Easel Card Tutorial and Lemon Muffin Recipe

For the last five weeks, I've been teaching a class at our local homeschool co-op called Paper Crafts.  I must admit I've been hard pressed to come up with creative ideas that are challenging enough to take up the hour-long class period but are also simple enough that they can do the project with little help.  This Friday we'll be making Easel Cards.  I put one together tonight and think it will be just perfect for the kids this week!

Start by cutting a 12x12 piece of cardstock into thirds so you have 3 pieces that are 4x12.  You will only be using one strip for the card so one piece of 12x12 will make 3 cards!  Score the paper at 4", 6" and 8".  I use the track of my cutter as a guide and use this multi-tool from Martha Stewart to score my lines.

Fold the paper at the score lines and adhere one 2" piece to it's nearest 4" piece on the inside.

Stand up the glued piece to look like an easel.

Decorate the face of the card in your own creative way.

You can use anything you'd like to act as a "stopper" for the standing piece.  Buttons and foam-backed embellishments work great.  I used this cute egg embellishment and was reminded of the Cadbury commercial where the bunny lays the Creme Egg!  I loved that commercial as a kid...I wonder if it's still on?  (We haven't had cable our entire marriage so I really have no idea!)

When you've finished your card, why not send it to a friend and invite her over for tea and Lemon Muffins?  (Recipe below)

Lemon Muffins  (makes 12-18)

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt 

2 large eggs
5 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Mix the dry ingredients together and then make a well for the remaining ingredients.  Mix until combined and spoon into muffin pans.  Bake at 375°F for 15-20 min. or until the muffins are light brown on top and done inside.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes or so and then turn out onto a wire rack.  Yum!

Springtime Wreath Tutorial

You may remember my little sob story of last week about how I don't have many spring decorations!  I've committed to trying to make at least one a week this spring!  Last week, I made those adorable little candy jars.  This week, I tried out a springtime wreath.

I started off with a half yard of green taffeta and a half yard of pink.  That was WAY more than I needed.  I suggest just using remnants unless you plan on making 4 or 5 wreaths!  Also, I found that my taffeta burned pretty easily so you'll likely want to use satin instead.  I also used scissors, a foam circle, straight pins, decorative brads, small hole punch, candle, and tongs or tweezers.

I cut my fabric into three sizes of circles.  Circles don't have to be exact.

I held the fabric circle over the lit candle to melt (or, in my case, burn!) the edges to form the petal look. 

Then I stacked the three petal sizes together and punched a small hole for the brad to go through, securing them tightly with the brad.

I used a scrap of the pink taffeta for a hanging ribbon and then began attaching the flowers to the foam circle with the straight pins.  I put the pins behind the medium or smallest petals so they wouldn't show.

Once the circle was full, I hung it from this neat window pane that some dude downtown thought was junk...and added it to my springtime display!!  Whew!  Two down...how many more weeks to go?

Tea Cup Trade: A Meaningful Gift!

 Last month, I participated in a really fun Tea Cup Trade over at Faith, Hope and Cherrytea!  I was paired up with the talented and creative Miss Sue Flay of The Secluded Tea Party.  I thought it would be so fun to trade with someone from the UK...and it was!




As soon as Miss Sue told me she'd put my package in the mail, I was on needles and pins each day to see what surprises were in store for me!  I was not at all disappointed!

One day, a brown, square box came for me---it was my gift!!

I definitely took my time opening it up...removing each bit of tape from the box...  Inside was the cutest little Japanese miniature tea set!  I just love the look on the little guy's face! (click on the picture to enlarge)  She'd also included some delicious White Tea, as well as some recipes for a few of her treats that she makes for her guests during her Secluded Tea Parties.  I think I'll make a couple of those treats, put on a mini-tea party for my girls, and do a follow-up post to show Miss Sue how much I appreciate her! I was extra excited to receive a Japanese set as I had, just the day before, won an auction for a painting of a Japanese geisha.  I've got a great little vignette in mind!

 

Thank you so much Miss Sue for the lovely and thoughtful gift! 

AND... As if her generosity wasn't enough already, she even featured the gifts I sent her at her latest Secluded Tea Party---a book-themed party!  If anyone is interested in reading about Miss Sue Flay's Secluded Tea Party events, or to see what I sent her in our trade, please visit her here.

Super Easy Petits Fours

My recipe for Easy Petits Fours is, by far, my most popular post. I have people coming to that post every single day! So, here you go!

When you're done reading the recipe, please make sure and read about my blogging friend, Cindy at Blessings From Cindy, and the gorgeous craft idea she came up with! Her Craft Blotter is so easy---you could make one today for a Christmas gift---and make one tomorrow for yourself!

For several years, I would make these really easy petits fours for different church functions. Here's how you can make a simple petit four with basic ingredients and supplies you likely have on hand.

 Begin with a boxed Pound Cake mix and the ingredients mentioned on the back (eggs, water, etc.)  You will also need a package of vanilla almond bark and food coloring if desired.

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.  I like to spray the pan with nonstick spray or water first to help the paper stick to the pan and not roll up.  Mix your cake ingredients according to the directions on the box, spread batter into pan, and bake at 350 for 15-20 min. or until done and lightly golden brown.  

Let the cake cool completely and then cut it into squares with a sharp knife.  You will likely not cut into the parchment paper but if you are concerned about that you can turn the cake out onto a cutting board and remove the paper first.  Pound Cake is very easy to cut into nice squares thus eliminating the need for an actual petit four pan.

When cake is completely cooled, break half the package of almond bark into a bowl and microwave at 30 sec. intervals, stirring in-between.  I like to add some oil or shortening too to make dipping easier.  When it is completely melted, you can mix in some food coloring if you'd like.

Using a fork, dip the cake into the coating to cover it completely.  The coating gets thicker as it cools so you may find yourself having to spoon the coating onto the cake and then tap the excess off on the side of your bowl.  Transfer the coated petit four to wax or parchment paper.

If you desire a decoration on top, add it as soon as you place the cake on the paper to cool.  Almond Bark sets up pretty quickly and you want your decoration to stick.  I found these pearly candies at Target in the Easter section.

Once the coating has hardened, you are all done!  I got several compliments on these today from my homeschooling mom friends!  In the past, I've taken the time to fill them with jelly or frosting.  This makes for a much taller petit four, but one could always cut the cake in half before filling---although this will make it less stable as the cake will be pretty thin.  Have fun making these and make sure to send me pictures of your own creations!

Make sure and visit Cindy's blog, Blessings from Cindy to learn how to make this adorable Craft Blotter:

   Cindy's instructions are super easy and the project is made from things you probably already have around the home! Thank you, Cindy!

"Mom, When Can I Get Married?" Part One

Lynzie has just turned 11 and has begun asking questions about marriage.  She wants to know how old she has to be before she can get married.  I keep answering, "It's not an age, it's a level of readiness."  I've told her she must be done with her basic schooling (through high school level), she must be prepared to manage a home and a budget, she must have basic knowledge of childcare.  I've also talked to her about the readiness of her husband-to-be:  he needs to have a job that will support their basic needs, must be able to provide a reliable means of getting them where they need to go, etc.  

Today I became aware that she's already got a man in mind!  From what I've seen, this young man shows promise---he reminds me of my husband, for starters!  It occurred to me today that I've not really talked to her about spiritual readiness---the most important part of being married!  So, we went on to discuss how important it is that she pray for her future husband---in a general sense.  I encouraged her not to pray for this specific boy in a way that indicated she was set on him, but instead to pray for "whomever God has planned" for her.   I encouraged her to focus on having a good friendship with the boy but not to think of him as her future spouse---at least not yet!  Wow, I totally can't believe I'm having this conversation with her already!

So, with all that in mind, I realized I really need to get into the Word and see what all God has to say about a wife.   I've only been one for 13 years so I've got a lot to learn myself---and here I am already needing to train my daughter.  Whew!

Genesis 2:24:  "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

A wife needs to be prepared to become one with her husband.  This requires coming out from under the protection and discipline of her parents and coming under the protection of her husband, standing beside him as his helper, comforter, lover and support, and taking the lead role in homemaking and mothering responsibilities.  A wife should be prepared to make decisions alongside her husband and to consider his desires, preferences and feelings when making choices regarding areas in which he has given her responsibility.  

Part of being one with one's husband is working as a team and making compromises and concessions where needed.  One thing I always try to practice in my marriage is the truth that if my priority is always my husband and his priority is always me, then both of us are taken care of and neither finds themselves being selfish.

While it's always ideal that the new couple's parents agree and support this "leaving and cleaving", that is, unfortunately, not always the case.  The new wife, as well as her husband, should be prepared and mature enough to respectfully remind the offending parents of this verse and be in agreement that their parents won't be allowed to become stumbling blocks in the early days of marriage.

While a loving parent is almost always full of valuable wisdom that a newlywed can surely learn from, it's important that the new husband and wife make final decisions on their own, based on what they have heard from God and what they believe is right for their own situation.

Someone remind my controlling self of this in another 7 or 8 years, please?  Ha!

I'm Stylish!!

Thank you SO much to Rachel from Bubbly Nature Creations!  She honored me with the Stylish Blogger Award!  (Which I actually find hilarious since SHE is the one who designed my blog!)  Thank you, Rachel~~without you, I wouldn't have had a stylish blog for you to award! Ha!

                     7 Things About Me

1.  My husband's boss recently figured out that I've been pregnant a total of 6.7 years...so far. 

2.  I love to play the board game Clue with my husband...I will ask to play "just one more game" over and over until he finally loses patience.  This takes a VERY long time!

3.  I was a member of a swing choir and a jazz choir in high school.  We were really good.

4.  My oldest piece of furniture dates to 1860.  My oldest possession dates to 1776.

5.  Two names that I have always wanted to but will never name my kids are Basil and Heaven Leigh.

6.  If all my kids take after me, I'll have 64 grandchildren by the time I'm 50.

7.  Two pregnancy "meals" I crave are:  *double fiber English muffin with peanut butter and a pear and banana on the side and *steak, baked potato with ranch, herb salad and sourdough bread.

Now it's time for me to pass on the award!  I am sending it off to the following STYLISH bloggers:

Audra @ My Meandering Mind 
Heather @ Random Reflections
Dena @ Dream Doodlers 
Kristen @ June Cleaver Would Be Shocked
Dana @ The Stone Rabbit
Kristin @ Life In Shangri-La
Amy @ Blah Blah Blog
Sarah @ Cozy.Cottage.Cute
Nina @ Momma Go Round
Jacqueline @ Purple Chocolat Home


 

An Eighteenth Century Tea Party with Buttery Creme Wafers

Lynzie and I have been busy all week preparing for her Revolutionary War era tea party!  Last night was the big event and it went so well!

 

Lynzie has been planning this party for the past 6 or 7 months.  Her little sister Selah was super excited to be invited to her first tea party!

One of the fun parts of our preparation was making all the treats!

Here's my Aunt Donna's "family famous" recipe for Creme Wafers.

Creme Wafers

1 c. real butter

1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

2 c. flour

**Mix with a spoon and chill slightly.  Roll dough out, 1/3 at a time, and cut into 1/8 in. thick circles.  The lid from salt shaker or small spice jar works good as a cookie cutter.  You want these 1-1/2 in. around or so.  Dredge both sides in sugar and lay on a cookie sheet.  Prick with a fork to make a design on top if desired and bake 7-9 minutes at 375.  You want to take them out when they're set but not browned.  Cool completely and then fill with frosting to make sandwiches.  I like to use a quartered version of this recipe.  Aunt Donna uses a cream cheese frosting recipe.

Lynzie received several nice gifts from her friends including a porcelain doll, vintage and new books, a tea cup and saucer set, knick-knacks, and crafting supplies.  Here she is opening a Barbie doll from Selah.

 The girls enjoyed lots of period-authentic treats, as well as Raspberry Tea and punch.

 Back in "those days", they would hide a bean in the cake and whomever got the piece with the bean in it was named King or Queen of the party.  We hid a pink jelly bean in this white cake and Gabriella (below, closest to the camera) was named Queen for the day!

 

After treats, the girls played many, many (MANY) rounds of Hide the Thimble.

Then the little brothers and sisters did some "entertaining"...

 

It's all fun and games until Daddy sits on the machine gun...

 

 

The tea treats menu consisted of Queen Cakes, Almond Tarts, Creme Wafers, Spiced Nuts, Raspberry Tea, and Raspberry Punch. (Click on links for similar recipes.  We used the American Girl Felicity Cookbook)

A Thoughtful Gift for Blue Monday

I received the most thoughtful gift the other day from my good friend Rachel. She was reading one of my past blog posts where I talked about the set of Pyrex bowls that my mom gave me. When she came across a vintage blue Pyrex refrigerator dish (with the lid!!), she decided that I just had to have it. So...she boxed it up and sent it to me all the way from Oklahoma! What a sweetie!


I first met Rachel online in 2004 on an email group. Though we've never met face to face, we've become close friends and have shared the births of several babies (each!) as well as job changes, moves, and more. She is one of my dearest friends---one that I know will be a lifelong source encouragement and inspiration!

In fact, it was Rachel who designed my super-cute blog! She blogs at Bubbly Nature Creations and has just kicked off a new blog party called, "Project Party Weekend". Everyone is invited to showcase their recent projects and recipes. She is always a source for great ideas so please take a minute to check out her adorable blog.


Thanks so much, Rachel, for your kindness to me! I look forward to many more years of friendship. And...who knows? Maybe someday we'll actually meet each other!

Visit Smiling Sally for more Blue Monday!

There is SOMETHING new under the sun!!

I am taking an History of Christianity class this term and am thoroughly enjoying it! It helps that I'm an enthusiastic debater and the professor requires us to respond to one another's writings! Ha! Tonight, one guy posted a question that went pretty much like this:

The ministry of Jesus was about inclusiveness, peace, and love. His main group consisted of men but many of his followers were women and he did not discriminate against anyone.
Women of less reputable status, such as Mary Magdalene, are mentioned as well as his mother. After his death, the new church became an "exclusively male dominated one and women were denigrated to a subservient role. So my question becomes why did the followers of Jesus, who must have seen their leaders treatment of women decide to place them in this role? Why has it remained to be this way in many denominations of Christianity?"


Here was my response:

I think the question that needs to be asked is: are we interpreting the entire historical past based on the "rights" women think they have been entitled to in just the last 80 years or so? Just because a group of feminists that are only as old as Grandma say that women should have absolutely equal status with men in all things doesn't make it true, nor does it make it what God intends for us.

It is my assumption that women were placed under the leadership of men within the church because that is also the way it was in society. Jesus treated women the way He did because He was setting an example of how people should be treated---not because He was trying to abolish the headship of the men in family, church and other situations. If Jesus had wanted women to take places of leadership over men, He likely would have modeled this by taking on some women in His core group of disciples or placed a woman in charge of his mother just before he died (rather than John---see John 19:26-27). It is only lately that women have got the impression that they are somehow being cheated by the church. Since the beginning of time, I am of the understanding that most Godly women were content to serve as faithful helpers and wise counselors to their fathers and husbands. Proverbs 31 spells out the characteristics of the "virtuous woman" and this used to be the standard for a woman to strive to achieve. It is not against Jesus' message of "inclusiveness, love and peace" for women to serve under the authority of their husbands or fathers.

There are several examples in the New Testament of women being recognized by the newborn Church. Lydia, a founding mother of the Christian church in Europe, lived in Philippi and opened her home as a "home church". When Paul and his group showed up, they were offered a place to stay---a risky and brave act on her part. (Act 16) Acts 18 speaks of Priscilla, the wife of Aquila, who ministered alongside her husband and opened her home with an attitude of Godly hospitality. The Old Testament is full of women who changed history with their faithfulness to God and their husbands: Hannah, Rachel, Rahab... The only Godly woman in the Bible that I can think of who took a leadership role over a man was Deborah and she said so herself that it would be accounted to him as shame. (Judges 4:9)

God's desire for men and women to walk out specific roles is all throughout the Bible. Even at the very beginning of the Bible, God makes their roles evident by putting curses on the specific things that they were "in charge of". Today's society sees these roles as a man domineering over his "subservient" wife. In fact, this is rarely the case. Men are given the responsibility of taking care of their wives and women are given the protection of their husbands. If this is not the way society is functioning then it's because society has chosen to walk off of God's path. If these roles have survived to this day in any denominations of Christianity, it's because people realize that it's a peaceful way to live and it's the way the Bible says God designed it. When lived the way God intended---with a wife respecting her husband and a husband loving his wife (see Ephesians 5)---this can be a very peaceful and fulfilling life for the whole family.

Also, this doesn't really apply to your question but it applies to my answer: I would encourage anyone who's interested to really read about Mary Magdalene before assuming she was a woman of "less reputable status". There is no basis at all in Scripture for her being a former prostitute as many have implied throughout history. The only mention of her former sinful nature is in Luke 8:2, "Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons." Many link her up with the prostitute in John 8 whom Jesus "rescues" from stoning. It makes for good romance that Jesus would rescue her and then invite her along for the journey. In fact, He sends that woman off to "go and sin no more". Just because Mary Magdalene was healed of demon possession doesn't mean she was a prostitute. I can think of seven demons in my own life right now---gluttony, fear, coveting, worry, unforgiveness, laziness, judgmental attitude---and I'm as straight-laced as they come! I am mentioning this because it shows something we are all guilty of.

The point that I was trying to make to this guy is that if we bring to this class all our preconceived ideas and thoughts of what so-and-so said, it could block us from learning what history really does tell us about Christianity. We wouldn't form assumptions about science or math---we would search for the most accurate answers. Studying God's word should be a challenge to ourselves to find out what it really has to say---even if we don't like what we find out!

All Scripture taken from:

New King James Version . Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001.

Whenever I see a photo of Princess Diana, it reminds me of my mom. Those who know her will probably be surprised to hear that. After all, my mom is a dark-haired, brown-eyed Potawatomi American Indian. Princess Di was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed British Royal.


It's not the photo itself that reminds me of mom---instead, it's the memory it conjures up. I can remember several times throughout my childhood that my mom would talk about watching Princess Di's wedding to Prince Charles on tv. She would say it was so beautiful and she really had looked up to her and thought she was a neat lady.


I've never been all that into her, really, but the thoughts of my mom make thoughts of the Princess more meaningful, I guess.


Today I was in Target and spotted the commemorative edition of USA Today that features Prince William's and Catherine Middleton's wedding plans. I almost didn't give it a second thought but then something inside told me to skim through it.

As I looked over photos of the couple and their relatives (including several of Princess Diana), I was reminded again how much my mom liked her and probably would have loved to have some sort of commemorative publication featuring their wedding. So...I stuck it in my cart and went on to the next aisle.

Then I went back and grabbed another for mom.