What I Made.....

I haven't had a ton of time to create as of late, due to being out of town. If you saw my Sunburst Granny Afghan, you can see I've been busy with that! I also managed to get quite a few scarves done for gifts. I've been really enjoying learning to crochet and knit.

One recent competed project was a newborn hat for a friend who had a beautiful baby girl! :)

I have a ton of projects in progress, of course, and I love doing it!! Right now my goal this week is to finish a fall afghan for me and work on my son's Mario granny square blanket! :)

What are you working on this week!?

Team Update

Handmade Louisiana...it's my baby. It was founded in April 2009 by myself and two other artisans who were from a former Etsy La based team that fizzled out. Although a majority of our team members sell on Etsy.com, we were adament that members need not sell on Etsy to be a part of the team. Although I do continue to run one shop on Etsy, I quickly learned there are more venues than Etsy to be a part of and one should never put all their eggs in one basket! We wanted our team to be open to anyone who created handmade who was in or from Louisiana, even if they didn't sell their creations.

So, here we are! Still chugging along on our blog and with an Etsy Team . We've all been quite busy lately, so we've not had as much time to devote to the team as we'd like, but that's a good thing! That means our shops are doing well, and our lives are full!

The Craft a Long Challenge will be back in November. Watch for it on the blog at www.handmadelouisiana.com

Artists of the Month should be continuing as well as our Team Picks! :) Thanks for all the support over the years!

~~Amy

Tasty Tuesday: Lighter Chicken Enchiladas

If not for Pinterest, I might starve.

Found this one, haven't tried it yet, but plan to. No one will probably like it but me, but I'd come to the decision a month or so ago that I was going to cook what I wanted to cook with considerations for some of their preferences, but that overall, as she who slaved over it, I had final say in menu planning.

****To make this gluten free, substitute the flour for Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF Flour or your desired GF flour mix.*****

This is from Martha Stewart, and although I'm not a fan, I admit she's not a shabby cook.

Pan-steaming is a smart way to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Gentle heat and moisture keep the meat juicy and tender without any added fat.

Everyday Food, November 2008

• Prep Time 20 minutes
• Total Time 45 minutes
• Yield Serves 4

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 to 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotles in adobo
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 8 corn tortillas (6-inch)
• 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

1. In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil. Add chicken. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes; remove skillet from heat. Let chicken steam, covered, until opaque throughout, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer chicken to a medium bowl; shred with two forks. Set aside.
2. While chicken is cooking, make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour, cumin, and chipotles in adobo; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly, 5 to 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1 cup sauce to bowl with chicken; toss to combine.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside. Stack tortillas, and wrap in a double layer of damp paper towels; microwave until hot, about 1 minute. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture; roll up tightly, and arrange, seam side down, in baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce, and top with cheese. Bake until hot and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Cook's Note

Chipotles in adobo (smoked, dried jalapenos in sauce) are spicy -- for less heat, scrape out ribs and seeds. You'll find them in the international aisle.


~~~~~~~~ Enjoy

Deal of the Week

Hey all!! Time to start my new blogging schedule! Mondays, (or Sunday nights if I get ahead of myself!) will start the Deal of the Week in one of my shops!

This week, it's Badge Reels on Etsy. Use the coupon code "freeship" in checkout for Free US Shipping!!

I'll be adding new reels continually for the next few months, many designs coming!! :)

This deal is only good for ONE WEEK!
~~Amy

Back in the Saddle....

Hey gang! I'm back home from out of town! It was fabulous to get away, spend time with the family, but now we're home, and time to get cleaned up, wash the mountain of laundry, and get back in the swing of things. November is fast approaching and it's my favorite time of year!

What's your upcoming to do? As you can see on my right sidebar, I'm going to attempt to stick to a new blogging schedule! I'm also as always, streamlining things in life to I can truly enjoy the time I have, not just check things off a list.
But still, I love my lists. So here are my November Goals:

*Crochet and Knit as much as possible! It's fall here and I had wanted to finish some things before it got really cold!
*Prep for Thanksgiving. I LOVE Turkey Day, it's one of the few "traditional" Holidays my family celebrates. So I will be buying turkeys as they go on sale, decorating the house for fall, and snagging up after Halloween candy deals! :)
*Reopen my shops and have some sales!! I have a ton of new buttons to list for badge reels and can't wait to show them to you!
*Make my boys some winter pajamas...and possibly some for ME! They grow SO fast, and I have all this fabric...it's high time I sew for US!
*Plan some fun activities for the boys during Thanksgiving break. A week off from school means I'll go on semi vacation again then, because I want to enjoy our break!

As as matter of fact, many of my creative goals are to utilize some of my supplies for us. The handmade business is great, and I enjoy it, but I also have to remember to create for my family and friends!

I hope everyone is having a fabulous fall and enjoying the changes in the air! To me, fall is the best season!

Happy Fall Y'all!!
~~~Amy

Taking a Little Time Off...

Ahhhh, vacation. What a lovely idea. Rest, relaxation, time for me, time for my family. Ahhhhh.

So, things will be quiet here for the rest of the month. My shops are on vacation and all current orders have been mailed out. (Or will be when mail resumes on Tuesday.) Now to get posts ready for Real Housewives of NOLA and I'll be all caught up! :)

What's on the horizon, you ask? Well, after my vacation, here's my plans:

*More badge reels will be added to the shops! I pressed over 50 new prints today alone so once pics are edited, you'll find even MORE available in my shops!
* A new blogging schedule. I may not make it EVERY day, but I'll try!
* More Pattern Weights, in heavier weights over at Destash City.
* New items at Micro Mops, shhh, it's a secret.
* Big sales and coupons for the shopping season, in ALL the shops!


So, thanks for staying in touch friends, don't forget to follow me on Facebook for up to date information!! :)

~~Amy

Crochet a Long--FINISHED!

I really can't believe it's finished. I didn't think it would go that fast! I participated in the Crochet a Long from Scotti over at OxfordFamily/InnerHooker. 
88 squares of Sunburst Granny Squares surrounded by white triple and double crochets. I have no clue how many stitches, but I'm guessing thousands!

It is a perfect afghan for cold winter nights coming! I love it, and I love that it's pretty on both sides! The "wrong" side is a bit more puffy but doesn't have the window pane effect that the "right" side has. (I did that on purpose.)
What do you think?? :)

Crochet a Long Progress..Nearing the End!

I can't believe I've come this far. Just about two months ago I started to learn to crochet. I'm obsessed. Ive been participating in a Crochet a Long with Scotti from The Oxford Family. I'm happy to say I'm done with all 88 squares through Round Four!! All I have to do is join them!! I can't wait to get started! I'll be joining them with the seam on the "right" side of the square so it gives it a textured look!

I'm rather happy with how they are turning out. I can't wait to finish it then curl up with my blanket and a cup of coffee..and my yarn to make a new project!! :)