born imaginative.: June 2011

Pie Crust, Made Easy

I've been asked a time or two about making pie crusts. I decided to put together a little tutorial of how I do it. It's really quite simple. I hope you'll give it a try.

First and foremost, I must preface this by saying I know it's much easier to buy pie crusts. But that's not how I roll. I also realize this isn't the healthiest version of pie crust one can make. But you know what? I don't care. The reason being is this is the pie crust my mom always made, straight from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. That red plaid book always makes me think of those days where I'd pull a chair up to the counter. I had my own red measuring cups as a kid that may have dirtied a few pages of that cookbook. We'd be covered in flour, but laughing, talking and smiling. So, no, I will not make a healthier version, as this one is healthy for my soul. And it tastes good.

My Double Pie Crust, adapted from the Red Plaid Book of Memories:

2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
about 1/4 cup iced water (prepare more, in case you need it, have the iced water chilling while you're doing the other steps)

1) Place flour, salt and shortening in bowl. Proceed to cut the shortening into the flour.

I use a Cuisinart Food Processorto make ours. I pulse the contents until it resembles tiny balls. You can also use a pastry blender to get the same results.

2) Gradually add the water in, continue to pulse or blend until the dough resembles the picture. If the dough is too dry, it will be very tricky to roll out.

3) Dip your hands in flour and form into a firm ball. Place on a surface dusted with flour and cut into two equal parts (I'm in love with our pastry scraper to help with all these steps).

4) Roll the half into another small ball. With the side of your hand, press three indents intents one way, and then the otherway. It should look like tick tack toe.

5) Sprinkle with flour and roll with your rolling pin, into a circle that's big enough for your pie dish.

6) Fold into quarters. I usually lift with my pastry scraper Place in pie plate and open.

7) Fill pie with contents. Roll out other crust and place it as the top layer on in the same way you placed the base layer on.

8) Tuck, squeeze and scallop the edges with your hands, or you can use a fork. Poke a hole or two in the top so it can breathe. Bake. Often pies are 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Enjoy!

Re-Use Baby Clothes into Snack Bags

Reuse snaps/fabric from old baby clothes to make snack bags!

Old baby clothes---> snack bags.

I had an idea when I saw my husband use some plastic baggie/wrap in front of me (if he does use it, it's usually sneaked, when I'm not looking). Really, my husband is a great sport at using re-usable containers, even though they've termed him "Officer Tupperware" at work. When he's working overtime, there's just not enough room in his lunchbox to carry all of his treats in 'tupperware'. So, I whipped these up for him. Yes, they're not perfect, but in a quick 10 minutes, he was able to bring his crackers to work in a little handy sack. I am positive I am way more excited about this than he. I may have caught him rolling his eyes at me, although he'd never admit it.

All I did was finish the edges of a square (these were 8x8). Sew the two edges up like an envelope. Attach a snap on the flap and the base. Like I said, it's not fancy, but it does the trick. Voila. Easy peasy. And free.

Quilt #10

Quilt 10 - 1999 -Twin Size

Five Bucks and a Thrift Shop, Round 7

This time, the score is from a yard sale.

Kick Board for the beach for when our little one is older: $1

Two handy wooden dryer racks (I love them): $1

Five trays that are brand new and will be used for craft projects (think containing glitter): $.10 each

Another little wooden box (which I collect for toy pieces): $.05

A tiny basket for the kitchen: $.05

A trough for our little one's Anamalz collection: $.05

Kitchen Aid Bowl Cover (Here's the price new): $.50

Kitchen Aid Splash Guard (Here's the price new): $.50

Four brand new wooden watermelon napkin rings that will be perfect for play kitchen now, picnics later, handmade in Brattleboro VT: $1

Eight brand new white cloth napkins: $.10 each

Total: $5.45

Five Bucks and a Thrift Shop? What's this all about?

I am a big fan of thrift shopping. It's not because I can't buy things new and I'm dragging myself to the thrift store out of necessity. Instead, it's for the find, the score, the excitement. The "I can't believe I found this...and I need this" moment. It's amazing the stuff you can find. It sort of gives you a high. And then I come home and set up a little display for my husband to gawk at. Okay, so "Yup, that's nice" isn't quite a gawk, but I'm sure his non-nonchalant, monotonous mannerism is a cover up. Surely, he's silently just as enthusiastic and excited as me! How could one not be?! I mean, isn't this pile of treasures what you've always dreamed of having? He must be secretly busting at the seams with excitement. Okay, maybe not. But one can hope.

What's with the five bucks? Well, I saw some sort of article somewhere about a woman who goes to the drug stores with coupons and records what she can get for five bucks. Five bucks is usually what I end up spending at a thrift store anyway. Instead of spending $5 on a coffee, might as well see what you can get elsewhere.

Won't you play along? If you are a deal seeker, post a link with pictures or describe the awesome deal you got! I promise I will be just as excited as you! If no one posts, I'm going to assume no one cares about my treasures. It will be simply heart breaking to think I'm the only one who gets outrageously giddy over a brand new set of navy plaid cloth napkins for only $0.50. For a set of six, none less! Certainly, I must not be the only one, right?

Famiy Fun at the Zoo...

Happiness is...

A human mama and baby monkey enjoying the primate mama and baby monkey...

Admiring the amazing things God has created, both large
and small...

Watching my sweet little boy light up as his mama sings him familiar songs about the about elephants, camels, bears, alligators, tigers, birds, ducks, monkeys, etc...

Witnessing the beginnings of life. Mama goat had just delivered this kid, and we were able to watch him find his legs for the very first time.

Listening to daddy's dreams about maybe having our own goats one day...

Praying that we're doing the best we can at raising our baby boy to swim and fly on his own one day...

But for now, we're smiling over that new, sweet little wave our baby boy has learned and we're enjoying being a family more than we thought was possible....

Pressed Fern Wall Art

Living in the woods, we have a plethora of ferns. Why not press them and use them for wall art? All I did was layer them in between wax paper, stack books on top and wait. I framed them in frames that I got 3/$12.

Applique Crab Pillow

I enjoy covering old pillows with fabric. I often find pillows from thrift stores for $1. I wash them in hot water, dry them in the dryer and then cover them. I cut the fabric 1 inch bigger than the pillow size. Sew them up right sides together, leaving a hole for the pillow to be placed in.. Turn right side out, pop the pillow in the cover. Slip stitch the opening shut. Easy beginner project. You can use any fabric you'd like to do so (scraps, curtains, old clothes). You can even applique patterns, such as the crab above, with a button hole stitch. Go ahead, give it a try!

Rhubarb memories...

There's something about rhubarb that creates a bit of nostalgia. What? Rhubarb and nostalgia in a sentence together? That's odd. For me, harvesting rhubarb commences the summer. And has from an early age.

At the farmhouse I grew up on, my mom used to give us a measuring cup (because it was easy for tiny fingers to hold) with a tablespoon or two of sugar in the bottom. My little brother and I used to sit on the rickety picnic table that was in dire need of a coat of paint, with our measuring cups and rhubarb in hand. Although coated with sugar, the first bite of rhubarb would elicit a pucker and a shiver. Never deterred, we'd continue dipping that rhubarb in our sugar. First taking bites, then simply licking the sugar off the stalk.

As I became older, I would help my mom make pies. Paring knife with the green handle in hand. Seated at that rickety old picnic table, we'd chop and chop, dreaming about the summer of togetherness that was just beginning.

This year, as I chop my rhubarb, I have my own little munchkin playing at my ankles. The setting is no longer at the farmhouse on an old rickety table in dire need of paint. Instead, it's at our Maine home, hidden by trees, at our teak set on our farmer's porch. A bit different, but also the same. That rhythmic chopping and simultaneous eager anticipation of summer plans is a tradition. A tradition of love, remembering and thankfulness. Although my mother is no longer with me in person, there's a piece of her with me during those moments of solace, preparing rhubarb. I pray one day, my little guy will prepare his early summer crop of rhubarb, telling his children of the memories he shared with his mama. I pray he'll think half as fondly of his mama as I will always about mine.

Brownie Pudding

Yum with a big scoop of vanilla ban ice cream. Could be your dream come true.

Not sure where I got the idea from, but I've adapted it over the years. Enjoy! And try to hide it so you don't have to share. This dessert has a way of disappearing when my husband is near.

Brownie Pudding.

Layer 1:
1/3 C butter
-Melt butter in 9x9 pan.

Layer 2:
1 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 c. sugar
2 T cocoa powder
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
-Mix all in sequence. Spoon over butter in pan.

Layer 3:
3/4 C sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
- Mix and sprinkle over the Layer 2.

Layer 4:
1 1/2 C boiling water
-Pour overtop of the mixture.

-Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. The middle of it will look set, the outsides will look like pudding.
-Serve when it's warm with vanilla bean ice cream. MMM.

Quilt 9


Quilt 9-1999-Queen Size

Made from recycled blue jeans.

Five Bucks and a Thrift Shop, Round 6

Melissa and Doug Puzzle

2 yards of thick navy flannel

William Sonoma Apron

A couple books

A cute little vase I couldn't refuse

Total: $5

The best daddy in the whole wide world...

Today marks a big day. The first daddy's day for my husband. I wanted to take a minute to reminisce, a trip down memory lane. Numerous times when I was pregnant, my husband voiced his concern regarding his competency as a father. He was so afraid of failing. I assured and reassured him multiple times. Although he was excited, he was still worried.

But, it all changed. It all changed the day he held his sweet little boy for the very first time (pictured below). An instant love. A grown man crying. A celebration of what was to come. Still a bit of uncertainty, but paired with the realization that God's greatest blessing was happening to him. The fear turned into awe.

Gradually, getting to know that little boy, this big strong man has shown he's a natural daddy. He knows when his sweet boy is hungry, tired or when he needs snuggles. This daddy has mastered cloth diapering by choice. He sports a coordinating Halloween costume. A tiny pureed smoothie to match daddy's is made special his for his little lunch date. An afternoon hike just for the boys is exactly what his baby loves. Creative songs, games, dances and play routines keep this little boy giggling and learning. There's a calm confidence about this daddy that his baby finds so reassuring. Taking care of his baby is never 'work', it's always out of love. He never complains about his sweet little boy. While this baby doesn't always match, our little angel knows he is loved by both his mama and daddy.
This mama has captured some of the sweet moments between this strong man and his little love. Moments where my heart melts and my eyes become puddled. Moments that make me forget about our trivial grown up squabbles about household chores. Moments where I admire, appreciate and cherish this man who has chosen me as his wife. Moments where I'm so incredibly thankful that I went on that blind date in 2004. Moments where I look at my little family and think "Life cannot possibly be any better than this". But you know what? Life is getting better. Everyday that I watch my husband father our little guy, I fall even more in love with him. This life is even better than that what I've dreamed. I am so blessed.