Jeolslies Crafty/Exercising/Cookin' Momma

Jillian Michaels, do you love her or hate her?

2010-05-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

Around 2 months ago, I signed up to "learn to run 10k", so I started doing a workout DVD 3 times a week. I was doing Tony Hortons 90 day Beach Body at first, I had a DVD I bought for 2 dollars a few years ago, it was nice because it had weight training, and cardio sessions.

I also signed up a couple weeks later for a "90 day challenge" put on by a local radio station. It's pretty neat, the prize is HUGE, but I don't think I stand a chance to win it, I don't have as many inches/lbs to lose as most of the people I saw signing up.

A friend and I started doing the 10K training, and we were doing awesome, but I made the mistake of pushing it too hard one day when I was feeling good, and ended up in crazy pain for over a week from my knees. NOT a good idea to go from never running a day in my life, to trying to run for 20minutes.... So I just toughed it out at home, doing workout DVD's for awhile, switching between Tony Horton and another cardio one I had. I also went to water areobics a few times, so fun!

One day, I'm not sure how it popped into my head, as I'm not a huge "Biggest Loser" fan or anything, I decided I needed the 30 day shred. MAN Jillian kicked my butt! I LOVE her workouts, that they combine cardio and weights at the same time. The level 2 left my knees feeling pretty sore again though, so in incorporated a rebounder (those little trampolines) into my workout for the cardio parts, and so far so good!

Since then I've tried the "Banish Fat, Boost Metabolisim" as well, and all I have to say about that, is if you think The Shred is hard, this one is brutal! The first time I did it I thought I was going to throw up half way through. I've done it around 5 times now, and that feeling has passed, but man it's tough! I tried to get some friends interested in it, but they all think I'm crazy I think. Has anybody else done The Shred, or the BFBM?

2010-04-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

I decided to sew the girls Easter baskets this year, since they seem to distroy the wicker type woven ones, from carrying them around so much. They looooved these! I let the older of the two pick what she wanted sewn onto hers (A sheep and a butterfly) and I did a bunny for my little stinker.

Full of the loot she got from good ol mister Easter bunny.

Close up of the bunnie and his carrot... I got a new camera, but obviously I'm still the worlds worst photographer. The purple corderoy that I used for the bottom/handle of this basket, came from some pants I used to have.... I can't imagine wearing them now. I remember getting comments every time I wore them 5 years ago *shudder*

And the Sheep and purple butterfly. I ordered the cotton prints from Hawthorn threads, I love that site. The pink corderoy is left over from Josie's jumper.

To make them stiffer, on the cotton fabric layer, I used some of that nice cotton quilt batting that looks like felt. And for the lining, I used a peice I got in the remnant bin, of quilted pink poly/cotton. There's rickrack up around the handles. I wish I had had a chance to run to the store when I was finishing them up. I needed some of that trim you would use to keep the handle a little stiffer. I just put a peice of quilt batting in it, but I should have used that stuff instead (I can't remember what the heck it's called....)

New jumper for Josie

2010-02-08T15:21:00.000-08:00

I follow the Ikat Bag blog, which I love to peices, and awhile ago she had a "winter dress tutorial" which was sooo cute. I actually happened to find a pattern in my stash that was identical to hers, from when I was little and my mom used to make some of our stuff. I just adjusted it to be a bit longer, since it's for winter.

Of course Josie "aka Minnie Mouse" had to have a mickey themed applique on it. Pardon her one sock, pajama bottoms, random shirt that doesn't match. She saw the dress and HAD to put it on RIGHT NOW.

It's only the second time I've done machine applique, it turned out better then I thought! I was terrified to start, incase I went all crooked, bumpy, and other things that can go terribly wrong. She has a bowl of necklace noodles, and her little stir fry stove in her hands, and is intently watching, what else, "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse".

Quite possibly the ugliest hat, but it's growing on me.....

2010-02-08T15:15:00.001-08:00

Firstly, this isn't the ugly hat, lol, this is the bonnet type one I knit for Ellie from "Boho Baby Knits"
And some matching legwarmers... It appears to just be a normal, cute bonnet from the front, and then...... (love Ellie's pose!)

Boo! It's a sleeping baby face on the back! I LOVE this one.

This one on the other hand, looked cuter in my mind. It kind of suits my crazy Josie girl though.....

Minnie Mouse's Birthday Party

2010-01-28T17:02:00.000-08:00

Josie had her party on her actual birthday this year. She's quite the Diva and I didn't want her thinking she got more then one birthday a year, lol! Once she put on her dress in the morning to get ready, she was no longer "Josie" she was "Minnie Mouse". "Momma, I want a snack..." me - "O.K Josie, just wait a sec"... Josie "Momma, I'm not Josie, I'm Minnie Mouse, and Minnie Mouse would like some juice too please".

I made a dairy free cake, it turned out really yummy! Minnie Mouse, on the other hand, looked a bit sun burned. I don't know what I was thinking when I dumped in the amount of "soft peach" wilton food gel coloring. I was very tired, and for some reason I figured, since the color on the jar was so light, that was the lightest it would come out no matter how much I put in, WRONG!.... I didn't have any extra icing left at that point either, crap!

Terrible lighting, but if you can imagine, it only got worse after I put it in the fridge for the night... like she stayed up in a tanning bed while we slept.

This was not what I had originally planned to do, this was my "Oh my god it's 2am and her party is tomorrow morning!!" make due thing... I had wanted to cut out a whole bunch of circles like I did for Ellie's sign, but time slipped away.

This was her Halloween Costume, when I made it I had this party in mind. She LOOOOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with a passion, she'd watch it from the minute she woke up, till she went to bed if you let her. Ellie was Daisy Duck for Halloween, and I wanted her to sort of be a toned down version of her at the party, but I couldn't find the beak and headband with bow I made her at Halloween.... but that's what's up with the crazy yellow tights.

We had quite the turn out though, it was a great party!

And she didn't take that dress off for TWO days! She'd still be wearing it if I hadn't wrestled it off of her for her bath, LoL!

Felt Playfood

2010-01-28T16:51:00.000-08:00

It was my older daughter's 3rd birthday on Tuesday! My mom sent her some Ikea dishes for her play kitchen, since she loves to "make us cakes" all the time. I made some felt items to fit perfectly into the pans for her. I left them kind of plain so she could "decorate" them herself with scraps of fabric or other play food.

It was my first attempt at felt food. I don't have any of that lovley wool felt, it was just plain old polyester felt from Michael's (if that's what it's made with?)

A Giveaway at The Provident Woman...

2010-01-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

The Provident Woman is having a knife giveaway! I signed up for Tasty Kitchen (PW's site!) and she popped up with a message like two seconds later, I'm not sure how she did that, lol, but I'm glad she did. I haven't had much time to check her site out yet but I'm off to do that right now.

Hooray! More finished objects!

2009-12-21T11:07:00.000-08:00

Josie helped me decorate the Christmas tree......

Her idea is to just sit in one spot and put everything right there, lol. But what can you expect from an almost 3 year old.

I finished this Christmas gift, I'm not too sure I like the way it turned out, but it sure is cozy.

Not really loving the way it looks buttoned with both buttons.

I finished these as well, PJ pants for my sisters little guys. She has three boys, 5, 3, and six months. I used the leftovers to make the littest ones pants, I hadn't even thought of making him some till I saw the scraps laying there and thought it would be cute.

The Cookie Swap!

2009-12-16T10:58:00.000-08:00

This went well for our first year and all... it had a HUGE turnout, 20 people! Although, I'm wondering what went wrong with my math skills, because we were short cookbooks, cookies, and somebody didn't show up even. I also forgot to put two peoples recipes in the book, talk about a mommy brain moment.

There were 19 cookbooks in a row here, I think I should have stolen that camera on the table to take pictures, because mine from my cell phone, are total crap, but you get the gist of it, lol.

OMG that pail on the table there, some lovley lady brought one of those for Patty (the other hostess, who was nice enough to host it at her huge house) and for me. It's a bucket of sented sidewalk salts! How cute is that??? I can't wait to try them. Right now our sidewalk needs a good shoveling, since it's been -54 degrees C with the windchill, BRRRRR!

The spread, we had other yummy snacks, like cider, wine, Patty's home made spinach dip, a veggie tray. I made sushi, a cheese wreath, and homemade eggnog, mmmmm.... Why did I not take better pictures? I hope Santa brings me a camera for Christmas!

We had the following yummy cookies/candy/bars:

Ricotta cookies
Nanaimo bars
Chocolate cookie sandwhiches
Whoopie Pies
Cow pies
Chocolate Crackle cookies
Peppermint Chocolate filled Meringues (mine!)
Peppermint Twist Kisses
Cranberry Hazelnut Biscotti
Caramel Squares
Cracker Candy
Kris Kringle Cookies
Gooey Ginger Cookies
Winters Best Gingersnaps
White Chocolate Cookie Bits
Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Toffee Snowballs
Good ol Chocolate Chip
Black Forest Cookies

I did these up for Poppa to take to work with him. Yet another terrible picture.... I made the Gooey Ginger cookies that somebody brought to the cookie swap. I printed the recipe on the other side of the tag.

The Gooey Ginger Cookies

Christmas projects

2009-12-16T10:45:00.001-08:00

Wow, I must be the worlds worst photographer... but anyways, I finally got a couple Christmas projects done, this is my tree skirt, it's only a little over half of one, but that's all the fabric I had, and I didn't feel like going back out in minus 54 weather to go get more, it looks great though, our tree is always in a corner anyways.

A close up look, I put a stitch from my fancy new sewing machine around the top on the white part.

I actually made this stocking two Christmasses ago, but I thought I'd show you anyways, since I made a new one for our second daughter.

This is Ellie's new stocking. I didn't use a pattern, I just freehanded it, I like the way it turned out. It just needs a bell on the toe and it'll be totally done.

Gotta love giveaways!

2009-12-13T20:40:00.000-08:00

I was browsing the blogs I follow, and A la mode Fabric is having a give away! You should check it out it's some very pretty stuff! I want the owl fabric, if I dont win it, I have to find some!

A couple of finished things

2009-11-19T17:37:00.000-08:00

Ok so I officially need a new camera, no matter what I try latley, all my pictures are slightly blurry and look like crap, but anyways, here are a couple of my latest projects! I put a recipe card pocket for the few favorite cookie/other recipes that whoever this is for uses the most. I used left over fabric from the apron that I made, and some brown that I got in the reminant bin at Fabricland. The inside is lined with brown and rust colored, so it could be reversable if need be. On the recipe card pocket I stitched across with a neat flower stitch on my new machine, but I forgot to take a close up picture of it....

This is my kitchenaid Stand Mixer Cozy that I made for a Christmas present. I didn't have a pattern, just used measurments from my own mixer.

This is the matching Apron... I almost wish I had done the midrif in the same orange as the ties, it's too much of the poppy fabric. I used a pattern for this, I can't remember the brand but was was something like "pretty it could be a dress" and I bought it at Wal-Mart.

This is a knitting needle case I made from this tutorial , it turned out great, and I ordered some accesories for it off of Etsy for a gift for someone as well..... I want this stuff, I always give everything away!

With the flap open, there's three rows of spots for needles, and the shortest row has extra wide pockets for bigger things, and a tie for knitting markers.

These are some dish scrubbies I knit from this tutorial, I made them a little shorter, I like little square scrubbies, I didn't feel the need to make them longer.

That's just part of what I've been so busy with, and still sooo much more to go.....

Sooo busy!

2009-11-19T14:33:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted anything new for awhile, even though I have a load of finished stuff! I'm scared that the people I made the stuff for will find the blog and find out what I made them for Christmas, lol. I now have my Mom and Mother in Law's presents done, as well as my sister and sister in law's. I made a list with dates that everything has to be done by, and so far so good! I'm looking forward to the wreath decorating mommys night off on Saturday. I'll post about that, since that's not a gift for anyone. Also we planned a cookie swap for the 11th, I was hosting it here, but the invite list got HUGE so my friend offered to have it at her house, thank goodness. I'm not sure what cookie I'm going to make yet.

I'm trying to handmake atleast a portion of everybodies Christmas presents this year. So far so good.

Our Halloween

2009-11-02T14:33:00.000-08:00

I hope everybody had a great Halloween! We went to an awesome party on Friday, with all the little ones, and to the mall on Saturday, and gave out Candy that night. We don't get alot of trick-or-treaters on our side of the street since we don't have a sidewalk, and we happened to have a huuuuge puddle at the bottom of our driveway thanks to the crazy weather :(

Josie all bundled up to go out to the whole three houses we made it to. And our pumpkins, I was all tuckered out by the time we did them, so they are by far the least creative pumpkins I have ever done.

Eating her treats.

Ellie at the party in her Daisy duck costume, I used dye to do the tights yellow, and they turned out awesome!

I made her a beak, and I stuck a lolly pop in the back so she'd hold it in her mouth for pictures, lol. I didn't want to attack her little head with any more elastic, seeing as she was wearing a headband with the bow/feathers already and that was hard enough to keep on.

My last minute costume, I ended up helping a friend make her viking costume dress, so I put this off till the last minute. I bought the dress at Winners for 2 dollars on clearance in the spring, and I made the apron and sewed it on. Then I used some funky colored girls tights for the arms, and I had the knee socks already. I made the wig at 1am the night before the party, but it all turned out not to bad for a last minute effort.

All the kiddoes at the mall, we went with two other mommys, and their little cutie pies.

My friend took this picture, I love how Lunette the clown is in the background on the TV, lmao.

2009-11-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

My most favorite cookies in the whole wide world....

I made a plate for Poppa to take to work, and a plate for the halloween party we attended.

Here is my family recipe, mmm....:

Holiday cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened.
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1tsp Allspice
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking Soda, dissolved in 2tbsp hot water.

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar together, then mix in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients, start mixing, then add the water/baking soda mixture. Stir, place on wax paper and make into a log or disk, and refridgerate for 1/2 hour to a few days, you can also freeze it and use it another day.

Roll out to 1/4 '' thick, bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 9 - 10 minutes, till lightly browned, cool on wire rack.

Excuse me while I go mop up my drool.....

Ladies Craft night

2009-10-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

How exciting, to get out of the house without babies for once! We got together to make a new craft again, the last one was a month ago, far too long for me between craft nights. The hostess found a cupcake clip at some expensive boutiqe here for $10, this is maybe the size of a quarter, and decided we should all get together to make them ourselves for much cheaper! There were 5 of us and one breastfed baby who was very well behaved. I can't wait for the next one!

I was the only one to get two of each done of course, because I'm a crazy crafter, always in craft mode, and the rest of the ladies were just learning, it was still alot of fun.

Halloween costume time!!

2009-10-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

My older girl decided Minnie Mouse would be the most exciting thing in the world to be for Halloween. So I ordered this fabric on Etsy to make her dress with (plus some owl fabric for meeee). Maybe an hour after I received this package in the mail... how exciting to get something other then bills again, I LOVE Etsy.... I was sewing away.

I looove Owls.

Josie modeling it for me to check for length and how easy it was to put on. This was after I shortened the bodice by 1 1/2 inches and the skirt by almost 3 inches. Perfect!

Ta da! I'm done already. It turned out so cute, and I made her some "poofy panties that go poof" as Josie calls them, to go underneath, lol. Now just to find some shoes to go with it, I think I'll be making them, but not till the other stinkers costume is done!

Grosgrain: Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-10-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, I am still amazed with how beautiful these dresses are... and she's giving them away! Grosgrain: Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: The Pleated Poppy GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-10-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

And then I looked up and there were more givaways! How exciting! Grosgrain: The Pleated Poppy GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Needle felting, my very very first attempt EVER, sooo exciting!

2009-10-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

I bought this contraption, it was the only way to get needle felting needles, without waiting forever for them to get here in the mail! I think I got ripped off, it was $22.00.... it has 5 needles in it, and a saftey thing that keeps you from poking yourself when your not using it, which is kind of nice. I took a needle out to try it that way though.

Very scary, very sharp, but so fun!

My silly girl wanted to hold the ball for the picture, I had to hold her hand still I just kept getting blurry ones.

I stole it away for a minute for a better picture, I don't know why I chose to make a blue ball with green dots.... but it's my first thing, and I'm so excited to try more!

Dyeing Sheep roving!! With Koolaid!!

2009-10-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

I started with green, lemon lime koolaid, since green is my favorite color... here it is on the stove, you dissolve the color in warm water, rinse your roving in the sink gently, and then place it in the pot, and fill it with water just to cover. Then you bring it to almost a boil, and take it off the burner and let it sit for half an hour. You know it's done when the water is pretty well clear.

The finished green! (this was the middle of the night so, a terribly lit picture)

Then I tried "Icy blue raspberry". I was a bit worried it wouldn't work because the mix was kind of a milky color, but it still sucked all the blue out of it, and left white milky water.

The finished blue...

Both beside eachother, I think they go well. I have purple to try as well, there wasn't a very good selection at the store I went to, so I'll keep my eye out for some more colors.
I can't wait to get some needle felting needles and try it out!

Party Decor

2009-10-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

This was the set up for the craft with the bags and felt peices.

Some finished crafts!

The paper cut out leaves I got to decorate, and a leaf garland.

The banner I made, I wrote the letters in pencil crayon, I tried to copy them from the font on her invites.

Elliebean's 1st Birthday!

2009-10-11T21:54:00.000-07:00

I made her this cake to have with family, on her actual birthday. It says Hooo's turning 1? She took a swipe out of it, and made the best mess eating it. So sweet!

How dissapointing.... but not..

2009-10-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

That pattern didn't turn out so hot... but on the upside, the machine works for felting! I felted my little Elliebean some bright pink slippers, which I want to needlefelt on, once I get around to dying my sheep rovings. I've started knitting Josie some dark teal ones with bright pink trim to do the same with. I don't have a pattern for either, I made it up as I went.

Ellie's party had to be rescheduled since we were all sick last week, and the guestlist went from 14 sets of friends to 5...

Oh felting, how I've missed you so....

2009-10-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

Christmas of 07, I felted some Christmas gifts in our old, top loading washing machine, and then, one wash load later, it died..... so, we bought some of those fancy new, HE washing machines, and I was afraid that I couldn't felt anymore. So I haven't felted anything in almost TWO YEARS!! My M.I.L brought me some undyed sheep roving from their sheep, and so I got in a felting mood... I knit one of these slippers, and I'm waiting to see if this fancy new machine can do the job. *crossing fingers* before I knit it's friend.

The Big Burger Cake for the Birthday Boy

2009-09-30T17:38:00.000-07:00

It'll be Poppa's birthday tomorrow, and since I'll be busy all day cleaning, getting ready for his mommy to come visit and Ellie's Birthday party, I made his cake a day early.

I giant burger! I saw Bob Blumer make one he called the Schamburger on his show before, and had been waiting and waiting for a chance to make it. It's not quite the same, since I didn't have a 9" cake pan to make the brownie center in, but I like it, it's like a Wendy's hamburger now, lol.

It's got sliced almonds for the sesame seeds, the cake is carrot (Poppa's request) and the icing is a can of dunan hines cream cheese frosting, tinted a bit brown for the bun part, and left white for the mayo part. I used some Wilton fondant for the lettuce leaf. It's kind of a fast sloppy job, normally I wouldn't use a can of Icing, but oh well!

I also got a package in the mail today, I love getting things other then the bills......

It was my soap that I ordered on Etsy from Boh Bon Soap company , I can't wait till my nose works again and i can smell it!

I got a bar of kitchen soap, coffee and peppermint..... and a short stack sampler one of five kinds of spicy soaps, mmmmm.....

A few more recent crafts....

2009-09-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

This is the hat to match the other one that I posted earlier, that I made for Ellie. This isn't Ellie of course, lol, it's the little sweetheart I babysit occasionally. It was a new knitting technique for me, slipped stitch color work. I found it on this free pattern on Berroco yarn, I should have taken a closer picture of it.

This is the frame I made for Ellie's friend's Birthday this past weekend. She's 6 days older then Ellie. I knit her a cupcake hat, and matching little booties when she was born, and so I thought I would continue the theme. Her party had a "cupcake" theme as well. It turned out pretty good seeing as I forgot to buy modge podge and had to make due with a glue stick and some sealer, LoL. I used a peice of scrapbook paper, it turned out to fit Just right layout wise I think. I might have to make another one of these for my little cupcakes!

My baby is turning 1!

2009-09-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

My little Elliebean is turning 1 soon, so this weekend coming up I'm throwing her a party with all her little friends. These are the favors that I've made for her guests, which range from almost three year olds (13 of them!!) like her sister Josie, to 7 almost brand new babies - 1 year olds.

These are the invitations, I wanted a fall theme, since she doesn't have a favorite character or anything yet, I picked my favorite, lol. Pumpkins. owls, and fall colors, mmmmm.... cozy.

These are some little felt creatures Josie and me made, for glueing onto the favor bags for the older toddlers. It'll be the craft at the party, fun stuff! 13, 2 1/2 year olds with glitter glue!

Josie requested a purple cat, when she was tired of owls, squrrels, pumpkins and acorns.... It makes me laugh, I made it in like two seconds and she requested that it "look like the purple cat at the craft store" which was a sparkly halloween cat with an arched back, made out of purple garland.

My army of little owls for Ellie's smaller baby friends. There's actually two more then this, but Ellie and Josie both stole one for themselves, which was fine by me, they got the practice *not so perfect* ones.

A close up look. I did they eyes by hand, but the rest is machine stitched. Felt for the eyes, minky for the tummies, brown polar fleece for the bodies, and yellow ribbon for the beaks and feet.

The treat bags to decorate! I sewed these with fabric remnants I found in the mark down bin at Wal-mart, how convenient, I got the brown fleece for the owls there as well. Just enough of all of them to get everything done!

This is what is supposed to sort of happen, but, probably alot sparklier since they'll be using glitter glue in autumn colors I got at wal-mart. My house will be glittery for months I bet.

A close up again, with a bit of glitter glue decoration to make them not so plain.

It will be exciting, only 3 days left to get ready!! Poppa's momma, "Mimi" will be attending as well, how exciting!

Rompers, knit hats, and bouncy balls

2009-09-27T20:38:00.000-07:00

I love fall... it makes me extra crafty for some reason. Maybe because you can snuggle up on the couch and sew or knit and it's so cozy, while you watch all the season premiers on T.V.. Here are a couple of my million recent projects....

This is the easiest hat ever to knit, it turned out super cute, but I think I should have made it a tiny bit bigger.

I made this ribbon rainbow ball late one night, last minute.... It wasn't as big of a hit as I wished, of course, babies only want to play with things that they arn't supposed to really play with....

I made these for my chubby wubby 11 month old daughter, and they turned out awesome.... I still need to add buttons to the blue one, and maybe an owl applique to the purple ones. They're nice and comfy, I wish I could get away with wearing them!

My first blog ever!

2009-09-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

I've been surfing alot of craft blogs latley, and am totally addicted. I figure maybe, just maybe somebody would be interested in seeing my crafts that I'm doing, since I'm sure interested in everybody elses, lol. Hooray for craft blogs!