Homemade Challenge #21 - Knitted Dishcloths

 

I recently knitted up these dishcloths for a gift.

It is the Linoleum Dishcloth from Mason Dixon Knitting.

It's a great pattern.  The front has a great scrubby texture just crying out to shine up a sink.  I think some more of these might be hitting the needles soon.

Homemade Challenge #20- Toddler Wrap Dress

Every year I make a variation of this dress for Little Girl. A couple weeks ago I was browsing the red tag fabric at Joann's and found this pattern.  It just screamed Little Girl.  We brought it home and got to work. I use one of her dresses as a template for size, but I wing it on the rest of it.  Little Girl, as usual, is not impressed.      

Homemade Challenge #19 - Pickled Jalapenos

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I adore jalapenos, I crave jalapenos, but for some reason I never thought to pickle them myself. The other day I was thumbing through a recipe book, and there is was, the pickled jalapeno recipe. It is really good, too. It satisfies the craving perfectly. This is fantastic since most of the foods that have pickled jalapenos are not so good for you. I think my obsession began when I lived across the street from a 7-11 in college. Oh, those wonderful nachos drenched in cheese (at least they call it cheese) and jalapenos. Then you let them sit until the chips are soggy. Heaven. I have tried to move on to some more wholesome food choices, so having my own jar of jalapenos sitting in the fridge at all times really helps. This one is easy to make and so cheap. Please don't ever buy them in the jar again.

Pickled Jalapenos

1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

5-6 jalapenos

Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow to cool. De-stem and slice the jalapenos. If you want heat, leave in the ribs and seed. If you want no heat and just the taste of the pepper, remove all ribs and seeds. Place jalapenos in jar and pour cooled liquid over. This will store in the refrigerator for one to two weeks.

Be sure when making this recipe that your vinegar does not boil. It releases a slightly toxic cloud that will leave you coughing for a couple of hours. It is like a mild tear gas cloud right in your kitchen and you do not want to be tear gassed. Trust me, its no fun to be tear gassed, but that's a story for another day.

Homemade Challenge #18 - Swiffer Cover

Well, as in life there are winners and losers. This folks would be the first loser of the challenge.

I had long ago abandoned the swiffer when I stopped using commercial cleaners and most paper products. It had been shortened and given to the little ones to play with. Then I saw this great pattern for a reusable cover and got all excited about it again. I knitted away and ended up with a really cute cover that would work great if only it fit well. It’s a great concept, but it just is too big for my swiffer. I think I am going to unravel and try again with a smaller needle.

Hopefully, the next one will be perfect.

Stay tuned.

Homemade Challenge #17 - D-ring Belt

I had seen a look I loved at Ann Taylor Loft and could not get it out of my head for Easter.  After scouring the closet, I had a close enough dress and sweater to make me happy, but no belt.  After a round of searching at the thrift store, I moved on to retail and was disturbed that a purchased belt would cost more than my dress and sweater had combined.  What to do, what to do?  Once again Joann's saved the day.  Of course, they have belting, and in all kinds of colors, too.  Yippee.  A little belting and two d-rings later I have a belt for less than two dollars.  And, in the irony that is my life, I found the exact belt I loved, marked down to $4.88, in the store a day before Easter. 

I'll post a tutorial a little later.  It is so easy, it is ridiculous.

Homemade Challenge #16 - Easter Crayons

Broken crayons…check

Easter egg mold…check

Easter themed crayons for the baskets…done

A great, crafty project that cleans out bits and pieces and gives the kids something fun. You have to love that. I’ll post a tutorial as soon as possible. We had to take Little Girl to urgent care today because she was having trouble breathing. Yeah, we have pneumonia again. Hopefully, we can pull ourselves together for Easter.

Homemade Challenge #15 - Support Your Team Shirt

Little Girl loves her sports team, but Mama does not love the prices of their associated gear. With one three dollar shirt from the grocery store, some scrap fabric, and a little interfacing, Little Girl can support her team without breaking the bank. I am going to go back, though, and add some stitches around the shapes. Little Girl has taken to peeling them off, so some reinforcement is necessary. You have to love cheap, slightly unlicensed, team gear.

Go State!

Homemade Challenge #14 - An Irish Welcome

One green Easter sign from the dollar store flipped over

Hopefully, the Irish word for welcome*

Outlined in washable marker

Painted over with acrylic paint

$1.00 for a holiday decoration that just has to be flipped over to herald in the next holiday

Happy mama

 

 

 

*If this is really a profanity and not the word for welcome I apologize to all the Irish readers. Please note it would still be a very appropriate sign for my neighbors.

 

Handmade Challenge #13 - St. Patrick's Day Dishcloth

In the quest to knit Little Girl a summer top I bought the wrong yarn. I’m not sure how this always seems to happen. I walk into the store knowing exactly what I need and a half hour of screaming kids, threatening mama, too narrow aisles, and old ladies that won’t move out of the way I walk out with the wrong yarn. Luckily, Ravelry knows I am going to do such things and lets me search their patterns based on what yarn I have in my stash. So, through this handy search option I happened upon this St. Patrick’s Day dishcloth and thought I would give it a shot. It knits up so fast and is a fun addition to the holiday décor. The pattern is designed by a mama over at Kris Knits and she has many more free patterns. I warn you, though, they are addictive!

Handmade Challenge #12 - Shamrock Shake

These shakes have a long history in my family. Every babe has been treated to one long before they should be and an addiction is born. We’ve already partaken in a few from the fast food chain, but for financial and health reasons we have moved to the homemade kind for the rest of the green season. The recipe is easy and highly adaptable, so have fun and try not to dye your fingers and your kitchen green (not that I did that).

Shamrock Shake

2 cups vanilla ice cream or soy ice cream

1 ¼ cup milk, soy milk, or almond milk

¼ tsp mint extract

8 drops of green food dye*

*The mister pointed out that this is not necessary and just adds unnecessary dye into our diet. I stuck my tongue out at him.

Homemade Challenge #11 - Tailgating Scarf

Well, I finally did it.

I am now a  knitter.

A very, very elementary knitter,

but a knitter.

It's just a ribbed scarf, but I am pretty proud that it is sitting there completed and off the needles.  It was made from some scrap yarn that my Grandmother gifted me and is the perfect shade of green for tailgating in the fall.  It should also look nice on St. Patrick's Day, too. 

I think I might be getting a wee bit addicted.  Too many hours are being spent on Ravelry and it is a good thing I am still too sick to be running around or those Joann's coupons would have sent me running.  I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the box of yarn I saw at the thrift store will go half-price this week.

Homemade Challenge #10 - Little Girl Bubble Skirt

You're two; you have a big party to attend the next day, and nothing to wear.  What to do, what to do.  Well, nothing.  You're two.  You don't give a hoot, but your mama does. In fact, at 9:30 the night before the party your mama decides you need a brand to skirt for this shindig.  Mama breaks out her stash of material and ignores those familiar looks from The Mister.  Yes, I have a tendency to bite off more than I can chew at the last minute, but I got this one.  With a little help from this pattern I knocked that baby out in less than 30 minutes.  Hurrah!

Check out the neat ribbon detail on the bottom.  No hemming needed on this one.  I can't say enough good things about this pattern and it's free!  I think Little Girl will be wearing all skirts this summer.  Head on over to Oliver + S for some great patterns, including three free ones.

Homemade Challenge #9 - Monster Truck Shirt

Ah, the monster truck shirt. Boy, does this one have a story to go along with it.

The Story

A couple of weeks ago I took the little ones to the mall. We probably go there less than four times a year, so it was a slightly big deal. The lure of 80% of clearance was calling to me and I was hoping on stocking up the kids for next year. Into the store we go where everything was going well until Little Boy spotted a monster truck shirt and to him it was the monster truck shirt. I politely declined to purchase this shirt in all its full price glory and then all hell broke loose. My sweet little guy who has never had a tantrum, let alone in public, had a stage five meltdown in the middle of the store. There was crying, begging, pleading, hiding behind clothing racks. A salesgirl told me I was a good mom since I didn't hit him like most of the parents. Um, thanks, I think. I finally had to pick him up and carry him out of the store as he screamed, "you're hurting me," at the top of his lungs. Good times.

The Gift

With Valentines rolling around I knew a monster truck shirt would be well received. I started to work on machine embroidering ala Martha. I freehanded a rather cute truck onto the shirt and got to work. Then my abusive sewing machine put a huge hole in the middle of the shirt. Yes, maybe I put the wrong needle in, but couldn't he compensate for my shortcomings just this one time? So, now I had a shirt with a hole in it and no way to save the embroidery. What to do, what to do? Luckily, this lovely little blog showed up in my feed via another website and all was not lost. A little cutting, a little appliquéing, and the shirt is saved and a monster truck is on it. Whew!

Footnote: Little Boy professes to love the shirt, but will not wear it because he wants to "keep it nice." Oy vey.

Homemade Challenge #8 - Steggie the Dinosaur

I dislike giving gifts just for the sake of giving gifts.  It just ruins the whole experience for me, so I try to have good reasoning behind each gift that is given.  I do better on some gifts than others, but I try.  So, in that spirit may I introduce you to Steggie the Dinosaur.  You may recognize him from One-Yard Wonders or if you are Little Girl he is the ancient dinosaur from How Do I Love You?.  Little Girl and I read this book together before bed and she loves the dinosaurs in it.  I've known for awhile that a dinosaur would have to make an appearance at our house one of these days and what better excuse then Valentine's Day? 

A couple of weeks ago One-Yard Wonders made its way into my life via the library and I am loving it.  Not only does it have great bags, clothes, and home decor, it had a dinosaur pattern.  I did switch some things up a bit, though.  I can never leave things well enough alone.  In the book, the dinosaur is a pull toy, but we just wanted something to love on, so that was left off.  He is made of thrifted sweaters, instead of fabric.  Nothing better than a cashmere stuffed animal.  And, I left of the eyes, since I didn't really think he needed it.  I think Little Girl approved of all of it.  She has been growling at everyone with Steggie and he has moved into her bed at night, too.

Homemade Challenge #7 - Alphabet Softies

My sweet, little niece is turning one, so I was on a quest to make her something she would enjoy and her parents would not hate.  I was thinking something soft, small, and came in its own storage container.  I happened upon this wonderful tutorial and couldn't wait to get started.  Thank goodness for all the lovely, crafty mamas out there that are willing to share their knowledge! 

The tutorial is great and the only thing I deviated from was leaving out the magnets since it was going to a little one.  I stitched up a little drawstring bag to go along with the letters and called it a day.  Well, actually, I chased around the little ones who had stolen the letters while I was sewing the bag and then called it a day.  I hope Baby Dell likes them and she has a hundred more birthdays to come.

Homemade Challenge #6 - Orange Julius

The mall

The early eighties

My favorite beverage of choice?

Why the orange julius, of course.

Apparently, these have been around since the twenties, but they will always take me back to jelly shoes and bangs. If you try to get one at the mall nowadays it just isn't the same. I don't know if the recipe changed, the atmosphere is different, or I'm not four years old anymore, but it's not the same.

During our last bout of illness I got a serious craving and found a recipe to whip some up. This recipe comes pretty darn close while being very simple. The only variable seems to be the orange juice you use. Fresh squeezed will give you the best results. If you are using store bought you might have to play with the water-orange juice ratio to ensure it's orangey enough.

Orange Julius

6 oz Orange Juice

6 oz Water

3 oz Simple Syrup

8 oz Crushed Ice

1 tsp Powdered Milk

Mix in a blender and enjoy while reminiscing about bangs

Homemade Challenge #5 - Birthday Banner

 Well, the banner did get finished in time for the birthdays; it just didn't come out as planned. This was originally going to be a double layer of felt with the letters cut out of the top; hand embroidered, and hung on rick-rack.

Here's the process:

Get rick-rack, ugh, no rick-rack.

Knit three yards of i-cord since there are no other alternatives in the house.

First child gets sick. Scrap double layer and settle on felt flag with felt cutouts hand embroidered on.

Second child gets sick and easy access to fabric glue equals no hand embroidery.

Begin hand stitching flags to cords. Mama gets sick. Cut the two flags that have been stitched, off and glue the whole lot of them to the cord.

Birthday Boy happy to have a Mama made banner. Original design forgotten.

 

Homemade Challenge #4 - Homemade Pudding

With all the illness it our home and no one really eating much, cake was just a bit much for the birthdays. After a quick perusing through the More-With-Less cookbook it was decided that "birthday" pudding would do. Honestly, until recently, the thought of making pudding without a little box of ingredients would never have crossed my mind. Now I am a little embarrassed having found how easy it is to make pudding from scratch. With a couple of ingredients we had some great pudding in minutes. I did end up adding a couple pieces of chocolate to punch it up a bit, but otherwise else stuck to the quick pudding recipe. I also learned that after a lifetime of only eating cold pudding, that had set up in the refrigerator, hot pudding makes me gag. Just a little forewarning.

Homemade Challenge #3 - Plastic Bag Holder

It amazes me how many plastic bags I can accumulate. I switched to reusable bags a couple of years ago, but I still have plastic bags spilling out of my pantry every time I open the door. In an attempt to corral them I stitched up a little holder to stuff them in until they are used. I used a Martha Stewart Pattern, but substituted my Ikea remnant for the dishtowel. And, yes I love this fabric and have been using it for everything. The holder took about 15 minutes to stitch up and made my pantry look so much more organized. I love when a simple little thing like this can make a huge organizational difference. It's even better when you have all the supplies already and your project is free.

Handmade Challenge #2 - Bread From My Oven

I have always been so intimidated by homemade bread. It seemed like something only those with advanced degrees in homemaking could do. But, alas, the less spending and less processed food resolutions necessitating tackling this one. And, what have I learned from this little adventure? It is pretty easy, I really lucked out that the family liked the first recipe I tried, and pioneer women must have had killer arms.

I used the Honey Whole Wheat Bread recipe from the More-With-Less cookbook. Side note, this is a great cookbook that no kitchen should be without. It was easy to put together and baked up beautiful. I loved the meditative process of kneading the dough and the heavenly aroma that filled the house while it was baking. One loaf went in the freezer and one was devoured by the family. Both little ones are in the mist of growth spurts, so it’s like having two little vikings plundering all the homemade goodies here. So, I am going to keep on baking and trying to keep those little bellies full.