i can!

I have always wanted to can but have been too intimated by the process and all the equipment needed.


Last week a very generous friend offered me a bunch of pickling cucumbers from her parents enormous garden and the use of her family's canning equipment. I figured I would never get a better opportunity than that!


I followed a simple recipe but added a couple of red pepper flakes and black peppercorns to each jar. I ended up with 11 quarts of pickles.


The same generous friend gave me several pounds of blackberries to make blackberry jam.


I followed the recipe she gave me but strained the seeds cause I hate getting seeds stuck in my teeth! So I guess that makes it blackberry jelly.


The jelly was SO good on biscuits the next day!


I had so much fun canning. It wasn't hard at all. I shouldn't have been scared of it. Someday when I don't have a forest for a backyard I will be able to have a garden and I will can all that we reap. Can't wait!

Thanks Nellie for being so thoughtful and generous!

refashion: ladies skirt to girls dress

I haven't done a refashion in a long time!

Please pardon the wrinkles! I didn't realize how bad it was until I downloaded the photos.

I found this skirt at Salvation Army for $1.50. I knew immediately that I wanted to make it into a dress for Sutton.

Black clothes are hard to come by for kids, especially little girls. Which is unfortunate because I really love black on little girls, it feels unexpected. The other day I was shopping at a kids consignment store and a woman that was perusing the racks next to me asked, "Do parents of girls ever tire of pink?" Uh, YES! I am not opposed to pink but I like variety and thankfully so does Sutton.


Utilizing the finished top of the skirt and the hem, I took in one side seam and used the leftover fabric to make straps and cap sleeves.


I really love the gathering detail at the waist.


I left the original waistline intact but after I finished I realized that I would have to cut the underarm for comfort. It was a last minute adjustment on a Saturday night but it came out okay.


I need to get back into doing refashions. They are quick and simple projects. I love the instant gratification!


They make Sutton pretty happy too!

spinach and mushroom lasagna

Michael requested this dinner for Father's Day and I am glad he did! It had been a while since I had made it and it's one of my favorites. I modified a lasagna recipe from allrecipes.com to my tastes, basically increasing the mushrooms, quadrupling the spinach (I super-duper love spinach!), decreasing the amount of cheese and substituting no boil noodles. I seriously love no boil noodles, they make making lasagna a breeze!


spinach lasagna
12 no boil lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped baby bella mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
10 ounces (8-9 packed cups) fresh spinach
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups tomato pasta sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms, onions, and garlic in olive oil until onions are tender. Drain excess liquid and cool. Boil spinach for 5 minutes. Drain, then squeeze out excess liquid. Chop spinach.
4. Combine ricotta cheese, Romano cheese, spinach, salt, oregano, basil, pepper, and egg in a bowl. Add cooled mushroom mixture. Blend together. Spread 1 cup sauce on bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Lay four lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Spread one third of the cheese/spinach mixture over noodles. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on top. Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce over cheese. Repeat layering 2 times. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese.
5. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Cool 30+ minutes before serving.

tote bag giveaway winner

The winner of the tote bag and zippered pouch is...

#35- lsdaniels1221@gmail.com


Congratulations! I've sent you an email. Thank you to all who entered, we'll do another giveaway soon!

simple tote bag tutorial

Don't forget to enter the tote + pouch giveaway- it ends Friday!

I needed to sew another tote bag so I could write up a tutorial. It was the perfect excuse to make a tote for myself, it's been a long time since I have sewn something just for me! I added a sweet little 'W' monogram.


I will probably use the bag primarily for trips to the library, although I did use it for a solo trip to the fabric store last night. I put my cellphone, keys and wallet in the front pockets and my purchases in the main part. It was great not having to carry my big purse/diaper bag and a separate shopping bag.

I used a lighter weight canvas for the body of the bag. The bag is fully lined with a 100% cotton print- Carnaby Street by Robert Kaufman. I bought it years ago at a quilting store that was going out of business.


This tutorial is very flexible. Make the bag wider, bigger, smaller. Make the boxed bottom wider or don't box it at all, leave it flat.

I hope my directions make sense. It's hard to gauge because it, of course, makes sense to me. I could ask my husband but that would be the equivilant of him asking me to code a website. So, if anything doesn't make sense, please ask. I am happy to clarify or help in anyway. As always, if you make a tote send me pictures. I love seeing your projects. In fact, I have been considering jumping on the bandwagon and starting a Flickr group for projects created by you with my tutorials...


On with the tutorial:

Cut out:
main bag pieces- two 18"x18"
lining pieces- two 18"x18"
front pocket piece- 18"x9.5"
contrasting trim- two 18"x4"
contrasting pocket trim- 18"x3"
1" cotton webbing- two 61" lengths


Fold and press the pocket trim piece in half, open it up and fold & press each side to the center crease. Sandwich the pocket piece between the layers. Stitch close to the edge.


Fold and press the bottom edge of each trim piece 1/2". Place the trim piece on top of the front main piece, matching up the raw edges. Stitch near the bottom folded edge of the trim piece. Repeat for the other main piece.


For a tote with three front pockets, layer the strap piece over the pocket on top of the front main piece. Sew down each side of the strap from the bottom of the trim piece to the bottom of the bag- do not sew on the trim piece.

The strap should be 5" in from each edge.


For a tote with just two front pockets (perfectly sized to fit bulky board books), sew the strap directly to the front main piece. Repeat for the back main piece. Again, don't sew the strap to the trim at the top.


Then sew the pocket piece on top of the straps, one stitch down the center of the pocket.


With right sides together, sew around the perimeter of the bag leaving the top open. Before you sew make sure your front and back trim pieces line up, your finished bag will look much better if you do.


To box the bottom of the bag, take one bottom corner and pinch together so the side seam and the bottom seam are lined up. Measure in two inches from the corner (the corner of the seam, not the raw edges), mark and sew. Cut excess. Repeat for the other corner. Turn right side out and press.


Sew the front and back lining pieces together leaving the top open and a 6" opening at the bottom. Box the bottom.


With right sides together, put the lining inside the bag, matching side seams and raw edges. Make sure the straps are tucked in side the tote. Pin and sew.


Using the 6" opening in the lining turn the tote right side out. Press and top stitch around the top of the tote.


Now sew the strap to the trim at the top of the bag. Start where your stitch ended previously and sew + backstitch 2-3 times and the top to reinforce the seam. Continue to the point where your stitch previously ended on the other side of the strap.


Stitch the 6" opening in the lining closed.

Done and done!

pvc sprinkler!

School is out and it is officially HOT here in North Carolina!


I have been seeing DIY PVC sprinklers all over the internet lately. They are all awesome and I knew I (okay, Michael) had to make one. We decided to go with the "Kidwash 2".


The plans call for landscaping misters which cut back on water waste. As much as we plan on using the kidwash this summer a little water conservation would be a good thing.


It was a HUGE hit!




Michael even got in on the action! I ran through it a couple of times too and it was seriously refreshing!


The cost was very low, about $14, and it took Michael about 30 minutes to put it together.

What are your plans to bet the summer heat?

tote bag giveaway!

***this giveaway is closed***

Who wants a tote bag?


It's constructed of sturdy gray canvas and white cotton webbing straps.


Fully lined with a cheery lime, light blue and lavender floral print by Brother Sister Design Studio by Hobby Lobby.


Along with the tote the winner will get a zippered pouch with stitched yarn embellishment.


The pouch is lined with the same floral print and has a little interior pocket.


Throw your name in the proverbial hat by commenting on this post! Be sure to include your email address if you don't have one linked to your blogger account. Giveaway ends Friday, June 17th at midnight EST. Winner will be announced the following Monday. Good luck!

zoe's dollhouse

A couple of days ago I got an email from Kate of South Africa. She and her husband, Alan, used my doll house plans to make a doll house for their daughter Zoe. Their doll house is so rad- I just had to share it with you!

The flooring, carpeting and window boxes are all extras left over from her house renovation. I love that they added casters to the house. Such a great idea! Alan put lights in – the switches are at the back of the house. He even added speakers that an iPod can plug into (you can see the speakers next to the fireplace in the living room).

Ack! Curtains. Love it! Kate says, "The curtain rails I made from wire hangers and then drilled a tiny hole and pushed them into the walls."

Kate's dad built all the furniture. Amazing!

Kate knitted the living room rug with two wooden kebab sticks!! The fireplace is fantastic. I wanted to do one in Sutton's house but wasn't sure how to do it. Kate used tile (same as in the bathroom) as the fireplace surround. She then printed a picture of fire and hand painted over the picture to give it more life.

Kate said, "Zoe did announce to Dad that he had a problem as there was no ways to get upstairs, at which stage the elevator was added." Sutton made that same argument about her doll house not having stairs or an elevator. I told her to use her imagination. Kate and Alan are so much cooler than me!

Kate used contact adhesive for wall paper.

More handmade furniture.

Cool portraits on the wall.

Another great set of curtains!

I think Sutton's doll house will be needing a renovation in the future- lights, a fireplace, curtains, casters and maybe even an elevator!

Thank you Kate for sharing your darling doll house with us!