Thursday, January 31, 2013

Never Fail Caramels

Yesterday I promised you a
REAL TREAT.
Here it is!
There's a storm brewig here today.
We have 3-5" of snow coming
followed by a few hours
of freezing rain.
Can you see the big fat flakes
falling on the playhouse
in our backyard?
When I was a kid my mother
often whipped up a batch 
of fudge from scratch
after the chores were done
on a snowy Pennsylvania night.
I make caramels instead.
As you can tell, I love to bake
and make candy.
I don't know how many 
caramel recipes I have tried
over the years.
Some of them called for
stirring for what seemed hours
and then...
they might or might not
"turn out".
These are quick!
Less than 10 minutes from
start to finish AND they
NEVER FAIL 
to set up properly.
Ready?
Get yourself a nice big 
microwave measuring cup.
Edited to add this message
from Debbie (see below)
 Be careful though, I have a friend who was making caramels in the microwave with her daughter, but they were using a glass container, not a measuring cup. At one point, the glass fell out and my friend received third degree burns over her hands and legs. I would caution your readers to make sure they use a good quality measuring cup, as you mentioned, not anything else! Just a heads up
I use the 2 quart one.
Everything that is measured out
is in 1/2 cup increments.

Melt 1/2 cup butter.
Remove from microwave.
Add 1/2 cup Karo syrup,
1/2 cup light brown sugar,
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweetened CONDENSED MILK
(not evaporated milk)

Stir until mixed and dissolved.
Microwave on high 3-1/2 minutes.
Stir down.
Microwave on high 3-1/2 more minutes.
Remove from mic.  Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts-if desired- I don't.
Stir until few air bubbles remain.
Pour into 8x8 buttered dish.
Refrigerate until set.
Cut into squares.

You can wrap these if they last long enough.
Ours never seem to make it to the
wrapped stage!
Serve these to your husband.
Make sure he eats twice as many
as you do.
Remember- the fatter he gets
the skinnier you look
standing next to him!;>)

your photo name

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Crafting Valentines-The Rest Of The Story

As you now know I was able
to free myself from the 
World Of Glue
and here I am prepared to
give you the rest of
the girls' crafting session.
If you remember we started
with this:
They assumed their positions:
And here are a few of their creations:
Lulu
made this one:
Sweet little Ria made this one:
 She is my glitter girl.
SweetCheeks made this one
using a card that Julie Marie/Idyllhours
sent her around Christmastime:
What fun they had-they were full of 
ZING!
And as for me...
Well I feel kind of like this...
Like my ZING got ZAPPED
No! That is NOT me!
I'm cuter....bwhahahahahaha
Pop in tomorrow for a 
SWEET TREAT!
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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Making A Mess-Er-Making Valentines

If you are a regular reader
you know I had my three
granddaughters here for 
the weekend.

With Valentine's Day coming up
I thought it would be fun
 (kinda like poking my eye out
with a stick)
to craft a few Valentines.

This, of course, involves
GLUE & GLITTER,
the bane of my existence.
I set up "stations" before
they got here.
Look how handy these sweet
chalkboard plates 
(that my daughter-in-love made me)
 come in!
Station One:
Station Two:
Station Three:
This involves scissors & a hole punch
AND a paper cutter which the girls
are NOT ALLOWED to use.
I gave them a very sweet, gentle reminder
about "HANDS OFF" the slicer/dicer.
SweetCheeks said:
Yohu wouldn't do that enyways, Nana.
That is a stooopid sighn.
Hmmmm...We'll see about THAT!

Choosing materials each girl starts
crafting. 
Thing One
Thing Two:
And, last but not least,
Thing Three
How did everything turn out?
How much glitter was spilled in the process?
How many fingers were glued to eyeballs?
How many scraps of paper were
glued to the floor?
You will have to come back tomorrow
where all your pressing questions
will be answered.......maybe.....
if I can get unglued from my
seat so I can get some sleep.
Later........
your photo name

Sunday, January 27, 2013

A Sweet Treat For My Sweetheart(s)

Here are some 
Fast and Fun
little
Valentine's Day Cookies.

Want to know HOW EASY these are?

First bake up your favorite drop 
Sugar Cookie Recipe
(I'll share my own later)
As soon as they are done 
pull them out and while they are
still warm press a cookie cutter
1/2 way through the cookie.
You don't want to cut it completely out.
You just want the heart impression.
Sorry-blurry pic-hard to do it
and photograph it at the
same time.
Then take some colored sugar
and sprinkle it into the 
grooves.
It is just as easy to do it 
without the cutter in place.

Make yourself a little sign.
Use a pretty little setup
Watch the smiles!
And now, even though I never thought
I would do this I am sharing
My SECRET SECRET SECRET
drop sugar cookie recipe
when I am in a hurry.
Shhhhhh....don't you DARE tell a soul!
Have a wonderful Sunday
your photo name

Saturday, January 26, 2013

A Tutorial On Taking Children's Pictures-Using SweetCheeks As A Model


Ready?  Here We Go!

First ~ pick a child that is 
photogenic and likes having
their picture taken.

Two ~ DO NOT ASK
Can I take your picture in the
sweet little dress and cape that
your Uncle and Auntie bought you,
 SweetCheeks?
The answer will be-
  NOH!
I doan't wahnt my pickshure taken.
 Three: The Solution:
Tell her you want to take a picture
of the flowers in the basket
and ask her to hold them for you.
Ummmm...Not exactly what I had in mind.
Can you hold the flowers down and 
your head down a little bit and look
right at Nana.
Hmmmm..
Sweet Cheeks..just smile and look normal.
Yeah...well.....You kinda got that 
 fake smile
and puppy dog eyes
thing going on there...
How about one more.
What?
You want to take your cape off?
Okay- Off with the cape!
Now~How about a picture
with your Auntie Carol then?
Oh- That's a really good one,
SweetCheeks.
Now...give me one more picture when
you are looking all cute like that...
and this one all by yourself.
Ready?
Thank you SO MUCH!
I think the photo session is 
over for the day.

Today is your lucky day, ladies.
There is NO charge for this
tutorial.  The tips I gave you
 are all free and,
as you can see for yourself,
the outcome varies from 
shot to shot.
Go give it a try and may
God be with you.
your photo name

Friday, January 25, 2013

Please Pray For This New Baby

Good Morning Friends
I had a fun post up this morning
but as I read my email I knew I had
to replace my morning post.
I have a plea
from Joanne @MyRandomInsanities
You can read about her beautiful
new grandson at the link above.
Here he is.
Isn't he beautiful?
She calls him The Boss~
Last night he went rapidly downhill.
Here is the email I got from Joanne.
D,
things went rapidly downhill today and the little guy is in a lot of distress.  The doctor has sent him to a specialist**...Could I ask you to please ask your readers to keep them/life them with their prayers?  You were the first one I thought of tonight when I was praying for them  Bless you sweet friend

**I removed part of the letter from my blog
because Joanne's daughter is so upset about everything.
Sometimes  I wonder why I do this 
silly blog...
and then I get this and I "get it".
God is using me, when I let Him,
to find people that will 
pray for others.
Please wing a prayer skyward for
The Boss!
We all know we need one more 
Male Boss
here on Earth
to keep us on track.
Pray for his whole family-
especially his Mom.
Thank  you all~


your photo name

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Crafting Valentines With SweetCheeks And Company

First you must hang a
banner INSIDE..
So that the
GRANDKIDS
will know
which Holiday
they are celebrating.
Just a word of caution..
If you hang one
that looks like
the one below..
SOMEONE
(who shall remain nameless)
will be sure to ask..
Is he
NAKED?
Your reply should be
Absolutely..
That is why he is
carrying an envelope.
This is sure to produce
a giggle from at
least 2 or the 3 grandkids..
The third one doesn't giggle.
She doesn't giggle
because she doesn't "get it".
She is trying to figure out where
HE got that BHIG of an envelope.


Secondly..
You must lay out supplies.
These will cost somewhere
in the neighborhood
of $459.00...and..
after you buy
ALL THAT STUFF,
you will realize that you have
forgotten at least one or
two crucial supplies..
Like...
Elmer's WASHABLE glue.
Lord help you
if you buy the
REGULAR ELMER'S GLUE
because it will NOT
be pretty.
Now that you have
your supplies home
and have signed
the bank loan
to cover the expense..
you must lay out the goodies...
Lay them out nice and neatly..
Sigh over the paper-Oh So Sweet
Next---
Hang a flag outside your door..
A cute little cherub flag
to greet them with a smile.
Isn't it perfect?
Love Mary Englebriet's flags.
Then they arrive...
bringing presents.
Bringing PRESENTS?
PRESENTS
For ME?
Yep-these are for Nana..
and they made them
all by themselves..
Inside are beautiful little
hearts made with love..
One from Ria.
Two from Lulu...
and one from SweetCheeks.
Of course I must put them all on..
I pick up SweetCheeks...
What does this say, SweetCheeks?
That's jus' sumbuddy ehlse's name
on there...Doan't pay eny
attenshun to the name...
just putt it on..
Whereupon I am informed
by Lulu that
"I told SweetCheeks
NOT to give you that one".
Whereupon SweetCheeks says
NOAH.YOHU.DIDN'T.LULU
an' I dohn't care cuz I am ghiving
it to her enyway. Hmmmf.
I start the legal paperwork
to change my name to Allison.
Great.. We are off
to a nice, calm start...

Now where were we?
Okay..girls..
Let's get started...
Who wants to make a
Valentine?
Everyone's hand shoots into the air.

In short order everything
 looks like this.....
All three girls are
Busy-Busy-Busy
Lulu makes this-
 Ria loved the self-stick hearts...
And SweetCheeks has now changed into her third Princess Outfit...
and has busied herself
making th...........
Oh, Dear Lord In Heaven...
Pray tell WHO left HER alone
with the glitter?
There is glitter glitter everywhere..
On the floor and on the chair..
In her mouth and on her hair....
I could go on and on with the
rhyming thingy but I'm afraid
the Dr. Suess police will get me.

An especially nice touch? 

The globs of
glue that dropped here and there
and shine brightly up
from the chair...and the table...
and the floor...and the countertop...
Did I say floor? Ah..yes...
and back to the glitter...
Nothing like glitter on the floor
that can be tracked from
room to room..
Leave NO ROOM untouched
seems to have been the motto
of the day.
I decide I need a bathroom break
to dispose of the 3 gallons of coffee
that I have downed in an effort
to keep up with this
CRAFT DAY WITH THE KIDS.
Lo and behold,
in the small reading nook
(where the old steps used to be)
I see
THIS...
How did all these books get off
the shelf and on the floor?
I ask ever-so-sweetly
between slightly gritted teeth.
Uh-oh---Here it comes...
Welllll...says SweetCheeks..
Ria toohk a few books off
the shellf and then I helped her
and took the rest offf..and
we jus' put 'em there for now.
Yeah? Where do you think
you're gonna put them later?
Wellll...It was Ria's idea.
I dunno how they gonna
get bahck on the shelfs.
Hmmmm...I dunno where YOU'RE
gonna go either if you guys don't put
these books back.
All too soon
hahahahahahahaha
the day ends and we clean up the
mess and they get ready to go home.
As you can plainly see 
SOMEONE has been so overworked
she has collapsed in a heap
using her sisters as pillows.
The pictures above are from last year.
Guess what!
This weekend we get to do it all
over again.
If you don't see me by Monday
I will be glued to a seat somewhere
in the house.
I hope it is in a chair in front of
the computer.

Edited @ 6:55 am to add:
MyHero reads my blog and says:
 You SPENT $459 ON THIS STUFF?
(Sheeez...don't ya know a joke when you read one?;>)
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