The Spoils of the Hunt

Bias tape: found in bin for 25 cents each.
Vintage buckles: found for 25 to 50 cents each. I'm thinking about making some dresses from the 50's or early 60's and these will do nicely for garnishing waistlines.
Some yummy Lavender Spray to make my linens and room smell lovely.

A day trip to Walnut...

For info on these shops and more on Historical Walnut Iowa go to:
www.walnutiowa.org and for more on Sow A Seed go to: http://sowaseed-priorattire.blogspot.com.

Zimms: A good shop for vintage postcards, flowers/ hats, etc.
A stand of pretty hats.
I love this one, but it was a little small... Maybe I can design one like it.

Zimm's shop front

The "Forget me not" Shop.
All the world is a Victorian tea party.

One of my favorite shops in Walnut: Sow A Seed
This pic turned out rather dark, but this is a jewelry case full of pwetty, pwetty things.

A delightful lamp.

5 Spice Applesauce Bread

5 Spice Applesauce Bread

Combine in mixing bowl:
2 c. whole wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. anise seeds
½ t. ground ginger
½ t. ground nutmeg
½ t. ground cloves

Combine in a separate bowl:
1 ½ c. applesauce
½ c. butter, melted
2 T. milk
½ c. honey

Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Pour into buttered 9 by 9 inch baking dish.Bake at 400 degrees for 35 min. or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Eddie's Haircut

These are from last Sunday when Eddie got his trim. His fur had matted behind his ear and legs, hence the hair cut. The grooming table is new, and the leash somewhat resembled a noose...

Eddie seemed a bit concerned, but calmed down shortly, next time we will lower the leash. :)

All was mended after some dog biscuits.

Smoky Bacon and Vegetable Chowder

Smoky Bacon and Vegetable Chowder

3 parsnips, peeled and chopped
9 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 small russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 t. salt
Put the vegetables and salt into a soup pot, just cover with water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until tender (10-15 min). Do not drain off the cooking water.

In a saute pan:
Crisp 10 slices turkey bacon, drain bacon on paper towels and crumble when cooled
In the pan, along with the renderings form the bacon, melt 1 T. butter.

Whisk together in a bowl:
¼ c. flour
½ t. ground cayenne pepper
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ t. salt
3 c. whole milk
1 t. Italian seasoning
Pour into sauté pan, cook over medium heat until thickened.Pour into soup pot with vegetables, add crumbled bacon.

Vintage rose lamp

Another lamp I found amongst my flea market hunts. This one was found at "The Egg Krate" in Elk Horn, IA. I repaired the scratched paint on the base, and repainted the lamp shade and trimmed with some ribbon. It also requires rewiring.

truama

What a week, I'm so behind on tasks and blogging.

I have been swamped with the garden and preserves/canning. Whew.

On top of all of this I had full fledged migraine Monday and Tuesday, fried the top of my left hand while ironing fabric. I then proceeded to the dentist where I had the frolicsome shot in my face, resulting in some nice puffiness/numbing up to my forehead.

Friday as I was picking fruit, happened to wrap my hand around a previously claimed pear, resulting in a yellow jacket sting smack in the palm of my left hand (I'm a left handed gardener/cook/ and crafter... not good) which swelled up nicely and got nice and red.

Another interesting thing I did today was drive for the first time (I know, I know, I'm no spring chicken, but I haven't had to drive up till now) So thus my physically uncomfortable week goes on. Then to complete the painful week, like the cherry on the sundae, on Saturday and Sunday I got another migraine, I am weary of pain...

Perhaps this next week cannot help but be better.

House lasagna

House Lasagna

13 oz cooked whole wheat Lasagna noodles

Combine in mixing bowl:
1 ½ lb. Roasted chicken, shredded
6 slices turkey bacon, crisped and crumbled
32 oz. Jar tomato sauce
1 c. torn basil leaves
1 t. minced garlic

In a sauce pan:
Melt: 3 T. butter
Add: 1 t. salt
Black pepper
½ t. pepper flakes

whisk in separate bowl: 3 c. whole milk
and ½ c. cornstarch

Add milk mixture to butter/spices in pan, cook over medium heat until mixture becomes thickened. Remove from heat,
Whisk in
3 eggs,
one at a time, keep the mixture moving constantly, otherwise your eggs will scramble.
Add: 8 oz. Grated parmesan cheese.

To assemble:
Per layer: lay out 3 noodles in a buttered 9 by 13 inch baking dish
Next: spread about ½ c. of the white sauce
Then: about ¼ of the red sauceWhen lasagna is assembled bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 min. or until golden on top

Banana Walnut Bread

Banana Nut Bread

Preheat oven to 350, grease loaf pan.

Combine in large mixing bowl:
1 ¾ c. whole wheat flour
1 ¼ t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
¾ t. salt
½ t. ground cinnamon

Combine in separate bowl:
3 mashed ripe bananas
2 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
½ c. honey
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs

½ c. chopped walnuts

Fold the contents of the second bowl into the first until no clumps of flour remain (do not overmix). Fold in nut; pour batter into pan and bake for 60-65 min. or till a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Jewels of my trade: thegildedbee.etsy

The rich as wedding cake bracelet.
A bracelet so sweet you could eat it. Composed of Lampwork beads, freshwater pearls, glass beads, and a heart stamped metal toggle clasp.

Westmark Earrings.

Diamond shaped red swirled glass beads dangle from circles upon circles.

Ming Rose Bracelet.
Ruby lamp glass spaced with gold and dark red sead beads finished with a heart shaped clasp.

Rhombo Earrings.

Earrings fit for a tango. Comprised of fushia faceted glass beads and little purple square beads.

Cherries and Peppermint bracelet.
Striped pink and white glass beads and ruby lamp glass pirouette through this confection inspired bracelet.


Marachino Bracelet.
This bracelet was inspired by those little marachino cherries that people put on top of the proverbial sundae.Oval red glass beads swirled with white are spaced by round glass beads of the same red glass.

Falling leaves Earrings.
I was inspired by the aged walnut trees yellowing leaves with the approach of fall. Iridescent yellow sequin leaves cascade down links.

Japanese Garden Bracelet.

Paisley glass tubes and green and pink glass seed beads space plastic resin floral squares finished with a heart shaped stamped metal toggle clasp.

Autumn Gold Bracelet.
Swirling gold lamp glass beads are spaced with gold stamped leaves finished with a gold toggle clasp.

Carnival Earrings.

Cane glass rounds go through a 3 ring act.

These are my first pretties that I have posted on thegildedbee.etsy.com.

YE GRANDE OPENING

Yay! I finally got around to opening my etsy shop. Now to get busy and revel in my hand-make everything instinct.

Clematis

These are our fall bloomers.

This is only their second year and they are just stunning.