Handmade with Care'

Back to Soaping

2011-08-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

After taking a rather extended break from creating new soaps, I decided it was time to get back to it. Besides, all this cooking like Paula Deen is NOT good for my figure. At least with soaping I get to "feel" like I'm baking - without the calories!

Here is my latest soap. It's made from goat's milk and scented with sweet pea. My husband took one look at it and called it "Celebration." I think it's fun!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #9: Sweet Black Cherry Crisp

2011-01-24T12:45:00.000-08:00

My husband LOVES cherry pie. I personally am not a fan as I find it too sweet. I also tend to like fresh fruit over canned, so when I saw this recipe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/sweet-black-cherry-crisp-recipe/index.html) I knew I had to give it a go.

Not only was this one of the easiest recipes I've ever made, it tasted wonderful. Hubby loved it and I did too because it wasn't too sweet. We highly recommend!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #8: Brussels Sprouts

2011-01-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

I don't like brussels sprouts. I've even tried them steamed, which usually does great things for veggies. To me, they taste like dirt.

My husband LOVES them. He goes on and on about how his mom use to make them for him growing up and how he devoured them.

What kind of weird kid eats brussels sprouts?

Well, after making this version (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/melissas-brussels-sprouts-recipe/index.html) my kids are weird too.

I have always subscribed to the "bacon makes everything better" theory, and am a recent convert to the "butter makes everything better" concept - thanks to Paula. This recipe calls for bacon AND butter. After you drop those little sprouts in butter and bacon, they taste mighty fine.

Mighty, mighty fine.

I always have left over veggies when we make them. Not this time. I think I saw hubby's eyes roll in the back of his head one time . .

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #7: Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken

2011-01-22T06:35:00.001-08:00

I took a bit of a departure and decided to try out an Ina Garten recipe, something I NEVER would have tried before I started this journey. I will tell you that having never dealt with a full chicken before, there were times I wanted to call it quits and get hubby out of bed to deal with it. But, I managed to survive the experience.

The recipe is here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-and-garlic-roast-chicken-recipe/index.html

The chicken turned out beautifully and was very moist. The only thing I didn't like was the gravy, so we just left it off. I did learn some important things on this one, such as the need to over-season before cooking. While it was very tasty, I could have been a little more heavy-handed with the salt and pepper.

Overall, it was a winner and will be on the menu again. And, I'm over my fear of cooking a full chicken now. Who knows, maybe I'll make the turkey at Thanksgiving this year!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #6 - English Toffee

2011-01-21T17:19:00.001-08:00

Is a simple, one word post of "YUM" sufficient?

No?

Okay, a bit more detail then. . .

SUPER-YUM!

Not only was this easy to make, it was well worth the wait for it to set up. That was the hardest part - waiting to break off a chunk and devour it. Okay, okay . . . I confess that I did get into it a bit early and left chocolate fingerprints on the counter, but it was so hard to resist.

You can find the recipe here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/english-toffee-recipe/index.html

Paula has a few more receipes that call for toffee bits. I plan to use this recipe to make the bits instead of using store-bought.

Drool over my pictures . . .

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #5 - Icy Coffee Punch

2011-01-18T04:39:00.000-08:00

It's a bit of a joke around my house about how I can't stay awake past 9:00. Even on the weekends when I want to stay up later than the kids, I usually fall asleep on the couch. Turn on sports and I'm sure to be sawing logs within 20 minutes. The problem? I like to watch hockey, and I never make it through a game.

So, when I saw this recipe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/icy-coffee-punch-recipe/index.html) while staring at a pot full of coffee that I was going to have to dump down the drain, the light bulb went off.

It was a snap to make and tasted delicious. I won't be spending $$$ at that unnamed place any longer, as it keeps beautifully in the fridge. I not only enjoyed it that night (and saw the ENTIRE game), I had some left over for my morning commute to work. You can serve it over ice or ice cream depending on your mood. I had it both ways and can recommend both. Enjoy!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish #4 - Cajun Fried Okra

2011-01-17T04:45:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of full disclosure, I totally cheated on this one. I love fried okra. It's one of the few veggies I can get the 12YO to eat. But raw okra freaks me out. Some people freak on chicken gibblets; others on eggs. For me, the sliminess of raw okra is just nasty.

So, when I found Paula's recipe, (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cajun-fried-okra-recipe/index.html) I almost passed it by. I purchase the ready-to-fry stuff in the frozen section and it tastes great. Why mess with one of the few things I could make already?

Then it dawned on me. Maybe I could just season the stuff that was ready to fry? Then, I could punch up the flavor without all the hassle? Besides, the worst that could happen is that it turn out inedible and I have to toss it. (We're use to that around here).

I gave it a whirl and it turned out just fine. The kick of the cajun seasoning was great. Normally we plow through a package of frozen okra with a little bit left over. This time there was none left. I even saw the 12YO smile a bit.

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment-Dish 3: Chocolate Creme Brulee

2011-01-16T06:11:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I know what you're thinking . . . trying to make creme brulee when I'm this new to cooking is a bit ambitious. I agree. And, if I hadn't watched Paula make it on TV I would have just passed it right by in the cookbook. But she made it look so easy. It was!

As a bonus, we got to use the the blow torch for an activity not related to home repair, but that's another story.

The recipe is here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chocolate-creme-brulee-recipe4/index.html

It certainly is a rich dessert, but it tasted great. I served it with sliced banana on top. I definitely will make this again in the future - especially if we have company. (Look at me actually thinking of cooking for company!)

I did learn some tips while doing this that I'll pass along:

1. The chocolate flavored liqueur can be substituted for chocolate extract. I had trouble finding both on short notice so I left them out and substituted water. I think it was missing that little bit of punch, so I would not do that again.

2. Less is more when it comes to putting sugar on top for the caramelizing process. I was a bit heavy-handed on my first attempt.

Here's a pic. Enjoy!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment - Recipe #2: Crispy Fries with Mayo Dip

2011-01-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

Growing up I remember Mom always trying to recreate french fries. Don't get me wrong . . what she made tasted great. But, it was never quite as crunchy on the outside as what you could find at the local restaurant.

Well, after watching an espisode with Paula, I now know the secret! You have to fry those bad boys multiple times! (Yes, you can say "duh" if you want. I can take it!)

Here is Paula's recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/crispy-french-fries-with-mayonnaise-dip-recipe/index.html

I ended up using sweet potatoes and they were great. We even made the mayo dip and that is a new favorite in our household.

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment: Dish 1: Croque Madame Casserole

2011-01-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

My first Paula dish is Croque Madame Casserole. I watched Paula and Michael make it this past weekend on the Food Network, and I immediately developed a craving. You can find the recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/croque-madame-casserole-recipe/index.html

I will admit this recipe was a bit adventurous for me . . . the concepts of cooking a sauce and frying an egg (no, I have never fried an egg before) were new, but I was determined to give it a try. I spent a good portion of my day last Saturday trying to hunt down Gruyere cheese. (I found it at Kroger.) I then had to go back out for the ham yesterday because the 3YO ate what I had already bought. I finally had all the ingredients together yesterday, so I gave it a go.

I was honestly surprised at how easy it was to do. The hardest part was frying the egg, and I could still use some practice there, but with enough cheese on top no one seemed to notice. And the taste? AMAZING! It was my-eyes-rolled-in-the-back-of-my-head good!

I was a little worried that my 12YO would not eat it, but he inhaled it and went back for seconds. He is the king of picky eaters, by the way. I failed to get a picture of the finished product as the boys were eating it before I even had a chance to sit down. I'll work harder to get pictures in the future.

Give this one a try. You'll love it!

With friendship,

Care'

The Care-Paula Experiment

2011-01-07T17:37:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I finally had an opportunity to watch the movie Julie and Julia. Yes, I know that move came out in 2009 and it's now 2010. My inability to stay current with movies is a very long story best saved for another day. Anyway, that movie really inspired me to try and finally learn to cook.

I grew up with a Mom and Dad and multiple grandparents that could cook. And I mean REALLY REALLY cook. I was exposed to amazing food my whole life. When I got married, I gained a mother-in-law and a husband that can also REALLY REALLY cook. My sister can also REALLY REALLY cook.

Alas, I cannot.

Yes, I can make desserts and there are a few dishes I can do, but the ability to just walk in the kitchen, look in the pantry and throw something delicious together completely alludes me. If it weren't for my husband, the kids would be very tired of chicken and rice by now.

So, while watching the movie I got to thinking . . . could I do the same thing?

Right after the movie I caught one of Paula Deen's shows and the idea was cemented. I decided that I would learn to cook using Paula's recipes and watching her shows. Last week I started the journey.

Stay tuned for my trials and tribulations as I attempt to add new recipes to my arsenal. No more chicken and rice!

With friendship,

Care'

Cake Balls!

2011-01-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

While browsing the internet I came across this site:

http://www.bakerella.com/

I was intrigued . . mesmerized . .excited . .

I am in constant pursit of making those wonderful little desserts. I LIVE for the Food Network challenges where they make the cakes and sugar sculptures. I have tried many times to create these masterpieces and failed. Miserably.

Yet, here was something that looked attainable. There was enough science to the process of making cake balls, but still room for creativity.

Could I do it? Dare I try?

Well, this past holiday season I did give it a go. In all I made about 20 dozen cake balls and they were all a HIT. For Christmas I asked for Angie's book. It is awesome and a great deal. I highly recommend it.

http://astore.amazon.com/bakerella-20/detail/0811876373

Here are some pics of my creations. I am anxious to try more!

Oh, and they taste GREAT too . . .

The ones on the top are chocolate cake inside with chocolate icing, and the trees are red velvet cake with cream cheese icing. I also made a batch with butter cake and butter icing dipped in milk chocolate. I don't have a picture of those because they were gobble up too fast.

You have to give these a try.

With friendship,

Care'

My Sister's Quilt - Update

2010-11-24T14:24:00.000-08:00

Here it is - the top of the quilt all laid out. I wanted to get an idea of layout and placement so I could ensure there was a good balance of color. After fiddling around a bit (and playing with the pattern) this is what I came up with. Now all Ineed to do is join everything together.

Hopefully I can work on it this weekend. Lately it has been tough to put 10 minutes together. LOL! I had hoped to have it done by Christmas, but at this pace it may be a first anniversary gift.

With friendship,

Care'

My Sister's Quilt #2

2010-10-23T09:53:00.002-07:00

I guess it's time to do a little update on the progress of my sister's wedding quilt. Despite the lag between posts, I have been quite busy. The front squares are completely ready and I'm working on the back squares now. For the front, I took the fans that my grandmother hand-quilted and set them into an unbleached muslin fabric. I chose the muslin because there was so much variety in the fan colors that I didn't want to take away from them. That, and the fact that the unbleached quality makes it appear older is very appealing.

After insetting each fan quarter into the muslin piece, I then went back and embroidered along the seams. I originally planned to do different color thread with different patterns, but ultimately decided that off-white would compliment the quilt best. Also, by keeping the embroidery simple, I think it helps unify the quilt. While doing the embroidery I quilted each fan to a piece of batting.

Next step is to do the back the same way - cut, assemble, quilt & emboider. Then, I can start joining the pieces!

My goal is to have this done by Christmas. Wish me luck!

With friendship,

Care'

Mummy Cake

2010-10-09T09:38:00.001-07:00

I'll be the first to admit that I'm no Martha Stewart. I'll also be the first to admit that cooking is not my forte. Yet, for some strange reason I am constantly compelled to try and recreate those fabulous cake designs I see in Better Homes & Garden or on those Food Network Challenge shows. I even scoff at those cake disasters on the Cake Wrecks website (http://cakewrecks.com/). I can do BETTER! MMMUUUUHAHAHAHAHA!

I have no cooking skills. None. Nada. Zip. I can burn ice.

I also know that when it comes to cake decorating, I'm all thumbs. Heck, even someone with all thumbs could do better.

But alas, something pushes me to try. Some glimmer of hope shines periodically in the core of my soul that tells me "this time will be different!"

I know it will turn out bad. Really. Really. Bad. Yet, I still pull out the cake pans and mixer.

This month's inspiration was the mummy cupcakes found on the Better Homes & Garden website: http://www.bhg.com/holidays/halloween/recipes/17-frightfully-good-halloween-cupcakes/

Adorable, aren't they? They look easy enough. Chocolate cake mix, white frosting and some eyes. EASY-PEASY!

The trip to the panty revealed no chocolate cake mix. Fine, I'll make my own. Two hours later I was armed with a chocolate cake recipe that I found here: http://www.momswhothink.com/cake-recipes/chocolate-cake-recipe.html. Fabulous recipe. Takes great! It's definately a keeper.

I put together the batter and realized I did not have cupcake liners. No worries, I'll just make a three-tiered cake instead. This, my friends, is when I should have awoken Vince.

With cake in the oven I set off to get the frosting. Darn. No white frosting. We have chocolate and milk chocolate and some strange yellow stuff left over from last month's Sponge Bob cake, but no white. Off to search the internet for a buttercream frosting recipe! I found this one - also wonderful. It's so good you'll want to slap someone.

http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/03/buttercream-frosting/

I really liked how she explained how to swap out flavors and change the texture. Tips I knew that my new-found-made-from-scratch-cake-decorating-diva-company-extrodinare could benefit from.

Yes, you SHOULD be laughing at me by now. At this point my 3-year-old had toddled in and said, "Oh No! Mommy cooking!"

But, I was not to be discouraged.

The cakes came together well. They were a little difficult to get out of the pan, but I knew that putting them in the freezer for 5 minutes would solve that. Just a little tip I learned from soap making.

The tiers came out a little more rounded on the top than I had hoped, so I got out my trusty knife to try and even them out. Again, should have awoken the V-Man at this point.

I got my first layer on the plate, then proceeded to frost.

Hmmm. the frosting was separating and starting to run down the sides. After double-checking the recipe I realized at this point that I had used too much butter.

After allowing the cake to sit a few moments, I kind of liked how the oozing was looking. I mean, I was going for a mummy cake after all. Maybe it would be more scary than cute, but I was on the right track.

I added the next layers. Cool, oozing effect all around. But, I knew the top needed to be a bit more stiff. That's when I remembered I could add more powdered sugar to the recipe to get a stiffer recipe.

Darn, out of powdered sugar. Regular sugar will work, right? (Vince is still sleeping at this point, blissfully unaware of what I'm doing to his kitchen).

I added more sugar to get a better consistency. Still a little runny, but good enough for my now scary cake. And it still tasted good and now had a cool crunchy effect!

TA DA! Here's the finished pic:

I even managed to make some eyes with the frosting.

Okay, okay. I KNOW it looks terrible. I know it deserves to be featured in a "don't let this happen to you article." I know this.

But, it tastes amazing. And, since I didn't show the kids what I was trying to make, they are
none the wiser.

With friendship,

Care'

The Pics are In

2010-09-26T10:33:00.001-07:00

I thought it would be a good idea to put up a pic of my sis wearning the bead-woven bracelet I made for her. I think it looked beautiful with her dress. I also made the veil. That was a very last minute thing, but it turned out great and looked beautiful on her. Now I can add "veil-making" to my bag of tricks.

This is a pic of Jen dancing with our Dad. This was taken in her backyard. I tell you, sitting on her back deck watching the sun go down every night would be hard to get used to - NOT! I think I may have fallen in love with Seattle.

With friendship,

Care'

Wedding Soap

2010-08-01T15:22:00.001-07:00

My little sister is getting married next month. As part of my gift to her, I made 20 bars of handmade soap that she can give as gits and keep for herself. She picked lavender and lemongrass for the scents since that is popular in Seattle, and she selected goat's milk as the base. This is one luxurious soap!

I decided to wrap the soaps in a double cigar-band and included their names & wedding date. I was even able to match the font from the wedding invitation.

The package of soap smelled really good - the postal worker kept sniffing the box. I hope Jen loves it as much as I do.

With friendship,

Care'

Hand Embroidered Tea Towels - A Reminder of Mamaw

2010-07-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

As far back as I can remember, my Mamaw use to hand embroider tea towels and pillow cases. She had a cedar hope chest in her guest bedroom that was overflowing with set after set of tea towels and pillow cases that were ready for the next wedding, housewarming or Christmas gift. She was very fast and sewing these, and I'm sure this was in her top two pasttimes (the other being baking).

When she passed, I inherited most of her sewing stuff. When I finally gathered the courage to go back through everything I had, I found several sets that she had already prepared for embroidery. This set in particular was set off to the side, and I found the thread she had planned to use - even down to the pre-threaded needle. The colors? Blue, mustard yellow, green and red - my sister's house colors. Since my sister also loves muslin, how much more perfect could it be?

I wish I could be in Seattle when Jen opens her box and sees these at the bottom. I know she will love them and she will smile with a fond memory of Mamaw.

With friendship,

Care'

Mini Quilt - A Little Crazy

2010-07-23T04:23:00.000-07:00

Originally posted in 2006 on my old Quilt Journey blog, which is now retired.

I've always wanted to learn how to crazy quilt, so I decided to take the plunge.

BACKGROUND
I've always loved crazy quilts - even the ones that were done with traditional fabrics. I had always imagined how cool they would look with some of the crazy fabrics I like so much. My first attempt at the process was a joke. I couldn't figure out how to do it! That was about a year ago and I never tried again.

A few months back I caught a Martha Pullen episode on PBS where she demonstrated how to crazy quilt. AH HA! Now I knew the trick! I immediately began the search for fabrics on which to try my newfound skill. I found a few sources on ebay that sold fabric scraps and purchased about 5 pounds worth. (My hubby just scratched his head when the packages arrived).

I decided that I wanted to do something for fall, so I picked out some beautiful silks from my stash. Following the instructions that Martha provided, I was off and running.

TECHNIQUES
I pieced the two quilts using the traditional crazy quilt method. Once the piecing was done, I used poly and rayon threads to add decorative stitches. (Next time I plan to use some pearl crown in the bobbin, but I was being somewhat conservative for my first time.) I'm not sure I'm done with these two pieces - I think they may want to become my new fall bag . . .

With friendship,

Care'

Mini Quilt: Squares

2010-07-21T03:59:00.001-07:00

Like most quilters, I cannot bear to part with fabric, no matter how small the scrap. So, instead of tossing out those scraps I cut them up into two-inch squares and place them in a big bin. I've done this for years and now have quite a collection.

BACKGROUND:

I found this fabric a while back and fell in love. (Can you relate?) I had no plans for it at the time, so it hung around for a while. I ultimately ended up making a pair of pants from it and cut the leftovers into squares. I decided to play with the squares a bit and see what happened. I have to say I was surprised. When the stripes all go the same way, I see more brown. Whey they are alternated, I see more pink.

TECHNIQUES:

Nothing too mysterious on this one. I started with the two-inch squares, turned every-other-one 90 degrees and sewed them together. I was going to do some quilting, but ultimately decided against it. I have a tendency to quilt my pieces to death, so leaving this one simple is a bit of a challenge for me (we'll see how long I last before I attack).

With friendship,

Care'

My Sister's Cuff

2010-07-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is beadweaving. When my sister announced her engagement, I was dying to make her a cuff. I've been wanting to do a piece with pearls for a very long time, so I was excited when she told me to give it a go. My mom has a broach that belonged to my grandmother. It is gold with tiny ivory pearls throughout. I thought it would be perfect to incorporate that "something old" with "something new." Here are the pictures of my progress so far.

This is the broach from my grandmother. I added the big pearl in the middle. I also left the pin on the back so that Jen can remove it later, if desired. It is secured to the bracelet, but can be removed with a few snips.

You probably noticed above that the left and right side don't match. I got the right side done but then stopped and wondered if the left side looked better. What do you think?

Here is the left side - no extra pearls.

Here is the right side with the extra pearls. I am truly torn!

Here is a side view showing what both sides look like with the broach.

And here is the clasp. It is simple with three pearls that are hooked into three loops. Sorry for the first pic being so blurry!

So, which side do you prefer? The more simple side or the side with the extra pearls?

With friendship,

Care'

My Sister's Quilt

2010-07-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

In the last month or so I've been working on a quilt for my sister. It will be a wedding gift . . most likely a LATE wedding gift. My sister really appreciates vintage items and loves anything handmade. If you can tie it to some sort of historical or family significance, even better.

When she approached me about making her a quilt I immediately remembered a dusty box stored in the top of my closet that had not been opened in several years. I inherited that box when our grandmother passed several years back. I had not opened it in years becausing doing so brought on a flood of tears. I knew that box contained a stack of hand-stitched blocks our grandmother had diligently worked on for years.

I mustered up the courage to open the box and I was delighted to find enough blocks to make at least three queen-sized quilts. I took pictures of the various blocks and send them to my sister. She selected the fans.

In total there are 125 fans, and it looks like I'll need most of them to make a queen-sized quilt. Due to wide size variations in the hand-piecing, I had to cut all of them down to 6.5 x 6.5 squares (they were originally scaled to be 7.5 x 7.5). It broke my heart to do so, but then I realized my grandmother would much rather see them cut and put to good use than sitting in a dusty old box hidden from view.

Here are the pictures of the original fans. They are all different - I have not found two that are exactly the same. I'll share more pictures as my work progresses.

With friendship,

Care'

Inspiration: Jill2Day

2010-07-16T04:15:00.001-07:00

I have always had a love of fashion design and even had a period where I was designing children's clothing and selling them on ebay. I still dream of someday designing clothing for women. In particular, I would love to design clothing for plus-sized women since everything seems to be designed for the older generation. (Hey - hellooooooo . . . just because we're plus-sized doesn't mean we want to dress like grandma!)

Recently I've spent some time noodling on what I would design if I could sew a sleeve in properly, and I came across Jill2Day on Etsy (http://jill2day.etsy.com). I love her eye for color, how she designs so the clothing will be flattering, how she upcycles and, most of all, how her clothing reminds me of quilting. You simply must check out her shop. She even offers stacks of fabrics that you can then have designed in your own custom piece. How cool is that?

Jill, hon, you really got to write a book or tutorial or SOMETHING. I'm dying to buy one . . .

With friendship,

Care'

Quilt Journey

2010-07-16T04:06:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have found myself trying new things - jewelry, silversmithing, soap making, lotion making, scrapbooking, clothing design . . . but I always seem to return to quilting. I remember watching my grandmothers quilt as a little girl. I recall both of them teaching me techniques - one taught me machine piecing and the other taught me hand quiliting & embroidery. In total, I've probably made well over 50-100 quilts, but my personal collection is quite small. I have a tendency to keep the smaller works for myself and give away the functional quilts as gifts.

In the last few months I've had to stay away from my newer hobbies due to severe tendonitis in my wrists. During that time I've been quilting again. Ahhh . . .how I've missed it. Unlike my newer passions where I am wholly focused on what I'm doing, quilting gives me the opportunity to let my mind wander. During one of these wanderings I remembered that, several years back, I was going to do a new quilt every week. I think I did six weeks before life got in the way. Perhaps its time to revive that mission.

In the meatime, I thought I would share those works, and start talking more about what I'm working on between the stuffed animals (made another donation this week, by the way - 50 toys!) And, I'll share some of my top inspirations along the way.

So, welcome to my quilt journey. It will be a slow, relaxing trip.

With friendship,

Care'

More Plushies for Childrens

2010-06-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

A few months ago my mom and I got together for an overnight sewing party. We used the time to create more critters for Children's Hospital. I made more Nemes, Nums and Worms (I tend to like repetitive stuff . . . guess that's the quilter in me), but Mom is a "one and done" sewer, so she made a variety. That could explain why she LOVES LOVES LOVES to make clothing, but the thought makes me want to run screaming for the hills.

Seriously. You would think with my mad skills I could sew a simple top that has no sleeves, zippers or crazy darts, but alas, I cannot. I did give it the ole college try that night. The shirt is now part of my scrap pile and will most likely make an appearance in future plushies. :)

Now, I can sew simple crop pants . . . .

Anywho . . .here are the pics. I actually have more cut up and ready to sew, but I ran out of my CPISA and FTC labels. Hopefully I'll get those soon so I can finish this batch.

Nemes, Nums, Worms

Mom's Critters

With friendship,

Care'

Observations of a Craft Show

2010-05-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

In the past two months I've done three craft shows (which is why it has been so long since my last post - I am TIRED). Two shows were at the same venue (it's a monthly show) and the other was a one-day annual show. After sitting out in the heat for a sum total of six days, setting up and tearing down for twelve times and driving back and forth endless miles, I made a few observations.

1. It's good to have a sense of humor. This pays off especially well when no one will stop by your booth - even if you are giving away free stuff.

2. There will always be someone there selling the same stuff as you, but for some reason their stuff appears to be selling better. Who knows for sure if it really is. Maybe they paid those people to stop in the booth? I may try this technique at my next show . . .

3. People will pay $5.00 for a grease-laden corney dog that will make you sick, but won't spend $5.00 on that item they ooohed and ahhhed over in your booth for ten minutes.

4. Most of the people at the show are just there to look around/be seen/see who they see/get out of the house/because they are bored/fill in the blank. If by chance you do get someone to stop in, they probably won't buy. Heck, I gave away free samples this past weekend and those didn't even move. I mean, why would you not take a free sample of soap? Do you not bathe? (See item #1 for how to deal with this).

5. Whatever you make, their mother/father/sister/brother/son/daughter/cousin/dog make the same thing and make it better/cheaper/faster/cuter/bigger/smaller. My all time favorite variation of this is the person that acts like they don't like your stuff, but then you see them take pictures, make a quick sketch or even ask about your process. I had a few soapers grill me this past weekend. Of course, their technique was FAR superior to mine. Whatever. I make no apologies for doing something I love.

6. All vendors will chat with each other and talk about how terrible their sales are that day. The customers just aren't buying. Maybe it's the weather/economy/date/etc.

7. All vendors will chat with each other and talk about how great their sales are that day. The customers are in a buying frenzy! Maybe it's the weather/economy/date/etc.

8. Don't believe any sales figures the other vendors quote. Evaluate your own success. That may be $10 over your booth fee or $1000 over your booth fee. Only you know what makes sense for your business.

9. Any booth you are in will be too small/big/hot/cold/flat/crooked/bright/dark.

10. Any assigned space you are in will be too close or too far from the entrance/exit/food/bathrooms.

11. There will always be another vendor selling similar items as yours for a lesser price. All the "how do they do it so cheaply" thoughts will only make you crazy.

12. There will always be another vendor selling similar items as yours for a higher price. All the "how do they get that price" thoughts will only make you crazy.

13. People don't like you to yell out "come to my booth and look at my stuff." They just walk on by.

14. People like you to yell out "come to my booth and look at my stuff." They will pass you if you don't invite them in.

So, what have I learned from this? Just have a good attitude, keep creating and show pride if your product.

Happy craft show season.

Care'

Sweet Anticipation

2010-04-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

Next weekend I will have my first show for my bath & body products. I've done shows before for my scrapbooking kits and art stamps, so I think that's what is keeping me from losing my mind. Yet I am still nervous. There's always that "what if I flop and sell nothing" thought that tries to creep in. But, in reality I just know that won't happen. After all, my products are doing well in a local shop and everyone needs to bathe at some point. :)

The only glitch I've had is that part of my supply order that was supposed to be delivered three weeks ago has gone missing. Fortunately, my supplier is replacing the order at no charge to me, but some of the items were out of stock. This means I won't get what I need until Wednesday this week. That leaves me no time to make any more products, so I will be doing the show with a little less product that I had hoped.

It's funny. . . when I realized that my first reaction was to get upset. I've been in the business world for so long that I immediately was trying to figure out a contingency plan, determine a communication strategy, blah blah blah. Then it hit me.

"Wait, I am the owner, president, CEO, diva, queen, etc. of this shop. I can make the decision that what I have is plenty."

So I did.

Perhaps this is one of the joys of business ownership? I like it.

With friendship,

Care'

Monster Love Has Been Spread

2010-04-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday morning I dropped off all the Nemes, Nums and Worms at the local Children's hospital. I had 52 items in total, which amounted to about 8 good weekends of work. I thought for sure that would last a while.

Well, I got a call on Friday and was told that they had all been adopted by the patients. Apparently, they were a big hit! I was planning to make more after a 6-8 week break, but it sounds like I need to get busy. After all, putting a smile on a kiddo's face is what it's all about. I know every time Mikey has surgery he loves getting his new blanket or toy.

I'm off to the monster factory!

With friendship,

Care'

Nemes are Done!

2010-03-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

HORRAY! Here is the pic. I think they turned out great. The biggest challenge was keeping Mikey from adopting them all

Now I need to decide if I'm ready to do another round . . .

With friendship,

Care'

New Soaps & Lotions

2010-03-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

I was a busy little bee this weekend. I created 5 new soaps and 2 new lotions. Here are pics of two of the soaps. The first is Happy Karma and the second is Lavender Lemongrass which is made with lemongrass essential oil. Very yummy.

The other three soaps are french milled, so they are curing right now. When they are done I'll post pics of those.

The two new lotion flavors are Strawberry Champagne and Cocount Cake. These were special requests from one of the sales managers at the boutique where I cosign. I think they were excellent suggestions and am very pleased with the results.

Despite spending all the time in the kitchen this weekend, the fridge left me alone. Maybe it knew I needed to get some serious stuff done . . .

With friendship,

Care'

My Refrigerator is Evil

2010-03-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, it really is.

After a string of accidents ranging from a severely bruised toe to a dozen eggs crashing to the floor in only a few brief weeks, I've deicided it's the refrigerator's fault. You see, all of these "accidents" occur while I'm either taking stuff out, putting stuff in, or passing by the fridge.

Don't believe me? I present the evidence. . .

01/01/2010 at 0500 hours - went to get morning juice for the kiddo and found the left over champage from the night before had popped its cork. Entire contents of fridge now alcholoic.

02/14/2010 at 1200 hours - removed pre-made casserole from fridge with the intention of placing in oven to cook. Casserole dropped breaking dish and sending food flying. Some even hit the ceiling.

02/15/2010 at 1800 hours - re-attempt at cooking pre-made casserole foiled again. This time the concents overflowed the container while cooking causing the oven to catch on fire. The fridge did nothing to intervene.

3/18/2010 at 0800 hours - after removing item from fridge went to take a shower. Slipped in shower and sustained multiple bruises and a huge sense of embarassment.

3/20/2010 at 1700 hours - opened left door of fridge to place newly-made gallon of ice tea inside. Upper shelf "grabbed" the top of the jug causing me to lose my grip. Tea came crashing down on my left foot resulting in a severaly black and blue big toe.

3/27/2010 at 0900 hours - went to place new carton of eggs in the fridge. Right door swung back and smacked me in the back causing me to drop the eggs. All eggs broken.

Daily - Each day the ice in the ice maker flies out. Mikey thinks it's a game and picks up the ice and throws it in the sink.

Weekly - I usually sustain a new bruise from the door whacking me in the arm while I'm trying to remove or add contents.

Note: none of the above has happened with a credible witness around. My two-year-old has seen a few things, but he's not talking. I think he knows the fridge keeps his juice cold.

You may think I'm crazy . . . "a fridge can't target a specific person," you may say. Consider this . . no one else in the house has been injured.

And no, I don't think it's just me . . .

With friendship and fridge fear,

Care'

More Worms! More Soap!

2010-03-23T09:04:00.001-07:00

The black & white worms are finally finished! WOO HOO! I'm doing the happy dance. And yes, these things ARE taking over my house.

I also created four new soaps a few weeks back. I've been so busy listing lotions lately I forgot to share.

Green Tea, Cucumber & Honey. These were fun to make and the scent is wonderful.

Sweetened Honey Goat's Milk. This one is fragrance and color free and has a great lather.

Spa Tonic. My newest men's scent. It smells very good and I love it when hubby uses it. I also like the nice, cool blue stripe down the middle.

Granola Bar. Yep, it's soap. This was my first attempt at french milled soap and I am very pleased with the results. I've used a bar for the past couple of weeks and it has a nice lather and great exfoliating properties. I included real oats and almonds in a castile base. It feels great on the skin.

More later! Today is my last day of vacation and I'm trying to get as much done as possible. I have my first show coming up in two weeks and I am so behind!

With friendship,

Care'

Rain Rain Go Away

2010-03-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

Snow is predicted for us this weekend. What the heck? It's the first day of spring for crying out loud! We actually managed to get started on the yard work yesterday, but really needed a full weekend to get it all done. (Don't you just hate that very first weekend of yard work every year?)

I also have 9 million earrands to run today and really don't want to go out. It's rainy and cold right now. I really would prefer to just cuddle up on the couch and watch TV all day.

Wah.

Okay, enough whining . . . time to get my butt in gear and get stuff done. After all, 9 milliion errands do take a while . . .

With friendship,

Care'

Blue Worms & Nums Done!

2010-03-15T06:17:00.001-07:00

As an update on the Children's project, I am happy to report that the Blue Worms and the Nums are done. Here are the pics:

Blue Worms - I made 9 of these in total.

Nums - 10 of these. Mikey names these "Nums." I think it works out nicely since he named the skinnier version "Nemes." Better names than I could have come up with, that's for sure!

I have 9 more black & white worms to stuff and stitch, and 14 Nemes to sew, turn, stuff and stitch. I ran out of batting so I had to stop, but hopefully I can knock those out next week. In total, I'll have 52 stuffed toys to donate when I'm done.

Whew . . no wonder I'm tired!

Oh, and while taking pics of all this yesterday, some general silliness broke out. Enjoy the pics:

With friendship,

Care'

Vacation

2010-03-11T04:20:00.000-08:00

WOO HOO! Vacation is HERE!

It has been a very long time since I've actually taken two fulls weeks in a row. I tell you, it feels a little indulgent. While we don't have any travel plans this year, just knowing that I get two weeks to de-stress and concentrate on my sewing and soaping thrills me. I even stayed up last night past 10:00 p.m. for the first time in a very long time. HE HE!

Now, what am I going to do today? Oh, that's right, there's a ton of little critters waiting for me to finish them. Guess I'll try and tackle that first.

Now, for those of you that are actually going somewhere for your vacation, tell me where you are going. I'll live vicariously through you . . .

With friendship,

Care'

Clean House = Crazy Person

2010-03-07T06:17:00.000-08:00

Several years back I entered a very messy house. It wasn't gross - just dusty with stuff strewn about. I recall there being a framed sign upon entry with something along the lines of "A clean house is a sign of a confused mind." I remember thinking that was strange.

I grew up in a very clean house - almost sterile. I can remember Dad making me dust the table multiple times until I got it "right." Every Saturday we woke early. Mom, my sister and I worked the inside of the house while Dad worked on the lawn. By noon it was done and our house looked like something out of Better Homes and Gardens. As we all got older and our schedules got crazier my parents hired a maid. We still did the cleaning ritual before she came.

I continued the tradition when I moved out on my own. I remember I even vacuumed the floors daily in my apartment because I liked the tracks in my carpet. There was always a sense of pride and comfort with having a good, clean home that was always, ALWAYS ready to receive friends.

I wonder what happened?

I'm now 40, married with two boys and I can't keep the house clean to save my life. Heck, my 2 year old stripped down naked the other day and painted himself with my fabric paints. This was on the heals of getting into the 11 year old's trombone slide oil and "fixing" his hair. It seems like it's a daily battle just to get everyone where they are supposed to be and ensure there is food in the house (I did say I have an 11 year old). When the heck am I supposed to clean?

To top it off, I seem to have lost my desire to clean. Yeah, I appreciate it when it's done and I always think, "Man, I need to keep this up" once I get it back to that fresh-smelling state. But something always gets in the way of my cleaning schedule. And yes, I've tried Fly Lady.

I may be at the point where I need to pay someone to take care of things, but it just seems like a waste of money when I am perfectly capable.

I now understand the point of that sign I read all those years ago. When the house is messy, I'm not worried or confused . . . maybe just a little disgusted. But when the house is clean I worry about how I'm going to keep it that way.

With friendship,

Care'

Another Trade

2010-03-05T17:20:00.000-08:00

Since I'm brain dead today - most likely a result of trying to get over this freaking illess that has grabbed me by the throat and pinned me to the wall - I thought I'd share another trade.

When I saw these little pink ballerinas from BloomingVintage, I knew I had to use them in some of my soaps:

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=24820907

Kennly is a sweetheart and great to work with.

Back to bed for me. Now, where did my male nurse go????

With friendship,

Care'

Meh . . .

2010-03-02T04:34:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those days where you feel . . . well . . . MEH?

That's me this morning. It's kind of like yada yada yada but without the energy.

Meh, I need to get ready.
Meh, there's no more coffee.
Meh, I have to take Jake to school.
Meh, I have to go to the eye doctor.
Meh, I need to run to the post office.
Meh, I need to work today.
Meh, I have two meetings I have to lead today.
Meh, meh, meh, meh.

Meh.

I'm Stuffed

2010-03-01T04:31:00.000-08:00

Or rather 100+ little arms and legs are . . .

I spent the majority of the day yesterday sitting on the couch watching the hockey game. In order to have some semblance of productivity, I decided I'd stuff the little arms and legs for my Nemes and Nums. Good grief, I wished I had made those things about a half inch wider. My fingers hurt today!

I also managed to get the worms labeled, eye-balled and sewn, so good progress there as well. I don't know why I feel I'm so behind. It's not like I have a deadline to meet. I guess I thought I'd be done with all of them by now. Just like the last batch they are turning out really cute.

I wish I could stay home and sew today, but alas, duty calls. Have an awesome, creative day!

With friendship,

Care'

Trading on Etsy

2010-02-28T05:52:00.001-08:00

I used to never trade, but recently decided to give it a go. I thought it would be fun to try and trade as much as possible for Christmas gifts this year so that my family members receive something unique and handmade that cannot be found in any store. I can honestly say that I've had a blast. Not only have I received some awesome stuff, I've met some great people along the way. And, I'm well on my way to filling up the gift box that I use to store all the gifts.

So, I decided it would be fun to share some of my trades with my blog readers. After all, why should I have all the fun?

Here is a trade I made with Cris of SugarFlower (http://www.etsy.com/shop/SugarFlower). I thought these hair clips were adorable, but they were even cuter in person. The center of each flower has tiny beads. Just lovely! I think they will be great for my three youngest nieces.

With friendship,

Care'

I Can't . . .

2010-02-27T06:10:00.000-08:00

crochet.

or knit.

or do anything that requires some semblance of coordination requiring only two hands.

After two days of diligently trying to create something - anything - that looked like skilled crochet or knitting, I have decided that this may not be a skill I can master. At least not quickly anyway.

I was attempting to make a scarf. I figured it would be a straight-forward and a relatively small project that would be easy. Wrong. Instead of a beautiful scarf, I've ended up with what appears to be a large intestine. My cat loves it.

Sad. So very sad.

But, because I'm persistent, I'm sure I'll try my hand at it again. I refuse to let yarn get the better of me.

With friendship,

Care'

Getting Old Stinks

2010-02-25T06:11:00.000-08:00

It seems like 40 has been a magical number for me. Okay, maybe not magical . . . more like an expiration date.

Since I've turned 40 it seems like my body has started to rebel. I'll spare you all the gory details, but the last month has been pretty rough, to the point that I sought out a GI doc to determine what the deal is (or isn't). As can be expected, the doc wants to "check things out", "run some tests" and "eliminate the obvious stuff." That means I get to have a colonscopy done tomorrow. Or, as my 11-year-old refers to it, my "alien probe."

So, today is my liquid diet day and the day I drink all that stuff that's supposed to clear out your insides. Maybe I'll count this as my spring cleaning.

To keep my mind off the fact that I cannot eat anything solid, red or purple, I decided to pick up my crochet project again and see if I can give it a go. The thinking here is that the instense concentration will distract me from my current plight while still being easy enough to set aside should the need arise. After struggling with it a bit this morning, I recall now why I set it aside.

I am truly amazed my crocheters and knitters. I do not know how you guys do this with only two hands. I feel like I need at least two more hands to make this work. Maybe I'm just too awkard or something, but if feels like I'm trying to embroider with my feet. Actually, it kind of looks like I did work the project with my feet now that I think about it.

I'll pick it up again later today, but for now I'll just admire the pretty colored yarn wrapped in a ball.

With friendship,

Care'

More Pics

2010-02-22T06:52:00.000-08:00

Here is the pic of the soap I promised yesterday. It is scented with Fresh Rain, so I'm thinking of calling it "Purple Rain."

Okay, you busted me . . . I said there were two more setting up . . .

Well, the other one didn't work out so well, so it's now sitting in my shower. It was suposed to be a clear, blue soap with green turtles and frogs embedded inside. Well, that IS what it is, but you cannot see the embeds very well. It looks more like a clear, blue soap with something green floating inside. I thought about selling them as "mystery items" but decided to keep them since they are cucumber mint-scented, which is my all-time favorite.

That concludes my soap adventures for this weekend. I'm off today, so I'm going to work on my CPSIA and FTC labels. Aren't government regulations fun?

With friendship,

Care'

So, I Did Manage to Get Some Stuff Done . .

2010-02-21T11:32:00.001-08:00

Despite being a human couch, I did manage to get some soaps done. I have a few more setting up, but here's pics of what I have ready so far.

Peppermint:

Lemon Chunk (Lemon Verbena Scented):

Pink Grapefruit:

Pink Ballerina (Strawberry Scented):

And my personal favorite this weekend - I Don't Wanna Take a Bath (sweet pea scented):

What do you think?

Care'

Plans for This Weekend

2010-02-20T05:11:00.001-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, Mikey's surgery was yesterday. All went well and he is mostly resting and wanting to be held by "mommy". That's put a serious damper on my plans for this weekend - LOL!. There's a bead show in town that I really, really, really want to attend, but it looks like that won't happen. Of course, I really, really, really do NOT need to add any more beads to my stash, but that's beside the point, right?

I did get up super early this morning to try and get a few things done before I became a human couch. I managed to make more cucumber mint lotion, plain jane lotion, and made a new scent called sandalwood rose. I have already listed the cucumber mint and plan to list the others in the next few days. The cucumber mint is my personal favorite, so I always make a little extra for me.

If I do have the opportunity to accomplish anything, I hope to get some sewing time in. I managed to make all the eyeballs and attach them to the bodies, so that tedious tasks is done (I hate sewing in circles - LOL!). With any luck I'll get to start bringing them to life today.

Hope you have a great weekend! If I do get anything done, I'll post pictures!

With friendship,

Care'

The Day Before

2010-02-18T08:47:00.001-08:00

Well, tomorrow is Mikey's next - and hopefully final - surgery. The day before is always a strange day for me. It's like my brain doesn't work quite right. I should take this day off from work, but my shedule never seems to allow for it. So, I'll muddle through my day trying to ensure the basic stuff gets done. For example, remembering to pick up Jacob from school will be a challenge - LOL!

I am hoping to get some sewing done today. We'll see. My working with sharp objects may not be such a good idea.

If you'd like to know more about Mikey's condition and why we're having surgery, please visit his site at http://thelittlewarrior.com.

With friendship,

Care'

Newest Critter Revealed!

2010-02-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

For those of you paying attention, you may have noticed there was one item I did not complete this past weekend . . . I did not finish making the plushie for Mikey. Well, I buckled down last night and got it done. Here it is! (And yes, the legs are different lengths on purpose - LOL!)

Mikey has named him "Neme." Neme and Mikey are best of buds. Their favorite activitiy is jumping on the couch together.

Looks like this design will be a hit for the kiddos at Children's. Now, off to sew hundreds of eyeballs . . . .

P.S. Oh, and my reason for being tardy on this task is that I was re-designing my website. Check it out at www.peanutbuttermoon.com.

TTYL!

Caré

Progress Report

2010-02-13T13:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, here's the progress report of what I'm doing this weekend:

1. Sew up the bellies of the giant worms for Children's Hospital. DONE - Here are the pics. I made 10 of these total and the fabric varies on each one. There's only 9 in the worm stack because Mikey was running around with one of them. Guess I need to make one for him. . .

2. Cut more giant worms - this time going for a boy's theme. DONE - all cut and ready to go!

3. Buy more fabric. DONE - This is never an issue - LOL! Joann's had fleece on sale so I ended up getting a yard each of about seven different colors.

4. Buy more soap supplies. DONE - Order should be here next week, but I also picked up a new mold at Hobby Lobby. I can't wait for my other supplies to arrive. The ideas are swimming in my head!

5. Design pillow pals for Children's. DONE - I came up with two designs. Both are simple to support my assembly-line process, (I am the assembly line - I just don't have a sewing room anymore since we moved, so I have to do one task at a time and it's easier to do multiples). I also managed to cut the bodies, the arms and the legs. Still need to do the eyes, but I may not do that today since I'm technically ahead of schedule for a change.

6. Make at least one pillow pal for Mikey (the two-year-old) for Valentine's Day.

7. Wrap V-Day gift for Jake (the 11-year-old). DONE. We don't let Jacob eat sugar that much, so I his favorite candy for V-Day. The challenge will be trying to keep him from eating all in one day.

8. Find V-Day card for hubby that isn't too mushy. (He would never believe it - LOL!) DONE!

9. Make soy candles. DONE, but I'm not so happy with the results. While the smell is exactly what I wanted, the appearance is less than desired - the tops are not smooth. I purposely kept them white with the idea they would match any decor, and I made three of each scent: coconut, vanilla buttercream, fresh rain, beach, cilantro and orange cream. Turns out that making candles is not quite as close to making soap as I had thought - LOL! So, these will be keepers for personal use until I figure out where my technique is off.

10. List the Lavendar lotion I made last weekend. DONE! You can see it here: Clean Jellybean's Lavendar Lotion

Current Projects - Weekend of 2/13/2010

2010-02-13T13:39:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's the weekend and that means one thing - mad rush to get things done while the two-year-old sleeps. On today's list:

1. Sew up the bellies of the giant worms for Children's Hospital.
2. Cut more giant worms - this time going for a boy's theme.
3. Buy more fabric.
4. Buy more soap supplies.
5. Design pillow pals for Children's.
6. Make at least one pillow pal for Mikey (the two-year-old) for Valentine's Day.
7. Wrap V-Day gift for Jake (the 11-year-old).
8. Find V-Day card for hubby that isn't too mushy. (He would never believe it - LOL!)
9. Make candles.
10. List the Lavendar lotion I made last weekend.

Okay, off to the races!

Welcome to My Blog

2010-02-13T13:36:00.000-08:00

Hi. I'm Care and I run three businesses in addition to my full-time job. Part of the reason I have three separate businesses is because they are so different from each other. The first is a scrapbooking & art stamp shop, the second is a jewelry shop and the third is a handmade soap, lotion & candle shop. Kind of weird, huh?

But, the important thing is that I am learning a lot and having a blast. Ultimately I'm hoping one of my three brain childs will afford me a luxurious income that allows me to be a work-at-home-mom. In reality, I'm thrilled when the funds cover the materials. Bottom like, I love to create and will always do so, regardless of the bottom line.

So, welcome to my little corner of the world.