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Sunday, December 27, 2009

Quail Clutch

I know, it's been WAY too long. Here it is, my most recent completed project. Hopefully Becky has received her gift in the mail by now, otherwise I am ruining your surprise and I apologize!! I just couldn't wait to post any longer, if I procrastinate too long it will never get done. I had the idea for a bag for Becky on my mind for the last year, but I was originally going to do a shopping bag. Then Kyle got me a Brother SE-350 for my birthday and I had all kinds of embroidery ideas!!







My sister gave me an Ebay gift certificate for my birthday, so I had fun last night searching out accessories for the embroidery machine. I cannot wait to use my new concealed zipper foot, it really would have come in handy on this Quail Clutch. I also bought the 2' x 1.5' hoop since I love to work with small details. Although I don't have $800 for the PEDesign software, you can bet that I will figure out a way to use this machine to create my own embroidery designs. My hand embroidery looks like a Kindergärtner did it, but I have so many ideas that I need to create!




Saturday, May 23, 2009

Baby Wrap for Jaci

I FINALLY got another project done, slowly but surely. It's even more difficult to focus with the sun out so much now. Plus, I've got 2 scholarships I need to finish applications for AND my application for Grad School. PHEW! I need: 1 maid, 1 millionnaire husband so I can quit my day job, and 1 4-pack of Bud Light Cheladas :).

Anywho, I made a baby wrap for my good friend Jami Phillips. She welcomed her second child into the world last month --> Jaci Lee Ann, on May 4th. What a sweetie pie!! Little Jaci deserves to be wrapped in style. So I used another pattern out of my Amy Butler book Little Stitches. Here were the results!




Saturday, April 4, 2009

Pierre the Kitty, Mon Chaton!!!

I finished this little stuffed kitten today for my neice's birthday. It was a quick project, just started it last night!! I found the pattern on Wee Wonderfuls, it was a freebie. Only wished I had heeded Hillary Lang's advice and stuffed Pierre a little more in the body. Oh, and I think I need to take some embroidery lessons, his whiskers look a bit like I was nipping at the Baileys while stitching!!



Sunday, March 29, 2009

My First Handbound Book!!


I have been trying my best to create hand-made gifts for all my awesome friends. I never thought I would say its too bad I have so many awesome friends - because I can't keep up with everyone's birthdays and holidays!!!!!

This was my latest creation - a hand bound book for Buffy's 30th birthday. I really enjoyed making this book, it was a medium I had not done much with lately. I googled for directions and ultimately chose something off www.instructables.com. Here is one you can try, however it is not the one that I used. Unfortunately, I erased my cache and can't find it now!

Basically, you cut a bunch of paper to the same size, fold and sew it all together, glue the edges, make a cover with fabric on it and glue it all together! That is a hugely simplified list of steps and I definitely recommend you do some googling of your own if you want to try this project. I used Martha Stewart paper from Wal-Mart, vintage fabric from my sewing room, and a cereal box for the cover. Couple of times: 1. if the cover warps during the drying process, set it under a brick for a while it and it should straighten up. 2. If you are  using a sheer or lightweight fabric for the cover, get yourself some strong spray adhesive so it doesn't stain through the fabric leaving water stains (like mine did, bummer).

Anywho, here is what I came out with my first try!!

My original plan was to print out all the pictures I had with Buffy in them and assemble this great photo album for her. Things NEVER go as planned for me. So I put all the 'fixins' for a photo album into this nice little package for Buffy to assemble as she saw fit.  

Then, I personalized one photo I had of Buffy holding Brodes using Adobe Photoshop, added my own nice little message along with my signature Elk Antler Stamp, and called it good! I want to make more of these. . . when I have time ;).
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Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Buffy's Birthday Cake!!!




OK, so I didn't come up with this  idea. But I adopted it due to my Banana Cream Cake recipe not jiving with my Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes  recipe. Kyle has warned me not to adapt things myself, we had a REALLY nasty tuna casserole a few weeks back, hehe.

Anyways, this cake turned out pretty good and better yet - it looked nice for Buffy's Bday Party!!! Dirty Thirty Afro Party, check out my facebook for pictures!!!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Baby Shower Gift

I've been busy this week, sewing my lil' heart out to get ready for my sister-in-law's Baby Shower. Several months ago I purchased the book Little Stitches for Little Ones by Amy Butler. If you sew, you will LOVE Amy Butler. I found this book at The Top Stitch in Spokane. I had forgotten about the book, but seen these Kimono style pajamas hanging in the store when I recently revisited the store to purchase fabric for the nursing apron below.  

Here are the creations I came up with:


Here's Moxx (my linebred Boxer) peering out the window, no doubt making sure his food is still on the portch and the Racoons aren't eating it again!

The nursing apron is my own design, all fabrics shown were purchased at The Top Stitch. 

Aren't these jammies so snuggly looking!?! I want a pair for myself. And the Quail. . . OMG, enough said.



Taco Pizza


Last weekend I made deep dish taco pizza. I've been on a kick lately, trying to make fast food at home and healthy. I think I may be suffering from a slight 'cabin fever' with all this snow and living 2 hours from the city, but at least its forcing me to think of new ways to enlighten myself.

I found this recipe from which I used for the pizza dough. Make enough for two pizzas and freeze the second one! I have an orange Artisan Kitchenmaid standing mixer, so I just throw all the ingredients in and let it work its magic! Here are the ingredients for the topping of the pizza: 

1 lbs ground elk (beef for you unlucky folk that don't get elk)
1 pkg Taco Bell taco seasoning, or whatever brand you like
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 roasted green chile, not for the faint of heart 
1/4 cup Tapatio hot sauce, this is your sauce, you may wish to use a different brand
1 1/2 cup monterrey and cheddar cheese, shredded

Brown the meat, add the taco seasoning following the directions on the package. By  now your pizza dough has risen. You have two options, roll it out 1/4 inch thich OR form a deep dish pizza by flattening it with your fists into a large cast iron skillet. Assemble the pizza first with Tapatio, then layer the rest of the ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes. If you chose the deep dish pizza, it may take longer for the middle of the dough to cook through. 

There really is enough topping to make a second pizza and freeze it, cook this at 400 degrees directly on the rack for 30-40 minutes.

STUFFED CRUST: I had some mozzerella string cheese on hand, cut them into quarters lengthwise, then placed them around the edge of the dough and folded it over to form stuffed crust. Good stuff!!

ROASTED GREEN CHILES: I loaded up on Anaheim peppers at Wal-Mart a couple weeks ago. I roasted 6 at once, just put the oven on Broil at 350 and put the peppers on a cookie sheet on the top rack. Once they are blackened, turn them over and blacken the other side. I found that blackening them really helps the bubbled hard outter skin peel off much easier. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes or so. Peel the skin. I used one of the green chiles on the pizza, skin, seed, and chop. I took the other 5 chiles, split them open on one side, took the seeds out then stuffed them with cheese and wrapped them in tin foil and put them in the freezer for Chile Relleno. 

In future blogs, I will tell you how my Chile Relleno turned out!!!
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