Macro Monday - Snow Flakes

Captured this while on our morning hike through the snow. That's right..snow. See more of our winter wonderland in my Out My Bathroom Window post.

Out My Bathroom Window - Snow For Halloween!

Sunrise this morning

Snow for Halloween, awesome! This is our first snowfall since moving to NEPA and while the locals were not welcoming of the snow, we were beside ourselves with excitement. 

Yesterday after a few inches had fallen we bundled up the girls and headed out into the white powder. The flakes that fell where big and fluffy and poured down around us. C barely made it out the basement door before she threw herself to the ground and made her very first snow angel. Daddy quickly showed the girls how to make snowballs...and then proceeded to throw them at mommy..lol

We got the sled and set up at the top of one of our hills. The girls thought that was pretty cool especially when daddy gave them a big push. Even Sookie thought the snow was awesome. She was running, rolling and eating the snow. The neighbor girl came over and showed C how to roll snow balls for making a snowman. They decorated him and named him of course....Frosty.

I woke this morning to the most beautiful sight. It reminds me of when I used to spend a winter weekend in Lake Tahoe. Waking up and seeing the gorgeous winter wonderland landscape was always my most favorite part, and now I get to have it in my own backyard for the winter. Everyone tells me the novelty will wear off after a month, but I do not think it will. I have fresh eyes for this and am so excited for the next snow fall.

Lemon Meringue Costume {Sewing}

M had her school Halloween party yesterday. Her classmates where so adorable all dressed up, running around, playing and of course getting their sugar high on. Thanks for all the guess on my Handmade Costume Sneak Peak post, you guys were right on!

Say hello to Lemon Meringue from the Strawberry Shortcake Gang. A very fitting character for my blondie. She can be a little tart when she doesn't get her way, but add a spoonful of sugar and you can't resist her.

Originally I was going to sew her a peasant dress (more like the classic character) but when I found the Diore Twirl Dress pattern I feel in love! The only changes I made was to shorten the top skirt and add a bit of white tulle between the top and bottom skirts to add some volume. Also I misplaced my button hole foot, so after tearing apart my sewing room for an hour, I decided on faux buttons and used snaps to connect the straps to the drop bodice. And because M is so stinkin petite, I had to add darts to both sides of the drop bodice to bring it in a bit.

I embroidered a lemon on the front that I found from Big Dream Embroidery on Etsy that matched perfectly with the "juicy" fabric I did for the main parts of her dress. This costume is topped off with a Newsboy Hat that I embellished with yoyo's and buttons. I love this hat, totally want to make one for myself..lol Her hair is braided and finished with Kanzashi flowers I made the night before the party.

And for her candy bag I went to our local Spirit store and bought the bag that goes with the costume they sell in the store.

Here's the gang. Her BFF's are total classic Strawberry and Blueberry, her mama rocked those costumes. M's look is more of an avant garde compared to them and I love it. The look is definitely us :)

The Protector {Photography}

M has been home sick all week. The usual winter time stuff...barking cough, stuffy, ect. And besides me who has been by her side watching over her? Her nursemaid Sookie. Laying with her, giving her kisses when she started to cough, Sookie is always watching over her.

And when Sookie needed a quick nap, M shares her blanket with Sookie and watchs over her. What a great team. Yet more proof that it is not the breed, but the owner that makes dogs go mad.

First Booked Shoot

This weekend I had my first booked shoot. I was so nervous. What do I do? What if I do not get any good shots? What if they do not like what I do get? I do not do photo shoots. I am a landscape and architecture photographer. I mean sure, I snap shots for my boutique, but those are my girls and for me. I am a pretty easy customer to myself..lol

Lucky for me, my first shoot was with my girl friend and her family. So while I was nervous because she was still a paying customer, at least they were not strangers staring at me like "okay, now what?"

These are some of my favorites from that day. She has such a fun, beautiful family. My favorite part was just following them around and snapping away. While I like posed pictures, I think the candid captures are the best.

Ben & Mia Pants and A Pattern Giveaway! CLOSED

At the beginning of the month I told you about my new favorite dress pattern from Lily Bird Studio. If you do not remember my post Sewing Dresses For Winter, you must check it out. Anyways I saw on Lily Birds Facebook page she was looking for testers for her newest pattern, Ben & Mia Pants...yay!

How cute are these pants! I made M a pair from soft chocolate corduroy. The pattern is great. Very easy to follow, great instructional pictures and all the pieces fit together perfectly for construction. The details on this pant is adorable. Piping around the pockets and extra large belt loops with buttons, love!

The pattern is gender neutral (hence the name) and has three different styles you can choose from. This pattern will be available very soon, but until then why not enjoy one of her other many awesome patterns....for FREE!

That's right, Lily Bird Studios is giving away a FREE pattern from her Etsy Shop to one lucky winner!

How To Enter:

Mandatory Entry: Head over to Lily Bird Studios and browse her shop. Then come back here and tell me which pattern you would like to try. Please make sure if you do not have a valid email address on your blog or profile, add it to your comment so I can contact you easily. NOTE: If you skip the mandatory entry, none of your entries will count for the giveaway.


Extra Entries: (leave a separate comments for each entry)

* Follow Me on GFC (or let me know you already do) (1 Entry)

* Become A Fan of Lily Bird Studios on Facebook and let her know we sent you (2 entries)

* Follow Lily Birds Blog "So Tei-Tei" on GFC (2 entries)

* Follow Me and Lily Bird Studio on Twitter and RT this: (please leave status link in your comment) (1 entry)

 Lily Bird Studios Pattern Giveaway on A Pocket Full Of Buttons @sewfierce @LilyBirdStudio www.apocketfullofbuttons.com #sewing #childrensclothing #giveaway


Giveaway closes Nov 1st 2011 @ 11:59pm (EST) Winner will be picked Nov 2nd by Random.org and notified by email, a post will follow on my Facebook Page. Winners have 72 hours to reply to my email otherwise a new winner will be picked.


Disclaimer: I was given the above mentioned pattern to test free of charge. I received no other product or monitory compensation. All opinions are mine and mine alone and are unbiased.

Frito Pie In A Bowl {Recipe}

Frito Pie is not only absolutely delicious, but so easy to make. My high school sweet heart was from Texas and when we moved into our first apartment together he introduced me to Frito Pie. According to him, it is a big thing in Texas and was one of his childhood favorite dishes.

A couple decades, a husband and children later I was reintroduced to it via The Pioneer Woman. I have stalked her for awhile now and have made many of her recipes our weekly staples. So while browsing her recipes a few weeks back, I came across her recipe for Frito Chili Pie served smartly inside the single serving Fritos bags...perfect for a party food.

Having a flashback of making this recipe many years ago I knew my family would love it! The recipe I made years ago called for making it in a casserole and baking it. However I liked how Ree's made it a stove top recipe. So I combined the two and this is what I came up with. Enjoy!

Frito Pie In A Bowl

Ingredients:

2 lbs Ground Meat

1 yellow Onion, diced

4 cloves Garlic minced

28 oz Diced Tomatoes

4 oz Green Chilies

3 oz Tomato Paste

Sweet Paprika

Ground Cumin

Chipotle Chile Powder

Ancho Chile Powder

Garlic Salt 

Chili Powder

Siracha

Black Pepper

14 oz Black Beans, drained & rinsed

14 oz Pinto Beans, drained & rinsed

1/4 cup Yellow Corn Meal

1/2 cup Warm Water

Fritos

Shredded Cheese

Directions:

Brown meat in a large high wall skillet over med high heat

Once meat is cooked and crumbled add the onions and garlic. Cook the onions down until softened.

To the skillet add the diced tomatoes, green chilies and 3oz (half can) of tomato paste. 

Stir well to blend in with the meat/onion mixture.

 Add your seasonings. We like ours spicy with different depths of flavor. I do not have measurements for the spices. Everything is done by taste. 

Use little or as much of whatever spices you prefer, it does not have to be the ones listed in this recipe. Remember you can not take away spices, so start small and adjust.

Mix together well, cover, and let simmer on med low for 20 minutes.

While meat mixture is simmering and marrying all those delicious flavors, rinse and drain your pinto and black beans. Set aside.

Once the 20 minutes is up, in a bowl combine the corn meal and warm water. Add the rinsed beans and stir in the corn meal mixture into your spicy skillet. 

Cover and simmer again for another 20 minutes. I saw Ree's recipe called for Masa or corn meal, and I really like it much better than adding flour as a thickener.

During this last 20 minutes you can prepare your bowls by adding a small handful of Frito's to the bottom of each one. Once the timer goes off, turn your skillet off. Spoon the now chili meat mixture onto your Frito's, top with shredded cheese and wahooo it's time to chow down!

Jack O Lantern Bentos

Packed in our Easy Lunchboxes is a sami with sugar decoration, mini club crackers, tomatoes or carrots,

Jack O Lantern Clementine, and choco covered pretzels.

It was another mad dash yesterday morning to pack lunch. First, we woke up later then usual which always makes me sweat. C had her school pictures and wanted to look perfect, but it was 40 degrees out and trying to explain why she had to wear the thick tights with her dress was a chore. M also had school but instead of the usual afternoon time, they were visiting the Fire House which meant she not only had to wear her school shirt (which I couldn't find right away), but that she had morning class that day. Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Trying to get 2 girls up cleaned, feed, clothed and back packs packed to walk out the door in an hour is insane. It wouldn't nearly be as bad if they actually felt like cooperating with me, but yesterday was not that day. Everything was full on drama like it was the end of the world. I can only imagine what will it be like when they hit the tweens. I have a feeling mama's going to need a little pill to keep from going bonkers...lol

Speaking of "Bonkers", does anyone remember the candy from the 80's. It was one of my favorites...wonder whatever happened to it?

Out My Bathroom Window {2}

Clouds rolling in before the sunrise. If you look to the lower right (between the two foreground trees) you'll see the neighborhood deer. I didn't even realize they were there until after I processed the shot.

I realized today while once again shooting the sunrise out my bathroom window that I may have something here. I seem to find my self often shooting from this window. Maybe because it looks out over the forest, maybe because the sunrises so perfectly there, or because it is the only window without a screen so I can just open and shoot with no limitations.

10 minutes later the sun starts to rise..

The wind is moving the clouds quickly across the sky, a storm is coming.

I think I am going to start a new series here on APFOB called........wait for it......."Out My Bathroom Window". Genius right..lol There will not be any specific day, just when I catch something I want to share.

First wave of clouds gone, second set rolling in.

Looking at this series of pictures from today made me realize how bare my trees are compared to my original OMBW post back in Sept. I think this is going to be fun and I hope you enjoy seeing what is out my bathroom window. So, what is outside yours?

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

She Is My Joy {Photography}

What is the best part of photography for me? My family. While I love to capture the beautiful outdoors, the peaceful old barn sitting alone in an open field or the dramatic curves and arches of a building, my daughters inspire me the most.