Born to Be... Great?

You know, it's weird. I never really was a big fan of kids. Animals were more my thing. But yet, here I am, a stay at home mom that home-schools. I think maybe I was always destined to be a teacher (I taught at a daycare for 4 years after The Diva was born, then did in-home for a year, then went to school for teaching before dropping out because I hated it), but I have felt restricted by state standards, parental expectations, etc. 

However, I am here to tell you right here and right now that I am done with people-pleasing and worrying about if my kids are learning what they should or should not be learning at a certain age/stage. My kiddos are happy and healthy and intelligent. Why should I care if somebody thinks something should be done differently? I mean, if I continue to do what's expected ONLY, then the kids and I won't have fun. I won't be able to really experiment and find new fun things to do.

I mean, look at all of those amazing things on Pinterest! I bet that moms/teachers didn't get to do all of those things by following the books. Right? Maybe I'm over thinking all of this, but it's been bugging me for years now. Seriously, where is the fun in living if you have to follow every body else's rules?!

So... Rant over. Look forward to seeing my fun activities that the kids and I will be doing since I feel like I am finally breaking free of my internal chains that have been holding me back from greatness. I'm a creative person by nature, and I really cannot wait to put it to good use and see where it leads me.

The Busy, Busy Bee

I know, I know. I haven’t written on here in forever. I’ve began a lot of entries, but deleted them or left them unfinished. I completed one or two, but never posted it for some reason or another. I’ve really been so busy being a mom to two, or a wife, or a daughter, or a business-owner, or just been busy in general.

When I was a kid, I never imagined my life the way it is now. Do I regret the way it’s turned out? Definitely not! I never thought I’d be living with my husband and our kiddos in his parent’s house. In fact, when I was younger, I didn’t even want kids of my own - let alone to be “tied down” to anybody forever. But life has a funny way of working out in unexpected ways. Well, unexpected for us really, not necessarily unexpected to God.

Since the last time I wrote, a lot has happened. Like I said, we moved in with my in-laws. I thought it was going to be the end of the world and that I would hate it, but I actually quite enjoy it. My MIL and I have become great friends over the last couple of months. My FIL works all day everyday, so I rarely see him, which is okay with me because he’s kind of intimidating.

Mommy’s Sew Clever is officially a registered business! It’s great because I feel professional - with my own business cards and everything. It sucks because now I have to try to keep records and track all of my expenses/income (except there seems to be more expense than income this month).

My little man is 9 months old now! Can you believe it??!! Me neither! He’s the smiley-est kid I’ve even seen in my entire life. He’s so well behaved and rarely cries - only when he’s hungry or really mad. He is crawling all over the place, pulling himself up, and walking around tables while holding on with just one hand. He really wants to just let go and walk, but he isn’t there yet. Thank goodness! I honestly don’t think I’m ready for my baby to start walking yet.

On top of all of that, I am now a home-school mom. Yup, that’s right, I’m officially a crunchy momma. And, I love every bit of it! The Diva is six and is a great learner. She picks stuff up so easily and quickly that it’s almost too easy. She hates writing, but since I’m making it fun (writing letters back and forth to her cousin and her great-grandma, writing stuff in chalk at the park, leaving notes for daddy in his lunchbox, etc.), she doesn't even realize she’s learning! Great, right?

This week we started working on sign language. She has already mastered letters A-F, and basic words such as Mommy, Milk, Cat, Daddy, and Eat. She seems to be doing really good, but she’s likely to hate me in a week or so when we start doing spelling words. I’ll show off my lesson plans whenever I get it officially done, but she’ll be expected to do the following for each vocabulary word:

1) Orally spell each word correctly

2) Correctly write each word - including capitalization where needed

3) Use each word correctly in a sentence

4) Spell each word by signing each letter

5) Sign each word itself

6) Type each word correctly

Yeah, it’s a lot, huh? It’s actually easier than it sounds. I mean, I won’t be doing any hard words, and they’ll all be short words during the first few weeks. I can’t wait to upload a few of my lessons to show off to the world!

Other than that, there isn't anything else new that’s occurring. This, I must admit, I am very thankful for. Thanks, as always, for reading my blog. Please look forward to there actually being regular updates!

Yummy Parmesan Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Hi! Long time, no write. Sorry. Been busy, blah blah blah. Excuses, excuses. Apparently, I had forgotten how busy a baby can keep you. Holy cow! So much has happened, but I'll skip the boring part and get to the goods...

Who doesn't love chicken? Besides, ya know, vegetarians and crazy people. I could seriously eat chicken every single day and never tire of it. Ever! And, to make chicken breasts even better, stuff them! Here's a simple, quick recipe:
Ingredients:
 -Chicken breasts
 -1 tsp Cayenne pepper, Chili pepper, Pepper, Italian Seasoning, & Garlic Powder (Good amount for 4 breasts)
 -1 Tbsp Oregano, Garlic Salt, & Basil (Good amount for 4 breasts)
 -1 Tbsp per breast of Parmesan Cheese
 -1 Tbsp per breast of softened Cream Cheese
 -2 Tbsp per breast of Spaghetti Sauce
 -Shredded Cheddar Cheese

You'll need aluminum foil for cooking.

Go ahead and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the seasonings, cream cheese, and the spaghetti sauce.

Next, butterfly cut your chicken breast (cut almost all the way in half).

Then, spread the sauce/seasoning mixture across the top. Sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.

Throw some shredded cheese on top of it all - we like cheese a lot, so I put quite a bit on there.

Then, fold it back together as best as you can. Place your chicken in the foil and inside of a pan. Wrap the foil around your chicken breasts. Cook for twenty minutes, then another ten minutes with the foil open.

Like I said, we like cheese. So, after the thirty minutes were up, I added some more cheese and chopped onion to the tops and cooked for another 5 minutes. Completely optional. I put ours on top of some Alfredo noodles, and it was the BOMB DIGGITY!!!!! So yummy!

Fixed On You Trilogy

Click here to purchase. Kindle edition is currently $0.99 for all 3!!!!

I'm honestly not sure that I can even come up with a review good enough to do this trilogy justice. I was hooked from the first couple chapters. Not to mention the cover. He looks so yummy! This book is, obviously, erotica/romance, which I love now thanks to 50 Shades of Grey. Thankfully, this one is not kinky or dom/sub.

The official summaries can be found here.

I have recommended this book to so many people I can't even keep track anymore. Even though it's been almost a month since I read it, my heart still beats faster and harder and my palms get sweaty when I think or talk about it. Laurelin Paige is definitely the best author I have come across. Ever!!!!!! Hands down.

While reading the third book - chapter 18 to be exact - my stomach overturned, my heart stopped, and I cried. (Don't worry, nobody dies.) I had to reread the pages several times to make sure I read it right and then had to put down the book... er, phone... and walk away for a while. I'm not the only one to do this. My best friend called me and was upset because of it. Like, crying and pissed off, kind of upset.

We went to our local used book store and were talking about the character so animatedly that you would think they were real people. No joke. Yeah... We're kinda nerdy like that. But that's why we are friends.

So, if you are a book lover, please read this book. And then message or comment and tell me your thoughts on it. Or, we can just discuss the book like we personally know the characters. I'm cool with either.

P.S. - I'm buying the SIGNED COPIES of the trilogy and pre-ordering the book from Hudson's point of view - also signed, of course - for me and my nerd friend. That way, I have a copy I can hold and put on the shelf of my future awesome library. =]

This Is What Happens When You Trespass

I've been super busy with orders lately - like, at-least-one-order-put-in-every-single-day-for-three-weeks-straight kind of busy. I know, I know. It's not a whole lot. BUT, when I have set hours I work, I don't do weekends, I have a baby and a husband and a dog that seem to constantly fight for my attention during my 'work hours', and I have to include in my shopping time. For business purposes only, of course. And, everything that I experiment on. He-he.

Yeah, as I'm typing this my phone goes "Cha-Ching!" This awesome sound lets me know when I get a new order in. Perfect timing, person wanting to buy 5 Handmade, All Natural Oatmeal Bath Melts. Hey! I love those things.

Anyway... My poor me point is that I've been busy and am up to my neck in doing things for other people and haven't had any me-moments in a while. So, I went out in the pasture behind our house to go exploring. Stupid me, I forgot my camera and run - uphill, I might add - back to the house to get it. Yay me for being so out of shape my husband thought I was dying. 

I'm glad I did, because I jumped - if you can even call it that - over a fence to some property that definitely is not ours and found the frame of an old Chevrolet - along with some other things. Station Wagon, I would assume. I'm not old enough to really remember those death-traps. (That one was for you, mom. The person who loved laying down in the very back and never thought about what would happen if your dad wrecked.) So, I got some pretty cool shots. Wanna see? Yeah... I kinda thought so. =]

Ahh... Photography is so much fun! I can't wait to go back and take some more photos of the other things around there. Besides, it's not exactly trespassing, because I just happened to be related to the owners of the property and I don't think they will turn me in - right, Grandma? *Fingers crossed*

I'm going to post a new book review later this week, just because the trilogy I just read is freaking amazing. So... Look forward to that, nerds.

Benefits of Sun Drying Cloth Diapers

I love cloth diapering. We don’t do it 24/7, but I try to do it as much as possible. Disposables are used pretty much only overnight sometimes and whenever we go on outings. Mainly just because I’d rather throw a diaper away than have an oozing, stinking mess in a wetbag in my diaper bag or in my car, where it can easily be forgotten. Which, just my luck, happened very recently.

It all started on a beautiful sunny Thursday. The husband, Little Man, and I decided to go to take somethings to grandma’s house while The Diva was at school. I didn’t bother to change Little Man into a disposable diaper because, hey, his poop times are early morning and late afternoon. Plus, we were only going to be gone for around half an hour. No harm done. Except the little stinker decided to have a major blow out while we were there. So, I exchanged his dirty cloth diaper for a spare disposable one (because I’m a mom and keep spares in my purse for moments exactly like this one), and put his dirty diaper and clothes in a bag and sat them in the back seat. Right under his seat area so I would remember to grab it when we got home. Except my husband grabbed him out for me while I checked the mail and the bag of poopy items was forgotten. That is, until Sunday when I was getting groceries out of my car and came upon the bag.

So, four days in the hot car later, the diaper was pretty crusty and dry and just plain disgusting. “The insert is ruined now. You’re never going to be able to get that out,” My husband challenged me. Hahahahaha! Guess who proved him wrong? Yeah, ME. As usual. That’s just what he gets for doubting my housewife abilities.

Monday morning I put my baby-safe detergent in with a load of diaper covers, inserts, and wipes, sprinkled in some Borax and some Washing Soda, filled with cold water, and let soak for an hour. Then, after washing and rinsing, I hung them on the line. Yeah, that’s right! I went old-school on these fools. [Seriously, though, my mother thinks I’m insane because I prefer to line dry. Whatever.] 3 lovely hours spent cleaning floors later, I went and grabbed the diapers off, checking the disaster one first. And guess what? This is how it looks:

Not bad, eh? Especially since the whole diaper insert was that yellow color. The only reason there’s any yellow left is because that’s where the clothespin was. Beautiful, right? Just like new. So, there’s a visual benefit of sun-drying, but here’s a list of five:

1.) The sun actually disinfects clothes as it dries them. I'm a germ freak, so this is benefit amazing to me.
2.) The sun is a natural bleach. Bye, bye, harsh chemicals and vapors!
3.) It's free and low-energy. And it's free. Free!!!
4.) Your diapers will last even longer, so that's less chance of having to purchase more for the next kiddo.
5.) The sun is amazing at removing the stinky scent of poop and pee, and leaving a fresh scent of outdoor air. I just love that smell - yeah, I'm a nerd. I'm aware.

See? Save money and use the sun's natural goodness! Even in the winter when it's negative ten with three foot of snow I still sun my diapers. I just do it in the windowsill on a hanger. Takes all day instead of just a few hours, but my diapers always look amazing!

Things They Don't Tell You About Being A Mom

I was looking at my life tonight and had a revelation: being mom is the most amazingly sucky job ever. I love being a mommy so much, but there's so much they don't tell you. Remember those textbooks you read in high school health class? The ones that talked about how beautiful becoming a parent was? They lied.

10 things they don't tell you about being a mom:
-You will never be able to laugh, sneeze, fart, bend over, kneel, or cough without peeing a little bit.
-Your fingers will become chew toys.
-Your boobs will look exactly like your grandmas.
-Your child will not wait until their teens to start arguing and having a bad attitude.
-You won't remember how to hold a normal conversation - you'll use words like "potty" and talk to everybody like they are idiots.
-You will have to dress somebody and one day they will start telling you what to wear - even if it doesn't match, you will wear it to make them happy.
-You can no longer be afraid of puke down your shirt, poop on your hands, and pee running down your leg - none of which is yours.
-You will share shower/bath time with somebody and it won't be sexy at all.
-You will no longer spend money on yourself. Not because somebody is forcing you, but because you would rather spend it on the little people in your home instead.

Realistically, this list could go on and on. But, at the end of the day, you realize you love being a mom... Usually after the kids have gone to bed and you are soaking in your bath tub - along with the mermaid Barbie and twenty rubber duckies.

Inside the Studio: Fabric Storage

I have had a few people ask me about how I store things in my studio room to make my life easier. So, I'm going to do a mini series on it, including what I paid and how I saved money.

Today, we are going to look at my fabric storage area:

Look at that beauty! I scored this bookshelf from Craigslist for only $20! You can hardly beat that deal. It keeps all of my fabric nice and pretty, easy to see, but also keeps the dust off. So many amazing things all in one. I have my cotton solids, cotton prints, and my fusible fabric on the top; flannels and fleece on the second shelf; knits, special occasion, and home decor on the third shelf; and PUL, felt, and miscellaneous fabric on the bottom shelf.

I must admit, having all of my fabric in view like that shows me how much I have really accumulated over the last year or so. Well, technically this isn't all of my fabric, but it is about 90% of it. I have some upstairs still - much to my husband's dismay.

There's a look at the top of my pretty bookshelf. I paid $1 for each of the clear containers, from Dollar Tree. Sometimes I have seen the clear shoe boxes at Mernards or Walmart for 11/$10. I spray painted the outside of mine to give them more color and wrote in dry erase marker on the outside of them. I love the ease of the boxes and being able to get them down. I really need to buy more to put the rest of my holiday prints in.

I try to keep it all really simple, so that it's easy for me. I'm afraid to get too fancy with it or else I'll get confused and have to go through a hundred things to get one thing. No way - I'm too lazy for that crap. And that is why I have my fabric set up the way it is. How do you organize your fabric? Does it work well for you or do you hate it? I had mine in drawers for a long time and hated it with a passion. It was so difficult to find anything. Glad to be done with that! NEVER. AGIAN.

Valentine's Day Fun

Not sure what everybody else did for Valentine's Day, but I went to The Diva's ice cream sundae party at her school. It was nothing special, but I had a good time - they even trusted me enough to pour drinks for all 16 of the kiddos. I only spilled a few drops, so I thought that was impressive. At least, for me.

We made The Diva's box for her cards as a family Thursday night, and dang it turned out good!

She was so proud of it. The other kids were pretty impressed, too.

Here's her playing the game. Goodness she is so adorable. And, yes, that IS her tongue sticking out as she concentrates on throwing the heart. 

Thief Thursday, No Bake Peanut Butter/Chocolate Bars

That is actually quite a mouthful to say. Oh well-it's too delicious to really care. I was in the mood for something chocolate this afternoon, but since my husband is all healthy and what not, we don't have anything already made. So, thanks to Pinterest, I was able to find a quick recipe to make. Here's the link to the original poster.

What's Needed:

-1 cup Graham cracker crumbs

-1 cup peanut butter

-1/2 cup butter

-1 cup powdered sugar

-1 cup milk chocolate chips

--Microwave save bowl

--Spoon or fork

--Glass dish to set them up in

I had to make my own powdered sugar and cracker crumbs. I used the same amount of sugar and blended it for 1 minute to make it into a powder. I made the crumbs in the blender using one package of Graham crackers.

Next, melt your butter and peanut butter together in your bowl (I did 1:11 in our microwave). Stir. Take a taste test, just to make sure it's not poisonous.

If it's not, then continue.

Add in the rest of your dry ingredients (not chocolate chips) and stir some more. Take another test bite, to make sure it isn't terrible.

Still good? Good! Now, press it into the bottom of your pan, melt your chocolate, and pour it on top. I did mine pie style, but that's just for convenience of eating one handed while I hold or feed baby.

Here's my piece:

Oh how I love chocolate and peanut butter combined. So heavenly tasting.

Do you have a favorite recipe? Share it on here and I may just try it and blog about it. I love trying new things!

DIY Baby Bib

Baby bibs are so cute and handy. Know what else? They are also super easy to make. Like, super DUPER, done in only ten minutes easy. Ready? Me too!

Materials Needed:
-Bib for tracing, or a bib pattern (here's mine)
-Pencil for tracing if you use your own bib
-Pins
-Scissors
-Absorbent fabric for top layer (I used a cotton print)
-Fabric for bottom layer (I used baby terry loop for extra absorbency... Babies drool a lot)
-Sewing machine or needle
-Thread

Pin with right sides of fabric together, trace in pencil or wipe away marker (I used a washable just to show you where the lines were). I was going to make a round bib, but changed my mind and made a tear drop one instead, in case you were wondering about the double lines.

Trim around the fabric a little, to make it easier to get in your machine. 

Don't you love my nails? The Diva did them the other night! My other hand has yellow and orange!

Sew on your line using a straight stitch (mine was set on a 2½). Make sure to NOT sew the part between the lines - see below.

You need to leave this area unsewn for now, so that you can turn the bib inside out in a few minutes.

Trim around the edges, leaving about ⅛-¼inch of extra fabric. Press. Turn inside out. Press again.

Make sure to tuck in the "flaps" and then do a top stitch all the around, coming in at ⅛inch from the edges.

Add your buttons (or Velcro if you prefer) and you're done! Sew way, right? (Ah, I'm feeling punny today. My poor husband hates puns and I've come up with ten already this morning. Poor guy.)

Any questions? Ask em!

This Book...!!

First off, let me just state that I am a huge nerd. I have a passion for reading so great that it almost outshines my love for crafting. I mean, if you want to transport yourself to a different place, lose hours of time in what feels like minutes, and make up the appearances of fictional people, I suggest picking up a book (just don't watch the movie 97% of the time).

Now, I enjoy reading big girl books, such as "50 Shades of Gray," romance trilogies by Nora Roberts, and just about anything with Nicholas Sparks's name on it. However, I love reading the teen/young adult books even more. It's not the same story with different names over and over again, which is nice. Recently, I finished the Shatter Me series/trilogy by Tahereh Mafi. A M A Z I N G!!!!

I am not one to often tell other people that they have to read a certain book, but if you enjoy books like "Divergent," "Uglies," "The Host," and "Hunger Games," then this book is for you. It's a story about a girl who can't touch anybody without pretty much killing them. She has never been able to be loved because she's a monster and nobody wants to be around her. Except now the leader of The Revolution wants to use her as his own personal torturing device/killing machine against the rebels. Can you imagine?!

I accidentally found this book through Amazon suggestions (Yeah, they pretty much got their shit together there) and I am so glad I did! I started reading the first book about a month before the last book was released, so I got really lucky with very little lag time. How often does that happen, right? It took me less than two days to read the first two books and the two in-between books. I already knew who I wanted the main character, Juliette, to be with and I foresaw the ending; or so I thought. I started the last book around 11pm on the 5th and planned to read until I got tired. By 2am I had it finished and was laying in bed replaying the whole book over and over in my head.

I seriously ordered the book for someone else as a birthday gift just so that I could talk to another person about it. Yeah. It's that amazing to me. Hell, the third currently has a 5.0/5 rating on Amazon.com. Pretty unheard of these days.

Mafi is an amazing author with a unique style. That's what I like about her. She has several leads and twists and the emotions are written out so well that I felt myself becoming depressed in the first, angry in the second, and so sad I actually cried in the third. Crazy thing is that these are her first books! I can honestly say that I am looking forward to more books by Mafi and will even preorder the next ones.

I need to stop here before I bore you or before I start giving the plot away. Have any of you read it? Anybody have any good book suggestions? I just downloaded "Alienated" and "Cruel Beauty." Can't wait to see how they turn out. I am open to suggestions and will read anything except scary or disgusting gory genres. I'm a nighttime reader and the two just don't mix well.

Let me just reiterate what a huge nerd I am: the first time I heard  "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic, I thought of this book. Read the book and you'll understand.

Why I Hate The News

I hate to read or watch the news. We live in a very small town in a relatively small area known as "The Tri-States." So, I try to not think of this area being "bad" or "dangerous" but lately bad things are all I hear about. I'm not saying that nothing good ever happens in this area, but I'm not entirely sure when the last time a "good" thing made the front page in print or online. That could be because I rarely watch the news channel or pick up the  newspaper any more. However, I bet it has more to do with the fact that we are shining spotlights on the negative occurrences around us, allowing the positive ones to fall behind stage in small articles in the backs of papers and small prints online. Which, if I might add, is pathetic of us as a nation. I know it isn't just my small community, either - it's happening all over the country. I just don't understand why.

My Thoughts on Recent Headlines:
I'm very sad to hear about the school shootings, I truly am. But let's quit making the MURDERER the headlines and worry about those who lost their lives. In interviews, reporters ask about the person who went off the deep end, not those who were taken with him/her. They will already always be remembered because of their decisions and actions, but let's not allow their name to be the only one remembered from these horrible events.
And about Justin Bieber?!?! C'mon people! He's a teenager that's going to make stupid decisions. Why do we think that making him the center of attention is a good consequence? It's seriously not! Let him get real consequences instead of a publicized slap on the wrist and forcing him to make some BS apology he doesn't even mean. He's lucky he's not my child - famous or not there would be serious punishment. But maybe that's because I lost somebody very close to me from a drunk driver's recklessness.
"14 Arrested On Drug Related Charges" is a local headline. The entire article talks about each  individual and priors and trying to run from the police and blah blah blah. Where are the officer interviews? Where are the congratulations' and pats on the backs or stories of how they uncovered it all? Why give glory to those who don't deserve it?

I had somewhere I was going with all of this when I started the post, but that direction is long gone due to rambling thoughts. So, I'll leave with this:
Let us focus on the good deeds and positive events in our communities for once. Let us not ignore the bad, but not spotlight it, either. Heck - give criminals a section of their own titled "People Who Don't Make Their Mamas Proud" or "Reasons to Raise Your Children the Right Way." Make it embarrassing to be in that section, not faming to be front and center for putting a gun in a young mother's face to steal the money she selflessly earned for her family. The reporters of America are pretty much accomplices at this point, and are turning to no more than scum to me. Therefore, I have no interest in watching the news channel or wasting my money on a paper any time soon.

Anybody else have any thoughts on this? Agree? Disagree? Both? Let me know!

Giveaway

I'm finally hosting a giveaway, guys! Mainly for selfish reasons, like promoting my Facebook page to get more likes (hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!). I currently have only 33 fans (love every one of you), but want to make my 100 mark. So, when I make it to 100 likes on Facebook, there will be a giveaway of one item from my Shop - winner's choice. Yes, the winner of the giveaway will be able to choose ANY one item from my Shop.

So, if you haven't liked my page yet (link at bottom), then get to it already! If you have, help me promote by sharing, liking, commenting, inviting, etc.! Whatever it takes {in my best Drill Sargent voice}!!!

Thanks. :-)
And, to get your attention and show off what The Diva and I made, look at this pretty soap:

Facebook.com/MommysSew.Clever

Etsy.com/MommysSewClever

DIY Puppy Treats, Part 1

 How much would your spoiled pooch absolutely love you if you made him/her some delicious, peanut butter puppy treats? Don’t laugh! They are so easy to make and even my picky doggies enjoy eating them! And… just think of the money you’ll save by making your own versus buying them AND you know exactly what your dog is eating. Sounds like good enough reasons to me!

  Materials Needed (makes appx several dozen 1.5” treats - seriously it makes a ton):
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (you can use bleached, but it’s not as healthy and may be harder for dogs to digest)
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup broth (beef for my dogs)
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

 I put mine in my KitchenAid mixer bowl because 1) it’s easier on me, 2) I’m lazy, 3) I could do other things while it mixed, and 4) something slightly more heavy duty works better for this recipe because it gets pretty thick (but I used my hand held mixer every time I’ve made these treats up until now).
 

 

 Combine all of your dry ingredients first. Mix well so that the cinnamon is distributed evenly through the crumbs and flour.

 Next, add in all of the other ingredients and mix for 3-4 minutes on Speed 2. Make sure that the dough is in a ball on your mixer and is no longer sticking to the sides.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough until ¼ inch thickness.
 

 

 Cut with cookie cutter.

Place your millions of little treats on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until lightly browned.

 

Store in an airtight container. Put some in freezer to ensure that they last even longer!


And, if I may note, these dang things smell very appetizing while they are in the oven. Not fair! I, of course silly me, hadn’t eaten almost all day and then had to smell these things for hours while I was cooking them. Although all of the ingredients are edible, I’m just not sure about the whole cinnamon-with-peanut-butter-with-beef-broth-thing would actually taste. Unless you are a dog, in which case they taste scrumptious.

Look forward to a Part 2: DIY Yogurt Topping for Puppy Treats recipe!

If you decide your dog should definitely be allowed to have these healthy and yummy puppy treats, but don’t want to take the time to cook them yourself (Hey, I won’t judge!), they will soon be available for purchase in my Etsy shop: Etsy.com/shop/MommysSewClever

Trash the Dress

A few months back (right before my beloved laptop crashed) I did a "Trash the Dress" photo shoot of two girls. I love taking photos and am currently working on a children's calendar for Christmas gifts this year and about to start a photo series titled "Beauty In..." I've wanted to do a "Trash the Dress" shoot for years and was really excited when L and A agreed to get down and dirty, ruining beautiful dresses, just for my picture  bucket list.

I was finally able to recover my original, unedited photos from the shoot thanks to my SD card. Yay! So, using an online program (I miss my Photoshop), I edited a couple to see how they would turn out. I think they look pretty good! Needless to say this weekend I am going to pay for the upgraded version and spend all weekend next door at my parents editing pictures. Then, Monday, I'm going to show them off.

For now, though, here's a sneak peak of one of the pretty ladies: