My new friend ....a mouse.

I am still working steadily in my kitchen cabinets.
Chalk paint, which requires no sanding, was not adhering to these doors....so I started doing some sanding by hand....that seemed to help.
But, my hands were really hurting at night!

 

 

So, I took the obvious next step...visited the tool department at Sears....and found this! The MOUSE sander, small enough for my little hands and speeds the work along!
The inside of the cabinets (which were site built when the house was built in the 1970's) are being painted with white gloss enamel...first coat going in here...

 

 

 

***************************************************************************************************
Yesterday I visited with 3 friends, we exchanged Christmas cards and more! Here is a little handmade doll ornament from Liz!

 

Tracy made handmade cards of a winter landscape for each of us, and my card from Gayle had a retro typewriter ....a joke between all of us!

 

 

Gayle, the great baker, was our hostess and she made an eggnog pie for us. The recipe was from her aunt Cora, old family recipe....here is a similar pie recipe from Taste of Home.

 

So cool and creamy, it feels like you are eating a cloud....AND Gayle makes a great crust!

**************************************************

I finalized my painting of granddaughter, Nina Kate. She is a serious, take charge, child! Here is a painting based on a photo of her stirring up a birthday cake for her mother, ....oh yes, she is wearing her little apron made by me!
First, I show her painting is not quite finished and sitting with the painting of her siblings, Sophie Jane and Bindley!

Here she is painted with joy and love by Grandma Lila! ( a collage as well as a painting, yes, she has glitter in her hair...she sparkles!)

 

Now back to painting those cupboards...and maybe adding an ornament or some more tinsel to the tree...(bird from friend Tracie).

 

Love those cherries!

 

They are here again....and calling out to be made into something special! And EASY!

(Sketchbook from another summer!)

 

CHERRY CLAFOUTIS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter (3 T.) in the bottom of a 9.5 " pie dish.

Place 2 cups of pitted dark cherries in the bottom of the dish, sprinkle with 1/2 c. Slivered almonds.

set aside.

In a blender combine 1 c. milk ( almond or coconut milks work well), 3 eggs, 1 t. Vanilla, 1/2 c. flour (gluten free if desired), dash of salt, 1/2 c. sugar.

Pour over cherries and almonds in the dish.

Bake for about 1 hour...checking after 45 minutes.....or so.

This is a lovely baked custard dish....

It is dense and smooth, not light and airy.

Delicious warm or chilled, even with whipped cream, too!

P.S. I got my cherry pitter at Bed Bath and Beyond. It is very helpful! I love it for canning jars of brandied cherries too!

 

**********************

The latest apron, from a Kwik Sew pattern. I love how the straps cross in the back, no annoying ties around the neck!

 

Looking at knitted tea cozies! My next project? Granny Chic!

Yesterday, I ran across this book which looks delightful!

This, along with cold winter days causes me to think about making a tea cozy. Crocheted like the one above?...., or knitted????
These tea cozy are images for inspiration.....

Some free patterns are available on the Internet. I will probably do the one below, without the flowers!

So cute for the season!

And finally, the cutest ever....following the current cupcake craze...

*********************************************************************************
More on "granny chic"......for a dramatic, glamorous granny.....a jeweled spider!
(Found on Amazon )

Easy, peasy, not glamorous, frocks.......from Dottie Angel....who has an ETSY shop, a blog and a book...

These soft dresses tempt me, speak to my heart, which loves retro, cozy domesticity!!!! I almost want to start sewing some from my fabric stash!
But, this is a look I have tried before....here, when grandaughter Lilia was playing with her rain gear....Mr. P snapped this great photo....with granny-aproned Grandma Lila looking on....

Is this the fashion statement I want to project?......hmmm
Reality vs. fantasy, LOL!!!
But I might still read the book!

And I have made a crocheted granny square afghan!

and I finished a cardigan from Madelinetosh DK wool in "Esoteric" (color way) which I started in the Denver Airport on a layover....Sunday Dec. 1st. For my beautiful daughter-in-law who lives in all cold climate...now off to mail it, and the alpaca brown scarf for my son!

Still snowed in!

Icicles and snowy backyard!

The east side yard...

7 inches with ice below...

I sewed this apron over the weekend....went to work ( Steve drove me) Saturday but they sent me home as there were no customers!

Tree is decorated! And I am ready to sew at the breakfast table today...why try to heat the downstairs studio?

My little Singer featherweight sewing machine will be just fine for this project! Making dresses for the twins...I have had the dresses cut out and ready to sew for a month now. It is good to have the time and space to finish them!

I'm also sewing some hooded bath towels for them, larger than those I made when they were infants!

 

also trying to trace down a large sum of money which the federal reserve seems to have taken from Mom's estate bank account... !!!!

 

Posted with Blogsy