Bean Pot Cookie Jar

Do you have a cookie jar? I always think of cookie jars as being cute. Mine isn't cute. But I like it alot. I don't know if it is just New England, or all over - but these were everywhere when I was growing up. Crocks, jugs, pots - all painted the same. We used to have a large crock and every year Mom would go out in the woods and cut pine branches off the trees and string white lights on it. She liked that better than the Christmas tree.

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This bean pot was a gift to me, from my brother-in-law. It came from his family home. Anyway, I've always thought of it as a special gift from a special place in his life, so it is special to me. And we put it to good use around here.

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Here's a photo of the latest batch of cookies (minus a few!). We almost always make the same kind - gingerbread molasses. Actually, I just mix up a big batch of dough and then keep it in the fridge - then we make a tray at a time. Fresh cookies all the time! My son just loves cookie cutters and takes his job of picking out what cutters to use for each batch very seriously! What's that you see... dog biscuits? Ah, yeah, well - we DO have 3 different dog biscuit cookie cutters. For April Fool's Day he is going to bring in dog biscuit shaped gingerbread molasses cookies to his class. He thinks this will be a fine joke!

A snow day...

At least 10" of snow. No school. We went sliding - and lasted for about 45 minutes, which is pretty good considering how deep the snow was... the wind was howling and blew the sled away 2X. But we did have fun! I love the sled where the 2 of us can ride together. The good news is that we only lost power for about 4 hours last night, phew!

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This is a photo of my stray cats insulated cat house. We keep it on the front porch and angle barriers in front of the door if the wind is blowing from a different direction. It is about the size of a lobster pot and is insulated all around with about 4" of stryrofoam inside. The door is pretty small - the have to scrunch down to get in, which is the point - keep the warm air inside! We have 2 stray cats - they never come in the house so are very used to cold outdoor weather. It might seem cruel, but the worse thing you can do is let them inside on cold nights - then they get used to a warm climate. Beside the fact that SB is allergic to cats. It has been -25C (that would be -13F) here some nights this winter and the cats have been just fine. One of them cut his foot on the ice the other day, but won't let me near him to check, but he doesn't seem to be limping so I guess he is fine. In anycase, they are well fed and we make sure their drink doesn't freeze.

Hard to believe that this week when I was at the stores - one thing on the list was rubber boots for SB for mud-puddle weather. Got to buy these things early if you want the right size and we only go to the stores about 1X every six weeks. We always have odds & ends on our list like - basmati rice, certain pasta noodles we like, baby bella cheese, etc. This time around it was boots and socks for SB - and getting ready to go he was complaining about his sneakers - yup, needed bigger sneakers too. Did the Easter bunny shopping this trip - so now I am all set until about mid-April, hopefully!

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I was going to try to get new boots for myself (didn't happen), but I guess DH and I can keep sharing the same pair of boots for the rest of the winter! His feet are just 1/2 size bigger than mine. Last snow storm I went to visit the neighbors and then told them I had to get home, DH was waiting on the boots. They howled with laughter and offered to take up a collection for me. For awhile there we were also sharing gloves , which was annoying me - DH lost 1 of his and so then proceeded to wear my nice pink ski gloves on the tractor, but got tractor grease on them, grr. One day I went to run errands with MY gloves on and got home pretty late, in a snow storm. DH was out there on the tractor, wearing POTHOLDERS, plowing the driveway so I could get up the drive - sweet man that he is. So, I felt badly and ordered him new gloves from Sears (we still have catalog delivery in Canada), but when they arrived I thought they wouldn't do and returned them. Good thing too because 2 days later I found the missing glove of DH's. Yeah!

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Here is a photo of SB's new rubber boots! SB is thrilled beyond belief with them - Fireman boots and all, you know? He has been wearing them around the house with his fireman hat and was a bit put out that I wouldn't let him go sledding with that get-up. Ha! Even so, I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have him hug and kiss me for 2 days straight over rubber boots!!! Which is why I shop early - I knew he wanted this style of boots and when you are 5 1/2 - the small things are so important. Whenever spring does decide to make an appearance, at least he will have dry feet, Fireman style.

Happy Jacks Progress

Without sashing or with? I am thinking... maybe, just maybe if I have a solid-ish maroon (I don't think so - I've already looked) or navy... I might sash it. If not - well then I think it looks just as good without sashing... introduces a bit of a 2nd design. What do you think?
For the outside borders I cut bricks of the darker fabrics when I was cutting the blocks. So far - everything came from stash! I did have to add a few more colors to use what I had, plus I made that 1 segment reverse to use that last bit of those greens.

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I actually did consider buying a bit of maroon fabric the other day - it is a 12 hour day for us to go shopping so we don't go often... but wouldn't you know, SB needed new sneakers AND rubber boots (mud-puddle season will be here before we know it and I don't want to have to make a special trip just for boots!), socks, and just - well, I didn't get the maroon quilting fabric. I did get 1 meter of maroon fabric - but it is fleece - for pants for my ever-growing boy!

The 100 Day Project was Legos

My son just celebrated 100 days of school - and the school has a special program for the day filled with fun stuff for the kids. Part of his assignment was a 100 day project. Suggestions sent home for his class included gluing 100 pieces of macaroni, or pennies, or... to a piece of cardboard, drawing 100 shapes, etc. That would have been easy, probably could have been done in 1 night, and exactly what most of his classmates did. Not my son. Instead Momma and son were busy counting and re-counting Lego pieces for the project... through many redesigns, might I add! Believe me, I was happy when the project was due and had to be turned in!!!
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He designed some Lego scenes. The top photo (slightly blurry- sorry!) is a pier on pilings (for the tide, you know). On the pier is a lighthouse and a lighthouse keepers house. Docked there is a rescue boat and also a "signal" boat that collects signals from the ocean to study. All those pieces added up to 100.  This goes to show that kids really do use their imaginations when using Legos, but Lego also has a Lego island with lighthouse as a set.
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But he was on a roll and also made several more "boats". Here are just 2 of them... the Polizei boat/jet unit with night search lights and a mini jail in the back and a diving boat.

He ALSO made a 2nd scene which was a camping scene... here you can see his campsite set-up... 3 benches, a tent, pet dog, car and 2 people at the picnic table - that is 100 pieces. The trailer is extra. His picnic table design is really clever.

He loves Legos. Especially any set that comes with wheels! He will put it together and it will stay as "intended" for all of a week and then it will never, ever be the same again. His little fingers fly and he is very fast at putting together something that he sees in his mind, constantly adding little details that you wouldn't know were there (for example, inside the trailer in the camping scene he has little benches to sit on and there is a back windshield and windows too). All these pieces have since been redesigned and I am now looking at my floor - he has a snow covered tree, green tree, helicopter, blimp (with docking kick-stand), several jet/ski boat things going on... etc. And a great horse pulling a wagon - the horses legs are a tiny bit shorter so they don't touch the floor so the wagon can move freely. Lego has many sets with horses like this stable set - it is nice to have at least a horse or two!  Give him a few days and they will be yet re-designed again into some type of farm tractor, trailers, harvesters, etc.

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His creations are really neat and I try to snap a few photos of the many metamorphoses along the way. Already he is asking me if I know any electronics - if I can help him wire a Lego creation. Hummm. I told my DH - by the time he is in 2nd grade his 100 day project will probably be a working submarine. I guess I should just enjoy Kindergarten for now because I am sure that I will have to be on my toes in the future to keep up with his busy and constantly curious mind!

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Coming up next week is public speeches, and he has his speech all prepared- which he sat on my lap in front of the computer and typed by himself... all about model trains and HO scale. Seeing that he is in Kindergarten, he has a short time allotment compared to the older kids, so I had to limit him a bit on some of the technical details but he seems to have gotten down what he wanted to share and I think that he will do fine. We will practice this coming weekend.

Edited to add:  My son is now 9 years old and he and his classmates still love playing with Legos.  It is always, always the favorite "toy" whenever they get together.  I know Legos are pricy, but this has been the best money spent on any toy.  I recommend a basic building set (windows, doors, wheels - all important!), platforms (I hate spending money on a platform, but the kids create big scenes or houses using these), roof tiles, and a book about Lego ideas to get started.  The kids also really love any set that comes with a boat frame because they take it all apart and create all sorts of new kinds of boats!  Look for sets that come with fun, little "extras" like sharks, mini cars/boats, accessories.  Often times it is these little bits that become the favorites!  We save all our manuals in magazine sorters, but I have to tell you - it only looks like the box photo once or twice before it gets added to the big bin for lots of imaginative play!  Once a set is not made anymore it becomes more expensive so if one of my links seems too expensive it could be in limited supply - just search for something similar in the Lego line and compare prices!  It pays to know your prices when you shop!

Valentine's Pizza

Holidays mean... food, in my household! Today I made pizza, but instead of shaping it into a rectangle, I made 2 hearts - a small heart just of cheese for my son and spicy sausage, green pepper and red onion for DH and myself. Mmmm, mmmm good! You guys get the photo of the rectangle one from last week because the heart shaped ones were eaten too quickly to photograph! And I bought my son a card which he is very happy with. And he, of course (being 5 1/2 years old) made me many, many cards! He made them at school, at Sunday school and at home. Such a cheerful little guy and so proud of his creations. This is the 1st year that he has been able to write a message on them, how exciting!
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At school my son celebrated Valentine's Day on Wednesday... so he had a little party then. I sent in goodie bags with a home-made molasses cookie, a few chocolate kisses, lollypop and pencil. Plus, I made 2 cakes for the party... have you ever heard of it before? You make a white cake from a mix and then poke it full of holes and pour jello over it - refrigerate, and then frost with pudding/cool whip topping. I used cherry jello to make it red. Well anyway, the kids liked it!
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Traditionally we like a chocolate fondu on Valentine's Day, but we are saving it for later in the week this year. It has been a busy week and today is super busy so I think that I will just enjoy it so much more later in the week when I am more rested.
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Anyway - here are is my favorite recipe for pizza! It is actually pretty easy to make and I hope you will give it a try. The dough makes a BIG pizza, as you can see from the photo above, but you can make 2 smaller pizzas just as well. I don't have a pizza plate or stone - I just shape it and put it on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper - works fine.
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You might want to make the dough 1st and then the sauce!
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PIZZA SAUCE
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1 can tomato sauce (regular size can)
1 can tomato paste (those little ones)
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
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Mix altogether in a blender. This is going to make way too much sauce for 1 pizza, but really, I hate to use 1/2 or 1/4 can of anything - the rest always goes to waste. So, just portion out the left-overs and freeze. Adjust seasonings to your own families taste, but this is what I have found works for me. Don't skip the brown sugar though!
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PIZZA DOUGH
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3 cups flour
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
1 cup warm water
1 TBS yeast (or 1 packette)
1 tsp garlic powder
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I mix my water/yeast and set it in a warm spot for about 5 minutes. Mix all the ingredients in blender with a dough hook for maybe 3 minutes. The dough should be elastic, slightly sticky - like bread. Add more water/or flour as needed - about 1 tsp at a time because it goes together fast!
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Spray bowl with cooking spray. Put your dough in there, turn it over (so top side is greased) and set in warm spot to rise for 1/2 hour.
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Roll out dough. I roll mine out on a lightly floured counter using just my hands. Mine is never a perfect shape - just go with it! I give mine a ridge on the edges. Put on parchment lined cookie tray. Take a fork and poke it in an even pattern. Bake in a pre-heated oven 375 degrees for about 7 minutes.
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Take out of oven and spread with sauce. My son likes just a little sauce, I like more -- whatever works for you.
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Bake 5 more minutes.
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Take out of oven and add toppings (except the cheese!)
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Bake 5 more minutes.
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Take out and spread shredded mozz. cheese on top. Turn the heat down to 350 and bake another 5 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is a faint tan, the edges a nice color and the cheese melted. If you like thicker crust, then pre-bake the dough a little longer than the 7 minutes in order to get the dough evenly cooked without crisping the cheese. You can just ignore that top photo bit where I crisped the cheese a wee bit. Not too badly, but still crisped which is why I now save the cheese for the last 5 minutes. Perfection, I tell you... but no photos to prove it. Ah, but that is the proof itself, no?
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My son was so happy with heart shaped pizza's today that he wants them again next week. He watched me make the sauce and I was explaining that my secret ingredient was brown sugar - takes the acidity out of the tomatoes. When we were eating and I asked him to tell DH the secret ingredient, he told him - Momma puts love in her pizza. Awwww!!!

It's Only Fabric, Right?

Yesterday was a very long day - I was gone for 15 1/2 hours. It was cold. It was storming. Did I mention it was storming? Yup, long day. But, I got the things done that needed to be done, plus a bit of shopping (not much as I only had a couple hour gap in my schedule - most of my day involved travel, but shopping is shopping!), went out for dinner and got safely home, so all in all - a good day. After my meeting (only business would have me out yesterday) - first off, I picked up a few goodies for SB's classmates for Valentine's day. And a Matchbox car for him -he just loves it if I bring him a car. Some great "work-out" clothes from Value Village (this is a great store we have in Canada of all used clothing - the store is huge, spotless and well organized!). I got name brand sports pants for $2.50 a pair, plus 2 vests and tops for layering. Score! Still happy about my bargains - I got the oil changed on the car... and the mechanic very nicely told me - I need new tires. Sigh. Well, at least I know so now I have to go back and get new tires soon.
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And... being near the fabric store of course I popped in there. No new quilting fabric for me - still working on using my stash, but I did come out with knit fabric, matching thread and a double needle for sewing knits (for the hem). I already have the pattern (Simplicity 2766) - I just haven't used it before. I am going to make that dress - a bit longer though. Yesterday lots of pretty knits were priced at buy 1 meter, get 2 meters free.

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I have a sister that prefers to look at the line drawing of a garment, so here is that version. It is only 5 pattern pieces! I know it looks simple and boring, but the fabric is pretty and I think it will look good. I picked this pattern in particular because it is a largish print. Fingers crossed that it doesn't come out looking frumpy. Really, it should not take too long to make so I guess I will find out soon enough. I wish I had a scrap of a solid contrasting fabric for the neckband and wrists, but I don't and didn't think of it when I was at the store... so I will just make it all with the 1 fabric.
So, I've got the fabric all washed. And now I am 2nd guessing my pattern choice. But I have to remind myself - hey! It is only fabric. It is only fabric. Cut it. Make something. If it comes out - great. If it doesn't - well try a different pattern next time. Right? When making clothes - if using very expensive fabric it is a good idea to make a cheap version 1st. My knit is super nice, but at that bargain price so I will just measure me, double check the measurements against the paper pattern, cut, quickly hand baste to double check the fit and then serge. Once it is serged there really isn't any adjustment you can make which is why I baste first. I am not going to change my mind about the pattern - I am going with it. After all, it is only fabric.
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The great thing about sewing clothes - because I usually make very simple patterns - it goes together fairly fast. It is nice to mix a few fast projects in with the time consuming quilts that I also like to make. A finish always makes me feel much more productive! Usually my biggest issue with sewing clothes is having a very large table to cut the pattern out on - tomorrow is quilting group and we have lots of tables in the hall where we meet - I will push 2 together and cut out the dress there.
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Speaking of quilting: Happy Jacks progress - I've made 4 more blocks... 9 more to go...