Wow.....over 4 months????

Where have I been?  Well, summer is busy here.  Okay, it's always busy here but we did our usual veggie garden and I tell you, my daughter and I were canning fools!  We canned everything that came out of that garden and what we didn't eat or can, we froze.  This week we are finishing up the last of the canning with almost 60 jars of assorted apple sauce varieties.  Tomorrow we are doing Caramel Apple Jam and then we are done for the season.  *WHEW*

I came across this while surfing the net and thought it was so interesting and maybe someone could make some gifts too!  URL is below the picture!!

http://www.savebiglivebetter.com/2013/04/472-easy-meals-in-a-jar-recipes.html

Three new patterns!!

Been so busy with orders, outside work, etc.  However, I have 3 patterns.

Summer Bears, includes both the sunflower bear and the sailor bear.
Uncle Sam includes doll, clothing and the banner.
I also have Mayflowers, then and now.  This is a remake or revision of the 2004 Mayflowers pattern.  I have updated it and the pattern includes both the 2004 version and the new 2014 version of the dolls.

Summer bears  $10.50 + ship mailed.  $8.50 Epattern

Mayflowers, then and now.  $9.50 + ship mailed.  $8.00 Epattern

Uncle Sam  $10.50 + ship mailed.  $8.50 Epattern

I may have a few finished pieces available as well.

Hope all is well with everyone

Sam I Am

Funny, I don't usually make Uncle Sam dolls because they end up looking like santa.  However, this one evolved over days.  I did the body first.  Had no face in mind.  Spent two days going over fabric choices before I settled on this.  I love his coat fabric, I purchased it probably 7 years ago, not knowing what I would do with it.  I just liked it that much.  He got dressed, then came the face and bear and then the hat.  Now, I was stumped because I felt if I gave him a flag, it might have been "stars and stripes overkill"!  I recently made a burlap banner for my nieces wedding so BINGO!, I decided he would have one as well.  On a much smaller scale!

I'm quite pleased with the way it all turned out and I am frantically working on getting the pattern out in just days so that you all can make your own before July 4.

Enjoy your day,

Maureen

Rustin' stuff!

Just finished rusting up a batch of shiny safety pins in assorted sizes for use in my work.

It was easy to do, here's the "recipe":

1 cup Peroxide

1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tablespoons of salt

Mix together in a glass jar, I used a quart jar.  Stir, the salt may not all dissolve

right away but that's okay.  Dump in your safety pins and leave them for 2 days.  I stirred the mix about 3-4 times over the course of the 2 days.  DO NOT put a lid on the jar.  Yes, it smells so if you can leave it safely outdoors away from pets or somewhere  else ventilated is best.  After two days, drain out the ever so yucky fluid, I poured mine onto a nice big weed in my yard!  I spread my pins out on a flat stone to dry outside but I guess you could put them on newspaper inside.....I've just not tried that so I don't know.  Just know that whatever you put them on to dry, will be stained so be careful.

Use gloves, be careful, and last but not least, I'm not responsible for any "accidents" or mishaps you might have when rusting your own stuff!

Rust away!!!!

Annual Pattern Sale for 24 hours NOW!

Annual pattern sale going on now thru tomorrow night, May 27, ends at 9 p.m.
You can view my patterns on Etsy or www.picturetrail.com/sweetmeadowsfarm or you can see them on Facebook in the group:  The Prim Pattern Shoppe.
If you see something you want on Etsy, do not purchase thru Etsy, rather, email me your selections.
Patterns are buy Two, Get a third pattern free.  Free pattern will be the pattern of equal or lesser value.
Enjoy, it only comes once a year!!!

Wedding Bells!

My niece Olivia,   was married yesterday. Me, my daughter, and my daughter-in-law baked our faces off and put together a dessert table for her wedding.
There were mini cheesecakes, strawberry, lemon, carrot cake and chocolate mini cupcakes, oreo-peanutbutter-brownies, truffles, cake pops, chocolate dipped cookies, choc. chip cookies, cherry pie, strawberry/rhubarb pies, red velvet whoopie pies, choc. dipped pretzels, etc., etc.
There was so much that everyone took home lots of sweets  We also made the burlap banner for the table. Oh, and I also made her wedding cake, not pictured.


It was a hectic week leading up to the wedding day as I was sick for 6 days.  Thanks to my daughter and daughter-in-law for stepping up to the plate and getting a LOT of the baking done!

Congrats to Olivia and Andy, may you be eternally happy!!!

How was your weekend?

Weekends around here are always busy this time of the year.  There is a lot of yard work, grass that grows non-stop and then the greenhouse to tend to.  We don't put the plants into the ground until after the 1st of June due to frost issues.  We learned the hard way many years ago.  This weekend my son and his family got away to spend some time at the lake house and invited us to come over on Saturday evening for a cookout.  Gosh, it sure was chilly for the end of May and drizzling too but that didn't dampen (non intentional pun here!) the kids spirits!  There was plenty of fishing with Grandpa and both Sophie and Holden  caught a variety of fish.
I stayed on land for most part by the fire that my son built!

Best times are had when spent with family!

Hope your weekend was a good one!

My carving skills!

So, I got out my Exacto knife last night much to my husband's chagrin.  He still reminds me of a small "mishap" about 23 yrs. or so ago that ended with a trip to the hospital.  OooOPs, my bad! lol
I've had these dried birdhouse gourds for several years that I hung to dry in the barn and decided to finally do something with them.  Probably so I could justify to the hubby, growing them again this year.
I cut a round hole in each and today my Mr. drilled the wood and we hung them along the fence at my shop.
I love them, I hope they find some residents soon!

Should I, or shouldn't I?

I have found it difficult to keep blogging now that I'm on Facebook.  I do miss sharing stories and pictures and facebook is really so different.  I think blogging is akin to a public diary for me.  I will give it one more try.  One more push!  In the meantime today I will just share some of what I have created so far this spring.
May God bless your day!

Maureen

Happy New Year??? Wha-what??

Where have I been?  Well, I have many, um...excuses.  No reasons for my absence.  I've just been plain busy :)
You know, the holidays and such.  And then the migraines came again.  We won't go there today.
It's cold, it's snowing and it's winter.
'Nuf said.  I could deal with the cold if we got some sunshine.
So I really stopped in here today to let you know I have not dropped off the face of the earth.
I will be back later this week, with something much more interesting and some pictures too!
Have a blessed weekend,
Maureen