Pumpkin Pie Shake

Here at my house, we love pumpkin recipes.

{I don't like pumpkin pie, though! Weird, I know!}

I've got a super wonderful pumpkin cake recipe I want to share in a few weeks. That way, you can test it before Thanksgiving and find out how wonderful it is.

I found this recipe at Dukes and Duchesses. It is a Cooking Light recipe.

Pumpkin Pie Shake

Serves 4

2 cups vanilla reduced-fat ice cream, softened

1 cup fat-free milk

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3 tablespoons frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Combine first five ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Pour 3/4 cup ice cream mixture into each of four glasses. Top each with about 2 teaspoons whipped topping; sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice, if desired.

New Email

I've made myself a new email address:

monkeyseemail (at) gmail (dot) com

If you ever want to contact me regarding projects, suggestions, or questions, feel free to email me at my new super-cute email address.

No spam. No cutesy forward thingies. Thanks.

And thanks for reading my blog. Seriously. I never thought anyone would want to read about what I have to say or what I make. It's neat that you do.

Color in Unexpected Places

I opened my little storage box on my machine (not sure what the proper name is for this box!) and I was delighted to see all my colored thread.

I Love Mason Jars

I would love to make this crayon keeper someday! Right now, we have to keep the crayons under lock and key because our walls have been used as a canvas twice now.

Felt Flower Tutorial

Want to make some felt flowers? There are lots of options to use these fun crafts! You could use them on wreaths, as package toppers, as pins, on headbands, or hair clips.

I'll show you how to make three different types of felt flowers. You'll just need some felt and your glue gun! (And some beads, if you want.)

To make the spiral flower, you’ll start with a circle with imperfect edges, like this:

Starting at one side and cutting around the circle, cut the circle into a long strip.

Place a tiny drop of hot glue in the center and start your coil here.

Continue coiling the the strip around itself. You don’t need to glue as you go.

Next, to secure the flower, place a big dot of hot glue onto another piece of felt (this will be the base of the flower and will not be seen after you’re done). Stick the flower to the glue. Go back underneath the flower and glue as needed to secure all the coils.

Place a dot of hot glue in the middle of the flower and add some beads. When the glue dries, cut around the base of the flower.

To make the round flower, cut a strip of felt about 1/2” wide by 12” long. (The longer the strip, the larger the flower’s diameter.)

Place a tiny drop of hot glue and fold the felt around the glue. Start coiling the strip around itself.

Continue coiling the felt; no need to glue as you go.

Place hot glue on a piece of felt. Stick the whole coil on it to secure. Cut around the felt when the glue is dry.

To make the loopy flower, you’ll need a 1” x 12” piece of felt.

Fold the strip in half.

‘

Make small cuts in the felt all the way down the folded strip. These cuts should stop about halfway across the width of the felt.

Begin by coiling the felt around a tiny dot of hot glue. Continue gluing along the base as necessary to secure the flower as you coil the felt around itself.

Pretty!

(Too bad my pictures aren’t so pretty! It is rainy and dark here!)

Project Fail: Toddler Slippers

I tried to make some slippers for my 2-year old.

They have a few problems.

I used this pattern. It is a good pattern, just didn't fit my little guy. Also, I was in a hurry and didn't pay attention to the markings on the pattern. This resulted in awkwardly placed velcro and an unfinished edge.

The moral of this story is that I should take my time while sewing. I am busy with my kids, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't take the time to properly mark my fabric before sewing a project.

I hate when I waste time.