PDF Pattern NEW IN SHOP

It's here!!! It's finally here! In October my dad generously took step-by-step photos of me sewing the birthday banner that I sell in my shop. And now I've finally made it into a PDF file that can be purchased and emailed right to you! Free shipping! And now you can sew one yourself! Wahoo!

Do you like to sew? Feeling crafty? Would you like to customize your own birthday banner? You easily can with this PDF Pattern.

This pattern is designed to be easily used by all sewing levels including beginners. With over 25 clear and colorful photographs.

Tools and Materials needed are:
--Sewing machine
--Fabric
--Scissors
--Straight pins
--Measuring tape
--Thread
--Felt
--Bias tape
The exact amounts are listed in the pattern.

This pattern is an Adobe PDF file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print this pattern--available free at www.adobe.com.

This pattern is for personal use only. It is not to be shared, copied, emailed, or sold. It took many hours to develop this pattern and it is copyright protected. It cannot be used to sell any banners on Etsy or elsewhere. I will consider granting permission to use in large group settings such as a craft night or church group. Please email me first. Thank you!

Check it out here. And thank you to my dad, Dave & Georgia of this shop, and Carrie, Rachael and Ashley who were my "testers." Thank you!

Happy Sewing!

Marshmallow Pops

We had a Memorial Day BBQ with some friends. Between the two families we had 8 hungry kids! As I was setting up they spied these marshmallow pops and their eyes popped. They were so tempted by these kid friendly little treats that I had to hide them until after dinner. I saved one for myself to try and they are pretty tasty and fun to eat too!

Here is a little tutorial on how to make them.

Ingredients:
--1 pound of Candy Melts OR 1 block of melting chocolate.

**These candy melts can be found at any craft store. They come in a variety of colors and flavors. They were cheaper than the same amount in the melting chocolate from the grocery store, and that was before I used a coupon! If you buy the chocolate you can dye it with oil based colors which are found in craft aisles too.

--6 inch Lollipop sticks, also found at craft store

--Large marshmallows

--Sprinkles, nonpareils, mini chocolate chips, etc

Instructions:

Follow the instructions on the packaging for the candy melts or chocolate. I used just a few at first to see how many they would coat. To make 16 of these little guys I only used about 30 of these chips, in other words, not even close to the whole pound.

Stab the marshmallow with the lollipop stick.

Swirl the marshmallow in the melted candy. It's tricky to get it evenly coated so make sure it's melted enough so it's not gloppy on parts of the mallow. No, those are not my lovely pink nails. I'm too lazy to paint my nails.

Gently sprinkle the candy sprinkles onto the covered marshmallow. Hold over a plate so you can catch the excess and use them again. Turn at the same time to evenly coat. Don't forget the tops!

Stick them in a candy filled bowl like I did. Or in a glass, vase or dish with Styrofoam in the bottom. Not only is a fun to way to display them it keeps them from touching each other! Don't smudge them! They can be set in the fridge for a few minutes to harden them quickly.

They have a nice candy "shell" and aren't a terrible mess to clean up!! You can put them in plastic candy bags and give as party favors. This is a quick, easy, simple and tempting little treat for kids.....and adults :)

Total Cost (after sales or coupons):
Candy melts: $1.50
Lollipop sticks, bag of 35: $1.50
Marshmallows: $1
Sprinkles: $1
Total: $5 and I have enough leftover ingredients to make them again!

Here are some additional photos from our Memorial Day Barbecue. I looked forward to making these ice cream sandwiches for weeks! I hand picked the red and blue mini m&m's out to match. I pre-made the cookies and froze them in advance. However, I did not test them enough because the ice cream still squished out the sides when we ate them. So, I made them again and learned that if you find the perfect cookie recipe, bake them slightly undercooked so they're still soft. Then scoop some ice cream into them, sandwich them together, wrap them individually in saran wrap and then freeze them. Then when you're ready to eat them, just roll the sides in sprinkles, mini chocolate chips or mini m&m's and eat them right away. They're much easier that way!


The food table without the BBQ food items. Western pennant banners found in my shop.

Recipe of the Week

This is certainly a comfort food for me and Kraft can't beat this homemade version. If you're looking for a healthy meal run away because this is not it. But ooooh, it's so yummy.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

It's crucial to cook the pasta until tender--just past the "al dente" stage. In fact, overcooking is better than undercooking the pasta. Whole, low-fat, and skim milk all work well in this recipe. The recipe can be halved and baked in an 8-inch-square, broilersafe baking dish.

INGREDIENTS

Bread Crumb Topping
6	slices white sandwich bread (good-quality, about 6 ounces), torn into rough pieces
3	tablespoons butter (cold), cut into 6 pieces
Pasta and Cheese
1	pound elbow macaroni, or any pasta
1	tablespoon salt
5	tablespoons butter
6	tablespoons flour
1 1/2	teaspoons powdered mustard
1/4	teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
5	cups milk (see note)
8	ounces Monterey Jack cheese , shredded (2 cups)
8	ounces sharp cheddar cheese , shredded (2 cups) 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or use any combination of cheeses 4 slices bacon, fried and drained, broken up chopped tomato
1	teaspoon salt

1. For the bread crumbs: Use any oldish bread you have on hand. I used Costco's Parmesan cheese bagels. Break them up and chop them in a food processor.

For the pasta and cheese: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is tender. Drain pasta and set aside in colander. Now fry bacon. Once it is cooked, set aside. Then in now-empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne (if using), Worcestershire sauce and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to fully thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheeses and 1 teaspoon salt until cheeses are fully melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes. Add bacon crumbles. Transfer mixture to broiler-safe 9-by 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 minutes, then serve. Garnish with fresh chopped tomato and dried or fresh basil. It adds a nice fresh flavor.

Recipe adapted from Cooksillustrated Classic Macaroni and Cheese recipe.

Slacker

I've been such a slacker with this blog!!! I have decided I need to be more diligent in posting over here. I want to post recipes, some old, some new, here weekly, if possible. And perhaps tutorials, tidbits about other artists and inspiration and other domestic and creative ideas. Thanks for participating!

Recipe of the Week

Salmon is proving to be one of the healthiest foods for us to eat. We try to alternate it eating fresh caught salmon or halibut each week. And surprisingly, our kids eat it up! Even my picky 5 year old. My husband goes to Alaska about every other year to fish with his father. They bring home freshly caught wild salmon and halibut and we've got our freezers stocked for the next year. I read recently (I can't find the article!) that wild caught salmon is healthier for you to eat than farmed kind. It just sounds better anyway! Besides, it's my husband's ultimate vacation and he brings home the goods, so I don't argue with that!

This recipe is one of our favorites! It has a fresh flavor with the mango and cilantro. And the rice adds that touch of culture and international feel to it! Bon appetit!



Grilled Salmon with Indian Flavors and Fresh Mango Chutney from Cooks Illustrated

If your fillets are less than one and one-half inches thick, decrease the grilling time by roughly thirty seconds per side. If using a gas grill, heat it for ten minutes and then grill the salmon over direct heat for four to five minutes per side. To test fillets for doneness, either peek into the salmon with the tip of a small knife as described below or remove the salmon from the grill and squeeze both sides of the fillet gently with your fingertips (raw salmon is squishy; medium-rare salmon is firm, but not hard).

INGREDIENTS

Marinade
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
2	tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2	teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2	teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2	teaspoons table salt
1/4	teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chutney
1	mango cut into 1/2-inch dice
3	tablespoons lemon juice from 1 small lemon
1	tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Grilled Salmon
	vegetable oil for grill grate
4	salmon fillets (center-cut), each 6 to 7 ounces and 1 1/2 inches thick
	Ground black pepper

1. For marinade: Mix vegetable oil, gingerroot, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper together in shallow bowl; set aside.2. For chutney: Mix mango, lemon juice, and cilantro in small bowl; set aside.3. Ignite enough charcoal briquettes or hardwood charcoal to fill slightly less than two shoeboxes, and burn until completely covered with thin coating light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Marinate salmon while coals are heating. Spread coals in single layer to make medium-hot fire (judge by holding outstretched hand 5 inches above coals for 4 seconds; if you cannot make it the full 4 seconds, fire is too hot). Position grill grate over fire and rub cooking area of grate with oil-dipped paper towel wad. ***You may bake or broil these as well instead of grilling. 4. Generously sprinkle each side of fillets with pepper. Place fillets in an oiled grill basket, if you like. Place fillets skin side down on grill grate; grill until skin shrinks and separates from flesh and turns black, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip fillets gently with long-handled tongs or spatula; grill until fillets are opaque throughout, yet translucent at very center when checked with point of paring knife, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to serving platter and serve with mango chutney.

Indian-Spiced Rice Pilaf with Dates and Parsley from Cooks Illustrated

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2	cups basmati rice or long-grain rice
2 1/4	cups water
1 1/2	teaspoons salt
	ground black pepper
3	tablespoons unsalted butter
1	small onion , minced (about 1/2 cup)
2	medium cloves garlic , minced
2	teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/8	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8	teaspoon ground cardamom (found at world food stores, it's a lot cheaper than at the grocery store)
1/4	cup chopped dates
2	tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Place rice in medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches; using hands, gently swish grains to release excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Repeat four to five times, until water runs almost clear. Using a colander or fine mesh strainer, drain water from rice; place colander over bowl and set aside. 2. Bring 2 1/4 cups water to boil, covered, in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add salt and season with pepper; cover to keep hot. Meanwhile, heat butter in large saucepan over medium heat until foam begins to subside; add onion and sauté until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom to sautéed onion; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add rice and stir to coat grains with butter; cook until edges of rice grains begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir hot seasoned water into rice; return to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 16-18 minutes. Off heat, remove lid, add dates and parsley (do not mix in), and place kitchen towel folded in half over saucepan; replace lid. Let stand 10 minutes; fluff rice with fork and serve.

Clothespin Dolls

I found this tutorial for making clothespin dolls and wanted to try it!

I made 3 for my daughter's 3rd birthday and some for my nieces as well. I placed a candle in each dolls hand for her to blow out. They were pretty simple to make.You can find all the materials in your own stash at home and at your local craft store. The only suggestion I would make to the tutorial is to glue the dress to the back of the neck of the doll and glue the ribbon to her dress as well.

Come one come all

Hello fellow Utah'n friends!

If you're available this weekend come up to Farmington to the Piper & Chloe boutique. A bohemian Anthropologie style show that will feature some of my items along with other talented artisans! Situated in beautiful home and started by a talented and kind group of sisters and mother. Come check it out. You may find some great Christmas gifts or ideas for your own creations.

Check out the blog here. http://www.piperandchloe.blogspot.com/
And get the directions before you go there. I got lost trying to follow their instructions as long as some friends who tried coming this spring :)

They have a playroom for those who need to bring their kids.

November 6th and 7th. Friday, 10-7pm and Saturday, 10-5pm 46 Robyn Way Farmington, UT