Napkin Rings for my Mom

The other day my mom called me and wanted to finish some of her projects that she has had for years. (She hasn't been able to finish them, because I accidentally stole her sewing machine!) So she wanted to have a sewing day, when she said this I was so excited she wanted to spend time with me for an entire day! We have spent two entire days in the month of November together, shopping and sewing; two of my favorite things. She worked on some napkins, the fabric was by Alexander Henry and it was very cute, when I give her these rings I will have to take a photo of them with the rings on. I made these rings to match out of my good old DI wool stash!

Ruffle Pillow

This was a skirt, now a cute pillow!

Blossom Pillow

A friend needed a pillow pattern for a class that she is teaching, she told me how she wanted it, so I drew up the one she wanted and then I made my own version. I really like how it turned out. I really love designing patterns, it was fun to see how it turned up from my design. I used the wool from my DI stash! So it is all recycled except for the backing of the pillow. I even used old extra batting from quilts to make the pillow form.

Melissa's Earing Holder

I love this!! I usually use mesh and scrapbook paper behind the frame. As I was getting all of the stuff out to make it, I looked over and saw all of the doilies and such from my grandma and great grandma. I decided to use that instead of the other and I love how it turned out. The frame is an old one from my grandpas and then I think the doily is from my great grandma!

Sushi Attempt

I love sushi and I have always thought it would be fun to make, so me and my friend Cole found a sushi kit at Borders for six bucks and decided to try it. It wasn't too hard, and I think the next time it will be a lot better. I had a hard time with the rice, so if any one has suggestions on making sushi rice let me know! The rice was the only bad part...it was so thick it was hard to swallow! We just make California Rolls for starters and then did some teriyaki shrimp, cream cheese and cucumbers.

Spinach Artichoke Dip!

Mmmm...I love this recipe! I don't remember where this recipe is from...sorry!

BEST SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP
 
1 pkg. frozen spinach thawed
1 jar marinated artichokes, chopped
8 oz. Philly cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
3/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 stick butter
red pepper flakes to taste

Sauté onions in butter, adding ingredients while mixing and blending well after each addition. Add ingredients in this order: Spinach, Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Parmesan Cheese, Artichoke Hearts, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.
Remove from heat and put in crocks or microwave dish. Top with Monterey Jack Cheese and melt.
Serve hot with chips or bread.

Sewing Conference

I went to this sewing conference in the first part of November. It was put on by USU extensions, it was meant for Home Ec. teachers and 4-H sewing teachers. I am neither of those, but my aunt is, so I was lucky to go. It was so much fun, it was two full days of sewing all day! They gave us projects, patterns and fabric. The first night it was an open sew for a couple of hours, so while I was preparing to go I was trying to decide what to take. Little did I know I would have a million projects from the conference and there would be no time to even attempt my own.

During the conference there were speakers, my favorite was Joel Dewberry. I was so excited to meet him, he is such a talented designer and so down to earth. I was in awe just listening to him, I would love to be able to start designing, but I get too scared to try. You should check out his website and you will just love his stuff!

Joel Dewberry

I would love to teach a 4-H sewing class or just any sewing class, so let me know if any one is interested or if you know of some little girls that want to sew, I want to teach them.

Here are some of the projects we worked on, I still haven't finished them all. Some of them are basic projects, but they teach good sewing techniques for beginners.


Pin Cushion, inside they used walnut bird feeder which is supposed to sharpen your needles.


This pattern is from Joel Dewberry's book and it uses his great fabric!

Check out his book here!


Out of all the sewing and quilts that I have done, this is my first pillow case, I thought that was kind of funny. But this pattern is so great, there is a cool trick to get the seams hidden on the small piece of the pillow. Here is the link to the pattern. I want to use this trick for the hem line of a skirt!

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FL_ST_Construction_2006-102pr.pdf


This is a little snap bag, it is closed up by a measuring tape. It reminds me of those little snap bracelets that were in when I was little. Great project for little girls.





Don't you just wish you had this table runner??? Hahaha! The pattern is a good idea, but the fabric is not! Haha, we were laughing so hard about how this turned out. So if you come to a summer dinner party at my house you may see this sweet thing!

We also made a hot pad, I didn't look very good, I sewed random circles on it and when it finished it looked like something I would have given my mom when I was in kindergarten! We also worked on a quiet book, but I wanted to make it a little cuter, so we will see if I ever finish it. There were a lot of good sewing techniques to learn while making it and they are also good small motor skills for children. I started an apron, but didn't have time to finish it. Hopefully I get those finished and posted.

Old Grandpa Jacket to Cute Banana Republic Jacket??

I have been wanting to experiment with making coats lately, I think it would be fun to bring new life to an old one. I got this coat from my grandpa. I was shopping yesterday in Salt Lake and saw this coat in Banana Republic and thought it was adorable. It had raw edges, so I think this old one could be transformed into this cute one. I don't know if I have the skills to do this, so you might not ever see anything again about this. Hopefully I will have success!

New Head Bands!

Watch for them on my Etsy shop!

String!

I don't really know the purpose of this, but I saw it at Anthropologie and loved it. I am going to add some of it to the christmas tree skirt I am making and I also think it would be cute on a pillow in a cool design. I was having fun taking photos of it, that is why there are a million!







I have a sick obsession with Anthropologie!

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Oh my I just made this and it was so good and sooo easy! I got this recipe from Real Simple online. I know this photo doesn't look that appetizing, but curries usually don't look that great.

Yield: Makes 4 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  tablespoons  olive oil
• 1  small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2  teaspoons  curry powder
• 1/2  cup  plain yogurt
• 3/4  cup  heavy cream
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1  14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
• 1  rotisserie chicken
• 2  cups  cooked white rice (optional)
• 1/4  cup  fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes. Sprinkle with the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the yogurt and cream and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and tomatoes (if using). Remove from heat. 

Slice or shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Divide the rice (if using) and chicken among individual bowls, spoon the sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the cilantro.

My Changes

I didn't use rotisserie chicken, so while I started the onions I just cooked the chicken in another pan with salt, pepper, a dash of the following; turmeric, garam masala, chili powder and cayenne pepper. I just started dumping stuff in. I also added some pablano peppers to the onions while they were cooking. If I would have had a serrano I would have added that because it wasn't very spicy, so in the end I added some chili powder, cayenne pepper and a little nutmeg. I served it over rice and cooked up a pre made tortilla. (The pre-made tortillas are a great substitute for naan.)

Roasted Potatoes with North Indian Spices

Because of the turn of cold weather, I try to stay in the house as much as possible. I am a pansy! And I know I have lived in Logan my entire life, I should be use to it by now. I am not, so I hibernate! I was looking online for some recipes and found a lot of fun ones. Here is one that I loved. I was skeptical when it was cooking, but they tasted so good! I got this recipe from Cooking Light online. Sorry no photo!


Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup potato mixture and 1 lime wedge)

Ingredients

• 3 1/2  tablespoons  canola oil, divided
• 3  pounds  small red potatoes, halved (about 8 cups)
• 1 3/4  teaspoons  black mustard seeds
• 6  dried red chiles
• 2  teaspoons  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2  jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  kosher salt
• 1  teaspoon  ground turmeric
• 1/2  teaspoon  Garam Masala
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh mint
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice
• 8  lime wedges

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon oil and potatoes, tossing to coat. Set aside.
3. Heat remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons oil, mustard seeds, and chiles in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until seeds begin to pop. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add ginger, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, turmeric, and Garam Masala; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add spice mixture to potatoes, tossing to coat. Arrange potato mixture in a single layer in a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned, stirring every 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, mint, and juice. Serve with lime wedges.

My Changes/Additions

I added serrano peppers, pablano peppers, onion, and mushrooms. I like to add whatever is in my fridge that needs to be used. I did this in the first step. I didn't use chili's because I didn't have any. They were very good!

Happy 2 Years!!

I am behind! My house turned 2 on October 30, 2010! I can't believe I have lived in my house for two years. Last year I threw a birthday party for it and bought it a present. I haven't yet decided on what to buy for it this year, but I will for sure post it. I didn't throw a party for it, because my friends made other plans, so I didn't have one. I just like to have an excuse to throw a party. I know I am weird!

Check me out on Utah Bride Blog!

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Create

Anthropologie Quilt

I just love this quilt!! I think it is by far my favorite! This is all hand sewn, it kind of looks like a pain, but I enjoyed it!

Saturday Night Ritual

I love this fabric! My friend Bonnie gave me this fabric on Wednesday and I just had to make a skirt out of it. It took me longer to finish because I actually had to follow the pattern and I couldn't find my zipper foot. This photo is not a very good one, I need to find someone that is the same size as me, so I can take some fun photos of my skirts.

S'more Cupcakes

I have been wanting to try out different cupcakes lately. I just used a milk chocolate cake mix, I filled each cupcake with a little bit of batter and then put a dob of Marshmallow Cream Puff and then topped it with some more batter, don't fill them too full or they explode all over the pan. I made a homemade chocolate frosting, and topped it off with graham cracker crumbs. They were really good, the marshmallow kind of dissolved in the oven, so it just blends into the cake. But they were still delicious. I am going to try it with real marshmallows and see what the difference is.

Chocolate Frosting Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 8 tablespoons milk

Directions:

In a double boiler over hot water melt chocolate with the butter. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. In an electric mixer add chocolate mixture and confectioners' sugar. Beat until mixture resembles chalky beads. Add the vanilla and the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until a spreadable consistency is reached. Beat until fluffy -- adding more milk if necessary.

Saturday Night Ritual

Every week I have intentions of making a new skirt for Sunday, the week ends way too fast and I never get to it. A lot of times I get home around midnight on Saturday and start a skirt. (Good thing I have 1:00 church, so I can sleep in after!) This is my new favorite tradition! I am trying to use up all of my fabric, so that I can buy more. So we will see how many I can get out of my DI fabric stash! This fabric was $1 and I have enough to make another skirt...or something else. Hopefully I can stay up on this tradition and have a lot of new skirts! Let me know what you think! I know this is kind of ugly fabric, but when I am at the store I see potential in strange things!

Magpie Lovely Patterns Guest Giveaway

Magpie Lovely Patterns Guest Giveaway

Wedding Showcase

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25 things to do before I am 25-Update!

Well today is my half birthday! I don't care that I am turning 25 soon, but that means that I only have 6 months to finish everything. I really think I can finish all of it except my humanitarian trips. I don't think it would be wise to go into debt for them. But maybe I can get a ton more photo shoots and go on at least one of them in the spring. Time flies way too fast! I made all of these goals on September 7, 2009.


1. Have a gallery show of my fine art photos.

2. Have a Summerfest booth of my photos.

3. Design a line of fabric and submit to a company.

I have started to sketch some designs, here are a few of them. They are in the first stages, I need to finalize the images on paper and then get a good scan and then call my friend Kara to give me another Illustrator/graphic design tutorial.

I still need to figure out which ones go together, I think I am going to finalize 4-5 designs and then come up with a couple of color options. I am not going to submit them to a company, but I am going to print my own fabric on spoonflower. I think that will be good enough for me! I am excited to finish this project!










These are some of my color inspirations. I want to go bold and deep with the colors. These photos don't give you the best ideas, they didn't scan in as the right colors. I will have to figure that out, but you get the idea. Let me know what designs you like!




4. Design 3 patterns and make the items.

5. Go to Nepal for humanitarian work.

I want to do this so bad...but money is short, so if anyone wants to donate! :) Maybe I will be able to at least book one of the trips before I turn 25

6. Go somewhere in Africa for humanitarian work.

7. Go to the East coast to see the fall leaves, especially the Sacred Grove.

8. Start learning Spanish.

I listened to some CD's and they were pretty use less. I can say a few phrases, but nothing really useful. I hopefully can find a better way to learn!

9. Decorate my bedroom.

I did get a new bed and have decorated it, but I need to finish the rest of the room. I am having a hard time deciding what color. I will take some photos of where it is now. When I moved into my house almost 2 years ago, I wanted to save the bedroom to decorate with my husband. Well that isn't working out so well...so it might be my houses birthday present.

10. Be in a serious relationship that has potential for marriage.

Hahahahahahahaha! That is all I can do about this one! It makes me laugh that I even thought it possible! Hahahahahaha!

....maybe I was wrong...............


11. Learn how to knit.

I learned with my grandma, it was way funny. I can't post anything yet, because I haven't made much progress, I think crocheting is easier. The most memorable part of the learning experience was what my grandma said. She was telling me that she knows some ladies that are really good and they are a bit retarded, so you should be able to do it. So if I can't make something fantastic I am going to feel pretty dumb!

12. Read the C.S. Lewis Box set.

Mere Christianity: Finished May 18, 2010
The Screwtape Letters: Finished July 4, 2010
A Grief Observed
The Problem of Pain
Miracles
The Great Divorce

13. Read the Bible Dictionary.

14. Read the Book of Mormon in one month.




I started reading on March 1, 2010 and I finished March 31, 2010.

The last few months have been really hard on me, as you have read in some of my blogs I have a really great dating life (sarcasm just incase you didn't pick up on it). I thought things were great, he said that he loved me and to trust that and then he ran... Since that time, I haven't had much motivation for anything, I had gotten behind on work and haven't cared. It is hard to take photos of other peoples happy moments, when my heart just got ripped out. I truly thought I had found the one, and he never gave me reason to doubt that. So anyways in short I have had a really hard time. I have sought for comfort in so many things, I have tried to be social and move on, I have fasted, prayed and sought for answers in the temple. At the end of February I was sick of being so miserable, so I went to my Uncle for a priesthood blessing. It was such a great comfort and a reassurance that my Heavenly Father is truly aware of me. In the blessing he told me to study the Book of Mormon, at the time I was reading in the Old Testament. The next day was March 1st and remembering my goal to read the Book of Mormon in a month, so I decided to start.

I know I probably just told you a lot of stuff that doesn't really matter, but as I read the Book of Mormon I was able to see how much love our Heavenly Father and Jesus have for us. I know that I read it fast and probably didn't get that much out of it, but I was able to see how constant the Lord's love is for his children. I know that we are all children of God and that He loves us so much. No matter the difficulty that we are in, He is always there to comfort and consul us. I know this with out a doubt. It is the weirdest feeling but it consumes my whole soul, there is no way to explain the feeling. It is just something that you know. Our Heavenly Father is so merciful, He will always allow us to repent and return to Him. As I read the Book of Mormon, I was able to understand my purpose here on earth. I know that as we go through this life it will all be worth it in the end if we stay true to the commandments and the covenants that we have made. The time that we spend on this earth is such a short moment in the span of eternity. We can't give up, we can't let a break up ruin our lives. Afflictions and trials will come, but if we have the proper association with our Heavenly Father, we will be able to grow and to become what He expects us to become. While we are in trials, it seems like a long time. We need to step back and see that we are the only ones that measure time. This life will pass so fast before our eyes, and we can't let the things of the world get us down. We have to endure so that we can inherit the great mansions that our Heavenly Father has prepared for us. In the Book of Mormon and especially in 3rd Nephi we see how they are preparing for the coming of the Savior. They watch for the signs of his birth and then for His death and then they await for His appearance in the Americas. We are in a similar time in our life, other than preparing for His first coming, we are preparing for His Second Coming. We read of the signs of His return, we must prepare. It is so crazy the amount of the natural disasters that have been happening. We do not know the hour that He will come. I don't know if it will be in my life time, but I know that I will be an instrument in preparing the earth for His return. We can't take this lightly we must always improve ourselves and look for ways to help our neighbor. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have, I know that there is no other way to be happy. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and when we read it we can feel of Gods love.

I was so grateful to read the Book of Mormon, I am still trying to get over things, but it helped a great deal. I don't know what will happen next in my life, but I trust that my Heavenly Father can see the bigger picture. He knows what will be best for me, I don't know if something will end up happening or if I will get another opportunity. I know I complain a lot about not being married, but that is pretty much the only thing that I have a complaint about, I am so truly blessed, and I owe all that I have to my Heavenly Father, I know I wouldn't be where I am today without Him.

15. Train for a triathlon.

16. Make a dress.

Here is the pattern, I have started it, but knits are super hard to work with! Right now I am planning on making the one with the pleats on the front, but I might veto those and just do the normal. I am also worried about doing the button holes!




17. Take a class.

18. Decide whether or not to get my teaching degree or another degree.

I gave it a lot of thought and prayer, my schedule is too busy to take something else on. I would still love to go back, but not now.

19. Go backpacking in the Wind Rivers.

Me and the Cirques, I need to get more photos from my brother.



Trying to get a self portrait with my sweet headband that I made for the trip!



My awesome tour guide! (aka my bro!)




This is where I slept...all by myself. Justin didn't want to put his tent by mine. I got a little freaked out at night!



This is Big Sandy Lake our tents were just a little ways a way, so beautiful!




20. Start a photo project.

I took some photos of some blossoms, and now I want to do some photo transfers with them. I also want to use my Italy photos to do some transfers. We will see if any of them work out!

21. Give a quilt away.

My good friends Sarah and Rob lost their baby Benton in November. Words can not explain the loss or soothe the ache. I wanted to do something for her, so I put together my scraps and this is what came out.



22. Submit my Peru book to different Humanitarian organizations, in order to broaden my photography oppurtunities.

23. Find dead ends in Family History and find the original location and try to further the lines and information.

24. Visit all of the temples in Utah and do work in them.


Logan: May 6, 2010
Ogden: July 15, 2010
Bountiful: May 14, 2010
Salt Lake: May 20, 2010
Jordan River: July 23, 2010
Oquirrh Mountain: May 22, 2010
Draper: February 26, 2010
Timpanogous:
Provo:
Vernal:
Monticello:
Manti: February 5, 2010
St. George:

If completed by April 3, 2011
Brigham City:
Payson:

25. Study more about graphic design. Learn Illustrator.

My friend Kara has taught me a lot, I feel a lot more confident. But I still need a ton of practice.

These appear in no certain order, and I am going to try to complete them by April 3, 2011!