tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3048920652365925182024-01-31T13:35:26.673-08:00Pumpkin Hollow PrimitivesBrendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.comBlogger285125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-72999460905946708392022-10-20T19:15:00.002-07:002022-10-20T19:18:11.276-07:00Follow Up: Dehydrated Mini Marshmallows in a Magic Mill Dehydrator<p><i> Did you think I forgot to update my previous post? lol</i> I wish it was that simple. No, I have been spending the last two days learning a few interesting facts regarding the dehydration of marshmallows... completely by accident. </p><p>First, my guessing for processing the marshmallows was way off. <i>Waaaaay off! </i> In trying to double check this error, a trip to a local DG was necessary to purchase more marshmallows. Instead of getting the store brand, they had Jet Puffed on sale. So, two bags were thrown into my cart with hopes of pinning a correct dehydrating time down. All internet info suggests dehydrating at 151 degrees. The Magic Mill has 149 or 159 degrees. I have been going with the closest at 149 degrees. Knowing this would throw off the time, the suggested time of 3 to 5 hours probably wasn't going to hold true for my minis. Which is fine. Interestingly enough, mine keep coming in at 9 to 10 hours. I wish I could tell you the second run confirmed my results to 9 or 10, but an interesting issue arose to keep me from pinpointing an exact time. Either way, my earlier guess was wrong. Although I can unequivocally say this, 9 to 10 hours works for my Magic Mill. <i>Honestly, I would try another around, but my house is overfilled with these crunchy puff balls right now. lol </i></p><p>This brings me to my second discovery;<i> A fine wine may get better with age... not so with a sugary marshmallow.</i> My observant spidey senses were taking a brake during my shopping excursion. The sale was a "two for", and I grabbed two bags only looking at the top bag. <b><i>Ugh!</i></b> When I got home, the first bag had bouncy marshmallows. The second bag had sticky, going yellow marshmallows. <i> In fairness to the DG, the best buy date was October of 2022, but I am here to attest... They were past their prime. </i> I loaded the dehydrator anyways, after physically pulling most of the marshmallows apart in the second bag. The dehydrator was loaded with 20 ounces (2 bags). My time test was ruined by spot checking marshmallows from the bottom three shelves. The shelves which held the October marshmallows. Their decomposing state<i> (I was soon to find out. Insert smacking of forehead.)</i> threw off any possibility of dehydrating properly. At any rate, I kept extending the time, got tired<i> (for real, it was after my bedtime... lol)</i>, and on the last round jumped 2 1/2 hours making the full dehydrating time 10 hours total. In the morning, I awakened to the process being complete... <i>But now, let me show you the finished marshmallows...</i></p><p><i>Exhibit A: </i>Look at the fresh marshmallows once finished. They literally burst with crunchy exploding flavor. <i>Seriously, if you're on a diet, a few of these would calm any sugary craving. </i>Look at their dusky yet puffy exterior... Dehydrated perfection!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilun5lvC4VWj553hY2lNvAEuun6n5mn6i2iqkhU5I8iZOyNJ5aUJQHdYhwwWtn3MZG7vUsvhMjJA-d5S409E7HYPnKavSygCwwW-NNC2u_J6pMyJQ60krrLn3IP7Mvcr9ARVrcXAjDZRl0s-o4oU0RYRW3VQE2rPtsM4pCeskD87v2vCTtkepvPWWFbA/s640/dehydrated%20marshmallows%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilun5lvC4VWj553hY2lNvAEuun6n5mn6i2iqkhU5I8iZOyNJ5aUJQHdYhwwWtn3MZG7vUsvhMjJA-d5S409E7HYPnKavSygCwwW-NNC2u_J6pMyJQ60krrLn3IP7Mvcr9ARVrcXAjDZRl0s-o4oU0RYRW3VQE2rPtsM4pCeskD87v2vCTtkepvPWWFbA/s320/dehydrated%20marshmallows%202.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Exhibit B: <i> (Brace yourself) It was hard to get the right angle on these</i>, but this is what the others turned out like. They had a glassy, wavy, bubbly exterior. I am assuming was caused by the sugar becoming more hydrated in the breaking down process. <i>Am I picky about outward appearances? </i> Absolutely not. The problem came when they were bit into. Slightly underdone crunchy turning into major teeth sticking chewy.<i> Nasty! </i> They tasted like old marshmallows. Not all of marshmallows on the three bottom trays were bad. Those handful of marshmallows in the bag which had still retained a soft powdery exterior were perfect. <b><i>So please, learn from my purchase, watch the dates and make sure you shake the bags you buy. </i></b> Loose, powdery dull, white marshmallows are the ones to dehydrate. Just because the date is within selling fresh doesn't mean the product is viable. <i> It is a taste test you don't want to endure... Trust me! Blaaaah...</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lyoRsj9tmklv-I-veG0PWV4lTZ68fIa3tj5DglyR66RrfLHmcwmr8ERnTVfwFx8YMg3CMK_eyRyNLG0x0DwGHdFh0my_ggayyMu0ofT4Y_88ruk8EyKloUxoy_z08Hl3F4kpJvLTnqeNrThabghXcT_CTkbWXoQWOWpEmoTqXQ_SzqH8V4rg2eOz5A/s640/dehydrated%20marshmallows.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lyoRsj9tmklv-I-veG0PWV4lTZ68fIa3tj5DglyR66RrfLHmcwmr8ERnTVfwFx8YMg3CMK_eyRyNLG0x0DwGHdFh0my_ggayyMu0ofT4Y_88ruk8EyKloUxoy_z08Hl3F4kpJvLTnqeNrThabghXcT_CTkbWXoQWOWpEmoTqXQ_SzqH8V4rg2eOz5A/s320/dehydrated%20marshmallows.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><i><b>So, what have I learned from this experiment?</b></i> First, my hubby thinks I am nuts after dehydrating so many marshmallows. <i>Well, nothing new there!</i> <i> lol </i>Second, marshmallows for sure take about 9 to 10 hours to dehydrate in a Magic Mill at 149 degrees. Third, a six shelve Magic Mill will hold 2 bags (20 ounces) of marshmallows easily using mesh underneath. And finally, the resulting dehydrated marshmallows can be vacuumed sealed in 7 pint jars... <i>Well, more likely 7 1/2, but they were rolling everywhere, and I kept eating the stray ones! ;) </i><p></p><p>Onward to the 20 pounds of potatoes I just bought. :)</p>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-3658733297578229022022-10-17T12:32:00.000-07:002022-10-17T12:32:17.520-07:00Dehydrated Mini Marshmallows with Magic Mill<p> Dehydrated mini marshmallows have been on my "to do" list for a while. <i>Why might you ask? </i>Well, I love hot chocolate.<i> </i><i style="font-weight: bold;"> (Not so much the store bought, but the kind made from the recipe found on my blog <a href="https://pumpkinhollowprimitives.blogspot.com/2012/02/recipe-for-double-hot-chocolate-french.html" target="_blank">here.</a>) </i>Marshmallows are so tempting to buy shopping. Even more tempting during the holiday season when all brands can be found at rock bottom prices. My problem lies in the inability to use them up fast enough. They eventually get a funky color and start to stick together... <i>even before the best buy date. :( </i> <i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>About a month ago, I came across prepper post regarding dehydrating marshmallows. The prepper dehydrated them at 115 for over 10 hours. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. Instead of wasting the partially dehydrated marshmallows, the Magic Mill got turned up to 151 degrees for 4 hours, and the marshmallows turned out nice and crunchy. Not quite as sugary as Lucky Charms Cereal but having the same texture. <i> Score!</i></p><p>The dehydrated marshmallows do a slow melt in a steaming cup of hot chocolate. <i>Perfect for me! </i>I purchased three more bags of minis to dehydrate and put in pint ball jars and vacuum seal with my food saver for the possibility of long-term storage. My Magic Mill with its 6 shelves can hold 2 bags of minis with little effort. A third bag probably could've been squeezed in, but it was MIA when I started the set up... <i>So, it will go in the next round! ;) </i></p><p>The Magic Mill has been set for 151 degrees at 4 hours. It was tempting to set it for 5 hours, but if four works, energy has been saved. </p><p><b>Noteworthy: </b>The Magic Mill has a square grid on the shelves. Quite a few of the minis found their way through during the loading process. Knowing that the minis will get slightly larger during the drying process, there is also the possibility of them wedging between the grids. With this in mind, I decided to use my mesh and honey combed plastic covers on the shelves. The marshmallows want to roll all over, but this extra effort is a necessary step. </p><p><i>More tomorrow with the final outcome! :)</i></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfBWIzdwFdNV_ZBEbuMAjHdVY8KCbK-PPmulyUHj1Lt2Io68Dmin7pN4dJ_ZLclC6NyRwynQ1ORGq4gvNSkRAk3IbxZA0Ca8peVL0JaBBWPWKcaFBUU44G_33EkD1S5WrmXBpSDXuxMX6XRe8vM3xBHo6Gzj8abfwhcB0Hov886g3_f-vGAt9HD2j4w/s640/dehydrated%20marshmellows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfBWIzdwFdNV_ZBEbuMAjHdVY8KCbK-PPmulyUHj1Lt2Io68Dmin7pN4dJ_ZLclC6NyRwynQ1ORGq4gvNSkRAk3IbxZA0Ca8peVL0JaBBWPWKcaFBUU44G_33EkD1S5WrmXBpSDXuxMX6XRe8vM3xBHo6Gzj8abfwhcB0Hov886g3_f-vGAt9HD2j4w/s320/dehydrated%20marshmellows.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-51416094935813778802022-10-02T14:22:00.005-07:002022-10-02T17:15:37.386-07:00Dehydrating Sweet Corn with a Magic Mill Dehydrator<p>Preservation madness has been going on around our homestead as of late. I have so much to share and am going back to the beginning to tell my adventures. While finding various ways to preserve plums, the sweetcorn in our area was ripening. A combination of great farming friends brought some of the best tasting corn into our home with open invitations to pick more. <i>How wonderful is that? </i>After eating sweet corn at dinner for two weeks straight and filling the freezer with small, portioned Food Saver bags, I decided to try my hand at dehydrating sweet corn. From all of my studies, the dehydrated corn, stored properly, will last for years. <i>(Not that I intend on holding it that long.) </i> I was equally intrigued by some adventurous souls milling some of their corn and making corn bread. <i> You know that Mock Mill will be coming soon! ;) </i></p><p>After eating and freezing the sweet corn gifted to us at each of our places of work from some awesome farmers, Mr. Hollow was kind enough to take up an offer to go pick at one of his friend's farm whose family had already harvested what they needed. Once I started processing that haul, hubby's bosses' field ripened, and he was given the opportunity to pick even more. <i>(So many wonderful people to be surrounded by on a daily basis. We are truly blessed.) </i> Both of my fridges were constantly filled with corn on a rotating schedule. lol <i> </i>The dehydrating of the corn was a little bit easier for me to put together and was easy to manage after a full day at work.</p><p>First, shuck the first dozen or so ears of corn, get the smaller corn pot boiling with water, blanch the corn for approximately 8 minutes, and slice the kernels from the cobs. I found working with the smaller pot allowed the first batch to cool before the second batch was blanched. Then, I could begin the slicing with the first ears out of the pot, allowing the second batch to cool as it waited, and not hold up the assembly line of slicing. <i><b> **Additional note... If you decide to blanch a larger batch and refrigerate, make sure you break up the slabs into individual (or close to it) kernels. Once they are cold, it is a real bugger to try to pry the slabs apart. </b> </i>Ask me how I know! ;) </p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQghJmKH3cSAB0x0l_DXG-OYt9V2v0QXVWVbo19BPC2TnpLpDcOOiL_voRf1siD-swSH3LHwiTHWehjg23lUTmxnTn6BQkhFTi0L37IRh11o3XCDA69nSodmO8vALmRY-aSugrLJhtaV5bhMdf0M1juN81lEjAW3cyxCvfC9yskAeWgpiLFMv2WRGJBw/s640/a%201%20sweetcorn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQghJmKH3cSAB0x0l_DXG-OYt9V2v0QXVWVbo19BPC2TnpLpDcOOiL_voRf1siD-swSH3LHwiTHWehjg23lUTmxnTn6BQkhFTi0L37IRh11o3XCDA69nSodmO8vALmRY-aSugrLJhtaV5bhMdf0M1juN81lEjAW3cyxCvfC9yskAeWgpiLFMv2WRGJBw/s320/a%201%20sweetcorn.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p>My Magic Mill dehydrator has six shelves. It arrived with two plastic screens to aid in the dehydrating of smaller items. I ordered some BPA free dehydrating mesh to cut and fit for the remaining four shelves. After the corn kernels were broken from the slabs, the process of loading the trays lined with mesh began. I didn't get to freaked out about individual kernels touching, but I did not mound the corn either. Each level of the Magic Mill held approximately 2 medium ears of corn. After researching the internet for temps and times, I found my corn took a bit longer to dry. So, in case you are using a Magic Mill as well, it took my corn 11 hours at 131 degrees. <i> If you go shorter and it doesn't feel dry, just turn the dehydrator back on and give it a few more hours. No worries. You can't mess this step up! </i><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLYRqpVH2-R_iMZyQKwjGOSFdxYAuRPWHyCN06yzaA9scB04EvfcvIOlJHdnQp_0Z3avbk29T5NB1zOmxDGHZpHDlZJIckMxn8BvzXaYk22ApQY3aBR3GcmE0UoI6YS7MinA99Y_Wp5MWZ2qJ4gWEAZFJjxccnpu3KQQ3W1DV9B9bWB7HNQ0eUoWS7w/s640/a%202%20sweetcorn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLYRqpVH2-R_iMZyQKwjGOSFdxYAuRPWHyCN06yzaA9scB04EvfcvIOlJHdnQp_0Z3avbk29T5NB1zOmxDGHZpHDlZJIckMxn8BvzXaYk22ApQY3aBR3GcmE0UoI6YS7MinA99Y_Wp5MWZ2qJ4gWEAZFJjxccnpu3KQQ3W1DV9B9bWB7HNQ0eUoWS7w/s320/a%202%20sweetcorn.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><i>How do you know when it is done? </i> Give it a pinch. If the kernels are as hard as candy, you are done. They will break when you try to bend them and will have a non-tooth-breaking crunch when you chew them. <i>Yes, I did say chew it. lol </i>Actually, a nice flavor as well. <p></p><p>Each level was left to sit in the dehydrator for a few hours to cool and produced slightly less than a cup full of dried corn. <i>I was very impressed with that! </i> The corn was moved into a gallon Ziploc where it remained until all the corn was processed. Then, I took some clean pint jars, some used ball lids reheated in water, and tried out my Food Saver vacuum ball jar sealer. <i>And guess what? It worked wonderfully! Plus, it was another great way to keep using the spent jar lids! :) </i>I was accidentally lucky enough to have purchased a Food Saver with the extension for one. Our combined effort put 11 pints of dehydrated sweet corn on the shelf. I couldn't be happier. Plus, it was an effortless and non-taxing project for during the work week. It will definitely be an annual event should the supply chain present itself again.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKQDmidQbzskbfVAfXm51xAfi5vGmKIFXewDx00b59-VtJCRzYlRbtI9zL0l4mHq6ngoXCFPl3KqdHjCSyhRrDL5Vwd-eLOL_SNYrEe1j1r00nmJ-b3YqUAgn3nbc_f3a2IH102s-kreLdIdNfdXiU5MDGryqMNvzDvaSXaM3CTflRDas9qNL9JexoA/s640/a%203%20sweetcorn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKQDmidQbzskbfVAfXm51xAfi5vGmKIFXewDx00b59-VtJCRzYlRbtI9zL0l4mHq6ngoXCFPl3KqdHjCSyhRrDL5Vwd-eLOL_SNYrEe1j1r00nmJ-b3YqUAgn3nbc_f3a2IH102s-kreLdIdNfdXiU5MDGryqMNvzDvaSXaM3CTflRDas9qNL9JexoA/s320/a%203%20sweetcorn.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the beginning of the week, I made some beef stew and almost forgot my stash of corn, since this was my first year attempting it. It was added in the broth stage and took approximately 20 to 30 minutes to rehydrate as the stew simmered way beyond that. The corn tasted and had the texture of having just been sliced off the cob. <i>Even my hubby was impressed! Now that is saying something!! </i>Also, one extra bonus... Opening a jar is like smelling fresh sweet corn in the middle of summer. A definite pick-me-up on a chilly fall or winter day. :) </div><p></p>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-22153616150606892092022-09-03T18:39:00.003-07:002022-09-03T18:39:37.495-07:00Preservation of Plums<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I was growing up, my Dad loved his fruit trees. Unfortunately, the trees never produced as much fruit or as healthy of fruit as he had hoped for. It certainly didn't stop him from finding sources and bringing home loads of fresh fruits for us to enjoy. <i>Probably one of the main reasons I have to go to the apple orchards in the fall. ;) </i> He often told the story of how my Grandma sent my Dad and his siblings to pick apples at a neighbor's house. Even though the neighbor wasn't going to use the apples himself, my Grandma insisted on sending over fifty cents for the right to harvest the apples. That was a long time ago... I grew up to live in a very small rural town and work in the middle of the town I live in. There are so many kind people with farms who extend the kindness of harvesting apples off their trees. I guess those ideals are still alive and well in certain areas of America. <i>And hey, those apples make the best pies, cobbler, and sauce! :) </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My son and his wife purchased a small farm with two elderly apple trees. In a good year, the number of apples can be overwhelming. <i>The fruit trees are definitely happy. </i> So, my son decided to plant some more trees... a pear, another apple, and a plum tree. The pear is doing amazing, is doubling its production from last year, and the fruit should be ready to pick soon. The apple hasn't produced yet but is steadily growing. The plum tree decided this year was the year to have a crazy harvest. It is a tiny tree barely taller than me,<i> but it produced a 5-gallon pail and a half of produce.</i> If I could bottle the smell of those plums, the fragrance would knock your socks off! Just splendidly plummy!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It warms my heart for the kids to be expanding their farm in a self-sustaining way. Since both of them were busy this year, I offered to help preserve the fruit. Not gonna lie... It was a bigger production than I thought, but all went smoothly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first weigh in was for the jam... <i>This kid doesn't mess with jelly. lol </i>The grand total was 24 of the fruit jars and 10 pint jars. If you haven't had plum jam, you are really missing out on a unique flavor. It does sound like a lot until you start thinking of all the possibilities... My daughter in law makes homemade ice cream. <i> Can you imagine a vanilla plum swirl? I sure can!</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQF3WV-IBN7SNkqemTES91YXk9E_y7HDCwjoNYOKR5sYDRzcm_GXsYPKmrZStJ7IwoK5NaKgsA2yK5AWF6CFhr_B1ysAQqYLUrrvC-ogEDQIcdn51K9_lgah3wCaW_4nKfVxfFZ7nY5fg303KgoVnNzBKpHp-77MOr4qwQjWGlldSaHCyUt0lqVgd0tA/s640/dehydrated%20plums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQF3WV-IBN7SNkqemTES91YXk9E_y7HDCwjoNYOKR5sYDRzcm_GXsYPKmrZStJ7IwoK5NaKgsA2yK5AWF6CFhr_B1ysAQqYLUrrvC-ogEDQIcdn51K9_lgah3wCaW_4nKfVxfFZ7nY5fg303KgoVnNzBKpHp-77MOr4qwQjWGlldSaHCyUt0lqVgd0tA/s320/dehydrated%20plums.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p>With the jam numbers being pretty high, I moved on to dehydrating. This used up 62 more plums. <p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxaJhGYxAOqYeb9MHC6Om7y_bfKe6xLIp3dONApjRUvhH_wB6a2vou6dVdTgTIupisCnwPQf2qw7hPyKx5SVUKm1icefWBg3GLK6bHkeaOPTpnlnygrq9KISlb1Uf9-eEtGjse6vVY37SBB_9T3beO40hIq2u_VroOPEwEdbaeUfcyKj1WJVotZhpPQ/s640/dehydrated%207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxaJhGYxAOqYeb9MHC6Om7y_bfKe6xLIp3dONApjRUvhH_wB6a2vou6dVdTgTIupisCnwPQf2qw7hPyKx5SVUKm1icefWBg3GLK6bHkeaOPTpnlnygrq9KISlb1Uf9-eEtGjse6vVY37SBB_9T3beO40hIq2u_VroOPEwEdbaeUfcyKj1WJVotZhpPQ/s320/dehydrated%207.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Dehydrating was a new experiment. I rather liked the tart yet sweet product and found some recipes using rehydrated plums. Dehydration definitely has possibilities.<p></p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0tiSo1JcBBFT7zPBpn-oDlUDlnhGhPucGCZDKvywgr8S56yt_gGqdbKvDl3GBcF_Op-7vVoHB0V35lIoqJ9bm3TodEb6g4Nm8X4iRe13tAA0V1dTtk0dYwZjC3mqtFfGCYHFmVTIqGr2r0EU4-wzOyckmu6BFA-ZN0dIwCl6ul5Z3fBw8ReG-c8idw/s640/dehydrated%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0tiSo1JcBBFT7zPBpn-oDlUDlnhGhPucGCZDKvywgr8S56yt_gGqdbKvDl3GBcF_Op-7vVoHB0V35lIoqJ9bm3TodEb6g4Nm8X4iRe13tAA0V1dTtk0dYwZjC3mqtFfGCYHFmVTIqGr2r0EU4-wzOyckmu6BFA-ZN0dIwCl6ul5Z3fBw8ReG-c8idw/s320/dehydrated%202.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p>My grandson has been doing his share of eating right off the tree. <i> After sampling one of the plums myself, I cannot blame him. ;)</i> My son and I pulled a few of the firm plums out for him to munch on in the coming weeks, and the remaining over ripe plums were turned into syrup. Instead of straining the boiled plums, I used an emulsion blender and gave the syrup some texture. <i>Wow! Even better than the jam in my opinion.</i><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEdHM9fcQE35bRw32HUMfUKYlGlRMQit9OExqHaAdjso-5hx6oPb9b7WcRc2pABGnvHCPHSrWrKf4VhU85NgzAxsliZwiVOpdi3q2s_h1RBbIEmi5PDV0NZl4_GitPRddSAaBBXyza4416VSpF3Pl86hhogJgqO6RFy__59VygM4JL1TFEp4aqQm2lg/s640/dehydrated%206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEdHM9fcQE35bRw32HUMfUKYlGlRMQit9OExqHaAdjso-5hx6oPb9b7WcRc2pABGnvHCPHSrWrKf4VhU85NgzAxsliZwiVOpdi3q2s_h1RBbIEmi5PDV0NZl4_GitPRddSAaBBXyza4416VSpF3Pl86hhogJgqO6RFy__59VygM4JL1TFEp4aqQm2lg/s320/dehydrated%206.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />With the plums done for the year, the apples have started to fall from one of the older trees. Although some will become animal feed, there were plenty for me to harvest. Most were bigger than my hand and in great shape. :) Not sure if they will become pies or sauce yet. Which reminds me, I need to go back out tomorrow to scour for some more. Most of the tree hasn't ripened yet. I suspect these are falling from the very top. <i>And I'm hoping to get ahead of the huge harvest and not get taken off guard like with the plums. lol </i>What a blessing these trees are. My Dad is watching their success... I am sure. Now the kids have added grapes and blueberries to their fruit grove. <i>Wonderful times to come. :)</i><p></p>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-71246878584068700202022-08-29T17:22:00.076-07:002022-08-30T18:15:31.733-07:00Thrifty Find Vintage Sunbeam Iron<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Every once in a while, a special piece speaks to you. This is one of those items. Vintage irons are always a beautiful piece of nostalgia for sewing rooms. Years ago, I purchased several at a single sale. Due to space concerns, I sold most of them off and vowed to not get lured into purchasing an iron ever again... with this one exception: The Sunbeam Electric Iron with trivet in its original case sitting on the shelf at the local thrift store. <i>Too cool to pass up!</i></div><p></p></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6gf642SeHDaQUcZvMgc3rTSpQGZHoezaiuYrpFo_mEdOhI29_jjzKITLD9UeRdHbWI-Qk12UZdnNgad1ivIWRfdTe7T1QmSXRn13bjTx5ZiBxvwRQbMHvbYUk6Ja2zOlZrrCR2THWfJxN4EqwZVLY2cdKcRkEG7_P_ocMVko0J_rUMLuGTu1dKETcQ/s460/sunbeam%20iron.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="460" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6gf642SeHDaQUcZvMgc3rTSpQGZHoezaiuYrpFo_mEdOhI29_jjzKITLD9UeRdHbWI-Qk12UZdnNgad1ivIWRfdTe7T1QmSXRn13bjTx5ZiBxvwRQbMHvbYUk6Ja2zOlZrrCR2THWfJxN4EqwZVLY2cdKcRkEG7_P_ocMVko0J_rUMLuGTu1dKETcQ/s320/sunbeam%20iron.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>Quite the fancy unit in its day. Makes me wonder who in the 1920's or 30's decided to make this purchase. <i>How much did they spend? Were they excited as I was to receive it into their home? </i> Well-chosen curiosities are the best things to surround oneself with. They can inspire and ignite the imagination while giving a sense of warmth from those that came before us. <i>At least, it does for this artist. :)</i></p><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Upj-Piydb12zR7bpzGTlLjxw8LQQcs09COjB7-8Qf0MozejHRjT324AcKXj23h-1Wmw1EPHWrIDrO4DhxKPYHkUG6aic7hrkk1dhkQInwjiLwSxmeSCiAuGRKvPn7vTUEKqbT5_ZI1jRaEwjmeWCdUdLmEoT4YhDBoULUotoD7JbTgvW_b-cz66Phg/s674/sunbeam%20iron%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Upj-Piydb12zR7bpzGTlLjxw8LQQcs09COjB7-8Qf0MozejHRjT324AcKXj23h-1Wmw1EPHWrIDrO4DhxKPYHkUG6aic7hrkk1dhkQInwjiLwSxmeSCiAuGRKvPn7vTUEKqbT5_ZI1jRaEwjmeWCdUdLmEoT4YhDBoULUotoD7JbTgvW_b-cz66Phg/s320/sunbeam%20iron%202.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><p></p>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-81124026451849267672022-08-19T06:55:00.000-07:002022-08-19T06:55:11.632-07:00127 Yard Sale Kentucky and Tennessee<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The 127 Yard Sale was always our "go to" summer vacation for over 12 years. It has been 5 years, since we have driven and taken in the lovely scenery of Kentucky and Tennesse. <i> A few years, we have even completed the trek through Georgia and Alabama. </i>After a great deal of procrastination, we booked some reservations and set off to see how the sales have changed. In Tennessee, the sale sites changed slightly with some popping up in new locations. Kentucky was a little more sparce but still had some areas well worth visiting. In one of these sites in Kentucky, we found this vintage Baby Brother child's sewing machine. It is exceptional shape for its age, and I am looking forward to shining her up. :) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CUc7wtXlBl8ZI0XHmvahfPlYDJC3uOHxLcXSMkIuq9nm-L8-3IfAgkTPILmREIntdg5XQxJIwZQRrkQBF4W9Omo7ISiQxg74sjmwUtEroa3FaowUQE2OhxaeonfKbB6xLmN5pvZCkHdCkGxs_Vu8CSVxCZqtHRBJLrRYJDJ5XgKqoxEfYsIVZnPjJQ/s627/127%202022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="469" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9CUc7wtXlBl8ZI0XHmvahfPlYDJC3uOHxLcXSMkIuq9nm-L8-3IfAgkTPILmREIntdg5XQxJIwZQRrkQBF4W9Omo7ISiQxg74sjmwUtEroa3FaowUQE2OhxaeonfKbB6xLmN5pvZCkHdCkGxs_Vu8CSVxCZqtHRBJLrRYJDJ5XgKqoxEfYsIVZnPjJQ/s320/127%202022.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><p><br /></p>There are some splotches of paint on the platform and a coating of dust to remove. Although dust never shows well, it does a decent job of protecting surfaces over the years if its dry.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Up8c99EyROYj6gCQlSRrYSg4n1GQtEhPakMFZ39c6bdcjkJuoQVYuG34YaXpE2gd2Q-N67bmVk_fshA-z5qVozMMqd3fkGG4nno3tbA_rxA1L9lLnkWpIMpeI6pA2X7ia4MQbsN1dAGJzPKUTyav5PB2CMdAoJtZIfkKj04CbGjhf4wRK_MUVqKmoQ/s474/127%202022%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="474" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Up8c99EyROYj6gCQlSRrYSg4n1GQtEhPakMFZ39c6bdcjkJuoQVYuG34YaXpE2gd2Q-N67bmVk_fshA-z5qVozMMqd3fkGG4nno3tbA_rxA1L9lLnkWpIMpeI6pA2X7ia4MQbsN1dAGJzPKUTyav5PB2CMdAoJtZIfkKj04CbGjhf4wRK_MUVqKmoQ/s320/127%202022%202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Not gonna lie, I went into the trip a little stressed and wore myself out cleaning my basement. Nesting is one of the faults I have. <i>Interesting fact, July had 5 weeks in it</i>. Mistakenly, my brain had me cleaning weeks ahead of the trip, instead of my usual week before. lol Instead of taking a break, I pushed myself to finish the job I started. Took a few trips to the local thrift store prior to the trip to donate and left on the adventure with a clear mind of not only what I had, but also, what I needed to sell off in the future and a list of items to search for to complete some projects. My only apprehension was taking our Mini Cooper Countryman instead of the truck. Not that I usually buy anything huge, <i>but you never know! ;) </i><p></p><p>One of the items on my "lookout" list was wooden spools. Not for the beautiful spools themselves, but for the thread held on them. Most of these contain wool thread. If you search through for the fat ones, they contain quite a bit of wool thread. <i> Saves loads of money! </i> Not as strong as some threads for stitching but will look lovely on recycled wool candle mats and penny rugs. <i>The gentlemen, who was selling these, was the same person and site where I purchased them 5 years ago! lol </i>I am going to do some wool testing on a few of the spools. There were a few that didn't have that special feel to them. Still some lovely thread, but I try to stick to the wool ones, unless they fooled me and test otherwise. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQ2qP-2OerutgXLJpIaUyJeyjzYbBAV7q0cluq9f2i88CQEj7iSoK8y5fu1o5ubDXZwWrMSW_Nklqb_EceR_IhcxdnsYGvJFiP1DJeF2YmNawkOn0Sqn1kJwXzE1WXxQ9c82nED_OVrhfnPmw-_JBrpTD6ZloeMxy5jrWIU6cS_fK8mqtcuOKqnLz1Q/s674/127%202022%204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQ2qP-2OerutgXLJpIaUyJeyjzYbBAV7q0cluq9f2i88CQEj7iSoK8y5fu1o5ubDXZwWrMSW_Nklqb_EceR_IhcxdnsYGvJFiP1DJeF2YmNawkOn0Sqn1kJwXzE1WXxQ9c82nED_OVrhfnPmw-_JBrpTD6ZloeMxy5jrWIU6cS_fK8mqtcuOKqnLz1Q/s320/127%202022%204.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><p>In the past, I have found a wider range of colors. Great for a little pizzaz, but I was happy to add the more subdued colors from this trip. Plus, he had some great earth tones which could be over dyed nicely.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9KttWkSwQ2EgE6IzxSxo9NPMEH3o27QmBBErzWs4edowCGbn67gdl-zT7UvA82D7Z8N70jR-GHF-WBXYsGzPlyXX6yBaNTMVS49D-ezm-3efEIVaq_R2z1oTp7f8gdVMzio9StEsJbNpk6GfINYZNF1miOqffPqXlgeOTx7Pv2QmcEciPpQ_JNv96w/s674/127%202022%205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9KttWkSwQ2EgE6IzxSxo9NPMEH3o27QmBBErzWs4edowCGbn67gdl-zT7UvA82D7Z8N70jR-GHF-WBXYsGzPlyXX6yBaNTMVS49D-ezm-3efEIVaq_R2z1oTp7f8gdVMzio9StEsJbNpk6GfINYZNF1miOqffPqXlgeOTx7Pv2QmcEciPpQ_JNv96w/s320/127%202022%205.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><br />The gentlemen who sold the Baby Brother threw in the Singer stitch cams. Although I currently do not have a machine for them, they might come in handy in the future should the machine enter the herd or will be good for trading. Also, as luck would have it, these attachments, vintage needles, and book for a Pfaff 130-6 were put out for free. <i>How terrific is that? </i>I love my Pfaff. Any opportunity to acquire original attachments and bobbins is a wonderful day. To find them for free... <i> Simply awesome! </i>In the bag for the Pfaff parts, there were also vintage huge, curved needles used in sewing farm bags and leather items. <i> </i><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtRq7TvTRfOxvdO6ciEIYCz0THExGN6eCtlVjZTatL0lFXmm14hhZxqdJLFguyo7tv3U01UpY3SvSnTIBaMHsO2A6GhiKr2UYWYcSUhXKCT2giMl5kNr1Ffple95OlENAYB1ZndcpNVjkYxVU6qzeF4u9nnFsYrPI4fEXw4wYYjHNcl37p1TcFHxLow/s616/127%202022%206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="616" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtRq7TvTRfOxvdO6ciEIYCz0THExGN6eCtlVjZTatL0lFXmm14hhZxqdJLFguyo7tv3U01UpY3SvSnTIBaMHsO2A6GhiKr2UYWYcSUhXKCT2giMl5kNr1Ffple95OlENAYB1ZndcpNVjkYxVU6qzeF4u9nnFsYrPI4fEXw4wYYjHNcl37p1TcFHxLow/s320/127%202022%206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p>At one of the stops, my eye spied a Singer Featherweight. Surprisingly, the seller was asking $300.00. It had its box and attachments. I refrained and wince in writing this. She probably would have come down a bit, but I have a few Featherweights. My Hubby was a little disappointed when I left it behind to become someone else's treasure. Now, that is why I clean prior to leaving. I look at items in a different light. Sewing machines can add up and overtake space quickly. <i>Plus, I have a Vintage GE, which was the precursor to the Featherweight, arriving soon to join the herd. ;) </i>With the addition of a few vintage Playskool puzzes and random kitchen items, it was a nice round thoughtful haul. Once I part with a few things, my want list will grow. <i> It was just lovely to be back on the road again! :)</i></p>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-50214002326720931642022-08-17T18:31:00.004-07:002022-08-17T18:31:33.470-07:00Mockmill 100 for Grinding Grain<p> <b><i>Time to get busy and embrace a healthier future grinding my own grain with the Mockmill 100!</i></b> </p><p>If some of my old pals are still out there (<i>and for those who are just meeting me</i>), you all know how I love to cook, bake, and create. As with everyone else, the past few years have had their ups and for me one extreme down. Now it is time to move forward. I'm ready to shake up my world. One big part of my shake up is to get healthier with my food. Even though I still cook and eat mainly at home, I have gotten away from all of the great stuff on this blog and have fallen into being a quick meal cook. Some quick meals aren't so bad... others are not only unhealthy but expensive. <b><i>I'm shaking my life</i></b><i><b> up! </b></i> <b>Step 1 make a decision...</b> Any decision that gets me motivated and inspires me to action. One of my big decisions brewing over the past 3 weeks was to get a better grip on the flour that I use. My prepping nature has my freezers full of flour. <i>Not completely a bad thing...</i> Just a little annoying at harvest time, when the veggies start rolling in. (<i>I have some ideas for those as well! ;) </i>) In my quest to find a more space friendly, longer-term storage for my flour, I came across several articles and videos on wheat berries and milling flour at home. <i> <b>Sounds interesting, right? ;)</b> </i></p><p><b style="font-style: italic;">Are you aware properly prepped wheat berries can be stored up to 25 years +? </b>Also, there is NO freezer required. <i>Mind blowing, right? <b>How about the fact that I can grind my flour on a need basis? </b>Awesome! T<b>hrow in a list of grains that can be ground... some going back to ancient time... </b>My mind is blowing up with huge ideas. Aaaaaaghhh!</i></p><p><b>My decision... get a grain mill.</b> There are many out there let me tell you. Hand operated or electric, prices are all over the place, and loads of friendly people who will offer lots of opinions on the topic. The last few weeks have been research heaven. <i>Just an amazing experience in learning.</i> My decision was to go electric (contemplating a backup hand operated later for emergencies), finding a mid-range price, and taking in all the advice from my prepping friends and YouTube testers.<b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>Of course, add a little procrasting as well followed by a quick text to my Sister to have her tell me to just DO IT! <i> I always can count on her to give a nudge, shove, or kick to the rear. lol </i></p><p><b>Which leads me to Step 2... Acquisition of important instruments to complete a mission. </b>I did it. I bought a mill. A Mockmill 100 that works with a grinding stone set up. Yep, I took a deep breath and dove in. <i>And Guess what? </i>It is on back order. Waah waah waaaaah... <i>But seriously, that's okay! ;)</i> The delay is being looked at in a positive way. It will give me plenty of time to study all about grains, blending, and just plain understanding the whole process from start to finish. Plus, I can decide which grains to purchase, acquire some food grade storage buckets to house them, and allocate an area for them to reside. Always good to be prepared! </p><p>So, <b>Step 3... Take action </b>will have to wait on this particular adventure until October. Although, I feel all my research will be the foundation of and for the final step. Definitely required for success. <i> I am so excited! </i>This post is getting long, so I will save some sites and information for another day.<i> ;) </i> Since mine will be a bit into the future to photograph, below is a photo from the Mockmill site. It will be shipping from Breadtopia. :) </p><p><i>Now, I am off to look at some grain! :) </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsh7bkyBC4c5dccUzOXweLpK_Q2L4_b3AHoTPN9HNnxvWHZcMWsUcIicQ7vGn5MTGd5LOn2XbOazy5uCMKlC-u0FfbL9WWBKGkxaXtnqwvWZWiWkAbztnEdA6vHCzFchnvAwLIccCKlhCam77h4XXnMh-sgklaV62gu-h0FvQv0FaXRRihe3Cf3KGMBw/s1588/Mock%20Mill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1588" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsh7bkyBC4c5dccUzOXweLpK_Q2L4_b3AHoTPN9HNnxvWHZcMWsUcIicQ7vGn5MTGd5LOn2XbOazy5uCMKlC-u0FfbL9WWBKGkxaXtnqwvWZWiWkAbztnEdA6vHCzFchnvAwLIccCKlhCam77h4XXnMh-sgklaV62gu-h0FvQv0FaXRRihe3Cf3KGMBw/s320/Mock%20Mill.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-68347819591251222382020-05-22T11:26:00.002-07:002020-05-22T11:29:35.642-07:00Bucilla Alphabet Quilt Ready to Personalize<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here is the finished photo of the Bucilla Alphabet quilt from the late 60's kit. When digging through my UFO's, this finished quilt was still safely stored away... Unphotographed and forgotten. The stitching was created with the original floss that came with the quilt. I feel a great sense of accomplishment, when looking back over this quilt. Oddly enough right after my discovery, my daughter in law reminded me the quilt's little recipient was waiting to get it! <em>Yep... Our first grandchild. :)</em></div>
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I am going to sit today and stitch his name on the corner square and mine in the other. Just like my sister's quilt my Mom made for her... <em>Would it be impolite of me to say how many years ago. lol It would probably make her quilt an antique! I can make that joke, since I am 5 years older. :) </em> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJUTQSLl1DtjEZEDBFn0oet1dqCpgM2ybf05jWkl93lNKLp9NLlwyuAvPUeY7k3U0SNFXSTLhiLWXlhXof3EiGF2cjlb0KmIdlimTAyJRPd6RACBY5OTRH2SKOA1OW0vb2A6vYg179b6C/s1600/bucilla+alpha.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="393" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJUTQSLl1DtjEZEDBFn0oet1dqCpgM2ybf05jWkl93lNKLp9NLlwyuAvPUeY7k3U0SNFXSTLhiLWXlhXof3EiGF2cjlb0KmIdlimTAyJRPd6RACBY5OTRH2SKOA1OW0vb2A6vYg179b6C/s320/bucilla+alpha.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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It is amazing the items found when you do a thorough reorganization of a house and studio. Kinda funny really. Disorganization stifles my artistic pursuits of every kind. The last few years of my life have seen me just getting by with quick pick ups. Now my house is in place and so are my thoughts. <em>On to the next project!</em> Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-71947424613170576152020-05-18T08:28:00.000-07:002020-05-18T08:28:17.939-07:00Flea Marketing Blogger StyleAs you all know, I love going to the flea market. Most finds have been, in the process of, or going to be used in repurposing projects. After looking down my list of projects-to-do, some materials are getting set to the side and will be listed later today on my Pumpkin Hollow Flea Market blog <a href="https://pumpkinhollowfleamarket.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here.</a> The main listings right now will be my vintage grain sacks, flour, and seed sacks. There will be some wooly items as well. Here is a little peek before you hop on over...<br />
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I have some large, medium, and small bags collected over the years. Just looking to pass along a deal and make some space!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkiogjyeW7ByqSney_iH9zQn9N4cdRRpzlwSlaMIJB8spzk6FQGP3Gz-0APc_noXmN1vtClVKHVnqXd8d1s_Lko0fr9scr9zeJBnP3fW6DiGZ-8eGIWoy7OWbvrqyhQ1wmRJbXLk8xJGI/s1600/s12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="707" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkiogjyeW7ByqSney_iH9zQn9N4cdRRpzlwSlaMIJB8spzk6FQGP3Gz-0APc_noXmN1vtClVKHVnqXd8d1s_Lko0fr9scr9zeJBnP3fW6DiGZ-8eGIWoy7OWbvrqyhQ1wmRJbXLk8xJGI/s320/s12.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also, my selection of wool blankets. The rougher ones make good lining for stitching projects, and some use them for rug hooking. I have several new army blankets, if someone wants to use it instead of batting in a quilt. Makes them nice and snuggly warm!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn974Gx76BsABOWn4tNoQJ_rEySISj2gttKJZ9mBNMqjaZX3I4SI0a2Ck1QP5ikgumayAMUxrqr5hNz1mPvIPg_DlaoEILPFItWQp7pQdMviMUw1F0vMV0bEqKYwkbbC5UPv7BQGJv1Jv/s1600/s1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="433" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn974Gx76BsABOWn4tNoQJ_rEySISj2gttKJZ9mBNMqjaZX3I4SI0a2Ck1QP5ikgumayAMUxrqr5hNz1mPvIPg_DlaoEILPFItWQp7pQdMviMUw1F0vMV0bEqKYwkbbC5UPv7BQGJv1Jv/s320/s1.JPG" width="307" /></a></div>
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I will be doing a lot of posting this week over on my selling blog of various items... stamped cross stitch kits, old harness bells, quilting notions, spinning equipment, and art supplies. Hopefully, most will be up by the end of this week. I just have to find a way to organize prior to listing more! The listings will be up for awhile. This is the first stop before firing up the Etsy and Ebay stores again. I know a lot of my internet friends prefer to purchase direct, since the prices have to go up to cover the costs of listing on selling sites. So hopefully, they are up long enough for everyone to have a chance to get a deal. :)<br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-20325486604835656492020-04-06T19:14:00.001-07:002020-04-06T19:18:13.363-07:00Mask Making for the Covid 19 PandemicThe last few days have seen me researching, sewing, and perfecting masks for friends and family who chose to wear them through this Covid 19 pandemic. My venture into mask making started over the concern if someone in the household should come down with the virus. The mask is a great tool for containment. I happened along some great videos and information from The Fabric Patch Quilt Shop <a href="http://www.fabricpatch.net/face-masks-for-covid-19-relief.htm" target="_blank">here.</a> Cindi Rang, who owns the Fabric Patch, put a lot of thought into her masks and made some great "how to" videos. <em>Why not put some quilt fabric to good use?</em> I don't have loads of suitable fabric patterns, but I cannot think of a better cause for what I do have. Here is the beginnings of my final prototype.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfKY_u3r064sH0hGqBESfEuNp0rZ5j9x6lwsrnxFl2TeQSAQ28K2saTfT_gkOCVnfh2X4SAtFb2KlHEaCMEQbV2WBCpv9i5Uo9UNETY2uT_5UcsfU3lot2HfcCmAX-vS7RycmSXjEQlCj/s1600/mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="719" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfKY_u3r064sH0hGqBESfEuNp0rZ5j9x6lwsrnxFl2TeQSAQ28K2saTfT_gkOCVnfh2X4SAtFb2KlHEaCMEQbV2WBCpv9i5Uo9UNETY2uT_5UcsfU3lot2HfcCmAX-vS7RycmSXjEQlCj/s320/mask.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have followed the pattern linked by Cindi but decided to also create a pocket to hold a piece of floral wire doubled on itself. It works spectacularly to conform the mask around the nose as it contours into the cheek bone. Also, some of the masks will have a polypropylene liner and others will not. As you can see, my more premium fabric is mainly themed base. <em> If you have to wear a mask, I guess you might as well stand out! lol</em> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWiQB3GnwgcOX18wgJ5ptgOgHbrOijsPxgK-bpI7dtDU12ASFjTlhaSi3fQPWzcyOhy3iLXedT2OqjZYfvtyKYDKGGCt_zHsLRJjrQk98Z-AZIZlkNicL-6CXTadiNbzI2VZ-ChhxuQ7C/s1600/mask+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWiQB3GnwgcOX18wgJ5ptgOgHbrOijsPxgK-bpI7dtDU12ASFjTlhaSi3fQPWzcyOhy3iLXedT2OqjZYfvtyKYDKGGCt_zHsLRJjrQk98Z-AZIZlkNicL-6CXTadiNbzI2VZ-ChhxuQ7C/s320/mask+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Luckily, my stash included 1/4 inch elastic in white but not a huge amount. My boss/coworker/friend from work was shopping at the Dollar General and picked me up some hair bands to repurpose. They should work great for a couple of different installations. <em> Team work makes the dream work!</em> If need be, my pack rat ways will pay off in a load of ideas for attaching ties. ;) It is my week to be at home in our work/pandemic rotation, so I will kick off my morning with some brought to my house homework and will switch gears to construct some masks in the afternoon.<br />
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Nothing can replace following the rules of social distancing: respecting the 6 foot rule, washing hands, coughing in one's elbow, and not touching one's face. <em>Plus when leaving a work station at any type of business, sanitize before the next person sets up to work. </em>:) But a mask to aid in reducing the spread of this devastating virus is not a bad idea, since many carry without realizing it. If a person must go out and feel the need to wear a mask, I really think these masks are comfortable. It is a nice gesture to help contain this virus from those around us <em><strong>and especially those essential workers who are physically putting there lives on the line in the businesses that are currently open for our needs.</strong></em> <br />
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Never had I ever thought mask making would be added to my repertoire, but let's leave the PPE's to those who really need it. We can all pitch in when needed. <strong><em>TOGETHER, we will get through this!</em></strong> <br />
Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-54324704745168837172020-02-04T17:50:00.000-08:002020-02-04T17:52:08.379-08:00Putting Some Pizzaz in the New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<em>I'll admit it...</em> The Pizzaz isn't just for pizzas. The Pizzaz is perfect for reviving those restaurant left overs a microwave leaves soft and soggy or dried to petrification. <em>But can you believe, the pizza cooker bakes a darn good cookie?</em> No lies here<em>...</em> Below are the photos of the proof! Just mix up some chocolate chip cookie dough and give the Pizzaz a whirl. :)</div>
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Once your dough is ready, use a cookie scooper (or your favorite utensil) for uniform portions, slightly flatten the dough, and space the raw cookies around the plate of the Pizzaz. <em>In a case of do what I say and not what I do or did, the Pizzaz company instructions suggest NOT using the direct center of the tray.</em> All set? <strong>Let's get baking...</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsXkiNBSZn63DfoO32Kt0mZN3zQG_n8koMhJdw6xkpASU7tWQhut6frF7Y6C7LWFub-UyGol4IEJwoqtNsfdFXo9EorDm007hKfWOQoE63w48u-ag8rag8D3lwE97tmg36-LsBONgY-XL/s1600/pizzaz+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsXkiNBSZn63DfoO32Kt0mZN3zQG_n8koMhJdw6xkpASU7tWQhut6frF7Y6C7LWFub-UyGol4IEJwoqtNsfdFXo9EorDm007hKfWOQoE63w48u-ag8rag8D3lwE97tmg36-LsBONgY-XL/s320/pizzaz+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Turn the Pizzaz timer on for 10 minutes starting on the upper setting. Once you have 4 minutes remaining, switch the controls to the dual setting. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcRI19yed5nXxXTbRYI_SOfrQ09tmRpzV0dcNHeYnuDu9Gl62VSz2tWPtjCA_EzIEUlHKJ9XqIFP6UnCCeekx69fiBzQjtPynZh5SLOyyzyu-7eiPsKj6TBzNy_QE26N_096iDe7_tjsi/s1600/pizzaz+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcRI19yed5nXxXTbRYI_SOfrQ09tmRpzV0dcNHeYnuDu9Gl62VSz2tWPtjCA_EzIEUlHKJ9XqIFP6UnCCeekx69fiBzQjtPynZh5SLOyyzyu-7eiPsKj6TBzNy_QE26N_096iDe7_tjsi/s320/pizzaz+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<strong><em>Yep!</em></strong> Ten minutes total, without the lengthy oven preheat, gives our family a quick home made treat. Perfect for a small batch of cookies following a long day at work or after school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjig2iR6EM1fWM1BXoQb5KYnqscSueJZ7SXq9-65LhGS6BsNl0lc1Jg_3Q25lgqNZioou9VNeV6NX_IdRwpyEcPxV7f9h4y_Oc3aexdPPy2RvZDbVJ5rTIS10fFV_9ad1le1TFrUEAks2eg/s1600/pizzaz+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="384" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjig2iR6EM1fWM1BXoQb5KYnqscSueJZ7SXq9-65LhGS6BsNl0lc1Jg_3Q25lgqNZioou9VNeV6NX_IdRwpyEcPxV7f9h4y_Oc3aexdPPy2RvZDbVJ5rTIS10fFV_9ad1le1TFrUEAks2eg/s320/pizzaz+3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Even better, the dough can be made at your leisure, scooped out in portion sizes onto a cookie sheet, flash frozen in the freezer, and stored in a freezer bag or in a container until needed. <em>For best results, take the amount to be baked out of the freezer and let sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to the bake. </em><br />
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There is nothing better than a making a kitchen appliance multi task! <em>And... the cookie experiment was just the beginning... ;)</em>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-86114526901812370492019-11-19T18:48:00.003-08:002019-11-19T18:54:38.903-08:00Confessions of a Quilt-a-HolicIt has been a "points to ponder" kind of month. The flea markets are over for the year, and the house cleaning gets serious leading into the holidays. This is the time I start to really get a good look at the new additions to the home. One booming collection for me comes in the form of vintage quilts. I love them. I cannot just look at a quilt and NOT think about the hours of labor, skill, and wistful thoughts had while creating them. All of them are true works of art. They encompass and hold in their own stitches a time capsule from when they were created. <br />
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The vast majority of my quilts have been purchased for under $15.00. Yes, I wrote $15.00. Over half of them were found for under $5.00. These bargain basement beauties were given to the local thrift store. Due to minor imperfections, these quilts were donned with the ominous title of "cutter quilts" and left for a fate of being repurposed into a new life. You know me. I am all for reinventing items, but these quilts <em>(a double wedding ring in particular)</em> were far from being cutters. Mr. Hollow had to hold me back at the final flea market of the year in October. Vendors were practically giving the quilts away. It was terrible to leave so many behind, <em>but there is only so much room at the inn!</em> <br />
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Last month, I gathered my various purchases and stacked the majority in my closet, until I could organize the rest of my house. <em>Oh my goodness, the flood of stories they could tell!</em> The countless stories that I will tell of the day I found and rescued them. I was too tired from the day times drama to start snapping individual photos, so I took a quick pic of the stack. <br />
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I seriously have been blessed with some glorious finds. I promise to not photo bomb the upcoming days but will throw a random one in here and there. These quilts deserve to see the top of a bed or to be able to aid in the warming of a body snuggled in on a couch with an intriguing book on a snowy night. <em>To all of my quilting friends, my wish is for all of your works of art to find loving homes for their lifetimes.</em> </div>
Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-49093887518116254132019-11-17T15:18:00.000-08:002019-11-17T15:18:01.193-08:00The Fork in the Road<em>Do you ever need to reboot?</em> I felt like I have been struggling to re center my priorities that have strayed massively over the last three years of my life. Not complaining, there have been some really fun times, but I look over the beginning of this blog and my art and wonder what happened to that person. My day job had become more demanding on me over the last three years. The more it built up pressure... The less art I created. Eventually, it won out and the art (and with it the blogging) dwindled to a trickle. I wear many hats as part of my day job. For the most part, I love them all and was successful in the areas I managed. The best part of my job is the daily tasks being so contrary to the art I create at home. But as the customer load expanded, I got caught up in the challenge to race the daily work clock. It was fun to watch time fly past during the day, but unfortunately, it drained me of any desire to create once I arrived home. My off time was spent rushing thru thrifting trips, just to feel like I wasn't missing out on life, and eating out instead of creating meals (my cooking always leaves with my art.) I knew my priorities needed to be re evaluated but didn't know how to do it. Apparently, my guardian angel decided to intervene, and by the grace of a higher power (and that reference is to a being who is not of human flesh), unforeseen changes came about to alter my daily duties. <em>Good or bad... I am not sure... </em>But the work load got lessened and semi realistic for an 8 hour day , and that is really all that is important. <em>I liken the situation to the forks in the road that God has a tendency to put in front of us. When all of a sudden, you wake up and realize you have wandered off your real path and are 3 years older wondering where the time has gone... again.</em> Regardless of what slap in the face wakes you up, it is an amazing re awakening when it happens.<br />
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I still enjoy my day job as a way to get out and be around people and would never not , in some capacity, want to give up the social aspect of working outside the home. The life of an artist can at times be solitary... <em>No complaints from a person who enjoys solitude...</em> But a lot of solitude can turn one into a hermit... <em>Not so good! lol</em> Life is telling me to get off my behind and live my dreams.... I have started by taking some much needed time off from the day job. So, the last month has seen me cleaning out my studio, reorganizing my art storage, researching old and new art projects, baking (much to the happiness of family and friends lol), and getting back to one of my loves... <em>Thrifting!</em><br />
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I love, love, love thrift shopping! Not only do I enjoy redecorating my home with finds but repurposing items that would end up in a land fill. My last trip to the thrift store was spur of the moment. <em>No time constraints... No place to be.</em> Just snooping around to see what struck my fancy.<em> It was so much fun!</em><br />
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<em>See the huge cookie cannister corn cob?</em> Ummm, we are in the corn belt here. Love it! lol It needs to be cleaned with some Modern soap (Just a tip... It cuts thru grease immediately and works great with a toothbrush). In the center of the photograph are some heavy wood hewn book ends. I am not sure if the tin decorations will be left on them, but they will look great when I renovate our living room. The vintage amber lamp was too pristine to be passed up. It should cast a lovely glow when lit. :)<br />
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My tastes can lean to the modern with a primitive twist. This plaque, although made in China, caught my eye. A bit of barbed wire framing set off the writing "When you can't sleep. Don't count sheep... Talk to the Shepherd." An old crate with the bottom created by lath mounted on my studio wall will house this. Then, a walk through the kitchen area brought me to this old pasta maker. It is absolutely pristine. I am contemplating using this for some future clay projects. <em>How can you beat it for $5.00?</em> <br />
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I do not buy milk glass often, but the Westmoreland pedestal sweet plate had to be mine. It isn't a high pedestal. Perfect for displaying cookies or cupcakes on a lower level from a cake stand. Some old fashioned bottles for dyes, crazy, bold, retro Glass Bake handled soup bowls, bag full of old clothes pins, and a modern but fun deviled egg plate. <em> The rooster will be great at the holidays!</em><br />
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Some wooden fruit will hopefully find their way into future projects... A vintage grater for cooking … And a lovely collection of plates. I could go on forever about the over abundance of breath taking vintage plates and platters from Bavaria, Japan, England, and Germany. <em>I seriously had to show some restraint!!!</em> I wish now I would have done some individual photos to share a close look at the delicate details for pennies compared to their worth. <em>No reason to head to the department store</em>. I cannot even begin to tell you how many boxes of complete China sets there were on the floor for under $20.00 or how many incomplete settings. A thrifty person could mix and match gorgeous special occasion and holiday settings. <em> If one should have a plate get broke, it may be a little sad but not a major hit to the pocket book. ;)<em> </em></em><br />
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I purchased the platters for Holiday get togethers... An inexpensive way to add class and beauty to baked goods. Some of the smaller plates may find themselves as candy dishes for my home or wrapped in some cellophane and adorned with a bow to transport the gift of sweets to friends. <em> An inexpensive investment clearly beats the modern plastic containers!</em><br />
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It was so nice to appreciate the art in the vintage and modern pieces found. When glancing back through correspondences and my studio storage, I was reminded of incomplete projects and requests for instructions. My hopes are to get back on track of doing some "how to" blogging in some form. I am also working on cleaning up my selling blog and store for extra items. I spent a good part of the last month getting my studio in order. It may come across in short posts, but I will share some finds and adventures over the summer as well. For those that have sent correspondence, I will try and catch up with your questions. <em> It is so nice to see my past adventures have inspired others to try new forms of art! </em></div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-20977182818880165192019-05-22T18:37:00.000-07:002019-05-22T18:37:02.318-07:00Dyeing to Play with Some Yarn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you want to have some serious fun, check out your local fiber fairs. I love going to purchase local fleeces to spin but ended up trying a whole new art... <i>dyeing fiber.</i> Here is the booth some ladies had put together. The large skeins are 250 yards of natural Corriedale. They were a squishy DK weight and soft to the skin. I passed by a few times, and the class tables were empty. Too many times, I have passed on opportunities to participate. I made a concious decision to change my way of thinking by pulling out a chair, putting on an apron<i> (fashioned cleverly out of a garbage bag)</i>, and delve into the world of dyeing yarn.</div>
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As I lined up baby bottles filled with dye <em>(which is an absolutely fantastic way to dispense it by the way),</em> curious bystanders decided to check out the craft. I never turn down the opportunity to talk about fiber, and they happily joined in the fun. It only takes one to step out of their comfort zone, and pretty soon, you'll draw a crowd. <br />
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The ladies had the most intriguing set up. These tin roasting pans held two sheets of plastic wrap and a skein of your choice of yarn or sock blank soaked in vinegar. The trick of dyeing yarn in this method is to keep your colors far apart and work them with your hands back together. This creates a nice blend between the two colors. Being familiar with the color wheel, the possibilities in the dyeing process are endless... I was hooked! <em> Can you imagine the possibilities?</em><br />
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Once the skein is to the liking of the dyer, the skein is wrapped up in the plastic wrapped and whisked away to have the dye set. The dye was set for several minutes in a microwave on hot. It was done in intervals, so the fiber was not harmed.<br />
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After the yarn was taken from the microwave, it was dipped in a bucket of water a few times. Then, the skein had the water squeezed out of it and draped over a hanger... <i>with my name proudly attached. lol</i><br />
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As you can tell, I tried as many colors as possible on my first skein <i>(on the right in photo)</i>. I even did some over dyeing. The blues didn't really draw me in, <em>but all the others did!</em> By the time I was finished, I commented to the girl next to me that it looked like a pile of fruit loops. lol </div>
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With the second skein<i> (to the left in photo)</i>, I was much calmer and controlled... <em>And it shows!</em> It will be interesting to see how they both translate when knitted. The colors are bold and vibrant. A little less vibrant than my photo with the flash <em>but bold just the same. :)</em></div>
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The fiber fest, and the group of ladies overseeing the dyeing booth, was the best way to experience this craft for the first time. The dyeing mini class was a memorable event. The ladies only charged $10.00 a skein. <i>Such a small price to pay for the beginnings of a great adventure! :) </i></div>
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-44820801840919922252019-01-22T17:55:00.000-08:002019-01-22T17:55:03.467-08:00The Grinch Returns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<em>Okay, so remember how the paper pieced pattern was incorrect on the Grinch? </em> I know, I am going a ways back in 2018. Well let's just say, the quilt UFO was put into a box with the new extra yardage and forgotten about.... <em>partially on purpose and partially due to some twists in life.</em> But I am taking this word of the year "Actualize" seriously here. I looked at the beautifully cut pieces and decided to make this quilt "real". So, I got out the orange spooky dot fabric and began to cut. <em>Are you ready for another unbelievable crazy turn? </em>I never measured the yard of fabric upon receiving it all those months ago. It was cut at 31 inches in length... not 36.<em> Arrrg! Seriously? What are the odds of that?</em> I am most certain in the belief that God is teaching me a lesson of patience and perseverance with this quilt. Although hopefully, the lesson will end with the orange fabric! lol Back I went to the online store, that luckily still had some of the fabric, and purchased another yard of the orange due to arrive later this week. I am figuring this little quilt will be the most expensive quilt ever made. <em> Sheesh!</em> What more can I say?</div>
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On a joyous note... It was a perfect weekend to bring the quilt pieces out from their slumber. I completed all but 14 paper pieced corner triangles. <em>Hopefully, they will be completed this weekend.</em> The larger 12 inch squares were also started, and two were joined together to give a sneak peek to the larger picture. <em>Wow!</em> The colors and theme still makes me smile. Maybe that is why quilts fascinate me so. A quilt draped over a bed tells a story. The story is not just of the fabrics it is comprised of, the image it conveys, or the skill level of the quilter, but the memories of the artist who creates it. Memories composed of triumphs and failures, perseverance and patience, joy and unhappiness, and above all life's moments that happen in between. As with all art, <em>how can you put a price tag on that? </em> </div>
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-71507250583883563922019-01-02T18:50:00.000-08:002019-01-02T18:53:33.676-08:00A New Year and Sleigh Bells<em>Happy New Year to all my blogging friends!</em> Here in Northern Illinois, we welcomed the New Year with a heavy dusting of snow. It was beautiful, and our town's first real snow for the winter season. Made me think of a purchase I made back in May.... Some gorgeous sleigh bells.<br />
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These are the real deal. <em>Horse sweated on leather and all!</em> I fell in love with them at the What Cheer Flea Market. I purchased the largest strand first for fear of losing them to another thrifty hunter. Later after showing Mr. Hollow my find, we went back and purchased the other two. <em>Their sound is amazing!</em> Classic sleigh riding jingles. Makes me think of my Dad and his stories of growing up around the big work horses. I can just imagine how grand they would look in these strands.<br />
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<em>Just look at the size of the largest bell!</em><br />
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<em>Even the Shepherdess said the sleigh bells were really neat!</em> Trust me, she is a hard one to impress. Lol The purchase kind of encompassed the tone (in more ways than one) for 2018... A year of reflection, nostalgia, and perseverance. Maybe turning 50 had something to do with it as well. Either way, these bells enchant me and fill the air with the sound of inviting merriment. I give them the honor of being the best purchase of 2018. :)</div>
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-8753057185649496012018-12-25T17:52:00.000-08:002018-12-25T17:52:10.045-08:00Merry Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong><em>I hope everyone is enjoying a Wonderful Christmas!</em></strong> I have been lounging around tonight soaking in the Christmas lights and gearing up for formulating my New Year's life enhancement list <em>(sounds a little more optimistic and achievable than resolutions! lol). </em>Let me tell you, a lot of reflection is going on...<em> </em>The second half of 2018 has been unbelievably crazy beyond words. It has kept me away from my blogging friends/family and my many of my artistic endeavors. After a long talk with my sister yesterday, I now realize the need to shake off past distractions and focus on my family, my passions, and me. No more pushing off my pursuits. I am going to empower myself with a new word to live by for 2019 which is going to be... <em>insert drumroll...</em> <strong>Actualize</strong>. The definition of actualize is to make real. <em> I love it! </em> I will hold off on the details of my choice of a word for now, since today should be spent with great consideration to our faith, spending time sharing joyful moments with our families, <em>and (in my case) eating way to much delicious food. ;)</em> </div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">From My Family to Yours,</span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><em><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: x-large;">A Very Merry Christmas!</span></em></strong></div>
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-74935291303761124372018-10-07T18:40:00.002-07:002018-10-07T18:43:53.489-07:00Grrr... I Have Been Candy Corner Grinched!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>What is the old saying? Measure twice and cut once. </i> Well, this wouldn't have helped me much with the Candy Corner Pattern from Robert Kaufmann Fabrics for the Grinch Halloween Quilt. <i>Maybe, a test triangle would've helped? </i><b>Not sure.</b><i> </i> Can you believe there was a flaw in their paper piecing pattern? Unfortunately, I found it after I cut out 48 triangle templates and used two different fabric colors to construct them. Half a days work lost. The problem was crazy stupid. When you lay out the design for a paper piecing block or in this case a triangle, a designer has to remember the image you want to construct will be the layout on the reverse side of the line drawing. I should have caught the error with the sample triangle in the pattern looking identical to the line drawing. It does not work that way in paper piecing. I am now the owner of 48 useless triangles. <i><b>Grrrr….</b></i></div>
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They are so beautifully useless for this project.<i> *sigh* </i> I let my knowledge of this being an older quilt pattern blind me to the fact that there could be an error. Little did I know another problem reared its head shortly after. This truly is an old pattern and so is the fabric... <i>Yes, old fabric...</i> It took quite a bit of searching to locate 2 yards of fabric to replace the lost yardage. Thanks to sellers on eBay, I was able to get the replacement fabric. The extra $24.00 added to the pattern kit is going to make this a pricey little quilt.<i> That really drove the lesson home.</i><br />
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I did decide to contact Robert Kaufmann Fabrics to let them know of the error. I received a friendly email assuring me that my problem was being reported to the marketing department. <i>Nothing has changed on their site.</i> I am sure with a pattern this old nobody cares, but I think it is still worthy of a correction. There is still a quilt kit of this pattern being sold on eBay. I am staying positive and am foraging on with my beloved Seuss quilt with more to follow. Like they say,<i> every quilt has a story. </i> I will not let this dampen my enthusiasm. I am thankful the fabric was able to be replaced and will cut, piece and sew 48 replacement triangles.<i> And yes, I still do love paper piecing. </i>That fact will never change. :)Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-39277527184655285322018-09-23T17:44:00.000-07:002018-09-23T17:44:18.156-07:00Maquoketa Iowa Flea Market FindsToday, my hubby and I went to a Flea Market in Maquoketa, Iowa to relax from a long week. <i>Great choice, since they were packed to capacity with outside vendors.</i> I still love to walk around the inside venue as well. It was there I found a vintage Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck puzzle, along with a cool flour sack and child's hand held chalk board. Total spent $10.00... Not bad. Then, I went to the outside. I could not believe the amount of vendors! The weather was beautiful, and the grounds have never been so filled with sellers.<br />
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My first find was a couple of washed out Funk Feedsacks to be used in embroidery projects and another flour sack. I ambled along until I caught up with Hubby. He pointed out an aluminum tree stand. It would work great to anchor my small Christmas tree holding my Shiney Brites. But as I was looking at it, my eye caught a vintage slate chalkboard balancing against the table leg on the ground level. The chalkboard was heavy and awesome. My Hubby rolled his eyes and held his breath, but I went ahead and made an offer for the bundle. <i>Deal done!</i> And you know what? Mr. Hollow even carried the chalkboard for me during the rest of our hunt. <i>How sweet was that? :)</i> I even stayed on my budget spending only $30.00 for all of my outdoor finds...<b><i> Until...</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Mr. Hollow decided to do some shopping for himself! How would his shopping involve me? Well, read on... ;)</i></b><br />
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Hubby’s favorite stop to shop is a gentlemen, who we see on the Flea Market venues, that sells tools. <i>Hold your breath you are not going to believe this!! <b>The tool guy had a treadle sewing machine?!?</b></i><b> </b>She was so beautiful and definitely had been someone’s pride and joy… A well cared for Montgomery Ward Damascus. The decals were phenomenal, and she was in perfect working order. She even came with her original book and attachments. I don’t know if she was a good buy at the asking price of $100.00, and overwhelmed by her glory, I honestly didn’t care... I have wanted a treadle for so long. <em>All of my run ins over the years were basement rotted disappointments that were beyond repair.</em> My hubby, searching for treasures for himself, looked at me in horror as I asked the tool guy for his absolute bottom buck on this vintage treasure. He responded quickly with $80.00 before my hubby could get a word in of caution. I looked quickly at Mr. Hollow, told him I was sorry, and gave the gentlemen 4 twenty dollar bills. The rest is left to be written in Maquoketa Flea Marketing history! <i>Well aside from the tool guy and his son harassing my hubby mercilessly. LOL</i> <br />
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Can you blame me? Just look at her... <i>*sigh*</i> <br />
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What a great way to start the wind down to the 2018 season of hunting treasures! :)</div>
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<b><i>P.S. Once hubby found out she would load in the back of our Jeep standing up, his demeanor improved dramatically! LOL</i></b><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-61295270163056944522018-07-31T17:14:00.003-07:002018-07-31T17:14:44.949-07:00July Happenings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I cannot believe we are at the end of July. This month was a busy month but still seemed to fly by! I spent the weekends out hunting deals at the Flea Markets, spent a Monday serving jury duty and ended that week celebrating my 50th birthday, spun like a crazy woman during the Tour de Fleece on Ravelry, and got my quilt pieces cut for my Grinch Halloween Quilt... along with working my day job. <i>It was a blast!</i></div>
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Here is the disassembled Grinch quilt. It will be paper pieced. <i> Paper piecing?</i> Haven't done that for a while. I actually had to watch a YouTube video to refresh my memory. Paper piecing is one of my favorite ways to quilt. I cannot wait to begin the assembling process, but the piecing was put on hold while I spun for the Tour de Fleece...</div>
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Tour de Fleece took its tole on all of us. As you can see, a few ladies couldn't handle the pace. lol Lots and lots of wool spinning<i>. It is my favorite event on Ravelry!</i> <br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Luckily, I took my birthday off from work and made a long weekend of spinning. The Shepherdess and I spent the morning of my birthday going to a quilt shop, coffee shop for lunch, and an antique shop to round up the trip. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The following week, I did a little hunting on the internet and found a gentleman on Ebay selling sewing parts. I inquired about a stitch dial for my 3/4 size Kenmore 158.1030. <i> (It is the niftiest little sewing machine but arrived to my home with a broken dial.) <b>He had one!!</b> </i>He not only sold it to me but took photos on how to install it. <i>What a great seller! </i> Big thanks to Scott and five stars to his seller store found under Flapicker. :)</span><br />
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I think it will do its maiden voyage piecing the Grinch quilt. It is so light and portable. If you can find one, I highly recommend the style. <br />
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August is right around the corner.<i> So much to do and so little time! ;)</i>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-33824714389622070332018-06-17T17:52:00.004-07:002018-06-17T18:13:21.354-07:00Nature's Fireworks & Lambie Cuteness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Weeks ago, I purchased a flowering mixed plant for my container on the corner of my front porch. With the crazy hot weather, it has been struggling to adapt. Mr. Hollow and I were gone all day yesterday for a wedding and left bright and early this morning to go flea marketing.<em> Look what I found when I got home!</em> My plant is beginning to bloom. The bursts of color reminds me of fireworks.</div>
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Thought I would share some of the Lambie cuteness happening over at the farm. Here is Syd catching a snooze in his Mom Sadi's dinner.<br />
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We use to wish for black lambs that would REALLY stay black. This year's lambs or should I say ewes delivered big time! Here is just one of about 5 black lambs born to the farm. <em> Oh... and that is not my finger in the upper right corner. It is our wether Sam's ear. He loves attention and being petted. I had to keep pushing him to the side to get a descent photo. LOL</em><br />
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Syd decided to do a little posing with his brother Sky. They are absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, I believe they will being going up for adoption. Farmerboy does not want to have a bunch of rams. These little guys have the most gorgeous crimpy fine fleece like their Daddy Spiez. I am waiting <em>and dreading</em> to hear what the kid's are going to keep for the flock... <em>They are all so darn cute and charming too!</em><br />
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<em>I think their Shepherdess is going to be dreading the decision as well.</em> She can be caught between chores sitting somewhere in the barnyard with a little flock of babies surrounding her... <em> </em><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-71760437158020077442018-05-19T16:27:00.001-07:002018-05-20T10:07:59.868-07:00Review of Etsy Store ~ Southern Glory Goods CoSouthern Glory Goods Co is a store on Etsy <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/SouthernGloryGoodsCo?ref=profile_shopname" target="_blank">(here)</a> carrying vintage feedsack purses, totes, clutches, aprons, pillows, slow poured candles, potpourri, and soooo much more from North Carolina artist Lisa Vann. I stumbled across her store while searching for a replacement of my faux leather Chinese production purse. <em>No hate here.</em> My China made purse has served me well, got loads of compliments and wore well considering the price paid, but it was time for a change. I have never been happy with traditional purses, so it was time to turn to a talented fiber artist to make me happy. And let me tell you, Lisa did NOT disappoint... <em>And ask my family, I am crazy picky about handcrafted quality.</em> She combined my love of collecting vintage feed sacks <em>(also her love too!)</em> with a nice size purse/tote and kept it stylish. <em>Her sewing skills blew me away!</em> Just look...<br />
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My first love was obviously the feedsack / sturdy tote combo. I always have dreamed of the perfect marriage of a purse with vintage muslin feedsacks. <em> Well, here is the answer to my wishes.</em> This wonderful snap closure tote showcases two feedsacks that double as pockets on the outside and inside... tons of storage! This blue side was the first feedsack to win me over... not sure why... it just did. (<em>Although she has a blue tote with a sugar feedsack still calling to me. ;) Drat!!</em> )<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-if4EofiwpHzApgPUm0glFYyLortAZ4KTAoGxRFjOzEVOOXhl0pUJ1BiHuGXthV26fyeTqhBKJQO8VioaZlKuMZJ1RL-o30UvNcSxoya3KznK-vELgnq1Dg7j5FLfotZhs-riPlI3W8p/s1600/southern+glory+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-if4EofiwpHzApgPUm0glFYyLortAZ4KTAoGxRFjOzEVOOXhl0pUJ1BiHuGXthV26fyeTqhBKJQO8VioaZlKuMZJ1RL-o30UvNcSxoya3KznK-vELgnq1Dg7j5FLfotZhs-riPlI3W8p/s320/southern+glory+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here is the other side. Painstakingly vintage patched feedsack. <em>It sings to my heart friends!</em> Since seeing it in person, I am now favoring this side.<em> <strong> Hmmm... Well, I can always flip it back and forth depending on the outfit. ;)</strong></em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEZvBQjSzAEF4WaTe3UvrCbqgphYn2LdjohN9orzBtd0qVo8C9SZU7H-La-UffKorWC5V_Nanh0rlgjGdS6-MK3g8ok2PBlz4dDteHbKqNY6g_T5fINTURr5SN_GIbUZiWdM5kpsjTvcM/s1600/southern+glory+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="570" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEZvBQjSzAEF4WaTe3UvrCbqgphYn2LdjohN9orzBtd0qVo8C9SZU7H-La-UffKorWC5V_Nanh0rlgjGdS6-MK3g8ok2PBlz4dDteHbKqNY6g_T5fINTURr5SN_GIbUZiWdM5kpsjTvcM/s320/southern+glory+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A peek at the inside. Loads of small pockets with a snap closure. <em>Flawless! :)</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BmsLm78BatAdEtJ7jo9wFDFZikQ08EJeIM0JqGR0jXPmBseFw6YbPl5j30BCrHwU7yFomwIqQ7xZFZZ5adrmq9Vi5IKu5B81s-BWb8_rFZtbnuLcMgS3wTeIDt_8nVremKDuMcjE54fk/s1600/southern+glory+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BmsLm78BatAdEtJ7jo9wFDFZikQ08EJeIM0JqGR0jXPmBseFw6YbPl5j30BCrHwU7yFomwIqQ7xZFZZ5adrmq9Vi5IKu5B81s-BWb8_rFZtbnuLcMgS3wTeIDt_8nVremKDuMcjE54fk/s320/southern+glory+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Can't buy a purse without a clutch!</em> This was purchased to keep my check book and smaller items in. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlcK66Qk4QbofrAPPMwbvCXBAoco1VCO12msUIL-YvLt4oSxGHfdTuuI08qHMUr-RJcPevixHFg3TruJ1FCtnP-6oLXQUcf5dxJTDUn1bk48DguQCQP_tKmtB5Hr6DihjwVImAujLgOq7/s1600/southern+glory+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlcK66Qk4QbofrAPPMwbvCXBAoco1VCO12msUIL-YvLt4oSxGHfdTuuI08qHMUr-RJcPevixHFg3TruJ1FCtnP-6oLXQUcf5dxJTDUn1bk48DguQCQP_tKmtB5Hr6DihjwVImAujLgOq7/s320/southern+glory+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Zipper closure, padded and lined!<br />
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Both sides are equally impressive!<br />
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Mr. Hollow was just as amazed as myself about Lisa's skills as a fashion designer and creator. This purse/tote is expertly sewn and pieced together. Well worth the money paid. I commented to Mr. Hollow about my intentions of purchasing more in the future. My hubby never argued. Although he did mention this morning, about contacting her to make a DeKalb one for our area. <em> </em>We could even locate a bag to send her... After the conversation, I got on Etsy and nearly fell over.<em> Look what Lisa listed today!!!</em> <strong> She must be able to read minds as well. LOL</strong> I still love that darn blue sugar feedsack tote (still available in her store), but I had to purchase this one to represent the area. Alas, the blue sugar tote will wait for another day...<em> Unless another one catches my eye first! ;)</em><br />
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If you want a beautifully crafted tote with some vintage snazziness or some of Lisa's other eye catching creations, check out Southern Glory Goods Co.. Lisa Vann is living her dream, as I am sure destiny intended. Her love and her God gifted talent lives in every detail of her creations. Check out her charming store on Etsy <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/SouthernGloryGoodsCo?ref=profile_shopname" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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<em><strong>*** My reviews from the past to current have never been based on items gifted to me for review. I simply believe in taking some of my hard earned money to make purchases from a wonderful world of talented artists and sharing with my friends those individuals who shine extra bright. :)</strong></em>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-41915513778698286752018-04-25T18:17:00.000-07:002019-05-12T11:27:03.836-07:00Lambing Season Has Begun!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong><em>Spring lambing has just begun! Prepare for some major cuteness. :)</em></strong></div>
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The first ewe to kick off lambing season was Marlena, and she meant business. <em>Marlena gave our flock its first ever TRIPLETS! </em>Yep, triplets! The first lambs to kick off 2018 were Mae, Maddie and Mario. As you can see, our Shepherdess is right in the mix of things making sure all is well. Mother and babies are doing fine.... And without any need for outside relief. Although tonight, the little ones (at one day old) were pawing and bouncing all over Mom. <strong>God bless Marlena.</strong><em> She is heading for Sainthood! </em></div>
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Maddie took after Marlena in markings, along with her brother Mario. They look like mini fawns. <em>They are so innocent when their tired. LOL</em><br />
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Marlena's colors have shifted to grays. I never realized how much until last year's coat was removed.<br />
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Our Shepherdess went out yesterday to check on the triplets and found Helen with her twins! They are her very first lambs. The little black one with a touch of white is Hector.</div>
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And our little Hannah is almost an exact duplicate of her Grandpa Maximillian. :) <br />
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Our newest baby arrived this afternoon. Here he is with his mother Trixie. <em>One really big boy! </em>He is so new, he hasn't been named. <br />
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<strong><em>I believe their are 4 more ewes expecting.</em> <em> So stay tuned! :)</em></strong>Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-59680949475254295242018-04-21T14:44:00.000-07:002018-04-21T15:12:17.694-07:00Review of the Instant Pot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Other than my obsession of finding the perfect baking pans, I have been very diligent in not purchasing kitchen gadgets. The criteria for letting one through the door is set extremely high. A house only has so much storage space. So if the gadget doesn't fill a strong need, I leave it on the store shelf. <em> So where did this Instant Pot come from you ask?</em> It was a Christmas present from the kids. I know! I was surprised. My daughter in law was sure I wanted one. <strong>She couldn't have been more wrong.</strong> This is going to sound strange, since you all know how much I love canning and food preservation, but here is the truth of the matter: <em><strong> I am horrified of pressure cookers!!!</strong></em> Okay, now it is out there for everyone to read. And I do mean <strong>horrified.</strong> So much so, that it took 3 1/2 months for me to give this baby a whirl. I just wanted to get my original feelings out there prior to this review. Maybe it will be important to someone else not wanting one of these contraptions.</div>
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The instruction manual for this machine is very brief and to the point. I thought it was a little scant. But honestly, there really isn't a whole lot to this gadget. <strong><em> For real!</em></strong> The main points are: listen to the sounds of the lid locking, keep your hands and face away from the vent, make sure the dial is set on seal for pressure cooking, and know if you either need to do a 15 minute natural release or a quick release prior to opening. The rest is simply pushing a cooking cycle or setting a time when working with a recipe. It was ridiculously simple.... <em><strong>Well except for my innate fear of being steam burnt or having the appliance blow me up into pieces that is! ;)</strong></em> Which is why I chose to do a quick release AFTER my recipe had me do a natural release for 15 minutes... <em><strong>Better safe than sorry, I say!</strong></em></div>
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<strong>Alright, alright. What did I really think of this cooker?</strong> I can honestly say, "It is one of the coolest machines in my arsenal." Trust me, I am not saying this to make my daughter in law happy. She isn't the kind of girl that weeps over the truth. I am just floored at how fast this unit can cook meat crazy tender in minutes. It would be an asset to any busy household. <em><strong>Although I must be strong in saying, this IS a seriously dangerous device if you do NOT respect the pressure cooking release procedures.</strong></em> Plus, it is not a machine to leave in the reach of children, as with all kitchen cookers. <em> (Please accept this advice from an experienced cook who ignorantly gave herself a second degree burn in her childhood when removing a lid in the wrong direction over a boiling pot on a stove.)</em></div>
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This machine has been designed to be user friendly. The digital settings and instant settings make pressure cooking a breeze. <em>It creates some wonderful food entrees and makes me forget about being blown up. LOL</em> I cannot believe that I almost didn't own one of these fine machines. </div>
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The recipe book included with the machine did not impress me at all. It wasn't for me. But if one goes out on the web, there are literally hundreds of great recipes out there. My first dish was corned beef and cabbage. It took a little less than a hour and a half for the corned beef to be completely finished (includes the pressure build and release.) The potatoes, carrots and cabbage took only an additional 16 minutes... start to finish. <em>Plus to Mr. Hollow's delight, the smell was kept to a minimum. :) </em></div>
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Here is a chuck roast fresh out of the Instant Pot. It is falling apart. Exactly how I love it. I would have let this go in the oven for 3 to 4 hours. In the Instant pot, it cooked start to finish in 96 minutes. <br />
And again to my hubby's happiness, no smell wafting through out the house. <em>Although I personally never minded it!</em><br />
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<em>The gravy was flavorful too!</em><br />
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Now this just knocked me off my feet, a six pound chicken cooked from start to finish in 50 minutes. <em>Holey Toledo, I can have baked meat in the summer without sweating profusely in my kitchen. :)</em> If you follow the recipe and sear the top of the chicken, it is hard to make out that this bird didn't come out of an oven. It was flavorful, juicy and falling off the bone. It was at the moment this bird was done that I realized... <em><strong>This appliance was a keeper!!</strong></em> <br />
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The Instant Pot is also a steamer, slow cooker, yogurt maker, sautéing device and rice cooker. It also can be put on a timer. Or if you have to leave, the contents can finish and keep warm for hours. I know, this is nothing revolutionary. It is a pressure cooking device, but the new digital bells and whistles are a whole lot more appealing. So if you are on the fence about this machine, you might want to give it a try. I am certainly going to do some serious food experiments with it for years to come.<em> I am hooked!</em><br />
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<em>Got to go... </em>Mr. Hollow will be home in an hour, and I have a whole chicken to cook.<em> <strong>Gotta get the Instant Pot cooking! :)</strong></em><br />
<em></em><br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-304892065236592518.post-48757707838225906032018-03-28T17:43:00.001-07:002018-03-28T17:45:10.086-07:00Sewing with the Grinch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I spent the last few months working on selling off some of my wool stash and was able to clear my studio floor of fleece filled bundles. :) As with most of my artistic ventures, I cannot start anything new without an organized work space. <em>Clutter can stop me in my tracks. </em>My reward for all of the hard work in the studio was this nifty quilt kit starring none other than -- the Grinch. <em> Did you ever watch "Halloween is Grinch Night"?</em> It was one of my son's favorite Halloween movies. The Grinch was a real naughty character. My son loved him. <em>Kind of scary really! LOL </em> I have decided to jump back into quilting with this kit. Of course a hundred other projects are in the wings, but this one was too darling to pass up!</div>
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Hubby and I went shopping, and this darling "Hello Kitty" mug made its way to our home. It makes me think of our black cat, Mew. I would always hold her up to the TV when the "Hello Kitty" balloon was shown on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Funny enough, Mew never seemed interested. Never the less, I tried every year, and it became a Thanksgiving tradition handed down to the new Fuzzies... with the same lack of interest. <em>*sigh*</em><br />
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Of course, I nearly flipped at Christmastime when seeing the Janome RED "Hello Kitty" sewing machine. <strong>I know, a plastic machine???</strong> <em> <strong>But it was just to darn cute to pass up!</strong></em> It will not be used on the Grinch quilt, but I will piece a few smaller items on it to test it out. The machine has received various favorable reviews. It will be coming out for a test run this month, and I will share my thoughts. <em>Great to see some products to encourage young people (and adults) to sew. :)</em><br />
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141554132273386112noreply@blogger.com0