cupcakes *need* to be eaten….

Cupcakes.yum. 003 
…. and we think we know just the fellas to help us out on this little problem. Or is it a problem?

XX, us

P.S. Oh, yes! We're taking the weekend off, so we won't be answering emails or mailing out packages. Can't wait to be back!

time.

Time. 003 
This is what we've been up to…

*sewing (surprise!)

*swimming today

*thinking of how summer is almost over

*it went by too quickly

*watching Errol Flynn

*staring at the new fabrics coming this fall (here)

*and loving them! 

*picking wild plums and making jam (especially for Dad)

*grilling cheeseburgers– we do that all year round!

*putting up a fun, new option of Nana's dishcloths

Texas! 004

*more sewing

*and playing with fabric in general

*more on that later

Poodle 

*reading Against His Will (It's really good!)

*making and binding quilts

Mom's sugar quilt 003

*Chipotle burritos for dinner

*maybe we'll have ice cream with Reese's shell for dessert

What have you been doing?

love,

the Long ladies
 

pillow-patching.

Pillow.patching
In case you haven't guessed already, we love patch-y things.  And patch-y pillowcases!?  What could be more fun than that.

We hope things are bright and cheery, wherever you are today.

XO, the Long ladies 

my.voile.dress.

Abi's.voile.dress. 001
We all love voile. And, as you know, we've made several voile things. (First this, then this, then this and then this!) Nan helped me cut out this little jewel last time she was here. (We miss you Nan and Paps!) I used an old pattern… which happens to be a weakness all we girls share. The thing I love most about this dress???? The sleeves, of course!

Tie.me
I love the tie too.

But I love this dress, so I can't help but love everything about it. Right?

love,  Abs

Randomly Random….

We get so many wonderful people tagging us, and we really wish we could respond to each one!  However, since that doesn't always work, we decided to put together our own 15 Random Things about us.  To make it even more interesting, we worked on each other's!  Here goes…

Beautiful mom
Kristie~   1. Always tries to make the best out of everything 2. Always sleeps on vintage pillowcases. 3. Could eat pizza everyday. 4. Had a broken arm when she was 5 from falling off of a dog house. 5. Always wears socks! 6. She is our best friend. 7. She has a contagious laugh. 8. Can type really fast. 9. Wore a red/white checked skirt to graduation. (All the other girls were wearing white!) 10. Took French in high school. (Mom can still speak English when business demands it.) 11. Always insists that brownies are best when cut with a plastic knife. 12. Looks like Maureen O'Hara. 13. Can impressively drive a huge truck, pulling a flat bed trailer loaded with hay. 14. One of her very favorite colors is red. 15. Is always offering to do something for someone else.

Apphia.swings
Apphia~ 1. She's a perfectionist– always has been. 2. She's not very bossy. 3. She's the tallest out of all of the girls. 4. Hates cats! 5. Doesn't mind leaving food uneaten on her plate. 6. Loves to sketch. 7. The only one of us kids that has had her tonsils taken out. 8. Wrote poetry when she was little. 9. Always drinks coke on Friday nights (out of a special glass). 10. Is always there to listen. 11. She's fun to stay home with 12. She's got classic style (think Grace Kelly) 13. Gets a pretty tan. (The rest of us girls burn.) 14. Has her room painted pink. 15. Loves soft pretzels + cheese.

Achaia's AMH dress 043
Achaia~ 1. No matter how terrible she feels, she insists on helping. 2. She was the happiest baby. 3. Her style is a mix of Anna Maria Horner, Anthropologie, and vintage. 4. She has the perfect timing to say funny things. 5. She's got the cutest smile. (And it didn't cost a dime.) 6. She likes to make (and keep) everybody happy. 7. She's the only one in the family that wears glasses. 8. She's very organized. 9. Her favorite color is purple (and always has been). 10. She reads out loud really well. 11. She lets the other girls fix her hair. 12. When she gets overwhelmed she goes and sits in her room, and a few minutes later she's fine. 13. She loves marshmallow cokes. 14. She's somewhat afraid of heights (it took us forever to get her to go off the high-dive), but she loves roller coasters. 15. She would love to go to Rome one day. 

Fabric! 021
Abigail~ 1. She was a colicky baby. 2. When she sings, it's always at the top of her lungs. 3. She is very creative, and can make anything she wants. 4. Makes good "super slap" peanut butter sandwiches– you eat off of the counter with no plate. 5. Has a weakness for anything Amy Butler. 6. Isn't a very good speller, but always makes it hilarious! 7. Has beautiful hair. 8. When she doesn't feel well, she wants to clean her closet. 9. That being said, she is very sensitive about what's in her closet. 10. Is very afraid of sharks and cats. 11. Loves ice cream cones. 12. Makes the best sweet tea! 13. Always puts together interesting clothing combinations. (They always work for her.) 14. Has a very loud voice, and she knows how to use it! 15. Her bag is affectionately called "the big yellow banana". (She named it.) 

All.bi. 003
Abiah~ 1. Loves to sing in the shower (opera sometimes!) 2. She's the only one in our family with red hair. 3. Could make a meal out of chips and queso. 4. Is petite– wears a size 0 or 2– does that count as a size? 5. Has a good memory. 6. Is not a big crier. (We cry for her.) 7. Carries the tiniest, matchbox size purse. 8. Her favorite actor is Gregory Peck. 9. That being said, one of her very favorite movies is "Roman Holiday". 10. Can carry a 45-50 lb. square hay bale. (Does that go with #4?) 11. Is very particular about grammatical errors. 12. Is the best photographer! 13. When she's on the phone with her best friend (besides us, of course), she talks really fast. 14. Loves Bodenusa.com 15. Is a real encourager.

Oh!  A few extra things about all of us…

1. We all have blue eyes.  2. We've eaten approximately 32 different varieties of cheese enchiladas!  3. We all love old movies!

Love,

the Long ladies

a giveaway {and an interview}

Hello there!  We hope you all are having a happy Tuesday.  We are.  Things are buzzing here in the studio!  And we're starting to think a little bit about fall…

Lydia

Anyway, we wanted to tell you about our friend Lydia's giveaway!  (Isn't she adorable?)  Visit Lydia's blog for an opportunity to win your own custom-made apron from marie-madeline studio!  (In your choice of fabrics, of course.)

Lydia also did an interview with us Long ladies.  We had so much fun "visiting" with her!  Stop by Smalltown Simplicity to tell Lydia hello, and enter her giveaway!

lots of love,

the Long ladies

xo

easy peasy homemade taco seasoning

Taco seasoning 001
Ever since some very good friends of ours gave us this recipe, we've never gone back to the store bought variety!  It's really yummy, and tastes just like it came from a Mexican restuarant, so you need to give it a try….

Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

2 cups instant minced onion

1 cup salt

1 cup chili powder

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup crushed dried red pepper

3 TBSP  garlic powder

3 TBSP dried oregano leaves

1/3 cup ground cumin

1 tsp. thyme

Combine all ingredients until evenly distributed.  Pour into airtight container.  Store in a cool, dry place.  Use within 6 months.  

Use 2 tablespoons of mix with 3/4 cups water to every 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The recipe below is for only one serving.  The one above is the recipe multiplied by 45!  (Yes, we really do like it a lot.)

Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning… 1 serving

2 tsp. instant minced onion

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. thyme

Follow instructions found above.

Enjoy!

love, the Long ladies