Summer is Delicious #2: Blueberry Peach Pie

pie & lace

[Blueberry Peace Pie]

I make this pie every summer. My friend posted the recipe in 2008, so I’ve been making it for a few years now. It’s SO GOOD. I add a little extra peaches because I love them. I also sprinkle the crust with a bit of cinnamon & sugar. I just made this one, last week, and I already want more. It’s that good.

My attempt at a lattice top leaves something to be desired! I’ll just say it looked…rustic. Charming?

bppie3

bppie6

blueberry peach pie

It rained EVERY DAY, last week. I was extremely thankful because last year’s drought was unbearable, but it got a little annoying by the end of the week. We’re back to hot and humid sunny weather and I’m having a hard time deciding which is better. I can’t send my kids out to play in either!

Pin It

Hook & Needle Organization w/Jordana Paige

So long mason jars, hello organization!

I fell into the trend of using mason jars to hold most of my craft tools. I have no less than 4 mason jars on my craft shelf with various hooks, needles, markers, pens, buttons, and random notions. There is no order and when I need to find a certain something I almost always end up dumping one or two of the jars onto my floor. It’s more than a little frustrating. Even my circular needles are crammed into an old tin box. Oh, the tangles!

mess

Jordana Paige

When the folks over at Jordana Paige asked if I would be interested in reviewing their newest organization product–the Crafter’s Tool Butler–I visited the product page and seriously gasped. Something that would not only hold my knitting/crochet accesories, but help me ORGANIZE? Yes, please! This is like a crafter’s dream.

Jordana Paige Crafter's Tool Butler

(Beautiful packaging! The back of the box also shows the list of features.)

There is no right or wrong way to organize your things in this. There is even enough space between the zippered pockets to keep a pattern or two. I love that it isn’t craft specific. I could put anything in there! This could be my journaling case with notebooks and a random assortment of markers. Alas, my markers actually look nice in mason jars. My random assortment of needles and hooks are better suited for the Butler.

in1

in2

It features:
• Six flat pockets for all sizes of double-pointed needles and crochet hooks.
• Four zippered accordion pockets for circular needles with label inserts for custom numbering.
• Mesh pocket for small items such as safety pins, stitch markers and darning needles.
• Knitting needle and crochet hook inventory chart.

in3

Yes, there are little cards for you to make note of what you are storing. So considerate! I don’t know how many times I’ve emptied jars/bags/whatever looking for something I am SO SURE I placed in there. This totally eliminates ever needing to do that again.

Jordana Paige Crafter's Tool Butler

After fixing your things inside and just relishing in the fact that you won’t lose your most favorite H hook again, you get to zip it up and stare at the beauty on the outside. This thing is pretty. It’s a textured vegan “leather” bound case that measures 10.5″L x 2″W x 6.5″H. I have the bronze case, but it also comes in black onyx, deep red, and eggplant purple. It has a clean, classy design.

jp-1

04

If someone you love is having trouble keeping their hooks or needles organized, this would be the perfect gift! Check out Jordana Paige to see other lovely knitting bags, patterns, or even a directory to locate one near you.

Save the page for July 18 when Jordana Paige will be having an “imperfect” handbag sale benefiting The Pre-Eclampsia Foundation. A new bag will be posted every hour for $50 and ALL of it gets donated. Amazing. Click the image below to see the full blog post on the JP blog.





Disclosure: Jordana Paige sent me the Crafter’s Tool Butler to review. I was not otherwise compensated and the opinions expressed here are my own.

D.I.Y. (quick!): painted lace planter

t00

I thought I would share a little series of quick D.I.Y. projects. I know sometimes we don’t have a lot of time to get crafty, so I hope to provide a few little bits of inspiration to help you get something done quick. First up is a painted pot, inspired by lacey scallops.

t01

Supplies:
-clay pot
-1″ circle stickers (I made mine with my Xyron 150, but you can find circle labels at office supply stores)
-paint
-paint brush
-wooden skewer or thin paint brush (not shown)

t02

1. Place stickers along the rim of the planter, very slightly overlapped. I fit 14 on my 4.5″ pot.
2. Paint! I suggest about 3 thin coats. Let the pot dry for 2-3 minutes between coats. Optionally, you can also paint about an inch of the inside.

t03

3. Remove the stickers before the final coat dries completely.
4. Use a wooden skewer or thin paintbrush to add 3 little dots on each scallop.

Let your pot dry, then fill it with your favorite little plant. I chose some of my ‘Black Prince’ echeverias. The most beautiful succulent around!

bp1

bp2

Pin It

Color Week: BLACK+WHITE (& kitty update)

louie1

louie2

louie3

Last day of Color Week!

My favorite black cat–Louie! He started purring, this weekend. Well, he did twice when I rubbed his head while he was eating. It was so cute! It was almost like he didn’t expect it to happen and he would stop eating and look at me like, “did you hear that, too?!?” So cute. He’s a real kitty now. He jumps, plays, meows when he needs his bowl filled, and falls asleep on Jason’s lap almost every night. Once, he even made it into our bedroom and slept on our feet. We’re going to try not to make that a habit, though!

Some more black & white:

b3

b1b2

Why, yes I DID make bread in my crockpot. It was awesome!

Thanks, Maryam, for this little challenge! I had a lot of fun.

Color Week: GREEN

green amineko

pachyveria!

g4

green kalachoe

g11

green fuzz

just GREEN

pinata

green washi

SO many shades of green! I love it.

I almost didn’t take these photos. I have been cleaning house all day, preparing for the party on Saturday, and didn’t think I’d make time, but I DID IT. I forced myself to take a break and went outside for some fresh air. Thank goodness. It re-energized me and I think I’ll be able to get through all the laundry, tonight. I also need to finish cleaning the kitchen and then do a quick scrub down of the bathroom. Tomorrow I finish up de-cluttering the living room, dining room, and breakfast room, and then I can put together some party bags, fill the pinata, make some pretzel sticks, get started on the cupcakes, and fix any food that can be done the day before. HIS FRIENDS BETTER SHOW UP. I need lot of people to come so that I will not have done this all in vain!