Feb
01
Boy. Once you slide out of the blogging habit, it’s tough to start back up again.
Especially when you’ve built up a big backlog of stuff to talk about. (But, perhaps, been negligent with photographing along the way.) I’ve been working on my sewing space again (painting! and organizing! and accessorizing!), making some gifts, experimenting with patchwork pillow covers, learning how to screen print, appliqueing some more onesies for The Shop Next Door, and baking bread in 5 minutes a day!
I don’t know where to begin.
I need an ice breaker.
How about something that’s not mine at all, but the work of another local stitcher who sells her handiwork at The Shop Next Door?
I fell in love with this octo-plushie from Jayne Danger when I stopped by the shop on Saturday — apparently I walked in about 5 minutes after she’d dropped them off, so I got first pick from the gaggle of newly displayed adorable octopodes. (It was tough pick between this one and a blue guy with a comb-over.)
Jan
06
There are two potential problems with this post:
1) It’s nearly two weeks after Christmas.
2) I don’t have photographs of most of the gifts I made. Either because I forgot, or because I was a lazy photographer and the pictures didn’t turn out very well.
But. Really.
1) I couldn’t post about Christmas gifts before they were given! And most of them didn’t arrive at their final destinations until after the holiday. (Oops.)
and
2) Most of the crafty gifts I made aren’t that interesting to look at anyway: holiday place mats and napkins, a baby blanket (like this), a knitting needle roll… At least, not in comparison to this very photogenic project. Meet Colby the elephant.
“Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts,” which is where I got the pattern, calls him Peanut. But I renamed him. And gifted him to my pal Colden. The elephant is so cute (and, once I figured out how to gather the fabric for the nose, so easy to put together), I just might have to sew up a twin for myself.
Dec
23
I really dig the simple, modern look of Oh, Fransson’s Mixtape Quilts, so I used my friends’ baby boy (due next month!) as an excuse to buy the pattern and try making one.
(This picture, obviously, is a couple of months old — my yard is now covered with snow, not leaves.)
I (re) learned a couple of important lessons while making this, including: Get the whole story »
Dec
18
The number of hits on my homemade thin mints post must mean I’m not the only one in the midst of a week-long marathon of holiday baking. All week I’ve been making and freezing dough for lemon cream cheese meltaways (a new recipe for me), thin mints (yum!), snickerdoodle pinwheels (a disastrous sticky dough experience that led me to toss the recipe immediately) and peanut butter blossoms.
No photos, because I haven’t baked a single cookie yet. That comes this weekend.
In the meantime, I thought I’d post my favorite savory holiday/party recipe. I love variation on Chex Mix. I think it’s the Goldfish crackers and croutons that win me over.
This recipe makes a really big batch. As in, I don’t have a bowl big enough to mix it all in, or pan big enough to bake it all at once. I have to divide it up between two bowls and two to four pans, and bake it in batches. The hassle is worth it though, because this snack mix goes quickly!
One note about the recipe: The packaging sizes have changed since the cookbook it came from was published. I just buy whatever size box the cereal and crackers and pretzels are sold in now.
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