The ponies

Greetings.  Hope all is well and you're starting off a good day. 

 

I just wanted to show you that I still haven't finished my ponies.  I had planned to do a bag which is what I told the owner, promising to not make it into a wallet as her original.  I found it in the sewing heap yesterday when searching for label models and found that it would fit the top of an 8" box nicely, if padded.  Enough fabric to cover the lid sides too.  It's a possibility. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But then I thought it might make a nice label and it does, matching the gray blue paint I have.  But no box to put it on!!!  Mark went to the shop for me this morning to return what I purchased yesterday.  A sealed set of 3 square that when opened were a total disgrace.

 

Back to work.

 

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A few boxes Tuesday at 8pm

PRINTING!!  And I found a few unused older labels in an envelope.  Another trip to the store, no boxes.  I have ordered before online but I don't like to do that with paper mache.  So many boxes have areas where there is no glue and the paper is loose which means I have to cut it out, get more kraft paper, and re-line them.  Not easy to do in a small box.  The dozens of ovals that I ordered were perfect the first time, now they are flimsy and I am putting the extra time and card stock expense to line them for strength.  Some boxes are black inside, some are the newer ones and have the dark kraft lining I added.  Except for the dark blue with Eliz (top right) the others are rubber banded until I decide which it will be.  The little pink house is Anna Eliza Abe that I deliberately stitched uneven for an older look.  I think it may be too rough but we'll see.  There may also be a slight increase in prices since I got hammered on shipping last sale.  I include shipping to make it easy but even first class lightweights were over $3 plus the box cost, never mind priority prices for several.  There will only be a dozen or less.  Tuesday night at 8pm - unless I forget.

 

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Happy dance

Two posts in a short time!  But I'm so excited I have to tell you.  You won't believe it.  My old printer is working!  I plugged it in and gave it one last shot and it's working.  I can't believe it.  We worked on it for days, tried it for days afterward, and nothing.  No black ink at all. 

 

Just to show you how bad the print was on the HP 6830 Office jet, take a look at the top compared to the 6520 on the bottom.  This is why I couldn't use older labels or anything that was already in the computer.  I don't know if anyone is interested but I may have a few boxes this week.  They will all be the tall oval since no others are available.  Making a trip to Hobby Lobby this week but they usually only have one of each size since they separate sets.  It's almost 70 degrees, we went for a walk at 10pm last night - heaven!  Still warm today. 

So that's what I wanted to share.  And one more thing.

Don't forget to decorate your fridge.

 

Have a great day!!

 

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Pierogi Palace

That's what I wanted to call a little take out business, strictly pierogis.  There are so many fillings and I wanted each week to have a specialty in addition to the basics.  My father in law loved poppy seed and Bobalki is still one of my all time favorite desserts.  His mother from Czechoslovakia made pierogi with poppy filling, dried mushrooms, cabbage, cabbage with potato, sauerkraut.  There are many small cookbooks on these little pillows and unending ways to fill them.  These recipes are the ones used by our church for sales, my Dad's version for home, and my mom's family recipe.  I only make the cheese filling and I am so disappointed that the brand of dry cottage cheese locally is like gravel.  It's not the very fine curd that I was used to and these chunks of gravel were tearing the dough.  Next time I will add then to the food processor for a few seconds to break them up.  I have typed the recipes out since some of you were interested, and saved as a .jpg so you should be able to click and print the page.  Also will add to the recipe blog.  The real trick is the pinch, and since it's hard to not get the filling on the edges which will prevent that, as you pinch you kind of pull on the dough a little up from the very edge so it comes over the edge and seals well.  Hard to explain but you can easily get the hang of it, or just run your water dipped finger over the edge before pinching.

 

 

 

 

Where are your samplers?

Hello people!  In the midst of cleaning and decorating, I came across the unframed samplers hanging on the ladder, pinned to the wall, and pinned to a cabinet.  Do you have a sampler wall or do you spread the love around?  At one time I had them all in the dining room (very small) and it felt closed in.  So I kept just these pieces there,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

moved some to the family room, and from there I decided to not frame newly completed pieces. 

Wanting to consolidate them, I pinned them to the very narrow hall leading to the front door, across from the powder room.  I made a skinny stand and added that to the wall.  This entire hall and foyer will probably be paneled and painted, maybe just one wall, but thought I would temporarily add them to see if it would be a good spot.  Well yes it would.  This hall enters the family room and the samplers would be visible, and away from any direct light or heat registers.  Boning needs to be added to some tops, some edges need sewn, but I will still leave enough for mounting if I ever decide to frame.  Right now they are hanging by one pin and crumpled.  But should all the others be moved here?  Not sure there would be enough room, especially with Lucy and Sally.  Maybe one large framed piece in a room and the rest filling the hall.  Adding a peg rail on the opposite side could be for the bags and smaller hangings.  Once they are pressed and properly pinned, I'll have some time to decide.  Mixing the framed with unframed would not look good - what do you think?  Frame them all?  Oh wait.  Just had an idea.  The large empty wall in the new room could be for the unframed, where more primitive cabinets will be.  The framed should be moved to the hall.  How's that?  I usually come up with something when I'm typing a post but it never would have entered my mind otherwise.  I think I have a plan.  What's yours?

 

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All done

 

I hear many of you having the same issue this year - lacking a desire to decorate as much as we used to.  How come?  Several reasons for me.  Partly because of preferring the simple style, partly because of the hassle and work, but I have sadness about current events too.  I don't want to mention details but there have been so many horrific infant deaths at the hands of boyfriends, mothers, and fathers.  I want to stay off the computer because I cannot handle these disgusting headlines and the pain and suffering these helpless babies endured.  I am totally shocked at these hideous acts.  Sometimes I just can't let go of thoughts and it seems every day there is another incident.

 

On a brighter note, Carole is finally improving.  Not enough to go to market or shop for gifts by a long shot so I am still busy with her errands.  When getting her groceries today, I threw a little hissy fit in the parking lot.  I had gifts, returns, her food, my food, water jugs, the back seat was filled so several bags were on the floor in the front.  Mark was driving and as he dropped me off, the bags at my feet caught my shoes and spilled out of the car.  I kind of tumbled out but didn't fall. Traffic was waiting, items were rolling, receipts blowing away, and I just grabbed the items and THREW them back into the car.  The anger increased as most items hit the seat and came back out.   I need a car with more room and am looking for someone to assume my lease.

 

 

 

I decorated another tree at Mark's request.  I like just lights but he thought it should have ornaments so I did the rusty bells and stars, baskets, and a few Santas.  Now I'm finished.

 

Made the pierogi filling and the little balls are chilling in the fridge.  Tomorrow I'll make the dough, fill, and boil them, ready for the freezer.  We have three different dough recipes but I prefer the one with sour cream.  It pinches easily and stays shut.  Silky smooth and stretchy dough.

 

The weather is beautiful and I worked outside this afternoon.  Hope it stays for a few days.

 

Hope your week is going great.

Thanks for visiting.

 

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