Round Three in the Winter Blast!

I live in NE Oklahoma where the winters are usually mild, it gets cold and snows but it does not last. My ideal version of winter is that it snows on Christmas Eve and melts the day after Christmas! Well, I guess Old El Nino is testing us this winter.

In late November, we had the 1st EVER BLIZZARD WARNING!!! It snowed 14 inches! This past weekend we had a 3 (that’s right 3) day sleet and ice storm! 6 days later the ice is still on the ground and we are preparing for another weekend of Snow, 4 to 8 inches!! The schools have not been opened all week due to the roads and walking areas being soooo slick! I also do not remember that ever happening either, maybe two-three days. Just south of here the area is declared a major disaster area, many, many people are without electricity, water, etc. Tuesday evening the Emergency Management for Mayes County ran the ETS system on the local tv station informing people about the severe conditions, shelters, etc. A little scary, the ETS system is the one that would be used in case of Nuclear War. I will be very happy when Spring arrives. Speaking of Spring,  the Daffodils are showing their little heads under the snow and ice. Hope Eternal! The cycle of life goes on.

I have fixed many pots of soup/stew these past few weeks. One of my favorites, is my version of Santa Fe Stew.

Santa Fe Stew

• 1# Hamburger (I use venison)
• 1 Small Onion,
• 3 Stalks of Celery,
• 2 cans of beef broth,
• 1 can Black Beans,
• 1 can Kidney Beans, 
• 1 can diced tomatoes,
• 3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chillies,
• 1 can carrots,
• 1 tsp. basil,
• 1 tsp. mexican seasoning(can substitute cumin),
• salt and peper to taste
• add 4 cups of water.

Saute onion and celery in olive oil until tender, put in small bowl aside. Brown meat in same pan you used for sauteing the onion. Combine remaining ingredients, put the onion and celery back in. Cook until warmed throughout. Sometimes I use the slow cooker or a large kettle on the stove. Garnish if desired with Tortilla chips, grated cheese. Easy clean up. This will certainly warm you up!

I also have spent time reading, crafting, etc., to cold and slick outside to do anything else. I made my first Sock Monkey!

    

Well, what do you think? I like him. This monkey is for a Monkey Lovers Swap. I think some more will be made. Look at his/her face.

I also have been working on a Matchbox Valentine Swap, I have two partners. Take a small actual matchbox and decorate in the theme of the swap or make your own box, I use actual matchboxes. Then fill the box with a sorts of very small items also relating to the theme. For an additional treat, I made Finger Pin Cushions. These are made from plastic bottle caps, I save them and other people save them for me.

I made one with a pink and purple Valentine’s theme.

The I Need You Heart Pin is from the 80’s, Vintage buttons, Small Heart Confetti, Sparkle Buttons, and much more.

Inside are Vintage Gold Buttons, Small Cameo, Plastic Creme Lacy Hearts, Gold Filigree Hearts, Long Stem Red Roses and much more.

I will tell you how to make all the above items in another post. I probably will have time to do more cooking and crafting in the days to come. I am looking out the window and it is starting to look like snowy weather. Worse case senerio the weather man is saying 10 inches of snow!

Vintage Feedsack Fabric Brooch

I made this fabric pin for a swap on Swap-bot. The purple floral material is from a vintage feedsack and the purple button is a vintage button. The fabric reminds me of new Japanese patterned fabric. The green leaves are new fabric. It is a yo-yo that I stuffed with cotton batting and used embroidery thread to form petals. I used purple felt on the back. I will write further instructions later.

My swap partner favorite colors are Fall like colors, so I made a pin from reproduction 1930’s fabric. The fabric has nice browns, golds, reds and greens. I also made some yo-yo earrings to match.

I think I will make some more for Ebay, Dewy Rose Jewelry. I might offer custom orders. Hmmm?

This blogger is doing funny things with my pictures!!!

 I hope she will like the handmade flower pins.

Would you like to know a little bit more about feed/flour sacks?

Flour/feed sacks were used by depression (and later) wives and mothers to make everything from girls dresses to underpants to boy’s shirts.  Many were used for quilts. also. The feed companies wanted to sell feed/flour, so the fabric patterns became better and better for incentives to purchase the feed/flour. The women had to get the labels off the fabric, which also became easier and easier for convenience. There was not enough money for “new clothes”, so mothers mended and “made do”.  I have even read that normally girls did not have a “store bought dress” until high school, which reminds me of a story my sister-in-law tells. When her Dad was going into town to buy feed, she went with him so that she could pick out the fabric she liked for her dresses. Now my sister-in-law is only 56, so feed sacks were used for many years after the Great Depression. Look at Womenfolk for more information on the history of feedsacks.

A Little Bit of Everything

We just experienced one of the worst ice storms I can remember! Sleet, ice, inches! Thank goodness we still have power. There are many people, towns in Eastern Oklahoma without electricity after three days, with temperatures in the single digits. There was a Civil Emergency ran last night for Mayes County on the ETS System. You know the one they would use for nuclear war, etc. The first one I have ever seen, a little scary.

I have tried to keep the birds happy!

 

Both pictures taken out my kitchen window, very nasty weather, sleet pouring down. Today the sun is shining, but still very cold.

Speaking of birds! Look at these fine 1960’s-70’s coffee cups from Japan. I love the bird!

The cups are going to my store, Bombshell-o-matic on Ebay.

It seems that everyone on the net (blogs, email) has-is sick. I guess it is just that time of year. If you like essential oils in your bath, here is a formula good for easing breathing.

Bath Mixture for Colds: 1. eucalyptus 4 drops 2. Hyssop 2 drops 3. Juniper 2 drops.

Just as good as the Shower Tablets for colds. Hot bath, a cup of hot tea, (sigh!), sounds heavenly!

Be resourceful today, using what you have and being grateful.

New Thrifting Finds

Boy, did I have a good day thrifting, or what! It was also my oldest daughter’s (Holly) 27th birthday! She, Alex, Little Ruby and I spent the day just doing really fun things, like thrifting, eating Turtle Cheesecake, shopping, etc. What a perfect day! My Daughter, my two granddaughters and I spending precious time together.

Hmmmm! Where to start? OK, about the wooden toy mixer and all the accessories! I found it here for $39.95, paid $4.00! WooHoo! Perfect for Alex to play with in her kitchen.

Look at all this late 70’s/early 80’s Christmas Paper! $3.00! Ideas, Ebay some, paper crafts, wrap presents. I really like the paper with the red and green deer.

Some more, you ask? OK! You don’t have to twist me arm! Look at these wooden animal puzzles for Alex and Ruby. Alex really likes puzzles.

This wooden puzzle has a construction site with individual pieces that are suppose to have a crane with a magnet to pick up the pieces (just like a real construction site), alas, the crane was not to be found! I am sure Alex and I could use a regular horseshoe magnet to pick the pieces up.

 Oh! Oh! $2.98 for all three puzzles!

I found some fantastic vintage books! Both of these were purchased at Gardner’s BookStore, $2.00 each, which by the way has a great little coffeeshop, too! Jumbo Holiday Handbook, published by Highlights for Children, 1963, craft ideas.

Planning Your Home for Play, Albert A. Ostrow, published by Tupper & Love, 1954, wonderful ideas for your home to be  playworthy!

The bragging is now ceased! Sorry, I really love thrifting days like this! I found much more that will be on Ebay, Bombshell-o-matic, within the week. Go take a look, please.

Here is hoping you have some really fun thrifting days!