mmmcrafts

snacking revamp, part three

2012-05-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

I'm back again to share another healthy movie nosh favorite: Granny Smith apple dipped in dukkah, which is an Egyptian hazelnut/spice mixture. I think traditionally you are supposed to enjoy this mixture with good crusty bread that's been dipped in olive oil, which I'm sure is delicious, but this way is healthier for my late night snacking.

This version of dukkah is slightly salty and you can taste just a bit of coriander and cumin. So good. I was very lucky to receive a jar of homemade from my big sister recently, and I can tell I need to already order a refill, and fast. Oh, Leigh...

If you need a little gift idea, take a page from Leigh's book and package a small jar of homemade dukkah up with a nice shiny apple and a recipe card. Here's Leigh's recipe, which is very similar to this one with some adjustments:

Dukkah

1 ½ cups hazelnuts
½ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup sesame seeds
2 TBS coriander seeds (or 1 TBS ground coriander)
1 TBS cumin seeds
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place the hazelnuts and almonds on a baking sheet, and bake for about 5-10 minutes, or until fragrant.

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until light golden brown. Pour into a medium bowl as soon as they are done so they will not continue toasting.

Using the same skillet, toast the coriander and cumin seeds while shaking the pan or stirring occasionally until they begin to pop. (If you are using ground coriander, roast it in the skillet along with the cumin.)

Transfer the cumin/coriander to a food processor. Process until finely ground, then pour into the bowl with the sesame seeds.

Place the cooled hazelnuts/almonds into the food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Stir into the bowl with the spices. Season with the salt and pepper, and mix well.

Once it's cooled, store in an airtight glass container.

freedom is not free.

2012-05-28T09:11:00.000-04:00

All gave some. Some gave all.

Remembering all who have served our country today. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

snacking revamp, part two

2012-05-27T15:37:00.002-04:00

Hi, I'm Larissa, the unrepentant night snacker. This is the second installment in my effort to save myself from myself.

For my next low calorie, high fiber, high flavor TV snack I give to you:

Crisp celery dipped in a wondrous elixir of soy sauce and Vietnamese chili sa-te paste.

Mmm mmm good: salty, spicy and crunchy. The trifecta of late night snacking excellence.

This magical Tia Chieu SA-TE chili paste is sold by the jar in a Vietnamese market near me (thank you, thank you, Kim), and you could probably find a similar kind in a market near you. Try as I might, I can't seem to find this brand online. But if you are really dedicated you can make your own. I saw a recipe for it here, but *snorty snort* I'm not about to try it. Because I'm all about buying it in a jar.

The soy sauce adds saltiness, and the chili paste has a wonderful spicy heat with garlicy sweetness that is just so completely yummy with the slightly bitter celery. I mix a small amount of soy sauce (like one or two tablespoons) with just a teaspoon of the paste. Then I cut washed celery into nice, thin 3-inch stalks and double dip to my heart's content. One tiny bowl of this sauce is enough to last through a whole night's worth of celery dipping. A little goes a long way.

I've actually consumed an entire head of celery this way in one sitting. To the point where Michael had to just laugh out loud at the intrusive crunch crunch crunch noises coming steadily from my chair. I'm sorry, Michael. Being healthy is sometimes loud.

This same magic chili paste is also delicious when added to a myriad of things like noodles, stir fry and ahi poke (oh my word, nommy nom nom), so it will do much more than just make your celery snacking dreams come true.

I was curious so I did a little research at my local Publix and came up with this Thai Kitchen paste, hoping it was a good alternative. OK, it is tasty, but not on the same sublime level as the other sauce.

(I confess I actually used the Thai Kitchen sauce instead of the Tia Chieu SA-TE to stage the celery photo. I figured you guys wouldn't know the difference and I wouldn't risk wasting any of the good stuff, which is running dangerously low at the moment.)

snacking revamp, part one

2012-05-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hi, I'm Larissa, and I'm a non-recovering late night snacker. I can't seem to help myself. Apparently my jaw must be moving up and down in order for me to enjoy a movie or TV show. So I've been looking for healthier alternatives to my typical high-calorie favorites (popcorn, pistachios, pretzels, chocolate).

One of my new ~~obsessions~~ likes: sliced Granny Smith apples dipped in good soy sauce. Please do not scoff at this until you try it. Oh, so awesome. Crunchy, slightly sweet, sour and salty. So good. And it takes a while to chew through a firm apple slice by slice, so it feels satisfying. Also, zero guilt about slicing up a second one if you like. Think of all the healthy fiber.

Note: Unsatisfying taste results may be had if you use a milder, sweeter apple for this instead of a nice, sour/sweet Granny Smith. Trust me. Blehhh. Not the same at all. For those of you concerned about sodium intake, I find the low sodium soy sauce also rocks it.

fat quarters

2012-05-23T10:59:00.000-04:00

Purchased recently while browsing Decherd Needleworks. Some because they seemed like good doll clothes. Others just 'cause.

And I finally bought one of these bias tape maker gizmos. I used to scoff at them because I thought they were not that essential, but now I'm curious. Maybe I've needed it desperately and never realized it.

home again, home again

2012-05-20T15:07:00.000-04:00

Look, I managed to get the baby away from Aunt Jamie. Darcy likes me best, Jamie. Nyahhh. Wow. I really need a bang trim, don't I?

Hey, guys! I had a lovely little getaway last week to see my mom and my sisters in Huntsville. Lots of celebrations to join in while we were there: my niece Jamie graduated nursing school (Go, Nurse Jamie! Hey, let me show you this rash on my elbow...), my two lucky girls were given a joint birthday/pool party, my sister Lori and her husband Sam were given a grandparent shower for their new little first grandbaby, Brody, there was a GNO birthday party at Bridge Street for my sister Lita, and of course there was the Mother's Day celebration on Sunday. Hoo boy, there are a lot of mothers in our family so I took a lot of cards and little gifts.

I need to lose an extra ten pounds now. We know how to properly celebrate things in my family: by eating gobs of good food.

Another fun thing we did while I was there was a bucolic drive to Decherd, TN for an all-day sewing/quilting party at Decherd Needleworks (my girls were busy kickin it with my nieces and Aunt Lita, who gets hives at the mention of things like "fabric shop" and "crafts"). Shop owner Jim loans my sister Leigh's quilt group a large, airy room with tables to sew on and supplies a fridge full of drinks. He also arranges delicious take out lunches for the group. So you bring your machine and supplies and sew all day, and take breaks to ooh and ahh over each other's projects and browse through the fabric and notions in his shop. He'll gladly run you a tab.

My mom and I strolled down the sidewalk along Main Street and looked around a bit too, since we didn't bring our machines. Found some brand new beanie babies in a jumble shop for $2.50 a piece! Score for Things 1 & 2. The rest of the time we sat in the quilt room, yapped a lot, and made scads of yo yos for Leigh's new pillow sham project. She's a real whip cracker. It was a good day.

waiting to be finished

2012-05-14T13:13:00.000-04:00

Here's a Little Red WIP patiently waiting for her slippers, cloak and basket. I like to revisit my patterns when I have the time and try variations. I have been experimenting with some different versions of her face and hair. I'm also mentally designing a loooong-planned Pippi pattern while I experiment with Little Red. It's fun to think of the possibilities. A school bag and a Mr. Nilsson are surely a must.

Thing 2 turns eight

2012-05-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

Eight years ago at about 7pm Michael and I were speeding toward Piedmont Hospital and I was cautiously thinking "Well, this labor is not too bad." A complete change of opinion and three hours later, my littlest girl made her debut. All nine pounds of her. I can't believe she's already eight!

I love my silly, skinny girl with all the long brown hair so much. And she loves dogs more than anyone in the universe ever, but please don't bring an actual live dog very close to her or she might have to climb the nearest adult. Her favorite things are beanie babies, laughing, listening to music, driving her big sister crazy, reading Calvin and Hobbes aloud, meeting new friends, coordinating wild outfits, and eating pizza. My delicate flower can eat you under the table and issue some pretty impressive burps afterward. She keeps us laughing. We are so thankful for her.

With all that hair to manage, she adores hair accessories. Several times she has come into the studio casually dropping hints about new headbands. So I made a quick blue and pink felt flower and glued them with some leaves to a couple of inexpensive drugstore headbands. They are not as big as they look in these photos. That pink one is this really violent shade that does not photograph well, and I can't lighten the pictures without blowing out the pink completely, but you get the idea. I might be able to catch a photo of one in her hair later.

I found the chihuahua T-shirt at Old Navy the other day, and I made a quick skirt to go with it from my stash of Washi fabric. It's basically made like the Oliver + S Lazy Day skirt. I love the tidy finish and splash of color provided by the ribbon hem.

And of course the traditional mixtape (previously seen here, here, and here). I just realized I never blogged Thing 1's birthday mixtape last year. Oops. I'll have to do that. I love putting these together, but after three years of doing it for both girls I'm starting to run out out of upbeat, good, age appropriate songs. My goal when I put these together is to avoid Top 40, give them some songs they've heard, introduce some songs that I love, and find some that are new to both of us. This is basically self-defense since I will have to listen to it about a thousand times in the van. Man, I forgot how much I love The Safety Dance. And I reacquainted myself with college music that makes me kinda cringe now but I secretly still dig it (Book Of Love).

somebody's been very, very bad

2012-05-07T20:17:00.000-04:00

Ok. It was me.

The first time this now iconic quilt fabric line was debuted I lollygagged around and finally bought a charm pack and then *poof* it was all gone. You could find small pieces for sale here and there but they were selling around the same price as uncut diamonds.

Then they released the County Fair line, which caused me brief excitement but it was just not the same. I even signed a petition that circulated a while back begging the Powers That Be to do a Flea Market Fancy reprint.

Now it's available again in a new legacy reprint. The colors have been changed a bit, and some of my favorite variations are missing. (Now, why they got to mess with it like that?) But. Lesson learned, folks. You can bet your sweet bobbin that THIS time I bought plenty.

papercut cards

2012-05-03T14:29:00.001-04:00

I started an oversized version of the tole painting card for my mantel and so far it's a fail. Poop. So I put it aside for now and made two more hand-cut cards. I like the woodcutty feel to them, and the fact you can play with paper colors behind them. I'm looking into getting a Silhouette Cameo. It would be fun to design more things like this and just let the digital cutter get the crick in its neck for a change. Do you love yours?

baby gift for Darcy

2012-04-30T11:47:00.001-04:00

{In Which I Sew A Bib and Changing Pad from Laminated Cotton, Have a Crisis, and Learn Something New}

My niece, Erin, recently had a beautiful little baby girl. I haven't met sweet little Darcy yet, but oh, I will soon. And just so my grabby sisters and nieces all know – IT'S GOING TO BE AUNT LARISSA'S TURN WITH THE BABY.

Ahem. The occasion called for a sweet handmade gift and so I thought I'd sew up a bib and a changing pad. I was excited about this. Easy, gratifying, cute, and let me just share that I've had a couple projects go south lately and I needed a win, people.

I just happened to have some beautiful Amy Butler Soul Blossom laminated cotton on hand and it turns out everything else I needed was waiting in my stash. (Which just reinforces my OCD compulsion to buy random spools of ribbon and bias tape.)

The laminated cotton means you can easily wipe the bib and the pad clean if needed, so this makes them ideal for being on the go. I have to confess I actually bought the laminated cotton by mistake online. I thought I was buying regular quilting fabric. It was a doofus move at the time but it sure came in handy for this project, and I'm glad I have some leftover to make something else with.

But. I had no idea that it doesn't just obligingly sew up like regular fabric, so after I got the bib cut out and pinned together, I couldn't figure out why it would NOT feed through the presser foot. It seemed to stick like glue. Which is in essence exactly what it does when laminate meets the shiny metal underside of the presser foot.

After several foiled attempts and several fruitless minutes spent adjusting foot pressure, stitch length and ripping out stitches (I loathe ripping out stitches), then the lowest point which was a bad idea involving baby powder, I crammed the bib in the trash and complained about it on my Facebook page. After just a few seconds this totally awesome Person Extraordinaire, Christina, gave me a link to FutureGirl's post about the very same problem. Keep in mind I've never sewn on oilcloth or vinyl so I had no idea there was anything such as a roller foot or a teflon foot, like I do now from other helpful commenters. Thanks, everybody! So after reading FutureGirl's extremely timely and low tech quick-fix, I cut out some blue painter's tape and stuck it on the bottom of the presser foot and suddenly I was back in business. Note: regular shiny clear tape does not work. It has to be dull tape, not shiny.

I feel I should say something poetic and profound about what happens when the immediacy of facebook is magically combined with the hive mind of valuable DIY knowledge on the internet, but I'll sum it all up and say it was less than twenty minutes from nasty temper flare to successfully finished bib.

If you are wondering, I used a couple of free patterns for the bib and changing pad:

Bib: Nested's free bib pattern has a pocket included and is designed for velcro closure, but I used a pearlized snap instead. Just FYI, I also did not construct it as suggested, but instead traced and used the outline as my stitch line when I sandwiched my uncut front and back fabric RST (I used a light table to line up the pocket in between those layers).

Changing Pad: SewTakeAHike's diaper changing pad tutorial gave me the rounded corner idea and the dimensions I needed, but instead of using velcro I added a ribbon tie, and mine is three layers: cotton laminate, batting, and chenille.

more floral cards

2012-04-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

Still loving the tole painting look for cards. These were made with some punches, some hand drawn/hand cut shapes, a white pencil, an X-ACTO and some glue.

Hmm. I need to make a really big one for my mantel, I think.

the paper cart delivers

2012-04-23T11:02:00.001-04:00

Well, the Sterilite carts arrived. In cardboard boxes that could have easily housed largish zoo animals (and which are currently occupied by my kids). I love the carts. LOVE THEM. As much as someone can love ugly plastic furniture, I love them. Because they work.

I always feel a bit hesitant to show pictures taken in my studio. I think I have an inferiority complex from all the stunning, color coordinated and neat-as-a-pin studio tours I've seen on blogs. Let me just be clear: my studio will never win any beauty awards. It's more about function than form. I'm trying to own that. I feel very lucky to even have a dedicated space to create, no matter how crowded and mismatched it is. That in itself is a huge blessing. Huge. But I digress.

The drawers had these nice, hinged lids on them. Which I spent a few minutes popping off with a flathead screwdriver. It seemed a shame. But I wanted easy access and didn't want to have to take the drawers completely out in order to get to the paper.

I stacked the two units together and installed the casters on the bottom unit. Which are a really nice feature because it's helpful to move the cart out of the way when I'm not doing a paper project.

Each drawer can hold 12x12 inch pieces (I discovered a lot of my 12x12s are actually bigger than that but if I turn them the right way they stay flat) and I keep all my scraps on top of the whole pieces. It's very easy to take a drawer out to rummage through it. And I like that I can see the color of the paper through the plastic so I can zero in on the drawer I want quickly.

Organizing all the small paper in the new carts has left my big ol' wooden flat file to do what it does best: House large sheets. I've just rediscovered a stack of expensive Arches papers from college. Bonus.

And that solves my dilemma with the ridiculous pile of solid colored art papers. (I am not going to worry about the ludicrous pile of patterned art papers for now. Or the preposterous piles of fabric. One thing at a time.)

Having the paper organized so nicely has put me in a card making mood! See, I even purchased a new X-ACTO knife. If you've ever seen a picture of my old one with the grimy, 20 year old masking tape around the grip, you'll be thankful. (I still have it though.)

birthday card for Paula

2012-04-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

Paula is positively delightful in every way. And she is my sweet mom-in-law. And this is her birthday card. I was excited to get out my knife again, which is an improvement. The beachball of death has been spinning on the right side of my brain lately.

A cut paper card like this is pretty easy to do if you are careful and have a sharp blade. I draw/print the design backwards on the back side of the card stock, then make all the tiny cuts first, then the big ones. Actually, while I was on a roll I made another one. I always need birthday cards.

what I'm up to

2012-04-16T19:35:00.001-04:00

Gah. Martha would not approve. No one is going to be pinning beauty shots of my studio anytime soon. Unless it is a 'hoarders' board. Just keepin it real. I'm trying to organize. Feeling down in the dumps is not helping.

One of the things that would help: marshaling my ludicrous pile of art papers. Way back when, my Schmoopie bought me this great vintage wooden flat file. It's so huge. I love it for my large sheets that need to lay flat, plus portfolio pieces and tissue paper, cardboard, mat board and bristol etc... But the bulk of my paper stash is smaller sheets and it is getting crazy out of control. Every time I open the drawer I can hear some sheets at the back becoming freeform origami. I've got to do something.

I have so many 12 x 12 inch and letter sized pieces (plus tons of small scraps) and I can't find anything without just emptying the huge drawer. That's when it starts looking like a paper explosion (first photo). I'm trying to figure out a good way to:

keep it all easily accessible and separated into colors
while at the same time be visible at a glance
arranged so that small scraps do not get lost from view
it must fit easily in my space-poor craft disaster area

I haven't seen anything yet that seems to answer all those problems without knocking out a wall. But I think this Sterilite cart might do the job (image courtesy a screen capture from Target.com). I like that I can roll it out for my project, then roll it back out of the way into a corner when I don't need it, and that the drawers lift out and have lids. I just ordered two of them and I'm hoping I can stack them.

I looked at a bunch of stores online and this is the best price I have found. Have you noticed that if you add the word "scrap" to a storage item the price doubles?

bunny dreams

2012-04-07T23:27:00.000-04:00

travel bugs

2012-04-03T06:00:00.018-04:00

Well, it's official. My friend is now in Brazil. Olá, meu amigo Robyn, over the equator and far away!

I sent a package to her kids before they left the US because I thought it might be nice for her older two to have a travel sized buddy like their younger brother, Asher. Something to play with on the long airplane ride. I had all this fur left over from the beards. And some nice chenille stems from my sister Lita (thanks, Lita!). So here are the Travel Bugs.

I think they ended up kind of Seussy looking (like they might live in a truffala tree), and probably a little too cutesy for her older boy, but he can secretly like it. I meant for his to look a little weirder and fiercer but somehow it stayed cute. Sorry, Gage. Maybe you can add some fangs? Audrey, Leafling looks like she might enjoy a tiny bow in her hair. Do you know any crafty kids that could make her one? And don't mention her mustache. Girls don't like to call attention to those.

I consume a lot of Altoids® Curiously Strong Mints (where's my sponsorship?) so I always have tins on hand. I was lucky to have a British 50g tin in my pile for Boogerby (that's the blue one) because he is so FURRY and all that hair would not fit in an American tin. The 50g tin is slightly deeper than the American. Also, it is not embossed. I'm actually not sure how I came to have a 50g tin. I don't remember buying any in London. That's curious. (rimshot)

Travel Bugs bring their own maps and their own food. Plus, they already have airplane hair, so they make you feel better about yours.

now I have to make a blouse

2012-03-30T20:22:00.000-04:00

Total fabric splurge because I've never sewn with double gauze. Now I totally have to. Oh, my goodness, it's beautiful. You can't not sew with nani IRO. Right? Maybe I'll try to sew up something like this. I would love to make it if I can. Anyone seen a similar pattern?

Also, I've been terrible TERRIBLE about maintaining my blog's inner pages and sidebars. Bad me. I've recently updated my FAQ, which I hope you will find informative and helpful. And if it is not informative or helpful perhaps you will post a question to help things along?

I've also updated the advertising page with current stats and the mmmakers page with some new shops.

I know it seems like I should change out that sidebar Bible verse sometime, but I always find it relevant to me somehow and I need to see it often. Sorry! I should make a fun sidebar widget called "On my mind" like Disney so I can update it with verses or thoughts on a daily basis. In another life I'd be that organized.

Operation Incognito now available

2012-03-27T18:55:00.001-04:00

The Operation Incognito PDF pattern is now available two ways:
1) Emailed to you within 24 hours after you buy in my Etsy shop
2) Instantly downloadable in my Craftsy pattern store

I revamped the original gift idea to include the nine mustache and beard styles you see modeled so goofily above by my own two secret agents (what a silly photo session that was!) and I changed the original drawstring bag into a felt manila envelope that comes with a printable disguise guide. It would be a fun gift set to make for a small secret agent in your life.

We hope you choose to accept this mission. This post will self-destruct in 45 seconds.

(Not really.)

mustaches and misc.

2012-03-23T16:27:00.003-04:00

(Late Note: This is now available as a PDF pattern in my shops: Etsy (emailed within 24 hours) and Craftsy (instant download))

Hey, there. It's all mustaches all the time around here. I'm finishing up a sewing pattern for the previously seen Operation Incognito that I think you'll really like. I've added new mustaches and beard styles and a new way to stash them all. Ha ha. Stash. In other news:

Abby Glassenberg has another great article posted right now on the ins and outs of contributing to craft books. It's a great resource for you if you'd like to know more about the process. I'm just really enjoying her whole Softies For Sale series. Hmm, that's a lot of Ss. Fun with sibilance.
Am I the only one not watching Downton Abbey for pity's sake? I watched series one last year, but fumbled it and didn't catch the first episodes of series two, and now I stubbornly refuse to enter in the middle of things. I'll have to wait until it streams or something.
There are now several shops listed on the mmmakers page if you are looking for ready-made Wee Mouses or other items from an Mmmcrafts pattern.
Wow, suddenly I really, really, really need a haircut. This always seems to sneak up on me. I'll go for weeks feeling good about my hair, then one day I wake up and it has Crossed The Line.
I'm rereading Circle of Friends and I've decided I'd like to be Irish and live in a tiny town near Dublin, eat porridge with cream and wear woolen pencil skirts. I love the way Maeve Binchy phrases things. My favorite quote from today's reading: "She doesn't spend the the whole lunch hour eating by the look of her, thin string of misery that she is."
Speaking of food, I'm going to see Hunger Games on Monday night with some gal friends! Oh, Hunger Games the Movie, please oh please oh please live up to my (unreasonable) expectations.

card for Chelsea and Raven

2012-03-16T06:00:00.004-04:00

My sweet nieces share a birthday week in March, and I'm hoping they do not mind sharing a birthday card too.

joy in the mail

2012-03-14T06:00:00.003-04:00

I've always loved getting packages in the mail. It does not matter a bit that they are packages I purchased for myself! It still makes me want to dance a jig when brown paper packages show up on my doorstep or in the mailbox. It's like magic. And let's just be honest, I'm so absentminded that the arrival of ordered items is still sometimes a surprise. Sad, but true.

You can see above that I purchased two colorways of my favorite design from Rashida's Washi fabric line. I love the whole fun look of the washi tape going this way and that, and I can really see it being sewn up into some cute clothes. Maybe a shirt for me. Speaking of shirts, are you getting geared up to sew yourself a spring top? I'm trying to work up the gumption. And also speaking of which, my fellow Atlantans, Ms. Spring Top Week herself will be at Whipstitch on the 23rd and 24th. I'm going to try to make it over there.

Continuing on with nice 'surprises' in the mail, I bought this pretty bias binding and this gently used copy of...this lovely book for which I do not have the title. Because I do not read Japanese. But if I had to name it, I'd call it Way Cool Lucky Happy Stitchy Felt Stuff. Since that is completely unhelpful, here's the ISBN:
ISBN978-4-579-11115-2

It may be out of print by now. I found both items at this lovely etsy shop (Hi, Jennifer!) and I'm so happy that she was willing to part with this book because I've been lusting after it since I found it at Robyn's house a few months ago. I spent quite a few minutes browsing the book at her dining table when I probably should have been concentrating on my friend who is moving to Brazil. But look at the pretty pretty pictures!

And especially this little bag:

I dig all the bright, layered, embroidered felt shapes. So me. Besides opening packages tied up with string, I'm also working up a pattern for the Operation Incognito mustache kit, so hopefully that will be available soon.

Zakka Style errata

2012-03-13T17:42:00.000-04:00

This just in: If you are making my Stem Messenger Bag included in the book Zakka Style, there is a misprint on page 47 in the instructions. The text says to draw a line measuring 3 inches from the point, but it should read 3 inches from edge to edge, like so:

Make a little note in your book for future reference. You can check C&T's official errata page for Zakka Style right here.

calling all mmmakers!

2012-03-12T10:28:00.003-04:00

I'm getting a lot of requests to buy premade items, like Wee Mouses. If you make stuff to sell from my retail sewing patterns and want referrals, can you let me know? (More info on cottage industry can be found here.) I'd love to have options to give folks. There's a mmmakers page available for links to your shops or just your contact information. If you want to be included on that resource page, please let me know. I'll need to be able to confirm your pattern purchase(s), so include your Etsy username or the PayPal email address you used for your Craftsy purchase. If you'd rather email me than comment, my email address is listed under my profile, in the sidebar over there >> on the blog. Thanks!

Great Scott! (slurp)

2012-03-08T10:55:00.000-05:00

I have decided that it is a huge waste of time to sit for an hour and pin things and then never use them. So to justify my Pinterest habit, I've been making an effort to go back through the pins I've hoarded and try the ideas. One of which is Ree's iced coffee. Holy smokes. I'm on my second glassful. You should see how fast I'm typing. My thoughts are so FOCUSED. My hair is actually standing on end. Not really. But I am wired. This stuff is so good, man. I am usually a hot coffee type of person, especially in the morning. But this. This transcends temperature. I highly recommend it.

I didn't want to buy a whole pound of espresso for the first attempt, so I went for the 10 oz package of Cafe Bustelo. Instead of 2 gallons of water, I used 1.25 gallons of water with it and steeped it overnight. Be prepared to wait for the filtering process. I used paper towels in my strainer because I didn't have cheesecloth and a coffee filter was way WAY too slow. With paper towels you can at least change them out after a couple of times so the speed picks back up again. You end up with a pitcherful of black gold.

She says (insert chuckling) that you can use skim milk instead of half and half to mix in. Hoo boy. That's a good one, Ree. As if. And of course I went for her Vietnamese version that has sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar. It's totally worth the splurge. Especially when your first sip through the straw is a glob of pure condensed milk. Bonus. Instead of about halfway up, I filled up most of the glass with coffee, then about 3 TBS sweetened condensed milk and then a splash of half and half.

What else? We've been getting back into our usual school groove after Michael's hospital stay. Not a huge amount of making going on at the moment. I'm trying to force myself to finish up some WIPs. It's not going so well. I have also been trying to organize things in my craft room so it looks less like a paper and felt explosion and more like a place to get something done. I love my felt organizer (otherwise known as a shoe rack from Target). Scraps go in the old Coke crate above it.

I did forget to mention that I was invited for an interview recently with talented Abby Glassenberg over at While She Naps. Abby has been doing a great series of posts on how to monetize your softie making habit. I took some time out to discuss cottage industry as it relates to my own pattern business. Go on over and check it out.