SOOC

I don't know if some of you photographers out there feel this way, but I definitely have good days and bad days when it comes to exposure. A lot of that has to do with what conditions I'm shooting in, but regardless of where I'm shooting it's not too common for me to be absolutely ELATED with most of the shots I get SOOC (I'm sure you photogs know the feeling).

This was definitely a good day. The one on the left even looks like there's a vignette, but it's just the combo of the branch placement, the shadows, and the exposure. Pretty sweet.

One Pot Spring Garden

I think this is the greatest idea, and definitely one of those 'duh' moments when you wonder why you never thought of that. If I were going to be in one place this summer I would definitely do this with a few of my favorite herbs (probably mostly basil... mmmmmm) and spinach and maybe one small tomato plant in the middle and of course cute little signs with the names of each plant. And maybe a gnome.

It's perfect to set outside your apartment door! Just hope your neighbors don't steal your basil.

image from HERE

image from HERE

pictures and idea from Joy the Baker via Joy the Baker :)

Blossoms & Snow

April Snow

This is Utah for you... crazy spring weather! We couldn't believe it when we woke up to 8 inches of snow. Our poor blossoming tree was smashed into our window and we were so worried that the branches were going to snap. Luckily our tree was alright, and it was so interesting to watch the snow melt and hear the branches scrape against the window as they returned to their normal state.

It was so sad to drive around and see all the blossomed branches that snapped under the weight of the snow. If I'd known that was happening I would have gone around and whacked the limbs with a broom to get the heavy snow off those beautiful blossoms. Sad.

E's Easter Dress

Sewing Project: McCall's M5415

This was the one project my sister and I finished while I was in California (we all had the stomach flu, so it was pretty impressive we got anything done, I think).

It's McCall's pattern M5415 and one the quickest, easiest projects I've done in a while. I made both in less than two hours, including a hand-stitched hem. The fabric is called Vintage Dots, from the Ginger Blossom collection by Sandi Henderson.

We made one for each girl and love how they turned out. They look great with a long-sleeved T or I'm sure they'll look darling when it's warm enough to wear them alone.

As you can see, Miss K absolutely LOVES her new top

Inexpensive fabric: remnants

I am obsessed with fabric. Definitely not the most expensive thing to collect, but it can sure add up fast when you find fabric you love.  Most of the time I buy fabric online because I don't generally find what I like at Joann's or Hancock locally, and the quilting stores are generally always out of my price range if I want several yards. However, most sewing projects I do involve less than a 1/2 yard of fabric these days, so I can find really really inexpensive fabric remnants that are the perfect size for most of my projects...

Try the remnant section at Joann's- they give you an additional 50% off the sale price of the fabric. I think I got that whole pile of fabric above for something like $7, and there's at least 5 yards there... not too shabby.

While Purl, Sew Mama Sew, and Fat Quarter Shop are some of my favorites, they don't have the greatest sales. Fashionable Fabrics, however, is generally 20% less than everywhere else (and they have amazing customer service AND they carry the good stuff- Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry, Moda, etc.) and they have a fabulous 'It's got to go!' section with great prices on remnants and clearance fabrics. I can generally find really great prints under $3/yard there...

Z&S is hit or miss, but they generally have most of the big designers for at least 20% less than most places too. They have a great clearance section with lots of options under $4 a yard.

I buy remnants and clearance fabrics most of the time, and then I don't have to think twice about paying full price when there's something I absolutely have to have. 

Joy

I seriously can't believe how amazing Joy looks at 38 weeks. It's bad for my self esteem. Just I was a bit envious of her pics with her husband a few months back, I wish I would have had some portraits taken to document our first pregnancy.

We really had to improvise with this shoot because it was horrid weather, but she's almost due and I'm leaving tonight to visit my sister for the week... so we shot in my apartment and then outside for like 3 minutes. Thanks for being such a good sport Joy!

Fresh flowers

I feel like I play the 'someday I'll have _______ in my home' game fairly often, and one of the most frequently recurring items that tops the list is fresh flowers. I was pretty excited that my cousin let me take home one of the arrangements from her wedding and it lasted over a week. (Well, I guess I would have been really sad if she wouldn't have let me take one since I was in charge :) so I'm glad things ended on a positive note)

This arrangement started out fairly large to begin with , but as the lilies, lisianthus, and roses bloomed it continued to grow in size. It was a sad day when everything began to wilt and I had to throw it out. Lucky for me, everything seemed to die all at once, so it made things a bit easier on me.

There's something about fresh flowers that just makes every day a bit more special...

How to make a roux- in pictures

A roux is a mixture of equal parts of flour and butter that act as a thickening agent. When I first started getting into cooking I'd see recipes with the instruction 'begin with a roux...' and I didn't know how to pronounce it, let alone how to make it. Now I use them at least once a week for some sort of white sauce and it's so easy it seems ridiculous that I'd make a mini tutorial on how to make a roux...

So why am I posting pictures? The first time I made a roux I thought I'd ruined it once it started to thicken, and it would have been nice to know what type of mixture I was aiming for during each phase along the way. Oh, and make sure to always use a whisk...

1. Measure out equal portions of butter and flour. The amount of flour and butter you use depends on how many servings you are making. Recipes may tell you exactly how much to make, but generally speaking I use 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp flour. If we're having company I will use 4 of each...

2. Melt the butter... I always throw a bit of olive oil into the pan because it keeps the butter from burning

3. Add flour and stir

4. Continue to stir until butter is completely melted and mixture begins to thicken

5. Add whole milk, 1/2 and 1/2 (or cream if you're feeling really daring) about 1/2 cup at a time. Some will argue that the liquid you add should be warm or room temperature, while others argue that it's better straight from the fridge. I have had better success with cold half & half or cream, and I stick with that since I'm too lazy to do it any other way :)

6. Keep adding half & half/cream/whole milk until you have reached the desired thickness. You'll know it's time to add more liquid if your mixture looks like picture number four above. It will continue to thicken as it simmers and then cools, so keep that in mind. Allow your mixture to come to a simmer (but DON'T let it boil), and then add the remaining ingredients.

7. At this point, you could had add cheese for a pasta sauce or bechamel, but one of the easiest meals I make is to grill chicken, then add one reduced sodium chicken bouillon cube and a bit of pepper to my roux (for 2 tbsp of butter and flour) and serve the sauce over the chicken. If you like sauteed mushrooms they are delicious too. It's easy and absolutely delicious with a side veggies and mashed or roasted potatoes.

The finished product...