Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Craft Fair Booth Eye Candy











If you are new to the blog and want to find out about my products, check out this post.  





Photobucket




Saturday, November 27, 2010

Craft Fair Re-cap

Mission accomplished:  Craft fair completed. 
Thanks to all who came!  It was nice to hear feedback from customers and to learn how to fine tune my products for the next fair. 
If you are interested in placing an order or purchasing something you were eyeing at the fair, send me an email at jcpluss14@gmail.com.  
Check out some of my products: 

Or, click the "Products" button at the top of the page. 
If you don't see what you're looking for, let me know and I can customize. 
Also, keep an eye out for the Etsy shop to open up at the beginning of December!!!
Photos of booth are forthcoming...
Photobucket

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!!

 
 
 
 
Photobucket

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

This is what I've been doing

I've been spending many hours sewing these...

 
 
 
 
...so that the hats will look like this...

 
 
 
 
 
 
Photobucket


Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Check List

*Business cards bought
*Hats finished
*Flowers knit and embellished
*Banner made
*Notecards printed, cut and taped
*Baskets assembled
*Table decor planned out
 
 
7 steps closer to being finished...
 
 
 
Are you currently working on any projects?  What steps have you checked off? 
 
Photobucket


Monday, November 22, 2010

Notecard Preview

Here is a preview of the photo notecards.  Mr. P and I were working on them last night...
 
 
 
 
 
Photobucket

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

More Craft Fair Prep

 
Mr. P being manly

See that guy?  That's Mr. P.  And he's workin' for me!  He's crafting a beautiful stand for my hats to be displayed on for the craft fair.  Aren't I lucky?  


 
 
Photobucket

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Craft Fair Prep

Last night I was crazily working on my latest project for the craft fair. 
 
I mentioned a while back (do you remember?) that besides making fruit hats and crafting knit flowers, I had another item for sale in the works.  However, I left you in the lurch and did not specify what that item was.  Well, it's your lucky day...cause I'm going to do a big reveal.  Right now.  Ok, maybe it's not THAt big of a reveal....
 
 
 
duhn...duhn...duhn...
 
 
 
Photo notecards! 
 
 
I realized that I have a ton-o-pictures and no place to showcase them, so I've decide to make some notecards to sell.  Hence the craziness last night.  You can imagine that if I have as many pictures as I claim, that it would take a while to go through them and select cool shots.  I spent several hours on it and I'm still not through them all!  Hopefully I can finish tomorrow because I still need to get them printed, cut down to size and pasted on the notecards.  Thank goodness Mr. P is willing to help!
 
 
 
Photobucket


Monday, November 15, 2010

Time to Get Organized

Lately it has been organization central in the Pluss household.  Mr. P and I have bought many different sized and shaped plastic bins.  And dropped a few bucks in the meantime.  How sad is it that we need to buy bins to organize all the other stuff that we've bought?  Well, anyways, that's besides the point for now.  Lets get on to some organizing. 
Lets talk closets.  Specifically small, 1920s closets.  How about only two closets in THE ENTIRE HOUSE!  I mean, not even a place to hang your coats!  (Which by the way, I found THE perfect coat stand this weekend...but I digress...)  Man did we have to do some consolidating and organizing after we got married!  Here's a sneak peak at the results.  I neither took, nor am posting, any before shots of these closets because, lets get real...I do have some self-respect!   
Over the summer, I did this to Mr. P's closet.

There is a shoe rack in the corner.  The plastic bins are for his crud clothes.
I liked them better here than in the dresser.


The bins on the shelves are labeled for easy putting away and locating

Amazingly enough, Mr. P actually keeps up with this system and his closet is still organized!  This of course made me insanely jealous and I just had to have some bins of my own!  Since it was also time for me to transition my summer and winter clothes, it seemed like the perfect time to organize.  I was sick of toppling piles of clothes and these bins seem like the perfect solution. 

I need that stool to reach the way tippy-top shelves.



View to the top right.  Please excuse the darkness.  My closet has no lights.



I'm a bit anal about organizing my shirts by color.  It just looks prettier, don't you think?
Well, so far, so good.  I am still loving the bin system and am in love with the labels.  I am much better at picking up when things have a specific spot to return to.  Here's hoping that Mr. P and I can continue to maintain our closet mastery!  
What are your favorite closet organizing tricks??     

 
 

Photobucket

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

More Flowers

Here are some of the newest flower creations.  I tried out some new variations, including a pattern of my own design (the red).  I also am going to be "spiffing" up the flowers with some centerpieces, such as pearls, rhinestones, and buttons.  Which is your favorite?  I stole the pink one to wear today with my sweater since it matched perfectly. 




Photobucket

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Made This Bread

for a get-together with friends over the weekend. 
I love its super-cool shape and its crusty outside/flaky inside. 
So yummy. 
I know I've mentioned it before, but you need to check out Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day
Pain d'Epi
Photobucket

Monday, November 8, 2010

A Handmade Holiday

Is anyone interested in attempting to create a handmade holiday?  Or giving handmade items for the holidays?  I for one have loads of ideas clogging my brain and favorites tab.  If you are lacking ideas, here are a few options that can get you started. 
 
1) Check out Miranda, of Narrating Life, and her Handmade Holiday series.  Last year she handmade all of her Christmas gifts.  This year, she will be having guest posters, giveaways and ideas! 
 
She's the one I stole all the awesome baby shower ideas from! 
 
Handmade Holiday Series
 
 
 
 
2) Here's a post from Create Studio about Sew Mama Sew's Handmade Holidays series.  Theres a treat everyday in November! 
 
 
 
 
Photobucket

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Largest Cauliflower Ever

While out of town last Saturday for a hike, Mr. P and I stumbled upon a new-to-us roadside farm stand.  They had all sorts of interesting produce, including the largest cauliflower ever! 



And it only cost $2.50!  What a steal!  As you can see, I bought one.  The task then became deciding what to do with this mammoth vegetable.  Here are some options I came up with:

Option 1:
Chop up into bite-size pieces.  Throw on a jelly roll pan with some EVOO, salt and pepper.  Toss.  Roast at 450 degrees until slightly golden.  I don't remember precisely how long this took, but it was under 30 minutes. 

I promise you this will be delicious.  We had this as a side dish with our dinner and took seconds.  And then ate it with our fingers out of the dish...it was that good. 

Option 2:
Calzones
Throw cauliflower into a crockpot along with chopped up onions, peppers, sausage, Italian seasoning and canned tomatoes (or spaghetti sauce).  Feel free to mix up the veggies with whatever you have and like.  Cook on low all day, or on high from lunch time til dinner.  At dinner time, use your favorite pizza dough ( I use Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day).  Roll out two orange-sized pieces.  Cover half with toppings, adding mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.  Fold over uncovered side.  Pinch edges together.  Bake in oven on a jelly roll pan (I line it with Silpat) according to bread directions until the calzone is browned. 

Mmm...mmm...mmm....we can't get enough of this either.  I will have made this recipe three times since September!  I have experimented with a few different concoctions.  Previously I've used broccoli, this time I'm using cauliflower.  I know it sounds weird, but you barely notice it and it is an easy way to get in more veggies.  Word to the wise:  if using spaghetti sauce instead of canned tomatoes, be sure to leave the juices in the crock when filling your calzone or else it will be too runny. 

Use the leftover filling for more calzones or to top spaghetti! 

Recipe adapted from Crockpot Meals with Vanessa




Photobucket






Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Well....

Did you notice anything new???
 
 
 
Photobucket

Business Cards

Here is a sneak preview of the business cards that I designed featuring the Cont. Pluss Creat. (CPC) logo.  They'll arrive just in time for the craft fair! 


Monday, November 1, 2010

Summoning our inner Italian

It was Pasta-Making night in the Pluss household recently.  We used our Kitchen Aid Mixer and awesome pasta making attachment.  We ended up with spinach fettucine that actually tasted like pasta!  It was yummy!

Here's the story in pictures:


Make dough.  Then split into 8 pieces

Begin feeding through pasta roller

Fold in half to cover up holes

Keep feeding through the roller, gradually adjusting it so that the dough becomes narrower & narrower

Lay dough on cutting board and cut in half when sheets become too long

Finally, feed through pasta cutter!

Spread out individual pieces.  They can be cooked immediately, or dried for 1 hour and then refrigerated or frozen

Boil pasta
Drain


Serve it up in a pretty pasta bowl

Eat...or should I say "Mangia!"
Photobucket
 
Simply Yours Designs Cute Blogger Templates