Fabric shopping

I'm getting my order for Whittle's Fabrics ready....like I really need more fabric...
...but you see, Whittle's has flat-rate shipping and they also have great prices on quality fabrics that you just can't buy (outside of an expensive quilting shop)!  
((check out their collection of Riley Blake- here))

My plan is that this new fabric will inspire me to clean up the sewing room and SEW!

.....hmmmm...maybe not the best plan, maybe I should clean first, and then maybe buy fabric....maybe. 

But, that would not be nearly so much fun now would it???  

On another note- how do you like these Fabric Advertisements?????
Even if I lived back in the day, I can see (from looking at the prices) that I'd have been buying the cottons and not the silks and rayons!

So next time you want some pretty cotton, give Whittle's Fabrics a try!
(read my pros and cons about Whittle's HERE)

(I'll share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson")

Sewing: a duvet cover...to make a large pillow out of a feather comforter

Do you have trouble figuring just how to store your feather comforter off season?  
I'm not telling you that this is the best way (Must not be, otherwise anyone could buy a large-pillow-making-duvet-cover at any BB&B or Amazon!), but it works well for me, and I get a large and comfy feather pillow during the Texas Spring, Summer & Fall!  Not to mention, if at any time I feel cold, I can just pull out the comforter without having to run up to the attic!

I bought the ruler fabric to make Dad a little pillowcase, but I later realized that I did not buy quite enough for him, so I pieced it with the blue cowboy remnant that I love (but never could decide what to do with).  The back side is a fun Route 66 print Mom bought me. (all 3 fabrics were bought at Jo-Ann...and the dog print the other pillow is wearing)  

I was going for a vintage western feel...I think that I caught it. =) 
Velcro on the open side, closes up nicely.  A twin comforter fits nicely in this 33"x33" cover.

(I actually sewed this January 2017, but I forgot to post about it till now!)

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(I'll share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson")

My First Baby Cake

        I just baked my first "baby" cake! This baby is only 6" across.  

(I borrowed the pans- thank you, Mrs. Hale)

 Pineapple/Carrot/Pecan Cake with Pecan Cream Cheese frosting. 
(The Pecans are from Marah Hubbard!)

 The Cake Recipe is my go-to Cupcake recipe, and can be found HERE.  

(Frosting recipe below.)

Note:  Divided between 2 - 6" Wilton pans, they baked about 22 minutes.

Frosting:  8oz Cream Cheese
                1/4 t. Vanilla
                3 or so Cups Powdered Sugar
                1/3-ish Cup chopped up Pecans

~Happy eating!
 Adrienne

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(I'll share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson")

Food on Friday: Salted Chocolate Caramels (recipe too)

(Light ones are the new recipe,
the dark ones are the "old" recipe.)

 You know that day that is overbooked (you have a mile long to-do list), and you find yourself in the kitchen "playing hooky" making homemade Chocolate candy...
...Yeah, that's the time you realize (after half are in the freezer) that you did NOT just make Chocolate candy, because you forgot to add the Cocoa Powder!!! Sigh! 

On the bright side, I invented a new recipe!   (Original recipe can be found HERE!)

Salted Chocolate Caramels

Ingredients

• 2 -1/4 oz Cocoa Butter & then add Coconut Oil for 7 oz total
• 5oz local Honey
• 3oz Dark Chocolate chips (Equal Exchange brand HERE) 
•  2-3 HUGE pinches of Sea Salt
•  
• 1 tsp. natural Vanilla Extract
• 2 T. Sucanat (or maybe Coconut Sugar) 
• 1 cup Puffed Rice
• Chopped Cashews (or other nuts)

Instructions

~Melt first 4 ingredients in sauce pan over low heat.

~Stir in Vanilla & Sucanat

~Remove from heat.  Stir in puffed rice and nuts.

~Drop spoonfuls into Silicone molds (like this one) (Or Line a shallow baking dish with parchment paper & pour chocolate mix onto paper lined dish.).

~Freeze or Refrigerate until candy solidifies.

~Pop out of Silicone molds or cut into squares.

Store in Freezer or Refrigerator.

(be careful how you store it- remember that Coconut oil melts around 72°F.)

Notes: Next time, I think that I'd replace some of the Coconut oil with Butter, and brown it a little!
(I'll share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson")

Happy (snail) Mail Day!

            Remember when you were a Kid? 

When getting the the mail was an exciting thing to do, because you may have gotten a letter from your pen-pal, or an unexpected note or package from your Grandparents?

Are you willing to send some "magic" to one (or more) of your friends or relatives? 
To step out and say:
                              "I'm thinking of you"
                              "I miss you"
                              "I'm sending a smile/hug"
                              "I care"
                              "Be encouraged"
                              "Get well soon"

(I'll share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson")

 Go on, and make someone's day!

Painting the Guest Room (part 2)

 What do you think???

I just love it- any time of day, any lighting- I love it!  =)  (I keep going back and looking at it!)

One of the things that I did was cut a scalloped template out of a piece of milk jug- traced it all the way around the edge of the wall & ceiling, and painted it twice. =)   
 (I was extra sore, but it was worth it!)

I can't wait to finish decorating this room.  Do you have any decorating tips/idea? 

(I know that I'll do something radical to that lamp....)

 

((part 1))

((part 3))
 Paint color: "Refresh" by Sherwin-Williams.  If you have pinterest,
search 'sherwin williams Refresh paint', and you'll see some good examples.  =)

(I'll share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson")

Whatever Wednesday: Vintage Iron

Isn't this a fun find???  And such a cheery box for an iron!  If I went to the store to buy an iron, I'd buy the one with the cute box!  =)

I came home and found an advertisement for the iron, but could not find the date- I'm guessing 1930's or 1940's...what do you think???

(I'll share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson")

My first Mug Rugs

 

front of rug #1

Have you ever made a Mug Rug?  I wanted to for 2+ years, and intended to make one this Summer to send in my Mug Swap gift I sent to Val....but that did not happen....

front of rug #1

....I finally made not 1, but 2 Mug Rugs!  They went with the Turquoise Fiesta cup & saucer...

back of rug #1

....and are a wedding gift for Elisha Ann--I hope that she likes them!

front of rug #2

front of rug #2

front of rug #2

front of rug #2

(I may share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson"

I just love her blog, especially around Valentine's day!)

Whatever Wednesday: DIY Valentine banner/garland

Every year I plan to make at least one new bit of Valentine decor.... 

...this year, I made this sweet banner/garland.

 I found the free printables on Amy's blog.  You get 16 (all different) cute retro Valentines per sheet! (HERE)  We did not have colored ink, so I had Staples print them---they did a super job!

 My banner only used 12, so I have 4 leftover~ I think that I'll make a cute little mini banner with them..it would fit nicely in an envelope for a really cute "thinking of you" note!  =)

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 I found the free prints on Amy's blog.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm sharing this post with: Share Your Cup Thursday! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DIY Party Favors for a Coffee Party

"Doughnut" sugar cooky party favors, for Rachel Schatte's 30th Birthday Party!!!  (The theme was "Coffee".)

I got the little "party favor" baggies at Dollar Tree (40 for $1?),  Mom printed the "Thanks a Latte" stickers,  I bought the instant coffee and True Lemon stevia sweetened "Raspberry Lemonade" (here) packets on Amazon!   3"-4" of packing tape on the back sealed things up nicely!  =)

Don't look now, the cooky monster is smiling at you...

Sure, these favors took some time to bake/make, but they were so much fun!!!  =)

(Maybe I'm the Cooky Monster....I ate more than I should have...sigh...oh, well!)

I'm sharing this post with: Share Your Cup Thursday! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DIY Party Favors

Did I ever tell you that I love making and giving party favors?

I bought the download for the airmail "love note" pdf- it was only a dollar, and you can get it HERE!

My type setting skills are rusty! I remembered that the letters are "flipped over" (is that the way to say it?), but I forgot to put every thing in backwards, lol!  =)  Oops! I guess I'm not ready to go into business yet....

  

Mom and Mrs. Bee helped me make these sweet favors for Sarah's bridal shower.

ALWAYS make sure to test the print BEFORE you start stamping the project!!!  =)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm sharing this post with: Share Your Cup Thursday!

Milly~Molly~Mandy books

I think that everyone should read the English children's stories about Milly-Molly-Mandy written by Joyce Lankester Brisley.   I was mostly grown up when I was introduced to MMM, but I've read all the stories I could get my hands on, and have sent books to 7 different families...little boys and girls alike love Milly-Molly-Mandy and her friends.  

The first MMM book was published in 1928!  

If your child MUST have colored pictures (and fewer stories), I would recommend THIS book.

If your child just loves the stories and wants as many as possible, then THIS is the book for you!

James & Adam

I just LOVE Milly-Molly-Mandy and Have thought of having a MMM party~  Look at this party I just found: HERE!   Additional link: here

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm sharing this post with: Share Your Cup Thursday!

Mutts

Once in a while you  have to make a few changes...even if you are not (or not quite), ready for them.

I love the Mutts comic that is in the frame, but it was time to change it out...you know before it grew roots...I like the new comic too, and if you give me time, I'll love it too, I'm sure!  =)

Do you have anything like that in your life?  Things you love, but (sometimes) you have to let them go?

(I may share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson"

I just love her blog, especially around Valentines day!)

My Mod Podge Recipe & First Project

In a wide mouth pint canning jar, mix:

6oz glue, and then up to the 10oz line with water- shake it up!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 My first decoupage project~ a sermon note-taking-notebook! (I got the cute little girl image here: http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/2015/08/dont-look-back-youre-not-going-that-way/ , and had it printed at Staples- the sales girl scaled it to the size I needed)

 I used a sheet of scrap-booking paper on the front, and on the back, I tore it up into little bits...that was a headache (they kept slipping around on me)!

After the notebook was dry (I used a hair dryer), I gave it a couple of coats of gloss spray (Clear Acrylic Sealer).

This is the front:

And the back:

(I may share this post on "Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson"

I just love her blog, especially around Valentines day!)