Oh what a day

Today has been one of those days when you just want to sit and cry. Maybe its the grey day outside or the fact that I am way too old for all this day to day baby stuff. I can't keep up. Having part of the house under construction doesn't help either. Orders are coming in for the skunk and frog hats and I can't seem to get more than five minutes to myself here.  As I type this I sure sound like I am whining, and I hate whining! I did finish a little Packer hat for JJ today and did get to list a few items on Etsy but beyond that is has been diapers, toys and alot of crying, the majority mine I think. Feed me, change me, pick me up.....and then feed me all over again. I did this the first time with out ever breaking a sweat but, at 55 I am out of patience and want someone to feed me and put me for a nap. I did have a minute this morning before they woke up to find a nice applesauce cupcake recipe. My plan for the day was , as they were finishing the work. ( they have stopped for the day at it is still undone ) I would bake some cupcakes with the boys and we would then have a nice day. When they napped I would dust quick and then work on hats. Well, I have learned NEVER to make plans.....kids change them. No naps, crabby baby and a 2 year old who I think is attached to me at the hip. Tommorrow will be better......at least that is what I am praying for tonight.






Applesauce Cupcake Recipe




Ingredients
•1/2 cup butter or margarine
•1 egg
•1/4 cup sugar
•11/2 cups flour
•1 teaspoon baking soda
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon cinnamon
•11/2 teaspoons nutmeg
•1 cup applesauce unsweetened
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/4 cup walnuts

Mixing Directions
1.Preheat over to 375dregrees
2.line cupcake tins with paper or foil liners
3.cream butter or margarine until creamy and fluffy
4.beat egss and sugars for one minute or until well mixed
5.add to butter or margaring
6.mix dry ingredients togetherand blend inmargarine or butter mixture
7.put in vanilla
8.put in walnuts
9.pour into 12 cups about 2/3rds full
10.bake 15 to 18 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean


Applesauce Cupcakes taste delicious with peanut butter icing.

•1 cup confectioners sugar

•1 cup creamy peanut butter
•6 tablespoons unsalted butter
•3/4 tablespoon vanilla
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/3 cup of cream

Mixing Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor or mixer, and beat on low speed, for approximately 3 minutes, until it becomes a light and fluffy frosting.

Fall is here

The temperature doesn't show it but on Saturday we have Harvest Fest in Montello and I am busy finding some muffin recipes for the pancake breakfast and bake sale. It should be a fairly busy day downtown and it is kind of sad to watch the shop get empty but.....nose to the grindstone and looking ahead to the diner. I will still make the sweaters and hats for Josphines in Watertown and the etsy shop. I will get much more done at home, I have already painted the living room and changed things around and the bathroom. The kitchen could use some tender loving care and it keeps my mind busy while all the paper work and waiting goes on. Not that my two little helpers don't keep me busy enough. The shop will officially close October 31st. So there will be big sales as I don't want to store anything and will be making new items for the fall and Christmas shows I plan on doing.

Apple Muffins


These apple muffins smell like apple pie when they're baking. If you can't find cinnamon chips in your local supermarket, simply leave them out. Or use chocolate chips or butterscotch chips instead.
The walnut streusel topping gives these apple muffins wonderful crunch.



Prep Time: 15 minu
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

•1 cup all-purpose flour
•1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
•1 Tbsp. baking powder
•1/2 tsp. cinnamon
•1/4 tsp. salt
•2 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
•1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
•1 large egg
•1/2 cup sugar
•2/3 cup skim milk
•1 cup chopped apples
•1/2 cup cinnamon chips
•.
•For Topping
•1/2 cup finely-chopped walnuts
•2 Tbsp. brown sugar
•1/2 tsp. cinnamon
•2-3 tsp. skim milk
Preparation:

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a large muffin tin.

2.Whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

3.In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, flaxseed meal, egg, sugar and skim

4.Fold dry ingredients into wet, stiring until incorporated, but do not overmix.

5.Stir in chopped apples and cinnamon chips.

6.Fill muffin cups two-thirds of the way.

7.Combine topping ingredients. Sprinkle over muffins.

8.Bake 18-22 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

9.Cool on a wire rack before serving.

 

http://www.indiegogo.com/Patti-Lekas

Tooting ones own Horn

In todays world this seems like something you need to do, not only do but be good at. this is extremely hard for me. I don't know if it is from childhood, or a personality thing but I am AWFUL at it. Yet, I have been told I NEED to do just that if I ever want to get anything done for our town. I have huge dreams that we can restart our town. It was and still is a very pretty little town, Set in some of the best hunting, fishing and camping in Wisconsin. Times change and people go where they see the ads for and unfortunately there have been no huge ad promotions for Montello since the 70's. The lakes and woodlands we had then we still have, the rivers and bike trails, birds and wildlife. We need to get visitors to our town and new small businesses to fill the shops and make stopping here something to talk about. Now with all that said , where do I come in.....I had a dream     you've heard that somewhere before. Let me go to the beginning, I am a MOM of 5 grown kids who since the early 70;s has had symptoms of myastenia gravis ( a form of MD )  , I muddled through when no one knew what was wrong. The in 1989 I was told the diagnosis, I had one small grandson and was give some very good advice from the smartest woman I knew ( My Gram)  make each day count, none of know what is in store for us, don't waste a day) so I have tried. I have taken Granddaughters to ballet, moved to Wisconsin. Here to my every day is vacation spot and am raising 3 teen age grandkids and two adorable but tiring great grandsons. Yet there is more to my dream. It has three parts. First to open the small diner in our downtown and add to it a cupcake bakery. The kind of diner where you can depend on Monday Meatloaf , homemade soups and desserts and a basket of fries to share. Second to enter Iron Cupcake Milwaukee and third to help put Montello back on the map for tourist year round. Now to alot of people this sounds out of reach but, I think it is possible...maybe bot to win Iron Cupcake Milwaukee but at least the diner, the town and get entered in Iron Cupcake.  I was given a link to a great site where you can post your project and people from all over can learn about it and if they choose give you a donation and earn some perks for doing so. I have that link and please check it out, share it with friends and help me toot my horn! http://www.indiegogo.com/Patti-Lekas  I will check back time and again and let everyone know how we are doing! Thanks in advance for getting the word out!

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!

Harvest Fest Windows

The windows in my shop and at the diner are finally painted to announce the coming of Harvest Fest. We met this morning to decide on who works the pancake breakfast, bake sale items and Sandy will be taking my job of hanging the corn stalks throughout the downtown. If only I had the info on the concert beforehand I could have worked that all in. Another example of not working with each other for a common good. Silly, that grouwn ups can't get the idea of cooperation and that if we all work together it lightens the work load and the end result is better.....enough of my rambling about Montello.
I am busy getting more frog hats and sweaters done for the fest, they make great costume alternatives for the little ones. This year our little guys are going as dinosaurs...we watch alot of dinosaur train on PBS here. The two dalmation sweaters are alomost done and the skink hats are down to the finishing touches, I will be glad when I can tag them and put them in the shop. With our little guy under the weather I am amazed I have anything done....he wears me out.

Did I tell you about

my happy dance. As a grandmother living with high school age grandkids and a seventh grader, I was elated, tickled pink to learn that the big red circle on last wednesday meant that school was starting. School...peace and quiet...early to bed, early to rise.. could it be, could I be that lucky?  I was , and I must confess as thy pulled out of the driveway for school that morning ( one of them drives and 2 are taking drivers ed)  I paused a moment and thewn did what is being called the HAPPY DANCE!  Like a weight had been lifted, I drank a cup of coffee in peace in quiet, did'nt fight for the bathroom to get ready for work and just bathed myself in the quiet.  Thank you teachers!!!!!
I went off to the shop, sort of humming with a grin I just couldnt lose...eight hours of teen free time. I cleaned the shop, finished a sweater order for etsy shop and then painted a Santa. I had fun. Who needs summer vacation ...give me SCHOOL

Frogs are hopping

the Frog sweaters are hopping right out of the shop. In the past week three of them have sold in the etsy shop.....wonderful news! http://www.etsy.com/listing/55332774/froggy-sweater  I am busy working on not just the frogs but a new dinosaur and the skunk and two dalmation hooded sweaters. I am thinking to Halloween here in Wisconsin where it can be sunny and warm, or the kids could be in mittens. Just grab an animal hat and a set of nice soft sweats and the little one is set, or a hooded sweater or sweater and hat. The hats can be worn all winter and machine washed and dried. 


I am also busy putting together our Harvest Fest, a bike ride, crafters and a pancake breakfast. It should be a good time with the leaves changing and pumpkins everywhere.

I am also on the committee for next years Fish n Fun Fest, so things are hectic, but on a good note.....school started yesterday and I could be seen doing the happy dance in the driveway as those three adorable teens left for school.

I am hoping to finish a dinosaur today and get some good photos with Carsen our littlest in the sweater. Last years photos he was the baby skunk....but a year is a long time and he now walks, runs and is not a photo bug. Wish me luck!

Kids back to school, a break in the heat and hopefully a busy weekend at the shop and maybe I won't notice that nagging pain that I cant seem to lose.   Note to self, getting older isnt neccesarily better!

Back Pain

I have been out of sorts as my Grandmother would say, what started out as a hip ache , went to my back aND NOW DOWN MY LEGS. After 3 Drs. visits I am signed up to see a doctor for pain management ughhhh,  I just want to be able to do my daily routine without the constant ache. I havent painted much as I can only lift 10 pounds and any lifting seems to put a strain on my back. Sitting to work on the dinosaur sweaters is also a pain and getting up from a chair is awful. But, what can you do, so I muddle through and hope to wake in the morning better, it came on overnight ...maybe it will leave that way.

Christmas in July

This souns like a fun idea, the whole town has specials in the shop and people serve Christmas cookies and have treats for the shoppers. Except if it is in the 80"s and you need to bake these cookies. Hot and humid and yes tommorrow starts Montellos Christmas in July.
I had put alot of thought into what I could do in the shop. Bring out the Christmas so those visiting only once this year had a chance to shop, make a few great sale items and the best.....Paint Santas
Painting Santa is a real project when the last thing you feel like is chilly and snow. The shops ari is on the fritz and santa is coming along slowly. Not, one Santa on an old ironing board but three. In the morning , refreshed and hopefully cooler I will add the finishing touches to them, break out the cookies and against my better judgement put on a Christmas cd. Personalized gingerbread families are ready and I dug out the pine scented candles for that Christmas feel. I will have to let you know if it works as well as we had planned.
I am finishing up a few more sweaters for the trip to Josephines Paper Box in Watertown, it will be nice to have another location to sell them out of. They have done fairly well on etsy so I hope they do in this shop as well.

This mornings events

I started out the day with a fest meeting, no major changes made, but good input. Then I met with my advisor from the UW who brought with him three student working on tourism in our area. We had a great talk and they will share their report and suggestions for our area when it is done. I have two Santas based and hopefully will get the details done as Christmas in July starts here on Saturday.

I am hoping to get some market bags sewn and a few small stoking stuffer type ideas all worked out and packaged. I will come back with photos if this all comes together,\\

I am here so long becuase my house has been over run with family and the only peace and quiet I get is at the shop early in the morning or in the evening. I paint to remain sane some days it seems. kids, grandkids, pets oh my.......

Christmas in July

I know when the thermometer reads 80 it is hard to think Christmas but.... that is exactly what I am up to here. I am painting Santas and getting the sweaters and caps all tagged and ready to go. Gingerbread families are drying and ready for finishing touches,
   I have a couple gift ideas and a neat way to decorate not just at Christmas but in your kitchen year round. GINGERBREAD.  simple yet adorable.
First if you have little ones, you can trace gingerbreadmen onto brown craft paper for ornaments and let them decorate with markers and a little white glitter for a sugary effect. Brown craft foam also works very well. Just trace a cookie cutter. make garlands cards, oh so many cute items for one pattern.
  Not feeling in the mood yet?  simmer a pot on the stove with a little ginger and nutmeg, maybe a dash of cinnamon and your house will smell like the holidays while you are busy working.
  My personalized gingerbread family has been a great gift idea now for a few years, the babysitter, grandma, friends and even yourself. Each little cookie wears the name of a family member.. Extra cookies are always available.  Gingerbread ornaments for your tree or use as gift tags that the recipient can use over and over again.

Make these ornaments and gifts with your kids, they will remember the naking years after the gift is gone.   

Life gives us lemons

For the most part I think I am a very nice person.  I help others, am active in my community, love my family and then out of the blue someone comes and sucks the fun right out of everything.

At our little group meeeting yesterday I was told I said something which was very untrue, from there came a few ugly emails and now I could spit nails.

As I sit back and go over events in my mind I see I should have gotten away from all this buzz months ago and did'nt ....silly me

I have eaten 2 candy bars, chocolate, they did'nt help, I am on the fourth cup of coffee and that has only made me have to take more breaks.

Why are people so two faced, by this time in my life I thought all that would be a thing of the past. not so! In business, sometimes people are not what they seem. It is a shame because how much nicer would it be and easier to just take everyone at face value.
What have I learned..
listen to your gut
get everything in writing
share nothing
no one does anything nice for no reason

Funny but I have taught the kids just the opposite.

This incident has really got me bummed and I wish I could find a way to just push it out of my mind instead of steaming over all the trash talk. I will go back and paint another window and try to push all this aside before I go home to those two adorable lieele guys who are now my permanent house guests!

Life takes a turn

Just when we think we have all of our ducks in a row,  life steps in.  That is just what happened this week when out of the blue I was hit with a bout of diverticulitis.  To top that off two little whirlwinds moved into my house.

This is JJ, at 2 1/2 and is Gramma's little helper, he helps pull weeds ( they were actually cosmos) sets the table and loves to vacumn.

This is FREDDIE  ( Carsen ) he just turned one and is not quite walking, but in the blink of an eye he can be on any piece of furniture in the living room.

So, with a few days off sick I came up with a new sweater to add to Etsy and take to Josephine's when it opens in August.

We are very fond of Dinosaur Train on PBS so this is just perfect for the little guys. Boys and girls can both wear this one, and in any color combination!

Here is just a hat.  Dinosaur hat with some sweats would make a good Halloween cosatume alternative!

So I have been busy, even while I am on the mend, with help from my two special guys.

Memory Lane Friday Post 4th of July

4th of July was a BIG deal at our house. A family with 5 kids a Gramma and two great parents.Yes, it was Independance Day but around our house it was Freddies Birthday also.  Freddie is my younger brother and for years he thought that big family BBQ and evening fireworks were for him. His birthday is July 11.. but we had cake and presented were handed out, so it was easy now to see how he might of thought he was the Man of the day. We had a big swimming pool in the backyard and spent the day between our house and next door. There our neighbor Rose would BBQ and we'd open the gate between our yards and we would share the food, fun and later in the day FIREWORKS. There right on our lawn , after a day of swimming and getting together with dad's Aunts and Uncles, our Aunts and Uncles, cousins in all sizes, and just family friends, we would spread the blanket , grab some lawn chairs and watch as Dad and Big Bill next door put on a beautiful display. The ooohs and ahhhs would last for what seemed like hours as kids. So now when I think of 4th of July I smile... a big happy family, watermelon, bbq, swimming and that snuggle at dusk while you watched the sky light up.  You know , nothing would make me happier than to be able to have all those people right on my front lawn. Some are gone, like Dad and his Aunts and Uncles, Gram too. Freddie and Mom are in Florida, Jeff is in Indiana with his family, Tammy is in Ohio with kids in Florida, texas and ohio and Markie is in Florida with kids in Chicago and  Tennessee.  So I guess I send this memorie out to all of them.... MISS YOU all BUNCHES and wish you were here! But, since you can't be I will try to ensure my Grandkids gfet some memories of their own to hold on to !  Happy 4th



View 7701 S Long Ave in a larger map

That circle in the grass, was my crabapple tree. There are new sidewalks and our yard looks so much smaller. But there it is our corner house where 5 kids grew up happy healthy and loved... maybe we didn't say it but like was GOOD

Fridays thoughts......

The weather is just beautiful here today. Sunny and not to warm. The campers can be seen pulling into town, in fact last night was very busy with folks checking in. The waterfall IS back on and hopefully all the problems are behind us.
I can in early to get the shop all spruced up before the visitors arrive. Signs needed to be hung and the baby room needed some rearranging. All done now and I can finish my sweater and check out some blogs on the Friday Follow.
I planned the weekend to count in out of town visitors and I hope with me away the grass is being mowed and the little chores done. With any luck I can come home bake and enjoy some time on the patio.
I ahve been writing out a few of my favorite patterns to sell on Etsy and now it is down to the photos and finishing touches. Last week I taught a class on the hooded baby sweater and it went very well. I hope people enjoy them as much as I do.

I contacted Emmy Fink from Madison's channel 57 BUZZED into Madison and she has agreed to come out and once again do a story about Father marquette days.  She is so nice and funny...my Grandson Mike just loves her.

10 things that are sure to put a smile on your face when you are not happy.

On a bloghop I came across Mama's Losin' It and this , and thought it would be fun for today!
Write a list of 10 things that are sure to put a smile on your face when you are not happy.


1. watching the grandbabies sleep... the expressions as they dream, the pure innocence
2.coffee made when I wake up...call me bad but without coffee I am in for a BAD day no matter what
3.The sound of GRAMMA coming from the kids, I just hope I am as good a Gramma as my Gram was for me!
4.a phone call from Becky, my 4yr old granddaughter.. she is off in Chicago and calls me to discuss cooking, I am almost certain she will be a baker when she grows up.
5.baking.. the smell off oatmeal cookies can make anyone smile
6.a brownie, big and fudgy.. sometimes it just takes chocolate and in large quantities
7 watching the birds in my yard..how peaceful, no thinking just enjoying
8.sitting by the lake and remembering Dad, remembering much simpler times when someone made everything just right
9 a hug.. doesnt matter who it is from a HUG is great
10  time to chat with friends....alone  no phone ringing, no kids calling

now you try it link up with Mama Kat

Trying to think Christmas

In Montello we hold a Christmas in July each year. This means that right about now, I need to start painting Santas and getting things ready for that weekend. I must say though, it is very hard to think Santa when it is 80 degrees outside and sunny. Not only for that weekend but we have some tourists, who are only here one week a year and they like to pick things up during their stay. So, for the next few days I need to limit my computer time and paint.
  In the evening I crochet to fill the shop and now am busy getting a supply ready to take to Josephine's Paper Box in Watertown. The owner, my Aunt, will be opening in a new location in August and I am so happy to be one of her consigners.
  I am also working on writing up a few of my patterns to sell on Etsy. I personally have bought so many cute patterns from there, it is amazing what you can find in those Etsy shops. I recently helped my MOM set up a shop, I havent checked back to see if she has listed anything yet, but what a nice and easy way to get your crafts out for people to see and buy.  Handmade is a growing section of the market, nothing says YOU CARE like a handmade gift.
Here are a couple of my latest additions.

Wordful Wednesdays

It's Wednesday again.....today I have spent hours trying to coordinate a bike ride for the area around Pattibears Place. In September , when all the leaves are changing we hold Harvest Fest. By that time I will have painted black cats and pumpkins, scarecrows and witches.This year to make the most of all our natural resources we are adding a bird watching tour and an Autumn Colors Bike Ride. This should be alot of un, with the proceeds going to The Care and Share Food Bank of Marquette County.
With several routes to choose from, people of all ages and biking abilities will be able to join in. From Packwaukee to Germania , and on to Lake Puckaway , the scenery is beautiful and in its prime colors.
               I am also working on getting vendors for Father Marquette days which is August 21 and 22nd. Food, parade, softball tournaments and much more. The Rotary Club is working hard to help rebuild Father Marquette days to what it once was. A wonderful idea, and weather you are a Rotary member or not, everyone should roll up their sleeves and pitch in to help. I contacted EMMY FINK, from channel 57 here in Madison. She is the TV personality for Buzzed into Madison. She will once again come out and do a story to help promote Father Marquette days.
Today two young guys from San Francisco were in town talking to everyone. Commenting on what a great old town and how this could be a really great place for cute art shops and unique businesses. They are right, we need to get back to basics and pull together to help get Montello back on the map. What can we offer a new business at this time, not very much. We need more input from each other and networking to share and spread the word that Montello is still here and has lots to offer.I have contacted the UW extention office about some regional marketing classes they hold and hopefully a few of us can attend and learn some new ways to get Montello out there.
All this can be done.....I have been told by people who have lived here forever, that in years past because this is a farming community if some disaster happened on your farm......before you could think to ask for help, neighbors were there with food, tools and a helping hand. That is what we need today. Togetherness, promote the area, not just individual businesses.
In the mean time I keep filling my shop and making some sweaters for my Aunts shop in Watertown, Wi.  Josephine's Paper Box. If you are ever in the area you need to stop in, what a great variety of items for any occasion. I am also hoping to get all the loose ends for the diner tied up so I can finally get the work done and be open. A friendly place for locals and visitors to get a meal anytime of day. Fresh baked rolls and my favorite CUPCAKES!  So, I will keep on it , not just so I can have a great new business and make some money, but it will be an anchor for the downtown area. A much needed addition. So I have many irons in the fire and I wear many hats some days, but I love it ....most days.