Happy New Year

Pioneer Ladies

I have been asked many times if I make pioneer outfits for ladies.  Unfortunately, until recently I have not had an opportunity to work on this, but now I am offering a custom made pioneer outfit for ladies.

Just like the child's outfit,

Sunday Phunnies

Clyde's Case
A farmer named Clyde had a car accident. In court, the trucking company's fancy lawyer was questioning Clyde.

"Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine.'," asked the lawyer?

Clyde responded, "Well, I'll tell you, I was loadin' my favorite mule Bessie into the ..."

"I didn't ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted. "Just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'?"

Clyde said, "Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was drivin' down the road ..."

The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question."

By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Clyde's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule, Bessie."

Clyde thanked the Judge and proceeded, "Well as I was sayin', I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into the trailer and was drivin' her down the highway when this huge semi - truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurtin', real bad and didn't want to move. But, I could hear ole Bessie moanin' and groanin'. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans. Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moanin' and groanin' so he went over to her. After he looked at her, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road, gun in hand, looked at me, and said, 'How are you feelin'?' Now, what would you say?"

Merry Christmas

May the Lord's riches blessings be on you as you celebrate the birth of His Son this Christmas.

Tea Room

We visited my mother-in-law last week and took her to lunch at a local tea room.  This is a favorite place for us to visit because they always decorate it so beautifully and this Christmas season is no different.  Unfortunately I only had my camera in my phone so my pictures did not come out great but I wanted to share.

This is the angel table.  All sorts of angels in porcelain-really pretty.

There is a room in this tea shop set up for 'tweens

A New Look

I recently had a customer whose daughter really wanted a prairie outfit but, this child was large for her age and was growing very quickly.  Her mom was afraid to buy the outfit and then have her little angel outgrow it too soon.  Her solution-ties in the back of the pinafores instead of buttons.  The finished product looked so cute, I think her idea just might work!

The mom selected a really popular fabric for the first outfit.  This blue daisy fabric is a very nice quality and it washes up so pretty.

The dress was made just like my regular pioneer dresses, which run a bit large and are loose fitting.

The pinafore is an a-line with a ruffled bottom but I put ribbon ties in the back where there would normally be buttons.

 

The ribbons look so cute and they make, an otherwise fitted pinafore, much more versatile.

Once other mom's see this solution, ribbon ties should become the newest addition to my pioneer collection.

Sunday Phunnies

Chocolate

Chocolate is derived from cocoa beans.
A bean is a vegetable.
Sugar is derived from either sugar CANE or sugar BEETS.
Both are plants, which places them in the vegetable category.
Thus, chocolate is a vegetable.

To go one step further, chocolate candy bars also contain milk, which is dairy. So candy bars are a health food.

Chocolate-covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.

The problem:
How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car.
The solution:
Eat it in the parking lot.

Diet tips:
Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite, and you'll eat less.

If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet? Don t they actually counteract each other?

Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger.

Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.

A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Now, isn't that handy?

If not for chocolate, there would be no need for control top pantyhose. An entire garment industry would be devastated. You can't let that happen, can you?

What is it?

My hubby went to check on the compost and found this:

As you can see he is sure these are alien spores.

A few days later we went out to check on these aliens and this is how they look now:

Anyone know what these are?  I hate to burst his bubble, but, alien spores, I don't think so!!  So please tell me what you think these might be.

Ribbon Tee Shirts

One item that is always popular is a tee shirt that has been embellished with ribbon.  It is not difficult to do and it changes a plain tee into something really special.  I thought I would share with you today how I add ribbon embellishments to tee shirts.

First and most important, always, always, always use good quality ribbon and tee shirts.  I buy my ribbon from the Ribbon Retreat.  They have top quality ribbon, a great selection and reasonable prices.  Good tee shirts are available from Old Navy, Carters or any brand name store. .

Sunday Phunnies

RANDOM MUSINGS

That moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong really sucks.

Why can't I have a "do-over" for all those times I didn't want to take a nap when I was younger.

How in the world do you fold a fitted sheet?

Why is it that our bad decisions can make some great stories,

Where's your mind when you look at your watch three consecutive times & still don't know what time it is.

Why don't freezer have lights?

Am I wrong for keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call?

Why doesn't Google Maps have an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

Just wondering.

Tutorial-Mop Cap

A real, old-fashioned mop cap, just like Laura wore on "Little House".  These caps are so quick and easy to make.  Every little girl you know will want one.

I was making a cap for a little girl and one for an 18" doll.  The first step is to cut 2 circles for each hat.

The girl's hat is about an 18-20" circle and the doll's is about 12-13".

Homemade, Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls-Yum Yum

Nothing beats the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls, fresh from the oven.  Absolutely heavenly!!

A few months ago I came across a recipe for sugar-free cinnamon rolls and was surprised to find they were delicious!  These cinnamon rolls use honey granules instead of sugar. 

Your famly will not notice the difference in taste.

Now for the recipe:

Great Books

I love to read and recently I read a book that I could not put down.  During the day I normally read non-fiction and I save the fiction for bedtime reading.

I haven't red a book that was a real page turner in quite awhile but this book kept me awake a couple of nights it was so good.

I finally finished it during the day because I just couldn't wait for bedtime.

Ms. Henderson is a very talented Christian writer.  I have enjoyed several of her books but this one was truly a treasure.







As I mentioned during the day I normally read non-fiction and my current favorite is a book by Jerry Bridges.

This book is not for the weak or weary heart, it is very convicting.  The author addresses the sins we so often overlook, such as; selfishness, jealousy, and gossip.

This is not the first time I have read this book but it is a book that needs to be read and re-read.  It reminds us, with each reading, of the seriousness of these sins.








From pleasure reading to spiritual uplifting, I hope you enjoy both of these books as much as I have.

Blueberries

My mother-in-law has 5 large blueberry bushes and every year she shares her abundance with us.  This year my freezer was full when I brought the berries home so I pulled out my favorite canning cookbook.


I wanted to put the berries up whole so I would be able to use them in any recipe in the future.  Sure enough there were instructions in the book on canning the berries whole.

I pulled out all the jars and got them washed up.

Then I got out

Sunday Phunnies

Accident Reports

"A pedestrian hit me and went under my car."

"The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intention."

"I had been learning to drive with power steering. I turned the wheel to what I thought was enough and found myself in a different direction going the opposite way."

"Coming home, I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don't have."

"I thought my window was down; but found it was up when I put my hand through it."

"No one was to blame for the accident, but it never would have happened if the other driver had been alert."

"The pedestrian had no idea which direction to go, so I ran over him."

"I saw the slow-moving, sad-faced old gentleman as he bounced off the hood of my car."

"I had been driving for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident."

"I was taking my canary to the hospital. It got loose in the car and flew out the window. The next thing I saw was his rear end, and there was a crash."

"I was backing my car out of the driveway in the usual manner when it was struck by the other car in the same place where it had been struck several times before."

"The indirect cause of this accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth."

"The accident happened when the right door of a car came around the corner without giving a signal."

"I was thrown from my car as it left the road. I was later found in a ditch by some stray cows."

"I had been shopping for plants all day and was on my way home. As I reached an intersection, a hedge sprung up, obscuring my vision."

"I was on the way to the doctor with rear end trouble when my universal joint gave way causing me to have an accident."

"I was sure the old fellow would never make it to the other side of the road when I struck him."

"I told the police that I was not injured, but on removing my hat, I found that I had a fractured skull."

"My wench slipped, losing my balance, and I hurt my back."

"I was unable to stop in time, and my car crashed into the other vehicle. The driver and passengers then left immediately for a vacation with injuries."

"To avoid hitting the bumper of the car in front, I struck the pedestrian."

"The accident occurred when I was attempting to bring my car out of a skid by steering it into the other vehicle."

"When I could not avoid a collision, I stepped on the gas and crashed into the other car."

"I collided with a stationary truck coming the other way."

"In my attempt to kill a fly, I drove into a telephone pole."

"My car was legally parked as it backed into the other vehicle."

"As I approached the intersection, a stop sign suddenly appeared in a place where no stop sign had ever appeared before. I was unable to stop in time to avoid the accident."

"The telephone pole was approaching fast. I was attempting to swerve out of its path when it struck my front end."

"A truck backed though my windshield and into my wife's face."

"I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law, and headed over the embankment."

"The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him."

"An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my vehicle, and vanished."

Canning Butter 101

A grocery store in our area recently put butter on sale for $1.39 a pound.  I had read an article about canning butter in a solar oven so I decided to give it a try.

We had purchased our Global Sun Oven a couple years ago.




I have cooked everything from hamburgers to beans to roast in my solar oven.  I have even baked biscuits in it but canning butter was a new one for me.


The solar oven uses the heat of the sun to cook/bake the food.  It saves electricity and does not heat up the house.  The heating is even so there is no hot spot.  It is easy to use and clean up is a snap-just wipe it out with a damp cloth.





When canning the butter I used half pint jars (each jar holds about half pound of butter).  I sterilized the jars and then packed the butter into the jar.  I added one marble

Christmas Whimsy

Celebrating Christmas with a touch of whimsy has become a tradition at Patti's Originals .  This year I have introduced a few new items. 

Hand crocheted by me these Santa hats come in different sizes.  This one is adult sized with a long, cone top and tassel.

The next hat ...

Tutorial-Continuous Lap

I wanted to share the process I use for creating a continuous lap in a girl's dress.  I use this method because it is sturdy for everyday wear.  This continuous lap will be in a dress with a gathered skirt attached to a yoke.

Once all of your pattern pieces are cut out, cut a piece of fabric approximately 3 x 10 inches.

Fold this piece in half lengthwise and press.

My New Toy-A Dehydrator

A few weeks ago I had a chance to attend a class on dehydrating.  Since we had produced an abundance of peppers and onions in our garden this summer I was very interested in this.

I had my eye on an Excalibur Deydrator and when I learned this was the item featured in the class I knew I wanted to attend.


I quickly became convinced that I had to have one of these and placed my order.


When my dehydrator arrived I was so excited.  I couldn't wait to try it out.  The Excalibur is great.  It has 9 trays which will hold lots of food.  The fan is in the back so the air is blown across the trays from the back to the front.  This keeps the flavors from mingling and it dries the food quicker.







Another item I saw demonstrated at the class I attended

Sunday Phunnies

I received this from a great Marine Corp. friend - it's soooo appropriate.



The Stapler

Having served his time with the Marine Corps, a man became a school teacher and before school started he injured his back. He was required to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. Fortunately, the cast fit under his shirt and wasn't even noticeable.

On the first day of class, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in the school. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window wide and sat down at his desk.

When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took a stapler and stapled the tie to his chest.

He had no trouble with discipline that year

Happy Thanksgiving

Holiday Sale

We are celebrating the holiday sale with a coupon at our Etsy store.

Today through Monday, November 29 at midnight, we are offering a 10% discount on all sales in our store.
Find the coupon code at our store.

Sweet 17

Our oldest granddaughter, Lydia, recently celebrated her 17th birthday and her parents surprised her with a day of blessings.

They told Lydia they were taking her out to select her birthday gift and on the way they stopped at a local amusement park.  To her surprise several of her friends were there to meet her and they were all treated to a fun day of putt-putt and go-cart racing.  Then her dad took them all out for lunch.

Lydia was surprised and excited to see her friends and enjoy the time with her.  Little did she suspect that the surprises were not over yet...

Have You Heard?

I know this is old news but it is so amazing I just had to share. 

We were watching tv one night when the most amazing thing came on.  It was a show from Great Britain similar to American Idol and this middle aged woman came on the stage.  Simon had the nerve to ask the lady her age and she replied that she was 44.  His look said it all, he was sure she was a waste of his time, but then she started to sing.

Oh, my gosh, Susan Boyle stole the show.  She has become an American Idol without ever appearing on the show.  Her first album is now available and her voice is a wonder to behold.



If you have not heard this lady sing, I invite you to a real blessing as you relax and enjoy her amazing voice.  It is not often that we have a chance to share such a joy with our readers.  Hope you enjoy Ms. Boyle's voice as much as we have.

Winter Warmers

One of the newest items in our store are these Winter Warmers.  Hats and scarves are so popular this year that I thought I would add a few sets to our store.  Afghans are always a great gift idea.

This was the first set I made and I was very pleased with the result.  The yarn is a natural color and variegated  so it combines shades of beige, off white with just a whisper of burgundy.  The scarf is a twirly, wavy pattern which is so cute.

The burgundy flower is mounted to a pin back so it is removable to make

Sunday Phunnies

Finally, a Barbie I can relate to!

At long last, here are some NEW Barbie dolls to coincide with her and OUR aging gracefully. These are a bit more realistic ...

Bifocals Barbie. Comes with her own set of blended-lens fashion frames in six wild colors (half-frames too!), neck chain and large-print editions of Vogue and Martha Stewart Living.

Hot Flash Barbie. Press Barbie's bellybutton and watch her face turn beet red while tiny drops of perspiration appear on her forehead. Comes with hand-held fan and tiny tissues.

Facial Hair Barbie. As Barbie's hormone levels shift, see her whiskers grow. Available with teensy tweezers and magnifying mirror.

Flabby Arms Barbie. Hide Barbie's droopy triceps with these new, roomier-sleeved gowns. Good news on the tummy front, too - muumuus with tummy-support panels are included.

Bunion Barbie. Years of disco dancing in stiletto heels have definitely taken their toll on Barbie's dainty arched feet. Soothe her sores with the pumice stone and plasters, then slip on soft terry mules.

No-More-Wrinkles Barbie. Erase those pesky crow's-feet and lip lines with a tube of Skin Sparkle-Spackle, from Barbie's own line of exclusive age-blasting cosmetics.

Soccer Mom Barbie. All that experience as a cheer-leader is really paying off as Barbie dusts off her old high school megaphone to root for Babs and Ken, Jr. Comes with minivan in robin-egg blue or white, and cooler filled with doughnut holes and fruit punch.

Divorced Barbie. Sells for $199.99. Comes with Ken's house, Ken's car, and Ken's boat.

Post-Menopausal Barbie. This Barbie forgets where she puts things, and cries a lot. She is sick and tired of Ken sitting on the couch watching the tube, clicking through the channels. Comes with Depends and Kleenex. As a bonus this year, the book "Getting In Touch with Your Inner Self" is included.

Welcome

I want to thank my loyal readers who have followed me in my move to Blogger. I have been blogging since July 2007 and have greatly appreciated the WordPress folks as they have been most helpful - within their rather strict guidelines. I'm moving to Blogger to expand both the content and the usefulness of my blog and sincerely hope you find it so.

Thanks for coming to Patti's Place.

Blessings.