Today I looked out my window and saw the Fed Ex guy at my front door.
To my surprise, I received a sweet treat complete with the cutest birth announcement. It also was quite ironic since the babe that was being announced was also in my arms.
As many of you know, I work for my sister and brother-in-law as a baker and I am on their catering staff. They have the greatest retail space- freshly prepared entrees, salads, and baked goods…I believe the surrounding communities are really lucky to have an independently business making great food.
ANYWAY- I thought I would give a plug for a contest they are running on their website. Check it out and enter!
Okay- I must go and eat dinner and then some chocolate…yes!
My machine has been just humming along in this corner of the world.
First off, when I saw these skirts I just new I wanted to make a few. I was even more intrigued to see how totally different they looked from the images on the pattern cover. I am a firm believer that one needs to look beyond the bad colors and cheesy models to truly find a workable design. I bet companies would sell more patterns if they changed their look, but then again I enjoy the “hunt”.
So what was SUPPOSED to be a one hour sewing job turned into a weekend thing. Not that I sat at my machine the whole time- the weather really was too nice to stay inside. But when I found some down time I would pick up my project.
What made it a long ordeal? Button holes. I tried to figure out how to put the foot on and it just was not working…and remember how in my previous post my husband was camping? I was totally focused on figuring it out all by myself and I actually came really close, but I needed a translator and a second brain to troubleshoot. I really can be so dumb! ANYWAY, once Nathan came home and adjusted the foot we were humming along and I finished the skirt in like 20 minutes. So I guess it does take an hour, just make sure you know how to make buttonholes and now I do! Hurray. I even took a photo of the way the foot should look for next time…I really am happy that I no longer need to avoid pattern with buttons.
Oh, and another reason why it took me forever to make this skirt is that I made a bad judgment. At the fabric store I was deciding which length of skirt I wanted to make and wanted to buy some fabric. I definitely knew the longer style would be a “no”…I risked it and figured the shortest one would be my choice since I am relatively short and didn’t want to have a “dowdy” length.
I was totally wrong.
While cutting out the pattern I realized it could potentially not work. I did not want to risk being disappointed. So I found myself short on fabric. That’s why there is the chocolate brown strip of fabric and I like it. A happy mistake. By the way, I liked the length.
I plan to use some of my larger pieces of fabric and make a few more, bring on the buttonhole challenge! I just realized some may be wondering where the buttonholes were needed- I needed to make 2 for the drawstring. I know- only 2, you would have thought I made a shirt with 10 to make.
I also have been making a lot of these shirts from the Simplicity Dummy pattern for my girls. I really like it and have a few more ready to be sewn. Plus who can resist making a girl with green sandals some cute shirts? I know I can’t. (She also has the same pair in yellow- I imagine my machine will be humming a lot more!)
I love pizza.
I love homemade pizza.
I love it so much that I want to share the crust recipe I use.
In the beginning months of my regular blogging, I shared my affection for my family’s pizza night. We still have it, although not as often…
This past weekend my husband and son were off camping. I thought I would take the girls to a pizza place that many have recommended. It was pretty good and the excitement of the girls was well worth it, but I like my own much more! So here is the recipe…easy peasy.
You need:
425 pre-heated oven
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 t. active dry yeast
1 t. sugar
4 cups flour
1 1/2 t. salt
2 T. olive oil
1 1/4 cup warm water
First, dissolve water and yeast in mixer bowl (above).
Then add flour, salt, olive oil, and water and mix with dough hook on your mixer.
Knead dough until the lump is nice and soft…put in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray and flip dough around so that the top has oil on it (this prevent the dough from sticking to the plastic wrap).
Let the dough rise for at least an hour. I usually place my dough in the sun or on the stove top and forget about it for 2-3 hours…just make sure the dough has doubled in size!
Press dough into a pizza pan or baking sheet. Be sure pan is sprayed! I also like to make individual pizzas…but one big pizza is fast.
I like to pre-bake my crust, it makes it nice and crunchy! I bake the crust for 10-12 minutes or just take it out when I like the color. A hot oven really makes this pizza great.
Yum.
This is usually the time I round up Simon and he helps with the toppings. We like to use Trader Joe’s Marinara sauce (in the can) and sprinkle with a little garlic salt (I am a huge fan of salty sauce).
Obviously any toppings you like make your pizza tasty. I like tapenade, red onion, and pepperoni…
Yum, again.
What I like about this recipe is that you can make the crust as thin as you like and it bakes really well. You can make 2 pizzas with this recipe for a thin crust. You can also freeze it and when you want to use it, just take it out and let it thaw on your counter. Genius.
It’s also great on the grill.
Let me know if anyone tries out the recipe!
