Whatca Working on Wednesday

I have been trying to make the snowballs from several tutorials I've found. Both Char and Jenn have instructions. Below are a couple of my tries. I tried them first with Mica flakes and they didn't seem to stick well. I then got into my DH's train stuff and used his snow for the train platform. SHHH don't tell. LOL!!! They looked the most realistic and held together the best. Next I'm going to try grinding up the Mica flakes and making them smaller and adding some scent. Try a few. They go together well.Be sure and check out My Country Home to see what others are working on.

Mica flakes

Faux snow. The ones in the bowl are the closet to what the actually look like.




Today was pumpkin carving time at our house. They turned out quite well.

My nephew was here as well as help from daddy.


It snowed a little here in PA today. It really got me in the mood to work on Christmas. I can't believe how close it actually is. Time to get to work.

More applesauce

I managed to get 4 quarts and 6 pints of applesauce done today. I did have one mishap however. One of the jars broke in the water bath. What a mess. Oh well it could have been worse. They could have all broken. This is a picture of the "victorio" I use to mill the apples.



We have a new computer system at work and working on more applesauce was really a stress reliever for me. I enjoy any type of creating and find much satisfaction in accomplishing tasks. Of course it has to be tasks I want to accomplish. It can't be something expected of me or something I "have" to do. Although I do relish the smell and look of a freshly cleaned house.

I did get to another project in the last few days. I made some "Primitive Pantry Cakes" form a tutorial I found on Jenn's blog Bittersweet Prims.They turned out nice. Mine are darker than hers though.The second picture is the bottom to show how light they actually were before I put all the spices on them. I need to find some different shaped molds.It gives me something new to look for at the Thrift store. I had an old cupcake pan with 3 different styles so that's what I used. I have them displayed on a wooden plate I bought at a yard sale and painted and distressed.


It came looking like this.


I sanded painted and distressed. This is my first attempt at hand painting. The rim is supposed to be bittersweet.
I think the bright spot in the center must be the flash. It isn't that bright. It whited out the rim a bit too. I'll try and get a better picture.

Harvest

Happy Tuesday. Where did the weekend go. On Saturday we went up to Meadville to visit my parents and pick up my apples. I had ordered 2 BU from their local Amish farmer.I've canned applesauce every year since the girls were small. Emily was such a big help this year. She carried all the boxes of canning jars up from the basement as I pulled them off the shelves. As I washed all the jars she began quarting the first bushel to cook them down a little. After they softened some she "squished" them through the Victorio (which is a fancy mill like appliance that attaches to my counter). This by the way is her favorite part. It removes the skins and the seeds and all I so is boil it,fill the jars and process it in a water bath canner. It took us about 4 hours working together. We were rewarded with 13 quarts and 6 pints so far. We still have a bushel to go.


Over the weekend I also finished rusting some bells and some pins.

I found the tutorial on Char's Blog
Be sure and check out her blog. Right now she has a give away for a counter top toaster cover to co inside with her daughter's 21st Birthday. She has some of the best tutorials I've seen. She is a really gracious lady to share her talents with us.
It's off to work I go. This is the what I leave every day. My DH did a fantastic job decorating this year. His first! He's a natural.

Making Halloween Cookies

Em and I made cut out cookies tonight for her cousins that are away at college. We got them all cut out and baked. The icing will be reserved for tomorrow night.As we were working I was reminded of making cookies with my mom and sister at christmas time. We only made cut outs for xmas. I have started a collection of the same type cookie cutters that I used as a child. They were a clear red plastic made by Educational Products Company in Hope, New Jersey.Some time ago I learned that they had all styles of cutters. There is a nativity set, a cinderella set, and nursery rhyme sets as well as the traditional holiday sets. The circus set contains clowns horses and elephants. They are so fun. They are not produced anymore. The company is no longer in business. I try to find them at flea markets and garage sales. I so enjoyed making cookies with Em. I know it won't be long and she won't want to be making cookies with me anymore. I hope she thinks back when she is making cookies with her daughter. I hope to start a set for both my girls too.



We made witches,cats and pumpkins. The orange on is a little older than the red ones.

Estate sale

I can't beleive my very favorite house ever had an estate sale today. It started at 9AM. I couldn't go until 11:30 after my half day at work. This work thing can really cramp my style sometimes. I wanted to see the inside more than anything. It was just as I expected. Early Civil war era. All bubble glass (original) windows aome updates but the kitchen was in the basement. Yep that's how they built them. There are fireplaces in every room. I asked what they were going to do with the house and they are working with the historical society to come up with a plan to refurbish and display. This place was incredible. It was more than I expected. I called DH from inside the house and said "guess which house is having an estate sale". It's funny because we BOTH like this house. Generally it's only one or the other of us but this one is both of us. I know we could never afford it and wouldn't be able to put the money into it that it needs. But it was nice to dream for awhile. I'm posting the pictures of the things I bought. Any suggestions for the bowls would be appreciated.


The chairs just needed washed up a bit. I love the basket. It is a nice shape. The pewter sugar bowl and creamer will look great on my new shelf. Don't pay too much attention to the suff in the background. I carried them into the garage to clean them and get before and after pictures. Wish I could afford that house...............Only dreaming.