Plenty

I love the idea of picking a word of the year!
Resolutions can be long and cumbersome - one word is direct and to the point! 
When Layla posted her Word of the Year Link Party idea during the first week of January, 
it seemed like the perfect time to share what I'll be thinking 'a plenty about this year.

noun   1.  a full or abundant supply or amount: There is plenty of time.  

2.  the state or quality of being plentiful; abundance: resources in plenty.

I'm the worrier of the family.   (You too?)  

Are there enough eggs, what about the milk and bread? 

So often the answer to "Do we have enough...?" is "Yes! There is PLENTY!" 

When the pantry seems empty, a determination to "make something"

 materializes in a plentiful meal.  

And we realize, there was plenty all along.  

2.  the state or quality of being plentiful;  abundance: resources in plenty.

Sometimes, though, my list-making for groceries, or "To-DO's," turns into an examination of whether I am really  "enough":

Do I have enough time to take care of me, and my loved ones?

Do I have anything to say or share that's worthwhile?

Do I have enough faith in my dreams?

Do I have enough courage to move toward my dreams? 

Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps, 

down new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision.   

-Ayn Rand

This year I want to remember to:

guard my thoughts; 

believe in my vision; 

take care & 

be positive & grateful.

3. an abundance, as of goods or luxuries, or a time of such abundance: 

the plenty of a rich harvest; the plenty that comes with peace.

Which really means:  

Lighten up!  Don't over-think it! 

Focus on your dreams, girl!  

Keep your heart light!  

adverb: Informal. fully; quite: plenty good enough.

You have PLENTY!  

You ARE PLENTY.

(That goes for YOU, too!)

Microwave Caramels

OOOhh, Mom! I know!  Let's make caramels!
I'm going back to the holidays for just a bit to share this recipe with you.  Last week, on her "Star Student" pages, my daughter listed caramel as her favorite food.  So, we mixed this recipe up and took some to her class.  They were a hit!

(Disclaimer:  The photos were taken last year, already!  Don't wait until Christmas to try this recipe!)  The boy and the paint color have (of course) changed since last year, but not our love for this recipe!
Melting and mixing these ingredients together will equal pure joy!

Cleaning the bowl:  Where the caramel addiction really takes hold!

 Cooled and ready to cut.

This year, I lifted the entire cooled caramel out of the pan and placed on a wax-paper covered cutting board to slice (Looks like last year I chopped away at it with my very best kitchen tools!)  :)

Wrap, roll, twist.  You can buy pretty wrappers to make the caramels look festive, or go old school and cut your own.  We cut our own wrappers, cause we're classy that way!

 Put them in a fancy storage container...:) (A prettier version here.)

 ...and smile that secret smile that says: "I think I'll eat this batch, and share the next!"

Here's the recipe:

Microwave Caramels

I love this recipe!  It’s “mix-and-heat-easy”; No need to use a thermometer & while the caramel bubbles away in the microwave, I can clean up the kitchen or craft beautiful homemade cards with my sweet-tempered, talented and polite children.  :) It’s that gooood!

GATHER:

1 Cup Butter  (You can use 1 stick butter, 1 stick margarine…  I use butter & butter.)

1 Cup Light Karo syrup

2-1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Dash of Salt

1 teaspoon Vanilla

3 or 4-quart Pyrex type pitcher or bowl (You’ll be microwaving it A LOT)

10x7 pan, lightly greased

MELT, MIX, COOL, CUT, WRAP, the details:

1.  Melt butter in pitcher.

2.  Blend syrup, sugar, condensed milk, and salt.

3.  Cover with plastic wrap & microwave on HIGH for 9-10 minutes (start with 9!).

4.  Remove and stir well.

(You can carefully (It’s HOT!) do a taste test – the mixture will have some sugary “grit” in it that you can both see and taste.  At the end of the next step, the “grit” texture should be gone.)

5.  Reset the Microwave to 70% (Med-High).  Put mixture in, uncovered, for 15-18 minutes.

(If the ingredients are still “separated”, put in for another 30 seconds. *)  

*Here's where your instinct comes in!   At about 7-10 minutes, pull it out & give it a good, quick stir. If left too long in my microwave, without stirring on this step, the individual sugar granules tend to burn or scorch bit-you'll know because you'll see some dark spots.  (It’ll get eaten, though!) Also, and sorry if this seems obvious, it should look like caramel after this step.  If a bit, cooled on the spatula, does not bead up, the caramel will be very sticky, though still not hard to eat!   If I stop it cooking too soon, and the caramel is soft, I simply keep that batch in the refrigerator.

6.  Mix in vanilla.  

      (Even if you have to pour the caramel back into a bowl, clean your    

      pan and  grease it again, the vanilla is worth remembering!)

7.  Pour in pan & cool. 

Warning:  At this stage this recipe is HIGHLY addictive (and seriously hot!) keep out of reach of any snitchers! 

8.  When cool, cut into desired pieces & wrap with waxed paper.

Use a spatula to lift it out of the pan and cut with a kitchen scissors, or knife.

Wrap in wax paper wrappers.   

Last time we counted, after snitching the "bad ends", we wrapped 85 caramels from one recipe.

ENJOY alone or share!

Reupholstering Plans

Do you make plans or do you make decisions on instinct?

Rarely do I have a plan. (Does it show, much?)

However, the minute I saw this sofa, I had a plan:  I'd  live with this lovely blue until I could gather all the materials to reupholster her...Um, and maybe learn how to upholster?!

Nancy posted this on Marcus Design...Love the two fabrics and the contrasting piping  A Golden Touch, for sure.  

  

The Golden Touch

One year later, what is that I see?  Quite possibly a plan coming together!  

I'm off to learn how to upholster :)...yikes!

Fall Colors

We had a gorgeous fall weekend ...

 Looking for squirrels...

 ...wrangling leaves...

...and trying for "that perfect shot" at sunset.

Hope you had a lovely weekend!  And a Happy Week to you!

You've Got to Love It

Even though I grew up on a farm, I didn't spend much time in the classic "farmhouse".   My parents built a ranch-style 4-bedroom house in 1976.  We were spoiled farm kids in the sense that we didn't have to share attic bedrooms or endure steep staircases and layouts from a historical way of living.

While our new house was being built, our family of five lived in a 2-bedroom trailer house.  My brothers were three and five, I was four.  The trailer house was a practical, but cramped solution to living cheaply during construction.  Besides being cramped, not everything worked in it.  One of the interior doors would stick shut which resulted in my parents saying (a lot!) "Don't close that door!". 

Though I knew to keep to myself my thoughts about a door you shouldn't shut: "Well, what's it for then?",   I didn't know enough to actually NOT shut the door.   Somehow, my (younger, peskier) brother got locked in until my parents came and "rescued" him.  (He was never in any real danger and now he's really good at fixing things.)

The trailer house also allowed my parents to be close to the construction.  Though they hired local neighbors and family members for the general construction, electrical, heating, etc,  they did as much work themselves as possible.  (My dad was putting shingles on the roof when my brother came home from his first day of Kindergarten.)

My mom was responsible for selecting all the finishing products.  "Glacial till" field stones for one of the fireplace surrounds, cherry paneling in the Living Room with a lofted ceiling and exposed beams and (ya-ta-da-da!)...

this flooring (in green) for the kitchen/dinette area.

Armstrong Flooring Ad BHG 1976

You are probably not as shocked to see this as I was.   To see the floor that always made me wonder (to myself mostly!) "Why? Why this (crazy) pattern, Moooom?" (Because of course, that quiet, but testy, 4-year-old morphed into a teenager!)

I did (finally) ask my mom why she choose this pattern.
After a quick,  faraway look, my mom said simply:  "Because I liked it."
Of course!  The basis of all things "good" - design or otherwise.  You must like it!

P.S.  Are you loving the lantern and the hardware on the built-in buffet by the range?

BHG in '76

I wanted to share the rest of the Better Homes and Gardens article with you, from, that's right 1976 (October!)  The magazine is oversized by today's standards and sold for 75 cents an issue - my grandmother subscribed and passed them on to my mom. Somehow my childhood is tucked here - in the crafts, recipes, decor, even.  

Check out what's still feels current...

Bold Patterns, classic pieces:  The pattern on the sofa feels really current - as does the Parson's table. I know some of you (really cool) people own these chairs!   The coffee table  and lamps could go almost anywhere today and look new.

Ceiling Height Bookcases:  We either have or want ceiling height built-in's - just classic.  The reds, blues with the graphic rug are my favorites here.  The upholstered pieces, even the painted trim is still "happening".  I shared my favorite part of this room earlier in the week - I also love the upholstered dining chairs (even the fabric)!

"Pops" of Color:

(Again, with the upholstered legs!)   

In the article below, "a busy teacher" lives here; take a look below at what she keeps on her shelves.

  

Metal penny banks (Uncle Sam, the Pitcher -that'd be baseball pitcher!)  Do you see the guy next to Uncle Sam? My brothers had a bank like that growing up - the guy is holding a gun that you load with a penny, which is flung into the tree stump.  We had lots of fun flinging pennies around!   

Remember Encyclopedias?   How about projectors and slides (on the table)?  

(Huh - those would be my initials on the shelf!)

Here, though, is where I imagine myself:  beautiful wicker chairs and a table (handmade, in my imagination, by my handyman).  Rolls of fabric awaiting my next inspired project, sewing notions organized in textural baskets, "just enough" white dishes and the green outside space.   Can't you see yourself spending a crafternoon here?   Then having a a Mexican Buffet?  (Quite possibly my favorite meal!)

Come back tomorrow for my favorite pic from the Oct '76 BHG - something's underfoot!

Upholstered Legs

Isn't it true when we're looking for something, we find it?
I'd been hunting for another Living Room chair a couple weeks back and found this on Craigslist.

Local Craigslist 

Good? Bad?  Definitely memorable!

I loved the curve of the chairs and the straight backs, and those upholstered legs!  I'd been wanting an ottoman too and this one I kept recreating in my head  (a new print; maybe two prints?; a little more bating on top; add some detailing around the curve?)  Hmmm...

Then Nicole (*adore her work*) posted this.

And then (cue the music, cue the drumroll)...my mom handed me an October 1976 (!) Better Homes & Gardens magazine she had recently cleaned out of the garage.

BHG Oct 1976

Either I've been reading too much of The Secret or my future includes a fabric-covered ottoman, *with nailhead trim*!

BHG Oct 1976

What a great project this would make!
(Have you tried this project already - or purchased something similar lately?)

He Makes Me Smile Like...

Having my picture taken is not my favorite pastime.   

I do love having my picture taken with this man. 

He's imperviously practical. 

He always has the right tool - often right on his belt (or in his pocket)!

He's careful & reliable.

He can build and fix all kinds of stuff.

He thinks in numbers.

He's really sweet to children.

He's devoted to his wife. (Yep, that would be me.)

I smile like a dork when he's around.  (As seen above.)  :)

Send some love to the person in your life who makes your life joyful.
Here's to days and days of dorky, happy smiles!

(Happy Everything, Husband!)

Buffet

This summer, I hit a streak of fearlessness and painted my buffet.

There was serious stomach-flipping when the first bit of primer went on...

After refinishing the top, I relaxed...this was my vision (lighter and less red tones).

 Now, it has a home in our living room...steps away from the kitchen!

I'd been waiting to get a really good pic to post - but this will just have to do for right now!  Why wait to tackle that "To Do" List, right?  Embrace the moment and go with it!