Out of Eden

Chai Latte Guest Post

2011-12-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

I was a guest over at Sips, Etc a few weeks ago and here's what I shared:

I never liked chai until I started working at a coffee shop a few years ago. They made their own chai (as opposed to a syrup or powder) with real spices and it makes all the difference! It is a really flexible recipe- you can brew it as tea, steam (or froth) it with some milk for a latte, or brew it and chill it for an iced tea or latte. This recipe makes 1 serving, but you can easily make multiple batches. You can also adjust the spices to your preference.

1 tsp cloves + 1/2 tsp sugar + 1/4 tsp pepper (I know it sounds weird but it gives it a special kick) + 1/4 tsp ginger + 1/4 tsp cinnamon + a sprinkle of nutmeg

I used a Lipton black tea, but you can use any black tea (even loose leaf if you want to make your own bag). Cut off the sealed top and tag.

I mix the spices together in a small measuring cup with a spout to make it easier to pour.

Pour into either side of the open tea bag. I try to split it up pretty evenly.

I made my own pretty tag with two pieces of scrapbook paper glued together with a piece of cotton crochet thread in between.

I made a small loop at the end of the thread and tucked it into the tea bag (and, yes, spilled spices all over my machine). This ensures that the thread will catch. Using the zipper presser foot and a small stitch length (I set my machine to 2), I sewed the top of the tea bag closed.

All done! Boil some water, brew for 3-5 minutes, add some honey and/or milk, and enjoy! Or make a couple and wrap them up with a pretty mug for a gift for a friend!

Afternoon in Instagram

2011-11-16T10:45:00.000-08:00

The last few afternoons have been rainy and dreary and in need of some creative time. One of our friends from back home has a little boy who turns 3 this month and she just found out she is pregnant again so I had a few gifts to whip up.

in progress bday shirt

mama and son shirts

They are both big Star Wars fans (in fact, they announced the pregnancy with the Storm Trooper fetus graphic) so I thought I would play with that. Yoda was definitely the smallest, most detailed graphic I've done in a while.

And I thought while I was at it, I'd whip up a shirt for myself.

yum

I snacked on apples and caramel and got caught up on Pan Am (my new favorite show) while I worked. Pretty fun way to spend the afternoon. :)

Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa

2011-11-13T16:46:00.000-08:00

One of the best revelations here recently: boiling sweetened condensed milk turns it into the most DELICIOUS caramel sauce. It's so perfect! All you do is pop an unopened can or two into a pot of water and boil it for 2-2 1/2 hours (make sure it stays underwater the whole time) and then enjoy! An unopened can will last up to 5 months- but I can't resist opening them and eating them immediately! We have had apples + caramel, ice cream with caramel, and homemade salted caramel hot cocoas almost every day! I adapted the recipe from Beautiful Mess to include my new yummy caramel.

Makes 1 serving:

In a small pan, heat 1/2 cup of milk, 1/4 cup chocolate chips, and a pinch or two of sea salt. Whisk until completely melted, then add another 1/2 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of your yummy homemade caramel (or store-bought caramel sauce). Continue heating and stirring until warmed thoroughly then pour into a mug. Top with whipped cream, drizzle with caramel sauce, and sprinkle a bit of sea salt on.

So good!

Organizing, planning, daydreaming..

2011-03-24T20:59:00.000-07:00

So today we found out that we will almost certainly be moving to Cincinnati after Brian graduates (which is in about 8 WEEKS! Seriously- how did that sneak up so quickly?) so that he can go to school for another ten years. Just kidding. Kind of. But what this really means is that A) I need to start taking this personal blog a little more seriously, and B) I get to decorate a whole new home for us. :) I've been feeling the spring cleaning urge (which will definitely be useful in weeks to come as we put our house on the market) but even more so, the decorating urge. When we bought our current home, we were still very much newlyweds and without kids. Being newlyweds, we weren't sure how to combine our decorating styles and ended up with quite the eclectic color palette. Brian has since completely handed over the reins to me (at least when it comes to decor), but even still, my style is pretty much all over the place. So the next few weeks, I'm going to be working to define what really inspires me so we can go into this new home with a game plan. Here's some of my favorites from Pinterest:

via Apartment Therapy


via Freshly Picked

via kellymccaleb.tumblr.com

Seriously, how cute is that laundry room? I think I'll probably start breaking down each individual room and doing some planning in later posts. I can't wait to see our next house/apartment/condo/whatever!

A Super Awesome Fundraiser That You Should Totally Support...

2011-03-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

Just in case one of my nine followers here doesn't follow my much more popular blog, you should totally check out this post and then the flickr pool and do some shopping for your kiddos. It's for a good cause I promise. :)

Here's a sneak peak:

Shabby Apple Dresses = Love.

2011-02-18T12:24:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while, I check out with Shabby Apple's website and every time, I come away with some new favorites. I love their dresses so much- they're especially perfect for young moms (modest enough to chase kiddos around, but cute enough that you don't feel mom-ish). Here's my latest favorites:

I love black and white stripes right now. So classic.

Ugh.

2011-02-17T06:53:00.000-08:00

So, it turns out, I'm really bad at taking outfit photos. Combine that with being sick this past week...I'm just not feeling it. And I'm not going to scramble to re-photograph all of my last few outfits, mostly because they were kind of boring anyway. With Project Run&Play wrapping up, working on a REALLY big project to help raise some money for friends, and everything else in life- I'm backing out of my 30 for 30 pledge. (sorry to my new 6 or 7 followers who were just wanting to see some cute outfits. Maybe next time). With this being my second round of 30 for 30, I've learned a lot about remixing and how little I need to feel and look cute. That should come in handy this summer when we're (possibly) moving cross-country and only taking the essentials.

I hate posting without a single picture, so if you're interested at all in children's fashion, you should totally check out PR&P and see lots of cute things like this:

(last week's winner- Katy's Chocolate Delivery)

Project Run and Play

2011-02-04T12:25:00.000-08:00

Several new posts are up at PR&P- including one about this little number:

I have had some pretty mixed feelings about this competition- while I love the inspiration and challenge to my creativity, some of the administration aspect is...just...not fun. I do think I'll do it again, but maybe not for a while. Like 6 months to a year. We'll see.

Snow Days

2011-01-31T08:13:00.000-08:00

So...our forecast for this week is 10-24 inches of snow. And ice. 24 inches?!? Not only have we stocked up on groceries, but I'm beginning to research some fun indoor activities for the kiddos and I. Here's some ideas for any of you who might be facing a snowpocalypse as well.


build a fort

sew some more winter clothes for the kiddos

make some pretty shoe clips


make a sweet dress up felt board

Also on my list- finishing a lot of projects that I have been putting off.

Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner...

2011-01-30T10:43:00.000-08:00

...and just in case my wonderful hubby (or anyone else who wants to send me a present) needs some ideas....

I love these.

creme bow-lee top

converse tote


cupcake love tee


flowers and bird necklace


you're the cream in my coffee necklace

And yes, Brian, I know how much you object to cream in coffee- just pretend that's not the title of the necklace. :)

PR&P Week Three

2011-01-26T08:52:00.000-08:00

Week Three over at Project Run&Play is an Adult Inspired theme. The challenge for the designers is to create a children's outfit based on an outfit that was originally for adults. My inspiration folder for this challenge was bulging- and there's still several knock-offs I still want to make. I originally wanted to go with something runway-inspired, but couldn't resist this cute top from Anthropologie.

I loved the mix of prints and thought it would be a cute tunic top for my daughter. I'm currently trying to work through my fabric stash, so I didn't have the exact fabrics I wanted but I still think it turned out pretty cute. Once again she loves it and couldn't wait to wear it.

She was being grumpy and not wanting to smile, but I got this little one out of her.

Restyled "Sweet Dress"

2011-01-18T15:06:00.000-08:00

I combined projects this week- Project Restyle and Project Run and Play are both represented in this outfit for Eden.

I wish my pictures would have turned out better. Unfortunately, it's horribly cloudy around here and I have a super fussy two year old. I recycled this pile of tee's:

into this outfit by using the Sweet Dress pattern to create a base. I shortened the sleeves and made it tunic length, left the elastic out of the sleeves, and added an elastic waistband. Then I added rows or coordinating ruffles. Camo tunic + jeggings + belt + glitter oxfords= happy mama and happy Eden. That is so rare for us to both like an outfit.

And just to prove she can turn on the charm when she wants to:

Thug life

2011-01-16T16:56:00.000-08:00

he's got style.

Project Restyle- Kiddo's Room

2011-01-16T11:55:00.000-08:00

I'm slowly working my way through decorating the kids room. Now that they share a room, pinks and yellows with butterflies and flowers isn't exactly cutting it. I wanted to do a Neverland theme- not creepy like Michael Jackson, and not cheesy with Disney posters. A little more Red Velvet Art inspired. I love their Neverland embroidery set, so that and one other painting from Elsie was the main inspiration for this makeover.

Wall 1:

This wall was a little plain, so I added clothespins to make a changeable art wall. I put up some I did, and plan on changing a couple of them out with Eden's artwork soon. My favorite is the star one. :)

Wall 2-

The alphabet banner hung in my room when I was a little girl, but it had some stains and Levi kept trying to pull it down, so I think I'll find somewhere else for it. I had seen some vinyl decals like the treasure map, but since it was so simple and I knew we would have to repaint the walls eventually anyway, I just painted it on with white paint. I love it. It's my favorite feature of the room right now. The flower painting was already in Eden's room, but I added the "think happy thoughts" banner for another Peter Pan reference. The Indian girl was inspired by RVA's Neverland embroidery pattern, but made to look a little more like Eden. The panda painting is very similar to one by Elsie Flannigan, but again, I made it more personal (hopefully Elsie's not offended by my knockoff- I probably should have just purchased a print, but I wanted this piece to be BIG). I painted the pajamas as some my son has, and a panda bear instead of a regular teddy. The panda on the dresser was my husband's and now Levi likes to play with it.

I still have half the room to go + lighting and a rug to figure out. Oh, and all of this was done (and will be done) with a $0 budget.

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

This week's Project Run and Play theme is Winter Wonderland, and in addition to having the designers create something, and opening it up to readers, I've been challenging myself to make something each week too. When I think of winter, I think of clear blue skies and sparkly snow.

I used supersoft white knit material for the bodice, with a freezer-paper stencilled snowflake. The skirt is sparkly white knit material, with a layer of tulle over the top. I added a charcoal sequin waistband for extra shine. I used a scrap of the sparkly material to make a headband for Eden, but we'll see how long it stays in her hair. :)

Projects

2011-01-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

I've recently started the much more popular blog, Project Run and Play, and so far, it has taken all of my blogging time just getting it organized and started. But I'm hoping that will change now that the contest is underway and requiring less time from me and more from the fabulous ladies competing. My other project that has been inspiring me this year is Project ReStyle, by Elsie Flannigan and Rachel Denbow. I've already completed my first week's project. While visiting family last week, my mother-in-law and I undertook the challenge of making scrap quilts with cast-off clothes. My quilt isn't anywhere near done, but while sorting through clothes and cutting pieces, I found this dress of my mom-in-law's.


kinda 80's huh?

Sorry I forgot to rotate it, but you get the idea. Well, I have MAJORLY hacked it, and I think it resembles something much more like this from Modcloth:

I can't wait to wear tomorrow and get some pictures of it.

Silhouette Machine Giveaway

2010-11-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

Silhouette Machine Giveaway

What an amazing giveaway!!

Winter Kid's Clothes Inspiration

2010-11-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

Now that I'm *kind of* in charge of designing and sewing a kid's clothing line- I'm seeing inspiration everywhere. Here are some of my favorites.

all j.crew

old navy

Fun and Easy Shoe Redo

2010-11-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is hardly a tutorial, but I'll walk you through my steps. I've seen real tutorials on a couple of other blogs, but I kind of just worked with what I had and went with it. You need Mod-Podge, glitter of your choice (I found this jumbo container at Walmart for $2 and used a tiny fraction of it), a paintbrush, paper cup, and plain-jane shoes.

I used canvas tennies- also from Wal-mart- for my daughter.

And these ancient (not really, just from high school) plain patent pumps for myself.

Inspired by these pumps from Modcloth, I decided to make a hybrid pair for myself.

I traced an outline of the area I wanted to fill with glitter, then poured ModPodge in a cup and mixed glitter in. I carefully painted the areas in with my glitter glue, and then sprinkled glitter on the wet glue to get a heavier coverage. [With my daughter's shoes, I tried just painting layer upon layer to get the coverage, and they ended up peeling :(] After sprinkling the glitter on, cover with a second layer of glitter glue and let dry thoroughly. And then have your husband/boyfriend/significant other take you out on the town in your too cute shoes! :)

Any Texas fans out there?

2010-11-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

I made this as a sample- but we Mizzou fans don't have any use for it. If anyone is interested in this (if anyone reads this) leave me a comment. It's a size 2T/3T.

Even she dislikes it.

Thayer Halloween

2010-11-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

What is the scariest thing to Brian?

Bad coffee.

Coffee family of horror.

Starbucks barista, Sweet'N Low, Equal, and decaf Pike Place roast,

Beauty

2010-11-02T17:15:00.000-07:00

Pure. Beautiful. Angel.

Fall Trend- Oxfords

2010-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

oxfords by mthayer featuring a flat oxford

You may recognize the one on the top right. They were my birthday gift from some friends and still my favorite pair of shoes. Although...the wedges are super cute too...

Fall Trend- Moccasins

2010-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

moccasins by mthayer featuring flats shoes

I would love to own any one of these pairs of moccasins. Eden has a pair of Minnetonka's that are super cute, but not quite wide enough for her feet- so she won't wear them. Sad day for Mama.

What She Wore (aka America's Next Top Model)

2010-10-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

This girl is so beautiful it breaks my heart. Today she really got into the posing. She's wearing a minidress refashioned out of mama's old shirts, vintage hair clip, and mama-made hat from her little brother's stash.

Now give us a spin..

And finish with a cute look.

What She Wore

2010-10-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

I want to start documenting Eden's wardrobe- particularly her handmade or vintage outfits. Today was a good day to start as she was head-to-toe in mama-made clothes.

I think this outfit turned out pretty cute. Black wet-look (or leather look) leggings and an off the shoulder tee with painted feather. Brian said "WHAT is she wearing?" So maybe it's a little too 80's. But she's cute. She can pull it off.

Knitting Inspiration

2010-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

From Anthropologie:

From Modcloth:

(I've already made a grey one similar to this)

From Urban Outfitters:

Fall Trend- Feathers

2010-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

feather by mthayer featuring vintage style dresses

I love feathers in the fall! I really want to make Eden a screen-printed feather tee like the J. Crew one.

On another note, the etsy shop has been updated with more vintage women's clothes! Take a look here.

Fashion Week Inspiration Part 2

2010-10-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

Here were some more of my favorites from fashion week:
Anna Sui

Michael Kors

Nanette Lepore

Whoopie Pies and Fluffy Marshmallow Frosting

2010-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I recently checked out this book from the library, and although it has some great ideas- a lot of the ingredients are too fussy for me. I have no idea where I would find expeller-pressed oil or spelt flour or many of the other ingredients. So, I used what I had on hand and probably took every bit of wholesome-ness out of it.

One Pan Eggless Chocolate Cake (these are the ingredients I used, not necessarily what the book recommends)

1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
4 tbsp baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in 8-inch square pan. Pour vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water over it, and mix until combined. Bake for 30-35 minutes. For 14 whoopie pies- double everything but water and drop 1/4 cup of batter on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Bake for 20 minutes.

*Note- I would use a much smaller scoop next time (like a tablespoon). Mine turned out huge and too big for a sandwich-style cookie.

I covered them with blue-tinted fluffy marshmallow frosting, also from the book.

Marshmallow Frosting
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 egg whites (I used meringue powder), stiffly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Boil the maple syrup in a saucepan for 5 minutes, without stirring. Begin testing it by stirring occasionally, until it "spins a thread 5-6 inches long." Pour the syrup in a little stream over the egg whites, while beating constantly. Add vanilla and salt.Beat for 5 minutes, or until frosting is a spreadable consistency.

Yum.

Fashion Week Inspiration

2010-09-15T15:58:00.001-07:00

Alice + Olivia

Kate Spade

Lela Rose

Marc by Marc Jacobs

"Cam's Ribs"

2010-09-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've been trying out recipes right and left here lately, and one of my favorite cookbooks has been Fix, Freeze, and Feast. I wish I would photograph more of my cooking, but I never think about it until after dinner is devoured and dirty plates are in the sink. Not super aesthetically pleasing. But, here's what we had a few nights ago.

ribs

This was my first attempt at ribs, but it was much easier than I expected. A little time consuming, but worth it. This recipe is meant to be prepared in large quantities and frozen, but here it is divided into one meal and prepared right away:

Cam's Ribs
1 "rack" of boneless country-style ribs (about 3lbs)
1 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (I used balsamic vinegar instead)
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp minced onion
1/2 tbsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp black pepper

Place ribs in a large stockpot and cover with water. Mix other ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Simmer ribs about 1 hour, or until tender. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


yummy right?

It gets better.

Drain the ribs and place in an ungreased baking dish. Pour sauce over ribs. Bake, uncovered, basting ribs every 10 minutes (honestly, I forgot and only did this a couple of times) for 1 hour.

And devour.

Cupcakes...

2010-09-10T15:58:00.000-07:00

Cupcakes are probably my favorite dessert. They're not only delicious, but cute. What more could you ask for? The only challenger to cupcakes would be tiramisu. Soo....enter these delicious cupcakes (a combo of recipes from Ming Makes Cupcakes):

Tiramisu Cupcake

Coffee Chocolate Cupcakes (Cupcake 24 from Ming's)

Chocolate Espresso Buttercream (Cupcake 20 from Ming's- with some changes)

I changed up the buttercream frosting a bit. I left out the chocolate, used 2 shots of espresso from our machine, and WAY more powdered sugar. I thought chocolate-coffee frosting on chocolate-coffee cupcakes was a bit too much, even for me. This turned out well, as the coffee didn't show up as much in the cupcakes, and perfectly in the frosting. So good.

Fall Wardrobe Inspiration Pt. 1

2010-09-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

For the momma:

romantic date by mthayer featuring vintage tops

for a date

shopping by mthayer featuring vintage bag

for shopping

game day by mthayer featuring vintage jewelry necklace

for game day

sunday dinner by mthayer on Polyvore.com

for sunday dinner

Tonight

2010-09-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight I will:


will watch this movie.


snack on this.

and browse this site for inspiration and patterns.

All while "at work." Life is good.

Fall Clothes

2010-08-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

I'm currently working on the kids (and a few items for Brian and I) fall clothes. Here what's in the works:

Levi
2 pairs of kneepad pants (~~khaki~~ and navy)
~~Plaid flat front pants~~
~~Slim fit jeans~~
4 long sleeved 90 min shirts
5 short sleeved 90 min shirts
2 hoodies (~~orange~~ and gray)
1 sweater vest
1 blazer
~~1 navy military cap~~
2 knit hats (~~navy/green~~ and gray)
Birthday outfit (~~ace shirt~~ and black pants)
6 sets of pjs

Eden
2 pairs of skinny jeans
1 pair of wide leg jeans
3+ leggings (~~black~~, navy, ~~plum~~, etc)
4 embellished tees
Plaid tunic
~~Chambray tunic~~
~~1 hoodie~~
~~1 no-sew fleece cape~~
~~Mizzou dress~~
3 shirt dresses (~~belted waistband~~, ~~floral~~, and ~~navy~~)
~~1 hoodie dress~~
2 sweater dresses (~~striped~~ and solid)
2 last minute frocks (plum/yellow and navy)

Brian
Button-ups! As many as I can crank out. :)
Gray dress pants

Me
Black gingham button up
~~Navy romper~~
Plaid tunic or two

Birthday Week Part 7

2010-08-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I do believe this is the last birthday post- unless my husband has more surprises for me. I didn't expect this one at all. Wednesday night, while out at work, two of our closest sets of friends (two families who also work at Coyote Hill) surprised me with a special "cake" and a present.

my special diet "cake"

new oxfords!

Thank you Scotts and Johnsons!

Birthday Week Part 6

2010-08-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

This one was a big one- Brian and one of our friends carried this ENORMOUS box into the restaurant we were eating at on Tuesday night (my birthday) where the whole restaurant watched me open up this baby:

a serger!!! yay!

Apparently, Brian contacted some of our relatives and closest friends and everyone pitched in on this awesome gift! I could not have been more surprised! Unfortunately, the only picture we have of me with it (so far) is from the next morning, which was much to early, and I look far too deathly ill to post that one. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Birthday Week Part 4 and 5

2010-08-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Birthday week continues... Seriously, I am so ~~spoiled~~ blessed.

Brian brought home two huge boxes of fabric Saturday morning that he got from a garage sale as part of my birthday present. They were FILLED with vintage fabrics- a lot of upholstery swatches. I ended up getting rid of one of the boxes, but there were plenty of fabrics that I loved and kept. I'm sure some will show up in future home ec projects.

Sunday morning, after walking into church, Brian and I start to part ways so he can go teach Sunday School, and he says, "Oh, by the way, the bike in the lobby is yours."

Wait, what?

He totally surprised me with this super cute red vintage bike! He mentioned seeing it a long time ago at a garage sale, but didn't tell me he bought it. In fact, he told me he didn't buy it. Liar. But I forgive him.

Birthday Week Part 3

2010-08-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

We went out to eat at Addison's last Friday night with my side of the family, and I was floored AGAIN by the awesomeness of my gifts. This birthday has seriously spoiled me.

my new [vintage] canister set

I also have a tea and a coffee canister, but they're on a different shelf. Sorry for the bright flash- I couldn't wait until morning to take pictures. :)

And....

vintage pyrex

Three new pieces for my tiny collection! Actually, this gift doubled the collection size. Thanks family!

Birthday Week Part 2

2010-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

The second blessing/gift was from a close family friend of ours- a mini Old Navy shopping spree!


matching chambray shirts and leggings- mine, new; hers, vintage


skinny jeans and cardigan

It was so fun to do some impulsive, just-for-me shopping! Although... I did pick out these cuties for the girl:


baby oxfords

I'm pretty jealous. Thanks Aric!

Birthday Week Part 1

2010-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Birthday celebrations began a full week in advance for me. My little sister (in-law) stayed with us a few weeks ago and when my mother-in-law came to pick her up, she came bearing gifts. Super sweet ones too.


new cupcake apron and vintage cookbook (my new favorite)

I also got this, but it was cracked so Brian's mom took it back to exchange it.


avon cake decorating set

I can't wait to play around with it! I've already used my apron and read some of my cookbook! Thanks Mom Donna!

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-08-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

What a great giveaway! I've seen these machines reviewed on several blogs and they look so fun!

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

50 Books in 2010

2010-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

The first 25 of my 50 are almost completed. I'll have to step it up to finish this year!
~~1. The Battle of the Labrynth, Percy Jackson Series~~
~~2. The Last Olympian, Percy Jackson Series~~
~~3. Mansfield Park~~
~~4. The One Hundred~~
~~5. The Pawn~~
~~6. The Rook~~
~~7. The Problem of Pain~~
~~8. Twinkle Sews~~
~~9. Job, the Bible~~
~~10. Ecclesiastes, the Bible~~
~~11. Design It Yourself Clothes~~
~~12. Song of Solomon, the Bible~~
~~13. The Knight~~
~~14. Isaiah, the Bible~~
~~15. Jeremiah, the Bible~~
~~16. Financial Peace~~
~~17. Lamentations, the Bible~~
~~18. Alice in Wonderland~~
~~19. 9th Judgement~~
~~20. Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God~~
~~21. Experts Guide to Life at Home~~
~~22. Apartment Therapy 8 Week Home Cure~~
~~23. Worst Case~~
24. The House That Cleans Itself
25. Philip II

Birthday outfit

2010-08-22T18:24:00.000-07:00

I made a romper to wear for my birthday celebration with my family this past weekend. It came together surprisingly fast- two afternoons to be specific! I didn't use a pattern, but I was heavily inspired by this one:


modcloth "fashion instinct" romper

I made a few changes- it's in navy, strapless, and has an exposed kelly green zipper in the back. I was pretty pleased with it. :)


my new romper and my blur of a two year old

Home Ec Projects

2010-08-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

I have a few more that are still in progress, but here's my first three completed projects from Rachel, Courtney, and Leigh-Ann's Home Ec class:

pencil case

reusable grocery tote

single layer cloth napkins

4 Simple Goals Challenge

2010-08-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the lovely Miss Elsie, here are my four goals for the rest of 2010:

blogging

1. Get in the habit of taking more pictures and blogging more. This is Brian's last year of school, meaning depending on where he gets a job in May, we could be anywhere this time next year! I want our families to be able to watch our children grow and know what we're up to, no matter where we are. Plus, I want use this blog as an outlet and resource for challenging myself.

playroom

2. Finish Eden's bedroom. Her room has been a perpetual work-in-progress. Which is sad, since she's the oldest child and I finished Levi's before he was even here.

cooking

3. Try one new recipe each week.

books

4. Finish my 50 books. My one New Year's Resolution this year was to read fifty books in 2010. This seems sooo impossible, but I've read several books in the past in under a day, so it should be do-able right? I hit the halfway point though and got a little burnt out.

So, here goes.

Blue Steel.

2009-10-26T09:15:00.001-07:00

Blue Steel., originally uploaded by calah*ann.

Maybe I watched too many Ben Stiller movies while I was pregnant...

Levi Anthony Thayer :)

2009-10-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

This little man, born two weeks ago today, at 10:01 AM, has stolen my heart.

6lb 10 oz, 19 1/2 inches at birth

Tutorial Monday- Made's Shirt Dress

2009-09-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

In an effort to brighten up Monday mornings around here and organize my ever-growing list of tutorials I love (or would love to try), I am going to start posting a fun tutorial each Monday afternoon/night with pictures of my "attempt". This first one is from MADE. Dana, the mama behind MADE actually used a men's shirt for her little one's dress, and I have plans to do that as well, but in order to try to make my pattern and get sizing right, I made this one first with some knit fabric I had on hand. I probably won't make another dress from this pattern in another knit fabric- it was extremely difficult to work with on the neck and sleeves. But the pattern worked well, and with a few small tweaks (maybe an inch smaller around the neckline), I think it will be a good basic pattern with lots of options for customization. And it was a fairly quick project, under an hour if I hadn't been interrupted. :) Unfortunately, my model didn't cooperate very well for pictures.

The Shirt Dress

My silly girl with her mouth full of cheese crackers.

I really wanted some cute pictures of her in her house, but all she was interested in was cheese crackers.

Coming back for more!

Please mama?

The bag is packed...

2009-09-25T09:44:00.001-07:00

All ready to go if this little boy ever decides he wants out.

i love being a mom :)

2009-03-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

There are days when there is nothing I love more than being a mom. This past weekend, Brian and I spent some great quality time together, alone in KC for a marriage retreat. It was wonderful and I am so glad we went. His mom watched Eden for us, and when we went to pick her up on Sunday, I had one of the most amazing mommy experiences. I got down on the floor to play with her, but instead of playing, she crawled to me, climbed up into my lap and started sucking her thumb. All cuddled up close to me, entwining her other hand into my hair, I had never felt more loved by that little girl. Those are the moments I am so thankful for.