Rocking the Tanks

On my list of things to do before my 30th birthday I had "make three tank tops".  I used the wiksten pattern with some adjustments.  I made the bust area smaller and the length about 3 inches longer than the pattern.  I love the fact they drape down instead of clinging to my stomach.  The floral print is my favorite and the weight of the fabric is heavier and more sturdy, too.  Also it comes out of the dryer without needing any ironing.  Definite plus in my book.

Homemade Butter

Did you know homemade butter is super easy?  Like, all you really do is put heavy whipping cream in a bowl and blend it until it separates into butter and buttermilk.  Sully and I made some yesterday afternoon.  I haven't actually tried it yet.  I wanted to put it on some fresh banana bread but when I wasn't looking Sully ate the banana that was on the counter for the banana bread.  I'm going to buy some more ripe bananas today.  I'm also going to use my homemade buttermilk in my banana bread.

This may sound a bit goofy but I was looking in the fridge the other day and we were running low on "butter".  Not actual stick butter but the stuff that comes in a tub and I haven't read the ingredients but I'm pretty sure they don't say cream and salt which is what real butter is made of.  Anyway, I was looking at that shelf which also has our eggs and thought, "it would be so cool to have homemade butter and eggs from our own chickens in our fridge instead of this stuff that I'm just not so sure about."  I'm not really that crunchy or granola but I really do like the idea of knowing where my food comes from.  I'd also like to have a garden someday and can our veggies and fruits for the winter months.

Here is a link to one of the sites I referenced when making our butter yesterday.  Here is the other.  Again, it is ridiculously easy!

A side note... once I started thinking about homemade butter I decided I needed a butter dish, to have soft butter all the time.  Did some searching online and instantly swooned over this embossed one at Sur La Table so I bought it with some of my Christmas money (thanks mom and dad).  I also went ahead and bought this beautiful set of white mixing bowls, two linen colored dish towels, a veggie brush, and a beehive cookie cutter.  They are all super nice quality and make me hate cooking just a bit less.

30 before 30

One of my favorite blogs, Wit and Whistle is by a creative lady Amanda who makes a list each year of things to do by her birthday.  I was inspired to make my own list since I'll be 30 this year but I'm obviously starting a bit late with my birthday being in July.  I don't have 30 things on my list at the moment but as I think of things I'll continue to add it.

1. Highlights in hair
2. Try out 5 new hairstyles
3. Finish compiling "retro" playlist
4. Take boys to Buffalo Park
5. Go kayaking
6. Buy family bible
7. Take boys to drive in movie
8. Make eye of god
9. Send 5 postcards
10. Memorize 10 scripture
11. Make 3 new tank tops
12. Clean out closet
13. Read 3 books
14. Buy a new nail polish - Essie garden variety
15. Host a girls night
16. Make a portable loom
17. Paint pottery at Wet Paint or Fat Cat Cafe
18. Add new items to Matelia
19. Try a new recipe
20. Make butter
21. Go on a picnic
22. Get sno cones
23. Shop at an antique store or thrift store
24. Dye my purse to freshen it up

side note: I'm considering documenting things at Makers of Matelia but I don't know yet if I want it to be a personal/business blog or just business related.