Seamstress-ing

I really enjoy sewing but don’t get to do much of it these days. My sewing days began back in 3rd grade when I (my mom actually) signed up for sewing in 4-H. I made a skirt that year that I am still proud of although I’m not even sure it still exists. My seams were flawless and precise. I won a blue, honor, and reserve champion, boy did I love sewing! The next year I made another skirt. I did my own thing, not caring for the instructions on my pattern. I got a red. I hated sewing. My mom made me preserveer though and over my 11 years in 4-H I signed up for sewing more often than not. As I grew in the project I discovered it wasn’t that I hated sewing and was being forced to do it, rather that I loved creating and hated being told how to do it.
When I was twelve, I think, I made myself a swim set, shirt, shorts, and a short ruffled skirt. I was working with thick and shifty spandex, no pattern, and loved the end result. My peers liked it, my mom friends were proud and my now mother-in-law had me make her daughter one. Thats the project that made me realize I enjoyed sewing and hoped to someday make money off of it.
So here I am today, taking in wedding dress alterations. I’ve done lots of prom dresses, formals, and everyday clothes alterations. I enjoy it, figuring out the best way to adjust things, making some money in the process, but what I really love is creating, or even recreating, clothes. I wish I had pictures of all the projects I’ve done but I always go into it assuming it’ll be a fail and when I love the final product think ‘oh, I should’ve taken a before picture!’.
Last night I took a long sleeved shirt of mine and turned it into this cute little dress for my Éowyn to wear in our teal themed beach picture next week. I had just finished a wedding dress and had the leftover appliqué pieces that I added to her dress.

Éowyn’s dress

I created  this dress from a sheet with no pattern,
just some sketches and ideas. 

My wedding dress which was strapless but I took it in, added a top,
and created the neckline and back. 

I in no way intend to brag in this post, creating/sewing is just something I love and I’ve been having fun with it so I felt like sharing.
~Haley

Window Screens

This is the third summer we’ve lived in our little home ( side excitement, we paid it off in April so “Eeep” its actually ours!) and in all the time up until now we’ve not been able to use the windows because they’re old fashioned, odd sized windows, and didn’t come with window screens. Custom made screens aren’t really affordable and I don’t like bugs enough to just open them so summers here are hot.. well early this spring I was thinking about what to do and struck up a plan.

After spending $8 on cheesecloth, a couple dollars on masking tape and thumb tacks and a couple hours pulverizing my finger tips pushing thumbtacks into hard hard wood I had what some might call ghetto, and they’d probably be right, but I’m calling it historic, and I’m also right, window screens!
Link to historical reference:
http://exhibits.hsl.virginia.edu/insects/cloth/

{Foodie Post No. 15} Cashew Chicken

I’ve always wanted to try Cashew Chicken but in my 4+ married years I haven’t because not once did I decide to afford cashews while grocery shopping. Have I had extra money come the end of a month? Yeah, for sure many times. But why? Because I make decisions like ‘no cashews, you could have extra money and “win” at this budgeted life’.  🙄😝 Well recently I got to visit with my more recently married friend and I was lamenting this fact, how I could, but always chose not to buy a few of these ‘extra’ items, one of which being cashews. Before she went home she gave me a can of cashews as an early birthday gift.
And from that tale is born this yummy meal.
I actually found the recipe on Pinterest and made it exactly as directed.

[Note: I’ve no idea why the pictures came out upside down. Blogger has been a pain which is why this post is already being posted a month after it’s writing.]

CASHEW CHICKEN Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces 
1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder optional
2 tablespoons coconut oil, butter, or olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons honey
3 garlic cloves minced
3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups raw cashews
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions optional

Directions

Add chicken pieces and cornstarch or arrowroot powder, if using, to a medium bowl and toss gently with a fork to make sure chicken is well coated.

Melt coconut oil or butter in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together soy sauce or coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, tomato paste, honey, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour sauce over chicken and stir in cashews until well combined. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken has cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.Stir in black pepper and green onions.

Remove skillet from heat and serve over rice, zucchini noodles, broccoli and top with additional chopped green onions, if desired.