Amy cooks with the Pioneer Woman

I have been delving in the recipe collection from the Pioneer Woman recently and loving the results. I don't have pictures of most of them, but I did make these recently:

Tasty.

I did use WAY less butter than called for. I also would have added more half and half if I had made them before.

Other winners were the Italian Meatball Soup, Ginger Steak Salad, and the BBQ Meatballs. I didn't alter these at all. As I find more I'll post the links (or at least the names).

Does this little boy

look like someone who runs away from

and

but tries to pick up

?????

Because he is!

new haircut

I took the clippers to Calen's hair the other day, my first attempt on him. He did great and wasn't scared, and actually wanted to help cut his hair. Overall it turned out ok, but I did have to go back twice and re-clip some sections. He was very willing to pose for pictures of his new 'do.

Here's what it started like:

Here's what we ended up with:

(Ok, Calen, now look out the window)

His typical "smile" pose. :)

Another thing I've been meaning to do is post pictures of our house after we set it up. Since it's fairly clean at the moment, I'm finally getting around to just that.

Most recent project

My sister has been asking me to put these pictures up for a while. This skirt was a little ambitious (for me, that is). I didn't have a pattern, or even something to copy. I just had an idea and decided to go for it. I did use a skirt I already own to provide me with some rough dimensions. Overall I'm pleased with it. Made a few minor mistakes (the kind you don't have to fix), but will likely use the pattern again. Yes - I actually made a PATTERN! Normally if I was trying something like this I would just wing it and cut it out. Then if it turned out I'd be annoyed because I couldn't replicate it. This time I decided to think ahead. Yay for me.

The skirt - I bought the fabric at a little store in Eugene. It's called "Sateen Damask" from Urban Couture by basicgrey for Moda. 100% quilters cotton. The skirt is a basic 6-panel A-line with a curved top yoke and side invisible zipper. There are no pleats or gathers in the panels. I used a coral nylon net for the ruffle on the bottom, and put a gathered section between the center and left front panels to add interest (close-up picture below). I didn't use any interfacing as I didn't want the extra structure in the yoke. I used a turned seam for the hem, and made the back panels curve slightly longer then the front.

A better view of the bottom edge with the gathered section. This is a truer picture of the fabric color then the first picture.

When I made this gathered part I didn't really know what to do. I ended up cutting a strip about 8"x30" and gathering it. Then, still not really sure what to do, I cut it in thirds and stacked it. Looking back I probably shouldn't have done that - I ended up with a little more stiffness then I wanted. You can see my gathering stitches on the tulle on the back side of the skirt. I was going to take it out, but started tearing the tulle when I tried. !!! Never mind.

My little fabric flower embellishment. Didn't really turn out like I was trying for. But I still used it.

I ended up using a deep brown kona cotton for the lining. I couldn't find anything remotely close to the colors I was looking for (yay for tiny Roseburg fabric selection), so I went for something entirely different. It worked out for the best, I think. I don't worry at all about needing a slip!

Happy Resurrection Day

A little late I know, but I still wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Easter. No picture of Calen this year, but I did get some video of him today. I'll try to upload it later.