For nearly two decades, I have been making a version of this recipe that my Bubbie shared with me on the cusp of my 20th birthday. As an undergrad, apartment dweller, I was very proud of my newfound freedoms. When time and money allowed, my roommates and I would spend our time baking treats to eat and share with friends.  Bubbie's version of the recipe was top-secret. I didn't share it with anyone for at least ten years. Part of me was certain no one could make this recipe the way I could (I was young, what can I say?).  If I shared it with one person, how many others would have this coveted list of ingredients wrapped up into a chewy, delicious treat?  The thought of someone else sharing was even more distressing than my doing so in the first place. Once I got over myself, and I'm aware some things take longer than others, I shared this recipe with so much pride... Until it was pointed out to me by one of the recipients that it likely came from the back of a box.  H...

Thank goodness my children have friends.  Without their influence (both positive and negative), things like a hanging canopy would be off my radar.  My daughter's friend has  this one .  While it is very nice, I was determined to make one for her, that matched her room better, and for less money.  We all have budgets and my household happens to be on a tighter one at the tail end of my husband's grad school stint. Wanting to keep this project as frugal as possible, instinct turned me to  Pinterest  for design ideas.   This tutorial  proved fruitful, but also not without its own challenges.  For instance, why sew two twin sheets together when you can use one king?  Likewise, there are more steps AND materials, than are actually required to put together a rockin' canopy.  With that in mind, gather the following materials: hula hoop (preferably one NOT filled with water) 1 king size flat sheet (new or upcycled, your...

Sure, there are four seasons to a calendar year, but are there ever really four whole seasons?  At best, there are 2.7, or 3.275 depending on where you live.  In the Midwest, we have all four, but Spring and Fall tend to be very short lived transition spaces between the vastness of Summer and Winter.  Citrus Bliss is the perfect blend to help with the transition from Winter to Summer (and cope with the lack of Spring). You'll need the following supplies: 1 roller bottle Carrier Oil (jojoba, almond, grapeseed, etc) Lavender Essential Oil Lime Essential Oil Grapefruit Essential Oil In a roller bottle (pictured is a 1/3 ounce roller), combine the following: 6 drops Lavender Essential Oil 3 drops Lime Essential Oil 3 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil Next, fill with your carrier oil.  Create your own label, or have some help from Avery's wonderful design shop.  Apply to pulse points, or rub into palms (then rub palms together to wa...

This week, our world laid to rest the most beautiful of souls.  She touched so many lives, but silently suffered with her own fears, worries, and suicidal thoughts.  If you have thoughts of ending your life, I encourage you to seek help immediately.  Asking for help, although once thought to be a sign of weakness, is actually the bravest and most courageous thing you can do for yourself.  If you don't want to reach out to people closest to you, I urge you to call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-723-TALK (8255).  If someone you know talks about wanting to die, seek help for this individual.  Do not brush them off, or tell them to "not think that way" because they are likely to not ask you for help again.  Coming to you for help took every ounce of courage they could muster. With all this in mind, there are things you can do for yourself, or your loved one, that may help ease their anxiety and/or depression.  Essential oils have numerous be...

Lice.  I could end it here and leave the remainder open to discussion of your own lice stories, but not everyone has a story yet, or theirs is just being written.  So for the future warriors...  According to Wikipedia: The head louse is an obligate ectoparasite of humans that causes pediculosis capitis.  Head lice are wingless insects spending their entire life on the human scalp and feeding exclusively on human blood. So they're a parasite.  Do you know that most parasites do not want to leave their host?  They have a slew of ways to make sure they stay put.  Lice are no exception.  Their eggs stick to the base of the hair shaft with the insect equivalent of super glue.  They have become treatment resistant to the caustic chemical combinations carried on drugstore shelves.  They are rapid breeders and can easily transfer from one host to another (ie: from your head to your parent, spouse, friend, etc) by hugging, sharing hats, b...

Although I'm sure it's possible to own too much fabric, I find it unlikely that anyone who has a large stash would debate adding more yardage.  Some prints are worth having, even if you don't have an immediate project for them. The quilt above is the only one made by Caught Red Threaded that had an intentional fabric purchase.  The Care Bears backing is a childhood flat twin sheet.  Wanting to make a large throw/picnic blanket for my sister with this bed sheet in mind, I purposely chose a Moda Charm Pack for the front of the quilt.  Needless to say, it is highly coordinated. Each and every one of the quilts above was made using either scraps of fabrics from other projects, or fabrics that I already had in my stash that happened to coordinated with each other.  A great example of purchasing fabric just because is in the Berenstain Bears by Moda in the quilt above.  When I found this fabric, I knew I had to have it.  Two years ...