Trades to Master

  • Things to Master: Sewing (Quilting),
  • DIY,
  • Painting,
  • Remodeling,
  • Cooking,
  • Gardening,
  • and so much more

Thursday, September 20, 2012

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

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

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

Monday, September 17, 2012

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

Saturday, September 15, 2012

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

Thursday, September 6, 2012

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

Thursday, August 2, 2012

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.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

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