Crocheted Ripple Baby Blanket

I love making things for other people, so I'll pretty much jump on any excuse to whip up a gift. A woman my husband works with recently had a baby, and I've been dying to crochet a baby blanket so I decided to make her one.

I spent some time looking at free crocheted baby blanket patterns on Ravelry, and I eventually settled this one, Neat Ripple Pattern. I had always wanted to make a ripple blanket, so it seemed perfect. I tried making one once but I was crocheting so tightly, it didn't have a nice drape, so I frogged it. I decided to try a ripple blanket again with the Neat Ripple pattern and a larger hook to help out with loosing up my stitches.

While looking through the projects shared for the pattern on Ravelry, I was inspired by one that had a neat color change pattern. I had my husband help me choose four yarn colors to use, and I got to work. It took me a lot longer to finish the blanket that I thought it would, about three weeks. To be fair, I didn't work on it many of the days I counted, but it still felt like it took forever. Once you've crocheted up a few rows, you can work without looking back at the pattern easily. Weaving in the ends took forever, but I think I finally did that part right this time!

There are more babies expected in the near future (including one of my own), so I'll probably make a few more of these this year.

Basic Popovers

I shared my basic popover recipe on my old, defunct blog about trying to become a good cook. Since I count cooking and baking as creating and "food crafting," I like to share my favorite recipes here too. I love making popovers on the weekend, and I don't do it as much as I should. A month or two will go by, and I'll think, "Hey. I haven't made popovers in a while!"

Popovers are easy to make, are impressive to those who don't make them, and they taste good! As an added plus, you can get really creative with what you put on them. Since they aren't a sweet bread, you can go sweet or savory with them. While I've had some delicious dinner popovers, flavored with herbs like rosemary, I prefer to use the basic recipe and make compound butters to go with them.

When I first wanted to try out making popovers at home, I was under the impression that I needed a popover pan or they wouldn't get that wonderful, tall, puffiness that is indicative of a popover. I'm glad to report that you can use a regular muffin pan to make them! They won't get as tall as they would in a popover pan, but they do have that telltale popover look to them, and they cook perfectly.

I've been making these for a little over six years now, and I've figured out a few things that make them even easier to whip up. Want to make your own? Here's how I like to do it:

The blender gives you bubbles!

Basic Popovers

4 eggs (should equal 1 cup)
2 cups milk
2 cups flour (not sifted)
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. The rack should be in the middle position. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with Pam or other nonstick cooking spray. Make sure you get all the way up the sides and on the top edge of each cup. If you don't get everything lubricated, your popovers might stick to the pan and they won't rise properly.

Once your oven is to temperature, put all ingredients in a blender. I like to layer everything so it blends more easily - wet on the bottom, dry in the middle, and wet on top. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the blender partway through blending; the flour tends to stick to the sides.

Fill the cups almost to the top.

When the batter is fully mixed, pour it evenly into the greased muffin cups, almost to the top. Do not let the batter sit around while you prep your muffin pan; you want to pour it out as soon as it's mixed and get it in the oven so you can take advantage of all those lovely bubbles you've made in the blender.


Bake at 450 degrees for exactly 30 minutes. If you peek while they are baking, they will fall.

When 30 minutes have passed, remove the pan to a cold burner or wire rack and pierce the top of each popover with a sharp knife to release the steam.

Let the popovers stand in the pan for a minute or two before serving.

Makes 12 popovers

 

Crusty outside with a soft inside

* When I first started making this recipe, we were renting an apartment. I found that the oven ran hot, so I had a hard time getting the popovers to cook all the way through and not get too dark. I lowered my oven temperature to 325 degrees and cooked my popovers for 30 minutes, and they were perfect. If your popovers don't cook all the way through and/or aren't the right color, you may need to adjust your cooking temperature. 


 Here are recipes for my two favorite things to slather all over my popovers. 

Cashew Butter

1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick, 1/4 pound)
2 Tbsp finely chopped salted or unsalted cashews (measure AFTER chopping)

Soften the butter and place it in a small mixing bowl.

Chop the cashews in a food processor or with a knife until they are as close to paste as you can get them. Measure 2 tablespoons of the chopped cashews and add them to the softened butter. Mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until you plan to use it. Keep refrigerated after use. When you remove this butter from the refrigerator, let it soften for a few minutes before using it so it will be able to spread.

Honey Butter

1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick, 1/4 pound)
1 Tbsp honey

Soften the butter and place it in a small mixing bowl.

Add the honey and mix it with the butter until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until you plan to use it. Keep refrigerated after use. When you remove this butter from the refrigerator, let it soften for a few minutes before using it so it will be able to spread.


If you try out any of these recipes, I'd love to hear about it!

2013 Woodland Sampler - Completed!

I stayed up late Sunday night to try to finish up the last few stitches on my 2013 Woodland Sampler. I didn't start my sampler until June, but then I went crazy stitching and got caught up with everyone else in time for the August pattern.

I've shared my progress along the way, and now, here it is - finally completed!

I didn't really have a plan for what I would do with the completed sampler once it was done, but now I do! I'm going to frame it (or have it framed), and I'm going to hang it up in my son's room. He has been excited about this project since I started it, asking what all the animals are and celebrating with me when each month's frame was completed. I feel like this is a project that would fit in a child's room perfectly. If you want to stitch up your own Woodland Sampler, it's not too late! They even included an alternative 2014 block design at the end for you. You can get the pattern here, and since all the pattern emails have gone out already, you get the whole thing all at once!

The 2014 sampler, Once Upon a Time, is fairy tale themed. The first pattern email will be sent out this Friday, and I can't wait to start stitching! When the year is over, I plan to hang it in my soon-to-be-daughter's room. Keep an eye out for updates on my Once Upon a Time sampler, and if you like to stitch, join me in making it! I'd love to see yours.

Gathered Fabric Bowls

I finished my first project of 2014! Of course, I had to start a new project instead of finishing one of the projects I have waiting around for me, but oh well. :p Why did I choose this particular new project you say? Well, let's make a short story a little longer.

I signed up for a Craftster account last June, but I hadn't really done much with it until the end of the year. I don't have friends who craft, so I had been trying to find ways to connect with other crafters to share projects and ideas. I managed to make my way back to Craftster and dove right in to sharing my projects and participating in the forums. Like I mentioned in my 2014 Craft Challenge post, I'm participating in 50 Projects in 2014 on Craftster. I'm also participating in 14 Quilts in 2014. This one might be a stretch for me, but most of my planned quilty projects are small-scale or mini-quilts, not full-sized quilts. I've included them in my 50 Projects list to remind myself to make progress on quilty projects too!

One thing I am most excited about on Craftster is that the site has organized craft swaps. I participated in my first ever craft swap in November (not on Craftster), one for handmade Christmas ornaments, and it was a lot of fun! In December, I signed up for my first craft swap on Craftster, and that's how I came to make my first project of 2014.

The person I was crafting for had some cute fabric bowls on her wish list, and I jumped at the chance to make them for her. I followed this tutorial on A Spoonful of Sugar to make my bowls. I made three sizes with 6", 8", and 10" circles. They ended up a little smaller and shallower than I thought they would be, but I really like them. I used the same black and white print on the outside of each bowl, and the inside colors are varied. They nest easily and would be great for holding craft supplies. I definitely need to make some for myself!

 Have you made your first project of 2014 yet? What was it? I'd love to see it. :)

2014 Craft Challenge and Project List

Happy New Year! I can't believe it is already 2014. Lots of exciting things are going to happen this year. I can feel it!

For me, I know that I'll be having a baby this year! I very anxious to meet our little girl. I know it'll be tiring and exciting to have a newborn again, but I can't wait to see how crazy things actually get and how our Little Man transitions into being a big brother.

I also have a lot of new things planned for my shop, and I have a mega crafty to do list. If you remember, I am a listoholic! Somehow, I didn't do a very good job sticking to my "crafts to make" list last year. Part of the problem is that I'm good at planning projects, getting the materials, and sometime even starting the project. Then, my crafting ADD kicks in, and I find something new that I want to start working on. In the end, I have a handful of complete projects and a bunch of "hibernating" projects waiting to be finished. I don't have any idea how many projects I completed last year, and that makes me sad. As a listoholic, I should have a list of completed projects to marvel at at when the year comes to a close, right?

This year, I'm going to use my love of lists (and especially of crossing things off of lists) and my Internet friends to keep me on track and motivated the whole year long so I can get my crafting goals accomplished! I have a few craft-related goals set for the year, and I'm challenging myself to complete 50 projects in 2014. I don't have all 50 projects planned yet, and the ideas I have now might change, but my list is a very good start (maybe even a little too long for a starter list).

I'll be posting an update on my goals and project challenge progress as each month ends. I can't wait to see my "finished project" list grow as the year goes on.

My 2014 Craft Goals:

1. Complete 50 projects
2. Try a new craft (stamp-making)
3. Build my fabric stash
4. Organize my crafting supplies and purge what I don't need
5. Design, stitch, and list two new cross stitch designs a month (crafty business goal)

50 Projects in 2014:

2013 Works In Progress

• Hand-embroidered ABC Quilt
• Summer Stitching Club Project
• 2013 Woodland Sampler
• Ship in a Bottle Embroidery
• Crocheted Ripple Blanket
• Eloise Baby Sweater

Planned New Projects

• Baby Girl's Tumbler Quilt
• Little Man's Tumbler Quilt
• Catvent Quilt
• Hexie Mini Quilt
• Quilted Tree Skirt for My Mom
• Quilted Tree Skirt for Me
• Triangle Quilt
• Baby Quilt for My Sister
• Hello Moon Quilt
• Autumn Stitching Club Project
• Winter Stitching Club Project
• Spring Stitching Club Project
• 2014 Once Upon a Time Sampler
• Gathered Fabric Bowls
• Christmas Stocking for Baby Girl
• Paint Name Letters for Baby Girl's Room
• Paint Name Letter for Little Man's Room
• Needlebooks
• Needle Minders
• Hand-carved stamps
• Flannel Board
• Felt Play Pieces for Flannel Board
• Social Tote

Do you have any crafting goals set for 2014? What projects do you have planned?

Christmas on Gingerbread Lane

I've been working on a lot of projects recently, but they all take a lot of time! I post a lot of progress picture on Instagram, but it feels a little silly to devote a blog post to a small amount of progress on a large project. I finally have a new finished project to share with you (and some time to write about it)!

I still need to iron it and frame it, but my most recent project finish is this beauty:

This cute pattern is Christmas on Gingerbread Lane from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. I usually use embroidery hoops to finish my projects (which are a lot smaller), so I have never mounted and framed my stitching. I'm excited (and a little nervous) to do it with this project. I bought a red metal frame from Jo-Ann's when I got to use a coupon on top of the crazy frame sale, but I'm not sure if I want to use it. Since Christmas has already come and gone, I have time to get this project framed before I pull all my Christmas decorations out for next year, so I guess I have time to find the "right" frame for it. I also need to order some mounting boards for this project and a few others. I think it'll be fun to do something new!

If you recall, I have also been stitching up the FPS's 2013 Woodland Sampler. I am so close to finishing it! I just have the December frame and the bonus frame left to stitch up. I was really hoping to have it all done by the end of the year, but since that is tomorrow, I don't think it's going to happen. Either way, I can't wait to share that finish with you!

I love making my own patterns, but it has been a lot of fun stitching up FPS designs and sharing them with others I've connected with from all over the world online. So, I already have everything ready to stitch up their 2014 Once Upon a Time Sampler (starts on January 10th)! Do you want to join me?

2014 NewFO Challenge with Cat Patches

For the second half of 2013, I found myself crafting more than I had in multiple previous years combined, and it felt good! I started cross stitching again regularly at the end of 2010, but that was about all I was doing until now. In addition to some lower-key crafting for myself and my son, I signed up for some embroidery clubs, joined in on some cross stitch sampler craft-alongs, and made my first machine-quilted project (which was also a quilt-along, but I joined in at the very last minute).

Now that I am in a full-on crafting kick and I have the bug to get behind my sewing machine more and more, I've been dreaming up all the wonderful things I'd like to make. I'm still thinking semi-small scale on my quilted projects because larger ones are a bit scary. I know I will never get better at quilting unless I make stuff! I also know that getting started can be the hardest part of creating. So, to push myself to create more, I'm joining in the 2014 NewFO Challenge with Cat Patches!

The idea behind a "NewFO Challenge" is to start a new quilting project each month. Most linky parties focus on only sharing finished projects or focus on finishing unfinished objects (UFOs). This one just focuses on the starting part. Easy, right? There will be monthly linky parties and prizes too. Want to join in?

 

I'm also planning to join in on the Craftster "14 Quilt Projects in 2014" that will inevitably start at the beginning of the year, so I'm kind of getting a two-for out of my project plans. I haven't figured out everything I'd like to make, and I might change my mind along the way, but here are my plans so far (in no particular order):

1. Hand-Embroidered ABC Quilt - I already started this one, so it won't count as a NewFO, but I can use it for 14 in 2014.
2. Baby Girl's Tumber Quilt
3. Little Man's Tumbler Quilt
4. Oh, Fransson! Catvent Quilt
5. Summer Stitching Club Mini Quilt - My top is already done for this, but I need to decide how I want to finish it.
6. Autumn Stitching Club Quilted Pillow
7. Winter Stitching Club Quilted Wall Hanging
8. Spring Stitching Club Project
9. Hexie Mini Quilt
10. Triangle Quilt
11. Quilted Tree Skirt for My Mom
12. Quilted Tree Skirt for Me
13. TBD
14. TBD

Woodland Sampler - November

I've been trying really hard to keep up on my Woodland Sampler, especially since we are so close to the end of the year. There's only one more pattern release day to go! Unfortunately, I spent too much time stitching on a few nights and my tiredness led to some mistakes on my November frame. I didn't feel like picking the stitches out and redoing the affected sections, so I just left them and tried to make it look nice. I think I did a good job. I know that no one will probably ever notice (unless they have stitched the pattern themselves maybe), so I'm not going to worry about it. Well, I'll try not to at least!

Heartmade Holidays Ornament Exchange - Done!

At the end of October, I signed up to participate in Heartmade Life's holiday ornament exchange. We got info about our swap partner at the beginning of November and get to make two ornaments for them. The deadline to mail them out is this coming Monday, but I managed to not only finish in time, but I finished early! This is a big accomplishment for a procrastinator like me.

My swap partner loves the color teal, so I based my ornaments on that. I knew that I didn't want to do the same type of crafting for both, and after a lot of thinking and searching for inspiration on Pinterest, I settled on one crocheted ornament and one embroidered ornament. Here are my cuties:

I found the pattern for the crocheted snowman HERE. For the snowflake, I did a Google search for snowflake line drawings and found one I liked. I traced it onto tissue paper and stitched through the tissue paper onto white felt. The back side has another white felt circle, and I stitched 2013 in the center of it. There is a slightly larger dark gray felt circle sandwiched between the two white pieces, and I hand-stitched the three pieces together.

I really like the way they turned out. My son is obsessed with the snowman and didn't want to give it up, so I have another one in the works. I really hope my swap partner likes them, and I can't wait to get my own little surprise in the mail!

I've Been Bad

So, I've been a very bad blogger, and I'm sorry. I haven't posted in two months and it makes me sad. It all started because I wasn't feeling well and wasn't really getting anything done that would be worthy of writing about. As you probably know, when you don't feel well, it's hard to get the motivation to do things.

I'm working on a lot of projects and will have a lot to write about, but things might get a little crazy in March . . . because I'm pregnant! We're expecting a little girl this time, and I am so excited!

I've been feeling better (although I still get really tired on most days), and I have been getting a lot more crafting done.

I have only really progressed on one of the projects I last updated you on, my Woodland Sampler:

Woodland Sampler

Since my last update, I stitched up my September and October frames. I am currently working on the November frame and hope to finish it this week.

Wild Olive's Summer Stitching Club

My top is finished (expect for trimming it), but I still don't know exactly how I want to finish it. I have so many projects going right now, that I'm not going to worry about it until next year.

Wild Olive's Autumn Stitching Club

It's still going on right now (I think this is the last month), but I haven't started working on it. I know that once I get started, I'll probably fly through stitching up the designs. At least, that's what happened with the Summer Stitching Club. I may end up waiting to start this until I finish up all the handmade Christmas gifts I have planned.

ABC Quilt

This project has been on hold for too long. Maybe I can get in gear and finish it in time to give it to my son for Christmas. The timing would be good because we recently switched him to a toddler bed, and he doesn't have a nice blanket for it yet. It might be too much work to finish in a month, but I'm going try.

NEW PROJECTS IN THE WORKS

Eloise Baby Sweater

My first handmade item for the new baby is the Eloise Baby Sweater from MooglyBlog. It's adorable, and I am almost finished. I need to finish 1 1/2 sleeves and the neckline. Then, I get to weave in a million ends. That part won't be fun, but I'll be excited to have it all done and waiting for my little girl. Here is my last progress picture:

Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar

BetterOffThread is running a Quilt-Along for this advent calendar designed by Elizabeth from Oh, Fransson! for SewMamaSew. The Quilt-Along started at the beginning of September, but I didn't hear about it until today! They are working on their binding this week, and I am just getting started.

Their final link up, which enters you to win some nice prizes, is on Monday, November 25th. I'm hoping I can get mine done in time to join in the link party.

So far, I have chosen my fabrics. I had a ton of fabric set aside for Christmas projects that will match/complement the family Christmas stockings I made two years ago, so that will make things a lot easier - no running to the fabric store before I can get started! I may have to trek to JoAnn's to get some white fabric for the sashing, but I'm hoping I can scrounge up enough from my stash to make it work.

Here are the fabrics I'll be working with:

Heartmade Holidays Ornament Swap

I'm participating in a handmade ornament swap hosted by Ashley from Heartmade Life. I have two ornaments to make and send to my swap partner by this coming Monday, November 18th. I think I finally know what I am going to make. Now, I just need to get them done!

My Sister's Birthday Present!

My sister's birthday is this Friday, and I have had a handmade gift idea for her for a LONG time. I have had everything I need to make it for a LONG time. I need to get it DONE! I'll be visiting her for her birthday, and I want to have it in hand, ready for her to open, when I get there. She might be reading this, so I'll post about her gift next week. :)

Work In Progress Updates

It's been awhile since I posted updates about the projects I'm working on. I have three long term projects going, all at once, but I forget to post blog updates because the changes happen so slowly (although, I have been posting progress pics on Instagram). Since it has been a while, there has been A LOT of change!

Summer Stitching Club

The Wild Olive Summer Stitching Club is coming to an end, but many participants are still working on the project - me included! I had a few weeks where I didn't work on this project because I was also trying to get caught up on another stitch-along, the Woodland Sampler. Once I got started on it again, I plowed right through the rest of the embroidery designs. I finished making hexies and piecing the top yesterday.

Now I just need to decide how I want to finish it. I changed the orientation of my hexies because I was thinking I might make it into a pillow cover instead of a mini quilt or wall hanging. But, now that I've gotten the top done, I might end up just finishing it as the original idea after all. I also need to decide if I am going to hand quilt or machine quilt it together.

 

Woodland Sampler

It took a lot of time, but I managed to get caught up on my Woodland Sampler. Each month's pattern comes out on the first of the month. I didn't sign up or start stitching until June, so I had a lot to do. It took me until August 7th, but all that stitching paid off. I think it looks great! I can't wait for the September pattern email!

My scroll frame isn't quite big enough to show you the whole thing, so the top of the January and February frames can't be seen, but this is what it looks like so far.

ABC Quilt

Sadly, this project has been on hold for a while. I originally wanted to have it completed in time for my son's 2nd birthday (May 23rd), but that didn't happen. I don't know why I thought I could pull it off in just slightly over a month, especially with my crazy over-planning tendencies.

I was on quite a roll with the project (even though it was late), but I got stuck on some of the embroider designs I was trying to draw up. I really wasn't expecting to have such a tough time drawing an octopus! Then, I started working on the two stitch-alongs I wrote about above, and I got wrapped up in them. There is something really special and fun about working on the same project at the same time as a ton of other people, but I would like to finish this quilt for my little guy in the near future!

 

New Projects Coming Up:

Autumn Stitching Club

I had so much fun with Wild Olive's Summer Stitching Club, that I signed up for the Autumn on too! The new Autumn Stitching Club stitch-along starts on Monday (Sept 2nd), and it only costs $5 for the whole thing right now. You should join in!

Pin Cushion Ring

I'll share this project when it's done. Hopefully it'll be up in the next few days because I really need one now.

My Husband's Birthday Present

Every year, my husband and I have a three-day celebration. Well, the last two years we haven't actually been able to celebrate the way we'd like to because of my husband's work, but theoretically, we have three awesome days in a row where celebration is in order.

My birthday is August 19th and his birthday is August 21st (of the same year - I'm older!). We got married the day between, August 20th. See, three days of awesome.

I usually have a really tough time thinking of good gifts to get for my husband, which sucks a lot because he is such a good gift giver. Somehow, I've actually been on a bit of a roll for the last year and have had some great gift ideas for him. I even had some extra ideas, but I was worried about having them written down somewhere, so I forgot them! I was starting to get worried when August rolled around and I didn't have a gift idea, but then inspiration struck!

I don't remember the details, but my husband heard about a drink called The Last Word and was really interested to try it. It had a liqueur in it that neither of us had tried before, green Chartreuse. He kept saying that we needed to go get some at BevMo, but that never happened. A bit later, he was on a business trip and ordered a Last Word at a bar, and he liked it.

So, my idea for his gift was to finally get him a bottle of green Chartreuse. I didn't want to just buy him booze, so I went hunting online for the recipe for The Last Word and other cocktails he could make with the Chartreuse. I was having a hard time finding anything other that The Last Word that looked trustworthy, but then, I found some good recipes on Saveur (shared below). As I was going through the recipes, I noticed that most of the drinks used yellow Chartreuse, not green. The yellow Chartreuse is a bit harder to get (sells out quickly) and is supposed to be good for drinking by itself, so I decided to get him a bottle of the yellow Chartreuse too! I typed up recipe cards for six different drinks (including a photo of the drink to whet the appetite), laminated them, punched holes in the corner, and use a binder ring to keep them together.

I was really excited to give him this gift, and he loved it!

Here are the cocktail recipes I included in the gift. I'll add photos as we make them!

The Last Word

3/4 oz. gin
3/4 oz. green Chartreuse
3/4 oz. maraschino liqueur
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
Twist of lime for garnish

Vigorously shake all ingredients together with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime twist.

Champs-Elysees

1 oz. brandy
1/2 oz. yellow Chartreuse
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. simple syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
Strip of lemon peel for garnish

Shake all ingredients together with ice. Strain into a well-chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon peel.

Greenpoint

2 oz. rye whiskey
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 tsp. yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Angostura bitters

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice; stir to chill. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Eureka Punch

2 oz. Caribbean-style amber rum
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz. yellow Chartreuse
1 Tbsp. honey mixed with 1 Tbsp. water
1 dash Angostura bitters
2 oz. ginger ale
1 lemon wedge for garnish
1 sprig of mint for garnish

Shake all ingredient together with ice until chilled. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice cubes. Top with ginger ale. Garnish with lemon and mint.

The Beauty Spot

2 oz. gin
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1/2 oz. green Chartreuse
Orange twist for garnish

Combine all ingredient with ice in a shaker. Stir the mixture thoroughly and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

The Lumiere

1 1/2 oz. gin
1 oz. elderflower liqueur
3/4 oz. green Chartreuse
Dash of orange bitters
Lime twist for garnish

Combine all ingredient in a shaker with ice; stir thoroughly. Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime twist

Craft It Forward

This photo popped up in my Instagram feed, and I got excited. These sorts of things sound like so much fun, but I have never participated before.

The idea is to spread crafting love around. The first five people to comment on the post and say they are willing to craft it forward for five other people, get a handmade item from the original poster. My item will be made by @kdarli.

I posted the Craft It Forward on my Instagram and have had two takers so far. Hopefully another three will come through. I'm really excited to make some special gifts for the people who participate.

Have you ever participated in something like this?

Back from Vacation!

This past weekend, we met up with my parents and three of my four sisters at Bass Lake for some relaxing, boating, tubing, video games, swimming, drinking, and food I didn't have to make myself!

We spent our first day there on a pontoon boat on the lake. My little guy got to help drive the boat, which I'm sure is totally legal!

Best 2-year-old boat driver ever!

We were only on the lake one day, but we spent a lot of time in the pool the other days. One of my favorite things on the trip was seeing my son get better at swimming. He had only been swimming twice before our trip, so he was still working on keeping his head up out of the water and just spitting water out if it gets in his mouth instead of freaking out. My dad was awesome! He helped with both of those things, and it made a huge difference!

I also really enjoyed taking a walk with two of my sisters. One is away at college, and the other lives an hour away and is busy working and being a newlywed. It's always nice to see them.

Sisters

While I love being on vacation, it is also really nice when you get back and you can sleep in your own bed and use your own shower. I wish our vacation could have been a little longer so I could spend more time with my husband and my family, but there was one "person" was super happy that it was over.

Roxie missed us a lot

Burrito Bowl & Chipotle-Style Corn Salsa Recipe

Steak Burrito Bowl - Full of yum!

A year ago, when my husband and I vowed to eat out less, I started trying to figure out how to make my own versions of some of the take out I was missing. Chipotle was at the top of the list for recipes I needed to figure out. Last July, I shared my recipe for Chipotle-Style Cilantro-Lime Rice, and I've used it as a side or the base for a burrito bowl many, many times since then.

I don't know what cut of steak Chipotle uses or how they marinate their meat, but I already had a favorite way to grill up some delicious tri tip, so I didn't bother trying to figure it out. You can find my favorite recipe here: Grilled Tri Tip with Tequila-Lime Marinade.

The last piece to the puzzle was the salsa. I like the fresh tomato (pico de gallo) and the corn salsa on my bowl. The pico de gallo is easy to throw together, but I had to play with the corn salsa recipe a few times before I felt like it was a winner!

I've been making my own burrito bowls for a little over a year now, and it has saved me a lot of gas (and extra hidden calories). No more trips to Chipotle when I have a hankering for some deliciousness in a bowl!

Now you have everything you need to make your very own Chipotle-style steak burrito bowl at home too. Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

Chipotle-Style Corn Salsa

2 cobs sweet corn (yellow or white)
2 medium jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped (measure before chopping)
juice of two limes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper (optional, but I like it)

Mix everything together in a bowl. The salsa tastes better if you give it a little time for the flavors to develop.

I Apologize, But It's Instagram's Fault

I'm sorry. I've been a bad blogger. I blame Instagram.

I've been using Instagram a lot more lately, and the instant gratification and community aspects of it have sucked me in. I've been working on a bunch of creative projects, all at the same time, so I usually just have a little bit more of each one done at the end of the day. That makes for boring blogging. I'd much rather have some significant progress to share with you. Instagram makes it super easy and fun to share mini progress updates, and you get quick feedback to make you feel good and push you to keep creating.

Since I started using Instagram more, I haven't blogged as much, BUT I have been creating more! After finding myself in a bit of a creative lull, that makes me super happy. Being a stay at home mom can be lonely, but I've been able to connect with others in a way I wasn't before. I get to share with friends, family, customers, and other crafters working on similar projects, and it rocks!

I promise to be better about blogging, but for now, here's what I've been working on:

Sun Hat

Summer Stitching Club

The last time I wrote about Mollie's Wild Olive Summer Stitching Club, I had finished stitching up the Week 3 design (a swim suit) and had put a bunch of hexies together. I haven't gotten too much further on this project. I stitched up the Week 4 design (a sun hat), but I haven't made it into a hexie yet. This is high up on my to do list since I'll be able to add the next row of colored hexies too.

I got the Week 5 design yesterday, a picnic basket, but I haven't started stitching it up yet because I've been wrapped up in my Woodland Sampler.

Woodland Sampler

I like designing my own patterns, but I also enjoy stitching up patterns made by other people, especially ones made by other independent designers. I didn't know about The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery's Woodland Sampler until a few weeks ago, so it'll take my a bit to get caught up. I had to wait for the Monaco cloth I ordered online to get here so I could get started, but I've been stitching like crazy since it arrived.

So far, I have stitched some of the frames and finished the May and June designs. The July design came out yesterday, and I started that one too.

 

ABC Quilt

I was working on sketches for the letters I haven't stitched up yet, but I had some creative blocks with a few of the letters and ended up working on other projects. Hopefully I'll be able to share more on the quilt progress soon.

Summer Stitching Club with Mollie Johanson | Wild Olive

Last month, I wrote about a stitch-a-long that I was really excited about. The Wild Olive Summer Stitching Club with Mollie Johanson started at the beginning of June, and now I'm hooked on mini-embroideries and hexies!

Fabric & Floss for Summer Stitching Club

When I last posted about the SSC, I had picked out my fabrics and embroidery floss but hadn't gotten started yet. While at the fabric store, I found myself stuck trying to figure out what fabrics I wanted to use. I saw the same blue that Mollie is using, and tried to resist getting it, but it was so cute, I had to copy her! After I had the blue selected, it was easy to pick the rest. This picture shows a yellow fabric with white circles, which is similar to another fabric that Mollie is using, but I don't think I'll be using that one after all.






When the second week of the SSC began, I still hadn't started cutting fabric or stitching the designs. I was really worried that I would be behind the entire summer, but once I got started, there was no stopping. I was a stitching machine! I even have most of my non-embroidered hexies made, waiting to be stitched together.

2013 Summer Stitching Club - Week 1-3

At the end of the summer, all the hexies can be stitched up together to make a mini-quilt or placemat or whatever else you can imagine. I think I might make mine into a pillow, so I changed the orientation of the hexies. I have a tendency to change my mind, a lot, so who know what it will actually become in the end. I'm excited to find out!

I'm loving making hexies!

I've spent way too much time checking out everyone's projects on Instagram and in the Wild Olive Flickr group, but it's a lot of fun to be creating something right along with people from all over. It's also neat to see how people tweak the project and make it their own. The summer just got started; it's not too late to join us!

Goodbye Google Reader!

Since this isn't all that crafty a post, I'll keep it short and sweet.

I don't know if you've heard, but Google Reader is shutting down on July 1st.

I've been using Bloglovin' for a while now, and I love it! The interface is simple and clean, and you can easily organize the blogs you follow into categories. You can comment or like blog posts right from your feed, and my super favorite part is that that there are iPhone & iPad apps so you can get all your favorite blogs in one place while on the go.

If you are currently using Google Reader and need a new place to get all your bloggy goodness, consider switching to Bloglovin'. Here's a good tutorial to help you get your new Bloglovin' account set up.

If you're already on Bloglovin' and haven't followed me yet, here's a linky for you!  :)

Coming Soon: Monthly Newsletter & Stitching Videos

Monthly Newsletter

Yay! I'm really excited about this.

I've been thinking about setting up a monthly newsletter for a while now, and decided to finally take the plunge! I blog about my everyday "acts of craftiness" - my personal crafting, recipes I love, fun things I make for my toddler, things that inspire me, etc. - and not much about my cross stitch and embroidery.

I'm planning to include behind-the-scenes insight into my pattern development, new patterns and kits that have been added to the shop, awesome stitching resources and tutorials I've found or made, special sales and giveaway info, and free patterns. I have patterns I design that don't make it into the shop for whatever reason, and I wanted a way to share them as free patterns. I know I could just add them to a tab on the blog, but I thought it would be nice to share them with the people that support me most first.

I set up the subscription box up on my blog yesterday, and have already gotten some subscribers! Thanks so much to everyone that's already signed up.

Stitching Videos / Tutorials

As a teacher, I know that not everyone learns in the same way. I tend to be a visual and kinesthetic learner, so I need to see how to do something or do it myself before I really know how to do it. All of my cross stitch patterns and kits come with basic cross stitch instructions with diagrams, but sometimes seeing things in action is better. No one I knew growing up did embroidery or cross stitch, so I taught myself. I'd love to help out others, so I'm working on putting together some stitching how-to videos. I'll make sure to let you know when new videos are available so you can check them out.

What do you like to read about in newsletters? What stitching tutorials would you like to see?

Playing Catch Up

How has it been a week since my last post? Time seems to be flying by, but at least I'm having fun.

Here are some projects I've been working on:

My "Garden"

My son and I planted some Black Cherry tomatoes and basil in containers on our front deck, and they have been doing really well. Little Man and I go out every morning and water everything. He has his own elephant watering can, and loves it. I think I have an "awww moment" pretty much every morning when he uses it.

Yesterday I made some bamboo tomato cages for the plants. This video gave me the idea to use bamboo poles, but I changed the design a bit. I need to fix the spacing of the horizontal bars and add one more row at the top, but I think I did a decent job in just an hour and with the "help" of a two-year-old.

Gardening with Little Man

Wild Olive's Summer Stitching Club

Wild Olive's Summer Stitching Club started on Monday, and I'm already behind! I've had the welcome info for a few weeks, which included the fabric requirements, floss colors needed, and the hexie templates. I originally planned to have my fabric cut, and maybe a few hexies made, before the first pattern arrived in my inbox. Wishful thinking I guess. So far, I've purchased my fabric and floss and printed out the first pattern.

The fabric and floss colors make me happy. I can't wait to get started!

Fabric & floss for Wild Olive's Summer Stitching Club

ABC Quilt

I just finished stitching block #14 of my son's ABC Quilt this morning. I'm almost halfway done with the embroidery part of the project; only 16 more blocks to go!

I've been posting photos of the blocks on Instagram and Flickr as I finish them. Check them out and let me know what you think!

N is for Night ABC Quilt block

Me

I started working out again at the end of January, and as of this morning, I'm down 20 pounds! Finding the time to work out each day when I have a very energetic toddler and there are SO MANY other things I'd rather be doing is a challenge. I haven't been perfect about working out every time I am supposed to and I've let myself indulge on bad food a few times, but I'm glad I've stuck with it.

What have you been up to?