Monday, September 24, 2012

Happy Apron Maker

I'm blogging so I must be trying to avoid a tedious chore. Or several tedious chores.

It's not that I don't regret not blogging more as of late...I really do. But I'm so stinking busy!!! And I've decided to share the evidence.

I mentioned during a previous post that I have become your neighborhood Happy Apron Maker. Pretty much a fluke kinda thing. Well. Let me tell ya. I am thinking about changing my name to Rebekah "Happy Apron Maker" Teague. Apparently, I'm quite the hit. Who knew?

I had several orders to fill this week. So I set up camp at my dining room table (which is preferable to the balcony...though that location might be easier on my family). And proceeded to Sew. And sew. And sew. And sew. I did make sure my family had nourishment (peanut butter counts).

I would take a picture of the scene of the crime (my dining room), but I'm pretty sure somebody would call Clean House or something on me....and I don't wish to be humiliated on national television. Not at least this week. I might change my mind. At this point I can still locate my son and my keys.

I thought I would show some pics of my creations. They are already in their new homes. I feel like a momma sending her kiddos out into the world.

Speaking of kiddos. This is my pride and joy. And it wouldn't be a day at our house without a self-photo by this guy. He's too cool for school.



These were some of the first ones I cranked out this go around. And this is my pitiful attempt to take pictures of them. Like my fashionable plastic hanger?



My tags. Created by me. Don't hold it against me.


We interrupt this shameless Apron promotion to bring you another photo by one Josiah Bevan. Of Stella. One of the farm cats. Wearing glasses. Poor Cat...though she doesn't look too offended.


Here is an Owl Apron. The little owl in the corner of the pic is one I made last year for my mom. Who by the way is in charge of the camera at this point. Which is a good thing. You can actually see the aprons.

 
Another day. Another apron. Actually it was the same day. Just a different apron. The patchwork you see is from an old scrapbag of quilting blocks. Love them!
 

Santa makes his appearance.


Pumpkins and more pumpkins!


More Christmas!


Another Fall and Another Christmas. I'm kinda repeating myself here.


One of my favorite part of making aprons is the little embellishments I add. This week I was on a fabric flower kick. All of the flowers are detachable so the aprons can be washed without messing up the flower...and the flower can be worn with other things.


I also tried my hand at some different kinds of flowers. These were so much fun. They involve satin and fire. Thankfully, I have a helper who is fond of fire (he could care less about the satin).  Isn't it purty?


So that was my week. Now I am trying to organize my sewing notions and get my next orders in line. Sigh. Which means I need to dig out my table from under the mountain of fabric/buttons/thread/old water bottles that have taken over my life.

Have a great week!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Beans Beans,The Magical Food.

This is my view for the day.


And this. I'm making aprons for several ladies who want to purchase aprons at my mom's work. I don't know how it happened, but I now have a Rep as "Extraordinary Apron Maker." Which is hysterical. I have known how to sew since I was a little girl. But it doesn't mean I'm very good at it.


In fact, this little pin cushion I have had since I was 12. I got it in San Fransisco one summer. In China Town. Don't look at it too close. I'm not sure what's on it. It certainly looks like it is almost 30 years old.


I thought instead of working on apron strings (which is my least favorite part of apron making...hence the Big Diversion of Blogging) I would tell you about one of my favorite healthy, really cheap foods.

The Bean.

I love beans. I'm sorry if you don't. Really. I am. Beans are not only economical, but they pretty much a perfect food. So healthy and wonderful.

I cook beans on Monday. I make a main dish for the family and then I sometimes fix a pot of lentils to divide up for my lunches for the week. Lentils are cheap. They cost under $2 a bag and I get at least 2 weeks out of one bag.

One of my favorite bean meals is a pot of beans, a batch of my homemade salsa, brown rice and this recipe for chimichurri sauce. Josiah has even found he loves Black Beans. Though in our house we call them "Darth Vader Beans."

Another great resource for my bean cooking I found at the library. It is going to have to be one of my future purchases, but for now I have been busily scratching down the recipes I like.

It is called Spilling The Beans  and it is genius. It even has desserts and breakfast foods!

I prefer buying dry beans and cooking them from scratch, but I am not opposed to canned beans if I need them. Sometimes it's just plain easier. The following  recipe is one I took to a church function this summer. My Dad had plenty of green onions in the garden and there was a few cans of beans on hand.

It has many names, but I have most commonly heard it referred to as "Texas Caviar." My recipe nixes the bottled salad dressings I find in so many of the recipes. I also like this particular dish because it you can use any kind of bean you might have on hand.

Aren't these onions pretty? These came from Dad's garden. I made a pretty big batch so there are quite a few onions here.


My recipe calls for Balsamic vinegar, but really. You need to just use what you have. Don't rush out and by special vinegar if you already have a bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar in your pantry. Speaking of Apple Cider Vinegar...I have a really sad story involving my bottle of raw organic Apple Cider Vinegar and a fly. RIP.

Easy Peasy! I'll give you the recipe on down, but doesn't it look festive?




I served it in my Mom's Bean Pot from Celebrating Home. Yummo!



Here is the Recipe. Go whip some up! And Eat your Beans! (please)


Large Lime or lemon, Juiced
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
½ tsp. Ground Cumin
¼ tsp. Salt (or to taste...I like the 'Taste and See' method
1  Can Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 Cup Frozen Corn Kernels, Thawed (I have also used canned corn..shhh! don't tell!)
1 Medium Tomato, Diced
6-8 Thin Green Onions, Sliced (1/2 cup)

1 clove of garlic, minced (optional, but I like a bit of bite)
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1  Avocado, Chopped ...(also optional)

Combine the lime or lemon juice, vinegar, cumin and salt in a bowl. Add in the beans, corn, green onions, garlic and cilantro. Stir to mix well. Before you serve it add in the tomato and avocado.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

What's New (with me)

Shew! Things are hopping over here in Beke's Life. Like how I capitalized the whole thing? It deserves a moment...it's that crazy! My life that is...Beke's Life.

We have officially started all of our busy homeschool year activities this week. Josiah took swim all summer, but we are adding something else to the mix this week and then in another 2 weeks something else. Some of my friends are twice as busy as we are with their homeschool. I just can't do it all. I've got to school the boy at some point...and do our church ministry stuff...and sleep.

To top it off I am now a new designer with Celebrating Home. It is a lovely little company that sells all sorts of lovely things. I will be the first to admit. I am a terrible salesperson. Just ask Avon (my first attempt at sales). Though I doubt they cared..I bought more than I sold. But times are tough and this girl needs to help put groceries on the family table. Besides I'm a fan of Celebrating Home. They have the best "Beanpots." Warning: I am going to now give you a "spiel." If you live near me and would like me to come to your house with cute stuff and fix you and your friends a yummy meal and have the opportunity to get free products...call me...message me on FB. I will come do this for you.

I am also whipping up a batch of aprons for some ladies at my mom's work. I am not the best seamstress, but I do whip up a cute apron. And there are a few other secret projects that I can't speak about as of yet...I am Industrious! At least that is what I tell myself.

So with all of this craziness it is a wonder that my weight loss journey hasn't fallen by the "weigh" side (snicker). As If! I actually have lost (drum roll, please) 45 pounds as of today!!! That is a few of my nieces...put together. I still have a long way to go, but man does this feel good. It also has caused a clothing crisis. How does one not loose 45 pounds and not have a clothing crisis? Another reason I had to find another source of income...Beke Needs Threads! Don't you love how I am talking about myself in 3rd person?

I want to write a little bit (in the very near future) about losing weight on a very limited budget. We are a nation of quick fixes. We want a magic pill and sometimes we are willing to pay whatever it takes for that pill. I understand. I used to pray that I would wake up one morning...minus 100 pounds. Food that is good for us cost more (or so we say)...We can't afford a gym membership...If we had personal Chef's like Oprah we could lose weight, too. You can't tell me nobody but me has thought any of those things. But I am hear to tell you it is possible to be broke, on a budget and lose a lot of weight...without starving and without extreme exercise. So stay tuned for future posts. I used to want to write a book "You Skinny People Shut Up" (respectfully, please). Simply ranting about how the world is filled with skinny people trying to educate the "fluffies" about how to live and lose weight...not knowing what it is like to live in this fat suit. And don't get me started on the quick fix health trends. Wow! Beke needs to go work off some angst (there I go with the 3rd person stuff again). My new book goes something like this "I Did It! So There!"

Anyhoo. Stay tuned.


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