Snow Cream!

It's snowing today in Charlotte, NC! So I had to make Snow Cream!




It tastes great, like a lighter version of vanilla ice cream, I bet it would be good with chocolate chips also! :D

Laundry Soap

I like being frugal and I try hard to come up with ways to be more economical as well as saving money. I recently was introduced to the process of making your own laundry detergent. I received a sample and was hooked. I had to try to out for myself, and boy is it easy and cleans just as good as the commercial stuff.



There are loads (no pun intended) of "recipes" out on the net for making your own laundry detergent, just Google it and you'll see what I mean.

The three basic ingredients for making home use laundry detergent are Borax, Arm & Hammer Super WASHING soda and a bar of soap. Now the Borax is super easy to find, it's usually in a box by the rest of the household cleaners at any major supermarket or big discount store. The Washing Soda is a little harder to find, your best bet is to call around before trying to find it or order some from the Internet, and no baking soda is not the same.

The bar soap varies on personal preference, really you can use anything, though most recipes call for a laundry bar soap. There is Fels Naptha, Octagon, and Zote (dollar stores) which are all high contenders in the homemade laundry detergent set.

I used Kirks Castile, which is a natural soap made with coconut oil and has a nice clean scent. I have read that the other bar soaps that will work for your soapy endeavors include Pure & Natural (3 bars for a buck at Walmart), and Ivory. You can even try even nice scented soaps like Toms of Maine or Mrs. Meyers, the possibilities are endless. I've even read that you can also use a little essential oil to boost your linens in to high scented gear, if you so desire.

If you can't find any of the basic soap making ingredients at your local grocery, try buying from this site, Soaps Gone Buy

Below is the soap I made in dry form. You always want be careful when making your own soap, do not inhale or ingest any of this and be careful around kids and pets.

1 Cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 Cup Borax (Any brand will do)
1 Bar Kirks Castile Soap, grated



The hardest part, and really it's not hard at all, is grating up the bar soap. I had a hand grater that worked perfectly. You can also use a regular cheese grater or even your food processor if you wish, just make sure to thoroughly clean all your components before using them again on food. Once the bar soap is fully grated, combine together with the borax and soda. I poured my soap into a ball jar and am now ready to start washing. That's it, your done, that took maybe 15 minutes! I still have enough borax and soda to make about three more batches, and all it would cost me is the price of another bar of soap. Easy peasy.

Now, I know what your thinking, how well does it work? It works great my friend, great! You only need one tablespoon for a normal load, maybe two if you have some really dirty duds. This soap dosen't suds up like regular commercial brands (which is great if you have an HE machine) so I was a bit skeptical at first. But everything came out nice and crisp with a slight clean scent. You can even add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle to make you clothes super soft!

You can make your own laundry soap in liquid form too. Here is a link from the Simple Dollar on how to do so and here is a great video that shows the process amazingly well!

If you don't think you are brave enough to make your own laundry detergent, I recommend buying from this site Simply Clean Ok. I've tried this soap and it's quite lovely if I do say so myself!

Enjoy and go make some soap! Next up, felted wool dryer balls :)

♥

Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act

"This plush is Art for Art's sake, not intended as a toy."

I changed things up a bit with one of my best selling plush TOYS.

I hope we can change things!

Save Handmade, please. Help spread the word that handmade is OK!!

Homemade Organic Applesauce

My neighbor gave me this huge bucket of apples from her tree, so of course I had to make applesauce!

I used this recipe ...
http://www.pickyourown.org/applesauce.htm

I haven't canned any yet. I left the skins on too, and the applesauce turned pink, but it was sure yummy. I'm going to make baby puree to freeze next, but I'll take of the skins first.

I'm not sure what kind of apples they are, my neighbor didn't know either, I did a Google search I think they might be Rome or Arkansas Black apples.



It was fun, but the applesauce came out super thick! I think it was because I only have the food grinder attachment for my kitchenaid and I actually need the fruit and veggie strainer as well.

Triple Fudge Choclate Chip Cookies

I was in a festive mood yesterday so I decided to make some Halloween-y cookies.
I adapted a cookie recipe to my liking, and they came out oh so delish!

Here's the recipe...

1 stick Sweet Cream Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/3 cup Chocolate syrup
1/2 cup Buttermilk or (1/2 tablespoon lemon juice in 1/2 cup Milk)
1 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 cup Milk Chocolate Chips, set one cup a side
Festive Sprinkles

Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until well blended. Combine cocoa and buttermilk and chocolate syrup in a separate bowl, beat until smooth. Add to creamed mixture. Add flour, baking soda and salt, beating just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes or until centers are almost set. Remove from cookie sheet while hot, let cool.
In a double broiler (or microwave) melt the remaining milk chocolate chips until smooth & creamy, spread or dip half of the cooled cookies in the chocolate and add sprinkles, place on wax paper while the chocolate sets. Eat and try not to devour them all in one setting!

Oatmeal Cookies, Yum!

1. Anthropolgie Apron, 2. Baking Oatmeal Cookies - Vintage Book, 3. Baking Oatmeal Cookies - The Recipe, 4. Baking Oatmeal Cookies - Oats, 5. Baking Oatmeal Cookies - Crackin' The Eggs, 6. Baking Oatmeal Cookies - Sifting, 7. Baking Oatmeal Cookies - Mixture, 8. Baking Oatmeal Cookies - Perfect Portions, 9. Baking Oatmeal Cookies - Fin

Ice Cream Cone Rattles

This was a collaboration between me and my mother. I told her what I wanted and she crocheted them up for me and I stuffed them and added the rattle...




Here's Holden "modeling" it for me in his vintage jon-jon outfit.


Now available in the shop!

BlogLovin

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Hello My Name Is Gallery ~ Plush Show

If you live in or around New Haven Connecticut please stop by
Hello My Name Is Gallery on April 5th!




I made a cute eggplant plush for this show!



xo
Neesy

Charlotte Craft Mafia in The Press!

If you don't know already, I'm in a local Craft Mafia group here in Charlotte, NC.

The Charlotte Craft Mafia is featured in the Charlotte Observer today in the Style Section. We are all so excited since this is our first big press that we've received as a group!

You can read the online version here
CCM Observer Story

And you see a slide show of our pictures here (I'm the preggo lady)
CCM Observer Pics

Gallery Crawl Show!

Charlotte Craft Mafia Gallery Crawl Show This Weekend!

Come join the CCM on Saturday March 8th, 2008 at the Century Vintage from 6pm-10.

We'll have super fine handmade wares, yummy baked goods and more!

Hope to see you there!! ...
Century Vintage
1608 Central Ave
Charlotte, NC

Craftopia - Charlotte NC

The Charlotte Craft Mafia is teaming up with our local girl scouts, and together we are hosting a craft show called Craftopia.

The show is open to all, click the pic below for more info and the vendor application. Hope to see you there!




Saturday, April 19, 2008
10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
Located in SE Charlotte, near Ballantyne
10140 Providence Church Lane
Charlotte, NC 28277

My Craft Stash - Etsy Shop!

Etsy Buy Handmade mycraftstash

I am a self proclaimed hoarder, collector, and pack rat.
So, I started this craft supply site as way to unclutter my life and pass the super fab goodies along to you!



I hope you enjoy all I have to offer ♥

Heyday Fashion in BUST!

Hey kids don't forget to check out the new issue of BUST Mag!



And when you do, look on Page 62 in the holiday gift guide section, you will see one of my "I Luv Your Guts Monsters", which on are sale right now for $20!!

Design Sponge City Guide

The Design Sponge Blog did a sweet write up on my "new" home town, Charlotte NC!

They also listed Heyday Fashion as one of their local designers, *blush*

Charlotte really is a beautiful city with a booming arts district, and now you a read all about it for your self ... Design Sponge City Guide

Happy Acorn Tote

Happy Acorn Tote
Originally uploaded by neesypea

I finally tried my hand at screen printing. Wow it was a lot easier than I thought!! I made this little happy acorn print using Adobe Illustrator and printed him on a muslin tote.

A few of these cuties will be added to the shop soon.

♥

New Shops Carry Heyday Goods!

You can now find my cute food stuffies at ...


Seattle, Washington


And my Snazzy Camera Straps at ...

Plush You Book!!

Hey you! Do you know about the awesome Kristen Rask? Well, she's the mastermind behind Schmany Toys a hip little toy boutique in Seattle Washington.

She blogged about my stuffies and her new book that's coming out in the Fall called ... Plush You!: Lovable Misfit Toys to Sew and Stuff



It's filled with plush artists all over the world (including me) and some of them even share tutorials on how to make their lovable creatures.

I can't wait to get a copy and you should check it out too!!

DIY ironing board cover

I wanted to share how super easy it is to make a new ironing board cover. I had bought one from Wally Mart awhile ago for 99 cents and it had seen it's better days! It had burns, pen marks and holes, it was a mess!

Sooo I took it apart and cut out the pattern on some cute green polka dot fabric, and woo hoo new ironing board cover!! It only took me about a half hour from start to finish. :)





So my old cover had a string that was used to pull the cover tight over the ironing board, so I reused it by serging over it very carefully (that's how the old one was made). I think you could probably use a wide zig-zag stitch to get the same effect, if you don't have a serger! Or just sew on elastic!





Finished product!

Banana Bread

banana_bread
Originally uploaded by neesypea.

There's nothin' like fresh banana bread to make your day better on a gloomy Sunday morning!


This is the easiest recipe you'll ever make!!

3 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 egg (beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
A couple shakes of cinnamon
1 1/2 cup of flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour melted butter over the smashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon (no electric mixer) mix in the sugar, beaten egg, cinnamon and vanilla. Add the baking soda, salt, and then add the flour last. Pour mixture into a greased glass loaf pan. Bake for 45 min to 1 hour. Cool, slice, and enjoy. Yum!

Happy Fruit Totes!

totes
Originally uploaded by neesypea.

Soon these fruity cuties will be available at Mahar Drygoods please check out the awesome site!!

Lip Mag!

Win some of my super cute crochet earrings over at Lip Mag!!





♥

Plush You!

The Plush You show started today.



Schmancy
1932 Second Avenue
Seattle WA
October 6 - November 2
Opening reception October 6

This is one of pieces I have in the show ...



So if you are in the Seattle area go check it out! ♥

Cookies!

gingersnap cookies
Originally uploaded by neesypea.

My Mother and I made these spicey gingersnap cookies yesterday.
If you want to make them, be careful because they have a serious bite to them!
If you don't like spicey just put about 1/4 of a teaspoon of cayenne.

Enjoy

♥

=====================================
Gingersnaps - Extra-Spicy Gingersnaps
=====================================
What You Need:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger, or more
to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cool unsalted
butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus extra
for rolling
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1/4 cup egg whites (from about 2
eggs)

What To Do:

Combine the flour, baking soda, and
spices in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter until smooth and
fluffy in a mixer fitted with a paddle
attachment (or using a hand mixer).
Add the sugars and mix. Add the
molasses and mix. Add the egg whites
in 2 batches, mixing to combine after
each addition. Add the dry ingredients
in three batches, mixing to combine
after each addition.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread a few tablespoons of
granulated sugar on a small plate.

Roll the dough into 3/4-inch balls,
then roll each ball in the sugar until
lightly coated. Transfer to parchment
lined cookie sheets, leaving 1-inch of
space between the cookies. Bake until
browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on
wire racks and store in an airtight
container.

Yield: 60 cookies
=====================================

I Love Your Guts!

I Luv Your Guts Monsters
Originally uploaded by neesypea.

You can now find Heyday goodies at La Bussola in Reno, NV




It's such an awesome little boutique, please check it out if you are in the area!

I've always wanted to make a rainbow I Luv Your Guts Monster and I finally found the perfect fabric for it.



Isn't he cute?

♥

yo-yo making

yo-yo making
Originally uploaded by neesypea.

I'm yo- yo crazy right now. It's simple and cute and oh so easy to make. I've found that a 5 inch circle makes the perfect size yo-yo!











Heather Bailey has an awesome yo-yo tutorial here.

There is so many things you can make with them ...

I made some simple brooches by adding a pin back to the backside of a yo-yo.

These will be avaliable soon at MyMy!

I also turned a yo-yo into a posy on these little pouches.




Made with denim, corduroy, and cotton lining with felt "leaves".

Now lets see what you come up with.

Happy yo-yo making! :)

Two New Monsters!

I just added 2 new I Luv Your Guts Monsters to the shop ...

Hey Sacramento!

I'll be doing a Fashion Flea Market show at Deep Art Lounge tonight from 4PM-8PM

Come check it out! :)



deep art lounge
2030 H Street
Sac CA 95816
(916)448-3337

New Fruity Totes Up!

New Totes Added!

Pear Tote

Pear Tote
Originally uploaded by neesypea.

I'm working on some new fruity anthropomorphic totes, they will be added to the shop next week!