More Signs and Such

Hello Everyone!

Just jumping on quick like today to show you my two newest signs and a pillow that I took to Repurpose Boutique. By the way, they are opening up a website http://repurposeboutique.com/. It has bios on the artists they represent and a section to buy directly. It is still in the beginning stages and still under construction but keep checking back for completion in the next few weeks. I don't think my bio is up yet but it will be there soon. Also, on their Facebook page, she will feature a few items a day that you can buy and she will mail it to you. There is a form to fill out but once it has been done, you are good to buy at any time. You can access the facebook buying form on the main website listed above.
Here is their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RepurposeBoutique. 

So, here's what I took over today.

If anyone has any questions or would like to place an order, please feel free to contact me. So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

Hot Fridays is actually a Recipe!

Hello Everyone!

I finally have internet back to the tune of a $99 service call. Yuck! I'm thinking it may have been their problem because our tech said that several people had some of the same problems after the company did a system update. I'm thinking I may dispute the charge a little. I don't mind paying a bit for the guy's time (especially since he showed me how to do a screen shot) but the price seemed a little steep. Anyway, my internet is back and that is the main thing.

Today, I want to share a recipe with you for Hot Fridays. Have you ever heard of them? I know some of you have. This is one of those recipes I look forward to using whenever the weather turns cool. They can be made any time of the year but fall and winter are best. Why? Well, cause they just go so well with soup!
In simple terms, Hot Fridays are fried bread. Not the most lo-cal food but oh so good.

So here is what you do. You make this never fail roll/bread recipe that originally came from my sister-in-law's mom. She passed away several years ago but I always think of her when I make this recipe. Isn't it great how recipes shared can do things like that?

Carmen's Roll Dough Recipe
2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
2 Tbsp. yeast (heaping)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine
1 egg
2 tsp. salt
6 1/2-7 cups flour

Mix water and yeast in a mixer. Add the rest of ingredients in order. Mix for 10 minutes and then let rise in a greased bowl for 1 hour. I only use a portion of the dough for Hot Fridays. (See further down for what to do with the rest.)

Start a pan of oil on the stove. Take a small piece of dough (about the size of a plum) and spread it out with your hands until it looks like a small pancake. Add to oil and fry for a couple minutes on both sides or until golden brown. You don't want your oil too hot because you want it to cook all the way through.

Fry to a golden brown.

A platter of fresh Hot Fridays

I put butter and honey on mine. So yummy and so not lo-cal.

My hubby put jam on his.

This is my daughter watching the honey drip off of hers.

This past week we had a storm and the weather was rainy and cold for about 3 days. I just started craving soup and Hot Fridays.

Nothing like good old chicken noodle soup to get the chill off.

Now, if you used this entire recipe for Hot Fridays, you would have them coming out of your ears. Not literally of course but you would have tons. What I do is take about 1/3 of the recipe and make the Hot Fridays and the rest I make into Cinnamon Rolls, Cinnamon Bread, Rolls or just plain bread.

I was able to make a 9x13 size pan and a 8x8 size pan of cinnamon rolls. I didn't make quite as many Hot Fridays this time; about 2-3 per person.

This is with a cream cheese icing. I'm not a huge fan of cinnamon rolls but the family loved them.

Now I have to say this. All of the above is the regular recipe and what I normally do. However, for this batch, to make it a little healthier, I substituted about 1 1/2 cups of the flour for whole wheat flour and I added about 1/4 cup of ground flax. I couldn't tell the difference. The taste was about the same, the texture didn't change; it was great. So that is probably how I will do it from now on to alleviate a bit of the guilt over frying bread and loading it with butter and honey. ;)
Here's one more close-up picture just for good measure.

Doesn't that look yummy?

As the weather turns to fall and the soup craving hits, think about a batch of Hot Fridays to go with it. Give them a try and let me know what you think. So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

New Kitchen Appliance

Hello Everyone!

I'm still trying to get my kitchen finished up and show you a finished project. I have the curtains done but no pics yet. I did get a new appliance that I desperately needed. Here is the old one.

Uh, the door was totally falling off. We nursed it along for a few days and then I threw up my hands and said,
"Forget it. I'm going to get a new toaster today!"

So, this is what I came up with. So far, I'm liking it very much. It cooks faster than the old one and better yet,
 the door stays on!

So even though we didn't do a total overhaul on our kitchen with new appliances and all. I still got one out of the deal. A new toaster oven. Loving it!

So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

More Signs for sale

Hello Everyone!

Hope everyone has had a good beginning to the new school year. We are only a week into it and I haven't gotten my "groove" yet. Sorry, once again, that it has been a while since I posted. If you have followed me for very long, you will discover that I'm a "feast or famine" kind of writer. I do several posts all in a row and then there is nothing for a long while and then I'm back again. Well, a friend recently mentioned that I hadn't done anything for a while so I decided to get on the ball. So, this one (and the ones to follow) are for you Stacey! ;)

This first one is kind of brief. I recently did a couple of signs for the store and one that I put on Etsy. I have another one almost done but I'll have to share that one later. I have two more that I'm going to be doing for a couple of family members so I'll try and show those as I get them done. So here they are.

This is a simple sign but a great reminder that our happiness isn't determined
 by our circumstances but is a choice. This one is for sale for $15.00.

This is one that was commissioned for a horse stall. 

This is the one I put on Etsy. It is kind of whimsical and quirky but unique and fun as well.
If interested, just go to my Etsy shop on the side bar and it will take you right there. 

I also did a few key fobs to take to the store. So even though we are showing off signs here on this post, I'll sneak in a picture of the key fobs as well. These sell for $6.50 each. You would have to contact me directly if interested as I don't have them listed on Etsy at this time.

A lot of styles to choose from.

So, that is all for today. I promise more posts in the near future. We have had a bit of trouble with our internet the last few days. In fact, I'm surprised I've been able to stay connected long enough to get this post done. We have a service guy coming out Monday to see what the problem is. So, if all goes well, I'll have more up next week. So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

13 years and 21 days ago...

Hello Everyone!

Yes, it has been a while. I feel like I start out every post this way. Oh well, I guess I'm just not a dedicated enough blogger. Enough of that and on to my current post.

13 years and 21 days ago, I gave birth to my first child. He was two weeks late and I had to be induced. Then when he was finally born, after a long labor, he was only 6lbs and 15oz. We spent 5 days in the hospital because of a few complications at birth. But now, he is a strapping 13year old and is taller than me. Those that know me are laughing at that. It doesn't take much to be taller than me as I'm only 5'3" but hey, he's only 13. Anyway, I meant to do this on his birthday but we were extremely busy at the time and it just slipped my mind. I am very proud of my boy. He has really grown in the last year and I don't mean just physically. We have our issues and areas we need to work on but he is starting to show some real signs of maturity.

Here's one that shows those long legs of his.

I took a few pics of him a few weeks before his birthday. It was like pulling teeth to get a real smile out of him. But, when we had his birthday party, I caught one of him that shows a true smile and I love it!

Wish it was a little clearer but it was taken at night with a flash and he was moving around a bit opening his presents.

So, sorry my boy for being a little late on your birthday post but I love ya just the same.
Looking forward to the teenage years, I think. ;)

So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

More Signs

Hello Everyone!

Well, our victory dance from the last post didn't last long. Why? Because the rain didn't last long. Like by the time I finished typing my post the rain had stopped. And yes, it was a short post. We've had it spit rain here and there since then but nothing that I would actually call RAIN. We've resorted to putting a sprinkler on our grass to get it greened up for my son's birthday party in a couple weeks. At least we have a well and don't have to pay for the water.

But, that is not what this post is supposed to be about. Nope. It is supposed to be about signs. I have been madly trying to get my inventory up at the store so I can take a bit of a break and get a few of my own things done around the house before school starts. Trying to get a cabinet done for my kitchen as well as my curtains. But we were talking signs, right? So here they are.

This is just a local thing. This was posted on the store's facebook page and there is already some interest so I hope it sells. These also can be special ordered for the town you live in.

This would make a great wedding or anniversary gift. The color on this is a little off. It looks red but is more of a burnt orange.

Same color problem here. It is a burnt orange with a little bit of blue from underneath. Looks much better in person than in this photo.

Love this verse using The Message version of the Bible. I plan to do more verses so if anyone is interested in a special order and has a particular verse in mind, let me know.

This one might end up on Etsy since it would go better in a town that actually does serve seafood daily. :)

Wanted to do a beachy type sign but around these parts it's lake not beach.

So there you have my latest signs. As always, these are all for sale or can be made up special for you or someone on your gift giving list. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments how to contact you and we can discuss a sign for you. So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

PS. You can see some of the other signs I've made here.

Doing a victory dance here

Hello Everyone!

Just letting everyone know we are doing a little dance here today. My son came in from outside and said, "It's RAINING!" We all cheered and started hooting and dancing. We haven't had rain in almost a month with hundred degree temps. The grass was getting a little crunchy.

So all I have to say is "Thank You, Lord for the rain and keep it coming!"

So until next time...

Have a blessed (rain filled) day,

maggie jane

So I guess I'm an Artisan now

Hello Everyone!

I have a new name description. I actually have several; wife, mom, teacher and now Artisan. At least that is what they are telling me at a new store in town that is selling some of my handmade items. I always just thought of myself as a crafter or seamstress or DIYer but no, I'm an artisan. Kind of sounds more fancy don't ya think? Anyway, it has been fun getting together some items for sale. I put several different types of things in the store to just get rid of some of my Etsy stock. I am mainly going to focus on hand-painted signs. Here are a few that I've taken over so far.

Good reminder.

This was supposed to be a sample for doing custom orders but it sold this week to a girl who just got married and her new last name started with a "S".

The letters look red in this picture but they are actually a burnt orange with a brown glaze over them.

I love how this one turned out. Can you see the vintage fork at the bottom? I'm thinking I need to make myself one of these.

I forgot to take a picture of this one until we were getting ready to leave on vacation and were dropping it off at the store. I quick like grabbed my camera so I could get a picture. The dark words are gray and the Grateful is in a deep yellow color.

 I was able to get some more barn wood yesterday from some friends so I now have 5 more signs in the works. I'm really excited about this new adventure and hope I can make a go of it.

This cute little bird I painted matches great with the "I will be grateful for the day." sign. I sold a few of these on Etsy and this is one of my last ones. 

As you can see by the tag, the store is named, repurpose. I will try and get some pictures of the store to show you later. Heather, the owner, really has a knack for putting things together and she is always changing things around as new inventory comes in the store. So, if you are ever in Carthage, MO, come check out this fun store for unique, one of a kind items.

By the way, all of my signs are available for sale. If you are interested or would like a custom order done, please leave me a comment and I will get back with you.

So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

Another bit of orange and some garage sale finds

Hello Everyone!

Just jumping on quickly to bring you another small kitchen update. I added a bit more orange to my kitchen. I have been wanting to put labels on my canisters for a very long time but never got around to doing it. Now, I do own a Cricut and I could have cut these myself.  However, I didn't have orange vinyl and the cost of buying it was about the same as having someone else cut them for me. Yeah, I know, lazy but what can I say. I loved the way they turned out.

Aren't they cute?  Now no one will get the salt and the sugar mixed up. Believe me, it has happened. If you are wanting labels for your canisters, I would recommend the Etsy seller where I bought mine. She was so easy to work with and made one of my labels a little smaller so it would fit the smaller jar. After I paid for my order, she made them and mailed them the same day. I call that fast service. Here is the link to her Etsy shop. Chris Reth Designs LLC. Go check out the other stuff she has to offer.
I'm still working on the curtains. I got the one for my pantry done but not the windows. I figured I'd share those all at once when they are completed.

Now for the garage sale finds. I decided to go with the hubby and kids at the last minute this morning and boy am I glad I did. I found some fun stuff.

I sure didn't need a sewing machine for me but for 20 bucks I got this great little Brother sewing machine for my daughter to use. She always seems to want to do a sewing project when I'm in the middle of one so now we both have our own machines. I also picked up this little stool to use in my craft room. This will be a bit more comfortable than the wooden bar stool I was using. I might just do a little DIY project on it and recover the cushion part. I'll keep you posted on that if I get around to doing it. And, of course, you can never have too many bucket style baskets. They can be used as a trash can or storage. I'm thinking I will use it for storing all my rolls of different types of papers (freezer paper, contact paper, etc.) and yard sticks. I think this little colored wood toy is too cute. Most of the time I find this style toy in plastic but this one is all wood. Then finally, is the iron thing that I'm not sure what it is. :) It needs to be painted but I think it is supposed to hold a candle. Not sure what color I'll paint it. If any of you have a suggestion, please share. The rest of the family found a few treasures too but these were my fun finds. I spent a whole $25.50 for all my loot. Not bad. I guess that is all for now so until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

Kitchen Update with Orange Added

Hello Everyone!

Just finished adding a few more touches to the kitchen.  Someone commented the other day about seeing where the orange will come into my kitchen.  Here are a few pictures of where the orange will be. I'm not done yet so there will be more to share later. We still haven't had time to get the tile back splash done but it is still on the "to-do" list. Maybe next week.

This is a shelf I built to hang my purse on when I come home from shopping. I used to put it on my kitchen desk but we did away with that so this is it's new home. I'm loving it!

New picture frame and towels.

Towel again and bowl for onions and potatoes.

I had this in my kitchen before but I'm still loving the colors and it seemed to go well with the new kitchen so it stayed.

That's all for now. Stay tuned as we get more done a little bit at a time. So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

Coincidental Funny

Hello Everyone!

Just thought I'd share a little funny with you today. Let me set the stage.  Today was town day. You know, the guitar lessons for the son, piano lessons for the daughter, shopping here, return there, etc. Well, it has been very busy lately besides and the laundry has been lucky to get done. The folding and ironing, not so lucky. This morning, I was running late and dumped two loads of laundry on my bed to be folded later. While in town, I bought a sign for a friend's birthday; something he is always saying.  I set it on the bed when I got home and moved on to putting away the rest of my purchases. When I came back in my room. I had to laugh at the vision and thought behind this picture.

Some days, it just is what it is! Hope you all saw the irony in this like I did and got a laugh out of it.
So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

Today my baby is 11!

Hello Everyone!

Well, today my baby is 11. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. By the end of summer, I will also have an official teenager; as my son is turning 13. It just seems like yesterday when I was bringing them home from the hospital.

I was going to show a baby picture and then a now picture of my daughter.  However, I would have to find the baby picture I wanted and then scan it into my computer. Being as I have company right now, I decided to just show a couple that I already have on my computer. I was teasing her last night and told her she was born before the digital age. Which, of course, isn't true but it was definitely before I jumped on the digital camera bandwagon. I think she was 3 or 4 before I converted to digital. Anyway, here are a few pics from last year's birthday and then this year's.

One of my favorites from last year.

This was one of my favorites.

The look on her face says, "Are we done yet?" Just kidding. She is actually a willing model when I need one. I do a lot of practice on her. My son is a whole other story. I warned him the other day that I was going to take his b-day pics soon and he just groaned, "Do we have to?"

I love my baby girl and am looking forward to watching her grow and mature. Like every parent-child relationship, we have our struggles but overall we are pretty close. I see traces of me in her, some bad (Uggh!) and some good (Yeah!).

Those of you with young children enjoy your time and don't do the, "I can't wait until" scenarios because it all goes so fast. Before you know it they will be hitting teenage years and then poof, they'll be gone!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALLIE GIRL!

So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane

PS. I'll get back with you on more kitchen updates next week. I've been doing a little spray painting on projects and a little shopping at my favorite store, Hobby Lobby! :-)

Kitchen Update and Partial Reveal

Hello Everyone!

So have you been waiting with great anticipation the final kitchen reveal? Weeell, I can't quite end your anxiety over the matter. (Like you were really that stressed over it.) Anyway, like most DIY projects, and major ones at that, the time schedule doesn't always match what you would like. We did get most of the project done over the weekend. The cabinets did come home on Monday. However, the countertop trim hasn't come in yet, not all the doors were hung (lack of proper hardware), more trim pieces need to be installed and the tile work has to be done. So, it has taken longer than I wanted we anticipated. But that's ok! I am lovin' what I have so far.  I'm especially lovin' the fact that my cabinets are full again and that all that stuff isn't all over the rest of the house like these pictures show.

Stuff all over the living room.

Dirty dishes in the bathroom. Ugh!

Here are a few pictures of the work in process when the cabinets came back.

Just had to throw that on the wall. Who knows when these cabinets will come out again.

Cabinets coming back in the house by my nephew, the cabinet builder, and his little helper.

All the drawers and doors.

These were installed in an evening.

Got to make sure it is level.

This was Tuesday, the second night of installation. Counter tops and trim work done this evening. Don't know if you can see it very well but I just love the look on my hubby's face. It's kind of a "Hmm, I wonder if that is on straight." Or something like that.

Now this was this evening. If you see the white at the bottom by the counter, that will be covered when we tile. Also, I haven't put any of the outlet covers back on because they also will be surrounded by tile. Countertops are still awaiting their trim pieces.  I found out today that they won't be in until probably Wednesday of next week. Boo!

Here my paint looks a little more true to color.  It is a greenish blue. In some of the install pictures it looks baby blue. I am going to accent with orange and yellow. I'll show more of that as we get things finished up.

So there you have it, a little sneak peak at the final project as it gets closer to being final. Does that even make sense?  Oh well, you know what I mean. So what do you think so far? It is a whole lot brighter than my previous kitchen.  I loved the other but was looking forward to a brighter more cheery look. I better sign off for now. So until next time...

Have a blessed day,

maggie jane