Living my dream

When I was 6 or 7 my friend's grandma gave each of us a large box of fabric.  I don't remember if I loved fabric before that (who can remember that far back!?!) but I know that I loved using that box of fabric to make . . . oh gee, lots of things.  I don't know if you can really name what I made.  Maybe crap?  Ha!  I wasn't allowed to use a sewing needle (At least not at my friends house, my mom probably would have let me) so we stapled a lot of fabric together to make clothes for our toys.

I got a child's sewing machine when I was 8 (guessing).  It was broken half the time and I really needed something better.  I dropped out of dance classes to take sewing classes when I was 9 and then for my 10th birthday I got my very own sewing machine!  It's the one I still use today (well, as soon as I get it tuned up, I'll be using it again!).

I've done a lot of "crafting" (hate that word, I'm an ARTIST, not a crafter) Crochet, knitting, needle point, etc etc.  But I feel like I always go back to sewing.  I majored in Family and Consumer Science (the new name for Home Ec) I took a lot of cooking, interior design and sewing.  Funny thing, I didn't take pattern making because the class intimated me too much.  And now I make my own patterns for every piece in my shop!  If I could go back in time. . .

All this to say, sometimes I feel like a fraud.  Like who am I to try and make a mark in the baby/toddler clothing world?  But when I look back at my story, I almost wonder if I ever had a choice? 

What is my goal?  I would love to make 2-3 sales a week.  I don't know if I can handle more than that, but that is a bridge we'll cross when we get there!  And sometimes I wonder if I should just make these clothes for my own kids and would that be enough?  But I think, no.  It wouldn't.  I'm just living on this high I get from sharing my looks with the world (or the small section of the world I share with on instagram!)

What is your life dream?  That hobby you just can't get away from?

*All sweatshirts in this post were designed and sewn by me and are available for purchase here. 

Food Friday: Homemade Apple Sauce

The food of September is the apple.  And that's when I made this.  I just didn't get around to posting it until now.  Oops!

This is such a simple recipe, so it's fun to get your kids in on the action, especially if they're any good at peeling apples.  Olivia isn't, but that didn't stop her from giving it the ole college try.

We peeled and cored 10 apples and then I just kind of took it from there, with a giant scoop of creamy honey, lots of cinnamon and a couple glugs of my imitation vanilla (I know, I know, my argument is that I don't really bake and I'm not that picky!) Cooked that sucker in my crockpot for 4 hours on high and then mashed it with a potato masher.

It was SO yummy, but not very pretty. Okay FINE, yes I really just forgot to take a picture. But it still wasn't pretty, so you're not missing out.

(Hey!  I've been working on uploading all of my iPad pictures to my picasa web album and check out the gif they made with these pictures.  Equal parts creepy and cool that they do that with out me telling them too. . . )

Food Friday: Clean Pumpkin Bread

Last weekend was LDS General Conference, which means that all around the world, moms and dads are making yummier than usual breakfasts for their families.  (I've always suspected this, but instagram confirms.)  We're also listening to the prophet and apostles teach us about the doctrines of Christ.  Good food just goes great with church on TV (and pajamas if you weren't raised by my father, who insisted we get dressed to help us better pay attention)

Well, I'm ashamed to say I've never really been one of those people.  I just don't like baking!  Pancakes are even more work than I want to do on a regular basis.  But dang it if those instagram photos didn't get to me, and so in between sessions of conference (we watch four 2 hour sessions of conference spread out on Saturday and Sunday) I whipped up a batch of pumpkin bread.

I'm pretty much in love with the clean banana bread recipe I use, and I couldn't find any pumpkin bread recipes that I liked, so I just swapped out a few ingredients and replaced them with what I wanted.  I did pumpkin instead of bananas and applesauce.  I did 1/2 c honey instead of my usual 1/4 c, since the bananas and applesauce usually add to the sweetness and I took them out.  And instead of the 1T of cinnamon (which I'm always a little hesitant to add that much of, since it covers up the banana flavor) I did 1t each of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger.  (OR you could do like 1 1/2 Tbs of pumpkin pie spice) I really liked the amount of spice in this bread, but I like a lot of flavor.  Adjust to your own liking :)

I usually make my banana bread in a blender, but this dough turned out thicker, my guess is because of the liquid level in the bananas and applesauce vs pumpkin.  Who knows.  So maybe just make this in a bowl if you try it.

Ingredients:
1 15oz can of pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 c honey
1/4 c oil
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
pinch of sea salt
1/4 c semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.  Combine wet ingredients, and mix well.
2. Add in dry ingredients (here's a trick I use, if you put the flour on top of the wet ingredients, than add all the powders and sodas on top of that, they wont react until right when you mix it), mix well.  Add in chocolate chips and stir until combined.
3. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and pour batter in.  Bake for 45-60 minutes (I like to turn the oven off around minute 50 and then let it sit in the oven for the last 10 minutes, so that there aren't any doughy spots at all!)

And just a reminder before you go off to enjoy your weekend that I'm giving away TWO burlap pennant banners.  Sometimes I do giveaways to get more followers (honesty!) and sometimes I really just want to GIVE.  This is the second one.  I wish I could give one to all of you!

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What would you do with. . . a yard of burlap?

This time last year we were working on packing our apartment and getting ready to move to our house!  Our closing kept getting pushed back, and so by the time we got in and got everything painted, it was time to set up Christmas.  I've been looking forward to fall decorating ever since then.

So when Aubrey suggested burlap, I was excited to make a decoration for fall. 

I picked out this darling burlap with gold foil circles, only to discover it was $15 a yard!  Eek!  I hoped that I would have enough for a little triangle garland if I just got 1/3 of a yard.

Enough and then some!  Why do I always think I need so much more fabric in the store than when I get home???  And it turns out I have enough for several!  So I would like to give two away.

If you're interested in making your own, there are LOTS of tutorials.  I will tell you that I made my triangles five inches across the top and six inches from top to bottom.  

Anyway, on to the pictures:

Aside from the fall decorated shelves, we've got this fun action going on on our door (they didn't stick to the wall very well.  Falling spiders, that wasn't freaky. . .) 

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And as always, link up your posts!!

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My personality and following the prophet

If you're LDS, you know who Thomas Monson is.  Not only do we as members of the church know him to the be the Prophet of God today on the earth, he's also an incredible human being, who is known for his ministering to the individual.

My friend Sierra was posting her personality type as well as the personality types of some of the apostles who were speaking during General Conference yesterday.  She posted President Monson's (ESFP) and so I looked up a little test and took it.  I'm an ENTJ.  I googled it and read a little bit about this personality type.  Other than being extroverted, I'm exactly opposite of President Monson.

President Monson's personality really leads him to look at the details and to be concerned with the feelings of others.  I'm more big picture and while I understand the feelings of others, they don't really direct my decisions.  In church, when we talk about the importance of ministering to the one, I agree!  But I also feel so overwhelmed.  Looking at all the little details is not my strength. 

I think we need all types of people to make this world and this church go round.  People who want to focus on the details can do that, knowing there are people like me keeping an eye on the big picture. At the same time, knowing my weakness, I can focus on them a little more and work to be better at ministering to the one.

Everyone is needed, every talent can be used for good (or bad!).  Learn about yourself and your talents and practice using them for good.  Look at your weaknesses and work on being a little bit better at those things too.  That's my goal, anyway.

But I like to try

My best selfies always include a kid.

So for a few days last month, I think everyone on my facebook feed had shared the Colbie Caillat video, Try.  And I kind of like the message. . . As a feminist I don't think that a persons' self worth or strength should come from their looks.  But what if I like to put a little makeup on?  I know that I'm still a worthwhile person while in my pajamas, but I feel more awake and happy if I'm dressed. 

And in the same way, I feel better about my day when I have a little makeup on.  (I should mention that I have such natural dark circles around my eyes that as a kid people often asked me if I had a black eye.  So I'm not just trying to look pretty, I'm trying to not look like an abuse victim)  I have a mirror in the kitchen above my dining room table.  When I'm feeding my children their meals and I see my reflection in the mirror, it's nice to feel put together and healthy looking. 

Wearing makeup and doing my hair and putting on clothes isn't about being a 1950's housewife, but if it helps me feel away and happy, I'm going to keep on "trying".

5 Little Confessions: Clothes

 

Once a month Aubrey, Carrie, Jacquelyn and I team up to bring you the 5 Little Confessions link up!  You can confess anything your little heart desires.  And link up!

When the first of the month is a Wednesday, Five Little Confessions seems to come around even quicker than usual!  This month I decided to tell you all about my clothing and shopping habits!

1. I wear a size 12 pants.  My ideal size is an 8.  I feel really good about being an 8.  I've lost more weight and my 12s are a little loose, so I'm happy about that!

2. I buy all my jeans from the thrift store.  Especially since I want to keep losing weight, spending a lot on jeans doesn't make sense.  It's nice to know that I don't have to pay more than $8 a pair (that's how much all jeans are at Savers)

3. I pretty much refuse to shop at WalMart.  I've never cared for their stores and then when Elizabeth Ivie told her story here, I just decided to stop shopping there.  But I do go about once a year to shop the Bella Bird selection, since I feel in some way that I'm supporting local designers, even if it is via WM. 

4. I often want to take outfit pictures for my blog, but I'm worried that Adam doesn't like taking them for me. 

5. I only have a certain number of hangers (although I don't know what that number is, I've never counted them) and when I get a new shirt I have to give one away so that I have a hanger for it.  It's my little system to not get overwhelmed with clothes I don't love.

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