Really?

Psalm 139 (Wonderfully Made) by Danielle Rose

We are fearfully and wonderfully made...

Repotting Orchids

I love orchids...I have four regular sized ones and one miniature one!  I  have been afraid to repot them, though, so they haven't bloomed again, although they are looking good.  My daughter posted this on my Facebook page, so I am ready to repot them and watch them bloom.  Can't wait!  How 'bout you?

Merry Christmas

Have a very Merry Christmas, Everyone...Peace on Earth, Goodwill towards Men...

Apple Pies In a Jar!

Too much has been going on in my life for a while...staying a lot with my elderly Mother in another town; my son just left to go to Afganistan with the Air National Guard(he volunteered); and other things too numerous to mention...so I have neglected my blog.  Anyway...here is a wonderful idea for Christmas gifts from Tara of Tara Cooks Blog at http://taracooks.com/ Make some!

From Tara:

I think these Apple Pie in  Jar gifts are my favorite so far – I’ve eaten a couple of them already.  I had a set of these cute little 4 oz jars to use for this project.  These babies can be baked and given as gifts right away or they can be assembled and frozen in the jar and cooked later.  Although I lined each jar with some portions of refrigerated pie crust, I think these could also be made with just the apple pie filling and the crumb topping. Either way- cook’s choice.

You will need:

• 8 4 oz canning jars
• 1 package of refrigerated pie crust – allowed to set at room temp for handling

For the filling:

• 4 Granny Smith Apples peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

For the crumb topping:

• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1/3 sugar
• 1/3 cup soft butter no substitutions

Roll out pastry circles and cut into forths.

Press each piece of crust into a 4 oz jar.

Mix the apples with the sugar and cinnamon and spoon filling into jars, leaving 1/2″ headspace for the crumb topping.

Mix the flour, sugar, and butter together with a pastry tool or with your hands until well blended and spoon mixture into each jar.

Place jars on a cookie sheet for easy transport and place on center rack of a preheated 350 degree oven.  Bake jar pies for 25-35 minutes or until crumb topping and crust is golden brown.

Remove pies from oven and allow to cool before sealing with lids and rings.

For frozen pies, allow pies to thaw at room temperature and follow baking instructions above.

Easy Peasy Ruffled Scarf Tute

Check out this great ruffled scarf you can make in around 30 minutes by Maggie Weldon!  Can't wait to try it!  Here's the link to her page and blog:  http://www.maggiescrochet.com/index.php.  Let me know if you try it out...I'm going to make Christmas presents for my family using this tute...happy hooking!

First Campout in my new camper!

Well, I took "Henny Penny" on her first road trip recently!  Sisters on the fly was invited to show some of our campers again this year at the Country Living Fair at Stone Mountain, GA.  We had four campers featured and just had such fun!  I didn't want to show mine, 'cause I wanted to camp in her.  We (all 90 of us) camped at the campground there.  The weather was perfect...so beautiful with the autumn leaves!  This is the third year (or fourth?) we have participated and it just gets better and better!  You have never seen so many beautiful and creative things for sale; there were even workshops available from some of the favorite HGTV personalities, such as The Beekman Boys.  Put the last week in October on your calendar for next year if you live in, or will be visiting the Atlanta area.  Also, Country Living Magazine has shows in several places each year...check it out...you might find one closer to you...have a great weekend!

Not Pumpkin Pie from Not Martha!

I am so glad it is officially autumn!!! One of my VERY favorite things is pumpkin...so much so I named my pumpkin-colored cat 'Pumpkin'.  I always wait and wait until the pumpkin-flavored coffee creamer appears in the grocery store...then I put it on my oatmeal...weird, right?  Not in my coffee, but on my oatmeal - so good!  Anyway, to make a long story longer, I found this great link on FB for....are you ready?!  Pumpkin Pie Milkshake!!!  Be still my heart...here's the link:  http://www.wearenotmartha.com/2011/09/pumpkin-pie-milkshake/  It is so easy and you really don't even need a pumpkin pie to make it...I can't wait!  Go get you some!  xxx

Learn Mountain Dulcimer at DULCIMERSCHOOL.COM

Learning this is is on my Bucket List; and even  better by this gentleman at the John C. Campbell School!

11 Month Old Twins Dancing to Daddy's Guitar

RagRugs

How to CROCHET A RAG RUG, recycle project

How To Make Granny Squares - Circle Centers

How To Crochet Toilet Roll Cover Tutorial

Julia Child's Brownies!

Since I am on the Nutrisystem Program to lose the 7 pounds (and want to lose 10 more) I have gained back of the weight I lost a few years ago, I thought I would share this with you...and yes, I am eating my heart out right now!  I have had a terrible two month battle trying to lose and KEEP LOSING!  The culprit is the best doughnuts in the whole wide world!  On the way to Panama City, Florida twice in three months, we stopped at the DONUT KING in Eufaula, Alabama!!!  Lord have mercy on my soul!  I ate six doughnuts in a sitting both times...there is a song, 'Cowboys are my weakness'...well, my song is - 'the Donut Hole Donuts are my weakness'!  Really, sweets are my weakness, but if you ever have the chance to stop by that lil' hole in the wall shop...don't miss it!  You can check it out on Facebook...enjoy your brownies (and save me some) as I enjoy my cabbage for lunch, heehee!

Julia's Best-Ever Brownies (adapted from 'Baking with Julia' with Dorie Greenspan)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

8 ounces unsalted butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature

Directions:

1. Put a rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat to 350 degrees.

2. Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.

3. Melt the butter and all of the chocolate together the in the microwave in a large bowl.

4. Add one cup of the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the vanilla.

5. Mix the remaining sugar and the four eggs in an electric mixer bowl for a few seconds until just combined.

7. Little by little, pour half of the sugar-egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, stirring gently but constantly with a rubber spatula so that the eggs don't set from the heat.

8. Whip the remaining sugar and eggs in the electric mixer until they are thick, pale, and doubled in volume, about three minutes.

9. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture.

10. When the eggs are almost completely incorporated, gently fold in the dry ingredients.

11. Pour and scrape the batter into an unbuttered 9-inch square baking pan.

12. Bake the brownies for 22-26 minutes, they should rise a little and the top will look dark and dry.

13. Make a small cut in the the center of the brownies after about 22 minutes to check for doneness. They'll be perfect if they are just barely set and still gooey.

14. Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a rack before cutting.

DIY

I love DIY cleaning tips and I am certainly going to use this one!  I already use vinegar for cleaning, but this will make it even better.  I have already peeled my oranges; unfortunately two were spoiled with bad spots - new bag from BJ's no less - I should take them back, but decided to use what I had to make this cleaner and share the cut up oranges with the birds!  Kill two birds with one stone, no pun intended!


DIY Citrus Cleaner 

Add orange peels (or any citrus peel) to a quart of white vinegar in a closed container and let it set for two weeks. Combine citrus/vinegar solution half/half with water and use for cleaning. Works on floors, tiles, fixtures, kitchen & bath etc. Smells good and is tough on scum! Best of all there are no chemicals. ♥



Quick Orange Peel Vinegar Cleaner:
Orange peels, vinegar in a quart jar, let sit for 10 days or so…strain out the liquid and use as an all-purpose cleaner. Easy, cheap, natural, smells good!


This tip and photo is from MiniMate on Facebook...thanks, Mini

How to Stop a Wound From Bleeding (Emergency Version for “The Survival Doctor’s Guide to Wounds”)

How to Stop a Wound From Bleeding (Emergency Version for “The Survival Doctor’s Guide to Wounds”)

Since you just never know what can happen these days, I thought I would post this for you all...I am a nurse and a Red Cross Instructor, but sometimes people run into trouble before they have time to take an actual class!  This is for FYI only...I am not a Physician!

My new vintage camper

Well, I'm selling my little 1968 Shasta Compact camper, 'The Queen Bee'...One of my Sisters on the fly girls (Donna) is buying it and re-naming her, 'Miss Behave Inn!  Cute name, don't you think?  Of course, I have mixed feelings, but it's for the best...she is going to a good new home and I have bought a 1969 Dreamer camper and have named her, 'Henny Penny'...can you guess why?  The man I bought her from is finishing up her inside and when I get her, I will have lots of pictures to post...more to come!

Spring Sewing Machine Cleaning

Here you go, Sewists and Crafters!  It's not Spring, but I am going to Spring Clean my sewing machine!  I absolutely never even thought to tackle this but I love ways to save money...Here's the greatest little video for you to get the idea of how to do this!  I watched a class with Joanie from Missouri Star Quilt Company on Craftsy.com and loved her easy teaching method...hope this helps!