Open Up

I changed the photo to B&W to reduce the gross factor. :)

Dearest Craft Room,

How I have missed you, and our quality time spent together.

I long for the days when we can spend endless hours, being interrupted only by mealtimes and potty breaks.

I have been bringing many projects to your feet, showing you what we will soon do together, hoping to keep you happy and hopeful.

I also plan to give you plenty of TLC, when the time is right.

I think that yellow will look fabulous on you!

(heart) Mindy

Jump!

We do spend a lot of time doing this..

It would be flat out wrong if we didn’t spend most of our time doing this!
Our kids have spent a large portion of their young lives on a trampoline..  it is in their genes I guess.
It is nice that they can finally go out and not have to clear snow off of it.
I made pretty much everything myself, except the staple..  so here are some freebies!  (Look for more soon..  making a lot!)
- template
-wish paper
Enjoy!

One down..

One project finished!

I was blessed with plenty of quiet time today, comforting Pey (she doesn’t feel well, isn’t quite herself) and took advantage of the cuddle/quiet time.

I would have loved to have been sitting at sewing machine, making something cute..

But I did get something done today.

I’d say I really enjoyed it too!

Cookie shoot..

Had a little help photographing my cookies last night.
It started out quite normal..

Then something crept into the frame…
 
She was a great help!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from both of us! ;)

Took a trip today..

To the local craft store that is.
There were things that I really, genuinely needed, and then, well.. 
There were just those things that caught my eye (and my heart) and they came home with me.
I know I have PLENTY of projects that are in the works (or just being dreamed of; the parts in bags or in bins, or on shelves), but I have a few more waiting now with them..
Loved these colors!  And yes, some are for projects to be completed before tomorrow..  at least before school tomorrow. ;)
I just can’t seem to pass up a polka dot, ya know?

I really needed ALL of these..
You might laugh out loud if you hear how many spoolS of thread I went through on Saturday..

Hi, I’d like for you to meet my sweet tooth. 
Sweets are a necessity for crafting..  these are new and I am excited to try them!

Hellloooo to this color!


Been using a lot of elastic lately too..  for SOME reason..

And I think it’s safe to say that I buy all the large ric-rac trim they have every time I am there..

And yarn…
*Sigh..*
My night time/bedtime relaxation hobby..
I already have two projects going..  dreaming of more can’t hurt, can it?

I also got into a photography class that I have been anxiously waiting for since last year, when the class filled up extremely fast.  It was quite a joyous moment when I got in last night..  it also helped that I set various alarms on my cell phone and sat at the computer 10 minutes before enrollment even opened, clicking the “refresh” button repeatedly. :)
I did give a good cheer for all to hear when I was successful.

Something Missing..

I have been noticing around my house lately, that there a few things missing..
Not like someone came in and stole anything, or that something is broken, just things that I notice need more, something else.
I can promise that this will be an ongoing post, I see a lot.
But the first few are here, just for your enjoyment..
We bought the girls bunk beds a year ago (almost) and ever since the night we put them up, I have wanted to do this:
Make your view on the bottom bunk pretty.
When we moved Peyton in with Ashley, I knew it had to happen.
It is not safe..  think splinters.
And rather unattractive, ugly really.
So I went to Lowe’s, I don’t get to go there as much as I used to  (sigh) and picked up some MDF and light blue spray paint (because we all know how much I love spray paint!).
After the blue paint had dried sufficiently, I conned Merrill in to taking apart the top bunk assembly to lay in the new pieces of wood, and then put everything else back in place.
(He’s such a good sport!)
Then I took an old t-shirt, some white acrylic paint, mixed with some pearlescent acrylic, and using the t-shirt dabbed some clouds in place..
Before:
 
(Bleh!)
After:

Beautiful!! :D
I would like to find glow-in-the-dark paint and stamp some small stars in that sky as well.  I think it would be a fun touch!  I also know that stickers wouldn’t last a day there…
The other area needing some help in this room was Ashley’s bed.  The girl must have EVERYTHING she owns on her bed.
Really.
I have convinced her that certain things just don’t belong in the same area that you sleep in (such as pencils, scissors, stacks of books..) but the girl insists on every stuffed animal and doll she owns be at her side.
I can understand that.  When I was little, I believed that my stuffed friends had feelings and were hurt when I would pick one and not all of them.  They usually slept lined up behind my pillow.
So to help her out, and to free up space on her bed, I decided to put up a shelf.
We had talked about it when it was Lynn’s bed, because she was the same way.

Looks much better now, and there are no bedtime fits thrown when Hello Kitty can’t be located because she is buried under a mound of other fluff filled things.

Lovin’ it!

I love when I get a creativity bug.

I don’t love when it is for various projects of multiple mediums.

I have fabric projects in line..

Jewelry to make.

Scrapbook layout ideas coming out of my ears!!

Two crocheting projects going on..

Some re-decorating and up-cycling to go with that..

I have another digital online class to do and I really am excited to do it..

And the weather outside is gorgeous!!  I want to be there, playing and snapping pictures of the kids having fun.

See, I have just too much fun stuff to do!

So it pains me even more that I find this cute freebie from one of my all time favorite designers, and I have a hot date to attend to.

Sigh..

Another favorite of mine..

While preggers with Peyton, I was craving Olive Garden’s minestrone soup.

Bad.

I was not craving going there, enduring the wait, and paying their asking price (especially at dinner time).

I hunted around and found a great knock-off recipe at Recipezaar.

I have been loving it ever since!

Let me start by saying that it might be best to half this recipe, unless you have a giant pot (mine isn’t big enough) and if you don’t mind eating this for days.  (I don’t, Merrill does.)

Minestrone Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup minced white onion

1/2 cup chopped zucchini

1/2 cup frozen cut Italian green beans (I haven’t been able to find these since the local grocery store was bought out, I use the regular frozen green beans.  Canned beans gives the soup a funny flavor.)

1/4 cup minced celery

4 teaspoons minced garlic

4 cups vegetable broth (DO NOT USE CHICKEN BROTH!)

2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans (drained)

2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans or Great Northern Beans (drained)

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup carrots julienned or shredded

2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

3 cups HOT water

4 cups fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup small shell pasta

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot.  Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.

Add vegetable broth to pot along with tomatoes (I don’t drain these), beans, carrots, hot water, and spices.  Bring soup to a boil, reducing heat to allow it to simmer for 20 minutes.  Add spinach and allow them to cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until the soup has reached a desired consistency.

I learned to boil my pasta in a separate pot until it reaches the “al dente” stage, drain it, and when the soup is ready, ladle the pasta into the serving bowl first, then pour the hot soup over the top.  This way, the pasta is the perfect tenderness, not too mushy.

I love to top this with an Italian 3 cheese blend .

I also love to have it with yummy bread.  One of my favorites, and something we usually have on hand, are hard rolls.  I cut them in half, spread on a butter, garlic, and parsley mixture, and set it under the broiler until the butter is just melted and the edges of the roll are golden.

Mmmm..   comfort food!

(Makes about 8, 1 1/2 cup servings.)

Coconut Cupcakes..

I should start out saying a big thanks to Jaclyn, my SIL who made these tasty treats 4 years ago, and has had me hooked ever since.  Another big thanks needs to be said to the cookbook where she got the recipe from..  love that Ina Garten!  Grandpa W. probably loves her too..  these are a fav!)
Now, don’t have a heart attack when you read the ingredient list, just tell yourself that you can have one (or three if you are like me) a day, and call it good.
Cupcakes:
3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature (that’s 3 sticks)
2 cups sugar
5 extra large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract (mmmm..)
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut (divided in half)
Preheat oven to 325.  Cream together butter and sugar for about 5 minutes on low.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well, then add the vanilla and almond extract.  In a separate bowl, sift together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add 1/3 of the combined dry ingredients and half of the buttermilk to the batter.  Mix well, then add 1/3 more of the dry ingredients, and the other half of the buttermilk.  Mix again.  Add the last of the dry and mix until just combined.  Fold in 7 ounces of the coconut, and bake in lined muffin tins for 25-30 minutes.  Let cool well and then ice.
Icing:
1 pound of cream cheese (softened)
3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature (3 sticks again..  I know, I know..)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 pounds of powdered sugar.
Cream together the cream cheese and butter.  Add the vanilla and almond extract, then add in the powdered sugar.  I would mix in a half at a time.  You can fold in the remaining coconut or top the iced cupcakes with it, Merrill likes it that way so there is adequate warning that these particular cupcakes contain coconut..  or do a bit of both.  They look pretty and taste even better.
This does make a lot of icing, but I like to eat it for breakfast. ;)

2..

Well, it’s 3 actually…
After I made this shirt for Peyton’s second birthday, I received a request from a friend to make one for her soon to be 2 year old.

I ended-up making 3 of them.



What can I say, I was groovin’.
(I’ll have to let you in on which one she chooses..)
So if you know or love someone who is turning 2, I have two 2 shirts available.  They run $10 each.
Sized 2T of course. ;)
Or, perhaps you are interested in a customized cupcake with a different digit? I can do those too!  (Price may vary.)
Just contact me: mindypitcher@comcast.net