Storybook Woods

This and That

I will be taking a week off, my in-laws are on their way. I have the freezer full of goodies, my house is clean (somewhat clean, but she loves me for me, right ;-p ). I hope all of you have a sunny, happy, yummy week xoxox

I have gotten several email from you readers telling me that bloglines is not letting you know when my blog posts. Well I have bloglines to and I am having the same problem. I have e-mailed them three times over the last month and I have heard nothing from them and the problem is not fixed. So I am thinking of using a different feeder, you might want to do the same thing. So besides bloglines, who love their blog feeder ???

A new big hit in our family are these blueberry bars. I made them with whole wheat pastry flour and they were sooo good.

I hate to leave you all week with nothing to do (I know many of you just sit around and eat bon-bons all day, on no wait, that's me ;-) maybe this list of ideas, will keep you busy. It did me, as you can see in the picture above !!!!

Menu Of The Week

 

For my home-brewing hubby's birthday, I decided to do a menu using a different beer in each dish. I was not sure if the girls would like it, but I have to say they LOVED everything. I also have to say that I think David's favorite part was picking the beer !!!!

Beer marinated grilled buffalo steak *

Mac and Cheese with ale

(I just substituted one cup of milk with beer in my mac and cheese recipe)

Cabbage, carrot, green onion slaw with pilsner vinaigrette **

Stout cream cheese brownies

_______________________________________________________________________________

*Marinade

1/2 cup pale ale

1/8 cup soy sauce

1 TBL. pepper

3 roughly chopped garlic cloves

mix all in a zip-lock baggie and add steaks

** Pilsner vinaigrette

1/2 cup mild flavored oil

1/8 cup pilsner

1 TBL honey or agave

3 TBL. cider vinegar or to taste

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 TBL. Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

 

 

PS. Tracey at Frugal Luxuries Foodhas a great post on the secret to good pie crust. Check it out xoxox

 

PSS. Jody asked about the picture. This is the Glass Bridge of Chihuly glass at the Glass museum in Tacoma. The photo is looking above my head.

A Corner Of My Home

 

 

I am finally getting in a spring mood. I am craving soft colors and neutrals.

 

But I still love my pom-poms.

 

I thought since I was using cream pom-poms, I could get away with bigger ones.

 

This sweet bird is from Paula, thank you sweetie xoxox

 

I am finding my neutral window calming. BUT we will see how long till I crave some color ;-)

 

By the way Storybook Woods is on Facebook

I Cut Up A Sweater

 

Well, I am back ;-) My in-laws have a cold, so the trip is postponed a week or so. Yeah, that gives me a week to clean (or till I have to clean) !!!!!

Do you remember when I did a list not the long ago of things I love, someone had taken a pull-over and turned it into a cardigan? I had this pull-over with a deep v-front, I loved the color but it was not the most flattering sweater.

I, of course, did my sweater a little different then she did. I wanted to use a polyester trim because I was afraid if I used a cotton one, it would shrink when I washed it. I took some vintage poly lace trim and sewed it up the front and around the neck. I left a little space between the lace in the front, then I just cut from the bottom up to the V. I was going to add a clasp but I can tell I would like to wear it different ways with different tops. So I decided to just use one of my zillion pins I have as a closer. This will give me more leeway. I was also going to add a lace pocket, but I think I like this simple look better. I am sure you have something that you could cut up xoxoxox 

 

Happy Valentines Day

 

Happy Valentine's day xoxoxoxo

Well in a perfect, "not crazy" week I would make and send to each of you this Valentine. But that is not possible. So I will share this Valentine tutorial  and you can make one. I plan (when life is not so crazy) to make and frame one for me. I wish each of you dear readers a day full of love. Your love and support of my blog, fills me. Thank you !!!!

 

Both images are from Little Acorn, thank you for the tutorial, I love it.

Akkk, my in-laws just called and are coming to visit this week. So I am going to have to extend my blog break another week. But soon I will have some fun things to share. I have been busy crafting and cooking. But for now I am off to try to get my house clean before my in-laws (who are sweet as can be) show up. You all know how much I hate to clean, pray for my {;- P

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

This coming week I have my hubby's and my mother's birthday and Valentines day. So I am going to take a week break from the blog. But I wanted to leave you with a recipe to inspire you to make something yummy this week and think of me.

This wonderful image above is from Flower Fairy Tales, a old children's book on-line. Sadly it is not in English, but I love the illustrations.

 

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

I head of garlic, roasted

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/8 or so of cup balsamic vinegar *

1 tsp. honey or agave

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl mash the peeled, roasted garlic. Then start mixing the oil and garlic together. Add a little at a time so the garlic gets worked into the oil, apposed to just floating around the oil. Then whisk in the rest of the ingredients. You can re-fridge what you do not use up to one week.

 

* the amount of vinegar is completely up to you. I do not like my vinaigrette's too vinegary. So I use a small amout of vinegar to oil but do what suites your taste. I also like my vinaigrette's fairly salty. Remember to please your palette xoxox

Please Say A Prayer For

I am very sad to share that Becky at Sweet Cottage Dream has lost her oldest son. I can not imagine Becky's and her families pain. But I wanted Becky to know we are there for her and are holding her up in prayer. So if you feel led please say a prayer for Becky. Thank you.  

News-paper Bow Tutorial

 

In my trying to use what I have, I decide to come up with a news-paper bow for a gift I was giving. I am sure there is a zillion ways to do this, but this is what I did.

 

With pinking shears, I cut 4 strips of news-paper, going the long way of the paper. (excuse my bad grammar, Kristin I see you wincing)

 

With the first strip I folded over and made two loops.

 

Next piece I folded three time, then next four and last 5. I tried to set the folds at different angels to fill in the bow more. I had Chloe holding the piece for me as I folded each one. After they are stacked from small down to large, I stapled them together in the center.

 

To finish off the bow, I cut the straight edges at an angle with the pinking shears. I took a piece of the pink tissue paper I was wrapping my gift with and crinkled into a little ball, then glued it to cover the staples. Lastly I fluff and twisted the loops. I glued the flower to the ribbon strips I had cut. I really love the graphic news-paper against the hot pink paper. It is almost chic  ;-) xoxoxo

Yarn CSA

 

A good friend of mine is starting a Yarn CSA and I wanted to let all of you know about it. I have to say, I am lucky enough to have some of LaVonne batting and it is amazingly soft. I also am knitting a cowl right now with her yarn and really am loving it xoxoxo

Serenity Sheep Farm is located in Montana and run by LaVonne Stucky with  the help of her husband, Chris. She raises Shetland and Shetland Romney X  sheep on 40 acres that was part of the original 160 acre homestead that her husband's grandfather homesteaded.  With the downturn in the economy, she and her husband have had to come up with innovative ways for the farm to help make more of their living.  LaVonne has come up with a Yarn CSA. That  stands for community supported agriculture and with the Internet, the entire world had
become a community! 

Typical CSAs are run as farm gardens. You buy into the garden and then receive a share of the bounty.  In LaVonne's case, you buy into the flock and receive yarn in return!  She has a wool mill just 7 miles from her home and will take the wool there to be processed into yarn. The mill  is certified organic and uses solar power to heat the water. This is some very soft wool too! You won't be disappointed!

Check out her blog and sign up for her giveaway!!

Her CSA and other fun things are available in her etsy shop.