Persia Lou

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

This is what I did yesterday. I mean, all that I did yesterday. I always forget how long sugar cookies can take. But. I do love them.

This is maybe the third time I have decorated with royal icing. I am still getting my technique down. See how my "flood" is a bit lumpy up there? But it is getting better. There are so many amazing people out there who make beautiful cookies, but one of my favorites is Bake at 350. I used her recipe/tutorial for royal icing.

I had some leftover bags from my kid's valentines and some lollipop sticks, so I decided to do some small heart cookie lollipops. I love the way they turned out!

Hope your day is full of love, smiles, and sweets!

Colorful Valentines (Free Printable!)

2012-02-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make crayons with my kids for a while now, and Valentine's Day seemed like the perfect excuse to do it! I bought a couple of silicone heart-shaped muffin pans from the dollar section at Target about a month or so ago, and we put them to use!

Rather than give out candy, I thought these colorful hearts would be a fun V-Day gift. I made up a simple topper you can download below, print off, and let your kids color.

This is a simple project that the kids can really take control of. The hardest part is this:

Peeling off all those papers is not so much fun. My son was not so into it, although he did really enjoy breaking the crayons into pieces. My smart husband thought of using an Xacto knife to slice through the wrapper, which worked really well (that would be an adult job, of course).

Once you have all the paper peeled off, break your crayons into pieces.

And then fill up your muffin tin with your color selections. (This is the fun part!)

When you have your color combinations perfected, put the pans into a 200 degree oven. It should take about 20 minutes to melt the crayons down.

Something I Learned: Those cheap crayons they give you at restaurants and the like are no good for this project. Our first batch had some of those mixed in, and they never, ever, ever melted.

Anyway, when your crayons are all liquified, let them cool for 20-30 minutes, pop them out of the molds, and Viola!

Aren't they purty? And fun to color with too!

We were making them for our friends, but my kids have already picked out their favorites to keep for themselves.

If they go too fast, you may need to make an extra batch or two! And if you want to give them away as valentine's for all your buddies, all you need is some flat cello bags (I used 3" x 4" like these) and some of my toppers!

Let your kids color them up, write their names on the back, staple the toppers on, and you are good to go!

Download the free topper printable here!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Linking up at Passionately Artistic, Michelle Paige, Blue Cricket Design, Tutus and Tea Parties, and Sarahndipities.

I'm Back!

2012-02-06T22:36:00.000-08:00

Or on my way at least.

Around the end of November, I went back to work part time, and between that, Christmas, and life, I got behind on my posting and emails. And then I started feeling anxious about being behind. And then I just had to shut that part of my life off for my sanity. But. I'm ready to get back to it!

So. If you have emailed me or left me a comment in the last couple of months, I am sorry that I haven't responded! I will try to get back to you in the next couple of weeks.

I have lots of fun projects to share with you, and I'm hoping to have a couple of Valentine's projects to show off in the next day or two. See you soon!

Pumpkin Blender Pancakes

2011-11-13T21:26:00.000-08:00

I el-oh-vee-ee (that's LOVE) blender pancakes. That's right, blender pancakes. Do you know what I'm talking about? I'm talking about the number one way I use the many boxes of wheat I have stacked up in my closet. [Side Note: Why do I have boxes of wheat stacked in my closet? Because it is healthy, has a super long shelf life, and helps my family be self-reliant. You can read more about that here, if you want.] The basic idea is you throw whole wheat berries into your blender with some other ingredients, and whip up some pancake batter. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

Some of my favorite things about blender pancakes:

They are WHOLE wheat. Like, seriously. The whole wheat berry.
They are quick.
I only have to wash the blender and one skillet.
The blender is perfect for pouring pancakes.
My kids love em.

So, its that time of year when I think basically everything should have some pumpkin thrown into it, and over the past few weeks, I have perfected my pumpkin blender pancake recipe. Here's how you do this.

First, take your wheat (see the recipe below), and put it in your blender.

Hello there, wheat.

Introduce your wheat to some milk. I use skim to keep down the fat and calories, but you could use whatever you have in your fridge.

And start blending! It will take about five minutes (or faster, if you have a fancy shmancy blender) to blend up your wheat and milk to a nice creamy batter like this:

Then, add the rest of the ingredients (this is when the pumpkin comes in) and blend until everything is combined.

Finally, pour your batter onto a hot griddle or skillet right from the blender. I usually sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips onto the batter after I pour it into the skillet.

I like a bit of maple syrup on mine, but really, you don't need it. Yummm.

Pumpkin Blender Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat berries (I use Hard White Wheat, but Red Wheat should work well too)

1 1/2 cups skim milk

2 large eggs

2/3 cup pureed pumpkin

3 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp mini chocolate chips (optional - do not blend!)

Blend milk and wheat in blender for five minutes or until smooth.
Add pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. Blend until combined.
Pour onto a greased griddle over medium heat. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, if desired. Cook until bubbles begin to pop. Flip pancake and cook for 1-2 minutes longer.
Enjoy!

Linking up at The Girl Creative and Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things.

Littlest Helper

2011-11-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

I already shared this on facebook, but I couldn't help putting it here too. Do I not have the cutest little helper?

Handmade Gift Guide 2: Firefighter Dress-up

2011-11-10T08:14:00.000-08:00

This gift idea is a lot like the Nightmare Before Christmas.

Well...

It is in the sense that it is kind of a mash-up of Halloween and Christmas. As soon as I finished my son's Halloween costume, I realized that this costume was going to outlast the Trick or Treating candy. He wanted to wear it ALL the time, which didn't always coincide with my plans.

Dress-up clothes are fun gifts for kids, and as I perused the aisles of clearance Halloween costumes in the past week or so, I saw several that would make fun gifts.

This firefighter dress up cost me only a few dollars and a couple hours to put together. To make the jacket, I started with some black cotton I had in my scrap stash. I used one of my sons t-shirts as a guide to make a loose pattern, and sewed the shoulders, sleeves, and side seams, leaving the cuffs, collar, and hem unfinished.

Apparently, this is a firefighter face.

I used yellow duct tape to finish off the edges of the jacket and form the collar. Adding the duct tape gave my flimsy cotton fabric more substance and helped the jacket maintain its shape. It also saved me some stitching and added the look of reflective strips used on firefighter uniforms. Finally, I added velcro closures and a felt patch.

I made over a cheap, plastic firefighter hat (you can get one for free at Firehouse Subs!) by adding a felt number to cover the original logo.

And what is every firefighter's most important accessory?

An adorable dalmatian, of course! :)

Linking up at Thrifty Thursday at Saved by Love Creations, Get Your Brag On Link Party at Gluesticks, and 20 Below Thursdays at Christina's Adventures.

Handmade Gift Guide 1: Gifts from Posts Past

2011-11-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

Do you have friends who, on November 1st, announce that they are completely done with their Christmas shopping? Maybe you actually are one of these miracle workers? Well, I have never been that on top of anything in my life. And this year, I decided I wanted to make most of my Christmas gifts, which means I am doubly behind.

BUT! It is all going to be okay. I've got all kinds of handmade gift ideas cooking up in my brain. And we totally have enough time to get this stuff done. Right? Right. So, right here around this little blog, we are going to focus on handmade gifts for the next month or so. To make it official, I even made a button (You can copy the code and paste it on your blog or site if you are really REALLY excited about all of this):

To get us started, I decided to go through my old posts and see what ideas could make great holiday gifts. Here's what I found:

These are a great gift! Use your family history stories to make hardcover storybooks. The small size would make an wonderful stocking stuffer. I have been meaning to make more of these, and now I'm remembering how much I love them. Time to get on it!

Of course, a throw pillow is always a fun gift. I've made a few, but this felt lattice pillow has been a popular one.

How about a embellished tee? Or you could try stenciling this big bow on a bag.

Or, if you like to crochet, you could try out one of my free patterns:

A baby blanket covered in ruffly flowers? (She seems to like it!)

Or give my cozy buttoned cowl a try.

I've got lots of new ideas to share in the coming weeks! Be sure to follow along or like my facebook page so you don't miss any of the handmade gifting goodness!

I Tried It Tuesday: Cake Batter Rice Crispie Treats

2011-11-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, I like chocolate. Especially dark chocolate. Especially dark chocolate with sea salt or toffee. BUT I am really more of a vanilla-cinnamon-caramel kind of girl, if you know what I mean. So, when I saw this recipe from Gimme Some Oven for cake mix rice crispie treats floating around pinterest, I had to try them. Right away.

Basically you just mix in a little bit of dry yellow cake mix in with the butter and melted marshmallows. Then throw some sprinkles in (don't you love sprinkles?) for good measure. I thought they were absolutely delicious. My husband claims they taste just like regular rice crispie treats. But, then, I wouldn't call him a discriminating rice crispie connoisseur. Have you tried them? Will you try them?

My little bowl and I think you should. :)

Linking up at Sugar Bee Crafts and Funky Polka Dot Giraffe.

Ghostly Brownies

2011-10-30T23:16:00.000-07:00

One more Halloween treat. Just one. These were simple, cute, and my son's favorite. You can see Betty Crocker's instructions here, but they are pretty easy.

Make brownies. I baked mine in a cupcake pan because my 8x8 pan has mysteriously disappeared (ooh spooky!), but I actually like the little round brownies for this. Just make sure to grease your pan really well if you bake them this way.
Stick a marshmallow on top.
Warm some frosting up in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.
Spoon the frosting over the marshmallow.
Stick three mini chocolate chips in the frosting to make a face.

See? Easy Peasy. Goopy Spooky.

Linking up at Momnivore's Dilemma Halloween Link Party, Somewhat Simple's Halloween Link Party, Polish the Stars' Halloween Party, Halloween Link Up Party at Eighteen25, and Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things.

Candy Corn Cupcake Tutorial

2011-10-30T22:50:00.000-07:00

Hey! What do you know? I made something from my Halloween Wish List! That's right. Check me out. All doing things I want to do and all that. Woot!

I originally saw the idea for these candy corn cupcakes pinned here, and I thought, "Cute. So simple. Must make." And I did.

Now. Listen. These cupcakes do not taste like candy corn. They just have cute candy corn colored frosting. You could probably make candy corn flavored cupcakes, but, honestly, I'm not sure I'd be that into it. What I am into is Martha Stewart's Snickerdoodle cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (because I pretty much think all baked goods could use some cream cheese frosting).

If you want to make your own candy corn cupcakes for next Halloween (or hey! these could be a fun Thanksgiving treat, yes?), here is the best technique I worked out.

I filled my plastic piping bags with frosting, and cut of the tip to the width I wanted (a ziploc bag would totally work). I didn't even use a tip because I'm gangsta like that (also because I don't have one big enough).

Start with a yellow ring. You don't need to fill in the whole thing.

Add an orange ring on top of that, and then add a white kiss on top:

Hold the bag vertically above the cupcake.
Squeeze the bag until a little mound of frosting builds up.
Slowly pull the bag away from the cupcake, releasing your squeeze as you move up.
Ta-da!

DIY Little Pinocchio

2011-10-28T17:10:00.000-07:00

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One of my dearest and oldest friends asked me to help her outfit her little boy for Halloween. She probably only has one more year of picking whatever Halloween costume she wants, so she picked Pinocchio. Perfect for a real BOY like this little guy!

My friend pointed me in the direction of this amazing Pinocchio costume and tutorial at For the Good Days. I followed Cammi's tutorial pretty faithfully with a few adjustments.

One touch I added was a stripe of embroidered trim to the sides of the shorts just like the real deal.

via Amazon

To add the trim, simply sew it down centered on the side of each leg before hemming or completing the waistband. Adding the trim before hemming or completing the waistband allows you to finish the trim off when you complete those steps.

I think the trim makes the costume even more special, as you can briefly see here. :) This wooden boy can MOVE.

Run, Pinocchio! Run!

The hat is probably my favorite part of the costume. I went through a few trials before I hit upon (what I think is) the perfect shape. So, shouldn't you benefit from my trial and error? I think so!

Pin It

Here it is!!

Fold a piece of felt in half, and draw this shape onto the felt using your child's measurements. I found it easier to use a piece of yarn marked to the right length for the bottom of the hat. This helps you to get the curve to be the right length. I thought seven inches was about the right height as Pinocchio's hat is not too pointy. If you were making this hat for an adult or older child with a larger head, you might want to add a little to the height.

Once you have cut out your hat, sew down the line marked above. Then turn the hat inside out, and press up the back of the hat about an inch and a half. If you are using inexpensive felt, be sure to use a cool iron or else you will melt your felt. Finally, glue on a strip of blue felt (or a ribbon would be cute) and a red feather! (Stinkin' Red Feathers! - Who knows the movie? Anyone? Anyone?)

Linking up at Momnivore's Dilemma Halloween Link Party, Somewhat Simple's Halloween Link Party, Polish the Stars' Halloween Party, Tatertots and Jello's Weekend Wrapup Party, Simply Creations Link Party at Simple Home Life, Halloween Link Up Party at Eighteen25, and Once Upon a Weekend at Family Ever After.

I Tried It Tuesday: Pumpkin Cookies

2011-10-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

Last week, my brother came home from Afghanistan. Yay! It is so good to have him back home. I wanted to make some pumpkin cookies for the welcome home dinner, and decided to try out a recipe I had found on pinterest: Let's Dish's Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting.

Mmm mmmm mmmm. These are good. They are certainly NOT low calorie, but so good good good. I used Danelle's tip to flatten the warm cookies with the bottom of a glass, and that worked out perfectly. I used half and half instead of cream because for some reason I thought that would make the cookies healthier. (I mean, after three and a half sticks of butter, I don't think the half and half is making much of a difference, but I guess I live in a make believe world.) And the frosting seemed a bit runnier than it should have been (more like an icing), but it was still delicious.

If you are looking for a new pumpkin treat to try out, give these little cakey delights a whirl. I think you'll like em!

Fixing the Ugly Wall

2011-10-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

When we moved into our home, I quickly discovered a wall that would annoy me for months to come. It is a small wall - about four feet wide - next to our staircase. The wall sticks out into our family room area, which means if you are sitting on one side of the sectional, you are staring right at it. And here's the problem:

The builder decided, "Hey. I know. Let's put the doorbell and the thermostat and two light switches all in the middle of this wall so it is impossible to put anything pretty on the wall." Great idea, builder.

So for a good year and a half, I gave the wall dirty looks. I made excuses for the wall when we had guests. The wall and I - we were not friends. Then, one day, I saw this on pinterest:

the little things

Genius! Use a bunch of white picture frames to camouflage the ugly doorbell, thermostat, etc! So, here's my after:

I am feeling like I need to bring my collage a bit lower to hide my light switches more effectively, but that means I need more picture frames. I am also a bit wary of bringing the collage too low - little hands and all that.

Whaddaya think? Do you have a wall that could benefit from some camouflaging collage?

Linking up at Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things, Making Monday Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T., and Weekend Wrapup Party at Tatertots and Jello.

Halloween Dreams

2011-10-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

I want to live in a magical world where time grows on trees. That sounds weird. Let's try this: I want Hermione's time turner. But instead of taking a gazillion classes on wizarding history, I would give my kids like five naps a day and get a few want-to-makes off my Pinterest Halloween wish list.

In this dream world, I am throwing an awesome Halloween party. I mean. Seriously. Your mind will be blown.

First, I will send these invitations out.

Finding Time to Create

Because they are awesome (obviously), and even better than Martha Stewart's version because they are edible.

When my guests arrive (in fabulous costumes), my house will be beautiful.

Country Living

Peppermint Plum

We will go on a cool scavenger hunt.

Rook No. 17

And eat awesome treats (which magically make us thinner)

Martha Stewart

Cupcake Takes the Cake via Mira Uncut

family.go.com

And all of my guests will leave with the COOLEST Halloween party favor of all time.

Eighteen25

Seriously. Go check that last one out. You won't be sorry.

What is on your imaginary, dreamworld to-do list?

The Shell Cowl: Free Pattern

2011-10-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

We have had a cool-bordering-on-cold week here in the desert, which has motivated me to finally finish up the pattern for this cowl that I started back before it got hot. (I sometimes have a hard time digging into a pile of yarn when it is over 100 degrees out) This is a thick, warm cowl that buttons up the front. I used cover buttons because they are the best. You should use them too. Or really any 3/4 inch button will work.

But, really. Cover buttons. I mean, right?

This pattern uses a stitch I call a long double crochet (ldc), which is similar to a stitch sometimes called an extended double crochet (I think). You can read more about this stitch and see a photo tutorial on how to work it if you go back to one of my first posts ever. If you have any questions about the pattern, please leave a comment or email me.

Okay! Here. We. Go.

Materials Needed

US H Hook 5.00 mm

US I Hook 5.50 mm

Worsted weight yarn (I used Michael's Impeccable Acrylic in a color that I don't think they carry anymore, which is lame because it is a totally perfect gray in my opinion)

3 ¾” cover buttons covered in coordinating fabric, or other ¾” buttons

Special Stitches

long double crochet (ldc): Yarn over and draw through a loop (3 loops on hook). Pull up on the yarn so the two bottom loops are lengthened until they are brought up to the height of the last loop. Yarn over and draw a loop through the two long loops. Two loops remain on hook. Yarn over and draw through both loops. (see pictures and more detailed info on how to work this stitch here).

Pattern

Ch 25

Row 1: sc in 2^nd ch from hook, sc across, ch 1, turn

Row 2: sc across ch 1 turn

Rows 3-5: repeat row 2

Row 6: *skip 2 sc, 5 ldc in next sc, skip 2 sc, sc in next sc, repeat from *3 times, ch 3, turn

Row 7: 3 ldc in first sc, *skip 2 ldc, sc in next ldc, skip 2 ldc, 5 ldc in next sc, repeat from 2 times, skip 2 ldc, sc in next sc, skip 2 ldc, 3ldc in last stitch, turn

Row 8: skip 3 ldc, 5 ldc in next sc, skip 2 ldc, sc in next ldc, *skip 2 ldc, 5 ldc in next sc, skip 2 ldc, sc in next ldc, repeat from *two times, ch 3, turn

Rows 9-45: repeat rows 7 and 8, ending with row 7

Row 46: skip 3 ldc, 5 ldc in next sc, skip 2 ldc, sc in next ldc, *skip 2 ldc, 5 ldc in next sc, skip 2 ldc, sc in next ldc, repeat from *two times, turn

Ribbed Edge with Button Holes

This portion of the cowl is made up of short rows worked perpendicular to the previous rows.

Switch to I hook.

Row 1: ch 6, turn

Row 2: skip one ch, sl st into back loops only of 5 chs, sl st through sc in cowl edge, ch 1, turn.

Row 3: sl st into back loops only of 5 sl sts, ch 1, turn.

Row 4: skip one ch, sl st into back loops only of 5 sl sts, sl st through next st in cowl edge, ch 1, turn.

Rows 5-13 : repeat rows 3 and 4, ending with a row 3

Row 14: sl st into back loop only of one sl st, ch 3, skip 3 sl st, sl st into back loop only of next sl st. Sl st through next st in cowl edge, ch 1, turn.

Row 15: sl st into back loop only of one sl st, 3 sl st into ch3 loop, sl st into back loop only of next sl st, ch 1, turn. (buttonhole formed)

Row 16: skip one ch, sl st into back loops only of 5 sl sts, sl st through next st in cowl edge, ch 1, turn.

Row 17: sl st into back loops only of 5 sl sts, ch 1, turn.

Rows 18-25: repeat rows 16 and 17, ending with a row 17

Row 26: sl st into back loop only of one sl st, ch 3, skip 3 sl st, sl st into back loop only of next sl st. Sl st through next st in cowl edge, ch 1, turn.

Row 27: sl st into back loop only of one sl st, 3 sl st into ch3 loop, sl st into back loop only of next sl st, ch 1, turn. (buttonhole formed)

Row 28: skip one ch, sl st into back loops only of 5 sl sts, sl st through next st in cowl edge, ch 1, turn.

Row 29: sl st into back loops only of 5 sl sts, ch 1, turn.

Rows 30 - 37: repeat rows 28 and 29, ending with a row 29

Row 38: sl st into back loop only of one sl st, ch 3, skip 3 sl st, sl st into back loop only of next sl st. Sl st through next st in cowl edge, ch 1, turn.

Row 39: sl st into back loop only of one sl st, 3 sl st into ch3 loop, sl st into back loop only of next sl st, ch 1, turn. (buttonhole formed)

Row 40: skip one ch, sl st into back loops only of 5 sl sts, sl st through next st in cowl edge, ch 1, turn.

Row 41: sl st into back loops only of 5 sl sts, ch 1, turn.

Row 42-51: repeat rows 40 and 41, ending with a row 41.

Row 52 (a chain loop edging that is worked perpendicular to the ribbed rows): ch 3, skip five ribbed rows, sc in between next two rows (see image below for placement guideline) repeat to end of row. (11 chain loops)

Fasten off yarn and weave in ends.

Fold your cowl in half an line up the ends. Securely sew your three buttons to line up with the buttonholes.

Enjoy and stay cozy!!

Linking up at Make Something Mondays at Sarahndipities, Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things, Weekend Wrapup Party at Tatertots and Jello, Making Monday Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T, and What I Whipped Up Wednesday at Sugar and Dots.

Wanna Go to Crochet School?

2011-09-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

When people see my crocheted hats, blankies, and things, they often express a desire to learn how to crochet. Well, good news! Starting October 1st, you can go to Crochet School over at Crafty Minx!

Cool, right? I mean, she even has a syllabus. This is pretty awesome stuff. Check it out!

A Baby Hat

2011-09-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

I seem to know a lot of people who are having babies or people who know people who are having babies (Did that make sense?). Anyway... I made four baby hats this past week. Two of them looked just like this and were made for a friend who had a couple baby showers coming up.

Maybe it's because my oldest is a boy, but I am kind of partial to baby boy things. Girls are fun, something about a perfect little man outfit really makes me happy. And I really like the way these hats came out.

I did a simple brimmed beanie with a few cables on one side and a couple of suede covered buttons for extra fun.

The other side of the hat is plain.

And here's a closeup of the cables. Crochet cables are fun, although they do have a much different look than knit cables. I have never tried knit cables (mostly because knitting stresses me out just a bit), but maybe one day. I tried a new experiment with these cables, and it turned out! Success!

I'm working on writing up a pattern for this hat, so watch out for that!

Linking up at Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things, Weekend Wrapup Party at Tatertots and Jello, Make Something Monday at Sarahndipities, and Making Mondays Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T.

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Meatless Menu

2011-09-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

I'm alive! I'm here!

I didn't realize it had been over two weeks since the last post. Sheesh. That's bad. What have I been doing? One thing I've been doing is RUNNING. Fourteen miles last week - WOOT! Which is like crazy stuff for me. But I'm feeling great.

Other things... I've been trying out some vegetarian meals. The hubs and I have decided we want to try to eat less meat, so I've been hitting the cooking sites looking for new recipes to try out. Here are some of my favorites we've had so far

Martha Stewart

These calzones are filled with broccoli and cheese and they are yummy. I upped the health quotient a bit with my favorite whole wheat pizza dough recipe (which I run in my stand mixer with the dough hook for a few minutes instead of kneading to keep it super easy). I made a triple batch of these and threw a bunch in the freezer for easy lunches and dinners. Score!

How about roasting some eggplant and red pepper and chopping them up, throwing them on a whole grain baguette with some feta cheese spread, and chowing down? That's a good idea. I don't have a picture, so you'll have to trust. These are YUMMMM. (See the extra M's? This is serious.)

And here's what to eat when you are feeding dedicated carnivores and veg-heads together:

eatingwell

Juevos Rancheros Verdes. I usually whip up some fresh guac with these, and I may bake up a few corn tortilla chips to go with.

What are your go-to vegetarian entree recipes? Do you have any good ones that aren't loaded up with cheese? I notice that I tend to compensate for lack of meat with cheese.

Baby Bug's Birthday Dress

2011-09-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

This was one of the projects that actually made it off my to do list in time for the party. I used the great tutorial that Jess at Craftiness is not Optional contributed to See Kate Sew's Pleat Weeks.

The tutorial was for this adorable top, but I really wanted to make a dress. I followed the tutorial to make the top, and then added two little cap sleeves and an easy, slightly-gathered tiered skirt.

She was not so much into the whole posing for pictures thing.

To add a skirt to the top without creating a weird belly bulge, I had to sew my pleats all the way down the front rather than only a few inches like in the original top. I also only used three buttons on the back and sewed the bottom part of the back shut.

I don't sew clothes very often, but this made me think I should do it more often! I really like the way the dress turned out, and I thought it was special that her dress matched the party theme and decor. (See the party here).

Linking up at Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things, Making Mondays Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T., Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie, Take a Look Tuesday at Sugar Bee Crafts, Things I've Done Thursdays at Bear Rabbit Bear, and Sew Cute Tuesday at Creative Itch.

Twenty Minute High Chair Cover

2011-09-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

In my mind, first birthday parties are mostly about watching a one year make a huge mess out of some cake. I'm talking a cake-on-the-walls, frosting-in-the-ear, finding-crumbs-for-weeks kind of mess. That's the good stuff. My little bug did not disappoint.

Well played, baby girl. Well played.

Since I consider the cake-smash to be the main event of the first birthday party, I wanted to make sure I had a cute background for all the photos I would be snapping of the beautiful mess at my baby's lady bug bash. Here's how to make a twenty-minute high chair cover for your favorite baby's first handful of cake.

I started out by pinning a folded piece of fabric over the back of the high chair. I wanted to the cover to fit pretty snuggly, so I pinned it just as I wanted it. Carefully(!) remove the pinned fabric.

Next, I simply sewed along the line created by my pins, be sure to remove each pin before I got to it with my machine. I left about two inches (maybe a bit more) unsewn at the bottom to create a hem and side slit.

To hem the bottom, I simply rolled the edge up twice, pressed, and sewed it down.

I created a side slit to help the bottom of the cover fit snuggly up against a wider part of the chair. I simple folded the seam allowance in and stitched up and around, backstitching over the end of the seam. As you can see, my stitches here are not neat and pretty, but I decided I didn't care. It's going to get covered in cake, right?

Here she is slipped back onto the high chair:

Nice, snug fit. Just waiting for your beautiful embellishments. :) I added a simple ruffle around the edge in a striped fabric.

Okay - Let's talk about ruffles for a second. Basically, they are awesome. (This pillow is still my favorite of the one's I've made.) I never considered them to be difficult, but after stopping by Junkin' Junky the other day, it's like a whole new world of ruffles has opened up to me. She found instructions via Little Bit Funky to make ruffles while you sew without a ruffle foot. I mean. You all probably already knew how to do this because you are awesome. But for me, whole. new. world. Seriously.

All you do is set tension to the lowest setting, stitch length to the longest length, and then hold the thread as it leaves the spool. The harder you pull the thread, the more it ruffles. It's great stuff.

I cut strips of fabric, and then simply stuck another one right on top of the one I had just ruffled (as you can see above) and kept going to create a longer ruffle.

I sewed one ruffle around the outside of the cover, and made another long ruffle for the edge of the tray. I sewed a red polka-dot ribbon over the center of the tray ruffle and used tape to stick it on.

(This was my favorite part!!)

So, there you go! A quick 'n' cute high chair cover for your baby's big moment. Enjoy!

I'm linking up at Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs, Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts, and the Inspiration Board at Homework

Crochet Fashion: Dog Rose Pullover

2011-09-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted one of these in a while... I think the 100+ degree weather has dissuaded me from digging into some wool. But the promise of cooler weather (the high here today is still 105) has got me craving sweaters and boots.

I love the crocheted yoke of this Anthropologie sweater, which, of course, looks lovely with a skirt and boots. Here's hoping for cooler weather soon!

A Little Ladybug Party

2011-08-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we celebrated my little bug's first birthday. We had a very small gathering to open presents and really smash up a cake. Here are a few pictures of the food, decor, and such.

You can see some of my inspiration here. I was (obviously) VERY inspired by the beautiful green and red ladybug party at The Party Dress. I made my own imitation toppers and signs, but you can purchase some adorable ladybug party gear from WH Hostess.

I thought the green and red palette was a fresh take on the ladybug theme, although it did read a bit Christmas-y to me occasionally. I'll share more about a few of my favorite projects soon (the highchair... the dress... maybe more!).

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!!

Linking up at Nifty Thrifty Sunday at Nifty Thrifty Things, the Weekend Wrap-up Party at Tatertots and Jello, and More the Merrier Monday at The DIY HSHP.

Pinned!

2011-08-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

So, from my recent posts (like this one or that one) you may get the idea that I am on pinterest all day long, which is not entirely accurate. Everyday? Yeah. Pretty much. All day? Not quite. I do still manage to feed and dress my children, thank you very much.

Anyway. There are a few pinterest-themed parties I wanted to link up to, so at the risk of completely undermining my claim that I do other things besides pin, let's talk pinterest! Here are a few of my recent faves:

Just found this one this morning. So amazing. Totally inspiring.

Design by Leftovers via dornob.com

Trying to figure out how to use these cute and clever cookie bowls for little bug's birthday bash.

Wilton

This is not a new pin, but it is still one of my favorites. So beautiful!! ~~I have been unable to track down the original source (which is one of the downsides of pinterest). If anyone knows where it originated, let me know~~. [Update! JLR22 has found the original source for me--and taught me something new about finding image sources! (Thank you, JLR22!!) This beauty came from Milk Magazine.] Also. Can we make this? Please? Let me know when you figure out how to do it.

Milk Magazine via pirouette blog

I'm thinking of making a version of this for the birthday outfit. Jess at Craftiness is not Optional has some great tutorials. This one was part of the pleat weeks at See Kate Sew, which I am totally eating up. Will there be pleats in the birthday party? ~~Totally!~~ Um... I hope so. (What is the crafting equivalent of having eyes bigger than my stomach?)

See Kate Sew

I've got a lot of boy baby showers coming up. This is too cute, right?

B is for Boy

There you have it! What have you been pinning?

Paper Doily Envelopes

2011-08-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

I am basically behind on everything in my life right now, so my daughter's birthday party preparations are certainly no exception. BUT I did actually finish the invitations (mailing them is another story entirely... why did I think I should do a real paper invite again?).

I mentioned the paper doily envelope idea before, but I thought I would show off how they turned out. The one I made is very similar to paper.mein's (click for directions!). I used 10 inch round paper doilies that I found at the dollar store. My invitations were 4 inches by 6 inches, and the 10 inch doily worked perfectly for that size.

I placed my invitation in the middle of the doily and folded the doily around the invitation, and then cut out the corners, which I thought made the envelope prettier and less bulky.

I used a glue stick to stick the sides to the bottom, and then I closed the lacy thing up with a little red sticker. If you are interested in trying out these pretty envelopes, check out the excellent tutorial at we.love.laugh.kiss that uses square doilies. I should have read this before I did mine because she cleverly adds tracing paper to make the envelope sturdier and more functional. Smart!

Linking up to What I Whipped Up Wednesday at Sugar and Dots, Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts, Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design, and the Inspiration Board at Homework.

A Few of My Favorite Pins

2011-08-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

My baby girl is turning ONE in a few weeks!!! I cannot believe how quickly her first year has gone by. It makes me very very very sad.

So. I just recently figured out that I better get going on planning the birthday festivities.

Because, you know. She's totally going to remember this birthday party for the rest of her life. And she's going to know exactly what is going on. And she'll be way peeved if there aren't enough cute garlands, party hats, and cupcakes. One-year-olds are notoriously hard to please.

Yeah.

Anyway. We call baby girl "our little bug," so I decided to go with a ladybug theme. So far, my planning has been spending hours perusing blogs and pinterest. This is tough stuff, people.

Here are a few of my favorite pins (Think Sound of Music. You were right there with me, weren't ya?)

I've decided to go with this color scheme rather than the more traditional black and red. I just love the green. It is so bright and fresh and fun and summery.

The Party Dress

(I'm working on my version of those invites... So cute!)

I love the idea of antennae instead of party hats. Or maybe combined with party hats? Now we are getting crazy...

Hostess with the Mostess

Now, cake pops are adorable and yummy and wonderful. We know this. But they are also kind of annoying to make. Am I right? There are just a lot of steps and then they fall off the sticks and four hours later you have like twenty cake pops to show for your work because your sneaky three year old has eaten like twenty and another twelve fell on the floor.

So. I really like how these simple cake pops have the sticks coming out of the top. This may not seem like a big difference, but I know that will make it much, much easier. Plus, when you stick a cute pinwheel on the top, it looks like you were doing the whole thing to be cute and not just cuz you are lazy.

Hostess with the Mostess

I've been wanting to try out growing some wheatgrass for a while, and now I've got a great excuse.

K.I.S.S

Perfect, right?

And how about some delicious, adorable, unexpected ladybug snacks?

cutefoodforkids.com

I probably won't actually make these, but they are very clever.

I bought some paper doilies and I might try these envelopes out for the invitations. Not because they are a perfect fit for the theme, but just because I think they are awesome.

design.mein

And, finally, for good measure. How awesome is this idea (which has nothing to do with my party plans)?

Jilly Leigh on Pinterest

How about sticking some crayons in your glue gun? Why, sure. That would be AWESOME.

So, what do you think of the plans so far? Any suggestions?