In our new nest

Hi guys!  Finally I am back here.  It has been a super busy but exciting week for all of us. 

Why not??  Because we have finally moved!  To our new house!  On 29 September 2012.  A terrace intermediate house with 4 rooms.  One room as office cum multi purpose room and three bedrooms, with a small family hall on the upper floor. More space for the kids to mess around and it means three times more cleaning for me.  In my old house I only need to take care of my bedroom and bathroom, but now more spaces to be managed. 

We moved most of our stuff in our bedroom to the new house.  Only left the 2 sets of curtains which hubby will take down in few days time.  I could not believe myself that we have about 20 boxes of stuff moved to the new house.  How can we have so much stuff???  It will take times to sort and unpack them in my new home. Just 2 days in new home, I have sored arms and legs.  Must be too much climbing the staircases and unpacking.  And still more boxes to unpacked!  Sigh!

We followed the Chinese customs for moving house last Saturday.  My dad helped us with the preparation on Saturday morning.  We moved in around 8.30am (the auspicious time on that day is from  7 - 11am).  In Chinese calendar, 29 September was the 14th day of 8th Lunar Month.  A day before Mid-Autumn Festival. 

After a year of planning and renovation work (yeah, I know.  We taking our sweet times making this house perfect for us!), we are in our new home.  A little tour around my humble home.

Firecracker to welcome us to the new house

My humble house

My work place when at home.

Some of the gifts we kept for so long, are finally unwrapped!  *wink* I like this set

With tray of its own

The kids are excited and only took their nap after 4pm that day.  And they are sharing room with us for time being.  Hopefully able to make them go to sleep in a seperate room in a week or so!

Home Sweet Home!

Hello Hello! Vlog Style

And one more disclaimer: I talk about Alice in Wonderland a lot and reference my parents as having hippie tendencies (oh my word, it's a mess y'all), in no way does all that rambling mean that they drugged us...just thought I needed to throw that out there.



So.....how awkward was that? Want another one next Friday? Ha! I kindly asked my momma to send the recipe and the pictures from their "field trip;" you'll find all of that below! And a special thanks to my parents for letting me talk about them in the vlog. Love you guys! Also, you could head on over to Alissa's blog and check out her vlog coffee date!

Thieves Vinegar

Cinnamon sticks (5)

Cloves (coat bottom of Jar)Lavender Flowers (cover the above)

Garden Sage (4,5 leaves broken up)

Garlic (5 cloves)

Lemon Balm (2 sprigs)

Mint (2 sprigs)

Thyme (Big handful)

Fresh Hyssop (b.h.)

Lemon Thyme (b.h)

Rosemary (b.h.)

Oregano (b.h.)

Jar will be half full with these ingredients.

Fill jar with Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar (Almost 3 qts--leave 2 inches of room at the top)

Soak for 6-8 weeks

Shake each day

Be Well ALL WINTER!

Pink "Try" From The Truth About Love for Target

Pink rises into light above and sings Her song "Try" from her new CD The Truth About Love in a new commercial for Target. See the No Doubt ad One More Summer for Target here.

Credits:
Spot: Target "Pink"
Production Company: MTh
Director: Mathew Cullen
DP: Shawn Kim
Executive Producer: Javier Jimenez
Producer: Rob Newman
Post Production Company: Mirada
Head of VFX and Animation: John Fragomeni
Executive Producer: Patrick Nugent
VFX Supervisor: Michael Shelton
Creative Directors: Kaan Atilla, Francisco Ruiz Velasco
Art Director: Daryn Wakasa
Editors: Jeff Consiglio
Post Producer: Leighton Greer
Production Manager/HR Director: Tina Van Delden
Production Coordinator: Derek Johnson
Flame: Mark Renton (Pink), Michael Vaglienty
Designers: Vlad Almonnord, Jaguar Lee, Erika Lee, Clara Moon, Jane Ro, Amy
Wang, Jing Zheng
Designer/Animators: Ivan Cruz, Evan di Leo, Frank Lin, Giancarlo Rondadi
Generalists: Billy Maloney, Brandon Thomas, Jerry Weil
Modeler: Christian Argueta
Matte Painter: Thom McKay Price
Lighters: Rommel Calderon, Nic Leach, Eric Pender

Gwen Stefani and No Doubt Debut "One More Summer" Target Commercial

Gwen Stefani and No Doubt debut and promote their new album "Push and Shove" exclusively with Target, the song "One More Summer" was featured in the commercial. Below a quick behind the scenes of the commercial featuring the entire band. Gwen says "We love target"...do you think we'll ever catch her shopping there?
See the Pink "Try" Target ad from the CD The Truth About Love here.

Credits:
Ad Agency: Motion Theory
Spots: Target "No Doubt"
Production Company: MTh
Director: Mathew Cullen
DP: Shawn Kim
Executive Producer: Javier Jimenez
Producer: Rob Newman
Post Production Company: Mirada
Head of VFX and Animation: John Fragomeni
Executive Producer: Patrick Nugent
VFX Supervisor: Michael Shelton
Creative Directors: Kaan Atilla, Francisco Ruiz Velasco
Art Director: Daryn Wakasa
Editors: Jeff Consiglio, Bryan Keith
Post Producer: Leighton Greer
Production Manager/HR Director: Tina Van Delden
Production Coordinator: Derek Johnson
Flame: Dave Stern, Michael Vaglienty
Designers: Vlad Almonnord, Jaguar Lee, Erika Lee, Clara Moon, Jane Ro, Amy
Wang, Jing Zheng
Designer/Animators: Ivan Cruz, Evan di Leo, Frank Lin, Giancarlo Rondadi
Generalists: Billy Maloney, Brandon Thomas, Jerry Weil
Modeler: Christian Argueta
Matte Painter: Thom McKay Price
Lighters: Rommel Calderon, Nic Leach, Eric Pender

The original farm chicks

My mother and her two sisters grew up in Oklahoma on a very humble farm. They learned how to cook and sew, how to bale hay and milk cows, how to scrimp and save, how to love and live. They grew up in the 40’s and 50’s when everyone wore hand-me-downs, everyone walked a mile to school, and most people had a party line.

Today, hand-me-downs are trendy retro clothes from a second hand store. Walking is done for exercise on a treadmill. I suppose a party line is now pretty much Facebook. Today, everything is easier, everything is immediate and everything is accessible. It is better? Well, in some ways, yes, but when you look at these photos I challenge you to know a better life than you’ll see in the happy faces of these little farm girls.

They didn’t have much, but they had kittens to play with, open fields to run through and creeks to wade in. Life was hard in a way we don’t know now, but it was simpler, slower and I believe in some ways more satisfying than most of us find in our lives today.

Above, mom with kitten in hand, which was most of the time, I think.

I have designed a little collection called Chick-a-Doodle-Doo that has been directly influenced by these farm girls. It’s got icons from their farm: red from the checkered apron, chicks from the chicken coop, and flowers from the open fields surrounding their farmhouse. There is a quick story to the red checkered apron—their aunt (who lived on the same farmland) would occasionally get frustrated with the girls (mostly my mom and her younger sister, I think) and threaten to “turn them over her checkered apron” and I think you probably know what that means. I’m pretty sure the threat was usually about as far as it would go.

Here is the complete collection above of my farmland chicks. Click on it to enlarge.

These farm girls grew up when hankies were a part of the daily wardrobe. Please, can’t they be again? Well, I’m doing my part to revive them anyway.

I don’t have many photos to share with Aunt Judy in them, Mom’s younger sister, as most are with her older sister, Aunt Donna. However, I do have this rare studio portrait of the three girls. 

I also have this darling photo of Aunt Judy’s granddaughter, sporting apron and headscarf, baking in the kitchen, much like her grandmother did years ago in the Oklahoma farmhouse. I think this little chick-a-doodle-doo is just too cute and as sweet as they come. :) And now she is the youngest family member to influence my art.

Whether you grew up in the last century, or are growing up in this one, remember your past fondly and take pieces of it to use in the recipe you make for your future and the future of your children. Simplify, slow down, and become more satisfied with the life you have today.

NFL's Patrick Willis Tells The Story Of The Power Inside

Duracell proves the importance of the power inside by telling the story of all-pro linebacker Patrick Willis in a new web film promo. His personal journey to the pinnacle of the NFL required the ability to power through obstacles and a steadfast and unwavering belief in himself. His story is remarkable and inspiring and further proof that with the right stuff inside, great things are possible. #TrustYourPower
I've had a number of people ask about the music in this commercial, it is the work of composer Adam Taylor.

Credits:
Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, New York
CCO: Con Williamson
Creative Director: Justin Ebert, Alex Lea, Peter Smith
Art Director: Nate Ripp
Director: Eliot Rausch
Agency Producer: Peter Feldman
Production Company: Uber Content
Director: Eliot Rausch
EP: Preston Lee, Phyllis Koenig, Steve Wi
Director of Photography: Ed David
Editorial: Rock, Paper, Scissors
Composer: Adam Taylor

1,000 Facebook Likes Giveaway!

On Wednesday Creative Food reached 1,000 likes on Facebook!!!!
I wanted to take the time to again thank you for liking Creative Food and for following our blog! I appreciate every single like, every reader, and every comment on this blog. Over these past few months I have watched my blog grow and it is only because of you! so THANK YOU!

Eliana is thankful for all the likes too!

I love that making Creative Food has helped Eliana eat healthier and has encouraged her to eat and try new things! When I started making Creative Food I honestly never thought I would end up loving it so much. But I do. Hubby thinks I'm borderline obsessed. But that is not the point ;) 

So to celebrate reaching 1,000 likes and to thank you 

Creative Food is teaming up with All Things For Sale for giveaway!

So what is the prize?! 

Pandas Pandas Pandas! Eliana's hat gave it away! ;)

One lucky winner will get one Panda Sandwich Cutter Mold and one pack of 8 Bento Panda Picks. A total prize value of over $18.00! I hope you like pandas ;) We certainly do in this household! My grandma loved all things panda and loved oriental decor so my mom inherited a lot of panda figurines--even a panda cookie jar! I grew up surrounded by cute pandas. They are simple adorable. I mean seriously. Have you not seen this video?

Eliana and I were so excited to try out the Panda Sandwich Cutter Mold and panda picks! We made a Panda Themed Bento in our EasyLunchboxes:

For this lunch I made two different panda sandwiches, one with oatmeal bread and the other with whole wheat bread. They were both filled with Chocolate Soynut Butter. Behind the pandas are celery leaves.

On the upper left Eliana had some blackberries with two cute little panda picks. She chose blackberries because pandas are white and black :)
On the lower left she had some cut up cucumbers with two more panda picks.

The low down: Eliana and I love the Panda Sandwich cutter mold. It is soooo simple and oh so easy to make the cutest little panda sandwiches! You simply press the bread stamp down on both pieces of bread. Choose your filling and put filling inside the panda head outline on one slice.  Put your sandwich together, place it inside the base and push the cover down. And voilà! your little panda has become a sandwich pocket! The sides are sealed and the filling stays inside (be careful not to overfill the sandwich or else the filling could ooze out!) You could also choose to just use the base and the cover and make shaped pocket sandwiches.  If you add the right details you could turn the sandwich into a bear, a pig, a frog... the options are endless :)  This sandwich cutter mold is a huge hit already with us!

(wondering what to do with those extra bread scraps after making some panda sandwiches? Save them if you don't eat them right away! You could make French Toast Sticks or you could make French Toast Casserole! or even make your own croutons!)

This lunch took less than 15 minutes to make including washing and cutting of the fruits and veggies. You could take more time and add details but I love how simple and quick it is to just use the mold. The picks are also super adorable! Take note that they are tiny and have a sharp point so they may not be suitable for toddlers. 

Here is my little panda with her panda lunch!

Eliana apparently has been preparing for a panda lunch as she has been wearing her panda winter hat all day every day the past few days. Even if it was warm out lol. It matched perfectly with her panda lunch so we had to take a pciture! Pandas everywhere!!

If you love pandas and want to make some cute panda lunches enter below!
**This giveaway is now closed**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This giveaway is now closed!**

This giveaway closes Wednesday October 10 at 12:01 am EST. The winner will be randomly selected through the Rafflecopter and announced on Wednesday. The winner will receive an email notifying them of their win. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email to claim the prize or they will forfeit their prize and another winner will be selected.

GOOD LUCK!

Busy weekend ever

Ok guys, this is going to be a very short post.  (The shortest I ever have, I think).

Going to be a very busy weekend for me so I do not think I have any times to sit and write a post.  Need to settle something of utmost important (to me) but I will be back with something interesting soon.

Till then, have a wonderful weekend and Happy Mooncake Festival everyone!

The Miraculous Enlightenment of Kenny Riordon

New ad for Virgin Mobile is actually a cool short animated web film done entirely with Crayons. The ad depicts a young man experiencing a "hangover-esque" night fueled by his decision to cut everything from his life that's costing him too much both emotionally and financially, not the least of which is his cell phone carrier.

Credits:
Created by the ad agency: Mekanism, for Virgin Mobile.

Method Laundry - Softness Boogie Dancin Man is Awesome

The premiere of Method's new laundry commercial, 50 loads of clean happy magic in 1 bottle entitled "Softness Boogieman." The spot features the return of Noah with another musical tribute to the environment-friendly cleaning brand Method as he boogies to a 1970ish disco groove thing to what I think is the music of Styx.

In case you haven't seen the Method Clean Happy Anthem featuring The Blue Devils Drum Band and set to the song and music of The Naked And Famous - Young Blood, enjoy the ad below.

Credits:
Ad Agency: Mekanism

WTFU2012 Samuel L. Jackson Narrates Wake The F**K Up

Samuel L. Jackson narrates "Wake The F**K Up." It goes like this: a girl realizes her family, who back in 2008 were so involved in political campaigning, seems to have become a bit lazy about the whole thing this year. So Jackson steps in to help her convince these guys to get out and do something. "Sorry my friend, but there's no time to snore. An out-of-touch millionaire has just declared war. On schools, the environment, unions, fair pay. We're all on our own if Romney has his way. And he's against safety nets. If you fall, tough luck. So I strongly suggest that you wake the f*ck up."

Credits:
http://WTFU2012.com
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by: Boaz Yakin and Kitao Sakurai
Written by: Adam Mansbach
Produced by: Jesse Schiller
Executive Producer: Mik Moore
Project by: Schlep LabsA creative playground unlike any other in American politics, engaging a broad audience in a diversity of production efforts. Through Schlep Labs, we are developing a new grassroots model that will innovate the way political campaigns leverage talents across the creative spectrum. At Schlep Labs, we combine your skills with our experience to shape the outcome of the 2012 presidential election.

Mind Reader Blows People Away In Viral Video For Safe Internet Banking

A man pretending to be a mind reader shocks people with specific personal details and knowledge of them only to reveal that everything he knew was simply grabbed from the internet. It's a scary video reminding us all just how vulnerable we can be if we aren't vigilant about internet security. The viral video was created for safeinternetbanking.be.

Credits:
Created by the ad agency: Duval Guillaume Modem for Safe Internet Banking.

RollingStone Gets Back To Rock

RollingStone gets back to rock with an animated ad created by BBDO, Italy.

Credits:
Ad Agency: BBDO
Brand: Rolling Stone
Advertising Agency: DLV BBDO, Milan, Italy
Executive Creative Directors: Stefania Siani, Federico Pepe
Copywriter: Matteo Maggiore
Producers: Marijiana Vukomanovic, Chiara Bergamaschi
Illustrator/Animator: Gerardo Del Hierro
Speaker: Alex Rendall
House of production: Svperbe
Sound editing: Eccetera/General Jingle

Storm Edge Design - 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Just Got Sexy

The new commercial for the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe is making the ladies sweat and showing us some sexy assets in the "Panty - by Storm Edge Design" spot.

In order to introduce the new Hyundai Santa Fe, Fitzroy Amsterdam developed an edgy campaign where the new design – the so called Storm Edge design – is placed centrally. With this new design Hyundai pushes the boundaries within their communication. This is perfectly in line with their pay-off slogan: “New thinking. New possibilities.” The sensual campaign can be admired on the internet as well as television.

Credits:
Ad Agency: Fitzroy Amsterdam
Strategy: Jur Baart
Art director: Wouter Vanhaeren
Copywriter: Merlijn van Vliet
Production: 100% Halal Productions

You'll watch it a few times to be sure you didn't miss anything, we did.

2012 Toyota Tacoma | Wacky Girlfriend Cliff Jump Ad

The Toyota Tacoma has earned quite a reputation among pickup trucks, which is quite a feat in a market that has been traditionally dominated by American brands like Ford, GMC, Dodge, and Chevrolet. And because competition is stiff in the segment, manufacturers often craft ads trying to convince consumers that their truck as the strongest and most durable currently available. While they all use words like “tough” and “rugged” to describe their vehicles, Toyota goes that extra mile in their most recent Tacoma commercial to bring those words to life. The ad provides a humorous twist to the theme of durability in what is sure to be one of the most memorable automobile commercials of the year.

Set on a beach below a steep and rocky cliff, the commercial’s opening shot is of four young adults taking a joyride through the sand. Made to appear as if viewers are witnessing a home video, the truck’s passengers hoot and holler while their Tacoma kicks sand high into the air. The scene abrubtly ends as if someone began taping over the home video and cuts to a young woman, presumably the truck owner’s girlfriend, who begins to air her frustrations about “Mike” and his “precious four-by-four, hang-out-all-day with your stupid friends truck.”

She continues her rant making fun of Mike for describing the truck as “totally sick,” and her extreme jealousy is more than apparent to viewers. It immediately becomes clear she is going to teach Mike a lesson by showing him what she really thinks of his Tacoma. At this point, viewers are sympathizing with the young woman and probably thinking of their own significant others’ prized possessions. This sympathy turns to shock, however, when at the end of the girlfriend’s rant, she turns away from the camera towards the top of the cliff and yells “push it!”

The 2012 Tacoma bounces and flips over boulders and outcroppings, at one point somersaulting repeatedly down the hill, and the whole time the girlfriend is wildly screaming her approval. A few seconds later, when the truck makes it to the bottom of the hill, it miraculously lands right side up and seems undamaged by its rocky decent. The girlfriend screams “Noooo!” and the commercial ends with these words on the screen, “Tacoma Double Cab: Toyota Get the Feeling.”

Obviously the commercial is a hyperbole, no pickup truck would survive such a fall unscathed. However, with it’s comedic exaggeration, Toyota has created a vivid image in the mind of the consumer. The message that the Tacoma is the toughest, most durable truck available comes across loud and clear.

This guest post was provided by Brittany Larson of Toyota of Turnersville.

Credits:
Ad Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, Los Angeles

Fall Craft: Clothespin Tree Magnets

Looking for a fun, easy Fall craft to do with your kiddos this week? Look no further! This was a spin on our Spring Craft Magnets and once again the boys had a ball.

First Stage. Gather your supplies: watercolors, brown paint, clothespins, mini magnets, and coffee filters. Let the munchkins paint the clothespins with brown paint and then set them aside to dry. Slightly wet a coffee-filter and let them paint with watercolors to their hearts' content. Ring them out if they get too soggy, the more smushed the colors the better and hang to dry. On a side note, we talked about the colors we see in the Fall and at first I tried to have them stick to those colors but in the end, they were having a grand time and who am I to tell them that their idea of a Fall tree can't include blue!?! 

Second Stage. Once the coffee-filters are dry, have the kids squish them into balls. This may have been their second favorite part :) Jack was squeezing them so hard his entire body was shaking! Ha! Once you have your filters balled up, open them back up a little at a time till you like the way they look. I told the boys to squish them flat like a pancake. Layer a smaller "pancake" in front of a larger one and use the clothespin to keep them in place. I also added a little piece of double sided tape in-between the filters just to help out a bit. Glue a mini magnet on the back of the clothespin and you're done! Easy Peasy!

Serving Panda Meat To Save The Bluefin Tuna PSA Campaign

The problem: the bluefin tuna ought to be on the endangered list. It's not, because Japan and China have bribes to keep it off that list. If asians don't take bluefin off the menu, it's likely to go extinct pretty soon.

Our solution: we wanted people to realize that eating bluefin tuna is like eating panda. We offered panda meat for sale online (www.panda-meat.com) and through sampling booths set up in supermatkets, street markets and travel fairs.

The response: "You sick bastards." "How could you kill pandas?" and "I'm calling the police." were the most common initial reactions. But once we pointes out the double standards, it was "really? I didn't know." and "I'll never eat bluefin again." 171,467 people pledged to give up eating bluefin. Needless to say, no pandas were harmed in the experiment.

Credits:
Advertising Agency: Ogilvy, Singapore
Chief Creative Officer: Steve Back
Creative Directors: Juggi Ramakrishnan, Richard Copping
Art Directors: Richard Copping, Anthony Tham
Copywriter: Juggi Ramakrishnan
Producers: Amarjeet Kaur, Alvin Chin
Sound: The Gunnery
Post Production: Critica, Hogarth
Photographer: Teo
Studio Stock Images: Getty, Corbis
DI: Procolor

Cadbury Dairy Milk Mint Bubbly Revealed Live In A Google+ Hangout

Last night in a world first Cadbury exclusively unveiled their brand new Dairy Milk Bubbly Mint live on a Google+ Hangout with lucky Cadbury fans.

The fans were sent the product and instructed not to open it until the event, hosted by two magical Joyville workers, where everyone opened their chocolate bars and tasted the new flavour for the first time together.

The unveiling caused such a stir on the channel that it was featured for the day on Google's 'What's Hot' section, which encouraged viewers and Cadbury's 2.5 million strong community to watch the event live on-air.

Dairy Milk Bubbly Mint has an exclusive play of their parchute-tastic advert below.

Coca-Cola FM Uses An iPhone and Turns A Magazine Into An Amplifier

Creative new print campaign promoting Coca-Cola FM (Coke’s online radio platform) ad agency JWT, Brazil take a simple yet brilliant idea and create an amplifier using a magazine cover and an iPhone.

Attached to the cover of Capricho Magazine, the art allows readers to turn the magazine into an amplifier. Simply roll up the magazine and plug the iPhone tuned into the Coca-Cola FM application in the space provided. The final format causes the sound waves to travel in two different directions at the same time, intensifying the stereo sound effect created by the attached device. The next step is to enjoy the music.

Credits:
Title: Amplifier
Client: Coca-Cola
Product: Coca-Cola FM
Ad Agency: JWT, Brazil
Chief Creative Officer: John Ricardo
Executive Creative Director: John Ricardo and Roberto Fernandez
Editor: Leandro Pinheiro
Art Directors: Andrea Pissarro, Rodrigo Adam
Creative Direction: Angela Bassichetti
Planning: Fernand Alphen, Isabella Mulholland
Contact: Ana Hernandez, Felipe Giacon, Luana Ferreira
Media: Aline Fashion, Tullio Nicastro, Stella Lopes, Ana Alberine, Fabiana Ramos
Customer Approval: Patricia Pieranti, Adriana Knackfuss, Gian Martinez, Javier Mezza, Luciana Féres, Adriano and Rafael Prandini Ciavdar
Art Buyer: Paula Ferrari
Graphic Producer: Flávio Schaefer

New Audi Commercial "Shifts Everything Ahead"

New TV commercial for the Audi A3 entitled "Audi. Shifts Everything Ahead" created by the Ad Agency Verba, Italy.

Credits:
Agency: Verba
Brand: Audi
Advertising Agency: Verba, Italy
Executive Creative Directors: Michelangelo Cianciosi, Luca Cortesini
Art Directors: Luca Cortesini, Daniel Cambò
Copywriters: Michelangelo Cianciosi, Giovanni Adamo
Strategic Planning Director: Antonio Ognissanti
Account Director: Guido Cavallini
Producer: Tommaso Pellicci
Production Company: Karen Film
Director: Alberto Colombo
Director of Photography: Alessandro Pavoni

Sew we’re a couple of featherweights

For the first time in my life I have sewn something from an actual pattern, with the help of daughter, Shelby. We took this project on during the summer, or I should say, Shelby took this project on by helping me learn to sew. (Thank you Shel, forever a wonderful memory for this mom:)

I had just received the Alpine Wonderland fabric (my Christmas collection for this season with Riley Blake Designs) and wanted to make something with it before the holiday season arrived. We used the berry print in red and aqua (red for me, aqua for Shelby). I just love this little print because it’s so versatile, sweet for winter, yet fitting for the summer berry picking season. So . . . we picked it!

We had also just found a vintage 50’s dress pattern at an estate sale for all of 25 cents, the perfect size, and not yet used. This pattern was made before printing was added to patterns, so Shelby researched how to cut and work from a pattern of that era, and simple simon, figured it right out. She is my go to girl for researching, following patterns and directions, and completing a task. Any task, I believe :)

I have two retro sewing machines, so it was time to pull them out for the task at hand. One of them is just like my mom’s machine from my childhood, a machine I love, because it’s full of childhood memories, and the machine she taught me to sew on. But I also love it because it’s just so tiny and so darn cute. It is the Singer Featherweight, circa 1970. My Featherweight came from a thrift store a few years ago. I was delighted when I found it for $12.98 complete with storage case, attachments and instruction book (I’m pretty sure I got a great deal on that one:).

The other machine was a gift from my dear husband right after Shelby was born. He must have thought I would be sewing a lot for a new baby girl. :) It is a beautiful sewing machine, an aqua Fleetwood, circa 1950’s. Both machines worked beautifully humming along as we sewed the pieces into dresses.

Once the main pieces were sewn together, Shelby helped me put in the zipper. Okay, truth is she sewed the zipper in for me. We finished the remaining touches and completed the ensemble with our signature crop sweaters. I don’t think I need to tell you who’s who in the photo above.

What a fun summer project to get to do with my daughter. I may never get a pattern out and complete a dress again, or I might. I think I will leave most of the sewing projects up to Shelby and all of you other great seamstresses. But I will always keep this new vintage dress and wear it with pride, remembering the wonderful time I had learning from my daughter how to follow in her stitches. Thank you Shelby. :)

Chai Candied Almonds

I know this is a little bossy, but you MUST make these this Fall. There is no other option, you MUST! Not only is this recipe ridiculously easy, your house will smell divine. People will gather in your driveway wondering what wonderfulness is hiding behind your door and you'll have a go-to gift for almost any occasion you can think of! Enough said! Here we go :)

Ingredients:

1 large egg white

1lb raw almonds

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons chai tea mix

In a gallon size zip lock bag shake up the egg white and 1 teaspoon of water until it's nice and frothy. Pour the almonds in the bag and shake till everything is coated in the egg white mixture. In a separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients and then pour the sugar mixture into the bag and shake again. Pour the coated almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour at 250 degrees. Every 15 minutes use a spatula and flip the almonds around and shake the pan a bit so that each almond gets evenly roasted. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. 

FYI: This recipe will make 10~1/3cup gifts/party favors :)

Psssssst: Serve them sprinkled on-top of homemade vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of caramel! Oh my word people!!!!