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Hi there sweet friends, nice of you to stop by!

Prim and folkart needlework designs of drab reds, browns, golds and greens are what I fancy.

Let's share stitchin, sewin, nestin, cookin, collectin, prims, critters and a lovin' mishmash of sweet life...

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Bakin, Cookin, Sewin...

Hey there Chickadees ~ how has everybody been!  Hope you've been keeping cool, getting enough rain and enjoying the simple down home pleasures of summertime.  So here we are ~ the eve before August 1st!  It seems the days fly by like lightening, or is it that I'm just getting slower every day!  Anyone else feel the same?  It's been very dry and hot here ~  not good for the garden, or trees, or grass, or flowers, or much of anything.  We need lots of rain in NY, not a strong monstrous storm that comes and goes quickly, but a cool gentle drizzly 3 day kind of rain, the kind that makes you wanna curl up and snooze the day away... 
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Bloggin ~ Soooo, it's happened ~ my blog has reached 200 followers and then some!  I humbly thank each of you!  To those of you who've become bosom buds ~ wish the miles didn't separate us.  To my new followers ~ hope you enjoy your visits, please feel free to comment now and again.  See my new template?  I spent some time and learned a few new techie things.
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Bakin and Cookin ~ With the weather so darn blistering hot day after day, I've caved into temptation and turned on the A/C.  Did some bakin, which I've loved since elementary school.  Have a bad day?  Go home and bake somethin special is what I do, I find it so relaxing!

So one Sunday mornin the Hubs said let's go down to the barn and do some pickin, came home with these...
 ... just enough to become a super yummy blackberry cobbler, gotta love livin off the land, even if it's only hit or miss where the wild berries prosper!

I had to try the below coffeecake made with white cake mix that was going around recently, great recipe, it's a keeper.  And of course a few loaves of banana bread all prettied up to take along to a picnic.  As a guest, it would be a very rare occasion for me to show up empty handed, it's just the polite thing to do.  The one certain thing about entertaining is ~ if you put it out, it'll get eaten!

Sadly, so far the quality of fresh fruit here is subpar this summer, so I'd just rather leave it behind.  I found a recipe using store bought canned peaches and decided the recipe deserves 2 cans.  I'll make this again and again, it's a nice smaller size and pretty tasty for coming from canned fruit.
 

The recipe called Christmas Dills was posted over at the 123MB last Christmas ~ they're definitely not just for Christmas.  They start with a jar of store bought pickles ~ they're really good, they get crispity crunchity, sing in your mouth, get your hand outta my pickles good!  Sadly we're now Christmas Dill addicts, happened very soon after the first batch.  'Twas only last summers' pickle season that Peggy Lee of Kentucky Sampler and I, well... we bonded, over... pickles.  I'm slowly starting to think I'm gonna be in desperate need of a good loooong rest in Pickle Rehab! 
 
 

  The lettuces here aren't lookin good ~ so we improvise, the basil is from my *first time ever* herb plant ~ yay!   Who says ya can't serve tomatoes in a pie plate!  Now I ask ya ~ ain't she pretty?  I almost had to tackle my brother Jeff before dinner to keep him from runnin off with her:)  
 
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Sewin ~ Another great way to avoid heat exhaustion is to find an indoor project, with A/C on full arctic blast, thank you.  Perusing my thread stash I noticed this spool.  It's from my sewing box when I was 12 or so and that my friends, was a good many years ago.  If you look closely you'll notice it's almost empty, I'd say it was money well spent.  I'm so very relieved as I've been assured by Barbara over at To Stitch or Not to Stitch that no one will hold it against me if go out and purchase another spool of white thread:)   
 
I've seen these tissue covers at craft shows and always wanted to try one.  There's an easy tutorial over at Karen's *Sew Much 2 Luv*  HERE .  Sometimes I like things mind numbingly simple, these were just that, and obviously fun, since I wasn't able to control myself, oh the torture of being a *first born*.  The seams are finished with zig zagged love as I'm still stalking CraigsList for a serger, wish me luck?

I picked out three pretty ones below, and am giving them away to my followers to celebrate 200 followers!
It's easy, no fancy stuff ~ if you want to enter and I hope you do, comment on this post only telling me which one of the three you fancy, before Noon, Wed., Aug. 3rd, NY time.  I'll make three piles, pick three winners and post them quickly.  This is open to all my followers everywhere, no anonymous entries please.  If I don't hear back from the winners with their snail mail by Noon, Fri., Aug. 5th, NY time, I'll pick again for a runner up winner.  If no one is interested, I'll just go out to the garden and eat dirt, seein as how there's nothin growing there.  Why the long pretty feather?  Hubs brings them home quite often, he's like that, loves nature, and it was within one reach of the camera. 

Your choices...

The Grass Is Always Greener...

Red Hot Flowers...

Burnt Garden Dots...

Thanks for stopping by, Happy August and good luck to all!

Tootles for now...


Sue



19 comments:

  1. Congrats!!! And what a nice way to celebrate having 200+ followers.
    These tissue pockets are just lovely. My favorite would be "Red Hot Flowers"

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  2. You've been keeping busy in such heat! If it were as hot here as I've been hearing about I'd just be lying around, I don't think I'd go anywhere near an oven. But then I guesss you have the luxury of AC, which very few people have at home here, but then it rarely gets that hot.

    Your tissue pouches are lovely! I think I'd fancy Burnt Garden Dots....

    Good luck with keeping cool!

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  3. yum! All of your baking looks wonderful...I am in a baking mood myself..just printed two new pie recipes that I Can't wait to try.
    Would love to enter your giveaway.... I love green, so the Grass is Always greener one is my favorite.
    have a super week!

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  4. oooo well done on the followers ,, must something out for mine too :) and am starving now having just read your post ..lol and of course you can buy another spool of white cotton :) and as for the tissue holders I am a follower and would love either the grass is greener or the burnt garden dots :) t.t.f.n :) love mouse xxxx

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  5. Sue, that spool from Woolworth's still cracks me up. You have got to be the ultimate stash keeper...and I thought I was bad. LOL All the goodies you made look wonderful and I can almost smell them all the way down here. I also love to bake much more so than cooking. In baking I think more love is involved.
    I would love to win one of your tissue holders. The red hot flowers one reminds me of the flowers down here in Florida and I would love to have that one.
    You have a great week Sweetie,
    Blessings

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  6. All that baking is making me hungry! lol! Love the tissue holders! Congrats also on 200 followers! I hope I win your giveaway. Otherwise I'll have to figure out how to make one of those myself. :D Thanks for the link!

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  7. Sue - wow, looks like you've been really busy in the kitchen! Our summer here has been a whole lot like yours - except for the three day rain! Like those in Texas, I find myself wishing for a very mild, slow moving tropical storm. I had to cut the grass because the plantain weeds had grown so high and oh, boy, the dust! The other night I had to water the trees. Not worried about the well going dry as we've had two good snowy winters, but still it irks me to do it. And garden? What garden? I didn't plant this year because last year was so abysmal. I just read in your profile that you're in the Finger Lakes - one of the best vacations we ever had we spent a few days there; it was WONDERFUL! And gorgeous blue waters. I envy you living there.

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  8. I'd love to dive into those sweet treats AND that salad! Its hotter than hades now, but in a few short weeks it'll be hankie time..so you are well stocked and stylishly ready :)

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  9. You have been busy! Love your fabric choices and I'm glad you had fun with the tutorial :)

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  10. Note from Author: Margaret at Days of a Sampler Lover emailed me after commenting as she forgot to pick a color, she's chosen Red Hot Flowers.

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  11. Your baking looks delicious. Would love a piece of the cobbler. Sew much 2 Luv also has a great tutorial on a zipper pouch.
    Love all the tissue covers especially the flower one.
    Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches

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  12. 200 followers? Wow! I'm lucky if I can get 2 people to leabve a comment on my blog! LOL!! I like the Burnt Garden Dots tissue cover. My e-mail address is sleepypam@msn.com.

    Thank you!

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  13. What a post full of goodness! All the food goodies have made me hungry - might have to raid the kitchen!

    Congrats on your followers! Those covers are all so nice - if I should be so lucky to be picked, I'd take any of them! Thanks for the chance!

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  14. Oh they are so beautiful - I recently made some for a baby shower - but I don't have any myself - I would love to win - You have picked some lovely fabrics !!!
    Thanks for the fun ;)

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  15. Note from Author: Patty C. emailed me after her comment to pick a color, she's chosen Red Hot Flowers.

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  16. Aw My Sweet Sue.....even before I started my very own blog I emailed you wanting that cherished refrigerator pickles recipe! I have yet to make them this year but don't you fret, I WILL be making them!

    You sure hve been busy in the kitchen, haven't you? ALL of it looks so scrumptious! It would be dangerous to live near you.

    If I were so lucky to be picked for your giveaway, I would probably choose "the grass is always greener" but really...I would be so honored to own anything made by YOU! (and I am)

    Love you girl!!!

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  17. I recently found your blog and it's wonderful. Your recipes looked so inviting that I wanted to put my fork right through the screen! The tissue covers are so sweet. If I had a chance to win, I'd choose "the grass is greener", but that's only because you are giving us a choice. They are all wonderful and a great idea for a small.

    Linda

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  18. Giveaway now ~ c l o s e d ~. Today is our weekly Wed night Dads' dinner so I'll be in the kitchen prepping for the rest of today. I'll drawn names and post Thursday 8/04. Thx for your entries and good luck to all:)

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  19. I'm interested in the recipe for blueberry cake. It looks like a cake we used to make my dad (who loves blueberries). Unfortunately the recipe was lost. I'd love to have it if you're willing to share! :)

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