It was a wonderful holiday!

I hope everyone had as lovely a Christmas as we did! We were lucky enough to see family we've not seen in a couple years....my younger brother, Mark, and his wife Michelle and kids Joshua and Tyler. We were all together at my sister's house with her family.

The aprons were a hit! Here is Melissa and Michelle posing like professional models with the aprons and Melissa's new Kitchenaid mixer...I love this pic!

Here is a full picture of Michelle with her coffee apron

Here is Melissa with her Christmas apron...

My nephew, Jack, with his camo apron....he loved this! 

Here are the girls screaming as they opened their new tvs...I managed to completely suprise  them this year! It wasn't something they asked for...I offered no clues...and I did not wrap them or put them under the tree until Christmas morning so no chance at peeking!

My beautiful girls

This is something they got me... they know I love anything metal and candles, etc. The flower arrangement needs work lol we stuck the poinsettas in it that had been in a vase on the kitchen table...I have already begun purchasing new things to put in it for the year round display. Who knew dead, dry plants could cost so much!

This is our front door this year....I love this idea for a wreath!

Well, off to sew with all the new fabric we bought yesterday. I keep hearing I should sell aprons, so I am going to give it a try! 

Happy New Year and stay safe!

whew

Nothing like a deadline to get you moving.... I'm sewing things like crazy that I have known I had to sew for a month now lol. It was an exhausting day at work as well.

Kids say I might actually sleep in on Christmas for a change....after all these years, you'd think they would finally understand I still get excited and get up before the sun! (I've always had to beg my kids to get up and come open presents) Weird right?

Watching my favorite Christmas movie....It's a Wonderful Life. Merry Christmas you old beautiful building and loan! =)

Long overdue update....

There has been SO much going on! I am officially certified (as of a couple months ago) after much studying and stress. I do much better in a classroom situation than I do with the  freedom to study only out of a book whenever I want....I tend to put it down way too much without constant deadlines =).

Two of my children have been in drivers ed....ack! 

I have sewn quite a bit after taking a break to buckle down on books....aprons are my latest obsession. I made a really cute one (my first) for my sister to celebrate her cooking her first family Thanksgiving turkey! (which turned out wonderfully juicy and tasty)

This is the apron almost finished...just had to add some mostly decorative pockets

My sister, Melissa, modeling her new apron

Melissa and my girls...

Hard at work carving that gorgeous turkey...had to show off my dressing that turned out just like mom's (special request from Melissa) 

Here is the Christmas apron I'm working on for her....I changed it up a little and it will be more ruffly (is that a  word?). You can also see the JC Penney sewing machine in the background that I found at a thrift store for 15 bucks...it works! It only needs a good cleaning.

Here is the wonderful stalk (?) of brussel sprouts we found at Trader Joes...I love that store! I wanted to decorate it like a christmas tree but the girls vetoed that because they wanted to eat it...so it's next to my glass candies tree to get in the festive spirit.

Here are about half the sprouts cooking with some garlic, sun dried tomatoes, olive oil and a little butter...they were amazingly good!

After many delays (months worth....oops!) I did finally finish Ashleigh's bookbag for this year. It's a durable thick purple denim that I got from somewhere online...108 inches wide...I wish more fabric came wider like that or was at least easier to get! I was about to attach the strap here.

I didn't add much contrasting fabric or many embellishments so this pocket hiding under the flap for her iPad was fun...she is working towards her degree as an Astrophysicist so planets are always a safe material to pick!

Just another pic of it. Not much fancy about it...nice zippered pocket on the outside for her odds and ends and some loops to attach things...she loves it!

I have lots more going on but really just wanted to show off the aprons! I'm hooked on those now and they are so easy and easily changed to suit the fabric or needs. Great gifts too! My sister says I should sell them...hmmmmm ;-)

See ya next time!

Finally!

My girls will be home today! They have been in Florida for the last 2 months and I've been miserable without them! I have a 3 day weekend to spend with them, although I'm sick as hell lol. This lady coughed on me about a week and a half ago and now I have it! Rude right??? She didn't even apologize.... anyway. I'll be so happy to have my babies home. It's been a difficult summer and I have avoided blogging because of it. I've done lots around the house to keep myself occupied and maybe next week I can provide pics of my work.


I wish they were here already! =)

What I'm doing on my vacation...

Relaxing, being lazy, running kids around, few errands here and there, and baking..... 


We had nothing sweet, so I took my standard bread recipe, sweetened it up a little, rolled chunks of it out, sprinkled with yummy stuff ....et voila ... homemade cinnamon nutmeg sticky buns glazed with orange ginger syrup were born! I have never made any kind of sticky bun, but have seen it done and knew enough of the basics.  My best creations seem to be from digging through the fridge and cabinets and throwing something together out of what we have....that whole throw what you got into the pot thing.  

Omg these are to die for! I didn't think of adding some almonds until after these were done, but they are the only thing I'll add/change next time. 

This is what else I've done today

Yummy homemade whole wheat hamburger buns!

I've made these in the past and can't remember the site I got the recipe off of, but the same basic recipe seems to be on a lot of sites - just google fast hamburger buns and it's one that takes 2 tablespoons (yes TB) of yeast and less than an hour from start to finish. Well, mine take a little longer since I make to 2 small balls of dough for each bun, flatten them very flat, flour them well, then stack (2 each bun)  and let rise for about 20 minutes so they separate easily after being cooked. I made two batches today...the first I didn't use an egg wash. They are delicious but not as gorgeous as the ones in the picture that did get that egg wash - makes a huge difference in presentation! 


They don't come out perfect, but as you take that first bite you really don't care LOL. They are the size or a little bigger than a store bought bun and so so so so so so so so so so so so so much better tasting! To make them is faster and much cheaper than a trip to the store....each recipe gets me about a dozen.  It works well with whole wheat - I used no white flour at all in these and they rose very well. The same recipe works with hot dog buns....just shape differently.


We used some of them with the homemade vegan chickpea burgers I made a week or two ago...oh and the awesome fennel pickles. 


The burgers I start with some kind of bean/lentil and add tons of spices/herbs, limited salt, various flavors depending on my mood - you can lean towards a mexican spicy flavor, asian with some ginger and sesame, or italian flavors, etc...whatever sounds good. I usually add some nuts and/or seeds and a little olive oil when grinding up the cooked beans/lentils. Some fat has to be in it to keep it from being too dry - so choose a heart healthy fat! Onions and bell peppers are good with any of the flavor combinations - I partially cook them to get out extra moisture and then grind keep the crunchy to a minimum. Sun dried tomatoes work well with some - make sure they get reconstituted in a little water and ground up well (save the tomato water to add to the mixture if it's too dry or use it to flavor a sauce for the burger). It usually ends up being a throw what you got into the pot kind of burger and hasn't disappointed yet! There really isn't a need for any specific recipe other than limit the liquids until you see what consistency you get with everything else.  If it's too runny - add some kind of nut or whole grain flour - doesn't have to be a wheat flour. Chilling the mixture before making patties helps a lot. Use an ice cream scooper to get uniform sizes. I drop them directly onto a pan lined with unbleached parchment paper and flatten them gently with the back of the scooper and they end up looking like a store bought burger - without all the extra icky crap! Bake until firm but not dry. Freeze them using the parchment to keep each separated so they don't end up frozen together. Take out and warm as needed....easy and so yummy. Lots of preparation, but it makes a ton of burgers so it's not something that has to be made each time you want it, is very cheap, is so healthy and you control what goes in them.


The fennel pickles....just sliced up fennel, pickle cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, lots of garlic and some onion, used the fennel fronds as some extra flavor, ...added salt, vinegar, water, organic cane sugar, cayenne and I think that's all lol....they turned out amazing! I did heat the liquids and sugar/salt before adding to the vegetables. They are refrigerator pickles since they were not properly canned. I may never buy pickles again.

Our foster dog, Daisy

Ok....it all started with the girls going to work with me when I have a short shift on a weekend. They would wander around the shopping center and one day saw dogs in front of the pet store....it was a local animal rescue (I'm not sure if I can mention their name or what). The girls started volunteering officially the next week and whenever I can get them there for the adoption events. So, anyways, so...after swearing I couldn't have an animal in the house, we heard of some that needed immediate placement and decided to take one in. That was a Saturday. She was at our house by Monday having been cleaned up, spayed, shots, and medicated/inoculated as needed. She was so sick from the surgery and so incredibly shy that all I could think was poor thing and what the hell have I gotten myself into lol. As she recovered and learned to trust us, she has turned into this magnificent creature so full of love and spunk. She's a lab/border collie mix...gorgeous and well behaved and is training so easily! House training was a breeze. Now we are working on commands and the crate...unfortunately it's a necessity but for as little amounts of time as possible. She has warmed up to us and even at approximately a year old, is playful as a puppy. Sigh.... I kinda hope she doesn't get adopted too fast lol...

My attempt at cauliflower crusted pizza....

Yum!!!! It's a complete success. I've seen this all over Pinterest and decided to try it...I added laughing cow lite swiss cheese (the creamy one that comes in a wheel), basil, oregano, garlic, and a few egg whites to the cauliflower  "crust" to give it even more pizza flavor and wow! I added plenty of herbs to the sun dried tomato, porcini mushroom, and anchovy sauce. Then, I put sliced fresh vidalia onion, sweet peppers, and asparagus all topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese.


No one would miss regular pizza at all...this has all the right pizza flavors but it's much lower in calories and carbs. 

I first cooked the crust on some unbleached parchment paper that was sprayed with a little oil for about 10 minutes, then flipped it over (carefully as the crust does not hold together at all like a dough would) and built the pizza, then another 10 minutes or so in the oven and deliciousness was achieved!\

This is definitely a recipe that will be repeated! Whoever had the original idea using cauliflower this way is a genius.

More of the dress...

I was at work when she was headed for the dance, so I had to rely on the twins taking pics...not too bad eh?

Just from the way her arms are I KNOW she's texting LOL

When I picked her up after the dance she told me "Momma you didn't hem the bottom very well. I kept stepping on it."... I reminded her we made the back longer  because she wanted it that way. Sometimes that blonde hair overtakes her genius brain LOL (She has plans on being a math major). Gosh she is tall.

Newest dress

It started with some very sparkly very slippery sheer fabric we bought on clearance months ago....(look at the cleaned off sewing table!)

Yes I used a pattern....Simplicity 5561...and some of my modifications. This pattern is one of the easiest dress patterns I've ever done - this is our second use of it. We added straps and passed on the little jacket pattern that is included. 

One smart thing we did was find matching fabric while getting the sparkly fabric...it's used as the lining 

Her hair is hiding the straps, but I gave the option of being able to spread the straps out a little to change up the look.

She told me she's always wanted a sparkly dress. 

Happy Mother's Day

I woke up to a pot of coffee, a cupcake, and these....they made me homemade pancakes with agave syrup later.


I totally missed the little ninja at first...my children's response to that was because it's ninja! LOL

The next 3 are the same card...how sweet is this? 

My kids knowing I'm there for them no matter what was my second biggest goal as a mom....I never had that comfort growing up, or now for that matter, and it's extremely important to me! My heart did flips when I saw these words today! Love, of course, is the first goal if anyone was wondering :D

Momma loves turtles! 

I have the best kids in the world! I love you babies!

Pink!

Anyone who knows me surely is baffled by this lol...this car just calls out for extra special girly touches. We started with just the steering wheel cover a month or two ago then last week I held my breath, bought the seat covers, and put them on... as much as I hate and I do mean hate pink...I kinda like this LOL. I get lots of looks and smiles...or maybe laughter at someone my age driving this car :D

Who knew

.

Latest creation...

Two posts in a row again....I have not had much time to sew at all lately. I miss it! I have continued to stock up on fabric and zippers. Mostly zippers. I have so many zippers. :-)


After the beach trip, I realized my summer clothes are severely lacking...we went in search of material for a sundress type coverup for me at the beach. Let's face it - no one wants to see this walking around LOL. I even got brave and bought a tankini type swimsuit. I wonder if I'll ever be brave enough to beach myself in it! I think as long as I'm just laying getting sun I can do it. I can do it. I can do it...ok I still need convincing. Maybe I'll just wear it under the flouncy summery dress I have planned. 


I also found some really cute fabric that turned into this:

The picture really does not do it justice. I even thought of offering it for sale it's so adorable and not too homemade looking. Butttt....since I planned this as a summer purse for me, I'm going to start using it today! LOL It's kind of a thick cotton and I bought enough to make a matching beach bag too.

Ok...blog fun is over. Time for real life. 

Finally a mini vacation...

A couple weeks ago I finally did it...I took the vacation (only a weekend) I've promised myself for a long time! It's just sad how long it's been since I've gone anywhere prior to that ( like a decade ). We headed for the coast - something we can do now with a more reliable car! The first day of weather was spotty and we got rained on a lot - but we also had lots of intervals of sun. The second day was absolutely gorgeous and we got a little too much sun. We spent way too much money, stayed in a hotel on the beach - pricey but really cute and worth it! -  and lived it up as tourists and even got called a tourist by a waiter that thought we were out of earshot LOL....hey they didn't have to let us in the door of that fancy french restaurant while we were soaking wet (from rain) and covered in sand while wearing our tourist t-shirts and everything! I think the only thing we were missing were fins and snorkels lol. It was fun and our waitress was very nice.

When we arrived - I have not seen the coast in so - too - long!

Feet in the water! This picture was not sideways on my camera or computer, but this blog seems to like it that way LOL. The water was ice cold but wonderful!

This is the view from our hotel room balcony.

My gorgeous daughters

Me in all my fatness and glory...we'll call this my before pic! I don't allow too many of me and the others were horrendous lol. Nothing like perspective to get you motivated!

We really had a blast and I'm anxious to go back if even for a day. With my schedule and the girls schedule, it won't happen in the next few weeks probably, but I'm determined to start living my life my way!

I had forgotten how much I love the coast...I do believe I'll move back once the kids are all set!

Busy....

I have been working some crazy hours - can't wait to see that paycheck! It will be my first full time paycheck at the higher rate.

Our warm (blech - I need a season with cold weather) winter has made allergy season particularly early and drastic. Only March and I'm already dealing with sinus and ear infections...I was fine one day and knocked completely on my behind the next...

All in all...I have sewn nothing nothing nothingggggg in a couple weeks. I have some beautiful fabrics fresh and new waiting if I ever find time again lol.

A friend  told me yesterday that I'm different now....I feel so much more at peace. I like myself again.


We are still on our quest to eliminate all processed foods. The pink slime has me completely grossed out to where I am not buying ground meat lol. I still won't eat packaged bread although the girls are having it sometimes when I can't bake...I check the ingredients to make sure no one put their hair in it! This has made it much easier for me to eat healthier -  lots of carbs that no longer pass these lips! I question all food now...especially if it has multiple ingredients.

I found a hand crank pasta machine (on my wish list for years) and a hand crank meat grinder - both solid metal and amazingly not expensive at all. No electric models for me - more crap to break and have plastic parts. I remember seeing these kind of gadgets in kitchens years ago.

2 posts in one day...

I should have posted this first so it would not take away from the work we've done...but I was still gagging on information (hence the green font color lol)...


I've been looking at ingredients in bread and other things....the whole human hair dissolved in acid (l-cysteine) and added to some bread products has my stomach revolting in horror.  Who doesn't gag at hair in their food?  Reading that little tidbit only led to more articles about disgusting things being done to and added to processed foods. I read that article about the same time as the news of a certain fast food restaurant's pink slime meat came out...they said they don't use that stuff anymore but *@#& why was it ever used in the first place? 




We were already eating more natural than most people I know, but now it will be even more so.  We already avoid almost all canned foods and many other processed ready to eat foods because of cost, salt content, high fructose corn syrup (I don't care what they say about it just being another type of sugar, it makes me physically ill), and very low nutritional values. We don't microwave foods in any type of plastic container at all (that includes so-called microwave safe plastic crap) and we don't use non-stick cookware.




I can make some pretty awesome bread, so I've decided to start making it on a regular basis.  I am, however, having a hard time finding loaf pans locally that AREN'T non-stick coated. I've seen plenty of glass and ceramic options, so maybe I can try one of those. In the meantime, it will look more artesenal (flatter, rounded, but yummy). I bet now that I'm grossed out to the point I can't even glance in the direction of a plastic container filled with food without my stomach turning, losing weight will become easier lol. 


No more convenience at all for anything fattening....that stuff has to be made homemade which takes time and effort (calories burned making it) blah blah blah lol. To clarify: I think a lot of healthier lower calorie items are very convenient in their natural state or with little preparation. The temptations of more fattening items will now be balanced with the time and effort to make them. 


Now to enjoy my fruit for breakfast.

Busy busy busy

I've been making things, but not posting them....here is a purse Ashleigh made yesterday - her first! I also bought her a simple pants/pj pattern awhile back and she's tried it. She may be a natural! I have no pic of the cute pj pants she made.  

I made a very cute purse last weekend and an even cuter little hmm coin purse/makeup bag (?) to go with it this weekend. 

The purse looks lumpy because it's already being used and full of my usual assortment of things lol

This shows my usual bright pop of color for the interior as well as the adorable little bag to match. The colors were just perfect for the little bag and the kitties add a little whimsy to this set. It was also my first attempt at putting a curved top zipper into a little bag...I'm happy with the results! You can see it's too small to really be a decent makeup bag, yet a little too large for a coin purse...so I have both in it! haha! (I always need coins at work for lockers, etc.)

Some things I made for Christmas never got photographed...sigh. I made an adorable bag for my sister on Christmas Eve and hope to maybe get a pic of it someday. I liked the fabric so much, I bought more later. I've bought lots of fabric...lots and lots of fabric. Time to start making more things somehow fitting that into times when I'm not studying for my certification. 

Lots happening here

There's my 17 year old....can't believe I'm the parent of someone that is almost an adult! We found a great castle bundt pan right before her birthday, so I went with a princess theme LOL.  The cake wasn't easy to decorate and if I use it for a party again I have different ideas for it. I still think it turned out really cute. We are not big fans of pink or princess type stuff, so this was fun. She had friends over - we all got no sleep. It was lots of fun!

(I'm still tired days later...)