ironcraft #23

For this week's iron craft, we were supposed to make something using a map. I happened to have some map fabric in my stash so I made some litter bags for Dean's car.

To make them, I made a large pocket and added some ribbon and D rings to them to attach them to the seats.



The one I made for the front seat, just has a short loop of ribbon since it doesn't have to go around a headrest.


To keep the bags from collapsing, I laminated 2 sheets of plastic laminate together. (11X17 size)
Then I just shoved that in with the liner...right inside the bag. That way, nothing gross will hit the fabric....even if it does, everything is washable.

BTW, I used some doggie bags as the liner (they come in a roll and attach to your leash for when you walk Fido and he does his business....yeah...those bags.) I think any of type of plastic bag would work though, just cut off the handle part.

If you are sure nothing gross will go into the litter bag, you don't even need a liner....but I'm not going to chance it...

Utter Joy.....

Day in NOLA

Kaela has been sick since school let out a of couple weeks ago.
She finally got to feeling better so yesterday we went into NOLA for awhile. We planned on doing several things but it was soooo hot we just went to the aquarium and then out to eat.

On the way into town, we saw a dead gator on the roadway. It was about 4 or 5 feet long. We see a few dead gators on the road each summer...it is so NOT normal to see them so far away from water. We always wonder if someone dropped them on the highway to be mean....so sad.

Speaking of gators, these babies are not albinos, they have a rare mutation called leucism. They have pretty blue eyes. There is a huge one of them in a separate tank elsewhere in the aquarium. These are in the kiddie section.

they added some new fish to some old attractions...like these discus and angel fish. Aren't they are gorgeous!


here they are altogether......




See that starfish in the photo below?

I got as close as I could so it is fuzzy and looks fairly large but in reality, it was a teeny bit larger than the end of a pencil eraser. There were several of these on the coral and tank wall...most were even smaller than this one.
I love clown fish so I take photos of these guys every time we visit.

This tank is in the kiddie section. You always hear kids yelling that they found "Nemo!"

I made a little frog bean bag toy for the Toy Society...
and dropped it in a hidden alcove by a large aquarium when no one was around.

On our way out, we had the kids sit in the port hole as we do that each time we
visit.
then we went to Superior Grill for lunch...
afterwards, we drove around a little then Dean and the kids stopped for yogurt..... looks like someone got a bit tuckered out!

overall, it was a great day.

warm weather memories

There is nothing like home grown tomatoes, especially from your own back yard. As a kid, we would always have an overabundance of them from my dad's little garden. And each summer, my mom would slice them up with crackers for us to share for lunch.....it is one of my favorite memories.

Nothing special...just crackers, tomatoes, salt and pepper.....and a little mayo for hers...



I've been doing the same thing forever....and have passed it on to my own family...I can't help but smile when they make it themselves to share with each other....


especially when they save one for me

more PIE and a challenge...

I don't know WHY we are on such a pie kick around here but we are! I blame this week's pie on the ironcraft challenge!

Whatever the reason, it was so good I thought I'd share the recipe

I cannot find good baking apples here so I use Granny Smith apples.

6-7 granny smith apples
2 deep dish pie shells (or make your own crust)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbls flour
2 tbls cold butter, cubed
1 egg mixed with a splash of milk (optional)
cinnamon/sugar (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine sugar, ground cinnamon and flour. Set aside.

Peel, core and slice your apples. I slice my apples THICK because I don't like mushy apple pie. In fact I use one of THESE and that is how thick my slices are.

Add apples to the dry ingredients and mix well. Make sure all the apples are coated.

Pour half the apples into your pie crust and dot with 1 tbls of butter. Pour the rest of the apples into the crust, they will mound up REALLY high. Dot with remaining butter.

Cover with the second pie crust and crimp the edges. Make some little vents in the top for steam.

I brush my crust with an egg wash made with 1 egg that has been mixed with a splash of milk.

Sprinkle the top crust with cinnamon/sugar mix.

Make sure your rack is in the MIDDLE of the oven and then bake at 350 for 1 hour and 30 minutes. If you slice your apples thin, they will be really soft. If you slice them really thick like I do, they should be soft but still slightly firm.

You may need to cover the pie with foil during the last 30 minutes of baking so be sure to keep an eye on it.


Now on to the challenge....this week we were to create something you could take/use at a BBQ, picnic or cookout. I saw a cute fabric bowl cover a couple years ago in an apron swap and decided to make one of those.

I used the tutorial from the cottage home and made this. Perfect for my large pasta/salad bowl.



It was SO easy to whip together...and since I had a pie just sitting there, I decided to use the bowl cover for it.


a little large but works just fine.

goodbye little love pig..

Friday, my sister's little dog Abigail became violently ill.
By Saturday morning, she was gone. It happened so fast they didn't have time to react or think.

Sometimes things happen so fast, they leave you breathless. I always think that during these times, God is being merciful in His wisdom and that there is a reason things happened so fast.

I know in my heart, that was what happened to Abigail. She was here one moment and gone the next.
She was fine and bouncy...jumping on furniture, eager to be loved and to love.
But by evening, she was so sick, they had to rush her to the emergency vet clinic.

Abigail had been ill earlier this month with tummy troubles but that was because of her food allergies. When it started up again, they took her to the vet but nothing else seemed out of the ordinary...just tummy troubles. The ER vet ran some non routine tests and discovered sweet Abigail was sick beyond belief......with tumors on her lungs.

God in His mercy took a terrible decision away from Sheri and Phil because he gave them time to say goodbye, but then took Abigail quietly away.



Sweet Abigail, you have been truly loved, will be woefully missed and are irreplaceable in the hearts of those of us who loved you.

too good to last

Gunter made good on his promise to behave. Its been almost a year since this day....and he hadn't done anything bad...

Until yesterday.

Matt and I were on our way out to the library and Gunter begged and begged to go. He said he wanted to check out the Gnome book in the kids section to see if they got all the facts right.

We took him with us and sure enough, he sat right down with the book and said to pick him up on the way out.
It took Matt and I about 10 minutes to get what we wanted and then to check out.

Then we went to get Gunter.

We couldn't find him. We looked everywhere. They were doing some construction so I was afraid we would NEVER find him. I was really starting to get worried but then we heard giggling...Gunter giggling....and kiddies pointing!



where did he get a dime for the photocopy machine? NO idea.....and exactly WHAT does a photocopied gnome tush look like? NO idea...we snatched him up and left without taking the copy.