Fancy Fox

I am working on my very first quilt. I am making the Fancy Fox pattern by Elizabeth Hartman. 

I have all my blocks cut out and now I have to finish sewing the blocks, then figure out how to sew all the blocks together to form the front. 

Then comes the REALLY tricky part of the actual quilting. I have my cotton batting, 505 adhesive and my basting pins ready to go! 

I think I will stick with an easy straight line quilting (since this is my first) just to get the feel for it. 

Then comes the binding...that will be fun! At least I'm starting with the baby size quilt. 

The middle fabric is for the backing and the stripe at the back is for the binding. I think I will cut a block or two from this Hello Bear fabric up front to put on the back of the quilt. Which animals should go back there? Raccoon, bear, deer, fox, oh my!

New Endeavors

I have the crafting bug right now. I want to craft all the things. As you know, I love to knit. 

I also like to crochet and tat. 

My 'cousin' in Canada is an avid and experienced quilter and she has now given me the quilting bug. I have bought some of her bags for my knitting projects and they are so wonderful! It got me to thinking maybe I could make my own. 

Sure enough I can but she makes it look easy. I sewed my very first zipper and now I'm doing it like there's no tomorrow! 

I also made some pincushions filled with crushed walnuts. 

Anyway, I have found the first 2 patterns for quilts that I want to try:

1) Fancy Fox by Elizabeth Hartman (this particular one made by my 'cousin')

2) Feather Bed Quilt by Anna Maria Horner

Or perhaps I will do a combination of the two? Let's just say I need a holiday to craft!! (Also, any quilting tips appreciated!)

Dirty Diet Coke

Yeah. It's Monday. Time for some dirty diet coke.
I was searching for a new drink to order and found this on the Our Best Bites site.
Sounds pretty delicious to me.  You could even add a splash of half n half and have dessert.
You're welcome. 

Dirty Diet Coke
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut syrup
crushed ice
1/2 lime (cut the lime into quarters and use 2 quarters)
12 ounces Diet Coke
1-2 tablespoons half and half (optional)
Instructions:
Pour the coconut syrup into the bottom of a 24-ounce glass. Fill it about halfway full with crushed ice. Squeeze the lime quarters over the ice and drop them into the glass so the rind is touching the ice. Pour the Diet Coke over the spent limes. If desired, add a splash of half and half. Add a straw to stir and serve. Makes 1 serving.

 

recipe and photo courtesy of Our Best Bites.

The great shawl escapade

I love knitting shawls, especially mystery shawls. It is so satisfying to get a new clue each week to work on and see the pattern emerge. These are my latest 2 shawls. The first is a MKAL called Rock the Kasbah from Wild Prairie Knits. The second is called Pendulum by Amy Miller.

Oatmeal Banana Cookies

I walked/jogged a 5K with my best friend and husband at the first of April (2013- I know, I have been working on posting this for too long) and at the finish line they had some oatmeal banana cookies and they were stunning (they were already out of bananas so I went for the next best thing- banana cookies)!
I decided then and there I needed to find or create a recipe. I don't care for nuts, and I didn't want raisins to detract from the delicious banana flavor, so I came up with my own recipe.
The ones I had after the 5K were a little bit crispier, but most of my friends and family prefer softer cookies, and these deliver. I hope you enjoy!

Oatmeal Banana Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed bananas
1 3/4 cup old fashioned oats

Beat butter and sugar together.
Add vanilla and beat well.
Add flour, salt, nutmeg, soda, cinnamon.
Mix well.
Stir in oats, bananas. Mix well.
Drop by spoonful on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes in 350 degree Fahrenheit oven.
Cool 1 minute on sheet.
Remove to wire rack to cool.
Enjoy!

Nutritional Information:
Serving Size = 24 cookies
Calories = 154

Note: Later I tried this recipe again and have added raisins. They are SO good! Of course with the addition of raisins the calories would be a little more, depending on how much you add.
 

Turkey Burgers

I was given an easy, delicious turkey burger recipe by a co-worker and love it so much I thought I would share it with you.

Turkey Burgers
1 lb ground (organic, grass-fed preferred) turkey
1 cup panko bread crumbs, toasted
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp Grey Poupon mustard
1 Tbsp ground Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Melt butter in a non-stick pan on medium heat and add Panko. Stir and cook until toasted.
2. Add toasted Panko to ground turkey, mustard and Parmesan.
3. Mix with your hands until combined and form into patties.
4. Grill on medium-high for 4 minutes on each side.
5. You can add a slice of provolone or Irish cheese and allow to melt once burgers are done (as I have in the photo below).
6. Add your toppings and bun and enjoy!

*Note: I have started adding more mustard and a little more Parmesan cheese and find it tastes that much better, but if you want to stay on the calories indicated in the Nutrition information, please stick with the recipe allocations or be sure to adjust the per serving calories. 

Nutrition: 
Serving Size = 1 burger
Calories = 262 (without cheese topping or any fixings or buns)

Mango Banana Bread

I have been making the same banana bread recipe of my Grandmothers for some time. I have tried a few alterations since and still love the recipe. This time I opted to use mango and banana and coconut rum...I know, right? Just be sure that your fruit is VERY ripe, where you are thinking of throwing it out because no one would eat that...that kind of ripe. (And no, this is not really one of the lower calorie recipes, but a treat we have once in a while and the remainder goes with me to work for everyone else to eat.)

Mango Banana Bread
 2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup soft shortening
2 eggs
3 Tbsp buttermilk
1 cup mashed fruit (banana and mango)
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix together thoroughly the sugar, shortening and eggs.
2. Stir in the buttermilk and fruit.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt- and add to wet ingredients.
4. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Nutritional Information:
Makes 1 loaf = 10 servings
Calories = 243

What's-on-the-Needles Wednesday

Normally on Wednesday nights after work I go down to my LYS (local yarn shop) and knit till 8pm. I didn't make it tonight- I am very tired. Instead I came home and made dinner and started searching through my yarn stash for the perfect yarn for a project for my mom and dad. 

I want to make mom a scarf and dad some felted slippers. 

I found the perfect yarn for my mom, in fact I was thinking of her when I bought it, but I still need the perfect pattern.  

I have lots of yarn I can felt for my dad, but not sure I have enough to make a good looking pair of slippers so I might have to get yarn for that. If he wanted periwinkle or aqua slippers I'd be covered but I don't think that will work. I already have the perfect pattern for him. 

Before I begin these projects I am making sure I finish my fingerless gloves 

and my hat to go with them 

I have not finished either, but I just started the gloves last week and the hat over last weekend so I don't think I'm doing so bad. 

Once I have finished these I can begin the scarf and slippers! I always enjoy starting a new project. Especially for a new pattern I haven't made before. That's why I am looking for a good scarf pattern that I haven't already made. I have worsted weight yarn but I don't want it to be too bulky. I will be searching Ravelry for the perfect pattern. If you have any suggestions please let me know. 

Tata for now and happy knitting! 

Sweaters

It is the middle of May in Arkansas and it was 49 degrees and SO foggy at 1:30pm on the top of Mt Magazine. It got worse, but there were no pretty trees to photo at that point. 

I know it's almost summer time, but I just got to go to the AR Yarn Extravaganza Spring Retreat in Mt Magazine to listen to Amy Herzog teach us how to knit sweaters to flatter ourselves (or anyone). Up to now I have been very hesitant to try a sweater because I was afraid I would mess it up or it wouldn't fit and that would be too disappointing (not to mention all the time and money that went into knitting it up).

Amy gave us so much ammo to knit up ANY garment to fit us. She told us about her website, Custom Fit, where you plug in your measurements, your swatch info and you can design your own pattern or any pattern you love. I am very excited to get my yarn and swatch it up!
Speaking of swatches, these are typical swatches for Amy- this is going to take foreva!

But, hey, if the swatch makes a difference, I am all for it! I ordered my yarn, then I will knit up a giant swatch (and soak/block it) and get my measurements then I'm off to the races on a basic sweater off of the Custom Fit website. I am going basic for my first one until I get the feel for it. I will keep you updated.

Juicing

 

Some of you may know that I have been juicing. I haven't committed to full time juicing, just juicing on the side or as a meal replacement. It was in an attempt to lose more weight before Italy. Italy is now just 3 days away!!! I have lost a total of 40 lbs this year and I am really excited about that. I have a lot more to lose, but losing that much before Italy is SO GREAT!

Above is the Mean Green Juice from Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead.
Below is a Carrot Juice and a Beet Juice. They are all delicious!

My sister and I went for a hike

My sister and I went for a hike
Originally uploaded by oshngrl
When I last visited my family in CA, my youngest sister and I went for a hike. It was a nice day, but we couldn't find the waterfall and we both ended up with sunburns. Even with all of that, we had a great time! The crazy thing is, the next day it snowed. Not kidding. I had to wear a coat over my sunburn. Ouch.
I loved this photo from the hike- I braided my sister's hair and we found giant pine cones worthy of photos. I hope you all had a pleasant weekend and have a good week!

Weightloss Wednesday

As many of you know, my husband and I have been on a weightloss journey since Jan 2012. I have lost a total of 35 lbs and hubby has lost 60 lbs. Many people are asking what he is doing since he has been able to lose so much weight. The simple answer is: count calories and exercise. You should know what your resting metabolism is and to lose fat you must decrease your intake of calories below what your body naturally burns in a day. That is also where exercise comes into play. If you want to really lose the weight you need to eat less and move more. The greater the deficit each day, the better the weightloss in a week.

We have also started trying different recipes that have fewer calories, but still use real food ingredients. We have experimented with tofu, stevia and organic food when possible. We have also started making recipes that don't require a lot of special ingredients because that helps us save on the grocery bill.

In the next few weeks I will share a few of the recipes we have tried. I hope this will encourage some who are still on the fence to go ahead and make the leap. Don't think of it as dieting. It is a way of life. You are changing your lifestyle for the better and your body will thank you.

blog it

Apparently I don't blog much anymore. I am sitting at my computer with my cat in my lap surfing the web, but not adding much to it, so here is a photo of my favorite flower, the dandelion. I say that because it MUST be my favorite since it is the only one growing in my yard. All other plant life has dried up. Hope you have a great Thursday and keep cool.

iPhone 4

I sold my iPad and iPod touch and bought an iPhone 4. Some people may think I'm crazy, but I have never had so much use from an electronic device as I have from my iPhone! I LOVE photography so I wanted a device that is small enough to carry everywhere with me- and the iPhone fit the bill. I am now addicted to Instagram and several other camera/photo apps. If you go there search for me. I am @oshngrl .
Hope your weekend has been wonderful!

Monday

I don't know if happy should go in front of Monday. It doesn't fit. It's like putting healthy in front of cheesecake. Doesn't work for me. If I want cheesecake, it better be GOOD, not healthy (unless you can make it healthy AND good, then I'm in- but just don't tell me it's healthy). Sure, Mondays are a new fresh start to the week and diets and all those promises we make and fail at each week. Mondays are great for starting over. But they suck if you have to go to work- who needs to start over there? It's just going to be like last week, or worse, so why think of it as a new fresh start? And, while you are at work, you don't get to enjoy the sunshine, the flowers and strawberries growing on your front deck, the kitty sleeping in the sun, or riding your new bike on a trail. I would really rather be doing that and feeling like it was a new fresh beginning. Maybe join in on the cat nap in the sun. Instead, I am going back on my diet, going to work, and will start the rat-race for this week anew. Monday. Join me?

Photo shoot March 2011

Photoshoot_daryl+heather_377.jpg
Originally uploaded by oshngrl

We did a photo shoot for our portfolio last month. This was one of my favorites.

WPPI Vegas 2011

We got back from Vegas with a bug. A coughing bug. It nearly killed me. Now Daryl has it and he might die. We had a great time while we were there, though. My sisters drove over and spent the weekend with us so we got to do some fun stuff. Here are a few pics of the highlights, from my viewpoint...

Weekend Giveaway: A Raspberry "Rose" Camera Bag from Jo Totes!! - printLife

Weekend Giveaway: A Raspberry "Rose" Camera Bag from Jo Totes!! - printLife

Polaroids

I have taken a few good pics with my little polaroid. (on Amazon)

 Here are a few.

Above is the very first photo we took with this camera. Weird thing sticking out of my head...that's the light fixture.

Me and my best friend in Sarasota, FL!

And the pink 'vespa'. I wish I had a real Vespa...

EGGNOG CHEESECAKES WITH DULCE DE LECHE

EGGNOG CHEESECAKES WITH DULCE DE LECHE
I found this recipe today and thought it sounded delicious! Personal cheesecake made with eggnog? What's not to love?