Runs on Coffee and Cream

It's been ridiculously hard getting back into sewing since Emma arrived. Between being tired, mentally and physically, having less free time, and feeling drained creatively, it's tough to go into the craft room and create things.

So what got me back into the swing of things? How did I sew and prep for my shows this past Summer?

First, just applying for shows (Fan Expo was paid for last year while I was still pregnant so I had no option to back out) lit a fire under me to get sewing. I didn't want to waste money and I didn't want to miss out on the shows I was signed up for. Graphic-con, Harry Potter charity event, and Fan Expo were shows I wanted to be at.

Second, having an amazing husband who would volunteer to be on baby monitor duty in the evening or during naps so I could put on my headphones and zone out while I sewed was a great help. I had no excuse to not try to get some things done.

Third, just doing it. Did I really want to go sew when Emma finally fell asleep for her afternoon nap? Nope. I wanted to sit on the couch with another cup of coffee and read my emails. But forcing my butt in the craft room and starting on projects actually helped me get my creative juices back. Finishing a pouch that I thought turned out great, or finding adorable scrap fabric I forgot I had made me excited for creating again.

All these pouches are for sale in my Etsy shop!

I've realized that for the next couple of years my sewing habits will never be the same as they were pre-baby. I'll have to head to the craft room only during naps, bedtime, or when Adam can help out. I'm going to be extra tired from now on, and some days I'll have to drag myself towards my sewing machine. But that's ok. I've streamlined the shows I want to sell at. My plan for 2019 is definitely low-key on the craft show front. I want to just create for the fun of it and to keep my Etsy shop updated and to gradually build up stock for the biggest show of every year - Fan Expo!

So my goal for the fall season is to get my Etsy shop completely updated. This never happens because I get too busy but with no more craft shows for a while, this is something I should be able to accomplish during daily nap times.

I updated my shop with 8 new pouches this past week and I have loads more to add. Check out my shop and keep an eye on it over the next little while for more new items!

Happy fall! Well, it was yesterday but still, it's officially fall!

Want to make a delicious, chewy pumpkin cookie for fall? Check out this easy recipe!


As usual, I used a recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction. Seriously, her recipes are amazing and I know I can trust that they'll work out.


Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 heaping teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see my previous post for the breakdown of pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup butter - melted (I used 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 cup butter)
1/4 cup dark molasses
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups add-ins (chocolate chips, dried cranberries, nuts, etc.)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease baking sheets.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together. Fold in oats.
3. Melt butter in medium size bowl and mix in molasses, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Once combined, mix in egg. Add pumpkin and vanilla and mix until just combined.
4. Pour wet mix into dry ingredients and mix. The dough will be quite thick. Once combined, fold in your add-ins. I used mini chocolate chips.
5. Scoop cookie dough onto baking sheets. I used a heaping tablespoon for each cookie.
6. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet or you will end up ripping the cookies apart when trying to move them to a wire rack.


These cookies are super yummy! Very pumpkin-y and the bit of chocolate just adds to it. It's a nice combination.

I'm lucky because Adam's not a huge fan of pumpkin. He eats it and he'll pretty much eat any cookie in front of him. But he doesn't LOVE pumpkin. So he's been leaving these cookies for me and just having the odd one. That's definitely a sign of love! So all the pumpkin for me... or at least most of it!


Definitely give this recipe a try! I love that you can change up the mix-ins too. Dried cranberries and white chocolate chips would be a nice add-in.

I'm now off to enjoy this cool, rainy fall day!

xo Jen

It's bake all the pumpkin things season! The cans of pumpkin puree sold here are gigantic so I always have to be prepared to make a bunch of different recipes once I open a can.

The can I opened made:
- 4 pumpkin flavoured overnight oats
- 3 pumpkin greek yogurts
- batch of pumpkin spice muffins
- batch of pumpkin cookies
- approx. 1/2 cup leftover to make my own pumpkin spice lattes

I bought another can of pumpkin puree the other day so I'll be making more pumpkin recipes over the next couple of weeks including pumpkin biscotti.


Today I'm sharing the pumpkin spice muffins recipe I made. I found it on Pinterest via Princess Pinky Girl. They turned out amazing! Needless to say I froze half the batch and the other half disappeared in a few days between Adam and myself. They were perfect to pair with a coffee in the morning.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used unsweetened applesauce)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Topping:
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter - melted


Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl mix together applesauce (or oil), sugars, eggs, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree.
4. Mix the flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until there's no lumps.
5. Spoon the batter into the muffin liners. The batter made 12 muffins.
6. Bake in oven for 17-22 minutes (mine took 20 minutes) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
7. For the topping, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
8. Dip the top of each muffin into melted butter and then dip into the cinnamon sugar bowl. Shake off excess.
9. Place on plate. Enjoy while butter is still warm and sticky or let them cool and dry.


So pumpkin pie spice... I know it's not available everywhere. I don't always have it on hand. I tend to run out so I make my own.

Pumpkin Pie Spice:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves


These muffins are the perfect amount of sweetness. The muffin part itself isn't overly sweet, just a nice blend of pumpkin spice so the sugar-cinnamon topping is a perfect bit of sweetness to the muffin.

I'll share my pumpkin cookies recipe next and then I'll be trying out pumpkin biscotti for the first time!

xo Jen

It's been a while since I sat down and wrote anything. September is in full swing and it feels like fall is around the corner. The weather has cooled significantly and the stores are filled with all things pumpkin.

The summer flew by with visits to Hamilton and having company come up to stay with us. It was an exceptionally hot summer. There were heat warnings almost weekly. So both Emma and myself spent a lot of days in light cotton, bare minimal clothing while we hung out at home. I didn't want to overheat her and because she's still too young for sunscreen, we can only spend so much time at the beach.

I originally thought we'd spend a ton of time outside this summer. It was the first summer with Emma and the first summer in this house. I had fantasies of kiddie pools and dinners at a patio table. But again, too hot and Emma is still too young for sunscreen and to sit by herself. We still had fun though and spent some time outside in small intervals.


If anything, I felt like I had gotten into quite the routine and flow with Emma. Things felt 'easy' the past couple of months, if you will. But this month has brought on a new challenge... it's time to introduce her to solid foods. So far it's been a fun process but I feel like I'm doing way more research than I should have to about foods and purees and recipes, etc. Once we have her 6 month check up, I'm hoping to feel better when I can ask the doctor some questions.



As usual I've embraced fall with open arms. A break from the heat plus pumpkin spice lattes make fall such a lovely welcome.

I've been busy baking pumpkin things already and I've had more pumpkin spice lattes than I care to count (I'm making up for last year when I was pregnant...). It's our first fall with Emma but what do you do with a 6-8 month old in the fall? She's too young for pumpkin picking and to eat a Thanksgiving meal. Besides dressing her up for Halloween and some fall walks, I can't think of anything else we can do as a family for the fall season.


I'll be sure to share my successful pumpkin recipes on here. And if you don't follow me on Instagram already, you can see random pics of cats and babies and sweets @sparklegirljen since I post more regularly on there.


Have a great day!
xo Jen