Try It Tuesday - Cake for Your Valentine.

Hey!

Do y'all read Craft Gossip?

Why not?

It's a daily collection of short blogs that encompasses almost every aspect of crafting.

I loves it! 

So many ideas, so little time.

The other day I stumbled across this entry:

 "I Heart My Pound Cake"

Well, I do love my pound cake. 

I think I make a mighty fine one indeed.

But look what Toni Dash of  Boulder Locavore did to her pound cake!

Isn't that pretty?

I just had to make this for BillHubby in honor of Yucky Mushy Stuff Day  

St Valentine's Day.

Neither of us ever make a fuss about this "Hallmark Cards Holiday."

But BillHubby has a sweet tooth.

I used two box cakes mixes.

One Red Velvet and one Devil's Food.

Toni's directions are clear and easy to follow.

I did stray on one aspect. 

I didn't cut the red cake into slices. 

I used my cookie cutter to cut one 

big ol hunk of heart shaped cake.

 It was awkward.

It worked but I think if I decide to bake this again -

and I probably will - I will invest in one of those heart shaped baking tubes.

BillHubby also thinks a cake isn't done until it is frosted.

I used canned Cream Cheese Frosting.

Happy St Valentine's Day!!

Thrifty Thursday and Fabulous Friday Combo Day

Sometimes

I love shopping.

When one has enough money to provide the essentials it is fun to shop for silly stuff.

I always love bargain shopping!

BillHubby and I keep a running list of things we need and things we want.

I am so glad that we think on similar wavelengths. 

Last week we went out and about on a few missions.

We stopped at a few places in search of the perfect thermos jug so he can take coffee to work. 

The two travel mugs he was using are leaky and 

the second cup was lukewarm by the time he wanted to drink it.

There were stops at Dick's Sporting Goods, Target (Targhet if ya wanna get all fancy) and Orvis.

Can you believe there were no large thermoses at Dick's!? 

I mean it's a Sporting Goods store for heaven's sake! 

C'mon now.

Targhet had good prices.

But I convinced BillHubby to stop at Orvis. 

Orvis has really top of the line quality products. 

The clothes are fantastic.

The gear is reliable.

The prices are OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!

Isn't this bowl the cutest? 

This is the best type of squirrel. 

Adorable and non-trouble making.

This bowl would look so at home on a shelf in our home amidst my Raleigh, 

The City of Oaks, acorns and pics, right?

 

(See how small it is next to my hand?)

Um, yeah, I don't think so. 

(I really can't take him anywhere.)

After we took this picture we were swarmed with attentive sales folk. 

Guess they don't allow playing with the merch.

Stuffed shirts.

The nice lady showed us a Stanley thermos that would meet BillHubby's needs.

It was sturdy.

It was big.

It had a nice cup.

It was $45!

(Yes, that IS my shopping notebook. It's where I keep our running lists)

A few days later.

Targhet.

Picture taken to send to BillHubby so he can choose.

That Stanley, yeah the green one.

Yeah, the exact same one that Orvis was selling for $45.

$25

SOLD

I still think Orvis merchandise rocks. 

20 years ago I worked in a catalog return store. 

We carried L.L. Bean, J Crew, Orvis, Victoria's Secret and other catalog over run and returned merchandise.

I still have a wonderful Orvis Barn Coat and several J Crew Sweaters and Corduroy shirts. 

Those products have held up to the test of time.

Shopping around either in person or online is the only way to compare prices, products and save money.

BillHubby is happy to report that his new Stanley Thermos is exceeding his expectations in the transport and the keeping hot of his coffee!
FABULOUS!!!! 

Next Week: Local thrift shops that support other organizations and causes.

Try It Tuesday - Cookies?

 What shall we try today?

 Hmmm, cookies?

Y'all know I have a cute pupper, right. 

Rosie The 5 Year Old Terrier Mix from The Pound

Increasingly I have become more conscientious 

in choosing her food, treats and toys.

I think the Made in China pet products have had more recalls than any other.

So I have looked and looked for Made in the U.S.A. treats and toys.

Her food is Purina. This company is based in St. Louis, Missouri. 

Purina was voted best place to work in St. Louis in 2012.

I think happy people make happy products which equals happy pets!

So what does all this have to do with cookies you ask?

Or maybe you're falling asleep, I dunno.

My friend, Chloe, shared a Doggy Treat recipe that she makes for her pack.

I made it and Rosie loves 'em.

I confess to tweaking the second batch but not much.

Here goes:

Ingredients:

1 cup flour ( I used self-rising for poofier cookies treats!)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup Cod Liver Oil ( It's sorta stinky)

1/4 cup wet dog food 

(canned not dry that has been soaked - seriously, someone asked me that!)

1 egg ( I added that)

Directions:

Mix it all together in a bowl with a spoon.

Pinch off some batter and form about 1" balls 

(I used a cookie scooper thingy - it's so easy)

Place on baking sheet

I squished 'em with a fork like you do when ya make peanut butter cookies

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes

Allow to cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Rosie gets one a day after her evening walk. 

Give it a try.

Tell me what your puppers say!

Yeah they do look a lot like peanut butter cookies for humans. I'm waiting for the day when I haven't put 'em away yet and BillHubby grabs one! Eeeeewwww.

It happened to my Daddy once when my Baby Sis had made a bunch of Playdoh cookies and had them "cooling" on the kitchen counter. 

We still laugh about the face he made.

Try It Tuesday - Bread Pudding

This is a biscuit. A beautiful biscuit. 

It came from a can that goes pop.

It was delicious.

 These too are biscuits.

They are flat.

I made them. 

They tasted okay.

 I should stop trying to make biscuits. 

I hate to waste these. I could feed them to the squirrels and birds but why should they suffer?

 This is the first cookbook I ever owned. 

It is wonderful. 

I still learn lots from using it.

 As you can see, I have USED it!

 I found a way to use the not so great biscuits - 

Bread Pudding!

Have you ever made or eaten Bread Pudding? 

I had not. 

 I like to assemble and measure all my ingredients before I commence to mixing stuff.

Always use the proper measuring utensils! 

It can make or break a recipe.

 

The silver cup to the right is for dry ingredients. 

The cups with liquid measurement units (like ounces) marked on it and pour spouts are for liquid ingredients.

Be sure to really pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup.

 I whisked the eggs.
Then added the rest of the ingredients per the recipe.

 This is what my 2 cups of cut up bread looked like.

 Poured the mixture in a cake pan.

 Placed the cake pan into my trusty iron skillet. 

(It is the only pan I have that is big enough to hold the cake pan.)

Poured hot water into the skillet.

 Placed it in the oven. 

This is what I ended up with. 

Looks like an apple pie, yes? 

Actually tastes pretty good too. 

It's not too sugary, not too bland. 

You can add all sorts of goodies to it -

Chocolate chips, dried fruit, rum. 

Here's a link to some of the tons of recipes on the interwebs. 

 

Bread Pudding

Preheat your oven to 350

Serves 6-8

 

Ingredients: 

2 slightly beaten eggs

2 1/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups 1 inch day old bread cubes

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup raisins 

(which I left out 'cause 

BillHubby doesn't like raisins. 

Really, who doesn't like raisins?)

Directions:

Combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

Stir in the bread cubes.

Stir in brown sugar and raisins.

Pour mixture into an 8 inch round cake pan.

Place cake pan in a larger shallow pan on the oven rack.

Pour hot water into the larger pan - 1 inch deep

Bake for 45 minutes. 

Check for doneness by inserting a knife halfway between the center and the edge. 

If it comes out clean your pudding is done. 

If not, let it bake a couple more minutes at a time until it is done.

Yum!

Happy Friday!

What's up? 

Happy Friday! 

Long time no type! I mean, see! 

Lots goin on 'round here. 

Not exactly exciting in the grand scheme of things but some new stuff happenin and whirling in my head.

Please permit me a moment of whining and 

then I'll move on.

I have decided to give up Craft Shows. 

(Did I tell y'all this already?) Anyways, the last one was last 4th of July. I sold NOTHING. Zero, zip, zilch. 

On top of the disappointment it poured rain several times that day - along with thunder and lightening. 

We only had the shelter of our pop-top canvas roof. 

 I was scared to pieces. North Carolina is #2 in the nation behind Florida in deaths by lightening.

All my merch was soaked - good thing it's all 100% cotton, right?

BillHubby and I broke down early cause all was wet - no way to sell that - and took turns toking stuff 2 1/2 city blocks to our truck. arrgghh.

My inventory was gifted, sold to neighbors and some of it is in a cute shop in Wake Forest, NC -  

Nereidas Nifty Threads  

Nereida is gathering all sorts of cool craft creations for her shop, which is adorable!

Then came the Fall and my brilliant idea to teach folks how to sew.

Ha! 

I put out flyers all over the place. 

No one called. 

So I'm taking a new approach. 

I've been sewing, stitching and knitting for my family and myself. I'm gonna be selfish for a while.

I'm planning some bloggie fun too. 

 Try It Tuesdays with recipes I tried over the weekend.

What's On Your Needles Wednesdays? to share 

(show off) what I'm knitting or stitching.

Thrifty Thursdays for recent Thrifting finds.

Fabulous Friday featuring free vintage embroidery patterns and other fabulous stuff.

Folks - keep me honest on this. If I miss a week of blogging please holler at me!

Stay tuned.   

Stay tuned. 

 

 

 

Happy Hallowe'en

 Happy Hallowe'en!!!!

Yes, I am back. Still unpacking. 

Found my camera - took pics of my Hallowe'en mantel and fireplace - lost my camera again. 

It's here somewhere. arrgh!

Bill and Kat and I dressed up last Saturday to attend a Young Cardinals/100 Yorktown show at Raleigh's wonderful Berkeley Cafe.

Here we are pre-show.

Kat helped us with our make-up. But she wouldn't let us take a pick of what turned out to be her prize winning Tin-Woman outfit!

Bill found a random mustache at the show and borrowed it, creating giggle fits all night. Wish I'd been faster with the camera phone to catch the ear hair mustache!

100 Yorktown was completely in the Hallowe'en spirit. My son, Jordan, is the monkey lead singer with 3 of his 4 banana band mates.

When Bill gets home we're gonna curl up and watch scary movies on Turner Classic Movies or these classics sent by my Sister from another Mister, Pam!

Thanks sweetie! I loves Hammer films!

Hope everyone has a wonderful, spooky, 

candy filled night. 

All treats and no tricks!

 

Love ya,

Becky