Friday Favorites

• Salt ‘n Peppa salt and pepper shakers @ etsy, via JustJenn.
• It’s Sewing For The Home month @ Sew Mama Sew.
• Check out this amazing Totoro nursery @ Craft. My son would LOVE this.
• Sweet pillowcases dresses for young girls @ The Crafty Crow.
• Name Wendy’s latest sweater pattern @ Knit and Tonic.

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Friday Favorites

I’m seeing these sweet bandanna pants all over the internet! You can get instructions from Martha Stewart, Sew Mama Sew, or Make Something Now. (Or do as I plan to do and read all the instructions, then wing it.)

With my new (well, renewed) interest in growing my own food, I am looking for gardening inspiration pretty much constantly. My friend Mike’s blog is a great source! In fact, he inspired me to grow tomatoes in the first place. Check out his latest post for loads of great photos.

More gardening: Check out this tin can wall garden! What a way to use available space.

If you sew, you may be familiar with the back-ache that often accompanies it. This wonderful article on sewing room ergonomics may help! Oh, how I wish I had the space to set up a sewing room.

Over at kaboodle I found these great solar-powered paper lanterns.  I love them!

Summer colds abound. Instead of roughing up your nose and filling your trash with Kleenex, why not whip up some of Stefani’s flour sack hankies?

Tuesday Links

Tiffany at Natural Family Living reviews my favorite sewing book, Bend-the-Rules Sewing (which I gushed about a little bit here).

Cheryl experiments with making her own soy milk, and shares tips. Yum!

Sappmama at Purly Victorious shares a tip on preserving sewing patterns, and a new favorite tool as well.

Amanda of Soulemama shares a sweet little sewing project for organizing her thank yous, with a lovely quote on gratitude. I am terrible about thank you notes, so this one is especially inspiring for me!

Art and Craft

Now that I’m not sticking to a specific topic each day, I’m able to have more than 5 topics. An unexpected benefit! Since one of my loves is artsy/crafty things (though I don’t get to them as much as I’d like with my current schedule), I thought I’d share some stuff I’m dying to try in that area today.

I adore this free infant dress pattern by Rae. It looks so surprisingly substantial and professionally done. Of course it might not look that way if I made it, but we can hope.

 

 

 

 

Christy has the cutest tutorial on these little paper flowers that you can make with your kids. They’re made out of little Dixie cups, it looks like. So sweet!

 

 

 

 

Jessica Gonacha has put together a wonderful tutorial on how to make your own herbal facial astringent. It’s a bit time-consuming (you have to wait 10 days for the herbs to infuse into the liquid) but these would make such cute gifts.

 

 

 

Adorable reversible children’s apron with fabric crayon embellishment tutorial from Yetta of LangLangCreations. I love how the apron tie is all one piece.

 

 

 

 

So it’s not just me. Silhouettes/cameos really ARE everywhere right now. Here’s a tutorial on how to make your very own silhouette plaque from Danielle of Thompson Family.

 

 

 

 

Fun stuff! Maybe I’ll be inspired to get some crafty things done, since things have slowed down a bit around here.

Friday Favorites

I finally have a little time to get back to my beloved good-stuff-hunting today. Whew! This week has been an absolute whirlwind! Must sleep this weekend. Here are a few of my favorite things this week:

• Garbage Pickers by Amanda at Every Little Thing. Amanda finds some of the cutest stuff on her thrifting expeditions. It’s inspiring me to do a little hunting myself…should I get a moment to myself!
• Inspiration ezine: Issue 3 by Erin at Design for Mankind. I’m a bit late posting this, but I had to nonetheless. I love Erin’s ezine, and I can’t believe she’s published the third one already. This is an incredible ode to all things inspiring.
• Recycled Catalog Notebooks by Marichelle at Heart Handmade. I’ve really been enjoy Marichelle’s spotlights on terrific etsy sellers, and now she does DIY projects, too? Good stuff. I love the idea of using gorgeous catalog pages for little idea books.
• Fun DIY Project by Jennifer at Welcome Home. I love Jen’s sense of style and her knack for finding good stuff, like Martha’s make-your-own-chalkboard-paint tutorial. And don’t you just love that little bird?
• Paper Teaser by Susan at heysusy. Okay kill me, but honestly, a lot of designs I see all over the place are just that…all over the place. There are pros and cons to “design for the masses.” Susan’s original designs are trendy without being same old, same old. I so look forward to seeing the final products. And her paper is “really” eco-friendly to boot!
• Fashion Friday: Frocks! by Victoria at sfgirlbybay. These dresses are absolutely scrumptious! There is not one that I do not adore! Now could somebody please come up with sources for similar items? Please???
• Oh Money, My Story by Marisa at Creative Thursday. Marisa shares her very inspirational story in a podcast about how she dealt with money when she first started her venture into become a self-supporting artist.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Food, glorious food: Cow-free, kid-friendly edition

When I rounded up my most delicious-sounding food finds last week, Victoria left a comment mentioning that her son has a milk protein allergy and was wondering what kinds of things to fix for him. So today I’ve made it my mission to find yummy, kid-friendly recipes that include absolutely no cow-derived products.

Famous Chocolate Muffins

Cheeseburger Macaroni

Chicken Parmesan

Baked Oatmeal

Pizza Dough

French Toast

Pasta Fagioli

Macaroni and Cheese

Vegan Stuffed Shells

Apple and Caramel Bread Pudding

Carrot Cake

I’ve made myself a strict 11pm bedtime, so I’m off the computer for now ((Yes, I wrote this yesterday)). I hoped to get more recipes posted for you, but you know…I have to set limits for myself if I’m going to have balance in my life. That’s my number one goal right now. Feel free to post your favorite milk-protein-free recipes and links below. 🙂

Everyday Design

I think spring fever is hitting all of us. We want our houses to reflect our lightened moods and the extended daylight we now have. I hope the following finds will inspire you to make some design changes for the better.

For when you need a better place to do your work…
Home Office e-Consult from Holly Becker and Vanessa De Vargas at decor8. Holly and Vanessa have put together an amazing plan for re-thinking Heather’s home office. I can’t believe how much information they were able to give her just by looking at photographs! I wonder if you can pay for this type of online consultation…it could be a more economical way to receive personalized design help. Will have to do more research.

For when you want to update a room for a more current look…
Anthropologie’s Open House [via decor8]. Though I doubt their stuff falls in the category of “everyday design,” clicking around in Anthropologie’s stylized rooms offers loads and loads of inspiration.

For when you hate, hate, HATE your dining area and instead of moping, you want to fix it up…
Dining room round-up by Victoria at sfgirlbybay. I love the painted floors in photo number one. We have ugly old hardwood floors (yes, they really are not cute, unbelievably!) and I have always dreamed of having the guts to paint them. Sort of like I dream of having the guts to paint my kitchen cabinets. I guess I’m what you would call a design wimp.

For when you need a little MORE dining room inspiration…
Four New Dining Room Ideas from Nicole Balch at Making It Lovely. I love the first collection, but John would never go for that much pink.

For when you want to bring the most light possible into a room…
White Floors by Zee at Homebug [via Design*Sponge]. Another example of painted wood floors. I think someone’s trying to tell me something!

For when you want to update that hand-me-down dresser…
Give Old Shabby, Furniture a Fresh, Modern Facelift by Chris [via Design*Sponge]. I COMPLETELY LOVE all of the fun things you can do with gift wrap…what a cool way to transform your furniture. With all of the gorgeous wrapping paper out there, it seems a shame to waste it by tearing it to bits to get at a present. This is a much better option.

In the Garden

I have just recently discovered the wonderful world that is gardening blogs. These bloggers are amazing. They are inspiring me to do things I never thought possible. John’s bringing home the tiller from work this week, and we are going to get to tearing up the lawn in favor of our annual veggie garden.

I really like vegetables, I really do. The tomatoes are especially a favorite, and we’ve really gotten into okra as well. Peppers never seem to do very well in our yard. Neither do strawberries. Squash and zucchini work for ANYONE ANYWHERE. Maybe they work a bit too well, in fact. I’ve never gotten a watermelon to grow ever. Green beans are pretty, and so are carrots. Broccoli is a supreme waste of time.

So there is everything I could ever think to say about gardening, at least for this week. But these gardening bloggers, man, I’ve got to hand it to them. They do their jobs very well. So instead of just telling you, let me show you:

For when you dream of gardening, but there is nary a yard to be found (or when you hate to weed but love to water)…
Container Plantings: Variety Soil and Care from Heirloom Gardener. If you’re thinking about container gardening, you absolutely must read this post FIRST.

For when you want a dose of color in your life…
Check out these gorgeous blooms in Pam’s “cottage garden” in Austin, Texas. Oh, spring! I’m so glad you’re here!

For when you’re in the mood for a little English gardening history…
Rule Britannia from Garden Rant. I now feel just a wee bit smarter.

For when you want to feel like royalty…
A Garden Frozen in Time from Bliss. The views here are absolutely breathtaking.

For when you want to be certain your gardening manners are up to par…
The Privilege of Visiting a Gardener’s Garden from May Dreams Gardens. I had no idea there were RULES about these things. Now I do. Thank you, Carol, for saving me from a lifetime of disrespectful garden-visiting!

For when you’re quite certain that it will not be warm enough to plant anytime soon…
What Is a Cold Climate? from Cold Climate Gardening. Don’t be disheartened if you live in a northern area and there’s still snow out! There’s still plenty you can do in the garden, if you’re so inclined. And when you’re done figuring out whether your climate is “cold” (though I imagine you probably already know!), Kathy’s blog is an incredible resource.

For when you’re feeling ambitious and want to start veggies from seed…
How to Grow Healthy Seedlings Under Lights from Garden Desk. All you need to know.

That’s it for today, folks! Hope you’re enjoying the new posting schedule. I really, really am. 🙂

Food, glorious food

Oh I’ve missed doing menu plans. But ever since we opened the web design studio, things have been…different around here. I always thought that John helped with stuff, but I didn’t realize how much I had taken upon myself without even noticing. Then when I didn’t have that time available anymore, boy. I noticed. He noticed. Anyone within a five block radius probably noticed. Things were crazy.

But we’ve come up with some new rules. One is that the whole family cleans together every night for 20 minutes. I mentioned that a few posts ago. Another is that we cook together. We fold a little bit of laundry (together). When John gets home from work, the computers go off until the kids go to bed.

Surprisingly, I didn’t come up with these rules. Okay, I came up with the first one. And the second one. But he came up with the last two. I love that everyone in our house realizes that they’re part of a community, and in a community, everyone has a part to play. It is not one person’s job to do everything for everyone else (well, maybe it is in some houses, but not in ours). We’re a young family, still learning the ropes, but I think we’re on the right track.

Okay, so what does this have to do with food? I’m supposed to be writing about food. Oh yes. We don’t have menu plans anymore. We don’t cut coupons anymore. We’re spending a little more for the convenience of going to the grocery store that’s right around the corner.

We’re also planning things based on how the day is going. Sometimes we order out, sometimes we all make a field trip to the grocery store and have fun picking out the things we’re going to make for dinner. I admit it’s not that most frugal way, but it’s made our family life more enjoyable and more doable. I’d imagine you sometimes “plan” that way too.

Here are a few things that look yummy to me this week:

For when you’re feeling like a light, vegetarian meal ((could be modified for vegans))…
Baked pasta casserole at 101 Cookbooks. My husband wouldn’t stand for this as a main dish (no meat), but I think I’ll have a go at it sometime when he’s at school. I just love the idea of a light pasta casserole. I didn’t even know it was possible. Another thing I love? I think I have all of the ingredients already.

Because it’s not quite spring yet, and there’s still time for comfort food…
Indian-Style Tomato Soup with Lentils from delicous:days. Since it’s been chilly the last few days, I really am craving some soup. A spicy tomato soup seems like it would fit the bill rather perfectly. And it takes less than half an hour!

For when you need a healthy snack break…
Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus from Happy Foody. I never knew you could make hummus without beans, but apparently you can! I love the idea of a different twist on traditional hummus. It sounds like a dish that would just make me feel good inside and out.

For when you’re feeling like you need more greens in your diet…
How to Make a Green Smoothie from Happy Foody. They swear these are delicious. I know several people personally who have gotten on board with these smoothies. I have not tried one yet, but if I ever get a blender that powerful, I absolutely will.

For when you have a dinner party to go to and you’re asked to bring dessert…
Orange Yogurt Bread from Pinch My Salt. I have a thing about dessert breads. I love how soft and melty they are. I can eat about five slices in a row and not feel sick until much, much later.

For when you want to pamper yourself in the morning…
Poppyseed pancakes from 101 Cookbooks. I love lazy mornings (though I don’t seem to have many of them, since I’m a night owl and generally wake up cranky). I think I’ll plan one this week, even if this ends up being our lunch instead of breakfast. I love poppy seeds and sunflower seeds. And it will give me a chance to try that agave nectar that everyone’s talking about.

For when you have a whole lot of chicken to use up…
Chicken and Mushroom Marsala from Smitten Kitchen. Though I don’t usually buy chicken breasts with the skin still attached, perhaps I will…or perhaps this can be modified into a skinless version. At any rate, chicken marsala is one of my favorite dishes, so it would be blissful to be able to make it at home.

For when you need a side dish that doesn’t require much hands-on time…
Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges from Smitten Kitchen. I love the idea of the spicy/sweet combination in these potato wedges. And I like that you just toss them in the spices and oil and roast. Very simple.

For when you’ve been a very, very good girl…
Hazelnut Raspberry Cake from Baking and Books. It is impossible not to love this cake simply because it is so girly and pink. I imagine its decadence has the power to transform your day in a matter of seconds.

Friday Favorites

Oh yes, the Friday Favorites. Silly me, I’d forgotten all about them! Well, not really. You see, I’ve been developing a different system for collecting all of my favorite stuff because I’m now using a browser that does not support StumbleUpon. Bother. But I do have to admit…I’m not wasting half as much time now! So here we go…the week’s best according to moi.

• Alltop – Are you getting tired about hearing of this awesome site yet? Because I’m not. Guy Kawa…ummm…Kawasaki (not that hard Sarah…geez) is a genius. And he’s also guest-editing over at sk*rt (another site that is tres fabulique ((Yes, just made up that term. Remember, you heard it here first, folks.))), which makes him permanently cool for being the first guy to do that. Go Guy.
• Polyvore – I haven’t figured out the name of this site yet. Is it for people who eat polyester? Hmm. Anyway, this site is a very cool social network for fashion geeks. It kind of smells like flickr. You can put together entire ensembles snipped from different online stores and, get this, you can actually order by clicking on any of the items in your clothing montage. Or so I’ve heard. I have to admit I haven’t actually tried it, but I have been admiring other people’s creations all over the place.
• Piper and Paisley – Stop my heart, these hats are CUTE. Cute cute cute. I want ten, please. One for each day of the week, and then a few for emergencies.
• Bucket Boffing – I can see this being the perfect party game (For kids, of course. I’m much too sophisticated.) It reminds me of the old American Gladiator shows for some reason. Two people stand on buckets opposite each other while holding big pool noodles (what else do you call those things?). They proceed in batting each other over the head and around the legs and wherever else. The last one standing wins.
• Pingg – I guess this is the week of the Web 2.0 applications. Here is one that I’m pretty excited about because of how annoying Evite insists on being. Instead of flashy ugliness, pingg offers stylish modern-inity ((I’m having so much fun making up words today!)). I haven’t actually sent any invitations with it yet, so let me know what you think. [via How About Orange]
• Lines & Shapes – Next completed website launch, I am going to get a subscription to this wonderful indie publication. It is collaborative artistic beauty. Worth every penny, I have no doubt.
• See Kai Run – The most adorable baby shoes in the entire world. [via Design Mom]
• Sausage and Capsicum Linguine – I’ve already forgotten what capsicum is, but this looks so yummy. No thanks to Jen for making me crave even more pasta.

That’s it for the week, everyone. Enjoy a lovely, lingering weekend!