clip
hot glue gun
fray check
measuring tape or ruler
cardboard or cardstock

First create your bow template. I made mine 3 in wide and 2 1/4 tall. Then cut a slit in the middle. I just drew a line down the middle to guide my cut.

Clip the end of your ribbon on the template and wrap.

When wrapped around creating 2 loops on either side, clip in place and cut the ribbon.

Stitch in the center of the ribbon using your slit as a guide.

When you're done, it should look like this.

Slide off the template.

Pull the thread tight and it will create a bow.

Wrap the thread around the center to hold in place.

Tie off the thread and you'll have a bow looking like this.

Using the 5/8 in ribbon, tie a simple knot.

Hot glue the knot on the center of the bow, covering the thread.

Attach the bow on to a clip with a dab of hot glue. I pre-wrapped mine with the 3/8 width ribbon so the metal is covered to protect the head.

I just put a bit of hot glue to attach and wrap the knot over the top of the hair clip to secure.

Give yourself a pat on the back for making a beautiful timeless hair accessory for that special little girl in your life.

Here are samples of some others I've made:

Anthro Inspired headband

2011-08-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

Feeling high with inspiration after making my son's belt, I made a little something for me! These scraps were cut off from my hubby's pants I hemmed last week, and from the vest I made my son for my sister's wedding. I put this on a pin so I can attach it to either head band, hair tie, necklace or even a plain tank top. I vaguely recall seeing something like this at Anthropologie...or even J Crew?

Pillow Covers for my Hand Me Downs

2011-08-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

My sister moved to DC last month and gave me these pillows. The one in front had a hole in it that I just stitched up. How lovely the look with just a couple simple new pillow covers : )

I got fancy with the pillow cover in front, it's double sided. One side is upholstery and they other is cotton for a more casual laid back look. This was my first attempt at invisible zippers, I clearly didn't do a very good job. My sister was really impressed because initially she thought I piped it! None the less, still loves lovely.

Out of Necessity Comes Creativity

2011-08-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

So cliche, I know. I've been looking for a belt for my little man and haven't really seen anything out there that's not too cutesy. That with my desire to make something for him, since everything I've made lately has been for my daughter, I turned scraps into a reversible belt! The scraps above were from pants I hemmed for my dad and husband over the weekend. I really loved the colors and fabric. Since the grey is of cotton canvas, I really didn't need to line the belt for stiffness.

I think it looks totally cool for a little man.

***Update - My husband thinks it's pretty cool too and wants one for himself : )

Yo Yo

2011-08-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

At the suggestion of my cousin, I tried making a yo yo flower clip with some scrap ribbon. I used 2 different sized ribbons and stacked them on each other to create a little more contract and dimension. I also used button to finish it off and a tail to give it a little more flair. I am pleased with how it turned out. The inspiration came from this head band worn my Piggie during her Janie & Jack shoot a couple months ago.

Super Duper Easy BBQ Baby Back Ribs!

2011-08-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

This was last night outside of my house as I'm waiting to pull dinner out of the oven.

And this was dinner! Yeah, you read that right, out of the oven not on the grill. I came across this super easy fool proof recipe online a few months ago when I googled BBQ ribs. This is awesome because I can put it in the oven with only 5 mins of prep time and get this delicious mouth watering slab of meat in less than 1 1/2hrs. Seriously. I've done this almost once every other week and finally remember to take a picture before eating it. HUGE THANKS to Becks over at Delish for posting this recipe. I used Emeril's Essence as a rub with the salt and pepper.

How to eat your vegetables

2011-08-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

I saw this healthier zucchini bread recipe on Prudent Baby come through this week and was anxious to give it a try. It was easy and delicious. Definitely worth a try.

At my neighbors suggestion, I picked up some of Trader Joe's pizza dough last night for $1.29 each. I've been diggin on thin crust pizzas these days, so I only used 1/2 of the dough to make a nice veggie pizza for lunch today. Instead of rolling it out, I just stretched out the dough to fit inside my ceramic baking pan. I used marinara sauce and cut up some veggies I had lying around.

In my oven, I had to bake for 16 minutes to get it golden and crispy. I think the instructions on the package said 12 minutes. I know generally when baking with ceramic dishes, you gave to go a little longer than a metal baking sheet. I got mine a few years ago at a Pampered Chef party.

I don't know what took me so long to try this!

Fine tuning the jeresy knit bow

2011-08-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, after tinkering a little bit more with what I had...I think I'm finally happy with what this version.

I'm working with a BIG roll of jersey knit that's 1.5 wide. I've cut them down to: 1.5 x 3 strips.

Feed a needle through each strip back and forth...with strip overlapping the last.

When completed with last strip, pull thread tight so you cinch the pieces into a bow.

Wrap your thread around center a couple times, secure and tie off.

Take another strip 3/4 x 2 and tie a knot to cover your thread. You can either hot glue in place or sew the seams.

For a fuller bow/flower - use more strips. This is what 4 strips of fabric will produce in fullness. I wouldn't use less than 4 for jersey knit because your bow will look sad and wilted.

I guess you can use other fabrics to create the same effect. I'll try and report back.

DIY Play Dough

2011-08-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

Got this recipe via Instructables to make a batch of play dough for the little Piggie. I only made a half batch as a trial run. I used a couple drops of The Body Shop's diffuser oil to give it a nice pretty smell. It was what I had on hand. I guess if ingested, it will have little impact since it's so diluted. Anyway, I made mine in pastels...she didn't care to go too vibrant in colors.

Jersey Knit Accessories

2011-08-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

I found this roll of pink and white stripe knit in LA couple weeks ago and instantly thought of a couple accessories posts. The first that immediately came to mind was Lil Boo Blue's Pom Pom hair accessories. Then I remembered V and Co's bracelets. I was super excited try making these.

My first attempt at the pom pom was pretty sad. I followed the tute but modified the cut pieces based on the width that I had...I went 5/8 x 5. The pom pom wasn't full enough.

So my second one I tied it off to give it a bow effect. Still am not lovin it.

My 3rd I went for a smaller one: 5/8 x 2 1/2. Much better!

With extra pieces I had cut, I tried something else. I layered 3 loops and sewed in the middle to create a bow and then tied a knot around it. I'll probably just hot glue it onto a head band. Cute!

I had to modify my bracelet tho. I have small wrist and don't normally wear bracelets. Even using the tute's thinnest version, it was too chunky for me.

So I just braided mine, like the necklace I made a while back. There's a few tutes online including Lil Boo Blue and Cakies.

I also saw a cute version for kids and adding a bow instead of a knot to hide the seams (as soon as I remember where I saw it, I will provide a link). So here's the mini I made for the Piggie.

LA Garment District & FDIM

2011-08-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

I've been reading on the shopping adventures of Dana at Made & Ashley over at Lil Blue Boo in the LA Garment District, I've finally went on a trip of my own last weekend. I met up with a friend at Angelique Cafe for brunch and headed out for shopping.

I made these simple head bands from elastics I bought at one of the stores.

I also picked up zippers and grosgrain ribbons. The ribbons are for more hair bows for the Piggie.

These sample fabrics were at the FDIM scholarship store 3 for $1. They're small cuts of fabric but I think I got enough of the larger pieces to put together a super cute dress, pillow cover and a couple zippered pouches.

I also bought some additional knits, cotton and upholstery fabric.

Can't wait to get started!

Family Memory Game

2011-08-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

I've seen some great ideas out there for making fabric memory games for the kids. Most using either color, print, or clip art iron-ons. I decided to make one with family pictures for my kiddos. My sister gave me a packet of iron-on transfer paper when she moved to the east coast. I just picked out some fav pics of family, cropped and print them wallet sized (2 sets). I ironed them onto old white sheets and backed them onto fabric.

I heart Craigslist

2011-07-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

The little Piggie has been wanting a car since she took my neighbor's mini cooper for a spin. Thanks to Craigslist, we got her an early b-day present for a fraction of retail.

Re-usable snack bag

2011-07-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

You’ve seen them at all kinds of retail stores from the big boxes to the boutiques. Why pay a small fortune for one $3 - $8 (depending on the store), when you can make your own for a fraction of the price with your fabric scraps?

My first set of bags were made with cotton fabric and zip loc bag lining. Then I made some with canvas lining…they’re great for pretzels and crackers. Then I found some waterproof nylon at the discount fabric store. What you need:

5 x 10 fabric

5 x 10 lining fabric (zip loc bag, fabric, or nylon)

4 1/2 in Velcro

Serge your short ends of fabric and liner together with right sides facing each other

Turn inside out and sew Velcro on each end with zig zag stitch. I just eye ball center the Velcro.

Fold in half with fabric facing each other on serge up the sides.

Turn inside out and you’re done!

Feeling Blue

2011-07-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

I've decided to go blue in the living room. It started with the mosaic wall art. Then I switched the curtains from the dining room. I recovered a couple pillows with remnants from Joann's for $2.

The carpet was the finishing touch. I feel like we've just moved to a new place. Next item is to put up a mantel over the fireplace and build out a shelf.

Martha's Mac & Cheese

2011-07-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

I made a modified version of Ina Garten's Mac & Cheese on Sat for a potluck at my girlfriend's house. It was a huge hit. Too bad I didn't save any for my hubby...I honestly thought I would have left overs! With left over ingredients, I tried Martha Stewart's Mac & Cheese this morning. It sure photograph well : ) Await the taste test from the family.

I got a food processor finally! It made life sooo much easier not having to grate the cheese by hand. What took me so long??? I got mine on-sale from Macy's 4th of July Sale for $69.99! They're also having a special that if you donate $3 for a book charity, they'll give you a $10 gift card. So my processor was only $62.99 before tax. That's a great deal considering it retails for $149.99.

Tangled and Some

2011-07-02T16:13:00.000-07:00

No, not the movie...My son keeps getting is foot stuck in the slats of his crib. He hasn't woke up screaming yet, I just keep noticing it when I check on him through out the night. I used left over foam from my daughter's bumper I made last year and made a quick cover to attach to the crib.

I also managed to make a couple re-usable snack pouches. I see these all over the Internet. I actually contemplated on buying a couple at Toys R Us yesterday but decided I have enough scraps to make some. I lined fabric with Zip Lock freezer bags and Velcro closure on the top. These were basic pouches and makes me feel better that I can re-use them.

Again, with the weather getting warmer, the kids are starting to wear tank tops. Seat belt straps are very uncomfortable. I honestly don't know what happened to the ones I made a year ago...so I had to make new ones for the car seats for the kiddos. I just cut out 5 x 5.5 inch squares and fold them over. I did back the fabric with pre-made quilted fabric to give it more padding instead of batting - which I didn't have any on hand.

Last week I made Real Simple's Pasta Carbonara and Italian Sausage. This recipe was in one of my old magazines..I think it was from a couple years ago. It was very easy to make and very yummy.

Post Wedding

2011-07-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

My sister's wedding was a total success, but what wedding isn't? All the effort in helping her with the details paid off. I loved how everything finally came together.

Gavin's outfit fit him like a glove. Daddy's already put in an order for a vest to be made for him!

Bella's $20 Target dress only required a green satin ribbon to give it a nice finishing touch.

My sister wanted a bird cage veil and I used this tutorial to make it. I got my supplies from , on etsy.com. It looked a little strange and bloated initially. But after we put it in her hair and pinned it down, it was amazing...I was like - I made that!

I also made ribbon flags for attendees to wave at the recessional in addition to the pom poms.

The table runners looked awesome with the center pieces. The green damask print from Joann's brought just enough color to tie everything together.

The favor bags turned out supper cute too. I just printed the custom monogram heart from Wedding Chicks and ironed them onton muslin bags.

Flat Front Pants

2011-06-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

For my sister's wedding, I was looking for cute grey linen or cotton suit. You would think that would not be difficult, I must have looked in all the wrong places because I didn't find it. I thought for sure Easter would be my golden opportunity, still nothing. I did find a charcoal colored sports coat from Janie & Jack on super sale for $22. So I decided to do that with khaki pants. That was unfortunate too, because my guy had out grown his pants... or should I say flood pants? I had an epiphany...I remember seeing on a tutorial on Dana's Made blog on making little boy pants. So I gave that a go.

This was my first attempt (sorry about the quality of the pic...I couldn't find the DSLR). The tutorial was very easy to follow and the pattern was free and down loadable. I like the owl pattern for pjs. I made another pair in khaki colored linen, but I didn't "fit" him for the elastic waist, so it's a bit snug.

Finally, I made the grey ones here. They're lined with white sheets. Turned out really cute! Thanks Dana!

Ring Pillow

2011-06-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

I made this little ring pillow for my son. I simply used scraps from his bow tie and my grandmother's white sheets to make this. I attached fabric covered buttons on both sides so we can attach the ribbon to the button and secure the rings. The bottom button will be used to attach an elastic to secure the pillow on to my son's wrist to prevent him from dropping the whole thing.

Little Man's Vest

2011-06-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

My son will be the ring bearer at my sister's wedding this weekend. Thanks to Ashley's tutorial at Make It and Love It, I made this cute little grey linen vest for my little guy. Her instructions were super easy to follow and made my vest in just an hour or so. I didn't have buttons on hand, so it took me a couple days to finish. But you can see how darn cute it turned out. I picked up the linen from Joann's with a 50% off coupon...so 1 yard was only $4.50. I used the fabric for both this vest and pants.

I used a vest we I got as a 3 piece deal at Target for only $6 as a template. He'll be wearing this for the rehearsal.

Following instructions to piece together the linen front and back pieces.

I lined it with white sheets from my grandmother in Australia - she can't make it for the big day. And below is the finished vest! So darling!

Draw String Bags

2011-06-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

I made these to keep the kids socks and underpants from getting commingled and lost in my suitcase. I'm checking 1 large suitcase with my stuff along with the kids. I thought this would provide a much better way to organizing their small items. Lingerie bag for the kiddos just like their mama : )

I also made a couple bags without the draw string to pack my shoes. I didn't want the bridesmaid shoes get banged up in the suit case. I did that one with scraps from the Piggie's flannel snowman pillow case.

Garland to "Sparklers"

2011-06-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

I tore apart the pom pom garland from my sister's bridal shower and hot glued them to wooden dowels. We'll be waving these at her wedding this weekend instead of tossing rice. I'll be making another batch with satin ribbon too.

Catching up from April

2011-05-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

With my sister's wedding coming right around the corner, and a whole mess of other social commitments...I've been really behind on posting. I've made a bow tie for my son to wear at my sister's wedding in June. I actually made 2. The first one here was a little too bulky for my son, he's super petite.

I've been cooking too! I love quiches and like many things I love, I'm starting to realize I can make. Using a basic quiche recipe from Real Simple Magazine I clipped out years ago.

Here is another basic quinoa cooked in chicken stock topped with balsamic vinegar roasted butternut squash with spinach & ricotta stuffed chicken breast.

My Sister's Bridal Shower

2011-04-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some details from my sister's bridal shower this weekend. Each of the attendees went home with a choice of hair pins or earrings. Little guests got Tinkerbell sticker earrings and rings from Michael's.

Our Hostess Erin opened her home for the party for 15 people. This was the coffee station. Show sweet : )

Erin also made quiches, chicken salad and scones.

Shannon brought caprese salad and hummus & pita.

Michelle brought a veggie tray and pasta salad.

I made cream cheese cookies, coconut cupcakes and raspberry chocolate brownies.

Yarn Pom Pom Garland

2011-04-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

Taking inspiration from the recent issue of Sweet Paul, I thought wouldn't it be sweet make a yarn pom pom garland for my sister's upcoming bridal shower? I've been making pom poms a few each night while I watch TV.

That blue gizmo is a fancy pom pom maker you can buy at Joann's or Michael's, or you can simply make your own using Prudent Baby's tutorial. Once I had made all my pom poms (18 from 1 bundle of yarn), I strung them on yarn with a beading needle.

Then you just space them out as you like. So, here's how they look in my living room.

BTW - I love my new camera. I can take pictures at night in my dark living room and they still turn out decent!

Spicy Soy Garlic Chicken

2011-03-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

Made this for lunch/dinner today. This is an easy & fool proof recipe:

1 family pack of chicken thighs & legs (6 of each)

1/2 C soy sauce

2 Tsp honey

2 Tsp sriracha

3 gloves garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix soy sauce, honey, sriracha and garlic in a small bowl. Coat chicken in sauce and place in oven safe dish. Drizzle remainder sauce all over chicken. Bake 1hr, skin side down for the 1st 30min and flip for remainder. Enjoy!

Sleeping Beauty

2011-03-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

Even with blinds and curtains, for some reason I can't seem to evade light. I can keep it pitch dark in my bed room when I go to sleep, the problem is that the Mr likes to read his magazines in bed. And he tends to do that for at least an hour. Solution: sleeping eye mask! Duh! I made one a couple years ago and spent the last few weeks looking for it. Then a couple weeks ago I went on a Mammoth snowboarding trip (sans Mr & kids) and knew I was going to be in the "singles" room. You never know how late other people want to stay up and you certainly can't have the room pitch dark...how are they suppose to find their way around? So I actually made an eye mask and brought ear plugs. It worked great. Unfortunately, it fell out of my purse on the drive back into my sister's car! I can't wait for her to remember to bring it. So here it is, an assembly line of mass produced eye masks. Besides for myself, I've made extras for an upcoming event and my girl friend's daughter's school x-mas boutique (i know, it's only March!).

I got the template a long time ago here. Prudent Baby also have a great tutorial if you need step by step instructions. I did use their tutorial for inspiration on mine. Never thought about using minky. Anyways, you simply cut out your materials. I had left over satin damask print from a previous project.

Since my satin and minky fabrics are so light, I lined it with a dark flannel to help screen out light.

The stacking order is flannel, minky then satin. Make sure the minky and satin's right sides are facing each other. Pin the elastic sandwiched between the minky and satin.

Stitch all around leaving a 1 inch opening on the top to turn inside out. Then top stitch the entire mask.

Raspberry Brownies

2011-03-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

In the event you're wondering why all the sweets recipes...I'm trying them out because I'm making a sweets table for my sister's up-coming bridal shower. Good thing I've got a preggo neighbor to help put away all these calories!

I got this recipe from the Spring issue of Sweet Paul (online magazine). If you haven't seen it yet, you have to check it out. There's great ideas of the kiddos and a bunch of recipes!

Netbook Sleeve

2011-03-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

Our friend Brian lent me the Asus netbook to play around and see if I like it as opposed to going out and buying the iPad. I'm still in the process of learning the functions. But I do like the idea of being able to use Internet based programs and browse blogs on it as opposed to my laptop that weighs a ton.

Using scraps from the Christmas stockings I made a couple years ago and the toddler's backpack. I made a simple sleeve.

Sewing Book

2011-03-07T19:50:00.000-08:00

Look at what UPS brought the other day!

I've come across Oliver + S patterns all over the place in blog land. They have the cutest nostaglic patterns for kiddos. I ordered my book from Amazon. There's a couple projects I'm really looking forward to making - reversible bucket hat, cozy winter hood, messenger bag and bear carrier! Too cute.

Quinoa Butternut Squash & Spinach Risotto

2011-02-26T19:19:00.000-08:00

I found this quinoa risotto recipe this week and gave it a try tonight. I made a few modifications to the recipe and it still turned out delicious:

Replaced onions with celery, and peas with frozen spinach.
Used powdered thyme instead of fresh.
Skipped on the goat cheese, sage, and walnuts

This was easy and super healthy. Now I just have to convince the kids to eat it.

PS - I kinda miss my sewing machine. I think I'll work on a couple projects this week.

Yummy Yummy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie

2011-02-25T22:02:00.000-08:00

I LOVE chocolate chocolate chip cookies. Feeling kinda confident from the Bakelab, I found this super easy recipe on Allrecipes.com. We reduced the recipe in 1/2 and make 24 cookies. The Piggie and I whipped it up in no time. Also, I baked on Pampered Chef stoneware bar pan. I had to increase the cook time to 14 mins per batch. Boy oh boy...these were delicious : )

Fun ring and earrings

2011-02-24T21:03:00.000-08:00

I made these a couple days ago when my supplies from Snapcrafty arrived.

I used industrial strength adhesive - E-6000 (sold at Home Depot, Joann's or Michael's) to glue the flowers onto the ring and earring posts.

They're just too cute!

I thought these would be a nice compliment to the flower hair pins I made a couple weeks ago.

Free Sample of Valspar Paint

2011-02-22T20:30:00.000-08:00

Got my free sample of Valspar Paint today in the mail. You can get yours too here. I can't wait to find something to paint. Actually, I already have something in mind, it a matter of finding it. Here's a peep at what I want to paint.

Zucchini Soup

2011-02-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

With inspiration from Gina's Skinny Recipes, I whipped up a batch of soup totally on the fly for lunch. I used:

1 package of fresh zucchini from Trader Joe's, chopped
34 oz box of chicken stock
2 carrots chopped
1 med onion chopped,
2-3 cups of water
salt & pepper to taste

I haven't been drinking my V8 and thought this would be a great way to get my veggies. I paired it with a ham & swiss cheese quesadilla for lunch. Now I have some left overs for a couple more meals. Nice and warm soup for this wacky cool weather.

Mod Podge Rocks!: $1 Mod Podge pennant art table.

2011-02-21T23:15:00.000-08:00

Mod Podge Rocks!: $1 Mod Podge pennant art table.

This is a great idea for a kid's craft table. Now I'm itching to head out to local thrift stores so I can make one too!

French Macaroons at Bakelab

2011-02-21T17:23:00.000-08:00

Yesterday in celebration of my friend Tania's birthday, we spent the afternoon at the Bakelab learning how to make french macaroons!

We were partnered up 2 per workstation.

Here's our ingredients set out for us to measure out.

This is an industrial sized food processor. We hand to process the almond meal with the powered sugar to get a fine consistency.

This is the marshmallow-y texture you need to get the meringue whipped to before adding the almond meal and powdered sugar.

Then you just fold the mixture and pipe onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

This is Kristin, our teacher and owner of Bakelab. She was great. Not only did she teach/show us how to bake, but educated us on the science of how baking works with these little delicate treats. Besides macaroons, she does classes for a number of different treats. You can check them out on her website.

And here's our cookies out of the oven...

on the rack to cool off.

For the sake of time, Kristin pre-made the chocolate ganache and brought a jar of strawberry preserves for us to sandwich.

I feel very confident that I can turn out a batch at home. Can't wait to try it : )

Valentine's Day Cookies

2011-02-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

I picked up heart shaped cookie cutters this week at Michael's for $1.99. Using the cream cheese sugar cookie recipe on Blonde Designs (via Homemade by Jill) and store bought frosting, I whipped up a batch of these. What's great about the recipe is that you can make the dough ahead of time and stick it in the fridge. The recipe yields more than 24 cookies. The Piggie had a great time decorating with sprinkles. The cookies are delicious. This will be my go to recipe. Thanks Blonde Designs!

More Desk Blotters

2011-02-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

Remember what these looked like when I first got them? You can see it here. Since I knew I was going to use a lighter colored fabric for my sister's blotter, I wanted to make sure the car parts don't show through. I primed the entire thing before adhering the orange and white graphic print.

For the Piggie, I painted it with cheapie Joann's acrylic paint, then coated it with Mod Podge.

I wasn't too concerned about the spreading the Mod Podge evenly since it all dries clear anyways.

The initial intent was to use this for her watercolor painting, but I'd have to varnish it to be water proof. So, for the time being, it will simply be for her to draw and use as an over sized place mat.

Mod Podge Desk Blotter

2011-01-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

A little Mod Podge can go a long ways. My hubby brought home a few desk blotters home last night. He thought it would be nice for the Piggie to paint on instead of having to tear open a paper bag and lay down on the table for her to work. I just covered it with some pretty fabric with Mod Podge. Super cute. This one is for my desk. I'm still deciding on what kind of print I want to use for hers.

*Don't mind my toes, they managed to sneak in the picture!

Mosaic Art Reveal

2011-01-27T13:39:00.000-08:00

Ta dah! I finally finished this little project I started a couple weeks ago after seeing the tutorial on Remodelaholic. You can read more about it on my previous post. I'm so loving how it turned out. After a coat of Mod Podge, it looks totally like something you'd by at Z Gallerie.

Bathroom Mirror Revamp

2011-01-27T13:25:00.000-08:00

I finished painting the bathroom vanity in the hallway last week started working on re-vamping the standard 1970s apartment style mirror. Using this tutorial I picked out trip at Home Depot and asked them to cut to size. After I painted the trim, I mounted them in place to make sure everything fits correctly. Believe it or not, my entire vanity and mirror was installed on a tilt. Not leveled at all! Oh well, I'm not ripping out the vanity. So this is how it looks held up with painter's tape. I'm going to have to clean up before I post the reveal.

Mum Bobby Pins

2011-01-27T13:15:00.000-08:00

I saw this tutorial online over the holidays and thought these would make great little party favors for my sister's up coming bridal shower. I ordered supplies from a vendor on esty.com who's closing shop, so I got everything 30% off. In no time, I made 10 pairs of bobby pins. I'll also be making some earrings, but these flowers are too big for ears, so I have to do more shopping for an appropriate size. They did turn out super cute. I have extra supplies on hand for last minute gifts.

Mo Mo

2011-01-21T08:54:00.000-08:00

Last night we attended the Pre-Wedding event at Bloomingdales South Coast Plaza with special guest Monique Lhuillier. She was showcasing her new china wear and a few of her wedding gowns roaming around. Local vendors offered sampling of appetizers and drinks including champagne and pineapple martinis.

I had no idea how durable china is. This guy is literally standing on a tea cup!

After Bloomingdales interviewed Mo, we all had a chance to meet her personal and get wedding tips from her. Seeing that I’ve been married for over 7 years, I was pretty honest and told her I just wanted a photo op! She was very nice. And tiny! She was wearing 3-4 inch boots and still only my height.

As a “bride to be” attending the event, I did get a swag bag full of goodies. Chanel samples, wooden spoon, table runner, expresso spoons, Wustof scissors, dessert plate and some reading materials inside a beach bag. I’d say it was a fun couple hours!

Mosaic Art Work in Progress

2011-01-19T15:51:00.000-08:00

A tutorial compliments of Remodelaholic. To summarize:
Take 9 sheets of 12 x 12 scrap paper and cut down to 1 x 1 squares:

Paint out a canvas in black paint and glue each square in place, working from border in:

Yeah, I know...I'm almost done:

Hallway Bathroom Vanity Re-Vamp

2011-01-19T15:43:00.000-08:00

What a simple coat of paint can do! I'm sick and tired of the boring original builder's vanity in the bathroom. Thought a coat of dark paint would help bring the vanity back from 70s.
This is what it looked like before:

Here's after 1 coat of paint:

And here's after 2 coats:

I'll be framing out the mirror as well to match the vanity and changing out the toilet paper and towel rack too.

Formula Canisters

2011-01-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

After 2 yrs, I finally decided I'm sick and tired of looking at the formula canisters I recycles to hold my glue and cutting supplies. So I used some scrap fabric and covered them! They're no longer a total eye sore : )

Black Apple Doll Gifts

2011-01-03T21:04:00.000-08:00

I made these lovely dolls as this years Christmas gifts for all the special little girls in my life. I made 5 total, each with a different dress. The tutorial by can be Emily Martin found via Martha Stewart's website here. These were relatively easy to make. I simply painted the eyes and mouth with fabric paint.

Spinkles Cupcakes

2011-01-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

I got 2 boxes of Spinkles cupcake mix for my birthday a couple months ago. I made the red velvet ones for a holiday dinner party. They were a hit.

It's a Circus

2010-12-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was my little guy's 1st birthday party. All the effort in getting the details paid off. I really love the way it all came together. This was the center piece table for the party.

We had all the workings of circus inspired goodies - the birthday cupcakes topped with clown cupcake toppers, jelly beans, frosted animal crackers, pop corn, cracker jacks, and cotton candy! The goodie bags had whizers, Chinese yo-yos, a box of barnum circus animal crackers, and star sunglasses.

The same fabric from the goodie bags was used as a table runner to add contrast to the red table cloth for added pop!

We bought a 30 helium balloon kit from Michael's with their weekly 40% off coupon and made mini center pieces for each table.

I found this circus themed banner and birthday banner at Alin Party Supply and the these dangling things there too.

I strung monthly pictures of the little man to see how he's grown over the year.

With left over fabric from the goodie bags for a banner.

I think he and the rest of the guests had a good time : )

Black Apple Doll

2010-11-19T11:49:00.000-08:00

My first of many Black Apple Dolls for this year's Christmas gifts.

My Easy Split Peas Soup Recipe

2010-11-19T11:39:00.001-08:00

1 lb of split peas

2 small carrots diced

3 stalks celery diced

1 med onion diced

1 can chicken stock

1 lb of ham diced

3 cloves garlic smashed

1tsp thyme

Olive oil

1. Sauté onions and ham in olive oil until onions are translucent.

2. Stir in carrots, celery, garlic and thyme.

3. Add chicken stock and water to bring liquid approximately 1 inch above ingredients in stock pot.

4. Bring to boil and simmer until peas dissolve.

Repurposed Sweater Dress

2010-11-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

I totally forgot to take pics before I started cutting up my old cashmere sweater. There were a couple moth holes that were to big. Initially I thought about cutting off the sleeves to make cozy winter leggings for the Piggie and a pillow for the living room with the body of the sweater. But then I realized that the hole was positioned such that required some kind patch to cover up the pillow. Then I thought a sweater dress would be prefect. I used one of her dresses as a template and cut the body, then cut the sleeves and re-attached using my serger. It turned out pretty darn cute!

I have to go back and fix the seams in the armpit. I guess I didn't close it off the first go around!

Piggie's 3rd B-day

2010-10-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

I finished all the capes and the tutus with 1 day to spare for the little Piggie's Princess Birthday party.

Lots of tule for 8 tutus.

Tissue paper pom poms decorated the door ways.

Multi colored felt circle garlands hung. You can kind of make out the poster above the fire place. It's of the Piggie in the middle of all the Disney Princesses.

Card board coloring castle to entertain the kids.

Recycled birthday banner from her 1st birthday.

Foam crown and tiara decorating table.

Little jump house.

Her cake with all the Disnesy princesses on top.

A princess in all of her glory.

Capes

2010-09-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

I've been busy sewing away for the Princess Birthday Party next month. The girls are getting pink princess tutus and the boys are getting royal blue capes. I used the pattern from the Long Thread to make these. I really didn't want to make them double layered, just wanted to be able to quickly zip them out. I initially tried serging the edges then fold over the seam, but that was more work than I wanted to do. So for my second attempted, I made double biased tape and finished off the edges with it instead. This was much faster, easier, and looks way better. I know the boys are going to love being Prince or super hero.

It a big project

2010-09-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

My Aunt has a breakfast nook in her kitchen with a window seat. The cushion was in terrible shape. She's literally had the same one from when she first moved in like 20 years ago. The fabric looked like terrible 80s floral bedding and was completed wore out that the foam was exposed! She asked me to make her an updated current cushion for a replacement. This thing is 2 yards long and 30 inches deep. Lucky for her we found this awesome upholstery fabric at M&L for $2.98 a yard. I recently got a 50% off coupon for Joann's so the foam was $40 (3 in thick). I think she'll be very pleased with how it turned out. I was off on my measurements and one of the corner is bunched up a little bit. But it's ok because it's a corner that faces the wall.

Stylin' Cool Sheets

2010-09-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

Using the tutorial on Prudent Baby, I whipped up this stylin' cool sheet my little Man's portable crib today. This was a quick little project completed at lunch time. I picked up the fabric in the remnants bin over at M&L a few months back and didn't know what I was going to do with it. It just so happen to be the exact measurement for this project. All I had to cut was the corners!

Princess Snow White

2010-09-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

I made this Princess Snow White inspired tutu for the little Piggie to play dress up. Sometimes she's the Pink Princess and other times she wants to be Blue Princess. I still have to put the finishing touches on her Cinderella tutu I had made last month for her. This one didn't turn out quite as well as the one I was trying to mimic done by Stephanie Rose of Double Equis. I'm still pretty please with it.

Here's the Piggie modeling her new tutu!

Capes

2010-09-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

Tutorial form The Long Thread Make it Monday!
Super Hero Cape for the boys at Piggie's Princess Birthday Party!

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-08-27T22:38:00.000-07:00

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Fabric Therapy

2010-08-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a rough week at work for me...today's lunch time fabric therapy really helped. I've got a couple ideas of what I want to make with these.

2 Is Better Than 1

2010-08-05T22:59:00.000-07:00

I finished the pink backpack for Piggie's little friend. Aren't they just adorable?

I'm so proud of my handy work.

Initially, I was going to finish the seams by serging. However, it was not very "clean" on the Piggies, so I opted to trim with pinking shears instead on the pink pack.

I even considered using bias tape, but there's too many layers of my poor little sewing machine to get through : ( Maybe some day I'll upgrade my work horse.

Cinderella

2010-08-05T22:51:00.000-07:00

Here's the beginning of what might be a Cinderella tutu for the Piggie to play dress up. She likes to pretend to be a Blue Princess. I saw this totally adorable tutorial on Samster Mommy Blog for a Cinderella Tutu and was inspired to make one. I really like the way it is now, so don't know if I want to add the wings/flaps on the side. I'll brew on it for a while and decide later...

There's also a great idea for a Snow White inspired tutu as on Double Equis. I'm in the process of getting my materials together for that one too. I guess eventually the Piggie will have one for each of the Princesses!

Toddler Pack Work in Progress

2010-08-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a work in progress of my #2 pack. This one is actually the gift to a 3yr old. I also managed to go back to the Purl warehouse today at lunch and picked up even more canvas for more packs to make. I found these adorable prints.

Straps

2010-08-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today I made a couple strap covers during lunch. The one on top is a reversible camera strap for any standard Nikon or Cannon SLR. I used this turorial posted on Skip to My Lou. I made a couple modifications to the tutorial. I used (2) 2.75 x 27 batting instead of fusable fleece. I made this as a thank you gift to Susan Bible of Baby Bliss Photography to thank her for the wonderful family pictures she did for us. If you're ever in the Santa Barbara area, I highly recommend booking a session with her. She's great : )

This is my new seat belt cover. The one I previously made was a little to big so it slides down the strap and I find myself having to constantly move it back into place. This one is cut a little smaller 7.5 x 7.5.

Shrimp Dinner

2010-08-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

I wish I took a picture of my yummy shrimp dinner, but I was too anxious to devour it!

I concocted this recipe last night and had a WOW dinner in less than 20mins!

1/2 lb jumbo shrimp deveined (I bought mine at Henry's already deveined)
1/2 package of linguine
1/2 - 1C chopped sundried tomatoes (mine was from a jar from costco. I use it for panini sandwiches too)
1 can artichoke hearts - cut into quarters
1 lemon
1Tsp powdered thyme
4-6 cloves garlic minced (i use a garlic press)
Salt & pepper
Olive Oil

1. Boil water for pasta.
2. Wash shrimp and toss with olive oil, lemon juice from 1/2 of the lemon, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Water should be boiling by now, cook pasta with salt and olive oil.
4. Chop sundried tomatoes and quarter artichoke hearts.
5. Heat large skillet with olive oil. When HOT, toss shrimp mixture and stir fry for approx 2min. Shrimp should be translucent pink, not cooked all the way through. Remove from heat and set aside in a separate plate.
6. Stir pasta, toss sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts in skillet and cook until warm. Return shrimp.
7. Pasta should be al dente, drain and add to skillet. Mix together until incorporated. Serve (garnish with fresh basil if you have some on hand).

I was very impressed with my mad cooking skills.

***Emeril's Braised Short Ribs recipe is also very easy and yummy. I made it twice in 1 week.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/braised-short-ribs-recipe/index.html