KariV | Sunshine in my pocket

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Exciting Announcement! And blanket sewing tutorial

By KariV on October 9, 2013 in DIY, Gift Ideas

I just can’t wait to tell you: I’m going to be a GRANDMA!! I know, I know…it’s pretty hard to believe. But, by the time this posts, I MAY already be a grandma. My daughter went into the hospital last night to be induced.

Oh. my. goodness. So I’ve never been a grandma before, but I imagine that grandmas SEW! So guess what I’ve been doing?

Sewing! One of the first things I put together is a baby blanket…with a really SOFT minky inside. It’s a simple project to start with, so how could I resist?

Now, notice the PINK ribbon. It’s a girl! But I bought the aqua fabric before I knew 🙂 ….girls like aqua, too.
Here’s how to make one:

You will need —
1 1/4 yd. minky fabric
1 1/4 yd. cotton fabric
matching thread
sewing supplies

Put the soft fabric on your cutting mat right side up. Place the printed cotton fabric face DOWN on the minky. Trim the minky to the same size as the cotton fabric. Pin all the way around. Sew, leaving a 3 inch hole in order to turn it right side out.

Turn it right side out by pulling the fabric through the unstitched portion:

Iron the cotton side of the blanket, turning that edge under 1/4″ to match the stitched portion. Then top stitch, making sure to close up the hole.

Look how soft and awesome this blanket is:

Don’t you think it will be perfect for newborn baby pictures?! Can’t wait!

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Taste Test Tuesday — Hummus 3 ways

By KariV on October 8, 2013 in Cooking Light, Taste Test Tuesday

Taste Test Tuesday is back! Starting with a fun experiment with hummus.
I have never made hummus before, but I’ve always wanted to. Luckily, the famous (infamous?) Casey Conrad (fitness and health guru) was here for a few days and she whipped up a batch of hummus! She divided it into thirds, added garlic to one part, spinach to another and shredded BEETS to another!

Just look at that bright pink color! I love beets in my Hot Pink Breakfast Drink so I thought it sounded perfectly reasonable to add it to some hummus. 🙂

Now, a quick note on the Sesame Tahini that is required to make hummus. I always thought it came in a squeezable tube…which is perhaps why I haven’t been able to FIND it in the store. It actually comes in an orange and brown can with a lid. Casey instructed me to look near the jam at the health food store, and sure enough, that’s right where I found it!

Hummus is surprisingly easy to make with a food processor. Just throw the basic ingredients in (garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt), mix it up, add your flavor choices and VOILA! Homemade Hummus. As I work out my favorite hummus recipe, I will be back to share it with you!

And now for the taste test RESULTS:
it was completely divided! Some liked the spinach the best, some liked beets, and some liked the garlic! I personally, liked them all, but I have to say the garlic won me over.

So try adding some different veggies to your next batch of hummus and let me know if YOU find a winner.

Do you have a favorite hummus recipe? Let me know in the comments below.

Be sure to come back this week, when I will share a Gluten-Free & Vegetarian Chocolate Cake that is actually delicious! Casey taught me just how to make it…and you will be surprised at one of the main ingredients!

Until then,

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10-13-good-timber-does-not-come-with-ease

Dose of Sunshine Monday — Good Timber

By KariV on October 7, 2013 in Inspiration

Let’s talk about adversity. Everyone has it at sometime in their life, right? It has been said that adversity makes us stronger…it shapes us into the glorious person we ultimately can be! Do you agree?

This weekend we got a nice reminder of enduring our trials and coping with adversity in General Conference, a world-wide church conference which is televised twice a year. I created a sketch/watercolor to share with you today:

Thomas Monson was actually quoting a poem

by Douglas Malloch

The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow with ease:
The stronger wind, the stronger trees;
The further sky, the greater length;
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth,
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.

_____
That is the complete poem; now that I shared it with you, see if you can find my mistake in my sketch. Sigh.

So if you are facing a trial, think about strength; think about reaching sun and sky and light and air; think about holding counsel with the stars. Someday. When you have conquered and made it through!

I hope these images brought a smile to you today! Have a wonderful week.

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You Make My Life Brighter Card

By KariV on October 6, 2013 in Paper Crafting

Today is my Paper Smooches card challenge! This stamp set called “Happy Bugs” is just so fun. I picked the Firefly (lightening bug) for this card and made each one a different color.

My husband and I were traveling back East a few years ago, and we saw a bunch of fireflies one night. We each thought they were different colors: I thought they were GREEN-ish, he thought they were ORANGE-ish, and we both thought some were YELLOW. So this card is a little joke, with each firefly a different color!

Each little firefly is in it’s own little circle I punched out to reveal the fun polka-dot green background. I used Inktense pencils to give each one their own little color personality, and I painted the wings with Liquid Pearls in white opal.

Then I added a gold heat embossed sentiment and 3 different color hearts (glittered)! You may not be able to tell in these pictures, but their little “light glow” is also glittered.

A little yellow twine finishes off the top of the card. I love how this card turned out.
But can you answer me one question: What color ARE fireflies?

Joining the Paper Smooches challenge here. And the Simon Says Stamp “Going Dotty” challenge here.

Supplies used:
Paper: Me & My Big Ideas green polka dot
Stamps: Paper Smooches Happy Bugs
Twine: American Crafts
Other: Inktense Pencils, Stickles, Liquid Pearls White Opal

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What I’m Looking for is a Blessing Not in Disguise

By KariV on October 5, 2013 in Paper Crafting

Did you know it’s World Card Making Day!? So this weekend I’ve been working on a few cards to share.
I got this stamp a while ago at Michael’s and it just made me laugh, so I had to get it! This card will go to my Dad, who I know will appreciate it.