Summer Is

...pancakes for breakfast. Real pancakes. Not these.

(speaking of which, I still cringe every time I eat a banana thanks to that experience)

...the things you never get too old for. Like blasting the radio, dressing up, and 

having a dance party while you're home alone. Which totally happened.

...sleeping in late. check.

(that sticker on the clock? Ei klokke. That's from back when I was teaching myself 

Norwegian. I don't remember any)

...Psych marathons. I've discovered that I laugh much harder and louder when I'm

watching them by myself. 

...BOOKS. Oh, how I have missed the books! 

Summer means I finally have time to READ. And that's pretty much the best part.

Also, this song:

It's kinda the opposite of what this post is about, but I'm obsessed with it. And Sara Bareilles in general.

My Thoughts on Tutorials

I've always (as in, since I started this blog last April) thought it would be really cool to be one of those super-crafty bloggers with loads of amazing tutorials and recipes that everyone loves. 

Then I made a tutorial and realized how strange it would be for me to become that person.

Let me explain my relationship with tutorials:

Using them: I really only look at the pictures in tutorials. If there are no pictures (or fill-in-the-blank templates when it's dealing with HTML stuff for blogging) it's a no-go. Call it laziness, but that's just how it is.  I go about the project, whatever it is, based on the pictures and a quick scan of the page.
Good: This approach let's me be uber-creative with it. Bad: "Uber-creative" doesn't always turn out so well if I'm supposed to be following specific instructions.
With recipes...I'm just super-talented and I manage to get something wrong regardless of how closely I follow the directions. But then I just add extra flour and everything fixes itself.

Making them: I only give the bare bones details, according to how I went through it. Which was probably the easiest way possible. I'm also prone to use "thingamajig" or "whatchamacallit" in my description.

The verdict: tutorials aren't very me. I'm really glad I've found my place as a "lifestyle" rather than "crafty" blogger - better for you and me both!

What kind of blogger did you start off thinking you would be? Has that changed over time?

Just Trying to Make Your Life Better

I'm pretty sure the best part of my friends having birthdays is making them cookies...and then me getting to eat the extras.

You've seen this recipe, right?

Peanut Butter and Nutella Cookies

from The Sister's Cafe

1 cup butter (2 sticks) room temperature

2/3 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy – I like crunchy)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 2/3 cup flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

heaping 1/3 cup Nutella

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda and salt and add to butter mixture. Add Nutella in dollops over the top of the dough.  Use a butter knife to swirl the Nutella through the dough.  Do not over mix.  Chill the dough in fridge for 15 minutes before spooning onto cookie sheet to firm the nutella.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Bake until slightly brown at edges.  Let cool a few minutes on cookie sheet before transferring.

Go make a batch. And eat them warm.

You're welcome.

It Really Was Too Good To Be True...

A while ago I pinned these pancakes on Pinterest.

via

3 ingredients, healthy, and delicious - amazing, right?

NO.

It may just be me {which is totally possible. I have a tendency of not quite following directions...but how could I mess this up???}, but these things were nasty. Like "holy-cannoli-let-me-choke-this-down-before-I-gag" nasty.

They may look pretty decent here, but NO. No, no, no. Do not be deceived.

As soon as I finished mixing the batter, I knew it was going to be bad...so I added chocolate chips. Lots and lots of chocolate chips. And they helped a bit. The one on the right in the picture actually ended up tasting all right. I accidentally cooked it veeeery well (like, it was totally black on both sides), but that ended up being a good thing. I took my attention away from the nastiness of the pancake itself.

It was a very filling breakfast - but I've definitely learned that if something sounds too good to be true...it probably is.

However, if you are still crazy enough to try these...things...after reading this post, a few recommendations:

#1) Mash the bananas thoroughly. And once you think you've mashed them thoroughly, mash them some more. And then a couple more times. I'm thinking it might help the texture.

#2) The recipe calls for almond butter...and maybe it actually needed almond butter and you shouldn't substitute that for peanut butter. Maybe.

#3) Have add-ins. I really don't think I would have finished them if I didn't know I'd be getting a nice dose of chocolate with each bite. You could go a healthier route, I suppose, with berries or whatnot...but where's the fun in that?

#4) Burn them black. None of this "golden" trash.

Best of luck. Let me know how it turns out if you go ahead with this. 

I, for one, will never be attempting these again.

Halloween ... a Few Days Late

Halloween didn't feel much like Halloween this year. I went to our Church "Trunk-or-Treat" party, but when I wasn't running a face painting table for the kids, I was studying. It felt much more like Halloween when I went to another party the Saturday before, though, so I wasn't entirely cheated out of my Halloween fun!

My favorite part of Halloween is dressing up, hands down. I couldn't care less if I get any candy, or decorate the house, just as long as I get to dress up. This year, I was Rosie the Riveter!

See the resemblance?

headscarf: scrap fabric, joann's
shirt: thrifted
skinnies: thrifted
pin: printed off and duct taped to a "stop bullying" pin

 There were very few people who actually knew who I was. The two most common guesses were just your average 40's girl {they got the era right} and Taylor Swift {I thought that was kind of strange}. Every time I told someone who I was, I'd have to do the pose, or they still didn't get it. But they thought I was cute, and that's all that matters, right? :D

Now, for your viewing pleasure, some take-outs {that I obviously didn't really "take out", because I'm showing them now}:

me: "Wait! Stop! I forgot my lipstick!"

My uber-attractive kissy face...kissing people with
messy red lipstick was quite possibly my favorite
part of this costume

How was your Halloween? What did you dress up as?

P.S. I'm grateful for
+ random sweet e-mails
+ cars that I get to drive
+ writing letters to people I love

Project Inspire Link-Up!

{Dear Ann,

You're not allowed to read this post. Since you can't link up, I'm linking up for you, and your card still has to be a surprise for when you get home! I want to keep you in suspense:) And you already know how much I love your card, so you don't need to read this anyway. So you can just exit out now....}

I was paired up with Ann at Hi, from Ann. This is the super-cute card that Ann made for me! I've really loved getting to know her through emails and comments on each other's blogs. And getting this in the mail completely made my day and put a smile on my face!

******************************************

Ann is having fun taking a three-week course away from home...which means she's not going to get to see my card for another two weeks! It did arrive safely at her house, though, which is good. So since she can't post about it, I'm going to share it in her place - just as proof that I wasn't a lame partner who didn't send out a card {although I was a lame partner who put off making the card until the day before it had to be sent out...}!

Overall, this was a great experience. I always love getting mail {who doesn't?}, and I loved making the card for Ann. I'm definitely going to be participating in things like this more often!

Check out everyone else's experiences here!

Because I Looked Amazing

...in person. I'm just the least photogenic person in existence. And I can't pose. There were waaay more pictures...but they were pretty awful.

But if you saw me in person, you'd be like "She looks great!" At least, that's what I was thinking.

Excuse the bare feet. 

//necklace: vintage//shirt: target//skirt: made by me//
belt: hand-me-down//shoes: wet seal//

This red skirt is seriously my favorite thing, like, ever. I would totally wear it every day if that were socially acceptable....

Happy Monday!

It's a Bird! It's a Plane!

...It's my super-awesome reverse-applique Superman t-shirt!

I was going to a superhero themed event, and I didn't own anything remotely superhero related, and I'm too cheap/broke to go out and buy anything, so I whipped up this baby! 

I used the men's tee to a flattering tee tutorial from Cotton & Curls to refashion a men's t-shirt, then reverse appliqued the superman symbol on the chest using leftover black fabric from this project.

You've actually already seen this, because I was wearing it with my red pencil skirt when I took pictures for this tutorial, which was right before I left for the event. 

I love DIY!

Jersey Knit Pencil Skirt {A Tutorial}

Or, All Right, I'm Legit Now

I saw this tutorial on Merrick's Art and loved it, but I don't own any pencil skirt to trace. However, I've had this {unexplainable and unreasonable} thing against pencil skirts {much like my former thing against jeggings}, and I didn't own any pencil skirts to trace. So I had to do it my own way.

Nothing makes you feel like a legit blogger like posting an actual tutorial. And so, without further ado, I bring you the

PENCIL SKIRT FROM A MAN'S T-SHIRT

tutorial

#1) Get a man's t-shirt. Mine was from my dad, but you could steal it from a brother or significant other - or if all else fails, but one at the 99 Cents Store (over here, we're all cheap thrifty). Mine was size XL.

#2) Make your pattern. I taped a couple pieces of old newspaper together, but you could probably use anything. You'll need to take your measurements. Measure in the marked places in the image below, and measure how far in between those lines. Divide each of those measurements in half and use them to make your pattern.

This was my pattern:

#3) Lay the pattern on the shirt (which should be inside-out), lining up the bottom of the pattern with the bottom of the shirt. Pin around the pattern.

#4) Sew with a zig-zag stitch along the inside of the pins

#5) Cut off excess fabric

#6) Fold over top and sew to make waistband

#7) Turn right side out and rock it!

It is so incredibly comfy - and I'm pretty sure it has more leg-room than most pencil skirts. I think I'm going to have to try all of the trends I'm against right now, seeing how much I love my pencil skirt and skinny jeans!

E-mail me or comment with any questions!

Linking up with Sundae Scoop at I {Heart} Nap Time, the Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table Dreaming, Made by You Monday at Skip to My Lou, Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff, the DIY Project Parade at the DIY Show-off, Craft-O-Maniac Monday at Craft-O-Maniac, Motivate Me Monday at Keeping it Simple, Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog, Talent Tuesday at Vintage Wanna Bee, Show Me What Ya Got at Not Just a Housewife, Tutorial Tuesday at Hope Studios, Create and Share at the Trendy Treehouse, Adorned from Above, Hookin' Up with HoH, Show Off Friday

here

High 5 for Friday... {YUM} Edition!

This time around, it's all about food. There's been so much of it this week, and it's all been so good!

#1) I woke up early the other day to make...chocolate chip pancakes! A girl's got to indulge every once in a while!

#2) Cheap kiwis make me happy - cause then we get tons! How do you eat your kiwis? I eat them with a spoon, like you would eat a cantaloupe. Is that weird?

#3) SALSA! Wimpy not-so-spicy-cause-I-can't-handle-that salsa, but still salsa. 

#4) Fresh pasta salad - the only thing that could have made it better would have been tomatoes. Too bad the tommy-toes in the garden are still puny...they're getting there!

#5) Strawberries....yum. I'll put whatever fruit we have on an English muffin!

It's all so stinkin' GOOD!

P.S. Is this not the cutest ipad case EVER?

via

You could win one! Check out the giveaway at Adventures in Dressmaking!

I Write a Love Story

via

Once upon a time, a long time ago, I made a blog. Around the same time, Shabby Chic and Clean&Modern fell in love. They wanted to get married, but various things kept them apart. For months, they struggled in vain to find a way to be together. Then, Picasa and this tutorial came into the picture, and a background, a new header, and some fancy tabs later, Shabby Chic and Clean&Modern got married! And I lived happily ever after!

via

Never fear, readers who may be bugged by a constantly changing blog design - this one is here to stay! It only took me half a dozen tries to get it right!

P.S. This post will make a whole lot more sense reading #5 from this post.... 

Castles in the Air

         School kicked up a notch....or five notches. Nothing else could have pulled me away from posting every day. I am very devoted to all of my diligent viewers (a.k.a. my mom. If she knows my blog URL).

          Well, while I was not posting, I was hard at work on a hefty research paper on the injustice of acid attacks against women throughout the world, and this baby:

            Isn't she beautiful? It's much better in real life. I made it for my dear cousin's birthday. Just in case you couldn't tell, it says "A true love story lasts forever" along the bottom. I made another one of the San Diego temple with the saying "If this isn't your castle, then you're not my prince" across the top. Do you know what my least favorite part of cross stitching is? The writing. Yes, that is supposed to be the easiest part. But it's not. Really. Well, I'm sure it would be much easier if I followed the pattern for the letters, but I don't like their letters.  Not that I think mine are any prettier . . .
           Happy Monday!

Watch Out, I'm on A Roll!

     This is amazing.....I sewed something that's acually wearable!!!!!! I'm a bit handicapped in the sewing department (that probably has something to do with the fact that I don't like doing all the extra work that makes things work properly), so this is huge. I guess I have sewn functional clothing items before, but the past few I've made have either totally failed or been functional....for someone a few sizes bigger than me.

      And now, for the big reveal......

      I had this dress that I got from Target on clearance around a year ago that's always been too short to be modest.

      I decided that it would make a really cute shirt, so I unpicked the skirt from the elastic band (which took FOREVER) and made a half-shirt from one of my DIY fails, a skirt from a man's polo shirt.

      Then I sewed the two together, and voila!

      It turned out exactly how I wanted it to! And isn't it cute?

      And with a belt....

      I'm quite happy:)