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30.11.11

Happy Birthday Harry

Oh how happy we will all be when you are enjoying this kind of day again...

All of your family and friends have you and Jill in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.

Your courage, strength, as well as keeping your sense of humor through out your transplant is an inspiration to all of us! We know how much love and support you have in your constant companion by your side...your wife Jill....we are so grateful to you, Jill, for your unselfish love for our brother!

love and blessing to you both! xoxox


29.11.11

Pretty things...




Pretty things to craft with, to create with, to have fun with.
Have fun today whatever you are creating!.

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28.11.11

"Sunday Stylin"

I have a big board of Homasate {ceiling tile} that is covered with quilt batting..it makes a great background to take photos on....I line up my pieces..try to find the best natural light and take a few photos..{lots never see the light of day :)}....I am constantly learning what makes a good styled photo...here is my take on that today..I made this little penguin last year and plan to make a couple more before Christmas..he is sitting in a couple of Anthro bowls, a few books, a tea towel, thread, a pot holder or two...some red dominos as well as a little tree.



Bought this jar stamp on line...added some buttons as well as the little heart...these will be my Christmas tags on gifts this year.
How do you style your photos?



27.11.11

Mollie Makes...

The latest issue of Molly Makes is out..on line in Newstand....you can just browse when ever you have a spare minute......the bottom 3 photos are from Here......are you planning to make a few handmade gifts?


26.11.11

Gift Giving...


My dear friend Cindy loves the work done by potter, Don Swanson, from Tuscon Arizona.
She has been collecting his work for many years. We have been to a few fairs and meet him several times...with great results...this is one of them...
To fragile to ship...this gift will be hand delivered next spring! 
I already know she will love it!

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25.11.11

Glittering....

I had lots of fun today...glittering..all the bases of these little 
bottle brush trees got a shiny coat  of
glitter.
Such fun...I also used epson salts on the base of the trees..the glue held it in place fairly well..
Are you glittering anything this year?

24.11.11

gift giving


this little gift is easy to make..buy seed pearls, clear glass ornaments, 
fill balls 1/2 full...
wrap a piece of thread or ribbon around the top.
great for an ornament to hang in the tree..or for  a budding jewelry designer...

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23.11.11

Our gifts....

If you have love in your life, perhaps a few little people and hope for the future.... to me, these are such wonderful gifts..being grateful becomes easier and much more meaningful as I age.



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22.11.11

Anthropology

First of all, Happy Happy Birthday Evelyne...I hope that you will be totally spoiled for the next few months in Cabo. How grateful we all are that you were able to be Harry's donor.. We love you and wish you a sweet birthday!
Secondly, to my dear friend Shannon, celebratng in style in Maui...Oh Happy day to you as well..See you next week here in AZ!
And last but not least, our Helicopter pilot buddy Leighton celebrating and sharing a birthday with these lovely ladies...we will share a pint together this summer for sure!


A little early shopping at Anthro to to check out what is cool...a few things might of hopped into my basket....
maybe, maybe not!...How are your elves making out? 



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20.11.11

Dinner tonight.....


Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 1/2 teaspoons cold water
Hot cooked long grain rice

Place chicken in a 4 qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken in tender. Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickend. Serve with chicken and rice.
source

19.11.11

Snow Village....

A thrift store plate, a thrifted vase turned over..dollar store flocked trees as well as my first effort glittering this little house...who knew that glitter can migrate everywhere!..... what fun this was to make..I even made little tree skirts to cover the base!.....what craftiness do you have up your sleeves?

snow village





18.11.11

For Harry....

Today is Harry's big day..either this morning or at noon..Evelyne did her job yesterday producing 480,000,000 stem cells to be donated today..she did amazing well...the nurses tell Harry that this will be his new birthday! We have them both in our thoughts and prayers...Thank you to all of our friends, family and readers of my blog for all the emails expressing your concerns...it has meant so much to me and our family! xoxo




Source

17.11.11

Loving this Red...

It has been unusual for me to have a lot of red in our home...except at Christmastime...somehow it just strikes the right cord in my heart!
What is your favorite Christmas color this year?




all images from Pinterest
source                                                                             source                                            source

16.11.11

red love...


No calories in these little babies...make up a dozen or so and gift a friend....or make a wreath......or stack them on a cake plate and enjoy!

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14.11.11

Tiny Tall cakes...




Tiny Tall Cakes
Believe it or not, we baked these desserts in tin cans.

Prepare one box cake mix batter. Butter and flour three clean 4-inch diameter cans (we used 28-ounce tomato cans). Divide batter among cans, place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F. until cake springs back when touched in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely. Remove cakes from cans by running a knife around the edge and tapping gently. (You can cover them with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 5 hours or up to 3 days for easier cutting.)

Cut cakes into layers about 1/2 inch thick, discarding the domed top. Spread each layer with jam, lemon curd, or Meringue Buttercream (recipe link below). Stack to make cakes of different heights. Smooth a thin layer (a "crumb" coating) of buttercream all over each cake and chill for 30 minutes. Frost again with desired color of buttercream, smoothing sides and top. Decorate with piped designs. Makes 3 cakes.

Buttercream Icing.

Yield: 10 cups
Prep: 15 mins
Start to Finish: 30 mins
Ingredients
10 large egg whites
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
1. Whisk together egg whites and sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water until sugar has dissolved, about 5 min. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers -- you shouldn't feel any sugar crystals.

2. Transfer bowl to the mixer stand with whisk attachment or use a handheld mixer and beat on high until it cools and stiff peaks form, 10 to 12 min.

3. Reduce speed to medium high and add butter a little at a time. (Buttercream may curdle but will become smooth as you continue to beat it.) Add vanilla.

4. Use within a few hours or refrigerate up to a week. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low until smooth. Makes 10 cups.

from Ladies Home Journal..

13.11.11

Cupcakes...

Gingerbread Cupcakes  Here

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
2 large eggs
2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. In a large bowl beat together the butter, oil, and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. Beat in the molasses and eggs until smooth. Put the baking soda into a small bowl or liquid (you’ll need extra room – it bubbles up) measuring cup, and add 3/4 cup boiling water.

Add a third of the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, beating on low speed just until blended. Add half the water mixture in the same way, then another third of the dry ingredients, the rest of the water mixture and the rest of the dry ingredients, blending just until combined. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 25 minutes, or until tops are springy to the touch. Makes 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes.

12.11.11

Pom Poms




With my 2 new smaller pom pom makers that arrived yesterday...no stray wool is safe in my stash...now I know what to do with the little bits....now to buy a straw wreath form and put them all together.



11.11.11

Remembrance Day

In remembrance to all those men and women who kept our country free...


by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
*******************************************************************
Inspiration for “In Flanders Fields”
Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, 1st Brigade Canadian Field Artillery. (1)

During the early days of the Second Battle of Ypres a young Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2nd May, 1915 in the gun positions near Ypres. An exploding German artillery shell landed near him. He was serving in the same Canadian artillery unit as a friend of his, the Canadian military doctor and artillery commander Major John McCrae.

As the brigade doctor, John McCrae was asked to conduct the burial service for Alexis because the chaplain had been called away somewhere else on duty that evening. It is believed that later that evening, after the burial, John began the draft for his now famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.




10.11.11

cupcake liners....

these make me happy..these colors as well as the thought that they might soon be filled with batter and made into cupcakes.....the right bite-size piece of goodness!





9.11.11

Little Pot Holders....

These fat quarters became these potholders..3 made...7 more to be made.
I hope you have had time to craft today!