Spring has Sprung and my Garden has Grown!

Sweet Peas are Here...and I'm as happy as can be!!!

I love Spring time because then I know that Summer is coming soon...plus this year is better than any other since I have my first SWEET PEAS!!! I love Sweat Peas and have wanted to grow them forever and I finally did it. Aren't they Gorgeous (and smell even better)! They were easy to grow, I just had to remember to plant them in the fall and thanks for the reminder from my wonderful friends, Doug & Barb, I have these beauties.

My husband and I have been working on the backyard since we moved into our home and it is finally looking good. He made the birdhouses out of scrap wood and my design ideas.

This is the only side of the yard done at this point. We do have raised garden beds on the other side but currently they are full of weeds. Though soon we will have tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini (just one plant!), bell peppers and other yummy goodies. I can't wait!

A new Season

Most people say Happy Spring...I say HaPPy GaRaGe SaLe SeAsOn!!!

*Holly Cook*

Check out Minutes to Spare for the recipe for Twisted Breadsticks. I made them tonight for dinner and next time I will be doubling the batch...they are so good...in fact, my husband and I think we will do the "Olive Garden" thing and have unlimited salad and breadsticks one night....

*Holly Crochet*

Once again I hit my favorite crochet site...Ravelry and whipped up a few more hats. The light gray one above is cute but a horrible color on me, I need to make it in a different color in hopes that I like it better...fortunately the hats are not for me...I'm sending them off to Chicago with my bosses.
Hopefully it keeps their head and ears warm...

I'm not sure exactly which pattern I used for the light gray one but once I figure it out I will link it here...

This brown one is way cute...hard to give it up but I guess I can make another one for myself (I'm so selfish!) It's called In Bloom Beret or Cap, I used Vanna' Choice yarn.



And for my favorite... a cable hat done in crochet...so easy and so cute.... go to this web site for the pattern Rheatheylia She has some great patterns and easy to read. I used Lyon Brand "wool-ease" yarn for this hat...so soft and warm...another must have for my stash!
.....Totally Random Thought.....
Is my nose too big to get pierced??? I really, really want to do that when I don't have a "serious" job...but by then I may be too old.

*Holly Create*

So my son loves to tape all of his latest artwork or "whatever's" to the wall and it was becoming a major problem in my very "clutter-free-controlled" life.

Here are just a few examples of the problem...
why, oh, why, is the Costco receipt so cool just because they draw a happy face on it????

This is when I knew I had to come up with a solution...taped to his bookcase...really....
So I bought a cork board at the local thrift shop...$1.99
Used one of my husbands old shirts (only old because he decided to use Gorilla Glue while wearing it...that's what happens when you work with high schoolers...their stupidity rubs off on you after awhile!!)

A little hot glue and a knife to push the unfinished edges into the wood border...Made some push-pins out of some plastic rock-thingys I had leftover from a previous project...


Added a wooden dog so it would match the theme of his room...and it turned out cute...until....
He got a hold of it and made it his own...oh, well at least I'm saving money on tape!!

Oh, and now he wants to paint his room purple or rainbow...should I be worried????

*Holly Bake*

These cookies are good, not too sweet so you can eat lots...

Sugar Oat Hearts

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. butter flavored Crisco
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. old fashion oats (grinded)
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1/3 c. sugar for sanding

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In mixing bowl beat butter and shortening on high for 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 c. sugar. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in remaining dry ingredients. Use heaping teaspoonful of dough roll place on cookie sheet and flatten and form into heart shape. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Thrifting

I hit a local church rummage sale this past week and found some great stuff. I paid $10.00 total for all of these things...which I think is a great deal. I walked out of there a very happy girl. Not picture is a large wooden frame and a white, milk glass like, flower pot. I have seen the flower pots at Goodwill and they have been price from $6-7 so I was thrilled to find one.

I love these prints, don't know if they are worth anything put the colors are amazing. I plan to remove them from the frame and matting and hopefully find some thrifted frames for them. They will go in my bedroom.


I am a huge fan of enamelware and have a very small collection which this pot with lid will fit in quite nicely. I love to crochet so when I can find a different size hooks I always will pick them up.
Also have recently started collecting vintage linens, I use some of them for my bedding and also made an apron out of another. The flower stem/centers are for my friend who makes flower headbands. I just loved the little glass jar.
So I know these are a little random but I want to spray paint the boards and then put a cute saying on them. I'll post a final picture of that when I finish. Also the original stickers are still on these boards and are marked as $16.95 each!!
I'm always looking for old cookbooks and especially love "fundraiser" cookbooks, you can find some great recipes. I already have the Good Housekeeping cookbook and I love it so this one will be a gift. I also like old children's books with great graphics. I use them for decoupage projects.


Here is an example of the pictures in the book...aren't they cute?! So not bad for 10 bucks!!!

*Holly Bake*

I (and a little help from the kids) have been busy making yummy, Valentine's treats. I love the colors for Valentine's, which is a little weird since I hate the color RED but all of the pinks make up for the red! I made sugar cookies and they came out super-soft, not sure what happened to the dough but the are really yummy. Also made chocolate - M&M's - pretzels...my favorite. Also another personal favorite Marshmallow cookies, I think I could eat the whole batch.

Here's the Chocolate-M&M's-Pretzels The are so easy to make. Just lay the pretzels on a cookie sheet Place a Candy melt (I use Wilton Brand) on each pretzels Put in a 375 degree oven for 3 minutes Press a M&M in the center of the melted chocolate Let cool or place in refrigerator to cool faster. The eat...eat..eat... I love to make these for all of the holiday's.

Marshmallow Cookies are a favorite of mine and good for holiday's since you can use seasonal sprinkles. You can use chopped walnuts on the top for non-holiday cookies.

Marshmallow Cookies

1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped nuts or sprinkles
22 large marshmallows, cut in half

Combine shortening, sugar, egg, milk & vanilla and mix until blended. Add cocoa, flour, salt and baking soda, mix until combined. Drop 1 tablespoon dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove and top each cookie with marshmallow and return to oven for 2 minutes. Flatten marshmallow. Cool and frost with Chocolate frosting, decorate with nuts or sprinkles.
Chocolate frosting
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. milk
Melt butter, stir in cocoa, powdered sugar and milk beating until spreading consistency.

*Holly Bake*

I am always looking for a good Chocolate chip recipe and I found this one that I am now a fan of...so chewy and full of flavor...I think I ate 1/2 the batch by myself. The only thing is you have to make them and then let the dough chill for 24 hours which is not an easy task...since it was so tempting to take a sample of dough every time I was in the fridge!
I found the recipe here. I am going to again soon without chilling the dough and see how it works. If it turns out just as good I will be hooked on this recipe.

*Holly Crochet*

I finished up a couple more crochet projects. All patterns are from the Ravelry website. The orange one is for my sister-in-law who loves the color orange. This is the broomstick lace pattern. It took awhile to figure out the technique but I really like the way it turned out.


I had a little extra orange yarn so I made a headband with a flower on it. I just made it up as I went, then made a little flower, added a button and finished it off with some elastic. My daughter wasn't really interested in wearing it for pictures so I only got one shot and you really can't see it...sorry. I think it was cute and plan on making more with scrap yarn.
Here's a horrible picture of me in a hat I made for a friend. I don't know how to take a picture without a shadow in the background (it is driving me crazy). This is Woman's Granny Hat" which I added a big flower to the front. The pattern is here.
The gray scarf was a gift. Apparently it is a design that one of the character in the Harry Potter's series wears but I thought it was a great design. Go here for the pattern. Turned out cute.