Our First Little Granddaughter

          I had announced to you about the arrival of our little Granddaughter here and now I wanted to share a couple precious pictures of her.  We haven't gotten  

       to get  out  to North Carolina to see her yet, but are working on a plan. These are e-mail pictures. 

 I still  can't get over the fact that we have a little granddaughter.  It feels like a dream really.

 Is she sweet or what?  

"Elyse Adelaide  We can't wait to see you."

A Few of My Favorite Things

A favorite word that my girls and I seem to use often, is the word "cozy".  To us it is a word that describes peaceful, safe, warm, lovely, happy contentment.  It usually includes those we love, comfortable spots, lovely china, pretty things, books, tea  and of course a little chocolate, or sweet treat. I am sure you get the picture.  I have been  missing my faraway kids and my grand babies.  I miss our "cozy" times together.   I decided to take Julie Andrew's advice in "The Sound of Music" by thinking of a few of "My Favorite Things" as a remedy of when I am feeling sad.  Well, I'm not really feeling sad.. its just a longing for them that I can't seem to get over.  So tonight I will share a few of my favorite things with you, and take pleasure in your company.

Old Glass

 I love old glass, beautifully blown or cut glass always draws my attention.  I got these at a second hand store.

I took pictures of these two little pitchers out of the blue several days back, because I thought they were so pretty with the light coming in and hitting them just as the sun was going down. 

 I keep them on my work table next to my desk, because they are so pretty to me, and I am thinking of where I want to use them.  I already have a couple of nice vinegar and oil bottles... so perhaps something in my bathroom.  I have been wanting to make  some Rosewater; it is on my "List".

 Old Glass and Silver

 I love to collect old glass especially with silver tops.

 I found this one years ago at a little antique store.  I love the silver top.  One day I would love to learn Silver smithing,  to work with silver and create things like this.  It is on my "List".

You probably didn't know some of these "off the wall" things about me, but now you do.

I keep special little pieces of jewelry in this one.

I also like old glass containers for what ever concoctions I have going.  Marie and Elizabeth gave me the two silver topped pieces for Christmas this year.  I put "Witch Hazel" in the one on the left, and use it for a skin toner. Its the perfect container for that, because it has holes in the top, and I just turn it over and sprinkle it into the cotton;  I don't like the bottle the Witch Hazel comes in.. its plastic and ugly.  The one in the center has my blush in it; it is one of my concoctions.  I take old powders and blushes when they have broken or crumbled, and put them in a bowl and break them up  nicely and mix them up together, then use a powder brush to apply.  I love mixing stuff up... and then putting it into something pretty.  This month I made up some homemade tooth paste (Marie and Elizabeth told me about it, and I looked it up and made it... We like it.  It is in the jar with the spoon sticking out of it three pictures above.

I should probably polish these up.

Perhaps I will real soon.  In the meantime they are being used.

 I love Silver.   Here is one of my favorite teapots.  Steve got this one for me several years ago... my Mom got another for me that same Christmas.  Neither of them knew the other had gotten one for me.  They both blessed me... I sure enjoy them.

I had this picture, because I took it for my Etsy shop, for the necklace I just made.  Perhaps another time I will post a little more on Silver, because I have several other pieces I would love to show you.

Books

I can't resist books... especially old ones... or with pretty covers or leather binding.  And of course they have to be good books; not just any books, but that is part of the fun of the hunt.

 I can't resist little books either...  I just love those little books.

 These are all the size of my hand or smaller.  The Charles Dickens Book is a treasure.

Beatrix Potter...  love her little books.

I also love Winnie the Pooh.  Nathan and Himilce got me a sweet little Winnie the Pooh book of tea several years ago and I love it.   Little mice, little rabbits, little illustrations and water colors are still magical to me.

 There is always a stack of books and magazines on the side of my bed.

 These are in our bedroom.  I didn't get downstairs to take pictures of those... but there are more.. much more.  They are like old friends.  I really haven't finished a good book in a while (perhaps I have read one or two).  Ever since we got the kids...(our last three kids). I can't seem to get a book read.  I do read  every night just before bed; but I fall asleep before I get very far;  I read a chapter here and there, and pull out what I need when I need it.  I haven't read a novel in a long time.   I am longing for a D.E. Stevenson; she is one of my favorites. I think blogging uses up more of that time that I used to read, and I am tireder at night than I used to be.  When I was young, I used to get into trouble for reading late at night when I was supposed to be sleeping.  I was one of those flashlight readers.  I got in trouble at school sometimes too, because I would read when I wasn't supposed to.   So that is my story on books 

The Big Chair

 I got this chair at the second hand store right after Steve's accident. It was practically new, and I got it very cheap.  I even took the truck to town by myself and picked it up (because I was the only one available at that time) and I am not too fond of driving the truck, because it is such a big beast.  I got the chair for Steve, because it is a big chair, and he could sit in it comfortably and prop his foot up.  It has become a favorite to both of us.  Steve likes it because of its size and shape and comfort.  I love it for its  beautiful rose print, and comfort.  We had it in our little mobile home when we were there after the accident, and now it is up in our bedroom.  I got the little stool at the same time... same store. It is an ugly orangey, tomato red, so I covered it with a piece of material I could tolerate a little better.  We affectionately call it the Tomato soup stool.

 I guess you could say these are a couple of my favorite things too.  There is never a dull moment when they are around... and they are good for my heart.

Thanks for looking at a few of my favorite things.  I have a few more favorite things, but I will save them for another time. 

Blessings to you all.

Ginger Tea

Eddie is at home (sick) today.  His immune system gets more challenged than ours, probably because he gets exposed to more sickness at school,  and  I think because we have a little more discipline in eating healthier than he does (in the past there were many things he would not eat, and he's has had to overcome many food phobias... I talked a little about those issues here and here).  He has gotten more open minded about food and he does like, "Ginger Tea", Lemon and Honey and Umka Cold Care.  So when he is sick, I pump him with those and vitamin C, Vitamin D, .  He pops back to feeling better pretty quick that way.   Here's how we like to make our ginger tea:

 Cut a nice piece of ginger.

Grate it with the small side of a cheese grater.  Some people like to slice it, and that is a good option, but I like to get more juice and flavor out of it, so I grate it.

Put it in a mesh tea infuser.

Fill it according to how much ginger you want to infuse.

 Put it in the tea pot with anything else you like... I like it with black tea... some of you may like to steep it with cinnamon,  mint,  green tea, or camomile.. etc.  Pour hot water in and Cover with a tea cozy to steep about 10 minutes (the longer it steeps, the stronger the ginger).

I like mine unsweetened, but if we have a little bug like Eddie does today, I will add lemon and honey....This is a little of that Honey and Lemon "Cold Remedy" I made a couple of weeks ago; it is perfect for adding to tea... you can add just the lemon flavored honey,

or a few chunks of lemon with the honey.

Mmmmm

If I don't happen to have any fresh ginger on hand... these are good too.

Enjoy

Valentines Dinner

Steve and I are "Home Alone" tonight, (not like the Christmas movie of the same name... more like "Romeo and Juliet"... well, not like that either...I am having a hard time coming up with a good romantic movie that is like us... Brian Keith and Doris Day in "With 6 you Get Eggroll" comes to mind, yes, that one best describes us). Steve proposed to me on Valentines Day 34 years ago.  You could say that today is an anniversary to us.  It is nice to have sweet, intimate, moments, and to take pleasure in those moments when you can find them.  I loved what my friend Roxy said about intimacy today, in her post titled "The Kiss".  Check it out,  its very sweet.  Tonight I have planned a nice, intimate Valentine Dinner for Steve and I.  I have set the table, and put the chicken on, done the potatoes, and baked a couple of things, and I have enjoyed an unusually quiet and peaceful day putting it together.  In a few minutes, I am going to "pretty" myself up, and put on some nice music, and we will be ready.  I hope you all have a wonderful Valentines Day, whether its is enjoyed with your precious kids, or watching a sweet movie and  a little box of chocolates, or whether it is a quiet evening with the one you love.  Here's our Menu

Roast Chicken

My friend Amy put this recipe on her blog a little while back, and I loved how she cooked it in a cast iron skillet.

Valentine Potatoes

Steamed Cauliflower and Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Apple Sauce Raisin Muffins

Fresh Garden Salad

Lavender Shortbread Cookies   

Coffee

Valentines Potatoes

Cooked until done...

Or extra crispy.

Applesauce Raisin Muffins

Lavender Shortbread

Valentine Potatoes

Peel and slice potatoes lengthwise (so there is extra room for your cookie cutter).
Lay out your slices and cut the shapes out with a cookie cutter.
Chop up remaining edges into cubes.
Place potatoes in a bowl (I do the hearts first and then the leftover cubes).
Drizzle with olive oil, and mix until coated.
Add Parmesan Cheese, and toss and coat again.
Lay potato cutouts onto baking sheet side by side (for the extra cubed edges pour into pan and spread thin.. I kept them a little to the side, to keep the hearts free from the other pieces).
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder...and more Parmesan if you want.

Bake at 350 uncovered for about 30 minutes... this will vary depending on the thickness of your potatoes.
Serve them up to your Valentines.

Valentine Sachets

These Little  Sachets are made with Plaster of Paris and are a fun and easy craft that we used to make often on Valentines Day.  I have happy memories of making them with the kids when they were little.  Plaster of Paris is great fun for kids; something about mixing up something messy, and pouring it into a mold and watching it transform into something nice; its a sure hit.  These smell wonderful and look pretty, and are a great little present to make for someone.  

Essential Oil

Plaster of Paris

Candy or soap molds

 Mix the Plaster of Paris with Water according to the instructions on the box. I did 2 parts Plaster of Paris to 1 part water.   I added  about 35 drops of essential oil, per 1 cup of Plaster of Paris powder.

Mix thoroughly.

 With a spoon, fill candy molds, allow to set about 30 minutes.

 When plaster has hardened,  flip the mold over onto a paper towel.

 Break off extra plaster from edges.

Using an old nail file, lightly file the edges smooth.

 I didn't add ribbon to these, but I put them into cupcake papers instead, which I thought was a pretty way to display them.  I have often put a ribbon on the back and  you can do this as follows: Cut pieces of ribbon and put them on the backside of the sachets (to clarify; one ribbon per sachet) while the plaster is wet; simply put the two ends of the ribbon on the top back of the wet plaster, and insert it into the plaster enough to anchor it in, but don't let it show through the other side; You will be forming a loop.  You can use them to hang the sachets like ornaments.

If the scent of your sachets gets a little weak as time goes by, merely drip essential oil on them, and they will absorb the scent again.



Supplies
 Bowl and Spoon
Plaster of Paris Mix
Essential oils or liquid fragrance
Water
Candy Molds

Instructions

1. Mix Plaster of Paris, water and fragrance.  The directions on my box were 2 parts Plaster of Paris, to 1 part water.  Use 30-40 drops of essential oil to each cup of plaster (a little more or less is okay), you can adjust according to the size of batch you wish to mix up. ( If after you have finished, you find that your sachets aren't as strongly scented as you would like them to be or if after several months, the scent has faded, you may drip more fragrance on the sachet; it will absorb quickly into the plaster, and appear completely dry, yet retain the smell.)

2. Work quickly once the water is added and mix, then spoon mixture into the molds.   I used Valentines molds, but you can use any variety of molds, Mother's Day, Christmas Etc.; kids might like animals, or for boys, you could get boyish molds, and add a little more masculine scent,  (although heart and flower molds are a nice project for them to make for the girls in their lives...so what ever works).

3.  Once the molds are filled, gently drop the molds onto the table (hold an inch or two above the table and drop) or tap them underneath to help release any air bubbles; this also causes the plaster to flatten out and be smooth.

4.  Allow to dry and harden about 30 minutes.

5.  Turn them over onto a paper towel; tap and twist until they come out.   

6.  Break off excess, rough edges with your fingers.

7.  File with a nail file to smooth edges.

8.  May be placed in drawers, or  cupcake holders and then in drawers or cabinets to bring a lovely scent for weeks.

Tips:
1. Your volume of plaster powder may vary somewhat as you put it into a measuring cup, therefore, when I add the water, I measure it out first, but I stir and mix until I get a loose, but not too thin consistency, that way I adapt its volume as I see I am getting the right consistency. 

2.  I have found that there is grace when working with the plaster, water and oil, so no need to get fussy about exacts.. but I will tell a "funny one" on myself; I had the bright idea of adding cocoa to my mixture on one batch, thinking it would smell and look like chocolate that way.  Well, I think there was sugar added in this particular cocoa, so whether the cocoa or whether the sugar, I don't know which, but one or both of them was a bad idea.  Here's what happened; it took several hours to dry and harden, after which it was crumbly when I removed it.  It did smell and look like chocolate though, and I had a fearful moment that someone would come and snatch a little bite of it before I could throw it out.  So there you have it; if you love experimenting then I say all power to you, because I love experimenting too, as you can see, but that is one experiment you can cross off of your list if you ever get any bright ideas like I had hehehe.

3. One cup of plaster powder makes up about  1 1/2 candy mold trays (depending on the size of the mold of course), so you can figure 2 cups of plaster powder for about 3 trays of candy molds... I hope that is helpful.

4.  For Clean up, wipe the bowl and spoon with a paper towel and clean it up without dumping extra plaster in the sink; you wouldn't want to plaster your drain up if you know what I mean. 

5.  I often use second hand or worn out bowls and pans when I am doing these kinds of things, and then I put them in the craft cupboard when I'm done for the same use the next time; then I don't have to worry about ruining my good bowls and pans.

Have Fun