Being Domestic

A few weeks back, I decided to visit my local thrift store and I found a few treasures. This apron appears to be hand made and is so gosh darn cute. I use it when I am cleaning the house. I started using aprons a few years back when I came to understand that no matter how hard I try, I am messy when baking. No matter how delicately I mix cake batter, it always seems to splatter on me. Flour is the biggest culprit when it comes to messes.


Aprons, although very "June Cleaver," really do save me from a lot of grief. So, this frilly little darling is used when I clean to keep dust, grime, and cleaners off of my duds.

This spiffy mug I purchased along with the apron and a vintage Roy Rogers book that I snagged for my Pappy. When people see me walk in the room with coffee in that mug, they know right away that I am one classy lady!







Today, I believe, is Maple Sunday. To celebrate, I made myself some crepes topped with sliced Mackintosh Apples, cinnamon sugar, and home made maple syrup. I, Ladytoesocks, certainly did not make that syrup. Yes, I do tend to go a little "Martha Stewart" most of the time. However, I cannot show this syrup without saying that my Pappy made this syrup from sap taken from the maple tree in out back yard.

Yes, it has been a rather domestic weekend, I currently have a pot roast in the oven, the laundry is being done, and off and on I've been working on a quilt for my mother. I have collected old flannel shirts from my Pappy, which I've cut up the shirts to make patches. I am now in the process of making squares. Within a few weeks, my Mum, can cozy up in a throw quilt made from her husbands shirts, and I think that is just so nice.

That is all for now. I'll keep you updated on my domestic adventures. Until then~ Toodaloo!

Ohhhhhh, It's Good to Be Back!

Yes, it HAS been a while. Do let me explain. My computer was sick, I couldn't post while it was not feeling well. Also, it took me a while to finally remember to pick up some batteries for my camera so that I could post pictures within my posts. Lastly, winter was bringing me down. I am at my least creative in the winter.


One reason I am less creative in the winter is the lack of sunshine and bird calls. As much as I love the winter holidays, looking out of doors tends to be monochromatic. It lacks inspiration for me. Also, with the holidays my creative energy is focused on making goodies and gifts for friends and family. On the practical side of the matter, it is unpleasant to paint in the winter because of the fumes. Naturally, I tend to paint more in the spring and summer months when I may air out my room with an open window.


Now, however, Spring is soon approaching. I began hearing the Phoebe in February and on random days I could smell Spring air. So, my creative urges are being rekindled.

As for March- we just had St. Patricks day.



I made a green velvet cake with minty cookies and cream frosting!
I didn't edit the photo before posting, so it's a little dark.
The cake is the color of moss.









I also made Irish soda bread!

This went great with our New England boil dinner!

Tonight, I shall work on a quilt. I hope you had a great St. Patricks Day!
Until next time~ Toodaloo!

Oh, I'm a Hermit!

Yes, it is true, I am living like a hermit. It is now February and it is freezing outside. The kind of cold, where if you step outside the water on your eyeballs and the moisture in your mouth screams "Holy Crap, what are you doing?" Still, no pictures of my doings. You cannot rely on rechargable batteries for a digital camera. The batteries may be better for the environment ~ I'm still on the fence on that one- but, they need to be charged every time you want to use them.

Today, I am going to make some cold cream. I have this pink spiral bound notebook that I've had for years. In it I've written various home remedies and recipes for girly things like facials, bubble baths, soaps, shampoos, etc. I would periodically peruse websites that had such recipes and record them in my own sort of beauty journal. So, today I am finaly going to try the cold cream recipe.

On another blog that I follow, a woman told of using her own concoction to cleanse her face that doesn't include soap. She had a link to another website that had an article about this and the recipe for the concoction and the benefits of it. Well, a month ago, I made the stuff and it really works! My face is a lot cleaner and regular facial soap dries the heck out of my face now.

I think that over time, we condition of skin to be accustomed to chemicals and less harsh ingredients. However, this often leads to unpleasant things like uneven skin tone and breakouts. Well, when I'd been using my concoction for a few weeks, I was tired and lazy one night, so I used some facial soap that I had still. It was a gel based soap, used to cleanse and fight aging etc. Wow, after using that my skin freaked out. So, the moral of the experience tells me this- be a little more conscience of what I do to myself.

In other news, I bought the movie Easy Virtue the other night. That is a fun movie with an even more fun soundtrack. The soundtrack has some music from the 1930's ( the time period of the film) but , what is even more fun about it is that they took modern songs and gave them a frisky 1930's jazz style. My favorite is the cover of the song "Sex Bomb." The version I remember was by Tom Jones- which in and of itself is a hilarious song. Turning it into a 30's jazz song is not only absurdly hilarious, it's genius! Yep, I think I'll track this down and add it to my soundtrack collection.

That is all, I must eat. I'll write later and detail how my cold cream came out. Until then~ Toodaloo!

January is Nearly Over!

So, I have been busying myself with domestic overload. After a much needed "girl day" last week, I was thrust forward into hermitdome. Working from home is convenient. However, this past Saturday was the re-scheduled family Christmas party. This meant that I was going to go a little over the top in the kitchen as I tend to do in these situations. Friday night, I began my ritual by inserting the DVD Enchanted into my kitchen DVD player then, I went wild. I began by making nice with the dirty dishes in the sink so that I could have a clean work environment. Then, I made a yellow butter cake from a box.

Our family Christmas dinner is usually a Mexican themed meal. So, I decided that my contribution to the feast would be a flan inspired dessert trifle. So, while the cake was baking in the oven, I made home made caramel fudge sauce, which was time consuming, but much easier than imaginable.

Then, I made a custard like gem known as Panne Cotta. I found the recipe on line and tweaked it slightly to taste like custard so that it would have the essence of flan. The recipe called for unflavored gelatine, which got me really excited, because I've always wanted to try that stuff. Folks, if you've never had Panne Cotta before, I urge to make friends with it, you will not be sorry. Panna Cotta could be used for a number of tricks such as enticing someone to clean the bathroom or the litterbox for you, or as a metaphorical white flag after a minor domestic. It can also be a great way to brighten someones day or even just to cheer yourself up. Yes, Panne Cotta is the dessert to know.

I digress, so after the cake had baked and cooled, and the movie ended. I put in the movie Persuassion to get me through the rest of my work. The Panne Cotta needed to gel over night, so I layered one layer of cake in the trifle dish and some of the caramel sauce on top. I put the remaining parts in the refrigerator and went to bed- it was 1:00 a.m. So, at 6:30 a.m. I was up again and the Panne Cotta gelled into a thing of beauty. I layered half of that on top of the caramel then I added more cake, more carmel and the rest of the Panne Cotta. Holy cow, my flan trifle was soooo yummy!

I do have other food stuff to discuss, but Steven and Chris will be on soon, so I need to go make a latte. Until then~Toodaloo!

My Name Is "Ladytoesocks" and I'm a "Doctor Who"-aholic.

It is true. I tried, in vain, to avoid this mess. During my high school and college years, I was a fan of Tom Baker's "Dr." One early morning while in college, dealing helplessly with insomnia, I turned on the tv and spotted Doctor Who again. Much to my dismay, it wasn't Mr. Baker as the Time Lord, but a different Dr. I had to look away and sigh.

The show went away for a while, and I moved on.. never forgetting the lovely show I so enjoyed Saturday's on PBS. Then, it came back, new, with better graphics and better special effects. I couldn't do it, I could not watch a Doctor clad in, what appeared to be, leather......I missed the scarf.

Then, about a month ago, I was once again dealing with the torment of insomnia. I turned on the tv and there he was...another version of the Dr. This time Catherine Tate was playing is Tardis side kick. So, I thought "what the heck, she makes me laugh". I watched, became a bit addicted, and then I found it on BBC America, once again on Saturday night. It was as though something fanastic from childhood was calling me back to a happy place- like the the sound of the ice cream truck in the summer.

David Tennant was the current Dr. and he is a fantastic actor. He breathed new life into the Dr. Even though he lacked the flashy scarf, he had a long coat. In fact he is quite the snappy dresser and has good hair. So, talent and a good fashion sense drew me in; not to mention great writing.
Well, the New Year weekend was filled with a Doctor Who marathon on BBC America. Showing the shows in which David Tennant played the tenacious Time Lord. He decided to leave the show while he was still loving playing the doctor. (I think he didn't want to get burnt out on the role, because he has been a fan for most of his life.) It was sad though. Just when I was finally able to love the Doctor again, he was reborn into a new Doctor.

So, today I am mourning the loss with house work. Filling the void with organizing cupboards and spot treating set in stains of imbedded modeling clay and maple syrup. I must say though, that after a two-day marathon, I'm a bit drained from all the excitement. My body feels like I spent the weekend sustaining myself on M&M's, Coca-Cola, and Disco. Yes, Doctor Who is a lot like a sugar rush.

I think these bones are trying to tell me to start moving around again. perhaps some cardio will seep it's way back into my morning routine. I'll see how that works out for me. I'll update when things develop. Until then~ Toodaloo!

The Christmas Aftermath

So, Christmas has, officially come and gone. The morning of Christmas began with me waking up at 4:30 a.m. and deciding to wash the dishes from the night before instead of channel surfing. So, I got up and tidied up, fed the critters, and made a pot of coffee to induce waking of others. It was almost like a coffee commercial. Speaking of which, I was very sad to not see "Peter" come home early in the morning and waking his parents with coffee. Instead they showed a more modern version of a similar scenario... it was not the same. Yes.... I fear change.

So, Santa got me a lot, and I mean a LOT of chocolate. I got some really nice gifts and fun things to play with. The chocolate, however is a duty. I have milk chocolate, dark chocolate, truffles, boxed chocolates, Milk Duds, chocolate covered raisins, the dark chocolate orange the you must smash, chocolate mint candies, and a few other chocolate confections. Myfamily knows the way to my heart. I'll now have something to treat myself to while I watch my guys... Steven & Chris.. their show is coming back with new episodes soon too! Steven & Chris and a mug of latte is my "Calgon Moment" of the day. Without which I'd be the mom "Lois" from "Malcomb In The Middle" combined with the character "Betty Warren" from the movie "Mona Lisa Smile." Which translates to frustrated and uptight.

Well, the day after Christmas is always a little sad for me. I miss the excitement and the warm fuzzies the holiday brings. On the bright side, I still have a Christmas celebration (weather permitting) with my sisters and their families to celebrate and I have fun new toys to play with.

Tomorrow, I hope to post more and look forward to things to come. Until then~ Toodaloo!

It's Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Wow, it's Christmas Eve already! I had to take a break from blogging for the month, because I wasn't feeling very creative. Usually, I enjoy making things and then posting about them. However, this month has been so hectic, that when I do have computer time, all I really want to do is play games. Just within this post, I had a goof happen and the frustration rose to such a level that I wanted to stop all together.

I did make a gingerbread house last week. I made my own pattern.

My little helper made one too. This one was made from a kit. Everytime we walk into the dining room, it smells like gingerbread!

Last night, I made a mint chocolate cream pie. Today, I am making gigantic cranberry- walnut cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. I'm also making mini corn dog muffins, curry chicken nuggets, stuffed mushrooms, mulled cider, sticky chicken wings, crudites, and I'm warming up some frozen potstickers!

Needless to say, the appetizer spread will be a feast. Throught the day, I'll be watching comedy Christmas special's on BBC America. I'll also watch the Dr. Who Christmas special. So, today will be busy, but great fun! I hope that you all have a stress free and joyful Christmas!~Toodaloo!

It's Snowing!

Oh, how I wish my camera batteries were charged! Those rechargable batteries do not hold their charge for long. I have not posted for a while because life has been so busy and I haven't really been working on many projects to post about.

Winter is finally (unofficially) here! I have my interior decorations up. Last weekend I decorated the front porch. It's so nice to look down my street and see the neighbors houses lit up! I made gingerbread scones the other day and I have at last begun listening to Christmas music.

We'll be getting the tree this weekend and I'll be making my annual gingerbread house this weekend. This year, I am making my gingerbread house in the shape of an old hotel that once existed in my town. My nephew is making a train depot that was near the hotel and the train to go with it.

Today, however will consist of chores, tutoring, and crafting. I think I'll sneak in a little indulgence with a bubble bath in the claw foot and a facial. It's been a draining week and I am going to pamper myself a little. As soon as my camera has juice I'll post some pictures and discuss the final episode of the season of Being Erica. Until then~ Toodaloo!

So's Your Face!

"So's Your Face" that is my comeback for anything these days. It's right up there with "That's what she said...." I say it not out of anger or malice; rather, I say it to amuse myself. Generally, when life gets busy, I have to humor myself. Otherwise, I become disgruntled and I take out my frustrations in things that aren't really there. I think that the people around me feel that I am upset with then, but I'm not at all. I'm just frustrated with nothing in particular. More so, I'm high strung because I'm one of those "Type A's" who set ridiculously high standards and work for myself. When tasks aren't completed, I take it out on myself. So, saying "So's your face" is a means of letting off steam in small increments, thus preventing a blow up.

Thanksgiving will be here soon and I have been busy trying to get ready. The next few days will be busy ones, but that is all part of the tradition. I will be baking pies, and breads, making chocolate truffles and cranberry sauce and cleaning like a Roomba. However, I'll ease the work with a marathon of House playing on the kitchen DVD player, and that will keep me in high spirits. Also, at some point I will give myself a manicure.

Last week, my best best and I had a badly needed girl day. We ate food, had girl talk and dyed some hair. She was moving into her new home this weekend and will be hosting a big family Thanksgiving dinner in her new home. So, we both needed to have a break and recoup before this week. This allows us to become clear headed and really appreciate our bounty of blessings.

I was reading the history of the first Thanksgiving and the relationships between the pilgrims (separatist's) and the Wampanoag people. It is really interesting and humbling to learn what those people experienced and what they had to endure on new land. It also says a lot about generosity and good will toward man. It is such an interesting subject to study.

Well, I hope to be making pilgrim hats today for my nephews and a table cloth for the "kiddie table." Today, I'll also watch The Wizard of Oz. Tomorrow, we'll watch Return to Oz and then Wednesday, we're watching Tinman- it's sort of a new Thanksgiving week tradition.
I am looking forward to see my sisters and their families on Thursday, as well as the tradition of watching the parade on tv. I think my favorite part is seeing The Rockettes dance. What is your favorite parade participant? What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition? Well, I'll post again after things are less busy. Laundry beckons, until then~ Toodaloo!

Friday the Thirteenth!

Wow! It's been a crazy busy week. There is so much going on, that taking time on the computer isn't easy. I have been so busy at school this week and I'm tired. Walking to the school and home each day is over a mile of walking, up hill. Sometimes, I walk to and from twice! That combined with general wear and tear of taking care of kiddo and teaching other peoples kiddo's, makes me tired. I'm trying to not push myself too much with this flu going around. I want to be well rested.

Well, I am continually thinking of ways in which I can decorate for the Thanksgiving Season. I am posting more photos of things that I've done thus far. The other day, my mother got me the complete and unabridged works of Jane Austen all in one volume! That combined with three L.M. Montgomery books I've recently acquired ( but haven't yet read) should keep me relaxed for the next few months.

Yesterday was one of those, as Anne Shirley would put it, "Jonah Day" sort of days. I was exhausted, so I treated myself to the November/ December issue of Victoria magazine and some eggnog flavored and peppermint mocha flavored creamer. The eggnog creamer was fantastic! It was just what I needed yesterday. I started looking at my magazine, and it had some great stuff in it for Christmas, but I couldn't really savor it...dinner beckoned.

Tomorrow should be an eventful day. I am starting my day by hanging out will some Civil War reenactors and then, my sister is coming over with her sons for me to babysit. I think we'll watch The Polar Express and have some seriously hot cocoa with marshmallows. Yowzers McGee! I'm tired. I think I'll sleep until 7:30 a.m. tomorrow! Until then! ~ Toodaloo!

Friday Is Here!

Friday is here, and at last, I may relax. The other day, I was going to post, but my camera batteries ran out of energy. So, the problem has been solved and I can now post. I made this wreath, the other day, out of a grapevine ring, a fall leaf garland, fake flowers, pine cones and fake fruit. I really like it on the front door, it feels so welcoming. I even made some apple crisp that day too.

In my free time this week, I've been making decorations and putting them on display as I go. It makes the house feel so cozy, especially when I am melting the "Be Thankful" tart in my tart warmer- Wow, does that smell awesome! I made a new discovery this past week- I bought the movie Persuasion on DVD. If you are a fan of Jane Austen books and/or a fan of the movies based on her books, this is a find! It has all of the classic elements of Austen stories and it just makes you feel happy and so girly!

I went to the thrift store this week and I bought a fun vase that looks similar to a cookie jar my mom has. It is very retro looking, it looks like it was made in the 1970's.

I also got these Pilgrim figurines.

I'll show more of my decorating projects in my next blog. I have designated Saturday as "craft day" for myself and my nephew. I have no idea what we'll make, but it should be interesting.

It snowed all day and through the night yesterday. I was surprised when I glanced out the window this morning and saw that it actually accumulated enough to blanket the ground! Walking to school today, the tree branches were dusted with snow cover and it was very pretty to see. That is one of the perks to walking; the beauty of the neighborhood, that would otherwise be missed by riding to school. The streets were slick though, there was a lot of ice on the pavement.

At recess, the kids were making snowmen, the first of the season, and they were rolling the body segments onto the cedar chips that are spread over the ground. These giant snowballs, with cedar chips coating them, reminded me of cheese balls coated in almond slivers. By tomorrow, the snow should be mostly melted away. However, there is plenty of time left before Thanksgiving to have more snow. Until next time~ Toodaloo!