My Sweet Mama

My Sweet Mama turned 93 on August 30th. I am so thankful for her! She has been and still is such a HUGE blessing in many lives! I love you Mama!



I wrote this blog about her (2) years ago

http://smithfieldfarms.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-mama.html.

Treasuring every moment spent with her. Thank you Lord for my Sweet Mama!

journal

i wanted to try something new for my etsy shop and decided to try to make this patchwork notebook cover/journal(see pics below). well, it wasn't as easy as it looks. it didn't turn out great so i guess i will keep this one for myself :) and try again.

if you don't already keep a journal i would encourage you to do so. i have several. i try to write in them often - need to daily. i use mine to record thoughts, prayers and scriptures that are quickened to me during my prayer time.

i do believe this will be my favorite! can't wait to fill it up!

More Upcycled Projects

Here are a couple of more projects that I did last night!

1. I embellished the baby gap overalls with lace, doilies, patches cut out from bibs and ruffles from t-shirts.

2. This cute little dress is made from 2 small t shirts and 1 large one. So soft and comfy. Perfect little play dress!

you can find both of these items listed on my shop at farmtomarket381.etsy.com

thanks for stopping by!!

upcycled dress

upcycle - i think that's what they call it now ...

while out re-sale shopping - my daughter found this, thought it was cute & wondered if I could do anything with it for my shop. I thought that I could maybe cut it down and make a cute little girl's farm dress and so I did! here are the pics and it will be listed on my shop later...farmtomarket381.etsy.com

ladies denim dress from resale shop



beginning of project - cut dress in pieces



all cut out and all ready to sew - I even found some green check fabric in my stash that I thought would make cute ties for the back of the dress

drum roll.....here is the finished project! cute little peasant style farm dress with attached apron. let me know what you think. I just have to make a couple of fabric flowers for headband or maybe I will do a little scarf...

forgot to add - I also found an off white valance the same day that was used for a cute little apron on the dress. still have flowers from the top of the dress for cute flower patches on other projects!

another project finished - now off to make another dress.

farm to market shop

okay, here we go! i haven't posted in a LONG time but this is to let you know that i'm setting out on a new adventure and am hoping to blog along the way! i have opened an etsy shop called "farm to market 381". etsy is a website that allows you to sell your crafts and homemade goodies for a small fee. so far, i have jewelry & little girls' farm dresses but hoping to soon sew some big girl farm clothes. ;)


if you get a chance stop by and check it out! it's all about "farm life" :) clothes and accessories that take you from the farm to the market. who knows...you may find something that you like!!!!


a few pics below...

check it out at farmtomarket381.etsy.com & while you are there check out my daughter's shop tinbucket.etsy.com she is a photographer and has some amazing photos for sale!

Chewy JUMBO Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are absolutely, by far the very best chocolate chip cookies you will ever bake!!! This is not your basic, original "nestles toll house" chocolate chip cookie recipe! I considered keeping it to myself but I decided to share - you will be sooooo glad that I did!!!





CHEWY JUMBO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Bake up a batch of these buttery rich giant cookies as a sweet surprise.

Preparation time: 30 min Baking time: 10 min
Yield: 26 jumbo cookies

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups LAND O LAKES Unsalted Stick Butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (12-ounce) package (2 cups) real semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips


Heat oven to 375°F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour mixture, until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks.


Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. (DO NOT OVERBAKE.) Let stand 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire cooling rack.


For 2 1/2-inch cookies, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. 4 dozen cookies.

Butternut Squash

This was my first time to grow Butternut Squash. I always wanted to try "Butternut Squash Soup" and I thought this would be a good opportunity if I had it growing in my back yard! I didn't really know anything about it so I did a little research (something I love to do) and this is what I found...

Facts about Butternut Squash

1) member of the gourd family
2) grows to 8 - 12 inches
3) weighs about 2 -3 lbs
4) has a nutty, sweet taste kind of like sweet potato or pumpkin
5) has an approx. shelf life of 3 months because of it's thick skin
6) has vitamins, minerals & fiber

Some of the things you can do with it - soups, casseroles, pies, custards, pancakes, breads and muffins.

Here is my basket of Butternut Squash fresh from my back yard garden!

Wouldn't you just know it - even though I wanted to try the soup - I couldn't resist the pie recipe! I have already baked (6) pies! We only kept (2) for our cookout on the 4th and I gave the others away.

This is a great pie and so easy to make. If you like pumpkin pie and/or sweet potato pie you will love this! It was a big hit at my house! Served it up with a huge spoon of cool whip!!

I found the recipe at cooks.com. but I revised it a little!

Easy Butternut Squash Pie

2 unbaked pie crusts

3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

2 butternut squash (cooked & mashed)

1 1/2 cups evaporated milk = 1 can

2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 425. Peel squash (I found it to be easier with a vegetable peeler) slice in half, take out seeds, chop in chunks, boil until tender (about 15 - 20 minutes) then drain and mash. Let cool slightly. Then add sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, milk and beaten eggs. mix well and pour into pie pans.

Bake 15 minutes at 425 then reduce oven temp to 350 and bake for 40 minutes longer.

Serve with cool whip. Yummy! Store any leftovers in refrigerator.

**I did make the plum butter. It was easy to make but it took a long, long time. It smelled so good while I was cooking it and turned out okay but I didn't like it as much as the plum jelly.