friday DIY: homemade hot/cold pack

winter is on its way....which, for me, means achy joints and cold toes (yes im in my twenties and my joints hurt real bad when it gets cold).  heat packs also feel really wonderful on sore muscles and, for my ladies, cramps.  this was the case last night when i got home from work.....i was feeling achy and decided to have a poke around through my craft closet and managed to find everything i needed to make a heat pack.  so i thought i would share it with you.....

DIY: Homemade Heating/Cooling pack

Supplies:
-fabric
-scissors/rotary cutter
-sewing machine, thread
-iron
-uncooked rice/beans/buckwheat/split peas

1. Cut out your fabric to desired size.  I doubled the size I wanted so i could just fold my fabric in half and only stitch around the edges. 

2.  With wrong side of fabric up (right sides together on the inside) stitch around your edges leaving about 1.5in opening on one side.  Trim your corners off, careful not to snip the stitches, so that when you turn it right-side out the corners will lay nicely.

3. Once you've turned your pack right-side out give it a good iron.....making sure that your seams, corners and material is nice and smooth

4.  Now your are going to topstitch "compartments" in your un-filled pack.  I stitched 4 lines evenly spaced leaving about 1.5in from either side of the pack (that way the rice move freely from compartment to compartment)....if you cant picture what im talking about here scroll down and look at the finished picture to see how i did the compartments.

5. Fill your pack with uncooked rice/beans/split peas/buckwheat (a funnel would be handy here...but i dont have one so i used a rolled up piece of paper).  Whatever you use to fill your bag be sure that it can hold up to being put in the microwave.  I used rice because that's what i had in my pantry (I have also heard you can use cornmeal).  This step took the longest because you have to maneuver the rice into the compartments....which can be tricky depending on how big your pack is and how you've oriented your compartments. DONT overfill your pack...you want a little wiggle room in the pack/compartments.

6. Once you've filled your pack to your liking stitch up your opening.  I just topstitched it a couple times....you can do a invisible stitch but im not good at it and i didnt want to chance my rice escaping.....plus who's going to see it and really care that much? no one.

Your done! I had enough rice left over (from a 5lb. bag) to make a second smaller one with no compartments. 

How to use:

-place your pack in the microwave (be sure your turn-table is clean!) and heat for about 1-2min....and enjoy

-to use as a cold pack....place in the freezer for a few hours....enjoy.

-depending on how often you use your pack you may want to occasionally empty the rice and replace with new

I hope this tutorial was helpful. 

Happy Halloween friends

xoxo

-e

artist spotlight: kate from little-doodles.blogspot.com

i saw one of her illustrations on a new blog i found and was forced to abandon that blog and look at Kate's blog for a few hours.  her watercolor and ink illustrations are so cute....who doesnt like cute birds and sweets?  im mean just look....

i mean how cute is that?  i really would love a set of prints from this dessert series.  this one is not dessert related....but way to fun not to include.

her blog is really fun....a mix of art and fashion.  head on over and check her out at www.little-doodles.blogspot.com



xoxo

-erin

cake and pancakes

sorry its been a few days....life is busy as always.  my car decided to be sick on thursday so ive been taking the bus to work.... ive had some fun experiences so far.  the first day i rode the bus i started chatting with this older lady....and she is so adorable i couldnt help but smile.  she was wearing this cute white suit with bright orange lipstick on...complete with matching nail polish.  today i rode with her again and she was wearing bright hot pink lipstick with matching nail polish.....so cute. 

Friday i had a cake to deliver and thankfully my mom offered to drive me. here is a pic of the cake.  it was chocolate raspberry cake with black and white pinstripes, gold bow on top and "curlers" with the number 40 hanging from them (clients request).

i think it turned out ok.  what do you think?

Saturday morning dave and i went to Lola for breakfast....we both ordered their blueberry pancakes....that should tell you how good they are.  dave cleaned his plate before i got halfway through mine.  so good

 Sunday i stayed home all day....since i didnt have a working car....and no one was available to pick me up and entertain me all day.  so i started embroidering my quilt back....it has my name and davids name on the back in a fun mixed font.  im trying to get it finished so i can use it when it gets cold.  here is the progress so far

you cant tell all the detail but...it looks cool in person

i dropped my car off last night at carmax thinking all is well...it will be looked at in the morning no problem.....but no.  some how my appt was made at a different carmax location.  so i got a call this morning saying...sorry you dont have an appt you cant leave your car.  i just about explode at this point.  it amazes me when people dont understand that we cant just appear places in a blink of an eye.  the woman on the phone was like....well your appt is at the other location....silence...silence.  me: well i cant just appear over there and pick up my car and drive it to the other location....im on the other side of town.  i dont get it....what response was she expecting?  anywho....im on standby.  if there is a cancellation they will fit me in....if there isnt they cant look at it until Thursday morning.  ARRRRGGHHHH.  needless to say i am very annoyed.  the only thing i can think happened is that google mixed up the numbers and locations....because i called the number it gave me for that location.  DONT always trust google to give you the right information.....lesson learned. 

sorry for my ranting....ill be back later with something a little more friendly-er

free people hair trick

I saw this on the Free People Blog and thought it I would pass it on.  

the relaxed wavy look

first, slightly dampen hair with a styling spray – she uses bumble and bumble (but im sure any flex hold hairspray, spray gel, sea salt spray will do the trick).

next, separate the hair into two pieces down the center. then separate those two into two. start with 2 strands, either the left side or the right of head, and twist the hair away from the face. then take the 2 twisted strands and twist them together. secure on top of head with a hair clip.

once the product has had time to dry, remove the clips and shake your hair out girl.

i have naturally wavy/curly hair that does this whether i want it to or not....but for those who dont i hope this helps you.

xoxo

-erin-

ive jumped on the bandwagon....

i am a bit behind...but im diggin Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros .

ive know about the him for a while but every time i "tested" his music on itunes i wasent really drawn to it.  maybe i just wasnt in th mood for it when i first listened to it.....i dunno but i really like it.  his sound is like laid back 60s/70s music.  it sort of reminds me of the old records of my moms i used to play on the weekends.  my fav songs right now are "home" and "40 day dream."  if you are intested check him out on youtube.  i bought the ablum for $8 on itunes last night....i def think its worth it.

the thing that kinda sux is that he was here in town this weekend at warehouse live....anyone have a time machine?

xoxo

-erin- 

yummy homemade white pizza

i like to make pizza at home....it ends up being cheaper and healthier....and yummy'er.  so i thought i would share one of my pizza receipes with you. 

i call this my "Stinky Breath White Pizza" (because it will make it so)

for the pizza crust:
3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast

2 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

crust directions:
-dissolve the yeast in the water and let it sit for a couple of minutes
-sift all of your dry ingredients together and add your EVOO (olive oil)
-knead the dough together....dont be a sissy use your hands (take your rings off if you dont want to be picking dough out of the nooks and crannies for a week afterwards)
-coat the dough ball in a little olive oil and set in a warmish/breezeless area for about an hour, or until it rises (i stick it in my microwave)

while your dough is rising get your pizza fixins' together....oh and get your oven preheated...i think i put it on 400 or 425)

for the pizza:
-red onion (about 1/3 of the onion sliced thin)
-fresh baby spinach
-pesto
-alfredo sauce of choice (i used classico, but you can make your own)
-a couple cloves of garlic sliced thin
-pizza cheese of choice (and yes the "pizza" shreeded cheese blend does just fine)

assembly and baking:
-once your dough has risen to your liking (i get impatient and use it before it has completely risen...dont worry...its ok to do this) divide it up into 2 dough balls
-roll, press, toss....whichever you like....1 dough ball onto your pizza stone or cookie sheet.  dont forget to put down a layer of corn meal so your crust doesnt stick during the baking process.  also dont worry if its not perfectly round
-i like my crust thin so i mush it pretty thin and then stab it with a fork all over so it wont puff up in spots
-bake the crust alone on 400-425 for about 5-10 min? (i bake it until it starts to get a gold brown on top) this will differ with your oven.  this is called "par-baking" your crust.  it helps the crust actually cook.....if you bake it, toppings and all, it doesnt cook all the way and will be doughy and soggy.

-pull it out and slather the crust with pesto and alittle alfredo sauce
-sprinkle your sliced garlic all over
-sprinkle a couple healthy handfulls of cheese
-add onion and spinach to your liking
-put back in oven til cheese is melted and slightly toasted/onions cooked/spinach wilted.

Eat and Enjoy!!  This is a pretty basic pizza.  You can add ingredients if you want.....like blackend chicken, mushrooms, feta, whatever.  all i know is that i make this pizza alot and its super yummy...dave likes it too.

xoxo

-erin-

ive been away....let me catch you up

the past couple of weeks have been very busy and action packed. 
*warning word and photo heavy post...proceed at your own risk

ill just give you a short and sweet summary.  i had some family drama for a few days...ill leave it at that.  i participated in the 20th annual Houston Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k.  i think this was the 2nd time ive done this race. there were around 35,000+ people that came out this year and raised approx $3.5 million for beast cancer research.  it was absolutely AWEsome to see so many people out there supporting strangers, family, mothers and daughters.  i looked through some of the pics i took while running the course and none of them are good enough to post :(.  i did this race alone...which was kind of sad, but still satisfying at the same time.  there were still people just starting the course when i was driving home! 

after the race dave and i escaped the city and went down to Galveston for the rest of the day to celebrate my 27th birthday (a couple days early).  i dont really know how it became our favorite "place" to go together....but it is.  it was exactly what i needed to escape all the drama and stress that was going on back home....and it was pretty much the only birthday celebration i was going to get this year....so it was perfect. 

we went down to the beach for a little while and walked around, collected shells, wadded in the water,  and drew in the sand.  then we went to The Strand....where all the shops are.  we occupied ourselves with looking in all the stores...so happy that more store have finally reopened (Hurrican Ike wiped Galveston out a couple years ago).  we didnt really buy much....dave got a black fedora hat for $6 (he is wearing it in one of the pics above) and we both got some cool surfer St. Christopher charms (ill post a pic later with the rest of my camera photos).  We stayed to watch the free movie they play every first saturday of the month (only during summer months).....it was Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" with Jimmy Stewart.....great movie.

Let's see what else happened? I took a few days off of work and Dave and I just hung out and watched The Big Bang Theory....one of our favorite shows...we bought Season 3 after watching part of it via Netflix, but didnt want to wait for the next couple of disks to come in the mail.  i also started a afgan for Dave....its an 8-bit (old skool pixelated video game version...based on the tiled street art pic below) Link from Zelda.  Here is a preview of the progress (it looks like a granny square worm...i have them all strung together so i dont loose any)

its going to be kind of big....which was not planned, but even with small granny squares its going to be a queen sized afgan if all my measurements and math is correct.  ill keep you posted with the progress. i just realized i have 3 different blankets/afgan/quilts started and not finished....no more until i get these 3 finished.

i will post more pics later when i get a chance to upload everything from my camera

anywho....thanks for reading this really long blog. i promise i will try to not let so much time pass between blogs.....it was just a really busy and stressful time for me and blogging was the last thing on my mind.

xoxo

-erin-