21 Day Fix

Hey, all!  I know I tend to stick pretty much with crafting, but I'm currently on day10 of BeachBody's 21 Day Fix program and thought some of ya'll might be interested in hearing about it.

I first heard about this program from a friend who is a BeachBody coach.  She was doing it to help lose baby fat from her 3rd pregnancy.  I liked the idea, but it was my sister who really jumped on it and wanted to try it.  And with both my sisters doing the program, I figured why not?

This is my first time trying a strict eating plan.  I have never consistently worked out.  Well, other than this 8min ab workout I did a few years ago...   I did it every night for over 6 months.  Gotta love the 90s!  :)

We started...  and I found it much harder than I expected!

Firstly, I have to plan my meals ahead of time.  To really do clean eating I have to make sure I have a plan for tomorrow's food, and have things packed to take to work with me.  It takes some forethought to be nutritionally sound all the time!  I do like the simplicity of the colored box system.  Once you figure out the system, it's all really quite simple and easy to follow.

But the hardest thing for me is; I usually can eat whatever I want.  I'm used to picking up Starbucks on my way home from work on a whim.  Or walking in the kitchen to eat a cheese quesadilla with salsa.  Or making cookies constantly.  I LOVE COOKIES!!!  I usually bake at least 2-3 a week.

So, this has been different for me.  I think it's good for me, though, too.

On the other side of the program... The workout dvds are really great!  You really feel worked at the end, often with a lot of sweat.  There is a different video each day of the week, and each is only 30 minutes long.  Makes it pretty easy to fit into a busy schedule.  :)

If you are looking for a great health and fitness plan to try, this one is great.  I'm almost at the halfway point and (with all my complaining about not eating cookies) am really enjoying it.  And as much as I'm looking forward to eating cookies again, I'm also looking forward to having toned muscles and a healthy body!

Square Blocks

My marmalade square blocks are going together wonderfully!  At least, they were until I realized I hadn't cut out quite enough squares...  Just a little cutting and I can finish the last block!

These are really fun and easy!  Makes me want to try a postage stamp quilt.  :)

And look who my cat brought home with him the other day:

Literally, my (boy) cat walked inside our house and right behind him walked in this kitten.  He is so adorable, and very friendly.  Kittens are absolutely delightful!!!

Marie Antoinette in Wool Felt

Ever since I was little I have always enjoyed reading about the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette.  There was something fascinating about this rich queen with ornate dresses, expensive parties, and a mountain of hair that forced her to sleep on a wooden block to keep it nice.

So when I stumbled across this little doll in the Wee Wonderful book (which also contains  the Vera worm pattern), I was drawn to it.  And I knew it would be the perfect birthday gift for a good friend.

Light pastels just seemed perfect for this little Marie Antoinette-esque doll.  I chose gold thread for the french knots on her skirt and hair, then added the ribbon and beads for some outward detail.

I haven't done much embroidery in the last couple years, so I really enjoyed this different take on my crafting time.  And it was fun to do a feminine, soft, and girly project!

334 Two Inch Squares

A few days ago I began turning my lovely fabrics into squares for my Marmalade Squares baby quilt.   There are a few larger pieces, but mostly 2" squares.  334, to be exact.   

A friend teased me that cutting that many tiny squares would be really tiresome, but I found it went surprisingly fast.  Gotta love a good rotary cutter!

And now I have a stack of sqaures ready to be pieced.  Done with the rotary cutter; on to the sewing machine!

Last Minute Pioneer Sunbonnet

My mother spoke at a small homeschool conference a couple weeks ago, and she asked me to make her a prairie sunbonnet as a giveaway prize.  It was a late-night-before-the-conference/up-til-2am kinda project.  I snapped this lone photo at 3am; hence the lack of nice(ish) photos.  But hopefully some little girl will really enjoy playing with it!

I used a free pattern I found at My Cotton Creations.  It was really easy to follow; I would definitely recommend it.  Perfect for a last minute sunbonnet!

New Fabric!

New fabric time!  Because I've nearly finished my current quilting project - and that means it's nearly time to use my adorable duckling fat quarter.  Yay!

I decided to use the free pattern/tutorial for the Marmalade Squares Quilt from Moda Bake Shop because I love bright colored fabrics on white backgrounds.  :)  So excited about this project!

Hobbit Soup

The other day I had a craving for Tobold Hornblower's Shire Soup.  A friend of mine made this for a Lord of the Rings party several years ago, and now it's definitely a favorite.  I thought ya'll might enjoy a new soup recipe during these last few cold, snowy weeks.

Be forewarned; the recipe doesn't make very much!  So here is the original recipe, followed by how I make it.  ;)

Hobbit Soup
Serves 3-6

Ingredients:

Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 onion
2 cans garbanzo beans - drained but save the liquid
1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves (shredded)
1/8 stick butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup grated cheese
Pepper/salt (to taste)
Handful of capers (if wanted)  (I've never used capers)

In deep frying pan fry up olive oil, garlic, and onion.  Add garbanzo beans (not the liquid).  Heat for an additional 5-7 minutes.

Shred up baby spinach leaves; add to pan.  Add 1/8 stick of butter.  Once butter is melted, add the 2 cans of bean liquid and 1/2 cup water.  Heat a few minutes and add cheese.  (If using capers, add now)

Bring to a boil while stirring intermittently.  Let simmer 5 minutes.

What I do:

Follow directions, but I use 4 cloves of fresh garlic and 2 medium sized onions.  3 cans of garbanzo beans, and MAKE SURE YOU SAVE THE LIQUID!  I've forgotten a couple times, and it's so much better with it.

I love spinach.  I eat it right out of the bag.  So I use a lot of it in this soup.  As they say "more is better!"  But I'm a caveman cook, so don't ask me exactly how much...  That would depend on how much I have available!

I use about 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup water with the 3 cans of bean juice.

The garbanzo beans, spinach, and cheese really make this soup.  So, as with the spinach, I also go a little crazy with the cheese, using at least 3 or 4 cups.

And you end up with this delightfulness;

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!  It's pretty quick and easy, and absolutely delicious!  With a name like "Hobbit Soup" it has to taste great, right?