YES WE CAN ~ 13 days and counting . . .

Baby It's Cold INSIDE . . .

Webster is worried again. He is remembering the summer and the fact that I did not turn on the central air one single time. He is afraid I am going do the same thing with the furnace this winter. How many blankets can you pile on a dog? Brrrrr!

Do you go by the calendar or the thermometer? I try to hold off until November. As I write this I am wearing flannel lined jeans, wool turtle neck, heavy Norwegian cardigan, thick wool socks, and I am seriously considering searching for my fingerless gloves. I just got back from a walk and it is warmer outside. I can't see my breath so I think I am fine. Can't wait until bedtime comes and I can jump under my big fat down comforter.

FREE DOWNLOAD ~ Origami CD Sleeve ~ Tutorial . . .

Here’s a video showing you how to do a little origami to turn a sheet of paper into a CD sleeve:



I like this craft. I often make custom music CDs to tuck in with Christmas Cards. These would be good to make out of gift wrap, recycled paper, custom printed paper, etc.

Further Step by Step instructions ~ very easy to understand.

Another set of instructions in a pdf document ~ also easy picture reading. You can print a cheat cheat.

NOW here are TWO COOL DOWNLOADS for PRINTED GIFT WRAP...perfect for these cd cases. They both use black ink so you won't have to waste any colored ink.
The designs are very elegant.

I made the two you see above in just one try. They are sooo easy. The one on the left is called SWIRLY. The one on the right is called GRAPHIC. They are both from Martha Stewart. These gift wrap papers are designed to be printed on an 11x17 sheet of paper. Ignore and print on standard 8-1/2 x 11 inkjet paper. Don't print the second page of the pdf. When the printer page comes up choose print page 1 of 1.

When these print on standard paper size you will have a 1/2" margin at the bottom and there will be small white margins on either side. This will all be folded under. You can choose where you want the 1/2" margin. It can either be tucked under and have a completely printed case or you can have it show and use that space to write the CD title on it. The choice is yours. The two I made have the white band showing so I can write the title on the outside. PS...you just barely fold the corners under in the last step.

Let me know how you like this tutorial and download. It's so much fun to make something out of nothing, isn't it?




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Bookmark this recipe for Sour Cream Apple Pie . . .

Sunday was my mother's 88th birthday. I made a sour cream apple pie instead of a cake and it was absolutely delicious. I have new respect for food bloggers. I wouldn't last a week if I had to cook something imaginative every day and then photograph it for the web. It's not that easy! And forget photographing the dish while you are preparing it.

Sour Cream Apple Pie
(Alicia Paulson's recipe)
Topping:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
Filling:
1 1/3 c. sour cream
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 or 5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced. I used Golden Delicious because that was what I had on hand.
Pie crust ~ you can make your own, or use a pre-made one from the refrigerator section of the market fitted into a deep-dish 9" or 10" pie plate and chilled. I did not have the deep dish crusts...just regular...so it ran over in the oven but I knew this was going to happen. I had a pan underneath; the overflow was delicious.
To make the topping ~ in a bowl blend the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and flour until the mixture is combined well. Cover and chill the topping.
To make the filling ~ whisk together the sour cream, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs, and flour until the mixture is smooth. Add the peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples and stir the filling and apples together. Spoon the filling into the chilled shell and crumble the topping evenly over it. Bake the pie on a baking sheet in the middle of a pre-heated 350-degree oven, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. (You might need to put a bit of tinfoil on top of the pie during the last 15 minutes to prevent the top from burning.) Transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely.

I have a gas oven and had to cook my pie a little longer. Adjust cooking time according to your oven. I think this would be delicious without the crust. One day I shall make it in deep baking dish.

High Tension Fun or the REAL reason for power surges . . .

JUMPING CABLES or WHAT THE POWER COMPANY DOESN'T TELL US

I think this happens quite often when nobody's looking. It's the real reason for power surges and mild earth tremors.

WORLD ANIMAL DAY . . .

World Animal Day was October 4th. THE BIG PICTURE has 38 of the most stunning photos you will ever want to see showing recent photos of animals from around the world.

Head over there so you can see them all. The five photos I am showing above are just a tiny preview. Plus mine are miniature versions. The Big Picture site from The Boston Globe has giant photos...guess that's how they came up with their name.

It is my favorite site of all. Always informative with fabulous photos.

Free Download ~ Old Man Halloween Mask . . .

Halloween is two weeks from today and I found a great Old Man Face Mask for you to download and print. I did not design it...another Rosemary did. Print a whole bunch and wear them at the office, in school, at home; have some fun.

You will need one sheet of card stock for each mask, scissors, and 2 pieces of string (or elastic). Mess up your hair or wear a wig, pull your pants up high, and you are ready to answer the door when the trick or treaters come calling. Make sure you don't run out of candy!

Free download here.

Credit Crunch ~ Timely Quote . . .

Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.
Ellen Goodman American journalist (1941 - )

American Presidential Wrestling 2008 . . .

Heavyweight Championship
The White House ~ November 4, 2008

It has never been more important to vote. See you at the polls.

Gandhi Poverty Quote for Blog Action Day . . .

Free Medical, Dental & Vision to poor in America and third world countries . . .

Today is Blog Action Day and those of us who registered have agreed to blog about one subject POVERTY. I just clicked on the banner at the bottom of this post and saw that 9,376 bloggers had signed up (at 7:45 pm the night before) and their posts will reach 10,430,874 readers. Very impressive numbers that are still growing. I am happy to add my voice. (Update...7pm in New Jersey...10/15...12,205 bloggers participating; reaching 13,079,246 readers.)

I would like to call attention to Remote Area Medical® (RAM) Volunteer Corps. A non-profit, volunteer, airborne relief corps dedicated to serving mankind by providing free clinics for health care, dental care, eye care, veterinary services, and technical and educational assistance to people in remote areas of the United States and the world.

Please give their website the attention it deserves. Click on every link and consider making a donation of your money, your services, supplies, or your time. I mailed a large check today...10/16/2008. It felt so good just writing it!!! Plus I know it will be put to such good use.

Founded in 1985, Remote Area Medical® is a publicly supported all-volunteer charitable organization. Volunteer doctors, nurses, pilots, veterinarians and support workers participate in expeditions (at their own expense) in some of the world's most remote and places. Medical supplies, medicines, facilities and vehicles are donated.

I first learned about them on March 20, 2008 when CBS 60 Minutes ran a segment about a weekend in poverty stricken rural Tennessee where huge crowds gathered days before the event to get free medical assistance. Hundreds were turned away at the end due to lack of time.

Luckily, I found a shortened version of the segment on YouTube.
Please watch...it is very inspiring. You won't be sorry.


RAM FREE CLINICS will be at the following locations between now and Election Day (the next three weeks).

Oct. 18-19
McCreary County, Kentucky & Scott County, Tennessee
at Scott Appalachian Industries (SAI), Huntsville, TN
(Dental, Vision, Medical)

Oct. 25-Nov. 2
Honduras - Seguatepeque (South America)
(Dental, Vision, Medical)

Nov. 1-2
Grundy County, Tennessee
(Dental, Vision, Medical)

See full 2008 schedule. See full 2009 schedule.

Remote Area Medical Foundation
1834 Beech Street
Knoxville, TN 37920
865-579-1530

Thank you for visiting my blog on this important day.

DON'T FORGET TO WATCH THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE TONIGHT!

Brown and White Transferware in the Orchid Pattern . . .

I had a lot of interest in my previous post about this 19th century Staffordshire wash set in the Orchid Pattern so I decided to show another detailed view . I have also included a copy of the mark which is hanging on the wall like a painting. The photo can be enlarged if you want a closer look. Don't you love the strainer that fits inside the covered soap dish?

A old Southern Accents Magazine featured a large collection of brown and white transferware on the cover. It looks so nice with the brown and white checked sofa and chair. I think the date of this magazine is Sepember October 2002 in case you want to look for it.

Take care of your antiques and they will take care of you!

Paper Jam? Call Kitty Tech Support . . .

Why doesn't the paper come out? I will fix it using only one paw!




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Gardening Tools for October . . .

After I finished working on the lower 40 yesterday, I dropped everything in the hall. I am still working on those giant weeds that are blocking my view of the surrounding woods in the way back. For the past week I have been pulling them up by hand and have a HUGE pile. I am using the hand tools for the ones that are too stubborn or too deep rooted.

Maybe you remember a previous post about these insidious weeds called Giant Ragweed. I don't ever remember seeing them until very recently. I think they must have something to do with global warming. I am determined to get rid of them so I am killing myself. Thank goodness for leather work gloves.

I actually don't mind hard outside work. Especially when the end result is so rewarding.

Enjoy yourself whatever you do!

Guinea Pig Olympics . . . Fun Fotos . . .

Go out and have some fun this weekend!

Pop Tarts Recipe for Columbus Day Weekend . . .

Purchase toaster. Bring home and plug it in. Open a box of highly nutritious Pop Tarts and throw wrapper away in an environmentally correct manner. Insert Pop Tart into slot at top of toaster. Turn on toaster according to the manufacturer's instructions. Enjoy the incomparable aroma of a culinary masterpiece as it browns to your exact specifications. When toasting cycle is complete, remove Pop Tart from slot of toaster and insert into your face's bottom slot. Chew thoroughly, swallow, and pat tummy. Repeat until full.

Seems like the perfect breakfast to kick off a long holiday weekend. Enjoy!

This made me smile . . .