Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of my readers. 

I will see you in the New Year.

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Stew

We eat a lot of chicken in this house. I really wanted to enjoy some beef. Make something hearty, quick and beefy. Stew!

Thats right I'm going to make stew :)

Guest Blogger Update

Check out my mom's awesome pumpkin soup here!! 
robertsonrotts.blogspot.com

Guest Blogger!

Hello Everyone! On my last post, I mentioned giving the pumpkin flesh to my mom to make soup. Well she commented and said 'I'll send you the recipe'. Awesome but I want pictures and commentary! 

So in the spirit of sharing and putting people on the spot lol, I would like my readers to comment below and ask my mom, Brisa for a guest TGIF recipe. Don't be shy! Comment Now! 

Brisa! Make soup and a blog out of me!!

TGIF BONUS: Pumpkin Seeds

Bonus Recipe! I never carved my pumpkin for Halloween and its just been sitting by the fire place. So I hatched it up and toasted the seeds!

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Linzer Cookies

Halloween to me is the unofficial 'kick off' of the holiday season, getting me ready for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. The rush of a holiday coming and going is almost as fun as the holiday itself. To some folks the best part of a holiday is it being over. Maybe because the stress of preparing is over, left over food or great family pictures. How about sales? Thats right, the great American urge to buy stuff we'll only use once a year. This is my first after holiday purchase of the year.
Working at Michaels has made me very aware of the crazy good deals that happen after holidays. All through October I was eying the cutest little linzer cookie cutter. At $7.99 it was't that cute lol. I decided to hold out till after Halloween for it to go on sale. Well as luck would have it, I got the last one at $1.79. 


So this weeks recipe is one included in the linzer. Let's roll and cut some cookies!

Beanie Banger

Finished my first beanie on the knitting loop. I have to say that it was super easy! I definitely recommend getting a Knifty Knitter. Here is the deal:)

OMG, that's me LOL

After you cast on to the lagerst knitting loop, knit 7 inches and fold over to make a brim. Continue knitting; for a slouchy beanie knit 7 inches or a more fitted beanie knit 4 1/2 inches. 


Yep, its just that easy:)

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Rachael Ray

Today is not recipe but a quick review. I recently bought Rachael Ray's cookware and bakeware sets. I'm so in love with both of the sets! I'm already a big fan of her and really wanted to try her line of cookware for a long time. 

So pretty!

Making fajitas in this pan was amazing! The pan shape is oval but it still cooks evenly through out the pan. I like that the sides a deeper than a normal saute pan, helps keep everything when stirring. 

First Fajita Friday

Love the handles

 I really love how pretty these are, you can take them straight to the table. Can't wait to make chicken pot pie in this dish.

Why yes, that is my vintage Corelle dish ware:)

I'm not geting paid for this at all. I just wanted to share my new stuff with you. If you should want them here are the links.

Cookware

Bakeware

Loop Dee Loops

Ok, so this may not be craft lag. I recently moved out and most of my sewing stuff is still packed. The only thing I've been working on is crocheting or knitting. Mostly because its really easy to do anywhere, like the couch lol. Here is a beanie on the knitting loop for my mom:) The yarn is Loops&Threads Country Loom in Driftwood. It looks really pretty in person the picture not doing it justice. The nice thing is you can make a beanie with one skein of yarn.

I've got some baby yarn projects coming up, I'll make sure to post those as well.

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Pasta Salad

I've been making a lot of pasta salad this summer. This is a very simple and quick recipe that I made up with stuff in my kitchen. Colored pasta is my favorite. I know it really doesn't taste different, its just fun.  

Yummy:)

Two Birds, One Stone

HELLO! Its official, my first customer ever purchased the white out apron! It was really awesome how it all worked out. The nice couple actually came to buy a rowing machine I posted on Craigslist. We got to talking and the conversation turned to aprons. After a few hints of interest, I brought all the aprons out to show the couple. She seemed pretty impressed and took a liking to the white one, the rest is history. Well not entirely, I gave her my contact info, said good night and then I jumped around in the kitchen for about 20 minutes marveling in my success.

SOLD!

  

Video Tutorial?

Hello! I have a fun wallet project to share with you but its to long to type the instructions and all that. The project will use the fabric left over from making jean shorts. I'm very nervous about making a video tutorial, so if you really want to see how this is made please comment and tell me.

The red one is the inspiration. 

The plaid is from my BF's old shirt lol

Sorry for not posting in a while!

Short Pants

Hello! Its summer in California! Also skinny jeans are in style. What do these two things have in common you may ask? A jean short project!! Thats right take all those boot or flare cut jeans you never wear and cut them into shorts. I decided to do this after watching a few Youtube videos on the subject. (links to videos) After all that I realized I had a pair of shorts that fit well I just don't like the color. 

Here is how I did it.

Working in Reality

Hey every one! Sorry I haven't posted anything lately. Great news as to why I haven't posted! I got a job! I don't think it was ever mentioned but now you know. Now that I'll be working my post will be fewer than 'normal'. Hope thats ok! 
Remember you can bug me at bettylouinfo@gmail.com

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Chicken Potpie

For some reason its raining and I'm cold. So I'm busting out a cold weather recipe and my absolute favorite. The Chicken Potpie!

Must Have Mustache

I was looking at some of my doodles to see if any are cool enough to embroider on some aprons. Got some good ideas from it, one will most likely be this mustache.

Curly 

Half Dreams

I haven't work very hard on the test half apron. I think its the floral scaring me away. 

Four seems, thats it :/

Update

My Facebook Like button is now in place. So feel free to click it. Check out the page too. Thanks :)

I like my post to have pictures.

Labels of Love

I was thinking the other day, not very hard mind you. That if I manage to sell an apron or two, how will any one know who made it?  I'll tell you how! Fancy sewn in tags! Sheer randomness gave me this tag inspiration. Now all seven aprons sport this super cool tag.

Yes, that is gold tread on denim

Thats 20 2x2 squares of coolness

Sewn in and ready to go

White Out

Now that I'm partially over Craft Lag, things have been getting done. Like the apron started almost three weeks ago. Shame on me, oh well. 
I now present the first embroidered apron.

Wish I had more of these buttons.

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Chocolate Checkerboard Cookies

This Friday is for baking, chocolate checkerboard cookies to be precise. I've made these cookies a few times and they're just fun looking. Not to mention the choco vanilla combo. Better still the vanilla extract can be substituted for any extract, like orange, peppermint or even rum. :) 

Like Me, No Seriously

Other than the handful of wonderful people reading this blog, no one else knows about Betty Lou Fashions. I've been keeping it under wraps because well, I feel this whole thing is a little half baked. So with the help of peer pressure and shrimp tacos, I have a Facebook page under construction and a Craigslist post. 

There you go world, here I am.

I felt this needed a picture.

Pillow Cases: Now More Useful

I hate hand washing anything, especially under things. Way too time consuming therefore it never gets done. So when this awesome idea popped into my head, I was excited. 

• Take a clean pillow case and turn it inside out
• Add your unmentionables, I like to put panty hose and stockings in a separate pillow case from bras 
• Sew the pillow case closed with a really long straight stich, makes it easy to rip out later
• Toss in the wash machine like normal
• Tumble dry on low
• Rip the stitches out
• Ta Da your done

Now hand washing is a thing of the past. Plus your lacy things will stay snag and pull free.

First Quilt

I made this sometime in November or December last year, when I got my new sewing machine. I bought the Asian print fabric way (way, way, way) before I even had the notion of quilting. Its really small to be anything, let alone a blanket. This quilt also has a bit of batting in between the layers and some fancy stitches holding them together. 

Doesn't even cover my table! LOL

Craft Lag

Craft Lag. It effects thousands of crafters every year. Symptoms include: lose of inspiration, despondency of new gadgets, starting of new project with no intention to finish them and loss of appetite. 

Well maybe that last one only applies to me, but the rest is true! I have a short attention span to begin with but this is crazy. Only a few hours away from the bow front apron being complete and there it sits: sad, in pieces and unfinished. Hopefully I'll snap out of it or just push through with a super easy project. Until then look out for post of old project and maybe some tips and tricks.

If you or some one you love is suffering from Craft Lag. Contact you local craft or hobby store immediately.

This Public Service Announcement is bought to by Betty Lou Fashions.

Craft Lag is made up by me, if you do feel this way its OK. However its not a real disorder, so don't search it on WebMD.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my lovely readers.

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Broccoli Avocado Salad

First off, I love to Bbq! However, I never think about side dishes and all the other yummy stuff that makes Q-ing great. 

Broccoli Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

12 oz. broccoli slaw

2/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, minced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup white or golden balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. bacon salt

1 avocado, cubed

Now What:

Place broccoli slaw, pepper and onion in a lager bowl. Whisk oil, vinegar and bacon salt, drizzle over the salad and toss well to coat. Just before severing carefully stir in the cubed avocado.

Recipe from Something Extra 

Just A Test

I've cut my first test half apron the other day. I'm always leery of a new pattern because the first one is general not fun to work on or look at. Not to mention it with be made of floral fabric. Shocker!

I'll be making view C

Ruffles Away

I ordered a lovely gadget from Sewing Machines Plus, called a ruffle foot. 
It makes ruffles and sews them to another flat piece of fabric. 
I'll definitely need some practice with it because the ratcheting action is beastly. Hopefully this crazy contraption will cut my apron making time down.   

Don't stick your finger near it!

Some test ruffles.

Out Lines

I finally got around to picking a stich and embroidering the bow. Picking the color was a little more tricky, looking at every color I have and not liking a single one. Hopeless. So I closed my eye and just grabbed.

Ta Da!

It looks red in the picture but its more of a weird tomato/orange coral color. If that makes any sense.   

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Citrus Lemongrass Chicken Wraps

So after all the fun and excitement of Easter with family and friends. Trying to give away or eat all the left overs, lamb I hope. :) I'm sure some of you are wondering, where's the booze? In order to kick back and relax, a two-for of recipes is here to rescue you. 

All Knotted Up

Once again I have found something to distract me from making aprons. Friendship bracelets were super cool when I was in grade school and now they're making a come back. These bracelets are pretty easy to make using embroidery floss and some times beads. I learned how to make them from a craft book and once you know the patterns you can do it any where.

Who wants one?!

Bowed Over

I got up the nerve to free hand something to embroider on an apron. Now I need to pick some stitches and colors to make it pretty.

Free Hand on Fabric

Traced onto Paper 

   

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Lamb

For Easter weekend I decided to pick two recipes. A traditional Easter biscuit and a pot roasted leg of lamb. I like lamb and wondered, why ham for Easter? Lamb is traditional meat, served by Christians, Jews and Greeks. Due to cost of lamb and intimidation of cooking it, the U.S. masses have used ham as the Easter meat. 
Rightfully so, in the early days of America meat was slaughtered in the fall. With no refrigeration the fresh pork that wasn't consumed during the winter months before Lent was cured for spring. By the time the curing process was done Easter was coming up. Thus it is a big reason why ham is the popular choice. Other than being able to feed a large family and still have useful left overs for more meals.


I feel like getting out of the ham rut this Easter. If your feeling up to it, try this lamb recipe.

Fabric Squared

I've had this urge to just sew stuff together. It wasn't very productive or pretty, not even useful. So I decide to try my hand at quilting, again. Using all of my new found scraps I'm going to make a bedspread. I'm about 8 squares into the project. I'm sure the avide quilter might not like my style for cutting out the triangles because its just a piece of card broad. I measured a square to the required dimensions then cut it in half. Makes it easy to use every bit of fabric for lots of triangles.   

This one is a little off in the middle LOL

Only 56 more square to go! LOL

Young Dog, Old Tricks

There are lots of things that I know a little about, from fixing a car to crocheting a baby blanket. Now that I've been sewing more I wanted to broaden my knowledge of all things needlework. On a trip to the local GoodWill, I found this wonderful book. Printed in 1983, this monster 504 page hardcover gives fantastic step by step illustrations. Plus lots of beginner projects to try out your new skills.      

Its got everything!

GoodWill is a great place to find new hobby books on the cheap. This book cost me $4 :)

Diamond in the Scraps

Well looky what I found in those niffty bags of scraps! Several half apron patterns with cute motifs. 

Jackpot!

Mellow Yellow

I'm really excited about this apron!! The solid yellow is an awesome change of pace from the floral aprons. I'm also starting to think of all the button and ribbon flower motifs for the next set of white aprons. 

Sunflower Buttons :)

Betty Lou's TGIF Recipe: Hot & Spicy Pork Ribs

I was sitting around kinda hungry, thinking about grilled cheese sandwiches. Then standing in the kitchen trying to decide between that yummy sammie or a bowl of leafy greens, it hits me! I make aprons, people use them to cook but what are they cooking? Or better yet, what isn't cooking? So I decided to pick a delicious recipe to post every Friday. Which is just the ticket for a slowed down, home cooked meal.

Buttons into Flowers

I have a big tin of buttons where the idea sprang from, I started this before my vacation. I suppose its just in time for spring, the beautiful weather and great aprons.  

Cute as a button

Love the color on this one too.

Field of Dreams?

You know there is just something about the weird floral fabric laying around my house. How it got here, who bought it, why they bought it? Who knows? All part of the fun mystery that is the floral fabric. And the hits just keep coming!

Can't wait to see this as an apron.

Mystery Fabric

So I got a few large bags of scrap from my boyfriend's mom. She got it from who knows where, but the fun part is now I tons of scraps! I've sorted through it and found some great stuff. Just need to make something out of it.

Yep, my sewing corner is a mess.

   

P is for Purple

I don't remember when this little gem was finished, some time before my vacation. Its the last of the purple floral and the sixth apron so far.

Appliances in Pistachio

This old girl is the machine I learned how sew on and how my first apron was made. I diffidently got my stripes working with this machine, now my sewing technique looks pretty good on the new machine.