Friday, November 25, 2011

Thanksgiving 2011 Come and Gone

Thanks to Delightful Order for the free printable sign!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

For All These Things I am Thankful

  1. Each breath I take
  2. The hope of Heaven
  3. My Children
  4. My Grand children
  5. My friends
  6. Good books
  7. Good food
  8. Warmth and light
  9. A home
  10. Health
We are given each day as a gift, to live, to breathe
to enjoy the place we inhabit.
There are millions who have no hope beyond this life,
no family to love and spend time with, 
and no friends to call or go to visit.
And just think of being unable to read...there are millions who
for various reasons, can't!
There are starving people all around the world, 
right now, today...
who live in conditions I have never experienced-
with no home, no warmth, no light to turn on
when it's dark. 
And there are too many to count who have had 
their health taken from them and live in 
constant pain and fear....
Lord., we who have so much...
let our hearts be broken by the things that break Your heart
and be truly thankful for every blessing!

The first free printable is from Delightful Order
and the 2nd from Graphics Fairy

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Bakers Review-Cornbread

I'm linking up with AJ CRazies
for the

Buttermilk Cornbread
(recipe from All Recipes)

1 c.Cornmeal
1/4 c. flour ( I used GF)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. brown sugar
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg beaten
2 T. melted butter

Grease cast iron pan with 1 T. oil and
heat in 425* oven for 10 minutes.
Mix together all dry ingredients 
and add wet ingredients all at once. 
Mix just until moistened.
Pour into hot pan and bake for 15 minutes 
or until light brown on top.

This was the best cornbread I have ever
made using GF flour!
It is not sweet, but fluffy and very tasty,
I will be making this a lot:)

Monday, November 21, 2011

Looking for a Great Christmas Gift?

A wonderful crafty lady I know has a 
new website Duckee Bags.
These bags come with some awesome 
colors and styles and
- the cool thing about them 
is that they are lined with duct tape,
so they won't get wet and can be wiped out easily!
Go check them out, they are available in several sizes too.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Chair Slipcover

I've had this old chair for awhile in a
corner of my guest room.
It had a slipcover on it when I bought it at a sale 
but when I washed it the whole thing
shrunk and faded.
Finally I used some fabric from
a pair of curtains I purchased, (thrift store find)
cut it up and made a slipcover
in the more modern, casual style that
I personally like.

Now it feels like "me"
and only cost a few dollars.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Bakers Review-Sugar Cookie Bars


Sugar Cookie Bars
1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
 2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix butter and sugar for 5 mins until light and fluffy.
add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
Mix in dry ingredients just until mixed.
Pat into a greased 9x13 pan.
bake at 375* for 20 minutes or until very lightly
browned and tooth pick comes out clean. Do
not over bake.
cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 c. butter melted
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp almond flavoring
1 -2 T. milk
Mix well and spread on cooled bars.

These were delicious!
They are just like a soft, thick sugar cookie
without all the fuss of cutting out shapes.
I used GF flour and it was not noticeable at all.
Definitely a keeper:)

Monday, November 14, 2011

November Sketch

I'm linking up with the November sketch


Sunday, November 13, 2011

Vintage Coat

I found a wonderful vintage
Pendleton coat at a sale yesterday.
It fits me perfectly, the color is fabulous
and the lining is like brand new. 
I'm not sure what year it is but I do know I got 
an excellent deal on it as I saw a vintage 60's
Pendleton Dress in a magazine for over $200
and I paid under $50 for this.
It was a happy find :)


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Fall is Fading Fast...

All photos taken at Camas Antiques 
Holiday Open House

Friday, November 11, 2011

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Bakers Review-Biscotti

I'm linking up with Aimee @ AJ Crazies
for the 
Chocolate Chip Walnut Biscotti
Modified for Gluten free

1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. melted butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1 2/3 c. flour (GF or regular)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c. walnuts chopped
2/3 c. mini chocolate chips

Mix egg and sugar well. Add butter and flavorings.
Mix in dry ingredients and add walnuts and choc. chips
pat into a 1 inch thick oval on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 325* for 20 minutes or until very light brown.
Take out of oven and cool on pan for 5 minutes. 
Cut into 1 inch strips crosswise. Spread out on cookie 
sheet and bake again @ 375 for 10 minutes.
Cool on pan and store in airtight container.

Review
These were just okay,
I'm not sure how they would be 
with regular flour, but  with the GF flour I used 
they were too bland. I did add some salt to the recipe 
now though so that may help.
If I made them again I would 
make them with a different GF flour mixture.
Biscotti are a more bland cookie though because they are 
really for dunking with coffee or tea, and that's what 
I will do with these.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Scrapbooking with Laryngitis

One good thing about not being able to speak 
is that I do get a few things done!
Used Sketch 135 from The Scrappiest
for the one above




Just glad to be feeling back to myself again:)

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Great Grandma's Love

This is my Mom and my grandson...
Precious!

Friday, November 4, 2011

A Visitor from Heaven

In memory of Jamison
28 days old, 
who went home to be with 
Jesus today.

"A visitor from heaven 
if only for awhile,
A gift of love to be returned,
we think of you and smile.
A visitor from heaven
accompanied by grace
reminding of a better love and of a better place.
With aching hearts and empty arms 
we send you with a name,
it hurts so much to let you go,
but we're so glad you came.

A visitor from heaven,
if only for a day.
We thank Him for the time He gave
and now it's time to say
We trust you to the Fathers love
and to His tender care
held in the everlasting arms
and we're so glad you're there.
we're so glad you're there.
With breaking hearts and open hands
we send you with a name.
It hurts so much to let you go,
but we're so glad you came.
We're so glad you came.

Twila Paris


Camera Bag

Yesterday I was thinking about a camera bag
 and how it would be great to make 
one that matched my camera strap.
I was looking through my pattens and couldn't 
find the bag patterns I knew I had,
so I dug in my closet and there in a pile of 
stuff was a bag already cut out and ready 
to sew, in the exact same fabric!
I didn't even remember cutting it out at all!!!
 That's the strap I made awhile ago...
And here's the finished bag.
I made it extra stiff and heavy so that
if I set it down the camera won't get banged up.
There is plenty of room for phone, wallet, etc.
along with camera and accessories as needed.

The pattern is Simplicity 2617
with an added closure tab with velcro.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Lucky Brand Inspiration and Questions

I like the Lucky Brand, but can't
justify the cost, so I used some fabric
that had the "look" 
and made a peasant style tunic.
The pattern is Simplicity 2310 
with some modifications.

Get to know me Questions
1. eye color? Blue/green
2. Real hair color? blond w/ LOTS of gray
3. Heritage? Finnish ancestry, Lutheran church
4. Shoes you wore today?
Naturalizer mary janes (see above)
5. My weakness? Sweets
6. My greatest fear? Snakes
7. Country I'd most like to visit? England
8. Fave Christmas song? Rose of Bethlehem
9. Perfect Pizza?
BLT with avocado at California Pizza Kitchen
10. Fave store? Ross
11. Do you like thunderstorms? No
12. What you would eat right now?
a non-gluten free croissant
13. Who is your favorite author? Jan Karon
14. What is the most exciting thing you have ever done?
Snorkeling in the middle of the ocean
15. Who do you most want to meet? Jesus

NOW I'd love to hear from you what your answers are!
Let me know if you do so I can check them out:)

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Bakers Review Wednesday-Gingerbread Coffee

I'm joining up with Aimee over at A J Crazies
for the Bakers Review Wednesday
 Gingerbread Coffee
 Here is what the gingerbread syrup will look like...
And here is the finished coffee.

Gingerbread Coffee
1/2 c. mollasses
1/4. c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Mix above ingredients together and refrigerate
for 10 minutes or more.

Add 1 T. of syrup to 1 c. coffee and add
half and half cream to taste.
Garnish with whip cream and a sprinkle of ground cloves.
(recipe from All Recipes)

Review
Yummy! I think it has better flavor
than any of the coffee places serve, and it can 
be adjusted by adding more or less syrup to taste.
Also the syrup will last in the refrig for many days
so it's easy to whip up a cup whenever you like.
A+

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Sketch 180 & Challenge #31

I'm linking up at Creative Scrappers
with Sketch 180
and also using another challenge
from the "52 more" book,  # 31
"Incorporate book pages or sheet music on a layout"

"Get Picky" Inspiration Challenge

I'm linking up over at Get Picky
for the Inspiration Challenge.
This is the inspiration photo -and you also had
to use some fabric in your layout.

The fabric I used is in the flowers, I used 2
layers of fabric and then paper and a button.
I also sewed the black border.