Sewing Crafts Rag Doll

My little granddaughter Bianca's birthday is coming up soon, she will be 4 years old. I thought it might be fun to make her a rag doll this year, that she could play with. Rag dolls are soft, so no danger of injury happening. She is old enough now where she would enjoy changing the clothing on the doll. I had forgotten I had purchased  this sweet pattern 10 years ago,made by Kezi's Oregon Ragbabies  I had always longed to have a  granddaughter to play dress up with

There a six panels which go into making the head.

The face is stuffed, and lightly penciled in.

The body is 4 panels, it has darts to create a bottom, which sits.

What I like about about the hands, is that it is sewed as a mitten, then the fingers are placed, which is a lot easier. Then the fingers are stuffed. The creator of this pattern has made dolls before.

The arms are attached to a button which gives the arms the ability to swivel.

Face is then painted in.

Hair attached individually.

Head completed.

Body sewed, arms attached.

Leggs attached.

Naked rag doll.

This pattern comes with, shoes, hat, bloomers, and top. A very nice pattern. Also see my Raggedy Anne Doll

and Gingerbread Men Dolls

How to Can Homemade Apple Cider

I have an interest in preserving the old ways of living. My hope is that we don't loose the knowledge on how, to  preserve, and live off the land, which were common knowledge to our  great grandparents. They are very important to keep alive.This kind of living helps stretch your grocery dollars further. There is a sense of accomplishment when you can look at your final product, even joy wells up inside me, and says good job.

Canning apple cider. When you have buckets and buckets of apples, apple cider making is the number 1 choice of what to do with them.  Canning the cider preserves it for years, lets face it you shouldn't drinks 10 gallons of apple cider in 1 week. I enjoy breaking the seal of the fresh taste of summer, in the fall, and winter season.

The equipment you will need are the following.

Canning pot large. 20- 1/2 gallon jars large mouth or small mouth. Large or small lids, with matching new rings. Funnel for pouring in to jars. Jar holder for pulling jars out of hot water. Plenty of counter space.

First things first. Must clean jars with hot soapy water using bottle brush cleaner.

Place lids in pan of water, heat on low you just want the rubber part to soften, not melt off. When placed on the jar it creates a seal.

Place clean wet jars in oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes.

Place apple cider in a large pot to boil. When apple cider heats up it starts forming scum.

I use a large wooden spoon to skim the scum off the top of the hot apple cider.

Using funnel pour boiling hot apple cider into jar. Leave 1 1/2" head space.

Before placing lid. Take clean paper towel wet it and wipe lip of jar, followed by a dry paper towel. this step is very important. The slightest bit of food, or juice can prevent proper sealing of the jar.

Place warmed lid on jar. Place ring on top of lid. Tighten normal, not to tight or it will pucker, not to loose or it will not create the vacuum it needs to seal.

Place hot jars in water bath to boil.

Water level should cover the juice height in jars. Bring to a boil. Not to rapid or the bottles will burst. A slow gentle boil  time for 20 minutes.

If you do it right you'll hear a wonder pop sound within 10 minutes of pulling jars out to cool.

The lid should look like this after it pops. Flat. It should not have a hump in the center. And when opening the jar of juice, a sucking vacuum sound should be heard.

Homemade Apple Cider

It's apple cider time at my house. The early Transparent are ready to be picked (green apples), and  June apples (red apples) which make great homemade apple sauce, or cider.

We have a old timey apple press which we use in the making of apple cider.

One person cranks the apple press while another person

 tosses the apples in to be crushed.

The barrel is then pushed forward to drain the juice. There is a bowl underneath to catch the apple juice.

The press is rolled down up on the crushed apples.

Fresh juice.

The juice is then passed through a cheese cloth.

Fresh homemade apple cider. Next blog I will instruct on how to how to can apple cider

Gingerbread Dolls

These cute gingerbread dolls, are a quick project, my little 2 year old granddaughter Marisa loves to tote them around the house. She puts them in her little purse, takes them out, puts them back in. She can entertain herself for hours.

I got the gingerbread pattern from www.youarespecialpatterns.com  #248 I love gingerbread. Her patterns are so cute.

Cut out gingerbread, pin together, sew together all around. In the middle of doll cut a 1/12 inch slit. Turn doll inside out and loosely stuff.

Paint the whole gingerbread with acrylic paint Americana honey brown. Allow to dry.

Side load angular paint brush with Americana light cinnamon to give the cookie that browned in the oven look.

With white Tulip Slick Dimensional Fabric Paint add frosting around legs, arms, head.

Take the back of a paint brush,  dot 2 eyes with black paint.

Paint cheeks with Q tip dipped in  Americana blush flesh.

With Tulip Slick black paint mouth.

With Tulip Slick Red paint a heart on the gingerbread man.

Swiss Fried Steak with Gravy

 My husband will eat the ethnic based foods that I fix for him, but every so often he wants what he calls down home cooking. This Chicken Fried Steak  with gravy is one of those meals.It speaks to him of his happy childhood sitting around the table at meal time with his family.

Ingredients: 1 cup flour, salt , pepper, oil, 1 can cream of chicken soup, cube steak.

Salt' and pepper all steaks, cover in flour.  Place on hot frying pan with tablespoon of oil. Fry till golden brown.

Add the whole can of cream of chicken soup, with 1 cup of water. Cook on low for 1 hour, until meat is fall apart tender.

My First Class

I have always had an interest in the arts, espeacially decorative painting. Today I taught my first class. I had taught before. On a one on one basis, family members which made for a good stepping stone to teaching a group of people.  I was so excited to have a group of 14 women in my first class.

 It was very exciting, and draining all at the same time. I was glad that I was not nervous. My husband Toby had prayed for me before I left, I was waiting to get nervous, but it never came. I know that I serve a good God and that he answers prayers.