Harvest Moon Hard Cider 2009!

In previous posts I have mentioned our harvesting of organic apples from the one producing tree we have here plus the forgotten Orchard out at the 1 Acre Homestead. We chopped & pressed so many apples in the hopes of Homemade hard cider. I am a true fan of Hard Cider.

The Apples picked during the Harvest moon of 2009 has finally come to a stage of bottling. It sat in the cold basement from the day it was placed into the jug fermenter until recently when I decided it was time. As I bent down to grab this particular jug, I noticed all the dust on the bottle and thought how I should have done this sooner. Then a country song popped in my head which made me laugh aloud. Think dust. Wine bottle. Gets sweeter with time...

Just in case you still have no clue as to what I am rambling about, here is the song to which sprang in my mind- rather fitting really... :



So I lugged the dusty jug upstairs to my laboratory, a.k.a Kitchen, where the sterilized bottles waited and the double boiler was set for the wax melting.(I dip the cork ends into the wax so if the cork should start to dislodge, the wax seal will show cracking and let me know if I need to release any late fermenting air before it is too late).

My laboratory does not house professional tools or gadgets. I do not find any justification in spending money on items which will be rarely used and only cost so much due to the popularity of home brewing. Not to mention I never paid much attention in chemistry.

Removing the air lock was not as easy as it would be for others. I had medical tape and saran wrap securing it in place. I do not have corks to fit my recycled jugs, so I improvised and left the airlock on until this stage. (my airlocks cost less then a dollar a piece so I grab 'em when i think of it and have enough to simply leave on the jugs while in use).

I use a funnel and fine mesh cloth for the straining and pouring. Yep. Not professional and I am sure many of those who may be a Connoisseur of this subject are clucking away. but I rarely follow the "rules" since I prefer to do it the old school method. Before corner wine making stores or the Internet were available.

The smell... I could pick up the apple cider smell with a sure fire alcohol following. Very pleasant. Not like some of the apple wines I have made in the past.

Now as to taste, I have yet to indulge in a glass. Hopefully the scent is not misleading. I am waiting for the bottom sediment to settle before I do any tasting. I had enough in 1 jug to fill 1 large wine bottle, 3 medium/ large wine bottles and 1 grolsch bottle. Leaving 2 inches of liquid and sediment for me to taste (after a filtering) while the kids are visiting relatives the evening before Santa day. I look forward to sitting on the love seat we have by the wood burner, indulging in a few taste tests with hopefully my neighbor and friend Jeannie. She helped picked the apples and grapes for our wine/cider , so she must share in the tasting. Reap some fruits of her labor in a girl night hanging in my basement... Gosh. 10 years ago I would have laughed at someone who actually looked forward to something like that.

Anyway, I made up a label to go on the bottles of Hard Cider. I am gifting one to my good friends Chris & Lisa over at the 1 Acre homestead. I have no color ink and in fear of not making an improvement to it's look, I refrained from water colors or the such. I did use Medium tooth paper used for drawing with charcoal and pencils. The thicker paper with its natural fiber feel makes for great "ripped edge" organic look for a label. The heavy weight adds overall a touch of class to it's appearance.

O.k....The truth? I ran out of copy paper and "swiped" a sheet from Panda's drawing tablet. I had no other choice but to use that paper plus it really does make for a nice label which I plan to use from now on. Made for a great discovery.

Besides adorning with a personal label, I dip the cork ends into wax multiple times (as you will see in the following picture). This is to add a more visually secure seal plus old world charm to the bottle. I take a candle end and rub it all over the label front to add liquid resistance and a touch of shine before gluing it in place on the bottle. A scroll filigree style stamp mixed with a black/green ink for a touch of color finished it off.

It's all about what is inside anyway.

So now I must tend to the other jugs from the cold basement, awaiting my presence and attention. So far, 1 small jar which contained left over liquid from another jug, has transformed into Grape vinegar. I have a small raised grape motif glass bottle which will house it and go to some other friends along with some home made herb blends and my Italian bread for the holidays. Hopefully only the jars I intended to be vinegar have not spread their behavior to any other jugs placed a good distance apart- of what better be drinkable grape wine.

I better buy a new drawing tablet. Should have about 10 bottles to label after filtering. Panda has very little paper left in her tablet for me to swipe...I mean use, so a new must be acquired.

We have another giveaway coming this week with 3 items as one big Prize!

Enjoy the Holidays!

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

The Nordic Ware Mini Scone pan winner!

Frog has pulled another winner from the bean pot. I let her practice cutting the strips so I space the names out as to prevent any unreadables. She so loves her part in these giveaways. She is a mother of 5 and keeps a blog about her Life as a zoo with her "5 little monkeys".

I am still laughing over the comment her daughter made about the Ex husband. Truly, that was hysterical!

And the winning paper reads:

JANESSA

Congratulations Janessa! I hope you will enjoy your new Nordic Ware Mini Scone Pan for many many years to come! (They truly last a very long time with proper care and can prove to be rather fun inventing new items to bake in the wedge's.)

I have a new Giveaway to mix things up a bit. A hint? One of the 2 prizes has something to do with nectar of the gods! Happy Winter Solstice to all and check back soon for your chance to win 2 prizes!

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

American Girl Historical series perfect for the Homesteading girls!

Who would have thought how hard it would be to find awesome gifts for our children that do not require batteries or large amounts of money. Our kids attend public school so their exposure to the big "gotta have the biggest and best right now" attitude is unavoidable. Is it bad I preach this yet yearn and dream for a red Kitchen aide mixer with cool attachments?

With Panda , I have an ally for keeping everyone at least touching a "grounded" attitude. As much as she wants for things, they are at least of use sprinkled in with the typical child wants.

She is at the age of seeking out what her "thing" in life is. What she is best at. She is like me in more ways then her looks so I try to help her not feel so lost while she is seeking this out. She loves reading and really enjoys the subject of Nature, animals, and the American Girl series has been a hit for years. They tie in very well with our way of life and seem to help explain things in a way at her level of understanding. Not to mention the conversations and questions they produce during dinner.

She loves helping out in the kitchen, which I want to encourage but have wondered how I would encourage her to feel independent instead of me instructing her. I want her to discover & enjoy what it is she wants without me hovering.

Then I found this series at the North Canton, Ohio Border's book store (at clearance for $4.99 a book!):

They come with table conversation cards, cookie cutters, a decent amount of recipe's pertaining to that girl's era with much more. They have it set up so you can have a theme lunch/dinner party using the supplies included with the book. Fun for the family, a girl sleepover or having extended family come "visit for the holiday's" entertainment.

I also found this at the same store $3.99!

(Click the title below for a link to amazon where you can preview this and the ones above)

Kit's world: a kid's eye view of the great depression

Of course I picked all of the above up. 5 gifts for what would most likely be the cost of just one item. ($24 before taxes) which would not be as much fun, last as much time or give as many potential great memories.

I feel this is a total score on a gift I am most excited for her to get. Besides the Camo pants and orange pink tank dress I made for her American Girl doll...

Lots of baking yet to do. A wood burner flume pipe to fix and Coffee fire starters to try out- a quick how to with pictures coming soon!

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Furniture Graduation!

As I mentioned before, I have been changing up our living space outside and in. While I was at the local thrift store I spotted a vintage looking 3 tier food hanger! Not sure how old it is, but I love it and knew it would make for the perfect problem solver in a certain corner. Any idea on it’s era?

Here we are 8 years later and that corner is still a stand out blandness. That is until I find an eye catching solution!

The Captain and I have been discussing furniture as of late. First, You need to understand the last time we bought NEW furniture was almost 10 years ago. It was such a beautiful set from Broyer hill. Complete with coffee tables (and a price tag one should not be spending on furniture when you are just beginning a family.Once again the reason babies should come with a "warning this child will wreak havoc once mobile" label!). But at the time we were unmarried and inexperienced parents of a new toddler.
In the first 4 months, we had it cleaned twice. In the first year we had it cleaned 7 times… It got to a point we used that warranty so much they refused to do it anymore, saying the stain blocker has been weakened by so many cleanings, the stain warranty has been voided.. Humph.
We got our money’s worth on it for sure. From juice cup spills to potty training accidents and baby messes. The life of our furniture deteriorated rather quick before our very eyes.
Add in child #2 and 3. Well, it actually did not last much past the toddler years of Lil’ man so we have had hand me down couches ever since. The kind where you throw an old sheet over the couch because the new $10 sheet looks nicer then the couch. The kind that is older then you are and a style reminiscent of a frat house porch. ( fitted Couch covers are not cheap plus finding one to fit odd shaped arms on a sofa did not turn out easy). So we gave up on having nice furniture while the children were still young.
Well, we have decided since Frog just turned 4 years old, it is time we graduate. Graduate from the college porch quality and style to new “adult” furniture.
The living room style as much as I have tried, is rather ummm… embarrassing. I have a bakers rack which holds most of my books, a few misplaced toys and an antique mirror propped on the top. Not to mention the various other shelves and tables of no matching quality. So when I received an email about living room furniture at the Living rooms direct site, I was impressed with their selection and pricing. They are owned by CSN stores.
As to the bookshelves issue, I am looking at this piece 2 piece ladder shelf. One being small, is perfect for plants at the top and Frogs books on the bottom. The larger would be an organized heaven to all my books I seem to have accumulated. Not novels ( I just read my first novel in 4 years this week) . But herbal, gardening and Homestead topics I find I go through often. Those shelves would match very well with the style we are gravitating towards.
As to furniture, we learned our lessen with Upholstery. They stain, rip easily plus hold odor. Besides, we have The Captain’s awesome antique leather chair which belonged to his grandfather. Of course it has proven in a house of constant babies and/or toddlers, Leather is the way to go. Unlike fabric, a rip or hole does not fray. They have a putty like material which can be easily blended to cover it up. I am looking at this leather sofa or maybe this one. They have a free shipping option and the prices as you will see are most agreeable. We have shopped around for leather and “pleather” type furniture which has left us aghast from the price tags. (cheap pleather was around $450 minimum and nice not fake looking leather ones were starting at $999 (U.S currency). The links above is more to our liking. It may be a bit before we do get to Graduate, which is just fine by me. (I still fear what havoc they would wreak with all that climbing, jumping and other normal kid acrobats.) As long as we get leather look and durability, I do not mind the wait.
Stay Tuned! Something to do with cutting and sweetening for our next Giveaway! In the mean time, be sure to get your comment entry in for the last Nordic ware Mini Scone pan giveaway! The deadline is for December 19,2009
Sweet Dreams,
~Tammie

Frog’s Eczema Salve : a Mother's fight against the steroid solution.

I never thought I would have to deal with something so persistent as Eczema. Frog started showing signs of it last April. Just 3 years old. The inside of her elbow’s started as small patches which many thought was poison ivy. I knew it was not, but considered maybe it was some other outdoor irritant. ( The women in our family do not get poison Ivy. But Lil man.. He never goes a warm season without patches showing up on his legs and The Captain is no different.) She would get runny noses and coughs just before another flare up begins. Even during a flare up, she would have constant runny nose and a cough.

This shows the healing spots which is where the eczema began. This is nothing compared to the painful angry red patches we have battled.

It went from half dollar patches to all over her body. 75 % of her back, many patches from small to large on her arms, to the bending back area of her knee’s and even around her eyes. Nothing I did stopped the spreading or decrease the intense flare ups.
We have tried to isolate what was triggering her eczema to no avail. It became so bad I had to cave in and get the steroid cream from the doctor. She was on the cream for almost 3 weeks. I saw instant results the first few days. It did not last long. After one week, we missed a single dose and it came back full force overnight. If you have read anything on the subject of the steroid cream, you know that it can affect the hormones, the liver and possibly cause diabetes with so much more bad side effects with continual use. I kept applying the cream for a few more days but it never fully went away and her scratching never stopped with it’s use. I worried about infection and scars. I now look back and see it as the steroid creme suppressed the symptoms as long as it was applied twice a day, but did not "heal" it.

So one night I had a dream. You know the kind. Where your mind is so focused on a troubling event it takes over your night time thoughts. I dreamt of my garden. I was picking calendula, red clovers and Comfrey. I was so proud of how well my herb garden had come along over the years. My collection of medicinal herbs being my greatest enjoyment. I remember that I became rather upset when I looked around. It appeared my nettle patch disappeared. But in reality, I have no Nettle patch. When I woke up, I remembered a post from the Green Woman about picking Nettles in a glade. I do love reading about herbs on her blog.
Another inspiring Herb Goddess I enjoy ever so much is Dancing in a field of Tansy. I am hoping to subscribe next month to her Herbal Roots zine. Panda would absolutely love it, as would I. These are just 2 herb related blogs I enjoy which happen to be among the first I discovered many years ago.

I researched some more on Nettles and discovered it is an ingredient many Herbalist may recommend for Eczema. Not only in the ointment, but as a daily tea.
I make Frog a Nettle, chamomile and orange peel tea twice a day. This helps from the inside to support what you are fighting on the outside. A tad of Honey and she comes back for seconds. By starting the tea on a regular basis, I have noticed after 1 ½ weeks, any new patches do not flare up so angrily as the past ones. I am still experimenting with right portions on the tea combo, but will share it when I see the results I hope for.
“ Many patients have discovered that allopathic or Western Medicine does not always have success with eczema. Conventional treatment and complementary treatments should not be considered 'either/or' for the condition. The best therapy is the one that works best for an individual and the only way to find it -- is by trying and experimenting.
Generally, Eczema, or Dermatitis, as it sometimes called, is a collection of skin conditions that can affect people of all ages. The milder form is characterized by dry, hot, and itchy skin, but in the more severe form, the skin becomes cracked and has been known to bleed.
Although not contagious, it can be an embarrassment to many unfortunate individuals. Some conventional treatments can cause the skin to be less inflamed, but the skin is prone to additional flare-ups from time to time.”

You can see in this picture she is developing new patches on her back and armpit/shoulder area. But once again this is very mild and I do believe it is due to the tea combo I have been giving her. They seem to no longer get past this point with the treatment we follow now. The old spots which have healed, leave white pale skin where once inflamed, almost burn like patches use to be.

This is what my dream led me in an effective treatment (10 times better then the doctor prescription method in results. Not to mention none of those horrible side effects). Just a side note, we have missed an entire day of applying this treatment which did not result in any lapse of healing. It seems to continue healing and working it’s magic long after it wears off. Just be sure the skin is clean before applying. You do not want any dirt or such trapped in the skin while you are trying to heal it. Click here to go to my second "info keeper blog" for ingredient explanation and recipe*.

My conclusion?

The prescribed steroid cream will help supress the eczema symptoms as long as it is applied on a continous 2X daily method. This salve along with the tea combo actually heal the eczema condition and is fighting off what ever is causing it without a contiual daily application. Not to mention no more runny nose and cough!.

I make herb infused oils from the plant matter throughout summer and into Fall. I used true essential oil for the Rosemary, Patchouli and Tea tree since I had these on hand.
There are many salves I have tried on her eczema and this last one was the jackpot along with being sure she drinks her nettle mix hot tea twice a day. The salve is put on in the morning and just before bed at night. In between I apply Oatmeal Honey all natural lotion which I get from Kim at Old Wives pails.
It is the only lotion she can use without irritation or burning. No other sensitive skin lotion will work like this stuff has.
I hope this will help other mother's who may be battling this dreadful condition. Just remember, I tried the steroid cream as what I thought to be a last resort. Experiment with natural treatments but do try to leave the steroid as a last resort. I only used it in fear of her intense bloody scratching which almost became infected and the spread of eczema circling her eyes. As a mother, you know your own child, but there are times a doctor is best to diagnose or help with such a condition.

Be sure to get your entry in for the last Nordic Ware Mini Scone pan in my post 12/11/09 at this link*

Sweetest dreams,
~Tammie

a bit of rambling with the last mini scone pan giveaway!

I do believe it is time we find another winner for the last Mini Scone pan Nordic ware has provided for you. So give me a moment and I will share how you can win the last one.

I have been going mad woman crazy in the house. Everything is moved around and switched up. I do this often. Maybe 4 times a year. Each season I go through every room and put a fresh look and deep cleaning into it. I have yet to do the Mud room but that is more due to the large pantry in there. I store the winter produce on top since that room stays cold (year round). Too many pumpkins at the moment which I dread having to move before the bulky pantry.

All those Long pie pumpkins....I can not stand the thought of another pie or empanada. Think I will be switching over to some Pumpkin Scones for awhile.
"Every October, Bonnie Ackerman-Luo makes pumpkin purée and freezes it in measured portions so she can make these scones all year long. Yield: Makes 6 scones"

And these caught my eye for a new twist on the normal plain, spicey or fruit scone:

Rose Petal Drop scones! Of course no reason not to use a scone pan or round dish for the baking.

A few more giveaways befor the new year. I have a shipment I have been waiting on which had a few stalls. I recieved the call yesterday and they are being shipped out now. This would be the delay in our giveaways. I will not list it unless I have recieved it (or if they ship it to the winner).

So this is our last Mini scone pan giveaway. How will I decide on a winner.... Well of course each commenter goes in the bean pot BUT your comment must include an answer to:

"If you had a LARGE garden in which you will need to grow as much of your vegetable/fruit/herb needs as possible, what would be your TOP 4 choices you would plant the most of and why?"

(in other words choose the 4 things you would plant the most of in your garden and tell why)

I plant more of the tomatoes, lettuce, beans plus my herbs dominate a whole 1/4 of the garden square- not including what herbs I interplant. Why? Well lets leave that answer for the future post we speak of garden plans and the "must have storage value" items.

I am very interested to see your answers. Deadline for entry is December 19,2009.

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Winter has come but no reason to hibernate...

You are not alone if you dread the cold winter darkness. I find most of my creative ideas are formed as the cold wind howls outside our home. I enjoy the slow down of the season but after a month or two I am itching to get back in the sunshine.

I thought I would share with you some ideas for winter fun which do not involve pieces of wood attached to your feet while you freeze with the wonderful cold wind induced nose 'cicles streaking your face.

I am fortunate (or just addicted according to the Captain) on finding lots of wood frame windows at no cost. My collection has grown over the summer to grant me plenty of use for winter fun.

What am I up to now? Besides day dreaming as the first of many seed catalogs appear in the mail box, I am dreaming up one of these:

Now I must give credit where credit is due. This wonderful indoor greenhouse or "Conservatory" was handmade by Linda at Blue Gate. I spotted these a while back and had put them into my winter idea file. Yes, unfortunately I do have one upon which I go perusing for inspiration and a boredom buster.

If this one perks your interest, go over here to check out more pictures of these whimsical glass worlds* in her "yard Conservatories" section.

If you live in an apartment or a very small/ yard less house, this may just be a dream of a greenhouse come true. And for those of us who just want a place to put our plants inside, this is a sure winner.

I am making ours with just the windows and not the spindle pieces. The open V at the top I will cut glass to fit and make it fully enclosed. Hinges to go on one side window for easy access.

You could make one of these by first building a box frame your windows would be attached to. Be sure your 4 corners have long enough "post legs" for raising your greenhouse off the ground or to a window level for more sunshine access.Maybe an old coffee or side table for a base.

The best place to look for windows is Freecycle or Craiglist if asking around to friends and family produce nothing.

Another winter fun idea is to brew up a hot cup of tea or mulled cider while you watch the upcoming Geminid Meteor shower. This one is said to have up to 140 streaks per hour!

Grab that comfy old quilt and someone to snuggle with as you lay back to watch the show.

picture credit goes to John Chumack of Lafayet, Ind.

"The year's best meteor shower is coming to North America.
Weather permitting, the peak time to view the Geminid (jem-uh-nid) meteor show will be around midnight Sunday Eastern time when up to 140 meteors per hour could streak across the sky.
Though not as famous as the Perseid meteor shower, the Geminids often put on a more dramatic display.
Geminids are debris from an extinct comet called 3200 Phaethon. The shower gets it name because it appears to come from the constellation Gemini."

These are just a few tips for busting winter blues & boredom. I'll share more as the season goes on.

I am awaiting a certain package for our next giveaway which should be here any day now. Be patient. They are well worth the wait due to the "coolness factor".

I'm having a hard time myself on being patient...

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Our winner and preview of our Tisane labels...

We had a few delays due to some happenings which have been ongoing for a few months. I do apologize but my mind and heart have been heavy as of late. I am sure you would understand but at this time I do not feel as though I can freely explain. Our family is fine, it has more to do with happenings of others with intrusions.

Now on a happier note, I am happy to announce the Bean pot has given us a local winner!

Kevin and Beth! Congratulations, you are the winners of the Nordic Ware Tea cake pan.

We have 1 more Scone pan and 1 more Tea cake to offer before the New year and will be announcing the giveaway soon.

I finally have our Tisanes up for sale on our Etsy shop over here at http://www.etsy.com/shop/unusualfarmchick

Please do have a look around. I would love to hear any feed back or suggestions you may have. If you prefer, I have my direct email address listed in my blog profile page.

We have just 3 blends listed as of now, which will expand over time. I have enjoyed the time and hard work put into making our Photo labels and am posting them here for your viewing.

This is the winning photo picked by friends and family for our Gypsy Ginger blend Tisane:

Our Sweet Dreams signature blend, which uses a vintage paper moon picture:

And our "Spicey Brew of life Tisane label ~we added the E in Spicey for a touch of sass:

The desire behind the labels was to create an appealing piece of art. Not just a product label. We include a 4x6 photo with each blend, depending upon the tea purchased. The photo can be used for adorning the Tisanes container, a wall board or the fridge. Whichever way one would prefer. Our Tisanes arrive in a 4X6 muslin bag with cotton drawstring. A more environmentally friendly packaging then plastic or such. The bag can be reused in many ways. From a large tea or bath bag to storing of small items. The consumer would need to store the bag and contents in a clean glass container or tin with tight fitting lid.

We do not add oils or extracts. Although I do not see this as wrong when others add them. I prefer to offer herbs/fruit in their pure dried form. 100% additive free. In the same manner I offer our family and friends.

Panda is adventuring in jewelry making which has prompted her "Mommy, can I sell these in the store?" question.

we'll see honey... Lets at least focus on our herbs for now.

I have apple pies to prepare and freeze due to the half bushel of Orchard apples still sitting in the kitchen plus a few Long pie Pumpkins which appear to not last much longer due to being picked 3 months ago. So they too will be prepared for freezing.

Congratulations again Kevin and Beth. I hope you enjoy this pan as much as we enjoy ours.

Coming soon! More chances to win more Nordic Ware Baking pans!

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Harvest of Jeruselum Artichokes day!

Some new things are happening around this Homestead provoking the garden dig activity. All roots/tubers, annual herbs,grape vines and Blueberry bushes are being put into pots and placed into a "cold bed" by the house front. It is too early to go in more depth but it looks to be another adventure coming this way.
I could not believe the amount of Jerusalem Artichokes we dug up from just 4 tubers planted last May.
I will pick out 10 small tubers for the next garden season, leaving us enough for winter enjoyment.

Freshly dug covered in wet soil.

I found this interesting tidbit at "What I'm eating now" which is a great read for those who enjoy their potatoes:

"Starting in October through the early spring, they’re at their sweetest and peak Delicious.
When cooked (boiled or roasted or sauteed), they’ll resemble a slightly creamier cooked potato, but because of their unique carbohydrate profile (see below), they’re slightly lower in calories and have a much lower glycemic index. In other words, their impact on blood sugar is minimal compared to a similarly-sized portion of regular potatoes. This makes them a good potato-substitute for potato-loving people with diabetes or for anyone looking to help control their appetites by eating foods that don’t cause major spikes in their blood sugar levels.

A modest 1/2 cup serving contains about 14% of the daily value for iron, compared with approximately 4% in the same sized portion of baked potato. "

I happened upon the site while looking for more ways to utilize the harvest. This soup posted there looks to be the winner for tonight's meal:

You can make them into a creamy soup by sauteing 1 chopped onion in olive oil until soft and sweating. Add about 3 cups of sliced Jerusalem artichokes and 4 cups of broth (chicken or vegetable… whatever you prefer). Bring to a boil until the Jerusalem artichokes are nice and tender. Using an immersion blender (or transferring the mixture to a blender), puree the soup until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of fat free evaporated milk (it’s thick like cream) or low fat milk or rice milk (to keep it dairy-free) to the puree and add salt and pepper to taste.

I may add some veggies like sweet peas and carrots to the above. The kids dug up a few carrots we could use with this. Gotta check on that. May need to go dig up a few more.
If soup is not your style how about as chips! Imagine...Jerusalem Artichoke chips! Susan of the Well Seasoned cook was a guest blogger over here and shares a recipe for Sunchoke Chips.
I guess you can make "chips" out of pretty much anything you slice.
Here is the mini greenhouse/cold frame Frog and I built the other day. I have some Brussel sprouts to space in there. Seems they grew a bit close due to the small hands who helped plant seed.

And switching subjects again, Panda has decided all presents from her will be homemade. We have picked out a very nice pattern for clothing to fit American Girl dolls. Her cousin and Best friends have them, so it's perfect. Not just as a gift but as something she can make with confidence.

She is also making beaded jewelery. Bracelets and necklaces. So the girls will each get an outfit for their dolls and matching bracelets. Good thing the beading supplies are 40% for a few more days. I can not deal with the shopping crowds.

Now I need some brainstorming for the boys on her list...
If you have not already, be sure to enter our giveaway for the Tea cake Nordic Ware pan!

Sweetest Dreams,
~Tammie

Nordic Ware Giveaway!

Scones are nice but a bit of diversity in Tea parties makes it all the better. Frog has her own "nook" in the living where she has the typical plastic kitchen center and a child size table. This is where many hours of imagination burst out. The dolls and animals rounded up and placed into their seat. A reminder given to them as to how they are to use their manners and be careful with the dishes. Her stash of dress up clothes include a variety of hats and scarves. Some of course too big for the small guests present at her table, yet no less fun.

She came to me the other day asking for "cakes" to serve her guests and we decided it was time to try the Tea cake pan with a Lavender tea bread glazed with a citrus topping we spotted at this *link*. Perfect child size and for adult size get togethers, this recipe is a perfect example for this pan. Be sure to read the comments for the tip on a citrus glaze and about adding vanilla plus removing the lavender buds from the milk before mixing. We used 1 heaping Tblspn of lavender. which was the perfect amount instead of the 3Tbspn in the recipe..

The new Giveaway is for this beautiful Nordic Ware Tea Cake pan which can be used for chocolates, Jello's, and of course Tea mini cakes.Open your mind to the many possibilities and this will be a very often used pan in the Kitchen. I see this as the perfect pan to use in baby showers, dinner parties, reunions, picnics and of course a wedding shower and reception.

        "Create miniature tea cakes chocolate candies or jiggling jello in the familiar shapes of our popular bundt pans. exquisitely detailed shapes include:elegant heart chrysanthemum sunflower rose cathedral bavaria fleurde lis star tri star and the original bundt".

    If you have not already, be sure to check out this link to read up on their Green Sustainable Business practices. Besides being Made in The USA, their practice of no Harsh metals or PFOAs used in their bakeware are all the more reason to delight in their products.

How can you win it? Well I think I will throw a twist into this plot. One person will be randomly picked using a number generator but the comment must include a wedding day theme tip for my dear friend White Willow. She is planning a Mountain countryside wedding with a Nature Hippie theme. Bridesmaids in true Hippie style sun dresses (not patchwork or such. Think to the style, not the multi colors), garland of flowers in her hair, Candles galore. Flowers, ferns, barefeet. I am growing White and yellow sunflowers for her tables and would love to hear any other ideas to pass on to her which she can mull around in her planning.I am ever so excited for her. I can envision what she describes and am so honored being asked to join her wedding party as a bridesmaid.

Just wanted to put a little more thought into this giveaway. It's nice to throw in a "kicker" once in a while.

I am leaving this one open until Midnight of December 1st, 2009. The day of our Etsy shop opening.

One entry per person. Must have link to profile which I can Contact you through (such as an email link or a blog which I can leave you a comment). If there is not a way to contact you through a link (such as a profile set to private OR no blog), you will be disqualified and a new winner will be announced. I do appologize for this, but I must have a way to contact the winner.

Coming soon. A sneak peek at a few labels for our new line of Herbal Fruit Tisanes!

Best of luck to all that enter. Only one will win but there are more chances for more prizes soon to follow.

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie