Toffee Try

I guess it was making those Christmas present tags... somehow I got in the mood for toffee! I've never actually made toffee before, so I searched around Pinterest and found this recipe. It seemed pretty simple, and I don't think I messed it up too much.

Chris's grandparents gave us some pecans a while back, so I pulled them out of the freezer and chopped them up.  Of course, I had to top it off with some chocolate chips. I don't know if I had enough to really cover the top since I made chex mix a while back (I'll post that recipe the next time I make it, which might not be soon because it's addictive and I like the fact that my clothes have been loose lately thanks to running, which I am probably partially undoing by making toffee. Well...). And, well, you know, chocolate. Of course the chef has to have a teensy-weensy taste here and there. Or a handful.

My caramel part turned a bit runny after I added the vanilla, but it still looks like caramel to me. If I messed it up, at least the house smells amazing!

Waiting for the chocolate chips to melt

Some of the butter separated from the caramel, and it looks a bit icky, but it tastes great! 

I used way too many nuts, though.  But they're pecans. I couldn't help it. 

Next I think I'm going to look for a recipe that you can make in the microwave. Summer's coming up, and I don't really want to spend 10-15 minutes in front of a gas stove stirring bubbling sugar, even if it is toffee goodness. 

I forgot to take a picture of the finished toffee. Whoops! I'm sending some to work with Chris. The rest got eaten pretty quickly. 

Yum.

Edit:
Looking back, I think I might have over-cooked the caramel. Toffee probably isn't exactly FODMAP-friendly, and I think (ch)eating a little bit upset my tummy. Chris says it tastes good, though, so at least I know someone will finish it off! 

Craft Break Time

I've slowly-and I mean slowly- been painting/organizing/cleaning the craft room. Fridays are my days off, so I generally spend the day cleaning, doing laundry, and messing around in the craft room.

I found some cute Christmas cards in a box while unpacking , so I decided to cut them into labels for this year's Christmas presents (yes, I know it's April, and yes, I know we moved last July).  The Internet said they'd be pretty cute, and you know what? They are.

The cards

The tools

Yes, that's a craft scissor bouquet.  I'm way too proud of it, so it is my craft table centerpiece.

The labels

Reduce, reuse, recycle! Plus, these tags are way cuter than some store-bought tags. 

My package from Amazon just came, so it's time to unwrap some goodies and log off! I keep telling myself I will totally start cleaning again after I go through my new goodies, but let's be realistic here....

New Header and Banner Coming Soon!

I've been doodling around and being my usual indecisive self. Once I get home to my tablet I will finalize the blog's new banner design. I'm pretty excited about it, mainly because I think I found a way to incorporate a button into it. I don't know what it is about buttons, but I just really like them. They are just too cute!

You can see what I have doodled so far in the picture. I hope it shows up OK. I'm trying out the Blogger app.

Update: Well, I ended up with a ton of free time at work and got the go-ahead to mess around with my blog.  Sometimes things are really nice around here!

What you see now is the semi-permanent temporary header.  I think I want to do something with dandelions, but I don't really feel like drawing dandelions.  So, until then, we have this fun-font logo. 

Changes, changes

Hello again, everyone.  Emily here!

Things have changed a bit here.  Instead of opening a new blog, I decided to revamp the old one.  Formerly "Honest Stitches," I now declare this blog "Emily's Everything Blog!"

There are so many things I want to post about, I felt like the old blog didn't quite fit.  The staples of Honest Stitches, knitting and baking, will still be around.  My baking hobby has virtually disappeared due to my recent diet change and newly discovered gluten intolerance.

I've cleaned house a bit.  Old posts with patterns and recipes will be back soon, but they will be modified to make them gluten-free and low FODMAP-friendly.  There will be more pictures because my long-lost camera is back where it belongs! Hooray!

Posts here come in waves, but I'm hoping to average at least two a week.

Categories include:

Yarncraft.  I've been knitting since 2008, and I'm learning to crochet.

Food.  I make almost all of our meals from scratch due to the strict requirements of a low-FODMAP diet.

Gardening.  My husband Chris and I built our own raised garden beds, and we're attempting gardening for the first time this year. Wish us luck, green thumbs, and plenty of rain!

DIY Projects.  Pinterest has to be one of my favorite websites around.  So far, I have actually made or modified most of the projects and recipes that I pinned.  It's a point of pride for me, hehe.

Pete.  This little dog is the unofficial official blog mascot.

Running.  In February, Chris and I started training for our first 5K. We have met some wonderful people along the way, and we hope to one day run a marathon together.

Writing.  I love to write, but I normally keep my poetry and stories to myself.  Sometimes I do a 10-minute writing exercise on a random topic. I think it would be fun to share those here occasionally.

Home Decor.  We bought our house last July, and we're slowly decorating it.  Pictures of our design for our distant friends and family will show up occasionally (since we're taking things fairly slowly).


...and more to come!


But first, have some Pete, doing what he does best!