Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Chai Cream Pie


I made this pie for Easter! It was a hit. I was worried because the family members who I thought would love it weren't there this year, but some others still enjoyed it :) What do you think? You can choose a reaction at the bottom!


The recipe is from Cooking Light Magazine. I modified it slightly to eliminate the milk fat since I'm allergic, and I added two tea bags instead of one. Here's my recipe, which is almost exactly the original.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Easter Eggs!


My roommate and I dyed Easter eggs tonight, so I wanted to share our creativity here :) Here's our egg dyeing experience, somewhat step by step:

Crazy dress


I made this dress from Burda Style Magazine 02/11 #116. The pattern called for a sturdy fabric like gabardine, but I had this fabric and had envisioned a loose fitting, waist-tied tunic type dress for it for a while. When I saw the sketch of the pattern, I immediately grabbed this fabric and decided to overlook the fabric recommendation.

The pattern itself was very straightforward, and I would suggest it for a beginner. I had some trouble matching up lengths (esp. on the sleeve cuffs), but I think that was because of my choice in fabric--the sleeve cuffs are cut on a bias, so I think they stretched and ended up being too long. If you decide to make this dress with a slinkier fabric like I did, I would recommend facing one side of the little sleeve cuffs with a lightweight interfacing. I also had trouble sewing a straight line at the waist to thread the string through, again because of my fabric choice.

Instead of using elastic, I just used a strip of fabric that I sewed shut and turned right side out. The top is a little too big--not sure if that would look different with a sturdier fabric. I'd rather it be tighter throughout the top, but oh well. It turned out kinda cute. Not my favorite ever, but it's a good spring/fall going out outfit!


 

Sunday, April 10, 2011

The first dress I ever made


You'll have to click read more to see the whole post at once. Post your comments at the end!


This was really the start of it all. I had made lots of doll clothes before, as well as wreaths and other decorative things, but the only clothing I had made for myself was a plaid nightgown and a hooded cotton thing that I guess we can call a shirt. My Mom-mom had taught me how to follow a pattern with the nightgown when I was about 12.


Then I got to college and learned that girls wore sundresses to all the football games. I had my heart set on making my own. I came home for fall break, called my Mom-mom, and she took me shopping for a simple pattern and fabric, and she went through the instructions with me before leaving me on my own to sew. I threw it together in about a day before returning to school, where I wore it to the homecoming game. Sadly, Simplicity doesn't carry the pattern anymore.






Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the dress from 2003 (at least not in digital form, and what I do have might be at my parents' house in a photo album). I have worn it a few times since; the last time that I have pictures of was at a swim team banquet in 2007:


Saturday, April 2, 2011

Delicious beef stew


I have no idea why I didn't post this earlier! I made it about a month and a half ago... I guess I was too busy eating it all to post! This is a delicious beef stew recipe :)