Picture questions.

 

 

I have been sewing! I promise!

A few months ago I found the greatest sewing fabric every! (Without all the sewing lines, I did those)

What better to make than a sewing machine cover for Contessa with sewing machine fabric right?  I measure from bottom front of my machine to over the top of it to the bottom back of my machine and added an inch. I measured from side to side as well and added an inch for my measurements.  I quilted it with batting between the fabric and did the V stitch all over until I was satisfied with how it looked.

Then I used binding around all of the rough edges and called it done. 

Doesn’t she look so cozy under her new cover? This was one of my most favorite projects to do. I’m not sure why…maybe it’s because I made something for Contessa, my favorite machine ever!

I also quilted my first ever baby blanket. I’ve made other baby blankets before where I just slapped fabric together and edge the two together. Now though I actually quilted the baby blanket like I did Contessa’s cover above and then used blanket binding. I’m really really happy with how it turned out.

I think Murphy likes it too.

Now….who to give it to? If it stays in the house Evan Grace is sure to claim it as her own!

~Jess

 

Tea Party

I didn’t come up with the menu. Remember that.

Warm sweet tea.

Pimento Cheese sandwiches.

Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcakes. (The real reason for this post)

This peanut butter icing is fantastic.

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Mix confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl (with a paddle attachment if you have one, I don’t so the egg beaters worked just fine) Mix until creamy and smooth. Add in the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

It’s that quick and simple. This goes great on any type of chocolate cupcake or the tip of your finger. Yum.

Beach Time

Big Poppa (he’s been upgraded from Boy Toy) and I took the kids to the beach a few weeks ago.

We fly kites every time we go to the beach. Something my sister and I did whenever we went to the beach growing up. look at the one I found!!!!!!!

*sigh* When can we go back?

~Jess

 

New Laundry Detergent Recipe (powder)

I haven’t bought store laundry detergent in 4 years now. (Boy has that saved a lot of money) When blog surfing a few months ago I ran across a new laundry detergent recipe that I hadn’t see anywhere else. It’s a powder kind.  It took the blogger 9 months to go through about 2 gallons of detergent that she spent only $20.

Of course I had to try it, it’s cheap and lasts that long? Sign me up!

Here’s what you need:

1-4lb 12oz box of Borax (I use this in the liquid detergent I’ve been making the past few years)

1-4lb box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (if you don’t find this in the laundry aisle you could check the baking aisle)

1 box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (another ingredient I use in the liquid detergent)

3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap, (shredded the bars like you would the bars of soap for the liquid detergent)  If you prefer Zote bars use only 2 of those!

1-3lb of Oxy Clean. You don’t have to add Oxy Clean but it’s really worth it for the stains and has a great clean smell! 

It’s not in the picture above but I added a bottle of those new laundry detergent crystals I can’t even remember the name of them either. It adds great fragrance!!!!

After you’ve shredded your soap bars:

I put a trash bag into my 5 gallon liquid laundry detergent bucket and started dumping in all the ingredients above. Then I closed the bag, held it tightly and mixed all the powders and soaps.

Viola!

Can you tell I forgot to put in the fragrance crystals???

I got a big glass jar and added some stickers (and the crystals!).

The best, best, best thing about this detergent is you only need to use 2 Tablespoons PER laundry load, big or small.

At first I didn’t trust it so I started out with 1/4 cup and slowly worked my way down. Trust me, 2 tablespoons is all you need. Everything comes out clean and smell so wonderful. I’m not sure if I’ll ever go back to the liquid goo laundry detergent again.

 

If you want to check out the blog where I got the recipe for this from here’s the link below. She even has an owl icon on the top of her home page so you know it’s a great blog!!

http://beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html

 

~Jess