Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/8 cups warm water at 110°F
3 tablespoons honey
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:
Add ingredients according to the manufacturer's directions to your bread machine. Use the wheat bread cycle and light color setting.

Hey y'all,

I am posting this recipe here so I won't lose it. Anybody with me on this one?! I am notorious for finding a great recipe only to lose it. Same with this chocolate chip cheesecake brownie recipe. Have no clue where that recipe went.
I found the bread recipe here. Hope they don't sue me...

Happy Wednesday!!

Tassel Tutorial Tuesday

Okay, let me just preface this by saying how under-qualified I am to give a tutorial. I am doing this because I have had several requests for a how-to and I am generous with my knowledge. The tassel above is Amy's. I told her how to do it and I took pictures along the way. If there are any gaps in my directions or you are confused about a certain part, please let me know.

First, you need to gather all your supplies: a topper, various fringes, ribbon, fabric glue(I used Allene's), and a hot glue gun. I would do this first part at a store to see how much of the body or main fringe that you need. I just rolled it a bit and held it to the bottom of my topper to see how much I needed. Then you just cut the amount you need.

Roll the main fringe and glue as you go along.

Roll and glue, roll and glue...

When you are finished with that step, sit it to the side a bit to 'set-up' or let the glue dry.

Then take your hot glue gun and squeeze the glue onto the top of the rolled fringe.

Hold to the bottom of the topper.

The next part is optional. If you want to add ribbon loops, then glue one side of the ribbon and bring the other side up, forming a loop and glue it to the first part of the ribbon.

Press the ribbon with the hot glue gun to avoid burning your fingers. *This part was Amy's idea, you don't want to know what I did with the ribbon. She definitely saved y'all a few steps!!

Take your next trim and hot glue around the top of the tassel part, covering where you glued the ribbon loops. You can do as much or as little here. Its up to your personal preference.


Tie a ribbon at the top and you are ready to hang!! See how cute Amy's tassel looks on her kitchen hutch. You can use almost anything for the topper. I think it would be easiest to use something that you can loop ribbon thru or tie onto, like our pear. Additionally, I think if you found something that did not have a loop, you might could drill a hole in it then tie your ribbon on. I think I am going to get my husband to drill a small hole into my birdie and glue a small eye hook in it.

I hope this helps!! Let me know if you make a tassel, I would love to come visit and see your handiwork. Happy Tasseling!!
Elise

Momma's Prims

Hey Y'all!!
I ordered some stuff from Kindra after seeing the things on her blog and in her etsy shop. I love it all!! She was so nice to work with and took my custom orders. I put the black-eyed susan plant stake in my chinese evergreen since I don't really have a flower garden outside. The star and name blocks don't have a home yet. I really would recommend going to check out Kindra's shop. Cute stuff in there...

See this mirror? I got it from Value Village for about $12. I will paint the frame and the mirror itself will get a coat of chalkboard paint and get put up in the schoolroom. I will post photos when it gets done. Assuming its in this school year!!

I am going to Amy's tomorrow night to craft and will try my best to put together a tassel tutorial. It should be fun and I'll be back with pictures!!
Talk to y'all later!!
Elise

A Sweet Gift

I got the neatest surprise gift yesterday. I was checking the mail and this was in my box. Love it and my friend even had Fisher's name embroidered on it. Oh, its a wipe case covered with fabric and trim. If you love it and gotta have one too, you can go here.
Thank you, Katy!!

My First Attempt At Tassel Making

Hey y'all!!
I stayed up last night attempting to make a tassel or two. I am happy with how they came out. It was a little easier than I thought and I could become addicted to making these. I think they would make great gifts too!! I found this wooden pear at one of my favorite antique shops on Friday. Afterward, I went next door to Hobby Lobby and got ribbon and fringe. Maybe if you click on the picture you can see more detail. I used various ribbon and ric rac as well as the two different fringes.

I also got the little birdie at the antique store. He was slightly trickier as he doesn't have a loop to string the ribbon thru at the top. I first tried hot glue. When that didn't work, I used Liquid Nails. Now if LN can hold a seat on a riding lawn mower, surely it can keep a piece of ribbon attached to a bird. Well, I tried to put the bird picture until this type but it is proving to be difficult. I tried to highlight and pull it down, but it turned into a long line of letters and numbers.
I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions about my tassels. I know they are not Susie's or Nester's but I am pleased with them.

Hope you all have a fabulous day!! I'm off to do laundry and vacuum. Oh, and feed the children...
Elise

Some steals and deals

I bet y'all were thinking you might get to see the finished table. Well, if you know me by now, you would know it might be a while before you see it again!! As in, it took me a few years to start it, it might take that long to finish it.
I got to go yard-saling and thrifting Friday. I was looking for a bookcase, but instead found what you see pictured. The milk crate(?) was $2 and we will use if for blocks. I went to an antique shop Friday afternoon and saw a similar one for $39.99. I would say that I got a deal!! I also got that cute rose print fabric for 50 cents a yard and have about 5 yards. The fringe I got for $5.00 total and it is about 7 yards. I am going to try my hand at tassel making a la Susie and Nester. I love theirs and would totally buy one if I didn't think I could do it myself. For some reason I feel bad saying that. Susie has a squirrel that I think needs to come live here, but when I emailed it to my mom she said, "You're not going to buy that, are you? You are crafty enough to make it yourself!" So, blame it on the mom...Sorry girls. I also have a 'thang' for embroidery hoops(not that I know how to embroider) and pick them up when I see them. And the rooster basket will hang on the fridge and hold coupons. Thursday night I got a super cute cottage-y mirror that I plan to paint the frame of and paint the mirror with chalkboard paint. Forgot to take a photo of that, but I will, along with a photo of its metamorphosis.

Jackson has been asking for a croquet set and we finally found one at a church thrift shop for only $2!! Today, he and his Daddy got to go out and break it in.

That's all I have for now!! Hope you all have a great Sunday night!!
Elise

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."


Do you have a favorite verse or quote? I'd love to hear it!!

Whatcha Workin' on Wednesday

Hey y'all!! I have been wanting to get on board with Leslie's Whatcha Workin' on Wednesday for a while now, but have been lazy. I have a side table that I got from a friend. I loved the lines but not the color of wood, and have been wanting to paint them for a couple of years now. Don't mind the linoleum-its so ugly its cute!!
Edit: I have had a few people ask me what color I am painting the table. It will be antique white and I will distress it. I have already primed it and used a whole can of spray paint(I normally don't spray paint furniture) and I either need to get more spray paint, or I will just use the antique white paint I already have and brush on another coat.


I am also going to be working on some gifts for friends who have summer birthdays. The birthdays have actually all passed. Oops!!
I will come back later and show the after photos.
Elise

My Friend's Blog

Hey Y'all!! My in-real-life friend, Amy, just started a blog. I think you will really enjoy it. She has such great style and even better ideas. Fly on over and welcome her to blog-land. Here is a link to her blog. Go, go, go!! You'll be glad you did!!
Have a great night!!
Elise

Potato Masher and Recipe

Remember the potato masher that I got from the antique store a few weeks ago. Well, it got a new lease on life!! I simply took a mini-clothespin and glued it onto the potato masher. Now it can be used to hold that recipe up off the countertop. It would also be a cute picture holder if you wanted to get really creative!!

I am going to share an awesome recipe with you all. It is a must-have at our family gatherings!!

Hot Artichoke Dip
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
2 cups mayonnaise
13/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

*Beat cream cheese at medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Mash artichoke hearts; add to cream cheese, stirring well. Stir in mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese. Spoon into a greased 11-x7-inch baking dish.
*Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with assorted crackers. Yield: 6 cups.

I always serve this dip with tortilla chips instead of crackers.
Recipe is in the Southern Living Ultimate Book of Appetizers.

Hope you enjoy!! Let me know if you make this.
Elise

Three Months Ago

today, this little guy was born. We decided not to find out the sex of the baby since we already had a boy and girl. It was so uncharacteristic since I like to plan their room and have clothes ready, etc. I almost really wanted a girl, because I had several names picked out for her. We had only one boy name picked out. Fisher he would be if the baby was a boy. The morning of my scheduled c-section I woke up early and couldn't sleep. I decided to pray because I was getting a little nervous about what was coming up. Now, this was my third c-section because my body apparently doesn't work right. Anyway, all I could think about was a boy's room and a fish painted on a board with 'Fisher of Men' painted on top of the fish. I think God was telling me and making my heart right and ready for a boy. Previously, all I could think about was making a little girl's quilt in various lavender colors(for a girl named Violet). Anyway, we went in, had the surgery and got a beautiful baby boy!! Thomas Fisher he was!! I cannot believe he is already three months old. The time is going by too quickly!!
Thanks for reading this!!
Happy Monday!!
Elise

A Little Craftiness

I was inspired by Monica's Proverbs 31 Woman craft project and decided to make my own. Here is my version. You can see her original and get directions in her April 25th, 2008 post or go to her crafting link, scroll down and find it. I loved how it turned out and think they would make great gifts. Excuse the poor photo...
Also, can anyone tell me how to get the photo to not be at the top. I inserted it after I typed hoping it would be under, but alas, it ended up on top.
Anyhow, go visit Monica's blog, you will love it!! In fact, The Homespun Heart is the first blog I ever read. I had never heard of blogs before finding hers. I was immediately hooked. It only took a year for me to start!!
Elise

My Antique Store Goodies

Well, I know y'all have been on pins and needles waiting to see my goodies that I got from the antique shop a few weeks ago. I love the picnic basket and it was a bargain at $10 and even came with the adorable gingham bow. The apron and potato masher were only $3 each!! I love aprons, especially vintage ones and at that price could not pass it up. I also collect vintage kitchen utensils. I have plans for the masher which I will show hopefully by Monday. I never intended on only posting on Wednesdays, but it seems to have turned out that way. The next picture shows my picnic basket in action(well, its just sitting there, but it is incredibly cute!!)
I got the strawberry platter at Goodwill, my home away from home, and the old tin strainer and strawberries came from different antique shops. I think someone-maybe me one day-needs to host a vintage kitchen swap. Wouldn't that be fun??

Hope y'all have a great night!! Hug your husbands and babies!!
Elise

Woo Hoo!!

Well, girls and maybe a random guy. I did it!! I figured out how to get a photo from my camera!! It seems to help if you download the software first. ;) Ok, so I know this is about a week late but I did promise a 4th of July deco-craft. The banner is it and was it easy!! I boiled water and added lots of instant coffee and cinnamon. I took the mini-clothespins and flags(the ones that come on a little stick) and sat them in the pot for about 2 hours or so. Then I took them out and let them dry on a rack overnight. I then took twine and clipped the flags on. Now, I was going to have stars in between each of the flags but that did not quite go as planned. I also made the sign from an old fence picket. The whole project was well under $5.00. The pickets were free that I got from someone redoing their fence. The twine came with a free catalog in the mail, the flags from Target dollar spot, 3 for $1.00, and the clothespins came in a package that might have been $2-ish. I already had the instant coffee and cinnamon.

Next, is my new ottoman cover. I LOVE it!! My friend Megan, who is an excellent seamstress and I made it. Well, she did most of the work. I made the pleated ruffle. The pleated ruffle and bottom layer are chocolate toile and the red is gingham. See that swing? There is a beautiful little boy in it right now. I love that little guy!!

Well, that's all for now. My next post WILL have my finds from the antique store as well as a mini-project with one of the items.
Hope you all have a great night!!
Elise

Homeschool question

Hello again!! No camera today-bah!! My Best Buy did not actually have it in stock. I do plan to go to a neighboring town to get the camera in the morning, though, and will for sure(if I can figure out how) post those photos I have been promising.
I do have a question for the homeschooling mamas out there. What do you use curriculum wise? We are looking at Sonlight($$) and My Father's World. Have any of y'all used either of those? I would love to just throw something together myself but am learning that I really need some amount of structure or my children may learn nothing at all. I would love to hear pro's and con's of each one. I like the Charlotte Mason approach, but I think I would actually have to make my own lesson plans and that would be seriously scarey. I am a bit of a free spirit and while that is not a bad thing it is not so great the disorganization that comes with it. For me.
I look forward to the feedback for this.
Thanks!!
Elise

Titles are hard to come by

Hey y'all!! I remember in English class when we had to come up with a theme I was always lost. One, because I didn't quite understand exactly what a theme was so I sort of renamed the story. So not a theme...And there is no two. One might think that I failed English. I might have been good at it, but since graduating 11(yikes!!) years ago, the correctness has disappeared. See? I cannot even put together a sentence that makes sense. All this to say that I cannot come up with a title for this post...
I do have fun news. No, we did not get a house, but I am getting a new camera tomorrow. Yay!! I found a good deal on a Canon Powershot and was going to go through Circuit City and have it shipped to me. Well, I might be a little impatient, so I called Best Buy to see if they would match the price and they agreed!! Double yay!! This means I can actually take a picture of the inside of my home and share it with y'all. The flash on my other camera was broken and sure, I could have paid over $50 to have it fixed, but the impatience won out. That and the fact that my newest little fella is 21/2 months old and I don't have a picture of him since he was 2 weeks old. Boohoo...
I am so excited!! Rejoice!!
Hopefully I figure my camera out enough to be able to post photos tomorrow. I want to show y'all that Fourth of July craft I talked about earlier and my new ottoman cover. It is beautiful!!
Talk to you soon.
Elise