Gettin' Crafty

Note to self:
That shirt is an extra small, it will not fit you again.......ever. It doesn't matter how cute it looked on you, give it to the goodwill so that someone else can wear it.
P.S. I know what you are thinking, and the answer is no, it is not ok to just layer another shirt on underneath it, people will still be able to tell that it is too small.
P.P.S.
Also putting a cardigan over it does not mean "it fits"....don't even try it.

Note from self, back to self, regarding note to self:
That shirt would look so good with a black shirt underneath it, what do you even know about fashion anyway.







Does anyone else have a hard time getting rid of clothes? It isn't that I have a problem with my current shape, I just hate shopping for new clothes when I have so many usable* clothes in my closet. I often give clothing to goodwill or my (unfairly) tiny sister, and any old jackets go to the jacket drive they hold here in the winter. I also enjoy re purposing my clothing by cutting, sewing, and puffy painting it into something else. Band shirts become quilts, slip dresses become smaller slip dresses for my daughter, and of course there is the classic T-shirt into a reusable bag trick.


I thought with Easter coming up I should post a picture of the bunny hat I made for my daughter a while back, she would be the child wildly trying to claw it off of her head.... I kind of wish I had a better picture.... I just turned the shirt inside out, drew some bunny ears on it sewed it up. Then I sewed some felt inside the ears, and put a little puffy tail on the back. what do you do with your clothes when they wear out/don't fit? I am getting ready to go through my closet and would love some inspiration.




* Ok, so the clothing would technically only be useful if I had a time machine......

Post Super Bowl Food Hangover + Q&A

I ate too much on Sunday, and I felt like crap all Monday long. I really do feel better when I stay away from junk food...so why do I eat it...even once a year, I'm compulsive.

Note to self: Next year, don't sit next to chips and dip.

I did make some vegetarian fare to bring to the event, a pesto and roma tomato pizza, and some stuffed mushrooms, but I sat next to the french onion dip, and that's my own dang fault. I did however have a revelation of sorts halfway into cutting my tomatoes. I realized my kids are going to be socially awkward.....perhaps cripplingly so if we don't get out of the deep south. Not just because my DD (at three) begs to watch Star Trek, or because we have a large number of aspies in the family, but also because she will be the kid who's mom brings a vegan option to the Super Bowl, and always smells like garlic.......sigh. It probably won't help either that I continue to use slang from the early nineties....yo.

So for next year more BBQ sauce, less flax seed. Still healthy, but perhaps more deceptively so. As I'm sure every mother of children with allergies feels, I just want them to not feel left out.

On to the Q&A portion of the blog:

Is your sugar fast over?
Yes, it ended here.

Did you cheat?
I may have popped a few of DS's Cheerios in my mouth, before I realized they had sugar in them...but no chocolate, no desserts, even when the Fam decided to eat ice cream I held firm.

Did you lose weight? Yes...one week without sugar, exercising every day, I lost a whopping 1.2lbs....woo....hoo...


Any other side effects?
My headaches went away, and I lost that afternoon slump feeling. Both were unexpected, but welcome changes.

Make it Pink

We don't like to use red dye 40 in our house.........we also don't like lawsuits, so I will leave it at that. Unfortunately DD's favorite color is pink, not only that but if you ask her what her favorite food is she will smile and say "Pink!" (ok so she doesn't so much say it as she throws her hands in the air and sings it).....sigh. To top it off she has asked for a pink princess party for her birthday. Luckily beet juice makes a fantastically sickening pink hue when added to frosting.

With Valentines day coming up I thought it might be fun to post some of these pink treats.

Pink Fizzy Drink

DD is allergic to sulfites, this means no juice (among other things). If she weren't I would probably just serve a mixture of cranberry juice and seltzer water and call it good....but then I wouldn't have thought of this drink.

2 small scoops of raspberry sorbet
6 oz seltzer water

Scoop the sorbet into a cup and pour the seltzer water over it. The sorbet turns the drink pink, and gives it a delightful refreshing fruity flavor.

Pink Fruity Flower Toast

This is another sweet treat, it can be made even more simple by using no sugar added strawberry jam....but I really like the chunks of fruit, so we make it from scratch. :)

1 box strawberries
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
Juice of one lemon
water
Cream cheese

Chop the strawberries into small pieces and heat in a sauce pan on medium low with water (a very little bit like maybe 1/4 cup if that), lemon juice, and sugar, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile toast bread and cut with flower (or heart) shaped cookie cutters. Once the strawberry mixture has reduced and is all gooey and sweet and tangy remove it from heat and stir in the cream cheese. Spread this on your flower toasts. If it is too watery you can let it set in the fridge before using.....I know, I know, the picture is not a flower...and it also does not make you want to eat, but it works on toddlers...so, you know, give me a break.

Beyond these two treats beet juice can be added to things that are not going to be cooked* to create a fantabulous pink hue.

*Hummus, sour cream, yogurt, frosting, and mashed potatoes just to name a few.