Quilt Success

I call it imperfect perfection. This quilt was a labor of love. It definitely has flaws, but the fact that I stuck to it and it's finally complete is a miraculous feeling. I got my information on how to do each step from a variety of sources. In crafting, you have to be resourceful. There are a lot of steps in quilting, but I have always been one to change gears, so quilting was a great project to embark on. First is the piecing together, which is fun because you get to cut out a variety of squares in cool colors and use your creativity. Then comes the putting it together with the backing and the batting. Then, you have to quilt it together, which I found to be the most challenging step. I had a hard time not getting it to wrinkle and scrunch up. And while I hand quilted the middle yellow square, I resorted to machine quilting for the rest to save time. Then, I had to trim the quilt. All the shifting and wrinkling that occurred made it a little tough, but I improvised and made it work. Then, I had to bind the edge to make it look finished. And, this is where the fun came in. I learned the invisible ladder stitch from a blog and was so giddy with excitement, I couldn't stop smiling the entire 4 hours I finished the quilt. I ended up finishing the quilt at 7 a.m. this morning (couldn't sleep). It's done a whole 8 weeks before my little girl is predicted to arrive. That just means, I can do a few more craft projects in the meantime.

Big crafting plans

I have big crafting plans for Christmas break. I am thinking...finish my baby quilt and make some more onsies. I think the list is longer, but I can't recall it right now. I have a lot of other projects in the nursery, but that will wait until the new year when my crafty mother comes to help me.
Oh, I also want to stock up on homemade cards so as I get really, really busy with the new baby, I still have a stockpile of cards to send for birthdays and other occasions. Hopefully, I can set aside a chunk of time to really dig into these projects and not dabble in them. I am really ready to finish. Let's hope that I do and post pictures to chronicle my adventures in quilting.

Another homemade onsie

I was so inspired by the camo onsie that I posted on, that I used the same technique to gussy up a blue onsie that was handed down to me. Not too shabby. It was pretty tedious with the small parts, but I am proud of the outcome. I didn't attempt to sew this one in place, so let's hope the Heat N. Bond works well. I love birds for my baby (it's the nursery theme), so it was easy to get inspired.

Cute and personalized onsies

I wanted to get Nate a camouflage outfit for the baby so he would be at ease that I wasn't going to frill up this little lady. It was way too hard to find something cute, but not cheesy. So, I decided to make it myself. The first photo shows what I came up with. It took only about 10 minutes to make, and I have to admit it's cuter than anything I saw online.

Materials:

White onsie

Camo T-shirt ($2 at Salvation Army)

Pellon fusible interfacing

Heat N' Bond Iron-On Adhesive

Embroidery floss

Here is what I did:

I cut the sleeve off the camp T-shirt and ironed it to the Pellon. Pellon makes the stretchy T-shirt material easier to work with. I used a heart stencil and cut out a heart from the camo material. Then, I followed the directions on the Heat N' Bond. The purpose of the Heat N' Bond is to adhere the material to the onsie without sewing. Once I applied the heart to the onsie, I used a running stitch with embroidery floss. Voila, it's done. The hat is homemade, but not by me. It's from Etsy, I believe the store is called Little Lids. This will be wrapped.

Grand plans for sewing

My sewing machine has been getting a lot of love lately. Since I abandoned the T-shirt quilt for a bit, I focused on the baby quilt. I had to do a lot of reading in various places to feel confident enough to tackle the little thing. I even experienced ripping out hundreds of stitches. You never understand the power of a sewing machine until you have to rip out it's work.

I think all I have to do is bind the edges of the quilt, which is a little scary. However, I have my trusty books to guide me along the way. I also recommend YouTube, if you are a visual learner.

Once this little thing is finished, I am going to try to sew some onsies. I was having a hard time finding cute, girly camo. Nate wants our baby girl to wear something other than pink. So, I decided to make some onsies with camo shapes on them. I just have to get to the sewing machine. I bought a worm camo tee at the Salvation Army for $2 and plan to cut some shapes out. I will fuse them to some backing that makes it more sturdy (have you ever tried to sew straight on T-shirt material?) We will see how it comes out. I want to have it done in time to wrap it up for Nate as a surprise.

And, I still have high hopes of making some personalized touches for my nursery. I didn't want the cookie cutter nursery, and tried to steer clear of all things commercial. That, my friends, is pretty much impossible. Look at all of the packaging and plastic. I hope to spend Christmas break getting some more things organized and put in its place. I have a long way to go. I need a dresser, first. However, I have to remember how far I have come.

For now, the nursery is a playground for my cats who love the tissue paper and baby-smelling items.

Where does time go?

I really don't have time to be blogging. I mean, I have lesson plans to develop, an IEP to write, two graduate research papers and a few reactions to wrap up the semester. But, I miss my crafting. I have so many ideas in my head. Being 27 weeks pregnant, I am starting to think of all the little projects I want to do for my baby, who is due to arrive Feb. 24. The T-shirt quilt was put on hold for a baby quilt. I am nearly done, but it's been a work in progress. I wanted to tackle something smaller to get the gist of actual quilting before I tackled a full-size bed blanket. It's been interesting. Of course, it's not perfect and there are a lot of flaws, but my baby is probably going to love it anyway.

And, I will continue to dream about other projects, like wall art, decorative pillows and maybe a mobile!

Stay tuned for photos of my completed projects.

Canning disaster

Ugh. That is how I feel right now. Completely defeated. Although, even with the raging hormones baby Stiger is sending my way, I held it together.
Here is how this scenario went:
Step 1: I planted a garden and picked tomatoes out the wazoo all summer. I stored them in the fridge until I had enough to make a batch.
Step 2: I didn't have enough, so I raided my mom and stepdad's tomato plants.
Step 3: I cleaned and weighed 12 pounds of tomatoes.
Step 4: I roasted 12 pounds of tomatoes on the small grill.
Step 5: I roasted 4 bulbs of garlic in the oven
Step 6: I started the canner water.
Step 7: I washed the jars and lids and put them on the stove in warm water to simmer.
Step 8: I peeled the 12 pounds of tomatoes and attempted to deseed and cube them (nearly impossible because they were too soft). This took forever.
Step 9: Simmer tomatoes on the stove, as I added the roasted garlic.
Step 10: Discovered that the canner never boiled the water. I had been warned that a flat-top stove might not have enough to boil that beast of a pot. That person was right!
Step 11: Turned off all the burners, called my dad and we decided that I should just freeze the tomatoes.
Time of all this was 3 hours.
I am feeling defeated, yet optimistic that I tried, that is more than many people can say. No one learned any of this overnight! I will get it eventually.

Dinner inspiration out of no where

I headed back to school today for a meeting. All summer, I have been slacking on cooking dinner. Poor Nate has been living on frozen pizza, macaroni cheese and lunch meat sandwiches. I don't know if it was getting back into a routine today, but I was inspired to cook a decent dinner. I could see the joy on Nate's face as he said, "I like when you cook dinner, babe."
Before I left in the morning, I pulled two boneless skinless chicken breasts out of the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator. When I returned home, I completed the thaw in the microwave. I cut the chicken into strips and marinated them in Kraft balsamic vinegar salad dressing for a little while. Then I made baked corn. I have NEVER made that before. Before making it, I wasn't even sure that I really liked it. I am never a fan of adding butter, milk, eggs and other fattening ingredients to a vegetable, even if it is a starch. Nate mentioned that we should use the leftover corn on the cob from a few weekends ago for baked corn, a dish he only tried for the first time at my mom's house. So, I did before it spoiled. While the corn was baking, I cooked the chicken on the George Foreman grill, which went very quickly because the piecs were small. I topped off the meal with instant mashed potatoes, well because, we like them and they are easy.

Here is the recipe I used for baked corn from a church cookbook (which contained three recipes for baked corn. This one had the shortest cooking time.)

Baked Corn
2 cups cooked or canned corn
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Serves 4.

See, quick, easy and absolutely yummy!

Roots and Tupperware!

After spending much of the summer taking classes, cleaning, organizing or working at Cracker Barrel, I knew that it was time for fun. I mean, after all, summer is almost over. So, I hooked up with some co-workers and headed to Root's Market in Lancaster for homemade ice cream, whoopie pies, Smitty's Candy, and inexpensive fruit. But surprisingly, I found the pick-a-deli Tupperware container as well. Just like Root's, Pick-A-Deli is a memory from my childhood. We always stored pickles in it so we didn't have to reach our little hands down into the depths of the pickle juice. I love it! For $9, I can store pickles. And look how cute the color is. Much better than the drab 1970s green container from my mom's fridge. Despite the horrible heat, it was a great day!

Really?

Has it really been three months since I posted? Since that post I completed a triathlon, finished three graduate classes, planted a garden, cooked a few good meals, resumed work on the T-shirt quilt and started some new sewing projects. I've tried to clean and organize, but I usually end up taking a nap. I've worked weekends at Cracker Barrel and continued writing my column for the York Daily Record. Hopefully I can take some pictures of a project or two before the whirlwind of the school year starts again. My fingers are crossed, but don't hold your breath.

Positive thinking

I am just having one of those days. It's been my new mantra lately not to complain. Complaining only really makes the problem more apparent to everyone around you. And, it makes you look like a whiner. I have plenty to be thankful for, so I am trying not to focus on the little things. And, typically I think I can control everything, including the little things..well, I can't. And, I need to stop being so hard on myself or I am going to have a full head of white hair instead of just a few. So, here is to hoping that I can remain positive and be thankful for what I have until this rough patch of the end of the school year passes.

The female brain

As I ran 4 miles in the heat today, the conversation in my head went something like this:

"Wow, I didn't realize how hot it was."
"It smells like a ferret out here. I wonder if there is one hiding in the bushes."
"I should have brought some paperwork home for the weekend."
"Man, I am parched."
"Why don't people acknowledge that I am saying hello."
"Why do people spell my name wrong so often?"
"How can the outside smell like a ferret? Am I suffering from heat exhaustion?"
"I wish my shorts weren't so short."
"I wish it was safe to drink out of the creek."
"Can I really beat my time in the triathlon."

And that was only in the first five minutes.
Imagine, if we could organize our brains better! We would rule the world.

Craving freshness

I want fresh veggies so bad. Nate has been a machine in the backyard, extending and tilling the garden and filling the flower beds with bushes and other great landscaping elements that are making our house look awesome. But, we can't plan until May and even then there is the horrible waiting time until the veggies start budding and popping up.Tonight, I made a dish that reminds me of the taste of last summer. I had to use store-bought cucumbers at 99 cents a pop and tomatoes that were $2.99 a pound, but it was yummy. I chopped up those two ingredients, added some chopped fresh mushrooms, a sprinkle of feta cheese (which makes everything better) and drizzled it with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It is such a healthy, fresh treat to get in several servings of vegetables and there is no turning on the stove.I did buy a basil plant today at Wal-mart. I love basil and my soil seems to do really well with it. I love to saute it into pasta and mushrooms or serve it on a sandwich. Now, I just have to get to planting!

A quick and convenient gift

I love to bake. But, I am watching what I eat, and Nate can't consume an entire 6-dozen batch of my chocolate chip cookies (not sure why, cause I could if it didn't go right to my hips.)
So, I found a few co-workers who love my cookies, and I am more than happy to take them a treat. My mom gave me a cool stamp set, so I put it to use. I stamped "A little yummy for your tummy" on sticker labels and smacked them onto some plastic baggies. I think my little treat brought a smile to their faces and mine, as well.

Travelin' trail mix

Trail mix is good for you in small doses, but who can eat it in small doses? Especially when it contains chocolate.
I have a cupboard of random nuts, seeds and other fruity-type odds and ends. Every now and then, I get sick of it piling up and make a batch of trail mix. It really takes not effort at all, just a little dumping. It's great for a mid-day snack or a little salty/sweet combo for lunch packing. And, it doesn't spoil!

This beauty contains:

Leftover Hershey's Mini Kisses from cookies
Peanut Butter Chips (also leftover)
Pumpkin seeds in shell
Craisins
Raisins
Cashews
Granola
Salted pumpkin seeds (no shell)
Sunflower seeds (no shell)

My solo candlelight dinner

I love sharing dinner with my husband, but I look forward to the times he is on night work and I can cook what I want. It usually involves a lot of vegetables and feta cheese. He is a real trooper, trying new stuff here and there, but overall, he is pretty good at taking a few bites, giving me a sideways look as if to say, "I am sure YOU this is good, but I don't like it."
So, he worked the other night and after a long day of cleaning the house, going for a jog and playing with the dog at the park, I needed a serious cache of calories. I put on a pot of boiling water and threw in some shredded red cabbage. In a frying pan, I dumped 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let it warm. I sauted 1/2 cup mushrooms, 1/4 cup onion and 1/4 cup red pepper. When those veggies started to get tender, I added one cup of fresh spinach and watched it wilt. Soon, the cabbage was tender, so I drained it and added it to the fry pan. I boiled 1 cup of whole wheat pasta noodles. In the meantime, I added 1/2 cup of imitation crab meat to frying pan. In a few minutes, I dumped the noodles and the veggies into one gigantic bowl. I sprinkled it with 2 tablespoons of feta cheese and had myself a colorful pasta dish that reminded me of summer. So, I lit some candles and put on soft music. It was a relaxing way to end my weekend!

My baby is growing up

Moose is 10 months old. I can't believe it.

Forget what he looked like as a puppy...check him out here.

And now, we estimate he is at least 85 pounds. He walks like a champ and is listening like a good dog. So happy with him!

Oh for the love of chocolate and peanut butter!

Happy Easter...well not yet...but if you have some time before the Holy day...make homemade chocolate peanut butter eggs. They are to die for!


1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups 10X sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

Mash margarine in a bowl with a fork. Add peanut butter and milk and vanilla and stir until creamy. Add sugar. Shape into egg shapes and refrigerate on waxed paper. Melt chocolate in a double boiler and coat eggs. Keep in refrigerator at all times.

Enjoy.

Asian inspiration

I love soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and noodles. But, since I am trying to eat very healthy, I try to stay away from take out. A lovely friend from work shares her Real Simple magazine with me (a great frugal tip).And I tinkered with a recipe in there for dinner the other night.

Here you go:

8 ounces soba* noodles
1 pound boneless chicken breast
2 cups shredded red cabbage
5 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ginger

In a saucepan, cook chicken with 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium high heat. Cook 8 ounces soba* noodles, cool, and toss with chicken, cabbage, 3 tablespoons canola oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Sprinkle with ginger and toss.

*Soba noodles are Japanese Noodles made from buckwheat and wheat flour, which gives it a dark-brownish gray color.

Quick Cold Dinner

Isn't today the first official day of spring. For a few days, spring weather has been knocking at my door. I turned off the heat, put away the winter coats and dusted off my bike. I actually didn't have to wear wool to run in.
So of course, I am looking for yummy, yummy cold recipes that are refreshing and quick.
This is what I came up with. It's healthy, quick and filling. It makes one serving.

White Bean Salad

1 cup canned cannelli beans, drained
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1/4 ounce avocado, diced

In a bowl, put beans and peppers. Stir in olive oil. Top with feta cheese and avocado.

Why I write and why I stay busy

After waking from a catatonic nap post school day, taking the pooch to the park, riding bike 15.5 miles, showering and making dinner, I was finally able to carve out some time to sit down. I am watching "Julie and Julia" and got the sudden urge to blog. I love to write, especially in first person when I don't have to find peer-reviewed journal articles or wait for people to return my call. I miss taking all of the thoughts that swirl in around in my multi-tasking woman brain and putting them on paper (or computer screen.)

On my bike ride today, one of my riding partners said, "You never had a problem being over-committed." Is this what people think of me? The girl who can't say no? But I like to be busy. It's a blessing from my parents. They are hard workers that hardly ever sit down. And I have inherited it. And I am OK with it. When I am in the midst of being busy, I feel busy, but rarely overwhelmed. I have really low blood pressure and rarely feel anxiety. Sometimes I can't sleep because lesson plans are flying past my eyelids and referral slips are haunting me. But overall, I crash when I hit the pillow.

I feel like I am at a good place in life. I love my job most of the time, I love my husband and my small brood of animals. I have a wonderful new nephew Joey (See me and him in the photo) who is going to be raised into a awesome young man because his parents will be sure of it. I am getting my master's degree, something I always aspired to do, and I am finally recommitted to eating healthy again.

So, my next goal is to get back to the blog to share my frugal tips. When you are busy, it's hard to be frugal, let alone blog about it. But, I am going to try to over commit and do it anyway! So, here is to trying to get back to the blog and really exercise one of my passions...writing!

Wonderful intentions

Over the past several weeks when I run across something, it flicks a switch in my head that says, "You should blog about that." But life has been so busy, I tend to forget what I wanted to blog about when I finally get a minute to sit down. I am running around a lot lately. After school, I've been running with my new running partner. Then, I take my little pup to the park. Then it's dinner and school work. Last night, I was so exhausted, I went to bed at 7:30 p.m. I can't believe January is almost over. 4 more months until summer. I keep telling myself that! Here is to hoping that I can remember what to blog about the next time I have a moment!

On food

Every one's choice of food is influenced by something.
And being raised on mostly American and PA Dutch delights such spaghetti, Hamburger Helper and meatloaf makes me wonder how I have ever came to love practically everything. And not just everything, but in weird combinations, too.
As I sit here and write this, I am snacking on a bowl of couscous mixed with raisins, chic peas, avocado and feta cheese.
After a lot of thinking, I believe I found the root of it all. Besides watching scary movies way too scandalous for our age, freezing underwear and making prank calls, we partook in another tradition at sleepovers as children. We dared people to drink whatever we mixed up in the kitchen. Our concoctions of mayonnaise, hot sauce, applesauce, milk and egg yolks must have made me tolerant and in fact enjoy food of all flavors and types.
So, I find joy in looking in my refrigerator and combining whatever it is that I see. And the more I try, the more I find flavors that mix in a magical way. I love Guy from Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, because he mixed sushi with pork barbecue.
It's a great way to use leftovers, experience new flavors and come up with a new favorite recipe. I am sure you will run into a few mishaps, but your won't find the gems if you don't eat the dirt first! Enjoy experimenting!