September already?

I know, I know, I'm a little late with the acknowledgement of the whole back to school thing.

We've been busy. yada yada yada. Same ole story.

So here's the obligatory, 2nd day of school picture. We missed the 1st day of school picture. 

It was rainy and gloomy, we were late for the bus.

Grade 4 and Grade 2!!

That was last week. But this week.... this week, is all mine!

No bottling. 

No grocery shopping (hubby did a big shop with the kids in tow yesterday. Yay)

So this week, it's all about sewing, singing and pickling.

Some time ago, I misplaced my finger puppet patterns. 

Today was the day to redo them.

I only had 2 puppets left to measure them.

Thank goodness for this photo keeper of blog land. It was a lot easier to make them with actual photographs. There may be a new one in there too. Can you spot it?

 Somewhere a long the line, I bought this new book on one of my many trips to Halifax this summer.

 I have the first in the series, and I must say, this book is just as fabulous and more!

Such different things to make. I've bookmarked a ton.

This project is the Tuffet.

Yes, a tuffet. Like what Miss Muffet sat upon.

 I decided to make an innard and a liner.

It is filled with bags of sweater scraps from last year's mitten making frenzy.

I was saving all those scraps all year to make such a thing.

 I made the liner out of denim. Sewed it up, but for one side. Couldn't fit the tuffet inside! DUH.

So I opened another side and put velcro on it. You can see it on the bottom left hand side.

 Can I tell you how easy it is to make! 

Just 2 squares. 

But the neatest thing is how it's put together to get those points. 

This is the size it is. I also use it as a foot stool. 

Will be handy in the winter to keep my feet off the cold floor.

 Much honoured that these critters have come back. Saw them again today.

 Thanks for coming back. I should be in a better place for a sewing routine.

 And besides, it's cooler = mitten season!

Expect more soon!

Cheers,

Amanda

Profiteroles, cream puffs, really good, whatever you wanna call 'em

Last week, our Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club hosted a fundraiser for the  Sailing Academy. 

Our kids have been in the summer sailing lessons and Rafael has a keen interest in it. He LOVES it and talks about it constantly. Not so sure his crew is so excited, he dumps at least once a day.  But as his dad says, "if you don't dump, you're not trying hard enough" But I digress.... back to the post at hand....

The fundraiser was the annual lasagna dinner and cake auction. 

I've had this idea in my mind since last year's auction, but being new here, didn't have it together enough to make it. This year... I was ready.

(Just a little sample. As was noted by the auctioneer.. this year's theme was "Cake with a hole in it""

I have a cake pop maker and imagined a pyramid of cake pops... what kind? Couldn't decide. 

Instead, I made cream puffs. Have you made them before? It is sooooo easy!

 This recipe comes from an old Robin Hood Flour recipe book my late mother in law baked from.

1/4 c shortening and 1 c of water heated until shortening melts.

 mix 1/4 tsp salt in 1 c flour and dump into the wet mixture above. 

Stir until you get a paste.

 Remove from the pot and let cool slightly. 

Adding one egg at a time, mix after each egg for up to 4 eggs.

 You will get a bit of a runny consistency.

 On a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet, drop the dough onto the sheet.

I made 4 different sizes. I think these ones are from a 1.5 tsp. I made 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp and 1/4 tsp drops.
They temperature setting was 425 for 10 minutes, then 350 for 15, but it was too long.
After a few batches, I just did 375 for about 10-15 minutes.
My oven isn't the greatest. Play around on your own.

When they cooled, I sliced them half way and filled with whipped cream. It was warm out that day, so I put a little icing sugar in the cream before I mixed it. I also added some vanilla extract.

The chocolate glaze is a donut glaze from Alton Brown

So.. I dipped the bottom of the puff into the chocolate glaze and made a sorta pyramid shape. 

Once again, the auctioneer had his own names for things and this was lovingly named

Amanda's Volcano!

Not quite the effect I was going for, but killing it with powdered sugar can make anything look good! 

 It survived the heat and was bought up for $70! 

I was even complimented on how good they were. Phew!

As this is a fundraiser for our wonderful sailing program, people come prepared to spend.

This baby earned a cool $110!

All in good fun.

So friends, next time I'm invited to a pot luck.. expect these!

Now, what to make for next year.... hmmmm.

Ciao,

Amanda

I went back to where I grew up...

This past weekend, we took a quick, bittersweet trip back to where I grew up, Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland.

The purpose was to lay my dad's ashes in their final resting place. 

The lone tree at the edge of the water.

Although it was short, we did get to visit some familiar places.

This is the view we saw from out kitchen and bedroom windows growing up.

(hi sis)

 

We stopped at several beaches. Grand Bay West

 Searston. Notice the mountains in the background. They are the Long Range Mountains. 

Also called, Table Top Mountains

 

looking for drift wood

 Maybe a Boxing Rock in Newfoundland?

 Official Plant of Newfoundland, Pitcher Plant.

 ah, la.

 There was great gathering of a very large family.  And it's still not everyone!

Much singing, laughing, eating, hugging, crying, loving. The weather was beautiful and we were so blessed with company and love.

On the way home, we stopped at Fortress of Louisbourg. A great place to spend a day.

 So yes, a bitter sweet family trip for a man who would have been so happy to be there. 

Who planned on going there this week for his 70th birthday and family reunion. 

Yes dad, your heart would have been very full.

Happy Birthday

<3 p="">

any craft around here?

Does craft beer count?

 Seriously, this summer is outta control!

We've been so busy with the brewery and filling orders and trying to keep beer on the shelf.

It's a great problem to have and we're looking forward to having it even out a bit. 

To get one tank ahead will be nice. 

Thanks to everyone who've tried it and even more so to those who buy again. 

And again. And pass it on.

 I've not sat down for so long, that I fell asleep during my 1.5 hour visit to the dentist. 

I napped a few times and felt so relaxed. 

I was a little sad when it was over.

But the kids have been having a blast at their camps. That is what is most important to me.

The Ex is in town.

We stayed for a bit of the burn out competition. Crazy stuff. 

But once again, we left before the derby. 

Next year, we're going to time it a bit better.

 

These guys will be coming to live with us soon.

 Or is it this lot? Whatever, there will be five. And I'm kinda scared. We have to set up the electric fence around the chicken coop and run b/c we have racoons! I don't want the kids to go out first thing in the morning and have to run into a possible "event".

 Today, I called a time out and we went to the beach!

 A time out to not care about every room in my house looking like a bomb hit.

 A time out to watch my kids have fun in the sand.

 And to enjoy how they are growing. 

This one turned 7 today! 

Seven. And what a lovely seven it is.

This is my 1.5 hours of summer this year. 

Me in time out.

hmm, my underside looks a little pale.

 Maybe I can work on that.

 Let's see what adventures tomorrow and week will bring.

The calendar is already getting written up. Boo.

Here's hoping that you recognize when you need a time out too.

Now, I really should go address the kitchen and the supper mess. 

But at least, I didn't cook supper tonight. 

Ciao,

Amanda

nice ending

After a day of this...

 I had a nap and missed this. (The picture is from last year.) 

And this year, my kids were on a float and throwing candy to the crowd. I was snoring instead. :(

 When all was done, I had one of these...

nice. And I smell like smoke from a campfire. :}

Summer joys.

ciao,

Amanda

blueberry hill

It's Blueberry season!!!!

 And we live only a 5-10 minute drive to a lovely blueberry farm.

 So you know ya gotta stop in on your way home.

 To fill our boxes 

 And our tummies. 

Like my boots? Glad I had them in the car. They smelled like beer though. 

They be my bottle fillin' boots.

 Speakin' of beer, like my shirt? Newly arrived! Check it out here.

 And for some reason, I got to see this in the evening. Oh yes, I was going to the  movie. Love the jibs, the colourful sail out on the water.

Hoping to get in some more sewing this week. I have 2 days to do it. And I also have a "decorate it yourself? gel pen wallet" that has been in my head for about 2 years to show you.

till than, ciao,

Amanda