I posted a photo of this in Facebook and asked the same question.There have been many guesses so far but none have been correct. The first person to guess correctly what this is, will be the new owner of it. Have fun guessing, and I will let you know if you are right.
Getting Ready For The Fall Craft Shows
I am thinking about going to a couple of craft shows in November and December as a vendor, so I am making things to get ready for it. Since I live in an RV, I have to make small things so I will have room to store them. In my previous life I used to go to craft shows to sell my stuff, but I made things like soap and bath salts that were heavy. I just don’t have anywhere to keep stuff like that anymore in quantities large enough to make it worth my while to go to the shows with.
Way back then, I made teddy bears and hobby horses, appliqued dish towels, and a couple of other things, too. I thought about making some teddy bears, but when I took out my pattern, I was missing a piece of it. Can’t make a teddy with no head now can we?
I love doing the shows–you meet so many people, other crafters, and it’s just fun. And sometimes you sell something!
I also love decorating the tables and setting up an attractive display. Sometimes it can be challenging. Things have changed since the late 90’s when I was doing the craft show circuit. Back then, I could only take cash payments. I am thinking now, I could take my laptop with me and I could take payments through Paypal over the internet, like instant money!
So, today while I was thinking about what to make, I came up with several ideas for things. First, ever since I lost my manicure kit, I have been trying to develop a little zipper one, not too big, but big enough to hold all the manicure tools plus a couple bottles of nail polish. This is the first attempt:
While this one is pretty, it is not functional–the tools fall out the open sides. So, today, I designed a different one, that has a zipper closure, and has little pockets inside to hold everything. It is even big enough to hold a couple bottles of nail polish:
I just need to adjust my pattern to make it a little bit bigger on all sides, like maybe 1/4 inch, so that the tools will fit better.
I am also going to make some more of those little zipper bags:
And some more business card wallets:
So, I think I have a lot of sewing ahead of me in the weeks to come. What else can I make that would be 1. small, 2. lightweight, and 3. would sell well??????
What Does A Lawn Mower Have To Do With It?
19 years ago today, on Labor Day Weekend in 1991, I went to the hardware store to buy a bolt for my lawn mower. There was a bolt missing from one side of the handle, so that it kept falling down and making it difficult to push the mower. I had been dealing with the faulty handle all summer, and that day I came to the end of my frustration quotient. I went inside, got a pair of pliers, and took the bolt off the other side. I jumped in the car and drove to the hardware store to buy another bolt.
When I walked in, there was this cute guy standing there talking to the store manager, who just happened to be my brother-in-law. So, the cute guy helped me find a bolt to match the one I had in my hand. He was very charming, and kept up a conversation with me while we looked for the right bolt. After I made my purchase, I went home, repaired the mower, and finished cutting the grass.
But, I couldn’t get that guy out of my head. I went in the house and called the hardware store. I asked my brother-in-law “what is that guy’s name that waited on me today?” and he told me. I asked, “Is he married?” and my brother-in-law said no. So, I said, “Well, give him my phone number and tell him if he is interested in going out to dinner to give me a call.” And he did.
I cried when we sold that lawn mower.
Pumpkin Pie, Gluten Free
So, today, I used my sugar pumpkin to make a gluten free pie. Making a pumpkin pie from scratch is a lot easier than you would think. And, you get to decide what ingredients to use in it. Start with one of those little “sugar” pumpkins available in grocery stores this time of year.
To get a pumpkin ready for using in recipes, cut it in about 8 pieces, scrape out the seeds and goo inside. Spray the pieces with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet that has been covered with aluminum foil. Place another piece of aluminum foil over the top. Bake at 400 degrees for about an hour. Remove from oven and let cool.
When the pumpkin pieces are cooled, peel off the rind. At this point, you can freeze the pieces. I put about half of my pumpkin in the freezer in zip lock bags for another day. Out of the other half, I made a pie and a savory vegetable dish. For this post, I am talking about the pie.
Measure out about 2 1/4 cups of the cooked pumpkin. Put it in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher. Add 3 eggs, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and 1/3 cup melted butter. Mix well with an electric mixer or a whisk. Pour into an uncooked pie crust.
For my pie, I used Mixes From The Heartland Pie Crust Mix, but you can use any gluten free pie crust mix. I used 1 cup of the mix, 1/4 cup of butter,1 egg, and 1 tsp of vinegar. Mix well, and form the dough into a ball. Place on a piece of plastic wrap, put another piece of plastic wrap on top, and roll out very thin. Place the pie crust in a pie dish, trim the edges, and then press with a fork to form a decorative edge. Pour in your pie filling, and bake for about 1 hour in a 400 degree oven. Serve plain or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. MMMMMMMMMM…………..
Mother of the Bride
After months of looking in stores and online, I finally found a dress I liked–it was the color I wanted, the size I needed, a good price. So, I ordered it from BestBridalPrices.com. And held my breathe, hoping like crazy they would deliver it. It arrived yesterday, and I LOVE this dress. It fits me so well, except for needing some alteration on the sleeves and bodice, which can be done with no problem.
The wedding isn’t until February, so I still have plenty of time to find the right underwear, shoes, jewelry, jacket, and bag to go with the dress. I am soooo relieved about getting the dress, though. And Mr. Fabgrandma said “You are going to be the second prettiest woman at the wedding!”
The Haul From Flagstaff
I found a lot of gluten free goodness in Flagstaff today:
From New Frontiers Grocery Store:
From Basha:
And from the CorK ‘n Bottle on Beaver Street, gluten free beer:
Amelia In Her Curtain Dress
You remember I bought an antique curtain panel and made it into a dress for Amelia, my newest granddaughter?
Well, look at this gorgeous photo I got today:
She is just so dang cute!
The Help
I just finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. This is a novel set in Mississippi in the early 1960’s, and is a story about the relationships between white women and their colored maids. I never thought much about those relationships, until I started reading this book. As a girl who grew up in the south, I can certainly relate to the story.
While we weren’t “high society”, far from it, we had a maid because Mama had to go to work to help support the family. Lena lived up the road from us, in a house much better than ours. She came to our house Monday through Friday to take care of the five of us kids, clean the house, do the laundry and ironing, and cook dinner. I don’t know how much she was paid, but I can tell you it probably wasn’t enough. She was always polite and deferential to my mother. She was pretty tough on us kids, and wielded a pretty mean hickory switch.
While the maids in The Help were treated badly, it was accepted in those times. I truly understand why they were willing to risk everything to get their story told. Kathryn Stockett tells the story well—I read the entire book in three days. While I think anyone would enjoy reading it, The Help will be especially appreciated by those of you who grew up southern in the 1950’s and 60’s.