Joyful Abode

I recently signed up for an swap through Craftster and was paired up with Tuesday as my partner. I was so excited! She basically told me that she loves turquoise and brown together, hates orange and red, and wanted a surprise apron!

So I set to work making a special apron just for her.

The apron’s pocket probably took the longest. I hand-embroidered it with her name and paisley to match the apron’s fabric.

The one she sent me is really gorgeous. She added all sorts of details, like folded-over pockets and decorative stitching on the waistband. And I love the fabric!

(Tuesday, I’m borrowing your pictures… I haven’t had a moment in the sunlight to take any of my own. Let me know if that’s not ok!… And I’ll upload them to my own flickr in a bit.)

She also added matching goodies… a matching pin (which will go on the lapel of my jacket) and hair pins!

Thanks so much, Tuesday! The apron you made for me is really gorgeous… the pockets are my favorite part. And I hope you love yours as much as I love mine.

This dish was a cafeteria success story when I was at Winthrop University. My friends and I looked forward to the days the pasta station served up freshly made Bowtie Ballet with eager hearts and anticipatory stomachs. In fact, we marked those days (about once every six weeks) on our calendars, complete with little pink hearts and confetti.

When I was doing my field experience in a preschool classroom, I left early (just missing lunch with the other teachers, not any time with the kids) on bowtie ballet days so that I could have lunch with my bowtie-loving friends. We always had it for dinner, too. And SOMEtimes… we’d even sneak it out of the cafeteria in concealed Glad-ware containers.

Have I established how delicious this meal is? It’s fantabulous, in case you haven’t figured it out yet.

First, cook some bacon in a pan until it’s crispy. Let it drain on some paper towels. Leave the grease in the pan.

Meanwhile, you should be cooking some bowtie pasta (farfalle) in a different pot. I didn’t have very much, so I also added some tri-color rotini (which is my staple pasta).

So… your bacon grease is still in your pan, right? Great! Now throw in some pretty small-ly chopped up onions. Sautee them until they’re translucent and soft. It also helps to cover the pan with a lid and let them steam in their own moisture for a few minutes. While they’re cooking, warm up some frozen peas in the microwave.

When the peas are finished, add them to your onions.

By now your pasta should be finished cooking. So drain it and add it to the pot. Also dump in a jar of alfredo sauce, and sprinkle salt on the whole thing. Crumble your bacon over the top, too, and you’ve got Bowtie Ballet!

At Winthrop they also added red pepper flakes, which I was not a fan of, but if that’s your thing, go for it!

It’s also really delicious if you serve it with a few chunks of soft cheese on the top. They’ll melt and make the whole thing just way too yummy for its own good.

I’ve created some recipe card sets with my illustrations just for you! Or, you know… your parents, siblings, friends, teachers, or co-workers. They’d make great stocking stuffers or additions to any kitchen or house-waming gift basket.

The illustrations came straight from my head and out of my pen. After some computer-manipulation, they became 4″x6″ recipe cards.

One thing I like about them (besides their unique cuteness) is that they don’t try to guess what sort of format you use. The recipe cards I’ve bought in the past say “Recipe:” and then have a place for you to write what it is the recipe is for… but how redundant is that? It’s already in your recipe book! Of course it’s a recipe! Then they also say, “Serves:” I never use that part. I tend to write my oven temp there. And I have no clue how you write yours!

So… Joyful Abode recipe cards don’t guess what your format is. They just give you the blank lines and darling illustrations.

(The Tummy Comforts picture was getting all weird when I re-sized it… so I had to use a smaller image. Sorry!)

Hop on over to Joyful Abode @ Etsy to pick up a few packages of recipe cards for this holiday season!

Ten points to whoever can figure out what is wrong with this double fold binding. I made them all one night, and I must’ve been sleepy and not paying attention. Needless to say, I won’t be selling this…

Little by little, I will photograph and post about our new house.

In case you missed it… We moved to Pensacola August 1, but moved again to Milton October 1st-ish. So… new house.

Ana had asked for a wide shot of how the things in the room fit together in my “Inspiration? Decorate!” post… I guess this one could qualify.

Our bedroom is bigger than it was in the old house, and I feel like the walls really need something more…

This one is “my side.” Do you remember my beautiful jewelry storage?

My few “souvenirs” (I’m not a cluttery must-have-more-stuff type person, if you haven’t noticed) from China and the Dominican Republic (along with the blue stone heart my husband gave me when we were in high school).

And the man’s dresser, work boots, and requisite plane picture.

It’s getting cooler here in the Sunshine State, and that means yummy comforting foods like beef stew. The “recipe” is quite simple… Boil some onions in beef broth (4 cups) for a long time. Meanwhile, brown the beef in a pan (cut up in tiny pieces) … or should I say That Same Darned Meat.

Throw some veggies and potatoes into the pot with the onions, and add the beef after a few minutes. Let it all cook until the potatoes are tender. I also stirred in a corn starch slurry to make it a little thicker. That was a good idea.

Serve it with cheesy garlic biscuits or honey cornbread. Delicious!

Oh, and that schmear on top of the cornbread in the photo? That’s honey butter. Mmmm….

Thank you for your vintage apron order, Erin!

Check out other aprons (new and vintage) at Joyfulabode @ Etsy.

Above the tags on the left, see that metal thing? That is my sewing machine needle, BROKEN. I felt a little proud when it snapped… I’ve never actually broken a machine needle before.

Can you tell I have been very busy? I am behind on writing Joyful Abode posts… I HAVE indeed been cooking, though writing everything up takes a while, and I don’t want to break my crafting streak. So for now I will keep teasing you with fun crafty photos.

I have a ton of photos to edit for Joyful Abode… but it may not happen for a little bit yet.

Thanks for adding me to your blogroll, domestipithecus , Simply Absurd?, The Fieds, and Lyle, Lyle Crocodile.

The Apronista calls my vintage aprons “swoon-worthy.” I think I blushed when I read that. I’m also now linked in their “More Apronistas” and “Places to Buy Aprons.” Thanks!

Barb at Woof Nanny thinks my bias tape is fun. Thanks!

What’s for Dinner is SO making my homemade baked potato chips. Enjoy them!
Barkattackka made a HIGHLY modified version of my paprikash… and she wasn’t kidding when she said it was HIGHLY modified. Hehe. Sounds good! Yum!

Crista at Make, Make, Make found Joyful Abode a little while ago, and now seems to be a die-hard fan. Welcome!

Little boxy pouch tutorial by threebears - So adorable and I LOVE the fabric she used in the tutorial photos. I have some zippers who have been waiting for their calling…

Heather’s favorite knot is now also my favorite knot. I wasn’t sure at first how it could beat my previous favorite knot, but the first time I tied Heather’s favorite knot, I knew it was love.

Some big embroidery site (not a blogger) has directions for how to do Shisha embroidery. If you don’t already know what it is, it’s that Indian mirror embroidery that’s so gorgeous. I recently used it in my Tie One On Local Pride apron… instead of mirrors though, I used paillettes (those giant sequins with one tiny hole near the edge). They also have examples of Shisha work and a tutorial for a project.

I always feel a special sort of connection with Sarah of The Small Object… based mostly on the fact that we’re from the same small town in South Carolina. Besides that though, she has an eye for the tiny and cute. If you haven’t seen her adorable little clothespin people, you’re missing out. Anyway, she recently posted this tutorial for fabric-covered floss bobbins. I may have to make a few, because right now my embroidery floss storage is decidedly un-cute.

Montessori By Hand posted a tutorial for her gorgeous “Recycled Bath Mat”. It’s so gorgeous, and it has cutesie little embroidered footprints on it. I think it would take a little convincing for me to actually step out of the shower onto it though, just because it looks so much like ART.

 Sew Mama, Sew! has been linking to tons of fantastic tutorials every day, and will continue throughout the month. Each day has a different theme, so definitely take a look.