Saturday, November 29, 2008

New ornaments



Here are some new ornaments for sale in my etsy shop. They have a delicate leafy design on them.



...and some cuteness, a new Santa pin!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Gasp

It's hard to breathe after pigging out all day. I hope everyone had as wonderful a Thanksgiving as my family did!

Just wanted to report that everyone enjoyed the Mystic Salad, along with turkey, ham, dressing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, potato salad, tossed salad, rolls, green beans, corn, artichoke dip and bread cubes, followed by pumpkin pie, pecan pie, chocolate layered pudding, cookies and more.

I fooled my daughter-in-law's mom! I didn't tell anyone the bottom layer of the Mystic Salad had pretzels in it. I just waited for someone to taste it and say something. Sure enough, she asked, "What is in this?" and I asked her, "What do you think?" She said pecans? and I got to say, Nope, pretzels. I love to amaze people. :)

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Recipe - Mystic Salad

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

We're going to my daughter-in-law's family's get-together, just 20 minutes away.



Here is what I made tonight to take. This is a big deal because I don't cook much. I used to take this to pot lucks when my kids were little, and everyone always loved it. I don't have my old recipe anymore but was delighted to find it online.

It's called "Mystic Salad" because no one can ever guess what the pretzels are. Everyone always thinks the pretzels are nuts. :)

Mystic Salad
12 servings

2 c. crushed pretzels
3 tbsp. sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 c. sugar
4 tbsp. drained, crushed pineapple
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
1 (6 oz.) pkg. strawberry Jello
2 c. boiling water
2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen strawberries

Mix 2 cups crushed pretzels (put them on a cookie sheet between 2 pieces of waxed paper and roll them with a rolling pin), 3 tablespoons sugar, and butter. Spread in the bottom of a 12" x 8" glass baking dish (you will put the other layers on top). Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes to melt the butter. Take out of the oven and set aside to cool.

In a bowl, mix cream cheese, 1 cup sugar & 4 tablespoons drained crushed
pineapple. Fold in 1 medium container Cool Whip. Spread on top of the pretzel mix.

In another bowl, dissolve strawberry Jello in 2 cups boiling water. Add 2 (10 ounce) packages of sliced strawberries. Let Jello stand 10 minutes, then layer on top of salad. Refrigerate overnight or for several hours before serving.

Bon appetit!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Santa's Elves have been busy!











So pretty for your own tree or for a gift! Snowflake Ornaments are available in my etsy shop at $15 for a set of 3 or $5 for a star.

Custom orders welcome!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Fingerprint Friday - Rosie





I am thankful God created cats, and I'd like you to meet a special one in my life. Her name is Rosie. She lives inside Chevron Trading Post and Bead Store, a wonderful store in downtown Asheville where I shop often. Rosie usually is lying in her bed under a table at the end of the main counter and lets all the cat lovers who come into the store pet her and talk to her. They have a dog too but I will feature her another time. I LOVE ROSIE. They have a little sign taped to the edge of the table telling how she used to weigh 8 pounds more and was getting too fat, so there's a pole with feathers on the end lying on the table and they invite anyone to play with her to get her to exercise. LOL. Sometimes she'll play, and sometimes she ignores you. You know how cats are.

When I was there the other day, she wasn't in her bed or anywhere to be seen, and I asked one of the clerks "Where's Rosie? I HAVE to see Rosie!" She went into the back office area and came back with Rosie in her arms. Awww! Then I took a few pictures of her. She doesn't hold still for long so that's quite a challenge, but I was happy to get these. There is nothing like the feel of a cat's fur, and it makes me so happy to see her and pet her each time I go there.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Where do you see God's fingerprints? In nature? kids? animals? They are all around us!

Thank you to Pampering Beki for hosting this each week! Everyone is welcome to join. To see how to join, as well as find links to other Fingerprint Friday posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

New banner




Time for a new banner for my etsy shop! I hope it gets everyone in the shopping spirit!

Monday, November 17, 2008

Cat Initial Pendants



Someone on etsy ordered two custom Cat Initial Pendants on black leather cords - an L and an E for two little girls. They are about one-and-an-eighth inch square. They were really fun to make.



A vendor at the last craft show I participated in makes handmade baskets and asked me to make some autumn leaves. She will hang them with thread or cord from the top edge of some of her baskets. I put real leaves in the copy machine and reduced the size a couple of times till I got patterns for 3 sizes. She said when she touched them, "They feel like leather!" Yay for the versatility of clay.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Fingerprint Friday - cute animals



There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Where do you see God's fingerprints? In nature? kids? animals? They are all around us!

Thank you to Pampering Beki for hosting this each week! Everyone is welcome to join. To see how to join, as well as find links to other Fingerprint Friday posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.

********************************************************************
God has given us such a wonderful gift in animals! These photos were in an email I got recently. I hope they make you smile.




Monday, November 10, 2008

Patchwork Craft Group Show




The show this past Friday and Saturday was very well attended and we were all pleased with our sales. Here are some photos to show the beautiful handmade things by some very talented people and how everyone's things are arranged together on various tables. Some of the members do the arranging and make everything look beautiful like a boutique. It's so inviting and people seem to enjoy shopping without a crafter at each table watching their every move.









This vendor, Christine Pace, was ill and unable to attend, but I wanted you to see her fantastic gourds.


Thursday, November 06, 2008

Craft Show!



I'll be gone Friday and Saturday to the Patchwork Craft Group Show and Sale at St. Timothy United Methodist Church, Brevard NC - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Come on by if you're in the area! See post below (Oct. 26) for more about the show.



I helped with publicity for the show, and had fun listing the group on this website: Arts of Brevard

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Front Page!


3 faces pin

WOW! Woke up this morning to find out this brooch was on the front page of etsy around midnight EST!



Thanks to The BeadAerie for including me in her Treasury and to SCDiva for the screen shot!