tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42923261559603256602024-03-13T04:44:21.390-04:00Red Mommy CraftsAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.comBlogger455125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-47198060648741223692018-12-01T21:43:00.001-05:002018-12-01T21:43:29.008-05:00Slytherin Quilt Part 1My oldest, Jaiden, is a Harry Potter freak! There's nothing about the series she doesn't know nor own! She's even in the Harry Potter Club at her school. I'm telling you, a Harry Potter freak!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFi1j07AG4Dit59beNXlZZd1JCNT96IHT3TL4Kxk-NINEHyHHWvC1bKQt9xg4lL1xJCkafFy2W2s2z9zhAVpfVg0bid2nqdWdjt_nwQrVHYj2dfRcC1HP6SSA0Rkwdepo8Iek2v0GQX8/s1600/cellpics2+420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1076" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFi1j07AG4Dit59beNXlZZd1JCNT96IHT3TL4Kxk-NINEHyHHWvC1bKQt9xg4lL1xJCkafFy2W2s2z9zhAVpfVg0bid2nqdWdjt_nwQrVHYj2dfRcC1HP6SSA0Rkwdepo8Iek2v0GQX8/s200/cellpics2+420.jpg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a "light" HP day. Shirt, scarf, headband, pants, and socks.</td></tr>
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For Christmas, I wanted to do something different for her since there is nothing she really wanted. I decided to make her a Slytherin quilt. This coming together very easily and fast. I'd have to say a basic knowledge of sewing with get you through this. And it's not just limited to Slytherin, you could use any of the House colors.<br />
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*I am writing this as I am sewing. I have no real plans yet as to the final look of the quilt. I will go back and edit when I am finished. The amount of fabric needed may change as I add boarders and any other embellishments. As of where I'm at right now, all squares sewed and rows formed, I've only used over a half of yard of each piece.*<br />
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Supplies:<br />
4 different green material patterns- 1 yard each<br />
4 different silver/white material patterns - 1 yard each<br />
Batting<br />
Backing material- I use flat sheets<br />
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1. To prepare the material to cut, I've always ripped/torn off the salvage ends and gently pulled the material side to side. This will help the fabric line up and give you straight cuts. <br />
2. Iron the material to get out and wrinkles and the factory center crease.<br />
3. Fold the material in half and then in half again.<br />
4. Cut 4- 4.5" wide strips from each of the 8 pieces of material. (32 strips)<br />
5. Put 2 strips from each color off to the side. (16 strips)<br />
6. Take the remaining 16 strips and match them up so that each pair is 1 white strip and 1 green strip.<br />
7. Sew the pairs together using 1/4" seam allowance to get 8 strips.<br />
8. Press the seams with the green on top. Then open up the seam and press. Ironing the seams is a very important step in quilt making.<br />
9. Cut the strips into 4.5" wide sections to get 4.5" x 8.5" rectangles. You should have 72 pairs.<br />
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10. Take the 16 strips you set aside and cut into 8.5" lengths to form 4.5"x 8.5" rectangles. You should have 64 rectangles.<br />
11. Match up the 8.5" strips to the double blocks and sew.<br />
12. Press seams towards the 8.5" strip.<br />
*Note- You're going to end up with 8 of the double pieces with no 8.5" strip. <br />
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13. Start sewing your blocks together. I put the green band face up on the left side. Then put the white band face down on top with the white band at the top. I then sewed on the right side, where the scissors are.<br />
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14. Press seams.<br />
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15. Continue on sewing and pressing to form 9 rows with 7 blocks in each row. You will want 5 rows with the green band starting off the row and 4 rows with the white band as the 1st block in the row. You will have 1 block left over, using 63 of the 64 blocks.<br />
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This is the end of Part 1. I will update within the next few days for Part 2<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-2561206028175260562015-12-21T09:54:00.000-05:002015-12-21T09:54:51.706-05:00Sweet & Crunchy Christmas Snack Mix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ohhh, this stuff is so good and very easy to make! Makes a quick and inexpensive treat for office and school parties. <br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 family sized box (18 oz) Rice Chex cereal<br />
1 can Funfetti red icing<br />
1 can Funfetti green icing<br />
1 bag of powdered sugar<br />
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Directions:<br />
1. Pour cereal into a large bowl.<br />
2. Melt icing, right in can, in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and put in for 30 more seconds until completely melted. Be careful, it will be hot.<br />
3. Pour melted icing over cereal and mix with a spatula and your hands until completely coated.<br />
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4. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until cereal is coated and no longer sticky. Mix well with your hands.<br />
5. Lay cereal in a single layer on wax paper and allow to dry for 20 minutes.<br />
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6. Place in an air-tight container or individual baggies. <br />
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That's all there is! Doesn't it look so very festive?? You could even add Christmas M&M's for a sweeter, chocolaty taste! </div>
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Original recipe can be found at http://www.shugarysweets.com/2014/12/holiday-puppy-chow#_a5y_p=3024330<br />
<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-35872639282432092422014-05-05T10:11:00.000-04:002014-05-05T10:27:15.667-04:00Soft Pretzels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There's nothing better than a soft pretzel! Every time I make these, they are gone right away! They are very easy to make with little effort. Serve with a cheese sauce or even cream cheese. <br />
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<u><b>Soft Pretzels</b> </u><br />
<i>Yield 16 pretzels</i><br />
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2 cups warm water<br />
3 Tbl sugar<br />
1 pkg dry active yeast<br />
4-5 cups all purpose flour<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1/4 baking soda<br />
3-4 cups water<br />
Egg wash (1 egg + 2 tbl water)<br />
Sea Salt<br />
1. Turn oven light on and keep door closed. This will keep the oven at 85* and will give you a warm place to allow pretzels to rise.<br />
2. In a non-metal bowl, whisk yeast, sugar, and warm water. <br />
3. Place in oven and allow to sit 5 minutes until the yeast is bubbly.<br />
4. In your stand mixer with the dough hook, add the flour and the salt. Mix together.<br />
5. Add yeast and mix until until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.<br />
6. Place dough in a large bowl and lightly cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Place in oven and allow to rise until doubled in size, approx. 1 hour.<br />
7. Bring baking soda and water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.<br />
8. Divide dough into 16 pieces.<br />
9. Roll each piece of dough into an 16" rope and form into pretzel shape.<br />
10. Using a large slotted spoon, dip each pretzel into the baking soda water.<br />
11. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and allow to rise for 15 minutes in oven.<br />
12. Remove from oven and preheat oven to 450*<br />
13. Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt<br />
14. Bake pretzels for 13 minutes, until lightly browned.<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-32920920391343120642014-04-28T09:41:00.000-04:002014-04-28T09:41:03.542-04:00Wild Violet Jelly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Did you know you could make jelly from wild violets, the pretty little purple "weeds" that grow in your yard every spring? You can! And let me tell you, it's good! It has a very unique taste that is hard to describe. It doesn't have a floral taste like you might think. <br />
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Wild violets also have numerous health benefits! They are high in vitamins A, C, bioflavonoids, calcium, and magnesium. The leaves can be used for skin rashes, sore and swollen joints, eczema, digestive problems, bruises, made into a cough syrup, used as a laxative, sore throats, arthritis, and they are a natural diuretic with cleansing properties! You can read more about that <a href="http://www.botanical-online.com/Violet.htm">HERE</a>. I'm going to post an old recipe from my great grandmother on how to make a salve from the leaves sometime later next week, so be sure to check back!<br />
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In addition to the health benefits of wild violets, you can also use the flowers to be visually appealing in different food dishes. Toss a few flowers into a green leafy salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing for a pop of color. You can also put the flowers in ice cube trays, fill with water, and freeze to have ice cubes with little violets inside every cube. Or, fill the trays with white wine and freeze to enjoy in a glass of wine! Put a few of the flowers on top of a cake to add a touch of elegance. The possibilities are just endless!!<br />
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To make the jelly, you only use the purple flowers. Look how pretty they all look in a bowl!<br />
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Violet Jelly<br />
3 cups violet flowers<br />
3 cups water<br />
approx 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar<br />
4 cups sugar<br />
1 box pectin<br />
6 half pint jars<br />
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1. Collect and rinse violet flowers<br />
2. Bring water to a boil and add violets.<br />
3. Allow violets to steep overnight in water.<br />
4. Strain liquid through a sieve, discard flowers. It will be a blueish liquid like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUSLSM9Plj66W8I4eBbxVqyf5XTEUPuo7UgFy5s2hvotZQBGGzPO4Ggbofm5jJxt9tKihPVZ3t9qyUq99XhdNWBkqxZyX46sgsFLPaKLwJzOrV3KF9ehfDgTJkiL2MGXC1UiAqo0eBcU/s1600/DSC07840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUSLSM9Plj66W8I4eBbxVqyf5XTEUPuo7UgFy5s2hvotZQBGGzPO4Ggbofm5jJxt9tKihPVZ3t9qyUq99XhdNWBkqxZyX46sgsFLPaKLwJzOrV3KF9ehfDgTJkiL2MGXC1UiAqo0eBcU/s1600/DSC07840.JPG" height="200" width="123" /></a></div>
5. Add enough apple cider to bring the liquid back up to 3 cups. It will turn from the blueish color to a pretty purple color:<br />
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6. In a medium sized pot, add liquid and stir in pectin<br />
7. Bring the liquid to a boil.<br />
8. Add the sugar.<br />
9. Return to a full boil and boil for 2 minutes. Make sure to continuously be stirring to prevent scorching.<br />
10. Ladle hot jelly into half pint jars.<br />
11. Process in a water canner for 10 minutes.<br />
12. Allow jelly to sit so it will set up, do not move or disturb.<br />
Yield 6 half pint jars<br />
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-76199578453996021692014-04-22T14:38:00.000-04:002014-04-22T19:16:04.107-04:00Canning Pineapples<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzM1Gtg6SuINEDi-BxfKpI5uLoE3JtRMXu7F6-ufGerS1yA6tL6m3gb9KeDMFbtfLp0tkYZTifaIOaTiBd-TdbN4WuRIlOvu76GBi9oGRTuXbdy3ICN3nqPRrENZWQCIVjLKCg4DatwOE/s1600/DSC07806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzM1Gtg6SuINEDi-BxfKpI5uLoE3JtRMXu7F6-ufGerS1yA6tL6m3gb9KeDMFbtfLp0tkYZTifaIOaTiBd-TdbN4WuRIlOvu76GBi9oGRTuXbdy3ICN3nqPRrENZWQCIVjLKCg4DatwOE/s320/DSC07806.JPG" /></a></div>I recently found pineapples on sale for $1.50 each at the local grocery store, so I decided to can them! They are very simple to do if you have basic canning knowledge and the basic equipment. The home canned pineapples taste so much better than the ones you buy in the store!!<br />
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10 pineapples gave me 24 pints of chunked pineapples. You first need to decide what kind of liquid you wish to can the pineapples in: water, unsweetened pineapple juice, light syrup, medium syrup, or a heavy syrup. I chose to do mine in a medium syrup which is a 2:1 ratio of water to sugar. It took 18 cups of water and 9 cups of sugar to make my 24 pints. <br />
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First, you want to take the rind off the pineapples, the top, core out the center and cut into chunks. I bought a pineapple corer, but decided it was a lot of work twisting the corer down to the bottom, plus I feel it left a lot of fruit behind. Here's a photo: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mACaLzR4ERGwh0E_D5VKfsBlPoHHmLy7lIYMmnKNWHJOLhO9VjjVA3ORGV-5Jo60Myq6SnAEB5HPi1l9KY_E7FqqTs1VJDu31nRz3t5w-xt8MtF3ICONExvdWWg4wKFKHp5eZnbsp5Q/s1600/DSC07800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mACaLzR4ERGwh0E_D5VKfsBlPoHHmLy7lIYMmnKNWHJOLhO9VjjVA3ORGV-5Jo60Myq6SnAEB5HPi1l9KY_E7FqqTs1VJDu31nRz3t5w-xt8MtF3ICONExvdWWg4wKFKHp5eZnbsp5Q/s320/DSC07800.JPG" /></a></div>If you were ever going to have a party and wanted to serve drinks out of real pineapples, then this would be a great tool to have! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5qnO66tC4pvuyL2B7wlsqW1anI6T5Zf2zMZ7NqswG_CQ2_iDDriukNlxR09U5NK3IsaE6dFD73iKnIOln5KvjzpPjDKiMRkHl2uzQ6jLS5TEX_88vIOhchXDjqEE8ApoApxFlu3ju9w/s1600/DSC07801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5qnO66tC4pvuyL2B7wlsqW1anI6T5Zf2zMZ7NqswG_CQ2_iDDriukNlxR09U5NK3IsaE6dFD73iKnIOln5KvjzpPjDKiMRkHl2uzQ6jLS5TEX_88vIOhchXDjqEE8ApoApxFlu3ju9w/s320/DSC07801.JPG" /></a></div>I just ended up using a sharp, serrated knife. <br />
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Next, bring your liquid of choice to a boil (plus sugar if using). Allow it to simmer while putting the pineapples in jars. You want to pack them in, but don't stuff them. Taking a ladle, ladle the liquid into the jars, leaving 1/2" head space. Put the lids on the jars and process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes. <br />
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It's really just that easy! Stored in a cool, dry place, the pineapples should last 12-18 months. Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-20446434729237268512014-04-17T11:53:00.000-04:002014-04-17T11:53:18.547-04:00Checking In! I cannot believe it's been 3 years since I have posted on here! I've been thinking for a while of getting back into the habit. I know it's hard to believe, but Jaiden is 9 and Arya will be 7 in May! Time has gone by so fast! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk59j2Ug3vW-3QMaWtCUD1nTbBLnvmTKbRtVATWESug0zMDYu5RzpJscYFWsNsm81_DbCqdoC4nDSXjNgCxVAWtXZHgjagAhVe8pBXxfkcOCq2XThyNM71MQpUL5H7AQti6oWgYA7WYGE/s1600/DSC07600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk59j2Ug3vW-3QMaWtCUD1nTbBLnvmTKbRtVATWESug0zMDYu5RzpJscYFWsNsm81_DbCqdoC4nDSXjNgCxVAWtXZHgjagAhVe8pBXxfkcOCq2XThyNM71MQpUL5H7AQti6oWgYA7WYGE/s320/DSC07600.JPG" /></a></div>Arya is on the left and Jaiden is on the right. They recently took part in a local craft fair selling Rainbow Loom bracelets. <br />
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I have completely quit doing any crafts and haven't sewn anything in a long time. I kinda got burnt out with it and haven't had a desire to begin again. I got rid of all my crafting supplies, but have held onto a lot of my fabric and sewing machine. I have become really interested in photography and have been working to better my skills.<br />
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We're still working on the never ending saga of remodeling our house! I am happy to report that we are almost finished! We have had a hard time trying to find someone to do the work for us. We have 8 different people come over to work and never show back up. It's almost impossible to find a dependable person in construction who is dependable and doesn't charge a fortune! <br />
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I hope to post again on a somewhat regular basis. I've got recipes, canning tips, upcycling projects, and general items I want to share. I canned 24 pints of pineapples yesterday and I plan on sharing the recipe and tips next week. So....Until then! Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-16678781944351038172011-05-11T08:36:00.003-04:002011-05-11T10:34:39.788-04:00"Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPFoPmIoVb5_zuSZBY2c4rp2L2P98vJkq9kVzJoJWbgch-fnDqbuiwDwgLRHH39yFBf1wsrCAbA1Fa_FfJEIZNiyYtWDwaq8KbnaAc1CVGB062qJCLtADzZi3Bz_mJMxlaao02O8U6lU/s1600/water_for_elephants_book_cover_robert_pattinson.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPFoPmIoVb5_zuSZBY2c4rp2L2P98vJkq9kVzJoJWbgch-fnDqbuiwDwgLRHH39yFBf1wsrCAbA1Fa_FfJEIZNiyYtWDwaq8KbnaAc1CVGB062qJCLtADzZi3Bz_mJMxlaao02O8U6lU/s200/water_for_elephants_book_cover_robert_pattinson.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605466317837253442" /></a><br />This is another favorite book of mine so far in 2011!! I have been seeing the movie trailers on TV, so I thought I'd give the book a try! It was so good, I started reading it yesterday afternoon and couldn't put it down until I finished it! <br /><br />The book is about the main character, Jacob and his youth with the circus. In the beginning, we are introduced to 90, or 93, year old Jacob that is living in an "old age" home due to a broken hip. When going to lunch one day, he notices a circus has come to town and causing great excitement in the home. Jacob goes to his usual table for lunch and is greeted by a new patient that claims to have carried water for the elephants while working at a circus. Jacob is outraged by his out right lie and is immediately returned to his room. Jacob begins to flash back to when he was 23 years old.<br /><br />It's during the Great Depression and Jacob is enrolled at Cornell University getting ready to take his final exam for a veterinary license when the dean pulls him out of class. The dean tells Jacob there has been a horrible accident and both of his parents are dead. Between his parents death and finding out they are broke because all of their money went to pay for his Ivy League education, Jacob takes off. He just starts running and doesn't stop until his feet cannot take it anymore. Jacob then realizes he is lost and happened to hear a train coming. He hops aboard the train to find out it is a circus train.<br /><br />He makes friends with a guy on the train, Camel, and Camel is able to get him on working for the circus. The owner of the circus, Uncle Al, appoints Jacob as the official circus vet. <br /><br />As soon as Jacob sees Marlena, the wife of the head animal trainer, August, he falls in love. August is a strange man and violent man. He is out right cruel to the animals and anyone that gets in his way, yet is he married to a beautiful and compassionate performer. Jacob is determined to have Marlena, but August stands in his way.<br /><br />The book describes the horrid condition of the animals and their treatment while being apart of a circus. And, circus life in general for the workers and performers. It's just a really good book about how the circus was ran in the 1930's and the impact it had on peoples lives.<br /><br />(photo from Amazon.com)Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-55438641076276451182011-05-09T20:34:00.002-04:002011-05-09T20:36:15.895-04:00Baby Log Cabin Variation Quilt Top<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPptJVkcB6wveT8MyFFuKwBISZ7zSVvGfubdbeGahQR7puJEjD3Sg9_40uo0Si-CA6sJbCobJJdEwfxQSHwAF4LtbYxwSnjATHGE6sz-QHo1QfhyVByA2uNEvNZhANvNVP8QAiVEMeC1g/s1600/DSC01421.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPptJVkcB6wveT8MyFFuKwBISZ7zSVvGfubdbeGahQR7puJEjD3Sg9_40uo0Si-CA6sJbCobJJdEwfxQSHwAF4LtbYxwSnjATHGE6sz-QHo1QfhyVByA2uNEvNZhANvNVP8QAiVEMeC1g/s200/DSC01421.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603398713657087026" /></a><br /><br />These are the 2 quilt tops I made for my new niece and nephew. Very simple to make, you just have to know how to sew a straight line. Yes, it's that easy! I didn't have to buy any fabric to make these, I had everything in my fabric stash! Approx size of finished quilt top is 45"x36".<br /><br />I went with pinks and purples for Alexa and blues and greens for Braiden. You could make this with 2 different colors, or make each row something different. I am sure there are several different ways to pick a theme.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGUuv1VlSMql4QfViAJp3G04r-FGyz6i9jc21Xsq8Py0O2-8HkoE-b385kAm5uANp0Vdfp1waLCgQkcyLc4tBAeGqqJbO4poJJudO0v6-luIG7QO99PR93hOZFykZUOoaA6cW2OiiQ_8/s1600/DSC01420.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGUuv1VlSMql4QfViAJp3G04r-FGyz6i9jc21Xsq8Py0O2-8HkoE-b385kAm5uANp0Vdfp1waLCgQkcyLc4tBAeGqqJbO4poJJudO0v6-luIG7QO99PR93hOZFykZUOoaA6cW2OiiQ_8/s200/DSC01420.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603398709495562674" /></a><br /><br />I am going to use the pink and purple color theme for the tutorial.<br /><br />Material Needed:<br /><br />Pinks<br />2- 4.5 x 4.5 squares<br />2- 12.5 x 4.5 strips<br />2- 20.5 x 4.5 strips<br />2- 28.5 x 4.5 strips<br />2- 36.5 x 4.5 strips<br /><br />Purples<br />1- 4.5 x 4.5 square<br />2- 12.5 x 4.5 strips<br />2- 20.5 x 4.5 strips<br />2- 28.5 x 4.5 strips<br />2- 36.5 x 4.5 strips<br /><br />1. Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew pink squares to purple to form the center of the quilt. Press seams to one side.<br /><br />2.Sew 12.5 x 4.5 purple strips to center strip.<br /><br />3. Sew 12.5 x 4.5 pink strips to bottom and top of block.<br /><br />4. Continue sewing strips in size order, starting with purple until quilt top is finished.<br /><br />With several distractions, it only took me about 3 hours to cut the pieces and sew them together to make 1 quilt top. They go together pretty fast! This would probably make a easy quilt to finish for the Linus Project!<br /><br />This up coming week, I will be finishing the quilts and I will post another tutorial on how to finish them.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-78896009514441708892011-05-01T09:43:00.005-04:002011-05-01T10:29:08.259-04:00"The Pact: A Love Story" by Jodi Picoult<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDG4oKiAlXHIbpbxoSv3pQ4VhWkm-DrzbdffWjtbf4WjLJVdM_uL8QylOvMDPVaTjLwAyDoj_nMZoc6_YxXYmHTMas7h2mk1QCc9tvIoEeO69oeGox7NEKecOQbhAhZ5tl2Bj7sq9dJc/s1600/41oWggkXTVL__SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDG4oKiAlXHIbpbxoSv3pQ4VhWkm-DrzbdffWjtbf4WjLJVdM_uL8QylOvMDPVaTjLwAyDoj_nMZoc6_YxXYmHTMas7h2mk1QCc9tvIoEeO69oeGox7NEKecOQbhAhZ5tl2Bj7sq9dJc/s200/41oWggkXTVL__SL500_AA300_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601746940468756770" /></a><br />It was a very nice day yesterday and the girls wanted to play outside, so I brought out a new book from the library. It is called "The Pact: A Love Story" by Jodi Picoult. Once I started reading, I just could not put it down! As of right now, it's the best book I've year this year! And, that is saying a lot because I read about a book a week, sometimes 2! <br /><br />From the cover, "...comes a riveting, timely, heartbreaking, and terrifying novel of family in anguish and friendship ripped apart by inconceivable violence. Until the phone call came on a November morning, the Golds and their neighbors, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs that their relationship was moving beyond lifelong friends. But now 17 year old Emily has been shot to death as part of an apparent suicide pact-leaving 2 devastated families stranded in the dark and dense predawn, desperate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they really never knew."<br /><br />The book starts in present day when the parents get the call to come down to the hospital. Emily is pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, but Chis is alive. Chris tells the police it was a suicide pact and he wasn't able to go through with it on his end. The parents are shocked, they had no clue either of of their children was contemplating suicide. <br /><br />After a short stay, Chis is released from the hospital and that's when the police start to disbelieve his story of the "pact". A case starts to mount up against him, accusing him of shooting Emily in cold blood.<br /><br />Many times during the book, you are taken back in time to various points to show the strong relationships between Chris' family, the Hartes, and Emily's family, the Golds. Chris and Emily had known each other since birth and they even shared a crib together at one point.<br /><br />After Chris is arrested on charges of murdering Emily, the Gold's and the Harte's relationship is dramatically changed. Mrs. Gold believes the reports that Chris actually killed Emily, that he was able to put aside the feelings he's always had for Emily and shoot her in the head in cold blood. Mrs. Harte, on the other hand, is defending Chris to the end. She believes her son is incapable of killing his one true love.<br /><br />Will Chris be found guilty of murder, a crime that means life in prison, or will his story of a suicide pact be proven? What will happen to the 20 year relationship between the Harts and the Golds?Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-26247181976023814892011-04-29T10:03:00.003-04:002011-04-29T10:38:26.642-04:00More Babies!!We had some excitement 2 weeks ago Wednesday!! My sister, who was pregnant with twins, delivered her babies!! She has had a very hard pregnancy, there were several foods she couldn't eat and was still getting sick after eating. Last Wednesday, she called me to tell me she was having severe cramps and didn't know what to do. (She had a scheduled doctor's appointment 30 minutes from then.) I told her the babies were probably laying on her wrong or tumbling around. She went to the doctor and he determined that she was in labor!! We were all in shock!! She was only 25 weeks pregnant (out of 40)!! The doctor told her to drive to the local hospital, about 10 minutes away, and a helicopter would be waiting to take her to the University of Cincinnati Hospital (about 35 minutes away by car). She arrived at the local hospital and the babies decided not to wait!! She was in full blown labor, right there in the emergency room entrance. The helicopter didn't even have time to arrive yet, nor the delivery doctor. The hospital staff had to do an emergency C-Section! <br /><br />They took the little boy out first and he stopped breathing, we are not sure of how long. They were able to resuscitate him. My mom was in the hall and said it looked like a scene from a movie. They have the boy on the gurney, running down the hall while massaging his heart and pumping the bag ventilator on his face. He was rushed immediately to Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati. (Children's was full, so that's why he went to Good Sam)<br /><br />The girl was a little better off, but not by much. My sister, Tara, was able too see her and touch her before she was rushed off to Good Sam also. <br /><br />The babies weighed in a less than 2 pounds (900 grams) each!! Neither one of the babies were expected to make it through the night! Everything was such a flash, we couldn't believe it was happening!! <br /><br />Tara stayed in the local hospital for 2 days while her babies were in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Good Sam (again about 35 minutes by car). Tara is doing well physically, but not coping well well emotionally. WE are in the process of trying to find a support group for her.<br /><br />After the babies made it through the night, she gave them names! My nephew is Braiden Asher and my niece is Alexa Kristine. They are currently still struggling in the NICU, but no longer struggling to live! Alexa has fluid on her brain (used to be known as "water on the brain") and is recovering from a collapsed lung. Braiden has some breathing issues and has a turned in leg that will require therapy.<br /><br />I was sick when the babies were born, so I didn't get to see them until they were a week old. I took lots of pictures of them! <br /><br /><br />Alexa<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_8Fs56j8oc6hU4rF7HmKl511Qqu4_zVoZ9EadNmdnLbfvwQxBf6OQGTyGfTZsiuaJWVTui0iR94sywiHhJj6h_q7YgRS0D6KAwZQwrjg1L_frcFNmeQbT51qsmMlUZJ8PzvVf1NZibY/s1600/DSC01453.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_8Fs56j8oc6hU4rF7HmKl511Qqu4_zVoZ9EadNmdnLbfvwQxBf6OQGTyGfTZsiuaJWVTui0iR94sywiHhJj6h_q7YgRS0D6KAwZQwrjg1L_frcFNmeQbT51qsmMlUZJ8PzvVf1NZibY/s200/DSC01453.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601012960026203410" /></a><br /><br />Braiden<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGXN4NLkw4vDJfs5u9hUObNOsPG2L0dPMhsnnwNsIzuuIU8y_goYH0iWEKp7r6GQDbZ2EAECE-5iZU_wiLkSmp-NclfryjBzykbLPhHsroI2q21TLTaHca2fXfHiD-CfALrSP8T3EXbY/s1600/DSC01442.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 111px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGXN4NLkw4vDJfs5u9hUObNOsPG2L0dPMhsnnwNsIzuuIU8y_goYH0iWEKp7r6GQDbZ2EAECE-5iZU_wiLkSmp-NclfryjBzykbLPhHsroI2q21TLTaHca2fXfHiD-CfALrSP8T3EXbY/s200/DSC01442.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601012956522445858" /></a><br /><br />I have already made them some outfits for micro preemies and their first quilt! I will post the quilts later in the week along with the tutorial. They are going to be the best dressed babies in the NICU as soon as she gets the green light to dress them!!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-28835243357561978432011-04-26T11:07:00.004-04:002011-04-26T11:20:20.442-04:00Hello AgainHello again to everyone! I been away for awhile keeping busy! We finally began remodeling our kitchen! I now how a sink, cabinets, and counter tops in my kitchen like normal houses do! We're doing all the work ourselves, so it is a little slow going. Here are a few of our "in progress" photos<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599910722188144658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88unUDxNfu0dC23mq-F-TFWmzlbVbQRLAi8-DFmRJP3QCkZcrdydnGxj6y4RppnSfEALwyPknNQrT3lSM34XwbUbWnEk_8r0M2pspDJRlhZw7-KWQQK8fIUAHyaupC7p8H_QaebV0f0I/s200/DSC01377.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599910717338418994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP3wWELVgjSCC7Mxc5Q1uW_kg0vegvlb2EdykpaUSD5lLZ15oiJLSa8cBzEWkQEi7LhclmwcPMPu-TXESgDSlo8GTF57HDG6kNpAZ5lymnyUM3v4hT9W9dtmCQD34rLdzM3mKoI2nCMc/s200/DSC01374.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599910725926746786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKo22-3ZAtZVgXuI2oRjBSMTEyJJrJCCzhTCIgNUi_V_eRAzeH4U5kohTYVk6EX98PNzVBs6nx6uxfe32Fx1m5bGePlQ_vyrVHjSruTOW3LSk1M34dM6R9AFQVFgmcshvCMhTMuIJfv8/s200/DSC01366.JPG" border="0" /><br />We decided to go with purple, yes purple, for the walls! I love it! Our floor is called "lay down vinyl" and it's the best thing ever!! You just unroll the vinyl like a rug and cut off any excess! No glue or anything! I love it!<br /><br />You can look at the "before" pics under the label "House Remodeling". We've come a long way!!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-36705563826246022332010-11-18T09:44:00.003-05:002010-11-18T09:49:11.204-05:00Turkey Guest Blogger<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Fvh9mk76i0jd8OmPynME6Kpx8GbRwz6yQEwvMUcpT9SyCiNrU4F7VBivBbXwODBuahfT2Q3FNLnVFG1XAdxMffS_DSPy_9RSW-IVvSgbops_xLOE4-CP-G44ZAWcXnWvuhM8pqxj_dM/s1600/DSC00929.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Fvh9mk76i0jd8OmPynME6Kpx8GbRwz6yQEwvMUcpT9SyCiNrU4F7VBivBbXwODBuahfT2Q3FNLnVFG1XAdxMffS_DSPy_9RSW-IVvSgbops_xLOE4-CP-G44ZAWcXnWvuhM8pqxj_dM/s200/DSC00929.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540901352535495202" /></a><br />Be sure to stop over at <a href="http://sunflowersathome.blogspot.com/">Sun Flowers at Home</a> today! Ginny is running a series called 10 Days of Turkey and I am the guest blogger today! I posted the instructions over there to make this super cute turkey with your kids. <br />Thanks Ginny!!!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-29538899564874590682010-11-11T09:46:00.011-05:002010-11-11T10:47:06.413-05:00Bounce Dryer Bar & Scotch Brite Toilet Scrubber<div align="center">It's been a long time since I did a product review, so I thought it was time. Today I am reviewing 2 different items, Bounce Dryer Bar and Scotch Brite Toilet Scrubber.<br /><div align="center">First up is the Bounce Dryer Bar.<br /></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538304364368467634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54r38uzJTqoWqU7-wH8uZAzluKmoJ5oTp-oB_OeWk0VLTVSCvX1rGd7OAvS4l2IkG9mr-8DNt34tXrDBuYsFtK8fTlihlOu5ZrVoZc9q5A9u-HqAgqzwZIUnPULgViFeHTYXqKVuySAo/s200/bounce.jpg" border="0" /> The Bounce Dryer bar is meant to add tons of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">convenience</span> to your every day laundry. Instead of putting a new dryer <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">sheet</span> in your dryer each time you do laundry, you just stick this bar into the dryer and it last for 2 months or 4 months. Let me just say,this wonderful!! You get your choice of 2 or 4 month bar and your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">choice</span> between 2 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">different</span> scents. Since I didn't know if it would work, I bought the 2 month starter kit in outdoor fresh scent. The starter kits comes with 1 dryer bar and the holder. The holder simply sicks on the inside of your dryer and has little release tabs that allows you to insert a new bar when it's time. The nice thing about this bar is that you do not even have to keep track of when it's time to change the bar, the bar has a built in indicator that lets you know it's time. You simply remove the old bar and insert a new one.<br /><div align="center">I do a lot of laundry having 2 small kids, at least 2 loads a day, and my dryer bar is keeping up really well. I thought it would go a lot faster than 2 months, but I am 1 month in and it is not showing any signs of needing to be replaced.<br /></div><div align="center">My laundry comes out of the dryer smelling fresher than it ever has!! This is something that is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">definitely</span> worth the money!!<br /></div><div align="center">5 out of 5 stars!! </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center">Next up is the Scotch Brite Disaposible Toilet Scrubber</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538310934509796210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBeUkUbhxTJyDcSgoM1iimSSklVnQcaR1Rv3xRZ0z3fkhA6Mgithu5IHCgT0da8-izznw16Z-xq75wHJzM7Yj9l_bFSKE03PvFr2M8du_26pMGvddD4XqN9WxPHa8Gy7r7VcV2zyEOLE/s200/scotch+brite.jpg" border="0" /><br />The Scotch Brite Toilet Scrubber allows you to clean your toilet and then throw away the gross scrubber head. The starter kit comes with 1 handle and 4 disaposible scrubber heads. The scrubber head is a stiff sponge like pumice stone the fits onto the tip of the handle. You simple slide the scrubber onto the handle and scrub your toilet as usual. When you are finished, you slide the button down on the handle and the scrubber pops off into the garbage. This elminates the need to store a gross toliet brush that is full of germs, hoping your kids are not playng with while they are using the bathroom. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">I bought the starter kit and have bought several sets of refills of the scrubber, but I do have pros and cons with the product. I really do lke the fact of not having to store a toilet brush, just a handle. Another plus is that I have never had my toilet cleaner! This scrubber does a great job of really scrubbing the toilet and really gets under the rim.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">On the negative side, you have to buy a refil for each time you clean your toilet, which adds up. You have to make sure you have a scrubber in the cabinet before you go to clean your toilet or you're out of luck. My only other con is that the handle is so short. I feel as though I am "elbow deep" evertime I clean. When you are scrubbing the bottom, you're almsot down to your shoulder in the toilet, putting your face a little too close fo comfort.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">3.5 stars out of 5 </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">(Photos from Amazon.com)</div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-56279691263760941072010-11-08T14:56:00.003-05:002010-11-08T15:15:32.281-05:00Meet the Flintstones<div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537270536987381922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 141px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GdPb-pB3qEjDbwbA_daBUdXcaabWl40qAH58LI_CfxayJ4_6yHWV5vIhqvgTGe8xI26hAb3P1wmg7Qks4G2pAFrWM3nThtQvithBxdbrIbunnE2XDYbEu5fIyTin6-Cnolrcjg4E9hI/s200/DSC00906.JPG" border="0" /> As you guessed, we went as the Flintstones for Halloween this year! It was so much fun! We got our pictures taken by a lot of people and tons of wonderful comments on our outfits!! </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">All of our outfits were homemade by me, saving a ton of money. Wilma's and Fred's outfits are made out of sheets. I just traced tank one of Ryan's tank tops and one of mine to get the outline of the top of the toga and dress. At the bottom of both, I cut triangles out to give them a jagged look. My necklace is made out of small styrofoam balls and the blue tie is just fabric. I cut a stencil of a triangle out of cardboard and used black craft paint to make the triangles on Fred's toga. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Little Miss Pebbles, aka Arya, outfit was the easiest! I just bought a plain green over sized Tshirt and just triangles out of the bottom and arms. I used black paint and painted triangles on the shirt. She wore black pants and a ponytail on the top of her head.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Dino's, aka Jaiden, costume gave me the biggest challenge. I just made a jumpsuit out of purple fleece. I made a simple velcro closure in the back and used black paint for the spots. Her hood was a separate piece made out of fleece with black felt loops of the hair.<br /></div><div align="center">My sister, BIL, and nephew also got into the fun by dressing up as Betty, Barney, and Bam Bam!!<br /></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTP-mHpUcveWulxdym64bxpMq4kbpwp6joo6wUS0a4H6gkVQNWFbQGzps6dv3RcI7iOlTcK3mSgDQ47peS4m_5tTvTBr_mR0STiO154ekW0jNP1GO1ai1b0_OdhTBMvig_Yp2SngFCps/s1600/DSC00911.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537270542446409970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTP-mHpUcveWulxdym64bxpMq4kbpwp6joo6wUS0a4H6gkVQNWFbQGzps6dv3RcI7iOlTcK3mSgDQ47peS4m_5tTvTBr_mR0STiO154ekW0jNP1GO1ai1b0_OdhTBMvig_Yp2SngFCps/s200/DSC00911.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">(You can click on the pics to make them larger)<br /></p>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-7551606275718973172010-08-24T19:51:00.004-04:002010-08-24T20:04:40.905-04:00Extra Crispy Fried Chicken<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LgxfIdhE5xsgSu93n1Acvh8h5B29nl6dGYQL-0z_ln4pPpeUMOKiLSGy2siUY83Ra-vjmLOW8P62XT1wtemW0em88uTxGGQAokXGAQerh8PUi3t2AL9Qixp_LQ81b9ObJwyLDDxn1XU/s1600/DSC00742.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9LgxfIdhE5xsgSu93n1Acvh8h5B29nl6dGYQL-0z_ln4pPpeUMOKiLSGy2siUY83Ra-vjmLOW8P62XT1wtemW0em88uTxGGQAokXGAQerh8PUi3t2AL9Qixp_LQ81b9ObJwyLDDxn1XU/s200/DSC00742.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509131103691372914" /></a><br />I love chicken and I think fried chicken is one of my favorite foods!! This chicken is so easy to make and tastes so yummy!! I think fried chicken tastes better in a cast iron skillet, but any deep pan will work fine. It also tastes better fried in shortening rather than oil.<br /><br />Extra Crispy Fried Chicken<br /><br />Chicken breasts or strips<br />1-2 c. flour<br />1 c. buttermilk (reg milk okay)<br />1 egg<br />shortening<br />assorted seasonings: salt pepper, seasoning salt, garlic salt, thyme, sage, rosemary, poultry seasoning<br /><br />1. Heat shortening in pan until hot. Make sure there is enough to cover the chicken.<br />2. In a bowl, mix egg and milk.<br />3. In another bowl, mix flour and seasonings.<br />4. Dip chicken in milk then flour, then milk, then flour, then milk, then flour. This builds the breading up to be extra crispy.<br />5. Place chicken in hot shortening and fry until done. This will depend on how thick your chicken is, You want your oil to be hot, but not too hot because it will burn the chicken quickly.<br /><br />My favorite things to eat with fried chicken are: fresh green beans, cole slaw, and biscuits!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-67316360885071408332010-07-28T13:43:00.003-04:002010-07-28T13:55:42.862-04:00Kentucky Lemonade<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieg7RImLcyzc4vGq8UvanhYUeyiIRKLv7CN2Lf1KKvrUG2XMXqSGliGmL2NJHtGKgbcrSpvtsq6UUiA_GXw0wHQqxP9PXUurwuAlKnZevLS-VxyuwAwvpQ7NM2QPAUEca8NrZN_KzvsyM/s1600/DSC00707.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499015749826468018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 158px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieg7RImLcyzc4vGq8UvanhYUeyiIRKLv7CN2Lf1KKvrUG2XMXqSGliGmL2NJHtGKgbcrSpvtsq6UUiA_GXw0wHQqxP9PXUurwuAlKnZevLS-VxyuwAwvpQ7NM2QPAUEca8NrZN_KzvsyM/s200/DSC00707.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center">This is an awesome drink that I just discovered recently. It's perfect for your outdoor summer parties!! Be sure to serve in a Mason jar.</div><br /><br />Kentucky Lemonade<br /><br />1 cup sugar<br />1 cup hot water<br />1 cup fresh lemon juice, about 5-6 lemons<br />3-4 cups cold water<br />ice<br />6 shots of Kentucky bourbon<br /><br />1. Dissolve sugar in hot water.<br />2. Add lemon juice.<br />3. Fill pitcher with ice and add cold water.<br />4. Stir.<br />5. Pour a shot of bourbon in each glass.<br />6. Add ice and pour lemonade in glass.<br />7. Enjoy!!<br />Makes 6 servingsAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-28204411494073636082010-07-21T09:37:00.006-04:002010-07-21T10:19:08.037-04:00Balloon Fest 2010<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqyUoLU45E80KjWVp2dwUKBI-oraI356MJCKlcp5Gj4oFywKb01NSV6c7v8_r4POPZOyIG68RUZ7ExUAOTJ_ekyJr5AQPN8FfsBPsfii_eTDDkg3PK9m5723amMBMcCkw0qplxpLc0Is/s1600/DSC00666.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496354971079595250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqyUoLU45E80KjWVp2dwUKBI-oraI356MJCKlcp5Gj4oFywKb01NSV6c7v8_r4POPZOyIG68RUZ7ExUAOTJ_ekyJr5AQPN8FfsBPsfii_eTDDkg3PK9m5723amMBMcCkw0qplxpLc0Is/s200/DSC00666.JPG" border="0" /></a>This past weekend, Ryan and I went to the Hot Air Balloon Festival here in Ohio. It was really neat, I have never been that close to a hot air balloon before. The balloons were not able to take off because the wind was blowing a little over 10 mph, but it was still neat to see them. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKg6p7ZzZM19BScEd6TNgNexruIDPhJpk9pdGT2Tx5sij__tUtjoIqCQI81qec5S2HzXIEdHnDlpHMS4QxR54slC_rWObcBXRUZZ4t7Wz5F-14_Asl1UboPjJHyQrjCFu0-gRRv_nAe7U/s1600/DSC00681.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496356410378512994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKg6p7ZzZM19BScEd6TNgNexruIDPhJpk9pdGT2Tx5sij__tUtjoIqCQI81qec5S2HzXIEdHnDlpHMS4QxR54slC_rWObcBXRUZZ4t7Wz5F-14_Asl1UboPjJHyQrjCFu0-gRRv_nAe7U/s200/DSC00681.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihw87Rp8vcYtJ3gc_oQypjyyCSKWYkuLDCPJIUssRJNPPuBjxxKCiPdtEsuMORgysVLQ6YSuwNXl7IZwHbqqAVEjXsCoJOUyge6wNN7TpSXXrLDBWnbkL7Qv0IKXjIGxvdm2XqCA6axlc/s1600/DSC00680.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496356396317674770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihw87Rp8vcYtJ3gc_oQypjyyCSKWYkuLDCPJIUssRJNPPuBjxxKCiPdtEsuMORgysVLQ6YSuwNXl7IZwHbqqAVEjXsCoJOUyge6wNN7TpSXXrLDBWnbkL7Qv0IKXjIGxvdm2XqCA6axlc/s200/DSC00680.JPG" border="0" /></a> This is the actual Remax balloon used in the commercials. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4bSoAS3JYmWceJ4tlTAWscXfoqScd0Ar4N7hahh-dedAu6pmOl1-8G_lrKtqHG7tcUpPUMsjutsAsCmiDSW0TEKebobtySZlB0YIrMDR8KKS8CeG-Z6KGJsZvFuCoqR_UhHcsIjBP4g/s1600/DSC00673.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496356388113527522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4bSoAS3JYmWceJ4tlTAWscXfoqScd0Ar4N7hahh-dedAu6pmOl1-8G_lrKtqHG7tcUpPUMsjutsAsCmiDSW0TEKebobtySZlB0YIrMDR8KKS8CeG-Z6KGJsZvFuCoqR_UhHcsIjBP4g/s200/DSC00673.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW7PhONIuHB2YkgBthqZnjqa4sVawMnjrXsa3Qc56VkGI2b2I9D1eTeZDCPuWS_yYP8EY61jDN2kab_6Og-yOXoFLec0D6evaJJwl71rLCtXFCG1QuA7pnPtms2qiNhFbOCXr2NQZfFU/s1600/DSC00671.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496356379713404754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPW7PhONIuHB2YkgBthqZnjqa4sVawMnjrXsa3Qc56VkGI2b2I9D1eTeZDCPuWS_yYP8EY61jDN2kab_6Og-yOXoFLec0D6evaJJwl71rLCtXFCG1QuA7pnPtms2qiNhFbOCXr2NQZfFU/s200/DSC00671.JPG" border="0" /></a> Night Sky Diving!!! Way neat!!<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwLyjz_pCEv-IC9DlMdD4bbu_2odXTFqSt3cHID1OITFr523KYd5H-Vz7dQCNrVXXJHfaTnF5S7taqa5qDXUQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Sky Diving w/ American Flag<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzb3YEAiNbovGrjuBCSb8v9P1__wx9TieTWV1egEy5pK4s6bOc8GrkEFPhuFI3qMOpnnTCRfYbcSDXxQtYBJA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-12866434846624098782010-07-16T17:20:00.002-04:002010-07-16T17:31:27.058-04:00I'm Alive!Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that I am alive and well! Our family has had a very busy last month. First my uncle Carl died, then my mom fell and sliced her wrist open on a screw, causing her to need 7 stitches, and this past week, my sister was involved in another car accident. She was stopped at a light and a truck pulled out of a parking lot and hit her from behind going over 35 mph. She was driving my mom's car at the time and it is totaled. The back seat of the car is now in the front and the guy's license plate number is imprinted on the back of the car. Luckily, she was not majorly hurt, just still very, very sore. I have also had farmer's market since the beginning of June. I am doing 3 markets this year unlike just the one from last year. I cannot keep up with business. I am at the point where I am getting too big to keep working out of my home, but not quite big enough to buy a building. It's a good problem to have!! So, my days have been spent making pickles and jelly and going to markets. <br /><br />I am sorry that my blog has been neglected! I am just so focused on my business right now. I am hoping for some free time next week to be able to post a recipe or two. Until then, thanks for sticking with me! And, I'll be back to regular posting soon!!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-22857623898636531072010-06-01T13:55:00.003-04:002010-06-01T14:01:35.873-04:00Now on Facebook<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44t0l2Px2dazvA3oxmJoOKmKpp__oihpGh_LPzgeqyItkzm_X5bPFbrBBs8UCyO2SP2U1vEjT6_cMxL0ZhjeG6HzsnEYj69OUqhLqNBR5i-eMPt_iu2wQdpyYW6w_XvG2WjzKn9be4jg/s1600/DSC04019.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 152px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44t0l2Px2dazvA3oxmJoOKmKpp__oihpGh_LPzgeqyItkzm_X5bPFbrBBs8UCyO2SP2U1vEjT6_cMxL0ZhjeG6HzsnEYj69OUqhLqNBR5i-eMPt_iu2wQdpyYW6w_XvG2WjzKn9be4jg/s200/DSC04019.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477866636913798706" /></a><br />If you are a member of Facebook, be sure to become a member of Mama Hampton's Homemade Goods! Mama Hampton's is the name of my farmers market business. You can get to the page by clicking <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=128058030545195">HERE</a>. <br /><br />Also, if you haven't already, be sure to check out the web page I created for <a href="http://mamahamptons.com/">Mama Hamptons</a>!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-21675129753965293302010-05-28T09:20:00.004-04:002010-05-28T09:35:02.669-04:00Jaiden's Graduation<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476312522746316050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 127px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63hg0MLzDezO06ISHDj5tsOVjrFSO8HjEo05MtllfXmWblFkQqLa6dJfgP6vv-kNox9XrS85MUHmTmPpJ-_4zUnmGReV_ugMGmNjyXWfnIvBxvQ0p8TV_hAn7Ylg1Otxrpe9KVfcnMn0/s200/DSC00558.JPG" border="0" />Jaiden had her preschool graduation last Saturday. It was very nice, but is was so hot! Her school doesn't have air conditioning and when you pack 50 people in a small room, it gets hot! I have been trying to post the video of her graduation but, it is taking forever to upload. I tried putting it on you tube, but it exceeds the 10 minute time limit. I am still trying to figure something out. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476312535232605154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiK7hUc3D00QO_AI1Q0txz0vUU0oTr_VFUJRyz8zHUm31nZNa0j782G2SX9FJ63yrQVXi3eDSl3dJ0aV5_XtLtLKB_dhCBaMHbJjA7HeMEwdi4GfymOLblwFBThq0m68NfuZZiyoyWo4/s200/DSC00553.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />I made Jaiden's dress and had to pat myself on the back. I am so happy about how well it turned out! I am working on creating a PDF to share the pattern I made. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476312506718605506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 106px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRjTo2rWZ3KVdrr9jrog-27AEpuLNoWG-in9fpHluSy66ucKgy2BHrPqFmcfCiyMrvdJhPPrN_GDQkJ__wCN4f5k6dcn5_rpyw3QaYfaciQIqcy1trus_I16GEKQtHn8_WVwpqDezHWs/s200/DSC00546.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476312515043544434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 134px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbJxp96bmb-7efveHsd4Oah-LPZwe3P-TFx1KZti8JVp3RE5oMeSMEvYBb9bgx9Jcz22WSOU2_6p0eg_GBHS_2t6Quxx-6j5UpRjd9hO-i5c_RdTn3Piepbgx0f5Z31NKdc7dsqW9eX0/s200/DSC00548.JPG" border="0" />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-89739306658906745482010-05-24T11:37:00.003-04:002010-05-24T11:50:01.141-04:00Mama's Doughnuts<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NN9l8eFubk9k7UB3uFkaHLPxCIjN7iRNFRyPofcWVPyeJDu2JkR05jV6rEg2Q3Qb3v7ytN-PiUXD54VDDR0_R2PNFMq9kYGioypqA2QMTgY1fGnrAXwzoojCi_z8m4iRZM-BB5N4RoE/s1600/DSC00523.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474863661087499186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 159px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5NN9l8eFubk9k7UB3uFkaHLPxCIjN7iRNFRyPofcWVPyeJDu2JkR05jV6rEg2Q3Qb3v7ytN-PiUXD54VDDR0_R2PNFMq9kYGioypqA2QMTgY1fGnrAXwzoojCi_z8m4iRZM-BB5N4RoE/s200/DSC00523.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is a super simple recipe for doughnuts that my grandmother used to make. I remember as a little girl going over to her house and we always had to make doughnuts. An easy, cheater way to make these is to used refrigerated biscuits instead of making biscuit dough. There are several different possibilities to use as topping for the doughnuts. You can use powdered sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon/sugar mixture, icing, and/or sprinkles.<br /><br />To make these doughnuts, heat oil in a deep fryer to 375*. Place 2 cups of desired sugar in a paper bag (ie. powdered sugar, granulated sugar, etc..). Separate biscuits and make a hole in center if desired. Drop 3 biscuits at a time into hot oil. Fry biscuits until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes. Place on paper towel to drain and immediately place in choice of sugar. Shake to coat.<br /><br />In the picture, I used granulated sugar for the doughnuts on the left and a cinnamon sugar mixture for the ones on the right.</div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-54011407780046747862010-05-19T10:14:00.006-04:002010-05-19T13:51:58.846-04:00Fredia the Fundrasier<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-VzgA4Td9-_O9EqKLEeMB_Cd04z5wJYDMT5PpfZppz86Anbi2IucIbv148dtAiUnR8Rx2pEk5MpMy1JbJ6ZC6l-mnm6c5we-pMl9pOp8iHSurXNIP1Y23OszkfP1Cn1sCFNUy5uhsQA/s1600/DSC00481.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472987084131388466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 93px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-VzgA4Td9-_O9EqKLEeMB_Cd04z5wJYDMT5PpfZppz86Anbi2IucIbv148dtAiUnR8Rx2pEk5MpMy1JbJ6ZC6l-mnm6c5we-pMl9pOp8iHSurXNIP1Y23OszkfP1Cn1sCFNUy5uhsQA/s200/DSC00481.JPG" border="0" /></a> I feel like "Fredia the Fundraiser" right now. I baked 36 Sesame Street cupcakes for a bake sale at Jaiden's church for a Haiti Fundraiser, I ("and Jaiden") raised $190 for a trike-a-thon for Jaiden's school that supported St. Jude, and I have baked 60 cinnamon rolls for a business expo Jaiden is participating in at my mother's school. I am just in fundraising mode right now!<br /><br />My Cookie Monster cupcakes need a lot more practice, but I thought I'd share them any way. I cheated and used store bought icing and used coloring to tint the icing. For the fur, I used tip #233 and for the eyes, I used tips #12 and #18. Cookie Monster's mouth is an Oreo cookie cut in half. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVySHgA2j1b9-VHtyofZEju9qj5HVrdBpV-VC6fPQSBofEWRZ9bOnNWCbKkFDL_L5iBFaZrer6oBygV0YQ62E8cBrFNwhT55JeeE8hUVQqQ_CaZz6K2msiCIT0MSO3VTwOtN03-yquaP0/s1600/DSC00518.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472988886242380802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVySHgA2j1b9-VHtyofZEju9qj5HVrdBpV-VC6fPQSBofEWRZ9bOnNWCbKkFDL_L5iBFaZrer6oBygV0YQ62E8cBrFNwhT55JeeE8hUVQqQ_CaZz6K2msiCIT0MSO3VTwOtN03-yquaP0/s200/DSC00518.JPG" border="0" /></a> I also made Elmo, Oscar, and Big Bird cupcakes, but I didn't get a picture of them.<br /><br />The kids had a lot of fun riding their bikes at school! The teachers had a drink and snack station set up for the kids and a toy gas pump. Here's a little video of the trike-a-thon. Jaiden is in the hot pink helmet.<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwRBhkIqbfpHa7hc-mSctxveo_2ZM1wCOokZInU6lw8N5qhzT7ybSYGnyF3jZylh8QQA-EDx9FIlKRHFFI5LA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-42619261030468069722010-05-12T10:42:00.011-04:002014-04-28T15:29:55.489-04:00FBCT - Frozen Buttercream Cake Transfer<div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdCMn69vKH69ZSf5Fa27pE7YT2vjh6_LIUD8ffwcZmbP0C7F2zFAbk9YooHePYlNAb9th6LBXRSGsf44VWcumBgXk92zQ6rcZzERffukIbIUlTPh72_CidxvQOeXNxl19gUOf_jjceIs/s1600/DSC00410.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdCMn69vKH69ZSf5Fa27pE7YT2vjh6_LIUD8ffwcZmbP0C7F2zFAbk9YooHePYlNAb9th6LBXRSGsf44VWcumBgXk92zQ6rcZzERffukIbIUlTPh72_CidxvQOeXNxl19gUOf_jjceIs/s200/DSC00410.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470396040253112578" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 163px;" /></a><br />
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This is Arya's cake that I made for her birthday party! I was so happy with the results and got a lot of nice comments about it! The transfer for the cake is made using the frozen buttercream cake transfer method, FBCT.<br />
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It is really easy to make, I practiced twice before I made my official transfer for the cake. I had never used the piping bags to decorate anything other than cookies. I really needed to practice the technique of tracing. After I felt comfortable, the rest was a breeze! (Click on any pic to make it bigger)<br />
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Supplies:</div>
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Wilton Black Decorating Icing (comes in a tube)</div>
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Pipping bags and attachments- coupler, coupler ring, decorating tips. (I used small round, medium round and star tips.)</div>
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wax paper</div>
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coloring book page</div>
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masking tape</div>
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small icing spatula</div>
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icing/frosting (I cheated and used store bought in a can)</div>
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coloring/tint to color your icing</div>
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portable surface, IE. cutting board, cookie sheet, etc...</div>
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1. Clear out a space in the freezer to accommodate your portable surface.<br />
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2. Cut or print out the coloring book page (CBP) and tape it down to your surface.</div>
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3. Cover the CBP with wax paper and tape it down.</div>
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4. Using the Wilton Black and a round tip, trace your CBP. I used both small and medium. You'll want to think of this as in layers, if needed. For example Jerry's whiskers would be the first layer I traced and his face the second. This is so that when he is turned over and put on the cake, his whiskers will be on top of his face and not under it. Also, any thin lines that go off the image, as in his one set of whiskers, do not trace these, add them later. The didn't transfer very well. (The pic is of my first attempt)<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JpAXnrjWhMKLIJ908HGYtn3uvTHRdZVJ8N6bO71XAXAqMBR2lIxJwm5kyMJDCPhsqkTCJnH70v2EcaI2-cSaAJTNhr6hlbMqwsHrDSC9TfraG3v46A_d6AHx39kIj1zh4k64Odu2s2M/s200/DSC00385.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470395474000826322" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /></div>
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5. Use your coloring to tint the icing to the desired color of each part. I used light pink of his ear and tongue, light brown for his body, and white for his eyes.</div>
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6. Fill your piping bags with the colored icing and attach tip. I used the small round for the smaller areas and the star tip for the large areas. When the image is fully covered, use the icing spatula to evenly spread the icing and to fill in any areas that might have been missed.<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Hnn3G90Q4DEzEPmaeuhiwCyMYSnqgamaxzNq9OIUeOn7peOSJd0BeysifSA8iXBVoh9zw0wQZ9dtF3INyTq6YLOvxIYxCoLovwjTnFbigE6P7k78eB89IlLCAPLGIOyaLwS-3xFgt0U/s200/DSC00386.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470395800528617282" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /><br />
7. Put your image in the freezer to harden, I left mine in overnight.</div>
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8. Have your baked and iced cake ready to go. Take the transfer out of the freezer, carefully remove your transfer from the portable surface, and place it on the cake. (Icing side down, wax paper on top)</div>
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9. Rub lightly over the transfer to "set" it on the cake. Very carefully, take one corner of the wax paper and begin removing it from the transfer.</div>
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10. Go back with your Wilton Black and fix any necessary areas or to add thin lines like the whiskers (mentioned above in step 4)<br />
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Remember, your image is going to be backwards, so print any words in a mirror image so it will appear correctly on your cake.</div>
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-15914893775760178502010-05-07T09:41:00.004-04:002018-12-01T22:04:57.325-05:00Happy, Happy Birthday, to You!!<div align="center">
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468524044555386770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4R2hXhxRLIabegkGgvnEX5ECF0qj6F8K5vWIq2edi5H8EIsKZEazdcdwazntP2qUIEXcVNu2LG7EjxDGsvGtbabp26y1Nmg0VVZAM14ZSKM8Ua0FeiRAiHOFKcNrWtbXKMLWNfddQ2Ng/s200/DSC04241.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /><br />
Today is Arya's 3rd birthday! Time is just flying by! After 3 short hours of labor and a bunch of pain, Arya was born after 5 in the afternoon.<br />
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Ryan and I were having a hard time trying to find a name for her. We both wanted something unusual, but couldn't decide. I was in love with the name Araya (A-ray-ah)and was trying different ways of spelling it when I came up with Arya. It is a combination of both Ryan's and my name. I fought with Ryan to put a "H" on the end of her name, but he was really against it. I wish I would have listened to myself and put it there anyway, then maybe people wouldn't have such a hard time trying to pronounce her name. (Oh, well, I guess it goes with choosing an unusual name!) Arya's name is pronounced A-RYE-AH, not "area".<br />
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Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little girl!!!<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468525224321650274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz0JBxXEu5fa9Wcqe4hsBqPI2n5n6VFJGJXZJn6cO7i6DCa-tH-sPlJO0dzerMORGRwXivzyfH0Heuii-HNy3uqjsP5lJxXtSMYWqrKuOuO1xxq5-hFz543gTsLWupJzFa0gfRqIETZ6c/s200/DSC01357.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468525238660470530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VCwACHrFN9TME7b3gGTdKfQL_8p8aeDqxOKdkdG2S9vgWw94sSawsPzqypMLzxzoTRcoN28iKYidi0Cdj3ckMkep4KxI4XYETto5GpbtMo9zIhji9WNZvv2ZLZSs-E2MJts4OQLihZw/s200/DSC03540.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 181px;" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiywdD9yQCHtkuHpbLTv63jZkKAmMIBDBOfuNgR7wo4FfsFSzy6hkrFpdxfujfk2n0ttu7TEZ0u6Mm2b_bilmwEchqItk2hMG_JqHxsTtyaexl8LLo8FY1D4B2J7yaA5X81INPNoPWyQw/s1600/DSC03016.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468525233883209682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiywdD9yQCHtkuHpbLTv63jZkKAmMIBDBOfuNgR7wo4FfsFSzy6hkrFpdxfujfk2n0ttu7TEZ0u6Mm2b_bilmwEchqItk2hMG_JqHxsTtyaexl8LLo8FY1D4B2J7yaA5X81INPNoPWyQw/s200/DSC03016.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 110px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbsTVj48JE8a8ma4yNFhgaHj9V5PE2bKMGkYYwEKqjU4JozsMasXr06H52B6oi6nqC5E6EXtrdCQbLzzhn91cXM4MEa1Q7Ho3ct8bAQCSk2kg9XQ6tSQQOFMpX3P_KekeD15T-wWd0uw/s1600/DSC01266.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468525213167020082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbsTVj48JE8a8ma4yNFhgaHj9V5PE2bKMGkYYwEKqjU4JozsMasXr06H52B6oi6nqC5E6EXtrdCQbLzzhn91cXM4MEa1Q7Ho3ct8bAQCSk2kg9XQ6tSQQOFMpX3P_KekeD15T-wWd0uw/s200/DSC01266.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 150px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZhUtQJiZC2DixP3L7UsgK0toplFmebph6VKJxGpeZdULjnF-QnWp74aZYIg_E_GDYL93p3oAXqOEeWqUTFq1hnDhUzhQkxMiLUUaTrYd-B7vVNc9XZnG3LqxigBwwUGLQQ3OvrHxT8Q/s1600/DSC04302.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468524055151938290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZhUtQJiZC2DixP3L7UsgK0toplFmebph6VKJxGpeZdULjnF-QnWp74aZYIg_E_GDYL93p3oAXqOEeWqUTFq1hnDhUzhQkxMiLUUaTrYd-B7vVNc9XZnG3LqxigBwwUGLQQ3OvrHxT8Q/s200/DSC04302.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 134px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9C8K1Ls1mzrM4YdPSSGkpXp9sH-IfevlSuKc2PiqPzJhi-YJL-wgmCNi08l6GIaMPWyxiFcDnzZQ9phjh9tuBQCe3LSJpfFhBEqZMnRXOi2wbBQw7yW6iLn5aGozNp0C9EAu2jScbVM/s1600/DSC00212.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468524036524969154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9C8K1Ls1mzrM4YdPSSGkpXp9sH-IfevlSuKc2PiqPzJhi-YJL-wgmCNi08l6GIaMPWyxiFcDnzZQ9phjh9tuBQCe3LSJpfFhBEqZMnRXOi2wbBQw7yW6iLn5aGozNp0C9EAu2jScbVM/s200/DSC00212.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUp4DR7ATfdNsw2iz-quaXkT5PEuy635o6-9P5bbR2O8cSLmQG5gzqoVU0u-SoDiMJqLDi8ep4hC0KAg-UdUweqAYmTJ-b6eQ5gShQoLIOPJqY2rbG0FvYd2Yx4CgP9InG-OQ-_18Szw/s1600/DSC04872.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468524021816978130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUp4DR7ATfdNsw2iz-quaXkT5PEuy635o6-9P5bbR2O8cSLmQG5gzqoVU0u-SoDiMJqLDi8ep4hC0KAg-UdUweqAYmTJ-b6eQ5gShQoLIOPJqY2rbG0FvYd2Yx4CgP9InG-OQ-_18Szw/s200/DSC04872.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /></a> </div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4292326155960325660.post-45321107474895205332010-05-05T09:49:00.004-04:002010-05-05T10:04:54.248-04:00Dollar Store Homemade DeodorantI have been searching the internet for recipes to make deodorant and I have found there are just as many different recipes as there are brands of deodorant in a store. I took bits and pieces from the different recipes and made my own deodorant. Let me just say, it works! I have put in to the test for three days now. I put some on in the morning and that evening, I mowed grass, the deodorant held up! Ryan wore some to work yesterday to test it himself. It was a hot day and was out in the elements all day delivering several appliances. In other words, he had a hot and busy day. He even came home and worked in the yard without applying more deodorant, he really put the deodorant to the test. It's amazing how it kept odor away all day! This is a keeper! He usually has to reapply deodorant when he gets home from work, but didn't yesterday!<br /><br />I bought all the ingredients at Dollar General to make this and spent $3.50 for supplies that will make a ton of deodorant. A big price break from store bought, plus this stuff isn't giving Ryan a rash like the store bought does. This deodorant will not keep you dry, but it defiantly keeps the smell away!<br /><br />I just used a plastic spoon for measuring and stored it a mini Glad container.<br /><br />Homemade Deodorant<br /><br />3 tsp. Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Cream<br />1 tsp. Vitamin E skin oil<br />2 tsp. baking soda<br /><br />Stir all together to make a cream deodorant. It may be necessary to add more coca butter for a smoother consistency.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13123755619425281182noreply@blogger.com1