Hand Embroidery Show and Tell

Hand embroidery. I love it! I make pieces....and then I kinda just keep 'em hanging around. I don't know what to do with them. But, I think I am going to start framing them in these wooden hoops and hang them on a wall....just a nice little collection all hanging together. I'm not sure which room in the house though. Maybe in the upstairs hallway. 

All  the way....across the sky! It's so bright and vivid! It's full on! What does it mean?! What does it mean?! Remember the popular YouTube video Double Rainbow?  One of my all time favorite videos! That was the inspiration behind this piece. I wanted to embroider a rainbow....just one rainbow...hence "full on single rainbow."

Last year's summer vacation...Cape Cod. A truly nostalgic, beautiful, wonderful, salty dog place! I love it there! I wish I could move there. Twas my inspiration for this piece. 

Sweet little birthday owl...I copied this from a book of iron on transfer designs for embroidery, painting or crafting. Why did I pick this design? Because it's an owl...and I like owls...and he's got a birthday hat on...and I like birthday parties. LOL! Seriously though, I love this big book of transfers. It is from my childhood! I traced so many patterns from it! My mom held onto it for all these years and recently gave it back to me. She keeps everything!! I'm so glad she kept this! This is the book.

Only a homemade birthday cake will do

Hi there! I wanted to share my latest baking adventure with you. My mother in law turned 90 this past week, and I volunteered to make the cakes. It took me all day to bake 2 cakes and make 2 kinds of frosting. It was a long day...but it was fun! I'm a baker at heart, so what can I say? For this first cake, I used this recipe for "Classic Vanilla Butter Birthday Cake" from Sweetapolita and it turned out great!  I decided to go with a flags/bunting type of decoration for her main cake. I think buntings are just so adorable on cakes, and I've been wanting to make one. My mother in law got a kick out of the flags as well, and was excited to put them on display in her China closet where she keeps such memorabilia. I made my bunting with scrapbook paper, bakery twine and a dowel rod.

And.......onto the chocolate cake! Once again, I used a recipe from Sweetapolita. For the cake part, I used this recipe called "Chocolate Celebration Cake". For the frosting, I used this recipe: Nutella Cloud Frosting. I loved the flavor and texture of this cake...so dense and such a deep chocolate flavor. The key ingredients are dark cocoa powder, dark chocolate and strong coffee! So delicious!!

I've baked many birthday cakes in my time....for my kids, my hubby, my parents, my co-workers, friends, extended family. It is my personal belief that everyone deserves a homemade birthday cake for their birthday!

Do you enjoy baking birthday cakes for your family and friends?

How to find a local swimming hole in your neck of the woods

swimming hole

definition: a place, as in a stream or creek, where there is water deep enough to use for swimming.

 

  

My son and  I spent  Sunday afternoon at one of our local swimming holes. Swimming out in nature is so refreshing and exhilarating!  It's been said that cold water swimming is good for you. I can tell you from personal experience, I feel absolutely fantastic during and after swimming in cold, fresh water... no chemicals, just plenty of fresh air and sunshine!  Do you have a  local swimming hole you love to swim at? 

 * HOW TO FIND A LOCAL SWIMMING HOLE WHERE YOU LIVE * 

  

1)  ask the locals,  especially people who've grown up in your area

2) the internet, http://www.swimmingholes.org/ scroll down to the map....in the bottom left hand corner there is  a box that says "move map to:"....simply type in your county and state and it will bring up the known swimming holes in the area...hover over each spot marked for more information on each spot.

*As always, use caution and common sense when swimming in nature. Beware of shallow spots and hidden bolders beneath the water...so don't go diving without first checking out if it's safe!! 

Don't forget to pack a picnic basket full of snacks or sandwiches and plenty of cold  drinks.  We get mighty hungry and thirsty swimming in cold water and climbing around on rocks.

I am back!!

Oh my goodness....I'm back! I'm so happy to be back! I took a long break from blogging...and I am ready to get back at it.  I just wanted  to stop in and make a quick post tonight to say HI! ... and I'm looking forward to reuniting with all of you out there in blog land! I'm leaving you with a photo of my garden. I am so proud of  it!! 

This is just ONE part of the entire garden. We are  hosting a community garden at our house for a few of our friends that don't  have a good space to garden at their home. There are 4 of us all together. Here's a shot of the whole thing. We each have our own space and maintain our own gardens.

  

 It's been fun chatting with our garden buddies and comparing notes!

My Boy Scouts

My Scouts. My 2 boys and my hubby. I absolutely love this photo. It is so classic and timeless. I snapped this shot back in the Fall, just a few months ago. I just knew it would look great altered into something reminiscent of olden times. I fell in love with how it turned out. I want to frame this one for the mantel.

A slightly different version, though still vintage inspired.

The original shot. Love it!!

Just wanted to share this photo with you all. As it happens, my guys are at Scouts right this very moment. It is snowing like crazy out there and the roads are very icey!! Tonight, they are having a gear inspection for winter camping this month. They must have at least a 0 degree sleeping bag, and at least 2 sets of thermal underwear, snow pants, water proof boots, hat, gloves, winter coat....and a slew of other cold weather, mandatory necessities to pass inspection and be permitted to winter camp.

My oldest has winter camped in single digit temps! He's gone 3 times now. This will be the first winter camping for my youngest. My hubby, his Dad, will be there for this camp out so I will be feeling pretty confident he will be just fine.

When I say winter camping....I mean, camping outside, in a tent, on the ground, in the snow. Scouts are educated on cold weather survival and they take it very seriously. The adult Scout leaders are all trained in how to look for signs of hypothermia and exposure, trained in CPR and First Aid...and the Scouts themselves are trained in those areas as well.

My oldest son's 2nd time winter camping was in 18 inches of snow. Hiking through 18 inches of snow to the spot and then shoveling out a spot for their tent, putting down straw first, then a tarp, then your tent. They are outside the entire time from Friday night til Sunday morning when they pack up and head home.

It is definitely a confidence booster for the boys and also a good understanding that they CAN survive against the elements, that they are not helpless and dead out in the cold and snow of winter. I know it will help them in other things in life that come along...they will think about how tough winter camping was and how they got through it and will know they can get through other situations in life equally as hard.

Winter camping is completely voluntary. You do NOT have to participate. Also, if you feel you do not want to stick it out, you can go home at any time...you can call your parents and have them come pick you up any time of day or night. A few Scouts did end up going home last year. Fortunately, it is not forecast to be as cold this time around....supposed to be around 40 degrees.

As a parent, I am able to go winter camping with them as well. I am not quite sure that I could do it....but how would I know if I never tried. Do I have a desire to do it??? No, not really....but in a way, I guess I do wonder how I would fare. I have camped in 32 degree weather though....as in that was the low over night and about 50 during the day. Does that count?? This will be my hubby's 2nd winter camping with the Scouts.

Have you ever winter camped in the snow?? If you have, I'd love to hear about it. Or, if not, do you think you could handle it??

Okay, now I'm freezing just talking about this! It is 26 degrees outside right now, snowing cats and dogs, I'm freezing my gazoogies off, and I'mma 'bout ready to go put on some water for tea! {What are gazoogies you ask? I really don't know....it's something my mom always said, so if it is inappropriate, I blame my mom! haha!!!}

Happy winter!