We're Under Construction!

Hello lovely five readers! Please excuse any mess as I revamp this blog to fit a more cohesive vision. Most of my previous posts are going to disappear and this blog will focus on all sorts of crafty tutorials, recipes for cooking in an RV, and the joys of being a married college student. I'll still post personal stuff once in a while and will keep the highlights from the past, but I want to focus on providing high-quality tutorials for people wanting to learn new crafting skills. Thank you for your patience!

Blessings,
Hannah

Mawwage.

"Mawwage is what bwings us twogwever, today."

On August 9th, 2014, I married my best friend.

The weather was perfect, the bowties were perfect, everything was just perfect.

My heart is so full. The last almost two weeks have been so beautiful.

We roadtripped over to Yellowstone after the wedding and spent the week driving and exploring.

I wish I had more words to share with you. Maybe later.

Life is beautiful, God is beautiful.

Blessings,

Hannah =)

 

Bling.

Why hello there little circle of bling! We're so glad you could be here :)

:)

August 9th is approaching faster than my brain can handle. These are beautiful days of laughter, congratulations, plans, and a fair share of frustrations. 

Blessings,

Hannah

Fourteen.

(I found a draft of this in a folder from my poetry class nearly two years ago--the writing prompt was about being Fourteen)

I was determined

To beat the odds, to let nothing

No one hold me down

Pain was reality, but reality was so much more

My purpose was clear as I pressed on

Through mud and mire

Well meaning fists of ignorance

Pushed me into it

Mocking my dreams

That even I had not yet discovered

They say you feel

Invincible

At fourteen, but I knew long since

How small, how frail, how helpless

I was

Oh, to be fourteen!

I pray the day to say it

Never comes.

The Doctor's Scarf

I hire out my knitting skills, mostly to people in my church, and my latest project was the fourth doctor's scarf (from BBC's long-running show Dr. Who)...here is the original (note: it's between 12 and 14 feet long).

Isn't it hilarious, in the most awful way? Those colors...

The scarf turned out even more gloriously than I expected!

All in all, I'm pretty thrilled with it! It took FOREVER to make and was quite the conversation-starter when I would take my knitting with me. 

Blessings,

Hannah =)

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Ever since I got my little (seriously, the thing is TINY) slow cooker in December, I've been dying to begin trying out different recipes that require only throwing ingredients in and turning the knob. Today, I made applesauce--it's delicious, no sugar added, and oh-so-simple!

For my 1 1/2 quart slow cooker:

--About 3 large apples (I prefer granny smith, but if you want sweeter without the sugar go for a different variety)

--Cinnamon

Peel, core, and slice the apples, then cut each slice in half. Fill slow cooker pot to the brim with the apples, then sprinkle a generous helping of cinnamon on top. No need to stir! Plug that baby in and cook on high for about 4 hours (8 hours on low would work just fine as well). It will look like the top layer of apples hasn't cooked, but don't worry. Stir the applesauce to incorporate the cinnamon, and enjoy!

Blessings,

Hannah =)

P.S. Don't be surprised to see many more slow cooker recipes on here--I need to build my repertoire of dorm-friendly deliciousness as quickly as possible.

Never Too Old...

As this quarter wraps up, there are more and more projects to do and less time to be creative and have fun--but I found a way. I had to do a "creative element" (yes, very open-ended) as part of a final, so I whipped out my muslin and my crayons and my needle and came up with this funny little pillow:

There is some contrived deep meaning in this about gender, but I made it up in about fifteen seconds. 

This technique is something that my great-grandmother did--I don't know how well-known it is, so I've prepared a little tutorial to walk curious people through the process. It just goes to show, you never outgrow crayons!

You Will Need:

-Muslin or other solid cotton fabric

-Freezer paper

-Crayons

-Hard surface

-Iron

-Cutting supplies (rotary cutter, mat, scissors, etc.)

-Thread, needle, stuffing--any supplies you need for your project.

Once again, I apologize for my lack of an available camera that takes high-quality pictures. We will have to make do.

Start by cutting a piece of fabric a little bigger than you need for your project. I'm making a coin purse out of this one.

Next, cut a piece of freezer paper the same size as your fabric (if you have to choose one, have the fabric be bigger as opposed to the freezer paper.) Set the iron to cotton and iron the muslin to the freezer paper, with the shiny plastic side in the middle. The freezer paper will stick to the fabric and make it more stiff.

Now the fun part--color on the paper with crayons in whatever design or lack thereof you choose. The heavier you color, the better, and direction will have an impact on the finished product.

Bring out the iron again--this time set it a setting or two lower and turn off the steam. Cover the top of your crayon-colored fabric in printer paper and go over it with the iron for a while. Some of the crayon wax will transfer over to the printer paper. The point is to melt the wax into the fabric and remove excess. 

Take off the printer paper and freezer paper, use your rotary cutter to square everything off, et voila!

A new piece of fabric just waiting to be sewn into something marvelous. 

Keep in mind this fabric will be stiffer than normal. Also, you don't have to color in the whole piece--that's just what I felt like doing. 

Have a great week!

Blessings,

Hannah =)