LAST MINUTE HALLOWEEN: NO SEW KNIGHT COSTUME

 

 

So Halloween is less than a week away, you have no costume for your kiddo, and what's left on the selves at Target is sketchy. I have a solution! A no-sew Knight costume. Let's do it.

 

 

 

Materials:

1/2 yard white felt

Iron on reflector tape ( I bought a package that had three sizes)

Small scrap of felt, any color

Heat'n Bond or some other iron-on adhesive 

 

Iron

Scissors (fabric scissors work best, but any will do)

Pins

Animal of your choice silhouette

 

 

Fold the white felt in half. Using one of your child's tee shirts, measure a neck hole and cut it out on the folded side of the felt (you can eye ball this). Cut the bottom slightly longer then the tee shirt. At this point, you may want to try the piece on your child, to determine the width of the shoulder piece. Pin it up. Take it off your kiddo and cut the sides to your desired length.

Cut the reflector tape into strips and make a shield shape. Pin it down. Follow the manufacture directions and iron it down ( mine was about 2 minutes of heat). I also added thicker strips of reflector tape to the bottom on both sides.

Choose an emblem. My boy is really into bucks these days, so that's what we went with. I just Googled "deer silhouette" and found this guy. Iron on the Heat n' Bond or other adhesive paper to the piece of colored felt, following the manufactures directions. Trace your image (if you're using letters, make sure to trace them backward, so the adhesive will be on the correct side). Cut it out, place it in the middle of the reflector tape shield, and iron in on according to instructions.

BOOM. Done. No sewing required.

We added a cardboard shield curtosey of Dad,  gray henley hoodie, gray pants (these are from Target, but don't seem to be available any longer), and snow boots from last year. Fierce knight expression is up to you.

Bring it Halloween.



QUICK HOMEMADE PEACH JAM

I know that it's nearing the end of October, but I live in California. One day last week it was almost 90 degrees. But this weekend, fall weather began creeping in. And this morning, as a chilly rain came down, I put on a scarf and a pair of boots and BOOM. Fall. Which I love. I love scarfs and boots and crisp apples and bright red leaves and Thanksgiving. Really, I do. But oh, summer. In my heart I love you best and I'm always, always sad to let you go.
This peach jam is one last taste of summer. I had about eight ripe peaches rolling around in the bottom bin of my refrigerator when I came home from the grocery store, weighted down with the seasonal apples and pears. And I thought I must do something with them; I couldn't throw them out and they were just too soft, just the type of softness where you cannot bring yourself to eat them. Jam, I thought. I didn't have enough to make it worth it to do honest canning, but I had just enough to make a quick jam. Thirty minutes late, lovely peach jam, a tiny bit of summer in two mason jars.

Delicious enough to eat straight up with a spoon.




Quick Peach Jam

Adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook
via Tracy Benjamin of Shutterbean

eight large, ripe peaches
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
pinch sea salt

Cut the peaches into chunks, discard the pits and remove the skins. (You can leave the skin on for a more textured jam or if you're lazy, like me.)
In a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, combine the peaches, lemon juice, vanilla, and sugar and stir. Once the mixture is warmed through and the juices start to release, add the salt and turn the heat up to medium-high. Continue to cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the fruit breaks down and resembles a puree, about 15 minutes. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar, if necessary. When the jam reads 190F to 200F on a candy thermometer, remove the jam from the heat and transfer to a bowl to stop the cooking process. Stir to release the steam and allow it to cool completely. Transfer to jars. Can be kept refrigerated for up to two weeks.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

Hi there. Thanks for stopping by! A first blog post is so awkward. I mean, really, what am I suppose to say? This blog is going to be about food and crafts and home and probably kids and whatever.

Wow, I'm off to a great start.

Anyway. Let's do a list! I love lists! So in no particular order, These Are a Few Of My Favorite Things:

1. I like my husband. I lucked out in that department.

2. My children are also lovely. Except when they are throwing tantrums in Target or refusing to eat a home cooked meal that I lovingly made for them.

3. Food. I love it. I love cooking it and eating it and reading about it. I'm one of those odd people that read cookbooks for fun. I love food blogs. Here are two of my favorites, I want to be friends with these ladies, for reals: http://www.shutterbean.com/ and http://joythebaker.com/ .

4. Last December, we bought our first house. I love it. I love making it a home. Too bad Pinterest makes me feel like a failure in this department.

5. Speaking of, I'm sort of obsessed with Pinterest. I love it. Even though it makes me feel like an inadequate homeowner, cook, and mother. I can't stop. I won't stop.

6. I have the best group of girlfriends ever. EVER.

7. I love books. I wish someone would pay me to read all day. Dream job, yo.

8. I like my Etsy shop, it makes me happy. You can look at, if you like: www.etsy.com/shop/myjunenov

9. I like projects and lists. They make me feel as if I'm accomplishing things. I'm sort of an A type. And by sort of, I mean completely.

10. Sarcasm. I love it. I use it. A lot.