Aloha-Yummy!

I made some Aloha bread this morning. I found a basic recipe in one of my cook books, but I added/changed several things to jazz up this bread. It is moist and scrumptious! Now if only I were eating it in Hawaii.

Combine 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp soda and 1/2 tsp salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream 1/2 cup butter. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, creaming well. Add 2 eggs-one at a time. Add 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas. (I used 5 of the small ones). Add 1/8 cup half and half, 1 tsp vanilla and just a smidge of rum extract. (You could also use almond). Add 1 cup shredded coconut, 3/4 cup chopped pecans and one small can of crushed pineapple drained. Then gradually add your flour mixture. Combine well and then pour into loaf pans. I love my Martha Stewart mini loaf pan! They cook in 30 minutes and they are the perfect size. You could also use ramekins-like the one in the picture. (I had a little leftover batter). I think this would make one large loaf or 2 smaller ones in regular bread pans. Bake at 350. Regular loaf pans for 60-70 minutes.

A little thrifting

My husband had to work in Cincinnati yesterday and he invited me to go along. We enjoyed the 2 1/2 hour drive and listened to economics lectures (we are geeks). I dropped him off and then with GPS in hand set off to find a few thrift stores. I managed to make it to the St. Vincent De Paul location and they had tons of stuff. I managed to pick up the vintage sheets and pillowcases which will probably become skirts/aprons etc. I also found 3 vintage full slips for 1.99 a piece. I picked up patterns as well. I had to do some digging at this place, but it was fun. I have a few other goodies I'll post about later.

My own little fabric necklace

I tried the tutorial today that I posted on my blog about a week ago from Tilly and the Buttons. I also spent a little time looking at a few other tutorials, but hers was by far the easiest. Many wanted you to make inividual circles that you run a gathering stitch around and pull once you put the styrofoam ball in. Another had you make long bias strips. This is pretty simple. I made my strip 3 3/4 inches wide just like Tilly because I used the 1 inch foam. I measured where I wanted the necklace to hit and that was 24 inches. I doubled to 48 and added 4 more inches just like she said. I pressed it in half with right sides together and stitched about 1/2 inch in. Then I tied the knot about 3-4 inches from the end and started pushing the foam in-(this is the hardest part in my opinion). I tied knots after every ball and then finally knotted the material. I decided to tie a ribbon where I ended the necklace. This was easy and fast and will be fun for spring and summer outfits. For less than $2.50 you can't beat it!

Tile Quilt Pillow

Photo from anthropologie

Happy Monday morning to you! Although my weekend was a bit busy, I managed to get my Vogue blouse sewn up. The shoulders are too wide, but I am going to try to fix that this week. It was an incredibly quick sew. I used my twin needle for the first time to do the hem. Love it! I'll post some pictures later today. This morning though as I was eating & drinking my tea, I came across Adventures in Dressmaking and the post she had on home decor from Anthropologie. This quilted pillow caught my eye because I own a book, Tile Quilt Revival, that has many patterns for things like this. It is basically quilting that leaves a background border around each piece. It is all lovely. Maybe I need to take this pillow project with me on my retreat!

Brownie Bites and Kissie Cups

Have been doing a little baking today for a wedding. This couple is having a cookie table at their reception and I did brownie bites with bright pink and yellow icing to match the Gerber daisies they are using. I placed one Wilton sugar pearl in the center of each. I also made peanut butter cup cookies with Hershey hugs as the centers. Yummy and cute to boot!

Stanley Cascade Blender and a few hen eggs

In an older post on my carrot cake recipe I incorrectly stated that I had a Tupperware Cascade Blender. It is in fact a Stanley Home Products blender. In either case I love this little tool. It is great for mixing eggs or wet ingredients for a recipe. This morning I used it for scrambled eggs. I just love the look of farm fresh eggs, don't you?

Ahhh...The feeling of completion

I have totally finished the Butterick sundress and the Project runway dress today! Had to open up the casing and shorten the elastic as well as take in the bodice seams on the Butterick dress for my two skinny minnys. The runway dress needed the "handpicked zipper" finished that I started last night, hemming and the decorative button attached. I finished all of it today and I am so glad. I also pinned 2 skirts for hemming. That is all they need to be complete as well. It has been a great sewing day in this house! Now I am off to cook dinner (sloppy joes and mac n cheese). I love the satisfaction a completed garment brings.

A Tall Glass of Lemonade

Yesterday it was so nice and Katy and I decided to make homemade lemonade. We took 6 lemons and rolled them and then sliced and juiced them. We cooked 1 quart of water and 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar in the microwave for 2 minutes to make a simple syrup. Then I combined the lemon juice with the simple syrup and added a pinch of salt and poured it over ice. Katy sliced another lemon for garnish and Voila! Yummy. Now it is 40 degrees and we are thinking of building a fire-Isn't God amazing!

Jersey Knit Bracelet

Well my computer is still in pieces, but I wanted to post this cute easy bracelet tutorial from V and Co. that UCreate has early this morning. Too cute and it is neat that you can make three different sizes. http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2011/03/v-and-co-how-to-jersey-knit-bracelet.html

This is Your Computer-This is Your Computer on Drugs

My computer has been doing very strange things on the screen lately. My husband used to do computer repair, so he said he figured it was my video cable shorting out. Enter young son with a curious mind about how things work and a few screwdrivers. He has dismantled it and discovered my husband was right. We have a new cable on the way, but I use this computer everyday. I am typing on it now-HA! He reassembled it enough so that I have to type on the coffee table and look at the screen totally flat. I will be using it less!!! Very uncomfortable way to sit and type. Plus the keyboard isn't connected so it moves around as I type. So glad they are mechanically minded or this would have cost a bundle instead of $15 to fix.

Cutest little necklaces

Photo from Tilly and the Buttons Casey is relaxing with her mom this week so she has guest posts-which I love. Tilly from Tilly and the Buttons did a post yesterday for these super cute and super simple fabric necklaces. These would be so fun for spring and summer outfits! Check out the tutorial here. http://blog.caseybrowndesigns.com/2011/03/springtime-accessories-fabric-necklace-tutorial/

Vogue 9771

I did manage to get my bias cut blouse cut out this past weekend. I used a pink crepe. I think it will be really pretty. I hope that it won't be too stretchy cut on the bias because it already has some stretch to it. I have already told myself that I have to finish the Runway dress and take in the Butterick seersucker dress before I can start sewing this one. Too many unfinished projects makes for an overwhelmed seamstress. I need closure on these dresses!

Wring your little neck-band!

It takes a lot to get me frustrated while sewing. I really don't mind ripping things out and I usually stay calm and peaceful while sewing. Usually! This Simplicity 2927 has a neckband that I just had so much trouble figuring out. I'm sure to even moderately talented people, the instructions would have been clear, but it took 4 times to get this neckband on right. I would just stare at the instructions and then at the dress and it wouldn't click. I looked for tutorials on neckbands and there aren't any for this type. If you need to know how to sew a Tshirt neckband or sew on a neckband to something you have knitted then you are in luck, but no help for 2927 users. I might just do a tutorial myself! I finally got it to work last night and I have to sew the facing on the second one. Wow-will I ever make this pattern again???? It really depends on how cute my 13 year old looks in it and if she loves it!

A Little Birdie Told Me

I haven't done much in the way of knitting/embroidery lately due to my wrist, but I think it is healing. The strain pain doesn't seem so bad anymore.  Night before last I was drooling through my Doodle Stitching book by Aimee Ray and decided to try a little myself.  She has this cute baby block quilt in the book with a sweet little birdie design.  I simply traced the pattern onto vellum and then outlined it with a black Sharpie. Then I cut a square of the same buttercream linen I used for my Sashiko embroidery.  I haven't gotten very far, but I like the design. I thik there are 8-10 stitches used on this particular pattern. It is an easy take-along project.

Something cute for your scrap stash

I found these today on Casey's blog. They are so cute. They would make great little gifts for all your reading friends and use up tiny scraps of great fabric you hate to throw away! Here is the link to the tutorial to make some of these yourself. http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2011/03/bow-tie-paper-clips-from-fabric-scraps.html

A little further down the runway

Last night the weather was great and my oldest daughter had her sweet beau out here for grilled hamburgers. My husband ended up using the tractor to finish all our pitiful attempts at getting the ground ready for seed and I made homemade french fries to go with the burgers. After all the good food which included Paula Dean gooey cake-YUM!, they worked on homework or computers and I thought I would try to get a little sewing in. I finshed the piping and got the front pieces sewn together and then attached it to the back. I had her try it and it is definitely more fitted than the yellow dress. It is only pinned to Shirley-(she is too big for the dress).I have sewn the armhole facings together, but that is about as far as I got before the bed started calling my name at 11:30. Today my youngest has Homeschool Chefs after lunch, so don't think I will get much sewing done. It is hard to believe my week break is almost over and I feel like I have been spinning my wheels! Summer is coming though and there will be more time for all things crafty!

How about a RicRac rose?

I was intrigued by Grosgrain's post last night-Ricrac Roses. I ended up going to the website she had posted which is http://nostalgicneedleart.blogspot.com/2007/08/rick-rack-roses.html. They have a simple tutorial to follow and some great information on ricrac. I had just about the right length of some smaller pink polyester ricrac, so I tried it out. I found that it is difficult to keep the polyester type from kinking on you as you weave it. I decided to pin it down to my ironing board as I went. The only other negative I am experiencing is rolling it tight enough to make it look right. I think the big difference is COTTON. I just think it would lay nicer. This is the small ricrac I am using and the finished rose is about 1 inch across. I will take some more pics once I get it sewn and looking right.

A few more flowers and trial dried flower coaster

I spent an hour or so outside raking mud and old hay off the area in front of our shed today. My kiddos helped -Yay! We are getting it ready for new seed. This is only the THIRD time we have tried to plant grass there. After all that work, I came in and decided to try another organza flower with some beautiful neutral tones. They remind me of J Crew or Ralph Lauren clothing for some reason. I made another cut petal one and then a simple circle one. I used some of Nanny's vintage buttons for the centers. I like them both. I also ModPodged some dried pressed flowers over the poppy coaster I made earlier today. I hate to waste the coasters and I really didn't like it anyway. So far I have 2 layers of ModPodge on it and no sealant.

Coaster trial run

At our next women's gathering for church we are making natural stone coaster sets. I found 9 packs of 4X4 tiles at Home Depot for 3.97 I think. I am sure Lowes probably has them too. I have done some reading on these and I think everybody agrees that if you are going to stamp designs on them use StazOn ink pads. This is a permanent quick drying, waterproof ink. The colors are very vivid. I only have a blue and green so far. They are really dark. You can use other inks (I used Memento dewdrops)if you are going to seal these coasters with a clear coat. If you spray them with clear coat, they lose their natural absorbent quality. I also have some Black India Ink that is waterproof and permanent that I used to outline several items and write a few words. I don't think I like any of these! I am definitely glad I am practicing at home first. I want to give sets of four to relatives at Christmas. It really isn't that expensive to do, so I want to find 4 designs that go together and look nice enough to present as gifts. I guess all these bad ones will hang out at my house for personal use. I also bought some clearance pressed flowers at Michaels that I think I might try to decoupage on some and then seal with clear coat. It is fun trying, but I wish I had better results!!!!

Pillow made softer

I bought a few small pieces of organza yesterday in some very muted neutral tones. I wondered if the pillow I have in progress wouldn't look better if the wool petals were broken up with some softer material. I cut just a handful of this dusty pink organza and I think I like it. what do you think? All wool or wool and organza?