1 Winner Announced!

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway!

(There were some people that left comments, but didn't follow my blog so I couldn't include you in the giveaway, sorry!)

Here are the results:

Kendall said...Yes please. These are my favorite earrings to wear!

Congrats! Email me your address and I'll mail these off to you soon.

0 Meatless Monday: Lentil Soup

It's been rainy here so I made Lentil Soup. I can't remember where I found this recipe, but it is so good.

Lentil Soup

1 C. Lentils

7 C. Water

Combine and cook for 25 minutes

1 Tbl. Oil

2 Medium Onions

4 Garlic Cloves

Fry onion and garlic in oil until a little bit brown

2 C. Stewed Tomatoes

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Ground Coriander

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/4 c. Rice (cooked)

1/4 cup lemon

Add these ingredients to the lentils and water when they are done cooking

It serves about 6-8 people.

I love this recipe because I usually have all the ingredients in my pantry so on days when I haven't gone to the grocery store in awhile I make this. 

Don't forget to enter my giveaway. It ends Today!

1 Sunday Skirt

I've been wanting to make this skirt for a long time and I finally did it! 

It was a really easy skirt and it probably only took me about an hour to make. The only thing I had/have trouble with is measurements. I've made a couple of skirts now and I either make them too small or too big. This one would fall into the category of too small. It's a very high waisted skirt on me because I made it a little small, but I still think it turned out pretty good. 

Oh and did I mention that I made this skirt from a bed sheet?

I have some old drapes just dying to be made into a baby dress for Kenzie...

0 My cure for depression

I was having a really bad Saturday and was determined to just pout the whole day until we made a fort and snuggled. It was just what I needed to snap out of my mood. (And the taco's and rice pudding for dinner might have helped too).

This was Kenzie's first fort and she was really excited about it.

2 New Banner: Hippie Bus

Do you notice anything different about my blog? Nick made me a new banner that I'm in love with! He is so talented. Check out his other designs.

I've always loved VW Buses. I think they're amazing and perfect for lots of road trips and travel. It's kind of a life long dream of mine to own one. I went to Wales on a study abroad 3 years ago and every hippie bus I saw I had to take a picture with. 

{This was taken in Oregon}

{This was taken in Utah}

{How cute are these salt and pepper shakers}

I have so many plans once I get a hippie bus. First I will take a road trip to Mexico City in my hippie bus. Then I will sell crafts out of it to pay for gas.

Do any of you collect photos of something?

1 Meatless Monday: Falafel Flop

 

{source}

Do you ever try a new recipe out thinking it will be wonderful and it totally flops? 

Well this happened to me tonight. And the problem was not the recipe. It was me. I don't know what I did wrong but the pita bread never rose and I burnt it. And when I fried the Falafel it crumbled into tiny pieces. And so did I. I kind of went into a rampage of anger and started smacking the Falafel down on the plate in an attempt to make it into a beautiful, round patty as shown in the picture above. You've probably guessed it. It didn't work. 

I'm not a perfectionist in the least, but when it comes to my cooking I like it to look just as good as it tastes. (I know. I have a problem). Even though it didn't look very good it still ended up tasting amazing. And super filling. So if you're interested check out the recipes that I used: Falafel and Pita Bread.

So here's to hoping my idea of having a vegetarian meal every Monday goes better than it did today.

1 Poppy Seed Bread

I probably should not be sharing this recipe to the public,
 instead opening a bakery and just selling this bread,
because it is THAT good.

But I thought it was about time to share the love.

My mom made this bread all the time growing up and whenever she did we always would ask her if we were getting any. She would take it to friends, neighbors, even the dentist office. But luckily she always doubled or tripled the batch so that we would at least get one loaf.

I wouldn't mind being fat if it meant eating this bread all day long. 

{source}

Poppy Seed Bread Recipe

2 1/3 cup Sugar

1 1/2 cup Oil

3 Eggs

Mix together and then add flour and milk mixture alternately

3 cup Flour

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 cup Milk

1 1/2 Tbsp. Poppy Seed

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. Butter Flavoring

1 1/2 tsp. Almond Flavoring

Mix and pour into 2 (or more if smaller pans) greased  bread pans. 

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

Baste sauce on while loaves are warm in pans.

Take out of pans when completely cool. 

Sauce:

1/4 cup Orange Juice

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp. Almond Flavoring

1/2 tsp. Butter Flavoring

Cook in a sauce pan on medium heat and stir until all the sugar is dissolved.

Enjoy!

7 Fabric Covered Earrings: Tutorial and Giveaway!

I'm teaching you how to make these lovelies and giving them away!

All you have to do is 

become a follower and leave a comment. 

The giveaway ends the 30th and 

I'll announce the winner on the 31st!

Materials:

Strong Glue

Button Kit (size 20 works best)

Earring Flat Post

Fabric Scraps

Wire Cutters

First cut out circles using the pattern on the back of the button kit. It doesn't have to be perfect, I just eyed it and cut out a circle.

Take your wire cutters and pull out the metal loop in the button 

Then place the fabric facing down on the plastic button holder and place the button on top of the fabric.

Push down the button and tuck in the fabric so it is all squished in the middle

Place the snap on top and use the blue plastic pusher to press down tightly

Glue down the flat post and let dry for about 8 hours before wearing

And you're done! 

0 So Cute You'll Want to Eat Them

 Breakfast

Bagel, Pop tart, Fried Egg, Pancake, Toast

 Lunch

Sandwich, Carrot, Apple, Pear, Tomato, Sushi

 Dessert

Ice Cream Sandwich, Pumpkin Pie, Drumstick, Cookie, Strawberries

I'm still working on Dinner.

So cute right!

I've been wanting to do felt food for a long time and I recently came across this lovely book

Husband says I can have it, but that I can't buy any felt. Ever...hmmm. Still working on convincing him it's a need not a want purchase.

0 Summer Reading

I've been reading a lot of children's books lately and just finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. The first a lot better than the second. But so good. It brings back childhood memories and makes you believe in the impossible.

"A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men."

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

Put these on your summer reading list and then watch the old 70's movie.

1 Cupcake Party

We celebrated my daughter's first birthday party in Oregon. I was really excited so I started planning and thinking of fun ideas months before. My wonderful husband did most of the designing and cute little prints on the cupcakes and I made about 75 cupcakes. I kind of really loved it. And I really would like to open a bakery now please. Because you know I was born to be a Baker.... 

 Cupcake pops! Tutorial found here.

The Cupcake Birthday Banner

The water bottle covers

The Table. (We used dollar store plates and glasses for the cupcake stands)

The Cupcakes. Strawberry, Chocolate, and Lemon!

The birthday girl with her cupcake shirt and hat.

The birthday girl digging in. She didn't get as messy as I wanted her to. (I know right. The one time I wanted her to get messy she doesn't).

The Cupcake Hat up close. I made this pattern up and was very proud of myself. Maybe I'll post my pattern if anyone is interested?

All in all it turned out great and it was so fun to get together with all of Nick's family. Kenzie got to eat lots of sugar that day and she got so many fun noise making toys. I on the other hand am not so sure how I feel about them...

1 What I've been doing for the past week with no internet....

 

I haven't had internet lately so I've been filling my day with crocheting food. I seriously have crocheted just about every pattern in this book. I love it! All the patterns are adorable and super easy. The only complaint is that they are a little on the big side. I've modified some of my food to be a little smaller. And hopefully once I have internet in the next couple of days I'll post some pics!