Happy Oct 18th!!!!

WOW....I can't believe that I let a whole week go by without coming to sit under the old Southern ooak tree. I must confess that I'm dealing with a few tiny, minor health issues BUT I'm strong and will be fine...eventually!! I think perhaps I might even venture out a bit today. Do you think anyone will notice I'm a tad bit under the weather? Bahahahaha!!! Not to bad for a woman that turns 156 today, yes?

I have been attempting to work on the Black Hat Sisterhood piece and must tell ya that the clay spyglass and goggles did NOT work out the way I planned. That's alright though because my overactive imagination muse has plenty of other ideas.

I'm still going to use the clay lens as I think they will look good once painted and the lens attached. The pieces that fit around the lens is going to be made with cardstock and that pretty piece of leather. The nose piece (fingers crossed) will be made from watch parts. Instead of the spyglass, I'm going to be making a monocle instead and of course it will be steampunked too. ^_^

Now....since it's my birthday today (but shhhhh, it's one I want to pass on by cause I'm getting OLD peoples) I thought I would share one of the Chazman's favorite treats we make this time of year. Okay, okay....we start making this time of year all the way through Valentine's. They are called "The Forgotten" cookies and you will soon learn just why they're called that. Bahahahaha

Ingredients you will need:

2 large egg whites, room temp

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2/3 cup fine sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Non humid day (yes, ya read that right. These will not make if rainy or extremely humid)

Yield: 4 dozen (if ya make them as recipe calls. You can make them larger)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside for now.

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites til foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy. (DO NOT overbeat peoples)  Add sugar slowly, about 3 tablespoons at a time. After at least half of sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract. Continue adding remaining sugar. Meringue should be shiny and tight. If you want....at this point you could add any one of the following:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup crushed peppermint

3-4 drops of food coloring

If you do want to add any of the extra ingredients gently fold them in at this time. 

One teaspoon at a time, push one teaspoon of meringue from tip of teaspoon and with the back of another teaspoon place onto baking sheet. Leave 1-inch space between cookies. (They will NOT spread out but stay in the original shape) You use the two spoons so you do not touch cookies. Owww, what a gooey mess you'd be. So follow directions!!! ^_^

Place sheet in oven and turn oven off. YES....you read right......turn oven OFF. Leave the cookies (undisturbed...that means NO PEEKING peoples) in the oven for at least 3 hours or overnight. 

(yeah riiight, like that's gonna happen....hehe) Cookies will be crisp, dry and ohhhhh so yummy!!

Now you know why they are called The Forgotten cookies, eh? The Chazman has names for them at different holidays....BAHAHAHA!!! Halloween they are called "ghost poop" cookies (adding the chocolate pieces makes them even more poopy...hehe) Christmas time they are called "Angel cookies" (without any added ingredients) Valentine's they are called "Cupid's cookies" (add the crushed peppermint) Mardi Gras time they are called "Jester cookies" (separate meringue into three bowls gently and add purple to one, green to one and yellow to one) I'm sure that you can come up with even more add ins. All I know is that I have to keep a close watch over them when they are in the oven because apparently I haven't taught the Chazman just what undisturbed means. ^_^

Have a wonderful Saturday and until next time............Hugs,

Regi

Dragons and rabbits and bears...OH MY!!!

It's a beautiful day today and I'm staying inside..hehe  The mister has gone off with some of his work buddies, the Chazman is pillaging and plotting (playing one of his games) and I'm sewing. Happy Happy Happy!!!

I am working on some of my Tooth Faerie assistants for the Angel Christmas program today. A rabbit and a bear. Yesterday I finished with the dragon and he looks "adorable".

Dragon, monkey, cat and frog are just in the "bones" stage right now but will look amazing when I get them painted. I think I might even dress a few of them. Still pondering on that!!

Now I can see that some of ya might be a scratching those noggins wondering what in the world a Tooth Faerie assistant is. In a time far away and long, long ago....hehe....it does feel that way as I made my first one about 30 years ago. Tooth Faerie assistants are fabric characters that aide the tooth faerie in her quest to gather children's baby teeth. Do you remember how frustrating it was to try and find that tiny little tooth hidden under your kiddos pillow? I can remember having to lay on the floor and search and search around and under the bed, only to find that my son(s) had the tooth in hand....literally!!  Well....that's where these guys come in. Each has a little pouch they carry so instead of putting that precious tooth under the pillow you put it into the pouch. The assistant then sits on the bed patiently waiting for Tooth Faerie to come and pick up the tooth and leave some shiny coins in its place. Yes I said coins people...no need to spoil our youngins. Well...we don't want to spoil them TO MUCH!!

While I'm sewing today I'm also doing some baking.....BING...the dirts ready!! Did ya try my dirt brownie recipe yet? I'm on my third batch this week..hehe  I have some eggs sitting out to come to room temp so the Chazman and I can make some ghost poo cookies. They are really "forgotten kisses" but they have different names depending on the holiday around this homestead you see. Halloween they are ghost poo, Christmas they are angel clouds and at Valentines they are smooches..hehe Here's our easy recipe just in case you want to make some for your little ghoul or boy. 

Ingredients

2 large egg whites at room temp

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2/3 cup fine granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup crushed peppermint sticks

1 cup walnuts

Mixing and baking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy. (do not overbeat)

Add sugar about 3 tablespoons at a time beating well in between spoonfuls. When half of the sugar is added, add vanilla extract. Continue beating and adding sugar until all sugar is mixed in and not grainy. Your fluffs should be shiny. Fold in any of the optional ingredients you may want to add at this time. (we love them without any of the optional ingredients too...just sayin) Working one teaspoon at a time, push a teaspoon of the meringue onto the parchment paper using another spoon to help you. Leave about 1 inch in between cookies. Place in oven...turn oven off and leave cookies in at least 2 hours or even overnight until cookies are crisp and dry. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.....if they last that long!!

Until next time........Hugs,

Regi

It's a THIS and THAT kinda day!!

OMGOSH.....I have two cats that are going C R A Z Y!!!!  Running and bouncing all over the place....ducking under furniture and then just freezing in place, huffing and then looking to see if I'm watching them. They are doing their best to make me smile or laugh because they KNOW they are in the dog house. OR would that be cat house?? The reason they are trying to get back into my good graces is because it seems they thought they were cat burglars last night and snuck into one of my desk drawers where I keep some of my string. Yes...these dang cats can open desk drawers and it seems pull the tape off that I have on them that I THOUGHT was keeping them OUT!! They found my brand new big ball of string that I make my Whodoo's with and BOY did they have some fun. That is until they got caught this morning!!!

Just LOOK at my ball of string. OMGOSH...stop laughing would ya...it's not funny. Ok well perhaps it is just a bit. HEHE  I have been working on getting all the tangles out and man oh man what a job. As soon as I do get it untangled then I'm going to be working on some of my Whodoo characters. Don't know what those are? Click HERE to find out!! I made one for the Chazman's best buddy for Christmas this past year (see that one HERE) and Chaz wants me to make him another one. He is suppose to be coming to spend the night either tonight or tomorrow night so I have to get BUSY!!!

In between trying to untangle the string. (HEY..it's still not THAT funny) I decided to make some cookies so the boys would have something to snack on. I made several batches yesterday and it seems that we have a cookie monster in the house. I really suspect that we have more than one actually..hehe!! NOOO, I don't mean me...I'm being very good watching what I eat, although I will confess that I did eat one. Just so I could make sure they tasted good. Yeah yeah...that's why I ate it. ^_^   They are peanut butter cookies and so so good and so so easy to make. YOU should make some....you will like them...I promise. You do like peanut butter, ri iight??  Then you will like them. Here's the recipe:

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 beaten egg

1 cup peanut butter

Mix sugar and egg together until smooth.

Add peanut butter and stir until blended.

Roll dough into balls (about 1 inch)

Place on cookie sheet, press with fork

(dip fork in sugar and criss cross over cookie)

Bake in 350 oven for 12 minutes

Take out..let cool. EAT

Don't those look YUMMY!! Oh and I did NOT forget to mention any flour because you don't use any flour. Use only the three ingredients above...that's all....easy peasy!!

I'm tackling another monster today as well as a cookie monster.....the dreaded laundry monster. Ewww...I so hate that one...well..not really hate. I just wish someone would invent a drier that after it finishes drying the clothes it would automatically fold them too...hehe...wouldn't that be grand!! So as you can see, I am having one of those THIS and THAT kinda days. How's yours going so far?

Until next time...........Hugs,

Regi

Update on Teacher appreciation week

My muse has been driving me nuts (ok ok nuttier...LOL) about making a clay cupcake for the teacher...but at last she finally had to shoosh as she realized that I wasn't going to have enough time to make it. If you read my earlier post about what Wednesday's suggestion was then you know it's "sweet treat" day. The Chazman and I made some homemade chocolate chip cookies last night feeling that no one could resist that yummy treat. I mean.....Who doesn't like CHOCOLATE chip cookies?? Ri iight?? Thank goodness I put some back to put in Ms. Barton's box for today. No one wanted to fess up to almost eating them all. Can't imagine WHO but I will point no fingers....innocent until proven otherwise. Now being who I am I just couldn't only put cookies in her box. I mean those will be gone in no time!! I wanted to give her something that represented sweet treat day AND that would last for a long time. Ya know.....like a memory keeper sorta of treat. I had already swooshed away my muse because of the time factor but she did have a great idea (one I will keep stored away for another day as it would be perfect for a birthday keepsake) and then.....like a V8 moment.....I remembered some of my ornies that I still had...locked away until I needed them. I NEEDED THEM or at least one of them so out one came.

Do you remember the Ted E. Bear ornies I did a year or so ago? Don't feel bad if ya don't because to be honest I had forgotten about him too....until I NEEDED him. This little guy will make the perfect sweet treat keepsake for Ms. Barton. He doesn't have to be just for Christmas. He has a pretty silk circus collar around his neck and is holding an old fashion candy ribbon. He even has a few pieces to share. Thank goodness I got him in the box last night or "SOMEONE" might have tried to eat those too. HA!!! wouldn't he they have been surprised.

Of course I couldn't just stick the cookies and Ted E. into a plain old box. Ohhh Noooo...not me...hehe!!! I found this cute vintage advertisement on a new site I discovered a few days ago. It's called Vintage Ad Browser.  I printed it off and attached it to the top of the box. Cute huh? Well...I thought so and hopefully so will teacher.

Tomorrow is supply day but seeing as we have limited funds (like everyone else) I'm thinking of perhaps making a small tote bag for her. Ya know...to carry some supplies in. That would work...wouldn't it??

I hope that you are having a great week and someone is telling YOU that everything you do is greatly appreciated. I know I appreciate YOU...thank you for being you and for letting me be...well....ME!!!!

Until next time..............Hugs, Regi