Sew On....And Sew Fourth

Announcing.....

2012-01-26T07:42:00.000-05:00

It has been forever since I have posted on this blog....

and I have been really, truly busy....

sewing,

taking care of farm critters,

and taking care of my family.

I just wanted to let you know that I have opened a shop.

The Marketplace at Bee Haven Acres

check it out!

Click HERE to visit the shop!

Oh My Goodness!!!!

2011-12-01T08:21:00.000-05:00

I forgot the flour in my recipe!!!!!

2 1/3 cups

I am so sorry!!!!!

Feeling Snappy!

2011-11-22T16:55:00.001-05:00

Look out!....the flour is flying!

I am in the midst of Thanksgiving baking.

As we speak, the timer is beeping in the kitchen.

Another pan of Ginger Snaps is finished.

Ginger snaps are one of my favorite cookies,

and I am very picky about their taste.

To me, a great ginger snap should have many layers of flavor.

And these little cookies deliver.

I took a basic recipe and worked with it until it had just the right amount of "snap."

Take a bite....

first your salivary glands will start to moisten your mouth from the buttery, slightly salty taste.

Chew a little and you become aware of the sweetness and spiciness.

Then....WHAM!..

the snap hits you and you get a peppery-ginger sensation on the back of your tongue.

Perfect wind-up and perfect follow through.....in baseball terms.

In honor of this sensational experience,

I am sharing my recipe with you.....

Enjoy!!!

Snappy Ginger Snaps

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup molasses

2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves (I use a heaping 1/2 tsp.)

1 tsp. cinnamon (heaping, again)

2 tsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 tsp. ground red cayenne pepper

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat til smooth. Add salt, molasses and spices and beat til well mixed. Add flour and beat until well mixed.

Roll tsp. sized dough into balls. (cookies will flatten) You can roll balls in sugar if you choose, but I don't bother. Bake at 375 for 14 minutes

Let me know if you don't think these are just the snappiest EVAH!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm Back!

2011-11-14T22:16:00.001-05:00

Oh my gosh....

it has been forever since I have had a chance to post on this blog.

Farming (and especially the addition of 2 piglets)

has kept me exceptionally busy.

On rainy days, though, I do take the opportunity to catch up with a little sewing.

Here is what I have been up to these past few weeks.

A blog friend contacted me to see if I could make a particular type of purse for her.

It was called a Grace Kelly purse and was constructed on a purse frame.

Unable to locate the particular frame for her,

I thought I would at least try my hand at this type of purse.

So, I de-constructed an old bag that I never carry and used the frame from that bag

and some fabric that we bought this past October at a fabric rummage sale,
and constructed this new bag.

It is lined....

and trimmed with an antique doily and button...

Over the past few weeks,

I have also had a chance to make a few more aprons.

These are made over my 1940's style pattern.

This time I shortened the length to make it more contemporary.

I made the bias binding in a coordinating fabric.

I love the detail of the back of this apron.

It fits all sizes as it is quite generous in width,

with very long ties.

The ties actually slide through slits in the back panel and then tie in front.

Another version of the same apron...

Made from the same fabric,

but different coordinating fabric.

Another bag that I made in the messenger style...

from an old feed sack...

lined in quilted fabric

and trimmed with antique buttons.

I have so many other projects on the cutting table,
and oodles more to follow them.
If only I had a few elves to help me complete them!!

Sewing Projects

2011-10-04T18:53:00.002-04:00

Last year I made the green linen pinafore pictured on the sidebar of this blog.

I got a lot of positive comments about this pinny,

so I thought I would tweak the pattern a bit and make one out of cotton.

Cotton is so much more versatile for an every day pinny.

This one is a lovely dark coral and pink print.

It is cut very roomy and is modeled by my full figured dress form,

however, tied tighter it also fits me well.
Long ties at the shoulder blades allow for ample figures.

I am offering this one up for sale. ($40.00)

If you are interested, please email me.

Also for sale is this 1940's style apron sewn with vintage fabric.

This one has a back panel that slips over the head,

through which two ties from the waist slip with generous length for larger sizes.

It has a matching potholder in the pocket.

$30.00

All of my aprons have French seams.

They are sewn over my own patterns.

I pride myself in quality craftsmanship.

So, if either you desire....let me know.

Autumn Decorating

2011-09-26T17:21:00.002-04:00

Have I ever told you that I love Autumn best of all?

I do.

I love the changing leaves,

the cooler nights,

sweaters,

bonfires,

pumpkins,

and Halloween.

It is a magical time of year and I love to make the inside of our house
reflect that magic.

I have started to decorate for Autumn.
Here are a few shots I thought I would share with you....

Cooler weather has brought the mice indoors,
looking for warmth and food...

My witch's hat...ready to wear,

if only I could find my broom!

(Don't worry, I am not a real witch....

just a gal who loves to find magic in the world around her!)

I have created my very own Witch's Apothecary shop...

wickedly fun!

Filled with potions...

and magic of all sorts.

Star dust...for making dreams come true!

A book of spells might come in handy,

especially for getting rid of those mice!

A bottle of Fairy Tears...

did you know that fairy tears are purple?

This is just the start of the decorating.
All manner of pumpkin are yet to come....

Hydrangea Pinny

2011-08-29T22:33:00.002-04:00

This weekend's rainy weather gave me a chance to sew for a bit.

I am hooked on this 1940's style pattern.

And who can resist such feminine fabric?

This apron fits most sizes,

and is up for grabs.

Hydrangea Pinny

Email me if you would like to purchase it.

~~$29.00~~
sold

1940's Pinnies

2011-08-10T21:46:00.000-04:00

My favorite apron for farm chores is this 1940's pinny

that I received as a gift.

I love this apron...

it is lightweight and yet provides a maximum of coverage.

The past week has given me a few days of rain and so I set to the task

of recreating this pinny.

My first version of it went my friend Maura.

You can see it HERE on her blog.

Here are a few more versions...

This one I made just for me.
The fabric is bees on chicken wire, of course!

I love the detail of the back...this makes it quite comfortable to wear

all day long.

The next two will be for sale on my apron site

as soon as I get the time to post them.

(or if you would like one....just email me!)

And hens, of course....perfect for gathering eggs!

These aprons are cut very full with extra long ties

and would fit a medium to large frame.

They might be a little big on a tiny woman, though.

the back details are identical to the apron I made for myself.

Oh goodness, I had forgotten how much I enjoy sewing!

2011-06-23T17:26:00.000-04:00

Oh my goodness, how long has it been since I have sewn something?

(Seems like months!)

Somehow in the past two days I snuck in a little sewing time...

probably because the garden is planted,

it has rained each day (no watering needed to be done),

the house is clean and the laundry is done.

Every day while I am out doing tasks around the farm,

I envision what type of apron would be the perfect "can-do"

apron for farmgirls of all types.

Inspired by my beloved chickens,

(I love the cheerful chicken and sunny side up egg fabrics.)

I came up with this everyday-chore-apron,

with ample and deep pockets....

perfect for bringing in the day's garden fare,

or for collecting eggs,

or even for holding lots of clothespins while hanging the laundry.

There's even a small pocket sewn in to the side for a cell phone.

I can think of tons of uses each and every day!

This one is for sale HERE,

but I think I'll have to make another just for me!

Garden Projects

2011-06-03T21:29:00.000-04:00

This adorable wreath adorns the front of my garden shed.

Although this particular wreath was a gift to me,

I think it would be amazingly easy to construct.

An old garden hose, some silk flowers and a bow....

and voila....

adorable!

Secondly, I have seen this next project in magazines lately,

and on other blogs.

It's a simple, inexpensive project.

Simply.....hammer an old silver plated spoon until it is flat.

(a mallet works best)

Stamp the letters with metal stamps

and use permanent ink to stain the letters.

I was working on an old tree stump...

Until Edith came over and started to steal my spoons.

These are now in my herb garden.....

If you are interested in making these, you will need a set of metal letter stamps

which you can find on Ebay for $10 a set.

Spoons are easy to come by and cheap at your local thrift store / flea market.

Chocolate For a Rainy Day!

2011-04-17T21:22:00.000-04:00

I am not sure how much more rain I can take.

Or should I say, how much more rain my waistline can take!

Saturday's weather was as much like a monsoon as I have ever experienced,

so I spent the day baking,

and baking,

and baking.

I started with bread....

Next, moved to cookies...

Followed that with a double batch of black and white biscotti...

The grand finale was this chocolate fudge cake...

I am sure it is the best I have ever made...maybe even the best I have ever eaten.

It is so, so yummy, that I thought I would share the recipe, in case you wanted to try it too!

Wellesley Fudge Cake

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

1/2 cup water

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 2/3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate in water in saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Cool. Mix flour, soda and salt. Cream butter. Gradually beat in remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating after each addition until smooth. Blend in vanilla and chocolate mixture.

Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch layer pans. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling on rack. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides. Garnish with chipped nuts, if desired.

Classic Fudge Frosting

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

4 cups confectioners sugar

dash of salt

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate with butter over very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat. Combine sugar, salt, milk and vanilla. Add chocolate, blending well. If necessary, let stand until of spreading consistency, stirring occasionally. Spread quickly, adding a small amount of additional milk if frosting thickens.

Note, I used a couple bars of this for my unsweetened chocolate...

Yummy, rich, dark chocolaty decadence!

Here's hoping the sun soon shines,

or I will weigh a ton!

Natural Egg Dye Recipes

2011-04-15T20:38:00.000-04:00

For those of you who would rather use all natural dyes than chemical dyes for your easter eggs, I found the following recipes from Sonnewald Natural Foods.

Natural Egg Dyes Recipes

Use hard cooked brown or white eggs. After eggs are cooked, quickly cool the water or rinse in cold water. This helps to prevent greening of the yolk. Natural dyes take longer to color the egg, so plan on extra time, or leave the eggs in the refrigerator overnight.

Recipes make approximately 1 cup dye.

Yellow or deep gold:

1 – 2 tsp. turmeric powder, fill cup with boiling water, stir in 1 tsp. white vinegar (dusty after drying, wipe gently with dry cloth & be very careful for stains) Orange or lemon peels, carrot tops, celery seed, & ground cumin can be added for variation.

Peach to orange:

1 large handful yellow onion skins simmered 20 minutes. Now add 1 tsp. white vinegar.

Rust:

1 large handful of a mix of yellow & red onion skins, prepared as above.

Red:

2 – 4 tbsp. freshly grated beets, fill cup with boiling water, stir in 1 tsp. white vinegar Allow to sit overnight. Cranberries or frozen raspberries can also be used.

Purple:

2 tbsp. grated beets, 2 tbsp. red cabbage, fill cup with boiling water, stir in 1 tsp. vinegar A bluer shade of purple can be made using grape juice concentrate and 1 tsp. white vinegar

Blue:

Bright 2 – 3 tbsp. chopped red cabbage, fill cup with boiling water, stir in 1 tsp. white vinegar Allow to set overnight. Blueberries may also be used.

Green:

3⁄4 - 1 tsp. turmeric, 2 – 3 tbsp. chopped red cabbage, fill cup with boiling water, stir in 1 tsp. vinegar. Spinach leaves, carrot tops, and yellow delicious apple peels can also be used.

Beige to brown:

Strongly brewed coffee, limes, pecan, or walnut shells can be used.

Another method - Place eggs in a single layer in a pan. Cover with water. Add 1 tsp. vinegar and dye materials of choice. (Brighter, deeper colors require more dye material.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool quickly. (sit bowl in ice water) Allow to set, covered in the refrigerator overnight if more color is desired. Drain and dry.

From www.sonnewald.org

Baking Ideas

2011-04-10T16:09:00.001-04:00

My favorite coconut cake recipe...

made into sweet Easter cupcakes,

topped with cream cheese/butter frosting

grass green coconut,

easter eggs,

with a vintage bunny topper.

You can find the recipe HERE.

And here is the graphic if you want to make a topper.

I printed them and flipped the image to make matching back sides.

(Ooohhh, I can hardly wait for dessert!!)

Now off to pop a loaf of whole grain bread into the oven,
and baking for the week is finished.

The Blessing of Friends

2011-04-08T15:10:00.000-04:00

Another rainy day....

we've had way too many.

After living through what seems to be the longest winter of my life,

I am in big need of sunshine.

And yet, the weather doesn't cooperate.

In an attempt to lift my dampened spirits,

I bought two Gerbera daisies and repotted them

in clay pots set in an old milk carrier.

Flowers are the perfect way to brighten a day.

A vignette change on my kitchen window sill

gives me some cheer as I look out at the unending rain.

What I really wanted to show you is this...

two special packages that the mailman brought today.

They are lovely gifts from two dear friends...

one from Louisiana, and one from Kentucky....

both are Blogland friends who I wish lived down the road.

They are two sweet gals that have blessed my life with

their friendship.

This brown box is was stuffed with delicate,

delicious whoopie pies. (my favorite!)

(My mouth is stuffed with one as I write this.)

Thank you Linda....you helped make my birthday so very special.

What I cannot show you is the package that arrived last week

from Linda....filled to the brim with all sorts of wonderful gifts

for me...a basket of cookie cutters, a book, a candle,

and black iris rhizomes from her garden

(which have now made a home in my garden).

The second package today was from a sweet Southern Belle

with an amazing business she calls "MettaMarie".

It is a lovely tattered and embellished crocheted top from

her yummy collection of hand made wearable art.

It truly is a piece of wearable art!

Check out her lovelies HERE

Thank you so very much Autumn!!

Last week a package arrived from my friend Grace in Washington.

A lovely lavender sachet from her homegrown lavender,

a sweet china teacup and silver spoon

and a hand crocheted rag rug...

Thanks so much Gracie!

Sweet notecards graced my mail last week from my oldest friend,

Laurie.

We were born on the same day and share so many life memories.

Our history is a story in itself.... we have had more in common over the years

than one could ever imagine.

How did she know that I would need so many notecards this year?

Thanks Laurie!

Although these friends (and several others) are scattered around

the nation, they claim a place very dear to my heart.

Soul sisters, kindred spirits....blessings who have made

my life richer and fuller with their friendships.

To all of you who have extended a hand in friendship...

I thank you.

May I be the kind of friend in return that you are to me.

May I lighten your heart on a dark, gloomy day,

like you have done for me.

I love you...dear friends!

Farm Baking

2011-03-27T17:51:00.000-04:00

The return of cold wintry weather

gave me the opportunity to direct my attention to the kitchen.

Baking took the place of gardening this past week.

I tried a new recipe from my favorite cookie book...

Spritz butter cookies with a dark chocolate filling.

So, so good!

I think they would be perfect for a tea party or shower.

They are so easy and quick, too!

Any time I come across "bee" items for the kitchen,

I cannot resist.

I found a pan to make this yummy almond cake...

Each honeycomb section is the perfect portion size.

The recipe is a keeper, too!

Whole grain dough, rising....

yielded three loaves of delicious bread.

This weekend three of our kids came to cook Saturday dinner.

I only wish I had taken pictures....

we had the yummiest pretzel rolls for our

local, pasture raised beef and goat cheese burgers.

Horsing Around

2011-03-21T11:27:00.000-04:00

It's a little early for Easter cookies,

but they're coming.

I was in the mood, nonetheless, to make some

Scottish Shortbread cookies...

Horses!

I like how these turned out.

A New Treasure

2011-03-08T20:20:00.001-05:00

We've discussed my love for antiques previously.

To me, a perfect day is one in which I escape to one of

several favorite antique malls and lose myself

amidst the displays.

Today was just such a day.

By the end of my treasure hunting

I had found this beauty.

It is an old iron candy machine

and it works perfectly.

It was red, but I decided that black would

look perfect in my kitchen....

so a coat of paint later, this is what it looks like.

M&M's are something we always keep in the house.

The kids expect it.

So now we have the perfect place to keep them.

Each turn of the handle dispenses 2 pieces of candy...

a perfect ration for a quick "goody" fix!

Sewing Projects

2011-02-25T15:29:00.000-05:00

I just finished this apron and before I post it in my shop (HERE)

I thought I would give you a sneak peak.

I just love this fabric.

It is a premium cotton that is so cheerful and drapes nicely.

If I were going to keep this apron,

I would surely wear it to collect eggs in the summer.

I'm sure that my hens would approve!

(But, I am not going to keep it... it is for sale.)

I also wanted to share another project with you...

one I think you'll want to try.

Fabric rosettes....

I made these four as practice.

You can tell the size of them by the mat beneath...

each square is one inch.

I saw this idea posted by my friend Steph, The Queen of Dreams.

Her post directed the reader to this website for a tutorial.

Check it out HERE.

These would make great embellishments for a hat, a coat,

a purse, a sweater, a pillow....just about anything.

My advice is to watch the tutorial video a few times and then

again while you try your first rosette. It took me a few tries

until I got the knack.

Have fun!!

Royal Icing

2011-02-22T11:11:00.000-05:00

I wanted to name this post "Royal Icing....Made Easy",

but as you will see in my photos...

it's not always as easy as it looks working with royal icing.

I have mastered the "free form" and techniques like feathering

the icing. However as you will see, there is still so much I need to work on.

First, the recipe.....

The basic recipe is as follows.

I increase the recipe as needed....

usually 4 times for a double batch of shortbread cookies.

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon meringue powder

1/4 tsp vanilla

pinch of cream of tartar

2 tablespoons warm water

gel icing colors...tiny amount

I mix the above with a whisk.

You will need two consistencies of batter.

The first like toothpaste...to outline your design.

The second much runnier to float a large area of icing

within the outlined area.

You can adjust the thickness to obtain what you need by

either adding a tiny bit of water to thin,

or adding a bit of powdered sugar to thicken it.

I use plastic decorating bottles with various tips

to outline and float color,

but you can use a pastry bag with tips, instead.

Today's project was buttons...

but as you can see I had a bit of difficulty with them....

I finished with what I am better at....

a little more free-form design....

Here are my favorite inspirational websites for cookie

decorating ideas....

http://sweetopia.net/

http://glorioustreats.blogspot.com/

http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/

http://sweetsugarbelle.blogspot.com/

Even if you don't plan on baking any cookies,

check out these ladies' designs...

they are truly cookie artists.

Valentine Treats For My Sweets!!

2011-02-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, I've been baking cookies again.

This time for Valentine treats.

I just might be addicted to royal icing!

So, what's the next holiday???

Hmmmm.....green cookies, shamrocks, perhaps??

Each one individually wrapped in its own little treat bag.

Thanks, Karen, for the graphic!!

Tyler's Quilt

2011-02-09T09:25:00.001-05:00

It's finished....

My grandson, Tyler's quilt.

This is called a "raggy" quilt,

and is made with a little different technique.

Each (flannel) square is made individually, and quilted,

before the squares are sewn together.

All edges are snipped.

Then, when it is washed and dried,

the snipped edges turn into a raggy fringe.

It is soft and warm and bright...

perfect for a little guy.

Adventures in Mixed Media

2011-02-06T12:09:00.000-05:00

In the midst of another ice storm that hit us on Saturday,

I decided to create a little Spring for myself.

Through the use of mixed media,

I created a scene on a canvas....

a garden...

Suddenly, flowers began to bloom.

As those blossoms peeked above the picket fence,

a young lady with curly brown hair

and a song in her heart appeared in the yard.

I heard her whistling a little tune.

I think she was going to pick a few flowers...

perhaps for a garden party.

She was certainly dressed in her party attire.

By the time I finished her,

my winter doldrums had passed,

and I found myself whistling a happy little tune.

Super Bowl Baking

2011-02-01T18:40:00.000-05:00

Ice and snow kept us in today.

We made good use of the time, however.

My daughter Jenn and I decorated chocolate cut out cookies

for Super Bowl!

Can you tell which team this household is rooting for???

PS...Hubbs grew up in Pittsburgh, so there is no other team!

Go Steelers!

Winter Projects

2011-01-31T09:06:00.000-05:00

I wish I were posting on this blog more often,

because that would mean that I have had time for all

sorts of fabulous projects!

Sadly, though, I have had precious little time.

In the weeks since Christmas, though,

I have managed to finish a couple small projects.

Without pictures of the finished projects (sorry),

I will say that I did have time to make 3 chef style aprons, reversible,

in delightful coffee fabrics for our local coffee shop.

The gals who waitress there are now wearing aprons made from

a combination of these fabrics...

I have been averaging a batch of decorated cookies each week,

trying to improve my decorating skills.

I work free hand....without those fancy overhead projector tools.

(And of course, you can tell!)

I cut out a batch of tulips and decorated some as owls.

The orange dinosaur head is from a heart shaped cutter.

I only hope to get good enough to decorate cute cookies for

grandchildren and the occasional gift.

This week Jenn and I are going to attempt Steeler's emblem cookies

for the Super Bowl.

(pictures to follow)

When I am not doing farm chores, or farm blog, or cooking,

I am working on a flannel raggy quilt for my grandson,

Tyler...

Who wants to sew, when this handsome little guy is around?

The fabric is a bug print with coordinating primary colors...

This will be a quick and easy project.

I hope to share some instructions with you in the near future.

Decorating With Collections

2011-01-19T21:07:00.000-05:00

I love antiques...

passionately!

Is this because I, too, am an antique??

Well, whatever the reason...

I love to use antiques in my decorating,

with different rooms carrying different themes.

Right now the kitchen is home to my kitchen scale collection.

Each one of these vintage beauties is different.

Most are still useful...that is if you need to weigh anything...

which I don't.

So, for me they only serve the purpose of "eye candy".

This is perhaps my favorite.

I found it this past summer at an antique shop on the Delaware shore.

It is an old deli scale...

just like I remember as a child in our little neighborhood grocery store.

A few favorites are display pieces...

the rest sit atop our kitchen cabinets.

This one is a favorite and resides on the breakfast bar...

holding a soy candle on one side,

and quite often fresh fruit on the other.

I think what I love most about antiques,

is how they stand the test of time.

I wonder how much of our cheaply made "stuff" of today

will be able to boast the same.

Bows!

2011-01-13T19:56:00.001-05:00

At some point in the past few weeks,

unfortunately, post Christmas wrapping time,

I came upon this idea for home made

bows.

I just love it!

Another opportunity to forgo the stores and create something myself.

I have decided to never buy wrapping essentials again.

I will re-use, recycle, re-purpose

in an effort to decrease my carbon footprint

and be awesomely creative!!

So, today I got out some old piano lesson books,

cut them into strips,

folded them so...

hot glued paper, fingers and work surface...

and created

THESE

I just love them.

I used strips of paper that were 1 inch wide and 4 inches long.

Varying the size of the strip will determine the size of the bow.

The possibilities are limitless.

I imagine bows from old magazines....colorful and shiny,

sheet music,

illustrations,

funny papers...

Oh, the possibilities are endless.

And how about adding some glitter to these bows???

Any excuse to use glitter!!!!!

Cookies!!

2011-01-12T21:11:00.001-05:00

The holidays are behind us.

The decorations are stowed.

The non-holiday homey farmhouse decor is restored.

Christmas cookies are but a faint memory.

But cookies, themselves are a wonderful treat any time of year,

don't you think?

What could be better for satisfying a sweet tooth than a cookie.

After all, you only have to eat one, right?

Oh, if it were just that simple!

I wanted to share a new book that I purchased with you.

If you love cookies, like I love cookies,

this book is for you!

Today I made these delicious chocolate cookie pretzels...

a recipe from my new book.

I mixed up the dough,

making one modification....

adding walnuts for Hubbs.

rolled the dough out into a long roll,

then twisted it up like a pretzel.

Crystal sugar and kosher salt crystals on the tops,

and into the oven...

Absolutely adorable, and delicious too.

Here is the recipe for you....

(Click on the recipe for a larger version.)

Farmhouse Christmas Tour

2010-12-09T14:52:00.002-05:00

Old Man Winter has taken residence at the farm.

Our days are frosty, snow flurry, blowy, wintery cold.

Our nights are icy cold.

Inside the farmhouse it is warm and cozy,

with holiday decor galore,

and the aroma of countless batches of cookies.

Won't you come inside for some hot tea and cookies?

I have been having fun playing with royal icing...

bringing snowflakes

and gingerbread boys to life.

The 12 foot great room tree is adorned with snowmen

and woodland critters.

This year we have the joy of seeing Christmas

through the eyes of a little one.

Our grandson Tyler is mesmerized by the lights.

Snowmen have moved into the great room

to escape the wintry chill outside.

A lucky few found a place on the hearth

beside the roaring fire.

The master bedroom made an overnight transition,

from this....

to this....

with Santa profiles and a tree in front of the window.

A few favorite whimsical Santas complete the

holiday transformation.

The Victorian guest room has a tiny tree

decorated with mercury glass balls

and homemade glittery ornaments.

Love those vintage graphics combined with glitter.

Butterflies with German glass glitter were

a quick and easy project.

This piece of furniture was crafted from

pieces of old furniture,

repurposed into a coat rack/blanket chest.

Mercury glass ornaments and baubles...

A glilttery banner of tin stars proclaims

"Winter Welcome"

A tree in the loft continues the Woodland Christmas theme
with owls and bears, cardinals, pinecones
and Buffalo check garland.

The kitchen and dining room are decked in snowflakes
and icicles.

On the tree...

And in the air....

With all this snow, we've ended up with more snowmen.

Fresh greensand mini lights in an antique crate on the dining table...

So now you see what I've been up to these past two weeks.

Please sign up below to share your Christmas decorating posts
from your blog.
Join us....it's a decorating party!

Celebrating Autumn

2010-11-06T23:20:00.001-04:00

It seems that every season that comes along
becomes

"my favorite time of year".

Autumn is no exception.

It is my favorite time of year!

Brisk weather, falling leaves, and shorter days

inspire me to turn my attention

from my gardens and farm

back into my home.

The Jack-o-lanterns are back in the attic,

but autumn decor remains

to brighten the house for Thanksgiving.

I had to add this little snowman, however....

just as a reminder that Christmas is right around the corner!

And, Christmas is my favorite time of year.

A pumpkin candle helps to give the kitchen

a warm, homey glow....

while a batch of chili cooks in the crockpot.

A mug of hot tea,

and I am ready to settle in for the evening.

A roaring fire beckons me to sit and reflect on the day.

There is no better place, when cold winds blow,

than to sit by a warm fire, with a mug of tea,

or a bowl of hot chili.

Happy Autumn!

Weekend Getaway

2010-10-31T17:55:00.000-04:00

Hubb and I left the farm this weekend.

Only for 24 hours, but it was great.

We drove to northern PA,

to our friends lake house.

We hiked and visited,

ate way too much,

slept in...

escaped

(not that we ever need to escape the farm)

and relaxed.

I wanted to share pictures from our hike.

The glen at Moosic Lake...

I played around with the settings on my camera.

I started with this waterfall on an automatic setting...

Then I set my camera down on a rock

(no tripod with me)

and

slowed down the shutter speed....

I would love to take a course in photography....

perhaps this winter,

while work on the farm slows down.

I have so very much to learn!

Masquerade

2010-10-26T21:24:00.000-04:00

Oh how I love masquerade parties!

Don't you?

Isn't it fun to assume a new identity?

If I were going to a masquerade ball,

I would dress as an Enchanted Owl Queen,

and wear this mask...

I felt the urge to create something this afternoon.

So, I printed out a mask template from

A Fanciful Twist

(one of my favorite blogs!...please visit it!)

I printed the mask onto heavy card stock,

backed it with velvet,

trimmed it with bias binding,

and added feathers....

Lots and lots of feathers.

The blue feathers came from my friend Linda,

from Kentucky.

The black and white spotted feathers came

from my beloved guinea fowl.

What do you think....

would this make a good Enchanted Owl mask?

Now to donne my royal gown and mask

and dance by the light of the moon!

Online Friends

2010-10-20T10:30:00.002-04:00

I have been very fortunate over the past few years to meet

some truly amazing women online.

My first experiences came from an online forum,

Mary Jane's Farm.

There I came to know many women from all over the country....

women with common interests....many of them farm girls,

many of them aspiring farm girls.

It was during this time that I entered the world of blogging.

In blogland I met even more amazing women.

Last summer I had the opportunity to visit an online friend

in Washington state.

She opened her home to me and treated me like family.

I stayed with "Katmom" Grace for a week, and together we attended

MaryJane's Farm Farmfair 2009.

Grace and I continue to stay in touch.

Last year I started emailing a friend from my blogs,

named Linda.

Linda lives in Kentucky.

Happily, when I went to Kentucky last month,

I had the good fortune of meeting Linda in person

and spending a morning with her.

When we parted, she left me with the most special gift...

a basket of goodies.

Ritz for the goats, Quaker Oatmeal squares for the horses,

jelly beans and books and fabric for me.

I was so very touched.

Kindred spirits....

that's what I think of my online friends.

We share stories of our lives and our families,

along with the ups and downs of life.

These are gals who would be so much fun

to spend time with on a regular basis...

antiquing, tea parties, crafting and sewing groups

would be part of my world

if these gals were closer.

Over the past several years I have received
wonderful tokens of friendship in my mailbox.

Each day, when I sign onto my computer

there are emails and comments from my online "friends".

Maybe you are one of them.

What I want you all to know is how much your correspondence

and comments mean to me.

They are always a very bright spot in my day.

Thank you for your friendship!

Yesterday I had a chance to sew an apron for myself...

something I never do.

This apron is one that I am keeping...

the first one in years....

the rest have gone to new homes all over the country.

This one is special.

This one reminds me of the blessing of friendship.

The fabric for this apron was gifted to me...

The French chicken side from Linda.

The "I'd rather be sewing" side from Grace.

Wearing this apron when I am in my kitchen

will remind me of how lucky I am to have met

such special women....

women who I would never have met if not online.

We live in a world that has become impersonal.

It is wonderful to be "touched" by so many inspiring women,

who willingly open their arms and their hearts in friendship.

To all of you....

Thank you for touching my life!

WSF Benefit Auction

2010-10-17T19:44:00.001-04:00

This coming Friday night is the annual fundraiser

for the World Surgical Foundation.

This is the group that sponsored our

medical mission trip to Haiti.

They asked me to make a couple of aprons

for a benefit auction.

This always makes me a bit nervous...

wondering if my aprons are nice enough for

a benefit such as this.

I am auctioning my Hydrangea Pinny

and also this reversible chef's apron.

I love the dark brown and aqua combination

with polka dot pleated ruffle, pockets, and ties.

It will be fun to see how much money each apron brings.

Preserving Summer's Goodness

2010-10-17T10:33:00.000-04:00

My cold cellar is filled with jars and jars of summer's goodness.

This year's garden was the best ever.

I am guessing that the garden boxes made all the difference.

Who knows.

The garden sure has kept me busy....

and has kept me out of the sewing room.

Yesterday marked the last day of food preservation,

and today I start to sew again!

Frost is right around the corner

and so is the demise of the garden.

I picked the last of the peppers,

hot and sweet.

I cleaned them...

removing stems and seeds

(took me about 3 hours).

This is truly a labor of love,

as I was crying, sneezing, coughing and nearly peeing myself

from the hot pepper vapors!

Next I chopped the peppers finely...

still sneezing, crying, coughing.

I have learned that wearing latex gloves

keeps one from spreading this hotness onto

other parts of the body that are even more unpleasant!

Into the kettle with vinegar, salt and sugar.

I use half the amount of sugar that I do vinegar,

and add anywhere from a tsp. to a tbsp. of salt.

Then I bring the mixture to a boil,

pour into sterilized canning jars,

and process in a water bath.

Hot and sweet pepper relish...

Yummy!

We use it on everything...

it is our favorite condiment.

Next I sliced Asian pears and apples.

(I had to cover my red eyes from cleaning peppers.)

Placed the slices in a dehydrator....

Dried fruit slices make a nutritious and delicious snack!

And now, off to my sewing room...

so many projects to do...

so little time!

Autumn Decor

2010-09-28T10:50:00.000-04:00

I thought I might share a few pictures of

my Autumn decor with you.

The fireplace in the living room....

The kitchen...

The dining room...

Close to Halloween, I will add the jack-o-lanterns and more.

Hydrangea Pinny

2010-09-16T15:07:00.001-04:00

Oh Linen, how I love thee.....

Yet another wonderful piece of linen

that I had been saving for a special "something"...

of course that something is an apron.

A tea pinny....

Robin's egg blue linen with hydrangea.

Vintage crochet doily on pocket with

mother of pearl buttons....

Mother of pearl accents at neckline....

And a very feminine drape to the apron....

Well, this might be my favorite yet.

I am listing it for sale....HERE.

Apple Harvest Cake

2010-09-16T05:00:00.001-04:00

Fall is soon upon us.

The apple orchard is ready for picking.

The first apples of the harvest were the start of

one of my family's favorite desserts...

a fall tradition...

Apple Harvest Cake.

I thought I would share the recipe with you here....

It is marvelously delicious!!

I promise you won't be disappointed!

Apple Harvest Cake

4 cups peeled and diced apples

2 cups sugar

Mix together and let stand for 1 hour.

To apple/sugar mixture, add:

1 cup light olive oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Mix and add dry ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. nutmeg

Mix and add:

1 cup chopped walnuts

Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan

350 degrees for 1 hour.

Frost with your favorite butter cream or cream cheese frosting.

(I had no cream cheese so I made some whipped cream and added

that to my butter cream frosting....light and yummy!)

You can bake this in muffin pans (adjust time) and leave
unfrosted for a delicious breakfast muffin.

In Love With Linen

2010-09-15T06:18:00.000-04:00

I have no idea why,

but I absolutely love linen.

I love the natural feel,

the crispness (when ironed),

how it drapes (when not).

I have had this small piece of linen

for some time now....

waiting for some project.

Of course....an apron,

in the farmgirl style,

but dressed up like she's serving tea...

with antique crochet lace around the neckline

and adorning each pocket.

I think I will call this one...

"Autumn Rose Tea Apron"

Now to list it in my shop...

Here.

2010-09-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

A recent trip to one of my favorite antique malls

yielded this wonderful old birdcage.

I thought it would be the perfect place for decorative vignettes.

A little of this and a little of that...

a tiny candle lamp

and a tiny cast iron pup in the front...

A new bit of eye candy for the guest room...

Henhouse Decor

2010-09-12T13:38:00.000-04:00

Autumn is soon upon us.

And with Autumn comes pumpkins and gourds

and Halloween decor.

For now, though, the style of my dining room is...

"Early Henhouse"!

My dining room table arrangement is an old chicken feeder.

The sideboard has gone to the birds,

with an old egg carrier, egg scale and clay chicken.

There is an old egg basket hanging inside the door,

and the quilts on the wall are the perfect accompaniment.

Very soon I will replace these items with Fall decor.

But for now....

a tribute to my gals in the henhouse!

A Surprise

2010-09-09T12:38:00.000-04:00

I just finished this apron.

It is going out in the mail...

part of a goodie box

from a contest on my farm blog.

Chickens....appropriate for a farm give-away!

The rest of the box will be packed with goodness

from the farm.

Destination....sunny, warm Florida!

Sure hope the recipient likes it!

2010-08-31T21:19:00.000-04:00

Antique lace,

Soft flowing linen,

In a minty shade of lemongrass....

A sweet, ruffled pinafore...

Perfect for gathering the harvest

of Indian Summer.

Garden chores

with a friend....

Picking flowers...

This is the prototype for a pinafore apron.

I have been dreaming of linen aprons

with soft, flowing lines,

maximum coverage,

feminine,

reminiscent of a more romantic time period.

Today I drew the plans on tissue paper

(I save tissue paper, iron it, and reuse it for patterns),

and worked until the pinafore was finished.

Making Hay

2010-08-29T21:38:00.002-04:00

We brought in the hay this weekend.

With the help of a neighbor and his equipment,

we cut and baled and stored about 400 bales of hay.

We had harvested 800 bales earlier this summer.

Luckily, 3 of our 4 kids were home to help with the job.

Traditionally, we have a big supper after hay harvest...

to celebrate a job well done.

This time I decided to go all out and try a whole bunch of recipes

from a book that I just received as a gift.

(Thank you Eileen....I LOVE it!!)

This book if full of beautiful pictures and wonderful

recipes from restaurants in the Brandywine River Valley, PA.

As I digested each page, I made a list of recipes

that I wanted to try.

Today I tried them all....

in one delicious feast of a dinner.

I have to say, though, I cooked all day long.

(It was worth it!)

Menu

Wild mushroom and jumbo lump crab soup

(fabulous...I will include recipe below)

Leek and herb tart

Pan Roasted Corn and Tomato Salad

(from the New York Times)Click for recipe

Individual loaves of herbed wheat bread

(herbs out of the garden)

London Broil, marinaded in our secret family recipe.

"Scallops From the Garden"

pan seared,

on a bed of homegrown, sauteed succotash,

with a pesto drizzle....

beautiful as well as delicious.

I garnished with fresh parsley and Nasturtium blossoms.

This book is a treasure....

a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

Our dinner was wonderful...

the perfect ending to a hard day's work.

Much thanks to our kids for offering their time and strength!

Wild Mushroom and Jumbo Lump Crab Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup sherry

1 pound portabella, shiitake, and white mushrooms, sliced

(Pa is the Mushroom Capital...so these are local for us!)

1 quart chicken stock

1 pint heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

In large pan, heat olive oil and sherry.

Add mushrooms and saute until tender.

Add stock.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer.

Add heavy cream, simmer.

Add crab meat, and salt and pepper.

Serve...yummy!

Re-purposing Idea

2010-08-25T10:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I dumped this 50 lb. bag of birdseed

into the bin that we store it in on the front porch.

Every time I empty one of these bags,

I feel like there is something I should be doing with

the bag rather than adding it to the trash.

It is some sort of woven plastic fabric;

and I don't think it's recyclable.

So I saved it, cleaned it out and brought it into my sewing room.

One cut, and a few seams later and here is the repurposed bag....

Ready to use for groceries or storage....a tough tote bag.

You can make two totes from one 50 lb bag.

Simply cut the bag in half across the middle.

Open the bottom and top seams.

Sew a seam across the bottom

and square your corners.

Fold down the top and hem.

Add straps.

And that's it.

I'm On a Roll

2010-08-24T19:50:00.000-04:00

Apron number 2 is finished!

Order complete.

This was to be modeled after an apron

that I had made in the past

called Minerva's Laundry Day Apron.

Unfortunately, I have been unable to find that vintage

laundry fabric.

So, although the fabric is different,

the idea is the same....large roomy pockets

perfect for filling with clothespins.

How easy to hang up laundry,

when your clothespins are right at your fingertips!

And, I added a cell phone pocket at the top...

although, it could also be used for a granola bar or chocolate bar.

We all need a little extra energy when hanging up the laundry.

Oh, but chocolate on your fingers while you are hanging up

clean clothes might not be such a good idea after all!

As Promised....

2010-08-23T16:56:00.000-04:00

By golly, Henrietta has been busy!

She's gone and hatched another everyday work apron....

Perfect for chores around the homestead,

or trips to the henhouse....

With ample pockets for egg collection,

or stuffing with fresh produce!

Extra long ties.

And, a button almost as yellow as the yolks of our eggs.

This apron is one of two that were ordered specially.

I will be starting (and hopefully finishing) the other

some day this week.

Why Is This Child Smiling????

2010-08-22T21:23:00.002-04:00

It's because he is watching his Grammie dance and sing!

She finally had some time for sewing!!

WaHoooooooo!!

I received a request for a couple of aprons.

One is finished and I will share pictures with you

on Monday or Tuesday.

I have also started a second special order!

Oh, it feels so good to spend some time in my sewing room.

And Tyler loves when his Grammie celebrates!!!

PS....does he have my chin, or what!

Jack's Juice

2010-08-21T12:03:00.000-04:00

Move over Welch's!

Hubbs has his power juicer going....

(no, we're not stomping them with our feet!)

and we are making fresh-from-the-farm grape juice.

Our grape arbor is full of juicy, ripe Concord and Mars grapes.

This year's harvest is the best yet.

We planted our grapes about 4 years ago.

Each year's harvest is better than the year before.

Fresh grape juice.....so much better than store bought!

Well Preserved

2010-08-07T10:02:00.000-04:00

Well preserved!

Isn't that what we all hope we end up being?

Living on the farm may not keep me well preserved,

but it has afforded me the opportunity to make plenty of preserves!

Here is this summer's bounty, preserved for use this winter.

Fear not, I am not yet finished.

This morning I am going out to the garden to pick more tomatoes

and start another large kettle of spaghetti sauce.

Puttanesca sauce to be exact (we love olives)

Everything in the sauce will be home grown,

except for the olives.

Which, believe me, if I could I would grow olives.

They might be my most favorite food of all!

(Did I mention that at one time I could fit 18 in my mouth all at once?)

Don't ask me whatever possessed me to try that!

(Or was it grapes...oh well, same size!)

Oh, and here is the kitchen help....

Joe Cool!

No, his feet are not that big....it's just the camera angle!

Speaking of buddies,

Here's Hickory.

She has just discovered (after 15 years if life... in her previous home)

the world of toys!

See how she's smiling?

Who would have known that balls can be such fun!

Especially ones that we can keep away from Maddie!

Still in The Kitchen

2010-08-05T09:23:00.002-04:00

This summer has brought us a wonderful harvest.

Most of my spare time has been spent either in the garden,

or in the kitchen dealing with what comes out of the garden.

I have canned spaghetti sauce, salsa, stewed tomatoes,

peaches, beets, pickles, and hot pepper spread.

Blueberries and blackberries have been transformed into jams.

I have frozen green beans, corn and broccoli.

I have also tried my hand at infusions.

This jar is the start of Blueberry Basil Vinegar.

This concoction has been brewing in my cold cellar for a month, now.

Four weeks ago I put 4 cups of white wine vinegar

4 cups of crushed blueberries (from our bushes)

1 cup of basil (from the garden)

and the zest of one lemon
into a large pantry jar and covered it.

Every 3 days I would gently shake the jar to mix the contents.

Then this morning I filtered the mixture

through several layers of cheese cloth.

One lastl filtering through a coffee filter....

And here is the final product...labelled.

I am happy with the clarity

and will use this vinegar for salad dressings.
The label is courtesy of the Graphics Fairy.
I imported it into photoshop and added the text.

In the Kitchen With....

2010-07-28T20:22:00.000-04:00

Tyler!

I remember when my kids were babies.

My saving grace was a front pack.

With baby in the front pack carrier,

I could cook, clean, do laundry...

just about anything that I needed to do....

with hands free.

It seems so natural to strap Tyler on,

and work around the house.

(With an apron on, of course. I find that the

apron adds another bit of support,

and keeps splatters off of baby.

Tonight we cooked dinner together.

Mexican night.

Cilantro and lime rice

Chipotle chicken and beef

Salsa Fresca

Topped with sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Yummmy!

Look how we've grown in the last 6 weeks!

My Little Buddy

2010-07-18T21:21:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I have posted one of Tyler's pictures.

Most of his pictures are "sleeping" baby pictures.

He still has his days and nights a bit mixed up.

Periods of wakefulness during the day are short lived.

So I took the opportunity to snap a few pictures

while he was wide awake.

Oh, how I look forward to the days when he is toddling around.

What fun adventures we will have.

BlaCKbeRriEs

2010-07-15T11:44:00.000-04:00

Every so often I hear a faint call from the second floor.

I climb the stairs and look longingly at the sewing room door.

"Come and play, Bev" I hear faintly.

Unfortunately the only time I have spent in that room lately

has been to whittle away at the pile of ironing that has been accumulating.

Now, I am not complaining,

because the things that are keeping me from playing

are outdoor activities....gardening, picking berries, harvesting veggies, etc.

But, oh how I miss spending the afternoon humming away on my sewing machine!

Today I headed out to the woods to pick berries.

We have had just enough rain to plump up the blackberries and black raspberries.

That means it is time to make my yearly batch of triple berry jam...

blueberry, blackberry, black raspberry....

yummy, berry goodness to enjoy throughout the coming months.

I donned my purple Wellies,

(boots to help keep the chiggers from crawling up my pants!)

loaded the 4 wheeler with camera equipment and a bowl,

and headed out to the woods.

I picked for an hour or so

and came back with quite a bounty.

Now to get busy in the kitchen!

I use just a small amount of sugar in my jams.

Mmmmmm, what a delicious aroma this gives off as it cooks on the stovetop.

4th of July Party

2010-07-04T18:38:00.000-04:00

We had the pleasure of meeting our Amanda's beau (Tim)'s

parents for a 4th of July celebration on Sunday.

(Amanda and Tim)

Amanda and I fixed lunch...lots of fresh fare from the garden and herb garden.

The menu included

Hamburgers from local grass fed (only) beef

Salad Nicoise

Cucumber Salad with oregano mint vinaigrette

Deviled Eggs

Fresh snow peas and scallions with curry dip

Fruit salad

Homemade tortilla chips with mango salsa

Drinks in patriotic mason jars

Mango salsa

Salad Nicoise

Cucumber and fruit salad

Veggies with fresh curry dip

And my cute photo of the day is baby Tyler

dressed in his swim suit.

Have you ever seen a baby laugh in his sleep?

Tyler does it all the time.....so funny!

Canning

2010-07-01T17:11:00.000-04:00

Besides new grandbaby activities,

(oh my, we are both asleep!)

this is what I have been up to lately.

Canning, canning, canning.

This week I made 10 pints of blueberry lime jam.

I turned a few piles of these...

into Dill Pickles.

Yumm!

Oh, how I love preserving summer's bounty

to enjoy the rest of the year.

Herbalicious

2010-06-21T21:41:00.000-04:00

My herb garden floweth over...

With its inhabitants wrestling for position.

It's time to use as much as possible.

Today's project was Pesto!

Basil, garlic, parmesan, walnuts (can be used in place of pine nuts)

olive oil, and a little fresh oregano for zip....

Into the food processor....

Presto! Pesto!!

I served this delectable spread with homemade Crostini

as part of tonight's dinner fare.

FAQ

2010-06-19T21:33:00.000-04:00

So many of you questioned what

my new little grandson will call me.

"Grammie" it is!!

The Wonder of Life

2010-06-18T21:43:00.000-04:00

This will be a rather short post.

I am writing to you to tell you

something wonderful.

Today I fell in love again.

It happened at exactly 11:55 AM.

It is a moment that will remain

a sweet memory for the rest of my life.

You see, today my first grandchild was born.

Tyler Andrew.

He came three weeks early.

5 pounds 14 ounces

of pinkness

and sweetness

and innocence

and everything good about this world.

My life is forever changed.

Better.

To my daughter Jenn, I say "thanks"

for working so hard. You will be an awesome Mama.

PS....He has my chin (mine and Kirk Douglas')

Cherries Jubilee

2010-06-13T15:13:00.000-04:00

I have had this fabric for a few weeks...

waiting for a rainy day.

Those rainy days came and went

and were filled with other things.

So, today I set aside a little time and

finished this one.

I love it! It is so cheerful and makes me

just want to make a cherry pie!!

Now, to place it for sale in my shop....HERE.

Fantastic Freshness

2010-06-10T21:02:00.000-04:00

There is nothing better than the fresh tastes of summer.

My garden is the best it has ever been.

All of my vegetables are growing in raised cedar boxes.

Tonight's dinner was out of the garden....

eaten on the deck.

Cajun seasoned Mahi Mahi with fresh salsa

(organic tomatoes and peppers

with cilantro and onions from my garden)

Organic potato salad

with onions and dill from the garden.

Steamed sugar peas from the garden.

Salad with freshly picked butter lettuce,

homegrown broccoli, cucumber, scallions, and Nasturtium flowers.

Wine made by my brother in law.

Homemade strawberry sorbet from our own strawberries.

Mouthwatering delicious.

As healthy as you can possibly get.

Everything eaten within an hour of being picked.

Oh, how I love summer!!

Les Fraises

2010-06-01T21:29:00.000-04:00

Ooh La La!!

It's strawberry season again.

We started picking our strawberries this past weekend....

and will continue to pick for a good part of the summer.

Some of our plants are ever-bearing,

so that means we will have some strawberries for a few months.

Today was strawberry preserves day.

Oh, and we had strawberry shortcake for dessert, of course!

Mmmmmm...I can hardly wait for toast in the morning....

with fresh strawberry preserves.

Outdoor Decorating

2010-05-26T13:50:00.000-04:00

Ahhhh.....Summer.

Warm weather.

Flowers.

Vibrant colors.

We wait for so many months

for our world to once again be alive with color.

Planting season....my favorite.

The vegetable garden is planted...

and soon will start to furnish us with

fresh, life-sustaining food that will last us

throughout the coming year.

After the vegetables are planted, I busy myself with flowers.

This year I have added many container gardens for

splashes of color around the outside of the house.....

On the clothesline....

On the upper back deck...

Around the pool....

The lower deck....

(the old Coke machine was an estate sale find)

Outside the barn...

Outside the garden shed...

Outside the vegetable garden...

I found this old cultivator at an estate sale...

This black-eyed Susan vine will climb onto the cultivator...

Weeks from now I will give you a peek at how all of this has grown.

By that time, my garden fence should be covered with flowering vines...

moonflowers, morning glories, cardinal flowers, and gourds.

Hope you are having a colorful day...wherever you are!

Just Desserts

2010-05-16T22:04:00.000-04:00

I thought I would share a couple of yummy cake recipes with you.

We had a dinner party on Friday night.

These were the desserts that I made.

Coconut cake.

And....Lemon beehive cake.

I had found this wonderful beehive cake pan online.

The recipe for this cake came on the cake pan.

It is a yummy fresh lemon pound cake.

What better dessert for Bee Haven Acres than a beehive cake?

And to top it off....little sugar bees.

Coconut Cake

(a family favorite!)

1 1/2 C flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup coconut

Butter Cream/Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Add dry ingredients and liquids alternating. Beat. Add coconut. Pout into two greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool. Frost. Top with more coconut.

For Frosting, I use 1 stick butter, 1 8 oz cream cheese and enough confectioners sugar to make it the consistency of frosting. Also I add 1 tsp vanilla to the frosting.

Garden Art

2010-05-14T10:33:00.000-04:00

I saw this idea somewhere on another blog and decided to try it.

Take an old watering can, your choice of graphic...

(I love old French graphics)

you can find lots of these and more at The Graphics Fairy.

Use Mod Podge to adhere the graphic to the front of the can,

and then cover the graphic with another layer of mod podge

to seal it.

Now, my old can is a little more interesting!

Rooster Apron

2010-05-11T15:19:00.000-04:00

I love chickens.

I am always drawn to chicken fabric.

This fabric has a bit of whimsy to it.

I used two colors of the same fabric for a reversible apron...

trimmed with chicken wire companion fabric.

Homemade bias tape ties it all together.

Ok, so back to the sewing room.
I am trying to whittle away at my sewing stash.
Afterall, if I make a few aprons and sell a few aprons....
I can renew my stash!!

What chicken fabric will I find next?

Future Projects

2010-05-09T15:21:00.000-04:00

For those of you who asked about rooster aprons....

How do you like these fabrics??

Let me know if they might work...

I just had to pick up these fabrics.

How cute will these be in a vintage style kitchen apron?

Cherries!!!

Vintage Finds

2010-04-29T21:43:00.004-04:00

Treasures from a local antique shop...

On top of my washing machine....

A few antique bars of Octagon laundry soap...

in the perfect enamelware bowl.

An ornate antique inkwell...

Now to find an old pen to dip in that inkwell.

I love to write with calligraphy pens and ink

in the old style.

Tonight I am writing a letter to a old friend.

Writing by the light of an oil lamp transports

me to another time and place.

Gourmet Soda Crackers

2010-04-26T10:40:00.000-04:00

Self sufficiency is something that excites me.

If I can make something, rather than buy it,

I am quite happy.

We have really tried to change our diet over the past few years.

Self-sufficiency and growing our own food helps this

tremendously.

When I do have something to buy, I balance my choices

by either buying local or organic...and both whenever I can.

I have tried to stop buying anything processed.

I have made my own bread this year...for the most part.

I make my own biscotti.

So, why not crackers??

I made these Italian soda crackers last evening.

They are quite good...flakey and crunchy...and simple to make.

If you are interested,

go HERE

for the tutorial.

Enjoy!

Asparagus Leek Soup

2010-04-22T18:16:00.000-04:00

I had promised, on my farm blog,

to post a recipe for the soup that I

concocted.

It is spring, and that means asparagus time!

What to do with all that asparagus??

How about Asparagus Leek Soup?

Here is what I did.....

Ingredients

2 leeks, sliced

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

5 large spring onions, sliced

20 large stalks of asparagus, cut into 1 inch segments

2 X 32 oz. organic chicken broth

2 tbsp. Herbs de Provence (secret ingredient in most of my chicken soups....always delicious!)

Simmer until vegetables are soft.

Another idea is to place cooked soup into blender to puree and then add some half and half.

Adding a couple of potatoes would be delicious, also.

Another idea would be to cook down a whole chicken first and add the meat to the soup.

This is a spice combination that I recommend adding to your spice cabinet. It adds just the best flavor to soups.

You can find it at www.vgourmet.com

However, you can sometimes find it at Marshalls or TJMaxx.

Bon Appetit!

Beautiful Monday

2010-04-19T10:00:00.000-04:00

We are home!

Home is more wonderful than I ever imagined.

What a stark contrast last week was to this week.

I am still processing all that I experienced in Haiti.

I have tons of pictures to share...

and much writing to do.

I need some time for all of my thoughts and feelings to crystalize.

When that happens, I have another blog page that I will post my

thoughts and pictures about our most incredible (albeit difficult)

trip to Haiti.

But for now, I am so glad to be here...

with wash blowing on the line.

I have a mile long list of chores to accomplish today.

One of which was to paint the clothesline poles to match the

adorable little bird houses on the top of each one.

The house is bursting with the aroma of

freshly cut lilacs.

And soon that smell with be joined with the smell of freshly baking bread.

Oh, you have no idea how glad I am to be home!

I have been filled with many emotions since returning home. The people of Haiti haunt my thoughts and dreams. They made their mark on my heart....forever. Writing will be a good catharsis. But that will be on another page....on another day.

To all of you who sent me words of encouragement, prayers, and thoughts....thank you.

You have no idea how much that meant to me.

Til Next We Meet.....

2010-04-05T21:51:00.002-04:00

Dearest Friends,

Just a quick note to say "see you soon" to those of you who check in on me from time to time. Hubbs and I are headed to Haiti for a medical mission trip this Friday. We will be working in a hospital in Carrafour ( a densely populated area of Port-au-Prince) for the next week....treating patients with chronic medical problems as a result of the January earthquake.

So many people have asked me if I am "excited" for this trip. I find that this is a tough question to answer. Excitement does not describe my feelings....of which I have many. There is a part of me that is anticipating this trip with the hope that I will be able to make some small difference for the short time that I am there. There is a small part of me that is uneasy, maybe even a bit fearful, that what I see will be difficult to handle. I do not look forward to seeing so many people living such desperate lives. I do not look forward to seeing the ongoing suffering, the hunger, the pain. These things, I know, will be indelibly etched into my heart.

(pictures courtesy of J. Spence Reid, M.D.)

I am glad to have the opportunity to dust off my nursing skills and once again put them to good use.

There is a small part of me that fears for my own safety...the incidence of HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, and many more diseases is incredibly high. However, this fear is overshadowed by the knowledge that going is the right thing to do.

I have so many questions.....all of which will be answered, I am sure, in the coming week.

I am thankful for having been given this opportunity. I am thankful for the life that I live. My world is a happy one, free from suffering. I am lucky, for this is not the case for so many others. All of this makes me so acutely aware of how crazy this world is....that some should live lives of destitution and desperation, while others live lives of privilege.

I pray, that in some very small way, I can help to make this world a better place....

I pray that some day all children born in any country of this world will live without hunger, without poverty, without their life being shortened by treatable disease.

I thank you in advance for your thoughts and prayers. I will share my experiences when we return home next week.

I am thankful for all of you who care about me....my life is blessed by your presence.

And so with two suitcases full of medical supplies and two suitcases full of teddy bears, hubbs and I join 5 other physicians and nurses on this trip to the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, the 4th hungriest country in the world, where the average life expectancy is only 53 years.....amazingly, my age.

Vintage Lighting

2010-04-02T10:18:00.000-04:00

If you read my blog occasionally, you will know that

I love all things vintage and antique.

If I need some special touch for the house,

I don't shop in stores....

I hit the antiques mall.

Wednesday Hubbs and I did a little antiquing.

It was my birthday, so I got to pick the

activity for the day.

Of course it was antiquing!

I was searching for the perfect oil lamp for my

guest bedroom.

You know, the fussy lavender bedroom.

(See Here)

A little searching, and

I found exactly what I was searching for.

This lamp is a beauty.

It has wonderfully intricate cast iron work.

But, the best part of it is the mercury glass reflector.

It is almost impossible to find these lamps complete with the original

mercury glass reflector.

Hanging next to it (see top picture) is a cast iron

match holder.

Could there possibly be any more romantic lighting than this?

I can hardly wait for the sun to go down,

so that I can light it.

This lamp hangs above my turn of the century

Thomas Edison Victrola...

...that still plays its very thick records....

by hand crank...

another one of my family treasures.

Here is the current display on the top of the victrola.

I love antiques, but antiques that still work and are useful
are my favorites.
I have decorated my home with items that could
actually save us if, heaven forbid, we lose power for
an extended period of time.
Or, if perhaps, someday I decide to get off the energy grid, altogether,
well, I suppose I am ready!

Spring Pinny

2010-03-27T21:18:00.000-04:00

Although we had a bit of a cold snap this weekend,

Spring has definitely arrived.

The trees have buds.

The daffodils and forsythia have bloomed.

The bees are buzzing.

But, oh, it's too chilly to work in the garden,

So....a day of sewing instead!

Today I pulled a few apron patterns together

to construct an all new pattern....

A Spring/Summer pinafore.....

Perfect for serving luncheon, or picking flowers.

Roomy pockets, trimmed in crocheted lace....

I made all of my own bias tape for this apron,

out of the same fabrics.

It's a bit time consuming to do so,

but it gives it such a coordinated,

polished look.

This pattern is a keeper.

Now, to take this over to my shop

(CLICK HERE)

....it's for sale, of course.

Spring Cleaning

2010-03-26T20:46:00.000-04:00

I am curious about something.

How is one supposed to do Spring cleaning...

when it is so nice outside in the Spring.

I would much rather be outside doing some project than

in the house cleaning!!

Well, that being said, it still has to be done.

I have been trying to avoid buying harsh cleansers.

Today I used the end of my scouring powder.

For the past few years I have been using "green" products.

They tend to be expensive, though.

So, I thought to myself....

couldn't I use my homemade laundry powder and make it into a

scouring powder, too?

Today I did just that.

I took 1/2 cup of the laundry powder (see earlier posting)

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup baking soda

and placed all three in a jar, punched holes in the lid

and made a label (I always like to make things look a bit fussy!)

Here it is:

BUSY BEE

Clean and Green

SCOURING POWDER

I tried it out on a really messy kitchen sink and it

sure made it sparkle!

The smell is clean and fresh, too!

Think of the savings!

Organizing Tip

2010-03-25T21:47:00.001-04:00

Living this far out in the country makes being organized essential. Especially with regards to my pantry. I cannot just run to the store at the last minute if I need something. This was in part the reason that I added a good sized pantry when we planned this house. My pantry is outfitted with vintage cracker jars to hold all of my ingredients and keep them fresh.

In order to keep a running list of grocery items that are running low, I thought I would hang a clipboard inside the pantry. I ordered a basic clipboard for less than $2 (no shipping charges...what a bargain). I took it into my craft room and got to work gussying it up. Vintage graphics gave it exactly the look I was after....

I laminated the front to protect it, made some grocery lists

and hung it on a hook...

Now to add a pen on a bit of velcro, and....

Hopefully, this will help me to stay a bit more organized!

Mom's Kitchen

2010-03-24T15:09:00.000-04:00

Just the words "Mom's Kitchen" brings to mind an image, emotions, a flood of fond memories. Growing up, I remember Mom's kitchen as being the heart of our home. Guests gathered there. Holiday meals were celebrated there. It was a simple time when families gathered together nightly over supper to discuss the events of the day. And after the meal we did the dishes together (me standing on a chair to reach the sink...as it was my job to dry.)

I remember the vintage charm of that kitchen with its bright colors...home to a very "modern" chrome and formica table with matching vinyl padded chairs. I have this picture in my mind of my mother standing tall in her 50's style dress, a half apron over it, with her hair perfectly coiffed, jewelry and lipstick on. (I, on the other hand, was out playing in the dirt... most likely picking violets or loading my pockets with earthworms.)

With all of that in mind, it is no wonder that I fell in love with this fabric when I saw it. And of course it had to become an apron. An apron fondly named "Mom's Kitchen".

This apron will be for sale on my apron website HERE. It is "one size fits all".

Wednesday, Part Two

2010-03-24T05:48:00.006-04:00

If you are interested, here are the graphics that I designed for my

Busy Bee

Clean and Green

Concentrated Laundry Powder

(click on picture for larger version,
then right click to save to your computer)

Feel free to grab either of these
and use them on you own packaging,

if you like...

I used two brown paper lunch bags inside of each other
as my packaging.

PS: I have a load of laundry drying on the line right now. This laundry soap worked great...all the mud and dirt that was on my jeans and shirts is gone! I am sure that greasy stains will still need pretreated, though. My laundry room smells heavenly!

Another Laundry Essential

2010-03-23T18:53:00.001-04:00

On the subject of laundry essentials (see recent posts), I decided to make my own laundry detergent.

I had seen a posting by my friend Mary Jane of the Beehive Cottage. She posted a recipe which I decided to try.

It is super easy, super inexpensive and according to Mary Jane makes clothes sparkle. I can hardly wait to try my

"Busy Bee

Clean and Green

Concentrated Laundry Powder".

I had to package it in something "vintagey" so I made my own bags and labels.....

Recipe:

4 lbs. Borax

4 lbs. Washing Soda

4 lbs. Baking Soda

3 bars Fels Naptha soap (grated)

Only 2 tablespoons of this is needed for one load of laundry....so this recipe should last quite a long time. I have a front-loader, so I will dissolve 2 tbsp. in a bit of warm water to add to the detergent dispenser.

I will let you know what I think of it after next Laundry Day.

More Laundry Day Essentials

2010-03-21T07:56:00.000-04:00

Last week I made Minerva's Laundry Day apron with extra large, deep pockets for clothespins. By the end of the week it was in the mail to Colorado. (Hope you enjoy it, Bonne!!) That left me with a problem, though....still no place to put my clothespins. So this morning, while a load was washing, I headed up to my sewing room to use up the remaining apron fabric. I had no pattern, but I had a plan. I thought I would shape a clothespin bag to fit over an old wooden child's hanger that I had. A little bias tape and rick rack added and voila...........

Plenty of room to store my clothespins and handy to grab and throw in my laundry basket as I head out the door.

Moving to the country has once again given me the energy saving pleasure of line-drying laundry. I love the smell of freshly laundered sheets that have been line dried. And if I almost never have to use my dryer....well, think of the energy savings!!

Green Idea

2010-03-18T09:13:00.000-04:00

We have been trying, in all that we do, to be as green

as possible.

I stopped buying plastic storage bags over a year ago.

Instead I bought this....

I keep re-using the ones I have.

I keep the ones that are given to me by others.

This bag had a cherry pie inside...a gift to Hubbs.

I simply washed and rinsed the bag and hung it on the rack to dry.

It saves me a little money.

And keeps the trash from being overloaded with plastic.

Which, by the way, doesn't decompose for centuries.

Long after humans are gone from the face of this earth,

our plastic will remain.... the reminder of our throw-away society.

If you are interested in joining me in this effort,

You can purchase one of these handy driers

Here or Here or Here.

Laundry Day Apron

2010-03-13T17:24:00.001-05:00

A windy, rainy day afforded me the time to make this retro styled

laundry day apron.

It has four deep pockets across the front...

perfect for filling with clothes pins.

I just love the fabric.

It is one that I have been hanging onto for a couple of years.

Vintage ladies...involved in all sorts of laundry day chores.

The pockets are a companion fabric....laundry day essentials.

Now that my embroidery machine is back from its repairs,

I am able to do fancy stitches once more.

Now, to move this little apron over to my selling blog (here).

I think I shall call her

"Minerva's Laundry Day Apron"

(She might make a good Mother's Day gift.....)

Adventures in Breadmaking

2010-03-03T21:13:00.000-05:00

I am happy to say, that I have made it through the first two months of 2010 and still have not bought a loaf of bread. Each week I bake a loaf of whole grain bread and a loaf of cinnamon, raisin, walnut bread. I have also dabbled in pizza dough, homemade calzones, and various rolls. Today's project was pretzel rolls.
(Anke...I had to laugh, because I first tried these on Sunday and then read your post....you also made pretzels on Sunday. Great minds think alike!)
I mixed the dough, kneaded it for 8 minutes, let it rise in a greased bowl, punched it down, shaped it into 8 round balls, scored the tops, and let them rise again.

I then dropped each into 6 cups of boiling water with 1/4 cup baking soda added. The cooked for 2 minutes on each side and then I scooped them out with a slotted spoon, placed them on a baking sheet, and sprinkled them with Kosher salt.

Into the oven at 425 degrees for 12 minutes and they turned a beautiful golden brown.

Oh my goodness are these delicious!!!

Here are the ingredients....

1 cup water (105 to115 degrees)
2 1/4 tsp yeast
2 3/4 cup bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Follow my steps above....these are the yummiest!!