tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22750503022038953072024-02-06T22:16:52.309-08:00She's Sew SmartCrafty ideas for sewing, cooking, and living simpleLingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-3212655485911276962022-09-04T07:02:00.004-07:002022-09-04T09:40:06.618-07:00Hopes and Seams<p><span face=""PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 20px;">In one of her podcasts,</span><span face=""PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 20px;"> </span><a href="https://brenebrown.com/podcast/on-my-mind-rbg-surge-capacity-and-play-as-an-energy-source/" style="box-sizing: inherit; cursor: pointer; font-family: "PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; max-width: unset;">Brene Brown</a><span face=""PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 20px;"> </span><span face=""PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 20px;">said that to combat the current woes of the world we must do things without purpose. We need to play or get lost in something in which time slips away easily; meaning our entire beings are in a complete state of enjoyment.</span></p><p><span face=""PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 20px;">The only time when time has slipped away from me is when I’m with my children or when I’m sewing. And only one of those brings a smaller amount of stress – you guess… </span></p><p><span face=""PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 20px;">So, I've bought another sewing machine. This one was advertised as compact and lightweight but still up for the challenge of a thicker stitch. As I rode the high of the idea of a new machine I measured the only spot in our sailboat in which the machine could go: a 12 x 7 x 13 area right next to our bed in the forward v-berth.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMI3CJ6Gdu89JR4GQ560tlh8rYLI46KJ-EKmbXSxiyOW4E_ixK-Xx-Kk7JEZKcTup0LwFsfgZizzx0Dbqlv01moHy9Cb6OmVJFbVFeJq04yfOy0XjWj9-e95gIhCdAxtnD_D7zu-Oyv5NduZLc3ZHK7hC1O4U54dfMnnv0e0Dj10CRZF-rNOYaldC/s1024/sewing%20machine.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVMI3CJ6Gdu89JR4GQ560tlh8rYLI46KJ-EKmbXSxiyOW4E_ixK-Xx-Kk7JEZKcTup0LwFsfgZizzx0Dbqlv01moHy9Cb6OmVJFbVFeJq04yfOy0XjWj9-e95gIhCdAxtnD_D7zu-Oyv5NduZLc3ZHK7hC1O4U54dfMnnv0e0Dj10CRZF-rNOYaldC/s320/sewing%20machine.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span face=""PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 20px;">After a few glasses of wine the other night, I confessed my impulse buy to my husband who sat on our companionway stairs and laughed. We also have a very expensive Sailrite machine that sits across the dock in a closet on our neighbor's houseboat. The Sailrite is gigantic, heavy and difficult to pull out and put away when I have the itch to stitch. I asked my husband to not tell the neighbors about my new machine. And then I began to justify my purchase. </span></p><p><span face=""PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 20px;">"I just want to sew some napkins!" I said. My husband again just laughed and I turned back to my phone and was soon lost in the possibilities on Pinterest: baby bibs, zipper pouches, dresses for my daughter. I also loved the idea of making fabric bookmarks.</span></p><p><span face=""PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-size: 20px;">As I try to keep my new purchase a secret, I'll confess here about my projects and my progress losing myself in an activity that is supposed to be purpose-less. We'll see how it goes. At the very least, I'm hoping for some respite from the 2020 stress and maybe some fabric coasters or a new shoulder bag. </span></p><p data-adtags-visited="true" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: "PT Sans", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 32px auto; max-width: calc(750px); overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px;">Note:<i> I'm also excited to be back to this blog after a long hiatus. (Maybe 11 years?) I, the lingering liveaboard, did go back to boat life and I am continuing to live it with two children, a handy handsome husband, and two sewing machines (that I hope to put to good work). Looking forward to catching up with all of you! </i></p>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-15577879095156552412012-04-22T08:21:00.002-07:002012-04-22T08:24:17.652-07:00Easy Homemade Bread<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jM_rhlwBkyYORLR-hwhNWdYDn_tWubS-xPiN0xRRbuzGDgIon4w327G-izFJmT7-8-_wULasWOs2mawWYrb0t5uljk-D0yJhKVcY2HWUS9aOf_O5mn7lkfFnTUluw2mcG0Rcq3osZCs/s1600/IMG_3458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jM_rhlwBkyYORLR-hwhNWdYDn_tWubS-xPiN0xRRbuzGDgIon4w327G-izFJmT7-8-_wULasWOs2mawWYrb0t5uljk-D0yJhKVcY2HWUS9aOf_O5mn7lkfFnTUluw2mcG0Rcq3osZCs/s640/IMG_3458.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Have failed at many bread recipes lately, so I'm so happy now to share this easy recipe from <a href="http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/2012/04/yummy-bread-recipe.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheDiyHomeSweetHomeProject+%28The+DIY+Home+Sweet+Home+Project%29" target="_blank">DIY Home Sweet Home</a>. I divided their recipe in half to make one loaf of bread. Here's my adaptation below. <br />
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Mix together:<br />
<span style="color: #e06666;">2.5 cups flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666;">1/2 cup sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666;">3/4 tbs salt</span></div>
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Heat:<br />
<span style="color: #e06666;">1 1/2 cups milk</span></div>
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Add to milk:<br />
<span style="color: #e06666;">1/8 cup sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666;">1 tbs yeast </span></div>
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Mix and let set for 5 minutes to dissolve yeast.</div>
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Add milk mixture to flour then add <span style="color: #e06666;">1 egg</span> and <span style="color: #e06666;">1/8 cup oil.</span></div>
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Add more <span style="color: #e06666;">flour (3 cups)</span> one by one and mix along the way.</div>
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Knead, adding a bit of flour to hands a few times to keep things un-sticky.</div>
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Let rise 1 1/2 hrs then punch down.</div>
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Place in an oiled loaf pans. </div>
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Let dough rise for another 1 1/2 hrs.<br />
Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.</div>
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Butter top.</div>
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Cool slightly then remove from pans.</div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-15595943725920974232012-04-15T18:15:00.002-07:002012-04-16T07:15:13.354-07:00Fitting a Large Shirt to Fit MeYesterday, I walked in our local <a href="http://www.runforhospice.org/" target="_blank">Hospice 5k</a> in memory of my grandmother who passed away a few years ago (comfortably, as she was in Hospice care). I currently volunteer with our local Hospice so I was really happy to walk in the race, remember my grandmother, and support a wonderful organization. <br />
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I received a 5k shirt for remembering the event, and I really want to wear it through the summer; but, like many t-shirts I have had in the past, they are too long or too wide to feel fashionable (as fashionable as a basic t-shirt can be).<br />
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I found and love this <a href="http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1266" target="_blank">tutorial about how to make a large t-shirt into a smaller t-shirt</a>. I always enjoy learning something so simple and will be so useful in the future. I tried it with my Hospice 5k shirt and I think it turned out well. Check out the tutorial for step by step directions (all you need is a shirt that fits you perfectly, a pencil, and a sewing machine). <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1RUMojGJWf7lZUBG3Fjh-seavkI-9asvksFwjS4ClTb1cSVA8T0SBCZpiLLvyMkvDJNYIk63LTjslyDkwDMz-Ci1LCuH7PGvGyKFlZwGcBPmtRA6KZaFOyGP2zl_X3B0PFamJtkUo7A/s1600/IMG_3438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="489" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1RUMojGJWf7lZUBG3Fjh-seavkI-9asvksFwjS4ClTb1cSVA8T0SBCZpiLLvyMkvDJNYIk63LTjslyDkwDMz-Ci1LCuH7PGvGyKFlZwGcBPmtRA6KZaFOyGP2zl_X3B0PFamJtkUo7A/s640/IMG_3438.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shirt before</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7gQK1QmJIFVexJrr1dAkqwv_mx_6hNiNse43adjRU7v8_IL6DRJtlrJUSesNQvKkrqOp4gl1Md3rpnUMKoTehdObG0eOJzOBCPrBcvDuH5zZsJawieIF_Cv2Y1lNyL7uCCQUHsfmW4-c/s1600/IMG_3439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7gQK1QmJIFVexJrr1dAkqwv_mx_6hNiNse43adjRU7v8_IL6DRJtlrJUSesNQvKkrqOp4gl1Md3rpnUMKoTehdObG0eOJzOBCPrBcvDuH5zZsJawieIF_Cv2Y1lNyL7uCCQUHsfmW4-c/s640/IMG_3439.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trace a fitted shirt onto the larger shirt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkyLBzQbGgz3TtdrMOixY_Y4CzH5y4iy5WvR7X9HQFnPz9Cmf1q3Myw2yPvkGxKD1LiVK9DRhWi87M7B4dP4c4BnfxywR46XcAUVUyzb69KonPd7BTPnLwY3yYwzPPO1wPzKJl9McVjE/s1600/IMG_3440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkyLBzQbGgz3TtdrMOixY_Y4CzH5y4iy5WvR7X9HQFnPz9Cmf1q3Myw2yPvkGxKD1LiVK9DRhWi87M7B4dP4c4BnfxywR46XcAUVUyzb69KonPd7BTPnLwY3yYwzPPO1wPzKJl9McVjE/s640/IMG_3440.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larger shirt after sewing the new seams</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClYyFM9_co4u-0801yXTW-FyXUs5CuLOOhB4zwerVn_MVcEawHgprRLsPSr-_DmXhBVFwhOFu5ub6ILsCrEMEsaC_lV79M3qFMytGSIw3wY3AWYQrh5z8rYGY9bOzFn7TsO-YMk_95Jg/s1600/IMG_3444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="458" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClYyFM9_co4u-0801yXTW-FyXUs5CuLOOhB4zwerVn_MVcEawHgprRLsPSr-_DmXhBVFwhOFu5ub6ILsCrEMEsaC_lV79M3qFMytGSIw3wY3AWYQrh5z8rYGY9bOzFn7TsO-YMk_95Jg/s640/IMG_3444.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shirt after :) I like it much better!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-17187700681840678882012-02-10T07:59:00.000-08:002012-02-10T08:01:21.906-08:00Quick Onesie Dresses with Hearts from Toilet Paper Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPRv0QeLcFvmLXZ9KTtEvOXvsb2vMJfXUQGdqS62_DVvptbAzAg2xCDW-JxWoG0Z0zTn88N5GPE1Om1GBthjPkOLsQ0yCxoJqUDIkzpa0xL5zV_d8gE9tKrUDJ_Mr6T5uAOkkI6pO_q0/s1600/IMG_3373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPRv0QeLcFvmLXZ9KTtEvOXvsb2vMJfXUQGdqS62_DVvptbAzAg2xCDW-JxWoG0Z0zTn88N5GPE1Om1GBthjPkOLsQ0yCxoJqUDIkzpa0xL5zV_d8gE9tKrUDJ_Mr6T5uAOkkI6pO_q0/s640/IMG_3373.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://prudentbaby.com/2010/03/baby-kid/10-minute-onesie-dress-easiest-dress-ever-2/" target="_blank">Prudent Baby</a> taught me how to make a quick onesie dress and<a href="http://singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com/2011/01/heart-baby-onesies.html" target="_blank"> Singing Three Little Birds</a> showed me how to use an empty roll of toilet paper to make a heart stamp. Joann's Fabric had fabric paint on sale, so I was able to finish three onesie dresses for a sweet baby girl that will arrive soon. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUp_9EIV4hB9WfilphGc87vyPWiaWjzRwiyUjtLcZzMOuz2QdMiNmx23W_dPK9lQp7dCi3DSwpu14PUm7yG4Oc2tEB0c7V1vIr8nObjuSO3w0AwmmK8yl7jxkvdW1khIYHsTgSq1yVIs/s1600/IMG_3368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUp_9EIV4hB9WfilphGc87vyPWiaWjzRwiyUjtLcZzMOuz2QdMiNmx23W_dPK9lQp7dCi3DSwpu14PUm7yG4Oc2tEB0c7V1vIr8nObjuSO3w0AwmmK8yl7jxkvdW1khIYHsTgSq1yVIs/s640/IMG_3368.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It took a minute to form the roll into the heart I wanted, and with the dress (below) I had hearts too-wide the first time, so I put a new and improved heart over top in red. I did like stacking two different colors of hearts. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyE8hh0PnRaY9nsgYo5lbaL7Lu9kr6FqB3bOsrGBigSF6nOoBJKAt9VIIgU6UE436EErMQ1CyfBR4dMI6j-CQzdLQ3ScnaEpmC61TeRU_woABXBhZMklWuUlZd2Yl1wH5SEiAbBYvGXAc/s1600/IMG_3369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyE8hh0PnRaY9nsgYo5lbaL7Lu9kr6FqB3bOsrGBigSF6nOoBJKAt9VIIgU6UE436EErMQ1CyfBR4dMI6j-CQzdLQ3ScnaEpmC61TeRU_woABXBhZMklWuUlZd2Yl1wH5SEiAbBYvGXAc/s640/IMG_3369.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRP08mBcZ8E9KzYHFBT5R143DiLgnBzJGtGXMZ04RFB6xzI31N18wXIGisdmrxtZszzzwikSwiHyZWCTXcVuW8IRgXfHufXkNboVX1gb1mNY2Vx8v-IL5JPAFw3MeW7ttsKut7CriIakU/s1600/IMG_3370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRP08mBcZ8E9KzYHFBT5R143DiLgnBzJGtGXMZ04RFB6xzI31N18wXIGisdmrxtZszzzwikSwiHyZWCTXcVuW8IRgXfHufXkNboVX1gb1mNY2Vx8v-IL5JPAFw3MeW7ttsKut7CriIakU/s640/IMG_3370.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I put a squirt of each color, one by one as I used each, and spread it around a bit - wide enough to fit the toilet paper roll heart. I moved the heart around so all sides had paint on them, and then firmly placed the heart on the onesie. I repeated each step when I wanted to make a new heart. Since I was using so many different colors, I started with the lighter hearts first and then finished with the color black. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I like how these turned out, and I'm sure I'll get more creative in time. I also think that these will be fun doll dresses once the baby has grown out of the 0-3 month size of these onesies.Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-71608446424765982552012-02-04T13:17:00.000-08:002012-02-04T13:17:32.239-08:00Quick Onesie Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPJZxroY3igzBKImBTBnGkD4u988JvEOr8FdmPgKSzr_m3OOYmAD4XsdFbIUHBYv9bXavX1D1OHIYZG1NlYLglzsSrq9rvVYAQT7saV_C9Vv3uBPUxhHjm60PLdy1mCh3-pVusC3prGs/s1600/IMG_3365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPJZxroY3igzBKImBTBnGkD4u988JvEOr8FdmPgKSzr_m3OOYmAD4XsdFbIUHBYv9bXavX1D1OHIYZG1NlYLglzsSrq9rvVYAQT7saV_C9Vv3uBPUxhHjm60PLdy1mCh3-pVusC3prGs/s640/IMG_3365.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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I have two nieces on the way this year, so I searched through <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_971254752">my Pinterest baby board</a><a href="http://pinterest.com/shessewsmart/baby/" target="_blank"> </a>for some gift ideas. (I do not have babies of my own but I love making gifts for my friends and family who do.) I really wanted to try the onesie dress, and I was very intrigued that Prudent Baby called it the <a href="http://prudentbaby.com/2010/03/baby-kid/10-minute-onesie-dress-easiest-dress-ever-2/" target="_blank">10 Minute Onesie Dress,</a> as I love crafts that are cute and quick to complete. <br />
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I had a <a href="http://coupons.target.com/" target="_blank">Target coupon</a> for onesies so I picked up a pack of five, short-sleeved and sized for 0-3 months. For the dress piece, I used some fat quarters that I had stored up since before Christmas. Once the fabric and onesies were washed, I began sewing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQawqHEyHsZn2Mv7FEyhbPv2uLieg8hkcEB0PPJtrmOFx_drhY8jrnEhYMsgp8isW66bTIpvGjYFQTmldlFI4i56NgTJhXkdZH1mhAQqfPHZeON-M-j-B7tGtLmE_wJTimv3xMFccNWKM/s1600/IMG_3364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQawqHEyHsZn2Mv7FEyhbPv2uLieg8hkcEB0PPJtrmOFx_drhY8jrnEhYMsgp8isW66bTIpvGjYFQTmldlFI4i56NgTJhXkdZH1mhAQqfPHZeON-M-j-B7tGtLmE_wJTimv3xMFccNWKM/s640/IMG_3364.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
Prudent Baby's directions were very simple to follow and I think the dress turned out nicely. I found that the dress piece best fit with a vertical length of 8 inches. For each dress, I figured individually where I wanted to sew the dress piece on but all ended up with a bit of fabric lower than the snap underneath.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzz7H-WcTWD0D-uW-HNGToxvcpp16SyIZYIkHZ2I8TNxxRM58JXVqOd1AvX4-JfHg4ML5P8iazc86bkU9TAxaWumhPQvLWZJKL29XSgkG2osDVLRtb6tELnP8MvKME3UerdcUPSNB0YY/s1600/IMG_3363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzz7H-WcTWD0D-uW-HNGToxvcpp16SyIZYIkHZ2I8TNxxRM58JXVqOd1AvX4-JfHg4ML5P8iazc86bkU9TAxaWumhPQvLWZJKL29XSgkG2osDVLRtb6tELnP8MvKME3UerdcUPSNB0YY/s640/IMG_3363.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
Very cute as is, but I will head to Joann's this week to get some fabric paint so I can dress up the top of the onesie dress. I like the two following ideas, and maybe I'll do both. Regardless, this turned out nicely and I'm excited to finish them and ship them off to baby Elena in California. And then, I'll get started on more for my second niece, to arrive in early summer.<br />
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I like this heart idea from <a href="http://singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com/2011/01/heart-baby-onesies.html" target="_blank">Singing Three Little Birds</a>. It's a toilet paper roll (in a heart shape) dipped in to fabric paint, making hearts on the onesie.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUanJFHSmx8E7pDVccdMpeiqU4Nh0emcPg-fstfJMdBuvNx3QKMuYjXFl13GbHTeMd2tgaDLO_8LXI9cNMKJ8UOsggiqKRJJTOgU1X9n6Aw93QTjeBrzOze_wnD9uW2tTg2swamzxPyVY/s1600/6-16-10+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUanJFHSmx8E7pDVccdMpeiqU4Nh0emcPg-fstfJMdBuvNx3QKMuYjXFl13GbHTeMd2tgaDLO_8LXI9cNMKJ8UOsggiqKRJJTOgU1X9n6Aw93QTjeBrzOze_wnD9uW2tTg2swamzxPyVY/s640/6-16-10+005.JPG" width="498" /></a></div><br />
I also like the idea of an initial, like how <a href="http://thecreativemama.com/initial-onesie-tutorial/" target="_blank">The Creative Mama</a> has done hers. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSUIT1y-QOMfOmg2BLnAt7CqhA38jpdNQAflK-6Npk0KNjtvlHMJgowUmHfwUeiIKevpb4W6J4oTSE5I0VsMG-tT8PiDAJQyHkY6tvNKUYniBykF4kNKtxDen_mz0dLMO9GgZQvJnBVQ/s1600/onesie-tutorial_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSUIT1y-QOMfOmg2BLnAt7CqhA38jpdNQAflK-6Npk0KNjtvlHMJgowUmHfwUeiIKevpb4W6J4oTSE5I0VsMG-tT8PiDAJQyHkY6tvNKUYniBykF4kNKtxDen_mz0dLMO9GgZQvJnBVQ/s640/onesie-tutorial_8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-35176627392993650362012-01-20T07:43:00.000-08:002012-01-20T07:43:45.480-08:00Charger ClipOh, how I love Pinterest. Let me count the ways - 41 boards, 599 pins, 133 likes. I held off of joining Pinterest, but I'm so happy that I finally did. There are so many great ideas, recipes, crafts, and organization tricks. Like this one from <a href="http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/2011/12/did-you-know-round-two.html">DIY Home Sweet Home</a>. Use a big clip (I don't know what they are called...) to hold the end of a phone charger, and clip it to the place where the cell phone can lay.<br />
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Remember to unplug your charger when finished or the charger will continue to pull energy - this is a bit of savings on your power bill.Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-51866593964606156512012-01-09T05:30:00.000-08:002012-01-09T05:30:58.095-08:00Lasagna CupsI'm traveling for work this week, and it happens to be the week that my dad is visiting from Michigan. He's staying until the end of February, but this week it will be him and my husband alone w/out a cook. So, I decided to use up my mega carton of Ricotta cheese and make some lasagna for freezing - to feed my men lunches and dinner. With half of the ricotta cheese I had enough to make 12 lasagna cups and two 9 x 9 lasagnas for freezing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY2nk-V_Q9zJaBYCZxAbWfpnRAMFlKZ1akKqifvS5lZqvhGzDCUV9p_vYv6POqH0ZVh654rW2iBiDN3sOnZaM0pu6wVt9n8YYI8FaWK_NMEr4suG9L-5cL9WkGGKJdDyDO_9Yp-Y_DN0/s1600/IMG_3039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY2nk-V_Q9zJaBYCZxAbWfpnRAMFlKZ1akKqifvS5lZqvhGzDCUV9p_vYv6POqH0ZVh654rW2iBiDN3sOnZaM0pu6wVt9n8YYI8FaWK_NMEr4suG9L-5cL9WkGGKJdDyDO_9Yp-Y_DN0/s640/IMG_3039.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The recipe for Lasagna Cups is from <a href="http://www.laurenslatest.com/lasagna-cups/">Lauren's Latest</a>, and I consider it a success. I did some things differently from Lauren's recipe, and all worked out fine. So, that means that this recipe is tested and approved - even for someone like me who is a clumsy cook!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RHpvNcxUX3QwtU3KvZOnztAWZ3ESN4CDXOARAp3-71LPCO4mHtPosNJLORbbzK_hr9h1jcZxRBkA6WGg5dJYa6KL-US3BMyFNYsbPNscozPt-7Q7pD7ZO8D3BAnMXxe2EMtMcn6AkU8/s1600/IMG_7379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RHpvNcxUX3QwtU3KvZOnztAWZ3ESN4CDXOARAp3-71LPCO4mHtPosNJLORbbzK_hr9h1jcZxRBkA6WGg5dJYa6KL-US3BMyFNYsbPNscozPt-7Q7pD7ZO8D3BAnMXxe2EMtMcn6AkU8/s640/IMG_7379.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Lauren's Latest - mine looked the same :) </td></tr>
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I did not use Lauren's recommendation of cooking creme cheese, again, because I had TONS of ricotta. I also sauteed a whole carton of white mushrooms (cleaned and chopped up) in butter until the mushrooms cooked down. Then I added some onion seasoning. I like to put the sauteed mushrooms in my ricotta cheese mixture. It's really good.<br />
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I cooked the lasagna noodles, and per Lauren's advice, let them cool on a greased baking sheet. This is a great idea because I hadn't figured out how to get the cooked noodles to not stick to a surface. Thanks, Lauren :) Then, I folded each in half and followed her instructions to put each noodle in and around the muffin tin. She had a jumbo tin, and I had a regular sized so that's why I folded my noodles in half - they would have been too tall to fit. Squares of parchment paper go in first, under the noodle. Next time, I'll remember to also spray the muffin tin with oil spray...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLIrzokBDA9iRCupgOru1eCWJp2vf5DfrD87qzrZwjBrWU6c2gF2B4K4ywdOYIpX8JEOacu43n5pWtVKuSFf-0KlcSe9ENHC2QdRb2PDthKKJYUHZmAiO-92LprxIhPKixOgvGyosXtI/s1600/IMG_3030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLIrzokBDA9iRCupgOru1eCWJp2vf5DfrD87qzrZwjBrWU6c2gF2B4K4ywdOYIpX8JEOacu43n5pWtVKuSFf-0KlcSe9ENHC2QdRb2PDthKKJYUHZmAiO-92LprxIhPKixOgvGyosXtI/s640/IMG_3030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I also cooked up 1 lb. of ground venison (in the winter we always use venison instead of beef). Then I added one full jar of spaghetti sauce and let it simmer together for a while. Also I added basil and oregano. I think about 1 tb. L<a href="http://www.laurenslatest.com/lasagna-cups/">auren has a great recipe for a sauce </a>but I used what I had on hand. A little extra sauce is put on the bottom of the cups, then a square of lasagna noodle (I cut from the remnants I had), and then I layered with a scoop of ricotta mixture, then meat sauce, and then another noodle. My ice cream scooper portioned the scoops out perfectly ;) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIw8FThIWEb8x94U07RVjos45B90eN76dx7p3ac1s0ZhqEqwFgP_cZlSPE7BrKhwjXZFWYGZuCOvIR6GPqFADBmc46OINN6DS-SS_YruuZwEbQV61hZugCUy8qyWdvDU6Yy3SV0qkgaKA/s1600/IMG_3034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIw8FThIWEb8x94U07RVjos45B90eN76dx7p3ac1s0ZhqEqwFgP_cZlSPE7BrKhwjXZFWYGZuCOvIR6GPqFADBmc46OINN6DS-SS_YruuZwEbQV61hZugCUy8qyWdvDU6Yy3SV0qkgaKA/s640/IMG_3034.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCBLCWarMgwPKPWei3b5m_pfiWhdFPRF0P9wk51VFaZd9bNG3Y3KgtH_x6vzku4fXVd20H6KH53434XH2z7cfuixOn34HwT6-EthA0LwF5yjO0y7_wlQbix1pvn5VOAgK2OMSXJJs83M/s1600/IMG_3037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCBLCWarMgwPKPWei3b5m_pfiWhdFPRF0P9wk51VFaZd9bNG3Y3KgtH_x6vzku4fXVd20H6KH53434XH2z7cfuixOn34HwT6-EthA0LwF5yjO0y7_wlQbix1pvn5VOAgK2OMSXJJs83M/s640/IMG_3037.JPG" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the remnants of noodles, I cut squares to top the cups. Then, I topped with more sauce and then a large pinch of Parmesan cheese. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGAKImtxEb6AMkNMdw3VVeQQIJHbWhKd2-h5AWUpoGyCAayXeRYvxQKP2DtNRaIXubt4vTlKvnbJnphaSBYufcl2hcppPPd8luQttW4qzBTh_KGcOoEGVSpzSC7tiJd07nSF5rGwAGfw/s1600/IMG_3036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGAKImtxEb6AMkNMdw3VVeQQIJHbWhKd2-h5AWUpoGyCAayXeRYvxQKP2DtNRaIXubt4vTlKvnbJnphaSBYufcl2hcppPPd8luQttW4qzBTh_KGcOoEGVSpzSC7tiJd07nSF5rGwAGfw/s640/IMG_3036.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqIOi9TyoH2fxwnPiB1aFxYDdDqfKqPMF0y8wb-x5PD9vcPLoIvi6AUpLjzRk29WyEs2S4mzLH1tXuoM-6Dc6omC23GFqNzfHFQ0nortorAAkt7aKmLEARzfpPFqR7SX3LihIflRrTiA/s1600/IMG_3038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqIOi9TyoH2fxwnPiB1aFxYDdDqfKqPMF0y8wb-x5PD9vcPLoIvi6AUpLjzRk29WyEs2S4mzLH1tXuoM-6Dc6omC23GFqNzfHFQ0nortorAAkt7aKmLEARzfpPFqR7SX3LihIflRrTiA/s640/IMG_3038.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
They cooked at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. My dad tried them and said they were good. I had one as well, and really liked them. I think these are good for portioning. With a nice salad and two cups, that would be a good sized meal.<br />
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My cups now wait in the freezer to be lunches for my husband this week :) <br />
<span id="goog_2001393726"></span><span id="goog_2001393727"></span>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-85627596103001238732012-01-08T09:33:00.000-08:002012-01-08T10:25:12.970-08:00Dollar Store Dishtowel ApronI really liked the idea of picking up a $1 dishtowel from the Dollar Store and making an apron. I am a very messy cook (I try not to be, to no avail) so the thought of having an apron made of towel was appealing. Throw it in the wash with towels and be done. The inspiration for this project is from <a href="http://www.simplesimonandco.com/2011/12/5-christmas-dishtowel-apron-tutorial.html">Simple Simon & Company </a>. Below is the model apron they made. Very cute -<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbd2JNEKOhx9IB9YUlSH7w6LVpnE0e8ihMm-7Ua4ogSXi5X7rgCVAYIcwUZ3kD3qogxd8tebdym_xl-3ohrFp3DdHoQZQk-wHyc7J8fYMMdEg0h4Jn2upoa5RfuNY9tlYX7fZvUPVj2Q/s1600/dishtowel++apron.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbd2JNEKOhx9IB9YUlSH7w6LVpnE0e8ihMm-7Ua4ogSXi5X7rgCVAYIcwUZ3kD3qogxd8tebdym_xl-3ohrFp3DdHoQZQk-wHyc7J8fYMMdEg0h4Jn2upoa5RfuNY9tlYX7fZvUPVj2Q/s640/dishtowel++apron.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>I see now that I made my apon to be longer horizontally (above, seems to be longer vertically). I'm short and "hippy" so my end product will work fine for me.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0b1ucGU3PKQs6mVoZ6YxktNp9-0-J6B4LJm0m4jFyChH8Bv_aLrPnvKahqUY74kDho-UenW0LlVTEtP9uSpeh0OzkZrRXX_ZTkmfzF1IWwbwZ1M3YB4okMgHxKzVlSySAwLVxFWT0orc/s1600/IMG_3026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0b1ucGU3PKQs6mVoZ6YxktNp9-0-J6B4LJm0m4jFyChH8Bv_aLrPnvKahqUY74kDho-UenW0LlVTEtP9uSpeh0OzkZrRXX_ZTkmfzF1IWwbwZ1M3YB4okMgHxKzVlSySAwLVxFWT0orc/s640/IMG_3026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The red fabric for the sashing is from a pajama shirt I bought this week from Marshall's. I really liked the dog fabric that made the pj pants, but didn't necessarily like the heavy pajama top - so I cut it up. I think the pooches are cute. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTRTTAynxg3-QBKytxnbY66-6t9-LfUyxtxXOfTt6lLVOo453WF-q44RDN5KUfco-TjYvwH3ISpo3beqyyCt9pwoQb9RO_4GZYLUVq01rS83a_hwQDsbSTcaNUdd6GTb02t5HZCK-X2M/s1600/IMG_3024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTRTTAynxg3-QBKytxnbY66-6t9-LfUyxtxXOfTt6lLVOo453WF-q44RDN5KUfco-TjYvwH3ISpo3beqyyCt9pwoQb9RO_4GZYLUVq01rS83a_hwQDsbSTcaNUdd6GTb02t5HZCK-X2M/s640/IMG_3024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>I will definitely make this again. I agree with the original poster that this is a quick, easy, and great gift. I like that the apron can get used and dirty and be thrown in with the wash. I also like this other idea from <a href="http://www.thenshemade.com/2011/09/quick-gift-idea-dish-towel-apron.html">Then She Made</a>, and I'll try it, too. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5YXIuWtLf8cOvriwwFQ9f9kPhCdjy87e5wEA3293MKMazbKo8SuGcUJZdttA41HOlnADFy7UZ40J-2-3tHXyO-kFe8LLmvvyuQa6-5_UrqmiDcLD3vFXWtoe19kVT11_r4cukEeq8YM/s1600/apron+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5YXIuWtLf8cOvriwwFQ9f9kPhCdjy87e5wEA3293MKMazbKo8SuGcUJZdttA41HOlnADFy7UZ40J-2-3tHXyO-kFe8LLmvvyuQa6-5_UrqmiDcLD3vFXWtoe19kVT11_r4cukEeq8YM/s640/apron+2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-56281411965766151852011-12-25T10:38:00.000-08:002011-12-25T10:38:02.639-08:00Easy Microwave CleaningOpened my microwave the other day and - yuck! Here's a trick from Pinterest that I learned and used successfully (without using chemicals).<br />
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Mix 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 cup water in a microwaveable bowl (without top). Cook on high for about 10 minutes and then immediately wipe down interior of microwave with a cloth or paper towel.<br />
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Amazing and easy.Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-26801705057280320812011-12-19T13:03:00.000-08:002011-12-19T13:03:30.993-08:00What NOT to wear on ChristmasReally? <br />
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<a href="http://inspiredbyfamilymag.com/2011/12/14/day-3-what-not-to-wear-christmas-edition-tips/">This post</a> cracked me up and I have to post the best (or worst?) picture of what NOT to wear at Christmas. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://inspiredbyfamilymag.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/knitted-shorts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" oda="true" src="http://inspiredbyfamilymag.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/knitted-shorts.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-81238992657323728042011-12-17T10:15:00.000-08:002011-12-17T10:15:17.084-08:00JuicingI have a <a href="http://www.powerjuicer.com/">Jack LaLanne juicer</a> and it's been resting in a lower kitchen cabinet for a few months. I've been feeling sluggish lately, not feeling like I'm looking my best, so I pulled it out this morning and made a fresh fruit juice.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuHudbtvzhrWPkRPDHHSs1mjXaNztbpFrlo93Ug2JP5XpHDUs7u55MocpiMoPAvLU1FAkK4D0yF9NcF-pWoNGdJD0ter8zCStaLzuCO2mffARhv_byAk5OLgQR9fCbTuSBoEnD_ihOpo/s1600/IMG_1187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMuHudbtvzhrWPkRPDHHSs1mjXaNztbpFrlo93Ug2JP5XpHDUs7u55MocpiMoPAvLU1FAkK4D0yF9NcF-pWoNGdJD0ter8zCStaLzuCO2mffARhv_byAk5OLgQR9fCbTuSBoEnD_ihOpo/s640/IMG_1187.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
Fresh juice is packed with nutrients that one's body instantly absorbs. As juice sits, it loses it's nutrients, which is partly why store-bought juice is usually just liquid sugar minus the healthy stuff. <a href="http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400198">Andrew Weil, M.D.</a> has a really quick explanation about whether or not juicing is good. I know that after a juice, I feel energized and more alive. <br />
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Today's juice consisted of:<br />
1 peeled lime<br />
1 peeled tangering<br />
1 peeled orange (all citrus fruits need to be peeled)<br />
3 apples<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgebm3tIQe0jIPBdErI_5BH31Qj0dy43eS1okbVfSbQeEjSSVP4HN9IL_-8T7toYcoJmfBnKmE58N3nYxiC5fxRswt8-tSLuUsn_qOxUowS-uzmPhd0SGLmDyCZ1_LW0iGUaiyhZx6m8/s1600/IMG_2928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgebm3tIQe0jIPBdErI_5BH31Qj0dy43eS1okbVfSbQeEjSSVP4HN9IL_-8T7toYcoJmfBnKmE58N3nYxiC5fxRswt8-tSLuUsn_qOxUowS-uzmPhd0SGLmDyCZ1_LW0iGUaiyhZx6m8/s640/IMG_2928.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Juicing at home is recognized as a very healthy habit; however, there are some things to remember. 100% fruit juice (like I made this morning because it's all that I had in the fridge) contains A LOT of sugar. A fruit and veggie mix is a good choice, and they taste really good. Amazon.com sells many good juicing recipe books, many of which list the specific health benefits each juice provides (energy, detox, skin health, etc.). Certain juices also combat illness. <br />
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I'm going to try one juice a day. And add in more veggies!Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-17232351628816571792011-12-15T08:53:00.000-08:002011-12-15T08:53:05.172-08:00iPad CaseI had the pleasure of spending the day with a young friend while his mom was at work. My friend loves Thomas the Train and his iPad. While he dozed during a midday nap, I snagged his iPad and tried out a carrying case project which was inspired by <a href="http://colorsquiltscrafts.blogspot.com/2011/10/pouches-again-ipad-case.html">I'm Working on a Project</a> (shown below). The iPad arrived in just a plastic bag, so a secure and padded case is needed for the trip home. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHqYOSek9E3ncsxzIEan8CyUp-J6n6I7QPcYUpbd4jGXm7YDR-hynQBJ0zCjseyCwv0-3jxMkeSVgGoPko-3aVln_rH5Scm3UkNSV6rEOcDT2BUjWKaDO6tg05K_yOFBo6QnLkIxMHxA/s1600/P1040377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHqYOSek9E3ncsxzIEan8CyUp-J6n6I7QPcYUpbd4jGXm7YDR-hynQBJ0zCjseyCwv0-3jxMkeSVgGoPko-3aVln_rH5Scm3UkNSV6rEOcDT2BUjWKaDO6tg05K_yOFBo6QnLkIxMHxA/s640/P1040377.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The above was inspired by the <a href="http://amyscreativeside.com/2011/08/19/travel-handmade-ipadlaptop-cover-tutorial/">tutorial at Amy's Creative Side</a>, and with my next iPad case I will probably follow Amy's directions (she pictures the step-by-step). I measured my friend's iPad and created rough patterns then did some sewing similar to how I made my <a href="http://shessewsmart.blogspot.com/2011/12/simple-stockings.html">stockings</a>. The completed case (mine, shown below) is a bit tight so next time I know to add in a bit more allowance on the edges. Also, I almost had a craft fail when I realized I had sewn the lining and outside pieces together (so I didn't have to do binding) but then, the outsides weren't sewn together. That required one more seam, which I think makes my finished project a bit tight.<br />
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</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoYOj39JBb6ife4NSa_2DsO9dQ8qJ9-phx5B4oUgiRm940OWwq5xV0rOSYAbpP64YBOwuvbPqEujrNe7dBotNpJ-cPeg_i85u3q1yQpxdDzLEUh4pWo2DlRsn6XpZDa586QOLVUhyLOk/s1600/IMG_2913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoYOj39JBb6ife4NSa_2DsO9dQ8qJ9-phx5B4oUgiRm940OWwq5xV0rOSYAbpP64YBOwuvbPqEujrNe7dBotNpJ-cPeg_i85u3q1yQpxdDzLEUh4pWo2DlRsn6XpZDa586QOLVUhyLOk/s640/IMG_2913.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscJSa0_WSRGUGdeNS7KfCTEyzYEMU6XnGv0w3z3LyyznKuLqb2_ZRhf2Go2EVnw4saOJlYRHdzA1g9_cwzTZIxR3WMx-8RS4TJHGdsZ61tFXM0uCR9KAeXRbG80YWrT3-OSxONWz9uP4/s1600/IMG_2914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscJSa0_WSRGUGdeNS7KfCTEyzYEMU6XnGv0w3z3LyyznKuLqb2_ZRhf2Go2EVnw4saOJlYRHdzA1g9_cwzTZIxR3WMx-8RS4TJHGdsZ61tFXM0uCR9KAeXRbG80YWrT3-OSxONWz9uP4/s640/IMG_2914.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVGF83US_-mlwERMxgwkNZPzCbWVVOHIgRFlnNMX4c6DxtkFdqE_qXCTJBR3ODnNp1X_2LAVdZs5zWi7wnW4-EAcxydOVEM7pC8pedXbROJ90YzTeE32xxPL6gTw7OwUOo0vWPvcX7IA/s1600/IMG_2916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVGF83US_-mlwERMxgwkNZPzCbWVVOHIgRFlnNMX4c6DxtkFdqE_qXCTJBR3ODnNp1X_2LAVdZs5zWi7wnW4-EAcxydOVEM7pC8pedXbROJ90YzTeE32xxPL6gTw7OwUOo0vWPvcX7IA/s640/IMG_2916.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-37443365929400869852011-12-14T09:58:00.000-08:002011-12-14T09:58:50.584-08:00Handwriting Clutch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYXPOZnBB4Gdq2urCjqFTf4Qhs2qW24HlULtLfJyQBKDJAd0ZSibq9kTAYTrcyHcFBZeFZGvFKTKE5Chzqq5hJU2umUyr9V6oZEeMEjvjN5nuiH2BVh4DllNpCF3ci-DMxN41QUuDfd4/s1600/IMG_2891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYXPOZnBB4Gdq2urCjqFTf4Qhs2qW24HlULtLfJyQBKDJAd0ZSibq9kTAYTrcyHcFBZeFZGvFKTKE5Chzqq5hJU2umUyr9V6oZEeMEjvjN5nuiH2BVh4DllNpCF3ci-DMxN41QUuDfd4/s640/IMG_2891.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For Christmas, I decided to put together an organizer for my sweet nice who is starting to write. She is a left-handed writer and it seems to be giving her some trouble as many utensils are most easily used by right-handed writers. I found two "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/left-handed-Yellow-Swan-Handed/dp/B003S5T8UC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323884962&sr=8-1">swan neck</a>" pens on Amazon as well as a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Notebook-College-Sheets-Assorted-65128/dp/B000EFNJ1I/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1323885013&sr=1-1">lefty's noteboo</a>k (It opens from the right hand side instead of the left). In this pack, I also included a handwriting workbook and some tall crayons. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkMBPt6AKz9aNPTRWK5Xii1WOS2sk66VkLeBKvzvAgGrfL0t9GOFVs_LyUedfCnODgFuhoA3oxLVfXtBoudiJOd0SnvlTPBWRvmbNF_MpB28LCHvfHayldHyBfx9fQwRnSHwSOtDwDfw/s1600/IMG_2889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkMBPt6AKz9aNPTRWK5Xii1WOS2sk66VkLeBKvzvAgGrfL0t9GOFVs_LyUedfCnODgFuhoA3oxLVfXtBoudiJOd0SnvlTPBWRvmbNF_MpB28LCHvfHayldHyBfx9fQwRnSHwSOtDwDfw/s640/IMG_2889.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>This project is similar to my <a href="http://shessewsmart.blogspot.com/2011/12/coloring-pack.html">coloring pack</a> and I tried to improve upon things in the coloring pack that didn't sit well with me. I think I measured more accurately, and I like how this one looks. Except for the front - <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIEE2dDPyK-fwFWx4hgCtpQ0QFiEnhNWhuIAPutJ5sLQxO7ziaQ24lFZj7FSlVvhvc0Nf1VP4DNE2lvRODmxcw_xDOCEds8wKje7W3zJVHIolVlsV_Es7RHvot2id4NSJ-ugMRsLyqEk/s1600/IMG_2888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIEE2dDPyK-fwFWx4hgCtpQ0QFiEnhNWhuIAPutJ5sLQxO7ziaQ24lFZj7FSlVvhvc0Nf1VP4DNE2lvRODmxcw_xDOCEds8wKje7W3zJVHIolVlsV_Es7RHvot2id4NSJ-ugMRsLyqEk/s640/IMG_2888.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Once closed, the clutch looked too plain. I thought about what I could do and then I remembered fabric flowers that I've seen on other blogs. I did a quick Google search for fabric flower tutorials, and I came upon the <a href="http://maizehutton.blogspot.com/2007/08/frayed-flower.html">Frayed Flower</a> from Maize Hutton which was simple and easy. It's great for using up scraps because one only needs a length of 1 inch wide fabric. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCJC77GFTaRaytVEvo5tTXpIEvJceoiSsyKX-fa81YEfS0bH8NlJGZQDybWGtmnNEVsMrJRiMpdCg-XN83eFeVqUeuNNi3RoQ48rlr_0XeYyBRlXBK-rZa-KpYGOY7_bWAQxmzvNh9jA/s1600/ff9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCJC77GFTaRaytVEvo5tTXpIEvJceoiSsyKX-fa81YEfS0bH8NlJGZQDybWGtmnNEVsMrJRiMpdCg-XN83eFeVqUeuNNi3RoQ48rlr_0XeYyBRlXBK-rZa-KpYGOY7_bWAQxmzvNh9jA/s640/ff9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Since this is my first frayed flower, I can see where I'll improve next time but I still think I did an okay job with it. I used fabric that I had in the inside of the clutch. I also secured a button in the middle thanks to The Purl Bee's <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/sewing-on-a-button-tutorial/">button tutorial</a>. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ATPpr3o2I7a1fypIDm6BI5D_ZRk9hhzZ70kOk1Vq6npZCnKhrll32qsQ33BVBM19F6Oh7ZPb5HQ9kYUhU-l7woXNPboWjow0pf0d5BuBM45Bb6sEl7xVeKbgAgEl-Xsw3vn7WN7bX5o/s1600/IMG_2896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ATPpr3o2I7a1fypIDm6BI5D_ZRk9hhzZ70kOk1Vq6npZCnKhrll32qsQ33BVBM19F6Oh7ZPb5HQ9kYUhU-l7woXNPboWjow0pf0d5BuBM45Bb6sEl7xVeKbgAgEl-Xsw3vn7WN7bX5o/s400/IMG_2896.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, it does dress up the front of the clutch, I think. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR34Crij49MvVLJbiLIZrQjTzrOst4wMEtmS1ksCNl01qqjwHwdTaM0EdzW-bJ6jnQnU1EAM4lt8UUrKZFrhN9oRaX1BMg3wt8rq6n3i-o3YQ_u_MW_O9bFat4SRZqtUL4IIbaFEzaExk/s1600/IMG_2894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR34Crij49MvVLJbiLIZrQjTzrOst4wMEtmS1ksCNl01qqjwHwdTaM0EdzW-bJ6jnQnU1EAM4lt8UUrKZFrhN9oRaX1BMg3wt8rq6n3i-o3YQ_u_MW_O9bFat4SRZqtUL4IIbaFEzaExk/s640/IMG_2894.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Now that this project is complete, I can FINALLY send a gift package off to Ohio for my two nieces (one is the young writer who will receive this clutch) and two nephews.Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-79126984474811811992011-12-13T08:47:00.000-08:002011-12-13T08:47:29.381-08:00Pen RollsI've really been using up the <a href="http://shessewsmart.blogspot.com/2011/10/princess-marker-roll.html">crayon/marker roll</a> idea. I really think it's a great little gift for anyone who has (or, like me, collects) pens, pencils, markers, or crayons. Slide the utensils in, roll it up, velcro shut and it's quick organization inside a bag or purse.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TDy-f8DBh_UDWpLTJHlpI8ln47v2FFK53yZ5ivXfsPsqLzzWY7gOPlhn7-p4pm6qgwxa1IPRcU3ndXPY7aYaF4uq0t1aYYXnTcGw5zEcxPB9DhmUulwq_PYmi1jZ5RW0B8DRz47q_8U/s1600/IMG_2269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TDy-f8DBh_UDWpLTJHlpI8ln47v2FFK53yZ5ivXfsPsqLzzWY7gOPlhn7-p4pm6qgwxa1IPRcU3ndXPY7aYaF4uq0t1aYYXnTcGw5zEcxPB9DhmUulwq_PYmi1jZ5RW0B8DRz47q_8U/s640/IMG_2269.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
For a lady who I volunteer with, I made six pen rolls. She is planning on giving one to each of her children's teachers. (One being a man, for whom she requested a "manly roll".) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_Bu8_A34od0D2E-FkKvooC3VZREXmi-7ZMb5hFlHloGiUyq5CMoVBdDEWFmqvl5qBA57ToxGRX-pDItDMXSYQYKnsEkJ6y-WEHpZ_iOLfy6lwgek-RvKRbdwTcOBQVPVeNrkudRDKIo/s1600/IMG_2739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_Bu8_A34od0D2E-FkKvooC3VZREXmi-7ZMb5hFlHloGiUyq5CMoVBdDEWFmqvl5qBA57ToxGRX-pDItDMXSYQYKnsEkJ6y-WEHpZ_iOLfy6lwgek-RvKRbdwTcOBQVPVeNrkudRDKIo/s640/IMG_2739.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>When planning the pen rolls, I decided to make each for holding six pens. When figuring measurements for the initial cutting of the rectangle pieces, I found that vertical 7.5 inches x 7 horizontal inches worked best to fit highlighters, pens, and mechanical pencils. Each utensil should get 1 inch of space in the roll.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63zWW4vt0kOA6H3F0DnMHvvntnRtRPjnwglRgi3LnFO5_Exc9iY3wuqw-TC-1Rxbo8In5p4fsOjYAQZ4-rgw4oYEwclIFEfiYamGNtZRomaQ0oDtX0hZADvshd1Z0ieuQnEcoR0D-7yQ/s1600/IMG_2737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63zWW4vt0kOA6H3F0DnMHvvntnRtRPjnwglRgi3LnFO5_Exc9iY3wuqw-TC-1Rxbo8In5p4fsOjYAQZ4-rgw4oYEwclIFEfiYamGNtZRomaQ0oDtX0hZADvshd1Z0ieuQnEcoR0D-7yQ/s640/IMG_2737.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I used the <a href="http://thepleatedpoppy.com/2010/05/crayon-roll-tutorial/">Pleated Poppy's crayon roll</a> tutorial when I first made this project. One can use velcro, snaps, buttons, elastic hair ties, etc. for the closure. I prefer the heavy duty iron-on fabric because I think that it will hold up for a really long time.<br />
<span id="goog_1089267137"></span><span id="goog_1089267138"></span>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-67014361690313353922011-12-12T05:46:00.000-08:002011-12-12T05:46:42.495-08:00Simple StockingsIn the Washington Post a few weeks ago, I read a letter written by a mother who was very worried about her daughter. Her daughter's classmates spread the word that Santa was make believe. The daughter decided to believer her classmates, and the mother didn't know what to do. The advice columnist said that the solution was simple and logical. The truth is, the columnist responded, "...Santa only brings you something if you believe in him." <br />
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In order to prepare my husband, the two dogs, roommate, and myself for Santa's visit (because we still believe), we need stockings. After working on the <a href="http://shessewsmart.blogspot.com/2011/11/stockings-for-soldiers.html">Stockings for Soldier</a>s project (for which a very kind <a href="http://www.wildflowersandwhimsy.com/">fellow blogger </a>sent me LOTS of fabric - thank you!) I found that stockings were fun and simple. I chose a <a href="http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2010/12/easy-stocking-tutorial-today.html">very easy tutorial </a>to follow which allows the stockings to be turned inside out without any seams showing. <br />
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I have only made one so far - the stocking is for my yellow lab, Maddie. I like it, and I will post the others once I complete each one.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFYI2zIXQSsW2PpHntm5gGr8BeSbvWjxof53_BeiWVOYBUzgJj7utxkWSZHq0neu07zaX67QIZb7vf_yEJiiGSFGJXHGZhZm3lHVifmDkSMgUW34CCY5p8iL-zuC7sMVaLZp_0bIYRro/s1600/IMG_1096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFYI2zIXQSsW2PpHntm5gGr8BeSbvWjxof53_BeiWVOYBUzgJj7utxkWSZHq0neu07zaX67QIZb7vf_yEJiiGSFGJXHGZhZm3lHVifmDkSMgUW34CCY5p8iL-zuC7sMVaLZp_0bIYRro/s640/IMG_1096.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my dog, Maddie</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAOoc2wiBwuAit6oREPoW8QbeZWlaoaoOVHFqxJ2z_QWLZZmWKwrDGwEq7GaoR6CfZBdQ3WNi53UpyAcWZPiKKLLa1xxxhsbp29cQxYomMqWShtcvs6PZwOoPE3zHOMUXDyT6rH13AoE/s1600/IMG_2733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAOoc2wiBwuAit6oREPoW8QbeZWlaoaoOVHFqxJ2z_QWLZZmWKwrDGwEq7GaoR6CfZBdQ3WNi53UpyAcWZPiKKLLa1xxxhsbp29cQxYomMqWShtcvs6PZwOoPE3zHOMUXDyT6rH13AoE/s640/IMG_2733.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is her new stocking made with Pooches and Pick-ups fabric</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-4454733437653473812011-12-03T18:47:00.000-08:002011-12-03T18:47:26.014-08:00Open-fingered Sweater MittensI've been walking the dog without mittens and the chilly morning air is getting to be a bit much. So, I've finally tried The Gunny Sack's <a href="http://www.thegunnysack.com/2011/11/tutorial-tuesday-cable-knit-headband.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGunnySack+%28The+Gunny+Sack%29">Fingerless Gloves</a> tutorial so I'm ready for the walk tomorrow morning.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyy_M5oBvKqmPpl1iDgMTUPzmqy07nDxiG6T3bNiLDNps312uddSMYCj0d5sZD0r5IonzYLFvdNC6474Yh95o95Cv71YaU-sTom2PTYuJlj9TTI1E2f6DAtltiun4c91sMVfJq8sGwjA/s1600/fingerless+sweater+gloves.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyy_M5oBvKqmPpl1iDgMTUPzmqy07nDxiG6T3bNiLDNps312uddSMYCj0d5sZD0r5IonzYLFvdNC6474Yh95o95Cv71YaU-sTom2PTYuJlj9TTI1E2f6DAtltiun4c91sMVfJq8sGwjA/s640/fingerless+sweater+gloves.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
My sweater gloves are rough, but they will work. I followed the Gunny Sack's directions, and it was a quick and painless project.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mAWBWMTRCvyraLu-zrvSsXAR6ZjJbT6USy7MgLF-fU0VpCN_Zw72rR5bMCqNxiWlLYSlcXVWmOJ9DxrE-qIxpJEgXyAdZOpKakYBkJG9hWzynNkyT1NndcFslN_7liIqNUeF-wckHjQ/s1600/IMG_2720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mAWBWMTRCvyraLu-zrvSsXAR6ZjJbT6USy7MgLF-fU0VpCN_Zw72rR5bMCqNxiWlLYSlcXVWmOJ9DxrE-qIxpJEgXyAdZOpKakYBkJG9hWzynNkyT1NndcFslN_7liIqNUeF-wckHjQ/s640/IMG_2720.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
To start, I just cut off the sleeves of an old sweater. This one wasn't 100% wool, or else I could have <a href="http://www.craftstylish.com/item/2259/how-to-felt-sweaters">felted </a>it, which is recommended for any <a href="http://www.resweater.blogspot.com/">resweatering </a>craft. Felting a sweater will shrink the sweater and help the material's threads stay together better. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2csvlMaYMtkRnUNdRqSH3G_r9V0GS79_WTmNc3lGvYx6NBGdscPpxNTE1oLMfdOdUKzYiYyHGDlF8C4_Ju-dj5mGPPMfqXSNKZgaT7o34t4pGLvVx5dLtrEHgFs-v8VNAG48FEwvNI0/s1600/IMG_2721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2csvlMaYMtkRnUNdRqSH3G_r9V0GS79_WTmNc3lGvYx6NBGdscPpxNTE1oLMfdOdUKzYiYyHGDlF8C4_Ju-dj5mGPPMfqXSNKZgaT7o34t4pGLvVx5dLtrEHgFs-v8VNAG48FEwvNI0/s640/IMG_2721.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just have to try on the sleeves to see where a small cut needs to be made, for the thumb. </div><br />
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Sew around the thumbs, zig zag (and with color-coordinating thread, not bright white like mine). And then, sew down the sleeve curving in to make the mittens tighter on your arm. Then, sew around the ends to keep the material from unraveling and then you'll have your own sweater mittens!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lXmlezWcVNBclbDeYtGufCDRQM4Er-A8Fv8f20SI_t4f92xt94NhWEYFQPVCnkNMMvvowthI_3OeLqPx3u_VYR_j4Zc-jlbwbqJ0sDg2u9l_g9bJ-h-iLtbwdL8lCMH0zLxDHAZQ3tY/s1600/IMG_2723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lXmlezWcVNBclbDeYtGufCDRQM4Er-A8Fv8f20SI_t4f92xt94NhWEYFQPVCnkNMMvvowthI_3OeLqPx3u_VYR_j4Zc-jlbwbqJ0sDg2u9l_g9bJ-h-iLtbwdL8lCMH0zLxDHAZQ3tY/s640/IMG_2723.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2mIwDJNTWdiAUy4SK0tfDY3Kf1O51ctE0RyRyhzl_70hLhGIjeIG-Ad-xQHHfaJNMBqIHUc7x7KRrEP4j8ekNB9ucerSBG2SVzZf1S0VPpJnk9wWVOD_hCZm-wTr-Bq4f-mQRbc4v0g/s1600/IMG_2722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-43746934943534432932011-12-03T17:54:00.000-08:002011-12-03T17:54:51.472-08:00Coloring PackI have a cute niece who loves to color, so I wanted to make her something for Christmas that would hold all of her coloring supplies - crayons, pencil, coloring book. This little girl and her parents travel quite a bit and I thought that a case, of sorts, would be easy to put into a bag, into the backseat, etc. Inspired (and feeling confident) after making many <a href="http://www.shessewsmart.blogspot.com/2011/10/princess-marker-roll.html">marker rolls</a>, I expanded upon that idea with Dilly Baby's <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62118073/new-mini-marker-set-marker-wallet-for?ref=sr_gallery_38&ga_search_query=marker+roll&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_ship_to=US&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade">Marker Wallet</a> as inspiration.<br />
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Here's mine. I see a few places where I will do things differently, next time, but I'm happy with the result. I like Dilly Baby's "tightness" within the pack. I think I might have added too many inches to mine. Again, I'll reconsider that and some other things next time. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHnkJzs0YWicBXpgMxTol0U7SCpaQUd7sZhMu8VC5x7emt-w9HDre666m48KnwnCdoqj0Vw5KyndHdA1GsOeXp7fFY8A-U24ruEN_8Dcis7vUoF2V2lIhgul3eiu6LKaUoqKCk_KO8jE/s1600/IMG_2707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHnkJzs0YWicBXpgMxTol0U7SCpaQUd7sZhMu8VC5x7emt-w9HDre666m48KnwnCdoqj0Vw5KyndHdA1GsOeXp7fFY8A-U24ruEN_8Dcis7vUoF2V2lIhgul3eiu6LKaUoqKCk_KO8jE/s640/IMG_2707.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
During cutting of fabric, I cut the larger pieces at 24 inches by 13 inches. Then, mapped out where I wanted the crayons and the coloring book. I had enough space to add a little space for a pencil to the right of the coloring book.<br />
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I wish that I wouldn't have had such a wide space between the crayon tops and the coloring book, but on the other hand, the full space allows the coloring book to be opened up on top of it. So, it's almost like this can be a portable coloring desk...<br />
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It folds up and then is closed securely with velcro. In the end it looks kind of like a little binder or Trapper Keeper for crayons and markers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXwgnGv7CAl3LiLeqYh9aviyboFZI88iy2EjyU3K4Ai9wwEZkDQSWteV_Cmgkv2ThJZrLOpTCtvxBXetSwCYul6Ax8KUhl7G2z_qa23-r_TapkOgFlK6GDlpb7gAUNsf3hHOkRakuGjs/s1600/IMG_2717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXwgnGv7CAl3LiLeqYh9aviyboFZI88iy2EjyU3K4Ai9wwEZkDQSWteV_Cmgkv2ThJZrLOpTCtvxBXetSwCYul6Ax8KUhl7G2z_qa23-r_TapkOgFlK6GDlpb7gAUNsf3hHOkRakuGjs/s640/IMG_2717.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
For the front, I cut out an M for the name of my niece and stitched it on. The stitching shows in the inside too, which I think is nice.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyprPAzyoX68j5tHouXrIeLMnhdt-B0YX-XkgZErRmndwXoyvPe5T9Y9EM8sJKIts64hPVXhbK3pXdYR8YGP9bjnhm4PKeqGiSBvrBihmbiIdV9031R0Ky0TExhcQ_1JBlbPMrPCerx4/s1600/IMG_2712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyprPAzyoX68j5tHouXrIeLMnhdt-B0YX-XkgZErRmndwXoyvPe5T9Y9EM8sJKIts64hPVXhbK3pXdYR8YGP9bjnhm4PKeqGiSBvrBihmbiIdV9031R0Ky0TExhcQ_1JBlbPMrPCerx4/s640/IMG_2712.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I hope she likes it!Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-42402796395653826532011-12-03T07:40:00.000-08:002011-12-03T07:40:07.508-08:00Thrifty Nifty ChristmasBeing it's the first year that my husband and I have had our own home (on land - we did own and live aboard a boat previously), I'm extremely excited to decorate (simply) for Christmas. I come from a family who did Christmas BIG and I absolutely love the meaning of the holiday. My wonderful aunt ordered and sent me a wreath which hangs on our front door. I was so happy that my husband took care of the hanging before I arrived home from work. Shows that the Christmas spirit actually does exist in him!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8-qGEaSrSxyeEry9Ha_xlju3w1axfQ0Rs0idkSMFVGdKAyq5xnfwDRoo26x8daLfnnXQYRSrEHdJZdLsueTdBy-ZYgjMOUy5lH0yNscXfQAvVTwsEVbPUNaAV28s4t5bGfO7T5mtJUs/s1600/IMG_2705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8-qGEaSrSxyeEry9Ha_xlju3w1axfQ0Rs0idkSMFVGdKAyq5xnfwDRoo26x8daLfnnXQYRSrEHdJZdLsueTdBy-ZYgjMOUy5lH0yNscXfQAvVTwsEVbPUNaAV28s4t5bGfO7T5mtJUs/s640/IMG_2705.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>I put some twinkle lights around the little tree, and this is where my thriftiness started. In one of the off-aisles at Target, the mini-lights are only $3 a box. Very good!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYHnjUN8lhddfBl_6clj8KFNNmvzpel1xi3OJ40Pcxno1IkMneVtJb1JIErpsowN-jfjbIP3FMpISy2GK4UHBETT_dOnQNq48S47gLRQSepOcc8PBgUO7mgoLOX4EJZKOrbY-4dXqnqc/s1600/IMG_2703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiYHnjUN8lhddfBl_6clj8KFNNmvzpel1xi3OJ40Pcxno1IkMneVtJb1JIErpsowN-jfjbIP3FMpISy2GK4UHBETT_dOnQNq48S47gLRQSepOcc8PBgUO7mgoLOX4EJZKOrbY-4dXqnqc/s640/IMG_2703.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>To the left of the doorway, I have space for some decorations but will see what I can find at the Goodwill this weekend. I am looking for lanterns, a sleigh, and I'm trying to gather enough pinecones to fill my spring flowerpots. Those might be all that I do.<br />
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Inside, I put up the $20 imitation tree (also from Target) and decorated it with two of the $3 mini light strings and blue bulbs that I found at the Dollar Store. I am looking for a good idea for the tree topper - an angel or star, maybe. I'd like to make something myself. The tree skirt/blanket is a quilt that my friend, Leslie, made for me a few years ago. It's actually teacher fabric, but it will work until I find the time to make my own skirt with holiday fabric. My obligated winter crafts list is long right now....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxoV3bwE_14Vq9f-KOk_eVCwDUoOEfmhGeFfyo0D78TtaaJk5IpLg0dY6Y9vZZk6GAVBHjeCv24sJIB-RewtjsmDcovHjnxh1VsUeShbWQ1V0eQpy_Qupdgg2853R2yQQC_26cll2EAM/s1600/IMG_2698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHxoV3bwE_14Vq9f-KOk_eVCwDUoOEfmhGeFfyo0D78TtaaJk5IpLg0dY6Y9vZZk6GAVBHjeCv24sJIB-RewtjsmDcovHjnxh1VsUeShbWQ1V0eQpy_Qupdgg2853R2yQQC_26cll2EAM/s640/IMG_2698.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-44451387939207647392011-11-21T06:17:00.000-08:002011-11-21T06:17:40.727-08:00Snowman GumGetting ready for stuffin' stockings and <a href="http://serenityyou.blogspot.com/2011/11/stocking-fillers.html">this is a great idea</a>! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDhhjmVScwYNDQi6LPpainhM7A_Ac7EhVySIjDoTzfV7MJs4YFsWuU6E-BvhY4xK6Gtp0ZzDHjmBXfjFAjNblOH29AFNJPsVQmYUwfSMW4_RGLkr5jivh6x-lOYS2J1m8AZPi83-jJ4k/s1600/snowman+gum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDhhjmVScwYNDQi6LPpainhM7A_Ac7EhVySIjDoTzfV7MJs4YFsWuU6E-BvhY4xK6Gtp0ZzDHjmBXfjFAjNblOH29AFNJPsVQmYUwfSMW4_RGLkr5jivh6x-lOYS2J1m8AZPi83-jJ4k/s400/snowman+gum.jpg" width="283px" /></a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-51307716104772062032011-11-06T07:20:00.000-08:002011-11-06T11:45:49.320-08:00Stockings for Soldiers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This year, I've been lucky to participate in my work's effort for <a href="http://www.operationshoebox.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77&Itemid=77">Stockings to Soldiers</a>. This effort consists of many individual and groups of sewers making simple Christmas stockings and sending them off where the stockings will be stuffed with goodies and then sent off to troops overseas. <br />
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This is the first year that I've participated, but I've already heard past stories of how much our troops enjoyed the holiday gifts. Being so far away from home during the holidays must be easier knowing that citizens back home are grateful and thinking of the dedication our soldiers commit each day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaYjTvteO89NfH1hk2FgoVfR4fdUgiy3ueIhM2UYsIIcBxmN9FO3f51euAU7sPjPKTUv1ADfa7a2Uy8ZfnyBCek1EG8IBtrYMea5UlCNeApY7jk6soLt9NkGAKg38DeEnGBX8H5rjnqw/s1600/IMG_2608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaYjTvteO89NfH1hk2FgoVfR4fdUgiy3ueIhM2UYsIIcBxmN9FO3f51euAU7sPjPKTUv1ADfa7a2Uy8ZfnyBCek1EG8IBtrYMea5UlCNeApY7jk6soLt9NkGAKg38DeEnGBX8H5rjnqw/s640/IMG_2608.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The sewing of the stocking is very easy, and at the <a href="http://www.operationshoebox.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77&Itemid=77">Operation Shoebox</a> site, you can find PDF files for patterns. Yet, I think the one we use at my work is very easy to duplicate. The stocking requires two stocking cut-outs from holiday fabric and a sash for the top. Also, a ribbon about two inches in length will be attached during the final sewing.<br />
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The top of the right sides of stocking fabric (the sides where the "boot" curves out) first needs to be sewn together, about two inches in length. Then, the sash is folded in half and sewn on, cut edges along along the tops of the stockings. <br />
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The sash is folded up in preparation for stocking completion - see, that simple and quick!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bring the right sides of the stocking together (with the sash up) and pin to keep the shapes in place with another. At the sash's cut side, pin the ribbon (as shown) so that the ribbon will be attached upon sewing completion. </div><br />
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Then, sew around the entire pattern, back stitching at the beginning and end of sewing. <br />
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Cut slits in the curves of the stocking so that when you flip it inside-out the curves flip neatly. Iron it flat and make some more. For each stocking you make and send, there will be a very appreciate soldier stationed somewhere in our big world, knowing he or she is remembered during the holiday. How special is that? If you're interested in helping, too, you can email the organization at <i>troops@operationshoebox.com</i> . <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaYjTvteO89NfH1hk2FgoVfR4fdUgiy3ueIhM2UYsIIcBxmN9FO3f51euAU7sPjPKTUv1ADfa7a2Uy8ZfnyBCek1EG8IBtrYMea5UlCNeApY7jk6soLt9NkGAKg38DeEnGBX8H5rjnqw/s1600/IMG_2608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaYjTvteO89NfH1hk2FgoVfR4fdUgiy3ueIhM2UYsIIcBxmN9FO3f51euAU7sPjPKTUv1ADfa7a2Uy8ZfnyBCek1EG8IBtrYMea5UlCNeApY7jk6soLt9NkGAKg38DeEnGBX8H5rjnqw/s640/IMG_2608.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-49945557503812466112011-11-06T06:50:00.000-08:002011-11-06T06:50:21.387-08:00Quilted Coasters for FallIn preparation for a dinner party at my house, I whipped up five fall coasters to accompany the coffee table (where after dinner drinks would most likely be placed). This quick project is so easy and the full tutorial can be found at <a href="http://www.sewwequilt.com/2011/09/guest-29-jeni-with-quilted-log-cabin.html">Sew We Quilt</a>.<br />
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I used a paper square to place over chosen graphics on the scarecrow fabric. I chose some scarecrows and pumpkins. I pinned the paper to the fabric and cut around. Those became my center pieces.<br />
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I like this project because the quilted coasters are turned inside-out and then quilted, as opposed to quilting and then having to put on binding. For next time, when I am sewing the pieces together (before turning inside out) the opening left open will be on the longest strip's side (the 1.5 x 4.5 side). When I was turning the coasters inside out, before quilting and sewing up open edge, because I left a seam side open, the seams broke open a bit. I'll do that part differently next time.<br />
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This is so easy, I'll probably make a Christmas batch of coasters and some for spring. Also, this is a really quick and nice housewarming gift.Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-70135843625172434572011-11-02T17:40:00.000-07:002011-11-03T05:24:22.369-07:00Pumpkin Pie CroissantsMy at-work sewing bee is tomorrow night, and I signed up to bring desserts. I chose to make some <a href="http://shakentogether.blogspot.com/2011/10/taste-this-tuesday-fall-baking-series_10.html">mini-pumpkin pie croissants</a> and I'm glad that I did. They are little, tasty, and I think they'll be just enough for an early evening dessert. I've included the picture from the blog where I found this recipe, because it's much better than mine.<br />
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Original blog picture: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2JKtmCsxmGaAsMTPgp7tz6m9rnHvgPJd2QIxdiiuY_7PrM1lWJYDChA5TgOSD4kmVHAoQb_Ahl5eih3LxdSQZT3n7_Pryjp4HSk1_Tcpgbo0uSCnNtMiwtYQV92rRvOOBIND7r1vi3Q/s1600/PumpkinPie+FALL+BAKING+BLOG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2JKtmCsxmGaAsMTPgp7tz6m9rnHvgPJd2QIxdiiuY_7PrM1lWJYDChA5TgOSD4kmVHAoQb_Ahl5eih3LxdSQZT3n7_Pryjp4HSk1_Tcpgbo0uSCnNtMiwtYQV92rRvOOBIND7r1vi3Q/s400/PumpkinPie+FALL+BAKING+BLOG.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div>My picture:<br />
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I didn't do the entire recipe, I halfed every ingredient. I used only one container of cresent rolls and that make 16 croissants. That's a fine number for the small group of ladies I'll share with tomorrow night. The original recipe calls for two cans of croissants, which would make 32. <br />
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<em>1 can of Pillsbury croissants</em><br />
Roll out and cut each croissant in half, lengthwise. For each one (before the filling) press it out to widen it. <br />
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Croissant filling: <br />
<em>1/4 block of cream cheese </em><br />
<em>1/2 cup of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)</em><br />
<em>3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice</em><br />
<em>1 1/2 tbsp. sugar</em><br />
Mix all in a bowl with a whisk or use a motorized mixer. Make sure all is completely mixed together and smooth. Put about one tablespoon of filling in the center of each halfed croissant and spread lengthswise. If there's too much, keep that in the middle. Roll up each starting at the end that is the widest. Roll each croissant in the sugar topping (ingredients below). <br />
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Sugar topping:<br />
<em>2 tbsp. sugar</em><br />
<em>1/2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice</em><br />
Roll each croissant in the sugar topping, place on baking sheet (covered with parchment paper) and bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes. Keep watch and check the bottoms of the croissants for burning (you don't want them burnt). <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The last time I baked with croissants, no one ate the snacks because the bottoms of each croissant were burnt. I Google-investigated and read that I could put a sheet of parchment paper on the cookie tray to prevent burning from happening. Many of you master cooks probably knew that, but I did not. Happily, the parchment paper worked and I have crisp bottoms - no burning.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I did try one croissant and it was tasty. I think next time I can put more of the pumpkin mixture inside the croissants (I had a lot left over). I hope my sewing ladies enjoy.Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-39399839001256165652011-10-30T08:58:00.000-07:002011-11-10T06:11:47.227-08:00Pup SweaterMy pup gets a haircut tomorrow, just as it's starting to get really chilly outside. Yesterday, north of my area, snow was already falling - and Halloween hasn't even arrived! It's probably going to be a cold winter so my short hair dog will need something to keep him warm during our early weekday morning walks. So, the <a href="http://resweater.blogspot.com/2010/04/tutorial-tuesday-easy-dog-sweater.html">easy dog sweater project</a> is what I completed this morning, along with a few chuckles when I tried it on my dog :) Check out the link (above) for easy-to-follow directions.<br />
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I started by measuring my dog's neck, torso, and torso length , and then divided the neck and torso width measurements by 2 (since there will be a front and a back material). I used newspaper for the pattern. I found the vertical center of the paper, then measured 1/2 of each measurement from that line, connected the neck and torso and had my pattern. I used that pattern to trace onto a sweater (the same pattern can be used for the back piece, just w/out the leg holes). The pattern's bottom needs to meet up with the bottom seam of the sweater (one less edge to sew up). <br />
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From the sweater, I cut off the neck and arm cuffs, and put them on the pooch for a trial run. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4onn8GmQSLY0ZX4Na7kpObSfimy9QYVrWihgw3pv4AE8tsxiCPWetfVCiC1nxB1e32_veZx3snp_8GYa46YVsiNxhQTgg5XQrwupZauIpeY_zbnbNcog_FmgPYKDzQFekwAvkvmXtd8c/s1600/IMG_2549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4onn8GmQSLY0ZX4Na7kpObSfimy9QYVrWihgw3pv4AE8tsxiCPWetfVCiC1nxB1e32_veZx3snp_8GYa46YVsiNxhQTgg5XQrwupZauIpeY_zbnbNcog_FmgPYKDzQFekwAvkvmXtd8c/s640/IMG_2549.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxBRKlExiBFQ0774hC2qpDD1yoSiJV19Ev0o1T4ViR79yt3074iQAXFPkKm8XSbvwI7ZD0bZ7QL1NNNtDEkL_JZ30sZ7xkhZ8cgWgEl3_zlgZpJi3IwFkamI5TlHIfuTlbJdD9CS6jac/s1600/IMG_2552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxBRKlExiBFQ0774hC2qpDD1yoSiJV19Ev0o1T4ViR79yt3074iQAXFPkKm8XSbvwI7ZD0bZ7QL1NNNtDEkL_JZ30sZ7xkhZ8cgWgEl3_zlgZpJi3IwFkamI5TlHIfuTlbJdD9CS6jac/s640/IMG_2552.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
Then, I just did some sewing to attach the right sides of the front and back material and then the cuffs. Again, check out <a href="http://resweater.blogspot.com/2010/04/tutorial-tuesday-easy-dog-sweater.html">Resweater's dog sweater tutorial</a> for detailed directions.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwM2aSWXow2m9GHEzFlsuCYNYoQnDeyht3j_RFfFTgik-QM31KmYxumqJoHZmQf0HcC7tl8uAoF9N5UAHcWJWrnPhLPGqIwPRhc0RxD30mY7k61FQz_rDsXefNoPSPMGzBoCd8O6Kmn8/s1600/IMG_2559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwM2aSWXow2m9GHEzFlsuCYNYoQnDeyht3j_RFfFTgik-QM31KmYxumqJoHZmQf0HcC7tl8uAoF9N5UAHcWJWrnPhLPGqIwPRhc0RxD30mY7k61FQz_rDsXefNoPSPMGzBoCd8O6Kmn8/s640/IMG_2559.JPG" width="480px" /></a></div> True, the pooch doesn't look too excited, but come tomorrow when he's shaved down, I'm sure he'll appreciate my craftiness....<br />
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<strong>THANKS to </strong><a href="http://rhinestonebeagle.blogspot.com/2011/11/doggone-dirty-linky-party.html"><strong>Rhinestone Beagle</strong></a><strong> for featuring my pooch on their link party!</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmLV0SdCL26lLgK9ODGhK4S3iV8X1EyNS-W-GY4Paa4V0CcOzJGF099nXZkuLTvug5yWM2hhdvEtiQ_ehE6PYNqLAr2qs7eliQ48rCroDsZrkMGy2F_SHzsEC2mp0DSWeLlsnr1PpAis/s1600/IMG_2563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmLV0SdCL26lLgK9ODGhK4S3iV8X1EyNS-W-GY4Paa4V0CcOzJGF099nXZkuLTvug5yWM2hhdvEtiQ_ehE6PYNqLAr2qs7eliQ48rCroDsZrkMGy2F_SHzsEC2mp0DSWeLlsnr1PpAis/s640/IMG_2563.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-23511434241596214292011-10-30T06:22:00.000-07:002011-10-30T06:23:12.839-07:00Sunday Show-offMy owl costume is featured on <a href="http://www.vanillabeangirls.com/2011/10/show-off-sunday-link-party_29.html">Show Off Sunday</a>. How fun! Blogging has been such a great way to get new ideas, and also share. So happy that the owl costume was liked!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6LLqaWDbrBgly8r8xRk5Y6VjcnUj3s9-NJ8wOq1Lj3tnH-q3PYjFtCuAx2CYPjaH4K7qQtkJMsPFHGMSkJkDyL08nuGH-Co8Tu6NZNfZMy9vb7TULm8MQ42TlZhtVbArt1pO65OjljA/s1600/IMG_2546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6LLqaWDbrBgly8r8xRk5Y6VjcnUj3s9-NJ8wOq1Lj3tnH-q3PYjFtCuAx2CYPjaH4K7qQtkJMsPFHGMSkJkDyL08nuGH-Co8Tu6NZNfZMy9vb7TULm8MQ42TlZhtVbArt1pO65OjljA/s640/IMG_2546.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2275050302203895307.post-76063104544035176942011-10-26T06:31:00.000-07:002011-10-26T06:32:10.100-07:00Pumpkin Custard CrunchI'm ready to try this recipe this week - pumpkin, crunch, Mmmmmmm. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVr-c-Q61sPr9WQeJ6z9Ev0AmN3F33mSezTP7tUDaoP5emgKO9gSFNKpQUORsk1pXQ0K5IrRKYTKF7PXqSAY3FFlev35C3E2snLeSX34Z6rB3y7kA48MaNii-bffmw3irxmRcy54luLV0/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVr-c-Q61sPr9WQeJ6z9Ev0AmN3F33mSezTP7tUDaoP5emgKO9gSFNKpQUORsk1pXQ0K5IrRKYTKF7PXqSAY3FFlev35C3E2snLeSX34Z6rB3y7kA48MaNii-bffmw3irxmRcy54luLV0/s400/images.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://gooseberrypatch.typepad.com/blog/2011/10/rru-pumpkin.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GooseberryPatch+%28Gooseberry+Patch%29">Pumpkin Custard Crunch</a> from Gooseberry Patch<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><strong>29-oz. can pumpkin</strong><br />
<strong>3 eggs, beaten</strong><br />
<strong>2 t. pumpkin pie spice</strong><br />
<strong>1 t. cinnamon</strong><br />
<strong>14-oz. can sweetened <br />
condensed milk</strong><br />
<strong>1 c. milk</strong><br />
<strong>2 t. vanilla extract</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Mix pumpkin, eggs and spices well; stir in condensed milk, milk and vanilla. Pour into a greased 13"x9" baking pan. Make crunch topping (ingredients below). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><strong>Crunch Topping:</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><strong>3 c. quick-cooking oats, uncooked</strong><br />
<strong>1 c. brown sugar, packed</strong><br />
<strong>1 c. all-purpose flour</strong><br />
<strong>1 t. cinnamon</strong><br />
<strong>1 c. walnuts or pecans, crushed</strong><br />
<strong>1 c. margarine, melted</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Stir together oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nuts. Pour melted margarine over top; toss to mix. Spoon crunch topping over pumpkin mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, until a knife comes out clean. Watch carefully so that topping doesn’t burn. Serve warm. Makes 9 to 12 servings.</div>Lingering Liveaboardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09028592694059262085noreply@blogger.com0