Creating...

Unless you're family or a close friend you've been unaware that what's been keeping me busy lately is the distraction of a baby being created inside me at this very moment. Our first baby is due in December. As you can guess from the title of the blog I love to create but this by far is the best thing I've ever been a part of creating. I've been debating for a while if I was going to share the news on the blog. It just seemed too special and sacred not to keep it all to myself but at the same time not shout it to the world. I also don't want to be the cause of hurt or struggle in people. Everything in our society seems to revolve around families and children. You can't get away from the commercials, exclusive church groups, conversations, articles and blogs. You can't even tell who your friends are on Facebook anymore because all their profile pictures are of babies.

After having a conversation with my husband I decided it was something I defiantly needed to share with you all. He reminded me how much of my life I've already shared on this space and that many people have prayed for me and sent well wishes my way when I was recovering from my surgeries. As always I write on this blog because I love to share and I hope to inspire others. Maybe by me sharing my experience it will encourage someone else.

When we were first married 7 years ago, having children was the last thing on our minds. We wanted to enjoy each other and life. I watched many people around me have children at a young age and it wasn't something I wanted.  I wanted to settle into life first. There definitely came a point when everyone around us was having children and we did start to feel left out of that "exclusive" club. It wasn't until I had a series of surgeries though and was diagnosed with endometriosis that I wondered if I could even have children of my own. There's nothing worse than getting regular ultrasounds because you're in pain and they need to see if any there are more cysts growing. You lay there thinking about when people normally get ultrasounds it's a joyful experience of them getting to see a little life for the first time. I spent a lot of time worrying about my health and wanting to control it. The doctor who performed my last surgery said the best thing I could do is get pregnant and he sent me to a fertility specialist. That fertility specialist discussed putting me through temporary menopause until I was ready to get pregnant then giving me some type of  injections to speed up the fertilization process after that. I left the appointment realizing that by putting myself through the medication and injections I was just trying to control things more. I decided to read some very helpful books, I literally got off all medications and focused more on what I was eating. I was told by doctors if I didn't at least take some type of birth control pill my endometriosis and cysts would get worse. Well slowly but surely days started going by and I felt more energized and healthy.

My husband and I decided that we weren't going to worry or obsess about having children. We thought it would be much more disappointing to try only to realize nothing was working. So we just let things happen naturally no plans, special potions, calendars, medications... If a year or so went by with no kids we were going to start pursuing adoption. It's so fascinating that once all control was given up how much better I felt. Everyday was and is a walk in faith.

Finding out I was pregnant was a surprise. We actually went on a backpacking trip and I was feeling a little strange. I was also extremely hungry. Sure enough shortly after we got back on April 1st of all days I found out I was pregnant. My husband actually didn't believe me because it was April Fools Day. I didn't even know it was that day and besides what a cruel joke. I've had a very blessed pregnancy so far. No real negative symptoms at all. The only real symptoms I've experienced are being tired and very very hungry. I actually feel healthier than I have in a long time. It's amazing!

Of course I'm dealing with a roller-coaster of emotions. I still don't feel settled in life. We just moved again recently and it seems like it takes forever to establish friendships. We found a church we like but it still doesn't feel like home. I really would have loved to be settled into a career. The week I found out I was pregnant I was actually offered a job and was looking into renting a pottery studio space. All that has been put on the back burner now and it hurts sometimes. I really don't want my identity to only be mom and my name not to be mine anymore but instead be _______'s mom. I guess I'm afraid I won't be able to have a career, throw pottery or develop friendships after I have a baby. These are all irrational fears right?

So if you don't see me writing as much here on the blog you know why. I'm busy preparing for the baby. I've been painting rooms, refinishing chairs and I have tons more I want to do. The nesting has hit me hard already. Not to mention I just haven't felt motivated to write lately I'm not sure why. I would love to hear what you think about all this. Do you have any advice? Would you like to read more about this whole baby thing or do you feel like there's too much baby overload out there already? 

The first thing I started working on for the baby is a tiny rocking chair. Because it was broken I got it for free. With some wood glue and lots of time, this little chair is as good as new. I wanted it to still look old though. So I just sanded it down smooth, cleaned it up real good and applied many coats of polyurethane. Here's the progression of the chair, pictures don't do it justice.

Scrappy Pom Pom Bunting

This bunting is perfect for using up fabric and yarn scraps. I have a TON of scraps that keep piling up. The rope can be time consuming so it's perfect to work on while on a road trip or while sitting in front of the TV. There is a really clear tutorial on how to make the rope at My Poppet. 

First make a whole bunch of rope. This is such a great way to use up fabric scraps. I found that smaller strips and thinner fabric work best. I did use some canvas that I had and it was more difficult to work with. The rope can be used in so many different ways. Use it to decorate presents, cards, to hang things...

After you've got a bunch of rope made, cut enough for your bunting, making sure to tie a knot in the ends. Next make some pom poms using yarn scraps. Attach the pom poms to the rope how you like and you've got a scrappy pom pom bunting. 

I love changing out the bunting on my mantle for seasons, holidays and sometimes just because. Fireworks on 4th of July inspired this one. I thought the pom poms looked like abstract fireworks. 

2 in 1 sewing jar

If you don't remember my sweet sewing machine Raven you can read about her HERE. I've been having a great time teaching myself to sew. Practice, practice, practice seems to be the key. There have been many mistakes along the way and some things that didn't turn out exactly like I intended but it's so satisfying to sew something up. I even made my first quilt!

By the way I thought doing a quilt in long strips might be easier but I was wrong. Is it just me? My next one will be smaller pieces then I'll be able to really compare.

One thing I've learned is the importance of keeping a tidy sewing area. I guess I'm a bit messy when I'm creative. I leave things out and all over the place. It's really annoying when you're sewing though and you've got those pesky strings sticking to everything and pins rolling all over the place. I accidentally stepped on a pin once and that was no fun. My SIL gave me a great idea. Maybe this isn't new to you sewing experts but it's new to me so I figured I would share just in case it would help anyone else out. She said to keep a jar beside your sewing machine to put your strings in as you sew. I thought that was brilliant but also realized I needed another place for my pins that's when the 2 in 1 sewing jar was created.

These  types of jars are all over Pinterest. They make the cutest way to package a mini sewing kit for a gift idea. I just never thought of making one to keep my sewing area tidy. I came up with two ways to keep the pins on top. One way is to make a pin cushion using a scrap piece of fabric, foam, and the lid of the jar. The other way is to simply add magnets. 

All I did was add magnets to the bottom of the lid then the pins stick right to the top. It seems like it's much quicker for me when sewing to just place the pins right on top of the magnetic version instead of sticking them in the cushion. Although that's another huge thing I've been learning through my sewing journey is to SLOW DOWN. I tend to get overly excited about new projects and find myself rushing. 

So if your sewing space is in need of a little tidying up consider putting together one of these jars. Do you have any other ideas on keeping your sewing space tidy? I'd love to hear them. 

Wordless Wednesday

Peach Maté

Since we're in the glorious days of summer now I thought I would repost one of my favorite summer drink recipes. It's so refreshing! If you didn't see this post back in November you'll be happy I shared this again.

Gluten Free Skillet Cookie

When people find out I don't eat gluten they automatically feel bad for me and think it must be so difficult. Well it's not really and I feel so much better as a result. I want to make it clear though that I do not have celiac disease, I believe I  have an intolerance. That means that if somehow I accidentally got some cross contamination with gluten in my food I would be okay, whereas someone with celiac disease could have sever suffering.

Often when I make baked goods I want it to be quick and easy. I don't want to spend time sifting and weighing out different gluten free flours to get the perfect ratio. Thankfully there are many all purpose gluten free flours on the market that have already figured out the perfect mixture that works. It's important that when you choose an all purpose gluten free flour you look at the ingredients. One thing I always look for is if it has a leavening agent. I learned this the hard way. I didn't realize one of the flours I was using already had baking soda so I added the amount called for on top of what was already in the mix. This resulted in a very messy overflow in the oven. These all purpose gluten free flours can often be used in place of regular flour in any given recipe.

The gluten free flour I used in this recipe is Pamela's. I know that it says bread mix but I have found that it works really well as an all purpose flour.

Do you remember those giant decorated cookies they sell at the mall? I always remember wanting one when I was a kid. This recipe makes a giant cookie just like the ones at the mall except much, much better.  One thing that makes this recipe so yummy is using a combination of both chocolate and butterscotch chips.

This is one of my go to quick desserts. It can be mixed up in one bowl and then it's just smoothed out into a skillet. There's no need to grease the skillet or anything.

Everyone always loves having a piece of a giant cookie and I'm glad I can make a gluten free version so that I can enjoy it too. No one even knows it's gluten free. If you want the cookie to be extra special you can decorate it with cream cheese frosting, which I need more practice at. It's also awesome served with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Following Along

I got an e-mail a while back from a reader who asked how they can get updates in their e-mail when I blog. I thought that they could by clicking on the RSS feed button. The acorns on the top right side of this page are clickable, there used to be one for RSS, unfortunately it didn't work any more. So I've changed it to an acorn with an envelope on it. That will take you to FeedBurner where you can subscribe by e-mail. Does that make sense? Clicking the other acorns will take you to my Pinterest page and Facebook page. I usually add a link to Facebook when I blog so that's another great way to follow along.

I do realize that I haven't been blogging as consistently lately but I'm definitely still around. I love sharing with all of you. So keep following along and there are sure to be new posts in the future.

My Happy Place

It's hard to believe that yesterday was the unofficial start of Summer! I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day. I'm still embracing Spring around here, I'm not ready for summer yet. Time is flying way too fast. As the title of this post states I'm going to share with you my happy place. You might already be able to guess it but I'm happiest when in nature. Moving from a place in the middle of nowhere surrounded by forest was bound to be an adjustment. On any given day we could go for a walk on our very own property and enjoy the lush forest and babbling creek. It really was idyllic and I still can't believe I lived there. Now I live in a neighborhood with a typical yard but we were able to find a neighborhood that backs up to an open space called Green Mountain. It's a short walk down the street and then your on the trails. I've referred to this place as my mountain. It truly feels like an extension of our back yard. 

I don't know what I would do without this place to go and walk. It refreshes my soul to be among God's amazing creation. Nature is where I'm inspired, find peace and refuge. 

So far we've see the mountain go through two seasons, Winter and Spring. Both have been beautiful in their own way. The hills right now are bursting with wild flowers. 

Everyday that I take a walk I see more and more flowers in bloom. 

It can be a sensory overload. The fragrance in the air is magnificent and the sound 

of the insects and birds is a divine symphony. 

It seems like this place is always changing. I'm in awe every time I go for a walk on the mountain.

It's a place where we go to sit, dream

and run free. 

The dogs are always full of smiles when we walk together on the mountain. 

Many people enjoy this place but I still feel like it's all mine. 

Can you see the people riding horses in the picture above? 

The setting sun is magical up there. 

This is my happy place. 

Spring So Far

I have a hard time picking favorites but I sure do love Spring. A time when the days our longer and we go on a walk just about every evening after dinner outside on the patio, when the flowers are in bloom, the birds are singing and dirt is frequently under my nails. Hence the reason why I haven't spent much time blogging but I sure have missed you all.

I haven't accomplished all that I want to with my yard this year but we get a little done at a time. We've planted a few Aspen trees and some pepper and tomato plants. The most spectacular Spring I've ever experienced was at my farmhouse in PA. That yard was was like a jungle and something new was always blooming all the way until late summer. I sure miss that place but I'm thankful to experience something new. This is our first Spring at our new home in Colorado and it sure has kept us on our toes. It's always a waiting game to see what will pop up and where.

Tulips have been the main flower popping up in our yard. They've even been coming up in the rocks. I'm going to have to figure out how to separate them. Any advice? I wasn't sure if this should be done in the fall and how I would remember where they all were. We've had a few other surprise flowers make appearances too.

And we've got some lovely blooming trees, including one crab apple. 

Much to our surprise we also have an established strawberry patch. Unfortunately it's not filling out and I'm not sure if it's because the dogs keep walking over it or because it might need some more filler plants. It's so exciting to see the plants bloom!

Just when things were really starting to bloom and had almost reached peek this happened.

On Mother's Day of all days. The day they say in Colorado is finally safe to starting planting.

I felt like this Spring snow was worse than any snow we had gotten all Winter long.

I was really worried about the birds. They couldn't even get to the food if they wanted to.

I couldn't help but wonder if Spring would survive. Would we enjoy any more blooms? What about the trees? The branches were bending and breaking all over the place due to the weight.

The next post I'll share what's been happening since the snow. I'll share my favorite place that I get out in nature regularly. This place helps me stay sane living in a neighborhood and city.

Nana's Fruit Salad

I usually make this for Easter but it's a sweet finish for any occasion. My husband refers to it as ambrosia salad which I thought always had sour cream in it. This does not have sour cream and my family has always lovingly referred to it as Nana's fruit salad. It's quite simple to make and everyone loves it especially kids. This Easter I ended up with lots of leftovers I think everyone was in a food coma after the meal so they had no room for dessert. It also seems like people can be picky about coconut so if you don't like it just leave it out. What made this years batch extra fun was the adorable bunny marshmallows I found.

I love using the shaped marshmallows! 

Just make sure that the marshmallows you use are the regular vanilla flavor. 

Isn't it pretty? I've often considered using a variety of fresh fruits for this

 instead of canned but the canned makes it so quick and easy. 

 Enjoy the recipe!

Easter Celebration & Asparagus Salad

Now that we live in Colorado again we are far away from our families. We are thankful that we have friends that are like family to celebrate with on the holidays. We generally invite people over who also don't have family near by. We will use just about any excuse to share good food. What better day to share food and celebrate than on Easter. To me it's a day to remember the great sacrifice that was paid for me and the miracle resurrection that took place. My parents send the most beautiful flowers every Easter as a way to celebrate with us.

I'm not super traditional when it comes to what I fix for an Easter meal. I like to try new recipes and change things up. One thing I make sure to always have no mater the occasion is deviled eggs. THESE Smoked Salmon Deviled eggs are my favorite.

I tried making a couple new salads this year. I like to choose recipes that I can make ahead so that I'm not cooking the day of the celebration.  Did you see my tomato salad on Instagram? Not only was it tasty but it was super cute and resembled a bouquet of tulips.

I also made an Asparagus Salad that I really enjoyed. For this salad you cut the asparagus into small rounds and leave it raw, which is a unique format for this veggie.  The vinegar that's added makes for the perfect bite. Overall it was a big hit and people were definitely very surprised that it was raw asparagus.

 This simple and delicious salad can be found HERE thanks to Anne Burrell.

Another salad that I usually make that's a sweet finish to the meal is my Nana's Fruit Salad.
I'll share this recipe next time.

I hope that whether you celebrate Easter or not that you had a wonderful weekend and were able to spend some time with those you cherish! 

Crock-Pot Chai Tea

I know many of you love the Crock-Pot Hot Chocolate Recipe, I do too. It's my go to crowd pleaser. I can remember helping my mom with a holiday breakfast she was planning. She realized she didn't really have a way to fix a large amount of coffee. So we made Crock-Pot Hot Chocolate and poured in a pot of coffee in place of some of the water. It was yummy!

This Chai Tea recipe comes from the idea that if I could make Crock-Pot Hot Chocolate why couldn't I make Crock-pot Chai Tea. I love a good cup of Chai Tea but I'm kinda picky about it. I don't want it to be too spicy and I like it sweet. One chilly night some friends were coming over and I wanted to make something warm but different than the hot chocolate. I began researching homemade Chai tea and I decided to combine a couple ideas, omit a few spices and put it all in the crock-pot.

It actually worked and it was good. I served the Chai Tea in some of my great grandmothers tea cups. It's not everyday that I get to use these cups, plus it's always nice for your guests to feel like royalty every once in a while. They were tiny cups so multiple refills were required.

This Chai Tea is super simple to make. The main flavoring came from cardamom, cinnamon sticks and ginger. If you like a spicier tea you can add peppercorn. I used vanilla tea bags but realized after an hour or so that it wasn't looking like Chai Tea so I added a few black tea bags as well. Bits of the tea and spice did end up floating around so I used a small strainer to strain each cup of tea. You could just strain all the tea at once and transfer it to another container. Also this tea is awesome chilled. I had some leftover so I put it in a pitcher in the fridge. It didn't last long. Here's the detailed recipe: