Who needs toys?

She is happy to just run, giggle and stop to pick a dandelion or two......

The view.....

.....out my front window last night just before dark.

Oatmeal Cookies...

Because I had a few ingredients needing to be used up (and maybe because I had sweet tooth), I made these yesterday.

Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup white chocolate chip
1 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream together shortening &sugars. Add egg & vanilla. Stir in flour, salt & soda. Stir in oatmeal, chips & berries.
Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets.
Bake 10-12 minutes.
Enjoy!

Before & After Finish.....

This little box was calling my name as I browsed through the Mercantile taking pictures for their FB page a couple weeks ago. I know....I said no more buying until I used up some from my stash. Well, in this project I was using up some of my DMC floss stash. And this little box sat for a very short time because I had a specific project in mind for it....and it cost just a couple dollars because of to me was a slight imperfection.
This little punchneedle was a project featured in a past issue of Primitive Quilts & Projects by Notforgotten Farm.
You'll see that I revamped the box a bit....I gave it a coat of burnt umber paint and a sanding then a coat of black and some more sanding. That's it. I stitched the punchneedle to a backbround of black wool then attached to the lid of the box. The lid has one small piece missing on the end but I think that just adds character and still very usable if one would like. Oh...I've also added a liner of black wool on the inside bottom. Wouldn't this be perfect for storing your punchneedles? Or to stash some of your cards of old buttons? Or set it on its side to simply display.
This will make it's way to the Mercantile but until then will be available for sale here.....
$35 plus shipping.....paypal preferred.
Just drop me an email if you are interested!

Enjoy your day!

A little sewing therapy...

Had a busy week between John being home a couple days, keeping up with baby girl and alterations and today I decided I needed some sewing therapy....to work on something for fun. 
It's been a good while back, like a year or so ago, that I took advantage of a pattern sale and stocked up on some patterns for Rylee B.  I had even already purchased the fabric and other notions. Even though I shouldn't I really want to take advantage of another pattern sale...I'm really wanting to start sewing for myself again. I'm  finding out I really miss that! And I'm really enjoying sewing for Rylee. Oh, this is Butterick 3846. So cute....love the criss cross of the back.
I had cut this out earlier in the week and kept telling myself that I would work on it one night this week and so tonight...and once I got started I decided that it would be finished tonight. And so it is and I can't wait to try it on her!

What I've been working on.....

Stitchin' and punchin' is what I've been working on when I've not been working on alterations.
The little cross stitch sampler (primitive betty) is my "make it work" project. I used hand dyed floss and totally forgot that fact as I'm spraying it with stain then putting it in the oven. It may be a small sampler but it still took enough time that I didn't want it to go unused so I made it into a make do scissor keeper...using pieces of stash fabric for the lining and back. I've also attached a small strawberry pinkeep and its filled with crushed walnut shells. I've tried to give it that well used worn look.
My other little project is a punchneedle....a project (notforgotten farm) featured in a past issue of primitive quilts & projects.
I think I'm going to finish it onto the top of a little wooden box.
What next? Oh yeah...I have a prom dress and a suit to alter....and finish reorganizing my sewing room.

Monster Cookies.....

Why I've never made these before I don't know. Yum! After browsing through my cookbook collection for a recipe and finding that many of them called for nearly to a dozen eggs, a pound jar of peanut butter to nine cups of oats, I settled for the recipe that The Pioneer Woman shared on her program awhile back. I made only a few changes....While I normally use only BUTTER for baking, I had some butter flavored Crisco that was needing used so I used that instead of butter. And I added one third cup of peanut butter....because I like peanut butter and since all the other recipes I was finding used pb, I decided to add it. The last change is on baking time....after baking the first sheet for 20 minutes and they came out darker than I like....it was more like 13-14 minutes for my oven and baking one sheet at a time.
Monster cookies are a cookie where anything goes....As I was making them, I became curious as to how this recipe came about so I googled it and found this.....

Dick Wesley's Monster Cookies

Interesting. Some of the greatest recipes come about on a fluke!

Well here is the recipe I used.....and a condensed version of instruction.....

Monster Cookies
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup m&m's
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 1/4 cup rice krispie cereal

Cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Add dry ingreadients and mix til incorporated. Add oats.
Stir in goodie ingredients....candies, nuts and cereal....stir to combine.
Drop by large spoonfuls (I used large ice cream scoop) onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
Bake in preheated 375° oven 20-25 minutes.
Yum. I'm not a milk drinker but these would make a good milk dunking cookie!
Enjoy!

Let's take a walk.....

It's gradually warming up in our little corner of the world....and every now and then lil miss Rylee and I get to sneak in a walk....
Lots to see around the farm....from cows and baby calves to a lone duck on the water....the mules, Pete and Kate and an old piece of farm equipment that hasn't seen a field for many years.
The little black and white calf was "adopted" from the Amish for a mama cow that lost her calf.
We never tire of our walks and the things we gt to see and watch along our way.....and we are anxiously awaiting the warmer days!

Another supply stash project...

How many months ago was it that I decided I wasn't going to buy anymore supplies for my stash until I use up some of what I already have? Not that I haven't bought any....I've bought very little for specific projects to be used right away and at minimal costs.
Here's the start to another supply stash project.....a piece of 18ct aida cloth leftover from past projects, hand-dyed floss received in a swap and a freebie sampler pattern from Primitive Betty.
I think the stash is dwindling down...slow but sure. Years of accummulation so it will take some time.
Stay tuned......