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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

A simple candle project.....

Good Morning....
Just a wee post to share a simple candle project with you today.
Our youngest son had bought me these lovely iron candleholders for Christmas... There is one on each side of the livingroom fireplace..
I keep forgetting to buy enough candles for both so yesterday I came across 2 boxes of  candles that you use for emergencies... I class this as one..lol.. The holders were empty and needed some candles in them...
I have some prim ones at the shop but that is a long way away..
So... I dug around and found these napkins...
No, they are not very prim but will do until I can get some prim ones made....
Anyway, all you need is a brush or sponge, candles, napkins and some modgepodge....
Just make sure to separate the napkin into two layers and just use the colored one... ok?
Measure the napkin to fit your candle.. Leave some room at the top in case you want to light them ONCE ...
These are for decor alone... I will not be lighting them but one time.
Then brush the napkin with modge on the edge and fit it good then modge the rest and roll up.  I had a few candle holders on the table to sit them in until they dried...
Then just put them in your holders...
These candles only cost 2 dollars for 10 .  I know there are nicer napkins but that is all I had here.. Or...
You can use tissue paper.. Some with crows or stars would be nice..
All according to your own tastes... 
I lit them so you could see...lol...
My livingroom is not very prim.. Lots of antiques but I have carpet.. Perhaps someday we will get a wood floor...
Sammi had been keeping me company as I am puttering..

There is my sun-sewing room over there at the end of the dining room table through those french doors..
I am AGAIN trying to organize it...
My sweet dear husband says he has never seen a woman with sooooo much stuff!!!  Craft stuff that is...
What am I supposed to do?  Of course, I have a lot of craft STUFF as I worked at it for over 20 years.. RIGHT???
I have packed up and lugged boxes to the Salvation Army but I still make crafts although I do need to get rid of more.....I agree to that...
I just wanted to mention that I posted about these pillows that I made on my other blog
Another easy winter project for you to do...

Anyway, my dears may you have a very BLESSED week ...
Reach out and help someone today and know that HE cares about how your week is going...
Praying that God will bless your Homes and bring you PEACE... 

Monday, January 24, 2011

HAPPY MONDAY MORNING TO YOU....

Happy Monday Morning to you all...
I was thinking to myself this morning,.(that's scary)  Why do I love Mondays so much??
 I decided it is because you wake up renewed after having a day of Worship and being in the Presence of the Lord...
Then there is the whole week ahead of you....
God willing.. 

Anyway, I have been wanting to give you this little hint that I have tried and found true for sore throats and colds..
A little natural remedy..
This time of year our little ones and ourselves are catching some of the old germs out there....
Sore throats, cold and flu....
Of course, if your little ones are really sick they may need a doctor but I find if I get a scratchy sore throat and take this it really works and does not develop in anything scary..
You just boil some water as if you were making some tea and cut a lemon in half and squeeze in a couple tablespoons, a good squirt of honey and a bit of fresh ginger...
It will need cooled for the kids but just sip away on that and hopefully it will relieve your soreness.....lol....

Also ..
I thought I would post a couple of pics of what old empty nesters do on a BUSY  Saturday...
When you are retired folks think that you must have a lot of spare time, eh? 
Well, this is a few pics to show you our past Saturday...
My sweet husband trying to get some of the snow off of the roof.. Our house is shaped in a U and it blows and piles up on there...
A job well done, Terry..
After feeding the birds he of course deserves a little recreation..
God had given us such a beautiful day....
Sammi (our inherited dog) was wondering...


WHICH WAY DID HE GO????  LOL...

Meanwhile, I am inside watering my sprouts..

I told you I was an old hippie  (the good kind)
This is only the third day for them... I just put them on the windowsill to show you...
I love sprouts in wraps.. They are sooooo good for you..
And so easy...
Just pick up some seeds at your health store ( alalfa, clover, onion, or mung beans, mustard or cress)   and soak them overnite ...
Use a large bottle and some cheesecloth or buy a sprout bottle like mine that has a wire seive for a cover.
Then  gently rinse twice a day and keep in a warm dark spot...
I actually  put mine on the counter...
Lay your bottle on the side and  in a few days you have lovely living sprouts that are full of nutrients...
Use them in your salads, sandwiches or wraps....

Oh, then I did some cleaning and worked on crafts..
A busy day.... a lovely day...a blessed day...
Thank you, Lord...

Well, girls that is probably enough for now..
I wanted to thank you all for stopping by.. There are twice as many visitors lately and that is WONDERFUL..
Also, just wanted to say how DELIGHTED  I am when you take the time to leave a wee comment.. 
Makes my day..

Have a lovely BLESSED week and I will be back soon..
Hugs.... 

Friday, January 21, 2011

Making homemade bread on a snowy afternoon....

Another snowy winter's afternoon here.   I thought it was a good day to make some homemade bread ..
I made some delicious tomato soup that was featured in the new magazine Where Women Cook.
. It turned out even better that I thought it would..
Lots of fresh basil and cheese in it..
Terry loved it as did I..  Just right for a snowy day..

I decided that some nice no knead bread would fit the bill.

No Knead Dilly Bread...
1 package of yeast dissolved in 1/4 water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup lukewarm cottage cheese
2 T sugar
1 T dried minced onion
1 T butter
2 tsp dill seed
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 unbeaten egg

Combine all ingredients except yeast, water and flour..
Add yeast mixture and mix well..
Add flour and stir ..
Let rise and push down.
Place in loaf pan or 2 quart casserole.
Let rise again.
Bake 350  for 40 minutes.
Remove from pan, brush with butter and sprinkle with coarse salt... (if desired)
This is a no knead bread  so very easy and fast to make..
It tastes like dill and is a nice change..


Well, thank you everyone for stopping by.  Wish you had been here in time for lunch.. lol...

Take care of yourselves and your families..
Sunday is another Lord's Day.. Take your kids to church and worship the Lord.. He deserves our praise for all He has done for us.. He is such a faithful God and He can make a wonderful change in our homes when He is at the centre..

Keep safe and warm..
Hugs..
Faye .

ps... stop by my other blog if you are bored this weekend... thanks....

Monday, January 17, 2011

A FEW JANUARY PASTTIMES ...

It is almost halfway through Winter, I think... Although, I am not wanting time to go any faster I am looking forward to some mild windy weather that is forcast for Wednesday..
I thought I would show you a couple of things I have been doing the last little while..
I had bought some of this fabric over in Calais and I can think of a lot of ideas for it... Anyway, I saw them over at
at this site  and thought I would make a few...

They are trivets for teapots or any hot dishes ...
You cut out 2 x 11 inch pieces of fabric.   Then you sew them up with right sides together... Leave a 3 inch opening and turn out right.. Press with an iron ...
Over at Chickens in the Road she used a lovely teapot fabric..
These are more prim...My style...
Then you stuff them with this spice mixture...
2 oz. whole cloves
2 oz. cinnamon sticks, broken up
1 cup of bay leaves
Sew up the opening and tie with yarn or string in 5 or 6 places...
When you place your hot pot on the trivet you can smell the lovely spices..
Anyway, I made a couple of them for now..

I have also been making some homemade apple cider vinegar... I love experimenting with some of these things that I see on the web and if they turn out it is even better...
I tried to get the web site but I couldn't find it..
But you just fill a large jar with apple peelings and cores and then  cover them with good water.   Cover it with a doilie or cheese cloth...
And put it away for a while until it smells and tastes like vinegar to your liking..
I covered mine with a doilie and placed it on the pantry shelf.. They said a warm darker spot.. Inside a cupboard or such...
Then when it is ready you strain it and then strain again through cheese cloth if you want it clearer...
If you google this I am sure you could find better instructions.
I have had this for about 3 weeks and it is smelling very vinegar like...
I am hoping that it is really good and I will continue to make it instead of buying it in the Fall for pickles..

Well, girls I hope you are keeping warm and enjoying the Winter.. It will soon be over..

Thank you for dropping by and let me know what you are doing for your January pasttimes..

God bless .....



Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Clementines and Garlic.....

Hello my dears... My, we are having a huge snow storm tonight.. I am glad we are home safe and sound....Bible Study was cancelled as the snow is really coming down... Well, I guess that is what we expect in our part of the world....
Today, I made some marmalade... We were into Costco and they had them on for two dollars a box so we picked up a few. 
I looked a recipe up on the internet and thought I would give it a try..
I followed the recipe except for a couple of changes...
I added an extra lemon by mistake and an extra 1/2 cup of sugar. 
I will do the same if I make another batch..
It turned out really well and made a big batch...
I made corn chowder and cornmeal muffins for supper and Terry put some of the marmalde on his muffins... He must have liked it as he told me he would buy it all so I didn't need to sell it...lol..
I also thought I would show you a little experiment I am working on..
an inside garlic plant...
When I was cleaning out the fridge I found a garlic that was sprouting.... So... I divided it into separate cloves and planted them..   They are growing pretty fast...
Have any of you ever done this.....
I expect I can cut the tops and use like garlic chives and wait and see if the cloves grow ....
I will let you know later, eh....
 I am taking up crocheting again..
I have not done that for years but before Christmas I made some 
apple cosies.... They protect your apple from getting bruised in your purse or whatever... 
I saw them on someone`s blog but I forget whose it was... Anyway, I am just guessing how to make them.. They are not as good as the ones that I saw but they are ok...
I would not dare show you as they are not very expert....lol...

What are you all busy doing in your spare time ... if you have any spare time...lol..
Well, girls have a lovely week ...
Please leave a comment as I LOVE to hear from you...

GOD BLESS...

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Thank you, Jesus....

Good Morning...
Just a very short post today as I wanted to tell you all about an anniversary that I am having today!!

Thirteen years ago today I was awakened by a crying nurse in the Moncton hospital... She was saying...
"Wake up, Mrs. Henry.... you DON'T have Cancer!!
I will never forget those words!!!
Nor will I ever forget the FAITHFULNESS  of my God...
He is STILL our HEALER!!!
Every January 8  for the last 13 years I have counted Blessing...

I just wanted to share this with you today...
Jesus is a prayer answering God....
And I am THANKFUL.....

Have a great weekend and May God bless and keep you...
Love to you all...
Faye....

Friday, January 7, 2011

A visit with Mom....

Good Friday Morning ....
My, the weeks are flying by... I read some blogs who were speaking about Spring and I am thinking to myself.... (That will be awhile)
but with time slipping by so fast I guess it will be here sooner than we think.. I love Spring but I am not hurrying the time... There are so many cozy things about Winter...
Today, I am going to give you a recipe for the weekend... I know sometimes my recipes are sorta out there... I love anything different and am always trying the recipes out on my friends and family.... This one though is as old as can be....

Yesterday, we had to go to town to buy a new bed.... (waterbed) 
Yes, I am an old hippie...lol....
Anyway, we stopped by to see Mom ( a dear Keeper of the Home)  and my Step-father as we had not seen them since way before Christmas as I had not been well...Anyway.....
It was lovely to see them... My Mom is a Cook with a capital C....
She cooked in the early lumbercamps of New Brunswick with my Gram (her mother-in-law) and then for the Canadian National Railway and in a Chinese restaurant for many years... So whenever you stop by you usually find her cooking up something.,.  Yesterday was no exception!!
She had made this wonderful pudding...
I had actually taken a couple of bites before I remembered that I had my camera in the car..
Sorry about the blur but I guess my camera was cold and I didn't notice until I put the pics in my computer... But you can still see the pudding... It was sooooo goood.... Yes, I am on a diet but just a taste as I told my Mom...lol..
Here is the recipe for you...

RAISIN PUDDING
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 T. shortening (heaping)size of a small egg..
1 cup raisins
Use your pastry blender or 2 forks to bring this to a crumb ...
Then add 1/2 cup milk
Stir with your fork and pat into an eight inch cake pan..

Mix 1 3/4 cup of boiling water with 1 cup of brown sugar and pour over the batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes ..

You could serve this with whip cream or ice cream but there is no need.... Delicious!!!

I know a lot of folks are on diets but this would be a nice treat for your Sunday dinner after Church in the morning... Right?

Thank you for visiting today....
Welcome to all the new followers... Hope you all stop by often.
Have a God blessed weekend and take care...

Peace....
Faye.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

A KEEPER OF THE HOME'S RESOLVE FOR 2011...

Good Evening to one and all...
It is certainly winter here in New Brunswick...
It is also a new year with a new slate... Everyone's making their lists of goals and commitments for a new start...
We are so blessed when we remember that God's mercy is renewed each morning and whether we keep true to our resolutions or not He remains the same and faithful is He.  
I, too have made new resolves... to have a closer walk with Him...to do more for His kingdom... to be a brighter lighthouse for Him..
And then as a keeper of our home I want to do all I can to make it a place of contentment.. A haven against the storms of life...No matter what year it is there will always be trials and storms... 
So, I would like to prepare my home this winter to be at it's best.
My resolve is to get it in order... 

Many years ago (almost 45) as a small girl  I sat in a little church and listened to an old saint - a keeper of the home - testify to the fact that Jesus is coming soon and she wanted her earthly house to be in order as well as her spiritual home... I never  forgot her saying that....In fact I remember it every Janurary....lol..

I love to do sooooo many things... Housework is not the top of my list sadly to say... 
I would cook up a four course meal or cut out a pattern and make it or paint an old piece of furniture or rearrange and decorate a room much sooner than clean out my fridge or sweep the floors or clean up my mess..lol...
I usually add that it is because of my nature.. God made me creative...lol...
True but I have also realized that he loves a well ordered home...

I know that a lot of you girls out there have it all together and your home is in excellent order... Oh, to be like you... My sister is like that.. Actually,  I have a friend who is as close as my sister and she too (Sadly)  has the same talent as does my daughter... 
Sometimes, I ask ... Lord, why not me?  lol.. I really don't laugh but I am who I am and that is a person who needs a LOT  of work... 

So...... with all that in mind I am going to STRIVE to the best of my ability to get this dear old place in order... 
I love my home the same as I am sure most of you do... 
But.... it needs some work.... 
I need to clean out some cupboards.... Not just this quilt cupboard but the linen closet and the clothes closet and the china cupboards..
Do you see what I mean???

I also want my home to be a place of hospitality...
I want to invite some neighbors in for tea and perhaps some cookies..( oh, the recipe for these chocolate chip cookies are on my other blog PRIMITIVE LACE  at the bottom of the page..)

I want to come home to a place of peace where the fires are burning and soup is on the stove for whoever drops by....
The recipe for these soup herbs are on this blog ....

I am sorry I don't know how to link you to them but just look and you will find ...lol..

I also want to do something creative every day to make my home more beautiful or to add to my shop...
I need to paint this cupboard (black) ... I bought it at an auction for 17 dollars... What a buy but there it sits not finished...
So ... I think you are probably gettting my drift by now..

I read this and loved it.
"WINTER IS A TIME FOR COMFORT, FOR GOOD FOOD AND WARMTH, FOR THE TOUCH OF A FRIENDLY HAND AND FOR A TALK BESIDE THE FIRE:
IT IS A TIME FOR HOME."
-Edith Sitwell, British Poet....
I hope that this blog will inspire you as keepers of your homes to make it a place where the Lord is the centre and your family comes first...
 I want to thank everyone who stops by and reads this so faithfully... I know we come from all different walks..
But we all love our God and our families...
So from the depth of my heart I want to thank God for the blessing of all the friendships that I have made through The Blessed Hearth..
 
I will keep you up to date in what I am doing to accomplish this HUGE resolve...lol...
Today, I am feeling soo much better and actually put away a lot of Christmas... It will take a couple of days to do that... And then onward I will go with the help of the Lord...

I hope you will leave me a comment and let me know what your resolves are in connection to your home...

Take care, now...
Love to you all...
Faye..





Saturday, January 1, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!


JUST WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND PRAYING GOD'S DEAREST BLESSINGS UPON YOU ALL..  MAY JESUS CHRIST BE THE FIRST PRIOIRTY IN YOUR LIFE AND MAY HE BLESS YOUR HOMES WITH HIS LOVE AND JOY AND THE PEACE THAT ONLY HE CAN BRING.

THANK YOU FOR VISITING THE BLESSED HEARTH THIS PAST YEAR...
LOVE AND PRAYERS
FAYE