Headbands, Headbands, Headbands

One of my friends received their headbands in the mail today! Yay! As a graphic designer it was very important for me to send them away in a nice little package.

I found some great envelopes and card stock to use at my favorite new art store while I was at home. It was all on sale which made it even better. 

Not being in college anymore I need to keep on designing in anyway possible. Right now that's with Handmade on Sunday. I couldn't just send away the headbands in just a regular envelope, I had to spiffy it up a bit ;) And since I don't have all of my wonderful friends to model for me anymore, I've been doing a lot of nature photography. I figured that this would be a good way to put them to use...For now.

One of my friends that is still in school has to come up with a project to do next semester. I am hoping that he is able to rebrand Handmade on Sunday. Now, you may ask, why on earth if you are a graphic designer, would you let somebody else do it for you? One, I have never been a real client before, I am curious to know how this feels and if the designers are as aggravating as I feel we can be at times. Two, I want to help him out of course! Three, I miss all of the resources at school like screen printing, and I really want to incorporate that aspect of design into Handmade on Sunday. I think this will be a nice little challenge for myself to try and not be a design control freak for once.

Back to the headbands...I made a few more last night. I was on a freakin' roll with them. Plus I found a neat little fabric flower tutorial I wanted to try out from Maize Hutton. After I did my rearranging and setting up my computer desk, I discovered that my little green end table under the right light look really nice and vibrant. So I decided to break a bend the rules in product photography and use it as my background instead of the boring white or black...

Cream with purple flower.

Cream with three gray mini flowers.

This is my favorite I made last night. Dark gray with green floral print fabric flower with button center.

Let me know what you think. If you want one, I'll make ya one ;)

D.I.Y. Project--The Traveling Artist's Pack

Today is Sunday. And that means some good ol' homecooking and and a nifty D.I.Y. project. On today's menu: homemade crock pot corn chowder, a d.i.y project-The Traveling Artist's Pack, and a crocheted headband.

One of the easiest things I have ever made. 

Simple as: milk, cream corn, cream of mushroom soup, frozen corn, frozen hashbrowns, bacon, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cooked all day in the crock pot. Delish. 

My D.I.Y. project for the day. It's a little Traveling Artist's Pack. It's made from an old bean bag from Dunn Brothers Coffee, some scrap fabric, yarn, and a couple of buttons. Easy place to store a small sketchbook, pencils, pens, and anything else an artist may need. 

It's pretty rough. If I had a sewing machine it would have gone a lot quicker and it would look a lot neater. But you do what you can with what you have right? 

Tell me what you think! 

My last project of the day. A new headband! I got some large chunky yarn and a massive crochet hook. Its got a nice little maroon-ish flower on the side. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. 

Well that was my Sunday. It was pretty good except for the car problems I've been having. They are never ending. I cannot wait for the day when I have a full functioning car that I won't have to worry so much about. Until then...It's just another thing my paychecks will be going towards...Hope you have a fantastic day. 

:)

Peanut Butter Freakin' Awesomeness

So I found this epic recipe website I mentioned yesterday: Smitten Kitchen. Well last night I made some of the Peanut Butter Brownies. However, I just don't think that the name properly fits. I shall call them Peanut Butter Freakin' Awesomeness. Yes, they are that good. You should make them too.

Would you like the recipe? Of course you would. How could you not after seeing that?! Try them. Do it. I swear there will be no regrets...

Peanut Butter Freakin' Awesomeness

You will need: 

For the brownies--

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon salt
For ganache--
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
And then:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle. Butter a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan, then line bottom of pan with parchment paper and butter parchment.
Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, then add peanut butter and beat until incorporated. Beat in whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Reduce mixer sped to low, then mix in flour until just combined.
Mix in chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups) then spread batter in baking pan, smoothing top. (It will be thick, almost like cookie batter.)
Bake until brownies are deep golden, puffed on top and a wooden pick inserted in center come out with some crumbs adhering, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
Make ganache: Put chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups) in a heatproof bowl.
Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan, then pour over chocolate chips and let mixture stand for one minute.
Gently whisk in butter until it is incorporated, chocolate is melted, and a smooth mixture forms.
Spread ganache on cooled brownies and let stand until set, about 15 minutes.
DEVOUR. 

A Peek Into My Life...

This one is for my friend, Becky. She was curious to know what my apartment looks like so here are a few snapshots of where I live. I have a small, little efficiency apartment. Its just me so I didn't see the point on needing something terribly big...and I get to save money. A huge plus :)

Of course, on the futon there is yarn and a half finished project. 

Its supposed to be a hat...but its turning out more like a bowl I think. Oh well. 

I don't really have space for a tree so I don't know if I'll get one.

However, I decided to decorate my window with all of my tree stuff instead.

It works...right? 

I love details...

So more often than not, I don't have a huge amount of big picture shots. 

...Unless its nature. Even then its pushing it. 

View from the kitchen...To the farther right is my bed, a closet, and a bathroom.

Its pretty much a box...But I like my box.

So its okay.

Actually, this is probably going to change this weekend. I think I'm going to get a small computer desk and do some rearranging. I'm hoping for another bookcase like the one in the corner for Christmas. I guess this photo will have to be updated when all of that happens. 

I collect bottles. The 7 UP bottle is the newest. Got it from a thrift/antique store for $1.

Although my box of them are still at home since I don't have a place for them yet.

I don't have anybody to hide them around my apartment anymore.

Sad. 

These next couple I have on Facebook...But I like them too much not to add them.

Hobby Lobby = Heaven. 

I got three of them (Rome, New York, and London) for $5 a piece. 

Score.

Another Hobby Lobby find.

$4. 

Its an antique store find. 

Grandma's Attic in Bemidi. 

I am a design nerd. Yes. 

So that is a little peek into the place where I live. Nothing special...but I thought I would satisfy Becky's curiosity, haha. Now...off to make the ganache (fancy I know) for my Peanut Butter Brownies. (I'm guessing there are a couple of my deskworkers and staff from last year wishing I still lived in Birch right about now.) Trying out a new recipe from http://smittenkitchen.com Hope its a good one! 

Hats & Scarves...Oh My!

So here's a few things I've been working on. I've recently discovered how to crochet hats so they are my newest thing. Plus they are fun to make. I've also learned how to make flowers so I've been experimenting with them and using buttons as embellishments.

My floor and futon have been covered in yarn since I've moved in since I'm always making something. I've  got at least two projects going on at once so the place doesn't stay too clean or organized for too long...Oh well.

(Ignore the ugly gray carpet...Not my choice to have it.)

Navy and gold hat at with bow on side. 

Behind it are wrist warmers that can either be worn with or without other gloves/mittens. 

Deep Purple and gold hat with poof. 

Go Vikings or Lakers! (Or whoever else is purple and gold, like my high school sports team)

Teal scarf with three button embellishments. 

Baby blue scarf with three crocheted white flowers with gray button centers. 

I've also been working on some headbands (like the one I'm wearing in the photo in my "About" section), earwarmers, and other styles of hats that are hard to photograph without a model. Hopefully soon I can find somebody willing to model my creations for me.  Hopefully I can grab a friend (*cough* Sam *cough*) while they are on Christmas break. 

I want to be able to sell my crocheted creations at some point in the near future. I like to make this stuff but really have no use for a dozen scarves, hats, and whatever else I find to make. If you would like something, let me know! 

I have gone all day thinking that today is Friday...and sadly it is not. Therefore, I need to wake my butt up early and go to work for 8 hours. But then its the weekend. And hopefully the roads are good so Michelle can come visit me and we can go see TANGLED! 

Have a good night everybody :) 

Its Not Sunday...But...

I've attempted blogs before but I got distracted, mostly with school. But since that is over with now and I am now entered in the "real world" I should have some time.

Handmade on Sunday started as an idea. I have been having Sundays in doing some baking, cooking, crocheting, and other handmade stuff. Throughout the day I would document moments through photography and at the end of the day I would post my pictures on Facebook. Then a friend told me just to start a blog. So here we are.

Now, I don't intend to just post on Sundays and of just the stuff I'm doing. I'm a creative and believe that there is much more to see out there than just what's in my apartment (which is very small mind you). So I intend to use this as an outlet for my life.

Let's encourage my friend Marlon who told me to start this to continue on with his blogs ;)