Pots and Pins

DIY Tufted Headboard...

Before Christmas I was thinking about the old days when the mister and I would run around shopping for the kids, buying toys that needed to be assembled at the 11th hour so Santa could take all the credit.  Back then we didn't think about how many pieces the toys contained or how long it would take to put together - we were caught up in the frenzy of Christmas.  The mister would stay up until the wee hours, reading and rereading directions, swearing, throwing things, one tantrum after another until finally the doll house was finished or the raceway was working.  Then Christmas morning the girl and boy would wake  up at the crack of dawn and the mister would grumble as he was dragged from bed, having had only a few hours of sleep.  Ah yes, the good ol' days. 

This year when I told the mister I would need his help making a king-size tufted headboard for the boy I gave him plenty of notice, I didn't wait until Christmas Eve.  Even so, the mister grumbled and said he was done assembling Christmas presents.  I told him I just needed his strong arms and his amazing man-power, and it would be so easy he wouldn't even have time for the teensiest of tantrums.  He was finally convinced and so I set about getting everything we needed, beginning with a sheet of compressed plywood from Home Depot which they cut for me, 76-inches x 36-inches, for free.  Oh, I was wrong about the tantrums.

 I also purchased two pieces of foam from Home Depot, which was much cheaper than buying from a fabric store like Joann's.  We cut the foam with a sharp knife to fit the plywood and used a spray glue to secure it in place.

A piece of batting, staple gun, drill, wood screws and washers were also needed.  Once the foam was glued into the place, a piece of batting was pulled tightly over the foam and stapled onto the back of the board.  The 2 1/2-yards of decorator-weight fabric was then pulled tightly around the board and stapled on the back - two people are really needed for this so the fabric stays tight. 

It's super important that the screws are placed evenly, they create the tufts.  One of the videos I watched had 45 screws!!!  I didn't have the patience for that so I opted for 14...that was a much more manageable number.  I measured and measured and measured, over and over again, making sure everything was marked correctly and spaced evenly.

The power drill helped so much!  First the washer is put on, then the screw...the washer keeps the screw from poking through the fabric - we tried to find larger washers to use, but the larger the washer the larger the whole in the center of the washer and then the larger the screw...anyway, we did the best we could with the brain power we were given and it seemed to work...until we hit a snag...

Twice the drill/screw caught the batting and the batting/fabric/foam was all snagged on the screw and it ripped the fabric!!!  Tantrums ensued.  I ended up stitching the holes together with carpet thread and then I applied some super glue...we held our breaths and tried again.   It ripped again - once there is a hole it just continues to grow...so I sewed them up again, worrying it would show beyond the buttons...and after sewing/gluing twice, it worked.  Crisis averted!!

I purchased a button covering kit from Joann Fabrics, it came with exactly 14 buttons.  It was really easy to cover the buttons and then they were glued on top of the screws with E-6000 craft glue.

Here it is all finished!!  We were high-fivin' ourselves all over the place!  Can't believe we actually did it...and it should be noted that even though the mister had himself a few tantrums, not one tool was thrown and we didn't have to make a trip to urgent care either!!  He might be mellowing in his old age!  We carried the thing upstairs and hid it in our closet.  One entire roll of wrapping paper and a big bow and it was ready for Christmas morning!

The grandkids were shocked when they walked in and saw the giant wrapped present and immediately asked who it was for...when we told them it was for the boy they quickly forgot about it and moved onto their gifts.  After everything was opened we sat around for a bit and let everyone guess what the giant package could be...and no one was even close!  Finally the boy unwrapped it...he loved it, we loved it, the kids loved it!!  It was SO fun to be able to surprise the boy!

We purchased a picture-hanging kit where one strip is mounted to the wall and another to the headboard - it was super easy for the boy to put them on and to hang the headboard.  The hard part, because there is always a hard part, was making sure it was level.  We decided the headboard needed to be about 10-inches below the top of the mattress, so it would look like it was part of the bed and not just stuck on the wall - measuring and using a level was the key!  The picture-hanging kit held up to 500 lbs., and I think the headboard weighed about 50 lbs., maybe less, actually I have no idea but I could lift it so it wasn't that much!  Anyway, the boy made sure the screws were put into the studs so he wouldn't have to worry about the thing falling and hitting him in the head.

 

It looks SO great!   We are so happy with how it turned out and so is the boy.  As we were making this the mister kept asking why we didn't just buy him a headboard...and really, we could have for about the same amount of money we spent making it...I found a similar king-size tufted headboard on Wayfair.com for $176.00 that included free shipping...it was tempting.

 

We definitely would have saved ourselves some trouble but it was SO FUN to make something for the boy - we haven't done that for years!  And we did have a good time working together...well almost...and that's saying a lot!  Here's our cost breakdown:

 

compressed wood:     8

2 pieces of foam:      46

spray glue:               15 (an unnecessary expense but the people on You Tube said we should use it)

washers & screws:    12

2 1/2 yds fabric:       30

button cover kit:      10

2 1/2 yds batting:     8

E-6000 craft glue:     5

staples:                    5

wrapping paper:       5

picture hanging kit:  15

 

Total cost:            $159.00

 

 

But really, how can you put a cost on the joy of making something special for someone you love?!?!  I think I was most excited about giving this to the boy than any of the other gifts we gave this year, including the things we gave to Max and Elsa.  

 

Merry Christmas to the boy!  

Candy Christmas Decorations...

The boy is always up for helping with my crazy ideas...this year I decided the naked tree in the front yard needed some sparkle so I made peppermint candy to hang in the tree.  These were easy to make, and cheap and at night when they are lit up (with green and red spot lights) they will look very festive!  Here's what you need:

One package of these dry insulation styrofoam panels (available from Home Depot for about $9), it comes with 6 pieces of foam which gave me 18 circles (3 circles per piece.)  Trace the circles, cut out using a sharp knife, saw or what works really great is an electric knife - slick as a whistle!

Don't worry about the edges being a bit wobbly - they won't show.  Along with the foam you will need a can of red spray paint, cellophane wrapping, red ribbon and wire.

Out of craft paper or cardboard - whatever you have handy - cut a template to put over the foam circles so you can spray and have a nice edge.  I used the template for about half of the circles I sprayed and then I got tired of it so I just used the spray and was able to get them to come out pretty good!  At first I thought these might look a bit like swastikas so I added another line of paint...

This pic is without the extra line of red paint - but they are all sprayed and ready to be wrapped with cellophane!  

Sorry, blurry pic but I wanted you to see the extra line of paint I added - made them much more candy-like I think.  Oh, just so you know...when I used the spray paint close to the foam the paint actually "ate away" at the foam!  So keep it a bit back!

I mentioned the boy is always up for helping - actually anything that makes the mister more of a Grinch he is all for...so this was right up his alley!  We do like torturing the mister at Christmas with as much Christmasing as we can!  We had a break in the clouds so it was the perfect time to hang the candy, which we did by wrapping wire around one end of the cellophane and wiring to the tree branch.  

These were the last of the Christmas decorations so now we are done and ready for Santa...who has already arrived and is looking out my living room window!  Time for the Whobilation to begin!  

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice...

 Years ago, just as I was about to start a recipe that called for pumpkin pie spice, I realized I was fresh out.  Off to the local Safeway I went where I picked up a tiny little container of pumpkin pie spice and saw it was $5.99...for like TWO tablespoons of spice!  Right there in the spice aisle I almost had a full-blown-come-apart.  The nerve of McCormick Spices!  The nerve of Safeway!  Where did they get off charging that kind of moolah for something that is a necessity to my well-being!???  I wanted to start a spice revolution right then and there but alas, I needed to make pumpkin pie and I needed the pumpkin pie spice and I was the only one in the spice aisle and you can't start a revolution with just yourself, as that's called a meltdown. 

 

So I calmed myself, bought the tiny jar of spice and went home to make my pie.  But the very next day I did what I should have done to begin with and what you should do right now...I made my OWN pumpkin pie spice and I've never looked back!  It's not only easy, it's much, much more economical.  You can make a vat of pumpkin pie spice and still feel like you can retire at a decent age. 

Why would one want to make a large amount of pumpkin pie spice, you ask?  Because it makes for great party favors/gifts this time of year.  And if you're a baker then you know it won't go to waste...pumpkin spice season lasts for three full months so you'll use it!  We are lucky enough to live by an Indian grocery store (Apna Bazaar) where I bought ground nutmeg, ground ginger, cinnamon and ground cloves - super cheap!  (Asian markets also carry these spices for much less money than my local Safeway.)  The only thing I can't purchase at the Indian market is allspice, so I buy that at Fred Meyers.  (By the way, if you ask at the Indian market for allspice they will hand you garam masala - it's their all-spice!)

The little jars I used came from World Market - $.99 each.  This takes about 5 minutes to put together...add the spices to a zip-lock style bag, give it a couple of good shakes to combine, and then fill your jar(s). I usually make 9 times the recipe - which gives me about 2 1/4 cups of pumpkin pie spice...enough to take care of whatever pumpkin spice cravings I have and enough to share...if I'm so inclined...some years I don't share; hoarding pumpkin pie spice might just save my life when the zombie apocalypse begins, I'm told it will put a zombie in a trance...  

I ordered these cute chalkboard label stickers from Amazon.  They were under $8 and they came with two liquid chalk markers...arrived the day after I ordered them...so my love/hate relationship with Amazon continues, right now I'm loving them more than hating...I have mail order issues.  

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice - Pots and Pins

This recipes makes 1/4 cup of spice, enough to fill a small spice jar (2.5 oz.)  Double/quadruple as you see fit!

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

Mix altogether in a zip-lock style bag or a small bowl.  Keep in an airtight container/jar.  Enjoy!

Did you know you can sprinkle pumpkin pie spice over an unscented or vanilla candle for a delicious scent in your home?  You can also just add it to water in a small pan and put it on your stove top to simmer...just don't let the water simmer out of the pan!  You can even make sachets with it to put in your car or sock drawer so your dog will follow you around even more than normal.  But definitely bake with it...make something wonderful to serve at all of your fall parties...

 

We had a family painting party - sure to be an annual event!  Elsa and Catherine assembled haunted gingerbread houses - another annual event - Trader Joe's still has some houses left, so does Costco, but hurry, they won't last long!  I'll leave you with a throwback picture as I count down the days until I can don my cape once again...

 

Finger-Knitting...

It's only right that today I show you the blanket I knitted with my fingers since it's a balmy 52 degrees outside!  It is supposed to warm up this afternoon but in the meantime, I'll be on the sofa, with Rosie, all cozied up with my new blanket...

I went with a group of friends to this darling shop in Millcreek to learn how to make this chunky-knit blanket.  The class was $90, it included instruction and all of the yarn, which was 5 skeins of very soft yarn and we got to pick the color.  Of course I picked red...it's a neutral for me!  We had about 2 1/2 hours of time to make the blanket - after an hour I was done so I bought more yarn ($12 each) and just continued knitting away...my blanket ended up much larger than the others and for that I'm super happy!!

AR Workshop is owned by Rhonda Lone, pictured above, and she and her team were so helpful and sweet!  If you click on this link, you can see all of the other fun stuff she teaches at her shop.  They teach woodworking, painting signs, canvas bags, picture frames - all kinds of cool things!  Rosie thinks the blanket is hers - she loves it - doesn't she look so cute?  

Rosie is always protecting her blanket...but she will share, which is nice.  AR Workshops will do private classes, which is what our group did.  But...if you really wanted to make a chunky-knit blanket and you have no friends, can't get to Millcreek, don't have $90, then guess what, you can truly DIY by watching a YouTube video and ordering your yarn online.  These blankets are super easy and fast to make and would make fabulous gifts...for Christmas...which is only 214 days away!!!

Yep, this is how I'm going to spend my Memorial Day weekend...lounging on the sofa.  I might be persuaded to go out to eat but then it's right back to the sofa...I've earned it!  Happy Memorial Day to all of you...remember those who served and died...eat a burger or a hot dog or two...plant flowers, go to a movie, be with people you love...that's how to have a great day!

 

Roasted Sugar..

Roasted Sugar, it's a real thing.  It's a real good thing.  If you have two hours to babysit your oven, then you need to put this on your hit parade.  Roasted sugar is just what is sounds like, sugar that is roasted in the oven until it develops a light caramel color and a bit of a toasted taste, all while remaining powdery dry.  What does one do with roasted sugar?  Glad you asked!  You can use it to replace white sugar in any recipe.  Why would one do that?  Glad you asked!  It will give whatever you're making a very subtle "note of complexity," according to Food52, where I found this recipe...and really, if I can add complexity to any dish, isn't it my obligation to do so??  

If you're going to try this, and I highly recommend that you do, then by all means, roast an entire bag of sugar - don't bother doing a small batch, you'll want more!   Of course you can roast smaller amounts of sugar, it won't take as long, maybe 30 minutes as opposed to two hours, but I really think this is genius and that it does make baked goods better - and I'm all about better baked goods!

See those little clumps in the sugar?  It was a very humid/wet/rainy day in Seattle when I roasted my sugar - and the humidity caused the very hot sugar (be careful when stirring the sugar, it will burn you if you touch it!) to clump a bit - either that or my oven temp was a bit high or both.  But no worries if it does clump a bit, pour the sugar through a strainer after it's cooled to remove them.  Notice the color?  Light caramel, I love that color, would look great as paint on my walls!

I ended up removing the sugar from the baking dishes and spreading them out on parchment to cool faster.  Once cooled I poured it into plastic Zip-lock style bags. I have used this sugar when making cookies and cake - and while I didn't have an "ah-ha!" moment when I bit into my cookies/cake, I do think they were better...but then I'm easily influenced when it comes to baked goods!

Roasted Sugar - From Food 52 - Stella Parks

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Makes 4 pounds (9 cups)

9 cups (4 lbs.) refined white sugar  (This technique will not work with raw or semi-refined cane sugar, as its natural molasses content will begin to melt at much lower temperatures, causing the sugar to clump.)

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Put the sugar in a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish and roast, stirring well once every 30 minutes, until it darkens to a sandy tan, with a coarse texture like turbinado, about 2 hours. The color change can be strangely difficult to judge in the dim glow of an oven, so scoop out a spoonful to examine in better light.

Let the roasted sugar cool away from any sources of moisture or steam until no trace of warmth remains, about 1 hour. If you notice molten caramel around the edges, pour the hot sugar into a heat-resistant container, leaving the melty bits behind; once cool, the baking dish can be soaked clean. Despite its innocuous appearance, roasted sugar can be dangerously hot, so take care not to touch it.  Store for up to a year in an airtight container at room temperature.

Troubleshooting:  Metal baking pans conduct heat more rapidly, and their corners may harbor traces of grease or moisture, factors that make the sugar more likely to liquefy around the edges.  Given the importance of maintaining a low temperature, use an oven thermometer to verify that yours runs true to dial. Otherwise, the sugar will caramelize too quickly and begin to liquefy.

I didn't have a great deal of clumps, maybe 1/8th of a cup when it was done.  I doubled the recipe and roasted 10 lbs. of sugar - when it comes to sugar, go big or go home!!  Giving a jar of roasted sugar to a friend who bakes would be like giving them a bag of cash - just a thought!

 

Freezing Tomatoes...

Long time no see!  I've been missing in action only because I've been in action elsewhere...it's hard to work, go to PT (I can move my arm for the first time since last November!!), get in three squares a day and deal with the mister...who announces every Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday the games that will be on TV and then asks about "game food."  I know it's my fault, I've spoiled him to the point of no return, but in my experience, dealing with wild animals, it's always best to feed them, makes 'em more sluggish, promotes naps, allows me more free time in the long run...at least that's my theory.

  

I've also been spending a lot of time biking...yes, that's right, I'm a biker now, a rebel biker as I ride helmet free (!)...in our guest room...whenever I can find the time, where I watch fascinating television like Botched...it's SO hard to turn away from that one!!!  I also watch The Great British Bake-Off - my new favorite and Chef's Table, which is more about famous chefs around the world, than food; so of course I get off the bike and head straight to the kitchen!  Rehabbing my knee works up an appetite!  My doctor assures me it will happen...he tells me that riding this contraption will help... he tells me that I'll be "good as new."  Well...he's an optimist.  Me?  Not so much.  You see, my knee is still the size of a head of cabbage, swollen every day, causing me to limp, walk slowly and to spend an inordinate amount of time trying not to whine and kvetch to anyone and everyone who will listen...this forum included!  Oh put away your violins, I don't need your sympathy, remember I've got the mister!!!  He asks me daily about my knee and my arm and then says things like, I could use some help in the yard...Well sad for him because I'm to frickkin' busy in the kitchen making his game day food to help in the yard!!!

Okay, I'll stop now...that felt good though!  By the way, it took the mister 2 hours to put together my bike.  Two hours of him saying bolts were missing, or the directions were wrong - dozens of swear words later the bike was assembled...directions were correct and nothing was missing - go figure! 

Tomatoes...our season is almost over here in the Northwest, in fact, Summer is almost over!  A good friend brought me a 20 lb. box of canning tomatoes from the other side of the mountains and I was happy to get them cored, sliced, and into the freezer.   It's my favorite way to preserve tomatoes - it's super easy to do, no peeling required, no boiling, cooking, nothing like that! 

 

Canning tomatoes are not usually pretty...that's why they are used for canning.  They can have bruising, marks and even some mold, but don't let that stop you from using them!  Just cut away any bad spots and all will be good!  I don't peel my tomatoes because I don't happen to mind the peels when I make a marinara or spaghetti sauce.  When I add tomatoes to soups and stews, I never peel them - but if you don't want the peels, and easy way to remove them is to make an "X" on the bottom of the tomato with a knife, just to score the peel.  Drop the tomato into boiling water for about a minute, remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water.  Let sit for about 30 seconds more and then the peels will slide right off.  But who has time for that?!?!

After I cored and sliced my tomatoes into chunks, I squeeze out some of the juice/seeds with my hand into a bowl and then put the tomato pulp into freezer bags.  (I didn't squeeze very hard, just tried to get rid of a bit of the liquid, not all of it.)  I added 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon sugar to each gallon-size freezer bag, mixed it together, closed the bag and that's the whole process!

 I add sugar to my tomatoes to help cut the acid and to make them a bit sweeter.  You can leave it out if you prefer, but a little sugar goes a long way when it comes to tomatoes...and other things!

 

 

Twenty pounds of tomatoes got me nine 2-lb. bags of tomatoes to freeze...and that's without most of the juice!

I saved the juice from the tomatoes, had about 4 cups worth.  I put it into a non-aluminum pan, added 1/4 cup of sliced onion, 2 celery ribs with leaves, roughly chopped, salt, pepper and one little piece of green pepper (that's all I had on hand).  I brought it all to a boil, reduced the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes.  Once cooled, I poured into a pitcher and put into the fridge...we both enjoyed our homemade "V-8" juice! 

 

 

 

Tattooed Plates...

For all of you Hawk-eyes out there who asked about our Seahawk Dinner Plates...they're really faux-hawks!  And you can make your own Seahawk plates, or use your favorite teams logo - OR - really almost any symbol or design you want, as long as you can find it as a temporary tattoo!

Many of you asked about these plates when I posted a picture of them with my Meatball Sub Casserole  and all I can say is ya'll could be NFL refs because you've got good eyes!!  These are Nautica dinner plates, I love them and I usually use these plates during the summer and on every Seahawks Sunday.  You know, food always tastes better when the dishes match the game on TV!

Several months ago I purchased a package of Waterless Tattoos from a party store - I think they were about $4.00.  These waterless tattoos are made to go on your skin then when you're through shocking your parents with your body art, they easily wash off.  I like to use them on my dinner plates!  They are easy to apply - just like any sticker and once on they don't smear and they will stay put until you wash them off.  I use olive oil to remove them - they slide right off - super easy!

You can use any waterless tattoo for this project - think of the possibilities!!!  Hearts for Valentines, bunnies for Easter, Skulls for Halloween, etc., etc., etc.!  If you have white or cream dinnerware - with or without colored rims - the tattoos will show up great!  They are a very little detail  but it's the details that matter!  I don't put the tattoos on the center of the plate - while they are skin safe, the packages I use do not specify if they are food safe - so I keep the tattoos on the rim of the plate, away from food.

It's beginning to look like Fall ya'll!  I'm so ready for Fall - I love the crisp, cool days and the color on the trees this year is spectacular!  Hope you're enjoying Pumpkin season wherever you are - and by the way, little tattoo pumpkins would look great on your dinner plates!

Baby Rylee's Nursery...

Baby Rylee is my niece Gabby's new baby girl - and she's a sweetheart!  I finally got to meet her when I was in Utah last week - she is already one month old!

Elsa and Max were all to happy to spend time with Rylee.  Max was overheard saying, "Elsa, let's go explore baby Rylee!"  We kept a close watch over them exploring...but they both just wanted to hold her and touch her little fingers.  Look how big they are in comparison!!  Elsa is now 3 1/2 and Max is 7...they are growing up waaaaaay too fast for me!

Rylee lives in the beautiful (not) metropolis of Rock Springs, Wyoming...her mom and dad moved there for work and my sister prays every night for them to move back to Salt Lake City so she can be close to Rylee...I just laugh, as if a grandma has ANY SAY!!!  But we should!!  Kids who have kids and move away from their parents should be forced to move back!!!  How else can a grandma do her job properly?!?  It is possible to spoil grandkids who live far, far away from their grandmas...but it is not nearly as much fun as it would be if they lived next door!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My niece asked me to help her with Rylee's nursery...and by help I mean she sent me 7 yards of beautiful fabric (Love Bliss Bouquet by Amy Butler) and I did all the work...which I was happy to do as I love my niece like she's my own.  I thought you might like to see the finished nursery!

 

This is the crib quilt and the bumper pad for Rylee's crib.  As you may or may not know, having bumper pads is now considered dangerous!!  So Rylee's bumper pad was made to go on top of the crib railing...stupid if you ask me...I guess it's more important to keep the baby from biting the crib rail than banging her head on the slats!  It's a miracle that any kid grows up today!

 

Here's the finished crib with all the trimmings...matching sheets, dust-ruffle, crib quilt and the dang top rail bumper pad...it is cute, though, no?  Gabby hung up the netting behind the crib, which will last for a few more months before Rylee learns to sit up and shreds it to pieces!  Below you can see the newest trend for infant girls...the obligatory chandelier.  And really, why not?  There are so few times in a girls life when she can be treated like a princess, unless she is an actual princess!  A little bit of sparkle and glitz is what every little girl needs!

The glider/rocker in Rylee's room was given to her by the girl, who used it for Max and Elsa -  and those two little birds did a number on the cushions with permanent markers like you wouldn't believe, I wish I'd taken a picture of the before for you to see!  I recovered the cushions and now it looks like a brand new rocker - I think it turned out great!  (The arm cushion was not quite positioned right for the photo...it just needs to be turned down a bit...rockers are very pretentious and difficult to photograph!!)

After I left Rylee's home and returned to civilization, my niece sent me a few pictures of her room - with her new "bookshelves" on the wall...

Can't you just picture little Rylee in a year or two using those bookshelves as monkey bars?  Swinging from one to another and then vaulting herself into her crib so she can twirl on the netting ala Cirque de Soleil! 

This is the other side of Rylee's room - cute changing table with a darling picture of Rylee above.  (Gabby, maybe I should make you a coral or turquoise colored cover for the changing table - white seems to be a bit bland!)

This is the dresser I gave to my niece - I painted the dresser white (it used to be brown) and painted the picture on the front years ago, and so I love this little dresser and wanted it to go to someone who would love it, too!  Gabby has it in Rylee's room, in the closet - and while I think it should be prominently displayed in the room, alas, while Rylee's room is elegant and beautiful, it is small so the closet was the only place for the dresser!  But, that being said, the dresser is being used and was needed! Every drawer is filled with something...the top drawer is filled with baby booties and shoes, the second drawer is filled with socks of every color and so on...as you can see by the rod above the dresser - little Rylee does not lack for clothes!  Gabby had about 4 baby showers so Rylee is THE best dressed baby in all of Wyoming - well that's not saying much, Rylee is probably the best dressed baby in the West! 

One last shot of the little love in her bed...which is probably a first for her - usually she is sleeping on top of her mom or dad or in their bed - like most babies these days, do they really even need a crib?!?

There's nothing quite like a new baby...

The View Spot...

Last night just as I was boarding the Dream-land Express, I remembered I didn't put the stew away.  I rolled over and asked the mister if he would go put it away but as I was asking, I realized he wouldn't do it right...it was in the Crock-pot and it needed to go in the refrigerator in the garage and it needed to be on a hot-pad before being set on the glass shelf...just too many steps for one man.  Never-mind, I told him, I'll do it and he said, "You don't think I can do it by myself?"  And there it was - an opening as large as the Grand Canyon just waiting for me to dive in!  No, of course I don't think you can do it!!!  I KNOW you can't do it!!  That's what I said in my head...but out loud, to the mister, I said, "Oh silly me, of course you can do it!"  Then I rolled back over, bit my tongue, closed my eyes and hoped for the best.

This morning the mister walked into the nerve center and said he had a confession to make...it slipped...he tried to catch it but the Crock was hot...all over the garage floor...but not to worry, he cleaned it up.  Oh joy.

 I waited until I had finished my  breakfast before donning my haz-mat suit to clean up his "cleaned-up" mess.  I opened the door to the garage and the lovely aroma of my beef stew greeted me...the onions, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, with just a hint of garlic and thyme - it was all there in little bits and bobs - smeared on the front of the fridge, on the floor and even on the grill of the mister's car.

 I thought about drawing a chalk outline of a body in the redding-brown color the stew left on the rug in front of the fridge but that seemed a bit juvenile, curiously though, it was not too juvenile of me to write stewed to death on the mister's car with a little help from Bon Ami...I make myself laugh...

This is where I'll be today...in my view spot.  Last year at the end of summer I dug out a little more room, put in a few more pavers and made my little spot a bit larger.  I can now fit 4 chairs in my view spot - enough for visitors.  Feel free to drop by, after sitting for a spell we can walk into the garage and I can show you the scene of the crime.

Elsa's Paper Dolls...

O.M.Geeee.  What a week!  I drove to Salt Lake City with friends and once there we all went our separate ways.  (800 miles in the car, 13 hours, non-stop talking, laughing, eating - the only way to fly!)  So that is why I've been a little remiss in my posts lately...and usually I'm always posted ahead but I've been a bit off my game these past few months - lots of stuff going on and I hope to get back to normal soon!  Last week was a week of non-stop family celebrations...more about those in a later post.  Today I want to show you the Paper Dolls I made for Elsa - she loved them - which made making them worth every second!

This idea was not mine, I saw this at our local Ben Franklin and could not wait to make them for Elsa!  I bought a yard of the paper doll fabric and two packages of Fast 2 Fuse, and that's all you really need to make adorable "paper dolls" for your grand-daughter!

Handing Elsa a bunch of paper dolls would be fine, but that would also be the last we would see them - so I had to make a little "book" to hold her paper dolls - and this is what I came up with!  Velcroed tabs hold the book shut so none of the dolls or their clothing can fall out.

Inside the book there is a clear plastic/vinyl zippered pouch where Elsa can keep all of the clothes, shoes and toys her paper dolls need.  (This is actually in the back of the book - I'm starting from the back, I start all books that way, don't you?)

You can see the plastic zippered pouch on the left above.  On the right is a pocket that holds the paper dolls, there is also a pocket in the front of the book.

The middle of the book is a big piece of stiffened felt (It's called Felties and I purchased it at Ben Franklin, just sewed a piece of fabric around the edges to make it look more finished.)  This is where Elsa can stick her dollies and play with them.  The backing of the iron-on fuse stuff is kind of nubby so it sticks to the felt.

Just look at everything that comes on the paper doll fabric!  Elsa had so much fun moving things around, dressing her dollies and playing with the dog and cats.  Of course, Elsa loves to be in the kitchen so she really liked the baking things!

This is the front inside page - a pocket to hold the paper dolls (there are 8 of them!) and the back of the felt page so Elsa can "audition" which doll she wants to dress!

 

Just a little book for a little girl - it measures 9 x 12 inches. 

 

I signed the inside of the book, "For Elsa with lots of love from Gramma, April 2015."  I don't want her to forget me! 

Isn't she just the cutest thing?  I love her to pieces!  A few days after these pictures were taken, Elsa took a nasty spill, into a fireplace hearth.  She fractured the bone in her upper jaw, broke her front two teeth at the roots and has a bad cut on her chin.  She ended up at Primary Children's Hospital (thank you to everyone who helped her!!) where they surgically removed the broken teeth, stitched her gums, and stitched up her chin, inside and out.  We were all so very, very sad - seeing her with a mouthful of blood and hearing her scream just tore us all up!  But children are resilient and mouth wounds heal fast...three days later, little Elsa was herself again, all smiles, and as she said, "Just wiff no "teef!" 

Luckily Elsa could still suck on her binky.  In the car on the way to the hospital she asked for it through her sobs - and we thought it might make things worse or hurt her more but the minute she put the "b" in her mouth, she settled down, it was the only thing that gave her comfort before the doctors sedated her.  I could only get to part with it for only a few seconds at a time, so I was lucky to get ONE shot of her without it!  Even with a scraped up chin and stitches, she is still the most beautiful and the sweetest little girl on the planet!!