in words and pictures

No-Knead Rosemary Bread (or, Focaccia depending on how distracted you are)

2012-03-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, it rained and blustered outside; perfect bread-baking weather! I had just come across a recipe for no-knead bread through one of my new blog followers. (You know I welcome each of you guys by seeing who else you have subscribed to, right? It's a great way to discover awesome new blogs, and get a sense for what you're into!)

So, anyway, the weekend recipe I followed came from the Blessed Hearth - and head's up- it's delicious.

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

2 c. warm water

1 T. sugar

2 tsp. salt

4 c. flour

2 tsp. chopped, fresh Rosemary (I added some fresh Thyme too- since it was blooming in the garden begging to be used)

olive oil

Put the water and sugar into a mixing bowl and stir well. Add the yeast and stir again. Let rise for 10 minutes.

Add the flour, salt and rosemary and mix well with your mixer. Cover with a damp tea towel and rise for an hour or until doubled.

With oiled hands divide dough into two parts and form rounds. Sprinkle course sea salt and chopped fresh herbs on top as desired. Bake in an 375 degree oven for 30 - 35 minutes

I wish you could smell this. Our home smelled like a hug from your favorite person when the bread was ready... and it tasted like a warm summer afternoon in Italy.

And... just so you know, I baked this recipe twice over the weekend. The first time I baked it, I was completely distracted. I was working on freelance projects, weekend meetings, etc. etc... and the recipe came out as flat as can be! We called it our Accidental Focaccia Bread. Possibly a combination of too much yeast (the dough rose like a sea monster from the middle of a lagoon!) or too much water. Dough "rounds" were not possible... in fact, I poured the dough out on my Silpat mat...

...and I was so happy that I did, because even though I ended up with something that looked like a gigantic pancake, it was still delicious! We cut up our doormat of a "loaf" into small squares and dipped it into some olive oil. Yum!

In fact, when I baked this no-knead recipe the second time, I was kind of hoping it would turn into Focaccia again instead of the two perfect loaves it yielded.

Sometimes accidents in the kitchen still end up being delicious!

So whether you read this recipe and follow it exactly, or have one eye on your kids, dog, email... you can rest assured that no matter what the shape, this bread will still turn out yummy! Thanks again to the Blessed Hearth for the inspiration and recipe!

Easy Knitting Fork Four-Leaf Clovers

2012-03-17T07:34:00.001-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day friends!! I don't normally post tutorials on Saturdays, but this is a quick one- just a fun way to make up a St. Patrick's Day Shamrock (with 3-leaves, OR a lucky four-leaf clovers!) and avoid getting pinched for not waring green today!

If you have your radmegan-made knitting fork (aka a "lucet"), some green yarn, about 15 minutes and some green thread, you are half way done already! In THIS POST, I show how to make easy knitting fork hearts. Start by making four hearts in green yarn (I used Burly Spun 100% wool yarn), then hand stitch the hearts together at their pointy bottoms.

I cut away some (not all!) of the tails that remain on the knitted hearts, and braided them together to make the stem of the shamrock/clover. At this point, you can add a pin back to the shamrock, or attach it to your blouse, hat, purse etc, with a few long hat pins, or a couple of quick stitches!

(Note, this would be way more adorable on a child than it is on me, but alas none of my sweet nieces/nephews were available for a photo-shoot this morning!)

And if you are in the mood for the MOST delicious Irish Soda Bread today, I would definitely encourage you to check out my recipe from last St. Patty's Day! It will have your Irish eyes a-smilin' and your hungry mouth a-waterin'!

Natural Egg Dye: A Rainbow of Options

2012-03-15T13:48:00.001-07:00

Last week I shared a sneak peek of some eggs I'd dyed using all-natural ingredients. This project came about when the television show, The Doctors contacted me to see if I would be interested in coming on their program to share ideas for natural dyes! I was honored and STOKED that they had reached out. And even though my segment was cut way, way down (so far down that I'm not even in the segment- it's really just a cameo of my eggs...) I wanted to share the full recipes for each of the dye colors I made.

A lot of natural dyes take quite a bit longer to set than chemical-based commercial dyes. When I used dry ingredients such as Turmeric, tea or cabbage leaves and instant coffee, I always started with a room-temperature egg (to prevent cracking during the boiling process) in a small sauce pan with two cups of lukewarm water. I wanted to set a constant for my dyes, and 2 cups liquid was it! I would bring the liquid to a boil and cook the egg for at least 11 minutes, sometimes a bit longer. I used white vinegar as my mordant. During my first few dye jobs, I omitted the vinegar, and found that the color didn't hold as well.

When the eggs were cooked, and I was confident that the color had begun to release from the dyeing agent I was using, I would remove the egg(s) from the saucer, and pour the hot liquid into a glass mason jar. Then I would carefully lower the egg into the jar, being sure it was covered completely.

If I had not been using my trusty Sharpie and roll o' masking tape to label these jars, I would have had no idea how I'd made each color...

I let the jars cool on the counter, and then placed them ALL in the bottom shelf of our refrigerator overnight.

When it was time for the unveiling the next morning, I was thrilled with the unexpected colors! I had read that natural dye can leave an egg looking dry and that you could give your egg a little gloss using mineral oil! A trick I used and VERY much enjoyed!

Below are the individual "recipe cards" for just about each egg color I made...

This blue was my personal favorite! It should be noted that red cabbage is a PH indicator, and that it creates carbonation when combined with the white vinegar, so you will want to open your jar of cabbage dye at least once a day to release the gas build up!

This Army Green was my second favorite color...

Turmeric REALLY stains everything so be careful when you use this stuff!

I loved the speckled result I got when I boiled an egg in straight cran-raspberry juice...

...and how this onion & carrot top egg looks like scorched earth!

Adding the mineral oil polish to some of the eggs really did provide amazing textural contrast to the ones I left in a natural matte finish.

When I dyed this egg in half white wine and half red (the cheapest Trader Joe's carried) these INCREDIBLE crystals formed all over the surface of the shell. It looked like a snow-encrusted version of the cran-raspberry egg! I tried dyeing an egg in straight red wine and got the same crystal-formation with a more plum colored egg! If anyone can explain the science behind this, I would LOVE to know!

Using red onion skins gave off a beautiful mottled red and turquoise look.

Straight dill seed, water and vinegar came up with this really nice lemon-lime color.

I love that some of the eggs came out of the dye with an overall, even color, while others were very textural and almost looked scarred. I was surprised that beets didn't give me enough of a pink hue to really want to share with you- they sort of made white eggs just look like brown eggs. Aside from that, there were no disappointments in the whole lot!

Since I used these eggs for television purposes, I didn't eat any of them to see if the flavor was imparted into the egg, but I suspect it was, based on my experiments with Chinese Tea Eggs...

One more note about vinegar and eggs... if you allow your eggs to soak in a natural dye with MORE than a tablespoon of vinegar, the shell will begin to soften overtime. It's both cool, and gross!

If anyone has anything to add about natural dye, or if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below! I feel like I could write a book on dyeing eggs with all-natural materials now!

Oh- and coming soon- a great and natural way to decorate the eggs that do crack in the cooking process... stay tuned!!

Ready-Made Peeps Now Available!

2012-03-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

My Ready-Made, Needle-Felted Bunny Peeps are BACK in the radmegan Etsy Shop! Act fast, because they will not last!

Hope you enjoy!

Weekend Peep-Makers!

2012-03-12T15:58:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I taught my needle felted Peeps class in Santa Monica. My students were so much fun, so interesting, and frankly, mega-talented when it came to crafting! Below are a few snaps from class!

And for those of you who have emailed me about wanting to buy my ready-made Peeps, I will have a batch going up in my Etsy store on Wednesday morning! Set your alarm clocks because there is a limited quantity!

Photo Saturday: White, Black and Still

2012-03-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

I took this photo of a white sea bird in the dark waters of the Santa Barbara harbor a few months ago. My guy and I watched this bird for almost an hour as he plucked small fish from the false safety of the shallow, rocky ledge. Occasionally, a tourist would toss a penny into the ocean water, but the bird was unruffled- his focus was on the swimming dinner before him.

I love the strong contrast of light and dark in this image, but more than that, I love the stillness and calm we experienced while bird-watching in the midst of the crowded Southern California pier.

Going Green with Wrapped Baskets

2012-03-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

Things have been really busy here at radmegan HQ. I am teaching my Needle-Felted Peeps class at the Urban Craft Center this weekend, my 3 workshops at Craftcation are just around the corner, I have two upcoming television appearances (more on that soon!!) a few really fun commissions that I'm working on at night, and I'm traveling a lot for a new crafty client I'm working with. So many great things in the works. I'm feeling very blessed. I'm also feeling like I need things in my personal life to be as tidy as possible so that I won't get slowed down or distracted.

Which brings me to today's project. Full disclosure: The photo below is what our laundry room shelf has looked like for almost two years. This week, I went to grab one bag and the entire shelf almost came down on me because there were SO MANY PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS stuffed into a teeny tiny space.

In a fit of rage and craftiness, I pulled the entire bundle down and decided to make SOMETHING USEFUL from the bags that had been cluttering up our hall for so long. In a wild moment of clarity, I flashed back to a small woven pot that I had made during my brief stint as a Girl Scout. I grabbed my cutting mat, a cutting blade, a ruler, some masking tape, a heavy yarn needle and crochet hook. I was going to weave a basket out of all these plastic bags.

The plan started coming together rather quickly. Plastic grocery bags are easy enough to smooth out. I used my ruler to cut each bag into three strips. The two handles became long strips, and the middle section became a third.

I arranged the strips of plastic into piles according to color and size. Since the plastic bags are so prone to static electricity, I placed several dryer sheets between the piles so that they would stay in place.

I decided that since I had so many white plastic bags, I would use those at the inner cord of my basket. I really wanted my entire project to be made of recycled materials. I took un-cut plastic bags and twisted them in my hands until they were about a half an inch in diameter. Then I took masking tape and put small pieces (about an inch of tape) around the twisted plastic to keep it from unraveling, and to help keep the size relatively consistent.

To add length to the cord, I would simply twist more bags together and tape them down. The inner cord got pretty long, pretty fast.

Once I had about five feet of white plastic cord, I took the strips of tan and brown plastic and started to tightly wrap them around the end of the inner cord.

To begin the basket shape, I wrapped strips of brown plastic around the white center cord. When I had about 3-4 inches of inner cord wrapped in brown, I bent my center cord until it was shaped like a lowercase letter "g". I tried to keep the hole inside the g-shape as small as possible.

I threaded pieces of brown plastic through my heavy yarn needle and wrapped the coil of white plastic with the brown plastic. As I did this, I wrapped the coil around the g-shape so that a spiral began to form.

To keep the outer coil connected to the inner coil, I would wrap the white plastic in the brown about 5 times, and then use my needle to push it through the layer below. It took a while for this to feel natural again (it's been a LONG time since I was a Girl Scout) but eventually I got in a rhythm. Wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap, thread over and through the layer below, wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap, thread over and through the layer below...

I used trace amounts of masking tape to hold the brown plastic down on the white cord when I needed to re-thread my needle. To prevent the tape from showing, I would wrap a little more brown over the taped area before continuing.

As my basket base progressed, I started to incorporate additional colors into the design.

I also had to keep adding length to the inner cord as my basket grew in size.

When my the base of my basket was as large and I wanted it to be, I wrapped the next coil in the same way as I had all the rest, only starting on TOP of the previous coil, instead of next to...

In about four hours, I had a medium sized basket!

When the basket was the size I wanted, I taped off the end and tightly wrapped my last few layers of plastic over it and the layer below.

I tucked the end of the brown plastic under one of the previous loops, hiding the loose end, AND allowing me to re-open the basket if I ever want to add more size to it!

I have to say that I am really pleased with this basket! Since it's made entirely of plastic bags, it is a a terrific companion in the garden, great green gift for your little one (hello homemade Easter Basket!!), and it's just a really fun craft to help you un-clutter your life! I used mine to harvest a few odds and ends in the garden...

And then put it back on my formerly frightening shelf in the laundry room! Once that handmade-plastic-bag-basket starts overflowing, you can bet your boots I will be making another one! Or, I might even continue building up the original!

Either way, I feel a lot better knowing that the plastic bags I've been holding onto have become something useful (and cute!) instead of clogging up a landfill OR clogging up my home/life!

Natural Egg Dye: A Sneak Peek!

2012-03-06T09:23:00.000-08:00

I've got a fun surprise in the works that has to do with natural dyes for Easter eggs! I've been testing everything under the sun and wanted to share a sneak peek of some of the exciting results! I'll be posting full recipes of how each color was made as soon as I can. In the meantime, I thought you might enjoy the pretty colors of my first batch! :)

Photo Friday: Wacky Fashion

2012-03-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

I'm in San Francisco right now working on some crafty goodness. Last night, a few fellow crafters and I found ourselves at the IIMUAHII and Ilanio Conceptual Fashion show, Supreme Beings.

More photos on my Instagram feed!

Needle-Felted Peeps Class! Now Enrolling!

2012-02-29T06:34:00.000-08:00

Craft Class Alert!!!

I'm teaching my Needle-Felted Peeps Class at the Urban Craft Center
When? March 10th from Saturday 11am-1pm.
How Much? $35 per person (All materials included plus light snacks provided!)
Ages 8+ welcome!

Space is limited, so I'd encourage you to sign up soon!

Hope to see you there!
xoxo

Easy Knit(ting Fork) Flowers

2012-02-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make some new shapes and accessories using my knitting forks. Yesterday, after a few minutes of experimenting, I came up with these easy knit(ting fork) flowers!

Confession: I've been watching re-runs of Family Ties on Netflix while crafting, so maybe it seemed natural that I would gravitate towards making hair clips that look like a craft straight out of the sweet 1970's.

To make your own knitted flowers, you will need:

A (radmegan!) knitting fork

Lambs Pride Bulky Yarn in lemon drop yellow

Matching thread + needle

Burly Spun super chunky wool yarn in green, blue red

Bobby pins

Start your project by using the second method of knitting with the lucet, or knitting fork, as demonstrated here.

The weave will start out quite tight. I like to knit a good long length (about 10 inches) before pulling the chain and releasing the tension.

Next, I placed one end of the yarn between my fingers near the base of my palm and coiled it up as tight as I could. I held the second end of the yarn in my fingers to keep the rings from unraveling.

To make the basic flower shape, I pulled the yarn piece near the tip of my fingers, down towards my palm. I tied the two pieces of yarn together so that the coils would stay in place.

Using the needle and thread, I reinforced the ringlets with a few simple stitches. Then, I ran a piece of the super bulky wool yarn through one corner of the flower (from the back side- if an obvious back has developed.)

With a different color yarn, I wove a loop through the center of the flower and knotted it in the back as well.

The length of your chain will determine how many coils your flower ends up with. All of my chains were between nine and twelve inches long. The flowers ended up being about two inches in diameter.

I tied one flower around my finger for a sweet ring, and pinned the rest in my hair with a couple of Bobby pins! These flowers take less than 10 minutes each and would be really cute strung up on a necklace (I'm going to work on one this week!), accessories for children, clasps for purses, or just strung on some pipe cleaner and given to someone as a little handmade bouquet! So many fun possibilities! Hope you enjoy!

Radmegan Sessions at Craftcation are Selling OUT!

2012-02-27T12:50:00.001-08:00

You guys! My Craft-Your-Own Light Box session at Craftcation sold out this weekend! If you want to get in on my other sessions, act fast!

Photo Saturday: Campfire Lemon Cake

2012-02-25T15:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, there are a few photos today... but while camping last weekend, the mister and I baked a cake over a bed of hot coals, and it came out so beautifully, I really wanted to share it with you.

The only thing, is that it was a box mix. No magical recipe to share beyond "add eggs, oil, water, and elbow grease from mixing up the batter with a travel-sized whisk."

The only tricks I can offer are:
1. Mix the batter near the smoke from your growing fire so that mosquitoes won't pester you or land in your dessert.

2. Be sure to pour the batter in a greased metal bowl or pan, and set that atop several rocks inside your dutch oven. Lifting the inner pan off the base of the dutch oven will bake your cake evenly and prevent burning.

3. Put about as many coals on TOP of your dutch oven as you have under it, and rotate the base and lid of the dutch oven (in opposite directions) two or three times while the cake bakes.

We baked our cake for about 45 minutes, checking it with a bamboo skewer for doneness.

Even though it was "just a box mix" we were SO PROUD of our successful outdoor baking experience.

I would highly recommend picking up a dutch oven and trying some outdoor baking on your next camping trip! It's a really fun departure from hot dogs and roasted marshmallows!

Camping Tip: Make-Shift Level

2012-02-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

If you are a car-camper (someone who has ever slept in a camper van, motor home, or even the bed of a truck) you know the importance of finding a level place to park your vehicle when sleeping in the great outdoors.

From rolling into the person you are camping with, to all the blood in your body rushing to your head while you sleep, even the most gentle slope can really mess with your camping experience. We almost always go camping with a level. Last weekend, we forgot to bring ours.

Instead of buying a level at the local hardware store, we improvised by using our Nalgene water bottle. Since most reusable water bottles are marked to show the number of ounces it can hold, you can find a level parking spot by placing the bottle (partially filled with water) on the window or dashboard of your car. When the lines marked on the outside of the container match the water line, you have found a level spot.

If your water bottle does not have markings on it, or if you have a reusable bottle that is not clear plastic, you can modify this makeshift level by using a disposable plastic bottle, and drawing a straight line down the side of it. It might be a small detail in the great scheme of things, but this is a quick tip that will make for a long and restful night's sleep!

Happy camping friends! The weekend is upon us, what are your plans??

Photography Tip: Make-Shift Macro

2012-02-23T09:16:00.001-08:00

While camping last weekend, I stumbled across a fun trick for getting more up-close-and-personal photos than my existing camera lens would allow.

By using the loupe we'd brought with us for botanizing, I was able to expose the hidden underbelly of several ferns, the fine details of a moth wing, and examine an intricate flower, no larger than a grain of rice!

Our loupe is so lightweight that I could wear it around my neck all day, and forget it was there. And since most loupes start at $5 and get more expensive with the amount of magnification, this handy tool was light on our wallets too!

So the next time you are sitting near the campfire or lantern and a moth lands on you, don't squirm, grab the loupe for a look!

And while stopping to smell the roses is nice, you might just be surprised to see how much detail is hiding in the tiny succulents and weeds that line the hiking trail!

Camp Cooking: Easy Baked Apples

2012-02-22T09:26:00.000-08:00

My husband and I try to step up our cooking skills with each camping trip. We've made cedar-plank salmon, baked lots of breads and more roasted chickens than you can shake a stick at, but on this trip we focused on some of the sweeter things in life: baked apples.

I really wanted to incorporate more fruit and veg in each meal, so when I proposed baked apples to top off our morning oats, I didn't realize how easy it would be to do while camping.

To bake your own apples over the campfire, you will need the following:

Apples of your choice (we used Red Delicious and Granny Smith)

1:1 Sugar & Cinnamon

Butter

Aluminum foil

Sharp knife

Hot coals

Quick Oats (optional)

I suggest starting your fire or lighting charcoals first so that they have time to get red hot while you prep the apples.

Core the apples and score the skin multiple times with the tip of a sharp knife.

Place one apple on a sheet of foil, and with about a tablespoon of butter, completely coat the skin. Place the remaining pat of butter in the center cavity.

Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mix around the apple and into the center. Wrap the foil sheet around the fruit and give it a twist at the top.

When your coals are red and glowing, they are ready to cook on. We started our apples on the coals of another meal, baking in our Dutch Oven. When the Dutch Oven came out of the fire pit, we set the apples straight onto a pile of glowing charcoals where they stayed for about 45 minutes. We turned them with metal tongs two or three times to ensure they would cook evenly.

I want to mention that cooking directly in the flames of a fire is not going to work NEARLY as well as using coals (either charcoal briquettes, or the red glowing embers from a fire) these are both hotter and more consistent for cooking.

We baked our apples on Friday night for breakfast on Saturday morning. One of the important things about camp cooking is time management. In the mornings we like to spring out of bed (depending on the outdoor temperature) and get our day started, so we personally don't like to spend a lot of time on breakfast.

We warmed up our foil-wrapped apples in a saucer over a propane burner, and cut them up over a piping hot bowl of quick oats. Heating them up again took only a few minutes. Extra cinnamon and sugar was at the ready in case we needed a little extra boost of sweetness, but the apples were so beautifully cooked that the natural juices plus the trace amounts of butter and spices were all we needed to kick off a great day of hiking!

Putting together the ingredients for baked apples (or baking any other seasonal fruit) takes no more time than throwing a re-sealable box of sugar and cinnamon in the car along with the rest of your camping gear. With a few minutes of prep at dinnertime, you can have a hearty breakfast that tastes great, incorporates a subtly sweet dose of fruit, and sets the tone for a happy and healthy day outdoors!

Montaña De Oro: A Three-Day Escape to Paradise

2012-02-21T08:25:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned yesterday, my fella and I went camping over the weekend. The forecast was partly perfect with a chance of dreamy and thanks to President's Day, we had an extra day off. Before sharing the camping crafts, tips and recipes I promised you, I really wanted introduce you to Montaña De Oro State Park, located in lovely Los Osos, CA.

For three days, this was home. It's one of my most favorite parts of the California coast! Despite growing up in San Diego, I vastly prefer a rocky, craggy beach over smooth, sandy ones.

I also prefer the sweet "meep meep" sounds of quail over the BEEP BEEP noise of traffic.

On our first night at camp, we had loads of fun with long exposure photography. Even though it was a holiday weekend, the park was far from full on Friday night. The stars were brightly shining, and the only other light in the whole park came from our campfire. It was magical.

We cooked over an open fire for nearly every meal (outdoor dinners & dessert recipes coming soon!)

Exploring the exposed treasures of low tide was high on our to-do list.

After a nice chat at the Visitor's Center (where the floor transitions from a gorgeous green wood to THIS incredible pattern,) I flexed my sandwich-making muscle and packed up portable lunches to hit the trails.

We spotted lizards, snakes and lots and lots of birds that guided us over twisty paths, across chirping streams, and down a dirt path lined with dusty horse shoe prints.

We botanized to our heart's content; pointing out hundreds of native plants and later looking up any we couldn't name.

We found a thumb-sized froggie on an especially damp part of the path who stayed for photographs and then hopped away to continue his own lunch.

When we returned to camp, we found that our fire ring had been visited by a gang of raccoons. We hadn't left any scraps out, but they left us a great reminder that while camping, you should always pack your food away!

We finished each day with a sunset walk along the cliffs while kids below braved the jutting rock structures.

Leaving was bittersweet to say the least. With so much natural beauty around us, heading home to Los Angeles seemed like a bad dream we couldn't wake up from!

The comforts of hot showers and a soft, warm bed did help ease us back into life at home. We look forward to the next trip up to Montaña de Oro! Hopefully the wild flowers will still be blooming and the sea lions still barking when we return!

This Just In: Us- We're Back!

2012-02-20T16:48:00.000-08:00

Mr. Rad and I slipped out of Los Angeles like thieves in the night to go camping for a long weekend in the Central Coast of California.

We just got home, and I am overflowing with fun camping crafts, recipes and fun travel photos to share with you this week! Stay tuned!

Photo Saturday: Radmegan + Rad Flower

2012-02-18T07:53:00.000-08:00

A self-portrait with a jade vine, at the Kew Gardens this summer.

Baked Egg Pizza: A Tasty Experiment

2012-02-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my husband had a crummy day. He called me from gridlock traffic around 7pm, to see if I could make pizza for dinner. L.A traffic was especially nightmarish last night, so a quick trip to the market for fresh veggies was not an option. The next best solution was to get resourceful with what we had in the pantry and refrigerator; the contents of which included: a Boboli pizza crust (no idea who bought this or when (moderately alarming)) tomato sauce, assorted herbs, mozzarella cheese (in both grated and cheese stick form) and a half dozen eggs.

With some creative cheese placement (to create little wells for the raw eggs) and 10 minutes in a 450 degree oven, followed by another 10-12 at 375, we had a perfectly tasty pizza that took almost no time at all but yielded seriously delicious results. The egg yolk was gooey and delicious, and my husband's gloomy mood lifted with each bite! Next time, I'll make my own pizza crust, but everything else will be EXACTLY the same. Yum yum!! P.S. The photos come to you from my Instagram feed. I think next time, I'll also use my Canon!

Gone Camping! An Etsy Treasury

2012-02-16T07:14:00.000-08:00

To make up for the missing "Treasury Friday" post last week, I'm sharing my latest Etsy discoveries early in a treasury I called, "Gone Camping"! And really, when I saw some of these pieces, I was so smitten, I wouldn't have been able to wait until Friday anyway! I'm loving the camping theme and the variety of colors and materials used! This might just help inspire my husband to run away with me! Hope you enjoy! xoxo

Heart-Healthy Treats: Seed & Nut Energy Bars

2012-02-15T12:56:00.000-08:00

My husband and I recently looked in the mirror and gasped! "We're getting old." We both maintain a pretty active lifestyle, but could certainly stand to drop a few pounds. Unfortunately, we both LOVE sweets. So after I whipped up a batch of sesame seed candy, I thought about how to add a little more "health" to this tasty snack.

I wanted to add more protein, iron, and grain in the snack; make it a mini meal for when we're both on the go and need some energy. Here's what I used this time around:

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 oats

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons honey

Wax paper

Cooking Spray

Rolling pin

Dry skillet and small sauce pan

Knife

I toasted my sesame seeds as per my candy recipe (in a hot, dry skillet on the stove), and added in the sunflower seeds for good measure.

Once the seeds were toasted, I cooked the honey and brown sugar together in a small saucepan until it bubbled. I added the rest of the nuts and seeds (including the ones I'd toasted on the stove top) to the sugary goo, and gave everything a good mix.

Then I poured the contents out onto my oiled wax paper, covered it with a second piece of oiled wax paper and rolled it down to about a half inch thick.

I molded it into a rectangle, and sliced it up before it could completely harden.

It might look like a pile of bird food, but it's really tasty, filling and pretty darn healthy!

Being "old" might not be so bad if it means discovering new ways to hide tasty foods in already tasty foods!

The Dainty Dozen: Dressing Up Glass Head Pins

2012-02-14T08:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Whether you have a special someone or not, I think flowers brighten everyone's day, so I wanted to share a simple craft to make a teeny tiny bouquet of flowers from a few sewing and crafting materials you probably already have!

Materials needed for this craft are:

A dozen glass head straight pins

Tacky glue

Foil paper

Green painters tape

Straight edge

Cutting mat

X-Acto knife

Dry moss

Cork

Shot glass

Measure out one half inch strips and gently slice with the X-Acto knife. Fold the slices in half, lengthwise, so that the metallic underside is covered.

Gently dip the top of the glass head pins into the Tacky glue. Starting at one end, wrap the head of the pin with the full strip of foil paper.

Pinch the base of the foil bud with your fingernails to secure the flower and to add detail.

As each strip of foil paper gets wrapped around the pin, stick them into the roll of painters tape to dry.

Cut small strips of the green painters tape on the cutting mat. Attach the tape to the edge of the pin, and overlapping the base of the foil flower.

Starting at the base of the foil rose, begin to twist the tape.

Continue with at least a dozen pins and then set aside.

To display your bouquet of rose pins, poke them into the top of a cork.

Then, place the cork in a clear shot glass. Use the dried moss to hide the cork and add a more natural look.

When you're done, give it to your favorite crafter or keep it for yourself! It works just as well as a pin cushion as it does as a little Valentine's bouquet!

Quick Craft: Wooden Spoon Love Notes

2012-02-13T15:03:00.000-08:00

Looking for a cute way to tell your favorite person you care? This could be it! All you need is an old wooden spoon, a small set of metal stamps, and a hammer.

I've seen a these little stamps used on metal spoons, and frankly, that's what I WAS going to use for my craft today, but the stamps kept slipping off the metal when I hammered them. It ended up looking a mess. I decided a wooden spoon a cuter way (legible at least!) to add some spice to the kitchen.

Leave your stamped wooden spoon in plain sight for your special someone to see, or put it back in the drawer for your better half to find later on... I love the idea of hidden love notes in the house, so that's exactly where mine is headed!

Craft Field Trip: Teahouse Studio & GoGo Crafts

2012-02-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I flew to San Francisco to meet up with some friends and drop in on a GoGo Craft party at Berkley's ADORABLE Teahouse Studios!

The talented Amelia Strader lead about ten crafty ladies in up-cycling soft old sweaters into cozy fingerless gloves- perfect for a drizzly night in the Bay Area!

The Teahouse Studio was enchanting, the people were charming, the spread of nibbles looked scrumptious (though I didn't want to stop crafting to eat anything.)

My lovely friend Jeanne made a gorgeous pair of pink and gold gloves, while Kelly and I dabbled in shades of blue and grey.

The collection of gloves ended up being as individual and unique as the crafters who made them. Big thanks to Amelia and Stefanie at GoGo Crafts and Teahouse Studio, and big BIG thanks to Jeanne and Kelly for the inspiration and crafty weekend.