In The Kitchen

Hello Friends!

As of late I've been enjoying more time in my kitchen.  I've been attempting to get more made from scratch instead of leaning on what I can buy.  It just takes a bit more planning on my part...one of the things I'm working harder at.

First off I was blessed with finding a bunch of strawberries on mark down at the grocery and made some jam.  In the jars the fruit is separated, but once opened we stirred it and it all stays nicely mixed.  One of my families favourites.  This year we are attempting to grow more of our own strawberries so we will have to wait and see how that works out.  It's still very early in the season for them in the Yukon.  We have a small patch and hope that there'll be enough at the same time for strawberry shortcake. :)

There will be lots more jam making to come this summer.

Then, there is the usual cookie baking.   Chocolate chip cookies this time, but we love our cinnamon oatmeal, & peanut butter ones as well.

I have been hearing about fermented pickles and thought I'd give it a try.  I found a great tutorial at Back to the Homestead HERE.  I used some pickles that I got at the grocery store since we don't have any of our own yet.  We left them for a week and the liquid turned all murky.  When we opened the jar it all bubbled up and smelled nice and dilly. :)  The pickles taste really good, and we will be doing this again.  They are now in the fridge waiting to be all eaten, which won't take long.

For Father's Day we made a chocolate pie with Reese peanut butter mini cups in the bottom.  It tasted SO good. :)

I made a few pie shells (one cooked and the others un-cooked), put them in freezer bags and tucked them in the freezer for quick deserts later.  I also tucked away some filling in the freezer so it'll be easy to combine them and pop in the oven.

I have gotten into the regular rhythm of making bread, and it's such a comfort food for us.  Buns for lunches and loaves for toast, french toast or garlic toast.  We go through a lot of bread in our house and make it every couple of days.  I make a double batch (two loaves, and a pan full of buns).  I wanted to make larger batches, but my stove is little and they over rise and fall while waiting to bake.  So I make it more often.  I really need to take the time to make more and tuck it in the freezer...on my to do list. :)

One other thing we love in our house are brownies.  How about you?  In the pic you can see I had the oven a touch too hot and it burned the edges of the parchment paper.  But the brownies were perfect.  I found a wonderful recipe that uses cocoa powder instead of the chocolate bricks.  Now they turn out perfect each time for me.  If you'd like the recipe you can find it HERE.  I clipped mine out of an old magazine I had been given but found it online for you.

Thanks so much for dropping by!  I hope that you have a beautiful day!

Sharing with The Art of Homemaking Mondays.

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Frolicking Along The Riverside

Hello! Do any of you like spontaneous walks in nature?  The past weekend my girls and I were sitting on our benches by the river and saw a big eagle land up river on the shore.  It seemed to be looking for something so we thought we'd get a closer look.  Well he flew off, but we found the otter/ muskrat tunnel leading away from the river into a pond just off the river.  Then we found a little river coming from the pond to the big river a bit further up...then we saw the trail that leads along the river.  Well, we just kept going and had fun looking at some sweet little details.  Like the little river that reminded my girls of a snake,

the grasses,

  little wildflowers,

                           
   
The calmer parts of the river with a nice shore that you could sit and enjoy a picnic on,

Fallen trees surrounded by caribou moss,

and just all around fun curves and changes in the terrain.

We had fun my girls and I.  Just a little spontaneous walk that was filled with talks about God's beautiful creation,  fun, and giggles.  Especially as we went barefoot on the way home, running along the path through the trees and grasses. :)  Cherished memories. Sometimes those simple things are the things we remember the most.

Sharing with the Art of Homemaking Mondays.

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A Vintage Birthday Card

Hello Friends!  I have a card to share with you today that I made for a sweet young lady.  Something vintage and full of movement.

I had found a scrap of this pretty paper that had been given me a long time ago.  Just waiting for the right project. I added a touch of inking around the outside of the layers to soften the edges.  Then I added some lovely lace and a bit of string.  Then it still looked kinda lonely so I added a couple layered flowers under the bow.  The larger flower having sparkles that matched the touch of pink in the paper.  Then for a finishing touch I added some fun buttons that I just took off an old shirt. It's fun when those details come together.

Here's a close up of the flowers and bow.

Here's a close up of the fun button.

Thanks so much for dropping by! :)  Hope you have a delightful day!

Sharing with Word Art Wednesday.

A Place to Lay My Head

Hello! Today I'd like to share with you a couple pillow cases that I made for a sweet young lady.

I used a piece of a pretty floral sheet that had been torn in half, and some pretty eyelet lace bedskirt.  I sewed a strip of rickrack on the seam.  Something pretty to sleep on.

I also found this pretty and soft shawl that I folded and sewed to make another pillowcase and then the cloth covered buttons on each side button up those sections.  This will make a really warm and snuggly addition to the winter bed.

It's fun to find things that can be altered to make something else that's useable.  I hope she dreams sweet dreams while using these!

Thank you for dropping by!  I'd love to hear of things that you like to alter.

Sharing with The Art of Homemaking Mondays.

Simply Blessed

Above is a card that my daughter made for me for mother's day this year.  She used a velum sentiment sheet and placed it over some gentle papers with a touch of distressing.  Then added some sweet paper flowers and pearls.

I've been thinking a lot about the word blessed lately.  How by the world's standards I have not much, but by God's standards I am rich.

I am blessed to have been saved by a gracious merciful God!  Through repentance and faith I was drawn to the Saviour Christ Jesus the Lord. He has saved me from my sin and I look forward to being with Him forever.  As a young girl I called on the name of the Lord and he answered me.  I am blessed to be forgiven, I am blessed to know that there is life, eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Do you know Him?  Has he saved you from your sin?  If not I recommend you read about the Gospel HERE.

How amazing it is to be a wife to a wonderful man who loves the Lord Jesus and who leads our family to the word of God (KJV in english).  To be a mother to four amazing children all who challenge me and delight me.  How I live in a warm cozy home in the country with lots of fresh air! I have a garden and small greenhouse to help grow food for my family.  I have yarn to crochet things with, and a sewing machine to sew things.

The Lord has led me to learning more simple things, to leave the rush of the world behind and seek to walk before him with a heart that's stayed on Him.  I still have much to learn, but when you tune out the world and all it's distractions, you learn a truer reality.  Simple things.  To fear God and depart from evil.  To grow and learn by the word of God.  To care for my family and their needs with genuine love.  Not forced, not obligated, but in joyful service to them.  To be a woman in the true sense of the word, to love feminine things.  To be vulnerable, to be gentle spirited, to be modest in spirit and appearance, to be protective, to be content with the role that the Lord Jesus has given me.  These things I'm learning.

When I start to count my blessings I start to see how amazing the Lord has been to me.  Simple things...things that a world pressing on for more, more, more misses.  Don't be to busy and distracted to think on the things of the Lord Jesus and His Word. To walk in the paths that He has for you.

Praying also for all of you.  May you have a blessed day!

Sharing at Word Art Wednesday, Art of Homemaking Monday,  Wise Woman Linkup.

Lacy Screen and Apple Sticks

Hello!  This weekend I got to spend most of the day with just my boys.  I'd love to share with you a lacy screen that the boys and I made for the kitchen window this weekend.  The old screen was full of holes and I'd seen this idea and thought it was worth a try.  We salvaged some small wood from the dump and the lace is from a valance we found at the free store.  A few nails and staples later it was ready to pop into the window.  The lace helped it fit snuggly so it won't blow out.   Something pretty to see as we wash the dishes.

Then we decided to make something new for snack time.  Apple pie sticks.   They were so yummy and easy.  We just made some applesauce (I added brown sugar this time where I usually don't.) then layered it between pie dough.  We used the boys play dough cutter.  Yes, I washed it first.   Once baked and cooled we dipped them in whipped cream. Yum!  Sorry we didn't get an after it was cooked pic.  But they did cook up nicely and didn't spill out the applesauce all over the place.

Thanks for dropping by!  Praying you have a beautiful day!

Sharing with The Art of Homemaking Mondays.

Sweet Girl!

 Hello Friends!  I have a sweet little card to share with you today.  It was my daughter's birthday yesterday and so I put this together for her.   God has been so good to me!  She's 17 now and is such an amazing and beautiful young woman!

 I used some new stamps that were gifted me and they're from Our Daily Bread Stamps. 

 I used some lovely purply paper by Bo Bunny and then I embossed it with a damask folder.  I added some distressing to the edges of the papers, a touch of a doily and some inking on the corrugated part.   The lace I added was also gifted to me and I couldn't help using two different kinds. :) 

Last of all I added a crocheted flower I made to match.  It's using THIS pattern.  Then popped a pearl in the center.

Sharing with Word Art Wednesday.