Hankie Pankie

Well Finally!!! I was able to set foot in my craft room last night for a couple of hours! I love spending time making things. I keep a journal with me and anytime I have ideas I write them down for future use. This particular craft was in there for several months and I'm so glad I have gotten around to doing it.

A couple of months ago I picked up some old vintage handkerchiefs at an estate sale. They were in sandwich bags and I tore into them as soon as we got in the car. (Oh the things that excite me!) At a separate yard sale a year or two ago I had bought a vintage Martha Washington bedspread that wound up having some repairs and some snags but it was in decent shape. I had it in my spare bedroom at my old house. I've been itching to do something with both of them. So here's what I did!

I cut a piece of white scrap fabric and sewed the handkerchief to it, face up leaving a one inch edge. Then I ironed down the edge towards the front. I cut a piece of the bedspread the same size as the white fabric, put face to face together and sewed together leaving a hole to stuff the pillow. Next I turned it inside out, added stuffing and whip stitched the stuffing hole together. Walla!! A fantastic little pillow.. I made two more. It was so easy. These three will be for sale in my etsy shop later today... at least I think I can part with them!

Garden Blessings

After a particularly weighing Monday that began at 12:49 a.m. I was greeted at home with a caring hug from my Mister and wonderful surprises in the garden. After announcing that I was taking the night off I made my way out to the garden. I was so pleased to see that some of my black cherry tomatoes were ready! I grew these from seeds that I bought from a lady on etsy.com and I am pleased to report that they are wonderful! I just kept looking at them in a bowl on the table all night remarking on how pretty they are.

My second find was found in the green pepper plants which have taken their sweet time producing this year. I picked eight peppers. They have such a wonderful smell and I think we will be having stuffed peppers for supper this evening! I also found that I have five luffa!!! This just tickles me green! I had only found three so far until yesterday. The vines have gotten so thick that they are hard to get to. With the help of my rain boots I was able to get over to the vines and inspect my produce!

I am so happy with what I found and it was a much needed surprise!

Seeds bought from www.fluffnflowers.etsy.com

Potato Madness

It seems as though I was canning all weekend long... oh wait.. I was! Shaun and I with the help of his Mom dug our potatoes two weeks ago. We spread them out in the basement on a quilt to let them sit and dry out a little. I made sure to pick up as many potatoes as I could including the small ones. Shaun's Grandmother had told me that a friend of hers cans the smaller ones to use in soups, green beans, roast, etc. I got pretty excited about this.


I had Granny call her friend and get the steps for me and she did and here's how you do it.

• Wash quart jars to have them ready


• Boil lids


• Wash potatoes using a vegetable brush


• Pour 1 teaspoon canning salt into each jar


• Pack potatoes into jar keeping them just below the neck of the jar


• Fill each jar with water leaving 1/4 inch head space


• Place lids and bands on jars


• Put the jars in canner with water covering the tops of the jars


• Start this process with the temperature of the water in the jars the same as the water in the canner pot.


• Boil jars for 3 hours


• Allow jars to cool and store.

This is the first time ever that Shaun or myself has grown potatoes. The experience has been pretty neat. We dealt with potato bugs eating flowers and leaves the entire time despite putting pesticides on them quite a bit. We have eaten fried potatoes the past two nights with supper and they have been wonderful! You just can't beat that homegrown taste!

As for the canned potatoes, I plan on using them this winter in roasts and homemade vegetable soup and all sorts of other dishes! It seemed like it took forever washing these little guys and my fingers were just puckered! I wound up storing 20 quart jars. I had two break because of water temperature differences. One of them I was able to put in another jar quickly so I actually only lost one jar. I logged it all in my canning journal.

You Can Do Magic!

Magic Cookie Bars that is! This is a recipe that I altered last night simply because I didn't have pecans. But the taste is so different just because of one ingredient and let me tell you... I had no complaints! I believe that when you adjust a recipe and sort of "make it your own" then you should be entitled to put your name on it! So let's call these "Laurie's Magic Cookie Bars"!


These are the type of little things that can do wonders when served to the right individuals. When you bring these out smiles come out of nowhere! Heck you might even get the trash taken out for you! Here they are:


Laurie's Magic Cookie Bars

1. 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (which I keep on hand, they come in a box)
2. 1 stick of butter
3. 1 can sweetened condensed milk
4. 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
5. 1 cup coconut (even if you don't like it)
6. 1 cup chopped roasted, salted macadamia nuts (or pecans.. same magic happens)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, 325 if using a glass dish. Use a 9x13 casserole melt butter in oven. I always put the dish in while the oven is preheating then when my indicator sounds that the oven is preheated my butter is melted. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over melted butter. Pour sweetened condensed milk over crust then sprinkle chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. The macadamia nuts add a saltier taste so a tad more chocolate can be used to counter-act the salt taste. Bake 25-30 minutes and let cool completely before cutting. You get a nicer cut this way. Delish!
Now, a warning, if your car suddenly gets washed or laundry is magically picked up off the floor without your instruction... you'll know why. Don't say I didn't warn you. Hmmm Maybe they're called magic because they disappear so quickly... nah. Have a wonderful day!