At 1:55PM on May 26th, at a most impressive speed, we welcomed our little(big) man into the world, weighing in at 9lbs 9oz and measuring 22" long.
The Boy has joined his big sisters and they absolutely adore him.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Look what I just made
I've been on a roll the past little while sewing things for the girls, me and the baby just from fabric in my stash. I know I haven't been on a roll when it comes to blogging about it. I've had good intentions to do so, but for one lame reason or another I just haven't done it. I've hardly made a dent in all my fabric, but there is something satisfying about using up fabric that has just been sitting in bins for an unknown amount of time(either at my house, or at someonelse's). Here is a list of things that I have made so far
-4 pod swadling blankets (only the lining came from my stash).
-1 nursing top for me to wear at the hospital because I HATE the gowns they have at the hospital.
-1pair of pajama pants that match my nursing top.
-Summer Pajamas for all three girls.
-Fleece ponchos for the three girls to wear when we go camping.
-2 different baby slings, I'm not sure what style I'll like better since I have never used one.
And today while I was just sitting feeling really tired, I suddenly had an idea. When I first found out I was pregnant again I came across this froggy flannel that I just loved, so I bought about 4 meters of it with out knowing exactly what I was going to do with it. Today it came to me, this flannel was meant to be a new fitted crib sheet. I just happened to have an old sheet that was wearing thin and the elastic was all stretched out. So I cut it apart to get the right size(all you need is1.75m{1 and 7/8 yard} of 115cm{45"} wide fabric) and away I went. It was so easy and turned out so totally cute, that I am now wondering what else I have in my stash that I can use to make new fun crib sheets.
-4 pod swadling blankets (only the lining came from my stash).
-1 nursing top for me to wear at the hospital because I HATE the gowns they have at the hospital.
-1pair of pajama pants that match my nursing top.
-Summer Pajamas for all three girls.
-Fleece ponchos for the three girls to wear when we go camping.
-2 different baby slings, I'm not sure what style I'll like better since I have never used one.
And today while I was just sitting feeling really tired, I suddenly had an idea. When I first found out I was pregnant again I came across this froggy flannel that I just loved, so I bought about 4 meters of it with out knowing exactly what I was going to do with it. Today it came to me, this flannel was meant to be a new fitted crib sheet. I just happened to have an old sheet that was wearing thin and the elastic was all stretched out. So I cut it apart to get the right size(all you need is1.75m{1 and 7/8 yard} of 115cm{45"} wide fabric) and away I went. It was so easy and turned out so totally cute, that I am now wondering what else I have in my stash that I can use to make new fun crib sheets.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
I'm in love
Have I ever told you how much I love Fabric.com? Oh the fabric! Oh the deals! Oh the temptations! Oh how I love you, let me count the ways...
1) You allow me to shop from the comfort of my home.
2) Your regular prices are cheap($7.98US/yard or $8.98US/yard for designer)...especially because I live in Canada and quilting cotton is on average $15CDN/meter(a yard and an eighth), but more like $18.99CDN/meter for designer cottons.
3) When I spend $35US you ship my package to me(well to my friend) for free(anywhere in the US). And since I live 10 minutes from the border and have a wonderful friend who lives just across the line, I ship my packages to her. It is so very easy to spend $35US.
4) You send me emails informing me of your even bigger and better deals and sales.
5) Your latest sale was to fabulous to resist, 30% of all clearance! I bought nine 1 yard pieces that would have cost me a whopping $41.99US, but I saved 30% so actually I only spent $29.37US. That my friends, is a whopping $3.26US/yard.(Do you know how hard it was to ONLY buy 9 yards of fabric?)
6) Bonus, since the Canadian dollar is almost par with the US dollar the exchange is next to nothing.
Check out these fabulous fabrics that have joined my stash.
1) You allow me to shop from the comfort of my home.
2) Your regular prices are cheap($7.98US/yard or $8.98US/yard for designer)...especially because I live in Canada and quilting cotton is on average $15CDN/meter(a yard and an eighth), but more like $18.99CDN/meter for designer cottons.
3) When I spend $35US you ship my package to me(well to my friend) for free(anywhere in the US). And since I live 10 minutes from the border and have a wonderful friend who lives just across the line, I ship my packages to her. It is so very easy to spend $35US.
4) You send me emails informing me of your even bigger and better deals and sales.
5) Your latest sale was to fabulous to resist, 30% of all clearance! I bought nine 1 yard pieces that would have cost me a whopping $41.99US, but I saved 30% so actually I only spent $29.37US. That my friends, is a whopping $3.26US/yard.(Do you know how hard it was to ONLY buy 9 yards of fabric?)
6) Bonus, since the Canadian dollar is almost par with the US dollar the exchange is next to nothing.
Check out these fabulous fabrics that have joined my stash.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
One baby project complete...oh so many more to go.
A couple of weeks ago my Sister-in-law posted about the bouncy chair she had recovered for here baby that was due in about a weeks time. I thought to myself, "why haven't I ever thought of that?". So I got busy looking through my fabrics trying to decide what fabrics would be the perfect fit for the bouncy chair and the baby/toddler rocker that I have (both of which I had bought second hand). They were functional, but not what I would call "to die for cute". They did the job that was expected of them, and that must be why I have never thought to spruce them up at all. I didn't think to take a before picture, but here is a picture of the covers that were on them...just all pulled apart.
I decided to use some of the fabric that I have recently acquired free(full story here), a five yard piece of super soft Debbie Mum quilting flannel in neutral colors(and I only used up about a yard) . The black broadcloth that I used as the lining was also from this stash of free fabric. I then recovered the toy bar with a scrap of black crushed velour. I had everything I needed on hand...should I be so surprised? I was so pleased with the end result. I can't wait to have a baby to put in it.
For the baby/toddler rocker I decided on some of the fabulous fabric that I haven't been able to decide what it was destined to become(the full story here. I only used about 1/2yard of the 1 1/2 yard piece...plenty still to make something else with). I used some orange broadcloth that I had as the lining. The only thing that I had to go buy was the blue bias tape to finish the edges. I reused all of the clips from the old cover. My girls love it. My 2 year old thinks it is "so pretty" and loves to sit in it...it is already getting well used.
I have to say I think the new covers are a huge improvement over the old ones. I'm so glad for the inspiration from my sister-in-law.
I'm already working on another baby project...with others lined up waiting to get done...after all I now only have 2 months to get it all done!
I decided to use some of the fabric that I have recently acquired free(full story here), a five yard piece of super soft Debbie Mum quilting flannel in neutral colors(and I only used up about a yard) . The black broadcloth that I used as the lining was also from this stash of free fabric. I then recovered the toy bar with a scrap of black crushed velour. I had everything I needed on hand...should I be so surprised? I was so pleased with the end result. I can't wait to have a baby to put in it.
For the baby/toddler rocker I decided on some of the fabulous fabric that I haven't been able to decide what it was destined to become(the full story here. I only used about 1/2yard of the 1 1/2 yard piece...plenty still to make something else with). I used some orange broadcloth that I had as the lining. The only thing that I had to go buy was the blue bias tape to finish the edges. I reused all of the clips from the old cover. My girls love it. My 2 year old thinks it is "so pretty" and loves to sit in it...it is already getting well used.
I have to say I think the new covers are a huge improvement over the old ones. I'm so glad for the inspiration from my sister-in-law.
I'm already working on another baby project...with others lined up waiting to get done...after all I now only have 2 months to get it all done!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Some of the best news a pregnant lady can hear...."We'll have to move your due date ahead by 3 weeks".
When I woke up this morning I was in the mind set that I was 28 weeks and a few days, but I knew that baby was measuring about 3 weeks ahead. This is no surprise. I've always had biggish babies(8lb 2oz, and 8lb 10oz). Although you could just plain say that my youngest was HUGE at 10lbs 13oz(born 100% natural). I had little hope that anything would actually change. I was prepared to plead my case....simply that I did not want to deliver another HUGE baby.
The first thing the nurse said to me this morning when I walked into the examining room was "So it looks like we'll be changing your due date. Baby is measuring larger than expected." Is it any surprise that my blood pressure was thena little, a lot high? That will get any pregnant lady excited!
Here are the facts as presented to me today.
1. At my first ultrasound on Jan 21 baby was measuring almost 3 weeks ahead, putting the due date at May 24th.
2. At my second ultrasound on March 18th baby was measuring a full month ahead, putting the due date at May 11th.
3. Because my cycles are as irregular as...(why can't I think of some great simile here?), keeping track of them is very difficult so the original due date of June 12th was based on my best guess as to when my last cycle was(which I thought was pretty accurate).
4. Because the three dates vary so much, it is best to go with the most accurate one, which is the date that we get from the first ultrasound.
So hooray for me!! In a matter of hours nearly a whole month passed by! However, if baby actually comes on or around May 24th I will be surprised. But on the other hand, I know that baby will be born before June 12th, and since I have been planning on that for the past 28 weeks, I'll be pretty ecstatic with that result.
The first thing the nurse said to me this morning when I walked into the examining room was "So it looks like we'll be changing your due date. Baby is measuring larger than expected." Is it any surprise that my blood pressure was then
Here are the facts as presented to me today.
1. At my first ultrasound on Jan 21 baby was measuring almost 3 weeks ahead, putting the due date at May 24th.
2. At my second ultrasound on March 18th baby was measuring a full month ahead, putting the due date at May 11th.
3. Because my cycles are as irregular as...(why can't I think of some great simile here?), keeping track of them is very difficult so the original due date of June 12th was based on my best guess as to when my last cycle was(which I thought was pretty accurate).
4. Because the three dates vary so much, it is best to go with the most accurate one, which is the date that we get from the first ultrasound.
So hooray for me!! In a matter of hours nearly a whole month passed by! However, if baby actually comes on or around May 24th I will be surprised. But on the other hand, I know that baby will be born before June 12th, and since I have been planning on that for the past 28 weeks, I'll be pretty ecstatic with that result.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Free fabric can be sew much fun
My almost 3 year old has decided that she is concerned about getting dirty while eating and insists on wearing a bib. The only problem is that I really don't have any bibs big enough to sufficiently keep her (relatively) clean. This morning I pulled out this apron to do the job.
My sister made this apron for my oldest daughter when she was about 2 years old. It has been well used and is starting to fall apart. After breakfast I decided that I would cut it apart(which required cutting a total of two shoulder seams) to use as a pattern to make more apron/bibs for all of my daughters. After all I have all of this free fabric that I could use. I took the girls down to the piles of fabric that have taken over my basement and let them choose two fabrics that they wanted me to make an apron/bib out of.
Here is what the apron piece looks like folded in half.
To cut out and sew six aprons took me about 2 hours. These aprons are super simple, I could have made them fancier, but really considering that they'll end up being used as a bib, a craft apron, cooking apron, and paint smock I decided that they would be very basic. All I did was serge around the edges and then hem up all edges with a narrow hem...after sewing the shoulder seams together of course. They fasten in the back with Velcro.
Here are the finished products.
I am not normally a fan of licensed fabrics like Disney and Dora, I would never actually spend money on them. But when they are FREE I'll keep them around for projects such as this. My girls can wear these where ever and when ever they want and hopefully they will assist in keeping their clothes clean(er).
My sister made this apron for my oldest daughter when she was about 2 years old. It has been well used and is starting to fall apart. After breakfast I decided that I would cut it apart(which required cutting a total of two shoulder seams) to use as a pattern to make more apron/bibs for all of my daughters. After all I have all of this free fabric that I could use. I took the girls down to the piles of fabric that have taken over my basement and let them choose two fabrics that they wanted me to make an apron/bib out of.Here is what the apron piece looks like folded in half.
To cut out and sew six aprons took me about 2 hours. These aprons are super simple, I could have made them fancier, but really considering that they'll end up being used as a bib, a craft apron, cooking apron, and paint smock I decided that they would be very basic. All I did was serge around the edges and then hem up all edges with a narrow hem...after sewing the shoulder seams together of course. They fasten in the back with Velcro.Here are the finished products.
I am not normally a fan of licensed fabrics like Disney and Dora, I would never actually spend money on them. But when they are FREE I'll keep them around for projects such as this. My girls can wear these where ever and when ever they want and hopefully they will assist in keeping their clothes clean(er).
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Like I needed more fabric.
My husband has this friend Craig, one of his best friends from High School. Over the many years of friendship, dating and marriage(a combined total of about 17 years), Craig has become a good friend of mine as well. I have met his family only a handful of times, and every time it has been a complete riot and I have been welcomed as part of the family. Which is why I was somewhat surprised and yet not surprised at all when his mom called me up earlier this week. She asked if I was still sewing and if I would be offended if she sent me some fabric. She just wasn't into to sewing anymore and she was trying to down size. Who says no to free fabric? Not me. I told her that I was tickled that she would think of me and that of course I wouldn't be offended and would be more than happy to take the fabric off her hands. So she told me that she would drop it of at my husbands work at the end of the week. Tonight Daniel brought home three full garbage bags and three good sized boxes. I sat down on my newly mopped kitchen floor(thanks to my darling 7 year old) and started to sort through the fabric. I was prepared to find a lot of outdated stuff, but was surprised at the lack thereof.
After all was sorted I ended up with one bulging garbage bag of polar fleece, a box full of flannels, a box full of quilting cottons(including the perfect piece to recover my bouncy chair), a box full of some basic knits and ribbings and some super soft sleepwear and a decent selection of terry towel that I plan to finally make myself a bathrobe with. I also had this beautiful blue/purple iridescent organza and some pretty blue dress fabric that will likely become Christmas dresses for the girls. There was this perfect purple/yellow/pink pastel piece that will be the answer to "what to accent the girls Easter dresses with?". I now have a selection of boyish fabrics to make boyish pj's mostly(if I actually have a boy this time) not to mention all the girly stuff to make some super awesome summer pj's. And I now have more than enough fabric to experiment with before I use all that beautiful fabric that I love so much. I love free fabric, for the most part I don't have any issues cutting it up! I can't wait to get started!
After all was sorted I ended up with one bulging garbage bag of polar fleece, a box full of flannels, a box full of quilting cottons(including the perfect piece to recover my bouncy chair), a box full of some basic knits and ribbings and some super soft sleepwear and a decent selection of terry towel that I plan to finally make myself a bathrobe with. I also had this beautiful blue/purple iridescent organza and some pretty blue dress fabric that will likely become Christmas dresses for the girls. There was this perfect purple/yellow/pink pastel piece that will be the answer to "what to accent the girls Easter dresses with?". I now have a selection of boyish fabrics to make boyish pj's mostly(if I actually have a boy this time) not to mention all the girly stuff to make some super awesome summer pj's. And I now have more than enough fabric to experiment with before I use all that beautiful fabric that I love so much. I love free fabric, for the most part I don't have any issues cutting it up! I can't wait to get started!
My life has just been made a little bit simpler.
Remember awhile back when I was trying to make a swaddling blanket but didn't have a baby to try it out on?
Problem solved!
Chris at Pickup Some Creativity told me about the POD swaddler pattern. So I went to go check it out over at While They Sleep(seriously go check it out now). And wowsers! I love it. It's kind of what I had brewing in my mind since my first trial run, but I wasn't sure how to keep it done up with out velcro(I really didn't like the idea of scratchy velcro on a soft blanket). I hadn't ever thought of tying it up. So I've decided that I no longer will try to create something that is already created the way I want it. I'll just buy the pattern and I will tell all the world(at least those who visit my blog) where to find this wonderful pattern. All that tedious work figuring out measurements and yardages is already done for me, now all I have to do is make one, or two....or more.
Problem solved!
Chris at Pickup Some Creativity told me about the POD swaddler pattern. So I went to go check it out over at While They Sleep(seriously go check it out now). And wowsers! I love it. It's kind of what I had brewing in my mind since my first trial run, but I wasn't sure how to keep it done up with out velcro(I really didn't like the idea of scratchy velcro on a soft blanket). I hadn't ever thought of tying it up. So I've decided that I no longer will try to create something that is already created the way I want it. I'll just buy the pattern and I will tell all the world(at least those who visit my blog) where to find this wonderful pattern. All that tedious work figuring out measurements and yardages is already done for me, now all I have to do is make one, or two....or more.
Friday, March 12, 2010
More Fabric Issues
I wrote this little message to my sister in-law on facebook and then realized that it wasn't so little, that really it was a blog post. So here it now is as a blog post.
"I have all of this gorgeous fabric that I have recently purchased just because I loved it and with out any real project in mind, except that I would do something for me/baby. The problem is that I can't decide what it is that they were meant to become. Just when I think I have it figured out, I wonder if that is it's true destiny. Yeah, I have issues.
Check out this fabric selection.
I actually had a purpose in mind for the first two (green and blue hexagons and the purple 'feeling groovy'). They will become a baby sling depending on if I have a boy or a girl, but I can't bring myself to make the slings yet, because I may want to use whatever fabric I don't need for some other fabulous project. I think that I have decided that the last two(brown with turquoise flowers and the cream and green flowers) I will have my sister-in-law make into peek-a-boobs. I love them both they would be more for me than the baby anyways. As for the others, again depending on if I have a boy or a girl they may be made into car seat covers or something. The brown with green flowers is likely to be made into a skirt for me after baby comes.
I had originally thought that I would just make one of each of everything and then either give away or sell the ones that I didn't need....but I don't think I can. I love this fabric to much, after all I picked out for me. It may just be destined to end up in my fabric stash."
(See Michelle, I told you I'd just cut and paste)
"I have all of this gorgeous fabric that I have recently purchased just because I loved it and with out any real project in mind, except that I would do something for me/baby. The problem is that I can't decide what it is that they were meant to become. Just when I think I have it figured out, I wonder if that is it's true destiny. Yeah, I have issues.
Check out this fabric selection.
I actually had a purpose in mind for the first two (green and blue hexagons and the purple 'feeling groovy'). They will become a baby sling depending on if I have a boy or a girl, but I can't bring myself to make the slings yet, because I may want to use whatever fabric I don't need for some other fabulous project. I think that I have decided that the last two(brown with turquoise flowers and the cream and green flowers) I will have my sister-in-law make into peek-a-boobs. I love them both they would be more for me than the baby anyways. As for the others, again depending on if I have a boy or a girl they may be made into car seat covers or something. The brown with green flowers is likely to be made into a skirt for me after baby comes.
I had originally thought that I would just make one of each of everything and then either give away or sell the ones that I didn't need....but I don't think I can. I love this fabric to much, after all I picked out for me. It may just be destined to end up in my fabric stash."
(See Michelle, I told you I'd just cut and paste)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Grateful beyond words
Yesterday, I could have very well lost all of my favorite fabrics...and everything else that me and my family possess. We had a little issue with faulty wiring. For the whole story go to my personal blog, I can't bare to type it all out again. But I want all of you, my fans and readers, to thank the Lord, along with me, that all is well. And then I would love for you to look for somebody in your area, who wasn't so lucky and extend a helping, loving hand in what ever way you can. I'll be looking for somebody whom I can share my great fortune with. I have so much. I have clothes. I have a warm bed, blankets and pillows. I have all of my precious pictures and journals. I have food and dishes. I have my family all safe and sound. I will gladly share any of it, whatever they need with anyone who wasn't as fortunate as we were.
Monday, February 8, 2010
I have issues.
While going through my fabric stash, I realized that I needed to add to my stash. You see, I have quite a bit of wonderful beautiful fabrics, but I have nothing to compliment them. So, I loaded up my shopping bag with a selection of fabrics that I wanted to find compliments for and headed off to the fabric store. I spent more than an hour hemming and hawing over what fabrics to choose. I finally came away with this...
However, today when I went to start putting fabrics together to cut them out into things like car seat canopies or Take-along high chairs, or doodle purses etc, I couldn't bring myself to cut up the fabric...just yet. Except for one project. See, here is my problem, when I buy fabric simply because I love it with out any real purpose, I have a hard time deciding what the perfect project will be for it. I'm kinda afraid that if I cut it up and make something with it, later I might think of something else that that fabric would have been so perfect for and regret making whatever it was that I made. Take these two fabric selections for example.
I LOVE these fabrics. I bought them just because I had to have them. I have no idea what I really want to make with them, so they just sit in my stash and I like to
take them out and look and them. Well, now I have fabric that compliments them nicely...and yet, I just can't bring myself to cut them up...yet.
However, If I buy fabric with a purpose, knowing exactly what I want to make with it, I don't have a problem cutting it up, and never regret or think of something else that would have been better. Like this fabric.
I bought it to make a carseat canopy, especially for my little one if it happens to be a girl(I am still on the look out for the perfect fabric for a boy), if not it will end up in my Etsy shop or go to one of my sister-in-law's who are expecting if they happen to have a girl.
Am I alone? Is there anyone else out there that suffers from this problem? My husband just laughed at me tonight when I admitted my problem. The only other person I have told about this problem, until now, was my friend Jakki, and she likes me too much to tell me that I am crazy. There must be others out there. Why else would so many people have stashes of fabric? Right? Or am I simply justifying my crazy...need to admire beautiful fabric. Whatever the case, honestly, I can't see myself changing, I don't know if I want to...that would mean that I might have to give up my fabric, and I don't think that I am ready to do that any time soon. I'll just have to keep buying other fabric so that I don't have to cut up the stuff I love so much...yeah...that's what I'll do. Problem solved!
However, today when I went to start putting fabrics together to cut them out into things like car seat canopies or Take-along high chairs, or doodle purses etc, I couldn't bring myself to cut up the fabric...just yet. Except for one project. See, here is my problem, when I buy fabric simply because I love it with out any real purpose, I have a hard time deciding what the perfect project will be for it. I'm kinda afraid that if I cut it up and make something with it, later I might think of something else that that fabric would have been so perfect for and regret making whatever it was that I made. Take these two fabric selections for example.
I LOVE these fabrics. I bought them just because I had to have them. I have no idea what I really want to make with them, so they just sit in my stash and I like to
take them out and look and them. Well, now I have fabric that compliments them nicely...and yet, I just can't bring myself to cut them up...yet.However, If I buy fabric with a purpose, knowing exactly what I want to make with it, I don't have a problem cutting it up, and never regret or think of something else that would have been better. Like this fabric.
I bought it to make a carseat canopy, especially for my little one if it happens to be a girl(I am still on the look out for the perfect fabric for a boy), if not it will end up in my Etsy shop or go to one of my sister-in-law's who are expecting if they happen to have a girl.Am I alone? Is there anyone else out there that suffers from this problem? My husband just laughed at me tonight when I admitted my problem. The only other person I have told about this problem, until now, was my friend Jakki, and she likes me too much to tell me that I am crazy. There must be others out there. Why else would so many people have stashes of fabric? Right? Or am I simply justifying my crazy...need to admire beautiful fabric. Whatever the case, honestly, I can't see myself changing, I don't know if I want to...that would mean that I might have to give up my fabric, and I don't think that I am ready to do that any time soon. I'll just have to keep buying other fabric so that I don't have to cut up the stuff I love so much...yeah...that's what I'll do. Problem solved!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Food Friday: Italian Wedding Soup
About a week ago I was wandering aimlessly through our local grocery store trying to think of something to make for supper. Something different. Something simple. Something tasty. AND something that I new my kids would eat.
A can of Campbell's Italian Wedding soup caught my eye. I stopped for a moment, picked up the can and thought. The only time I have had Italian wedding soup is at Eastside Mario's, and I loved it but I wasn't sure if my kids would like it. So I decided that I would have the soup and I would just make some boring soup for them. I paused and put the can of soup back on the shelf. I had a better idea. It was only noon, so I had plenty of time to go home and use my beloved google to find a recipe to make my own home made Italian wedding soup and time to come back to the grocery store to pick up what ever ingredients I didn't have at home. Before leaving the store, I bought some sausage and alphabet noodles(they were the cheapest and smallest noodles) because the picture on the can showed noodles and little meatballs, and I knew I had neither of those at home.
I headed home made lunch for the girls and promptly set out to find a recipe. I was surprised at how simple the recipes were. And that they actually sounded like something my girls would eat. I found this one and this one along with many others. And then I found this more complicated one that I would love to try sometime, but for that night I was looking for simple.
Using these recipes I ended up amending them as follows
Mandy's Italian wedding soup
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups finely shredded spinach
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup small noodles (like alphabets or orzo)
10 breakfast sausages(because they are faster than making your own, but one day I'll make my own)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Remove casing form sausages, break each sausage into about 5 or 6 pieces and shape into meatballs. Fry in pan, when almost cooked all the way through, remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add spinach, carrots, noodles and meatballs. Return to a boil and boil for about 10 minutes or until noodles are at desired doneness. Dish into bowls and top with fresh Parmesan cheese. Enjoy the yumminess!
Keep in mind that they only thing that I actually measured here was the chicken broth, which I started out with 6 cups, but then added about another two after I had added everything else.
My girls loved this! So I decided to make it again this week. To go along with it I made some tuna salad.
Sliced some croissants half way through, filled with the tuna and some cheddar cheese and baked them in the oven for an unknown amount of time(just enough time to melt the cheese and to make the outside of the croissant crispy). These too were a hit.
A can of Campbell's Italian Wedding soup caught my eye. I stopped for a moment, picked up the can and thought. The only time I have had Italian wedding soup is at Eastside Mario's, and I loved it but I wasn't sure if my kids would like it. So I decided that I would have the soup and I would just make some boring soup for them. I paused and put the can of soup back on the shelf. I had a better idea. It was only noon, so I had plenty of time to go home and use my beloved google to find a recipe to make my own home made Italian wedding soup and time to come back to the grocery store to pick up what ever ingredients I didn't have at home. Before leaving the store, I bought some sausage and alphabet noodles(they were the cheapest and smallest noodles) because the picture on the can showed noodles and little meatballs, and I knew I had neither of those at home.
I headed home made lunch for the girls and promptly set out to find a recipe. I was surprised at how simple the recipes were. And that they actually sounded like something my girls would eat. I found this one and this one along with many others. And then I found this more complicated one that I would love to try sometime, but for that night I was looking for simple.
Using these recipes I ended up amending them as follows
Mandy's Italian wedding soup
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups finely shredded spinach
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup small noodles (like alphabets or orzo)
10 breakfast sausages(because they are faster than making your own, but one day I'll make my own)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Remove casing form sausages, break each sausage into about 5 or 6 pieces and shape into meatballs. Fry in pan, when almost cooked all the way through, remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add spinach, carrots, noodles and meatballs. Return to a boil and boil for about 10 minutes or until noodles are at desired doneness. Dish into bowls and top with fresh Parmesan cheese. Enjoy the yumminess!
Keep in mind that they only thing that I actually measured here was the chicken broth, which I started out with 6 cups, but then added about another two after I had added everything else.
My girls loved this! So I decided to make it again this week. To go along with it I made some tuna salad.
Sliced some croissants half way through, filled with the tuna and some cheddar cheese and baked them in the oven for an unknown amount of time(just enough time to melt the cheese and to make the outside of the croissant crispy). These too were a hit.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Desperately in need of a new born baby
I once saw these fabulous blankets at a local kids garage sale/small business sale. They were called butterfly blankets. The idea was that it would make swaddling easier. they had a pocket to put baby's legs in so that they couldn't kick it free and then you just wrapped them up. I loved them, but I also thought they looked to bulky for a new born. My newborns love to be wrapped up tight, and I just couldn't see how I would get these blankets tight enough. So I have been thinking a lot these past few nights, cuz I do that when I am pregnant, think for hours on end at night while I lay in bed trying to sleep. So I've been thinking about how I might be able to create the same kind of idea, but more like a receiving blanket.
Yesterday I decided that I had had enough thinking and it was time to start doing(strangely enough I slept quite well last night). I found in my stash some ugly cotton fabric that I had gotten from my aunt years ago when she was cleaning out her fabric stash. I've kept it around for just this kind of thing when I don't want to waste perfectly good fabric that actually cost me money. I started measuring and cutting and more measuring and in the end I came up with this...
and then you wrap up your baby like this...
OK, so I know it works great on a Cabbage patch doll. It wraps up easily and it's not bulky. I know that some baby's are actually about the size of a cabbage patch doll...but not my babies. I planned for this, however I wasn't convinced in the end that I had allowed enough extra room. Also, a cabbage patch doll doesn't kick and squirm, so I can't tell if it will stay wrapped up any better than a regular receiving blanket. This is where the need for a new born comes in, I want to have this tested out before my little one arrives. I'd also like to start selling them in my Etsy shop, but I need to know how they work in the real world. Can you believe that I don't know anybody close by with a somewhat newish baby? My sister-in-law is due in March, but that doesn't help me right now....oh the troubles.
Yesterday I decided that I had had enough thinking and it was time to start doing(strangely enough I slept quite well last night). I found in my stash some ugly cotton fabric that I had gotten from my aunt years ago when she was cleaning out her fabric stash. I've kept it around for just this kind of thing when I don't want to waste perfectly good fabric that actually cost me money. I started measuring and cutting and more measuring and in the end I came up with this...
and then you wrap up your baby like this...
OK, so I know it works great on a Cabbage patch doll. It wraps up easily and it's not bulky. I know that some baby's are actually about the size of a cabbage patch doll...but not my babies. I planned for this, however I wasn't convinced in the end that I had allowed enough extra room. Also, a cabbage patch doll doesn't kick and squirm, so I can't tell if it will stay wrapped up any better than a regular receiving blanket. This is where the need for a new born comes in, I want to have this tested out before my little one arrives. I'd also like to start selling them in my Etsy shop, but I need to know how they work in the real world. Can you believe that I don't know anybody close by with a somewhat newish baby? My sister-in-law is due in March, but that doesn't help me right now....oh the troubles.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Happy One Year!
This month MaKC Creations' blog will celebrate one whole year of existence! And if everything goes well, I'll be celebrating 100 posts as well.
What a year it's been. I think it's safe to say that I have had great spurts of creativeness, and dry spells with not much to say for themselves. I don't know if I can say that I have accomplished all that I dreamed of accomplishing when I first started out on this journey. But I can say that I am happy with what I have done and that I am looking forward(and hoping for) more growth in all aspects. I am happy with the growth of followers, with the interest generated in my Etsy shop, and with the number of times other bloggers have contacted me and asked me to be apart of their giveaways. I am most pleased with my doodle purse tutorial, and how it continues to bring readers to my blog. I gives me great pleasure to know that I have created something that so many people around the world have fallen in love with.
I want to thank you, my 50 followers, for letting me know that somewhere out there, someone is reading my blog and that at times, I might even inspire you to create something of your own. As a thank you to my readers, I am offering a 30% discount off everything in my Etsy Shop with the code "Anniversary" for the entire month of February.
You'll all be happy to know (is that to much to presume?) that I think I may be getting over my crafting funk. I've spent the day perusing online fabric shops, and nothing makes me want to sew more than looking at delicious fabrics. It's interesting to me that when I am looking for fabric to make things for other people in general, things that I make to sell, that it is much easier for me to pick out fabric and I even have to spend time narrowing things down, but when it comes to making something as simple as a carseat canopy or a baby sling for myself, I am much more picky about the fabric, I know exactly what I want, and I just can't seam to find that exact thing. Another sign that this funk may be up is that the past few nights I have been laying in bed awake till crazy hours in the morning thinking about how to create this baby sling that I want to make for my little one for when he/she arrives. I've been looking on line at different styles and ways of making them, and of course I figure I can do it better :). OK, so there was a point to all of that, I had temporarily forgotten that I was going to make a point. But I have now remembered that my point is that I am hoping to have some new things up in the shop through out the month, these new items will be included in the 30% off sale.
ALSO if you do make a purchase from my Etsy shop you will be entered into a draw for a really great something(s). Not absolutely sure what yet...still thinking on that and once I have this really great something(s) created I will post it to show you what you are all dying to win.
What a year it's been. I think it's safe to say that I have had great spurts of creativeness, and dry spells with not much to say for themselves. I don't know if I can say that I have accomplished all that I dreamed of accomplishing when I first started out on this journey. But I can say that I am happy with what I have done and that I am looking forward(and hoping for) more growth in all aspects. I am happy with the growth of followers, with the interest generated in my Etsy shop, and with the number of times other bloggers have contacted me and asked me to be apart of their giveaways. I am most pleased with my doodle purse tutorial, and how it continues to bring readers to my blog. I gives me great pleasure to know that I have created something that so many people around the world have fallen in love with.
I want to thank you, my 50 followers, for letting me know that somewhere out there, someone is reading my blog and that at times, I might even inspire you to create something of your own. As a thank you to my readers, I am offering a 30% discount off everything in my Etsy Shop with the code "Anniversary" for the entire month of February.
You'll all be happy to know (is that to much to presume?) that I think I may be getting over my crafting funk. I've spent the day perusing online fabric shops, and nothing makes me want to sew more than looking at delicious fabrics. It's interesting to me that when I am looking for fabric to make things for other people in general, things that I make to sell, that it is much easier for me to pick out fabric and I even have to spend time narrowing things down, but when it comes to making something as simple as a carseat canopy or a baby sling for myself, I am much more picky about the fabric, I know exactly what I want, and I just can't seam to find that exact thing. Another sign that this funk may be up is that the past few nights I have been laying in bed awake till crazy hours in the morning thinking about how to create this baby sling that I want to make for my little one for when he/she arrives. I've been looking on line at different styles and ways of making them, and of course I figure I can do it better :). OK, so there was a point to all of that, I had temporarily forgotten that I was going to make a point. But I have now remembered that my point is that I am hoping to have some new things up in the shop through out the month, these new items will be included in the 30% off sale.
ALSO if you do make a purchase from my Etsy shop you will be entered into a draw for a really great something(s). Not absolutely sure what yet...still thinking on that and once I have this really great something(s) created I will post it to show you what you are all dying to win.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Food Friday's: Yummy Breads
Alright, so I may be in a huge craft funk, but I have been having fun the past few days making delicious bread in my bread maker. About two years ago I picked up this free e-book with hundreds of recipes for all kinds of breads and muffins and such. It was terribly organized...and by that I mean that there was no rhyme or reason to how it was put together. Simply hundreds of recipes in all bread varieties thrown together in a pdf file. I spent hours sorting through and separating recipes so that I could more easily find them. I have a file for bread machine recipes, and every once in awhile I'll try a new recipe. It has been a really long time since I have experimented so the other day I figured it was about time. I decided to make some raisin bread using the following recipe
Whole Wheat Apple-Raisin Bread for bread machine
1/4 cup applesauce
1 1/3 cup Whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cup White flour
1 tbsp dry milk
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp margarine
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup Water
1 tsp dry yeast
3/4 cup raisins
Makes a 2 lb loaf
Add ingredients(except raisins) according to Bread machine directions. For example, me bread machine directions have you put all wet ingredients in first, followed by the dry ingredients and last of all to put the yeast in a little well you make in the flour. Use the regular bake function, when bread machine beeps to add extra ingredients, add the raisins. If your machine doesn't have this function you may add them with all the other ingredients. When done, enjoy!
This bread was so tasty, the girls just ate it up.
Today I am making this tasty treat, it is one that I have made before and love!
Hawaiian Coconut Bread, for bread machine
1 tsp yeast
3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup dry milk
1 egg
1/4 cup margarine
3/4 cup coconut, shredded
3/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped(or almonds)
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cup pineapple juice(from above)
1/4 cup warm water
makes a 2 lb loaf
Add all ingredients(except macadamia nuts) according to bread machine directions. Use regular bake. When bread machine beeps, add nuts.
I can't wait for this one to be done....my mouth is watering. Hope you enjoy! If you are interested in other fun bread machine recipes, I'd be happy to email you a copy of my file, it was a free e-book, and yes I am aloud to share. Just let me know.
Whole Wheat Apple-Raisin Bread for bread machine
1/4 cup applesauce
1 1/3 cup Whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cup White flour
1 tbsp dry milk
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp margarine
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup Water
1 tsp dry yeast
3/4 cup raisins
Makes a 2 lb loaf
Add ingredients(except raisins) according to Bread machine directions. For example, me bread machine directions have you put all wet ingredients in first, followed by the dry ingredients and last of all to put the yeast in a little well you make in the flour. Use the regular bake function, when bread machine beeps to add extra ingredients, add the raisins. If your machine doesn't have this function you may add them with all the other ingredients. When done, enjoy!
This bread was so tasty, the girls just ate it up.
Today I am making this tasty treat, it is one that I have made before and love!
Hawaiian Coconut Bread, for bread machine
1 tsp yeast
3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup dry milk
1 egg
1/4 cup margarine
3/4 cup coconut, shredded
3/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped(or almonds)
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cup pineapple juice(from above)
1/4 cup warm water
makes a 2 lb loaf
Add all ingredients(except macadamia nuts) according to bread machine directions. Use regular bake. When bread machine beeps, add nuts.
I can't wait for this one to be done....my mouth is watering. Hope you enjoy! If you are interested in other fun bread machine recipes, I'd be happy to email you a copy of my file, it was a free e-book, and yes I am aloud to share. Just let me know.
GIVEAWAY!
I may be in a craft funk, but that doesn't mean that I can't participate in a giveaway. You should head on over to the Dressup Drawer for a really great giveaway! You really need to check out all the stuff that has been up for grabs since the 25th. Today MaKC Creations is being featured, you could win one of my doodle bags! You still have time to enter all of the giveaways, so head on over and see what incredible creations you could win.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
In a craft funk
I don't know what's wrong with me.
I haven't been visiting all the crafty blogs that I regularly visit. I skip over most of the crafty emails that are in my inbox. I can't find the desire to pick up a pair of scissors and cut out something new. I just don't feel like creating anything...I haven't since I finished my last project for Christmas.
This is not like me.
I'm not sure I know this person.
Just now I was actually looking through the snippets on my dashboard from the blogs that I follow, and although I saw pictures and posts that interested me and I thought "that would be fun", I still didn't take the time to read the post....strange.
Can I blame this on pregnancy hormones? Cuz I think that's what I am gonna do...there doesn't seem to be any other reason for it. I hope it doesn't last too long, I have some fun ideas on things to make for baby. Just because this is number four and I pretty much have made everything, doesn't mean he/she should be any less spoiled by fun baby things made by mom. I have actually found new things to make...most of them are boy things which I have none of....but I can't even get excited about making them because we are not finding out what we are having,which I am OK with, we have never found out before. My Hunk says that if they told us we were having a boy and it ended up being a girl that that would be worse than just the surprise of another girl. I'll probably make some fun boy things anyways...I always make one or two, and if we end up with another girl...I'll just give them away to someone else that has a boy...like I've always done in the past. That is of course, if I can get my craft on again.
Friday, January 8, 2010
A perfect match
The Jacket
Shortly before Christmas the zipper on my winter Jacket went. On Dec 30 I was in Lethbridge driving down Mayor Magrath Drive on my way to my Mom's house when I saw a sign "50% off day". Oh yes it was the second last day of the month and the Catholic Charities (a local second hand store) always has a 50% off days on the last two days of the month. I thought to myself "you should stop in and see if they have a jacket". So I turned around at the next corner and headed back. I really wanted to buy a new coat this time, however, since I am pregnant and getting bigger, I didn't really want to spend a lot of money on something that I was only going to wear for hopefully, only three months(could be less if the chinook cooperates). So really I was just looking for something to get me through this winter...considering at that very moment all I was wearing was my Oilers zip up hoodie. OK...get to the point, I know I am babbling. So I went in and what to my wondering eyes did I see? But the perfect burnt orange jacket, in great condition(probably only worn for one winter) that was just the right size for a pregnant belly to grow into, and marked at a whopping $15. Yes ma'am, I picked up a great winter jacket for the killer price of $7.50.
The Mittens
I have been wearing the same pair of mittens, because I love them and they are my favorite for the past....oh at least 9 maybe 10 years. Surprisingly they are in pretty good condition. Oh there have been other mittens in those years, but these have always been my favorite. But now, with my new burnt orange jacket, they just didn't match...at all. This picture is kind...they don't really look this OK with the jacket...the jacked looks a bit oranger than it really is.
Today when I went to get the mail, I was surprised to see that I had a package to pick up. I hadn't bought anything recently...what could it be? I looked at the return address and realized it was my Pay it forward gift. Oh what a wonderful surprise! Mittens! Not only were they handmade felted wool mittens, but when I put them on right there in the post office, I realized how perfectly they match my new jacket. Thank you Jaime for my fabulous mittens! when I got home I used them right away when I went out to find our sidewalk(again). They are warm and cozie...and now I match! and I may just have a new favorite pair of mittens.
This picture doesn't quite do the mittens justice. The pattern in them is the exact same colour of orange as my jacket. Here is a picture of just the mittens.
Shortly before Christmas the zipper on my winter Jacket went. On Dec 30 I was in Lethbridge driving down Mayor Magrath Drive on my way to my Mom's house when I saw a sign "50% off day". Oh yes it was the second last day of the month and the Catholic Charities (a local second hand store) always has a 50% off days on the last two days of the month. I thought to myself "you should stop in and see if they have a jacket". So I turned around at the next corner and headed back. I really wanted to buy a new coat this time, however, since I am pregnant and getting bigger, I didn't really want to spend a lot of money on something that I was only going to wear for hopefully, only three months(could be less if the chinook cooperates). So really I was just looking for something to get me through this winter...considering at that very moment all I was wearing was my Oilers zip up hoodie. OK...get to the point, I know I am babbling. So I went in and what to my wondering eyes did I see? But the perfect burnt orange jacket, in great condition(probably only worn for one winter) that was just the right size for a pregnant belly to grow into, and marked at a whopping $15. Yes ma'am, I picked up a great winter jacket for the killer price of $7.50.
The Mittens
I have been wearing the same pair of mittens, because I love them and they are my favorite for the past....oh at least 9 maybe 10 years. Surprisingly they are in pretty good condition. Oh there have been other mittens in those years, but these have always been my favorite. But now, with my new burnt orange jacket, they just didn't match...at all. This picture is kind...they don't really look this OK with the jacket...the jacked looks a bit oranger than it really is.
Today when I went to get the mail, I was surprised to see that I had a package to pick up. I hadn't bought anything recently...what could it be? I looked at the return address and realized it was my Pay it forward gift. Oh what a wonderful surprise! Mittens! Not only were they handmade felted wool mittens, but when I put them on right there in the post office, I realized how perfectly they match my new jacket. Thank you Jaime for my fabulous mittens! when I got home I used them right away when I went out to find our sidewalk(again). They are warm and cozie...and now I match! and I may just have a new favorite pair of mittens.
This picture doesn't quite do the mittens justice. The pattern in them is the exact same colour of orange as my jacket. Here is a picture of just the mittens.
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