Why has it been so long?

Why? Because I got a hair cut and got a real job. Well, actually, not so much on the hair cut, but definitely got a new job.


Oh, and I started a webcomic ~ so it is getting all of my attention now! It's based on true events that happen during my regular D&D games!


Visit it here:

loves loves loves

yet another new start

Well, I've done it.

Not only have I taken a month hiatus from the blog...
but I also started my own Etsy business in the process!

Llewelyn's Leather

<----- I went ahead and posted up the little mini shop at the side of my page. I'm hoping to get more flowers up for sale, but for now its just the three.  I made a holly branch today, but man, it turned out like crap!  I think I'll rip it apart and make a hairpiece from it.  The pieces are good, but as a branch it looks all wrong.

If you would like any custom leather work done, please drop me a comment.



loves loves loves

a small update

Hello all.

I apologize for the lack of updates.  This past week my grandmother has passed.  She goes to join her folks in the Last Cattle Drive in the sky.  I may or may not find inspiration in the next week as I spend time with my family in my home state.  We will see what is to come.

Who knows.  We're doing pretty good on my end, so maybe I'll find something funny here to post about!


loves loves loves

Recycling Oldies for Goodies

This week I FINALLY got the sewing room in order from the move.  There is floor!  In addition to getting everything put away, I went through my closet and pulled everything that I don't wear any more in hopes to give it new life.  Needless to say, I've got alot to go through!

So I put on my sewing face and got to work today!

At first I wanted to change my old t-shirts into underwear.  I found a nifty site Free Clothes Patterns that had a lot of cool free patterns including t-shirt underwear.  Well, being a pear-shaped woman, I quickly found out that the ratio of rear to chest would not work! Especially since most of my old shirts are too small.

So after some contemplation, I decided to make a couple of sports bras!  They are something I wear all of the time, so why not make a couple?  I don't make a habit of showing my undergarments off, but its the hidden pleasure of wearing something cute that counts. ^_^

My first 'victum'

After sketching it out, I added 1/2 inch to the top and sides, and an inch to the bottom

to allow for elastic.  I only draw one side at a time so I can cut it out and fold it over

to have symmetrical sides.

The back

All cut out.  I used the bottom of the shirt for the straps.

My theory on that is that it already has a slot for elastic,

so half my work is done!

Before I folded over the sides and top, I finished the edges with a zigzag stitch.

Its kinda like serging it without a serger.

After looking at the 'straps', I stitched along the previous stitch line to slim them up a bit.

I attached them using spacing measurements off the original bra.

Finished product!

I'll keep an update on any else nifty I can make out of that monstrous pile.

loves loves loves

Honey Cookies!

I just unpacked a cookie jar that my sweetie and I received as a wedding present.  In honor of our first cookie jar, I decided to bake cookies today!

For the cookies, I decided to use my honey cookie recipe.  A little background before we get into the recipe.  My great grandpa used to work oil refineries.  While my grandfather was going to college, the wife of one of the works, a Ukrainian woman, would send my grandpa a batch of these cookies.

He tells me that when he got them they were rock hard! Apparently this was a good thing because his dorm mates had a tendency to eat whatever he was sent, except for the rock hard cookies.  He would stick them in the top of his wardrobe for a couple of months and they would soften up again, unbeknown to his buddies.

Do worry though.  I've never had the cookies do that to me.  Might have something to do with being airmailed. ^_^

The recipe itself is way easy.  So easy, when I got it there weren't hardly any instructions at all.

Honey Cookies

1 Cup Honey
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon ginger
3 Cups + flour (to knead)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Roll into balls, bake at 350 degrees


That being said, the following is how I make the recipe.  You know, to fill in the "How long to I bake it?" and "What are the cookies supposed to look like?" questions.

Gather it all together.  It makes it easier in the end.

Put all ingredients EXCEPT the flour into a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Gradually add three cups of flour.  I do it about half a cup at a time.

The mixture should be a consistency that you can knead. 

This is very important because when rolling into balls,

the dough will stick the the palms of your hands!

Roll into walnut sized balls.  If the dough starts sticking to your hands, don't panic.

Add more flour. Its okay. It won't change the cookie.

Set your timer.  The cookies take about 15 minutes depending on the oven.

I check mine at about 10-12 minutes.  The cookies should start to turn light brown on the sides.

If they start turning any darker, take them out! The honey scorches pretty easily.

** A friend of mine who bakes alot recommends putting them on parchment paper.

Personally, I've never used it before, but he tells me it works wonders for not burning cookies.

And you're done!

If you look close, the cookies on the right side are lighter than the the others.

I had to add more flour. Dough was sticky!

The recipes yields about 4 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the cookie.  I only got 3 and a half dozen today.  They're chewy, not soft or hard, and they last a long time!

Enjoy!

Oh, and for your viewing pleasure:

She was like this sound asleep for a solid twenty minutes.

loves loves loves

and two became three

Today we brought a rescue dog home.  Her name is Bianca.  Her story is long, especially for only being three years old.  Its a little heartbreaking, so I won't speak of the negative, but the positive!  As I told one of my friends, she settled right into the swing of things here, so know that she's in a good home. With neighbor dogs who are cool with her and a place to go swimming nearby. Plus, a big back yard.

We ran Bianca pretty hard today.  We bought her a Kong Dog Toy because she has a tendancy to chew through pretty much anything, and apparently that's the best thing since milkbones.  Where at the previously location she would only run two or three times before flopping down, she ran and ran until her little puppy legs decided she couldn't take it any more.

Plus, she was awesome at PetSmart.  Not only was she friendly to the other dogs in the store, but we didn't have any problems with her trying to take off through the store.  Or pull dog toys off the shelves at random.

What fun.  Two has become three. And what a cute face number three is.

loves loves loves

I get dressed just for me

Since my sweetheart gave me a few months of mandatory vacation, I have quickly realized the potential downward spiral of being home alone for an extended period of time.  In order to counteract this, I've been getting dressed up every day just for me.  It helps wearing a pretty dress and lipstick while I wander around the house putting this away from the recent move. Perhaps its that whole "looking good, feeling good!" 

It also allows me to attempt to correct the atrocious vintage hair disasters I have been forcing on my hair.

I love being able to see daylight through one of my rolls!

This dress belonged to my mom, so its actually 80's fabulous. 

Though I suppose some are calling that "vintage" now.

The kitchen has recently become my sancutary.  I love cooking, and right now being in the middle of a move, its the only thing I can keep clean!  This has sparked me to want to make TONS of aprons, but I have to sort out the sewing room first.

Thank goodness for central air!  Today it was 97 degrees in the shade.

loves loves loves