New Etsy Shop

About a month agao I opened my second Etsy shop. I had the feeling having both my handpainted wood and my crocheted baby gifts in the same place, each were distracting from the other. I think I was right, in the past few week I have had 11 orders for skunk and frog hats or hats and sweaters. WOW, yes it is keeping me very busy but it is a GOOD busy. At the same time I am busy working on a business plan for a diner in our hometown, a much needed anchor to the business district. That sounds like BIG but it is only one main Hwy going through the downtown. So I crochet, then I type, then I work on cupcake recipes. I am including a cupcake bakery in the diner. Something that is not found locally. We will serve the usual old diner favorites like Meatloaf on Monday and breakfast all day, but it will be great to come in the morning and get fresh muffins and scones and the ever changing cupcakes. Here is a link to a fun FROG cupcake, with Halloween approaching and me working on a frog asweater I thought this was fun.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/frog-cupcakes/45057186-bd2d-4835-bc93-606de3199554
I will have to take a picture or tow when I get mine done as well as my taste testers hard at work.

Crisp Fall Air

makes me want to bake, clean house, rake the yard.......unfortunately I am still battleing the back ache, it has now been about 10 weeks. Four doctors appointments, a pain specialist, a catscan and I still can't function like normal. Or as my husband says, nomal for me ! So, to keep myself busy I have been baking cupcakes to find the best recipes for the diner when we finally get it open. (Yet another long story) the pumpkin ones from last Wednesday were great. http://muffintop.wordpress.com/2006/11/03/pumpkin-muffins   I used the whole can of pumpkin and they stayed moist, well as long as muffins can last in our house. Today inbetween finishing a skunk sweater http://www.etsy.com/shop/Grammasgifts  I am going to try a spce cake from scratch. The two little men in my life are off with my daughters on , what I hope will be a day long shopping trip. I have found I really am not as young as I used to be. They tire me out in no time at all. Ialso cannot pick them up, so like an old person, I am not left home alone with them....nursing hme here I come. LOL
  I also got an order for a squirrel sweater, so I am going to have to work on that. The tail has me stumped right now....but I am sure something will come to me. Our little guys who last year were skunk and frog , this year will be dinosaurs....they just love Dinosaur Train on PBS. So off I go to bake and inbetween maybe wash some dishes and get a sweater done.....all before my family returns. Wish me luck!

Costume Alternatives for kids

Once again I am busy coming up with some costume ideas for the two little guys in my life. Last year the baby Carsen , who is now one and running around was an adorable skunk. I made the hat and bought a pair of black sweats and he was warm and toasty as we did our trick or treating. JJ was a frog, again I bought a pair of green sweats that he wore until they didnt fit. The hats were also worn all winter, the ear flaps came in handy here in Wisconsin. A funny side story to this is that I have two granddaughters in high school who also had frog hats made and proudly wore them all winter, who knew it would be so easy to keep their ears covered. Then started taking orders for their friends. A college student from, New York ordered a skunk hat last year too from my Etsy shop. I have added a couple new  animals but the boys favorite this season is the dinosaur. Their favorite show on PBS is Dinosaur Train. So, I am making dinosaur sweaters in all kinds of colors and combinations.  My fingers are working non stop, if only I could crochet in my sleep.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Grammasgifts is my shop for all the cute costume alternatives and baby items!