Stokes Strawberry Farm

The strawberries are ripe!

 Went out this evening to pick a bunch to eat and make freezer jam from...

It's like eating sunshine...

they are so good...

 Mighty had a big time picking strawberries...last year she mostly ate them...

 They were both excited to go back and actually so were my husband and I...

Tomorrow I'll be making freezer jam to stow away and enjoy all year long...

Vintage Egg Basket

My first purchase from the Peddler's Mall where we have our booth...

We have enjoyed raising the chickens and getting fresh eggs....the photo above is Little Red.  She is the last survivor from the second set that we bought.  None of the first set made it 

(and three of the five were roosters)

And this is Miss Goldie who is so friendly and has the perfect disposition for the kids....

We get two eggs a day sometimes one and lately none....but I have been on the hunt for egg baskets since we started getting eggs.

 While checking on our booth the other night I spied this little treasure up on a shelf in a booth across the aisle....

 I couldn't pass it up!  I don't think I've ever seen one this size.  They are almost always large

....so I had to make my first purchase

I love it....and will probably still buy a larger one at some point this year while flea marketing.

We ordered baby chicks with our sister in law over at Red Barn Revival, and they should be here in a week or so...

can't wait to see the new babies...

Soft Pretzel Recipe

I made these today and they are so good I thought I'd repost and share again....

 Find the recipe HERE...
Without a doubt the best soft pretzel recipe I've ever tried.  
They taste like Auntie Anne's pretzels....so don't say I didn't warn you!!!

They are good with Kosher salt too.   
I usually do some salty and some sweet...a great treat on a snowy March day...

Reeses Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

 A friend of mine was talking about these cookies when we were together the other day...

she found the recipe HERE....

And they are soooooo tasty...

I made  them(without the banana chips) to take to our church group meeting the other night....

Here's the recipe below because these need to be shared people....

3/4 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

1 c. chocolate chips

1 c. reeses pieces

1 c. dried banana chips, broken

Instructions

1. In a bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and honey and beat again. Slowly add the dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips, reeses, and banana chips by hand. (you can leave out the banana chips if you don't like those, or substitute pretzels or chips)
2. Drop by tablespoon onto a baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes. Cool on pan for 3-4 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Store in a tightly covered container.

Industrial Kitchen Island

 Another project to check of the list!  Still digging out from things that were put on hold to remodel our bathroom....

 Here's how the butcher block top looked before I did anything to it.....

 My husband fabricated this base out of square tubing and angle iron.

 Some tack welds above ---metal is a very cool material to work with.  I've welded a handful of times and it's something I'd love to get better at. 

 He welded in these pieces to make the legs solid so they won't leave marks in the floor....

 Grinding some welds down--

 The boards I painted up for the bottom shelf...I used my ASCP Old White for the base and Duck Egg for the top.  

 And here's the finished top.  LOTS of sanding with some 80 grit sandpaper and I rubbed a light coat of walnut stain on.  

 Then wiped it right off.  Topped with a coat of matte polyurethane...

 Since this was for us I decided to experiment with using some candle wax rubbed on between coats of the base (Old White) and the top (Duck Egg) coats....

 Not sure if I like how it turned out, but it definitely gave the distressing a different look when I sanded it.  I finished it with clear and dark wax both.

 Wood and metal....

even better wood with some great patina and metal...

 Our new kitchen island that we can actually sit at in our stools ---

and our legs fit underneath!!!  

 I'll have to snap some pics of it inside our kitchen with our stools.....I actually helped carry it in.  The thing weighs a TON...

What can I say --redecorating motivates me!

Funnel Cake Recipe

This recipe for homemade funnel cakes is AWESOME!!!!  We made some the other night so I thought I would share.  It's pretty simple although not very "healthy" :)

Ingredients:
1 egg
2/3 cup of milk
2 Tbls of sugar
1 &1/4 cup of flour
1/4 tsp of salt
1tsp baking powder
2 cups of Crisco

1. In a deep skillet heat oil until hot (I use medium high heat on my electric stove)
2. Mix egg and milk in a bowl
3.  In a separate bowl mix all other ingredients
4.  Slowly add dry ingredients to egg mixture beating until smooth
5.  Using a funnel (I use a gallon freezer bag and snip a corner off) drizzle batter starting in the center working outwards in a web pattern
6.  Cook for 2-3 minutes (flipping half way through) or until golden brown and crispy then sprinkle with powdered sugar

Cut sugar cookie recipe

 Doodlebug and I were eating popsicles on the hammock Sunday and he started talking about "those yummy cookies we cut with those silver things...."

 Mighty has no idea what she's missing yet!  She was entertained by emptying out the cabinets....

 And he actually did a really great job helping...we haven't done this for awhile...funny to see how he's growing up by the difference in how he "helps"

 Of course you have to make powdered sugar icing to go on them...and in COLORS!

 So intent....but he did say "Mom--I'm having a great time!"

This recipe is SOOO good.  Usually sugar cookies that are cut are a little bland...not these!  They are soo tasty!

Sugar Cookies

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 cup butter

2 eggs

6 Tblsp. milk

2 tsp vanilla

4 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Cream together butter and sugars; add eggs, milk, and vanilla.  Beat well.  Sift dry ingredients; add to butter mixture beating well until blended.  CHILL in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  Roll then cut with cookie cutters.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12minutes.  Yields approx 5 doz. cookies

Dining room Slipcovers

Yeah I know~~ and I'm actually getting *really* close to finishing the slipcover for the couch believe it or not.  These I made this week-end..:)  

Because as I was sewing the pillow covers I laid one of the flour sack towels over the chair in the dining room and you know what that means...

ANOTHER idea!!!!  I've actually wanted to make new slipcovers for these since the last ones fell apart finally.  The rattan or whatever it is that's woven on the seats sheds like crazy and also makes little splinters.

And I actually had linen in mind but these are beautifully light and airy...perfect for summer.  Not to mention washable, and only $1 apiece ~~so $3 a chair.  Even BETTER!!! Guess which of the above is Doodlebug's seat?!!?!?!?

Table is finished!

Been thinking about my kitchen table and wanting to get it finished up....I started it a few weeks ago and then kind of got stuck.  I didn't really like it.  That post is here.

So one before picture

Then I painted it a light grey which was ok....but I still wasn't really digging it....even after I started distressing it.

So I let it sit for a week or so....and decided to tackle it today.  I used the paint color from the kids' room (Valspar 's White Ballet).

Then I decided to use a black glaze over this before I started distressing this time.  You can see the unglazed part on the right.

Then time to start sanding.  My favorite part ;)  I use an orbital sander and because my husband has a huge air compressor I get to use that as well.

I have a butcher block topped island and it's got the real patina from age so I wanted this to have the same feel.

I'm really loving it!!!  Here's a few final pictures of it in the dining room...