May Crafting

My latest crafting passion can be called several things- apron/smock/tunic/dress.
They are fun to layer over jeans, dresses, shorts, skirts.  I just made myself one to wear over my bathing suit.  The term "lagenlook" means layering.
I use 100% cotton and when washed it is SO soft!

 

This one is dyed a soft green and then I dyed doilies in darker green and a blue gray and put along the bottom

 

 

This one is accented with floral fabric.

Fashioned into roses at the neck, bottom and back.

 

 

 

Kitten helpers- Abby & Yoshi

 

Marietta  :-)

 

Oh, life . . .

I have not posted in a while.  Life has been tough the last few months.  I am thankful that the Lord has been by my side, giving me the strength I need for each day.

I went to my Mother's in Michigan for 10 days in April.  The weather was MISERABLE!!
rain, sleet, snow, wind. Yuck!  I got sick as soon as I got back and have bronchitis. So lots of coughing. My daughter has been sick as well.  It is hard to be motivated to do much of anything when you are feeling ill! plus continuing to go to work every day.

While at my mom's I was able to do some crafting.  She was not feeling well so we did not get at as much as we usually do.

 

These were fun to create from a lot of things my Mom had .

 

And a fun kitty picture-

 

this is Yoshi "hanging out"

 

Marietta

 

new etsy shop items

I have also been busy this past month making things for my etsy shop.  These are my latest creations!

 

I love creating!

spring, time for re-decorating

Redecorating in small ways can make a big difference in the look and feel of our homes.
I had changed my shelf behind our love seat in December.  It is larger, so of course it holds
 more of "my stuff."  I had decorated it for valentine's day and since we are in mid march felt that it was time to re-do.

I started with several doilies, which are made by my mother and grandmother.(  I have a passion for doilies).  I have two shutters that I painted and distressed several years ago.  I felt one would be nice as a backdrop.

 

Then what color scheme to use?  I decided on purple and green.  I have several pieces to luncheon set that belonged to my mother with violets.  I also have some lovely small glass pieces that were hers.
Luncheon sets were very popular in the 60's.  When women still stayed home and had friends over for lunch.  Ah, for simpler times!

Varying the heights of my items shows more of them off.  I turned a couple of goblets over and put small glass plates on them for a base.  I added in some silk lilacs- one of my favorite flowers (from growing up in Michigan).  These were all things I had already.  It's fun to look around the house and see what you can use!

 

 

 

I also redid my centerpiece with my favorite paint can.  Again, I already had all these things.  I like to use a stem that has a variety of different flowers in it.  So you do not have to be good at arranging!
If it isn't the height you want, just bend the stem rather than cutting it off.  I had some wired shamrock garland and I cut a piece of that and twirled it around the can and into the flowers.  I tucked a green scarf and a white hanky into the can.  A couple of years ago I made shamrocks from salt dough, so I included that as well.

 

Looks like spring has arrived at my house!

Marietta

February

Well, I certainly have not posted in a while.  I guess I feel people will find my life boring.  Get up go to work, come home from work, make dinner, sleep and start it all over again!

Last week I was off from work for a couple of days and I was very productive for my etsy shop.
It was a good feeling.

 

 

 

Creating things helps me de-stress and that is much needed lately!

 

 

 

A new year

I have really been procrastinating about a new year post.  I just did not feel like I had anything to say.
We are already into day 11!  Our family has been kind of down this past month.  I think sometimes life just boggs you down SO much that you can't seem to get out from under it!  I wrote on my chalkboard in the living room, that it is a brand new year "REINVENT OURSELVES."

I need to find the joy in life again.  As I have mentioned I lost my dad 15 months ago.  I have learned that life goes on, and you must develop some coping skills for these really down times in life.  I learned in this past year, that even though others could say comforting things to me(which I have appreciated so much) but it is me that has to come through this darkness to the light.  God has given me more strength than I thought I had to deal with losing one of my parents. 

I have told myself I am going to be more positive, less whiney this year.  I really want my etsy shop to be successful.  Since I was a teenager I have wanted to sell the things I make.  I have a lot of new
ideas, I just need the time and energy to bring them to fruition!

Our daughter will not be moving to London right now.  She was not accepted in the school there, which has been a major disappointment.  I feel someday she will live there, it is just not time yet.

As a parent you want the very best for your children and you suffer when they suffer, and I think that is also part of feeling down right now.  She is uncertain what her future holds now and that is scarey.
My hope is that the love of her family can bring her to a happier place.  We sometimes want to rush things when God has his own timing for it.

I have mentioned Kittyville a few times.  Our kitty, Gemma and our daughters Yoshi & Abby.
I have grown to really love those two.  Yoshi has calmed down a lot.  I am going to reattempt to let them around each other again.  I think Gemma likes being on "only cat."  She is stressed easily.
We shall see how it goes.

I am trying to eat healthy.  The exercising part really has not happened yet!  My husband is also eating healthier.  He rides his bike to school, so he is getting good exercise!  I have been wheat free for at least 4 weeks now, I do see the difference.  Yesterday I had half a wrap made from wheat and I was coughing again in the night.  It was hard for the first couple of weeks, but I have got the hang of it again!.  I made myself rolls last Saturday and they turned out great!  I was happy to find out that the yeast I used in the last batch was NO GOOD!  It wasn't me that ruined them!  :-)

I am wishing a wonderful new year to all!

Marietta

Merry Christmas Cake

I certainly have not been in the holiday spirit this year.  My husband agrees he is not either.  Which I guess is good??  I did very little shopping, ordered a couple of things online.  And very little baking.
Our mothers send us a box of homemade goodies each year, that we really look forward to!. Those did arrive.  Which of course adds to the holiday pounds!  But, I did decide I would make a date cake.
This is the 3rd year I have made one for Christmas.  It is wheat free.  I tried a different recipe this year and it turned out GREAT!  I would like to share it and is is pretty easy too!

For what ever reason when you look for a recipe for this, you find it NOT under date CAKE, but date PUDDING??

1c.  (8 oz) chopped pitted dates
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tablespoon butter
1 c. hot water
1c. chopped pecans

Mix this and let stand until cool.

Meanwhile in another bowl , sift together:

1/4 tsp salt
1 c. sugar  ( I used half sugar and half agave syrup)
1 1/2 c. flour  ( I used all oat flour)
2 tsp baking powder

In the bottom of an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking pan:

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. hot water
3 tablespoons butter

Combine your date mixture and your flour mixture together(mix well)
then pour over the brown sugar water.

This looks a little scary, I had never made anything this way before- but IT IS OK!

Bake at 350  for approimately 35 min. (start checking at 30- don't over bake- should be soft to touch)
The brown sugar mixture makes it gooey around the edges, the cake is very soft-Yummy!

Serve with whipped cream.

We have already eaten part of it!  hard to stay away.

Enjoy!!
This recipe is from my Bethel Mennonite Cookbook

The Holidays

This year I feel like the holidays have crept up on me.  How can that be? You know for 11 mos it is coming?  I feel less in the holiday spirit than I did last year, with my dad's passing so soon before.
I really don't know what my problem is this year, or maybe TOO many problems!

Sometimes life just gets you down, I seem to be in one of those time periods.  Too much to do,(that I don't feel like doing), not feeling well health wise (allergies) too many bills ( and not enough money)
It seems like stress coming from every front.  I am lucky I have good support in my husband, he will always listen to me. 

I did get the Christmas tree up, new spot for the first time in 22 years, decorated it totally different.
SO far, the cats have been non interested! Hurrah.  No favorite ornaments, no childhood ornaments, but still very pretty.

My daughter got back from London/Italy on Monday and by Wednesday was sick.  She has been sleeping A LOT, which is the best medicine.  Sick people at work, too.  So I am guessing about Friday I will be coming down sick too!  Trying to take preventative measures with airborne, etc.

I did get a couple of new things made for my shop.  I had my "creative juices flowing" as my husband calls it!

 

Of course, there was dyeing involved, which I really enjoy making colors!

I am going to be off from work for 5 days starting next Friday and have several ideas I want to try and make.  We shall see!

 

Happy Sunday!!

 

Marietta

London

My daughter was off to London on Sunday Evening,  Her audition at the Royal college of music was today.  There were 2 parts and she was called back to audition for the second part.  I have not talked to her yet because of the time difference and she was traveling to another city, Gatwick, to fly out tomorrow morning to Italy!  She is meeting her professors from USF there, 

A lot of mixed emotions.  Of course I wanted her to do REALLY well!  But, how do I feel about her moving to London??  I think I pretty much have been in denial about it.  Last year, I think I was prepared to see her move to Boston.  But, that did not work out.  She moved home instead.  Since she has been living at home, I think it will be harder to see her leave again.  The first time she moved out her Dad and I felt like our hearts had been ripped out of us.  But, we did adjust.  BUT, London  "the other side of the pond." ????  We shall see what God has for her!

I have not mentioned Kittyville in a while.  That is of course the blending of the 3 cats together.  Amanda's 2- brother and sister and our calico.  I was trying to let them work things out, but Gemma got her nose scratched and that made me upset and over protective again!  It is no wonder my kitty is a little neurotic, with me as her Mamma!  Amanda's cats seem to be happy and well adjusted.  Gemma has licked a large portion of her belly hair off.  So that is the life with the cats.

I am doing pretty well eating wheat free again.  I went to the health food store over the week end.  Spent a fortune on wheat free, bread, bagels, pizza, bread sticks.  But if you do not have it on hand you are TOO tempted to eat the wheat items.  I had made myself spelt rolls for Thanksgiving.  They DID NOT turn out well.  I think I had the water too hot and killed the yeast.  I will try again soon.  You need to have about 3 hours available to you in order to make homemade bread. 

Off to make dinner-    Marietta

Wheat free-Annie's

I wanted to do a quick post about a gluten/wheat free product that I recently came across, and really LOVE!  Little bunny shaped cookies, and macaroni & cheese.  These products taste So good, you would never know they are wheat free!

 

The macaroni comes as a family size or these single serving packets!

 

Made from rice and corn.

 

Target and local health food stores carry them.

 

So thankful that there are people out there trying to make things taste wonderful for everyone!

 

AND.....

New items in my Etsy shop for your holiday shopping! :-)

 

 

 

Marietta

 

 

table centerpiece

I got a new table for my birthday in October  I wanted to do a new holiday centerpiece for the table.  I decided to go with non-traditional colors after i saw this beautiful pink poinsettia!

The stem had five flowers on it.  I simply bent the end up so that it would fit into the paint can that I use for my flower arrangements.  The paint can came from Lowe's (never used) they are less than $5 and in the paint supply section.  They do make a smaller size also. 

The pink poinsettia came from Jo-ann.  I found the green one at Michael's, a single stem but large, so I decided to incorporate them together.  I had left over pink tulle trim that I simply circled around the bottom.  I had a small gap on one side that I filled in with a pink cloth napkin and a white lace hanky.
one of my favorite hankerchieves has a red and green poinsettia that I hung over the handle of the paint can. 

It makes me happy to look at it, as should everything in our homes!!


A couple of years ago I made this bulb ornament wreath.  My husband proclaims that this is the prettiest thing I have ever made!

 

It is work, but not as hard as one might think!

 

Buy the ornaments ON SALE, because you do need a lot!

 

Now on to other holiday decorating!

 

Marietta

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hurrah for a long weekend! I took today off from work, since my husband had all this week off.
My daughter has been a vegetarian for the past 2 years, so deciding on a Thanksgiving menu can be interesting!  She said she wanted lots of veggies( of course, right?)

Today I made the pumpkin pie, with a from scratch crust made from spelt flour*.( we shall see about the taste), coconut bars and a broccoli salad.  I decided I would make myself rolls from the spelt flour, making bread is not a quick undertaking.  I do not make bread often.  I apparently got the liquid too hot.  They did not raise well.  They taste fine, but no light, fluffy texture. We are also having green bean casserole, sweet corn, stuffing, butternut squash, brussel sprouts and of course my favorite mashed potatoes. A lot of food for 3 people!

On Friday I will work on putting up the Christmas decorations.  On Saturday we will be visiting friends in Bradenton.  It always goes by so fast!!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

Marietta

*spelt is an anciet grain, mentioned in the bible.  It is the closest thing to wheat.  It does contain gluten. 

Saturday and No Energy

Why is is when you have a to-do list  a mile long that you don't feel good and have no energy to do it?  And it is Saturday when you actually have time to do it! 

I have been feeling under the weather for the past week.  Not really sick, but not feeling normal either.  I have also has a cold sore on my lip.  Last night I had a bad coughing fit, then wheezing and today feeling "crummier."  I believe I have posted before about having food allergies-wheat specifically.  I was diagnosed in 1991.  2 years ago I was retested and was no longer allergic to wheat.  I let wheat creep back into my diet.  I let wheat then take over my diet.  And now I am noticing the same symptoms of chest congestion and wheezing come back.  I never thought I would get so attached again.  My husband says it is the convenience I am attached too.  And yes that is a BIG part of it. 

I didn't have to think about what to make for dinner, he and I could have the same thing.  We could eat out anywhere.  I could have pizza and sandwiches!  But, the wheat (gluten) free world has come a long way since 1991 when bread tasted like a piece of cardboard.  I learned to bake without wheat.  Most regular grocery stores carry several wheat free items.  When I was allergic before a cracker would make me wheeze within 5 minutes.  I also had over whelming tiredness from it.  So far I have not had the tiredness, which is probably why I continue to eat it!

I will start taking it one day at a time and eliminating wheat again.  I must have wheat free choice on hand!  And of course there is the cost of eating wheat free- the items are expensive compared to wheat laden items.

Well, push on today and try to get at least a couple of things done on the list! And go to the health food store and get my wheat free bread!

Happy Saturday!

Marietta

Latest items in my etsy shop: