Etsy Feature: BulcherM

Once again I'm late posting. Sorry. I've just been so busy with work. Today I worked from 12pm to 5:30pm and I have to work from 8pm to 1:30am yet. I've got about an hour before I have to head back to work. I hope to get some more posts written up soon so that I can post more often. 

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Today is the day for another Etsy Feature. I am kind of excited for this one. She does knitted hats and mittens and  they're so adorable and I wish i could afford one!

Now let's read on about Miriam from BulcherM.

Parisian Delight Hat

- Tell me a bit about yourself

My name is Miriam and I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I currently work for the Canadian Forces as a civilian personal trainer/evaluator/fitness instructor. It's funny that my business is knitting, to me it's a rather strange combo but it works! I love to knit, I used to knit when I was younger but wasn't serious about it. I started getting more into it last year, and then it just took off full force! I also love to cook, as does my husband (loves my cooking). :-P We got married last June and are expecting a baby this coming April. Knitting has been my go to while being pregnant as it's relaxing, but also somewhat challenging at the same time.

* Congratulations on the baby!! * 

Chocolate Cream Fleece Lined Headband

- How did you get started?

I learned to knit when I was 7 by my brother's god mother, she taught me the basics, I knit a scarf then forgot everything. Couple years later I went back to her and she retaught me, I actually retained the information this time! However that spurt didn't last long, I didn't knit again until I was 19 and then started getting into more complicated things like hats and mittens, it was challenging, then I started exploring other area of knitting with different yarn and needles and that led me to being confident to designing my own patterns!

- When did you start creating stuff?

I started creating things literally in November 2011, I realized I needed to do this, something was just pushing me to do it, it was really frustrating but in 2 months I have come a long way, it's amazing! It's so much easier for me now, and only will continue to be like that and get easier as time goes on.

Oreo Mittens

- When did you start selling?

I started my Etsy shop in the beginning of December, however, I advertised on Facebook amongst my friends and after about the 1st week I had 7 sales just from my friends! It was amazing! My sales on etsy are another story, so far I've only gotten 2 sales, but I am working hard to get others, having a business online is a totally other animal which is new to me. I'm realizing it's a lot of hard work but that isn't discouraging me!

- Why did you decide to start selling what you make?

When the idea came to start knitting my own things, I was really clueless as to what because there are a million people who sell knitted items, but I wanted to make it personal, something that I would use, and that others would find useful. I remember last winter going to MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop) which is an amazing store, and looking at their toques (hats), they were fleece lined! I thought that was amazing and had no idea how to do it. I was somewhat jealous because they looked like such good quality, not only that but you didn't have to deal with cold ears on a windy day even though you were wearing a hat. For a whole year it kinda bothered me that I couldn't make something as awesome as the hats at mec. Then it hit me, why don't I fleece line my hats and mittens and that will be my trademark? I had not heard of anyone that was selling fleece lined hand made knit items (I did some googling to see) and after some research I figured that was what I was going to do. I wanted to sell an item that you would not only look fantastic in, but you would also stay nice and warm. I have never owned a toque or hat that provided me with both: fashion and warmth so it was high time to create something!

Neopolitan Hat

- What do you do besides your shop?

As I mentioned in my brief bio in the beginning, I am a civilian personal trainer for the Canadian Forces, I love it, it's great. I am a huge fitness enthusiast, it's my other passion, that's my full time job. :)

Other than that, I cook. That's pretty much it.

- What is your inspiration?

My inspiration and motivation is definitely my husband, he was the one who suggested me having my own knitting shop in the first place, of which I laughed at him because I thought that was ridiculous. Now look at me! Haha! He motivates me to better ideals, and he also helps me with my business: finances and such, he gives me feedback. It's amazing. My other inspiration is my cousin, she has a shop and she sells amazing things, gets lots of sales, she has had some great advice for me. Other than that, it's fashion, I am a fashion police I guess you could say, I love looking great, and I like it when I can help others to do so as well so when colours come to my head, I have to make it right away!

Chocolate Cream Hat and Mittens

- What are your future hopes/plans for your store? (in five years? Ten years?)

Well I definitely hope that the store will eventually be my full time job, with a baby on the way I am looking down the road of eventually being a housemom so this is playing a huge role in that picture.

- Describe your creative process. What is your favourite part?

Hmm, I find this question difficult to answer. Literally things pop into my head, an idea or a design or I will draw something out on paper and talk about it with my husband, we share ideas and then something else formulates and then voila! I get started working on it. Sometimes it comes from just watching what people wear on a daily basis, what type of accessories they have, colours, style, etc. My favourite part.... I don't think I'm that far yet! Haha! I love it when an idea comes out great and people love it! Whether it's the colours or just how it overall looks.

- How long would you say it takes you on average to create a piece?

For a hat, it ranges from 4.5-5 hours, that's straight, most of the time I don't work straight though, mostly cause my brain starts to go insane and I need to get up and do something else. Probably also cause of my fitness nature, that's a long time to be sitting in one spot for a while and not exactly good for my neck and posture.

Mittens takes me longer, about 5-7 hours for a set. It really tries my patience but that's good! I like that it does! :)

Some custom orders can take me longer as well because I have to modify the pattern a bit.

Gummy Bear Delight Headband

- Do you run your store full time or share it with an outside job/family/etc?

I have a full time job first and foremost, so etsy is my part time job, soon it will be after my family which is growing! Eventually I'd like etsy to become my full time job after being a full time mum. :)

Sweet Violet Hat

- What is your favourite piece to date? Is it something you made for yourself or plan to sell/sold? (pictures?)

Ooohhh, favourite item, that's a really tough one to ask, I have a lot of favourites to be honest, it's so hard for me to choose! Currently I wear the sweet voilet toque, the purple with cream brim. Yet my husband keeps telling me that the pink licorice or the lilac lullaby is better suited for me, I'm leaning towards the pink licorice hat: black with pink rim.

Pink Licorice Hat

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 I don't know about where you all live, but I know where I live a hat like this would be sooo nice! It would definitely keep my ears warm. :) And I adore the colours!! I'm not sure if I could choose a favourite because they're all so nice.

Now go check out her store on Etsy!!

Foodie Friday: Homemade Yogurt

So maybe I'll make a Foodie Friday or something and every couple Fridays I'll post something food related. I won't be posting much food stuff but every now and then I just can't resist.

This time it will be homemade yogurt. I never, ever buy yogurt anymore (unless it's to start a new batch of homemade). I LOVE my homemade stuff way more than any store bought yogurt. The store bought stuff is too sugary for my liking.

I've been making yogurt for a few years now. I've made it in the oven, in  a crockpot and in a yogurt maker. At first I would just put it in the oven with the light on to keep it warm and let sit overnight. Then I moved and my oven didn't have a working oven light so I started putting it in the crock pot insert and wrapping it in a towel. But then winter hit and the house became too cold and my boyfriend's step dad bought me a yogurt maker so I've been using that since. I will probably go back to a previous method since I make a lot of yogurt at one time. My boyfriend and I had to buy another oven since our old one quit working so this one now has a working light so I think I'll be making a lot of yogurt in the oven pretty soon.

Right now my yogurt maker makes six little jars so I make a batch of yogurt then spoon into jars and immediately make another batch of yogurt. I usually make two or three batches back to back just to have enough yogurt to last more than a few days.

I LOVE my yogurt super thick. Usually homemade yogurt turns out really thin but I've almost always had thick yogurt. Some times I would end up with thinner yogurt but I finally have found a trick to having thick yogurt all the time. My yogurt is always so thick that I can turn the jar upside down and the yogurt doesn't move.

Of course it isn't as jello like once you stir it up, but it still ends up being super thick. There's so many different ways to eat yogurt. I eat it with all kinds of fruit or put it in smoothies. I sweeten my yogurt with brown sugar or maple syrup or honey or sometimes just leave it. The one time I had some leftover raspberry pie filling in the fridge and stirred in a bit of that with my yogurt. That tasted really good!

The last time I had it with apples, cinnamon and brown sugar. Yum, yum, yum!

Yogurt is actually really easy to make. Easier to make than most people think.

I don't measure anything (unless I use my yogurt maker). I usually use a whole 4L jug of milk (higher fat content, thicker yogurt so I always use 3.25% milk) and just about 1/2 or so of yogurt for that amount of milk.

Step 1: Heat milk in a pot on stove. I usually set it at around 2 or 3 and wait. There's a specific temperature that it has to heat to but I don't remember what it is. I don't have a thermometer but I've always had successful batches anyway. I wait until the milk gets a skin on top.

Step 2: Remove from heat, peel skin off top. Let is cool until it's about body temperature (when you can stick your finger in the milk for 10 seconds without it burning is what I read). Usually a skin forms again which I just remove.

Step 3: Stir in yogurt from the store or from your last batch. If you use store bought make sure it's plain yogurt, no sugars or anything.

THE TRICK: Lately I add just a touch of milk powder, no more than 2 tablespoons or so to the yogurt before stirring the yogurt into the milk.

Step 4: Put into yogurt maker, or crock pot liner wrapped in towel, or put into jars and set in a heated oven (I just put it at lowest temperature for a few minutes before putting yogurt into oven, don't forget to turn off the oven before placing yogurt in it though).

Step 5: Now let sit overnight!!

Step 6: Remove to fridge and let sit a few hours before eating. Preferably. I have eaten it right away but sometimes it firms up some more after being in the fridge.

I read somewhere that once it thickens, letting it sit longer will NOT make it thicker, just produce more whey. Letting it sit longer just makes the yogurt tangier. That makes sense when I think of some of my batches. Usually I let it sit overnight and don't worry about time but I've had the thick batches, the running ones, the ones with lots of whey and one time I had a batch that was way more sweet than tangy. Now I just leave it sit for 6-8 hours if it's during the day and if I notice whey then I remove to fridge right away.

Update: I'm still here!

I'm still here!! I've been very busy lately. Started work full time on Tuesday and kicked it off with two days of back to back double shifts (7am-5:30pm) with about an hour for lunch. I've been soo exhausted. I come home and sleep basically. I had a shift this morning then slept for four hours when I got home and I have to go back for another shift in half an hour.

Ugh, I can't wait to sleep in tomorrow. I'm so tired and sore. My eating is taking a beating, too. I snack a lot at work and I don't have time or energy to eat something at 6 in the morning (my body hates food for the first hour or so after waking up) and then I get home, shower and sleep. So now when I do try to eat, I can't. And since I can't eat I am not getting the energy nor the strength to do my job and end up feeling sick and/or exhausted.

I hope my body gets used to these hours. And fast. I have Saturday and Sunday off (only one shift tomorrow) so hopefully that's enough time to recoup and get energy/strength for more double shifts next Tues/Wed.

I do have some ideas for posts. I just need to put it all together. I actually have a post written up (Foodie Friday) and since it's Friday tomorrow I guess I'll go ahead and post that. I will try to write up some other posts as soon as I can.

Valentine's Day - Oh the Ideas!

I was thinking up upcoming blog posts and completely forgetting that Valentine's Day was coming up! I was reading through some of the blogs I follow and that was when I realized that it will soon be February 14th. And some of the stuff they posted was just soo cute that I have to post it here. And I'll be adding some Valentine's Day ideas from Pinterest (because I adore Pinterest and I enjoy it for everything).

My boyfriend and I personally never really do anything for Valentine's Day. This will be our fourth Valentine's Day together (this April we will have been together for five years). I remember the first year I was at his place for the weekend and he bought me flowers...and little heart chocolate bouquets. :) I know I took a picture but not sure where that picture is. I shall have to search for it. And other than that I don't know if we did get gifts or anything for each other. I love randomly giving him stuff or making him things so I don't feel the need to choose one day of the year to do that. Neither of us have much money to spare to spend on the other right now anyway. I told him that I'd be happy with a hug and kiss for a gift on Valentine's Day. :) I, however, do enjoy doing the cute little handmade ideas that aren't very costly. 

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These are heart sugar cubes from Homemade Mamas. I seriously think I'll have to make these just for fun even because they are the cutest. These remind me of these Candy Cane Sugar Cubes I found through Pinterest. I haven't made them yet but I LOVE candy canes so I plan on doing that. You could put these two ideas together and make heart shaped candy cane sugar cubes if you wanted!

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I love this idea. It's something that can be great to keep around year round. It's a nice reminder of why you love your significant other. And who doesn't like that? This charming idea I found on Yee Wittle Things. This was actually the first blog I had been looking at when I realized that Valentine's Day was quickly approaching.

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The next blog I had found Valentine's Day stuff on actually had a few cute things. Such as...

and...

And these charming crafts come from Bugs and Fishes .

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The best thing to come from my blog reading was these crepes! Oh boy, do they look DELICIOUS! I almost started drooling when I saw this picture. It's been so long since I've made crepes...I think it's about time that I make some more. Do you agree?

 The delicious looking food idea comes from Chef in Training. If you would like to make these, the recipe is in the post on her blog. I seriously think I'll be making some. They have a cream cheese filling, and while I never have cream cheese on hand unless I planned to make a cheesecake...I actually happen to have some cream cheese lying around so how awesome is that?!

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A movie that I can't wait to see...The Vow!

I love both of those actors and I'm a sucker for a romance. I don't care how cheesy the story line is, the movie still sounds good and I still want to watch it. 

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If you're not feeling up to crepes, here's a simplier idea for a Valentine's breakfast. Valentine's Day Egg in the Basket from Petite Kitchenesse.

Adorable way to add toast and eggs to a breakfast in bed possibly? Add in some coffee with those cute as can be heart shaped sugar cubes and some fruit and you're set. :)

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Or maybe this can be your breakfast.

Those also make me drool.  Yum, yum, yum. Mini Stuffed French Toast, it doesn't get much better than this. Not to mention I think I found a new awesome food blog. Yes, I'm nearly addicted to food blogs. Will Cook For Smiles has a  lot of really yummy recipes. 

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This is probably the MOST adorable valentine I have ever seen. I think some year I might have to make a whole bunch of these. 

Not to mention, you could have soo much find with posing and doing each of them differently if you wanted. I had actually found this idea last year I think. I thought it was cute even then. And you could do it for other events or holidays besides Valentine's Day as well. It's a very versatile idea.

Hop over to Landee See, Landee Do to see the other Valentine's cards she did. 

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Look what else I found!

Ain't it cute? Little Birdie Secrets show hers hanging from her light fixture but you could also use them as necklaces. Wouldn't little girls love getting this? It's a nice idea besides the typical candy. And if you get really creative you could take the idea from above and combine it with this as a necklace and BOOM! You have another creation.

I think I would honestly even make some of these for necklaces for my friends.


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These are an adorable way to give candy to friends. And they'd be fun to open! :) Check out MADE to see how you can make these.

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I know there are haters for Valentine's Day, and I completely get where they are coming from, but I personally like this day of the year. To me it's not about saying that one day a year you HAVE to get your significant other a gift and say you love them and treat them nicely because that is something you should do every day (well, don't need to get them a gift every day but you don't need a day to tell you to buy them a gift. Spontaneously get them flowers every so often). But I like this day to show my friends and everybody that I care about them to. It's like back in elementary school when you had to hand out Valentine's to everybody. I still enjoy giving out Valentine's or little treats to all my friends as well. 

And even if you're single, go watch a romance movie by yourself or with friends, make yourself a nice breakfast, buy yourself a treat or make yourself something cute. It's about celebrating love in general, not just to your significant other. Show your friends that you love them and show yourself that love, too!

Well, I'm done my spiel. Off to clean the house I think. Some more...I already mopped the kitchen floor and cleaned off the table and folded laundry. Now to do more housework. Yay, the never ending things you do to keep a clean looking house.