Little Fae vest

I am so excited to go to Faerieworlds this weekend with my nomadic bus dwelling friends. In preparation I have been toiling away on a new scrappy applique  (scrapplique!!) short vest.

This was so fun to make, that I will definitely want to work on this pattern and technique combo more in the future.

Manchu inspired quiver

Here's some in progress pictures of the leather quiver I'm working on. I got I interested in Manchu style horseback quivers after watching War of the Arrows. And thought something similar might work well for a convertible quiver that I could wear on my belt or on my back, since other back quivers were too tall for me to comfortably pull the arrow from. I am short.
I started working on it this fall, but had to set it aside while my sprained wrist healed. I just got back to it, beginning the sewing, last week.

Viking project

I've spent every free minute of the last 2 weeks hand stitching a new viking linen/cotton under dress for myself, and pants and tunic for my 9 yr old son.
I'm not crazy. I machine sewed the seams to construct the garments. So that part took very little time. But I flat felled all the seams by hand, and have been embroidering the dress.
Our first SCA event is on Saturday, and the end is in sight, but there's still plenty to do.
I'm currently stitching some trim at the hem of E's tunic.

Work apron

As a Montessori toddler guide I find it useful to wear an apron at work. The one I made 2 years ago has worn holes in the pockets, & I've come up with several modifications I wanted to try out.
So the other night I finally dug through my fabric stash, and just did it.
I designed this apron with a cell phone pocket on the side, so I don't have to sit on it in my back pocket, or end up with kids sitting on it in the front pocket on days my outfit doesn't have adequate pockets.
I made the tie wrap around and snap on the other side to avoid the bulge a bow or slip knot makes in back under a sweatshirt.
The large front pocket is divided into 3 pockets.
I lined it with another print cotton for extra sturdiness.

gaps diet/paleo friendly buckeye balls

Hey all
Resurrecting this blog, which has never been about food, because i'm so excited to share my recipe for healthy buckeyes.

These were always a favorite treat my mom would make around the holidays. This year I was missing them, and wanted to make them as gifts. I looked around and found a few paleo/gaps recipes, but they all called for coconut oil, and I wanted to use butter, cuz butter!
This recipe makes aprox. 60 balls, which is great for gift giving, but you could always halve it for personal use.
So, without further ado

Ingredients:
1 16 Oz jar peanut butter (could sub other nut or non-nut butters)
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1 cup almond flour
2 Tbs coconut flour

Several bars of dark chocolate  (I prefer at least 85% cacao, and lowest sugar I can find) or 1-2 bags chocolate chips, melted

Combine the dough ingredients in a bowl with a mixer, you can add more flour if it doesn't seem thick enough. Then put the bowl in the freezer for an hour or so.
Once cold enough to work, make balls and place them on a cookie sheet on parchment paper. You can try a small melon baller, but seeing as I don't own one I scooped with a spoon and shaped with my hands. As it thawed it became more difficult to work with, so I found it necessary to put everything back in the freezer for 20 min or so, before finishing the task. And then you'll want to put your tray of balls in the freezer for another hour.

Once the balls are solid, you can roll them to smooth out any lumps. Then melt your chocolate, and dip each ball using a toothpick. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate or it will get dry and fudgey. I found the bars I used were too runny, and the chips too thick. Next time I want to experiment and use a little of each.

 Once finished you can smooth away the hole left by the toothpick, and put them back in the freezer.
 These will keep best in the refrigerator until ready to serve or give away.

Halloween '14

phew. made it just under the wire this year. finishing ears and tails today.

 pin the tail on the fox

 a fox and kitsune (fox spirit)

 i made this kimono 16 years ago for college credit

elven archer renn faire costumes

 here's what we put together for our elven archer outfits for the fairy weekend of the renn faire we went to with my Mom in WA.

 Eamon and I made this wool ranger's cowl together at a the Trackers cloak making workshop last winter.

 These inspire me to want to play with scraps of leather and my bottle collection.

 Mostly kiddo just enjoyed making big bubbles all afternoon next to the Punch and Judy tent.

(you may notice a lack of archery gear for the elven archers...we left it in the car, it was too hot, and you know daddy would've gotten stuck w/ more of the kid's stuff to carry)

The pattern for my jerkin/vest was based on the bodice of a shirt dress pattern i made based on a Victorian jacket i made, and apparently never got proper pictures of (and now it's too big for me)

Tuckered out.