Progress Report

I am making progress on my painting projects/ bedroom redo.  I know it is hard to believe but I really am.  I have to keep reminding  myself that when everything is complete, it will actually be three dressers, a nightstand, a headboard, and a mirror that got painted!

I don’t have any pictures just yet but I will. I promise!  In the mean time, I found a few Pyrex pieces last week when I was out and about.  How about a peek at them instead?

 

 

Next up, the painting projects.  Maybe in multiple posts.  I work pretty slow these days!

Time to get to work

I found this great bedroom set at  one of the  new thrift stores for $25. And that included delivery.

So now that  it has been taking up space in the garage for a month,I have to get to work.  

Since  this is going to go in our bedroom, I HAD to have some new bedding right?  So I ordered this cute duvet and am using these colors.  

West Elm

And now, I had better get to work. 

Check out this great informational post  on how to  paint furniture and wish me luck!

Things to Make You Think

I looked through the pictures on this blog.  And at my sister’s request, I took a picture of my fridge.   And then a strange series of thoughts went through my head.  First, I hate my side by side fridge and I will never get another one.  Second, WHY was there a snake in one of those freezers?  Third, I must be weird because I put everything in the same place every time when I put stuff in the fridge.  And lastly,  there is not a day that goes by that I am not extremely thankful for all the things that I have.  I have a wonderful family, incredible friends and ample opportunities that some people only dream of having.  And I have real butter.  It doesn’t get much better than that.

 

I pinned something AND I made it!

So my sister came across this cute tie necklace somewhere.

Here.

And then we found another one. And another one. And another one. And then we decided we should stop looking and start pleating, folding and pinning (the real kind, not the online kind).

And we ended up with a really cute necklace.

 

AND THEN!  I made another one!  What is this world coming to?

Isn’t she cute with it on?

So just in case you are starting to feel like Pinterest has turned you into a computer loving couch potato, don’t worry, all that pinning will pay off. 

Now it’s someone else’s turn to show off :)

Cookie Catch Up

I realized I have fallen behind on my cookie picture posting.  Here are  cookies from the month of August.

 

Chickens and Iowa  for Mom’s farm chick party.

 

 

Class Reunion cookies. Yes, I graduated in 1991.

 

80th Birthday Party. These are by far the coolest cookies I have made.  Not the actual making of them.  They way they turned out.

 

I have more to bake and frost this week.  Maybe I won’t take so long on the pictures this time!

Game Time

I have a few things that I collect.  Well, maybe more than a few.  Here are some pictures of my board game collection hard at work.

 

There’s a whole lot of baking going on

So, my blogging is pretty inconsistent because, well, it just is :)

We have been doing a lot of baking lately and with no AC, it has to be pretty carefully timed.   Our most recent baking adventures included the Cherry Pie Celebration.

The Cherry Pie Celebration commemorates Loveland’s early cherry industry. At one time, the Loveland area was known as the region best adapted to raising cherries in Colorado. There were 10,000 acres of the crop; trees covered land now occupied by Orchards Shopping Center and Cherry Hills Estates. The largest single cherry orchard west of the Mississippi was located here. In addition, Loveland boasted three commercial canning companies operating cherry processing factories during the height of the industry: Kuner-Empson, Loveland Canning, and Cherry Products Corporation.

Besides the picking of the crop, another industry developed – the manufacture and sale of cherry cider. Mrs. A.V. Benson and Neville’s fruit ciders were known throughout the United States. Thirsty tourists in Model T’s helped launch what was once one of Northern Colorado’s most flourishing roadside industries.

Now, while I do love pie, I don’t think I have ever made a pie crust from scratch.  So I asked a dear lady from church who is know for her wonderful pies if she could come and give the girls (and me)  a lesson.  

Pie Crust

2 cups flour

Dash of salt

1 cup Crisco

6 Tablespoons ice water

Combine first three ingredients with a pastry blender until little pea sized balls form.  Mix in ice water until dough becomes smooth.  Divide in half and roll out two 11-12 inch circles, taking care to handle the unbaked crust as little as possible.  Place one crust in a 10 inch pie pan. 

 

Next take your pitted sour cherries and make this yummy filling.

3 cups pitted sour cherries ( thanks to Linda from Lucky’s Market for reminding Daddy to bring home the cherries)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup enriched flour

Dash of salt

Mix sugar, flour and salt together, then stir in cherries, until well blended.  Pour into crust and dot with 2 Tbsp butter.

At this point, either place the other crust on top of the pie, fold edges under and flute, and make a few 1/2 inch slits in the center of the top crust to let out steam.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 to 60 minutes, until bubbly.  Cover edges with foil if crust starts to get too brown, usually after 30 minutes. 

You could also use your crusts to make two pies and top them with this crumb topping.

Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup flour and  1/4 tsp cinnamon. Add 1/3 cup butter.  Cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over pie. Then bake as above. 

 

Enjoy a slice of pie with you cute bakers!  Stop back tomorrow for pictures of the Cherry Pie Celebration and another cherry pie filling recipe we tried.