Higgins Rocks!

Just wanted to make a plug for this ink, which I love for addressing invitations.  I got this for art class my freshman year of college, so somewhere around '02-'03.  I used it to address my wedding invitations in '07.  It's been in storage since then.  For the past couple of years in my attic; which has neither heat nor air conditioning.  I took it out today to address the invitations to my BFF's baby shower.  It was just as good as the day I bought it.  If any of you do pen and ink drawing or calligraphy, I highly recommend this.  I am not employed or paid by Sanford Higgins in any way.

Keep it Kute!

Gifts...Piccies to follow!

I just wanted to tantalize y'all with a note about some gifts I finally finished making.  I got the presents done for both of my BFF's baby showers, and both of my sisters-in-law's b-days.  I will put up pics sometime next month when the recipients have actually seen the gifts.  But I'm really excited!  Now to get to work on Mother's Day gifts for my Momma Bear!

Keep it Kute!

Procrastination...A Timely Reminder

After my housekeeping rant earlier today, this showed up in my newsfeed.  Thanks Bethie!

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HATE Housework!!!

Today I have to clean my house.  I have a deadline for getting this place in some semblance of order.  My bug guy comes a week from today...he has to be able to walk in every room.  Currently there are at least two rooms that he cannot.

I love cooking.  I seriously do.  But Hubby wouldn't know that.  I almost never cook for him because there's never any freaking counter space to cook or any clean pots and pans.

Whenever I run out of unmentionables, sorting the laundry takes an hour.  That is because I have to separate the clean and dirty from each other where the piles have accumulated on the floor.

Please tell me I am not the only Domestic Diva with this problem! 

This is sooo embarrassing...but I felt the need to share this as I yet again procrastinate (although it's legit snacktime; I'm hungrier than a pregnant elephant!).  I'm working on being transparent.  I know it is not God's will for me to lie and hide behind masks.  So here it is: the real me!

Keep it Kute!

Cookie Painting

K, so I know it's been a while since Superbowl, but I wasn't blogging then. I wanted to share the cookies I painted with y'all.

There are, of course, Steelers and Packers helmets, since they were in the Superbowl.  I also made 2 each of the helmets from the church fantasy football league, of which Hubby is the instigator.  The trophies have the church league logo on them.  The logos were all designed by the brilliant and OCD Pastor Kevin, whom I consider to be a genius!

The shapes were cookie cutters from a 100 cookie cutter set I got as a bridal shower gift, oh, eons ago.  I think it was Wilson?  The paint was egg yolk, food coloring, and condensed milk.  Except the white paint.  It is impossible to make white paint out of egg yolk.  For that I had to use cornstarch, condensed milk, and water.  I painted the cookies before baking them.  Most of the colors stayed pretty true to their original after baking, which impressed me greatly.  The cookies were my Auntie's sugar cookie recipe, which is the best sugar cookie recipe in the world.  I've been making it since I was a little girl, but I'd only ever made them for Christmas until now.  I was excited to find another reason to use the recipe. 

Aunt Julie's Superb Sugar Cookies

Ingredients: 2 cups sifted flour; 1 tsp cream of tartar; 1/2tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup melted shortening (I use Crisco in these little trays that look like stick butter and melt it in a glass bowl in the microwave); 2 eggs; 1 tsp vanilla

Recipe:

1. Measure sifted flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt into flour sifter and sift into medium bowl.
2. Grease baking sheets (I use Pam original flavored cooking spray).
3. Measure sugar and shortening into large bowl and stir until well blended.
4. Break eggs into small bowl and beat well with egg beater.  Stir with vanilla into sugar/shortening mix.
5. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition.  Chill bowl of cookie dough until it can be easily handled before rolling/cutting.  (I also tend to sprinkle flour on a pastry mat, my rolling pin, and my hands).

Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.

These also taste terrific plain, with buttercream frosting, or with a lemon/sugar glaze.

Keep it Kute!

Yarns for a Year

So, one of my brother-in-law's friends came up with this great idea--I love it because I can help others while engaging in a relaxing hobby and cutting back on my stash yarn (which make it so much easier to store).  I've already made a few items.  I'll keep you posted as I create more, and also as I figure out where/when in the heck I'm supposed to drop things off.  If you're into knitting or crocheting, I seriously encourage you to check out this worthwhile cause!
Check out Yarns for a Year on the Facebook!

These are little girl scarf and hat sets.  Next batch will probably be for a little boy or a grown woman.

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Let the Blogging Begin!

After much hesitation, I've decided to enter the blogosphere.  I really didn't want to...I waste enough time on the Facebook as it is.  But Facebook won't let me post my crafty stuff the way I want.  So here I am.  We'll see if I can get this to work for me, so I can share my Domestic Diva genius with you, you lucky people you.

Here's what I worked on today for our church nursery--I've been the chair for a little over a week and LOVING IT!  Nothing had been done in there for more than 5 years and it was a death trap for the little ones.  I moved the big kids, who had commandeered it, to another Sunday School Room.  Saturday was a church work day; I had some of the elders, some of the youth, and a couple of dear ladies help me get the place ship-shape.  I'll try to remember to post pictures soon.

EDIT: If you'd like a copy of these policies for your church nursery, let me know and I'll email them to you.

Keep it Kute!