Fruit Salsa

I got this idea from a couple of recipe websites, and tweaked it to make it my own.  This makes a little more than 4 cups.  I didn't really measure anything, but I eyeballed the measurements.

Ingredients:
1 12oz jar of preserves (I used strawberry)
~1 tbsp white sugar
~1 tsp brown sugar
~1 tbsp cinnamon
~1 tbsp lemon juice
pinch cardamom
dash allspice
1 honeycrisp apple, finely chopped
1/2 lb strawberries, finely chopped
1 banana, finely chopped
3 nectarines, finely chopped
5 kiwi, finely chopped

I really wanted mango as well, but they looked pretty nasty at the store--way over-ripe.

Mix all together.  Serve with cinnamon flavored chips (pita or tortilla?  I made a Pillsbury pie crust flat on a pizza pan, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled liberally with cinnamon sugar).

You could probably eliminate the sugar from the salsa if you wanted it to be healthier.  Feel free to substitute your favorite fruits or flavors of preserves for those listed.  Let me know if you make a variation that turns out amazing!

Keep it Kute (and tasty)!

Some Things I've Made Lately.

Iron-on t-shirts for my cousin's little boys

The bestest birthday card in the history of ever:

Painted, sponged, and hot-glued letters.

Crocheted sweaters, mittens, legwarmers, and booties for Bitty Bear to ward off air-conditioning chill at the hospital.

Keep it Kute!

Quick and Dirty: Scat and Snot Swipes Tutorial (and Simple Scat Swipe Solution)

I've been promising some folks on Facebook this tutorial for a while.  This is an easy way to make your own cloth wipes at home.  We use these in the wipe warmer for diaper changes, and keep some dry ones on the Bear's nightstand, since he can't be trusted not to rip up a whole box of facial tissue.  They are so soft for little bums and noses, plus they can be any fun color you or your kids like.

I start with soft flannel in fun prints.  I like to buy 1 yd of each print.  Then, I cut each yard into ~8 inch strips.

Next, I cut each strip into ~8 inch squares.

 After that, I pair the squares and match them up corner-to-corner, wrong sides facing.  Some of them I mixed and matched fabric; others I did the same fabric on both sides.

 I sew them together on the machine.  I use a ziggy-zaggy, over-lappy stitch (like my technical terms?).  Here's a picture of the settings I used on my machine, but of course, ever machine is different.  I think if you have a serger, that would work really well.

 Finally, I trim any loose threads and ragged edges.  This time around, I decided to use pinking shears.

And that's all, folks!

The solution I use in my wipe warmer is easy to make, too.  Just a ratio of 1 c tap water, to 2 tbsp baby shampoo and 2 tbsp baby oil.  Shake it in an old bottle or jar and pour over wipes in your warmer.  This solution doesn't work very well for moistening dry wipes on the go, so we keep disposable wipes in the diaper bag, but it really gets the job done at home.

Happy wiping, and Keep it Kute!