Ruby June's...homespun by humble hands

Sweet Mother of Pearl

2011-06-30T22:18:00.000-04:00

Meet our sweet lil retro travel trailer named Sweet Mother of Pearl...'Pearl' for short. I've always loved the nostalgia of the fun little canned ham style of vintage campers, and am so delighted to camp in Pearl! She's a 1963 Shasta.

Recently we took Pearl to a local Ohio State Park and enjoyed a weekend of camping, including a car show. My daughter G took lots of pictures, including some of us making one of her favorite meals over the campfire--she wants to do a photo tutorial of that campfire recipe on my blog--so watch for that soon!

Whew, that was a long break from the blogging world--but am happy to be back and sharing our summer with you!

Aunt Meanie's Spinach Balls

2011-04-19T21:50:00.001-04:00

My dad's sister, Harmena--or "Aunt Meanie" to me and my brothers--often made these spinach balls for us when we were kids. She shared the recipe with mom, and so each time we enjoy them now, they remind me of being a kid, when Aunt Meanie would make them. Simple to make and very handy to have in the freezer! They can be used as appetizers or a main dish.

20 oz. spinach, chopped, frozen
2 small onions, finely diced
2 cups seasoned stuffing crumbs
1 teaspoon thyme
1 pound bulk sausage
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Thaw & drain spinach. Mix all ingredients together and chill for a couple of hours. Shape into walnut-sized balls. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Corn & Potato Chowder Recipe

2011-03-14T09:33:00.000-04:00

Fast, simple, frugal recipes are good to have handy for times when you need to put a wholesome meal on the table in a hurry.
The following recipe for corn chowder is simple, and comes from the Great Depression time period, when folks needed to make the most of what they had. These days, I know so many of us try to be good stewards of what we've been given, seeing how far our grocery budget can stretch, all while filling our family's tummies with good, wholesome food.
Pair this soup with some homemade bread, and a green salad, and you have a simple, budget-friendly meal. Yesterday we enjoyed this chowder with homemade cheesy beer bread and fruit/veggie smoothies.

Corn & Potato Chowder

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 (15 ounce) cans whole kernel corn
1 large white onion, diced
4 to 6 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans evaporated milk
1/3 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy soup pot, combine broth, corn, onion and potatoes. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are just tender. Stir in butter and milk, season with salt & pepper to taste.
Note: I like to add finely diced celery and carrot to this, at the same time I'm adding the onion, corn & potatoes to the broth.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2011-03-02T21:13:00.000-05:00

Changes are happening...we're beginning to see the sunshine on a more regular basis, and I'm working from home now. While I really enjoyed my full-time "real job", it's nice to be home again.

With more time at home, I've been enjoying trying out some new recipes, and making some old favorites, too. My family certainly has been appreciative of the additional baking and cooking! A few days ago I tried out a different recipe for baked potato soup...Baked Potato Soup, found on Allrecipes.com. All of us really enjoyed this soup, a change from the creamy, cheese-laden version I normally make.

The bread maker has been steadily humming away on the pantry counter, filling our home with the aroma of fresh baked bread. Preparing different mixes ahead of the time saves time when I want to get a loaf going. Honey Wheat, Honey Oatmeal, and Spicy Raisin are a few of what we've had this last week--I think the oatmeal is my favorite!

I'm really hoping to blog on a more regular basis! Thank you for stopping by to take a peek! :)

Mandarin Orange Cake Recipe

2010-05-24T10:32:00.003-04:00

This cake is a favorite of my younger brother, I cannot bake it without thinking of him. My sister-in-law Michele used to make this often, making it a family favorite. I appreciate her sharing her recipe, so now we can enjoy it often at our house! I baked this cake to be served at tonight's Mission 1250 meal, a new Feeding Ministry in Willard, Ohio.

Mandarin Orange Cake

2 eggs
2 11oz. cans mandarin oranges, well drained
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 T milk
2 T butter

Beat eggs. Add oranges & dry ingredients. Beat 4 minutes with electric mixer on slow speed until oranges flake through the batter. Pour into greased 9" x 13" cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cake will get quite dark. Before removing from the oven, press top with finger tip to see if it bounce back. If it doesn't, bake a bit longer, taking care that it doesn't burn.

While cake is baking, prepare topping by combining topping ingredients and bringing to a rolling boil.

Remove cake from oven. Pour topping over. Return cake to oven and bake 5 minutes longer.

Enjoy!

Sweet & Spicy Kielbasa Recipe

2010-05-13T21:28:00.003-04:00

This is a recipe that is so simple to put together and is perfect for freezer cooking. Over pasta, potatoes or rice this can make a super main dish, and would also make a nice appetizer or tailgate party recipe. The sausages make a yummy sandwich on a hearty roll with a bit of the sauce drizzled over them, too. Choose the sausage of your choice...kielbasa, polish sausage, smoked sausage, turkey smoked sausage or kielbasa, summer sausage, etc. I heard a German sausage can be quite yummy too? :-) Enjoy!

Sweet & Spicy Kielbasa

2 pound Kielbasa Sausage, smoked
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Spicy mustard
1/3 cup Onion, finely chopped

Cut sausages into 1 inch lengths. Combine brown sugar, mustard & onion in an electric crock-pot or slow cooker and stir well to combine. Add the sausages and stir well to coat them with the sauce. Cover the crock pot with its lid and cook on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally to re-coat the sausages with the sauce.

To Freeze:
cool the sausages & sauce. Store in freezer containers or freezer bags and freeze. to serve, thaw & reheat in the microwave, on the stove on low heat, or in covered dish in a 350 degree oven for about 350 minutes. Since the dish is already fully cooked, you just need to reheat it.

Valentine's Day Banner Tutorial & Giveaway!

2010-02-09T09:07:00.002-05:00

Hurry on over to The Polka Dot Chair to check out this sweet tutorial for a "Be Mine" Banner for Valentine's Day! While you're there, don't forget to enter to win their giveaway for a banner like the one pictured! Also, be sure to check out their Etsy shop, May & Mae...great stuff!

Fabric Easter Egg Tutorial

2010-01-19T20:07:00.005-05:00

I know it seems early to be thinking of Easter, but I found a great tutorial for making fabric eggs over at Retro Mama! Get a head start on making them for Easter, or make them in colors to match your decor for in baskets or nests for Spring! A nest filled with some of these eggs and a folk bird would be great, maybe even under a glass cloche or on a beautiful cake stand.

Salsa Chicken & Black Bean Soup Recipe

2010-01-14T14:18:00.005-05:00

These wintry Ohio days call for cozy soup & homemade bread! I like to use my crock pot to make soups as often as possible, and this recipe was a huge hit at our house and SO easy! Found the recipe at A Year of Slow Cooking, where you will find a ton of recipes to try in your slow cooker, and the blogger's reviews of the recipe, too. So gather the ingredients, bake some fresh bread or cornbread to go with it, toss a colorful salad together and you've got a budget-friendly delicious meal for your family! Just you, or too many leftovers? I think this recipe would be a great one to freeze in individual servings! (we didn't have ANY leftovers at our house!)

Salsa Chicken & Black Bean Soup
--1 pound chicken
--1 cup dried black beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
--4 cups chicken broth
--1 cup sliced mushrooms (I omitted these, as they weren't on hand)
--1 cup frozen corn
--1 jar prepared salsa (16 oz)
--1 1/2 tsp cumin
--1/2 cup sour cream (to stir in at the end)
--shredded cheddar cheese, avocado slices, cilantro (all optional)

You will need a 4 quart or larger crock pot.

If you know you are going to make this the night before (yay for meal planning!) soak the black beans in enough water to cover and another 2 inches overnight. In the morning, drain the water and rinse the beans. (I used canned beans)

Drain and rinse the beans. Add to the slow cooker. Put in the chicken, and add the broth and salsa. Pour in the corn and mushrooms, and add the cumin. Stir, but don't disturb the beans---let them stay at the bottom of the pot, closest to the heating element.

Cover and cook on high for 9 hours. Yup. High. For 9 hours. It took a crazy long time for the beans to soften, but they did.

If you are using beans you soaked overnight, canned beans, or pre-cooked beans, you can cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5--similar to normal soup-cooking time.

If you'd like to thicken the broth, you can use your immersible blender to blend a bit of the beans and chicken. If you don't have one, scoop out 2 cups of the soup and carefully blend in your traditional blender. Stir the mixture back into the crockpot.

Stir in the 1/2 cup of sour cream before serving, and garnish with shredded cheese and avocado slices.

2010

2010-01-09T19:51:00.002-05:00

2010...a New Year, new beginnings, new opportunities, new challenges, and best of all--new life!

I am looking forward to what this new year holds for me, counting the blessings one day at a time.

We've been cleaning, re-organizing, simplifying, and preparing for changes.

I am so blessed to have my dear little family, and also am thankful for the friends in our lives.

Happy Fall!

2009-10-05T09:43:00.003-04:00

Ahhh, I love fall! The crisp feeling in the air, the changing colors of leaves & foliage, the comfort foods we reserve for this special time of year....breathe it all in deeply and enjoy every moment while it lasts!

We've been extra busy around here preparing for upcoming shows & events, and now even have some new special orders to fill! We are so grateful for each and every one of you who choose to continue to support our business, thus supporting our little family, and our dream!

Come see us this weekend at the Homespun Holidays Juried Craft Show on Saturday, October 10th from 9-2 at the Willard Senior Center. Email me if you need directions or more info!

Neglected

2009-07-17T10:26:00.002-04:00

Wow, this blog has been neglected by me. Summertime has me focused on other things, I guess. Gardening, kids, 4-H, and just enjoying each moment... I'm going to post more often here, I promise.

Calico Beans Recipe

2009-05-31T21:55:00.002-04:00

I'm often asked to bring these Calico Beans to family functions and cookouts. Today I'd like to share the recipe with you, so you and your family can make them a favorite!

This recipe freezes so well, I like to freeze them in ziploc freezer bags so they can be thawed and baked or put in the crock pot.

Since this hearty bean recipe contains so much meat, it can also be served as a main dish, perhaps with some cornbread and a salad.

Calico Beans
by June Billman,
www.RubyJunes.com

Serves at least 16...a good-sized batch!

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground turkey ( you can use 2 pounds beef or 2 pounds turkey, whatever you prefer)
2 c chopped onion
44 oz pork 'n beans
30 oz kidney beans
30 oz butter beans
1 c ketchup
2 t prepared mustard
1 T + 1 t cider vinegar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cook ground beef, turkey and onion until meat is cooked through and onion is tender.
Drain grease. Set aside.
Open cans of beans, draining juices from each can into a large bowl, don't add beans yet.
Add the ketchup, mustard, vinegar & brown sugar to the juice.
Using a whisk, stir juice mixture until well mixed.
Add the beans, ground meat/onion and bacon to the juice mixture.
Stir to mix well. Salt to taste, if desired.

If freezing, now is the time to put mixture into freezer bags...push out any extra air from the bag, seal, label & freeze.

To serve: Thaw. Put into a casserole dish. This recipe will fill TWO 2-quart casserole dishes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve hot.

If desired, you can add shredded cheddar cheese to top before serving.
If your mixture seems too "juicy", feel free to skim some of the juices off after baking.
If you prefer to prepare them in the microwave after thawing, bake before freezing, being sure to cool completely before packaging for the freezer.

Enjoy!

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T11:39:00.002-04:00

Memorial Day...a day to honor and remember...those that have fought for our freedom, loved ones no longer in our lives...a day to spend with family and friends, making memories. Enjoy this special day together!

Tattoos, Anyone?

2009-05-25T11:28:00.003-04:00

Just yesterday my sister-in-law and I were discussing tattoos...do we have any, had we ever considered getting any, etc...

Well what do ya think of this one?!

I love it, but am certain I wouldn't be brave enough to add that to my chest! Amazing! Read more about this tattooed gal.

DC, Spring Fling, Gardening...

2009-05-24T22:08:00.003-04:00

Oh my goodness, where has the time gone!?! We've been so busy around here that this bloggy stuff has been neglected!

My son & I went on a school trip to Washington, DC, just had a splendid time with some Farmgirl Friends at dear Dawn's Spring Fling, and we've been focusing on our gardens here...

Will be back very soon with photos to share and more details on the above--thanks for stopping by!

HOPE

2009-02-17T20:32:00.002-05:00

Check out this video about an amazing inspiration to so many...9 Minutes of Hope on The Ellen Degeneres Show site.

An accomplished author, climber, speaker, and cancer survivor--Sean Swarner shares freely about his struggles and his journey--to provide HOPE to all.

I went to school with Sean in Willard, Ohio. I am encouraged by his story, and thought we all could enjoy some "good news" in these times!

Apron Giveaway at Not Quite June Cleaver!

2009-02-17T18:40:00.007-05:00

I love aprons...there's just something so nostalgic about them. I wear one almost daily at home, and have collected several vintage ones, and made quite a few new ones myself! My Grace enjoys donning one of her lil aprons when she's cleaning, cooking, or playing with her toy kitchen stuff. She put on her "spotty apron" this afternoon to do her dishes and straighten up the living room. ("spotty" = multi-colored polka dots!)

Today I re-discovered a favorite blog about aprons, and all things domestic-ish...visit Not Quite June Cleaver to share in the Apron Addiction, and while you're there, enter to WIN an apron! Enjoy her GREAT list of links to other Homekeeping, Homeschooling, Cooking, Green, etc. blogs and sites!

Snow Day Soft Pretzels

2009-02-01T10:07:00.016-05:00

Last Wednesday, the kids had another snow day. The kids and I decided to bake soft pretzels. We tried a new soft pretzel recipe, and were pleased with the results. Kneading the dough, rolling out long ropes of dough and shaping the dough into pretzels was great fun!

Bay's way of saying "I love you" to Grace and Mama.

Miss Grace stirring up the yeast mixture.

Here you can see how many shapes & sizes were created with our double batch of pretzel dough.

My favorite one...I think I like the swirly-ness of it! This was one Bay made.

A successful traditional pretzel shape, made by Grace.

Grace made an "A", for whatever reason.

Bay even fashioned a "Chevy Bow Tie" out of some of his dough.

SEE what fun baking pretzels is!

Snowy January, 2009

2009-01-30T22:48:00.007-05:00

Snow. I think it's one of those things you either love or loathe. I think it's quite lovely to look at from inside my cozy home when I don't need to go out in it...otherwise, I'm not really fond of it!

We enjoyed this gorgeous sunrise last week as we headed out the door to school.

A glimpse into our backyard...bear in mind we've gotten lots more snow since these photos have been taken!

A basket o' snow on the deck.

School was delayed again today, due to the blowing, drifting snow. Grace's class led chapel, on the plagues in the Bible--hearing about the plagues from 3rd & 4th graders was quite entertaining! They always do such a nice job, and I am so thankful they have the opportunity to study God's Word at school.

The boys went skiing today with members of Bay's class that earned the trip for meeting their reading goals this past marking period. I admit I was anxious, praying all day no one would sustain any major injuries! They returned home tonight after 7pm, both barely able to walk from all of their frosty fun!

We enjoyed another snow day off from school this past Wednesday, photos of our fun that day and a recipe, coming tomorrow!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T22:53:00.002-05:00

wow, 2009 already?! I'm praying this will be a blessed year for everyone. Hope to be blogging more regularly!

Grace Meets Rhemmie

2008-08-08T13:05:00.005-04:00

My friend Megan gave birth to her first child, sweet Rhemmie Ann on August 6, 2008.

My Grace was anxious to meet her, so after a long ride in the car (are we there yet, Mama?)...

Grace met Rhemmie, and even got a chance to hold the "baby doll"!

I of course took a turn holding the lil sweet pea, too. She is absolutely beautiful.
I already love this lil Gambie.

Welcome, sweet Rhemmie! Congrats, Megan & Chris!

Woohoo! I Won A Prize!

2008-03-19T10:38:00.002-04:00

This morning I received an email from Nancy Malay that I won a prize in TDIPT's Happy Birthday Prize Giveaway! I'll be receiving the sweet little americana elephant pictured above! I love to receive mail, and this will be a fun package to open! Thank you, Nancy!

Thank You, Goode Friend!

2008-03-19T10:20:00.004-04:00

My dear friend Stacey of Raven's Haven and The Good Wife of Washington County has awarded me with this "You Make My Day Award"!

Thank you Stacey for giving this to me...you made MY day! I am so thankful to have a kindred spirit such as you...

I truly am blessed to have so many online friends. Now to think of who I can pass this along to....

Happy Birthday Grace!

2008-03-07T11:36:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe our Miss Grace is EIGHT today! Above I've added a little video we took back in 2006 during a visit to the local park...all the world's a stage! (the camera didn't have sound and the video is not of great quality, but it captures the spirit of Grace--especially the good ole armpit fart finale!) Since day one, she's been non-stop action...I always joke that she's never been quiet since she was born! She was colicky for nearly a year, alllllways jibber-jabbering or singing, even talks in her sleep! When she goes out to play, I tell her to keep singing so I know where she is! She is the little girl I've always wanted, even on the days when she's such a "mini-ME"! She's been blessed with a beautiful singing voice and such a compassionate heart. We've been blessed to see her growing and changing...we love you, sweet Grace!

In her early years, Grace always chose VANILLA everything when given a choice, including ice cream. She did not want anything with any "chunks" or texture in it, so she just stuck with her trusty fave--vanilla. It's been fun to see her expanding her repertoire of favorites...especially since this year she's all about CHOCOLATE! She asked for a chocolate cake with chocolate chips, and chose chocolate ice cream to be served with it. We thought you might enjoy the recipe for one of her most recent favorites, Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake. It's in the kitchen cooling on a beautiful pink depression glass cake plate that was a wedding gift.

A dear couple, Dick & Kay Meyers, presented M and I with the beautiful pink cake plate nearly 14 years ago. Kay enclosed the sweetest note telling us the cake plate had been a special one in their depression glass collection. Special, indeed.

Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake

A dense, extra-chocolatey cake that is simple yet elegant. We bake ours in a fancy bundt pan, and don't add the glaze, just a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Nestle a small vase of fresh flowers into the center hole for a beautiful presentation.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
* 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 cup milk
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup water
* 4 eggs
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, milk, oil, water and eggs. Beat for 4 minutes, then mix in 2 cups chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. To make the glaze: Melt the butter and 1 cup chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave oven. Stir until smooth and drizzle over cake.

Weary of Winter

2008-03-06T09:36:00.003-05:00

It's about this time each year that I am winter-weary...so ready to see the first signs of spring. I'm looking forward to hearing the birds singing cheerfully, seeing the grass become green again, the buds on the trees, and the the daffodils poking up.

One of my most anticipated signs of spring....seeing this now ice-covered forsythia bush in full bloom! Soon it will be covered in vibrant sunshine-yellow blooms...

A glimpse of some of the trees in the orchard, glistening with a heavy layer of ice.

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant;

if we did not sometimes taste of adversity,

prosperity would not be so welcome.

-Anne Dudley Bradstreet

Bay's Basketball Season Ends

2008-02-14T22:36:00.002-05:00

Bailey enjoyed playing basketball for the 1st time this year...he was one of the tallest kids out there, and really did a super job! What a great team of young men, and we're so appreciative of the coaches! Way to go, Crusaders!

2008--one day at a time...

2008-02-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

Months have passed since my last blog entry here...it's now 2008 and I'm back! I'm working full-time away from home these days, have 2 kids playing basketball for the first time, so busy on so many fronts! I'm going to strive to regularly update this blog & keep great things for sale on etsy for you (see left column). One day at a time...

Tart Cherry Pie

2007-08-13T19:40:00.001-04:00

Baking is something I enjoy doing...not always when it's 90+ degrees out with 90% humidity, but I do enjoy it. Busying myself in the kitchen to make something tasty and satisfying for family and friends. Pies are always enjoyed, and my father-in-law loves the tart cherry pie I always bake him for his birthday. He said it reminds him of the cherry tree that was in the backyard of his childhood home, and the pies Mom Snook made using cherries from that tree. It's one of my favorite pies, too....brings back memories of the spindly tart cherry tree in our front yard, my brothers and I helping pick the cherries, and the shiny aluminum pie pans dad would hang in the tree to (hopefully) scare away the cherry loving birds. Thought I'd share the recipe with you all here...

Tart Cherry Pie

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1 (20 ounce) can pitted sour cherries
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
1 egg yolk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 C).

Make pastry and refrigerate, or use pre-made refrigerated crust.

Drain cherries, reserving 1 cup liquid. In a saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt.

Stir in cherry liquid and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Mixture will thicken.
When mixture is thickened, add butter, almond extract, food coloring and cherries.

Cover and refrigerate.
On lightly covered surface, roll out half of the pastry into an 11 inch circle.

Put into 9 inch pie dish. Roll other half of pastry into another 11 inch circle.

With a knife or pastry wheel, cut eight 1/2 inch strips.
Pour cooled cherry filling into pie dish. Place pastry strips horizontally, then vertically, across the top of the pie , (I weave mine together like a basket)and lightly brush with egg yolk.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, and cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Dad B. likes his with vanilla bean ice cream!

2007-07-09T13:01:00.000-04:00

My kids are enjoying their summer break....reading, swimming, theater camp, chasing (and sometimes catching) butterflies and lightning bugs...

We just love this photo of Grace with this butterfly...big brother Bay caught it for her, and she let it crawl on her hands till it fluttered away. Since I'm not the best photographer we weren't even sure we had captured the moment of the butterfly still on her fingers until we reviewed the photos I had taken! How exciting to see that we got a picture of the butterfly just before he fluttered away!

I'm calling it a "butterfly", though Bay insists 'it's just a moth,Mama'...Grace and I can believe it's a butterfly, can't we?!

oh goodie...I've Been TAGGED!

2007-06-05T21:59:00.000-04:00

I should have expected it...Em has "tagged" me! This means I need to share 7 items from my To-Do List--then I must "tag" 3 other people, so they can share theirs, too!

My To-Do List is lengthy and boring, but here are 7 items on the current list, in no particular order:

1. Drop off a trunkload of too-soon-outgrown kids' clothes at Goodwill and a friend from church's house.

2. Complete additional paperwork for Bay to participate in the Autistic Spectrum Kids Summer Theater Camp. The production this year will be "Pirates of Lake Erie", a spin-off of the Pirates movies! Bay's hoping to wield a sword! Should be great fun! :-)

3. Place an order with Angel Food Ministries, a non-profit ministry that provides consumers with low-cost groceries monthly. It's not income based, it's for everyone, and can really help in keeping your grocery budget down. http://www.angelfoodministries.com

4. Pick strawberries and rhubarb from Mom & Dad's garden.

5. Finish sorting some things that have been purged from my overflowing studio...and actually organize them into an online garage sale! Lotsa fabric, supplies, patterns unfinished projects and more to do all kinds of different things...quilting, dollmaking, potpourri, punchneedle, rughooking, stitching and more. The studio's about to bust trying to contain ALLLLL the "stuff" i've collected to do so many fun projects--time to offer it all to you in an online sale!

6. Buy food for big Mack, our American Bulldog...it disappears all too quickly, it seems!

7. Get the recipes and ingredients together to make some strawberry rhubarb pie, rhubarb crisp, and who knows what else! It's time to do some baking again, too...

8. Find three "innocent victims" to TAG with this to-do list sharing task!

'Tis the Season...Americana

2007-06-05T15:58:00.000-04:00

I just love decorating with Americana things. Our tv room is painted in a deep barn red, and I've gathered lots of great red-white-and-blue things to keep with the Americana theme! This picture is of the things currently on top of our tall distressed white tv cabinet--excuse any visible dust! :) Ohio and "Yankee Homecoming" flags (in crock that was found in a garbage pile! yippee!), a grungy star make-do, a wire cage thingy, and a Longaberger flag basket...not to mention the "necessary" speakers for that noisy surround sound set-up.

taaadaaaah a Banner!...Thanks!

2007-06-05T15:46:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my "master manipulator" pal for fixing my banner graphic to work so nicely here...and thanks to my friends at Prim & Rustic for helping me figure out how to add it! Now, to figure out all the other quirky ins and outs of blogging here. I'm looking forward to sharing photos, but am not a veteran photographer like so many of you appear to be!

First Posting....

2007-05-29T22:35:00.000-04:00

ok...here goes...

I've been pondering the pros & cons of entering this wildly popular world of blogging...and I decided to give it a try. Not sure at this point what this blog (I don't even like that word--"blog"! heheee!) will consist of, so bear with me as I learn how all of this works!