MAKE 2013 AMAZING!!!

Just a little thought for 2013 that my youngest girlie helped me doodle on a

 chalkboard that my oldest girlie made for me. I just wanted to share!

NOW GO OUT THERE AND DO SOMETHING 

AMAZING!!!!!!

ON A ROLL

I have a confession to make. I just pulled the last two cinnamon rolls out of the freezer and ate BOTH of them. 

This is a recipe that has been a holiday tradition in my husband's family for a very long time. It has now become our tradition, as well. I usually only make one batch of cinnamon rolls a year, and that is on Christmas Eve. This year I made two batches. We ate the first up so quickly that I had to make more to get us through to the end of our Christmas break. Yes, I did eat more than my fair share. I can't help it!

KELLER CINNAMON ROLLS

2 T yeast

3 C warm water

1/2 C sugar

3 eggs

2/3 C shortening

9 to 10 C flour

1/2 T salt

1 T vanilla extract

1 C dry milk

Dissolve yeast in warm water and sprinkle the sugar on top. Set aside.

Then add the eggs, shortening, 1/2 the flour (5 cups), salt, and vanilla extract to the yeast mixture and mix well.

Sprinkle dry milk on top of this and mix. Then, add the remainder of the flour (4 or 5 cups). Just add it until it feels right and isn't too sticky or too dry.

Let rise for one hour in a warm place. I usually set mine on a chair in front of the fire.

Punch down and divide. Roll the dough out on a buttered surface. Spread with soft butter and sprinkle plenty of sugar and cinnamon on top. Roll up and cut into 1/2" slices. 

Place on a greased cookie sheet and let rise for another hour.

  

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown on top. Brush with butter and let cool.

Use your favorite icing recipe to finish them off. I like to use the following buttercream recipe. It's a great recipe for decorating sugar cookies too.

Cream together 1 C shortening and 1 C butter.

Add 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Then alternate adding one 2 pound bag of powdered sugar and 1/2 C water. You can add less or more water depending on the consistency of icing you want.

The traditional way to serve these for our family is to immediately put them in containers in the freezer, pull them out one at a time, top them with butter, and microwave for about 15 seconds. 

DELICIOUS!!!!

I'm going to be in so much trouble for finishing them off!

Brave Girl Truth Card Exchange

Over the course of the last several months I have taken some classes through the "Brave Girl's Club". This is an organization that was started by two sisters, Melody and Kathy, who live in the Boise, Idaho area. They do a fantastic job of inspiring women to do great things! I will be starting my third class in a couple of weeks and I am really looking forward to it. These classes have included learning different art techniques, journaling techniques, and have encouraged me to make goals and set priorities. This has all been a bright spot during these dreary winter months. I have also loved getting to know other women around the world. There are so many brave and wonderful sisters out there!

I would like to share an opportunity with you that is being provided through the "Brave Girl's Club". There are women all around the world who are coping with difficult things in their lives. Many women in far away places are victims of human trafficking, abuse, and natural or manmade disasters. Melody and Kathy have come up with a plan for Brave Girls all over the world to come together and help each other. If you want to participate or help, you are invited to be a part! It's called the "Truth Card Exchange".

A printable kit is provided on the Brave Girl site. This gives you simple instructions with ideas. You can use this kit and then add your own personal inspiration to each one. These cards will be gathered and passed out to women around the world who need them the most. This will be a wonderful way to encourage and lift our sisters.  

The first call for cards has come and gone, but there will be other opportunities soon. Melody is traveling to Manila to deliver the first round of cards for this project. These were my small and simple contribution to this trip. I can hardly wait to make some more!

If you are interested in learning more you can read about it on their website HERE. You can also watch the video below for more information. 

What a fun and creative way to do some good in the world and touch someone's heart!

A LOVE OF LACE

I have decided that one of the things that brings me the most joy is to be creative. I may not always be very good at it, but I usually find some kind of satisfaction in the process of using my mind, my imagination, and my hands to make something. Maybe it's an inherent quality that comes from a long line of women who demonstrated great skill in sewing, cooking, crocheting, gardening, and such. Or maybe it even comes from a higher power and it's my spirit wanting to follow the example of our creator....the master artist.

I am really going to try to do something creative every day. It might be something simple that will only take 15 minutes. It may be a larger project that will take a few hours, or even a day or more. 

So here goes.........

TODAY'S CREATIVE PROJECT

I took two boring t-shirts that I've had hanging in my closet.

Then, I added a little lace

The finished product.

The heart was simple. Just cut a heart from some lace fabric or something else you have around the house. Tablecloths work great. I cut an old lace shirt. You will need some interfacing or pellon. Decide where you want your heart and position the interfacing/pellon behind the heart and on the inside of the shirt. Pin it good. Then, stitch around the heart.

The shirt with the strip of lace added down the front was super easy. I got the idea from this cute blog. I really love the lace she used, but I just used what I had at the house. I think the next time that I'm out and about, I will have to go lace shopping. 

I made cinnamon rolls today, but that wasn't nearly as fun. I'll save that for another post. :)