Saturday, September 25, 2010

Dreaming about Dresses






I would love to make a dress like any of these from etsy seller DearGoldenVintage via. Do you know of a similar pattern?

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Very Biased



I used this lovely tutorial to make another under $5 skirt.

I was very excited to see myself on this post while on vacation. Thank you Katy!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Return of the Gauchos





Remember when gauchos were fashionable five or so years ago? I don't know why I thought they'd look good on me! The length and billowyness made me look shorter and weren't that flattering.

But now they have a multi tasking new life. Is it a skirt or a dress? Is it maternity attire or non maternity attire? Is it loungewear or a swim cover up? It's all of the above.

I cut the seam that made each pant leg a leg, got rid of the curving for the um, seat of the gauchos, and sewed the two legs together. Fabulous!

PS I know I didn't need to include all of these pictures but don't you love how The Princess appears? :)

Linked here:



Friday, September 17, 2010

Walking Foot





Pinning, going slow, adjusting tension, unpicking, repinning, unpicking; sewing with minkee is kinda difficult. I think I need a walking foot. Do you have one? Is it worth the cost?

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Martha's Devil's Food Cupcakes


I can't stop thinking about them! And I couldn't stop eating them all weekend. The batter mixes up so fluffy and nice. These have changed my mind about making cakes from scratch. It's a game changer!
link

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Baby Blanket






Just a few pictures of the blanket I made my friend's baby. Go Padres!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Simple Home Improvements

Here are a few low cost (or no cost) things we've switched around in our house to make life a little easier.

Illuminated Light Switch
For some reason, the light switch in our garage is on the wall by the hinges of the door- not the easiest to find in the dark. My handy Tyrone installed a handy illuminated light switch and it's awesome! Cost-$4.

Clearer Counters
The lazy susan in our corner cabinet was pretty full but with a little rearranging, I managed to find a home for our crockpot. I also put the iron and towel I iron on (we don't have an ironing board) under the bathroom sink b/c let's be honest- I don't iron every day. Cost- free.

More Secure Entry
Our doorknob was loose and shifted from side to side when locking or unlocking the door. After tightening a few screws, it might not be significantly safer but it appears to be so to all of the annoying solicitors who frequent our house. Cost-free.

Simpler Living Space
I don't know why it took me so long to realize that putting my piano music away after using it makes the room look less cluttered, but happily I finally did. Cost- free.

Expanded Storage
A cheap over the door shoe organizer on the back of the hall closet is awesome for gloves, stamps, packaging tape, gift cards, etc- the sorts of things that don't need to be out on the counter. We're also working at getting rid of things we don't need/want that we've been storing so we have room for more important things (like food storage). We tried our luck at a garage sale (so not worth it and probably not even worthy of blog mention ha) and craigslist. It would really help to have a bit of extra cash for summer budget but I think Goodwill might win. Cost- $8.

Time Saver (and time=money)
Have I blogged about my love for baking soda? I love it. It's inexpensive and oh so versatile. It also doesn't smell horrible and kill brain cells when I'm cleaning the oven and the bath tub. I just discovered baking soda is an excellent time saver. Pour a bunch in a pan of burnt food, let it soak for a while, and scrub with a little water. Repeat if necessary. (I'll also be using baking soda as an exfoliant when my face cleaner is gone.) Cost- pennies.

Have you made any simple home improvements or discoveries lately?


Saturday, September 4, 2010

The Lots of Firsts Jacket



I made this little jacket from mccalls pattern 5697. This was my first sewing project with:
-a store bought pattern
-fleece (love that it doesn't fray)
-interfacing
-non raglan sleeves
-collar
-buttonholes
-buttons
-pockets

It's not perfect but it was good practice. My little model is taking a nap but I'll try to get pictures later.

Linked at here
and

Friday, September 3, 2010

Ansley's Dresses




These pictures were taken a few months ago when the cold destroyed part of our garden (hence the fleece pants and the grumpy looks). They've also been taken in a bit on the tops since these pictures.

I used this tutorial and this one. I guess I need to learn to put in a zipper and/or buttons so the dresses can be more fitted. I tried out the button hole maker on my machine and it didn't work.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Pear Yummies

We bought a 36 pound box of pears through Bountiful Baskets. I don't know how long it's taken for me to discover this co-op. It's exactly what we've been looking for. Anyway, here are a few goodies we made.

Pear Sauce

Peel, slice, and core a crock pot full of pears. Add less than one cup of water. I added one large spoonful of sugar but the sauce probably didn't need it. Cook for several hours on low until the pears are really soft. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mix until desired consistency. I like mine a little chunky.

Pear Crisp

Peel, slice, and core enough pears to fill a glass pan about half full. Toss gently with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, cut a cube of unsalted butter into some brown sugar, a little bit of flour, and uncooked oatmeal. Distribute evenly and bake until desired goldenness. I could've baked mine longer but didn't want the pears to be super mushy.