DIY Gift Tutorials for the Beginner Sewist

If you're like me, then you've got a pile of gifts to make before Christmas and not much time to waste, so let's cut to the chase and get started already!

Here are some of my favorite tutorials for sewing projects for beginner sewers. You're going to love these! Just click on the name to find a great tutorial!

1. The Lined Zipper Pouch by Dana : My favorite project to make for gifts this year has been this zipper pouch! The video is a must watch. She does an EXCELLENT job explaining each step and they turn out great!! Use them for anything you'd like! Fill them with candy, small knick knacks, nail polish... you get the point.

2. Business Card Holder by the Crafty Cupboard : Though the zipper pouch can be gifted to anyone (let your fabric imagination run wild), I decided to go for some super duper easy business card holders for the guys! (I even made mine super simple by omitting the batting and button!)

3. Dish-Drying Mat by Sewplicity : Do you have any extra towels laying around? A dish-drying mat would be a wonderful gift!

4. Burp Cloth by Make it Cozee : If these all seem a little too complicated (and you have a new mama to gift to), try this super duper easy and cute burp cloth tutorial!

5. The One Hour Basket by Hearts and Bees : This is a really fun project to do! My first few times took a little over an hour, but it really is that quick once you get the hang of it! It is a great way to pack up a gift basket!

Now it's time to get back to sewing! 

What are YOUR favorite gifts to sew?? I would LOVE to see more great tutorials out there! Ready, set, SHARE!!

Hearty Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Soup

I just love a recipe that saves money and can be served to my whole family!

My picky toddler loves this meal!

Homemade chicken soup is one of my favorite comfort foods! It has become a favorite here and with a picky toddler in the house, I am thrilled that this meal gives us a wide variety of vitamins and protein, and there is almost always leftovers. We love that we can use last night's chicken bones to make a completely new meal!

Although pre-made chicken stock is so readily available and delicious (my favorite is Costco's organic chicken stock!), nothing beats true homemade chicken broth. Plus, there are so many health benefits! You may use any leftover carcass/bones to make the broth for this soup. I like to keep it simple, so no extra chicken bouillon or stock is required. 

Ingredients:

Leftover Chicken Carcass, plus extra meat 

4-6 Cups Water (enough to completely cover bones in the pot)

1/2 Medium Onion, chopped

1 Clove Garlic, smashed or chopped

1/4 - 1/2 Cup Carrot, chopped

3 Medium Potatoes, chopped

1/4 - 1/2 Cup Celery, chopped

1/2 Cup Barley 

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Strip chicken carcass of most of the meat and set aside.

2. Place chicken carcass in a medium pot and fill with water until carcass is covered. (Note: the size of the pot does matter; if the pot is too big, the broth will not come out as tasty!)

3. Simmer the chicken carcass on low for 1-3 hours. The longer it simmers, the more flavor the broth will have. (Note: you can even do this in a crockpot overnight or during the day! Use 2 carcasses if your crock pot is large. Cover with water and keep on low for 8-12 hours.)

4. In a large pan, stir-fry the onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes.

5. Add in the potatoes and carrots along with salt and pepper to taste and stir-fry another 5-10 minutes. This helps give everything a jump-start so that all the veggies are completely cooked at the end.

6. While the veggies are cooking, use a strainer to separate the chicken carcass from the broth. Keep broth in pot and set carcass aside. 

7. Separate the remaining meat off the carcass and set aside.

8. Add the veggies to the broth and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour on low (depending on how large your veggie chunks are!)

9. Add the celery, chicken, and barley to the pot and simmer for 1 hour on low.

10. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve, and enjoy!

My picky toddler really loves this served with a dollop of plain greek yogurt!

Do you have a favorite Chicken Soup recipe? What's your secret? Let me know in the comments!

On Fear and Parenting

As if fear didn't have a big enough grip on me before becoming a mama, I've surely known it now.

Now, I am not pretending here that I am the only one who struggles with fear and anxiety. But sometimes it feels that way because my dear hubby definitely does not (at least not in the way that I do).

"Is the door locked?"

"Yes, I already checked"

"Could you check again?"

Before having my son, most of my fears had to do with our safety: earthquakes, fires, car accidents. After having my son, these fears increased exponentially (in addition to some new ones) as I tried to take on the role of protector and savior of his life. I felt like I was in control and it was somehow my own doing that kept him alive and well.

I think God knew I needed to be reminded that I was NOT in control when we found out about our son's food allergy to peanuts. We were given an Epipen and told to stay away from nuts, but that is much easier said than done. I became obsessed with internet "researching" aka reading about experiences of anaphylactic shock and lists of brands and companies that were deemed "unsafe" because of the risk of cross contamination with nuts.

I was trying to fake my way into being in control, when really I felt less and less in control the more that I read. Can anyone relate?

A beautiful study in the Psalms this Fall pointed me back to the Person who actually is in control.

We read verses such as,

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1-2)

and

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)

We were taught that our fears actually reveal something important about us. They show us who and what we value the most. As parents, it's pretty much impossible not to value our children and fear for their lives. In fact, it is a really good thing to value our children and other loved ones.

The problem arises when we begin to value people and things above God. Because the reality is, the people and things in our lives are not really ours. Yes, we have the responsibility and privilege to care for and enjoy our children. But we do not actually have the control.

We live in this beautiful tension where God allows us to protect, but not be the Protector; to help, but not be the Helper; to teach, but not be the Teacher.

I can rest in the fact that God cares infinitely more about the ones whom I love more than I do. No matter what happens here on earth, I can still trust God with everyone and everything. He proved that to me by giving to us his only Son, who lived and died and lived again that we might have abundant life with him. His Son died so that my son might live. My son can live even if he dies.

And then, if God is my greatest treasure, I will never have anything to fear. He and only He is the only one who can never be taken away from me. This is from where my joy and rest can come! This is abundant life!

Is God using any particular situation in our life to help you see that you are not in control? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe

Tis the season to bake cookies! These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are an all-time family FAVORITE. I'm telling you, Christmas and Chocolate Crinkles just go together. Ask Santa, he'll tell you! There were never any left on Christmas morning :)

I can't wait to share them with you!

The dough takes a few hour to chill, so it's a good recipe to start in the morning and finish up in the afternoon.

The ingredients are pretty basic!

The first step is to "cream" the butter, sugar, and vanilla together. I had to zap my butter for less than 20 seconds in the microwave to make it soft. 

Hint: If you are using powdered rather than squares of chocolate, make sure to add the extra butter in at this step!

I opted for the powdered unsweetened cocoa rather than the squares, since I already had it on hand. It's hard to go wrong with Ghiradelli chocolate! 

To substitute baking cocoa: 1-oz square of unsweetened chocolate = 3 Tbsp powdered baking cocoa + 1 Tbsp butter.

Beat it into the sugar/butter/vanilla mixture together with the eggs.

In a separate bowl, sift/mix together the dry ingredients and slowly incorporate into the wet ingredients.

Don't forget to take a super cheese picture of yourself wearing your Christmas apron!

At this point, you're done mixing! Cover and chill for 3 hours in the fridge.

Then roll into 1 1/2" (roughly) balls, roll them around in powdered sugar so they are nice and cakey and place them 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet.

Then it's off to the oven! 350 degrees for about 14-16 minutes. 

Seriously, they're the best.

I know I'm not the only Christmas cookie fan out there! Let me know your favorite holiday treat in the comments! Bonus points for leaving a recipe link!

Here is the recipe:

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening or butter
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 1-oz squares unsweetened chocolate, melted (OR 7 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder + 2 1/2 tablespoons butter)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 - 1-3 cup milk
1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar

Method:

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly cream shortening (or butter), sugar, and vanilla.
2. Beat in eggs and chocolate.
3. In a separate medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while mixing on low/medium speed. Drizzle in milk until mixture is moist and fluffy (not too wet).
5. Chill for 3 hours.
6. Roll into 1 ½" balls, coat with powdered sugar by rolling it around in a bowl of powdered sugar.
7. On a greased cookie sheet, place dough balls about 2" apart.
8. Bake at 350 for 14-16 minutes, let cool on cooling racks.

Enjoy!!

Top 5 Handmade Shops!

These are a few of my favorite things!

Today I'm sharing five of my favorite Etsy shops. Of course I love more than five, but I wanted to inspire you to start exploring the world of Etsy and make a difference in the lives of these makers and whomever you buy for this season!

Did I mention it's almost my birthday?

Some Things Wong [somethingswong.etsy.com]

You guys. Flowers that never die? Laci (@somethingswong) knows what you want before you even knew you wanted it. Succulents? I mean, come on. Her work is spectacular! She has a beautiful eye for color and somehow manages to create these gorgeous blooms that are sure to brighten any room. Flowers are the perfect gift for any occasion. She has so much to choose from!

Loops and Love Boutique [loopsandloveboutique.etsy.com]

Stephanie (@loopsandloveboutique) is the maker behind this adorable shop. She has been crocheting for years and recently opened her etsy shop this summer! Her love for crochet is apparent in her work. She makes baby bows, bow headbands (even mommy + me matching ones!), newborn hats, coffee cozies, blankets, and more! I love that she has a wide range of colors to choose from and loves making custom orders.

52home [52home.etsy.com]

Janelle Bradshaw (@janelle52home) creates these beautiful, truth-telling works of art. We already have four items from her shop hanging on the walls and sitting on our shelves! I just love having these verses and quotes around the home to keep me focused on Christ. When you visit her shop, don't fret if it's empty. These are hot ticket items! Be sure to follow her on instagram to know when she has her flash sales!

STORYhandmade  [STORYhandmade.etsy.com]

Shelley Nengstrom (@shelleynengstrom) is the maker behind these amazing necklaces and macrame. What I love the most about her work is that she is inspired by the nature around her! Her instagram feed is GORGEOUS, and it is clear that she has an eye for color and beauty. Her macrame would be the perfect piece of art to add to any room. It's pretty fun imagining it on every wall of our home. 

Aaand... of course. A little shameless plug:

Unafrayed Sewing [unafrayedsewing.etsy.com]

I've been sewing for a year now and just love being able create beautiful and useful items. My favorite gift items from the shop are: baby bandana drool bibs (age 6 months - 2+ years), headbands,  and zippered pouches for practically anything! I love making custom orders, so contact me via Facebook or Etsy and I would be happy to work with you!

I can't wait to grow my list of favorite handmade shops! What are yours? Let me know in the comments!

Kids Beet Costume

I am so excited to share with you the first Halloween costume I've ever made! I never thought I would be making costumes. If you've spent half a minute on Pinterest lately, you've probably seen all the amazing creations people come up with. It's a little intimidating!

In fact, I wasn't sure I would be making a costume this year because it still seems intimidating. I'm still working on getting over the fear of what other people will think of my work, but I think the best way to get over it is to just put it out there! So here it is!

My little guy loves beets. I may have encouraged him a just a little bit when I realized he actually liked these vitamin-packed veggies! I've had fun picking them out at farmer's markets and finding ways to prepare them for him. And I've had a little more fun taking pictures of him eating them (and not as much fun cleaning up after he's finished!).

I'm so thankful that in the last few weeks I've learned a few new tricks that helped me put this costume together (just in time!).

My hubby's co-worker donated to my fabric stash several yards of this fun beet-ish color about a month ago and I got the idea to make pants out of them using Made's Kid Shorts pattern + tutorial. I have been practicing making her Kid Shorts (so much fun!!) and all I had to do was lengthen the pattern and add 1/4" elastic to the ankles. It's definitely worth it to download her pattern! The come in sizes 12 months all the way to 10 years! Score!

For the top I used a plain white onesie and some more maroon fabric. I cut out a beet shape (about 1/4" bigger than I wanted it to end up) by tracing a circle shape and adding a root at the bottom and stems at the top (all in one piece). I didn't fret too much over how it looked, I just wanted to get the basic idea across. I used my new hand-binding / hand-applique skill to stitch it on and it came out great!

To finish it off, I got some green knit fabric and made a green headband to represent the greens that grow on top of the beet! The headband tutorial came from Made as well and can be found here! She is really great about teaching you how to use a basic sewing machine to sew knits. So fun!

It was so fun to see it all come together!

Have you ever made something you never dreamed you would? I'd love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments!

Happy Friday everyone!!!

Un-afraid

We are in process.

Just like our favorite characters in books and in movies, we change, we grow, we adapt, we become.

I am in process. I am God's process. My life is just a small (yet important) story in the Greatest Story Ever, written by God himself.  The one in which God creates the universe by speaking it forth; in which the man and woman, created in his likeness, tell God their story isn't good enough and try to rewrite it themselves, resulting in sin and death and hundreds of years of wanderings and loneliness and questioning God's goodness; in which God himself enters into this Story and kills death through his own death and through his resurrection to life he authors the way for eternal life for all who would trust in God to forgive their wrongdoings; in which he then writes their names into his Book of Life (best. ending. ever.).

I sometimes wonder why God didn't write my story differently, or why he didn't give me a different character. I enviously look at my neighbor and try to tell God that my story is not good enough, that I deserve better.

Better? Do they have it better than I? Are they perfect while I am not? Do I lack any good thing?

No, not while I have Christ. 

And here I am, in this process, and so you are too. But what shall we become?

We are God's process, God's masterpiece.  We shall be perfect (Mat. 5:48). And since I have Jesus, I already am.

I am unafraid because that is who God says I am. Yes, I fear. Yes, I am anxious. I can create scenarios  in my head that result in death and loss because my heart clings to things that can be lost instead of treasuring Christ (who can never be lost).

I am unafraid because anything I could imagine to be fearful has already been defeated at the cross. If Christ is my everything, I have nothing to loose.

But I am not there yet. I chose a name for myself that I will grow into. 

And, who could help but play with the spelling when my favorite hobby is sewing?

My life is frayed, tangled, imperfect. But I am not. God entered into my little story and wrote my name into his Big Book and told me that because of Christ I am perfect. I am so thankful that God is writing my story, and that the end is good.

I am unafrayed!

Herringbone Quilt

I made this quilt for my sister who is currently residing in the Pacific Northwest. I was inspired by the location to create this herringbone pattern with blues, grey, black, and white. It measures about 48" x 60", which is the perfect size for a lap quilt.

The PNW is so gorgeous and gave me the perfect background for my photo shoot! 

I followed the tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Company (thanks, Jenny!). You can find the tutorial HERE. 

My baby and I had such a wonderful time visiting her and I was so happy to be able to give this quilt to her in person. We can't wait to go back!

I just love seeing all the different herringbone quilts out there! 

Thanks for the love!