Summer Wear

Going Retro........

Don't you just love these?!!!

I don't remember a time when I wasn't interested in sewing. Mother had an old tredle sewing macine that belonged to Grandma Nieland. I had no idea Mother knew how to use it until I came home from school one day when I was 10 and she'd made herself some maternity clothes. WOW!

Around the same time that one day I came home from school and she had loaves of bread and pans of cinnamon rolls cooling on the kitchen table. I had no idea she could bake! She explained that she'd always done the family's baking in Alaska.... bread and such didn't come from a store. I just had never had any idea!

As for the sewing machine, I'd pushed that pedal trying to put things together, to be creative so many time but I had no clue.... Then, finally, I got a sewing machine when I was 13 and sewed many a mile on it. Igot me a new one in '76. I loved it... Then, Somehow, a year or so ago I managed to accumulate two more sewing machines. Well, I gave ole '76 away and another of the three and kept one that was fancier than the '76 model. When I went to use it one day, IT DIDN'T WORK! Fixing it was just too much to spend on it. So I've been moaning and groaning for quite awhile about no sewing machine..... It's tough, tho'! I don't know how people who don't own one get along! I mean, even if you don't want to MAKE something.... seems like very time I turn around I need to sew on something!

Well, this is what Iggie has in mind......

Iggie has a machine. One of those plastic ones for under $100. you can get at Wal-Mart. YUK! I tried it an it was awful!
I want a nice, heavy, metal body like from sometime last century! I have my eye on one on ebay. I keep looking on craigslist but, no luck! I'm getting desperate now......
Anyway...Seems to me fashion lost a lot of it's femine flair after the early '60's.... Iggie's into retro. She wants a Sock hop party for her sweet 16. And wants the full skirt dresses for the summer . The 1950's clothes had a special charm....

I have some patterns I've found on ebay, like these. And, she likes like some of the '70 fashions.... I even have some patterns of my own from back then that I'll have to dig out so see how they'll do for her......

Simple Solution

I'm excited! It doesn't take much to get me excited.... But I'm really excited about this!

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I was thinking the other day I'd like to find some cedar for the bedroom closets. I love the smell of cedar. It reminds me of my mother. I remember she had a small cedar box that I remember held some gold bracelets that I was told had been her mothers..... I don't know if that's the truth 'cause my source was very unreliable. But I remember thinking they were so elegant. I remember her wearing them, too, like they were special. Sad to say, they're gone. I don't know where they went, but I remember them and the box. I should ask her about them.

I remember being in Tuesday Morning and them having some cedar for closets.... I'd have to go by and check.

In the meantime:

I've been racking my brain for a neat, organized way to store my necklaces. Not special ones, just costume jewelry. I've looked online at all the ideas for making one or some available to buy. They're metal and plastic ones mostly. They sit on a dresser or whatever and I don't think any of them'll work because they're not tall enough....

I was in TJMax yesterday and thought I'd check to see if they might have come cedar..... THEY DID!!! What I found is what has me so pleased.

A necktie holder. Holds 40 neckties on little pegs in a sturdy, thick cedar hanger!

OR 40 NECKLACES!!!

I checked this out online this morning.Woodlore Cedar Necktie holder $23.99.

Or at TJMAX $9.99

So, I had to use a cute little hanger to hang it from, to hold it away from the wall since the pegs are on both sides.... But I'm pleased!

My goal today is to make sugar cookies for Valentines Day....................

I have all these great sprinkles and such for decorating and I have high hopes!

I've never been a cookie maker.... 'cept one kind. I can make yummy Chocolate Florentine Cookies... but what can go wrong with those unless you over cook 'em?!

One year they asked for parent to make and send cookies to school for some special occasion and I did. They returned 'em!!!

I can do pies and they're a cinch. Pie crust and filling from scratch. You like Coconut Cream or Banana Cream or Sawdust Pie..... I can make you happy, just to name a few. But cookies get the better of me. Till now. This Valentines Day I'm gona have some great and beautiful cookies! I hope. I hope. I hope!!!

I have several books to pick a recipe from and of course, there are a billion online. I decided to go get some tips this morning. Do's and don't's. Maybe that'll help.

I made Gingerbreadmen Cookies for Christmas for the kids at church to decorate and they were really good.... maybe I'm being too hard on myself. Used an egg white frosting, a Royal Frosting version and it made then so easy for the kids to decorate.

So.... I'm thinking positive and expecting good results.... Here are the tips I found.

How to Make the Very Best Sugar Cookies
Everyone loves sugar cookies . But sugar cookies don't always turn out right. We've compiled this list of tips and techniques to help you make the very best sugar cookies.
1. Measure ingredients accurately, especially the flour. Too much flour will make your cookies hard and dry. If you scoop the flour with the measuring cup instead of spooning sifted flour into your cup, you are likely to have 20% too much flour.
2. Sugar cookies are made by the creaming method. This is the most important step in making sugar cookies—it incorporates the air into the dough that acts as a leavening agent. Use the paddle attachment of your electric mixer to cream the sugar, salt, and spices with the butter or shortening. Cream the ingredients together at low speed, not high. For light cookies, cream the mixture until it is light and fluffy. For a denser, moister cookie, cream only until the mixture is paste-like.
3. Add the eggs and liquid after creaming, beating these in at low speed.
4. Mix the flour into the creamed mixture only until it is combined. If you over-mix, you will develop the gluten and make a tougher cookie.
5. Choose a low protein flour, preferably pastry flour, for your sugar cookies. Avoid bread flours with their high protein content. All purpose flour is an acceptable compromise.
6. If the dough is too soft to work easily, chill it until firm. The dough should be pliable but not squishy soft. Handling of the dough with warm hands will make the dough soft.
7. Use no more flour than necessary to dust the counter. The flour will work into the dough for a drier, tougher cookie.
8. Too much re-rolling will make for tougher cookies. Not only does successive re-rolling work the dusting flour into the dough, the continued working of the dough develops the gluten.
9. When cutting shapes, make the cuts as close together as you can to minimize the amount of dough that will be re-rolled.
10. Most recipes call for the dough to be rolled to 1/8 inch in thickness. This creates a crisp cookie. For a moister, less crisp cookie, roll the dough to 1/4 inch only.
11. Remove the cookies from the counter with a thin metal spatula.
12. When garnishing cookies with sprinkles, drop the decorations from a height of eight or ten inches for a more even distribution.
13. The size of the cookies will affect bake times. Put like-sized cookies on the same sheet.
14. Do not over bake cookies. Thin cookies will bake in seven or eight minutes at 350 degrees. Thicker cookies will take ten or twelve minutes. Cookies on darker pans will bake in less time. When done, the cookies will still be pale-colored with just a tinge of brown at the edges.
15. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Do not frost them until they are completely cooled.
***To decorate with colored sugars: Prepare cookies by brushing with heavy cream or an egg white slightly beaten with 1 tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with decorative toppings.
***To decorate with food colors: Mix 1 egg yolk and 1/4 teaspoon water. Divide mixture among several custard cups. Tint each with different food color to make bright colors. (If paint thickens while standing, stir in a few drops of water.) Paint designs on cookies with small paint brushes.

This is the recipe I'll use:

(Makes 84, see, I'm not thinking small)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups butter, softened (do not substitute!)

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350F.Cream sugar and butter till fluffy; add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Combine dry ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture till completely blended
. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes.On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with cookie
cutters dipped in flour to prevent sticking. Transfer cookies to a parchment lined baking sheet.Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until just faintly golden around edges. Remove from oven
and allow to cool completely on wire racks. Decorate with frosting if desired.

WISH ME LUCK!!!!

"Rather, the Lord's delight is in those who honor him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love." NLT You want to please God? Then honor him! As the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5:10 "Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it." Msg . The Bible says, "Noah was a pleasure to the Lord." Genesis 6:8. Noah pleased God because he trusted Him completely. He believed that God knew what was best for him. He had faith in God. The Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Hebrews 11:6 NIV.
Notice that powerful word "impossible." It means you absolutely cannot please God without faith. It can't be done! He knows what is best for you. Trust Him. Please Him. He will smile--and so will you.