Fall in the Northwest

Fall is one of the prettiest seasons, I do believe. This last weekend I was in the Northwest, here's a photo that captures a small bit of the beauty in Portland, Oregon.

Apron Love

An apron is one of the most simple sewing projects, but so fun to make. It is also essential for this time of the year when ladies are making tasty treats in the kitchen. I think I mostly enjoy making aprons because my anxious side can be satisfied with a project that can be finished in less than an hour. haha!

Here is an apron I recently made for a friend's birthday. Her favorite colors are green and brown; practically every room in her home has a hint of this color scheme. :) I'm pleased with the way the apron turned out. Here it is:

Sewing Project: Baby Car Seat Tent!

This week I finished creating my first baby item... not for me though! :)

When the "Mommy-To-Be" opened this gift at the shower yesterday, everyone Ooo'd and Aww'd over it. It seems like a fashionable, functional way to keep baby sheltered from weather and germs. I am pleased with the way it turned out, enjoy the photos!


You can make your own Baby Car Seat Tent by following this tutorial.


Here's an example of what it should look like "in action".

This image is from from Stitches & Scissors Blog.

Simplifyng Life

As I daily strive to live in a more simple way, than the day before, I find this quote to be inspirational.

“If it’s not useful, beautiful, or loved…get rid of it!”

Nothing Much Has Happened Lately.... WAIT a minute!

That's not true in the least bit. Check out the following photos that document a few of my most recent projects....








School themed headband for Amy, check out the others in my shop.










Up-cycled redesigned handbag for my mom! I wish I would have taken a before-photo, so you could see the difference.










This awesome platter was a gift from my good friends and neighbors, Brandon and Ashley! I especially love when friends know you so well that they can give such personal little things like this. :) Brandon recently recorded his first EP! Check it out here.

And finally... the project I began 2 years ago, is finally complete!

This T-shirt quilt is medley of the t-shirts I collected on my journey through college. Immediately after graduating from college I began this project, but then became busy with work and wedding planning. So here are we are 2 years later with the finished product. I couldn't be more happy that I finished this quilt and with the way it turned out.

Tasty Muffins

In my quest to eat healthier food with little to no processed additives, I came across this yummy recipe. It seems high in the sugar and flour category, but I still believe it's better than the packaged muffin mixes. If you're looking for pre-packaged organic muffin or cupcake mixes check out Naturally Nora.

This recipe originally came from All-recipes.com. Blueberries are increasing in price and quickly going out of season here in Oklahoma, so I substituted strawberries. Happy muffin making! :)


PREP TIME: 15 Min
COOK TIME: 25 Min
READY IN 40 Min
Original recipe yield 8 large muffins

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Awesome Chicken Salad Recipe!

Tonight I threw a little GIRLS only get-together in honor of Marilyn's recent engagement. We had a wonderful time together and everyone loved the chicken salad sandwiches.... so much so, that I figured you should try them also! Here's the recipe for the awesome Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries.

Enjoy!

The walnuts or pecans add some crunch, but you can leave them out if you'd like. Serve this delicious chicken salad in ciabatta bread as a sandwich, or serve in lettuce leaves for a lighter luncheon. Light mayonnaise may be used in this salad.

Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries

• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup diced apple
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
• 4 to 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon curry powder, or to taste, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• lettuce leaves

Preparation:
Combine the chicken, cranberries, celery, onion, apple, and walnuts, if using.

In a cup or small bowl combine 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise. the lemon juice, curry powder, if using, and salt and pepper. Stir into the chicken, adding more mayonnaise as needed and for taste. Line bread or rolls with lettuce and spread chicken salad on the bread or serve the chicken salad on lettuce-lined plates.
Serves 4.