Spring is in the Air

I'm alive!! Hard to believe, I know. So...um...where did the last 3 weeks go!? It's been nutso here with a teething baby, back to back days of fevers, clingy baby, clingy baby, hosting seminar, etc. The clingy, teething baby has really what's kept my hands full. And off the sewing machine. And pretty minimal in the kitchen.

BUT I'M BACK! And with this pretty baby too.

No more (or very few) cell phone pictures here! Plus, with Spring just around the corner comes more sun and better lighting. Seriously....it's so difficult to take nice photos with no sunlight. Thanks winter.

While I couldn't get to my sewing machine these last few weeks, I gave in and cut up this cute fat quarter set I bought a while back. It's Honky Tonk by Moda.

I decided to go with a simple block quilt so it would come together quickly. I got all the fabric cut up during nap time.

And planned the layout during a short sleep session late at night when Fin was feverish...no sleep that night. (So please excuse the late night cell phone photo)

Look at R2D2!! (and the cute sleeping baby in the corner)

I've been making great progress with the embroidery this week.

So pleased with how it's coming out. Colin and I can't decide who's more excited to see this quilt finished.

The warmer weather this week sent me out on a walk with Fin. And I ended up at my local fabric shop, Fabrications. It's such a cute shop, and they always have different stuff when I go.

Apparently when I got there Spring was on my mind. I didn't really notice until I got home how Easter-y they are. But I love them. They're so fresh.

It's rare that i'm drawn to low volume prints, but these were too cute to pass up.

I think these little bunnies are my favourite. Cute bunnies, plus gorgeous aqua with charcoal grey. Pretty!

Hop little bunny. Hop!


Eryn

Exciting News!

Whew!

The last couple weeks have been BUSY! And sadly, it hasn't been with sewing. I keep seeing all my projects sitting there....waiting...begging to be worked on, or even finished. But no.

This pretty stack has barely been touched and is still waiting for me. See you soon scrappy feathers...

And poor R2 is still looking pretty bare. Though with what i've been able to get done, you can see how amazing he's going to look once all that embroidery is done!

What have I been so busy with then?? I'll let you guys in on a little secret. Ok a kinda big secret. I'm excited and happy to say that I've made the decision to not go back to work once my maternity leave is up. Gasp! Instead I will (finally) be starting a nutrition practice. Cause you know...I'm a Nutritionist! A Registered Holistic Nutritionist to be exact. I'm pretty excited to finally take that leap! Not only will this allow me to work from home to be with Fin (and save us loads of money on child care), but i'll be able to delve deaper into my love for nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. And that's pretty awesome.

Since I have 2 months to bring in a full-time income i've been hard at work, during Fin's naps that is. Website planning, networking, meetings, updating forms, planning & creating workshops... B U S Y!

When Fin's not asleep (and it's not -a billion degrees out), we're getting out and having fun!

Playing Peek-a-Boo...

Or I'm chasing him around, because he's crawling now! (Pardon the messy bed which he was playing on earlier..but speaking of the bed, don't you think it needs a quilt!? Me too. Don't worry, it's on the To-Do list.)

Check me out on facebook Real Nutrition by Eryn Harding, like my page, and get lots of tips and recipes to help keep you healthy! I will also be posting when and where my workshops will be on my facebook page, so that's another great reason to follow. I am accepting new clients (so if you're in Ottawa..!), and am sorting out the logistics behind Skype to reach out and do consultations for those not in Ottawa (but still in Canada), or with busy schedules (why not use a lunch break to get healthy).

No need to worry though....i'll still need to keep my sanity and relax by keeping my hands busy. And that means sewing, cooking and more. Bringing Back Handmade is still going strong!


<3
Eryn

FLUFFY Pancakes - GF/DF

Oh pancakes.

Delicious fluffy pancakes. They are hard to come by when gluten free. I've tried numerous recipes and store bough mixes. None of them ever make it close to gluten filled, dairy & sugar loaded light fluffy pancakes.

Until I met these pancakes.

 

Light and fluffy and simple. What else could you ask for? We love these...and they sure are an indulgence for our family. They satisfy that craving for fluffy pancakes. To ask for more (which I often do), i'd ask for them to have a nutrition kick. More fiber, or protein or something...so I won't feel bad about eating them cold as a snack (with yogurt, yumm!), or having them more often then just on weekends.That is in the works, so i'll keep you posted.

In the mean time though, I give you these amazing light, fluffy, naturally sweetened pancakes to fill that void you've been feeling!

Fluffy Pancakes - GF/DF


1 cup Almond milk (or other milk of your choosing)
1 extra large egg
2 Tbsp sunflower oil
2 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup

1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
dash Himalayan sea salt

*In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until lightly frothy.
*Add the dry ingredients into the wet and whisk until no (of very few) lumps are left. Transfer mixture into large (4 cup) measuring cup for easy pouring.
*Pre-heat a skillet or large frying pan. Add a tsp of coconut oil to heat and coat the pan/skillet. Pour batter to desired size pancakes (I can do 3 small pancakes at a time on my frying pan).
*Flip once you see little bubbles on the surface and the edges look set (about 2 minutes) and cook for another 2 minutes or so. Pancakes should spring back when lightly touched.
*Keep finished pancakes warm in a heated oven until ready to serve.
*Makes about 12 small (3") pancakes.

*Enjoy!


<3
Eryn

Etsy

On the weekend, I had the chance to whip up this cute little make-up clutch.

It's perfect for keeping in your purse for touch-ups on the go, or overnight trips when you don't need all your make up and need something nice and compact.

I've seen a few things like this in the past and always thought they were a great idea, but never got around to making one.

The design I ended up using I modified from a project in Zakka Style, since I wanted a different closure and more 'pocket' space. I bought this book a couple months ago. There are so many cute projects in it. An added bonus is the use of linen, which I also love!

I plan on making a few of these since they are just so simple to whip up, so this one is in my Etsy Shop (that's right, I finally got it up and running)! You can also find some cute pincushions and wash cloths. I'm adding items often right now, so be sure to check it out!


Eryn

Granola

This Granola. Oh my.

Loaded with nuts and seeds, it's high in protein, naturally sweetened with maple syrup and high in fiber thanks to hemp hearts and chia seeds, this granola is probably one of my favourite breakfasts to have.

I never liked store bought granola's much for two reasons. For one, they are always way too sweet! Second, too much oats with not enough hearty ingredients to keep you full long enough to make it to lunch. This Granola definitely hits the spot.

Slowly baking the granola at a low temperature not only leaves the nutrients intact, but makes for a wonderfully crunchy treat.

Granola is one of the simplest things to make yourself...so why spend (way too much) on the store bought stuff that can't keep you full?

 My favourite way to serve it has been to top with frozen raspberries or fresh cherries and a blend of almond and coconut milk. Recently though, I found an amazing Dairy free, Soy free yogurt!!! Seriously guys....I didn't quite realize just how much I really missed it until I had my first delicious spoonful of this yogurt.

The brand is Yoso. They started with Soy based yogurts, but since soy turns my insides black (seriously...it's disturbing) and sends me to the bathroom for hours there is no way I'm going near it. But then walking by the yogurt section at my local grocery store reminiscing of the days I could enjoy this fermented treat, I spotted this wonderful stuff. It's the closest thing I've found to dairy yogurt. Creamy with just a bit of tang, and not all jello-like as other coconut milk yogurts tend to be. As an added bonus, it's actually a great source of calcium as well as being a probiotic!

So back on track with the Granola...

Since i've found this yogurt, I'm loving parfait again! Crunchy, perfectly sweet granola, slightly tangy yogurt topped with berries. Drool. That was definitely my breakfast this morning.

Hurry and make this so you can enjoy it too!!

Granola

5 cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup walnut halves, coarsely chopped
1 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup coconut chips
1/3 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup maple syrup

*Mix all dry ingredients together in a very large bowl. Add maple syrup and mix until everything is coated.
*Spread over baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Don't over fill the sheets or the granola won't cook evenly. (I usually need three large trays).
*Bake at 200°F for 2 - 2.5 hours, or until lightly golden (easiest way to tell for me is the watch the coconut chips...when they're golden, the granola is usually done)
*Let cool then store in an airtight container. (I use 1/2 gallon mason jars)


**To shake things up, I sometimes add dried fruit once the granola is done baking and has cooled. Try adding 2/3 cup of a dried fruit of your choice if you like. Yummy options could be raisins, chopped dried apricots, cranberries, golden berries, blueberries, etc. You can also switch up the nuts for a change or if you just don't really like one of the ones listed above.


I hope you enjoy this healthy Granola as much as I do!



Eryn

Feathers

This past week I've spent my down time casually cutting up this pile of pretty fabric.

I had originally planned on this being a scrap only quilt, but most of my scraps were just too small for the cuts required. So I dipped into my stash.

Fin helped! He's much faster than me.

So this has been my view most of the week. (baby sock will not be included in the quilt...)

These 10 stacks are the fruits of my labour. They are so pretty all lined up. I've been testing them next to the slate grey that will be filling in all the spaces between. I can't wait to start sewing! Colin has taken Fin to the museum today...so maayyybe!

These little mushrooms have to be my favourite fabric. Ever. It's just so cute! It's Mushrooms in aqua from the Little Red Riding Hood Line by Riley Blake. I bought it a while back, so most places i've checked recently are sold out. You can still find pretty much the entire here at Hawthorne Threads. They have an amazing selection of fabrics and the site is one of the easiest to navigate (compared to other online fabric stores)! I'm pretty sure i'll be buying more!

I'm usually not a fan of purple, but these shades have called out to me and are making me swoon!

 

Hopefully I'll have a few blocks to show you next week.


Before I go, here's a quick update on R2D2!

Since most of my spare time this week was spent on the feathers not too much got done (sorry Colin), but I did manage to finish all the applique pieces! I was even able to start the embroidery. I can already see how much that will make everything pop. Eeek!

Until next time!

Eryn

Scrap Happy

Today, I realized something.

I am becoming over-run with fabric scraps! Pretty, pretty scraps. It's kind of exciting actually.

January marked my first full year of quilting! I'm sure any quilter who's been in the game for more than a year will think me crazy for being excited about scraps.

But with the 5 quilts, and other projects i've completed this year (plus the 4 quilts in progress), I have a pretty decent selection of colourful scrappy goodness.

And this awesome quilt pattern is the lucky winner for how those scraps will be put to cozy good use. Feathers by Alisson Glass can be found here, or here, as well as her new fabric line, Sun Print here, that I have been so tempting to snatch up (especially the feathers). I love how the bright colours contrast with the grey, so my version will probably be similar in that way. This quilt pattern requires paper piecing, which i've never done before. I am looking forward to learning this new skill! It's supposed to be great for accuracy.

I also have this fairly new stack of solids that i'm itching to use. Maybe I'll slip some in those feathers :)




Eryn