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Showing posts with label halloween costume. Show all posts
Showing posts with label halloween costume. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

A Huge Thank You

In the past I have explained how I am just awful at tooting my own horn as they say. To boast of brag as my Gram would call it just isn't in me. Yes I have made alot of really cute items but I would leave it at that. Then today I received an email thanking me for a sock monkey set I had made especially for a photo shoot.  Now most of my customers write to say thanks it turned out cute but this email made my day.
Just wanted to tell you how awesome you are !

Momma LOVED the monkey set.....baby looked ADORABLE in it! *wink*
 
Thank you so much for always doing such a great job for me! :)

--
Heather Burchinal
HB Photography 




Yes, the set turned out cute, but I think the photographer had alot to do with it. I went and visited her blog and sight and was amazed at a set of photos with a field of sunflowers. What imagination !
Now I have been using my two little guys at home for models and thought I did really well until I saw these shots. If you need work done and live anywhere near Heather I would highly recommend her. The work is amazing!


these hats and much more can be found at http://www.etsy.com/shop/grammasgifts

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Things Falling Into Place

Well, the big kids are back at school and I am finding ways to work around the little guys.  Going has been slow but I did find something fun for them to do this morning. A photo shoot for the new scarf I listed on Etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/81369181/snake-scarf-kids?ref=sr_gallery_5&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=snake+scarf&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_ship_to=US&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade


what a nice bunch of mug shots.  No, they were not forced to do this, not afraid of the Snake.  But the little guy is definitely planning something evil .  We have bread rising and my plan for dinner is chicken soup since the weather has cooled.  Kluski noodles from the Amish Store will make a nice addition. This weekend you can find me at Volkfest in Waupon having a great time.http://www.facebook.com/pages/Waupun-Volksfest/205501786163640 So, I am off to finish hats and tag some items for my table. All with the help of the little guys. 

Friday, July 15, 2011

In the Process

  After living in our little near lake cottage for about 15 years we are moving. Not very far, in the same school district and closer to town.  Yet, this is all very hard for me, I am not good at change, and all the commotion and overwhelming work has me a bit frazzled.  The house has much more room, a beautiful view and is just what we needed, but between the boys stays, filling the Etsy shop, getting orders ready and shipped I haven't had a lot of time. What I really need is an afternoon to sit and catch up with my friend Jean who own the Teapot Quilt Cottage and Garden Center in Montello. She has a knack for getting all the craziness calmed down and things put in perspective.   DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. 
   Now with all this going on in my life I feel the need to make bread...I better do it today because the weatherman has a brutal next seven days mapped out for us.  I like 70's during the day and 50's at night. If I could find such a place year round I would give a kidney to move there. Now with much of the kitchen packed, any serious baking will be a project so I found this recipe

No Knead Bread Recipe


Servings: One 1-pound loaf Prep Time: Cook Time:

No Knead Bread Recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman of NY Times who got it from Sullivan Street Bakery. When the recipe first came out, it was the blogging community who took the bread to new heights, especially Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Bread Bible. I followed Rose's experiments through the weeks and learned from her recipe adjustments and the why's of how this bread works.
Ingredients:

3 cups bread flour (I like Harvest King bread flour)

1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

1 teaspoon fine table salt (or 3/4 tablespoon of kosher salt)

1 1/2 cups warm water
Covered pot (five-quart or larger cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, enamel...something that can go into a 450F oven.)
Directions:

1. Mix dough: The night before, combine all ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. It will be a shaggy, doughy mess. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 12-20 hours on countertop.
2. Shape & preheat: The dough will now be wet, sticky and bubbly. With a wet spatula, dump the dough on a floured surface. Fold ends of dough over a few times with the spatula and nudge it into a ball shape. You can use your hands if you like, just keep your hands wet so that the dough does not stick. Generously dust a cotton towel (not terrycloth) with flour. Set dough seam side down on top of towel. Fold towel over the dough. Let it nap for 2 hours. When you've got about a half hour left, slip your covered pot into the oven and preheat to 450F.
3. Bake: Your dough should have doubled in size. Remove pot from oven. Holding towel, turn over and dump wobbly dough into pot, using your hands to get the dough off the towel. Doesn't matter which way it lands. Shake to even dough out. Cover. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is beautifully golden and middle of loaf is 210F. Remove and let cool on wired rack. If not eating right away, you can re-crisp crust in 350F oven for 10 minutes.
http://steamykitchen.com/168-no-knead-bread-revisited.html  check out this site for great directions along with photos as well as more recipes.
   Before I can get to the bread though I need to pacge two hats to go to the post office. One skunk and a new hat ...the rhino, I must say he is adorable.


This hat was a suggestion for a customer on Etsy, I love when they ask for new hats, it keeps things fun!

Boxes to pack, directions to give.....I like to position of supervisor, I hate packing LOL
https://www.facebook.com/GrammasGifts  LIKE us on facebook and see new items as they are ready for the shop!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

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.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Thankful Thursday at Pattibears

First off, I was thinking back to 1 year ago when we were waiting for little Carsen to be born. Not sure if he would have Down's Syndrome, what other problems he might have.  Well as I watched him try and walk this morning I feel very blessed that he was perfect . Happy, outgoing baby that at times never seems to sit still. A blessing.  He was pictured in an ETSY treasury today http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c11246378348eef6df8b842/whats-that-smell?show_panel=true

The adorable little sticker will be 1 tommorrow.  Last fall he sold many hats with that photo.

Thankful that school is out and the kids no longer need a ride back and forth each day and can help out at the shop.  My lawn can get mowed and no more 6th grade Math homework to help with. Mikey is going to Jr. High.  Now that makes me feel really old and a little scared, but this is thankful Thursday so I won't dwell on it.

Liz is off Sunday to St. Norberts for a summer college program, a great kid, smart and funny .  This time next year she will be gradyuated and off to college.  How time flies.

Matt and Chrissy are home and working hard at the resort nearby, I am thankful they have their jobs as jobs are hard to come by and this one is within walking distance.



Thankful that at home all seems well, for the time being. It takes so much energy to be stressed and I can really use the break. Having MG stress can knock me out and I have a full house, 3 teenagers, 1 eleven year old, 4 days a week a 1 yr old and a 2 yr old then 2 grown daughters ( here is where the stress comes in ) 3 dogs and a hubby ( can be major stress) LOL so thankful right now all is good!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

This little "Stinker" was amazed at how many Moose Hunt players came to Grandma's shop !     Saturday found us very busy at Pattibears Place with more than 40 people getting in on the Great American Moose Hunt. It has been alot of fun chatting with visitors and finding out where they are from and sending them on their way to find more Moose Hunt tickets around town and then throughout the state.
    I was also shocked when I listed this adorable skunk hat on Craigs List and got orders almost instantly. So I am off to paint and crochet and get the orders out.
Thank you to all my new customers and those who come back time and again for a great weekend!  See you soon

Friday, September 11, 2009

A new idea for Halloween...

Over the years I have dressed my fair share of kids for Halloween. Being from the Chicago area many of those years the weather was so bad, you did'nt even see the costume hidden under the winter coats. Then there were alwyas those so small they came along for the ride in the stroller. So with 2 new little guys in the family I have set out and come up with a few hats that could double as a halloween costume for the little ones. The adorable bright green froggy hat, that also has a sweater to match  and this morning finished a little "stinker" skunk hat.... too cute, I can't wait to get the photos uploaded. We have a puppy hat and a cow hat in the works complete with a cow bell.  I can't wait to get home and finish up a few more.

The shop is filling up and everyone just loves these hats, my latest request was to make groggy hats in sizes for the teens at school!!! At least I know that their ears will be covered!Keep checking back to see the new hats posted.