like strawberry freezer jam! YUM!

(This was the first time I’ve ever made it…though I have spent lots of summers eating it! It was surprisingly simple and my daughter loved helping me cut up all the strawberries…I already know, I didn’t make enough! )

I know I haven’t been blogging much as of late…but I thought I should warn you that it might be getting worse before if ever has a chance of getting better. OH NO! And yet for me it is kind of exciting…

BECAUSE:

My little family has just been approved by Utah’s Rural Housing Development Corporation (RHDC) to build our own home. And when I say build…I’m using it in a pretty literal sense, meaning: my husband and I will be on the work site 35 hours a week building our own home. CRAZY! (am I crazy!?! I think I might be crazy…)

I’m hoping that I wont completely fall off the face of the planet for the next 8 or so months…but I know for sure that I’m not going to have much time for crafting and that perhaps this site (through no fault of its own) may go in a manly construction direction for a bit. I told my husband that surely I could find a little bit of time to blog about the proper way to hold a hammer (once I learn how of course )

I have to say that I am super excited to get started…and I feel so blessed that we will finally have a house of our very own! I must admit that I am a bit tired of living in a basement…. YAY for future windows that are above the ground!

Here is a video about some houses they built a few years ago in Provo…I think it is fun to watch….he he.

This past week has been pretty crazy. We spent the entire week camping, hiking, playing, swimming, boating, sunburning, and not sleeping. It was fun….but boy am I glad it is over, and that I get to just stay home for a few days and sleep…uh, I mean clean, and do laundry and put things away…. Summer is great isn’t it…but so tiring too…zzz. zzzz.. zz. z.

So while we were on our little camping trip we made these fun little campfire cakes in an orange. And believe me when I say YUM. =)

Here’s How:

1. Cut the top off of your orange, hollow out the inside (making sure to eat all of that orange goodness so it doesn’t go waste), and keep the top of your orange to use as a “lid”

2. Fill your orange(s) about half way with nice,yummy, delicious, scrumptious, chocolate cake batter (that has been made according to package directions) then place your “lid” back on your orange and wrap the whole thing up with tin-foil.

3. Bake under nice hot coals for about 40 (ish) minutes… and make sure you make a few extra because they are sooooo good you will definitely want more than one!

(oh, and don’t be tempted to fill your orange too full, or your’s might spill out like mine did…but don’t worry, it was still YUMMM EEE!)

Enjoy!

This post is linked at:

Made by you Mondays @ Skip to My Lou

It has been 10 days since my last post, so I thought I should sit down and write something to put on my blog. I’ve been sitting here for much too long, and not really coming up with anything to say…am I getting out of practice? OH NO!

Anyhow, the past few weeks I’ve been busy crocheting washcloths. My aunt has been coming over a couple times a week for “crochet pattern reading lessons”, and we’ve started quite a few projects: bookmarks, afghans, washcloths, pot holders…anyhow, we’ve been having fun, though we’ve got so many projects going I must admit to feeling a tad bit overwhelmed. The pressure is building to finish something….and so today, I completed a set of matching washcloths, tied them up with ribbon, and put them in a box ready and waiting for Christmas gift giving. (AHHHHH….”so much time so little to do. Strike that, reverse it” ha ha)

My aunt came up with this simple pattern on her own…and I absolutely love it. It makes for a nice scrubbing washcloth, that isn’t too thick, and in my opinion is just the right size.

The pattern:

SC: Single Crochet

BLO: Back Loop Only

Chain 30 (or more if you like big washcloths). turn.  *In the 2nd chain from hook SC in BLO, continue to SC in BLO in each stitch across. Ch 1. Turn and repeat from * until you have achieved your desired length. Finish off.

happy crocheting!

This post is linked at:

Made by You Mondays @ Skip to My Lou
MomSpiration Mondays @ Moms By Heart

This past week I have been having a lot of fun learning how to crochet these vintage ribbon bookmarks. I had never crocheted using thread before…so it was kind of exciting to try something new. When I first started I felt like I had these huge monster fingers because it was so hard to not drop my {itty bitty} project…but a few bookmarks later and I think I’ve {mostly} got the hang of it.

These patterns are the actual property of my great-aunt,  she didn’t include a hook size with her pattern, but I suppose it doesn’t really matter since the pattern would work with any “thread” sized needle. I ended up using a hook size 1.90MM —but anything around that range would work, it just depends if you like a tight or loose look.

SHELL (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc – in same sp)

BEGINNING SHELL (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc in same sp)

ch 12, turn, sc in second st from hook,
sc in each st (to hide the tail of the beginning thread include it in the sc)
turn, sl st to third sc, ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc in same st,
*skip three sc, shell in next sc (repeat from *)
Turn, sl st in dc, st st in ch sp, work beg shell, shell in each ch 2 space.
Repeat rows to desired length (about 21 rows)
Turn, sl st to ch 2 space, ch 5, shell in middle sp, ch 5 and finish off.
Thread ribbon.

Ch 12, turn, sc in second st from hook, sc in 4 sc, ch 3, sk 2 sc, sc in 4 sc, turn,
Row 1: Ch 5, 5 tr, ch 3, 5 tr in sp, tr in last st, turn,
Rep row 1 until desired length.
Last Row: turn and ch 6, sc in sp, ch 6, sl st in end tr.
Sc all around.
Finish off and thread ribbon.

ENJOY!

this post is linked at:

Just Something I Whipped Up
Motivate Me Monday
Making the World Cuter Monday
Get Your Craft on
Vintage Things Thursday
Made by You Monday