I made a New Doll!

Here's my newest doll creation.  I started with Christine Shively's Treasurer Keeper pattern - the doll is mounted on a boat shelf that you can find at the craft stores, I did a scrapbook paper collage inside the shelf.  You probably can't see it, but I have little cupcake & pie buttons along the top shelf - yum!  The doll's dress is made from my mother's Aunt Helen's hand embroidered, crocheted, and tatted laces and linens.  I've had these linens in plastic bags in my closet which wasn't doing anybody any good and they are going on 75 years old so I wanted to do something to show off Aunt Helen's beautiful linens.  I'm going to give this doll to Mom but this pattern would work up so nicely as a wedding/bride gift, Christmas, Halloween, or any kind of keepsake.  It was a fun project and Christine loved it!

Big Wins at the County Fair!

This doll was just one of the handful of ribbons I won at the Burnet County, Texas Fair last week.   My teddy bears (Mr. & Mrs. Ted E. Honeypot) made from an upcycled, vintage, faux fur coat and sitting on a hand made, refurbished doll bench - got another blue ribbon.

A drawing I did and a mixed media painting each took a third place ribbon and my famous peanut butter blonde brownies got second place in the baked goods division!  It was a fun time and I'm so glad our Master Gardener group has taken over running the fair every year.

Update on Lucky the Rescued Kitten!

Update on Lucky!  Sorry I haven't posted an update before now - life gets in the way sometimes!  She's doing great, it's been 6 weeks since her rescue on Highway 71, she scares the other cats and Gizmo the big calico is now her best friend!  Thanks for all the good wishes and interest!

We named her Lucky!

I found this poor tiny kitten on busy Texas State Highway 71 so close to the road that I could see she was still alive, so I stopped & picked her up.  She doesn't look to be injured, but I'm not sure if she is going to make it, she has been sleeping since I picked her up this morning, no telling how long she was laying scared on the side of the highway.  A couple of big trucks flew by and she is so small that she ended up being rolled all over the side of the road.  She may have hurt her front paw, but for now I'm going to let her sleep until she's had enough.  She's got some food right there when she wants it.  Gizmo is fascinated but hasn't caused any trouble YET!  Like I need this!

Gift Bags from Scraps

Mom gave me some leftover "cheater quilt" pre-printed fabric blocks and I made these gift bags out of it.  I used a super stiff iron-on interfacing, lined the inside and even put a blank tag with a fabric tie on the inside to use.  The picture was taken at my huge patch of cilantro, which is blooming and going to seed.  The butterflies and bees love it and it smells like a Mexican restaurant around that part of my yard!

Recipe for my AWARD WINNING Blonde Peanut Butter Brownies

Below is the recipe that won 2nd place in the baked goods division at the Burnet County, Texas Fair 2012 - but if you don't want to cook them yourself you can buy a freshly baked batch on Etsy:  www.burnetcreativeart.etsy.com.  And, you'll be supporting Burnet Creative Arts, Inc.'s school art programs!

Blonde Peanut Butter Brownies (aka Old Folks' Delight)

This makes a 9" square pan - so grease one up for this recipe and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or to taste)
1/2 cup (approximately) crunchy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose or cake flour

You'll need your mixer for this recipe.  Start by beating sugar and butter until well mixed - or fluffy as the cookie recipes call it.  Add vanilla, egg, mix that together, then add peanut butter.  Mix all that until well blended, in the meantime, blend baking powder, salt and flour in a bowl, add that to your mixer bowl, blend all that - it will be a stiff dough.  Then add as many chocolate chips as you want - I usually add half a 12 oz. bag (then I eat the other half!).  Dump that in your greased pan, spread it out with your hands & fingers (AFTER you wash them) until even in the pan, bake for about 18 minutes - until light brown around the edges.  Take it out, let it cool, cut into squares.  That's it!  Enjoy!

Even I had fabulous flowers this spring!

This is a big red rose from one of my bushes.  When we moved to this house in 2000, we planted all kinds of roses in many colors.  Now, all of my roses are red and climbing so I think all of the bees and hummingbirds in my yard are doing their job!

Happy Valentine's Day Everybody!

My Art Doll is all ready for a Valentine's Day celebration.  I hope everybody has a wonderful Day!

It's been Awhile!

It's been awhile since I've posted anything on my blog.  We have had a very rough winter at Burnet Heating & Air, the phone quit ringing about Thanksgiving and has just now started back in February.  I spent a month in South Austin taking care of Vicki Lippe, who broke her leg just after Christmas and got a new job at the same time.  She couldn't drive, and has a brand new Ford Escape, so I moved in with them and drove her to work, did the grocery shopping, some cleaning, laundry, all the stuff she couldn't do because she was stuck in a wheel chair.  She is now out of the wheel chair & using a walker, husband Gary is taking over this week and she should be driving again the week after that.  I'm home now and have all my stuff to do here.  Cats are acting weirder than usual but they'll settle down.