Dave and I just got back from camping in the Willamette National Forest. It was great to finally have a day when we both had time to get out of town, sleep in a tent, and hike in our beautiful state. I love Oregon!

Something about campfires makes me unable to resist kid food like hot dogs and marshmallows. (Anyone else share my problem?) The summer camp I worked at last year introduced me to an amazing campfire dessert: banana boats. They’re full of chocolate and marshmallows, less messy than s’mores, and oh so delicious.

Campfire Banana Boats

Ingredients:

• Bananas
• Mini marshmallows
• Chocolate chips
• Peanut butter (optional)
• Other sweets you love and have on hand?

Directions:

1. Slice banana lengthwise, being careful to not cut through bottom peel.
2. Stuff banana with sweets. (My husband likes a slightly higher sweets:banana ratio! haha! Can you guess which one is his?)



3. Wrap up tightly in foil.
4. Place in campfire for ~10 minutes.



5. Remove from fire, unwrap foil, and eat straight out of the banana.

Yum!! I hope everyone gets a lot of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and delicious campfire treats this this summer!

I realize it’s a bit silly to post a Fourth of July specific recipe on the Fifth of July. But I just have to share this recipe with you! It definitely doesn’t have to be Fourth of July specific – berries and cream are good on any summer day.

The first time I ever made this shortcake, I brought it to a party, cut myself a piece, and walked away to chat with friends. I turned around no more than 10 minutes later to see an old man literally scooping up the last bits of whipped cream and berries from an empty platter with his fingers. I knew then that this would be my go-to summer dessert to impress. I make it a point to make this recipe for at least one potluck every summer.

Summer Shortcake

modified ever so slightly from Martha Stewart’s recipe

Shortcake ingredients:

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. coarse salt
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 8 oz. cold cream cheese, cut into 2″ pieces
• 3/4 cups buttermilk, plus more for brushing
• Raw sugar for sprinkling

Filling ingredients:

• 2 pints blueberries
• 2 pints strawberries, hulled
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups (1 pint) heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Make the shortcake: Using a food processor or pastry blender, mix together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add butter, and blend until largest pieces are the size of peas. Add cream cheese, and blend again until largest pieces are the size of peas. Add buttermilk, and blend until dough comes together.
2. Gently knead into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest in refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
3. Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time on a lightly floured work surface, pat into a disk, then roll into 10-inch round. Transfer to a baking sheet.
4. Brush biscuits with buttermilk. Generously sprinkle with raw sugar.
5. Bake until dough has risen slightly and is golden brown, 12-15 minutes.
6. Leave biscuits on sheets. Using a 2.5″ star cookie cutter, cut out (but do not remove) 6 stars from one biscuit while it is still warm (careful, a metal cookie cutter can get quite hot in this process! ouch!). Let cool.
7. Using a paring knife, carefully remove star shapes. Snack on the stars (yum!).
8. Make the filling: Combine blueberries, strawberries, and 1/4 cup sugar, and let macerate until juicy, 10 minutes.
9. Beat cream to whipped cream with the vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar.
10. Assemble the cake: Place uncut shortcake on a large plate. Spoon half the berries and their juices on top, then spread the whipped cream over berries. Top with all but 1/2 cup berries. Make sure surface is even to support the top shortcake and prevent it from breaking. Carefully place cutout shortcake on top. Fill star cutouts with reserved berries.
11. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, uncovered, up to 3 hours.

We currently live in a two bedroom apartment with no garage, basement, yard, or storage. Apartment living definitely has it’s perks – when our roof leaks, we just pick up the phone and someone comes to fix it for free. We don’t have to mow the lawn. We get lots of heat from neighboring apartments. And instead of spending time and money on home improvement projects, I can craft and decorate and spend time on smaller things.

But apartment living has it’s setbacks, too. We can’t make any major changes (ugh, tan carpeting and old cabinets!). We don’t have a yard to garden in. And we have no place to store things.

We got rid of some of our hidden storage in this apartment by removing the ugly hall closet doors. Our second bedroom turned into our guest room/storage/letterpress/crafts/my husbands home workspace/seed starting central. Ahhh, that is far too much for one room to handle. So when I saw this post with a beautiful headboard creating some hidden storage, I knew I had found an answer to at least one problem!

See our bedroom also has a weird cove thing in it. It has this odd mirror plastered to the wall inside the cove. And I hit my head on the top of it almost every day. This cove had to go. And what better way than with shelves and a padded headboard?!

We picked up some fun fabric at IKEA, a few pieces of OSB at Home Depot, and 1″ medium density foam. Thankfully both Home Depot and the fabric store we found the foam at were able to cut the materials to the dimensions we needed. Our apartment doesn’t yet hold power tools and I was a bit stressed about cutting the foam myself.

This was a new-sew project. I just folded over the edges of the fabric, pulled it tight, and tacked it down with 3/8″ double point staples. (Another apartment setback – stressing out that your downstairs neighbor will report you for a noise violation when you spend all day hammering…) I love that I could just easily pull the fabric off and replace it with different fabric if my decor taste changes.

I added two shelves at varying heights so that I could fit different sized/shaped items inside.

I loaded in boxes of things that we don’t need to access all that often – old yearbooks, college course notebooks (someday I will want to know what that equation I learned in biometry sophomore year was!), etc.

Then I slid the headboards in, tucked the bed back in, and voila! No more weird cove, creepy mirror, or head bruises. Now we have a cute decoration, padding to lean up against, and easily accessible storage. Hooray!

Next step: bedside tables. Room by room, I plan to make this apartment as cozy and stylish as possible!

Top Row: Apron in an Hour, Tote Bag, Cathedral Window Quilt. Bottom Row: Summer Wallet, Shirred Twirly Dress, Don’t Get Out of Bed Pants.

And finally, all of the craft/sewing tutorials that were left in the comments to my Giveaway Day post. Thank you again to everyone who participated! These tutorials are so amazing, and they will keep me busy all summer. I hope you find some new, fun things to make as well!

Crafts:

• Fabric Basket
• Summer Wallet
• Pleated Pouch
• Patchwork Cube Drawstring Bag
• Apron in an Hour
• Fabric Calendar
• Silverware Caddy
• Round Luggage Tag
• Bunny Bowling
• Strawberry Fields Pillow
• Sewn Stash Baskets
• Moleskine-Like-Notebook
• Lil Cutie Pouches
• Tutowlrial
• Ironing Board Cover

Clothes:

• Corsage Tee
• 5-minute Hairkerchief
• Spring Ruffle Top
• Layer Skirt
• Ruffle Shirt
• Don’t Get Out of Bed Pants

Bags:

• The Jordy Bag
• Tote Bag
• Apple Picking Tote
• Ruffle Shoulder Bag
• Margaret Sling Bag

Kids:

• Toddler Bib
• Lazy Days Skirt
• Popover Sundress
• One Hour Sundress
• Shirred Twirly Dress
• Rag Quilt Letters
• The Market Skirt
• Baby Tights
• Bitty Booties

Quilts:

• Cathedral Window Quilt
• Modern Square Garden Quilt
• Quilt Along
• Wonky Log Cabin Quilt Blocks
• Wedding Quilt
• 1st Quilt Ever

Top Row: Heirloom Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad, Cranberry Couscous Salad, Asian Pasta Salad with Beef, Broccoli and Bean Sprouts. Bottom Row: Panda Bread, Lemonade, Chocolate-Orange Cake

I decided to split the inspiration posts into two – recipes and craft/sewing tutorials. Here are all of the inspiring recipes sent in reply to the prompt “your favorite springtime recipe.” Spring is surely the season for salads, as evidenced by how many salad recipes were submitted. I have to make my shopping list for the week today, and can’t wait to try some of these out!

Main Dishes:

• Honey-Rosemary Chicken and Rice Pilaf
• Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Beef & Mushroom Lasagna
• Falafel & Tahini Dressing

Salads:

• Orzo Salad
• 101 Simple Salads for the Season
• Spinach, Strawberry, and Hearts of Palm Salad
• Cranberry Couscous Salad
• Heirloom Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Summer Chicken Salad
• Asian Pasta Salad with Beef, Broccoli and Bean Sprouts
• Hawaiian Salad
• Oregon Summer Pasta Salad

Drinks:

• Lemonade
• Iced Tea Lemonade
• Basil Lemon Water

Desserts:

• Ming Makes Cupcakes (omg, I’m drooling)
• Orange Rolls
• Pie Crust
• Rhubarb Sour Cream Coffee Cake
• Swedish Cream with Summer Berries
• Chocolate-Orange Cake
• Panda Bread (ahhh! so cute!)

Come back tomorrow for a compilation of all of the craft and sewing tutorials!

WOW! Thank you all so much for visiting my little corner of the internet and leaving me with so much amazing inspiration!! I am putting together a post with all of the awesome links that you left me so that everyone else can be as inspired as I am. Hopefully I’ll get that post up by tomorrow.

But before I spend more time getting lost in inspiring tutorial- and recipe-land, I thought I should announce a winner.

Congratulations to Commenter #22, Jessica Hills!! Jessica left a drool-inspiring recipe for Orange Rolls. I will definitely be trying them! Everyone should also check out her cute blog, A Few of My Favorite Things.

Thank you, thank you to everyone who stopped by and left such kind words. Happy Spring!

I am giving away this compact tote bag for Sew,Mama,Sew! Giveaway Day. It can be stuffed into the pocket so you can just throw it in your purse and always have an extra bag handy.

I think I’ll use this opportunity to get some inspiration from blogland. To win the tote bag, comment on this post with either:

• a link to your favorite free tutorial out there in blogland
  OR
• the name of your favorite springtime recipe (and a link, if possible!)

Post your comment by May 20th, 11:59 pm. Be sure to include an email address so that I can get in contact with you if you win.

I’ll choose the winner at random from the responses on May 21st. I will ship to anywhere in North America.

And if you don’t win, no worries! You can see my post below with a full tutorial to make your own!

**Edited to add** Wow, so much great inspiration already! I will put together a comprehensive list of all of the great tutorials and recipes from the comments and post it at the end of the week. Thanks everyone!!

My coworker carries a great bag like this that you can fold up into the cute accent pocket. I knew it couldn’t be too hard to make one for myself, so I measured her bag and got to work. It’s the perfect size to fit into my bike basket and to pick up groceries from the farmers market or corner store.

And it can be stuffed into the pocket so I can carry extra with me for shopping. Cute, eh? I put together a tutorial so that you, too, can make foldable (er, stuffable) tote bags!

Step 1: Gather Materials

You will need:

• 2 14″x16″ rectangles of main fabric
• 2 2″x27″ strips of main fabric
• 1 10.5″x10.5″ square of accent fabric, cut in half on diagonal to make 2 triangles
• 32″ cord
• Cord stop

Step 2: Make Straps

With right sides together, fold long strips in half hot-dog bun style. Sew 1/4″ from raw edges. Flip rightside out and iron.

Step 3: Attach Straps

Pin straps to top of main bag pieces 4″ in from each side. Baste 1/4″ from raw edges.

Step 4: Hem Top Edge

Iron down 1/4″ and then 1″. Sew close to bottom fold.

Step 5: Finish Top Edge

Fold straps up and sew all the way across, 1/4″ from top. Set main bag pieces aside.

Step 6: Prep Pocket

Iron one corner of one triangle 3″ up one side (wrong sides together), flush with the edge. Iron the other corner of one triangle 1.5″ up one side (wrong sides together), flush with the edge. Do the same thing with the other triangle, but on opposite corners. The triangles should be mirrors of each other.

Step 7: Hem Pocket

Iron down 1/4″ then 3/4″ of hypotenuse. Sew close to bottom fold.

Step 8: Add Cord

String the cord through both triangles, with pointy tips of triangles touching. Tails on either end should be about the same length.

Step 9: Sew Around Bag

Line up all pieces of your bag with right sides out. The triangles will fit on either side of the bag, like a tote bag sandwich. Sew around sides and bottom, 1/4″ from edge. Be sure not to sew over your cord tails.

Step 10: Finish Bag

Turn bag inside out and iron flat. Sew around sides and bottom, 1/2″ from edge. Be sure not to sew over your cord tails.

Step 11: Cord Stop

Turn bag right side out and pull out corners with a pin. String cord stop onto the tails. Tie the tails into a knot and trim ends.

You’re done!! Now you have a super cute bag that can be stuffed into the pocket so that you can go from this…

To this!

Look at that! I have an extra one tucked inside my bag. Check back next weekend for a chance to win that extra bag! (Hooray for Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day!)

I was inspired by this post and the fresh organic rhubarb at the farmer’s market to make some Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies. I combined a few pie recipes I found online and used my favorite crust. The result is sweet and delicious cuteness that I can’t wait to share with my coworkers tomorrow morning!

Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies

Pie Crust Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup chilled unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 8 tbsp. cold water

Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 1 cup strawberries, cut into slices
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. orange zest
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Topping Ingredients

• 1 egg
• Raw cane sugar

Directions

Make pie dough:

1. Sift together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Cut the butter into small chunks and mix it into the flour mixture with a pastry knife or your fingertips until it resembles a coarse meal.
3. Combine the vanilla and water in a cup.
4. Gradually stir it into the flour mixture with a fork until it is moistened and forms a dough. (You may not need all the water)
5. Refrigerate in plastic wrap for 1 hour – overnight.

Make filling:

1. Combine all filling ingredients in a medium saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat to low, and cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
3. Strain filling. This will make it so the juices don’t run out of the pies. You can save the syrup to serve on pancakes. Yum!

Make hand pies:

1. Preheat oven to 425º.
2. Roll out dough to 1/8″ thick on a lightly floured surface while dough is cold.
3. Cut out 4″ circles using a cookie cutter (or the top of a glass).
4. Place circles on cookie sheet. Put 1-2 tbsp filling in the center of each circle.
5. Lightly beat the egg in a bowl. Brush egg around one half of the circle.
6. Fold the circle in half, and press edges together. Use a fork to crimp along edge.
7. Brush top of each pie with egg. Sprinkle with raw cane sugar.
8. Make a few slits in the top of each pie with a paring knife.
9. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until pies are golden brown.
10. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container.

My mother-in-law makes these bars every time we visit. She usually makes them with refrigerated cookie dough, so they come together in a snap. Here is my version with homemade cookie dough. They are almost on the edge of being too sweet. Luckily there are always more than enough people willing to eat them so that you don’t get the chance to overindulge too much. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Chocolate chip cookies:

• 2.5 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Peanut butter filling:

• 2 cups peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
3. Add sugar and brown sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in vanilla, then eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition.
5. Add one-third of flour mixture and mix on low speed. Gradually add remaining flour mixture, mixing until just blended.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour or overnight.
8. Preheat oven to 350º F.
9. Divide chocolate chip cookie dough in half. Press one half into the bottom of a 9″x13″ pan:



10. Beat the peanut butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until blended.
11. Press peanut butter mixture on top of the dough:



12. Press remaining half of chocolate chip cookie dough on top of peanut butter mixture. To do this, break off small pieces and flatten in your hand and then lay over peanut butter until the whole pan is covered.



13. Bake at 350º F for 28-30 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
14. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Yum! How can you go wrong with chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter, and sugar?