We’re moving!
Yeah, we’re moving! My family and I are moving to eastern Tennessee, in the general Knoxville area, just outside of the smoky mountains! We’re making the final move during the Christmas school break, so that we can get ourselves settled in and ready for school to start in January. I have changed my email address, so if anyone needs to email me, just click the “email me” link and it will send it to the correct address. We’re looking forward to living amongst the hills and trees….and that green stuff we don’t see down here in Florida….GRASS!!! There might be a bit of complaining as we get used to the colder temperatures again, but we’re from Michigan – born and bred….well all but 2 of us born there anyway…..so we ought to adjust quickly. Another bonus! No sandspurs! If anyone is familiar with sandspurs, you know just what I’m talking about! They are little burrs with nasty TEETH and they bite! Ugh, I hate those little things. Anyway, I’m not sure what my schedule will be for sewing/crocheting, but I will try to get myself some time set aside for that if school permits. Either way, I look forward to our new residence *not* in the hot, sticky, humid, flat state of Florida! (for those FL lovers, sorry, not intending to offend, I just like a different scenery!)
Haven’t posted in a while! Quick update!
I know there are some that still check this sad lil’ ole blog of mine, so this is for you. I’m nearly done with my semester! I am mentally hanging on by a string, hoping I can get my classes finished with the grades I set out to get. Hopefully it will happen – only one more week! Then I have a bit of a break, and on to summer semester! Luckily that is only one class – so a breather even though the pace will be faster. Hopefully, though, I will be able to get some sewing done and be more productive in that respect. I have one gal patiently waiting until my head isn’t buried in a book so that I can get her shorties done in time for summer (you’re a doll Francesca!). I tell ya, as a very very part time WAHM, it’s so incredibly nice to have understanding customers who realize we still have lives on top of our WAHMing (whether WAHMing is our career or our hobby). Ok, well, enough break for me – back to finish up a Powerpoint assignment, fun fun!
Yay!!! We have a reprieve!
Just saw this press release on one of my boards I am on (The Merchant Ship congo member board) – I don’t visit many other boards right now due to my school schedule (too swamped) – but I like to keep up with the gals I work with and was so happy to see this from the CPSC! A one year stay on the laws until the CPSC can make head or tails of how this will affect small business, etc.
I’m so crafty! Bread!
Why are you posting about BREAD, you may be asking? Well, I believe that cooking and baking can be an artform all by itself. To create the perfect loaf of bread, or the moistest cake, can take a lot of trial and error and perseverance. I am on a mission to save my family some money. Funds are tight for everyone across the nation, my family is no exception. My husband is out of work awaiting a Workers Compensation claim finalization (fingers crossed and praying for re-training!!!), and I am going to school almost full time (3/4 is enough for me with 8 kids to boot), so money HAS to stretch right now. Sob sob, right? Another sad story, blah blah blah. Well while I might be a half-empty type of person some of the time, the majority of the time I try to view the world through my rose-colored glasses and see a positive spin to whatever trial lay before me. What does that mean? It means I get to have fun baking!!! I have been trying and trying to make the *perfect* bread for us at home. I think it would be cheaper and healthier all around, if I can finally master this. Have you ever really read the ingredients in a store bought loaf of bread? There’s all kinds of additives (i.e. crap), and I have yet to find a loaf that does not contain high fructose corn syrup – which we are attempting to reduce in our diet due to my son’s ADHD (and it has helped!) and to improve our health overall. I have tried several different bread recipes, and while they each have their own positive characteristics, I am still looking. I want that perfect loaf, with a soft tender crust and a nice soft, yet solid center, that can hold a hefty piece of ham (or turkey, yum!) in a nice sandwich. The half-loaf pictured below is made using the Artisinal bread (Click here for article). I used a very large bread tin, and as you can see the bread is pretty big! I put the 18 oz. jar of peanut butter next to it to show how big it is!! The inside of this bread is very yummy and soft. The crust is quite crunchy but still tastes good. My six year old daughter, Rachel, actually asked to take a slice slathered in butter, to school for her mid-day snack! Can’t say that I blame her!!
Homemade bread!!
Another thing I have tried is baking pita bread! I have some gyro meat in my freezer I am dying to use/eat, and don’t want to have to buy pita bread….which really wouldn’t be hard to find given the area I live in – Pasco County, FL has a very high Greek population. Ever been to Tarpon Springs?? Oh they have some incredible Greek food there! YUM. Anyway, back to my topic! Here is my attempt at baking my own pita bread. Please overlook my oven that requires a good scrubbing. Just one of those things that fall through the cracks of my life, kwim?
Pita bread balls on their second rise
Pita baking in the oven
Pita bread!
Now available! Snowflake ensemble!!
This is soooo stinking cute! Check out this adorable ensemble now available at auction at Bella Tesori
Some recently created woolies!
First up are some things I made for some collabs that will be featured at Bella Tesori shortly (link to the right!!) – large recycled wool footed longies and medium smallish wool crepe (oops!) JERSEY :
Crochet YYMH woolies for a Diva:
these are just before I was done – so no waist strings yet in the pics – the stitch I used for the shorties took up a lot more yarn than I anticipated so had to use more of the trim color than originally expected. 
Next up are some action shots of Eden in her wool trimsie cover bound with foe, I love this cover! FOE and I are just slowly becoming friends. I had to go over some areas as my original stitch down didn’t work as I had hoped so you’ll see some spots of thread on the black.
Whew! One CPSIA hurdle covered!
As a mom of 8 children, I have to say I am greatly greatly greatly relieved that the CPSC has allowed resellers, resale and consignment a little bit of wiggle room on selling. While the law states that they can sell used children’s items without certifying that they are lead free, they are still not allowed to sell items that have lead in them – i.e. they still must follow the law in not selling children’s items with lead. Seems a tad oxymoron-ish to me, but wiggle room is wiggle room, so I guess we can live with it! My pocket book thanks you, CPSC! Now I won’t have to forego paying my light bill to clothe my children! Or better yet, we can have groceries in the cupboards!
Dyed interlock wool!
I’d like to say this is my first attempt, but it’s not. It’s my first *successful* attempt though! The other attempt I am going to try to overdye it. I have it saved for one of my children who needs night time pants for those “oops” moments that unfortunately still occur.
Anywho, this is for a mama that was willing to put up with my novice dyeing skills, so I’m hoping she’ll be pleased with it. I have to sew them up today and get them ready for her. I personally love the color, it’s very vibrant. No, there aren’t splotchy portions that I have seen, the metal strainer is actually reflecting on the wool.
Dyed wool interlock
Join our grassroots effort to save home based businesses!!
One of my fellow WAHM’s on a forum I am a member, has begun this group with hopes we will get many members and supporters to make sure our cause is brought to the attention of the lawmakers. Please join us is making sure the lawmakers of the land are made aware of our situation and the importance of our businesses!!
