Favorite Friday – Washington Weather

I live in Washington. About 20 minutes north of Seattle. I love it here. I was born and raised in California and many people can’t understand why I made the move. But this morning is a prime example. Variety. Okay, I admit, I am not a huge fan of snow. But really, I like that my kids get to experience snow. I think growing up in California we had snow two times. Only once that it “accumulated” and really, it doesn’t count as accumulation if you can’t make a snow man.

Making a snow man – decorated with buttons of course.

But my kids get snow almost every winter. Although it was looking like this year might be on the lean side for snow, but we welcomed winter in true Seattle fashion… with snow! I think I might be more upset about it if there was a forecast of more snow in our future, but it is sounding like this will be an isolated incident. So I’m choosing to enjoy it’s beauty and I’ll bid it a fond farewell as it melts this afternoon.

Cherry blossom tree

Glad I did some gardening earlier this week. I’ve been experimenting with starting peppers in milk jugs. I have heard that this works even in the coldest weather… didn’t think I’d be testing it in snow.

Experimenting with starting my peppers outside. Hope this works.

Love the way the garden looks with snow on it… my garlic patch has pretty green leaves sticking out of the snow.

Garlic

Although the variety in weather is one of my favorite things about snow… I think we can move on pretty quickly. I’m ready for a little more warmth and sun so we can get our garden started! We went to work in the school garden last night and I can’t wait to see it in the summer. We have so many great things happening there this year that it’s going to be beautiful!

More cookies

I’ve been in a bit of a funk lately… if you count the last few months as “lately”. So I’ve been trying to do things that might bring me out of it. Today I decided to make more cake batter cookies. While I know I shouldn’t be eating cookies in my current condition as I believe the sugar only adds to it, I can’t help but want to make my family a little something to make their day brighter. These are easy and they went over well the last time I made them.

adding chocolate chips to the cookies

My daughter helped me this time. It’s nice to get her in the kitchen and spend a little one-on-one time with her. I let her add chips to the cookies. Since she doesn’t like peanut butter, but my husband does – we made both kinds. The easiest way for me to do this was to add them after rolling the cookie dough and putting them on the sheet. And, as my daughter points out, no one can complain that someone got more chips than the other as she was very careful counting them.

Monday Inspiration – Cake Mix Cookies

Oops! I went and made cookies. I guess I’m not ready to commit to reducing my sugar intake this week. I did send some of these to work with my husband so that I wouldn’t eat too many. I was inspired by the many posts and pins I have been reading about people making cookies from cake mix. I have to admit that I was initially very skeptical. Not sure why. I guess I thought they would be a weird texture and not cookie like at all.

The pin that I found lead me to Cookies and Cups

She used peanut butter cups, which I did not have… and I didn’t want to have to bother with breaking them up a bit when I mixed them in. I also used Betty Crocker Super Moist Milk Chocolate which was smaller (15.25 oz) than the one suggested (18.25 oz). Not sure if this would make a difference, I reduced the oil just a little. My cookies did not really spread during cooking, but they still came out delicious.  I also didn’t roll mine so I didn’t get nice round cookies. My stomach didn’t mind.

I used Reeses Peanut Butter chips

The remind me a bit of a mix between a cookie and a brownie. I find brownies to be too rich, but these cookies are perfect.

Cake Mix Cookies

I’ve been pleased with my success from Pinterest pins lately. Granted, I haven’t tried anything involved or messy. I’m sure I’ll have a fail soon… it just seems like my time is coming.

Hope these cookies last me at least part way through the week and motivate me a little. Chocolate makes everything better, right?

 

Try it Tuesday – Lentil Sprouts

A few weeks ago I had posted the beginnings of my lentil sprout experiment. Today I finally share the results. First of all, I did two jars of these. Honestly, I had little hope that I would sprout very many of these and I wanted enough to have a few salads and sandwiches. Well, two jars was over kill. Really, one jar was overkill. I was a little overwhelmed with how easy these were. Even in Seattle with our overly grey days in the winter. Watching the progression was fun as well. I took a picture each morning after I rinsed them.

Soaking Lentil Sprouts

As I mentioned in the first post, I soaked the lentils over night. It was a bit more than just overnight as I placed these in the water in the early evening. I made sure to remove any discolored lentils and debris (there was a little bit of dried plant material).

In the morning the following day, I put the lentils into a jar (I think it mentioned filling it just 1/3 – but I would probably fill it just 1/4 of the way to make it a little easier to remove them in the end – more on that later).

Cover with cheese cloth and secure (using jar lid, not recommended)

Place cheese cloth over the top (I cut a strip from mine and folded the strip over which meant that it was about 4 layers thick. I later removed two of those layers. I cut my piece about an inch larger than the jar opening on their side (a total of 2 inches). I suggest going a little bigger to make it easier to put the rubber band on. I did two jars, one with the original jar lid (I liked the clean look) and one with the rubber band. I later removed the lid and replaced it with a rubber band as it was harder to drain it completely with the lid.

Day 1 after putting seeds in the jar

This is what they looked like on the first day after I prepped them. I placed them on my kitchen window sill. This window is south facing and gets the most sun for the longest stretch of time.

Lentil Sprouts day 2

Lentils day two in the morning after I rinsed them. This is also the day that I replaced the lid with a rubber band. Look – they are already sprouting! And the first day I placed them was a mostly grey day.

Lentil Sprouts day 3

Day three after rinsing. Previous day had been another very overcast day – but still lots of growth.

Lentil Sprouts day 4

Day 4 after rinsing. Previous day was nearly sunny all day long.

Lentil Sprouts day 5

Day 5 after rinsing. Previous day was mostly cloudy. I think the original post mentioned 4-5 days. I think they may have been in a warm and sunnier climate. But at least they are growing.

Lentil Sprouts day 6

Day 6 after rinsing. Previous day was yet another mostly cloudy day. But they are starting to look edible.

Lentil Sprouts day 7

Day 7 after rinsing – yum! Original post had them bursting out the top, so I keep growing them.

Lentil Sprouts day 8

Day 8 after rinsing. This was not my last day of keeping them on the window sill. But apparently it was my last day for pictures. I kept them on the sill one more day, but I guess I forgot to take pictures (company came in to town). The next day the sprouts were at the top – not busting through but clearly filling the jar.

Okay, not for some hard truths. These sprouts are delicious. I used them on salads and on top of sandwiches (my favorite was on top of a chicken salad sandwich). But (isn’t there always a “but”?) they were difficult to pull out of the jar. The opening was too small for much of my hand and tongs weren’t a whole lot of help because they were so compact – it was more like I was pulling grass, you know how you only get pieces of the grass, not the whole thing. After my 9 days of growing on the sill, I put them in the fridge to hopefully slow their growth. I’m not sure if it did or not.

Here’s what I’ve learned for next time;

• only grow 1 jar at a time. If you have a family that eats lots of them (it was only me) then stagger them. I’d say grow another one a few days later if you eat lots, or when the first jar is done.
• Grow less in one jar. I’m not sure if this will help with how compact they get – but don’t skip the rinsing because this definitely helps break them up a bit.
• Grow in a wide mouth jar. My plan is to do a smaller jar with a wider opening.
• Once they are at the top of the jar, pull them out and place them into a container or bag so that they are easier to get to.

I put the jar in the refrigerator exactly the way it was (with the cheese cloth on top). The top sprouts dried out a bit. I’m guessing if you rinse them, place them in a plastic bag with a paper towel, you will have a better result.

All in all, a success. I planning on doing it again as soon as I find the right kind of jar. I might even just try one of the clear glass containers from the dollar store – you know the round ones that are straight and tall? The only challenge would be rinsing them so that the cheese cloth doesn’t come off. But I’m sure I could get past that fairly easily.

Monday Inspiration – New workroom

It’s no surprise from those close to me that I haven’t been feeling inspired lately. There are a lot of reasons – poor health, poor diet, burn-out, tired, fibromyalgia, kid schedules, you get the idea. And I’m working to fix these things. It’s just a slow process… especially when you lack motivation.

Thankfully my mom came into town (which is the reason for my little hiatus in posting). While she couldn’t really help me get motivated, she did give me the push that I needed to clean my work space. This is a big deal because when it’s clean is when I feel the most inspired. The space isn’t done… but here are some before photos (yes, it’s embarrassing – but I did just finished with my busy season from September through December).

Work room before reorganization

The worst part of my work space is the desk tops where I’m supposed to have space to work. These are the first surfaces to accumulate “junk” – it’s not junk, but it’s ransom things that I need to find homes for. And I’m taking this picture from where the front door is… so yep, this was the first thing people would see whether they came into the house or not.

The corner of dread.

This is the back corner. I had some bins on the right that I moved out to my garage to make room for materials I used more often. And so that space was filled in with more things that had no space. And since there wasn’t a shelf or anything, it all went on the floor and I stacked from there.

Narrow walk way… one of the few spaces where you could still see the ground.

My “walk way”. Having a narrow walk way did constantly remind me that I need to lose weight, but other than that, it was frustrating. Because my chair blocks access from the other side, this is the way I’d have to walk into my work space if I needed to get anything.

Can you see why I was not motivated? Okay, so here’s the progress. The plan was to rearrange the work tables so that I’d have space to walk behind my chair, swap the two taller shelves so that I’d be able to store all my similar materials together (and make it look prettier with all the color). Yep, that was about as far as the plan went. Oh, and to clear the table tops (this is the part that I still have not done. I managed to rearrange the tables without clearing the tops – where there is a well, there is a way).

While this re-organization was not as drastic as they normally are (I often have to do this at the first of every year), it was needed. But it being less drastic means to me that I’m getting closer to a space that works for me.

Wall of fabric. This was my favorite feature of my workspace before, so I kept it and expanded it.

My favorite wall of fabric. This now has fleece fabric on the top (my main material for World of Whimm) and recycled tshirts below that (my main material for NueToMe) The third row is still a work in progress and the bottom row is primarily cotton in bins.

My sewing machine! You couldn’t see it in the before photos, but it was there. I kept this table mostly clear (other than the back 6 inches or so) – this way I’d have room to sew larger things – like finish the binding on the quilt that I had quilted last year.

Bolt fabric, a few button bins and other things that make me happy.

I was really wanting to get rid of the bolts of fabric, but I do use them and there was too much fabric to integrate into the shelves. The bins of materials make me happy as do the sorted colorful beads in mason jars next to my clock (which never has the right time, but I love the look of it). I was also able to move my dress forms closer to my work area. This is a big deal since before they were in the hallway.

Yikes! Yep, this is why the workspace is not complete.

And yes, now you can see why this space isn’t complete. I didn’t take a picture of the hallway that still has a few displaced materials… and I have another sewing machine to still bring into this space. It’s now looked like this for two days. I’m hoping this week I can tackle at least two or three things on the table each day so that more progress happens.

I’m looking forward to finishing though and having room on the cutting table to cut out some new costume ideas. Or to make some new dresses. But for now, I will be happy with slow progress and space so that I can work on my current custom orders. Hurray!

Monday Inspiration – Downton Abbey

These last few weeks I have been obsessively watching Downton Abbey. Just last night I finished episode 5 of season 3 – and I have plans of watching episode 6 tonight. While the story lines are deeply engaging, I just can’t enough of the wardrobes. This is one series that I think I will be watching over and over. The costumes are amazing and I feel like every scene moves too quickly for me to take in all the detail.

Image found on Bing images, unable to find the source.

I love the high waists of so many dresses and the details in accessories. I’ve never been real passionate about fashion, but there is definitely a gift to putting together different pieces to complete a look. I admire Susannah Buxton for her costume design and just might have to go back and watch some of her previous movies.

Image taken from Eliza Magazine http://www.elizamagazine.com/

Image taken from Bing Images – unable to locate source

Let’s not forget to mention the hats. The hats could have their own show. Michelle Dockery’s character Lady Mary Crawley is probably one of my favorites. And I honestly don’t think that anyone can wear a hat as well as she can.

Image taken from Bing Images. Unable to find source of image

While the hats are truly amazing, the jackets are my favorite. The fabrics, the styling, the design… all amazing.

Like I said, I’m not big into fashion… and I merely offer my opinion. But the costumes for Downton Abbey have definitely caught my attention more than any other wardrobe in a movie or tv series. I’m not currently sewing or designing right now, but I wonder if I will be inspired by this series once I do get back into the swing of things.

Favorite Friday – Edamame Hummus with Rice Crackers

I thought I would share my latest snack obsession. I happened upon this a few months ago and it remains one of the items we always pick up when we go to Trader Joes. It’s Edamame Hummus. SO delicious! I have made a version myself from the edamame that you can pick up in the produce section of TJ… but this is so much easier and creamier (I was never patient enough to stand there at the blender and blend until all the chunks were gone). I don’t normally care for hummus, but when it’s made out of edamame – it’s awesome!

Trader Joe’s Edamame Hummus (photo property of TJ)

I like to pair it with rice crackers. My favorite are the Trader Joes, Sea Salt and Pepper Rice Chips.

Sea Salt and Pepper Crisps from Trader Joes (photo property of TJ)

I don’t know how many calories this little snack adds up to, but I feel like it’s better than having a Blizzard as a late night snack. I know, I know, I shouldn’t be snacking at night.

Try it Tuesday – Lentil Sprouts

I have decided to grow my own lentil sprouts after seeing a pin on Pinterest. I will have to do a follow up since it’s a many step, many day process. You can find the directions that I found through Pinterest at Honest Fare. However, I’ve started my lentils soaking.

Soaking Lentils

I just bought some from the grocery store and made sure that they weren’t split (the ones I had on hand were split). I wish I had gone to the organic section though… but since this is my first time doing it, these will work. I will be more conscious of the lentils I buy next time I do this (I’m hoping this works for me – I’m a little excited about having sprouts on my salads and in my sandwiches).

I also bought cheese cloth (found in the kitchen section). I have many mason jars on hand. I like to pick them up at the thrift stores when I see them. Did you know that at Goodwill (at least the one near me in Everett, WA) sells mason jars for just .20 each! Granted, they don’t normally have lids. But you can buy those for a few dollars at the grocery store.

I like to use mason jars for holding things like my knitting needles, crochet hooks, paint brushes, scissors, etc. Since they come in lots of sizes, I have found them to be very versatile.

Monday Inspiration – Hexagons!

I’m back on track. Was a little distracted last week in preparation for turning 40 (I went to meet  a friend). But I have been planning what I was going to do on Monday (my actual birthday) – something fun and new. Yep, 40 has brought me to the point where I find making hexagons new and a little bit exciting.

My inspiration has come from several places. First, it came from a friend (a tiny house) who makes them all the time and shares pictures of them on FB. I am always jealous. Then I saw a tutorial on Pinterest on how easy it can be (I was always intimidated).

Hexagon Template from http://www.etsy.com/shop/Customplastic

So I started searching for a hexagon template. I finally settled on some  I found on Etsy at Deep Blue Templates. Added bonus, the packaging says they are in Woodinville, WA which is very local for me. I haven’t sewn it together yet (I’m excited about just cutting them right now), but the templates work great. I highly recommend them. A bargain in my opinion.

Rotary cut hexagons

I think I will probably spend a good portion of my day going through scraps and cutting hexagons. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of cotton scraps. Maybe I will have to experiment with other materials. Happy Birthday to me!

 

Working Wednesday – Blue Bird on my Shoulder

I’m finally getting around to listing my new shoulder birds on Etsy. Of course, they are inspired by the Song of the South song, “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah“. It’s the ultimate happy song, right? My kids know the song even though they have never seen the movie (wish it was more readily available, I love it as a kid – and never picked up on racism).

These birds first appeared at the Studio of Awesome art walk in December, but I just never seemed to find the time to get pictures of them for the store.

Today is the day! I finally posted two birds (more to come hopefully) in the shop under “for the shoulder”

Blue Bird attaches to clothing with magnets

These birds are a lot of fun. The attach with magnets, so I had some on the Christmas tree, we wear them on our shoulder, the kids play with them everywhere.

Brown and white shoulder bird by World of Whimm

This brown and white one is one of my favorites (as of now, it is not yet listed). I don’t normally have a lot of patterned scraps since I don’t really use patterned fleece… but I like how they come out when I use patterns. Since I make these from scraps, patterned ones will probably be rare.