Thursday, June 27, 2013

Google Reader and Bloglovin


This is just a quick reminder that Google Reader will be shutting down on Monday, which is only 3 days away!  If that's the platform you use to follow Creating Laura (and all your other fun blog reads) I highly recommend switching to Bloglovin.

Don't know about Bloglovin?  Here's a good post to fill you in:  Top 10 Reasons Why I'm Lovin' Bloglovin from Living Montessori Now.

I'm not being paid by Bloglovin by the way (haha), I just like their service and I hope all the disappointed Google Reader users out there will like it too.

Here's the link to follow Creating Laura on Bloglovin.

Have a fabulous day!
xoxo
Laura

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Work

My work week isn't Monday to Friday like most jobs, it's Thursday to Tuesday (with Wednesdays off).  And this week, my mind was so caught up in work stuff that I didn't have much time to think about my blog stuff.  Everyone knows how easily that can happen.

My work stuff is really fun though.  We've been practicing new tricks, watching the show we might skate in next summer, going to dinner with our fabulous casting director, performing with my big sister in the audience... things like that.

I also got to check out some cool pictures taken by photography students at Arapahoe Community College.  We volunteered to model for their class a month or two ago.  Here are my favorite shots.


Tomorrow is good old Wednesday (yay!) and I plan to spend the day off getting my head back into blogging mode.

Until then...
xoxo
Laura

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Hair Bow Knitting Pattern


Whenever a rehearsal period ends and it's finally time for our show to open, I like to make little presents for all the girls to celebrate our opening day.  I made friendship bracelets when we opened this same show last summer, and this summer I decided to knit hair bows.

This is a great project if you're working on shrinking your yarn stash like I am, because each bow only uses a small fraction of a skein of yarn.  You can probably make several of these little guys without buying a single thing.  I made 10!

Notice the black loops behind the bows?  Those are hair ties that are built right in for ease of use.


Materials:
Worsted weight yarn (any color, any material, whatever you've got in your stash!)
US Size 3 knitting needles
Hair ties (I used Goody ouchless elastics in black)
Scissors
Tapestry needle

Pattern:
Cast on 10 stitches
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Repeat these two rows for 6.5 inches.
Cast off

Finishing:
1.  Weave in the ends.
2.  Place the knitting on a table right-side down (aka purl side up).
3.  Fold the cast on and the cast off edges toward each other so they touch, as shown in the picture on the right.
4.  Seam the two edges together so the fabric becomes a loop.
5.  Wrap a piece of yarn around the middle of the loop so that it looks like a bow; then secure that piece of yarn with a knot.
6.  Now hold a hair band against the back of the bow and wrap another piece of yarn around both the middle of the bow and one side of the hair band.  Secure the yarn with a knot.

You should now have a finished bow attached to a hair band!

Here's a shot of all my lovely cast mates modeling their bows:


I had a great time knitting these bows, and I think they were a big hit with the girls.

I used all different types of yarn to make these, and the bows made of superwash wool were definitely the easiest to knit, but the cotton bows felt the sturdiest as finished products.  Can you tell which bows were made with which type of yarn?


No matter which yarn I was using, I had a great time creating this pattern and knitting these little guys, and I hope you have fun with them too.

Happy knitting!
xoxo
Laura

Monday, June 17, 2013

Link to Love: Using up that Yarn Stash


Today's link to love is a post on Craftsy called Ultimate Stash Busters for Knitters.  Read it.  It's great.

If you're a regular reader here on Creating Laura you know all about my yarn stash that crept up on me before I realized I was acting like a yarn hoarder.  But even if you're new here and you knit, I'm sure you can relate to the yarn stash problem.

What I love about this Craftsy post is that there are a couple of ideas that hadn't occurred to me before.  Out of their suggestions, my favorite one is using scrap yarn along with regular stuffing when making stuffed toys.  Genius!

I have spent quite a bit of time thinking up small knitting projects that will use leftover yarn, and one such project is the pattern I'll be publishing here later this week... I can't wait to share it with you!

What do you think of the Craftsy post?  Were any of their ideas new to you?  And do you have any other stash busting ideas of your own?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy reading!
xoxo
Laura

Friday, June 14, 2013

DIY Sticky Note Calendar

Today I've got a quick and easy DIY for you inspired by my new blogging corner: a sticky note calendar!

This project only took me 5 minutes to make and another few minutes to plan out my month and write on all the sticky notes.


You'll need a blank spot on your wall, several colors of sticky notes, and a marker to make this.


Start by making an L shape on your wall that has 6 notes going up and down and 7 notes going across. Then fill in the rest of the box with sticky notes.  Lastly adjust the amount of notes in the top and bottom rows according to which month it is.  For June, I ended up with one lonely note on both the top and bottom rows.


I added a couple pieces of washi tape to the wall above the calendar and wrote "June" on it, just in case I forget which month it is.  ;-)

Once your calendar looks like the final picture above, it's time for the fun part: filling in the calendar with all your plans!  I color coded my month, using pink sticky notes for DIY projects, purple ones for food posts, etc.  This is where you get to be as creative as you want.  Place your color-coded stickies on top of the blue notes so your calendar never loses its shape.

My favorite part about this project is how easy it is to switch around the sticky notes when my plans change.  We're only halfway through June and my calendar already looks really different.  (When moving the color-coded sticky notes around, still keep the blue notes as place holders so the calendar stays intact.)


How do you keep track of your monthly plans?  Do you have a traditional wall calendar or something a little different like this one?  I'd love to hear about it.

Happy planning!
xoxo
Laura

Thursday, June 13, 2013

My Blogging Workspace

I'm in love with our living situation here in Ohio for 2 major reasons: the kitchen and the living room that's large enough to claim a corner of it all for myself.  Yesterday I finished setting up my corner and every time I look over there I can't wipe the smile off my face.  After 6 months on a ship, I can't get over the luxury of having a space to call my own!

Here it is:


I had such a great time picking out what I wanted to put on the walls.  I filled 3 embroidery hoops with pretty fabric, and I'm trying my hand at plant ownership (which probably won't last too long, knowing me).  I dedicated a cork board to knitting so I can keep track of swatches and various pieces of whatever my current project may be, and I made a sticky note calendar (about which I'll be posting a DIY tutorial soon).  I also tried my hand at the string art I've been seeing all over Pinterest: I wrapped a piece of scrap yarn around some nails and framed it with an embroidery hoop.

We originally had an exposed light bulb dangling from the ceiling (don't ask) which I covered with a pretty lantern from the craft store, and I hung my embroidery floss on another cork board in rainbow order.  I also used a cork board and some push pins to hang my washi tape collection; it makes for easy access as well as a pretty display, don't you think?


As for the furniture, I'm using an extra dresser to hold all my craft supplies that aren't on display (namely, a whole bunch of yarn).  I'm using a TV tray as a computer desk, which is working surprisingly well.  The plant is sitting on a box that I covered in fabric.

I can't wait to hang out in this area every morning for the rest of the summer!

Do you have a dedicated blogging or crafting area in your home?  I'd love to hear about it.

xoxo
Laura

p.s. Want to see a picture of what this area looked like before the makeover?  You can check it out on the Creating Laura Facebook Page.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

A Bit of Silliness


This morning, I set the dial on my crock pot to low and headed out the door, feeling great about the yummy dinner I was going to make.  This evening I came home from work to find that I hadn't actually cooked anything.

It doesn't help to turn on a machine if it isn't plugged in!  Aaah!  That's life, eh?  We went out to dinner instead, and the blog post that I was planning to write about the aforementioned dinner will happen tomorrow instead.

Has this ever happened to you too?

Until tomorrow...
xoxo
Laura

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Link to Love: Coffee Shop Creativity


It's no secret that I love coffee.  I love drinking it at home in the mornings or on breaks at work, but I especially love drinking it in coffee shops.  I like the atmosphere.

That's why I was so interested in this post on The Real Reason Coffee Shops Boost Productivity by David Burkus.  Check it out.  It's super short and informative.

It turns out that I like the atmosphere for a reason.  Actual scientific studies have proven that the level of background noise in coffee shops boosts creativity.  I always thought that I got more done at coffee shops because I was removing myself from the myriad of procrastination activities that lurk in my home, and I still think that's a big part of it, but I think that this article makes a valid point.

What do you think?  Do you feel more creative in coffee shops too?

Happy reading!
xoxo
Laura


Friday, June 7, 2013

Washcloth Knitting Pattern


I know that hand-knitting my own washcloths might make me old school, but I have a confession to make: loofas gross me out.  Have you ever thought about how many germs are probably growing inside those puffy things?  They never fully dry.  Eew.  Anyway, that's why I decided to knit myself a bright and happy set of washcloths that I can throw in the laundry any time I want.

Want to knit them too?  The pattern I made up is super easy.  I used double seed stitch with a garter stitch border, so as long as you know how to knit and purl you can totally make these.


Supplies:
US Size 7 knitting needles
Worsted weight cotton yarn (I used Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn in pink, yellow, and white)


Pattern:
Cast on 35 stitches
Rows 1-4: Knit
Row 5: Knit 3, purl 1, (knit 1, purl 1) repeat until there are 3 stitches left, knit 3
Row 6:  Repeat row 5
Row 7: Knit 3, knit 1, (purl 1, knit 1) repeat until there are 3 stitches left, knit 3
Row 8: Repeat row 7
Repeat rows 5-8 nine more times, until you have 44 rows or 7.75 inches
Rows 45-48: Knit
Cast off


If you make these washcloths too, I'd love to see a picture of yours!

Happy knitting,
xoxo
Laura

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Jack Kerouac


I think this is the perfect quote to live by this summer.  Don't you?

I layered it over one of my favorite pictures of me and my best friend, Karleen.  It was taken at a winery in North Carolina two summers ago.  I love mixing great words and photos of happy memories.

Do you have a favorite quote that embodies the spirit of summertime?

xoxo
Laura

Monday, June 3, 2013

Pepperoni Polenta Pizza Recipe


For today's gluten free kitchen adventure, I decided to make mini pizzas using polenta slices instead of regular crust.

Unfamiliar with polenta?  It's basically just ground and cooked cornmeal that you can buy in tube-form at any major grocery store.  I like it because it has a surprisingly creamy flavor to it, and that's exactly what it adds to these little pizzas.  Don't expect them to taste the same as regular pizza; they are their own (delicious) animal.

This recipe yields 8 mini pizzas and takes 20 minutes to make (only 10 of those minutes are hands-on).


Ingredients:
1 tube polenta
8 tbs spaghetti sauce (I used Classico four cheese)*
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 of an onion
1 clove garlic
16 pepperoni slices (I used Hormel Natural Choice uncured pepperoni)*
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

*The brands I used are gluten free. Other brands of these products may contain gluten, so check their labels before you use them.

Directions:
- Cut 8 thin 1/4 inch slices from the polenta, place them on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake them in a 350 degree (F) preheated oven for 15 minutes.

- While the polenta is in the oven, mince the pepperoni, onion, and garlic.  Place the pepperoni aside for later.

-  Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a small sauce plan.

-  When the polenta is finished baking, remove the pan from the oven and layer the toppings onto each polenta slice in the following order: a spoonful of spaghetti sauce, a pinch of garlic and onions, several pinches of cheese, a sprinkling of pepperoni pieces.

-  Put the pan back into the oven to bake for 5 more minutes.

-  Remove from the oven, serve, and enjoy!


If you make these, let me know what you think of them!  I really hope you like them as much as I did.

Happy cooking!
xoxo
Laura

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Gluten Free Kitchen Adventures


Did you know that I have celiac disease?

Yep I have it, and I can't eat gluten because of it.  (No, not even a little bit, and yes I thought I would "die" without pizza too.  I didn't die though, and neither would you.  You'd just go to the health food store and buy gluten free pizza like I do.)  Life on the gluten free diet is super hard if you live on a cruise ship where your only meal options are in a cafeteria, but if you live on land and have a kitchen it can be just fine.  If you have a good attitude about it, it can actually open up a whole new world of food-related creativity.

I have a kitchen this summer (YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!) so I'm going to start a recurring segment on Creating Laura that's all about my kitchen adventures.  Each week I'll be taking a traditional dinner staple, turning it gluten free, and posting the recipe in case you want to make it too.

Not gluten free?  Don't worry, these won't be boring gluten free recipes where I just substitute gluten free flour for wheat flour.  These will be fun, quirky, and unexpected combinations of ingredients that will be yummy to eat, gluten or no gluten.

I'll be back tomorrow with the first recipe!
xoxo
Laura
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