Spring pillow

Who say's spring and fall don't mix? My house is so fall-color-dominate that it's hard to "spring it up" but I found this fabric, Aviary 2 by Joel Dewberry and fell in love.

Look my other pillows match!

Lovely! Watch out pillows, now I know how easy it is to cover you...we might need new covers for every season.

I have a lumbar pillow waiting for this fabric...

Larry's favorite Cookies

I combined my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and my Mom's brownie recipe (called "Larry's favorite brownies") and made a yummy, double chocolate cookie recipe. I'm now calling them "Larry's favorite cookies" (which isn't really true, because Larry, my dad, claims peanut butter cookies as his favorite).

Here's the recipe:

Preheat oven to 325.

1 stick of unsalted butter; melted

1 large egg and 1 egg yolk

1 tsp Vanilla

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 flour (I used 1 1/2 cup and they were a little too firm, next time I want them to spread a little more so I'll use less flour).

1/2 salt

1/2 baking soda

chocolate chips (I don't measure chocolate chips I just pour them in)

Melt your butter and let cool till warm. Mix all dry ingredients. Add butter, eggs, vanilla, cocoa and sugar to the bowl and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix, adding chocolate chips towards the end. With a 1/4 measuring cup scoop out dough and roll into a big ball. Break your cookie ball in half and put on your cookie sheet "rough" side up. Bake 16 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes. Yields: 1 1/2 dozen (18 cookies).

They are so yummy!

Note: These only make 18 cookies, so if you have a big family like I do, you might wanna double the recipe. Or to help you with portion control keep the recipe the same. Our family tends to eat warm cookies till there gone...

Sew...

I have been a nervous-nelly in the past when it comes to sewing, fabric always look "grandma-ish" or "baby-ish" My Mom makes wonderful comfy quilts that my kids wear out. And any time in the past that I have wanted something sewn, I've just placed a phone call, "Mom..."

But NO MORE!!!

I started a goal (along with my friend Mary and the young women of our ward) to quilt a throw blanket for my living room and along the way I discovered other projects. I have become addicted to fabric and drool over cottony goodness online.

Here's my quilt top: Thanks to Sew.Sew. Cluck for the tutorial and inspiration! http://www.cluckclucksew.com/2008_10_01_archive.html

I can't wait to see it finished. Lovely!

Then I found this post on a fav. blog and had to try: http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/2010/03/ruffly-shirt-refashion.html

And then I got really brave and made a piece of clothing! This fun skirt is so easy and I love how it turned out. Now I can't wait to make more for my girls this summer.

Tutorial found here: http://www.houseonhillroad.com/photos/twirly_skirt/index.html

I love how learning something new gives you such a satisfying feeling and your confidence in your abilities grow.