Happy Halloween

Here's hoping your day is full of special treats....and no scarey tricks!

Feel free to grab this vintage card for your crafting projects!

Cast Iron Favorites

The latest edition of MaryJane's Farm Magazine arrived in today's mail.

At the very end of the magazine was a page that spoke to me.

Those of you who know me know that I have a passion for all things old....especially old and useful. On the top of that list is old cast iron kitchen tools. I have been collecting these gems for years now and proudly display them all over my kitchen and pantry. I thought I would share a few with you.

My all time favorite peeler....isn't she lovely?

This little sprite thumbing his nose is a cigar cutter.

I just cannot resist old coffee grinders....and I don't even drink coffee!

This one is a Husqvarna...just like the chainsaw and those wonderful sewing machines!

My favorite of all....wow is this one heavy!

This one is mounted on the wall. That little iron cup that hangs beneath it detaches. Who'd believe there could be so many variations of one particular tool!

Is there anything better for cooking than cast iron cookware?

My favorite everyday aprons hang from this cast iron pig.

My pantry serves as home for the rest of the pieces...

The round green tool on the bottom shelf is a green been slicer....to make French cut green beans!

More Wooly Mittens

Grey, rainy days are good for spending a little time in the craft room. Today's project was.... more mittens! I sat with my felted wool, a pile of lace and ribbons, paper, buttons and just started to imagine. My favorite is the lighter one on top. For this I used a vintage crocheted piece, old button, old tatting and old sheet music (for the paper tag). I sewed the paper tag onto the mitten, added some glitter and finished it with a wire hanger. I think I will need to take a trip to the thrift store for more wool sweaters!

Wooly Mittens

Winter is approaching. We have sorted through our warmest clothes, brought our hats and gloves out of storage and placed our boots in the garage...all of the gear that is necessary to survive the harsh winter winds that soon will blow. Perhaps one of my favorite winter accessories is a warm pair of woolen mittens.

This year I think I will decorate one of our Christmas trees

with homemade mitten ornaments.

I saw this idea in the latest issue of Somerset Life and made some of my own.

I took two colors of felted wool (from old wool sweaters...washed in hot water and dried in the dryer), cut out mittens and cuffs and embellished. Crocheted lace, tiny buttons, glitter, ribbon and a guinea feather(of which I have plenty and can supply you with if you desire) decorate this little ornament.

I think I will try a few different colors.....

Oh, and let me know if you want some guinea feathers!

(who knows, I may send them still attached to the bird!)

Dressing Henrietta

Henrietta Butterfield is my vintage dress form. At the present moment she is sporting one of my vintage fabric aprons and a darling hat that I found at a local antique mall. This is the front of the hat....something I could see Audrey Hepburn wearing.

And this is the back of the hat....darling! Around Henrietta's neck is this bit of fluff that was perhaps part of a victorian mourning outfit. Dressing Henrietta is a work in progress. I found these vintage crinolines on Ebay and am currently bidding on them....I think they would make a great addition to Henrietta's eclectic style of dress!

Raggedy Me

For the past couple of weeks I have devoted every spare moment to finishing that Raggedy Ann quilt that I started much earlier this year. It was a special order for a friend. Her daughter's bedroom is decorated with Raggedy Ann. She had furnished me with a piece of wallpaper border and asked if I could make a quilt to match. Timing was not the best however, and we got very involved with building our log home. So the quilt was on the back burner for several months.

Now, after keeping my nose to the grindstone, I could finally call Julie and tell her that her quilt is finished! Complete! Done! Finit! YAY!!!!!!! I am happy with the end result.

AND.....I am so excited to start some other projects. Hopefully I will be back to blogging regularly with little projects and ideas to share with you.

Here is the final pics of Raggedy Ann.

A red button sewn in the middle of each red section (this is a space where four corners converge).

And now, Good Night Raggedy Ann......I am dragging Raggedy me to bed.....my fingers and my eyes are tired. Tomorrow is another day....and a whole world of crafting ideas awaits me! After all, Christmas is coming.....so much to do!!

Autumn Baking

Every Autumn I experience a renewed enthusiasm for nesting. There is something about the chilly winds and the falling leaves that pushes me inward....back into the house with a desire to fill it with homey decor, delectable fragrances and comfort foods. There's nothing better than hot spiced cider and Pumpkin nut muffins to do just that!

Unable to find just the right recipe for the muffins, I decided to try my hand at concocting a recipe. I have to say, these are pretty darn good....and they filled the house with a wonderful Fall aroma.

Pumpkin Nut Muffins

1 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 T. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/2 cup low fat buttermilk

1/4 cup light olive oil

1 egg

1 cup pumpkin (or more)

(I used a whole 15 oz can of pumpkin and they were a bit moist)

1 cup chopped walnuts

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 stick butter, refrigerated

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Beat pumpkin, egg, buttermilk, oil. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add nuts. Spoon into greased muffin pan and top with crumb topping. (To make crumb topping...use a pastry blender to mix butter with flour and sugar until it forms coarse crumbs. Add walnuts) Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Tastes like pumpkin pie.....yummy!

Vintage Dressform

I spent a little time browsing one of my favorite antique shops, yesterday,

and came upon a treasure.

Isn't she beautiful??

The iron stand that she sits on says

Hallborchert Dressform Co.

New York / Chicago

Look at her beautiful "bustle" behind.

She is a lovely full-figured gal with a relatively small waistline.

(The dealer that I bought it from says it is from about 1880.)

I think she is a fabulous addition to my sewing room.

What a wonderful display piece for vintage-inspired creations.

I do hope she likes tea...her companionship is much needed here on the farm!

She needs a name, of course.

How about Henrietta Butterfield?

or

Winifred Crestwood?

Any suggestions??

Bag Lady???

Oh no, I promise you that I have not turned into a bag lady. It's just that right now when I have so little time to spend in my sewing room....a quick 15 minute craft is all I am up for. These gift bags take about that much time. I promise you (and I promise myself) that as soon as cold weather arrives, I will be much craftier. Also until that time I must finish a quilt for a friend (no, Julie, I have not forgotten). So I guess for now......bag lady.