Things to Brighten Your Day

Hello!  

Here are just some odds and ends that have brightened my days. 

We have had mostly cloudy overcast days that are quite muted as of late.  

Then the Lord blessed with this day of glorious sunshine and blue sky!  

OH how it cheered my heart!  

I also found some lovely vintage signs/ printable on Pinterest.  I printed them off, cut them out, layered them over some dark blue card stock and stuck them up.  

Something to freshen up the spaces.  There are many people who love big open spaces, but not me.  

I find that I love "stuff", and I find it interesting.  

These new signs make me smile!  

You can find them HERE! 

Then I've also seen so many beautifully designed pies lately.  

I made some of our own...maybe not so beautiful as others, 

but very delicious and they made us smile!  

It is such a comfort to me and a joy to take notice of simple things in life.  

Have you been discouraged?  Do you feel like life is a little bit "plain"? 

I encourage you to look around you and notice the beauty in God's creation, 

to add something new however small to your environment,

or bake yourself something yummy.  

Thanks for dropping by!  

You also make me smile!  

Praying you have a lovely day! 

Sharing with Raising Homemakers.

A Love of Doilies

Hello!  How is your day?  

I'd love to share with you today some of the doilies that I've been making as of late.  

I enjoy the details and delicateness of doilies.  

The above doily I just finished for my mother-in-law as she loves big doilies and loves red.  

She likes the red/black combo but I was without black crochet thread so used a cream instead. 

This doily is called Romantic Moment. 

I found it in a Magazine for crocheting.  The above link is to Ravelry that if you would like to try it you easily can.  

If for some reason it won't come up...I can take a picture for you from my magazine.  

It was the biggest doily I have ever made, and it was quite a challenge as it got bigger.  I do love how it turned out, and I do hope that my mother-in-law enjoys it.  

I think I'd like to make another one of these, but all in white for my home.

Funny thing about making doilies...I'm not sure if I have more than one that I've kept for my home.  

I do have doilies I've found or have been given.  

I love them all! 

This doily is called Mini Cluster Doily.

It was fun to do this as there were a couple different variations I haven't tried yet. 

This doily is called Country Starlet.  

I didn't block it so it's not as pointed as it could be. 

It's so nice to work with the small yarn, but I think that tatting with the fine thread is out of my league. ~smiles~ 

I think doilies add a special feminine touch to our homes.  

A coziness and holiness that calls out...a lady lives here. 

I hope you have a wonderful day!  

Sharing with Raising Homemakers.

String Art with Animals

Hello!  Today I'd love to share with  you one of the activities that our small homeschool group had fun doing.  

My oldest daughter led this class as it is a skill that she has acquired.  

She made a fun demo for everyone to see and painted a quote on it as well.  

For the class they only had time to paint the background and then do the string art.  

Later at home some of the creations got quotes.

So everyone of the children got to pick a colour to paint the background.  

Then they chose an animal silhouette.  

They took a hammer and pounded in the finishing nails all around the shape. 

Then they tore the paper off from around the nails.  

Then the stringing commenced.  Everyone got a small ball of crochet thread and they wove the string back and forth until they decided that it was complete. 

Below are a few that my children made for the class.  They are now set up around the house. 

~smiles~  

It is wonderful to see them using their fine motor skills in such a fun and interesting way!  

Thanks for dropping by!  Hope you have a great day! 

Sharing with Raising Homemakers.

Soup and Biscuits for a Cold Day

Hello!  Do you like to make soup and biscuits for your family on a cold day?

I do, and we eat a variety of soup.  The favourite being chicken noodle.

I make my soups from scratch other than tomato soup...and I buy cans of it.  

This time I made a cream of potato soup.  It's so easy and filling. 

I just dice up a bunch of potatoes and add to a mostly full pot of water.  

Then I add diced carrots.  Onions/ leeks from the freezer (from our garden). 

A few diced pieces of celery from the garden to.  

Then I add a couple organic bullion cubes (chicken flavour) and let it simmer until the vegetables are almost cooked.  Then I fill a big measuring cup up to the 1 cup mark (or so) with flour.  

I fill the rest of the measuring cup up with whipping cream (about a cup) and stir until the flour is combined with the cream.  Then I slowly whisk it into the hot soup.  At this point I add the salt and pepper.  I stir until the soup is hot, bubbly and thickened.  

Now it's ready to pull the biscuits from the oven. 

Spread with butter and a slice of cheese to go along with the soup. 

All this is great on a cold day!  

This day it was ~ -30C and the sun was shining so brightly!  

The birds outside were fluffed up into balls as they fluttered about between the feeders and the shelter of the trees.  

We were all wrapped up inside warmed by our wood stove.  

What a blessing a cozy home and good food is!  God is good! 

Praying you have a wonderful day! 

Sharing with Raising Homemakers. 

Care for Some Apple Pie?

Hello!  I just thought I'd post about some pie that I have made a bit ago.  

There is something comforting about apple pie.  

I made these pies with fresh apples (through most of the year I use homemade applesauce).  

I just cut up lots of apples, tossed them in a bowl with some cinnamon and arrowroot powder and filled the pie shells.  No, I don't add sugar.  

The pie shell is just a basic recipe. 

I measure out "some" flour, add a generous pinch of salt, then add in cold butter until it's nice and crumbly and the butter is in little pea sized balls (or smaller).  

 I use a pastry cutter to do the butter part.  

Then I add enough cold water to make a ball and then let it sit a few minutes to "rest".  

I don't put it in the fridge...but I know it's better that way.  I just don't like to wait that long.  

~smiles~

Then I roll it out on a floured counter and fill the pie dishes.  

I was blessed with some lovely ceramic ones with coloured bottoms.

One of my favourite parts of making pies is adding designs on the top. :)  

How about you?

I sometimes have to place a sheet under the pies as they ooze sweetness. 

We often eat one pie warm after it's out of the oven, and then the other one cool.  

My husband loves his pie with fresh whipped cream and I must say that it's delicious that way.  

Do you make your own whipped cream?  I never used to, until I found out how easy it is.  

Just put some cream in a bowl, add "some"vanilla, and "some icing sugar" and mix on high until it forms stiff peaks.  

Plus another wonderful thing I learned is that if you freeze the leftover whipped cream it makes great ice cream!....just saying.  

Oh, and I'd love to share with you a wonderful find made at the local free store.  There was this tea pot...all dirty and stained from use.  I brought it home and cleaned it up and now it's my daughter's.  

I have a light blue one just like it, and they sit above our stove together awaiting someones desire for tea.  

Thank you so much for dropping by!  

I pray you have a wonderful day! 

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Time to Refresh

Hello!  This past little while I've been feeling the need to refresh my crafty cubby/ sewing area. 

It had become cluttered and uninviting.  Not to mention not that nice to look at since it is in one of the main areas of the house.  

So as of late, the process has begun.  

I had a sweet little shelf that I had used for the farmer's market to display jam...but no where to store it. SO, I took a hoop organizer off the one non-marking hook, and this fit on perfectly and securely.  

Then it was time to find things to put up there.  It didn't take long as I actually had lots of things piled up on the sewing desk that needed homes.  

I had these fun spools of burlap ribbon and lace.  

A fun wooden friends sign,

and some fun spools of twine. 

Here is a picture of the hook.  

Above the spools I added my little button jars that are somewhat organized as to colour.  The middle which is really reflective is filled with metal, silver, and black buttons.  

I also had one little doily that needed a home. 

On top I added a sweet lavender box that was a gift from a sweet lady.  It's full of fun ribbons.

Then some more spools of lace, and a big clothes pin that I found at the free store! 

Now those items have a home.  

Next was to find homes for the hoop organizers.  I bought some more of the non marking hangers and  hung them off set behind the sewing machine and sewing baskets. 

It's so nice to have these kinds of things on hand when in the middle of a project. 

Now the desk is cleared.  My sewing machine is finally accessible...to finish the one quilt that I've been wanting to finish for quite some time now.  

I cleaned out the drawers, and the sewing baskets so they are all tidy again.

I pulled this board organizer off the wall, and needed to re-do the backing as the old tape was coming off.  I use some extra double backed tape from putting plastic on the windows. :)  

I took off all the extra cards that had been on there for a long time and put them in my keepsake box.  

All but one.  It's a sweet card with mice and strawberries.  It was given me by a couple of dear friends when we moved in...one who passed away since then. 

A scripture verse: 

Matthew 6:33

 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; 

and all these things shall be added unto you."

It's so easy to at times get caught up in the world of creating and forget for what purpose we ought to be doing things.  

A good verse for me to remember what is most important. 

To have a purpose behind the things I create, and not just to be there in that spot for no reason. 

To create cards for specific people for their encouragement and correspondence. 

To sew things that are needed for others, or for mending clothes for my dear family.  

Do you know where you're going?  I have had this pin for so many years, I don't remember where it came from.  It has often caused me to think about the direction my life has been going.  

Are my eyes on the Lord?  Am I seeking to glorify Him in all that I say and do?  

Now that my crafty spot is cleaned up,  I can be more efficient with my time.  

Plus all the others that use this space...like my daughter who jumped in as soon as it was cleared! 

~smiles~ 

Just in time for her need to create something.  

Thank you so much for dropping by!  Praying you have a blessed day.

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A Winter's Day

A Winter's Day!

Sometimes one just has to go for a walk on a winter's day.  

The soft light of the lowering sun, the glitter of snow diamonds all around and the sound of the gurgling river draw you out to adventure.  

My boys leading the way down to the river from our place. 

The girls and our dog Sophie following after. 

The river is slowly freezing, adding layer upon layer of overflow as it extends up and over the banks in places.  The beautiful green colour vibrant against the white snow and dark green of the evergreens. 

With the overflow come beautiful little bits of frost over the slushy parts.

Beautiful ripples have formed and decorate the iced over parts where the snow has yet to fall. 

I love the frost that covered much of the vegetation around the rivers edge as the moisture rising causes fog and frost to gather. 

Kind of like little fluffy coats. 

I love all the patterns the frost makes, and the wonderful little delicate crystals that God has created!  

What an amazing God he is to create so many details for us to enjoy! 

Many say this is just science..but oh no!  This does not come about just by chance.  

There is a creator, and I praise Him for His wondrous works! 

Thank you for dropping by!  Perhaps you will also go on a winter's walk on a cold winter's day.  

Enjoy the details and take a moment to thank the Lord for His goodness!

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Love to Organize!

Hello!  Do  you love to organize?  I do!  

A dear friend of mine knows that and so she gifted me with some lovely organizing things.  

Above is a wonderful tool organizer for crochet and knitting...but could be used for many other things. Below you can see how I've added my "tools" to it.  I love that they are all in the same place. 

Well all but my very long knitting needles. Of which I don't use that much.  

Plus the material is so bright and cheerful!  Makes one want to create when they look at it. 

Then also a whole set of crochet needles in their own little case!  

Perfect for tucking in a bag to go somewhere. 

Just even around the house as my projects travel with me all over. 

~smiles~ 

Then there were these little cosmetics bags.  I have  allotted one to hold these precious shells from the ocean.  It would be a dream to go to the ocean again someday.  I have been to the Pacific Ocean once, and the Atlantic ocean once.  Both times in my childhood.  

I love the selection of colours shapes and sizes of the shells.  Fun to pull out and meander through.  

Do you have fun ways to organize your things?  

Do share! 

Thank you for dropping by!  I hope you have a wonderful day. 

Sharing with Raising Homemakers.