Scrounge around Pizza

 We just got back from a family vacation and came home to a sparse fridge. And I mean sparse. But the lazy part of me didn't want to make a trip to the grocery store. Why? Cause I don't like grocery shopping. 

So I scrounged around and found a couple of different things that I thought could work on a pizza.

This is what I found:

flour

oil

yeast

oregano

basil

garlic powder

thyme

I pinterested an easy pizza crust, of which I used the above for.

Then I found:

Spinach

a frozen red pepper

garlic

parmesan cheese

olive oil

can of artichoke hearts

goats cheese

cheddar cheese

a mixture of parmesan and Romano cheeses

I made the crust and added some of the spices, and rolled it out onto the cookie sheet. I put a little bit of cornmeal under the dough just so it didn't stick to the cookie sheet.

Then in the blender I put some spinach, a quarter of the red pepper, 2 cloves of garlic, some oil and a bit of parmesan cheese. This made my sauce.

I proceeded to put the cheese and artichoke hearts on the top.

I baked the pizza for 15 minutes at 450, but you can bake it for as long as your crust requires.

The pizza was soooo tasty! It will probably go into the meal plans for the future!

Not too bad for scrounging!

Sarah

Easy peasy curry chicken

Recently I've been trying to make more dinners at home. Andy and I are terrible at just going out to eat, which doesn't really help the pocketbook or the waistline. I've made it 4 days in a row making dinner...which is a world record I think. Don't laugh this is serious business!

My most recent dinner was something we grew up eating. Our parents would make a version of this and it was always one of my favorites. I could probably eat curry every day and feel okay about it...and in my opinion curry powder makes almost every dish better. My dad would even make this dish for the entire girls swim team every year in college. SO GOOD!

Now, this is how I make it. My mom and dad probably make it differently, but not that much:)

Here's what you're gonna need:

Curry powder--stuff from the grocery store

1 Onion

1-3 cloves of garlic

1 can of cream of mushroom soup--condensed

2 chicken breasts

Rice

What you'll do is cut up the onion and garlic and make them sweat...get em cooking!

Once they've gotten sort of translucent add your curry powder. I like my curry spicier so I add more curry. I put about 1 Tablespoon in at least....I never measure, just dump!

Let the onions/garlic/curry mixture cook for awhile--about 3-4 minutes.

Add the soup and about half a can of water. Mix it well and keep it at about medium heat.

While I'm doing the curry part, I cook and cube up the chicken. Of if I'm really lazy I open up a can of chicken. It works.

After the soup is mixed into the onion mixture really well. Add the chicken. Let it cook for about another 5 minutes on medium.

Oh did I mention you should have put your rice on earlier...yeah do that too. Or pop some instant rice in the microwave. Once again, it works....don't judge.

The fun part about this type of curry is that you can put all kinds of toppings on it. Toppings? Yes, toppings. Toppings to this curry can and should include at least three of the following:

bananas

mandarin oranges

raisins

peanuts

coconut

tomatoes

avacado

green onion

cucumber

mushrooms

the kitchen sink

whatever you have in your fridge or pantry

Don't like to mix your food? I've known plenty of people who love to keep their food groups separate, but once convinced...never eat this curry without toppings.

Now eating...spoon curry over rice, put on toppings and eat this deliciousness of a meal. 

Let me know what you think!

Sarah

Poppy Seed Bread

I've always thought baked goods are great as a gift, and for Christmas this year I gave some colleagues and neighbors some delicious poppy seed bread.  My mother-in-law had given me this recipe years ago, but I had never gotten around to trying it. I have had her bread before--and it's delish--so I thought it would make a great holiday gift. Oh and did I mention how easy it is to make? Super easy, so its great for last minute gifts or if you just are craving some yummy bread.

Here is the recipe:

1 package of yellow cake mix--any brand

1 package of vanilla pudding mix--smaller box

1 cup of hot water

1/2 cup of oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup of poppy seeds

1 Tbsp of lemon extract--optional

Mix and fill two smaller greased loaf pans half way up.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes

My MILs original recipe doesn't have lemon in it, but I thought it would be fun to make some with lemon and some without. So to add the lemon flavor I added 1 Tbsp of lemon extract, and it was great! My husband likes it without the lemon...so do whichever you prefer!

Leaf Table Runners

Recently I've been needing to make something new...ha! Actually I frequently get the urge. I get an idea and I need to make it--whether or not I have the time to. Before our last show in December, I made a table runner out of green wool.  I wanted to make it...didn't really have time, but I wanted to see if people actually liked my idea of a table runner.

So I did. ( you can see it here)

 It was sold within the first hour of the show! I had other people approach me to make one for them in other colors...not just green. This got my creative juices flowing and there was no stopping me. 

In the last couple of days I've made four new runners.  I've done two sizes...and I think they'll work for more than one size of table. What I like about doing these in multiple color is that they can be used all year round, not just at Christmas.  I also like the texture that they give a table, but they are flat enough to  put a bowl or candle on.

What are your thoughts? Should I put them on Etsy? We're thinking of revamping our shop...

Sarah

Wonderfully Made Bazaar 2014--Reminder!

Hey All--just a quick reminder for you locals...we'll be at the Wonderfully Made Christmas Bazaar TOMORROW!!!!

We hope to see you there!

Sarah and Nathania

Leafy Runner

I was recently in the mood to create something new and was looking at a whole pile of different green wools. I've always liked different leaf design items and came up with the idea of making a wool leafy table runner.

What I really like about this is that it's a super versatile runner. I think it would look good with Christmas decor, plain, with spring flower, or even with a simple white pillar candle in the middle. 

Its not very long ~2 feet,  so can fit in the center of a long table but could easily be put on a coffee table.

I would love to know what you think...

Sarah

Pippa Penguin and Poppy Puffin

Recently, both Nathania and I have been on the "lets make something new to sell" kick. This may come from the fact that both of us are tired of making our little Christmas trees. Nathania was the brain behind the cute little snowmen that we had at our last show (and will have again at our next one), and I more recently have jumped on the train with these cute new additions to our line-up.

Introducing Pippa the Penguin and her friend Poppy Puffin:

I had previously made Mr. Puffin for a charity auction and he was quite large, but Poppy Puffin is the perfect size for an ornament. I'm contemplating putting bows on Poppy...what do you think?

 Pippa the Penguin is also the perfect size for the Christmas tree. Each "Pippa" will be individualized, with no two being exactly the same. 

These two fine ladies will be making their debut at the next show, but if you're from out of town and want one...let us know and we'll revive our Etsy shop.

Sarah

Alaskan Christmas Bazaar 2014

We are half-way through our craft-fair season, with only one more show to go!

This past weekend, we were at the Alaskan Christmas Bazaar at Anchorage City Church and were thrilled to see so many of you there! It was by far the busiest this show has ever been. We had a steady stream of people from before the show started until at least 3:30, which is rare. We loved every minute of it. Thank you to all of you who came out. We saw plenty of friendly faces and met many new people. It was great!

This is the only picture I took...but at least there is a picture, which is an improvement from our last show!

We now a have a break until the Wonderfully Made Christmas Bazaar at Cornerstone Church on 12/13/14. If you didn't get a chance to come out this past weekend, hopefully we will see you then!

Sarah and Nathania

New Products this year!

This year we have some great new products that we are selling at the craft fairs!

First off we have wreaths:

The wreaths come in two sizes and have flowers that are made with vintage buttons. They are made with a multitude of colors and we have different color combos for every holiday!

This is one of our smaller wreaths.

Large wreath perfect for Easter or Valentines day....or everyday!

Next Hop...Cashmere bunnies! Nathania came up with these cute creations and we're making them exclusively with our cashmere wool. We have some that have wool and cotton for some pizazz and then some that are completely made out of cashmere!

Finally today, we have our friendly snowmen. These are perfect additions to your Christmas tree. Each one is hand embroidered, and has a whimsical touch unique to each snowman.

Hope to see you at one of our shows!

Sarah

Craft Fair Season!

Hey all! The craft fair season is upon us!!! WOOHOO! I do love a good craft fair, and I find them so fun when I get to be a vendor too!

We had our first craft fair last Saturday at South High school...but did we take any pictures? Not a single one.

I wish I could say it was because we were so busy selling things...which we did...but it was mostly because we have a new booth design, and it didn't quite work out the way we wanted it to. One of us had to hold something up the whole day...or it would come crashing down. Yeah it was pretty janky!

Lets just say I have minimal construction skills and they were gone by the time I got to the second part of our display. oops! It will be fixed by our next show. 

We did however have a great time meeting new people and seeing so many familiar faces!

Speaking of our next shows,  we will be at the following shows in the next couple of months:

Alaskan Christmas Bazaar

Anchorage City Church

1301 West100th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99515

Saturday November 15th, 2014

10 AM until 5PM

We will be located in the nursery, right off the main auditorium.

Wonderfully Made Christmas Bazaar

Cornerstone Church

10431 Brayton Drive Anchorage, AK 99507

Saturday December 13th, 2014

10 AM until 5PM

Our booth is located in the main sanctuary near the stage.

(the sunset last night!)

We hope to see you there!

Box Tops for Education

Does everyone know what these are? No?

Well they are coupons that are on various types of packages--food, toiletries, etc.--that earn money for schools. Very similar to the Campbell Soup labels that have been around for decades.

Schools collect these Box Tops and then send them in for money to help buy different things. They are super helpful for all schools, but really helpful for lower income schools like the one I work at. Each BoxTop that a school sends in is worth 10c, and that 10c can add up! If you want more info you can check it out here.

I've been collecting them and the Campbell Soup labels for a while, but have always had a messy pile of them in a drawer and then if I don't remember to send them in soon enough they might expire. Boo! Wasted money!

A while back, Nathania had made a little box that went on her fridge to collect them. She made hers all cute with scrapbooking paper and such and actually had a label on it. I finally made one and it was easy as can be.

Here's what you'll need:

A small box--I used a straw box, but a mac and cheese box would work too.

Fun looking duct tape--I've found lots of cute stuff in the dollar bins at Target

A magnet--I used one of the free ones you get in the mail.

To make this handy-dandy organizer, I cut the top off the box, covered it in duct-tape and voila--cute box!

                                   

I just matched up the lines of the tape. and created a cool looking chevron pattern.

                                     

I then just taped the longer sides of the magnet on to the back and stuck it up on the fridge.

Now, this isn't a take forever project, and probably not pin-worthy, but it organizes those Box Tops and keeps them visual so I bring them into school more often!

Win in my book!

If you don't already collect the Box Tops and soup labels....please do! It really is free for you to do, and can help schools in need out. Check with your local school to see if they are collecting them! If not I know a great school in Anchorage, AK that would love to be the recipient!

Sarah

Plums....everywhere!

Long time no post...but we have enjoyed this amazing summer that Alaska had this year!

Recently, I have come into some plums...for free...

Now I can't resist getting free food, and can't really think of anyone who can. So I took the plums home and made plum jam!

I cut out the stone and cut each plum into about 8 pieces. Sticky work, but isn't the color awesome! Love the color of these plums.

I put the plums in the pot with some lemon juice and some sugar and began stirring. And stirring. And stirring.

Then I got impatient and decided they were done. I put them in jars and a water bath for about 15 minutes. 

The plum jam may have turned into more of a thick sauce due to my impatience. I've made this before with better success, but I should have waited until it was more of a honey consistency. Oops! It still tastes great and will be fantastic on ice cream. So I still count it as a win.

Here is the recipe I used:

8 cups of plums

3 1/2 cups of sugar 

4 TBSP of lemon juice

Cook, stirring consistently until the plums become a honey like consistency. Then put them in sterilized jars and give them a boiling bath for about 15 minutes.

I have more plums....lots more so I'll probably freeze them and then make more jam...maybe even a salsa!

Are you preserving any food lately?

Sarah

Food Glorious Food! Challenge #9

Admittedly, I'm falling behind on these challenges. Spring Break and a wonderful dumping of snow are to blame. Nonetheless, I will try to continue to post. Here is last weeks challenge this week...

9. Food, Glorious, Food! This is for the Food Network Junky who loves "Chopped" Wait until you have to go to the grocery store...and then challenge yourself to make a new and creative dish from the pantry/freezer. Incorporate the leftovers that need to be eaten and create a new meal. You are not allowed to go to the store for this challenge.

This is actually a weekly challenge here at my house, only for the main reason that I hate going to the grocery store. Don't ask me why, cause there isn't just one reason, but it is just not my favorite task.

I looked in my cupboard and fridge on Saturday afternoon, and was struck by how many veggies needed to be used before they were bad, so those were definitely going to be in my creation.

I also found some sausage that would be tasty in my dish so out that came as well.

My ingredients were the following:

1 orange pepper

some spinach

can of diced tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic

quarter of a white onion

about 10 baby carrots

a package of reindeer sausage

some left over rice/quinoa

parsley

Cajun seasoning

garlic salt

red pepper flakes

bay leaf

water

I began by putting the pepper, spinach, onion, and carrots into the food processor and chopped them up really fine. I also chopped up the garlic. I put all the chopped veggies and the can of diced tomatoes into a large sautee pan...which should have been a large pot, but whatever...I added some water and let them cook down. After they had cooked down a bit I added the spices. I didn't measure the spices, but added them to taste. I also added a bit more water and let it cook down again.

While it was cooking I cut up the sausage and added it, along with the rice/quinoa--which was already cooked--and let those stew for a bit.

And I came up with a very healthy and hearty stew.

What kind of concoction did you make up?


Linked to:frugallysustainable.com

St Patricks Day Craft

With St. Patty's Day coming up I decided to make a banner for the front door with Aria and finally take down the Valentines Day wreath!! I thought we should make a 3 leaf clover banner but Aria decided a 4 leaf clover would be much better :-) so 4 leaf clover it was!!

  I grabbed some white and green plaid fabric from my stash, 3 corks, green craft paint and paint brushes and we got started.   I cut the four leaf clover from the white fabric and using the corks with green paint Aria made some awesome 3 leaf clover prints on it while I added the stems.

After the paint dried I bonded the 4 leaf clover to the green plaid, hemmed the edges and added twine to hang it up.  I wanted to add weight to the top and bottom so it wouldn't flap around in the wind so before I sewed the hems shut I put 2 bamboo skewers each into the top and bottom hems. It's what I had on hand and it worked perfectly :-)! 

Start to finish it took about an hour and we both had fun making it! I loved seeing how excited Aria was to put it on our door!!

 

What crafts have you done for St Patty's Day?

Nathania

Run away with me...my late submission for challenge #6

I love to run races but what do you do with all those medals and bibs that you just can't bear to get rid of because of the accomplishment they signify?  Make a running medal and bib board is what you do!!  I can't remember where I first saw this idea but you can find lots of examples on Pinterest.

I decided to make one for my friend Tamsin's very belated Christmas present. It is on the larger size as I wanted to add a cool saying and when I found one on the Union Jack I knew it was perfect as she is a Brit!

I picked up a board and square hooks at Home Depot and after my awesome husband cut it down to size I got started. I sanded it down primed it and then applied 2 coats of chalkboard paint that I had in my paint collection. I used chalkboard paint so she could record her PR's (personal records) for her races and also as motivation to keep training write down when her next race was. I used a gold metallic Sharpie to write PR and Next race on the board.  I modgepodged the saying down making sure not to put too much on so it wouldn't squeeze out the edges and dried it upside down so there wouldn't be any wrinkles.  Using an old bib I measured where to place the hooks for the bibs and then spaced the hooks for the medals about 2 inches apart.  The square hooks have screws on the end so I predrilled the holes and screwed all of them in by hand. Simple!  I love how it turned out and my friend really loved her very belated Christmas present!!!

Challenge #8 - linen closet

 It has been a little hectic around here lately with travels and school for Sarah and for me not sleeping well and heartburn towards the end of my pregnancy so our challenge completion has been a little sketchy as of late!! But I did attempt this last one and a late post is better than no post in my books so here it is.
Here was the challenge...

Challenge #8 Linen: Mismatched sheets, pillowcases, old towels. Can you repurpose any of it before you throw it out? Betcha you can. I dare you.

I have to be honest, I didn't re-purpose anything from my linen closet but in the spirit of the challenge I did pull out a badly neglected project!  Besides towels and sheets I also keep tablecloths and napkins in mine so I pulled out and re-sized a tablecloth that I had purchased yrs ago.  When I bought it I didn't realize it was way too big for my table but decided that my crafty self could re-size it and make napkins with the extra fabric in no time, yeah right!!!!

 Today I finally cut off the extra 30 inches of fabric and had enough to cut out 8 napkins and then the fun began...ironing the hems. I really, really hate ironing but it sure made it easy to finish up the sewing! Even if it was tedious.

Even though I do hate ironing I really did iron the tablecloth prior to this picture!  I really need a new one!! Anyone out there have an iron they love to bits??


Nathania

Bracelets and headbands

What do you do when you're bored? I usually do something with fabric...but if you've been reading this blog for any amount of time you would know that!

The other day I was bored and wanted to make something creative, but relatively easy, so that I could actually finish it. I'm a notorious non finisher when it comes to my projects. I went it the abyss of a craft room and came up with two very easy projects.

The first one is a bangle or bracelet or whatever you wanna call it.

What you need is the following: 

some random clear rings that you bought scarves on--or some ugly bracelets you don't like any more:)

scrap fabric and/or ribbon

some modge lodge

a paintbrush

I wrapped the fabric and ribbon around the loop and then finished it off with modgepodge so that the ends were sealed and wouldn't fray. 

Took 10 minutes start to finish. 

They are even pretty stylish if I do say so myself...now if only I were stylish...

The next project I did that same night was to make the simplest ribbon headband ever.

I went to the craft room again---can hardly believe I made it out---and found some vintage ribbon and some elastic. 

I measured about an inch of elastic and sewed it on the ribbon on the back with a zig-sag stitch. The elastic allows you to get it over your head with the majority of the headband being ribbon, and you only have a bit of the elastic showing. It works for people who wear headbands with their hair up in a ponytail--like me:)

Then I took this really awkward self portrait. 

Whats great about the ribbon headband is that it's not too tight. I often get headaches because headbands are too tight. I made this one the exact tightness I wanted and I wear it all the time--without a headache.

So thats what I do when I'm bored. What about you?

Sarah

Challenge number 6....lumber and wood

Not gonna lie friends...I'm in Hawaii. But in an amazing feat of motivation I actually made something ahead of time and had time to blog about it. What?! I know pretty dang amazing. What else will be amazing is that this blog post won't get deleted if Nathania posts as well. Blogger doesn't like us sometimes and Nathania's computer has been known a time or two to erase entire posts...

But enough about the dysfunction of computers and blogger....

Onto the project. This week we challenged you to use lumber and wood. So I went out and picked up sticks. We had a huge wind storm that came through so I just went out on the ski trails and picked up some sticks. Good for my project and helps the skiers out too!

I'm pretty sure that all the sticks were birch...but I'm not known for my stick identification skills.
I brought them home...well they sat in the back of my car for a while, were chewed on by a fluffy black dog, and then finally brought in when I was motivated enough to actually do the project!

I had this great circle frame that I had taken off of a clock that no longer worked, grabbed some yarn and gorilla glue.
I put some glue on the frame and then some sticks and then clamped it down with the yarn. I the progressively worked my way around, with all of the sticks going in one direction.

Now I've never used gorilla glue before, and I only used it because I ran out of hot glue sticks. It was not my finest moment. Like Nathania on her project last week, the gorilla glue expanded and then looked weird. So I have some weird spots that need to be covered up with some more sticks...or a flower or something....I can't decide.

In spite of the gorilla glue looking weird in some spots, I really do like the outcome. Where it will go in the house is yet to be determined.

What did you do for your challenge this week?

Sarah