Sewing Binge and Labels

This weekend I went on a sewing binge.  I made myself a simple elastic waist band skirt not unlike the skirt portion of this dress.  Unfortunately, the dress does not make nursing my babe the easiest of tasks so a skirt is more up my alley these days.  I also found this awesome pattern from Leila and Ben.  I absolutely dig the cute little sleeves and the fact that it literally takes less than an hour to whip up more than a few.  

Here's a look at some of Penelope's new fall wardrobe:

Okay, so this one is not super 'Fall' looking but I just loved those little birds on a wire so much that I had to make this fabric into a dress.

This little number was made with blue ticking fabric.  I may add some denim pockets if I get a chance. 

And, I love this little owl corduroy dress for the cooler weather.  With some tights and little brown boots, I can see it becoming a fast favorite. 

And, many of you have been asking about the labels/tags that I use on my clothing as seen in this post here and here.  

My little 'Pea and Carrot" side seam tags :)

I bought them from ClothingLabels4U.com.  I worked with Lisa on getting the dimensions and the look that I wanted just right.  She was a breeze to work with and we had many actual phone conversations too which I loved because there were so many things I just didn't know how to explain in an email.  

Another great resource for labels is Etsy.  Fancy Weaver is an Etsy shop that has great woven labels too that are much less expensive but take a while to get to you since they come from overseas.  I know quite a few ladies who use them and love them as well.  

My cute little sizing tags!

I also bought a slew of different size tags from Big Apple Fabrics on Etsy.  You know 3 mos, 18 mos, 2T, 3T, etc.  They come in super handy for designating the front and back of a piece of clothing that can go either way...like a pair of pants!!  Plus, they are great for reminding me what size a dress is so I can put it away accordingly and find it easily for when Eloise will be big enough to wear it!  

I really do love my clothing labels and I add them to everything I make.  I think they give any handmade good that perfect extra touch of professionalism.  

Okay, so I hope that I helped you some.  Please let me know if you have any other questions, I'm always happy to help!!

Happy Monday!

Vintage Lovelies

After reading Cheryl's post here, I got the thrifting bug BAD.  How jealous am I of her ginormous vintage finds!!  So, yesterday I had the pleasure of taking little babe out with me and doing a little thrifting, just the two of us.  I thought just taking Eloise would be a breeze since when she is in her car seat she just falls asleep.  Without the other two crazies the trip would be easy, right?  Well, I guess I didn't really plan the trip out so well, let's see...I forgot her stroller so I had to lug her carseat around each thrift store and ALL their tables and shelves of glassware, no fun.  And because of the no stroller situation I had no extra hands or places to carry my finds.  It was pretty comical.  Thank goodness for all the sweet people who helped me out (which was like everyone).  I guess seeing a discombobulated momma brings out the soft side in others :) 

I didn't find nearly as many vintage goodies as Cheryl but I did score these lovelies

Aren't they just gorgeous?  I love finding vintage sheets and pillowcases!  

The floral prints and the bright colors just draw me in.

And the flowers!  Oh, how I love the flowers.

And, I even found some Old Skool Sesame Street sheets...love them!!

A complete twin sheet set, major score!

I think the kids will like these just fine!  I love Old Skool finds.  How I wish I still had my Smurfs sheet set from when I was a kid.  Man, I loved that set.  I also remember that my brother had a pretty nifty Star Wars set too or was it Return of the Jedi?  Either way I wish we still had them.  How cool would that be.

So what have you found lately? 

Happy Weekend Friends!! 

Outrageous-ly Outrageous Brownies

So, I felt I needed to post this recipe for you since it's seriously the Best. Brownie. Recipe. Ever!!  It's from Ina Garten and it makes those delicious brownies that you pay the big bucks for at those cute little boutique bakeries.  

I found this recipe years ago and it still has remained my all-time favorite from-scratch brownie recipe known to man, well, okay to me!  But beware that this recipe makes a huge sheet pan full of brownies so either halve it for your family or be prepared to share with all your neighbors.  Also, I am not much of a walnut-in-my-brownie type of gal but with these rich and fudge-y brownies I definitely think they add a little something perfect to them. 

Ah, the decadence of them!

Here it the recipe in all it's glory...also, note that I veer from the original recipe and halved the amount of coffee as I found the full amount to be a little bit too coffee tasting for me...and I use decaf, of course :)

Outrageous Brownies  (makes 20 VERY large brownies)

1 pound unsalted butter

1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 large eggs

1 1/2 tbsp instant coffee granules

2 tbsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x  inch baking sheet.  Melt the butter, 1 pound of the chocolate chips, and all 6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate in bowl over simmering water.  Allow to cool slightly.  In a large bowl, stir together eggs, coffee granules, vanilla and sugar.  Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temp.  

In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to the cooled chocolate mixture.  Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips together with the remaining 1/4 cup flour, then add to the chocolate mixture.  Pour into your prepared pan.   Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven to release any air between the brownie dough and the pan.  Bake another 15 minutes...until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  DO NOT OVERBAKE!!!!  Cool and refrigerate for the best brownies you'll ever eat!  Cut into 20 large brownies and enjoy you bakery-style brownies!!!

First, melt together your pound of butter, 6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate and 1 pound of chocolate chips and allow to cool slightly.

Baking Tip #1:  1 pound of chocolate chips equals 2 2/3 cups!!!

Baking Tip #2:  I just melt this all together in the microwave, at 1 minute increments stirring in between until it's all melted.  Way easier than the double boiler method!!

Second, stir the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla and sugar together in another bowl.  

Then, stir this yummy, warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture....

and you get this bowl of yum!

Then, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in yet another bowl...

and add your flour mixture to your chocolate mixture, like so, and stir that baby up.  

Then, take the remaining 12 ounces of chocolate chips and the 3 cups of chopped walnuts...

Baking Tip #3:  12 ounces of chocolate chips equals 2 cups!!

and mix together with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour.

Now, pour the walnut mixture into your chocolate mixture and stir together until just incorporated.  

We're almost done!!

Pour your brownie batter into your 12 x 18 x 1 inch prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Then, rap that pan against your oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.  

Baking Tip #4:  I love to use cooking spray WITH FLOUR, like the one pictured above, when you need to grease and flour your pan.  I'm all about any way to skip a step or two!

Tick tock, tick tock...

Time's up!

Brownies for everyone!!  

Nom, Nom, Nom...

:)

Moody Mamas/Fierce Mamas by Christian Siriano Give Away Winner!!!

We have a winner!!  

Wahooooo!  

The lucky winner of a totally chic piece of fabulous maternity wear from the Moody Mamas/Fierce Mamas by Christian Siriano Nordstrom collection is...

A.W.  who said...

I love it all! My sister is pregnant with her first and I would love to give her something cute!

Congratulations!!  Please email me your address and Moody Mamas will ship your item to you!!

Summer Lovin'

Hope you all had a great weekend!  I just wanted to post some pictures of what we were up to the past two days...playing outside and enjoying some humidity-free weather, WAHOO!

The kids did a lot of this...

Yup, slip n' slide fun...remember this from when we were little?  Oh, let me tell you how happy I was to see them making a comeback.  We have been lovin' our slip n 'slide this summer!!

Our slip n' slide came with a little blow-up surf board type thing.  It's pretty sweet, the kids lay on their belly on top of it and the hubs can give them a nice push and they go flying down the slide.  So much better than jumping onto it and getting slip n' slide road rash from all the little rocks and fallen tree pieces that I remember as a kid!  Funny how those things only bother you when you are slip n' sliding or mowing the lawn!

My favorite part of summer is summed up in this picture...drinking ice cold water from the garden hose (or slip n' slide)!!  Apparently Penelope loves it too!  Hey, at least it's not dirty pool water!

And, what's a kid or two to do after playing outside in the water?  Well, have lunch in your underwear (and diaper)!!  The life of a kid, I tell you they've got it made!

And after we put the 'big' kids to bed, I get to do this every night!  Love it!!

How was your weekend?

The 30-minute Frock

So, I finally packed up all my maternity clothes (holla!) and stored them away for maybe another year or two or well, who really knows :)  Anyways now that my closet full of clothes is all mine again, I was dying to make something for myself to spruce up the 'ol wardrobe.  

I am seriously contemplating this frock from Grosgrain (BTW, I just love the word 'Frock' don't you?  I'm totally going to use this word all the time now, I love it!)  It looks easy enough, I think...but, alas I was really needing a sewing fix the other day and decided to make myself a simple shirt instead.  Well, that shirt didn't go so well.  I don't have any pictures to share and I totally wish I did cause it was all 80's-long-skinny-tank-with-your-bra-sides-totally-showing bad.  Well, it's probably better that I don't have any pictures.  Ahem, just imagine a summer tank-style shirt with the arm holes so big that they are halfway down the side of the shirt.  No Good.  Complete Fail.  I was so sad cause I loved the fabric I chose for it, a pretty Indian-inspired knit...lovely, just lovely.  But I only bought a yard of it and there wasn't enough left to try again, boo for me!  It was headed for the scraps pile when I thought maybe I could somehow salvage it for Penny.  So, she tried it on, I took it in a bit and VOILA, we have this:

{The 30-minute Summer Frock}

I really love what a little revising can do to a mess-up :)

Oh, and did you see what I did there?  Yup, that's me using the word 'Frock'...told you I love that word, and I told you I was going to use it all the time.  You better watch out cause it's going to be all over my blog. Word to your muth-ah!  Okay, probably not really, but I sooo love that word, it's so much prettier than saying 'dress' or 'garment'.  Please agree. 

Okay peeps, onwards we go.  So, this little frock is a pretty, long summer-y dress.  Kinda like a maxi-dress for little girls...LOVE it!  The knit fabric is perfect for it cause it let's it drape nicely on the body.  Let's just take a look-see on my little model:

Ahh, lovely!

And comfortable!  

See, playing outside couldn't be more fun (and stylish!)

Even jumping is a breeze...

I think somebody is happy this didn't go in the scrap bin :)

(Okay, so that makes two of us!!)

So, I didn't do a tutorial of this but if you'd like one let me know...

Have a great Friday!

Dinner Tonight...Meatloaf Muffins!

Okay, so I have to tell you guys...I've never really liked meatloaf. Really!! It was always one of those meals that just sounded gross to me. Anyone else feel this way? I mean, meatloaf? C'mon, you have to admit it sounds yucky doesn't it? Ground up meat all mixed up with saltines or even better oatmeal (???...really, it's true, I've seen recipes with oatmeal!) and then thrown into a bread pan...umm yeah, not super appetizing to me. Definitely not my idea of comfort food....until now!

Sooo yeah, I went against all my inner meatloaf weirdness and made meatloaf for dinner the other night. Not just any meatloaf though, Meatloaf Muffins!! Doesn't it just sound cute...and yummy!?! Well, it is!!! And let me tell you this recipe is sooo good that I was even craving it later that night wishing my belly wasn't filled to capacity so I could have just one more (could leftovers ever be so exciting!) And then I wanted to make it again for dinner the next night although I had enough restraint not too *pats herself on the back*

Nom, nom, nom...sooo good!!

Alright, so here is the recipe. My hubby loved it, my kids loved it and well, I loved it. I hope you do too! It's super easy to whip up, try it for dinner tonight, you won't be disappointed!

Meatloaf Muffins

1 pound ground beef (or turkey!)

1 6 oz box of stuffing mix

1 cup water

3/4 cup ketchup

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, water and stuffing mix until well incorporated. Roll meat mixture into balls and press into the cups of a greased muffin tin. Make small indentations into the tops of the muffins and fill with ketchup. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Take out meatloaf muffins, sprinkle the tops with shredded cheese and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Mmm...plate up those bad boys and enjoy a delicious meal with your fam.

This is seriously all you need for this meal...seriously easy, right???

Okay, so first mix your ground beef, stuffing and water together in a large bowl...

Then, roll about a 1/2 cup of the meat mixture into a ball with your hand and press it into the cups of a greased muffin pan, fill all 12 cups. Make little indentions at the top centers of each muffin like so...

Then just add a dollop of ketchup to the centers of each muffin...

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, then pull them out and sprinkle some cheese on top and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Yup, these babies look done to me!

Ohhh, can you smell it...

Okay, so you can't but don't you wish you could???

Ahh, a nice home cooked meal...

Enjoy!

Penelope's Circus Party

So, I thought I would post some pictures from Penelope's little Two Year Birthday shin dig we had last week. It was a very simple Circus-themed party that we literally threw together in a few days. Unfortunately, I am never very good at taking pictures of the completed party look before everyone gets there so there aren't a whole lot of pictures of the before...mainly during the party and well, that's just gift opening mayhem and the like, so not really too exciting for y'all.

Anyways, so what I did for some Circus decor was to buy some of those fun red and white plastic popcorn containers from the dollar bins at Target. I filled them with unpopped popcorn kernels so that they wouldn't tip over and then I placed a few "Cotton Candy" sticks in them.

Do you likey? The Cotton Candy sticks are made of crumpled up pink tissue paper that I glued on some larger wooden dowels. Simple and pretty, just the way party decor should be!

We also had lots of colorful streamers around the place in primary colors...orange, blue, red, yellow and green. That helped get the Circus theme going as well. And, then of course we bought lots of balloons cause what's a circus without balloons!?!

For some light appetizer-ish food, we had peanuts in the shell and cotton candy and then we had hotdogs and chips for the meal...which was a lunch by the way :) We put the food in these nifty little red and white paper popcorn containers. I found them at Hobby Lobby for only a few dollars...love that! I also found some matching hotdog paper plates/liners there too...sorry no pictures of them!

I wanted Penelope's cake to be Circus-themed too, so I made her an Elephant cake where the elephants looked like they are walking trunk-to-tail like they do in the circus.

We had the party outside on what was said to be the hottest day of the year. So this picture of the cake isn't the best...it's looking a little melty! I made the elephants using marshmallows and toothpicks, aren't they cute!! The eyes are just dotted on from a black food writing pen.

Here's a close up of the Momma elephant...

and of course a close up of the little Baby elephant...

And, I just had to include another picture of Penelope and all her balloons. She had so much fun running around with them, it was priceless to see her big grin!! It was a great way to burn off all that cotton candy sugar insanity too!

Okay, so that's it! Hope you enjoyed a little peek at Penelope's Circus Party!

Have a great day!