Apple Pie Waffles

My kids have been obsessed with waffles lately, asking for nothing else each morning.  I have been trying to get creative, making different flavors, and adding things to our waffles each day to mix it up a bit.  Some days prove to be successfull, others, not so much.  Today, was lucky for me, a success!  Here’s our take on Apple Pie Waffles. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Flower Pillow Part 2

It has definitely been a crazy couple of months.  Work hasn’t been good and I have been tirelessly looking for something new, but to no avail.  My dream is to move to never ending summer in Phoenix, but the job market doesn’t seem to be cooperating.  

During my breaks of looking for a new job, I have been trying to finish up my half started projects and I think I’ve done a pretty good job.  My two nephews finally got their Monster Albums (I have now made six of these quiet books, I found the pattern on youcanmakethis.com and love it after I made a few alterations of course), my youngest niece got an adorable lady bug pillow for her birthday and I finished a really cute portfolio for my oldest niece’s birthday (I’ll be posting that one soon).  I have also finally finished my flower pillow, you were probably starting to wonder if I ever would, don’t worry, you aren’t alone.

Here are the final steps and the final product.  I LOVE it!

My First Quilt

I have become COMPLETELY obsessed with quilting lately.  I can't get enough of it.  I want to learn everything, do everything, make everything.  It's probably sad and I shouldn't admit to it, but there it is.  So, I figured, why not participate in the Blogger's quilt festival.  I have a few quilts in progress right now, but nothing that's ready for this, so I had to go back to one that was already done, and why not make my inaugural addition to the quilt festival my very first quilt.  The quilt that started it all.

When I'm learning a new skill, I'm not smart enough to start easy with solid instructions, I just kind of go at it, with things that are probably WAY over my head (my mom can attest to this), and quilting was no exception.  I got an idea in my head, kind of had some instruction on appliquéing from Jenni, and went for it.  I found a picture I liked online and duplicated it.  I have no idea where that picture came from or where it is now, so I can't reference it.

This quilt was started about 4 months prior to my daughter (my oldest, now 7) being born, and promtply finished shortly after her 2nd birthday.  I really had no idea was I was getting myself into.  Everything is hand appliqued, with 3D wings, and then hand quilting in place.  It is so imperfect, and her poor face isn't done yet (still haven't decided exactly how to finish that), but I love every aspect of the quilt.  Every ounce of my creative energy went into it and figuring out how to piece it together and get it to work.  I would never do a quilt in this same way, but I learned to much from this first quilt.  Also, my daughter loves it, and really, that's all that matters.

How to pick a Watermelon

As summertime is upon us (we'll some of us, it might be snowing in Utah again this week), it seems the question on every ones mind is "How do I pick the perfect watermelon?".

Well, I might not have all the answers, but Jenni was told a tip a couple years ago that seems to work better than any others I've heard.  You want to find the watermelon with the smallest circle on the side opposite the stem.

This part.

When I cut into the watermelon, it was the perfect red inside and sweet and delicious.

One of my children ate 1/4 the watermelon all by himself.  I do not recommend allowing 4 year olds to do this for dinner however, it was way too close to bedtime (resulting in 4 bathroom trips later before 10pm).  But really, I can't blame him for eating so much.

If you try out this method, I'd love to hear if you have the same success with it I have.