tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84778076248003286972024-02-07T05:42:07.572+00:00Life CreativeCrafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-4495727658432128682017-01-10T13:46:00.000+00:002017-01-10T13:47:18.385+00:00Rainbow Baby Blanket<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This one has been a long time coming. I've started the blanket in July, hoping to have it ready during the summer. After all, the whole idea was to make something light and airy so it could be used for the warm days. </div>
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I finished it in December...oh, well...At least we could use it during our Christmas holidays on Gran Canaria. And it is big enough to serve our son during spring and summer 2017, so the work was not in vain. </div>
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I am pretty happy with the end result, although I wouldn't mind switching the colors around a little bit. It is easier to see how the play together, now that I used them. </div>
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The yarn I used was Sandnes Garn Madarin Petit in 15 colors, plus the grey border.</div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BGqkhMtxWF-/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Ohhh, pretty! I'm finishing #octopuses for preemies, then a badass baby sweater and then these pretty cottons from #sandesgarn will turn into rainbow summer blanky for Maks</a></div>
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Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya) den <time datetime="2016-06-15T06:31:49+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">14. Jun 2016 kl. 11:31 PDT</time></div>
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I very much like the simple pattern. It relatively simple and quick to make and it results in an airy fabric which was what I wanted for a summer blanket. I am also happy about the little "bubbles" which my baby likes to explore.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSClcsk9fGjxMsNZWOKdF920Omm4OYnDHmbFFatpNwmbJh956UU1nGf9zNxLlvmgF0PkxY8aHHAKGmZYZX03wLmynefpv0jaJi5WCvCYCKykJ18BAbqkbYiH_Lmv_0XZwkuRKKIw_y3Lr/s1600/blanket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSClcsk9fGjxMsNZWOKdF920Omm4OYnDHmbFFatpNwmbJh956UU1nGf9zNxLlvmgF0PkxY8aHHAKGmZYZX03wLmynefpv0jaJi5WCvCYCKykJ18BAbqkbYiH_Lmv_0XZwkuRKKIw_y3Lr/s400/blanket.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The yellow stitch is the "bubble" it is made by stitching 3 double crochets leaving the last 2 loops of the last one on the hook. Then you pick up yarn again and loop over all the double crochets 3 times. Finally pull yarn through all the loops you have on the hook. You can probably also try a raspberry or bobble crochet stitch instead.</div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BNmFKyajtju/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">The blanket is getting closer to completion #crochet #hækling #crocheting #craft #blanket</a></div>
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Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya) den <time datetime="2016-12-04T12:20:40+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">4. Dec 2016 kl. 4:20 PST</time></div>
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Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya) den <time datetime="2016-12-16T21:17:58+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">16. Dec 2016 kl. 1:17 PST</time></div>
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Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-43381918077856917442016-06-30T10:37:00.000+01:002016-06-30T10:41:12.885+01:00Crochet Badass Baby VestThe badass baby vest is my newest crochet project. The pattern comes from <a href="https://garnituren.wordpress.com/2015/08/03/opskrift-badass-baby/" target="_blank">Garnituren</a> and I am completely in love with it. The pattern is easy to follow and well written (though in Danish) and the finished item is simply so cute.<br />
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One of the best things about the vest is that, even with a 3 month old at home, it only took me about a week to make. <br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHNBRUCDO8o/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Sweater is almost done. #badassbaby #crochet #handmadewithlove #hækling pattern via @garnituren</a></div>
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A photo posted by Maria Lind (@mariafurya) on <time datetime="2016-06-28T15:37:14+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jun 28, 2016 at 8:37am PDT</time></div>
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This is the basic version of the vest. I followed the pattern and did not add any emballishments. However, following Garnituren's suggestions it is very easy to add a pocket, trimmings or buttons.<br />
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Also changing the pattern in the back shouldn't be difficult. I was tempted to make an anchor, fitting the color scheme, but it will have to wait till next time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-57LZzbD1PZTySIdHsf3O6mK0pCnrzC5aaXLr-MwTaol8pKzIHXtTek1GrgzYs7CRtUNeQOO9NJ098WsO3I90tGglIKTqVH7RtZ1OW-sgRwIHWQodJccygSUmYiRqZwcdL03db1oB6a6z/s1600/DSC_0377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Badass Baby Vest" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-57LZzbD1PZTySIdHsf3O6mK0pCnrzC5aaXLr-MwTaol8pKzIHXtTek1GrgzYs7CRtUNeQOO9NJ098WsO3I90tGglIKTqVH7RtZ1OW-sgRwIHWQodJccygSUmYiRqZwcdL03db1oB6a6z/s640/DSC_0377.jpg" title="Badass Baby Vest" width="640" /></a>
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The website says that this is a size for a 9 months old but my 3 month old son fits pretty well into it. It is maybe a little loose and will serve him for a while but it is not too big to use. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4pPdyJGx5rOvFSt-sKt1vH88ICrbazC38iw1y79iNsFi70vWnLHFRID4vYnaFT6WoUMd64EB9SV1mmRxtz9y-X4Hbp3t1pMIg8YU757gcfYpWyBriUdMcDoW4O6MgO5_lXIDp5xRJUKU/s1600/DSC_0380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4pPdyJGx5rOvFSt-sKt1vH88ICrbazC38iw1y79iNsFi70vWnLHFRID4vYnaFT6WoUMd64EB9SV1mmRxtz9y-X4Hbp3t1pMIg8YU757gcfYpWyBriUdMcDoW4O6MgO5_lXIDp5xRJUKU/s640/DSC_0380.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div>
I used Sandnes Garn - Tynn Merinoull yarn which has the prescribed weight (50g = 175m) and I am very happy with it. Sandnes makes great quality yarn. Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-66880250029957740732016-06-23T21:21:00.000+01:002016-06-23T21:21:37.961+01:00Octopuses for PreemiesOctopuses for Preemies is a project by many different groups and individuals (Denmark - <a href="https://www.spruttegruppen.dk/" target="_blank">Spruttegruppen</a>, Poland - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/263253677352438/" target="_blank">Ośmiorniczki dla Wcześniaków</a>, <a href="http://birkenwasser.blogspot.dk/2016/04/protective-tentacles-for-prematurely.html" target="_blank">Finland</a>) to crochet and knit yarn octopuses and send them to neonatal wards. The trend started in Denmark and the doctors here argue that the little toys help stabilize the prematurely born babies while keeping them company in the incubators.<br />
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I first heard about this fantastic idea from Gosia at <a href="http://mynomadhome.com/octopus-for-a-preemie-osmiorniczka-dla-wczesniaka/" target="_blank">mynomadhome</a> while I was still pregnant. I couldn't crochet than due to swollen, gigantic, clown hands but the plan was always to make a couple and send them to the nearby hospital.<br />
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As it turned out, when Maks was born he was admitted to the stabilizing unit and got an octopus himself. Even though it didn't change how scared we were for his well-being and safety, it still felt nice that he had this little friend to hug and maybe feel a little better thanks to it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BDkaLoNxWNp/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya)</a> den <time datetime="2016-03-30T07:31:52+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">30. Mar 2016 kl. 12:31 PDT</time></div>
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So once things here at home calmed down and I found my "sea-legs" as a new mother, I made these two fellows that are now on their way to become someone's little buddies and hold their hands in tough times.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BG2I7SPxWHy/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya)</a> den <time datetime="2016-06-19T18:21:36+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">19. Jun 2016 kl. 11:21 PDT</time></div>
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I used the pattern available at <a href="https://www.spruttegruppen.dk/opskrift/" target="_blank">Spruttegruppen</a>'s website and if you need an English version, have a look at <a href="http://mynomadhome.com/octopus-for-a-preemie-osmiorniczka-dla-wczesniaka/" target="_blank">Gosia's</a> blog.<br />
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I encourage all of you to grab your needles and hooks and get to work for the littlest ones. And if you need any help with the patterns or any questions let me know.Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-22719869058664247092016-04-30T20:01:00.001+01:002016-04-30T20:04:38.982+01:00Quick snacks that saved my sanity in the first weeks with a newborn<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our son, Maks, is 5 weeks old tomorrow and I couldn't be happier for my little bundle of joy. But being a new parent is not a piece of cake. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And speaking of cake, here is a challenge I have not foreseen when preparing for my maternity leave: eating regular and healthy meals! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I mean sure, I had prepared frozen dinners. And they are great for the evenings when your partner is home and can help.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e8885f64-616d-1f18-b714-a98427447205"></span>But during the day, when you are all alone with your newborn who demands ALL of your attention and hands, making and eating a full meal (and by that I mean something as advanced as a sandwich) is a real challenge. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So when you don't sleep enough and start your day at 5 or 6 am, use a lot of your body resources on breastfeeding and caring for your baby but your breakfast doesn't start til 10 and doesn't end til 12, having a quick snack solution is a life saver. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are a couple of the recipes/ideas that really came in handy in the past few weeks:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oatmeal cookies - recipe from my awesome Sister.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">These cookies take 5 minutes to mix and 15 minutes to bake. They are packed with healthy calories to keep you going for a while. And you can easily control how sweet they are and "spice" them to your liking. They will also keep 4-5 days before starting to get a bit dry.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingredients (makes 12-15 cookies):</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 bananas - mashed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">About 12 spoons of oatmeal</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">A table spoon of flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">A teaspoon of honey (if the bananas are ripe and sweet, you can skip that)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 egg</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">A pinch of baking powder</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mix this basic ingredients in a bowl and then add anything you might like: dried or fresh fruits, nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, peanut butter, cinnamon etc. My personal favorite is fresh blueberries (although frozen would probably be as good), dried cranberries and a bit of dark chocolate chips. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bake cookies for about 15 minutes in 200C hot air. And enjoy! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-cut fruits and veggies</span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you have time during an evening or weekend, peel and cut fruits and vegetables so you can easily grab a healthy snack when you are passing by the fridge. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peeled carrots hold well in a cup filled with water. Bell peppers, watermelon, apples, radishes...cleaned and cut in small pieces are fantastic. If they are as easy to eat as a piece of chocolate, you are more likely to make the right choice. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also like to pre-make a salad so I can eat it during the week for lunches. If you don't add any dressing, it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days without going bad. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fried chicken and fish</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slice chicken or fish filet and fry it on the pan or bake in the oven, the way you like it (in breading, herbs or without anything). Keep it in the fridge and add to your salad or just eat as a quick snack during the week.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't forget the water!</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is easy to dehydrate and water is soooo important. The best way for me to remember about water is to have a couple of flasks standing around the house. This way, wherever I am, I can always quickly grab a couple of swallows - and the bottles remind me to do it. </span>Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-24827024060345183762016-03-22T11:00:00.000+00:002016-03-22T14:33:37.164+00:00Handmade Easter EggsEaster is approaching rapidly and due to awaiting our first baby, I got a bit blindsided by it. Most years, I visit my family during this holiday (yummy-est food ever!) so I don't have any decorations stored in the basement.<br />
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My mom decorates these <a href="http://craftymaria.blogspot.dk/2010/04/eggs-eggs-eggs.html" target="_blank">beautiful eggs</a> but I am not really that good with a paintbrush so my decorations are much more minimalist.<br />
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Here is a quick and simple idea you can make within one afternoon - pompom eggs.<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BDIiWOwxWNl/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">A little bit of #homemade #Easter #decoration #pompom</a></div>
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Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya) den <time datetime="2016-03-19T11:44:29+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">19. Mar 2016 kl. 4:44 PDT</time></div>
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Make pompoms as shown in <a href="http://www.taradennis.com/Kids/pom-pom-garland.html" target="_blank">this tutorial</a> but instead of shaping them into balls, shear one end much more than the other, to make an egg shape.<br />
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And if you are feeling in the mood, make a couple yellow balls and attach beaks <a href="http://inspireimaginationthroughcreation.blogspot.dk/2013/04/our-very-easy-pom-pom-chicks.html" target="_blank">to make chickens</a>.<br />
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And as I was in a pom pom making mood, I made this baby mobil for the little one.<br />
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Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya) den <time datetime="2016-03-07T14:20:51+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">7. Mar 2016 kl. 6:20 PST</time></div>
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<script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-59735289488763560042016-03-18T10:54:00.000+00:002016-03-18T11:00:49.849+00:00Sewing for a newborn<br />
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I am in week 40+5...that's right, that is 5 days past due date. I guess the first lesson of parenting is here to hammer its point: it's no longer about you. The only thing you can do now is wait.<br />
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So I breath in, breath out, eat a cookie and try to arm myself in zen-level patience.<br />
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Meanwhile, here are my sewing projects made in the last couple of months.<br />
<h3>
<br />Baby nest</h3>
Baby nest is a baby mattress that can be made into a little crib. It's a portable bed to use in an actual baby bed, crib or on a couch. I cannot say if it's practical or not just yet but it looks very cozy and is really easy to make.<br />
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I made mine with a thick furniture fabric on the bottom to make sure it will last long without fraying and a cotton fabric on top to make it nice and soft. The one thing I learned is that you shouldn't over-stuff the sides because they will be impossible to "close-up" if they are too hard.<br />
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There are many tutorials online but the one that I used was this one: http://www.jaggedrose.se/blog/2014/11/scandi-baby-nest-tutorialsew-along-fabrics-supplies/<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH_NFMblk9RG2w-gj-THT1kDLO5kVhXkKl7E-xZru-KE43g8PWTQifUU3igpdgh9S0Jn2rgUUjtycLCeammYL62jHW58ZYhCSDvaUNhT3F7hyphenhyphenZ3trSh1WtvJOCuCqpGp3-2CTWql1XHmK/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH_NFMblk9RG2w-gj-THT1kDLO5kVhXkKl7E-xZru-KE43g8PWTQifUU3igpdgh9S0Jn2rgUUjtycLCeammYL62jHW58ZYhCSDvaUNhT3F7hyphenhyphenZ3trSh1WtvJOCuCqpGp3-2CTWql1XHmK/s320/IMG_0024.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Harem pants</h3>
The second project, I've been busy with is sawing harem pants for the little guy.<br />
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I should start by saying that I am not a fan of color-coding your child or worse, dressing your baby as if it was an adult.<br />
There is absolutely no reason on this Earth to dress your boy exclusively in blue and your girl exclusively in pink. And dressing a baby in minimized teenager outfit is creepy.<br />
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Children should be surrounded by vivid colors and whimsical characters but in Denmark buying clothes for children is really hard. Everything is in washed off pastel colors, color-coded or way too adult for a baby or toddler. I mean in what universe is <a href="https://www.molo.dk/pige/?agefilter=2-3+years&items=24" target="_blank">this</a> fine for a 2 year old? A <a href="https://www.molo.dk/pige/t-shirts-bluser/ruthie/sourpuss/" target="_blank">halterneck top</a> in size 92!?<br />
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Obviously, I am exeagerating a bit and if you look around you can find better choices. Especially for boys. But the problem is that you actually have to work for it, to dress your child like a child!<br />
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This is why I am really excited to pick out my own fabrics and sew for my little one. Obviously, I won't be able to make all of his outfits. Both the time required and the costs would be astronomical. But at least I can add a couple of very happy items to his collection.<br />
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The harem pants are quick and easy to make (can you spot the theme here - remember, I am still a beginner) and they look adorable. I used <a href="http://thealisonshow.com/2013/05/tiny-harem-pants-sewing-pattern.html" target="_blank">this tutorial</a> and the only detail I changed was the width of the stretch fabric. You can figure out yourself, what works best for you. I am planning to make a couple more pants when the baby arrives and I know the exact size, I should go for.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9d9DK8CS5XR4qwG3PrAvG1-nzX4m78gw4hAq14NMcDvyEKxU-Iufv2qPm4D9KZ2Gx8bUVpmsAK76QEaDJZii3Po4jUI-OO2EmSYXlpmO8xZbbw-wdoYWet2AWGQWHuYW6OdxjNYg1lBL/s1600/IMG_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="harem pants" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9d9DK8CS5XR4qwG3PrAvG1-nzX4m78gw4hAq14NMcDvyEKxU-Iufv2qPm4D9KZ2Gx8bUVpmsAK76QEaDJZii3Po4jUI-OO2EmSYXlpmO8xZbbw-wdoYWet2AWGQWHuYW6OdxjNYg1lBL/s640/IMG_0055.JPG" title="harem pants" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF-eD5K2aZAgSISX_m3PUoHzG1wSz0anvR9Nrr7Z8CZPf29WH8VCUx7DwR-W_IlRWXIiFOh0QK_nA4vf9SqEvfYcBSBIE3rkfnW60KUsGGdL1dQg7NHHonkTZ0NBNqzNUhG38T5Co-BM8/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="854" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF-eD5K2aZAgSISX_m3PUoHzG1wSz0anvR9Nrr7Z8CZPf29WH8VCUx7DwR-W_IlRWXIiFOh0QK_nA4vf9SqEvfYcBSBIE3rkfnW60KUsGGdL1dQg7NHHonkTZ0NBNqzNUhG38T5Co-BM8/s640/IMG_0052.JPG" width="640" /></a>
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Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-9033144344314398042015-12-05T17:02:00.000+00:002015-12-05T17:02:47.343+00:00Sew Simple Christmas Wrapping<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="6" style="background: #FFF; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: -webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width: 99.375%; width: calc(100% - 2px);">
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/-Yra3HRWFs/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">The first #Christmas gift packed in a #sawn #reusable #fabric packaging #handmade #sewing #christmascraft #handmadeChristmas</a></div>
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Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya) den <time datetime="2015-11-22T11:34:38+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">22. Nov 2015 kl. 3:34 PST</time></div>
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This year, my Christmas crafts are pretty limitted. It is mostly because we're visiting my family and so there is no Christmas tree and much Christmas decorations this year. But also, I am going a little bit crazy with sewing and knitting project for our bundle of joy coming in March. There will be a whole other post about sewing for our future baby but for now, you can have a quick look <a href="http://craftymaria.blogspot.dk/2015/11/the-first-of-many-onesies.html" target="_blank">over here</a>.<br />
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There is however one Christmas project that I jumped into and that is reusable wrapping for the gifts.<br />
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I am not the most environment-conscious person ever but there are many small things I like to do in my life to make our everyday life a bit more ecological and a bit less wastefull. My husband is vegetarian and I eat little meat, we compost our organic waste and try to plan our dinners and freeze leftovers so that we don't throw away food.<br />
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So this little project just felt like a great idea. Fabric wrapping is super easy so it's a great beginner's project. It looks lovely and gives your Christmas gifts that extra personal touch. And of course, the wrapping can be reused and so it keeps your holidays a bit more environment-friendly.<br />
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<h3>
Instructions</h3>
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So here is what you do:</div>
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<li>Measure the height and width of your gift. Remember to add the depth of the gift to both height and width if it is of any significance.</li>
<li>Add 5 cm to the height and 2 cm to the width of the gift to figure out the measuremants of the frabric piece, you're going to need. Remember that you will have to cut double the height. The extra 5 cm are used making tube for the ribbon and leaving space for gathering the sack. The extra 2 cm are for seam allowance (see the pattern below). </li>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/-6k6xiRWL8/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Christmas wrapping pattern</a></div>
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Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya) den <time datetime="2015-12-05T15:32:00+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">5. Dec 2015 kl. 7:32 PST</time></div>
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<li>Cut the piece of fabric, fold it evenly, right side in and sew them together along the long edges, on the 1cm seam allowence mark.</li>
<li>Cut about 4 cm of the fabric on the outside of the seam from the top of the wrapping. This will allow you to wrap the top of the fabric to the outside, producing the ribbon tube. You can decide yourself, how broad the tube needs to be. It will depend on the size of the ribbon you want to use. I am folding about 3 cm and sewing 1 cm from the edge to leave 2 cm tube.</li>
<li>Sew a seam all around the tube, fastening it's outer edge to the fabric.</li>
<li>Turn the sack right side out and cut the tube in the middle of one side making and opening for the ribbon. Make sure you don't cut the bottom seam though!</li>
<li>Use a safety pin to pull the ribbon through the tube.</li>
<li>Et voila! The wrapping is ready.</li>
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This is the simplest possible wrapping type, the sack. If you are feeling brave you can look for other types like this <a href="http://redneedlesewing.blogspot.dk/2011/11/handmade-monday-wine-bottle-gift-bag.html" target="_blank">lovely bottle package</a>.<br />
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Enjoy your crafting and have yourself a Merry Christmas!<br />
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Et billede slået op af Maria Lind (@mariafurya) den <time datetime="2015-12-05T15:28:49+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">5. Dec 2015 kl. 7:28 PST</time></div>
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Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-85630745474066976522015-11-14T14:45:00.000+00:002015-11-14T14:47:50.455+00:003 Favorite Recipes for this Autumn Each season of the year has a different taste for me and a different set of favorite recipes. I make them every year, sometimes with variations.<br />
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Spring tastes of young vegetables and Easter cakes, Summer of rhubarb pies, cherries and butter beans, and Winter has all those amazing spiced cookies, mulled wine and the Polish "<a href="https://www.google.dk/search?q=Butterbean&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMIwLPl34uQyQIVChEsCh1qDA6O&biw=1920&bih=947#tbm=isch&q=ryba+w+galarecie" target="_blank">ryba w galarecie</a>" (fish in jelly - way better than it sounds).<br />
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But Autumn, oh Autumn! I think taste-wise it is my favorite season of the year. The spices, the pumpkins, the squashes, the plums, the apples...ohhhh boy.<br />
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These year, my favorite Autumn recipe collection has been extended by the following 3 recipes:<br />
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A yummy vegan dessert that's an essence of Autumn. I added peanut butter to my version (what doesn't taste better with peanut butter, eh?).<br />
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-oliver/butternut-squash-muffins-with-a-frosty-top-recipe.html" target="_blank">2. Butternut Squash Muffins</a></h3>
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This is a Jamie Oliver recipe from his 30-minutes-meals series. They take me a bit longer to make but they are super easy and a big hit with friends and family.</div>
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/flourishing-foodie-2337195?post=4079343673&group=0&frame_type=a&context=&context_ids=&blog=2337195&frame=1&click=0&user=0&viewer=true" target="_blank">3. Roasted Cauliflower, Leak and Carrot Soup</a></h3>
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Delicious, hearty and warming creamy soup for the cold Autumn evenings. Perfect for the vegetarians but if you are meat inclined, add some crunch bacon, shrimps or even chicken - yummy!</div>
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And as a bonus, I have started baking my <a href="http://craftymaria.blogspot.dk/2013/08/homemade-sourdough-bread.html" target="_blank">sourdough bread</a> again. I heart Autumn! </div>
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Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-69500538046272352072015-11-03T08:46:00.000+00:002015-11-03T08:46:14.022+00:00The First of Many OnesiesThe approaching arrival of Peanut (see post before) gives me a great excuse to throw myself into the whirlwind of crafting. After all newborns lack the ability to complain about the cutesy outfits with uneven seams you put them into.<br />
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So far I knitted a baby hat, a sweater (my first one!), a blanket and I'm in the process of crocheting another sweater.<br />
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But the item, I am most proud of is a baby onesie I sew this weekend during a sewing class. I was planning to also make baby harem pants that weekend but the original project took the entire class. I am just that good :D.<br />
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It was a challenge, as my sewing projects so far included pillow covers. You know, the one-square-and-two-rectangles-kind, the kind for which you only need one kind of fabric and straight seam. Onesies, on the other hand, have plenty of curvy lines, along which you need to sew the ribbing. It is also composed of a minimum of 4 elements that need to be put together and sew in a particular order. I will spare you the retelling of how many times I had to cut the seam and do it again, but it did take the entire weekend to make a onesie!<br />
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The pattern I used for the onesie was from <a href="http://minikrea.dk/en/product/10401-onesie/" target="_blank">Minikrea</a> and I bought the fabric at <a href="http://citystoffer.dk/shop/frontpage.html" target="_blank">CityStoffer</a> shop in Aarhus. They have a great selection of children fabrics.<br />
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The fabric I chose for pants has a <a href="http://citystoffer.dk/shop/sjove-aber-paa-3659p.html" target="_blank">happy monkey pattern</a> and I am going to use this <a href="http://thealisonshow.com/2013/05/tiny-harem-pants-sewing-pattern.html" target="_blank">pattern</a> for it.<br />
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In any case, I had great fun and it will definitely lead to more onesies and baby clothes in the future.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-wyxmpaBxpbH8Ory9EbLwGuHQU-T71U51XSmJcMLjJu6qjVDoHI3k_gyJLKRb_JepTWAZ8msoJXNasvtseqw8FemCLRbYGiCynNmVMIczZvp05QvV9yeE_9Yfkg3nSdlPAs6Bs-7dvGZ/s1600/onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-wyxmpaBxpbH8Ory9EbLwGuHQU-T71U51XSmJcMLjJu6qjVDoHI3k_gyJLKRb_JepTWAZ8msoJXNasvtseqw8FemCLRbYGiCynNmVMIczZvp05QvV9yeE_9Yfkg3nSdlPAs6Bs-7dvGZ/s320/onesie.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My proud and glory: the onesie.</td></tr>
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<br />Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-12177501164707483072015-10-04T19:51:00.002+01:002015-11-03T07:43:19.190+00:00Operation Code Name: PeanutA little time ago we found out that our family will become a bit bigger in March 2016. The working title is operation code name Peanut. Or, if I don't feel so well, code name Monster. We are, of course, exceptionally happy and excited about it. Part of my excitement shows, as it is easy to predict, in preparations.<br />
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I have already knitted a trial-hat and today I finished a play mat. It was intended as a cover, but it's knitted out of chunky wool/acrylic blend with cotton fabric sewed on so it is to heavy for a newborn.<br />
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It is my own design so I am very proud of it but there are a number of technical errors. The seams are not straight and the problem with acrylic and wool blend is that you can't entirely block it, so the knitted part stretches and contracts making the fabric bulge and fold at times.<br />
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But all in all it is a very decent first effort at this kind of project. I like that it is mixed media and mixed techniques. I will hopefully, if time allows it, play more with that and post the results here.<br />
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First came the knitted blanket itself. It was quick to make, thanks to how chunky the yarn was.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg05NZL-kLCvHNZmshU6All1uJT9Jqcs2Z4eaTpnDIwpnRcrkirZuzJf51NHrCsapXAQACTG9MrMpCf8DeU66xlhHS60EHjglx6yqNE0lLdd5LVsio2pe7pjQVwmgdD9KcwpMkXqyfW6wM/s1600/blanket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg05NZL-kLCvHNZmshU6All1uJT9Jqcs2Z4eaTpnDIwpnRcrkirZuzJf51NHrCsapXAQACTG9MrMpCf8DeU66xlhHS60EHjglx6yqNE0lLdd5LVsio2pe7pjQVwmgdD9KcwpMkXqyfW6wM/s640/blanket.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then I washed, ironed and hemmed the fabric. That was probably the most bothersome part of the project. Straight lines and details are just not my strong suit. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TxG4ZSIusHR-JT5pRRlGtFjkgLJ7i8Pr5an_y2TQu1Pq6zUZ_5Hnp1ovmGooQYzrfmSsfr1aoSpnvQdCMpbLFP23EsOb5_KJYU1qR5p0JejPq0_wfKWV2bn3oSJRxX7xz7TwOKGdJKGC/s1600/fabric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TxG4ZSIusHR-JT5pRRlGtFjkgLJ7i8Pr5an_y2TQu1Pq6zUZ_5Hnp1ovmGooQYzrfmSsfr1aoSpnvQdCMpbLFP23EsOb5_KJYU1qR5p0JejPq0_wfKWV2bn3oSJRxX7xz7TwOKGdJKGC/s640/fabric.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once the fabric was ready, I packed the knitted blanket inside, fastened it with pins, making sure that the sides have a bit of a thicker border (think cheese crust in pizzas :)) and sewed it all together. </div>
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I could have of course leave the blanket as it was but I used the fabric for two reasons. First of all, it makes sure that if the wool turns out to be to scratchy for baby's skin, I can use the fabric side instead. But even more so, the cotton with cute panda print makes the otherwise grey blanket much more child-friendly and joyful. </div>
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The added benefit is of course that all the yarn tails and knots are just hidden between it and the fabric so I didn't have to sped time working them into the weave (you remember my dislike of details, right? :)). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmRQIgtvBCx6cnbt08eYhTn3Im3ebLODohDUGDkK4ph4RNpe_CGeG7qxlE5_RUHK3Es45MQs2ZUNwdwq6uuPxq21P76Ssm3dyVtWF-AQHhL5zJGEy9AzgwnMXYvkqc9sFVU7sCJmiVSMV/s1600/sewing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmRQIgtvBCx6cnbt08eYhTn3Im3ebLODohDUGDkK4ph4RNpe_CGeG7qxlE5_RUHK3Es45MQs2ZUNwdwq6uuPxq21P76Ssm3dyVtWF-AQHhL5zJGEy9AzgwnMXYvkqc9sFVU7sCJmiVSMV/s640/sewing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And here is the finished product. The light makes the fabric look grayish, but in fact it has a very pretty green/teal color.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fL2dYzcr8zPGN5b4MIGS6rWYZaJAFNIHVbCsjh5tGl1S7dCl5mLtE8CFQu0K4x2L_aIegk6Nt3hOZe1JMKp-aAsrpxqq7qMpZ_Qzoh86jfWGFt5_DYxn038nmOqoiCDEowh6D8KI8Bmn/s1600/finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fL2dYzcr8zPGN5b4MIGS6rWYZaJAFNIHVbCsjh5tGl1S7dCl5mLtE8CFQu0K4x2L_aIegk6Nt3hOZe1JMKp-aAsrpxqq7qMpZ_Qzoh86jfWGFt5_DYxn038nmOqoiCDEowh6D8KI8Bmn/s640/finished.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I am a little nervous about how the blanket will behave in washing. Both elements were washed separately before combining but I am not sure if they won't continue to shrink and stretch independently of each other. And this could really mess up the shape of the finished project. </div>
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<br />Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-29816089607177478442015-06-02T15:40:00.000+01:002015-06-02T15:41:00.149+01:00Cakes<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I am stressed and tensed about something, there are a couple of activities that relax me. I found that the best combination is a manual activity that, nonetheless, requires some brain power. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Books are great when I am just generally stressed. But when I am worked up over something, reading just doesn't cut it. My mind starts wandering away and circles back to the thing that got me upset in the first place. And my body stays tense. Same happens when I go for a run.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It has to be a combination of both, physical and mental activity, to really do the job. And one of the best things I found to help out with the tension is cooking and baking. Which is very lucky, cause I really love making something special in the kitchen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, don't get me wrong. I'm no <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">Donna Reed</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">(if you don't get the reference, you clearly didn't spend hours and hours of joy watching Gilmore Girls, see: </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://gilmoregirls.wikia.com/wiki/That_Damn_Donna_Reed">http://gilmoregirls.wikia.com/wiki/That_Damn_Donna_Reed</a>). But I love to show off with a special dinner or dessert.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 24px;">Here are a couple of my recent cake creations:</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWc0GmDLXycBdqI-Mb7SLmlnML7e_sm-QbaCZ0LOMppOkPXnNU12jBHbtOLoZIYMttw0gwSSQAQLc_54-KQ9NsqciIs0i0Wqu0IZAdjfRI3h9J7q1wn2HaLxxj7o9yOwFkYNjFkj-FC3l/s1600/rhubarb_muffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWc0GmDLXycBdqI-Mb7SLmlnML7e_sm-QbaCZ0LOMppOkPXnNU12jBHbtOLoZIYMttw0gwSSQAQLc_54-KQ9NsqciIs0i0Wqu0IZAdjfRI3h9J7q1wn2HaLxxj7o9yOwFkYNjFkj-FC3l/s320/rhubarb_muffins.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDLsjTv_Lsd9OQrNs-y6KroQvKOqHXAiJ6xCvokGEp-vAVPvuACSrhZxf43r0U3asxDR0yS6-ErI4wlJfBvJ_XLMU3HOmj8FsemJeqAUffpNVial0IJy46m2hffK2DZJ0kni3gMqbZSML/s1600/rhubarb_cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDLsjTv_Lsd9OQrNs-y6KroQvKOqHXAiJ6xCvokGEp-vAVPvuACSrhZxf43r0U3asxDR0yS6-ErI4wlJfBvJ_XLMU3HOmj8FsemJeqAUffpNVial0IJy46m2hffK2DZJ0kni3gMqbZSML/s320/rhubarb_cake.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDYsWpQDiUY20APHsAPJBkvAQQoxFxkXReOYmtZ3BD1ltzyyViFKa_AXYynOoWH9GhrK09S-JuEX9w6EMZbpsm-aIgOliKurQtalyuvn_aVXo9prrYTA6-as6YTX3YkVP-CGhOuLEu5vX/s1600/vegan_blubbery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDYsWpQDiUY20APHsAPJBkvAQQoxFxkXReOYmtZ3BD1ltzyyViFKa_AXYynOoWH9GhrK09S-JuEX9w6EMZbpsm-aIgOliKurQtalyuvn_aVXo9prrYTA6-as6YTX3YkVP-CGhOuLEu5vX/s320/vegan_blubbery.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VbYloTSx9u-zH4O2MeqOTQrfi4J-Lcln3jQskMQnHVyYLiNLNYY8sFRSXYSHMqrsG0JxE-yp6vAAw67_k3iKXE6SLgchenKBPUVjvGCSwPjAwTjX1xRS_fKqq9EqT94sKxG4HIf1Vs0R/s1600/rhubarb_scones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VbYloTSx9u-zH4O2MeqOTQrfi4J-Lcln3jQskMQnHVyYLiNLNYY8sFRSXYSHMqrsG0JxE-yp6vAAw67_k3iKXE6SLgchenKBPUVjvGCSwPjAwTjX1xRS_fKqq9EqT94sKxG4HIf1Vs0R/s320/rhubarb_scones.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5B8BWGNeSllhzecxqDD-cdcoZ24fMmI_HshEVXzmnMtmCiz2_N6UZ8zEMoo9oHFNizqUt2iEIhQ7cTNxf0fpqqQaQB2DsjeK2crMkfeuue_dnQV5kixAAeY5MUgcIyvVnD_HDUJaM4pa/s1600/mouse_cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5B8BWGNeSllhzecxqDD-cdcoZ24fMmI_HshEVXzmnMtmCiz2_N6UZ8zEMoo9oHFNizqUt2iEIhQ7cTNxf0fpqqQaQB2DsjeK2crMkfeuue_dnQV5kixAAeY5MUgcIyvVnD_HDUJaM4pa/s1600/mouse_cake.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;">Starting from top left, these are:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 24px;">French rhubarb cake: <a href="http://www.mykitchenintherockies.com/2011/05/20/french-rhubarb-cake/">http://www.mykitchenintherockies.com/2011/05/20/french-rhubarb-cake/</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rhubarb and cinnamon muffins:<a href="http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/cinnamon-rhubarb-muffins.aspx" target="_blank"> http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/cinnamon-rhubarb-muffins.aspx</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blueberry raw vegan slice: <a href="http://www.choosingraw.com/raw-vegan-blackberry-cheesecake-bars/">http://www.choosingraw.com/raw-vegan-blackberry-cheesecake-bars/</a> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Rhubarb scones (can you spot the pattern yet?): <a href="http://www.crumbblog.com/2010/05/tea-party-rhubarb-ginger-scones.html">http://www.crumbblog.com/2010/05/tea-party-rhubarb-ginger-scones.html</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chocolate, raspberry and vanilla mousse cake: <a href="http://www.sugarhero.com/chocolate-raspberry-mousse-cake/">http://www.sugarhero.com/chocolate-raspberry-mousse-cake/</a> </span></li>
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Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-17765697664601641782015-05-14T21:11:00.000+01:002015-05-14T21:11:35.740+01:00Holidays at home. Project time!It might be a stupid realization to have at age 30, but holidays don't always have to mean traveling. Ever since I remember, holidays were spent in far-(or not-so-far)-away lands, in tents, shelters, hotels and cabins of the world.<br />
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But it's a holiday week y'all! And yet for the first time in a long while it doesn't mean traveling for us. We love exploring new places and in the last couple of years we've spent our holiday time visiting Scotland, Portugal, Thailand, Germany, UK and Poland. And the list of places yet to visit keeps growing.<br />
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But this time we've decided to stay put and work on our love project, the house and garden. The first project on the agenda was the covered patio. The space is beautiful, gets a lot of afternoon sun and is surrounded by greenery so, understandably we love it.<br />
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Unfortunately, the previous owners left us with a poorly isolated flooring, covered with an ugly beige carpet. The carpet was all dirty (duh!) and the wooden construction underneath was half-rotten.<br />
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We removed the carpet and rotten plywood, put in new beams, isolated the floor and laid down hardwood floor suitable for outdoor settings. See the before and after photos below. Doesn't it look way better now?<br />
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And let me tell you, the feeling of working on the project together and accomplishing something that extensive with our own four hands is pretty damn great. Despite the fact that with have a very different ways of working, doing something like this brings us closer together and makes the house a little bit more into a home.<br />
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All I need now is cozy, handmade carpet. I am thinking of <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2014/05/make-your-own-rope-rug.html" target="_blank">this one</a> or <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/2011/09/29/big-stitch-crocheted-alpaca-rugs/" target="_blank">this one</a>.<br />
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I also had some time to clean up a few more flower-patches and start the work on the kitchen garden. I planted rhubarb plants I got from my friends, american blueberry and elderflower bushes. I cleaned up raised-bed with herbs and dug vegetable patches, well at least part of it.<br />
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And oh boy, nothing charges my batteries like meditative work in the garden!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCfD7XU1g6kL8wrWjC4fe6rGSdFUGCIPZQBkScfrmXsUnonVTMlTozkyh0VvEi06Cos3p5wOEbUs2RzM9NtLd7v6dzofQBlYgZ5RBpuP6E7VWDNEkNw8oeKhCz65Lc_acuNhgu7f5peC8/s1600/20.04-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCfD7XU1g6kL8wrWjC4fe6rGSdFUGCIPZQBkScfrmXsUnonVTMlTozkyh0VvEi06Cos3p5wOEbUs2RzM9NtLd7v6dzofQBlYgZ5RBpuP6E7VWDNEkNw8oeKhCz65Lc_acuNhgu7f5peC8/s320/20.04-2.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixG_uULqdfpJZAD6HYgcpy0bqZPxs4wigW1AoSmo7VdI_6XbwcPwxGr6oupYkasImL99PIVioO3gZjzaXsKoEHhAHBgjm7LFxHemr05TEPWwaJ3TtXD1Trz74aEWMOSZVgzhHy7qIEryto/s1600/DSC_0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixG_uULqdfpJZAD6HYgcpy0bqZPxs4wigW1AoSmo7VdI_6XbwcPwxGr6oupYkasImL99PIVioO3gZjzaXsKoEHhAHBgjm7LFxHemr05TEPWwaJ3TtXD1Trz74aEWMOSZVgzhHy7qIEryto/s320/DSC_0319.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdupqehHSCBtBxlJFCS8Y687Mz81galgq_v5EsTYODeLLg0m6g60UHclgI4RwQ_zdQsoFvhlj7ZUym4vy5DbXi8hSJLtcOSmx4arHxeaWjrzpT_ixOBy5B-K0OJklkDAwoiMhIE5jVdkG/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdupqehHSCBtBxlJFCS8Y687Mz81galgq_v5EsTYODeLLg0m6g60UHclgI4RwQ_zdQsoFvhlj7ZUym4vy5DbXi8hSJLtcOSmx4arHxeaWjrzpT_ixOBy5B-K0OJklkDAwoiMhIE5jVdkG/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdupqehHSCBtBxlJFCS8Y687Mz81galgq_v5EsTYODeLLg0m6g60UHclgI4RwQ_zdQsoFvhlj7ZUym4vy5DbXi8hSJLtcOSmx4arHxeaWjrzpT_ixOBy5B-K0OJklkDAwoiMhIE5jVdkG/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdupqehHSCBtBxlJFCS8Y687Mz81galgq_v5EsTYODeLLg0m6g60UHclgI4RwQ_zdQsoFvhlj7ZUym4vy5DbXi8hSJLtcOSmx4arHxeaWjrzpT_ixOBy5B-K0OJklkDAwoiMhIE5jVdkG/s320/DSC_0055.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUsBLANbBoohxeqEijjKjepHXzT65y2LGoOuWZ2hAbCDT8T0ThueTm9fLS89cMEKMsIdAsBrmmvwXYP3wHXe0IS8Jr7V6avIiPtTSM2duR42FQXNbBJYk4i18MDnZNrFrV6xx0PN1EmS8/s1600/DSC_0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUsBLANbBoohxeqEijjKjepHXzT65y2LGoOuWZ2hAbCDT8T0ThueTm9fLS89cMEKMsIdAsBrmmvwXYP3wHXe0IS8Jr7V6avIiPtTSM2duR42FQXNbBJYk4i18MDnZNrFrV6xx0PN1EmS8/s320/DSC_0078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-54876635837561365032015-04-11T18:40:00.000+01:002015-04-11T18:40:36.378+01:00Gardening<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQHKiYDxn_Cbkp9CCOiZCtjwt-CUetyKwJjyud9F8r-IgeOtG-ZsL9sIaG5f3KkFO8Mh_GOwJMqJESpaWJDvInB6n7YbwUuqYOh3G6Lyc25uZEszKia4dLAxP-v1V1tA9q78pWcVZSeq1/s1600/DSC_0097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQHKiYDxn_Cbkp9CCOiZCtjwt-CUetyKwJjyud9F8r-IgeOtG-ZsL9sIaG5f3KkFO8Mh_GOwJMqJESpaWJDvInB6n7YbwUuqYOh3G6Lyc25uZEszKia4dLAxP-v1V1tA9q78pWcVZSeq1/s1600/DSC_0097.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a>Since the spring has started for real in Denmark, we have started cleaning up our garden. We've only moved to the house last autumn so this is the first time we're seeing our paradise in this lovely season.<br />
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The garden is old and has it all: old trees, apple trees, bushes, grass and moss, flower patches, a shed and 3 patios/grilling spaces. It is a lovely piece of land but it hasn't been cared for for the last 2, maybe 3, seasons. It is therefore rather overgrown and needs a good deal of attention.<br />
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So far I am mostly working on weeding the flower patches and removing grass that has been crawling over on the patio spaces and Peter, my husband has been replanting and mowing the grass.<br />
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Once most of this is done, we can consider adding some new plants, building beds for edibles and planting herbs and veggies.<br />
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We are also looking into building our own patio furniture out of pallets but more about this later. Meanwhile here are some of the moments of our lovely day.
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But now, at the end of February, it has finally come. The sun rises about 6:15, the birds go crazy every morning and the early spring flowers snowdrops, crocus and the yellow aconites are budding in our garden.<br />
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And all of this means, that it is slowly time to start working on my big plans for herb garden this season. I spent a lot of dark winter evenings browsing for ideas, inspirations and tips. Today, I put some of them to work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqYUoranvxbajXv8KzV2TlJFhko30b-pn0XPHXcLuCeLpxuAsns5mX6KV_rZyNzfVX8ZK1sz1on4LxTIEEyqm7MuXLhgH7pYTZXT1wooi81o_ZlnOjAVFGfyR5diq8kgYlb1q-GJUDoHN/s1600/20150228_105722%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqYUoranvxbajXv8KzV2TlJFhko30b-pn0XPHXcLuCeLpxuAsns5mX6KV_rZyNzfVX8ZK1sz1on4LxTIEEyqm7MuXLhgH7pYTZXT1wooi81o_ZlnOjAVFGfyR5diq8kgYlb1q-GJUDoHN/s1600/20150228_105722%5B1%5D.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>I begin today with two ideas for seed starting. Both are DIY, ecological and upcyling which I really like - gardening on the cheap for the win!<br />
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Instead of expensive planting systems, I used the cardboard insides of toilet paper rolls cut in three parts and empty egg containers. I love the simple idea because these are common household byproducts, that virtually anyone has in their trash bin. So why not using them for something fun.<br />
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I actually have a mini glasshouse tray, I used previous years. But a plastic salad or mushroom containers, like the ones you can get in any supermarkets, will do the job equally well.<br />
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I planted basil, oregano, rosemary, spearmint and cress. I can't wait to see what happens next!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDZ5x2-oXMbpX1nFVdX2ADX9-9Aa05FsskJXHh7AaXkHsC8G1IGFZ9yitKu3Rmj3c_xeg5hiafW17cshJIzJ8CW6niTxbUwO2-Vj6bCH2R48-E3pusQuTNqa8H7SJd2FlfYvdgJCK6OQe/s1600/20150228_111945%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlDZ5x2-oXMbpX1nFVdX2ADX9-9Aa05FsskJXHh7AaXkHsC8G1IGFZ9yitKu3Rmj3c_xeg5hiafW17cshJIzJ8CW6niTxbUwO2-Vj6bCH2R48-E3pusQuTNqa8H7SJd2FlfYvdgJCK6OQe/s1600/20150228_111945%5B1%5D.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a> And as I was planting the herbs, I thought of something, I didn't think about in a while. My grandparents lived in a flat on the 10th floor of a typical soviet-era block of flats. They never had a house or a garden, but they always planted plenty of flowers on their balcony. This was especially the realm of my grandfather. He had green fingers, if I've ever seen ones. The plants I remember best were his geraniums of all colors, that smelled in a very intriguing way. They crowded every windowsill of the apartment.<br />
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I also remember that he collected little yogurt containers to use for his seed sprouting. So, the internet resources for gardeners are not inventing anything new. They are just discovering the old, tried ways. This thought makes me feel good, connected in some way.<br />
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Other useful resources about planting seeds can be found here:<br />
- <a href="http://www.elivingtoday.com/articledetail.aspx?ID=4988" target="_blank">Frugal Gardening Tips</a><br />
- <a href="http://hazelandcompany.blogspot.dk/2013/04/egg-carton-greenhouses.html" target="_blank">Hazel and Company: Egg Carton Greenhouses</a><br />
- <a href="http://justjoanna.com/2013/01/10-best-diy-seed-starting-pins.html" target="_blank">Just Joanna: 10 Best DIY Seed Starting Pins</a><br />
- <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/diy-seed-pots-common-household-items-starting-seeds-indoors.html" target="_blank">Treehugger: 7 DIY Seed Pots from Common Household Items for Starting Seeds Indoors </a><br />
- <a href="http://www.gardenbetty.com/2011/03/the-no-brainer-guide-to-starting-seeds-indoors/" target="_blank">Garden Betty: The No-Brainer Guide to Starting Seeds Indoors</a><br />
<br />Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-74726554240900372062015-02-21T19:22:00.003+00:002015-02-21T19:35:27.554+00:00Citrus chia jam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Disclaimer: this post is where my interests in DIY, nutrition and cooking meet, and in which I make my own recipe jam. So...you've been warned.</div>
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A little while ago, I found this blog post from <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2015/02/chia-seed-jam-3-ways.html" target="_blank">A Beautiful Mess</a> and I immediately thought: "that, I have to try!" A vegan, simple to make, healthy option to compose exactly the jam to fit my particular tastes in the breakfast foods department - what's not to like? </div>
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Chia seeds are the new (or maybe not sooooo new) black among nutrition nuts. According to countless online articles chia seeds have incredible health benefits, from lowering blood pressure to burning fat without your involvement. In fact, reading the articles, you could come to the conclusion that they are heaven-sent miracle-seeds. </div>
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I am always a bit skeptical when a new super-food is discovered. And, as with many other nutritional mira<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">cles, chia seed</span>s benefits have also been researched and found a little less overwhelming then many nutrition portals claim. Especially the weight loss theory seems to be a bit fishy. <a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/truth-about-chia" target="_blank">This website </a>cites a medical study by Appalachian State University in North Carolina, that seems to disprove the miraculous theories. </div>
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Regardless of whether you believe one side or another, everyone seems to agree that chia seeds are rich in antioxidants, fibers, Omega-3 fats, calcium, and magnesium, and have no cholesterol. They are especially recommended for vegans and vegetarians as a great source of proteins. <br /><br />Even better, chia does not contain gluten but still becomes sticky when combined with water which makes it a great substitute for other grains in baking and cooking. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcz0XRMprvrkL-rEgGIouLMAr4zTYNvtsqYnOK5xmt__PgA1TB2c2Gl_yoY3AckcKZlSDdVKAlB79sbEMQy1nRtyR2Shy6SH2ynI21kqejY1VkvURaskBtiFyyDrB99CYYzqthq64K7F4C/s1600/20150221_163956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcz0XRMprvrkL-rEgGIouLMAr4zTYNvtsqYnOK5xmt__PgA1TB2c2Gl_yoY3AckcKZlSDdVKAlB79sbEMQy1nRtyR2Shy6SH2ynI21kqejY1VkvURaskBtiFyyDrB99CYYzqthq64K7F4C/s1600/20150221_163956.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>It is exactly in this role that chia is used in the jam making. It helps to thicken the boiled fruits.<br />
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I am a sucker for strong, sour citrus jams but they are not very easy to get. Most stuff you buy in supermarkets is seriously candy-like and has way too many stabilizers, preservatives and color additives. <br /><br />So you can understand why I was so excited, when I saw Elsie and Emma's idea for home-made jams. Inspiration came from them but I composed my own jam which I strongly encourage you to do as well. There are so many possibilities out there.</div>
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Here is my approximate recipe and the comments about the experiment:</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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<li>1 large orange </li>
<li>1 large lemon</li>
<li>Peel of the orange and lemon</li>
<li>1,5 tablespoons of sugar (I only had white, but I think Muscovado or Demerera would have been even nicer)</li>
<li>seeds of half a vanilla been</li>
<li>2 tablespoons of chia seeds</li>
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Prep:</div>
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<li>Peel orange and lemon and finely chop about 1/3 of the peels</li>
<li>Before you chop the orange and lemon, make sure to remove all of the white remnants of the peel and all of the seeds</li>
<li>Lightly caramelize the peels in all of the sugar. Make sure to use low heat, not to burn the sugar</li>
<li>Boil the citrus on medium heat, until they release their juices. As they boil, they will become relatively fluid and uniform</li>
<li>Add peels and boil for another 5-10 minutes, while continuously stirring</li>
<li>Then add chia seeds and stir over low heat until the jam thickens</li>
<li>Take off the heat, and let it cool down</li>
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Voila! The jam is ready. The jam came out almost perfect but it has a little bitter aftertaste. So if you are not a fan of sour or bitter tastes, you might want less peel and/or more sugar. </div>
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The peel also makes the jam rather chunky, which I like but you might prefer to blend the fruits after boiling so the mixture is more uniform. </div>
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I can also imagine using this jam with some good roast...maybe duck...</div>
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There is a wealth of recipes out there for chia seeds containing dishes, especially puddings and breakfast-y stuff (just check <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=chia&term_meta%5B%5D=chia%7Ctyped" target="_blank">Instagram</a>). But I am also thinking of making savory chutneys using the seeds - that could work pretty well.</div>
<br />Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-12182811974426568482015-02-15T13:59:00.001+00:002015-02-15T13:59:29.156+00:00New Craft: Sewing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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This particular craft adventure started for me because I was looking for sofa pillows for our new house. The ones I picked turned out to be "designer pillows" (is there such a thing?) and they costed 500 DKK (76 USD/50 GBP) each! </div>
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It just didn't feel like an acceptable price for a pillow...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9QcUYSYjuc0_cl-Fh3FsTEKoi1jl76wsA_OUbbs_7LjypwEoAFUbonzcc4uO5P8ch1YwQMeNRK7eU_jcojppp-Sz8lB9p49NSURjM1qQaUi9BnoyUyNuMd5mhi0kuDfjFyt-QheunWul/s1600/IMG_20150105_170353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9QcUYSYjuc0_cl-Fh3FsTEKoi1jl76wsA_OUbbs_7LjypwEoAFUbonzcc4uO5P8ch1YwQMeNRK7eU_jcojppp-Sz8lB9p49NSURjM1qQaUi9BnoyUyNuMd5mhi0kuDfjFyt-QheunWul/s1600/IMG_20150105_170353.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>So instead I did some research and invested into this little beauty.<br />
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I had absolutely no previous experience with sewing. I didn't even know how to thread the needle on a machine. But surprisingly enough, with a little help from books, internet and my lovely husband (Danes have housework classes in primary school!) I was able to make the first trial project.<br />
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I didn't think I could make pillows I would be happy to display in my living room right of the bat.<br />
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Instead, I bought some discounted rough cotton fabric and made an envelope for my laptop. It took several tries to get the seams semi-straight but the final result was usable.<br />
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Encouraged by the experience, I bought the fabric I wanted and two pillows at the local haberdashery store and set out to do the job.<br />
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I picked out a simple envelope pattern from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sewing-Machine-Basics-Jane-Bolsover/dp/1907030735/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424005037&sr=1-1&keywords=Sewing+Machine+Basics" target="_blank">Sewing Machine Basics</a> by Jane Bolsover - a book I can wholeheartedly recommend for beginners.<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span></span>A similar patterns can be found all over the internet. For example <a href="http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/how-to-sew-envelope-pillow-tutorial" target="_blank">here</a> or <a href="http://grandmabeesrecipes.com/envelope-pillow-tutorial/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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One cozy evening later, two pillow envelopes were ready. The effect is visible on the photo below. They are not perfect. One is a little too big for the pillow and the other's seam is not perfectly straight if you look closely enough.<br />
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But they are proudly displayed on the sofa and another, bigger one in yellow, is in the plans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jBQnJu8K3GTg1Iv8hDkG-ZDKLzXKPnywz609uORn3xPYHY7K1dJYE_xyXQP1pCq4MHkSoeE0Z-AdqZmTwR7A6e6NwO0mZg3vpaAbWFJe7BPym-P-Nd4GD6EBCryC5E2ZlqBxXppQfyo8/s1600/IMG_20150118_195046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4USz4vRsLEYVUUeGLmMtzE4LiUgDbB91CWoCEnWp433kkqDrGY6ZZ4eFIHAwwTWCPQuMPbrulA4RpOnxPHKla5UqlYiraMZfiDFgAde4iT0AJZ2ZbO2ESc7liPL_gY1j6-lWlH20orpaj/s1600/IMG_20150118_174019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4USz4vRsLEYVUUeGLmMtzE4LiUgDbB91CWoCEnWp433kkqDrGY6ZZ4eFIHAwwTWCPQuMPbrulA4RpOnxPHKla5UqlYiraMZfiDFgAde4iT0AJZ2ZbO2ESc7liPL_gY1j6-lWlH20orpaj/s1600/IMG_20150118_174019.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jBQnJu8K3GTg1Iv8hDkG-ZDKLzXKPnywz609uORn3xPYHY7K1dJYE_xyXQP1pCq4MHkSoeE0Z-AdqZmTwR7A6e6NwO0mZg3vpaAbWFJe7BPym-P-Nd4GD6EBCryC5E2ZlqBxXppQfyo8/s1600/IMG_20150118_195046.jpg" height="320" width="320" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jBQnJu8K3GTg1Iv8hDkG-ZDKLzXKPnywz609uORn3xPYHY7K1dJYE_xyXQP1pCq4MHkSoeE0Z-AdqZmTwR7A6e6NwO0mZg3vpaAbWFJe7BPym-P-Nd4GD6EBCryC5E2ZlqBxXppQfyo8/s1600/IMG_20150118_195046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jBQnJu8K3GTg1Iv8hDkG-ZDKLzXKPnywz609uORn3xPYHY7K1dJYE_xyXQP1pCq4MHkSoeE0Z-AdqZmTwR7A6e6NwO0mZg3vpaAbWFJe7BPym-P-Nd4GD6EBCryC5E2ZlqBxXppQfyo8/s1600/IMG_20150118_195046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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Once I am done with the pillows, I am planning on making stuffed toys from my friend's babies. There are so many lovely patterns out there. Just look at this <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Doll-Friends-are-easy-to-make/" target="_blank">toothy little monster</a> or <a href="https://www.etsy.com/dk-en/listing/68106508/pdf-sewing-pattern-betsy-basil-bunny?ref=shop_home_active_2" target="_blank">these bunnies</a>.<br />
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I am ashamed to admit I was all squeamish where sewing was concerned. I thought the initial investment was too substantial to risk for a craft I have never tried.<br />
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Luckily, I am pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get started. I wish I had started earlier. Come to think of it, a sewing intro class might have taught me the basics and rid me of my "fears". It is a very practical skill, everyone should have.<br />
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Nonetheless, I am very happy I have EVENTUALLY started and I am looking forward to making many more projects.
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In February I managed to cook 10 new recipes instead of 15 and failed on pretty much all of my stated goals. In March I haven't even gotten around to setting any goals. So what exactly happened? I overdid. Typical me. I set out to accomplish so many things in February that it simply became too much time- and energy-wise and the whole project imploded. My success spiral ruined and motivation rather low, I couldn't even bring myself to set a single goal for March.<br />
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This month I am slowly and carefully getting back to goals and challenges with the following lesson in my baggage: chill out, take it easy - not everything has to be accomplished at once. <a href="http://www.yesandyes.org/2014/04/hardwood-grows-slowly-heavy-handed.html" target="_blank">This lesson, which accidently was also described in a charming way by yesandyes's Sarah</a>, was absolutely worth learning. Even if it costed me some of the hard-earned motivation.<br />
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So take it easy out there and, to quote Sarah, be gentle to yourself.Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-92084303139101118552014-02-21T20:59:00.001+00:002014-02-21T20:59:54.022+00:00Testing New RecipesThe plan for trying 15 new recipes this month is moving ahead, although rather slowly. I am cooking in a frenzy during weekends. But during the week, it gets really hard to cook something new after I come home from work in the evening. <div>
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Anyway, I have tried a couple of new things. First of all, I made this <a href="http://popdeprovence.dk/solsikkerugbrod-med-hjemmelavet-maltsirup/" target="_blank">malt syrup</a>. It was fun to make and it smells funky - kind of like sweet beer. I already used it for baking my sourdough bread. It tasted sweeter than usual and smelled nicely of dark beer - Irish breakfast style :D</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4Ouerxw0RTPtjP8ib7NLu8GuIudGMd5rvpGJJ31KsnEF8iTQ-sZlKnM_PVSR2lA8sWWHvS4xPUBE_XKYbSio0nRFTP2gg2W4JLIw8s48Hy-r1_7exoKqUhHKhfyxXOmGac5nEaVHN8uK/s1600/baa50f5e941811e383f3120a91ac9a97_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4Ouerxw0RTPtjP8ib7NLu8GuIudGMd5rvpGJJ31KsnEF8iTQ-sZlKnM_PVSR2lA8sWWHvS4xPUBE_XKYbSio0nRFTP2gg2W4JLIw8s48Hy-r1_7exoKqUhHKhfyxXOmGac5nEaVHN8uK/s1600/baa50f5e941811e383f3120a91ac9a97_8.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you're going to make it, remember that while you are boiling it, it will not get very thick. It's only once it cools down, that it sets and thickens. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7FqHF1_MJkW1nq-vOAho9Nrz9XQ5okrm6Cc5NHWTu0tesq1xjc-tJLhyphenhyphenqWzHsCr8GxkYpi0TP1x4fp7QBP1yE8IceNUA-rlwY_Ynpn2yh3qeelvWot9D_w-lRhlENU27qkJTUnF3VbDR/s1600/737eb79294cc11e3bb7f12119c4bc50d_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7FqHF1_MJkW1nq-vOAho9Nrz9XQ5okrm6Cc5NHWTu0tesq1xjc-tJLhyphenhyphenqWzHsCr8GxkYpi0TP1x4fp7QBP1yE8IceNUA-rlwY_Ynpn2yh3qeelvWot9D_w-lRhlENU27qkJTUnF3VbDR/s1600/737eb79294cc11e3bb7f12119c4bc50d_8.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also made <a href="http://whiteplate.blogspot.dk/2013/08/krem-z-kalafiora.html" target="_blank">cauliflower soup</a> (good, quick winter food), <a href="http://www.insonnetskitchen.com/coconut-ginger-smoothie/" target="_blank">coconut and ginger smoothy</a> (eee...not exceptional), and also tried this <a href="http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-pizza-quinoa-stuffed-portabella-mushrooms/" target="_blank">quinoa stuffed portobello mushrooms</a>. Quinoa is usually rather tasteless so I was very surprised at how yummy these actually were. The recipe is rather simple and is really a good idea for a quick, "fancy-ish" side dish when your friends are coming to dinner. </div>
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The last experiment was with <a href="http://www.thermoprzepisy.pl/wypieki/wypieki-slodkie/chalka/" target="_blank">milk bread (or chałka)</a> which is one of the tastes of my childhood. Unfortunately, it was a bit led down. The recipe takes quite a bit of time (and some energy) which necessarily means that it is a special kind of dish. And the braiding is harder than it looks. But the problem for me was that my bread got pretty badly burned despite the fact that I looked into it 10min before the time mentioned in the cookbook (I used <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scandilicious-Baking-Johansen-Social-Anthropology/dp/1444734679/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1393016043&sr=8-2&keywords=scandalicious" target="_blank">Scandalicious baking</a>). My oven usually needs extra time to get things finished so I really can't say what went wrong. The bread still tasted pretty good on the inside, but the outside was burned. At some point of time, I will try the recipe again, but for now I am somewhat discouraged. </div>
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For this weekend I bought some really good-class tenderloin (never in my life have I paid that much for 300g of meat). I am also planning vanilla extract and caramel muffins (see <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/mariaannalind/15-new-recipes-challenge/" target="_blank">my pinterest board</a> for details). The saddest thing is that I will probably not have time to make Korma this month. But hey, there is something to look forward to in March.</div>
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And what about you guys? Have you been cooking something yummy recently?</div>
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Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-32047915820505889292014-02-12T18:00:00.002+00:002014-02-12T18:00:57.657+00:00For the Love of SmoothiesI have recently rekindled my love for smoothies. I used to drink them a lot when I lived in London but back then I would use sweeten them up a lot with sugar or honey and add chocolate powder or ice-creams. So they were more in the form of sweets, rather than actual healthy, fruit-full snack.<br />
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Nowadays, I often drink them in the evenings if I get home too late to eat a full dinner. My trick is to put every good thing I have at home into the blender and hope for the best. And you know what? It usually works!<br />
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Here is my very generic recipe:<br />
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<li>bananas - lend the smoothy a nice rich flavor and creamy texture</li>
<li>all kinds of fruits - I try to go for seasonal but I also use frozen strawberries or raspberries when they are out of season</li>
<li>low fat milk - occasionally, I use yoghurt, fresh squeezed juice or if I have the time I brew green tea (not too strong), cool it down and use it instead</li>
<li>linseed (flaxseed) - they are super healthy. Sometimes I switch it for other nuts but I like flaxseed especially. You can't taste them in a smoothy and they have:</li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 16px;">Omega-3 essential fatty acids - </span><span style="line-height: 16px;">"good" fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;"> </span>Lignans<b>, </b>that have antioxidant qualities.</li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;">Fiber</span><span style="line-height: 16px;">.- both the soluble and insoluble types</span></li>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">Occasionally, I also add a spoon of peanut butter or honey. When I get more adventures, I also chuck in a handful of spinach (what?!). If you only add a handful, you won't be able to taste it and yet all the good ingredients of fresh spinach are there. I need to try one time to make an actual green smoothy :)<br /><br />This month, I am also planning to try this <a href="http://www.insonnetskitchen.com/coconut-ginger-smoothie/" target="_blank">coconut and ginger</a> and <a href="http://www.eatliverun.com/green-tea-smoothies/" target="_blank">green tea</a> goodness. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;">Are you a smoothy lover too? What are your favorite recipes? </span></div>
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Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-16661781195051883392014-02-08T11:51:00.001+00:002014-02-08T11:51:29.669+00:00Nutty Sourdough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kXqu9jX0WXOLTgYJ1yRMR85XJX3MV9y2WS6XT8zfnmUYP1lvPChtbJqWI-UEEVzhgJG6IX6qQNdW5X_hTpAGwLRtbMfYYkl4FXKuHGW299AkyclURXgUT0KFuicNvdnZoHdi8OrtspPp/s1600/nutty_sourdough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6kXqu9jX0WXOLTgYJ1yRMR85XJX3MV9y2WS6XT8zfnmUYP1lvPChtbJqWI-UEEVzhgJG6IX6qQNdW5X_hTpAGwLRtbMfYYkl4FXKuHGW299AkyclURXgUT0KFuicNvdnZoHdi8OrtspPp/s1600/nutty_sourdough.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>Yesterday, I baked this nutty sourdough bread as part of my <a href="http://craftymaria.blogspot.dk/2014/02/february-challenge.html" target="_blank">15 new recipes project.</a> It's not 100% new recipe but rather a variation on <a href="http://craftymaria.blogspot.dk/2013/08/homemade-sourdough-bread.html" target="_blank">this one</a>.<br />
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Ever since I made my own sourdough starter, I bake bread pretty much every week. I bake it on Friday evenings so that we have fresh, yummy bread for Saturday breakfast. But, having baked it so many times, I am getting bored and so I need to start experimenting.<br />
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I've tried adding chilli (somewhat disappointing), olives (yum) and now the time came for nuts. Instead of the 2dl of flour that the recipe calls for in the morning, I add about 250dl finely ground hazelnuts. On top of that, I add hazelnuts cut in half and some hazelnut shaving on top of the bread.<br />
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The bread comes out lighter than when regular flour is used. On the other hand it is also less compact and falls a bit apart. The nutty taste is there but not as strong as one would expect. The sourness of the sourdough is less pronounced, which I like but it might be a minus for others. I would also advise using a bit extra salt than normally as the nuts seem to make the taste a bit too bland otherwise.<br />
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The one super fantastic thing about this recipe is the smell of the bread while it is baking. Truly fantastic.Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-34745498020461774442014-02-02T16:50:00.000+00:002014-02-02T16:50:07.545+00:00February Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you've read my <a href="http://craftymaria.blogspot.dk/2014/01/life-hacking-month-one.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> you know that I've been experimenting with challenging myself. Each month I try something new, something that brings a difference to my life, something that takes me out of my comfort zone. Last month, I sworn off sugar and it was interesting to try, I wasn't wowed by the impact of that challenge.</div>
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This month I am trying something more active. I will sample 15 new recipes, that I have not tried before. It is not a crazy challenge but I feel like I lack time for this in everyday life. During the week I often skip cooking in the evening and just grab a sandwich, even though I love cooking and it relaxes me. So I want to try to <strike>force myself</strike> motivate myself to do more of that. You can see 14 recipes I have chosen on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/mariaannalind/15-new-recipes-challenge/">pinterest.</a> The 15th dish is going to be a nutty variation on my sourdough bread, that I dreamt of myself so there is no recipe.</div>
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The first recipe, and the celebration of no-sugar month, was this, gorgeous looking and yummy, raspberry swirl cheesecake. When I lived in London, raspberry swirl cheesecake from Sainsbury's was my guilty pleasure so I decided to try to bake it myself.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnaEuqRowsWWOzxENTQtXfYs8nnYmKB2q3gG_uKdPBhdYiav4G9yuXQzv-zkgp-yJwHR_fUOxzEwe2ZiEUJavPUreCFoB8liY5DUzTX_v6uun842Ol0099DYtTVRC1HP4KC8tuT0E4C1O/s1600/IMG_4061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnaEuqRowsWWOzxENTQtXfYs8nnYmKB2q3gG_uKdPBhdYiav4G9yuXQzv-zkgp-yJwHR_fUOxzEwe2ZiEUJavPUreCFoB8liY5DUzTX_v6uun842Ol0099DYtTVRC1HP4KC8tuT0E4C1O/s1600/IMG_4061.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></div>
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I tasted delicious although it was a bit more wet than expected. I went for a thick variant of yoghurt, you can buy in Denmark, called skyr, instead of fatty cream cheese. It made the cake healthier but not as firm and creamy. Next time, I will go all out :) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTEADGkQFoma80b2vwjA9gs9g8agncOUSZDotJ4Ew9gDxeIDyNdMirdx40ezGRN26eFGUnZAXR6ogUXRDobJYb9kKkq_1sHAEVwiiieVG1u-9aHSOGmFrCfIV7h8u0OmsFQkbzBpnPa9e/s1600/IMG_4062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTEADGkQFoma80b2vwjA9gs9g8agncOUSZDotJ4Ew9gDxeIDyNdMirdx40ezGRN26eFGUnZAXR6ogUXRDobJYb9kKkq_1sHAEVwiiieVG1u-9aHSOGmFrCfIV7h8u0OmsFQkbzBpnPa9e/s1600/IMG_4062.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-88646382626503580292014-01-30T18:56:00.000+00:002014-01-30T19:00:28.908+00:00Life Hacking : Month One<div style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There were a lot of new things happening for me in 2013. Finishing my studies, getting first student job and then a full-time work at another company, and a couple of other big steps forward. And yet, very few of this was actually planned in advance. Opportunities presented themselves and I took advantage of them but I did not set out to achieve clear goals. In general, I guess I am not very good at setting out long term goals and working towards them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I have decided that I want to work on that this year. 2014 is going to be the year of planned development, good organization and getting a firm grip on life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Inspired by the <a data-mce-href="http://thesmallchangeproject.com/" href="http://thesmallchangeproject.com/" target="_blank" title="The Small Change Project">The Small Change Project</a> blog, <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/da/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html" target="_blank">this Ted Talk about month-long challenges</a>, and the <em><a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Motivation-Hacker-Nick-Winter-ebook/dp/B00C8N4FNK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388416429&sr=8-1&keywords=motivation+hacker" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Motivation-Hacker-Nick-Winter-ebook/dp/B00C8N4FNK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388416429&sr=8-1&keywords=motivation+hacker" target="_blank" title="Motivation Hacker on Amazon.co.uk">Motivation Hacker</a> </em>book by Nick Winter I got from my husband I am making a plan to hack my life this year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The year will start slow with some relatively easy confidence building challenges. As my expectancy of success grows, the goals will become more ambitious and more life-changing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have started by setting out these 7 goals:</span></div>
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<li>By 15th of January I need to be able to run 4km in 30m - changed to running once a week</li>
<li>By the end of January I need to be able to run 1,5km without breaking - achieved</li>
<li>I will read JavaScript-related book for at least 10 minutes a day - achieved</li>
<li>I will write for at least 10 minutes a day - achieved</li>
<li>I will eat no sugar (no cakes, cookies, candy, honey or soda) - achieved</li>
<li>I will make a 2013 photobook to keep all the great memories in one place -achieved</li>
<li>I will prepare and practice my bachelor-exam presentation on the 2nd and 3rd of January so as not to drag it out all the way until 16th - achieved (though on the 15th I have decided to redo my presentation, so I am not sure if this counts )</li>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">It is now almost February and I am excited and somewhat proud of how many of the goals I have achieved. This has been a great experience I am certainly planning to continue with it. There are a few things I've learned during the first month of the project:</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">If the goal is too easy, the challenge stops being excited and it becomes a chore.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">If the goal is planned for a month, it should not be completed in less time (ex. I finished the JavaScript book in 2 weeks? Switching to another book felt a bit anticlimactic).</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">Input goals work better than output ones. You can only ever control your effort and not really the outcome. The winter defeated me and I was not able to run 4km before mid-January. But switching the goal to input oriented one (I will run once a week) proved very beneficial and I have successfully completed it and felt excited enough to plan for a Women 5K race in September. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">Leave a little buffer so that you can account for life's little surprises without failing at your goals. At the same time, be very specific about what the special circumstances are. For example, it is ok to not go running if you break your leg - that should not mean you failed your goal.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">Be as specific about the goals as possible. The more amorphous the goal, the easier to wiggle out and the more anticlimactic the achievement.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">Make a point of tracking your effort every day, whether in a spreadsheet, beeminder or some other app. The feeling of daily achievement and success removes the peril of delay and helps grow your success spiral. </span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">The special challenge of not eating sugar for a month turned out to be a bit disappointing. I can't notice any changes in terms of my skin, neither have I lost no weight due to this regime. I might be a little more even when it comes to energy supplies throughout the day - but I am not even certain about that. And I don't sleep better (or worse) then before. I eat a bit more fruits, which certainly is positive but I don't really know if it has anything to do with no-sugar policy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">It has also proven easier than expected. The first 2 or 3 days I did walk around randomly imagining belgian waffles in great, multisensory details. But it went away after that and I didn't physically craved it. The hardest part was definitely social occasions. Not eating cake for friends and family's birthday events, not having coke with my pizza or sweet cocktail during the night out was certainly a challenge but not to the point where it was impossible. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">The challenge hasn't proven life changing but it did leave a pleasant feeling of accomplishment and I hope that I will take something from it. I plan to continue with no sugar or honey in my tea and coffee and no sweets other than cakes - preferably homebaked and for special occasions. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 19px;">Stay tuned for my plans for February. </span></span></div>
Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-52422020431823916342014-01-26T13:21:00.001+00:002014-01-26T13:22:42.017+00:00Cafe Latte Baby Blanket<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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No matter how many times I've started on knitted projects (and how many of them I actually finished - a few), crocheting will always my go-to method of working with yarn. </div>
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The project I am working on now is a baby blanket with a thick, dense weave. Because it is so dense, it takes long to complete the project, but I like the texture so much, I am planning more projects with it. It will certainly serve as a sweet, warm cover for some baby. Yeah, I don't actually have a recipient of this blanky in mind, so friends and relatives, get on the topic of babies, will you? I would actually make a big blanket for myself (it really is so cozy) but I don't have enough yarn for that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIblc1Q1G6TeO4i-Vt88obJf79M1Ckrljv3idEPRX6gGNKxxNpTPupjQm3rf58pSWnQbqd26PmowauSgZD53lNe8XliHjxULZiRX2OV_tb89xiXjxCAa8EYCO4B0QV32O3iCnJdx2e7Xg/s1600/IMG_20140126_134324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIblc1Q1G6TeO4i-Vt88obJf79M1Ckrljv3idEPRX6gGNKxxNpTPupjQm3rf58pSWnQbqd26PmowauSgZD53lNe8XliHjxULZiRX2OV_tb89xiXjxCAa8EYCO4B0QV32O3iCnJdx2e7Xg/s1600/IMG_20140126_134324.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I am using light cotton-acrylic yarn that is has a soft feel to it while still being very warm. The color is cream, like a very milky cafe latte. I like it for a baby blanket, even if it's probably not very practical. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJM0UHwA-av2os7Zkcfnbg9BVKUk-orI65pac8UV23hlJEht0u_u_Fx86hrWNJLQ0bL5KSLVarR9Zpke-lVQtwEN8gERW4COEKQqgFINr_w-L0BiVDuzZxUGwhj0fjKy5nwEePt36sYD2/s1600/IMG_20140126_134439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJM0UHwA-av2os7Zkcfnbg9BVKUk-orI65pac8UV23hlJEht0u_u_Fx86hrWNJLQ0bL5KSLVarR9Zpke-lVQtwEN8gERW4COEKQqgFINr_w-L0BiVDuzZxUGwhj0fjKy5nwEePt36sYD2/s1600/IMG_20140126_134439.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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And working on this project taught me a lesson: "never put away a project for 2 years and pick it up as if nothing happened". I wasn't sure if I remembered how to make round ends, but I made two rounds anyway. I realized I made a mistake on the round ending, I ripped two rounds...and then I realized I probably hadn't made a mistake and all the ripping was for nothing.<br />
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Anyway, I'll show you the finished piece, when I am done.Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-60581321093382206602013-12-29T20:04:00.003+00:002013-12-29T20:20:16.579+00:00My (Craft) Year in Instagram Pictures<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Looking back on this year in my Instagram pictures I discover that I have not done quite as much craft projects as I would have liked it. I have been busy with other types of life endeavours so it is not that surprising. Nevertheless, I'd like to get better with that in the coming year. I've been looking at some scheduling and life-hacking techniques that will hopefully help me take better control over the way I spend my time. Stay tuned for more on that. <br />
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Meanwhile have a look at the craft projects I did work on (and documented):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtQ31YpXyAqF2KmGlvYopZAOqjtZG2K5fLsA3rzd4FbXp52fxZsjU3us68hyGg_FGE2Yxp-1bLx88iQ7w_BLfhPD294oHRV1XDwtl9SqZHSoZAaM6epZAbR0GeFOzOD3xaAcojDnsVbC4/s1600/stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtQ31YpXyAqF2KmGlvYopZAOqjtZG2K5fLsA3rzd4FbXp52fxZsjU3us68hyGg_FGE2Yxp-1bLx88iQ7w_BLfhPD294oHRV1XDwtl9SqZHSoZAaM6epZAbR0GeFOzOD3xaAcojDnsVbC4/s1600/stars.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofduG95-x9KQfW8u0kP6LBMu-y8yLFz8bhVEH-B4xKfa5jFwo1fmut2TR98ZZNNpM1-8A68ZjWLWo1m8i-JoObnKbpeRm8s_bWESHWTYBFuLVPA5duujE23EyhJtV453PYaiauh4ZulsI/s1600/beading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofduG95-x9KQfW8u0kP6LBMu-y8yLFz8bhVEH-B4xKfa5jFwo1fmut2TR98ZZNNpM1-8A68ZjWLWo1m8i-JoObnKbpeRm8s_bWESHWTYBFuLVPA5duujE23EyhJtV453PYaiauh4ZulsI/s1600/beading.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONljhikecO98ZNLTlHPcfD14eitErc9VG430Lj8woor78jom-BxE8fvEvmvHrWuJ87FhHq1pZjWqW8oRHyaKd9rDW4hKesb5_VfzcKthyWez52VhJoc5w8Vzd4SaUAOVo5OY3fIjuM6Jf/s1600/knitting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONljhikecO98ZNLTlHPcfD14eitErc9VG430Lj8woor78jom-BxE8fvEvmvHrWuJ87FhHq1pZjWqW8oRHyaKd9rDW4hKesb5_VfzcKthyWez52VhJoc5w8Vzd4SaUAOVo5OY3fIjuM6Jf/s1600/knitting.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIG8CSmDwEZJs_ORKgQO-gk6Ux5QSVpixNMEFmehZdEKkORY-oL4cEuOAsdsAZcZNaLocUGQUzaRBmcm8-Qdvdn30XEkBTV8f7XAiRFaJuXVyNySlMin2uS56cEBNMCOtCrScJ-xNfgHG8/s1600/lace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIG8CSmDwEZJs_ORKgQO-gk6Ux5QSVpixNMEFmehZdEKkORY-oL4cEuOAsdsAZcZNaLocUGQUzaRBmcm8-Qdvdn30XEkBTV8f7XAiRFaJuXVyNySlMin2uS56cEBNMCOtCrScJ-xNfgHG8/s1600/lace.jpg" /></a></div>
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In this little retrospective exercise, I have also discovered, this time with a smile, that I cooked and baked a nice deal this year. I started baking bread and I do it once a week almost every week. I grew a bit of herbs and I now have frozen oregano ice-cubes in my freezer. And most of all, I've been happily going through the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scandilicious-Baking-Signe-Johansen/dp/1444734679" target="_blank">Scandalicious Baking</a> book, which I can wholeheartedly recommend to any baking-fans. Here are some of my more successful experiments:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsjZcNDBy0zpNLmvzw5WK9ZJFn6MeykLTjb30eTTIR9mNvt12zxVenBTtQrI6FD-NjBQCakWl06m_E2xPucB6SRV06-JzPasmoqTRrL02V8QKf4dAMjtmlK29KQJn3vLwrWoc-RDnxwrF/s1600/breadmaking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsjZcNDBy0zpNLmvzw5WK9ZJFn6MeykLTjb30eTTIR9mNvt12zxVenBTtQrI6FD-NjBQCakWl06m_E2xPucB6SRV06-JzPasmoqTRrL02V8QKf4dAMjtmlK29KQJn3vLwrWoc-RDnxwrF/s1600/breadmaking.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sourdough bread with mixed seeds</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4IOzaz8oyC9k6eN4LU_VQ9ROBm9OTEbLPsrI1LOfE9VI4SHRgN9SEKZAMLCEmRdWooyynKBWuvXciza0OMM8lxOdCorse_Ok55Oj1wry2G-8NP8YD4PXAZOJNfgI59Eb2J38Fwm7eQEZ/s1600/cookies1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4IOzaz8oyC9k6eN4LU_VQ9ROBm9OTEbLPsrI1LOfE9VI4SHRgN9SEKZAMLCEmRdWooyynKBWuvXciza0OMM8lxOdCorse_Ok55Oj1wry2G-8NP8YD4PXAZOJNfgI59Eb2J38Fwm7eQEZ/s1600/cookies1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scandalicious Baking: Orange Butter Biscuits </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOYuf1Br1p539TPXLir6EPpPXTBlzvHhmcUXXaW6Wv7vCnFbvvUe81TEwxOhbeMYBT8AqEx6_bOvEdeSWhJ6ju1FIx-MLusWVZTc9KOJy4vwEkB4Zt_StVdQ_0sA7GdYaPCM1W6POT9FL/s1600/cooking2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOYuf1Br1p539TPXLir6EPpPXTBlzvHhmcUXXaW6Wv7vCnFbvvUe81TEwxOhbeMYBT8AqEx6_bOvEdeSWhJ6ju1FIx-MLusWVZTc9KOJy4vwEkB4Zt_StVdQ_0sA7GdYaPCM1W6POT9FL/s1600/cooking2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scandalicious Baking: Finish Baked Pancake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sfIPf1C7jh1UXmIDSUEfDltShpDQytZLwDHg0CrkcusJdCZ1B4XyaVM_TqQtrAZmyHS-hPA0P20c95-_6mKdaA3GgAZTNjKazPguABrP6PgNeYw4u-fjyvP1h5VkYhzsA60fxws_2TNF/s1600/cooking3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sfIPf1C7jh1UXmIDSUEfDltShpDQytZLwDHg0CrkcusJdCZ1B4XyaVM_TqQtrAZmyHS-hPA0P20c95-_6mKdaA3GgAZTNjKazPguABrP6PgNeYw4u-fjyvP1h5VkYhzsA60fxws_2TNF/s1600/cooking3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scandalicious Baking: Passion Fruit and Lime Custard Birthday Cake </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY36mYeDaCFH8LAOgrHIq014GLUjWijW-NEn13FKUJdNtIgClmsCFVW6wpZMloKvxkfbowybbF9q9BnpjrIb-OFJU6hSUrp30rW4XGgn0H3gtIqWUP_OrntcbC96795QAKjsKToNHu8X2D/s1600/eastercake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY36mYeDaCFH8LAOgrHIq014GLUjWijW-NEn13FKUJdNtIgClmsCFVW6wpZMloKvxkfbowybbF9q9BnpjrIb-OFJU6hSUrp30rW4XGgn0H3gtIqWUP_OrntcbC96795QAKjsKToNHu8X2D/s1600/eastercake.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Polish Easter Cake: Mazurek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKmAsTs8l5ks99Mocmvl_ffBb3kWzxF7hzru76boTJk8me86SGEOWCbl65S0VR-4yt4CNgkQVTQK2iBVqb9Y1cfsi-ivZZUO8qZNcJDDijGCVRU15hn7ZMHPw1fAF0l55nKp9YJXjZnii/s1600/honeyvodka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKmAsTs8l5ks99Mocmvl_ffBb3kWzxF7hzru76boTJk8me86SGEOWCbl65S0VR-4yt4CNgkQVTQK2iBVqb9Y1cfsi-ivZZUO8qZNcJDDijGCVRU15hn7ZMHPw1fAF0l55nKp9YJXjZnii/s1600/honeyvodka.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This year's batch of <a href="http://craftymaria.blogspot.dk/2009/12/honey-vodka-for-cold-winter-nights.html" target="_blank">Honey Vodka</a></td></tr>
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The herbs, we've been growing. Chili grown by my husband and my oregano, harvested and ready to be chopped and frozen.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyziWCRj9E-7_vYyvkVS7_3RRvaCQNtfKdzilYOdwk0-rsGisyd6eRHMB8MDruOq7QxH0KpfE7koZomAFGnWK_ppHZoWrM-npPRZNbdq4OjVCwdWG4ibmkRtN18gXsZT37ZqTtLwfEr6Gl/s1600/oregano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyziWCRj9E-7_vYyvkVS7_3RRvaCQNtfKdzilYOdwk0-rsGisyd6eRHMB8MDruOq7QxH0KpfE7koZomAFGnWK_ppHZoWrM-npPRZNbdq4OjVCwdWG4ibmkRtN18gXsZT37ZqTtLwfEr6Gl/s1600/oregano.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home-grown oregano harvest</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WM8zvgJMKOaYaEWoOJeUvwkeDnNh4MJ3LcKQ2WueJohXkPuRCymNq0LiQ23pv6Pu-__r3PsV_bcNbZja9pwXVCGxkqfKE4fVzddGE1w2mKJc_98qmE6WhjrAXShEhCLutOp-uROKPUrp/s1600/growingchillies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WM8zvgJMKOaYaEWoOJeUvwkeDnNh4MJ3LcKQ2WueJohXkPuRCymNq0LiQ23pv6Pu-__r3PsV_bcNbZja9pwXVCGxkqfKE4fVzddGE1w2mKJc_98qmE6WhjrAXShEhCLutOp-uROKPUrp/s1600/growingchillies.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young chili</td></tr>
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Apart from cooking and crafting I have also had a lot of good relaxing moments with my husband, furry beasts and in the nature.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWYghqde6ElBk4DcDDkdFOdSFWuxf3YNVkr-X1zkSmEyflW8q6ZM6C02dnkaiHot9f51PrtrB7WUJ-kbm5_0CGf9Jepy6iF5n_cHvJJnvulE0JkCaeaRkhm48SzQHOE1wrFhF5Bqtj9HB/s1600/mushroompicking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWYghqde6ElBk4DcDDkdFOdSFWuxf3YNVkr-X1zkSmEyflW8q6ZM6C02dnkaiHot9f51PrtrB7WUJ-kbm5_0CGf9Jepy6iF5n_cHvJJnvulE0JkCaeaRkhm48SzQHOE1wrFhF5Bqtj9HB/s1600/mushroompicking.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mushroom picking in Poland</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jUfE0nFubgTxmrHCUSF1sxoFEVe47pdz5b3u_WdwcSxRe7ucPrGZl0HQ_PUXYyKh9cqhYbRPUILgAcq4s13YK9Goeb29cJtViCruI0NvrdBAJTzAD4ZDKK1wDcHZJOUmUsJZGIuMJp6l/s1600/eddie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jUfE0nFubgTxmrHCUSF1sxoFEVe47pdz5b3u_WdwcSxRe7ucPrGZl0HQ_PUXYyKh9cqhYbRPUILgAcq4s13YK9Goeb29cJtViCruI0NvrdBAJTzAD4ZDKK1wDcHZJOUmUsJZGIuMJp6l/s1600/eddie.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eddie in his private heaven </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7At659VhmUDaKhJ-JsrGDbeVnHg5ooGADtLX-nJyRBv39drFcuGeKqIU9eN3WZQc5P8_m1oTQpEblYrWHunt6bPIK6eBBAo0RNx_oqefMEGtAdFPtdL7hbCqrWJEhwU7Cgjg4IVnzb4U/s1600/us.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7At659VhmUDaKhJ-JsrGDbeVnHg5ooGADtLX-nJyRBv39drFcuGeKqIU9eN3WZQc5P8_m1oTQpEblYrWHunt6bPIK6eBBAo0RNx_oqefMEGtAdFPtdL7hbCqrWJEhwU7Cgjg4IVnzb4U/s1600/us.jpg" /></a></div>
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And how about you? Did you have a good, crafting year?</div>
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and meanwhile</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Happy New Year</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">2014</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Everybody</span></div>
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Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477807624800328697.post-36550857753562897552013-11-27T19:31:00.002+00:002013-11-27T19:32:27.496+00:00Celebrating craftmen and women from the UK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtN7dNhLyFv_NH9hGl9oN4K-yJRkjQUUQbSk9Esh6_t2l7HN1Ew24_B1z7RuFZUsub-jakgpqyBKUTI_e5EFzkAQV6Zy8zK2GI-e5blI86dGtSEPL2LBznQkZeNoPbhi4dEE6EjmPHxxcb/s1600/_MG_1630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtN7dNhLyFv_NH9hGl9oN4K-yJRkjQUUQbSk9Esh6_t2l7HN1Ew24_B1z7RuFZUsub-jakgpqyBKUTI_e5EFzkAQV6Zy8zK2GI-e5blI86dGtSEPL2LBznQkZeNoPbhi4dEE6EjmPHxxcb/s320/_MG_1630.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I found this beautiful <a href="http://stevekenward.com/Made-Not-Manufactured?utm_content=bufferb37c9&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer" target="_blank">collection of photos</a> celebrating craftpeople using their talent to produce "made not manufactured" items, still relevant today. The photos were taken by Steve Kenward and I am totally in love. Wouldn't it be lovely to have some of these hanging on your workshop's walls?<br />
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Anwyay, I just wanted to share it with you. Btw. did you know that a bowyer is someone who makes bows? I did not know that.<br />
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<br />Crafty Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05057916170217296019noreply@blogger.com0