The joy of giving, for the kitchen.

 Christmas came and Christmas went. 

Hallelujah the Son of God is born!

This is a place to post things that I make, I feel a little weird posting the Christmas gifts that I made because I made them for the people and not to post. But yet I made them so here you go.  

This is a 5 bean soup mix that I made. I used this recipe from Back To Her Roots. According to my sister who has already made a batch, the spice packet was absolutely delicious! It sure smelled good when I was mixing it up so I knew it was going to be yummy. (By the way, I love making bean soups which is why I gifted them.)

These are microwave bowl pot holders. I don't have the original post that I got the pattern from. My mom posted it on Facebook a while before Christmas (and yes I have searched Facebook). She not-so-subtlety hinted that she would like a couple for Christmas. I was okay with that. I like easy Christmas gifts. (My sisters and I also gave her and my dad tickets to the Phantom of the Opera and they had a blast!)

These I made on my own. I probably should have made a tutorial for them. Ah well, I need a few more so when I make them next I will take pictures and write up a tutorial. They are waterproof, (using leftover PUL from James's diapers) reusable, zippy bags. I gave a few for Christmas because I love them. Great snacks like apples, celery, and carrots.

I may have kept some of these for myself too, both the bowl cozies and the zippy bags. Right now the zippy bags are my favorite. Great for packing Mr. Sir's lunches for work!

Live and Love

Owl quilt and funky moster doll.

One day a few weeks ago, I got the urge to create. I didn't know what I wanted to make but just started cutting and sewing. I came up with this funky monster doll. Stuffed with some poly-fil and has fake pearl button eyes. I thought she was a cute little monster.

This owl panel I found on a sale table at a fabric store over a year ago. I knew that I wanted to do this with it. Just hadn't finished it yet. It is just a cute panel that I quilted with my machine. I love it and gave it and the monster to Bug (my 5 year old niece) for Christmas.

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Twin Twin Gifts Gifts

I have two of the most adorable twin nephews ever.

We will call them Tim and Tom for the sake of Green Socks with Polka dots.

Two adorable nephews need semi-matching pajamas, right? Earlier this year I made them each 3 pair of pajama pants that I hoped that they could grow into. Well, the way those two wear (other fitting words might be 'play in', 'destroy', and 'grow into') their pajamas they needed to have another pair each 'on dock' to move into. So here are the finished products.

 Two playful boys also need playful pillowcases. Tim is in love with Mickey, and Tom likes robots. So this Auntie had fun playing around with pillowcase ideas and came up with these.










The mickey was a panel on a little pillow that I reused. Also, the robot I just made using leftover fabric from the pajamas that I made earlier this year and some wonder-under, zig zagging on the edges so they stay down.

I might add that the inventor of wonder-under is a genius.

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Meal Plan week 2

This will be a short, to the point, post. My day is kinda all shambly, and I don't like it. So I will post my meal plan, drink my tea, and stare at this screen called the television where I can just zone out.

Monday: Leftover yellow lentil soup from last week
Tuesday: Black bean taco's with green peas on homeade flat bread
Wednesday: Hamburger and Rice casserole
Thursday: Tomato Soup and cheesy biscuits
Friday: Mac'n cheese with tuna
Saturday: Leftovers, or fend for yourself night
Sunday: Mr. Sir cooks up something tasty

This week I bought 18.89 dollars worth of food, herbs and spices at the Natural Food Coop. We eat a lot of oatmeal. The corn meal happened to be on sale. I was out of a few spices. The herbs make yummy tea's which we drink instead of soda.

Oatmeal: 4.36 lb = 6.93
Corn Meal: 1.35lb = 1.07

Herbs/Spices
Caraway seed .12 lb =2.04...... for rye bread
Cinnamon .26lb=2.60
Fennel seed .06lb=.96..... for the homemade Mothers Milk Tea
Lemon balm .02lb=.43.... new tea flavor
Lemongrass .03lb = .53....new tea flavor
Milk thistle .07lb= 1.61...... for my homemade Mothers Milk Tea
Onion powder .19lb=2.72

Tomorrow will be a diaper making day. We will see what I can create.
That is all.
Live and Love

Bubbles!?! My Bubbles!!!

Mr. Sir told me that when he was growing up, every Christmas he would go to his grandparents house and his grandpa would always be sure to light up the bubble lights on top of the shelf. They were always a hit with the kids. His dad was sure to have bubble lights too, they have a special place in the window of the house for all to enjoy.

Well this year Mr. Sir's older brother thought of a brilliant idea for a gift for us for Christmas. Our own bubble lights! The log that they are sitting on was taken from the windbreak of Mr. Sir's childhood home so no matter where we are, we always have a piece of home with us for the holidays. His brother cleaned it up and hollowed out the bottom for the cord.

 We put it up on top of our kitchen cupboards and they create a really cool pattern on the wall. It brings a lot of warmth to the kitchen in the ambiance and in our hearts.

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Baby in a pod.

I love to post about other people's art. There is so much talent out there. 

One of the gifts that I received this year was my baby pod. My mother works with polymer clay and owns Quilted in Clay. Go ahead and check out her website. I promise, you will  be awed like I am every time she makes something new.

Anywho, when my sisters had babies she made them pods. My next eldest sister got her pod when my niece was born and then my eldest sister got a pod with twins inside (two peas in a pod!) when my twin nephews were born.

This year I received mine for James.

Talk about an adorable little pod!

 I also got one of her new barrettes. I love the orange ones!

She is so talented.

Live and Love

Middle of the Month Goal: Meal Planning Monday's

I haven't made a middle of the month goal in a while. Since it is now January 6th and not the 1st. I will declare this a middle of the month goal. Note that it is not a 'New Years Resolution' I don't believe in resolutions. Mostly because mine never last past the middle of January and they are always too big. So I will do this as a middle of the month goal.

I need to be better about meals for Mr. Sir and I. I always say that I need to meal plan. I even downloaded Pepperplate onto my Kindle (a super amazing app I might add). I just never seem to meal plan well. So I am going to hold myself to posting my meal plan once a week.

The main idea of meal planning for me is to use the food we have in our pantry wisely. To keep the grocery budget down, and to not waste food after it is cooked.

Meal Planning Monday for Week 2: 2014

Breakfasts are usually cereal or toast, sometimes oatmeal or cream of wheat, depends on the morning and the temperature in the apartment.

Mr. Sir's lunches always contain a bowl of oatmeal with various flavorings, a pint of milk, a 4 oz. container of yogurt, one form of fruit and the previous nights leftovers. This provides a late breakfast, snack and his lunch for a 10 hour workday. My lunches are always leftovers.

James eats breast milk, formula, baby food purees and little bits of what we eat. He is the easy one.

Dinners-
Monday: French toast, using stale homemade bread. And stale leftover chocolate scone crumbles. With blueberry yogurt.
Tuesday: Broiled chicken with cauliflower on a couscous bed.
Wednesday:Yellow split pea soup Freezing the leftovers for quick meals later
Thursday: Taking a trip to my sister's house.
Friday: Still at my sisters.
Saturday: Bake bread for the week, so probably grilled cheese and tomato soup (out of home canned stewed tomatoes)
Sunday: Mr. Sir cooks whatever he feels like. Unless I get the urge to bake, I avoid planning my Sunday's.

I did not go grocery shopping this past week.

I need to bring up that our meat comes from Mr. Sir. He owns some beef cattle and rents out pasture land from his father (we make deals here and there for payment of pasture rent) We get 1/4 of a beef at a time to store in our chest freezer once a year.. So beef will not be added to my final monthly grocery stipend. I might take what we eat and add it into what beef is selling for in the grocery store at the moment.

I also need to account for WIC. Yes, I receive WIC at the moment. I have to say, it is a genius program. I will do whatever it takes to create a healthy little boy. So I will account for the WIC food and put it separately on the meal overview.

Oh and if you have a better, catchy name for "Meal Planning Monday's" Leave a comment. I need ideas.

Live and Love

Viking Fluff

James' big gift this christmas was a diaper. 

Yes, a diaper.

Well, technically its a diaper cover.
Close enough.

A super - crazy- cool diaper cover, of course!























James sure likes it, and its big enough for him to wear for a while.

Mr. Sir loved the diaper too. It is too bad that the Viking's season is over. The bright side is that we live in Minnesota where Viking's apparel is always in style.


My only issue is that I should have softened up the fabric first. I know it will soften with use but it is a little stiff to start.

Go Vikings!

I used the basic pattern from WitteyBums, Flip-Style and Elemental-Style Diaper and switched it up to suit my diaper.

Live and Love