My Favorite Blogs - Food

As I have been playing with Feedly and Bloglovin, and trying to keep up with blogs I follow on a daily basis, it dawned on me that there are certain blogs that have become my favorites.  Well, more than favorites. It's more like I have withdrawal symptoms if I stay away from them too long.  These are the blogs that I anxiously await the next post and value the information shared.  In the next few weeks I will be sharing the blogs I love, by category.  First up - FOOD!

There are other blogs pertaining to food that I follow, and I am sure there are other valuable blogs to follow as well, but there are two that never leave me disappointed: Pinch of Yum and The Café Sucré Farine.  

Pinch of Yum was discovered through a pin one of my daughters-in-law made on Pinterest: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Caramelized Onions, Bacon, and Apple.  Oh my goodness!!  Then there were the Baked Gingerbread Mini Donuts.  The recipes have never disappointed me and range from healthy to decadent, common to unique, and are always doable.  Lindsay and Bjork not only share food, but how they have made income from their blog as well.  They recently returned from spending a year volunteering at an orphanage in the Philippines.  Believe it or not, Lindsay was still able to cook and bake, sharing food and life on the blog.

Chris' Pumpkin Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing was the first item made from The Café Sucré Farine (sans walnuts).  Do you sense a theme? Fall....baking....they get me every time!  Chris is definitely a culinary expert, although I am sure she would humbly refute my use of the term expert.  Her offerings range from simple, basic go-to recipes to more demanding gourmet dishes.  But she makes everything attainable!  You also get glimpses of her life and darling grandchildren.  There are probably more of her recipes on my "I Must Make THIS" list than any other blog I follow.  Like Lindsay, Chris' husband is part of the success; he does the photography.

Take a stroll through both of these blogs.  I'm sure your mouth will be watering and your "I Must Make THIS" list will expand!

Stay tuned for more 'My Favorite Blogs' - next up Sewing.

Cathy

And my blog-reader of choice is....

In the past month I have been viewing the blogs I follow on both Feedly and Bloglovin to make an informed decision as to the replacement I will choose for Google Reader.  To be honest, I had found Feedly during the winter and had started using it, but so many blogs were promoting Bloglovin, I had to try it out.

Well, the verdict in is, at least for me.  Feedly!  While I really liked the appearance of the feeds on Bloglovin, it was the organization in Feedly which won me over.  I really think it is a personal preference, so try them out for yourself and make your own decision.

I am still using Blogger for composing and hosting this blog, so I have to figure out how to link the blogs I follow.  The list has grown and the entire list in only in my Feedly!

If you have difficulty following me on either site, please let me know.

Cathy

Short-lived Hiatus

My self-imposed hiatus is probably over.  I have decided that for now I will continue to post a mix of things I love to do as I have time to post!  With a full time job and other commitments and interests, this is what works at this period in my life.

Here are the in-progress photos of my most recent baking session.  Totally forgot to grab a quick finished photo.  Thanks to Food Network for this fabulous recipe: Blueberry Buttermilk Bundt Cake.  Because it was traveling to church to be eaten, I did not make the macerated berries; I just made the glaze.  It was gone in a flash!!

Enjoy the day!

Cathy

My June Quick-sew

My great niece had a birthday in June - her sixth!  She developed her own sense of style by age four, so it can be challenging to create for her.  Her favorite thing to wear is dresses and she loves a lot of bright, vivid color.  She does not like things scratchy against her skin.  Enter this version of the pillowcase dress from The Purl Bee. There are no raw seams; not even a surged seam.  Here is the result in a wonderful seersucker fabric purchased at JoAnn's, on sale of course!  I used only 3/4 of a yard of fabric and about 2 1/2 yards (or less) of ribbon.

The dress is a bit long right now, but a quick hand stitched hem that can be removed as she grows will fix it.

Now to find more time to sew!

Cathy

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Free printable available here.

Hiatus

I am taking a hiatus from the blog as I decide the direction it will take. Also, I am playing around with Bloglovin and Feedly with the shutting down of Google Reader.  Check back in late July! Follow my blog with Bloglovin

We Interrupt This Program...

In my last post I was enamored by my Tuscany socks.  There was no stopping me...don't change the channel on me...I was going to finish them quickly.  Then this happened.

Leftover fabric and a friend's stash of trims became a 'pillowcase dress'.  (Please forgive the flat-on-the-table shot.)

We are the home church for a missionary who is part of TEAMS for Medical Missions in Jamaica.  She came home from one of her regular trips last year and asked if we would consider making 'pillowcase dresses' for them to take along and give to the girls they see.  Our Stitchin' Sisters group has taken up the task.  Members of our church have been sewing at home and we held a special Saturday event where people could learn how to make them.  For this group, each person started with an actual pillow case and turned it into a dress.

It has been fun to see the same basic pattern recreated by a number of different people into a variety of cute dresses which will serve a need in Jamaica.  Some are using fabric in their stash, others are using pillowcases which are still in good condition.  They have added ruffles, used appliques, add contrasting fabric for the bottom, and trimmed with everything from rick-rack to lace.  Our bin has been filling quickly in time for the next trip to Jamaica in May.

There are plenty of YouTube videos and written tutorials on the internet which you can use if you need guidance.  My one warning would be to make sure the armhole is not too small.

As for my socks, they have been patiently waiting for me to return.  Soon - I hope!