greeting card beads

Using the idea for book beads from smallestforest.net I made some beads from old greeting cards.

my used greeting cards

shapes for the beads cut using a mini sizzix die-cutter

shapes folded, ready to be glued

the finished bead

a bead made with a slightly different shape die-cut

watercolor value study

original sketch

 A little value study for a watercolor painting.  It is based upon a photo I took of a tree in Savanah, GA.  In the past I've avoided working from photos.  It is, however, far more convenient to work from a photo rather than from life.  My goal is to learn how to use them without merely reproducing the photo as is.
Next I have to determine my color palette.  I'm thinking I will go with a very green, spring-like color scheme.

converted to sepia tones

the photo I'm working with

wire crochet pendants

 A couple of pendants made by crocheting wire around some old metal eyelet curtain rings.


Supplies: wire curtain ring (5/8" inside dia), 24 gauge colored metal wire, E crochet hook and metal knitting needle (about a US size 5)

To make these I slip stitched into the ring about 14 times, joined to beginning and opened up the loops with an old metal knitting needle.  Next round I *slipped stitched into first loop, chained 3 and slipped stitched into next loop* around  and fastened off to start.

ladybug wreath

 Saw some cute and super easy to make paper ladybugs on Pinterest (original source here).  For mine I used 4" square sheets of cardstock & sharpies to draw in the details.  They of course needed a place to hang out.  I decided a wreath would work well.   It is a 14" floral foam wreath base wrapped with ribbon yarn.  Not sure if I care for the color of the yarn, it was given to me a few years ago and this is the best use for it I've been able to come up with.  The yarn and ladybugs are secured in place with sewing pins which will make it easy enough to change if I decide I can't stand the yarn.

self-striping ribbed socks

A simple pair of socks in self striping yarn (Sockotta Sock Yarn Jacquard Effect).  I'll probably make these as footies.   There should be enough yarn to make 2 pairs.

Gluten-Free Crackers

Continuing with my gluten-free experiments, today I made some gluten free crackers based on "Andrea's Gluten-Free Crackers" recipe on the Valley Natural Foods site.  The only change I made was I didn't use 1/2 cup sesame seeds (mainly because I didn't have that much).  I think they would be better with more sesame seeds as is in the recipe - next time I'll make sure I have enough before I make these.  Even without the sesame seeds they were still pretty good.

my single happy elephant

pattern pieces & supplies

For today's project I made an elephant following the "happy elephant family" sewing pattern on craftpassion.com .  I think this elephant is going to remain single, at least for the time being.  The pattern was easy enough to follow.  My fabric choices may not have been the best, he is cute but not obviously an elephant.  I did embroider a face on my elephant but it is not very visible because the fabric's pattern is so busy.

fabric pieces cut out & ready to be sewn

unstuffed

finished

gluten & dairy free mini banana breads

I've been making dairy free banana bread for awhile (I'm extremely lactose intolerant).  Thought I would try making it gluten free as well.  They turned out pretty well - maybe a little grainy.  Next time I might try reducing the brown rice flour to 1/4 cup and increasing the all-purpose gluten free flour to 1 1/2 cups.  Here is the recipe as I made it tonight:

gluten & dairy free mini banana breads



1 cup gluten free all-purpose baking flour (Red Mill)
1 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp guar gum
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
1/3 cup almond milk (or soy milk)
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp cardamom
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.  In a separate medium bowl blend all wet ingredients.  In a large bowl add dry ingredients alternately with liquids, beginning and ending with a dry (this helps to make the bread less “heavy”).  Spray mini 12-loaf pan with cooking spray and spoon batter into pans with an ice cream scoop.  Bake 17 minutes or until golden brown and pick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean. Do not over bake! Alternately use one 9” x 5” loaf pan and bake 50-60 min.

sketch

Sketched outside today.   It was just too beautiful out (upper 70's and sunny) to not get out and take advantage of the perfect weather.

beaded crochet necklace

 A simple crochet & bead necklace.
Supplies: crochet thread (I used "5" weight crochet cotton), 3 beads, 2 jump rings, 1 spring closure ring and a size 1(B) crochet hook.
To make:  String 3 beads onto crochet thread.  Start crochet chain by pulling the first loop through a jump ring and then continue the chain for 8".  Slide 1 bead snug up to the chain and form next loop around it.  Chain 8 more loops, slide and crochet around next bead, chain 8 more and slide last bead up and crochet around it.  Continue chain for 8" and pull last loop through a jump ring.  Fasten off and weave ends in.  Attach spring closure.

close-up of polymer beads

a glass beaded version

close-up of glass beads

knitting machine continued

 The scarf project was downgraded into a cowl project.  I finished the machine knitting portion today but I still have some finishing work to do on it.
The red portion is just "waste" and will be removed after I pick up the stitches along the edge of the cowl.  So far I have 1 edge finished, with the second edge to go and the seam to sew.

picking up the cowl's edge stitches

after the red waste yarn has been removed and 3 rows of crochet worked

knitting machine

 About 8 years ago I bought myself a knitting machine on ebay.  It is a Brother KH 930.  Every couple a years I get it out and spend a few hours or so relearning how to use it.  In the past I then looked at it for a few weeks before packing it back up and putting it away.  Hopefully this time will be different. I spent this afternoon relearning how to use it and plan on making a scarf with it tomorrow.

mini birthday doughnuts (baked)

 Today is my husband's birthday.  Yesterday I bought a mini doughnut pan from Marshall's. This morning he got mini birthday doughnuts.  Well, sort of doughnuts - I overfilled the pan a bit.  Turned upside down they looked more like doughnuts.  I modified a recipe I found at allrecipes.com, my modified recipe is below.  They were definitely fluffy, a bit too fluffy so I modified it some more.   The new (and improved) modified recipe is under the first one.  They didn't look much different (I still filled them too much - I think next time I'll aim for 1/2 full and maybe I'll get it right) but they did have a nicer, denser, texture.

Modified fluffy cake doughnut recipe (makes 12 mini-doughnuts)
Ingredients
1 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup  and 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons almond milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a doughnut pan.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. In a medium bowl mix milk, egg, vanilla and oil. Add milk mix to flour mix and beat together until well blended.
Fill each doughnut cup approximately 3/4 full. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until doughnuts spring back when touched. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.
To make glaze, blend confectioners' sugar, hot water and almond extract in a small bowl. Dip doughnuts in the glaze when serving.



New and Improved Modified fluffy cake doughnut recipe (makes 12 mini-doughnuts plus 1 to 2 larger ones, I used mini bundt pans to make the larger ones)

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup  and 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup almond milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons canola oil

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a doughnut pan.
In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. In a medium bowl mix milk, egg, vanilla and oil. Add milk mix to flour mix and beat together until well blended.
Fill each doughnut cup approximately 3/4 full. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until doughnuts spring back when touched. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.
To make glaze, blend confectioners' sugar, hot water and almond extract in a small bowl. Dip doughnuts in the glaze when serving.

Tissue pack covers

Today I made some tissue-pack covers.  They are another yet another little project that I had been meaning to make for awhile now.   Even though I figured they would be quick & easy, I just never quite got around to it.  Thanks to this blog I finally got around to it.  They were even quicker & easier than I thought they would be.  I followed instructions I found at bhg.com (tissue-pack cover instructions).  

my supplies

cut pieces folded & ironed

pinned & ready to be sewn

the finished covers