Maps & Mod Podge

I've spent too much time looking at those beautifully colored KitchenAid mixers online, but already having a white one I could never justify buying another just for the color. So why not paint my own? While thinking about the endless color possibilities for my mixer, an even better idea came to mind: Maps. And Mod Podge. Wondrous, magical, Mod Podge. 

I found a bright and colorful map of the U.S. at the UW bookstore and cut individual states out

+

Mod Podge

+

KitchenAid

Layer it on and let it dry!

Voila!

xoxo

Huckleberry Jam

It seems huckleberry jam recipes are hard to come by, so with lots of help from Janna's huckleberry pie-filling recipe, I got some practice making my own preserves. 

It's a domestic day.

Ingredients: 

6 cups frozen mountain huckleberries 

2-3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup honey

3/4 cup brown sugar

cinnamon to taste

a pinch of salt 

3 tsp Pomona's Pectin

3 tsp calcium water (from Pomona's Pectin)

Measurements were based off the guide in the Pomona's Universal Pectin box. Another benefit to using Pomona's is using less or no sugar or using a sugar alternative, because it is activated by the calcium water and not the sugar. 

The food blog "Chow" had a very simple yet explanatory post on canning and the equipment needed: Make Your Own Preserves

Between my three sources (Janna's recipe, Pomona's package insert, and Chow's blog post), I turned out some pretty tasty huckleberry jam! Now that I've got the recipe down, next time I'll make a bigger batch. For now I'm listening to the very satisfying POP as the jam cools and the jars officially seal, so I'll be able to enjoy it in the dark winter and think of summer time! 

Sanitizing the jars/lids and the beginnings of the jam

 Honey! Yay for alternative sweetners. The honey and brown sugar compliment the dark berries and adds a nice flavor. 

Pouring HOT jam into equally hot containers using hot equipment. Everything needs to be bacteria free for long shelf-life.

Once the jam is poured and the lids are on, they need to be processed in boiling water for 10 mins. 

Aurora really wanted to be involved in the process.

xoxoEnjoyxoxo

Lynn's 15-Minute Cake Batter Cookies

This is such a smart concept, and one that I wouldn't have learned about if not for my co-worker Lynn's southern hospitality when she brought a batch of cake-batter cookies into work one day. Now, I love cookies as much as the next person, but I typically stop at one. I ate four with no remorse. These things are delicious! Cake-batter cookies are fast, easy, and strike just the right chord between the tastiness of cake and the portability of cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 box of cake mix (any kind; I recommend Pillsbury Funfetti mix to start with)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together cake mix, oil, and eggs thoroughly.
3. Take spoonful-sized lumps of your newly-made dough and place on a cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Unlike cookie dough, cake-batter cookies will not become golden on the top when they are ready, so use a toothpick through the center of a cookie to test if it is baked thoroughly. Bakes 18-20 cookies.

These cookies will be softer then an average cookie when they come out of the oven, so be sure to give them plenty of cooling time! Then enjoy. 

 
Lynn also suggests the following variations: yellow cake mix with chocolate chips and pecans; devil's food cake mix with white chocolate chips; and red velvet cake mix with cream cheese frosting.

Be well!
Laura

Favorite Things

Apparently we took a little summer break from posting! So I'm putting up some map stuff because it's cool and I need to get in the habit of posting again. 

 

xoxo

Camping Mess Kits

Inspired by a little craft from my years in the Girl Scouts, and the desire to have a few ready-to-go camping items available to pack up for spur of the moment trips, I made these netted mess kits. It was super fast and easy with just a few items. It makes it easy to pack dishes and after washing it is a place to hang them for fast drying out in the woods! 

Materials:
-White mesh fabric (At least 1/2 yard to work with)
-Cording or thick yarn (about a yard)
-Thread 
-Sewing machine 
-Camping dishes










Step One: Sew the right side
The bottom of the bag will be the fold already in the fabric, so we need to sew the sides and the edge that the cording will go into. I sewed the right side together first, then placed the dishes onto the fabric to cut it to size. 

Where the scissors are is the top of the bag, and if you look closely you can see the right side is already sewn. But do not sew the left side up yet, because you need to sew the top edge into a loop where the cording will go first.

Step Two: Sew the top loop

In the picture above I trimmed a couple inches off the top of the bag. Now you will fold down the top edge about an inch and sew it down, making sure all the raw seems are inside the bag. The yarn in the picture below is to show where the cording will go. 

Step Three: Sew up the left side

With the bag inside out, you will sew up the left side to complete the bag, but stop a half inch from the top, so you don't sew up the loop's opening where you will feed the cording through. Make sure you reinforce the area you are sewing near the loop openings, so it won't tear open. Now turn the bag right side out and you are ready to feed the cord through the top loop.

Step Four: I used thick tape and Gorilla Glue to secure the two ends of the cording, but you could use almost anything. Add dishes and hit the road! 

Cascadia Colors!

What every good crafter needs in her supplies: 

xoxo

Black Bean and Corn Salsa-Guac.

Soooo it's obviously been a while since my last post, so I figure this time I should post something worthwhile. In this case, it was a creation I came up with last week. This stuff is delicious on pretty much anything, but I really like it on the new Mission Multigrain chips that just hit shelves this season.

In any case, you'll be making double batches in no time.

Ingredients:
1 ear of corn, boiled (or canned niblets if you're in a bind)
1 can black beans
1/2 sweet white onion
1 avocado
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 cup white rice vinegar
fresh cilantro
chili powder
black ground pepper

It's pretty basic: cut the corn off the cob (or if using niblets, pan fry with pepper), strain the beans and the fire roasted tomatoes, and chop up the avocado, onion, and cilantro. Then put it in a bowl with the vinegar and chili powder, stir it all up, and-- ta da-- yummy salsa-guac.

Then dig in! That's the best part.

Happy summer days to you all!
Laura

DIY Bleached Tees

Warm air means that it's time for outdoor projects... finally!

I originally found this idea on A Beautiful Mess and thought to give it a try; now I'm hooked and have more projects planned with bleach painting. This is an easy one that requires not much more than you'd probably find at home, or would spend $10 on at the store.

Bleached Tees 

Materials:

• t-shirt(s)
• bleach
• paint brush
• cardboard 

*Note: This project is obviously best for the outdoors because of the use of concentrated bleach. However, if you're stuck with a rainy day, just make sure you have plenty of windows open!

1. Take your tee and place a layer of cardboard inside so the bleach doesn't bleed through to the back.

 
2. Use a small paintbrush to make very light strokes-- too heavy with the bleach and it'll run and look bloppy. You'll be able to see results almost instantly!

3. Once your design looks how you like, just let it sit outside to dry for a bit. Then, wash and wear!


Enjoy the sunshine! Cheers!