Monday, October 31, 2011

Cooler Weather is here :)

Nothing better in the cool days of Autumn or the Cold days of Winter than a big piping hot bowl/cup of soup. I can hardly wait for those first cold days to fire up the huge cooking kettle to make my self some home made soup. Yes I make a lot extra so I can freeze it for later meals... I recently made a huge pot of Roast Beast Stew.. My favorite soup....It was so yummy... I had it at home for lunches and dinners.. I even took it to work and everyone loved it. My next favorite soup is Baked Potato soup.... Here is a great recipe... enjoy ;)
LOL anyone that knows me .. its Forget the Low Fat anything .. give me the real stuff...
This would be great served with some yummy home made bread.. or some corn muffins.

 Recipe from Savorthesenses.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 3 lbs small Yukon gold potatoes
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups low-fat milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1 cup chopped green onions (divided)
  • 6 bacon slices (cooked & crumbled)
  • salt (to taste)
Instructions
  1. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of water until soft (about 25 minutes).
  2. Set aside 1/2 pound of the cooked potatoes.
  3. Mash the remaining potatoes and set aside.
  4. Heat the flour in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat, then slowly add the milk, whisking until well blended.
  5. Continue to cook the milk over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8-10 minutes), stirring frequently.
  6. Add the mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt and pepper and stir until the cheese is completely melted.
  7. Remove the soup from heat and stir in the sour cream and 1/2 cup green onions. Add additional salt to get desired taste.
  8. Return the soup to medium heat and continue to cook until heated through (about 10 minutes). Do not let the soup boil.
  9. Cut the reserved potatoes into small cubes and divide the soup into serving bowls.
  10. Top each bowl with a few potatoes, cheese, green onions and bacon bits to serve.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

To Cute not to share :)

Isn't this funny!!!
Happy Halloween :O)
Photo by:DiscoverMilton.com

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

A Winter Wonderland

I promised that once we got the Christmas block swap underway.. that I would announce the Next Swap. I know your very excited to hear what I have in store.... :) I tossed several things around in my head, like a table runner.. but there is a swap going on right now for that. I thought about another Crumb Catcher Mug Rug swap.. but I think I am sort of tired of those!! I even thought about us doing a Christmas Annie Doll swap.. but decided to for go that idea also... Your saying to your self is she doing an Apron swap? No not an apron swap :) I can tell you this swap will be a lot of fun!!! Ok I have stalled long enough!!!

 WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A CHRISTMAS STOCKING SWAP :)
Yes you will be making your partner an awesome handcrafted stocking.


 This adorable Stocking can be found at RoxyCreations on Etsy.. I love this girls work .. Her stockings are so much fun!!! If you can't sew and want to play in this swap.. your more than welcome to purchase a handcrafted stocking ;)  There are a number of fun stockings for sale on Etsy.. (Support Handmade)

Requirements for the SWAP:
You will be making one Handmade stocking at least 16 inches in length and approx 7 inches across. 
(Please line your stockings) (Name on stocking Optional)

Once your stocking is completed it's time to stuff your stocking :)
Please include the following two items, the rest of the stocking stuffers are your choice.
It wouldn't be Christmas without these two items ;)
You must include:
One store purchased or one handcrafted Christmas Ornie. Your choice.
Some sweet sugary goodness. (Everyone knows the APP loves her some Chocolate)

Please be generous and fill up your stocking. 
It is Christmas ;)  
Please wrap your extras with tissue ;)
The stuffers don't need to be expensive...
Examples:
Tea wallet
Zipper Bag
Shoop Shoop Bag
Cup Cozy
Pin Keep
Cookie Cutter
Chap Stick
Nail Clipper
Holiday Broach
Small tube Hand Lotion (please place in sealed zip bag)
Stickers
Note Pad
Sewing items
Fabric
Ink Pen
Book Mark
Color Pencils
Emery Board
Key Chain
Cup cake papers
Cup cake picks
Hand crafted recipe cards
Christmas CD Mix you make

Sign ups start Today and sign ups end Nov 11th
Once you sign up and get a return email from me.. please start your stocking..
I will try to get partners assigned 2 days after swap closes.
Your swap MUST be completed 
and mail by Dec 16th,
We want your partner to enjoy your lovely handmade stocking for the Christmas Holiday.

Please send the swap Mommie the following to:
auntpittypatsfun@yahoo.com

Name
Address
Phone number (swap mommies eyes only)
Blog
International... No or Yes

Ladies PLEASE if you can not complete this swap on time.. DO NOT sign up!!
I don't want any disappointed partners.. it's Christmas... let's put a smile on each others face... 
Sorry No Angel on this swap! 
There will not be enough time to make up the swap and get them out before the Holiday.

Swap Button to come soon... keep watching ;)

*A side note*
Thank you ladies for getting your 
Halloween Tote Mug Rug Swaps
out on time for your partners to enjoy ;)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

It's started...

  Out with the old in with the new ;)


It has been beautiful here in Ta Town just the perfect weather to install my new front door. 
We had to do some rebuilding of the opening .. but I think it will all work out nicely. 


Removal of the old front door. Gezeee sort of a mess. 
Oh well that is why we have brooms and shop vac's.


New door.. still needs a bit of frame work. The opening was about 8-10 inches to large. 
We had to rebuild the framing area. 
This is a problem you run into sometimes when you have an old house with 10-12 foot ceilings. 
The door opening is way to large, for the new modern doors.  
Unless you special order.. and that is very expensive.
This door is going to look awesome with new siding and trim attached to it.
Since this photo new brushed brass door handles have been installed.

I have to tell a funny story The Pitty is having a tad bit of trouble adjusting to the new front door.
She sat all night the first night and just stared at it. She could see that it was different, but could not figure out why. She could see the cars driving down the street and the Lights from the city across the fields.
She stayed up all night Watch Dog-ing just so The Mommie could be safe and sleep. 
Only thing was..... she kept barking at all the new sights and kept The Mommie wide awake. 
Such a sweet protective little girl ;)

 

Look who's here!!!
All up set with The Mommie that she has to stay in her play pen.
For her safety and my piece of mind she had to go into the safe place for babies.
 I didn't want The Pitty running in and out of the house freely.
 There are monsters outside of that doorway, that the Pitty just doesn't understand.
Cars, Trucks, Tractors, Combines, Dogs, Cats, Hawks, Eagles, Horses and other Predators OH MY!!!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

It's the Beginning ;)

Today.. the work on the Oleo Ranch (one of the cheaper spreads) begins...
the new front door is to be installed today!!! 
I can hardly wait to see it finished.
The door had to be gel stained and then sealed before it could be installed. 
I have not seen it since the first coat of stain.
It was beautiful then and I am sure it will be more beautiful now. 
Just putting in the front door will make a huge difference in the old farm house. 
But it will really pop when the new siding and trim gets on!!!
I am so excited.. yes I will try and take photos as the work progresses!
I was sort of pleased with myself ... my dad's friend De-way a long time friend.  
I do mean a long time friend... over 50 years.
Has a handy man that is doing the work for me. 
Inc has been De-way's handyman for years and he recommended him to me.
I am so excited to find a handyman that can help me out around here for a reasonable wage.
We have several projects line up for him to work on over the next year ;)
De-way called Daddy O and chatted with him a few days ago. 
He told Daddy O he had seen my door, and said how nice and pretty it is.
I have not gotten excited about the whole thing until I woke up today... the new begins!
I picked out a very expensive door with a Stain Glass Panel... It really is pretty .. you will see soon :)
I chose to put an expensive door in the house because the old one is not level and has a huge gap in it.. 
I know that is where a lot of my AC and heating goes. 
The Daddy O was very excited for me! That I am getting the improvements.
Improvements are always good ;)

Friday, October 14, 2011

THANK YOU EVERYONE THE SWAP IS FILLED ;)

Thank you ladies for helping me fill up the spaces for our 
Annual Christmas Block Swap 
your the greatest.. 
Happy Sewing and have a great time creating ;)

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Yes ladies you have read right. The blog is starting to look like Christmas even though Halloween has not passed us by ;) One must get a head start on getting all those fun and exciting swaps started.. the reason you say??? So there will be enough time to get them accomplished. If you have noticed over the last couple of days...The Christmas block swap is starting to fill up nicely. There are only a few spaces left to fill .....so hurry hurry hurry.. don't miss out on receiving some fun and creative blocks. Let's get them filled ;) 
Ask your sewing friends if they would like to play in the swap.. I always like to see new faces! 
After the Block swap is under way ... 
I will announce another Christmas Swap in the Beginning Of November. 
So stick around to see what that is going to be all about ;) 
Until the announcement of the next swap... 
Make Aunt Pitty Pat a happy girl and lets get the last few spaces filled... 

Saturday, October 8, 2011

I am so excited!!!

I want to take a moment and say a big THANK YOU to all of you that have answered my email and have either joined in on the fun or have declined. I am very surprised ....that the swap has slid by a lot of my regular Block swapping ladies without their notice. I am so happy I sent out an invitation email to my prior participants :) If the ladies decided they did not want to join in on the fun... I asked for feed back and I have received some very good suggestions. I hope to use them during the next swap season!
I know I have not given any of you that have signed up for the swap my address yet.. once we get the groups filled, I will send out a reminder of the rules and my email address.. thank you for waiting on that :)
I hope everyone is having a great weekend.. don't forget to drop by JoAnn's its the Columbus day Sale Weekend.. I picked up 16 yards of warm and white... used my 50% off coupon and my Birthday Gift card from my family...Yeah for great sales.. also Simplicity Patterns are on sale for 99cents..
I was very disappointed.. I wanted a certain pattern and it was sold out.. Oh well maybe next time..

Friday, October 7, 2011

It looks like swapping days are about over??


We only have a few days left to get the spaces filled for the Christmas Block swap. Before the sign up date ends. The swap has not filled up as quickly as I had hoped. I have always enjoyed my block swaps... but it looks like they are becoming a thing of the past. I have been struggling to get people to join in on the fun. I think I know the reason for the hesitation... No one likes to wait on others that are late getting their swaps in on time. I hate that it happens. I have no control over that...I wait to receive the late ones to send the complete set back out. ME......I just hope each time I hold a fun block swap that everyone will get them in on time....
OK Now here is the deal.....
Ladies I need your help to get others to join in. If you know someone or can recommend someone that would like to join in on the swap give them my email.... I would love to have them! I always like to make a new friend in my swaps.... some of my oldest blog land friends have came for joining in on fun swaps. Some of my swaps were sensational and others were duds. The way I see it .... it's fun and you can make a new friend that enjoys the same interests ;)
So come on ladies lets recruit new participants in the swap and get these last spaces filled up ;)
Thanks in advance for you help :)