Cookies

Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin cookies anyone? Soft oatmeal cookies, I might add, due to a minimum baking time and the addition of a tablespoon of lemon juice. Delicious!

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1 and 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup softened butter (1 1/2 sticks)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups coarsely ground old-fashioned oatmeal, uncooked

1 cup raisins

1 package chocolate chips

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two large cookie sheets. In small bowl, with wire whisk, stir flour, baking soda, and salt until blended.

2) In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat white and brown sugars with butter until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in eggs, one at a time, bating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl.

3) With wooden spoon, stir in oats, raisins and chocolate chips until well combined.

4) Drop dough by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake cookies until tops are golden, 12 to 14 minutes. With a wide spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Repeat for any remaining dough. Enjoy!

Hungry, Anyone?

Well, I hope you're not too hungry, because these treats would hardly fill up a baby's tummy!

See that ham sandwich up above?

It's only 7/8's of an inch long.

This adorable breakfast tray is 5 centimeters wide and completely hand constructed out of polymer clay. I love the citrus fruit and salami!

While on Etsy a while back, I came across an Etsy shop owner, Shay Aaron, from Israel, who creates miniature clay food items.

Check out those meatballs! I was totally amazed at the huge amount of detail that goes into making these pieces that are the size of a penny.

I could never do that- think of all that delicate work it would take to create such tiny pieces of food! I have neither the patience nor perseverance!

"That would take a lot of work!" Soph exclaimed. I agreed. How could you even see to do something so tiny, and well, miniature??

I'd have to say either the stew ingredients on the cutting board or the salmon with lemons is my favorite miniature- how about you?

On Flowers...

Aren't the colors and textures of this flower simply gorgeous? Forgive me for all of my floral pictures, but I really can't help it. I'm just drawn to flowers. To me, they speak of so much life and beauty in God. How could anyone look at a blossom as it opens up, or the grass as it keeps growing after its been cut and say, "there is no God?"

I think that the photo below is my favorite- so pretty!

Which one is your favorite?

Fabric Flower Tutorial

As many of my family members and friends will attest, I kind of have an obsession with creating fabric flowers. Ribbon, buttons, hot glue sticks and fat quarters became my close companions for a while as most of my spare time was spent creating flowers- for bags, clips and headbands. We took a family weekend trip in November, and I was as happy as a clam creating 20 or so flowers in one of the back rows of the van.

I think I can say that my obsession has subsided a little, but I still enjoy making them and wanted to share how to make one with you.

First, I cut out 5 circles of fabric- you only see 4, but that's because I had started the project before I remembered to take some pictures. :)

Any number of odd circles will do, but the more circles, the bigger the hole in the middle and the more work it takes to make it look nice.

Fold one circle in half,

Then in half again.

Thread a needle and knot it tight, sewing a simple running stitch along the curved base- the bigger the stitches you put in, the smaller your "petal" will be. Try to do the same number of stitches in each petal, as this will make them look more uniform.

Pull the the thread and slide the "petal" along till you reach the knot in your thread- like so:

Repeat and continue with the remaining fabric circles, and then sew your thread again into the back of your original petal, joining them all together into a circle. I like to go around again with my thread through the fabric to secure the petals.

Cut and knot your thread. It's now basically done, and you can attach it to anything you want. I attached mine to a stretchy headband with a piece of ribbon on the back. I made it adjustable, so the flower can slide to wherever you want it on your head.

I also hot glued some beads for the center of my flower. You could do buttons too.



It's now finished, and my younger sister is thrilled with it!

Daisies in a Bouquet

Their loveliness was only exceeded by the sight of Viv's sweet face peeking over the top of the freshly harvested bouquet. I love her!

Spring Strawberries

From tiny white blossoms,

To fuzzy green berries,

To, finally, juicy red fruit that tastes ever so much better than store-bought. So much so that there were hardly any berries left for me to take a photo of!

A Leak in the Hose

I love taking photos of small, seemingly insignificant things that look beautiful if we take the time to study them. It makes me so amazed at all of the beauty and wonder there is to find in our Creator who created these small treasures.

Linking up to Wednesday's Close-up Photo Challenge over at God's Teenage Photographer

Lovely Signs of Warmer Weather...

sustain us through the rain, fog and cold mornings.

(Almost) Restaurant Worthy Pizza

Pizza is our family's Friday night tradition- two of them, actually, to accomodate our many family members :)

Once the dough is mixed together, and has risen for a while, it's time to roll it out. We always have many hands willing to roll, squish and pinch the pizza dough.


With our favorite toppings in place, they are baked for some minutes, emerging from the hot oven crisp and golden.

"It smells like Dominoes in here!" Viv exclaims as she runs down the stairs.
"Yummy!"

Lovely Lilacs Are Blooming...

...without and within.

A collection of recycled glass bottles hold stalks of fragrant lilacs on my nightstand,

while a vase full of them acts as a book-end. They fill my bedroom with such a light floral scent that it even makes waking up a delicious pleasure!

And I couldn't resist adding one more to the old piano.

Paganini-Liszt's Theme and Variations played to the fragrance of lilacs is simply beautiful.

Terms of Endearment?

Most people use such terms as "sweetheart," "lovey," and "darling" for their loved ones. Sam must have been thinking along the lines of food terms such as "honey," "pumpkin," or "sweetie-pie" when he woke up this morning and greeted little Ellie with a loud, "Hi, chunk of cheese!"
That's the only thing we can think of to explain such an odd term of endearment!

Spring Gala Blog Party

Ashley at Bramblewood Fashion is hosting a blog party and to participate, you have to fill out the following questionnaire:

1. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?



I would go back to the Philippines. I actually want to move there someday and start an orphanage. :)


2. What is the oldest item you own?
An aquamarine ring from my great-grandma. Her fingers must have been tiny - and mine are not! - so the only way I can wear the ring is on a chain around my neck.

3.If you had to pick one hero, who would it be?

Amy Carmichael. Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a missionary and save children - like Amy did.

4. If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would they be?

John Newton,

Amy Carmichael,

and Ronald Reagan. I could name lots more- I'd probably end up having a huge dinner party, but we'll just stick with those three for now. :)

5. Which do you like better Coke or Pepsi?

Is it all right if I say "neither?" Because I would rather have iced green tea, or juice, then soda.

6. What would you rather have, chocolate or cookies?

Usually cookies would win, especially if they're the bad-for-you kind with frosting and sprinkles. ;)

7. What is your favorite season?


Spring or summer. I dislike wet, cold, icy snow immensely. Give me sunshine anytime!

8. What is your favorite thing about spring? Sun on pale faces, new freckles, bare feet, blossoms and a refreshed appreciation for the beautiful life God has given to me.

9. What's your favorite music?

Some classical piano, some Selah, and anything else that glorifies the Lord.

10. What is your fashion/personal style?

Bold and colorful- but I try to keep it from getting too crazy! I love feminine pieces and accessories are fun but, like my colors, I'm working on not wearing too many at one time!

Thanks, Ashley, for the chance to enter!