Buy handmade

Soo its that time of year again time to BUY HANDMADE for the holidays.

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Homemade for the Holidays

PDF Instructions to make your own sewn Marry Christmas Garland

This super cute Garland can be made with scrap fabric or nice cheap holiday fat quarters.

Gumdrop Wreath Alicia from Posie Gets Cozy (have you fallen in love with her new book?!– Wonderful!) shares a Gumdrop Wreath Tutorial, hosted on Kiddley.

Woodland Ornaments Meg from elsie marley (and our board) created this Woodland Ornament Tutorial (pine cones, mushrooms & a sprig of holly) series with a PDF pattern download just for you! We’re already planning the fabrics we’ll use for our pine cones.

SALE sale sale

25% off sale at my shop.
Already marked down for the ease of the buyer.
So if you have been looking at my items for a while and thinking "hmm that is soo cute I really wish it was just 25% less and i would buy it" NOW is the time.

Tutorials and links on the way.
I will be making a tutorial to make a jumper soon.
also the easy way to applique.
Tree pattern and all.

Livejournal is down

So here i am making a post.. lol.
Why Prince WHY!??!!
I loved you once and now... you have thrown it all away!
in other news I am pro equal rights. if you cant tell.

I finished a nice baby shower basket this last week for a friends.
it had a receiving blanket a matching bib and a cute little reversible fleece outfit. for a new born. I also recovered my old boppy for her and knitted a ear warmer/head band, with a knitted heart on it. ( I threw in 2 pairs of socks because all winter babies need loads of socks.)

The coat did turn out a bit large for a new born but everyone agrees this is a good thing because baby grow so fast.
I have a feeling it will be usable for the whole winter with the new baby due in Mid December. Its super warm and SOFT!

Make your own banner

Ok here are some resources for making your own banner these banners won't look as good as they would if you knew how to use Photoshop or owned it or if you bought them from one of the many people on etsy who make them for you but they will be passable.

http://www.bannersketch.com/
From now on you can create free web banners with our banner generator. Why you ask? Well that's quite simple to answer! Bannersketch.com is the only totally free banner creator currently online!

http://www.vintagewonder.com/createabanner.html
There are alot of design programs you can use to make a banner (InDesign, QuarkExpress, etc.). This is a simple tutorial on using Microsoft Powerpoint to create a great shop banner.

http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/skill-share-making-a-banner-641/
I thought I'd show you how I made the new EtsyLabs banner. I'm not a trained graphic artist by any means but I love making banners, avatars, and general photoshopping! So here's the banner and the tips:

Don't forget I have some simple premade banners in my shop for cheap.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13897619
just $4.50 for a premade banner
I also do custom banners for a reasonable price.

also don't forget to search etsy for banners-
http://www.etsy.com/category_sub_sub.php?tags=everything_else.custom.banner

It's been a busy week I made a cute little jumper to trade with a fellow team memmber at cafemom.







I like it.

Sharitaki Ramen/ spicy miso flavor

I lived in Guam for almost 3 years and was pregnant with my daughter while I lived there well she seemed to LOVE spicy Miso ramen cause its all I ever wanted when I was pregnant with her.

Now Ramen In Guam (or Japanese style) is not like the ramen you think of. You know that stuff you eat just to get by. College food, I am to broke to eat right food. NO while Ramen is still cheap in (for) Japan its is not freeze dried noddles with a cheap beef broth. It has many different styles and regional differences. Guam had a (what i understand to be) Tokyo style ramen. there was Soy flavor, miso flavor. Then it got to spice.. spicy soy, spicy miso, there was Chasu and non chasu (bbq pork slices) then there was the regional favorites like Kimchi ramen, and Taiwan style ramen, That was a spicy soy ramen with fried chilies and fried garlic.
My favorites?
Kimchi and Spicy Miso Chasu ramen.
I have been craving these ramens for ages but I am on a diet.. what ever to do?


Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 4 oz
Servings per package 2
Calories 20
Calories from Fat 5

Miso Paste? Very low cal and good for you.
put them together with about 15 Calories worth of kimchi, garlic fried in about a 1/2 tea of toasted sesame oil, home grown sprouts, Chinese hot sauce, Nori flakes and green onion.

Click for bigger
I just want to tell you now though if texture is a big deal for you and chewing on stuff with the firmness of very firm gelatin is not your bag use regular Ramen noddles.
This was so good and very close to what I was going for. The kimchi really did it for it. Its the element that had been missing before. What is still missing? PORK. ah pork my old friend how i miss you. I have been with out red meat for some time now and I miss it.
So for less then 90 Calories I have a HUGE lunch that taste like Guam.
I miss Guam... Ok I miss the food on Guam.
There will never be a better Thai restaurant then this HOLE in the wall "King and I" . If you are ever there look it up its behind a convenience store and next to a gambling bar.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

links are fun

Keeping a food diary has been found to help people lose more weight then any other diet plan.
http://www.caloriebalancediet.com/program.asp
new program I just down loaded it seems complicated but good there is always the calorie king web site but that cost a lot of money where as this one is free. I am all about the free. I gained 15 pounds I am not happy.
going to start back up at gym and doing soy int eh mornings again that should work well again I just have to hunker down again its nice to not have Jason on my case all the time too. I hate sneak eating.

Its like I am talking to my self here people

really not fun.
lol.
anyway I will be sewing today so I wont be doing a update I may do a recipe.

chairs

Etsy Buy Handmade levityinbrevity

I wonder if this seller would be willing to make a deal with me if I bought all of these prints I love them and must have them.. I have been a good girl lately and have money to spend soon.

Shepperds Pie

My kids Loved it
Shepperd's Pie
my easy shepherd's pie
1 pound ground lamb
Salt pepper to taste
1 onion, diced
1 pack brown gravy (I use McCormick)
1 cup water
2 cups mash potatoes
1 cup shredded cheese (I like Irish cheddar)

brown beef and onion/ salt, pepper.
add brown gravy mix and water
mix til thick put in baking dish top with mashed potatoes and cheese bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until the top it kind of brownish and bubbly
My husband likes me top add corn to the mix but I just serve it on the side.

make your own stickers

First some images you can turn into your own stickers and a recipe to do it.




Sometimes it is hard to find just the right sticker for the situation, and they can get expensive. Why not make your own? Use them on time-lines, in workbooks, as rewards, just to be goofy, etc.

Sticker Sticky Stuff

Ingredients:

1 packet (1/4 oz.) unflavored gelatin (such as Knox)
1 T. cold water
3 T. boiling water
1/2 t. white corn syrup
1/2 t. lemon extract*

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin into cold water. Put aside until soft.

2. Pour softened gelatin into boiling water and stir until completely dissolved.

3. Add corn syrup and extract. Mix thoroughly.

4. Brush mixture thinly onto the back of picture that you want to turn into a sticker.

5. After is dry, you just moisten to apply.

Design your own stickers, print something from the computer, cut pictures from magazines, etc.

*You can make this fun by alternating the kind of extract you use....try orange, strawberry, or rootbeer for variation. But be careful, you might catch the kids licking all the sticky stuff off trying to find the flavor they like best. Another idea is to vary the extract flavoring by the subject of the stickers...use coconut for a tropical theme or peppermint for the Christmas holidays.

If you store the gum mixture (the sticky stuff) in a pill bottle or other airtight container, it will keep several months. It will gel, but to return to a liquid, just put the container in a bowl of hot water.

Yields about 4 oz.

homemade Play-doh

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1 cup water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 tablespoons cream of tartar

Assorted Food Coloring

Uncolored play dough: In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Stir constantly until the mixture forms a ball. Pour the play dough ball out onto a clean work surface and knead for two to three minutes. The ball will be hot at first so be careful when you start the kneading process. Allow the play dough to cool completely. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The play dough should last several weeks with proper storage.

Colored Play dough: To produce pastel colored play dough, use the same basic play dough recipe but add the color medium before the cooking process. To produce bright, vivid colored play dough, add the color medium during the kneading process. Liquid food coloring, frosting paste or powdered tempera paint work well in this basic recipe.

oh fun!

must MAKE THIS SKIRT!


I am talking about the first skirt in this pic

I am going to use this fabric-

should be fun



going to use this idea I have made a dress for Gwyn using this idea before and it turned out like a circle skirt and was very cute.
I am then going to make a dress like this one-

(my niece by the way isn't she cute?)
for either my shop or Gwyn

OMG guys i cant beleive what they said about me!!!

http://mixedspecies.blogspot.com/2008/08/levityinbrevity.html

lol mixedspecies did my reveiw and I have to say there is a very big lack of mention of my rack.

its a nice rack too.

Check out my etsy:

www.levityinbrevity.etsy.com

Utah Etsy

I would now like to talk to you about my street team Utah etsy. we are a group of people living in and from Utah, This is was you call a local street team. We work together to promote each other and get the word out about Etsy Don't know what etsy is? well then you have not been reading my blog have you?
from wiki-
Etsy is a website which focuses primarily on providing the general public with a way to buy and sell handmade items. The site follows in the tradition of open craft fairs, giving sellers personal storefronts where they list their goods for a fee.^[1] It has been compared to "a crafty cross between Amazon and eBay"^[2] and "your grandma's basement"^[3].

Utah etsy is a great group
we are planning a few things for the future to hopefuly get us going for Christmas.

I really should..

Have a contest..
what do you all think would you like to win something from my shop?
let me know what you think.

first time quilter

I just made my first line of quilting squares.

I wasn't sure what i was going to make with this but I think I might finish it up and make a quilt for church. I am a Unitarian Universalist and rainbows are fairly prominent at my church so I think I will finish this and then give it to the church.

I hope i have enough squares.

and here is all I got done today-

One of my best

I have been working on this Jumper/dress for days.

Nothing is selling in my shop so I thought I would work on something new something that is different and more "in style" I guess. So I had a look at what is selling in women's clothing got some idea's and drafted my own pattern again, here is what i came up with-


I made the pattern for the tree useing photoshop if anyone wants it I can send you a copy.

What do you think I haven't added it to my shop yet I am going to try and get my daughter to model it she has not been wanting to model for me at all lately
she let me do it after I offered candy-

dinner

Clock wise
Red rice (just white rice in ricer cooker with Goya cilantro and anatto packet)
black beans (canned black beans with a Goya ham flavored packet and a few other spices)
turkey loin (tequila lime flavor /store bought)
Soon I will post my Pollo con orzo pictures (last nights dinner)

A new shirt I made for my self. I think this is the first shirt I have ever made my self. Now I need to go get more of this knit fabric to make more for my self.
lol. What do you think?