pinspired snack and fleamarket finds

hey everyone!

well i have been obsessed with pinterest just as much as any other person these last few months.

(check out my boards and follow me on pinterest by clicking here)

i have seen blueberry yogurt drops all over the site and they look so simple and yummy!

now that it is summer and i had to seek desserts and snacks that don't require the oven, i decided to try them out for myself

i did a trial batch and was super happy with the results!

just as i suspected... super easy and yummy

i have seen most people using fresh blueberries but i decided to buy a frozen bag of blueberries and plain vanilla yogurt.

i let the blueberries thaw in the fridge over night

get a pie pan, bowl, spoon, and 2 of those pick things you use for cracking  nuts (name? hahaha forgive my ignorance) or toothpicks/kabob skewers... anything of that nature

 put some yogurt in your little bowl then put a blueberry on your pick. dip and swirl until well covered. you may need to use another pick if the blueberries seem to slide off. just gently use the second pick to hold the blueberry in place while you swirl

 place each blueberry on your pie pan or tray keeping them all separate from each other then pop them in the freezer.

 it doesnt take these babies a long time to freeze at all. try to give them at least an hour so you are sure they are solid before popping them off. i used a spoon to gently scrape them off. it doesnt take much force at all. in fact... too much force will make them fly so be careful

 put them in a freezer bag or tupperware and store them in the freezer

just grab a few when you want a snack

i want to try it with strawberry bites now

i worked at the fleamarket today and it was the SLOWEST day since opening

thinking maybe since its graduation party weekend.

hopefully tomorrow makes up for it

in my boredom i walked around and did some shopping  myself

both window and real shopping haha

first i spotted this adorable summer hat.

i tried it on and fell in LOVE! instantly!

i put it down and told the lady i would be back after i had some sales myself

when i came back around later, i saw this hat at her stand as well

 i knew before even putting it on that we would be inseparable as well

so i got both!

she cut me a deal for being a vendor and for buying both

even better right!

and this is the piece i really want to gush about!

when i walk into the fleamarket i always pass by a booth with old stuff.

(i never let mysef walk around because i end up spending all my profits... just like today haha)

so i finally made my way over to his booth. he had amazing glassware

i wanted to buy so much but again, "sir, i will be back when i have some sales"

later in the day my uncle grabbed this up for me

(maybe because i kept talking about how awesome it was and how bad i wanted it haha)

hooray! thanks!

it is green depression glass... yes, it glows in black light.

 i had intended to use it for jewelry from the moment i saw it but really want to know what it is truly for. i have tried to research and find similar pieces listed as

-ash tray

-dessert tray

-jewelry tray

-sandwich tray

does anyone have any insight?

doesnt my jewelry look so cool on it!

i love the way it reflects the pieces!

well, needless to say, i am now ADDICTED and OBSESSED with depression glass

i plan on going to the fleamarket with money tomorrow to buy myself a tea set, butter tray, and whatever else i can squeeze out of $20 or so

and if i have good sales, ill go right back to the booth for more

i want MORE!

well, tomorrow is my last official day before school starts

can you believe last week one of my teachers already sent an email stating a quiz will be on tuesday.

geez! i havent even bought my books yet!

i have been doing some "motivational" crafting to keep myself focused and smiling as i go through these next 2 years. but first to focus on these next 6 weeks. i will try to peek in on you all, at least to say hello and update you on anything awesome

but i cannot make any promises until i know how intense it will really be

xoxoxoxox

 love,

Lily Bean

mini pillbox hats and fuschia lipstick love

Howdy! I have been a bit overwhelmed with school and life these days. I have 2 placement tests scheduled this coming Thursday and a CPR class scheduled next Saturday. After those I should be ready to start my degree plan classes this Fall and have a bit more time freed up for a few weeks at least.

My sewing class was pushed back 2 weeks so tomorrow is my actual first day. I am super stoked about that!

I have not taken the pictures yet to make a tutorial for you for the mini pillbox hats but I wanted to show your the 2 that i have made.

 this one is blue nautical themed surrounded by anchors, ships, and "bon voyage" signs:

This one i made is pink with fuschia flowers:

These are super fun, easy, and addicting!

I will do my best to get you a tutorial ASAP!

While i was getting ready for my pillbox photoshoot i discovered my LOVE for pink lipstick

I don't know why i was terrified for years. i never thought my coloring could pull it off. and now i don't want to take it off! it feels just like the first time when i wore red lipstick <3

problem is, i was playing in my aunt's make-up when i found this color. i have NO idea where she got it, what brand it may be (probably dollar store though), or even how old it is... and now when it is gone, i won't know where to get a replacement =(

what do you think of the pink lips? any suggestions for similar lipstick colors to buy? i'm a drugstore/avon kind of girl but would be willing to spend more if i feel this cute

xoxoxox

*Lily Bean *

chillin and grillin weekend

howdy! i have had a heck of a time these last 2 weeks. i was playing mysetery diagnosis with my poor uncle. thank godness we finally figured out what is wrong. it has been treated and he will be fine. but with school, work, and all that drama  i have been way too tired this weekend to do much.

i found this cool plastic chain at Michael's which i knew would look rad with my perler beads bow. i am so in love with this necklace!

 here i am rocking it right after it was assembled. it is so bold on its own that i definitely need to wear a plain shirt when i wear this necklace.

 on saturday i went over to have coffee with miss ann and she invited me to an afternoon show downtown sunday afternoon. it was a nice soulful R+B singer Sean Jones. i don't think miss ann knew a lot of the music but she enjoyed the show nonetheless.

either way we had so much fun getting dressed up. she was so happy to see me in the hat she gave me. i felt so glamourous <3

 i went grocery shopping this morning and was so stoked to come across these pink lemonade cookies! i cannot wait to try them. i also saw pink lemonade frosting but will try that another time. and the best thing ever is that

ITS CADBURY EGG TIME

yes! cadbury eggs are my all time favorite seasonal candies. i wish i had them year round!

 i always look for marked down meats when grocery shopping. (i always cook them within 24hrs of buying them) i found some steelhead fillets marked down 50%. the price was too good to pass up, so even though i had no idea what kind of fish this is or how to cook it, i had to buy them. so i researched and found out the meat of this fish holds together well enough to grill. i had never grilled before but figured now's as good a time as any to learn

 the fish was already seasoned so it went straight from package to the grill. i was a bit creeped out  by the scales but glad to find out they burn off when grilled. the meat just slides right off them!

 i served the grilled steelhead with white rice and a stir fry mix of veggies seasoned with dried basil leaves

 for this week's dessert i made strawberrylicious cupcakes. strawberry cake mix with 6 blended fresh strawberries added to the batter covered with strawberry frosting and sprinkles. i always make 24 regular size supcakes and use whatever batter is left over t make mini cupcakes with my mini cupcake machine <3

i joined another craft swap at craftster.org. this one is a bookmark swap. i have 4 people to make a bookmark for: 2 in the Us, 1 in Germany, and 1 in Mexico. Each of them will be sending me a crafted bookmark back. I have all the supplies i need to get this started and will probably begin tomorrow after work.... maybe tonight after a bowl of cereal since my distractions (penny and thea of course) are alseep

Things I learned this week:
-don't overthink symptoms when someone is sick. but never be afraid to get worse ideas ruled out
-grilled fish is extra yummy (i like anything off a grill really)
-grilling is not hard at all... who says it should be something only for the boys to do?!?
-lack of sleep leads to super silly mistakes. at least i can laugh at myself
-grocery shopping is WAY more fun when you cook

here's to hoping next week is better than last week!

xoxoxoxox

Lily Bean

a whole new blog look... and my latest obsession: hats

Well hello! as i promised i have made some changes and may make a few more tweaks here or there until my blog feels like it fits just right. since my world is expanding so much and my posts are no longer soley based on sewing adventures i changed my blog title. this is no longer "my road to sewing"  but has evolved into "needles, eggshells, and hairspray...". (i will break down my new title in my about me page)

i hope you are as excited about things to come as I am!

do you remember that red cloche hat i fell in love with earlier this month?

well i was right! it went down to $5 and now... it is mine! So glad I waited!

 i also picked up 3 other hats for $5 each. They all originally cost $16.99 and i managed to snag them all for $20! so proud of me!

I love this wide brim cloche in neutral browns. I wore it to work Thursday and received so many compliments. little did they know it was hiding my pink locks haha

 here is another neutral brown cloche with a leopard strip all around. you may have already noticed, i go nuts for anything animal print!

 and lastly, i got this deep brown floppy hat. i feel so old hollywood glamour in all of these!

which is your favorite?

yesterday i went to visit my 90 year old neighbor, Miss Ann. she is really the cutest thing! she still lives alone and i see her walking her dogs everyday! i just wanted to stop in and take her some cupcakes but she wouldn't allow me to leave so quickly. we got to talking and she got to reminiscing. as soon as she mentioned the war era i told her how much i love the glamour of the time and that i had just bought these hats

she got so excited and pulled out all her vintage hats to show me!

she put this red cowgirl hat on me and said i looked so cute and the hat should belong to me.

it is a Sonni from San Francisco, just not sure what year. 

you can imagine my excitement! i could hardly believe it! she then also told me i could pick 1 more hat . I picked this vintage black one with a veil

 i love the little "claws".

now i just need to figure out how to store these babies! i think im in need of hat boxes for sure. just trying to figure out how i can make them or buy them cheap...

any ideas or suggestions?

tomorrow's post: this weekend's meals

xoxox

Lily Bean

cupcakes for my sweet heart

i finished another chemo hat for my aunt <3

this one is simplicity 2429 as well. the one that is somewhat turbin style

i must say i think this one is my favorite so far... not sure if its the cupcakes though hahah

i embellished it with 2 buttons stacked where the "tie" ends

my goal is to make her at leats 8 hats... and after that i hope to continue to make some more and donate to cancer centers for other patients

p.s. she came home again today! yahoo!!!!

it has been a looooooong month, but i am back =D

well it has been way too long since i have had a chance to craft! i swear i was going through massive withdrawals! but the last month of my life has been more than overwhelming

good thing is i aced my summer biology course (yay)

so i am trying to get back to a normal crafting schedule. yesterday i washed a load of new fabric and i cant wait to put it all to use.

i have finally set aside my terrible fear of commercial patterns!

i used simplicity 2494 to make my tia a hat since she is losing her hair to chemo

she loved it! i used old fabric for my first try because i had no faith in myself. but it came out great! all that i need to do it felt a flower for the embellishment but my tia wanted to start wearing it already so that can wait

so now i have gained some confidence in commercial patterns and can start advancing to more difficult things. this open up so much for me!

and lastly on a side note, here is some pics of the purse that i made for my friend 2 months ago (i never did get to post the pics until now, i apologize)

anyhow, it feels good to be back! thanks for sticking with me through the slow times

<3 Lily Bean

p.s. for those of you who have blogs i follow: i have had trouble posting comments for weeks and have no idea what to do about it. but i promise i have been checking out your posts =D