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Okay...so I try and keep this a positive space with little to no complaining involved. Today I just can't help it though. Frustration is taking over. I am wanting to be creative and productive because that is a space I am happiest in. Its just that lately I feel like all I ever do is laundry (jeez, the never ending laundry!) and clean and cook and work for someone else. There seems to be no space for the work I want to do. I know that my house does not have to be so clean you can eat off the floor (...believe me, it is not!) but there are certain tasks that need to be completed. I guess I am just struggling with balancing it all.
Anyone else feel this way? How do you cope with the desire to create and actually find the time to do it?
x

My first pattern!

I think I mentioned the super awesome book I got a little while ago by Cal Patch. It is a book that teaches you how to draft your own patterns and make a wearable garment. Well, I drafted a pattern for a sundress, sewed that dress up and yay! it fits. And looks great! Excuse the wrinkles - I had been wearing this dress all day....


I made it out of a sheer cotton print and lined it with a lightweight cotton muslin. It has a simple centered back zip. I love this dress! It is going to be worn a lot. Cool and loose, perfect for all things summer.

I can't wait to make more dresses. And skirts. And pants. Now I just have to find the time!
Have a lovely weekend! x

Summertime

Ten things i love about summer:

source

The sound of the frogs behind my house at night.
Freckles.
Ripe, juicy in season fruit.
The lazy hazy feeling you get from a day spent in the sun.
Ice cream.
Swimming in the lake.
Sundresses.
The hot blue of the sky.
Icy summer cocktails.
The smell of summertime skin.

What do you love about summer?

We all scream for....

...Ice Cream! We made some delicious ice cream on the weekend. I used a recipe I found on Epicurious and made some modifications to it. We have an old hand-crank ice cream maker so it requires a bit of a time commitment to get to the finished product. I thought the Wee Beast would like cranking the machine since she likes all things mechanical. I was wrong. A couple of cranks and she was done!
The recipe was very simple - just a basic cooked custard with fruit added. I used all organic ingredients.

Strawberry Ice Cream

1/2 c. whole milk
1 1/4 c. heavy cream
1/8 t. salt

Cook this over med-low heat until it almost boils.
In a separate bowl, mix:

2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar

Slowly whisk in hot cream mixture. Pour this mixture back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 170 F (using a candy thermometer).


At this point you can either pour this custard into a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours, or you can place the bowl over another bowl full of ice water and stir until cool. (This is what I did)

While your custard is chilling, mash:

1 lb. (454g) fresh strawberries
1/4 c. sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon

This mixture should be very juicy but still lumpy.

Stir strawberries into your cooled custard and mix thoroughly.

Pour into ice cream maker and get cranking!
This part took us about an hour.

The finished ice cream was luscious and creamy with the delicate flavour of fresh strawberries. The sweetness was perfect and did not overpower the berries. It was amazing!

Chocolate is next.
What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?