Another Cover

Full view

A massage client of mine has had me create her a nursing cover already.  She loved it so much that she requested a second one as a back-up.  I love how this one turned out.  Very classy looking with the black/white and red accents.  She loved it!  What do you think?

Close up of contrast and detail

Close up of neck strap and detail

Nursing clip to match!

Nursing pads pocket inside

Aprons

Well, I finally got around to finishing my first apron for a gift.  I think it turned out great and she loved it!  My sister in law has her kitchen and house decorated with all sorts of beautiful Chinese vases and art.  When I saw this fabric I just new that it was her and I had to do something with it. 

Full view of apron

Close up of contrasting neck strap and ribbon detail

Close up of contrasting pocket and ribbon detail

More aprons will be forthcoming, but I have a few other projects to finish first.  Aprons like this one will be available for $20 in the fabrics of your choice.

What's for dinner?

This is a question I find myself thinking almost every day around 4 pm.  Most of the time all the chicken or hamburger I own is frozen... thus making this question all the more pressing.  Today, I actually planned ahead!  Pizza!  

Like most people we are trying to cut back on our expenses and eating out is obviously one of the quickest fixes.  I've also tried to find great recipes to substitute our fast food fixes at home.  I lovingly call this "Fake Out".  I know... I'm just so clever, but it works for me.  I have experimented with several pizza dough recipes that were pretty good, but I'm most fond of this one right now:

Ingredients:
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110*)
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups flour
(OR 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 cups whole wheat flour)

Directions: (If you have a Bosch or Kitchen Aid machine, see footnotes.)

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water.  Sprinkle yeast over the top and let stand 10 minutes until foamy.*
2. Stir olive oil and salt into yeast mixture, then mix in 3 cups of the flour until dough starts to come together.  Tip the dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining flour and knead until the dough is smooth and not too tacky, about 10 minutes.*  Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat.  Cover loosely with a cloth and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 pieces for thin crust, or keep whole for a thicker crust.  Form into a tight ball and allow to rise until doubled again, about 45 minutes.*
4. Preheat the oven to 500* (Usually the hottest setting for a home oven.).  Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further,  Then, drape it over both of your fists and gently pull the edges outward while rotating the crust.  When it's reached the desired size, place on a pizza stone or baking sheet.  Top with your favorite sauce, cheese and toppings.*  (I typically use a 16oz package of mozzarella cheese for the two pizzas.)
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.  Allow to cool 1 minute, then slice and enjoy!

 *If you have a heavy duty stand mixer like Bosch or Kitchen Aid, you can dump all the ingredients into the mixer and let it go!  It will do all the kneading for you and turn out wonderful without all the sweat!
 *Allow the mixer to run for 8-10 minutes to develop the gluten in the flour.  You have added enough flour once the dough comes clean from the sides of the mixing bowl.  If you happen to make it TOO dry, just add a little more water!
 *I have skipped the 2nd rise when I'm in a hurry and it still turns out fine.
 *We like to spray the edge of the crust with no-stick cooking spray or spread olive oil on it with a pastry brush.  Then we sprinkle garlic salt, Parmesan and Italian seasonings on it.  YUM!  This is also how I make the cheesy bread or dessert pizza, but substitute butter in for the oil.

I made a triple batch of this in my Bosch.  It made ...

Large 1/2 pineapple 3-cheese

Large pepperoni and black olives

Garlic cheesy bread (about 1/2 the size of a large)

Large cinnamon sugar with cream cheese frosting

.

I love that the crust gets a nice crunch on the bottom but is still soft and chewy.  I have also found that if I bake it on the 2nd rack from the very top for the first 12 minutes, and then move it down to the middle rack for another 3 or so minutes it gives you that pizzeria look and taste.  The pizza turns out fine if you just bake it on the middle rack like usually, but this is a trick I found when I couldn't get that golden crust across the TOP of the pizza on the cheese and pepperoni.  (For some reason I really love a crunchy pepperoni.)  Sorry the one w/ the pepperoni turned out a little dark.  I was feeding the baby and my sweet, but inexperienced hubby was in charge of taking it out for me.

We did make a nice salad to go along with all this carb-loading, but it was pretty standard... so it was deemed not blog worthy. 

Happy baking!

Hood me!

Today I worked on a few more hooded towels.  These ones I plan on being for my three boys, but I loved how they turned out so I had to share. 

Hung on a rung, in a row.

The little stinker showing his off.  You can see what a nice size this is on our (almost) 3 year old.

Butter yellow towel with Navy and White polka dot ribbon detail

Close up of Wrap Me Up handles.

Light blue with Brown and Lime polka dot ribbon detail

Close up of Wrap Me Up handle and ribbon detail

Dark Blue towel with double ribbon detail (White ribbon and Brown ribbon with various vehicles)

Close up of Wrap Me Up handle and ribbon detail

Please let me know if you'd like one and if you have any requests for boys/girls and any colors you'd prefer.  Hooded towels are available for $15 each.  They all have the Wrap Me Up handles on the upper inside corners so the little munchkins can wrap themselves up after they're bathed.  They are made with full sized bath towels and a full sized hand towel for the hood.  Let me know what you think!

And now for something different

Here's my first food related blog.  There will be plenty more where this came from because creating food is one of the only things that can compete with my love of creating crafts. 


I have been CRAVING those fried mozzarella sticks like you get as an appetizer at restaurants.  Like most people we are trying to be more conservative and not eat out as much.  My hubby will always opt out of the cheese sticks even then... and who can justify paying $8 for a few sticks of fried cheese that you then have to eat by yourself?  Feeling like a fatty isn't #1 on my priority list.  But, that brings me to my search for restaraunt style food that I can make at home.  I almost ALWAYS tweak a recipe a little so that it's more what I want (even if it's the first time I'm making it).  I can't help it! 

I'll never post a recipe I haven't tried so you can trust that they will be tasty.  I hope you enjoy what I find and create.

Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese sticks
1 quart oil for deep frying

Directions

1.  In a small bowl, mix the eggs and water.
2.  In a large heavy saucepan or deep fryer, heat the oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
3.  One at a time, coat each mozzarella stick in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs.  REDIP each cheese stick in the eggs and bread crumbs (making sure to coat both ends as well) and finally into the oil. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels. 

The double dipping helps get a nice, thick coating of bread crumbs so that your cheese doesn't end up on the outside and all over the oil.  The cornstarch might seem like an unnecessary ingredient, but it's not.  It helps the flour bind to the cheese and give the coating a nice crunch after it's cooked.  We like to dip it in any ol' spaghetti type sauce we have around or ranch dressing.  Hope you enjoy!

More covers and clips!

I'm SO excited about the last two covers that I've made! I also made Remind Me buttons so that they can more easily remember which side to start nursing on. Here's some pictures. Let me know what you think!

Full view of cover

Close up of contrast and ribbon detail

Close up of "I ♥ U" Remind me button

Full view of 1 panel cover

Inside pocket sewn in to both covers for nursing pad storage

Close up of Remind Me button on jumbo bobby pin for easy moving

Binky clip

Nursing/Infant Pillow

Yesterday I finished my first nursing pillow! This one was made with the Brown paisley fabric I have available with a Brown and blue striped contrast. The inside corner has a hand-sewn "homemade with love ♥" label as well.

Fully lined with low-pile batting

Filled with 24 oz extra-loft batting

This one is for sale for $30. I can custom make a pillow or slipcover for you will your choice of fabrics. As always the fabrics are pre-washed in infant care detergent and ready for use. (Slip covers will be available for $15.)

Another gift for a friend

I made this nursing cover yesterday for another upcoming baby shower. My friend is welcoming a new baby girl after 9 years of just boys! I love that this is a modern and kind of funky design. I also like that it is feminine without being to "girly".

Full view

Hidden inside pocket for storing extra nursing pads.

Close up of ribbon detail and top stitching.

I really hope that she likes it!
Nursing cover of similar design available for $28 (including inside pocket). See the link for current fabric selection.

My latest obsession

It seems like someone has turned on my creativity switch and I'm so excited! With four kids and a husband who works long hours it's hard to get excited about much on a day to day basis. I am really proud of how my first few projects have turned out and I'm looking forward to creating more.

My latest obsession has been sewing. My mom just got me my own machine and I am in love. A friend of mine referred me to a few other blogs for some projects I wanted to do for a baby shower. It has turned into so much more than that now.

I started with a nursing cover that turned out really cute. (Not bad for my very first attempt!)
















I also made her some a hooded towel and pacifier clips.


I have several more gifts to make, but so far I'm mostly sticking with the nursing covers.

It's crazy to me that people are actually offering me money to create something for them too. I guess I am lucky enough to have lots of friends who are either expecting or just had a baby! I love the opportunity this has given me to flex my creativity muscles in a way that I haven't been doing for a while.

Please let me know if you are interested in purchasing any of my creations. They are all handmade in a smoke and pet free home. Pre-washed in infant safe detergent and ready for use.

A plain-panel cover will be $20 and an embellished one (similar to what's pictured above) will be $25. If you'd like a Reminder Pin to help you remember which side to start nursing from they are $5 when purchased separately, or $3 with a cover. Those will either be a rolled rosette out of a contrasting material, fashion button or a flower (your choice). The hooded towels will be $15 and I can make it in any color you'd like. (With or without the inside handles.) The pacifier clips are $5 a piece or $8 for a set of 2.

If you have a request for a color, let me know!

(Check here if you're more of a do-it-yourself kind of gal for the general instructions on the hooded towel, here for the pacifier clip project and here for the nursing covers.  I will be selling nursing cover kits in your choice of fabric for $15, binky clips for $2.50 and hooded towels for $13.)