Look what I found!!!

I was at my local junk shop, and I found this absolutely adorable piece of barkcloth!!!!

Its not too big, but I'll have to keep it for when I open that Tea room I've dreamed of...

Easter came like a big chocolate bomb!!

Since I gave up chocolate and candy for lent...40 days without chocolate left me really really Jonesing...so in preparation for our Easter Sunday meal, here is what I made...

So Yummy and since I dont make this kind of cake that often, I'm still working on my icing techniques...you dont want a cake to look too perfect! 

Then I decided to try chocolate covered marshmallows, which I'd seen in a local chocolate shop, which I cant even take my kids into because its covered in nuts!  They decorate with jumbo tubs of Kraft Peanut butter, which is fine and dandy except for my anaphylactic son!  He'd run out of there screaming Heebie jeebies!!!  So I made a guaranteed nut free version that the kids could eat...are you ready for it?  Okay...Here they are drying on a piece of styrofoam.  Heres an extreme close up of a very sprinkly one!!!  Who's getting a sugar rush?  The kids thought I was the best mom ever!!  Here they are just before I wrapped them in cellowrap to take to my Moms house: Isnt it the prettiest bouquet you've ever seen?

Peanut/nut free Chocolate covered Marshmallow recipe: (ALWAYS check all ingredients!)

• 
  
  1 bag Kraft Jet Marshmallows (usually peanut/nut free)
• 
  
  1 box Bakers sweet chocolate squares (8 squares)
• 
  
  1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons crisco (check ingredients)
• 
  
  2 cups rice krispees
• 
  
  1 or 2 packs sprinkles of your choice (McCormacks in Canada is nut free) Not all brands are nut free - the major baking brand which is sold in North America at Craft stores actually have traces of nuts and you should call them to confirm, as they dont label very well.
• 
  
  nut free gummy worms or other soft candy of your choice
• 
  
  a pack of short bamboo skewers or lollipop sticks

Place two marshmallows on each barbeque skewer, with the top one covering the point.     Prepare a plate with rice krispees and another with sprinkles.  Get your styrofoam ready to place your dipped marshmallows for drying, also prepare a large cookie sheet lined in parchment.  Now you're ready to begin (it can get messy, so make sure everything is ready ahead of time). 

Melt your chocolate and shortening over low heat in a small heavy saucepan, until fully disolved, being careful not to burn the chocolate.  You can remove from heat and mix until any lumps remaining melt in the hot chocolate.  Leave for a couple of minutes if too thin, but it should be ready for dipping.  Empty the hot chocolate into a large, heatproof water glass or mug.  Dip a prepared skewer into the chocolate until 3/4 of the marshmallows are covered.  Remove and gently swirl chocolate to cover marshmallow and to let excess chocolate drip off back into glass.  Roll in rice krispees and dip top in sprinkles.  You can be creative here, and only roll in sprinkles, leave plain, whatever.  Use whatever you like (coconut is nice too).  I'm limited with what I use because I want to ensure its safe for my son, but if you have no such restrictions, go buck wild in the candy/baking sections and just make a willi wonka dream come true!!  Stick the prepared skewer into the foam, for a few minutes until set (the weight of the marshmallows may cause them to  sink down the skewer).  I topped any such exposed sharp points with gummy worms, or gummy pigs (Percy Pig??  from Marks and Spencers - my UK trip last year).   After you've covered all your skewers, and let them cool at least ten minutes, remove from  foam, and place on side on parchment, and leave for an hour.  Cover with foam and place in freezer until ten minutes before you want to serve (you can remove earlier if you want).  Voila!

I'm overcome with chocolate!  Now I've decided to place myself on a self induced lent until the end of June, when we will be going to Disney!!!!!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

My Spring Swap gift is here!!!!

It feels like Christmas all over again!  My lovely swap partner, Carolyn, of Lee Prairie Designs (Des Moines, Iowa), sent me two beautiful fat quarters of fresh spring fabric, an adorable spring bunny, and a Lee Prairie original kit!!  As Carolyn is such a quilter/crafter extrordinaire, I chose to crochet the gifts I made for her (ahmmm...my stitching techniques can be called 'rustic' at best)!  Here are photos of her lovely gifts.  Carolyns company, Lee Prairie Designs, designs and sells quilting and applique patterns, and is definately worth checking out.

Chuckeeees in LUVVVVV

Ok, some may find my clown creepy (stop emailing me, I know who you are!!!).  But I LUV clowns, and actually find them to be quite quirky.  So, thats why I just couldnt wait to display my find from two weeks ago.  I had Mr. Loretta hang my shelf, and here's a photo!!  I promise I will add more stuff to my shelf, and rearrange (I used to be a merchandiser), so it looks just right.  The plastic bags did eventually come off their heads.  The same day, from a different thrift shop, I found vintage cupcake toppers with the same clown heads (how freakin insane!!), I'll just have to figure out how to display them!

I shall never drink cold tea again!!!

Yip Yip Yippeee!!  My tea will always be cozy, and warm, for now I have my very own tea cozy!!!  Its kind of snug, but isnt it adorable??  I still have to iron it, but I had to put it on my tea pot unironed cause I was so impatient to see it!  I got the pattern from this book and it was pretty straight forward, but I have to make another one slightly larger...my tea pot may have a thyroid disorder (like myself) cause its on the plump side.  NOT fat, just plump, and it had to be squeeeeezed into the cozy. 

Hi, my name is Loretta, and I have a problem...

I dont know when it started, probably about 8 years ago, and it wasnt really a problem then, just an itch...since then my itch has grown into an uncontrollable, spreading rash...My name is Loretta, and I cant stop buying junk!  I go to any and every thrift store I can find, sometimes a few times a week!  My 'loves' have spread too!  I used to love 'made in japan' cute statues and cookie jars (Pi), kitchenobilia, chenille bedspreads (oooh I really LOVE those!), and vintage anything.  But I used to stop at that!  I knew my limits.  Then, I started buying vintage fabrics, notions and table clothes.  Now I buy old wool blankets too.  And I justify everything!!  I NEED this for my next ________  project (insert quilting, sewing, crocheting, felting, etc...) - did I mention I dont know how to do any of those things?  Okay, I just taught myself how to crochet, and I can mock sew (I call it the 'dont look too closely' sewing technique).  The real problem with my addiction, is that like an alcoholic whose face doesnt hide the long term affects of the booze, my home can no longer hide the long term affect of all that junk!  My basement is only yea big!!  I'm sure its a fire hazzard!!!  I've got to do a huge purging (but I dont want too, I whine)! I love all my crap (thats such a harsh word, isnt it?)!! Also, my stuff is loved, even if its dumped in my basement!  I still see the value, humour, and potential in it!!  I've got to start giving you a brief glimpse into my collections, because I'm sure you would NEVER judge me!  I mean 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone' or words to that effect...Just last week I bought a bag of these beautiful babies (5 large, 2 small).  I mean, who could resist!!  My husband, and kids all thought they were creepy, but I've always loved clowns!  Someone had to save these poor discarded clown heads, didnt they!!!!  I painted an old shelf which I had saved a couple of years ago, just to display them!  My husband just hasnt found it in his wee itty bitty heart to hang it for me!!  He thinks doing income taxes is more important!  Huh!

Canada Gold Medal Apple Pie

Okay, I know this post is late but I've been sooooooooooo sick, its the first crack I've had on my computer (almost) since the Olympics ended.  Sunday afternoon we all gathered at my sisters place for lunch and to watch the final mens hockey game between Canada and the USA, so this is what I baked for dessert:   A maple leaf for each gold won to date, and one for the final game...I know some might think that would be jinxing it, but it worked!!  Doesnt it look good???  And thats before it was baked!    Look at the 'after' photo, covered in sugar and oh soooo flakey.  I'm at work now (shame on me) so I dont have the recipe, but I'll be sure to post it tomorrow.  A truly excellent pie recipe, just like all the Canadian Atheletes!!!