Uncooked Rice

Blogs Combined

2010-07-08T08:07:00.002-04:00

I've combined my two blogs. Check my fun creations out at www.drinkitin.blogspot.com!

Nesting Blocks

2010-06-03T07:38:00.004-04:00

Following this free tutorial, I made Aurora her first toys (that she won't enjoy for months)! The tutorial is pretty easy, but don't underestimate the amount of time it takes to make these. And, if you're a perfectionist about everything lining up perfectly, this probably isn't the project for you.

Freezer Paper Onesies

2010-06-03T07:37:00.000-04:00

Decorating shirts and onesies with freezer paper stencils has pretty much become our favorite project. It's quick, easy, and super fun.

Here are our latest projects:

Another happy whale for friends who are waiting to be surprised with baby's gender.

These are for our nephew, Alex, who was born early last week.

We both LOVE the baby ninja. So fun!!!

Burp Cloths

2010-05-25T07:17:00.003-04:00

I might have gotten a bit carried away with $1.99/yd flannel a couple of weeks ago. A great sale turned into about 26 burp cloths. I'm hoping that's enough for Aurora and a few gifts as well. I followed this great tutorial (from one of my favorite blogs). I changed it a bit and just made squares, though I rounded the edges. It took me a few hours to make all 26, but I bet 1 burp cloth could be made in 5-10 minutes. I love easy projects!
Sorry about the terrible lighting. Our apartment gets enough natural light for us to function in, but not enough for good pictures.
I had to wash the burp cloths a couple of times to fray the ends, and it's clear that $1.99/yd flannel doesn't wash very well. Oh well, it would look like that eventually!

Maternity Shorts

2010-05-23T17:48:00.004-04:00

I'm not really a fan of maternity clothes for four reasons:
1. They are all very "classic" looks. And I'm not a very classic dresser.
2. They are way too expensive to only wear for 5ish months...or even forever.
3. 99% of them are v-necked and WAY too low cut for me to get away with.
4. I feel frumpy when I wear them.

So, I've been sticking to jersey knit skirts and shirts I already had for the most part. But, summer is H.O.T. so I decided I needed some shorts. I looked around a bit and $25 is way more than I'd pay for regular shorts, much less maternity shorts. So, instead I grabbed a pair of jeans I didn't really like and worked my magic on them. I followed this tutorial...which was pretty easy, but I must of done something wrong, because my pants definitely don't stay up. So, I can't have my hands full when wearing the shorts, or they may end up around my ankles.

Project List

2010-05-20T06:33:00.004-04:00

One of the best things about getting ready to welcome a little one into the world is that a whole new world of crafty ideas has opened up! I have a little less than 3 months to complete all of my projects, so almost every night is spent doing something. It works out great though, because sewing is so relaxing for me.

Here's a list of projects I'm the most excited about (in no particular order):

simple and easy nursing cover. I'm also planning just to use my baby wrap as a cover as well.
rocking chair cushion. I really don't need a tutorial for this, but it couldn't hurt.
Baby Booties. How adorable are these???
Yellow crib. I'm the most excited about this one. It may turn out to be more Jonathan's project than mine though if I'm lucky!
You can't have a great yellow crib without the perfect set of bedsheets!
We're all about handmade toys, beginning with these great nesting cubes. Hand sewing isn't my favorite, but I guess I can swing it for such a great project.
You might recognize this from a previous project, but I couldn't get enough for this bird mobile, so I had to make a new one to match Aurora's room. Jonathan and I collected new sticks for it last night, so I'm going to put him to work balancing the birds tonight.
Presently, I'm in the middle of making what feels like 1000 of these burp cloths based loosely off of this tutorial from one of my favorite crafty blogs.

This should keep me busy for awhile...not to mention that 6 or 7 of my friends are expecting within a few months of me, so I get to make things for them as well. I can't wait!

Baby Showers

2010-05-11T11:57:00.003-04:00

On Friday after work, it hit me that I had yet to figure out what I was baking for my sister in-law's baby shower. I also realized I didn't have any gifts for her yet. So, a couple of store trips and a few hours later, we were ready to go!

Cupcake stands make cupcakes look so much yummier! The cupcakes were from a box, but the frosting was a handmade buttercream found from Martha Stewart.

This Maple Bundt Cake tasted more like breakfast than dessert. So good!

And, Jonathan actually made these freezer paper stenciled onesies. We found the tutorial here. There are definitely more of these to come!

Baby Wrap

2010-04-21T19:18:00.005-04:00

Surprise!!! Believe it or not, I still exist. Though I've taken a brief hiatus from all things crafty, I think I'm back. I have little time, but LOTS of ideas. I also have a sewing machine again, and Joannes and Hobby Lobby are right on the way home from work.

Most of my projects are probably going to change into baby projects seeing as how I've only got 4 months left to finish everything for our sweet girl.

I decided to step back into the world of sewing with an easy project. This is a baby wrap (otherwise known as the $40 Moby wrap), except I made it for about $3.50 since I bought the jersey knit as a remnant.

It's easy as pie to make. I think it took longer to figure out how to put on Jonathan than it actually took me to make it. I'm sure an actually baby will make it even more difficult, but it's worth it! And by the way, Jonathan was so excited about it, he grabbed it and put it on himself before I could even try it out!

Christmas in Turkey

2009-12-09T04:15:00.004-05:00

Since Christmas isn't a Turkish holiday, I'm on my own to fill our apartment with holiday cheer.

There are tons of crafts online to make, but most of them require something that I don't have (like a craft store, a sewing machine, Christmas lights, etc.).

So, using scissors and note cards that I'm pretty sure I've lugged all over the world, I made our own Christmas tree. It looks slightly like a preschool project and absolutely nothing like my inspiration, but it's sufficient for us.

Jonathan and I aren't really gift people and, come to think of it, have never really given each other wrapped presents. But, I told him this year that we each had to get a gift and wrap it so we could put it under the tree.

More knitting projects are coming after Christmas (so the people who are receiving the gifts get to see them first).

Morning Granola

2009-10-13T05:17:00.004-04:00

Breakfast always has bittersweet connotations for me. I love the idea of breakfast, but am not really a fan of breakfast food. I think a lot of it stems from the 2 years I cooked breakfast almost every weekend for one hundred people at a retreat center. Since then, eggs, pancakes, biscuits, you-name-it have never really appealed to me.

Jonathan is a big cereal fan, but since yummy cereal is hard to come by in Istanbul, homemade granola has become a staple in our house.

Prep time is quick, but make sure you have a couple of hours to bake and stir the granola.

Here's my usual recipe, inspired from my favorite cookbook, More with Less:

Mix in large bowl:
6 C. plain oatmeal
2 C. whole wheat flour
1. C. coconut flakes
2 C. nuts (try any combination. I prefer walnuts because they taste great after being baked.)
1/2 C. wheat germ (to be healthy!)
1/2 C. flax seed (also healthy!)
1 T. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

Heat in Saucepan:
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 C. water
1 C. honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar
1 T. vanilla

3 C. dried fruit (dates, raisins, mangos, apricots, apples, whatever! I usually use 2 or 3 different fruits)

When slightly warmed, mix the wet ingredients in well with the dry ingredients. If you need to, add a bit more water to make sure the dry ingredients are completely coated.

Put half of the mix on a greased cookie sheet and cook at 300 degrees for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so. I wait until it's fairly golden brown before I take it out of the oven. Jonathan likes his granola extra crunchy and I've found it's crunchiest when I let it cool on the cookie sheet.

When cooled, add the fruit and store in an airtight container.

Like I Don't Already Have Enough To Do

2009-10-11T02:22:00.002-04:00

A few years ago, I made a list of things I want to do in life. Since then, I've done a few of them, forgotten quite a few, and still have some on the list.

One of the things on my list was to take a picture a day for a year. After running across a couple other blogs that were devoted to this, my motivation was renewed. But, with a little modification.

A dear friend of mine and I have decided to share the blog and each post a picture every day. Joy lives in Colorado and has an incredible eye for art and photography. I live in Istanbul, and though I'm not a natural, I still think it would be a lot of fun to try out.

So, check it out if you want to see a bit more of Colorado, Turkey, or anywhere in between.

www.resplendentawakening.blogspot.com

We couldn't come up with a title, so Joy thought of an adjective, I thought of a noun, and we put them together!

Hand Warmers

2009-09-28T05:44:00.003-04:00

I found this easy pattern on Ravelry. As with almost all of my projects, I took it apart once and started over. All in all, it came together quite well and only took a couple of hours per warmer.The cuff covering my fingers can also be folded back so I can do things when them on.

Matching Hats

2009-09-16T07:41:00.004-04:00

Jonathan's request for a hat as well as a long plane flight turned into this. I got the pattern from my favorite knitting website, The Purl Bee.

My hat fit perfectly, but I had to adjust Jonathan's a bit. I folded the bottom section in half and sewed it there so it would be shorter.

Slippers (that look like a strawberry)

2009-08-27T05:37:00.004-04:00

My goal was to start and finish this project on the flight from Atlanta to Istanbul which didn't quite happen. I'm not exactly sure what I did wrong (twice), but I had to take my first two tries apart. Finally, I adjusted the needle size for parts of the final product and it turned out fine. Though, I don't have as much love for them as I originally hoped because of all the time devoted to making a simple slipper.

Journal

2009-08-23T07:50:00.003-04:00

No sewing machine is causing me to be more and more creative with my projects. I recently finished up my old journal. I started a new one but had yet to be inspired. Last weekend, I saw a journal Allison had full of fun paper and I got inspired. In the past, I would have just taken a page and sewn it to to the front, but I had to be more creative this time.

Here are my resources:

Here's my inspiration:

Here's the final project:

Not bad for someone who hasn't colored since the 2nd grade, eh?

On My List

2009-08-15T04:25:00.003-04:00

After I get my sewing machine...and learn how to buy fabric at the fabric stores here, I want this book. Badly.

Baby Blanket

2009-08-08T03:57:00.004-04:00

So, now that I'm living in Turkey and without sewing machine, I think my posts will be fewer and more far between.

But, here's a picture of a blanket I made for the darling baby Penny. It was super early for him/her, but we won't be around when he/she's born. It was fun to make, but involved lots of cutting which can get tedious after awhile.

Finally!!!!

2009-07-06T21:27:00.003-04:00

The day has finally come and I finished my owl sweater! All of the hours were definitely worth it for this! I really enjoy knitting now, which is a great thing since I'm not taking my sewing machine to Turkey. Hopefully they have yarn stores in Istanbul!!!! (I'm sure they do since they did in Cairo, and Cairo seems to have a lot less than Istanbul.)

Check it out!!!!

$10 Wedding Dress

2009-07-01T09:33:00.004-04:00

I know I'm already married and had a sweet wedding dress, but this could work in another color right??? I also know I"m moving to a place where strapless dresses are definitely not all the rage so I'd never get to wear it, but it's only $10 right? So tempting!!!

$5 Travel Purse

2009-06-05T18:04:00.006-04:00

I've been thinking of what I wanted to do for the next purse I made. I wanted it to have lots of storage and be easy to carry everywhere, so here's what I came up with.

It's basically two zipper purses sewn together. Here's one pocket.

The other pocket.And the middle "pocket" attaching the two zipper purses. I also have a zipper pocket in this one to conveniently hold personal things (like passports)!

I'm really, really pleased with how it turned out. It was an original idea, and it probably cost around $5 to make because it was all remnant fabric.

Now back to knitting the sweater...I'm still working on the first sleeve. I think I've finally mastered double pointed needles though.

Slideshow

2009-06-03T09:43:00.002-04:00

I know this is my crafty blog, but I figured I could fit photography in here somewhere.

Jonathan and I had an AMAZING photo shoot of me, more or less, trashing my wedding dress.

They posted the slideshow last night and it's awesome! Check it out!

http://blumephotography.com/blog/

I'm way more excited about this shoot than I was my actual wedding pictures!

On The List

2009-05-25T09:01:00.003-04:00

I haven't posted much recently. I'm (almost) forbidding myself from doing anything else until I finish my sweater but I've needed a break from it recently so not much is getting done. I'm also trying not to buy any new fabric since we're leaving in a month and a half. I have a huge bin full of fabric that could be used.

So instead of posting something I did, here's a list of projects I have on the list to do sometime whether in the far or near future.

1. Retro Owl Sunglasses Case. Cheap. Easy. Awesome.
2. Pillow Map. Except instead of making random lines, I want to make lines to places I've been.
3. Ruffle skirt. I have some great almost-matching fabric for this.
4. Sketchbook. A great gift idea!
5. Room dividers. I supposed I need a room to divide for this one.
6. Adorable Dress. How could I resist!
7. Pencil Skirt. I have the fabric and everything.
8. Paper Dolls Sweater. I have a ways to go before I could do this, but I'm dreaming!
9. Bulky Buttony Sweater. I'll have sweaters coming out of my ears if I keep this up.
10.Wrap Shirt. I just stumbled upon this. I wonder if I have fabric for it already.
11. Travel Purse. I'll probably wait for inspiration and design it myself. I want something that I can sling over my shoulder, has a zipper close, and is big enough for me to lug around the world.

This leads me to writing another one of my blog letters:

Dear Jonathan,

I love you dearly and I know you love me just as much and want me to be happy. That's why I was wondering if you would let me quit my job and spend all waking hours of the day making projects. And because projects cost money, would you mind getting a second job (maybe at Starbucks perhaps) to support my craft habit?

Thanks! You're the best!

Love,
Your devoted wife

Spring Ruffle Top

2009-05-05T18:21:00.006-04:00

I found some remnants that I couldn't pass up but wasn't sure what to do with a couple of them until I found this sweet tutorial. It was super fun and a bit complicated but ended up working out okay. (I probably make my projects more difficult than they need to be through not being very thorough with measurements, cutting, etc.)

I'm not sure how often I'll wear this, but I LOVE how fun and sassy it is. Jonathan, when he saw my color combo, got a grin on his face and said remarked about my "impeccable taste". I'm going to pretend he wasn't being sarcastic.

The front.

The back.

And the baby. Just kidding--not pregnant. I just look it from this angle!

Lesli's Apron

2009-04-29T09:06:00.006-04:00

Lesli, one of my dearest friends came to visit a couple of weekends ago. We had a lovely time together!

I also had a blast making her this apron. I bought the fabric without knowing exactly what I was going to do with it for her, and before I knew it, it had turned into this reversible apron. I LOVE the color combos and think this may be one of my favorite things I've made!

And bummer...I can't find my pics of the other side. It's strawberries!

My first (and second) knitting project

2009-04-29T08:48:00.004-04:00

Over Christmas, my sister in-law had a knitting lesson with my mom, Jonathan, and me. I think I'm the only one who actually took it up, but it took awhile. I'm very pleased with the results of my first and second projects.

I made a cowl. (A scarf but attached on both ends and you wrap it around your neck.) It was a simple knit the whole time, so I didn't even have to purl anything.

After I finished these scarves, I decided knitting wasn't for me because it took too long to make something. When I sew, I can start and finish a project in a few hours verses knitting which takes days and weeks. But then I found this awesome sweater pattern. No matter that I don't know how to do any of the knitting techniques--that's what youtube is for, right? So, I hope to have this project done by fall or winter. We'll see!!!

Reversible Wrap Skirt

2009-04-08T18:25:00.003-04:00

I found this pattern...somewhere. I originally meant to make the skirt either for myself or a friend, but I was off by a few inches on the measurement, so Mandi inherited it. It looks great on her!

The sits in a strange place on the dress, but other than that, it looks good!

My 27th Birthday

2009-04-07T17:39:00.000-04:00

My 26th year was my best year yet!!! And it came to a close with a wonderful celebration of my 27th birthday!

The idea was born a few weeks before during a leisurely weekend breakfast with Mandi. We were discussing how we wished experiencing God through creativity was a more common practice and how we would like to spend more time doing it as well as invite our friends into it as well. That idea quickly turned into a party plan, and what better time to throw a party than on my birthday? (This also meant that people who don't consider themselves to be creative had to come, because it was my birthday! Ha!)

Mandi, the master decorator put together the invites.

Goodwill gives employees their birthday off, so I took Friday off to prep for the party. We ran our errands, had great Pho with Candace at my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. The afternoon was spent baking and prepping for brunch.

Here's the final show.

We had stratta, blackberry bundt cake, banana chocolate chip bread with a cream cheese middle, homemade granola with yogurt and fresh fruit, coffee, tea, oj, and mimosas! No one left hungry, and the boys even got to eat leftovers! (The boys celebrated my birthday at Dave and Busters, leaving the house to the women!)
Once everyone arrived, we ate for awhile and started the project. We left the invite very cryptic so no one knew what we were doing until we explained it. (Another attempt to lure people who don't get excited about being creative!)

Mandi and I spoke briefly about our identity in Christ, but then we let Graham Cooke do the talking. (The video is definitely worth the listen...but not the watch.)

During this talk, we had people close their eyes and pray about a word, or picture, or phrase God has for them to let them know of His love for them. After the talk, we decoupaged mirrors to symbolize what Christ sees when he looks at us. It was wonderful to see everyone's individual expressions because each was different and beautiful! Here are the final creations! (Sorry about the sideways pics--I don't know how to fix it! The flash also blocks out some of the mirrors. Oh well!)

Mandi's:Melissa's:

Michelle's (You'll notice Mike, her husband in the mirror reflection too.):Mary's:

Ohky's:
Melanie's:Erin and Karen's:

Lauren's:Jen's:

Ella's Baby Blanket

2009-03-25T09:33:00.005-04:00

I crocheted this for sweet Ella Mae when she was born in December, but forgot to take a pic so I snapped a couple when I saw her this weekend.

I think I'm going to go for sewing blankets in the future. This one took probably 30 hours to make.

New Bedding

2009-03-09T10:42:00.003-04:00

I made these duvets a couple of months ago but haven't had a chance to take pics and post them yet. I ordered these two duvets from Urban Outfitters super clearance. The only problem was that they were both twin sized so I had to take them a apart and line up the fabrics and then re-attach them and then sew them together to make it reversible. I made some reversible pillows as well to go along with it. I love them!

New Pillows

2009-03-05T18:49:00.004-05:00

Our old pillows were getting ratty, and actually falling apart so I used it as an excuse to buy some remnants and try out a new pattern. I sewed the front of the pillow in 4 sections and then arranged it to make different shapes. I don't love them because they don't look done very well, but they'll be fine until I come up with a new pillow idea!

(Apparently they also spell a word!)

Kylene's Birthday

2009-02-25T08:20:00.006-05:00

We celebrated Kylene's 30th birthday and had a lot of fun getting stuff together for her party.

We made her wear this shirt I made for her. If anyone is fabulous, it's Kylene!

Mandi did an awesome job with the decorations.

We drank homemade Sangria--some of the best Sangria any of us have ever had.

And I surprised her with this awesome cake! Tall, whimsical, almost-tipping-over on the outside.

Rainbow on the inside!!!!!!!

I used 2 boxes of yellow cake mix and split them up into 6 parts and just food colored all the slices. Then, I made a marshmallow type icing. (The kind you add boiling water too.) I wish this idea was original, but alas, I got it from another blogger.

Here's the cake without the icing yet.
And we finished off the night with some pop rocks. It was lots of fun and I had a great time baking again! I'm also really excited to make some more shirts with the transfer paper!

Journal

2009-02-18T13:35:00.003-05:00

I got tired of the old journal cover, so I went for this one. I just used simple black cardstock and a sliver sharpie. (I'm kind of into birds these days.)

The Evolution of Mom's Present

2009-02-06T10:11:00.003-05:00

It started out as a Christmas present and was a pattern I was planning to invent as it went along. (My favorite way to sew is without a pattern and winging it.) It also started out as orange, but I wasn't pleased with how it looked, so I turned it the other way out which made it unable to be more than a clutch. Although it's super cute, I knew a clutch wouldn't be very useful for my mom. So...another purse for me and onto a new one for mom!

At this point, Christmas had come and gone, so, in hopes of completing a purse for her by her birthday I decided just to go for a pattern. And her birthday came and went, but I was able to crank it out last week and got it to her just a few days after her birthday. I'm glad she likes it!

New Pattern

2009-01-13T16:57:00.004-05:00

Here's a purse from my new pattern. Super easy to make and I LOVE the fabric!
Ummm...I think I need to chill out on purses. It's becoming a slight compulsion.

Clutch

2009-01-08T09:06:00.003-05:00

Work has been a bit taxing the past few days, so I finally made time to sew in order to unwind. My one rule was that it had to be with fabric I already had. I've already got a huge tupperware container full of fabric scraps...and before I buy more, I need to start using what I have!

Anyway, it took me about 1 1/2 hours to make start to finish. The zipper was NOT my favorite part, but worked out okay. I also accidentally used interfacing that's heavier than the fabric so the inside fabric looks kind of wavy, but no one will see that!

I'll post pictures of our finally-decorated apartment soon!

30 Second Project

2008-12-16T22:29:00.003-05:00

Before:

And after:

All I did was sew the front of a greeting card onto a cardstock journal. Easy and fun!

Sick Day

2008-12-11T16:34:00.004-05:00

I took a day off of work thanks to this cold bug that's going around. A day in a middle school cafeteria just wasn't what I needed to get better. Instead, I completed Ali's new beds. In our old apartment, he had two chairs that he slept on, but they don't fit into our new place. Dog beds are too expensive, so I just bought a couple of body pillows and some sale fabric. I think he likes the white fleecy one better than the plaid flannel.

Advent Calendar

2008-12-06T09:49:00.004-05:00

I feel as though I often jump into things without knowing what I'm getting into. Although it makes everything an adventure, it also usually requires more work than I expect. This project was no exception. I learned how to cross-stitch/embroider, and became the master of cutting squares. I know they're not exactly even, but since when have I been a perfectionist???

Thanks to the Purl Bee for this fun idea. I did change up a few things to "make it my own" and also to spend $15 rather than $150 on this project.

At the moment, it's hanging on a chop stick, but as soon as I get up the courage to brave this cold Atlanta weather (yes, I'm a wimp), I'm going to find a stick to hang it on.

I'm also not sure what to fill the pockets with yet. Chocolate would be fun, but I know I'll be the only one who consumes them. Hmmm, any ideas?

Fingerless Gloves

2008-11-28T10:05:00.002-05:00

Made from socks!

Pin Cushins & Purses

2008-10-26T11:47:00.003-04:00

I've been really busy the past few weeks and haven't had much time to make anything. I have about 5 projects partially completed as well, which makes for big messes in the kitchen! Here are the completions:

This is a pin cushion made out of a tuna can with some scrap fabric. It's too big to fit with the rest of my stuff, but irresistibly adorable, so I use it anyway! Plus, it only too 10 minutes to make.

I'm REALLY excited about this purse! I made it using my birdie sling pattern, but adapted it a bit making a longer handle and adding a zipper. I wanted a big purse for our big adventure to Eastern Europe coming up on Friday. Because of all the luggage we'll be taking for friends, I wanted it to be hands free, hence the handle that drapes over my shoulder. I also wanted it to have a zipper closure so I don't have to worry about sneaky hands taking my passport or wallet. Finally, I adjusted the pockets a bit, and made some sections for pens, cell phone, etc. And, the best part is that I made all of it with fabric remnants form the store, meaning it only cost me $5.00 to make altogether!

This pictures are also a chance to show off my sassy new haircut!

Pretty Kitchen

2008-10-08T07:51:00.005-04:00

I got this idea from the movie "P.S. I love you" and thought it would be fun to try out. And then, I ended up at Michaels one day where they were selling spools of ribbon for $1.

There's probably a better way to attach the ribbon, but I just used duct tape.

Coming soon: turning a free cardboard box into a basket that holds blankets!

Patterns and Purses

2008-10-05T19:36:00.003-04:00

Well, I broke down and bought my first pattern on Friday. I'd never followed a pattern before, and never really planned to because they're too expensive. The way I shop, I could find a purse for cheaper than the pattern. But, after looking at Amy Butler's Birdie Sling daily for almost a week, I decided to break down and just get it. The pros were that I learned a bunch of new sewing tricks to make my creations look more polished. The cons were that it cost money and it took me forever and a day to make it.

I LOVE the final product--though, an old lady at the fabric store told me my fabric pattern combos were "disgusting." I kid you not, she told me it was disgusting. Ha, I laughed and figured that it's not a very old-lady-southern style. No worries!

It's nice and big for all of my stuff too! Thanks Ky, for multi-tasking and modeling while also talking to mom on the phone!
Here's the lining. Way to cute to hide inside a purse. I'll have to do something fun with the extra!
And finally...the state of our kitchen table for the entire weekend (and even now)!

Felt Flowers

2008-09-25T16:23:00.004-04:00

Kylene and I had a night in while Jonathan ran Team Trivia at the shop. What could have been better than The Devil Wears Prada, rum and coke, and crafts that cost about $.30 cents to make?

I was looking for something fun to put on my winter jacket, and found the felt flower tutorial here.

These were Kylene's finals.
And mine...

And a lovely bouquet!

My First Dress

2008-09-23T12:40:00.004-04:00

Well, I finally went for it and decided to try and make some clothes. I bought some plain, cheap fabric so I could mess up and not waste too much, but it actually turned out well. I was inspired to make a dress like this, but it ended up quite different. Actually, I think I made 3 dresses altogether considering how many times I took it apart and started over again. (Seam ripper is my bff in sewing!)

Here's the final product. Not bad for my first item of clothing and no pattern, eh?

I added a broach and leggings to spice up the boring color a bit. I like that it can be simple, but I could probably dress it up a bit too. Yea!!!

Photo Contest

2008-09-14T19:14:00.005-04:00

United Airlines is having a travel photo contest. The winner gets a vacation for two to Hawaii. I figured I don't have anything to lose, though I doubt I'll win. It was hard to pick just three, but here are the final postings.

The Mediterranean Sea, Alexandria, Egypt

The Nile, Cairo, Egypt

The Red Sea, Dahab, Egypt

Original Aprons

2008-09-14T18:59:00.004-04:00

This weekend turned into the weekend of cherries, daisies, and polka dots. I spent both Saturday and Sunday working on two new aprons. They were both original designs (or at least a combination of many different aprons). The first was a bit too small (though it fits our model-neighbor perfectly), so I tried something else with the second.

The moment Ali hears me turn on my camera, he runs over. Apparently he likes posing for photos.

All in all, I think I like the second the best. I got to try a few new things with making it more fitted, though the first is a bit more "June Cleaver" as Kylene puts it.

Weekend Project

2008-09-09T19:28:00.002-04:00

Actually, it turned out to take me a few weeks to accomplish. And, it wasn't very much fun because there was very little sewing machine involved as well as a lot of repetitive cutting and sewing.

I found this great bird mobile project, and although it's designed for babies, I made it to remind me of the way the Lord cares for His beloved. One of my favorite verses is from Deuteronomy 33:12: "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders."

Now, I realize that this verse doesn't technically have much to do with birds, but it seems to fit the project as a reminder of God's goodness, faithfulness, and provision.

Jonathan even got to use his mad problem solving skills in balancing the branches and attaching the screws.

All I did was use scraps to cut out the bird parts, sew them together, and stuff them. Ali helped me find some sticks which I sewed them to, and Jonathan balanced and attached them all to one another. Easy process, but lots of mundane work. It was worth it though!

Down Time

2008-09-08T19:31:00.001-04:00

Last week was busy! Altogether, we had 5 people staying the night, and the guests changed every day. I also had someone start the 3:45am shift at work this week, which means I was out the door at 3:15am on Wed and Thursday. On Friday night, Jonathan asked me what I would do if I had free time this weekend and I told him I wanted to spend hours at Starbucks with a grande non-fat chai, my ipod, journal, and Bible. I also said I wanted to sew.

I'll comment later about Starbucks, but here is what I did the very moment I got my free time!

"Say aloha (the goodbye version) to summer" cupcakes (thanks Martha Stewart for the idea):

A little purse with my new favorite fabric. I didn't follow any patterns or tutorials and even added some pleats, so I feel pretty good about it.

A new duvet cover. I know it doesn't really match the walls, but I liked the pattern too much to pass up. I was afraid Jonathan would think it was too girly, but he actually really liked it.

I just bought two bedsheets and sewed them together, leaving a small opening on one end.
I also attached two little ties in the corner so the comforter doesn't fall into the corner. Bonus!!!

Also, when Amanda came to visit, she brought all of her mad decoration skills and we got Kylene's room ready for her. (Did I mention we're getting a roommate in a few days???) Here's the final.

Next on my list is a new apron and perhaps some homemade clothes!

Work, Vacation, and Free Time

2008-07-24T09:05:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of posting. Things at work have actually picked up. It's been wonderful having the chance to help people and actually do something, but I'm also missing the free time. Again, the best and worst parts of my job are often the same. I get to make my own schedule and can often be home by 3ish or so to start doing my paperwork. But, I make my schedule around my clients going to work, so, depending on the day, that can be painful too. Last week, I watched someone sort clearance items at Macy's for 10 hours altogether. This past week, I drove 45 minutes to Alpharetta to spend Monday-Thurs from 8-12 watching someone put plastic filters together. Next week, I have someone going to work at TJ Maxx and at a nursing home cafeteria. The kicker is that mid-August, someone will be starting a position loading UPS trucks...from 3:45am-8:30am. I'm going to need to be there for at least 3 full shifts. At least I'll get off really early!

We've also been travelling a lot. Last weekend, we met up with all of Jonathan's family in Jacksonville, FL for the weekend. We had a blast hanging out, laughing, and the parents even made up a "newlywed game" for the 4 couples there. Jonathan and I came in second. We got every question right except I answered that he wanted 3 kids instead of 4. Oops! And this afternoon, we leave to go to IA for a family reunion. We're so excited to meet our 1 1/2 month old niece, Domini! Ali has been staying with some friends of ours who have a big house, a dog run, and Charlie, an energetic lab. They said they'd never met another dog who had as much energy as Charlie until Ali. Ali came home from the weekend with them and slept for 2 days straight, not even getting up to greet us when we came home.

A big highlight of the month of July is a sewing class a friend and I have been taking. It's a general intro to sewing class, so I can do some of the things, but most of it is new to me. I'm learning the difference between making something that looks homemade and something that looks professional. Here are a few of the things I've made so far. (You'll notice they progress in skill as I've had more classes.

These are just some normal napkins. I tried to use my thread to draw a star on them, but didn't finish because I wasn't really digging it.

Here's a bib I made for Domini. I wasn't super skilled with the velcro, but everything turned out well.

My favorite: a reversible tote! I adapted the pattern a bit so I could make the purse bigger, and I added a pocket for my cell phone and keys.

Purses

2008-06-26T09:08:00.000-04:00

We had a good friend come and visit a couple of weeks ago. She and I spent the afternoon working on sewing projects, and she taught me how to make a purse out of a placemat. Here's what I've done so far.

Ruffled Apron

2008-05-27T09:10:00.000-04:00

Here's the project I worked on last week! Ali posed himself for this cameo.

Homemade Cloth Baby Shoes

2008-05-26T09:11:00.000-04:00

A couple of years ago, my mom gave me a sewing machine. I was thrilled at the idea of learning to sew and may have attempted an item or two. But, when I went overseas, the sewing machine went into the closet and out of my mind. When I moved back, I brought it to Atlanta with me, but was hesitant to adventure into new things.

But, the other day, I was re-inspired after browsing a few sewing blogs. My brother and sister in-law are going to have a baby girl next month, so why not have my first project be a gift to my new niece. I found a cute (and easy?) tutorial online for cloth baby shoes, and here's the final product.

I had to make a couple fabric store runs to get the right items and make a practice shoe, but all in all, it didn't take more than 3 or so hours to get them both done.

Hopefully I'll keep sewing more and more. I just keep telling myself it'll only get easier. That's the great part about beginning new things!

New Creations

2008-04-23T09:41:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, Martha Stewart had "cupcake week," so I couldn't resist adventuring with them. They were plain old vanilla (for Jonathan, who still isn't impassioned by chocolate) that turned out to be yummier than expected. I made half with swiss meringue buttercream frosting, and the best chocolate buttercream frosting I've ever had in my life!

They were a lot of fun, though I had a hard time getting the wings to stand up in the swiss frosting.

Jonathan and I also got an ice cream make for the wedding, and have definitely put it to good use (at least twice a week). I haven't gotten too adventurous yet, but am going to try making blueberry yogurt this week.

And finally, a favorite from all guests (and family) is homemade granola. I never make the exact same recipe, but here's a general template so you can make your own creation. It's super affordable, and probably one of the healthiest breakfasts you can eat. I prefer it with soymilk or yogurt, but of course it's good with milk too. Because it's not processed and doesn't have tons of additives, don't expect to stick together in clumps like the boxed granola.

Preheat oven to 350

Mix together:
6 C. traditional oats
2 C. whole wheat flower
1-1/2 C. nuts (walnuts are the best when they're baked, and it's always nice to throw some peanuts in there as well)
1 C. seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, etc.)
1/2 C. flax seeds or wheat germ (for even more health!)

Mix together in a smaller bowl until well combined:
1 C. honey (some recipes call for melting some brown sugar as well, but I leave this out to to be extra healthy)
1/2 C. oil, ideally extra virgin olive
1/3 C. water
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

Pour liquid mix over the dry mix and stir until everything is covered. Make a thin layer (about 1/2 of the batter) on a cookie sheet and cook for about 20 min, or until somewhat crisp (it will become crispier when it cools), stirring 3-4 times throughout the baking.

Once it's out of the oven, 2 C. dried fruit (raisins, crasins, mangoes, etc.).

Let me know how it goes!

Baking

2008-02-24T09:43:00.000-05:00

Minus the daily injuries I accidentally inflict on Jonathan, my domestic ability is increasing. Perhaps it was my mom's visit last weekend so she could rub off on me a bit.

At the moment, my favorite domestic activity is making food taste good and look pretty. Though I search for recipes online, through cookbooks (More with Less being my fav), and via my mom, I do have one personal rule that no one will be surprised to hear: never follow the recipe exactly. If I follow the recipe exactly, it's not really me, is it? It's more of me putting together someone elses thing. I want to put my own personal creation together!!!

So, this is what I've done, and have planned in the next week:

Spinach and Artichoke Dip-Mix together some spinach, artichoke, and a lot of different kinds of cheese (I think we used cream cheese, Parmesan, and possibly something else too), and an extra amount of both crushed and powdered red pepper. Nuke it in the microwave and then broil it to melt the cheese you spread on top. We prefer it with the Tostitos Gold Tortilla Chips and carrots.

Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza with Mountain o' Veggies-Though I didn't quite get the yeast to come alive (or I murdered it), the crust was still good (courtesy of More with Less). We just called it "thin crust pizza." Then, I domestically used store bought pizza sauce, and in honor of pizza night with Yuliya loaded mounds of veggies on top. We cooked it on our new and super cool pizza stone and ended up with good pizza. Even though I am never a fan of delivery, homemade pizza is in a class of it's own!

Chocolate Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting (from scratch)-Okay, this was so good!!!! Pretty darn dense, and if you're Jonathan and not really a fan of chocolate, I'm pretty sure you won't dig it. I thank Martha Stewart for the cake and Mrs. Mills for the frosting. Here's a partially eaten picture (because I forgot to take one prior to eating). Clearly, it's more for eating than for looks...

Using every ounce of willpower I had, I wrapped it up in foil for a couple of days and we'll take it to small group tonight.

Blueberry Breakfast Bars-When you see how much butter and sugar is in these guys, you'll realize there's nothing breakfasty or hearty about them (though I did reduce some sugar and butter, and use some whole wheat flour instead). They're still cooling so I haven't sampled them yet, but I'm sure they'll be enjoyed at our coffee tasting on Friday night.

Yellow Cake with Lemon Filling and Chocolate Frosting--I'm pretty excited about this one. It looks so pretty in the picture!!! This is my un-chocolaty attempt to use up the rest of the chocolate frosting. I'll go to work on it either tomorrow or Friday.

Uncooked Rice: The Beginning

2008-02-04T09:43:00.000-05:00

I always though being domestic would come naturally to me. My mom has excelled in all those areas, and having been around it my whole life, I just assumed it would be as easy to me as it appears to be for her.

Ha, ha. What was I thinking? Though I have domestic aspirations, I am anything but domestic! Here's a smattering of what has happened over the last week we've been in our apartment together.

1. Laundry: I have yet to understand how the dryers work in our complex. I spent over 8 hours trying to do 4 loads of laundry earlier this week. (There are 6 washers and dryers, so it's not like I was waiting to put more loads in.) I also closed the dryer door with some clothes still sticking out on accident, and created the most massive knot of wet clothes I've ever seen in my life.
2. Sleeping: I always considered myself to be a good bed-sharer. But, since I've been married, I've managed to steal J.'s covers almost every night, and even drop my elbow directly into his eye socket in the middle of the night. J. just moaned and rolled over, but I, being incredibly amused about this at 4am, started laughing hysterically for the next 10 minutes, keeping both J and myself awake.
3. Personal Space: Not only do I injure J at night. I think I'm not used to being so close to someone all the time. Everyday at least once, I bonk, or run into, or step on J. Earlier this week we were standing next to each other and I was pointing something out directly in front of us. Unbeknownst to me, instead of pointing forward, my hand started pointing to the side, and I basically stabbed J in the cheek with my long, wedding-groomed fingernail, leaving a swoolen read stripe across his cheek. Another time, in effort to turn around, I came around with "the claw" and clawed him in the eye with my fingers. He's surprisingly good natured about all of the wounds inflicted on him.
4. The Kitchen: I'm good at baking, and can almost always make something good without much effort. But ever since I've become Mrs. Pascual, my kitchen skill seems to have gone out the window. Two nights ago, I tried to make homemade pizza dough. The yeast never rose, so we had hard, crunchy crust. My moment of glory, was when I tried to make the first casserole I've ever made (apparent southerners like casseroles). The recipe called for "3/4C. raw rice, cooked." But I, having some tendencies toward being unobservant only saw "3/4C. raw rice." So, I poured 3/4C raw rice on top of the chicken, broccoli, and cheese, hoping it would cook in the 1/2 hour it was in the oven (without any water). Needless to say, we had a crunchy meal. And Jonathan, having eaten rice his entire life, was definitely less than satisfied. He, as usual, was very understanding about it though.

Fortunately, I'm pretty good at cleaning, and REALLY good at having fun. It's all a great adventure that we're both loving so far!