It’s been a little quiet around here. Partly because I’m still processing and working through what God has been showing me about doing the next hard thing, and because fall and it’s crazy schedule popped up out of nowhere and I’ve been scrambling to catch up.
I’ve been doing a whole bunch of cooking and crafting. And not blogging any of it. Shame. It turns out this whole taking really great pictures of everything I make, editing them and then uploading them takes a long time. And when I have time to cook or craft, I’m all about getting in and getting out….not typically setting up the perfect shot first. Because I’m not a photographer (although I secretly wish I could be!).
So if y’all will have grace with my iPhone and less than perfect OOC shots, I’ll give you a glimpse at some of what I’ve been up to.
Pardon the cheesy selfie, but I made that necklace. For less than $2. I got the plastic beads at Hobby Lobby for cheap. Maybe even less than $2. I was going to thread them onto some ribbon I had, but when I got home it would fit through. So I threw it on some pink embroidery floss I had laying around and tied it off. Cheap and quick. The only problem is that my daughter has decided it should be hers.
This is one of my favorite recent crafts (please ignore my messy bedroom). That lace shirt…I made it. I got pleather leggings (which I love, so don’t laugh) and wanted something longer and a little less edgy to wear with them (since I’m not a rock star). I grabbed about a yard of this fabric (probably could have gotten away with 3/4), and a tunic style sleeveless shirt I already had and like the length/fit of. The edge of the fabric came scalloped, which was perfect. I simply laid out the lace, doubled over (so I was cutting two pieces at once) laid my existing top down, then cut around it leaving just a bit for seam allowance. On one of the pieces, I cut a bit of a scoop neck . I stitched the sides, then hemmed the sleeves and neckline. Maybe thirty minutes, for sure under an hour! I’m almost embarrassed at how quick and easy this was, especially as cute as it turned out! Pretend you don’t know any of that when you see me wearing it with all the things.
And those jeans…I have been loving the distressed jean look, but really didn’t need new jeans. So I found a pair of jeans I liked the wash, fit and price tag on ($20!) and got to it with some sandpaper. Distressing just where I wanted it.
I hesitate to call this a craft, but seeing as how me or my daughter have worn it about every other day since I made it, I’ll include it. At Hobby Lobby there is stretchy lace trim for $2 a yard. I bought a yard. And tied it around my head. The end.
This one took a little bit longer, but little bit and I both adore the result. I had this fabric laying around, so it was using up what I had. I had no intention of lining it, but the fabric was a little see-through, so I decided to. I followed a tutorial instead of doing my own thing, and it was a hot mess. After undoing most of what the tutorial told me to do, I just did my own thing. I will avoid making a lining again in future as it seems too complicated for the amount of time I want to put into these things. Anyhow, simple a-line dress, grab one you like, trace, cut. I made a keyhole in back with a button and elastic closure since zippers scare me. Sew sides together, hem arms and neck hole, and hem the bottom. That lace piece was just more of the stretchy trim lace mentioned above tacked down in a few places.
I busted out a few more Mickey tees for another day at Disney. When we went two years ago I had my SIL make mini me and the boys coordinating outfits. What was a dress on her two years ago now works as a shirt. I threw some leggings we already had with it and saved myself another project!
I made a whole bunch of chicken pot pie (2 more not picutred). I’ve had lots of friends having babies, having babies in the NICU, and just dealing with the less than glamorous parts of life. So I spent a day in my kitchen and then another in my car. Chicken pot pie is one of my favorite meals to take. It’s one pot, has a ton of veggies in it, very filling and is easy to reheat or freeze. It’s also one of my most requested meals. I have a long line of people waiting for the recipe, which I really need to get on putting together.
I’ve been cooking LOTS of other things as well. Some of it’s on Instagram (follow me at the icon above!) like my cedar plank salmon (SO easy and SO good, need to get that recipe to y’all!), fall salad, pot stickers and egg rolls. The rest has been filling my freezer and others stomach, like a massive batch of these muffins, my favorite chocolate chip cookies (made with whole wheat flour and coconut sugar), Mexican spiced boneless skinless chicken thighs cooked in the crockpot then shredded (for things like burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, chicken tacos, or to throw in soup like chicken tortilla), shredded dry rubbed pork (in the crockpot, lots of uses), ribs, peach cobbler, homemade biscuits, and my favorite bolognese. Plus a few other things that I may have actually taken the time to photograph and will make their way here soon.
Hopefully some of my scrambling to prep for the crazy days ahead will inspire you in some way!