A few old recipe's.....................

These 4 recipe's are out on this blog somewhere, but I could not find them. So here they are to share again.
FIRECRACKERS...........

When I got this recipe from Barb Gurn it was made by putting all the ingredients in a large "barrel" shaped jar (I used ice cream container) with a lid. It required turning it every so often to coat.......well I then found the same recipe that can be baked, so now I go with that one. If you need better instructions PM me but basically you mix everything in a bowl and then put in the Saltines and cover them with the mix. Bake about 15 mins or 20 at about 250

These are great with cheese but I love them with Chili

OYSTER CRACKER SNACK


These are sooooo good you have to do at least a double batch. Great as a snack but wonderful with soup.



PARMESAN RANCH RITZ CRACKERS

Not a lot to this one but is a great snack.


Toss crackers in the mixed up ingredients and bake 300 for 15 mins. Cool.

And for your sweet side if you have never tried this then it is a must do and you will make them over and over

SALTINE TOFFEE CRACKERS





ENJOY

Christmas snacks...........................

I tend to not like sweet stuff as much as I do savoury. Each Christmas I make Cheeseballs.

This is one I made for Edna

This year I made two batches, I forgot that I really don't need as many as I usually make so we will have some for another time I guess. I used to give to Nancy and Barb and Laura and anyone else who wanted one. Bud next door always gets a big one because he has been known to come over and ask for another one. So now I make his extra large. So this year it looks like I may have leftovers.
I have to get something to put with that for Edna, she is my only one that I am gifting. It seems like it's become a dying thing. No one wants to bother any more. I usually make jam. The friends like my Berry jam that I make and also the Jalapeno jam. Gerry won't eat either one so I am giving that one a miss this year.
I made my fire crackers, so good with Chili, we had some last night. They will go with the Christmas cheeses. They are hot but I make my chili mild for now because Gabby does not like the hot stuff. These spice it up for the rest of us.

Coopers favourites are his "Nanny crackers" that's what he calls them. They are oyster crackers baked in a mix with dill and dry ranch dressing and garlic. They are awesome, again great with soup or with cheese. I love them with Tomato soup.


This year I decided to make Cinnamon sugar Pecans and some Butter pecans one is baked the other not baked but done on the stove top. I am not sure what one like best. I love the butter taste of the stove top ones but the crunchy sugar ones are great too
(crunchy sugar pecans)

These are the butter ones

I used up some walnuts making some Toffee walnuts but I am not impressed with those. They taste OK but prefer Pecans so that one will get crossed off the list. They would be good for a topping on Ice cream. I am going to make some Caramel topping tomorrow. That I can give to Edna as well because it would be great on anything. Pictures when I am done.
The last thing to show is a very easy Rice crispy treat. Simply melted chocolate with Rice Crispies mixed in and set. Ooooh boy, that is always popular. So chocolaty so buy the best chocolote to make these, they won't last long.

I collect pretty plates from Thrift stores or garage sales. These I use to give away my treats. Bud usually brings the plate back hoping for more haha. Anyway, I have quite a few plates now and as I won't be giving so many away I may as well stop collecting them right? Nah.........Can't see that happening.

Front porch Christmas...................

Autumn is all packed away. Time to decorate for the Season. Christmas is around the corner and so that's what comes next. Well............I don't like my front porch the way it is now. When and if we get around to working on it I will have railings around to define it. Now with no vines around it, it's very open. Still we have to do what we can with what we have. One big problem is all the Christmas stuff is put away. I did get it all in one place but...........since Gabby moved in we can't get to that closet without much disruption. So a compromise. I won't be putting up the tree and decorating the house. So I decorated the porch.

I had to make a quick trip to the dollar store and get some lights for the alley. Back again today to get more and some decorations for the porch because someone packed a bunch of stuff in the garage on TOP of the Christmas stuff.

I found two really cute little critters at Rite Aid. The rest I got at the Dollar Store.



So the elf and Santa were 1/2 off so about 9 bucks for both. A cheap box of balls for their basket. I left the red quilt and the cushions for now. At least they are the right colour. Maybe once I get my sewing machine out I can make some new ones. Don't hold ya breath.
I did manage to get Gerry to buy the wreath and the trees for the porch because I whined enough about not being able to decorate and with Cooper in the house it was only fair to at least do the outside. I got Tony to put the lights on the garage. I liked those lights so picked up another set for the porch or deck. Have not decided yet.
Little touches here and there

It looks really pretty at night but this is it during the day

I need something for the Rocking chair. I have to go over to decorate Alex so maybe the Dollar store over there has more variety.I do need another wreath. This store only had one and I bought that for the deck. I should be able to find a stuffy to sit on the chair. I am not at all ready for snow but will admit every thing will look better once it comes.

We went for a walk up the Alley so Cooper could see the lights


So after that walk I decided we needed to put new lights up. Gerry didn't think we needed to. I said we are the only ones in the whole alley with no lights. He said we don't need to keep up with the Jones's. I don't know what he's talking about, we don't have any neighbours named Jones Sheesh. So new lights are up and we are glittering. Now what else can I find?
He's lucky I didn't ask for an elephant




That man just does not have any Christmas spirit.

What do I have?............

What do I have to contribute that is unique? I do not seem to have the imagination that I need to inspire me. Oh I can copy pictures, I can draw to some extent and I can learn. To actually sell "something" requires not just talent but it takes imagination and to see what people may like. I get so caught up in all the things I would like to do that I don't get anything done. I am still working on my sketch books. I am beginning another before finishing the last one. I had sent for some art supplies to finish off some of the pictures in there. Maybe I should forget that one. Just paint with water colour as usual and start fresh in the new book. Right, that's the plan there.

I love looking on Pinterest for things to draw. Instead I should look around me at things in my life to draw but other people have so much better imagination than I do. I can't focus. I can't seem to get creative in my own right. I used to take pictures for something to draw years ago. Then I got to just enjoying taking the pictures so much that the two things never melded. Maybe that's where I should begin.
I am not looking for recognition. I just want to make some money doing what I love to do. Thats why a shop has always been a dream of mine. My fantasy used to be running a small resort and in the office selling my quilts and arts and crafts to holiday makers. Or a Bed and Breakfast with the same idea. Too bloody old for that now. So what else, and Etsy or Facebook shop. Then to deal with mailing and complaints etc. Then there is keeping the shop stocked and still getting everything done here that needs doing. I wish I could also sell things from the house. There are several "yard sale" pages on Facebook I could use but that does not appeal to me. I guess I would rather do a real yard sale in the Spring, its a lot of work but I have usually had luck in making a little money that way. I have picked up so much from thrift shops that I need to start weeding out. I know people do that for a living, maybe that's an idea but I tend to want to keep things myself but there is only so much one can keep. I just like stuff I guess.

I keep going down the same old street, the same old arguments. I have been put off from selling via shops in town and about because they take 60% and expect me to not sell for less myself. That means the prices go to a point where I certainly would not pay that much so why would anyone else. I tried Ebay once but got nowhere with a couple of quilts I made.

No one wants to pay what they are worth. By the time you price fabric and quilting you cant add much for labour and so what's the point? I would rather give them away. That's what I normally do. A quilt costs around 300 dollars to make when you add the costs of everything. That is using new materials though. The cost of fabric has gone up so much.
That's my other problem, I can't stick to one thing. I love fabric, I love craft supplies. I need a work room. My dining table is always full of something.
I spent this past Spring making wind chimes. Pretty sure I could sell those.

So here I am, same old story, same old problem what to do...............I want to make some greetings cards so maybe I will start there. Maybe I should just get off my butt and go rake leaves.

Sketch Book Ideas.........................................

I originally started my sketch books to learn how to "loosen up" with my water colour paintings. I felt I needed some guidance from other artists and see what I could do. I enjoyed it so much that I have done almost 20 books. Now what? Well since the first book I have evolved into a complete different direction. I have found some artists that I adore their work. I don't want to copy them but they have given me ideas and I am filling my sketch books with them. From "Annsdoodles" I have found products that I never dreamed were out there. Yes I started out doing watercolour, and I still do but......oh there is so much more out there. The sketch books do not handle some of the products well, I need better and different paper or card stock. Till then I am still using mainly water colour.

The products do not show up well on here but in that picture there is glittery paint that shines when you move the page. I need more colours in that particular product. It will look nice on cards and things.


Now if you happen to be an artist and I have copied one of your pictures, not to worry, when I do anything other than the sketchbooks it will only be my own original ideas and artwork. However I have found it useful to get some things down so I remember.


I still love doing faces, they are not meant to be lifelike. These are with the idea of doing pictures for childrens cards or bedroom pictures. When I do those I will be using glitter and the raised effects on a lot of things.

I would like to do some birthday cards and things that could go in a small frame.


I have been learning to do unrealistic flowers and zentangles.....all of those I will decide how and what to use them on later




These are but a small portion of whats in the sketchbook


Yes, I have done a lot of nudes to help get my proportions, those will certainly not be among the things I make to sell (blush)

I love Fairies and that will be one subject that I will do for sure

This brownie is copied but modified, I just wanted to keep the idea. I like it and will no doubt do my own version.




Suns and Moons are a popular subject and I love doing those.

These next are a few unfinished pictures.I have probably 1/3 of my book still to colour and have started a new book.



I still have a lot to learn but I will always have a lot to learn and so I need to make a start somehow.

I need to focus on getting some products done this winter so that I can get started. I will have pictures, cards ACEO's, quilts, bags, totes as well as other thing like
my wooden wind chimes. So much to do.................