Colors & Textures & Patterns Oh My!

OK I'm slacking (I haven't posted in almost a week! and I was doing so well) I figured I would talk about one of my favorite materialistic things (no pun intended) - Fabric!, Glorious Fabric! I Love Fabric! If you don't share the same enthusiasm, you may think I'm crazy. I love going to the fabric store just to see what new selections they have in. I don't even necessarily need to be working on a project! (free time - I obviously don't have children) I love how the patterns and colors can conger up old memories or emotions and can totally change your mood.


One of the things I love about fabric is the intricacies of the design. Some may never think about the pattern or how it came about, but a lot of thought was put into the color choices and placement of lines. A well thought out design catches your eye, it has stucture and colors that compliment each other, it is unique but vaguely familiar all at the same time. One of my favorite fabric desingners is Amy Butler (a few of her designs pictured here)

The next time you go to buy a new chair or coach pillows don't just settle for the standard. Consider stopping by your local fabric store and select a fabric that screams YOU! Make your chair yours and really claim the design!

Hang On Tight!

I had to grab my camera and snap this photo! It was so funny! Eliza likes to come up to my room and watch signing time videos. She will prop up my pillow just so, and then roll her arms around each other (this is her sign for signing times) This morning she came up to ask and I put the video in, but apparently she hadn't had her bath yet. So when Janel tried to take her downstairs for her bath she didn't want to go! Eliza grabbed onto the railings with all her might and wouldn't let go. It probably didn't help the situation that Janel and I were both laughing so hard! I am really blessed to be a part of her life.

We Love You Mom!

For National Librarians day (Today!) Courtney and I decided to decorate our mom's office. We had to be sneaky about it because she is always into our business, wanting to know where we're going, what we're doing, what we are working on, (which is why she is such a great Mom!) It just makes it harder to do something for her in secret! So we had to really try hard to be vague about things for the past few days. We also had to sneak her keys out of her purse because she locks her office every night. We took them while she was watching sports so we were in the clear there!

We put streamers all over her office and balloons all over the floor. It was nice doing something for her to let her know that we love her and appreciate her. She might think differently when she has to clean it up!

Here is Courtney caught in the act! In her cute new shirt.

I baked cookies for her to share with the other Librarians and put them on a stick to look like flowers. You can't tell in the photo but I smashed some of the icing while I was trying to assemble the arrangement! So they didn't look as nice. I get so frustrated sometimes because things never seem to turn out the way I want them to. Does this happen to anyone else?

OK, now I have to go finish doing my TAXES!!!! I know, I know I shouldn't have left them to the last minute, and I'm getting a refund. You would think that the prospect of getting money would be a motivation to get them done! who knows what my problem is!!!!

Jillian's Day!

We went to lunch on Saturday for Jillian's Birthday. We were a little late in getting her lunch in (her Birthday is in March) We just decided that we would start a new tradition by going to lunch for everyones birthday. So we didn't think it would be fair to make Jillian wait a whole year! She chose Brick Oven Pizza. I'm not much of an Italian lover so I got a salad (trust me though my salads are never healthy!) It's always fun to get together and chat, even if we already see each other a lot.

Miss Grace prefers
the hand to mouth
method to eat her
Pizza!

While Miss Eliza Mae
prefers her Fork & Knife
(or at least she likes to pretend)

I Caught these pictures as we were leaving the restaurant! They are such cuties! They love each other (unless there is a toy involved!) They are so fun to watch together.

Scone Recipe

For Those Who Want to Gain 5 lbs!

2 med. brown potatoes (peeled, cut, mashed)
1 C. Scalded Milk
1 C. Sugar
2 square Margarine
2 tsp. Salt
1 C. Warm Water
1 Tbs. Sugar
3 Tbs. Yeast
6 Eggs
8-10 C. Flour (Sifted)

1. In a mixing bowl combine mashed potatoes, Scaled Milk, and Salt. Let cool slightly.
2. In a small bowl place yeast and 1 Tbs. Sugar in warm water and let proof.
3. Add Margarine to the cooled potato mixture (so that the butter doesn't melt).
4. Add eggs to the cooled mixture (so that you don't get scrambled eggs) one at a time.
5. Add yeast water, and mix well.
6. Add 6 C. of Flour one at a time and mix until creamy and smooth.

If using a kitchen aid mixer or one like it switch to the dough hook now. If using a hand mixer switch to a wooden spoon now.

7. Add remaining flour to form a soft STICKY dough. Knead an additional 7 minutes.

The secret to this dough is that it needs to be sticky. You should be scraping the dough out of the mixing bowl to put it in the "rising bowl", that is how sticky it should be. If you pinch some dough between your fingers and then pull your fingers apart the dough should stretch about 1 inch or more, if it doesn't, add more flour. Just remember that it is easier to add flour later, so don't add too much in the very beginning!

8. Place the dough in a large greased bowl and flip once.
9. Cover with a warm wet towel and let rise 20 minutes.
10. Punch down and divide dough in half.

If the dough is too sticky to handle, you can knead additional flour in now.

11. Spread melted margarine on counter. (do not use flour to roll out the scones).
12. Roll fist half of dough out and cut into square, about 2"x 3". (I use a pizza cutter).
13. Fill a Frying pan with 2-3" of oil. Place on med-high heat.
14. Test the oil by placing a pinch of dough in the oil. If the dough sits on the bottom and then rises to the top the oil is ready.
15. Brown dough on one side and then flip to the other.

Watch that the oil doesn't get too hot, or the middle wont' cook and it will be gooey. If the oil isn't hot enough the dough will soak up too much oil.

If you are going to use this dough for sweet rolls or bread. Let the dough rise for 1 hour or until doubled. Form into rolls and place on buttered cookie sheet. Let rise for another 15-20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

HONEY BUTTER

1/2 C. Butter or Margarine (softened)
1/4 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Honey

Whip butter, add vanilla and honey slowly. Beat for 15-20 minutes.


CREAMY ICING
(For Sweet Rolls)

1 Square Margarine
1 Lb. bag of Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
dash of salt
Evaporated milk (Not Sweetened Condensed)

Mix until creamy. Add milk slowly until you reach desired consistency.
Whipping longer makes more.

If I have left anything out or something doesn't make sense, please ask!

Mmmmmmmm!

I went to a cooking class at Thanksgiving Point! It was a class on making rolls. It was a lot of fun. This is my 2nd class I have taken there. The teachers are so fun and interactive. We used one recipe to make dinner rolls, bread, sweet rolls, and scones (my favorite). I had originally planned on taking the class in February, but a big snow storm hit when I was trying to get there. I was stuck on the free-way for 8 hours (it was awful). I took my parents up to the airport and then was just planning on stopping at the class on the way home. I had their van so that made it even worse, I'm not used to a car that big. Can you just see me trying to maneuver through the snowy, icy streets, trying to change lanes!!!!-- again it was just awful! I think it took me 3 hours just to make it to the I-15 on ramp from I-80 (the spaghetti bowl) right when I got there - they closed it! It was too icy and people couldn't get up it. so I had to take State Street all the way home. I finally did make it home, and went straight to bed. Thanksgiving Point rescheduled the class for all of us who missed it, I am amazed anyone was able to make it. The recipe is really good. The scones even tasted good the next day and that never happens. They usually taste like a greased sponge!