Creative Homemaker

Because my niece-in-law mentioned them, (thanks, Kristina!) and because I've never used that recipe before, I decided "Feather Biscuits" would be on tonight's menu. At some point I may be a little more organized and actually create a menu out of the recipes in the "Home Cooked Heritage" cookbook, but for now I'm winging it. Hense, the feather-recipe. Haha! Feather Biscuits, submitted by: Diane D. Says Diane, This recipe came from my Aunt Sandi and is one of my favorites. We always eat biscuits and gravy Christmas morning. Try these and you'll know why they're my favorites. 2 c. flour 1 t. sugar 1/2 c. shortening 2/3 c. milk 1/2 t. salt 4 t. baking powder 1 egg Combine dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Mix egg and milk together and add to dry ingredients all at once. Stir until dough just follows fork around the bowl. Turn out on lightly floured board and knead tenderly about 20 strokes. Roll out 3/4 inch ...

Have any of you seen "Julie and Julia?" It's the story of an adventurous lady who decides to recreate all the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook, Joy of Cooking. She blogs about her successes and failures. I've decided that I will do the same thing. I have an amazing cookbook created by my relatives. It's a collection of family favorites from aunts, cousins, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. I have several cousins who have expressed an interest in obtaining a copy on line. While my uncle has access to several physical copies, I thought it would be fun to try recipes at home, then blog about my successes or failures, tips and tweakings. Because I try to keep my blog anonymous, I will post page numbers of the cookbook and first names only of the submitting cook. Here is the first: Fruit Cocktail Cake by: Carolyn C. (My Mom!) It appears on page IX-8 of the cookbook. Stir together: 1 1/2 c. sugar, 2 c. flour, 2 t soda, pinch salt and 2 well beaten eggs and 1 #...

Two years can change a lot of things. Babies learn to walk and feed themselves, some even are potty trained. College students can earn a whole degree. Road construction projects can be planned, carried out and completed. Gardens come and go. Two years hasn't changed the amount that I miss you, brother. Mother says to turn February into a month for serving others. I know that this is true. I always feel better when I'm giving to others. When I'm sharing talents, a warm loaf of bread or a hug. But for now, (and maybe every February) I'll run the course of grief. Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Sometimes the anger takes over. Sometimes bargaining is the emotion I reach for. But I usually end up in the same place. There isn't anything that any of your loved ones could have done to change God's plan for our lives. Those of us who are left to mourn must reach and re-reach this decision each time we work through the grief. It stinks that you aren...

No, I didn't get speeding ticket. Actually, I haven't gotten a ticket in years. God has always spared me that embarrassment/correction! I've been power-piecing! I have just come to adore Bonnie Hunter's method for fabric scrap corralling! It is just so fun to see my little labeled drawers of bricks and blocks. Like legos for grownups. My piano teacher used to have a set of blocks she would use to teach the parts/fractions of a measure. Quarter notes, half notes and eighth notes. Now I can build my own "measures" out of fabric! I've been working on a quilt for my beloved Mother-in-law. After Pop died in October, (there's been a lot going on in my life and I'm not caught up blogging!) I asked Nana for some of Pop's shirts so that I could make a quilt for her. She was excited that I would do that for her, but someone reluctant I felt, to let go of his shirts. It was like tearing skin. It was almost painful for me to watch as we decided whic...

As if I didn't have enough on my plate...(that must be the understatement of the year)I'm jumping in. I was just going to sit back and watch the clues unfold. But I've gotten sucked in! I'm doing this. I love Bonnie Hunter's quilts. They are everything that appeals to me, colorful, scrappy, frugal with lots of great details. I love her motto about "ugly" fabrics, "If it's still ugly, you just didn't cut it small enough!" Once the first clue came out I knew I had to play along. I love green and pink together. It is all over my house in different shades and combinations. My poor husband has to sleep in a froo-froo bedroom. Which he does willingly to keep my happy. (The first time I saw him, he was wearing a pink Izod button down shirt.) [swoon!] Yet, I digress. So, I'll post my progress here. I'll put up a picture as soon as step one is completed. Ok, I'm excited now! Eating is overrated, isn't it? "It's Campbell...

I'm so far behind! I just finished the last month of this beautiful BOM. I was making three sets of them however so it took me a while with each step. I'm making the light colorway for me and an "army" colorway for my husband and a "marine" colorway for a dear friend of the family. This weekend I have sequestered myself in my sewing room and worked on UFO's. It has felt very good to get lots of little nagging things done. Here's my Thimbleberries so far...

Hi everyone, I thought I would share my latest finish. I've completed the second in a 3-part series of quilts for my three boys. They all share a room that is decorated in red, white, blue, Americana prints with a healthy dose of bears, trains and boats thrown in. I made their curtains and some crib accessories when they were younger and I've saved every scrap. (Thank you, Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville!) My first quilt was for my youngest, this one is for the middle boy and there is one more in the works for my 8 yr old son, the oldest of the littles. Robbie, my middle boy, loves Thomas the Tank Engine so his quilt is mostly blues with sunny Sodor Railway yellows thrown in. Robbie looked at it and found the letter "J" in the middle. (His middle initial.) I may have to add some alphabet blocks to the back. I love making wonky log cabins and using up every crumb in these quilts. This one is just a flimsy right now. I have about 20 extra blocks that will go...