Monthly Archives: March 2013

Mar 30 2013

Fried Caprese Salad Recipe

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fried caprese salad

Oh yes, this is another fried recipe and another caprese salad recipe combined into one, fried caprese salad. I wanted something fried and greasy but I also wanted to feel like I was attempting to be healthy. :/ So I made caprese salad and fried it. It was pretty good and satisfied my cravings but it’s not something I would make very often, just when I’m feeling the need for healthy and fattening at the same time. Does that make sense to anyone but me?

Ingredients:

  • tomato slices
  • mozzarella slices
  • fresh basil leaves
  • balsamic dressing
  • olive oil
  • bread crumbs
  • egg wash (1 egg 1/2  milk, whisked together)

Directions:

  1. In a small skillet, heat up about a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.
  2.  Stack the basil then mozzarella on top of a tomato slice.
  3.  Carefully pick the stack up and dunk in the egg wash.
  4. Coat in breadcrumbs.
  5.  Place in heated skillet, fry until bottom side is a golden to dark brown and flip to other side and fry.
  6. Place on plate and drizzle with balsamic dressing.
  7. Enjoy!

 

Mar 26 2013

How to Make a T-Shirt into a Tote Bag

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tote bag

totebagI had this old University of Illinois shirt that I got on Ebay when I was a sophomore there. I wore it a few times and it was a fantastic and soft shirt. But it was old and didn’t fit me quite right. I first tried to make it a more fitted shirt and that was a fail. The weird seam line above the chest just made it look like a ruined sports jersey or something. So, I decided to turn it into a tote bag. Now I just need to decide what to do with the sleeves. I’m thinking Rusty might need some leg warmers or a hat.

Materials Needed:

  • Shirt with design you love but don’t really want to wear
  • Nylon Webbing or durable Ribbon for the straps, I used this ribbon.
  • Sewing Machine
  • Matching thread

Directions:

tote bag

Measure and Mark

 

1. Measure and mark where on your shirt you’d like to cut on the top and bottom of the shirt. I decided to make it a little easier on myself and re-use the side seams of the shirt. My finished bag was 15″x 14″

To cut, I used regular fabric scissors for the top and pinking shears at the bottom. If you don’t have pinking shears, cut with your fabric scissors and finish the raw edge with a zigzag stitch.

2. With right sides together, pin the bottom and sew with 5/8″ seam. Press. Now, if you kept the side seams intact, you should have a pillow case with three sides sewn.

3. To finish the opening of the bag, roll the hem about 1/4″ all the way around and press to keep it in place. Repeat, to incase the raw edge. Sew to finish the edge.

4. Cut 2 pieces of ribbon or webbing to your desired length, I cut mine to be 36″ long.

5. Place and pin where you’d like your straps being careful not to twist them as you’re placing them. I put mine on the inside of the bag a couple of inches down.

tote bag

kind of difficult to see, but it’s a rectangle

6. Sew the straps on, if you’re using webbing make sure you have the correct needle, in a rectangle, this is a little bit of added strength to the straps and bag. Press.

7. Enjoy! I think I’ll take mine to work and light grocery shopping , maybe one I’ll add a zipper to it. And it’s washable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tote bag

Mar 22 2013

Top Picks for Easter Outfits for Dogs

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I can’t believe it is almost Easter already! Where has the time gone this year? Here are my favorite outfits and costumes for your pup for this holiday.

bunnycostume

 

 

If you can’t find anyone to dress up and the Easter bunny, make your pup be the adorable bunny with this cute bunny costume by Zack and Zoey and found on Amazon.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a beautiful Easter dress that also doubles as a harness! It’s by Bella Lucca Collection and is just too cute!millefleurcol

 

 

 

 

 

 

bunnyears

 

 

This bunny ears can be found at Petco and Amazon. They come in blue, pink or yellow with a clip under the chin to help your pup keep them on!

 

 

 

 

 

egg_hunter_rhinestone_tshirt

 

 

 

If your dog would like a little more sparkle to her look for Easter this t-shirt from Bitch New York would be perfect.

 

 

 

 

bunnypjs

 

 

If your pup is looking to be warm and cozy try these cute fleece flowered pajamas complete with bunny ears. They are by KLIPPO and can be found at Amazon.

 

 

 

 

 

SpringChecksbowtieThis bow tie by PupRwear is perfect for your pup this Easter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

easterbandana

 

 

This cute Easter egg bandana is the perfect accessory for the dog who doesn’t like to wear clothes. It just slips over the collar, he won’t even realize he’s wearing it. Made by Miracles on Earth and sold on Amazon.

 

 

 

 

 

blueplaidThis adorable vest and bow tie from Ruff Ruff Couture and found on DoggieVogue is perfect for any Easter event your pup will attend.

 

 

 

 

 

greenbandanaThis reversible bandana by Designer Duds for Dogs and sold on Amazon is so adorable you pup is sure to get tons of compliments.

 

 

 

 

Who doesn’t love a tutu? This is the perfect Easter dress by Talia Dog Boutique for the pup that wants to make a statement. pinktutu

Mar 19 2013
pin cushion lid

Decorating a Glass Jar with Pin Cushion Lid

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pin cushion lid

I decided I needed something new to hold my buttons. So I took a jelly jar and removed the label. It took a lot of soaking and scrubbing that thing was really stuck on there. Then I got out my rainbow of permanent markers, beads and hot glue and decided to get to work, free hand style. FAIL this is how it started to turn out and I was not impressed. My lack of patience got the better me, again.

 

pin cushion lid

FAIL :(

So I removed the beads and got out some rubbing alcohol and cotton balls and removed the marker. The silver was a bit stubborn but it eventually came off. Now, it was time for some planning.

First I decided to create a design on my computer of what I wanted my jar to look like. But Photoshop kept crashing when I went to print the design so I said the heck with it, and hand drew the design on. It’s not perfect but I like it.

For the pin cushion lid. I just took a scrap piece of thick fabric and some Fiber Fill  stuffing and used Mod Podge to glue the fabric over the fill to the lid. I did have to fold over the fabric a bit along the edges but some better planning and correct cutting would fix this issue. The fabric was a little to long, so I cut off the excess from the bottom of the lid after the glue had dried and I now have my button jar with a pin cushion top!

pin cushion top

 

Mar 17 2013

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day

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Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!StPaddy'sDay

Scarf is called Frosty’s Dog Scarf

Here’s my tip for the day. If you don’t have a bobbin case and they keep unwinding, put a piece of scotch tape around it. Horrible quality pictures, sorry. But the tape keeps it from unwinding and keeps me from getting frustrated. Have a safe and fantastic Saint Paddy’s Day!

tapebobbintapebobbin2

 

Mar 14 2013
drawstring backpack

How to Make a DrawString Backpack

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drawstring backpack

I needed something lightweight and easy to carry on my long walks with Rusty. I decided to go with a drawstring backpack. It’s big enough to hold everything I need and keeps my hands free. I am using leftover material from my tree skirt and had dyed awhile ago.

Materials:

  • (2) 17″ X 15″ rectangles of fabric
  • (2) 60″ pieces of ribbon, or cording would work great as well
  • safety-pin
  • sewing machine
  • matching thread
  • iron and board

drawstring backpack

Instructions:

1. After you have measured and cut your fabric, I think mine is a cotton/polyester blend, figure out which end of each piece you want to be the top or opening of your bag. Fold over and press a tiny bit of fabric, ~¼”, and sew. Repeat with the other piece. This is to take care of the raw edge at the opening of your bag.

drawstring backpack

2. Next, take what you have just sewn and fold over about an 1½” and press. Then sew on top of the stitch line in Step 1. This will create a tube for your ribbon to go through.

3. With right sides together, pin the rectangles and stitch with a 5/8″ seam all along the three unstitched sides, starting and stopping where the tube begins. Back stitch at the beginning and end.

4. Attach a safety-pin to an end of your ribbon, and thread the ribbon through the tube on one side of the bag. Repeat for the other side. The safety-pin just makes this process easier.

drawstring backpack

5. Make sure that both pieces of ribbon are of equal length on each side of the bag. With right sides still together, seam rip up the bottom corners of the bag about an inch. Place the ribbon, inside the bag and through the hole you just ripped open. Stitch the hole closed, securing the ribbon to the bag.drawstring backpack

6. Next to take care of the raw edges, zigzag stitch all along the three stitched sides to the bag as close the stitch line as possible. This also double secures your ribbon at the bottom of the bag. Trim the excess fabric close to the zigzag stitch.

 

Now I have the perfect and unique bag for our walks to work! So excited to use it.

Mar 11 2013

10 Favorite St. Patrick’s Day Outfits for Dogs

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I have created a list of my ten favorite St. Patrick’s Day outfits for Dogs.

 

st patricks day dog outfitThis adorable hoodie, can be found on Amazon, will keep your pup nice and warm and still festive for the holiday. It also comes in a variety of colors making it the perfect option for a male or a female.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

st patricks day dog outfitThis tutu dress from Posh Puppy Boutique will make your dog the center of all of the St Patrick’s Day festivities.

 

 

 

 

st patricks day dogIf clothes aren’t your dog’s style, try this collar from Artful Canine sold by Amazon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

dressHere’s something for your pup if you want an outfit she can wear more than once a year but is still green. It’s by DoggyVogue.com and they also have a tank for your male pup.

 

 

 

 

 

st patricks day dog

Perfect for a male or female, this bandana is the perfect accessory for St Patrick’s Day, it is made and sold by Designer Duds for Dogs as well as Amazon.

 

 

 

 

st patricks day dog

This adorable collar from Bloomingtails Dog Boutique is fun and sparkly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

st patricks day dog

 

This reversible bandana can get a little bit more bang for your buck and it clips on instead of tying!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

st patricks day dog

 

If your dog is a tough dog than this tee might be what he/she needs. Sold at michipet.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This tee, sold by i see spot, is the perfect statement for St Patrick’s Day.st patricks day dog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

st patricks day dogAnd last but not least, even though the picture is tiny, is this adorable leprechaun hat, sold by rockstarpuppyboutique.com. Oh if only I could get Rusty to keep a hat on his head.

 

 

Mar 6 2013

7 Layer Dip Recipe

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A party favorite of mine is 7 Layer Dip. Granted mine has eight layers, sometimes nine but 7 layer dip sounds better than nine layer dip to me.

Here is what is needed, but amount depends upon how big of a plate you’re putting it on.

  1. Refried Beans
  2. Guacamole 
  3. Sour Cream
  4. Salsa, I like to use mild
  5. Tomatoes, chopped
  6. Green Onions chopped
  7. Ground beef with taco seasoning (sometimes I omit this)
  8. Shredded Cheese, I prefer cheddar and more specifically a blend of mild and sharp cheddar
  9. Cilantro, chopped

On a plate spread and layer each ingredient in order as it is listed above. Serve with a bag of tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Mar 3 2013
knit mug cozy

Slip Stitch Knit Mug Cozy Revisited

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I decided to attempt my slip stitch knit mug cozy pattern again because I had so many problems the first time. Well, this one didn’t go according to plan either. My impatience got the better of me, resulting in this:

mug cozy

The pattern is slightly off. Using the yarn left over from my slip stitch belt, 100 % wool Crystal Palace Yarn, with size US 3 (3.25mm) needles, I decided to cast on 70 stitches and do the pattern

Row 1: P3 K2

Row 2: K1 S1 K1 P2

Repeat till desired length, I did 33 rows.

Cast off like it was an odd row so P3 K2.

Sew on button and loop.

But somewhere on Row 17 I noticed I combined two stitches leaving me with only 69 stitches on my needle and instead of  doing the smart thing and undoing my stitches until I found the problem, fix it, and move on, I decided I was too impatient and it was an amazing idea to just cast on another stitch at the end of the row. Wow I was wrong but I  knew I was wrong and did it anyways which makes it even worse. But that’s why my pattern is off. I do like the pattern and I do like my dressed up coffee mug in the morning. I also believe that this could be a great pattern for a cuff/bracelet.

The 70 stitches compared to the 75 in the first one I did it working out a lot better. It fits more of my coffee mugs!

knit mug cozyknit mug cozy

 

knit mug cozyknit mug cozy

Mar 1 2013
fried fish

Fried Fish Recipe

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fried fish

My husband went ice fishing and brought back some fresh fish. The only problem was that it was already cleaned so I had no idea what kind of fish it was or how to prepare it. So I decided to make fried fish sandwiches. By now no one should be surprised I decided to fry it.

The amounts for everything are for 1 fish fillet. Do equal parts of flour and corn starch for more batter.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • ~ 3/4 cup water
  • tabasco sauce (optional)
  • celery salt
  • red pepper
  • cumin
  • oil for frying

Directions:

1. Heat a couple of inches of oil, I used canola, in a small sauce pan.

2. In a small bowl, combine flour and cornstarch, season to taste and mix.

3. Add water and a couple shakes of tabasco (to taste, can omit), to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth

4. Coat the fish in the batter, and place in the oil to fry.

fried fish

5. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side, until a nice golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. As you can see I didn’t put enough oil in the pan to where the fillet was completely submerged so I flip it.

6. Enjoy!

I like to make a sandwich out of it by placing it on a toasted bun, placing cheese on it right after it comes out of the oil so it melts and a little bit of tartar sauce.