Three Pin Thursday

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It is time once again for Three Pin Thursday!  This is when I share three pins from Pinterest that have amazed me, inspired me or that I just love.

 

First up .... if you quilt at all, you have to look at this!  What an fantastic and fast way of quilting.  This is definitely on my to-do list.

 

 

Sew Mama Sew

 

 

We have a ton of old suitcases in the old farmhouse.  I think I need to dig out one and try this. I love the pattern they chose.  I could store fabric, yarn, books ..... oh the storage ideas are endless!  As soon as the weather warms up, I will be digging through the clutter to find a suitable suitcase!

 





Graphics Fairy

 

And lastly, something that I will definitely be trying since we eat quite a bit of Mexican around here..... this link does not direct you to the directions, just the picture, but I think it would be easy enough to figure out.

 

only a picture link

 

Happy pinning and remember to give your loved ones a hug! 

 

 

Thread Catcher and a Giveaway!

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You all are familiar with obsession with Pinterest.  I recently have decided to start working through some of the projects I have been pinning before I have enough to last me into my next life!  

 

Having an itch to sew something, I collected some pretty fabric the other day and began cutting.  I fell in love with this and thought it would be a cute and quick project that I could finish before having to start dinner. 

 

In the evenings, I crochet, knit, mend clothes, sew and now I have started to embroider and well ..... little tiny pieces of thread and yarn seem to end up everywhere!  I thought a thread catcher would be a great addition to my side table.  It would hopefully hold all those stray threads and yarn that usually stick to the couch, my sweater, my slacks, the cats ..... you get the idea.

 

 

 

This was a fun and fast pattern!  The part that took the longest was choosing which buttons I wanted to use.  It was so fast in fact, that I made one for you!! 

 

 

Yes, I made an extra thread catcher and would love to give one of my lovely readers a chance to win their very own along with a few other little goodies ..... your very own cross-stitch bookmark to make, a pair of scissors and some needles.

 

 

Just leave me a note in the comment section and I will draw a winner on Friday, March 1st. 

 

 

I love my little thread catcher.  Faithfully using it each evening while I work on my needlework, there are no longer any stray threads laying or 'sticking' around.  I hope the winner will enjoy theirs just as much!

 

Have a wonderful day and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

 

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

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Happy Tuesday and welcome to 'Chats on the Farmhouse Porch!'  This is when I join Patrice and the other lovely ladies at Everyday Ruralty, have a cup of coffee and chat the morning away.  Won't you join us?  Remember, my questions are always a week behind the others!

 

QUESTIONS :

 

1.  What is your favorite fruit?

 

2.  Wendell would like to know if you have ever been horseback riding.

 

3.  Do you carry a small purse, a big one, or just a wallet?

 

4.  If you could travel to one state for a day (all expense paid), where would you go?  If you're not in the U.S., where would you like to travel within your country?

 

5.  What was your first car?

 

 

 Everyday Ruralty 

 

 ANSWERS:

 

1. Ummm, that is hard to answer as I love so many!  I guess I would have to pick strawberries, no, maybe blueberries, umm, raspberries?  Gosh I can't pick just ONE!

 

2.  Oh yes and I love it Wendell!

 

3.  I would have to say a medium sized one.  LOL  Not small but not huge either.

 

4.  I guess I would have to say Vermont ... I would love to visit all the antique stores. 

 

5.  A Ford Aspire....great gas mileage, fast and it was PINK!!

 

Thanks for joining me today.  Why not pop over and see what the other ladies have to say.  Have a great Tuesday and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

I Won!

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I am so lucky.  There is a lovely blog I follow called The Brambleberry Cottage.  Mrs. R. supplies her readers with lovely pictures, tutorials and simple pleasures. 

 

A while back, she had a giveaway ..... I have since learned that she has a monthly giveaway!!!!  This giveaway included some note paper, writing paper and a lovely homemade cottage journal ..... all of which I use daily and LOVE.

 

 

Entering the giveaway, I really wasn't expecting to win as I don't win much but it was worth a try, right?  To my surprise, my name was drawn!  Yippee!!!

 

Isn't this adorable?  She made this cottage journal herself!

I sent off my snail mail address to Mrs. R. and she quickly sent it on it's way and I received the package on the weekend!  Oh my.  What a treat to open the package.  It was just like Christmas. 

 

 

 

Thank you Mrs. R. for such a lovely giveaway.  I will use them with much joy.  Why not pop on over to Brambleberry Cottage and say hi.  I am sure she would love to see you.

 

Have a wonderful Monday and remember to give your loved ones a hug.

 

Sunday's Blessings

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this week I loved the .....

 

smell of : a simple home-cooked meal

 

sound of :  Celtic music on the way to work

 

taste of :  homemade bread

 

sight of :  big fluffy clouds in the sky of blue

 

feel of :  a hot bubble bath

 

 

 this week I am thankful for .....

 

-  some lazy time for reading

 

-  my job

 

-  my family in Canada

 

Have a Blessed Sunday and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

 

Saturday's Snaps

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Have a wonderful Saturday and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Some Crocheting

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A while back, I showed you this pattern that I had pinned from Pinterest.  Well after finishing the afghan from hell, I quickly found the proper crochet hook, some spring-like Peaches and Cream cotton yarn and dove right in.

 

 

 It didn't take me long.  While visiting one Saturday afternoon with some friends, I quietly crocheted as we talked, then that evening I continued to pluck away at it.  The next morning, I knew I could easily finish it and that is just what I did.

 

 

 

The pattern was quite simple.  Mostly repetitive but I did find that main body of the towel was a bit too long for my liking.  Making a few minor adjustments ..... cutting out rows 51 to 59 .... seemed to help.  I could actually have cut out a couple of more rows, which I will do next time because yes, I will be making more of these. 

 

 

Finding a button and attaching it, I quickly set to work in making some dishcloths to match.  Perfect colors for Spring!

 

 

 

 

It is nice to finally try some of the Pinterest projects that I keep pinning.  Happy crocheting/knitting and remember to give your loved ones a hug!



 

Three PIn Thursday

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It's time for Three Pin Thursday!  This week on Pinterest, I am focusing on printables.  I love printables as there are a zillion crafts that can be done using them!

 

Here are some of my favorites .....

 

She has a ton of free printables.  I just fell in love with these maps.



 

maybe*mej

 

Scrabble anyone?  Is there something you need letters for?  Here is the link for printable scrabble letters!



Fuzzimo.com

 

and last but not least ..... something pretty.  Tags for those gifts coming up .... Easter, Mother's Day .....

 





 

Happy pinning and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Amish Country Bread

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Homemade bread.  Nothing tastes or smells better than bread baking in the oven.  I remember my Grandma baking bread.  She always wore an apron.....I don't think I had ever seen her without one.  I remember her hands kneading the bread and making sure the loaves had risen just right. 

 

My Grandma wouldn't just bake a loaf or two.  Oh no!! When she made bread, she made sure it would last the week and with a ton of grandchildren running in and out every day between haying, feeding the chickens and playing in the barn ..... well let's just say there had to be a LOT of bread.  We would get hungry, you know! 

 

I am always on the lookout for new bread recipes.  I have tried many.  Some have failed and some have been a success.  I can't say there is just one I use consistently.  I like trying different recipes.  So .....

 

 

 

I found another one.  This link showed up on my Pinterest page and well, in memory of my Grandma, I donned my apron and I just had to give it a try. I was thankful I did.

 

 

 

Amish Country Bread

 

 

Ingredients:

 

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter

3 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups of hot water

2 tablespoons of rapid rise yeast

5 cups of flour

 

Directions:

 

Put all the ingredients into a large bowl (or in the KitchenAid mixer if you have one) and let it sit for a few minutes so, as Lindsey likes to say, "the yeast can do it's thing". 

 

Add the flour in small batches and mix with a wooden spoon until all flour is added, then turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or dough is smooth and elastic (or mix with a dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes if using a KitchenAid). 

 

Place dough in a well greased bowl and let rise until doubled in size (approximately 30 minutes if your kitchen is warm). 

 

Punch down and divide in half into 2 rounds and place on a well greased cookie sheet.  Cut decorative slits in top.  Let dough rise again. 

 

 

Rub an egg white wash (1 egg white + 1 tablespoon water) over the top and sprinkle with kosher salt.  I added parmesan sprinkled on the top at this point. You can also sprinkle dried rosemary. 

 

Bake at 400 degrees for 17 to 20 minutes.

 



 

It makes a flat(er) round loaf.  Ours did not last long.  In fact the two loaves did not make it to include it with dinner.

 

Delicious. 

 

Have fun baking and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

 

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

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Good morning everyone!  Grab a cup of coffee or a cuppa tea, have a seat and let's chat on porch.  Each week I join Patrice and Wendell over at Everyday Ruralty and chat with the ladies.  Being a slowpoke, I am always answering the questions from the previous week.  

 

QUESTIONS :

 

1.  Are you doing anything special for Valentine's Day?

 

2.  When you attend something that isn't totally casual, are you likely to wear dress pants or a dress?

 

3.  Do you use a regular toothbrush or the battery run kind?

 

4.  Did you have Valentine's in school when you were a child?

 

5.  If you could learn a new craft tomorrow, what would it be?

 

Everyday Ruralty

 

ANSWERS :

 

1.  No, we didn't do anything special.  I had to work and when I stepped in the door, hubby had dinner on the table and that was just what I needed!

 

2.  It would depend on the season. If it was summer, I would wear a dress, if it was winter, dress slacks with a jacket.

 

3.  Just the good old regular kind.

 

4.  Oh yes!  The whole week that was Valentine's was spent getting the classroom decorated and making our little Valentine pouches for the Valentine's to be put into.  Such fun!

 

5. I guess I would have to say, spinning. I would love to learn how to spin wool but then I would need an endless supply of wool and I am just not set up right now for sheep!  lol

 

 

Glad you joined me for a chat this morning!  Why not pop over to Patrice's and see what the other ladies are up to?  Have a great Tuesday and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Sorting the Seeds

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Oooh, excitement is starting to build.  It is almost time for starting the seeds indoors for this year's garden! 

 

 

We typically cannot start planting here in Minnesota until the end of May and sometimes until as late as the beginning of June.  Many old-timers say after the first new moon in June ..... others say after the long weekend in May.  I just wing it and take a chance when I think the temperatures will be warm enough overnight to prevent the seedlings from freezing.

 

What to plant this year?  Hmmmm.  We have some plans for a bigger garden and raised beds so decisions will have to be made soon. 

 

 

Last year, I saved some seeds from heirloom plants and will attempt to plant them and hope they grow.  The veggies and fruit we gleaned from those plantings were delicious!

 

Tomatoes, beans, broccoli, peppers, radishes, cucumbers, squash, carrots, zucchini and herbs are our old standby and are planted each year. If all works out with the larger addition, I would like to try pumpkins too!  We use quite a bit of pumpkin puree around this homestead once winter hits so there is nothing better than the taste of growing your own!

 

 

 

So I better get busy and start drawing up the plans for which plant goes where.  We make sure each plant is rotated as not to deplete the soil of valuable nutrition the plants need. 

 

Have you started your seeds indoors or have you already begun to plant outside?  I would love to hear what you have planned.

 

 

 

Happy planting and remember to give your loved ones a hug!

 

Sunday's Blessings

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this week I loved the .....
 

smell of :  spring coming
 

sound of :  birds chirping
 

taste of :  fresh, homemade bread
 

sight of :  sunshine
 

feel of :  warmer days
 

 

this week I am thankful for .....

 

-  quiet evenings

 

-  good news from Lucas

 

-  a four day weekend!

 

Have a Blessed Sunday, my friends and remember to give your loved ones a hug!



Saturday's Snaps

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Dreary pictures as these are our days now at the end of winter.  Soon, I hope, the sun will shine and we will be on our way towards Spring. 

 

Have a wonderful Saturday and remember to give your loved ones a hug!!

Three Pin Thursday on a Friday!

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Since I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day yesterday, I chose today for Three Pin Thursday.

 

I am been viewing some embroidery links.  I haven't embroidered for a while but after surfing through Pinterest the other night, I think I will have to take it up again.

 

First up, this one is just PERFECT for my Mom whose cat, "Blossom" always fights for the only recliner in the living room.

 

The Pineapple Cats

 

 

Next up, something that I am just going to have  to try this summer!  Num, num ..... homemade fudgesicles!

 

The Daily Waffle

 

and because I am thinking of summer ...... isn't this just the perfect solution to a tree stump in the yard?  We have a few tree stumps around here ..... I think I just found a new summer project!



 

 

Stitches, scraps and tidbits

 

What a fun idea!!  I can just picture our back forest filled with little fairy houses. 

 

Happy pinning and remember to give your loved ones a hug!