This is what my pantry looks like ... c'mon -- read it. be nosey!

The.Pantry.   (by the way -- click on the pictures to see them larger!)

Yes, It's my pantry.  Now,  you may think I straightened everything to show it to my blog, but you are quite wrong my friend! This is how it looks every day of the week.  I know it seems a (little) OCD ...but lets face it -- how awesome is it to open up a cabinet and know exactly where everything is?  I also have a running log in my purse of items that I have, I'm running low on, and "in desperate need." 

I buy a lot in bulk to avoid having a high bill every two weeks of groceries.  Right now we are eating at right under 100 every two weeks, but I plan on cutting that -- by a lot.  I have enough beef and chicken in the freezer to last two months. I purchase when it's on sale, costco, etc., ... cook it up, and freeze it.  The best thing I got for Christmas was a foodsaver.  It's more like a life saver -- and I highly recommend investing in one!

I have pictures of all of the pantry shelves, except for two... not sure why I missed two.  I think I was just trying to get the gist of the pantry -- not overload you with crazy pictures.  

I'm also showing you my medicine shelf.  (the baskets are from walmart -- $1 each and I can reach them!).  I'm quite short and my eyeline is barely on the bottom of cabinets, much less to see whats in baskets ... so I purchased these small handled baskets that I can pull down when I need something.  (if you notice in the main pantry picture you will see my coveted stool -- I use it daily! 

One of my favorite cabinets is the corner cabinet: spices and baking items.  I know it looks insanely straight -- but that's how I keep it.  Otherwise I'll never know what I have.  I also write the expiration date on EVERYTHING.  If I'm feeling really OCD I'll also write it in my planner.  I really do this for medicine, but occasionally you will find that my parsley will expire in November of this year. 

Ok, well I think I've given a pretty descent tour of my kitchen storage areas...

Love to all!

Cyndie

Sewing -- it's not perfect but it's made by me...

So, I've been procrastinating for a while (partly b/c of my headaches, partly because my craft room is a wreck...) but I finally completed two projects tonight.  One, was an elephant onesie for a dear friend.  She found the outline of an elephant she liked, and I added the houndstooth (signature Coach Bear Bryant) hat.  The hat is hand cut to fit each unique elephant.  The elephants are also hand cut, but traced onto some heatbond fusible sewable webbing.  I use an applique stitch on my plain sewing machine to sew each applique on.  The hardest part is curves: because you have to put the needle down, raise the presser foot, turn the material, and lower the presser foot.  Sometimes this happens and i can only go one stitch -- you really have to concentrate.  But the result is worth it, and I feel they are unique and "un perfect" in their own way.  I love using my embroidery machine to applique -- but this is my favorite way to applique -- almost by hand :).

Now, this friend of mine also asked me to create something quite unique for her son: a cape.  Now, normally a cape would be super easy but this wasn't just any cape -- it was an ACU shirt cape.  These are the t-shirts worn by our soldiers with their "acu" (or digitized camo) uniforms.  This little boy's wish was special -- because his daddy is deployed right now, and he currently wears a regular ACU shirt as a cape -- but it falls off.  The mom asked me to make a cape out of an ACU shirt.  "Luckily" my hubbs spent 5 years in the army (and 4 at USMA) and has quite a collection of these shirts.  I also put the "S" for superman on the back of the cape -- at the wish of my dear friend.  The "S" is traced from the logo online, and then hand cut.  the hardest part of this portion of the process was the yellow fabric.  I had to cut out the "negative" portion using the yellow fabric, then pin each portion on -- ironing after I finished.  Of course all of this (red and yellow) has heat n bond on the back so that it's easier to fuse to the fabric, and sew on when I'm finished.

Well, that's all I did tonight --  it took me roughly 3 hours to complete both projects...

I hope they inspire you to do some projects :)

Cyndie....

My latest cooking adventures: Applesauce & Cookies! (but not together)

Well, two posts in two days! I'm getting better at this ... maybe?

So, my first adventure was applesauce.  Why? because I was tired of all the junk in regular applesauce -- even 'natural.' So, i thought "why not make your own...can't be too hard..."  A good friend (B.H.) gave me confidence (b/c she said it was easy...) and so finally got the courage.  I searched the Internet, but didn't find what I was looking for -- so I decided to combine a few ideas, and just go with it. 

I peeled, cored, and sliced 10 lbs of organic red delicious apples (8.99/10 lbs @ Costco).  It took a while -- but I threw some awful reality show on tv and just watched TV from the Kitchen counter.  For every quart (4 cups) of apples, I tossed in 1/3 cup of water.  I added more if I think it needed it...but the apples really don't need it.  Now, the 10 lbs of apples didn't fit -- so I had to make two batches.  So I tossed them in the crock pot and put it on high for 6 hours ... stirring every once and a while (although you don't have to... i just was excited).  Most recipes called to mash them with a potato masher -- but i found a whisk was SO much easier!  Once you mash the apples up, put them in a glass or pottery type bowl and let it cool all of the way down (I threw it in the fridge for a few hours).  Then gather up some of the ball freezer cups (see picture, 3.00/4 at walmart).  These are amazing! Make sure you leave an inch or so of room for the sauce to expand.  Applesauce when made by itself (notice i used NO spices, sugars) is VERY brown.  Annabeth wanted nothing to do with it, but eventually she tried it, and LOVED it... 

 

   

I also tried to find a good cookie reciepe -- you know the kind, the ones that look like pepperidge farm made it, or from a deluxe bakery.  And low and behold I found (and tested) this recipe: Cookies! This is the BEST recipe I have found.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• If you are in high altitude -- add 1/2 cup of flour
• Be sure to follow the melting of the butter and cooling -- this helps ALOT with the process
• Cool the dough (pre - chocolate chips) in fridge for an hour or so until it hardens
• add chocolate chips (i used mini ones -- 1/2 a bag) by hand (no mixers!!) after dough has "toughed up"
• There is a specific thing she says in there about 1/4 a cup and pulling them apart -- DO IT.  I did it both ways (with a spoon, and just dolloping them on the cookie sheet, and then her way) and it made ALL of the difference in the world! 
• use parchment paper (wax paper is not the same thing) or cooking spray -- no non-treated pans -- you will burn them
• do not remove the cookies from the pan immediately after they have cooked -- let them completely cool on the cookie sheet -- then you can move them to a plate -- don't waste your cooling racks... that's just something else to wash.

Well, that's all I have for now....

Have a great Friday night!! 

 

Cyndie 

Attempting to: make money, clean house, and have fun (And Annabeth's chorechart too!)

So, as most of my friends know, I received an embroidery machine from Matt & his parents.  I absolutely love it!  It's actually a combo machine (sewing and embroidery) but I already have a Brother 6000i to sew with, and I'll save the Brother SE 400 as the specialty machine. 

I've always loved color matching and choosing fabrics, so making the gifts and kids clothes has been really fun.  Appliqueing is a time consuming process, if you don't already know that.  For the basic letter it takes roughly 30 mins, if you have everything ready (fabric prepped, etc).  For the more intricate designs (i.e. the monkey) ... it takes about an hour.  I did two monkey's in the set (pictured to the side) and each took roughly an hour.  It's a simple process, but one you can't leave unattended.  The most time consuming part has to be the cutting of the fabric.  Once you make the first "stitch patterns" of the design,  you lay the fabric down, it does another stitch pattern, and then you have to cut out the excess fabric. 

At any rate -- the basket above took roughly 9 hours total to complete.  (I had a few accidents along the way: i.e. 3 onesies...).  I really enjoy doing the work, and I feel so accomplished at the end of the day. I feel like I'm offering something more than the china made items in leading super stores, it's something made from the heart.  I take my time picking out fabrics, threads, and designs; and then my time to make the items. 

Another item I started to craft was the t -shirts.  I made these for a dear friend of mine back in Alabama for her two girls.  I wanted the shirts to be similar, yet different: same color, same design, different shirt type (turtleneck vs. crew), and obviously the letters are different.   Shirts are pretty tough to applique because of their stretchy fabric -- but in the end I think these turned out well.  I tihnk they will be a nice addition to the girls valentines outfit, and they are also re-sellable (b/c they don't have any names on them!).

On another note, I have been continuing my cleaning schedule.  My headaches make things shift, but the best part is not having to "deep clean" anything.  After two or three weeks everything is pretty much clean, it's just the maintenance part of cleaning.  The best reward has been clean bathrooms.  It's amazing what 20 mins each Monday can do to a bathroom.  Dusting is my least favorite thing to do, right next to laundry, but it all gets done.  I've also been cleaning out a few things each day -- and yesterday i tackled a pet peeve: coffee table. 

The coffee table is one of the first things you see when you step in the house.  It's also the catch all for all things: laundry, magazines, books, remotes, wii controller, and laundry.  So yesterday I decided to take back the coffee table. I cleared everything off, threw away old junk, and separated the "clutter" into two piles: magazines & bills.  I have room for two baskets -- so thus the two baskets are labeled Magazines and Bills... I know this sounds silly -- but it really does make me feel better. Now there is a place to put the bills that need to be paid, and current magazines.  Everything else gets filed, tossed, or dropped off at the library (magazines :) ).

Alrighty, so, I know I titled this make money (new machine...), cleaning house (loving the always spotless bathrooms!), but now for the fun:  spending time with Annabeth.  She truly is the most wonderful person I know.  We do one big activity everyday -- and sometimes it's two.  Today it was going and getting daddy's Valentines gift, and when she wakes up we are going to make cookies.  Doing things with her brings me so much joy.  Lately she's been going through a demanding phase (I have to have dessert after every meal, MOM!), so we started taking things away from her.  i.e. Nintendo DS is now only for special days (when she finishes her chore chart for two days straight & long trips), no more candy (unless it's a super special occasion) and desserts consist of celery sticks, yogurt, or applesauce (that I made myself!).

Now, you may ask "A 5 year old? A chore chart? say WHAT?!"

Yes, Annabeth has a chore chart.  It's quite similar to the one pictured.  I bought hers from target when we first moved to Bozeman, and it was around $10 at Target. Her chores have changed over the past few months (according to her ability) but the concept remains the same: accountability.  She has several things that she must accomplish everyday in order to receive a pre-determined treat (typically it's minutes on the DS...but she has other options as well).  Her chores consist of: getting dressed, feeding her fish (and helping with Lucy), cleaning her room (and making her bed!!!)Doing her school work (only M-F), set the table, brush teeth, get ready for bed, and the big one: NO WHINING.  This last one she hasn't accomplished three days in a row, yet, but she's working on it.  She's done a great job with this, and I highly recommend it to anyone with a young child. 

Ok, wow -- lots of babbling -- but I covered a lot of bases today...

Off to make cookies with my little bff!!

:)

My life has been changed...by an organized sewing / office / craft / guest room.



Ribbon Shelves! You can
find these at Michaels
for 19.99 (but I used the sale
of 40% off -- 11.99!)

 Organize an office you say? on a budget? NOOO! Well, yes sir-e-bob I did it. It took a few months, and a lot of collecting and storing items waiting to do the whole thing... and here is my favorite part: ribbon shelves:

 I collected enough of these shelves (19.99 ea Michaels; you can use a coupon!!).  I know this sounds crazy -- but this makes my life so much easier!!!  I even color coordinated the ribbon.  The spindles are easy to come off too.  The only "downside" is that some ribbon manufacturers "holes" in the side of the ribbon rolls is too small.  All you have to do is cut slits in the sides and they work great on these.  It took me about an hour to put the shelves together, and hang them, and another hour to sort and put the ribbon on the spindles.



Fabric!!!

 Ok, next up? The closet.  Don't think i'm crazy -- yet.  It's a fabulous system. I collected these pressboard shoe stacker's randomly ... and once I had enough, I put it all together.  It's cheaper to buy them at target (9.99); wal-mart has them for 12.99.  They are super easy to put together and i LOVE them.  The one thing I did do, however, was I have a template to fold the fabric -- so that the fabric is the same size when folding.  I know that sounds a little OCD, but it makes finding the fabric easier when they are neatly placed on the shelves.  My theory is why go so far as to buy the organizer, but not use them to their fullest potential.  the drawer portion (to the right of the photo) has scraps in the drawer, and contains holiday fabrics (Halloween, Christmas, etc.). 



Cutting Station ... and Ironing station...
and desk...and....

 The next part is probably my LIFE SAVER.  I originally bought this 1920's drop leave table at an antique mall in Sheffield while Matt was in Iraq.  I was so excited to have a dining table -- low and behold it was too small for Matt -- haha, sometimes I forget he's 6'4''!  So it sat in the dining room of our Woodbridge home (the "formal dining") and wasn't used, and then put into storage.  When we moved here I had no where for it, and then it dawned on me! I needed a cutting table!  I pulled this into the room and BAM instant cutting table.  I can also open up one, or both leaves to cut bigger projects.  I bought a table top ironing board at Joanns on clearance for 4.97! So I have that hanging on the back of the door to this room.  I was tired of tripping over our huge ironing board -- which is now in the laundry room. I store (in my 31 huge tote!) t-shirts and turtlenecks for my "supply" of shirts for my business.  Side note -- see that "pencil cup" holding the scissors? -- made that out of a pickle jar, felt (for the inside of the bottom -- so scissors won't break the glass), and ribbon!



The next series of pictures shows (if you look closely) Annabeth's drawings on the tri-screen (which masks larger mailing boxes), my "mailing station basket" with smaller supplies, and my POSTAL SCALE (whoohoo).   Under the brown sheet is two sets of four wire drawers (ikea), and my ribbon organizers :). The second picture is a close up of my main sewing workstation.  Lighting is key (I have two tasks lights on this area alone), and I both lights on clearance!   The third picture is a close up of my embroidery thread. My sewing thread is on the shelf above the embroidery machine (not covered). I thank my mom, Matt, and my mother in law - Liz - for giving me these for Christmas.  What a blessing!

The last picture (below) is my favorite.  Look at that workspace! I'm so blessed.  It is comprised of the Ikea shelves (with tops) an Ikea desk, and a foldable table.  I took a twin size sheet (b/c it's cheaper for the fabric) to make the chocolate brown skirts.  I wanted them to be similar to the color of the table by the window... so that it anchored the room, while the shelves made it look bigger. 

Well I hope you have enjoyed my OCD-ness with my craft room. 

Cyndie :)

tip of the day: dishes.  Do the dishes before you go to bed.  While I don't always follow this rule, it is at least a heck of a lot easier to wake up in the morning and have nothing to do in the kitchen.  My grandmother gave me this advice, and I try to abide by it as much as I can.  Also, (tip #2) make your bed! even if you pull the covers up, at least it looks more kept than sheets everywhere! :)