YoursTruli Blogs

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:28:00 +0000

May you have a holiday season

filled with warmth and cheer and all good wishes for the coming year!

Coat Of Arms

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 04:50:00 +0000

The carrying of personal armorial insignia on shields and banners became widespread in medieval times. A knight had his face covered with the visor from his helmet and as such, had to be recognized at a distance. During the Crusades these marks and colors were worn outside their coat of mail on their surcoat and hence the expression "coat of arms."
Coats of arms became military status symbols, and their popularity increased along with the popularity of the tournament, which was developed in the mid-eleventh century in France by Godfrey de Preuilly. The tournament became a training ground for knights, and its pageantry became more elaborate as time passed. Some knights made their living and their reputations roaming from tournament to tournament.
By 1400 A.D., bearing a coat of arms had become a prerequisite to participation in a tournament, and due to the importance of social standing in such pageants, a coat of arms also became a mark of noble status.

An Artistically Beautiful Reflection Of History
YoursTruli
Style

In Like A Lion...

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 04:31:00 +0000

March certainly has come in like a lion where I live in Ohio... 3 days ago it was a balmy 62 degrees out and last night 4 inches of snow and ice blanketed the area... sooo I am thinking spring!

My favorite of all flowers are true spring beauties ~ tulips and bearded irises! I can not wait to see the tightly curled bright green leaf tips peeking up through the ground at me. I have hundreds of them planted in my yard.

Tulips and bearded irises in glorious shades of deep purples and white wave hello from my front yard in the cool spring breeze while a rainbow of pure tulip heaven paints the backyard landscape.
And I know I am more then ready for spring when I even miss my little insect friends the bees.

I just bought them a very cool new
Mason Bee House
to live in so they can pollinate my garden to their little bee-heart's delight! I am sorely tempted to wander out into the snow just to hang it up...

But spring will be here soon enough I suppose.
Meanwhile I will comfort myself by thumbing through my gardening magazines, picking out and ordering a wealth of new "wow I want that" floral finds, maybe a new tool or two I just can't do without and of course a (yet another) fun garden gnome!

Think Spring!

Feeling SMOverwhelmed?

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:10:00 +0000

I know I am...I have tweeted it plurked it, blogged it, forum and facebooked it, thisnexted it and kaboodled it, cafehandmade it votehandmaded it byhanded it and Indiepubliced it MySpace and flickered it, blogcataloged it, Digged it, Delished it Reddited it Pinned it and even Stumbleuponed it

While it is true I pour more of my energies into some of these social sites then others I have made a very concentrated effort to see and been seen, get my name out there and help promo everyone in my path along the way.... I think it gets to a point where all of this becomes overwhelming and then the question becomes what do these countless hours really gain you in return... I mean ultimately the bottom line for most is the bottom line....sales. We all want to sell what we create and SMO seems a great way to really get yourself out there but I think there also comes a point that you overextend yourself and it becomes too overwhelming especially if you see little in return for all your hard spent hours SMOing it all over the web and if you are a party of one with no one to help you towards this end it can be an even more daunting task.

I think the best choice for me ultimately is to pick a few things I enjoy doing and participating in and let the chips fall where they may. After all a lot of theses countless hours could be spent creating or just bird watching rather then in front of the computer. It's not that I don't want to be successful, OH I do, but I also want to enjoy my life every day and look back on it when I lay down to sleep with a smile...that is bottom line for me.

Happy 4th of July!

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 11:57:00 +0000

A few vintage 4th of July graphics to celebrate the day!

Have a safe & wonderful
4th of July holiday!

(click on the images to see and save the larger graphics)

Vintage Robinia Glutinosa Botanical Print

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:55:00 +0000

Another gorgeous vintage botanical print from 1802 with the full book description! The full size of this botanical print is 1016 x 1800, description is 958 x 1800 ~ perfect for you to print out frame and enjoy. I have a sun room that is beautifully done with old botanical prints and it has become everyone's favorite sitting room when they come to visit.

Just Click on these image to see and save the full sized images.

Vintage Images

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:41:00 +0000

I love vintage images, old photos, graphics, prints, engravings, clip art and ephemera so I thought it would be nice to share some of my vast collection and fantastic finds here with you that you can use to print out and frame or for your special craft projects, collage, or scrap-booking.

My absolute favorites have to be the old botanical illustrations. This is an hand colored engraving by botanical illustrator William Kilburn of dandelions that perfectly kicks off the summer... well at least my yard thinks so! Enjoy!

Click on this image to see and save the full sized image.

Grandma's Secret Dumpling Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:05:00 +0000

Diane generously shares with us her great grandmother's from scratch dumpling recipe! One of those very special recipes all of us really wish we had to share with our families and now we do ~ Thanks so much Diane! The perfect complement and oh so special dish to serve along side of your fabulous turkey for your wonderful Handmade Holiday Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners!

BY: Diane of The Shutterbug Eye Photography
I am a photographer from Naperville, IL. My photographs are mostly of nature, animals (both domestic and wild), birds, insects and flowers. I am a mother of one, and work full time but photography is my passion.

~*~
"This is a family recipe for dumplings that is passed down from my great grandma to my grandma to my mom to me. The grandmas were so very secretive of it as the felt it was the card they had to get family to come visit, so untrue. I think it should be shared."

Grandma's Secret Dumpling Recipe

~~~~*~~~~
Ingredients:
~~~~*~~~~
4 Slices of Diced white bread
(use a dense white bread)
2 Cups Flour
1/2 - 1 Tsp Salt
1 cup milk
1/2 pack - Dry yeast pack
1/4 pound of butter
2 Eggs

~~~~*~~~~
Baking Directions:
~~~~*~~~~

Brown diced bread in butter and set aside.

Mix Flour and Salt and set aside

Warm milk to 110 degree F and add yeast and let set a few minutes.

Melt butter.

Beat 2 eggs and the melted butter into the milk/yeast mix.

Add flour and salt to a bowl and make a well in the flour.

Pour the milk mix into the well and mix with a wooden spoon.

Add milk or flour to get a firm consistency. Should be firm but easily workable (should have a shine to it but hold together).

Mix in the diced bread. Let stand a few minutes and drop into boiling water.

Boil 20 minutes with lid on - no peek!

ENJOY!
Diane

Let Them Eat Cake!

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:19:00 +0000

This sounds like the perfect dessert to top off your fabulous Holiday dinners or a wonderful treat to share along with a great cup of coffee to warm up your Holiday guest when they drop by!

BY: Carla of BAKidagain
I have been making glow in the dark ornaments since 2001. For a few years before that the ornaments didn't glow in the dark but were still loved and cherished by many. They're NOT just for Christmas, they make a GREAT gift for ANY occassion! There are now 1,000 designs that we are trying to make.

~*~
Carmel Apple Cake

~~~~*~~~~
Ingredients:
~~~~*~~~~
1/2 C butter or margerine

1/4 C whipping cream

1 C packed brown sugar

1/2 C chopped Pecans (we've also used walnuts or cashews)

2 large cooking apples *peeled, cored & sliced (about 2/3 cup)

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Mix

1 1/4 C water

1/3 C vegetable oil

3 eggs

1/4 tsp apple pie spice

Topping:

2/3 C frosting

1/2 C Frozen whipped cream (thawed)

Carmel Topping if desired (it's YUMMY!)

~~~~*~~~~
Baking Directions:
~~~~*~~~~
PreHeat oven to 350* F

In heavy 1 quart saucepan, cook butter, whipping cream and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into 13x9-inch pan. Sprinkle with nut; top with sliced apples.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, eggs, oil, eggs and apple pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Carefully spoon batter over apple mixture.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool IN pan for 10 minutes.

Loosen sides of cake from pan. Place heatproof serving platter upside down on pan. CAREFULLY turn platter and pan over. Let pan remain over cake for about 1 minute so carmel can drizzle over cake. Remove pan.

In small bowl, mix frosting and whipped topping. Serve warm cake topped with frosting mixture and drizzle with caramel topping.

Holiday Chocolate Truffle Delight

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:34:00 +0000

Michelle brings us a wonderful recipe for those hard to please men in our lives and my guess the women too ~ because who doesn't LOVE chocolate! This is one delightfully sweet treat you will have to hide a little away to enjoy over the holidays for yourself! WOW I have always wanted to know how to make these thanks Michelle for sharing this fantastic recipe with all of us I can't wait to try it!

BY: Michelle of Creative Critters
My studio is called CreativeCritters and all my work is carefully hand crafted. I make polymer clay sculptures, mixed media jewelry, adorable hand-sewn cloth dolls, knit stuffed toys, polymer clay pen sets, and World of Warcraft plush characters, among other things. Each piece is individually handcrafted, and each is unique.

~*~
"I finally found something that my father in law just loves, and he's a VERY picky man, especially when it comes to food. One year I decided to try my hand at making homemade truffles. Dad absolutely loved them, and I've had to make him his own special box every Christmas since then. He even hides his box when he gets home (Mom told me this)! So if you've got a hard to please father in law, try this recipe out on him!"

Chocolate Truffles
Makes 35-45 truffles

~~~~*~~~~
Ingredients:
~~~~*~~~~
20 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream

1) Make the filling
Place 8 oz. of chocolate chips and the butter in a large bowl. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour half the cream into the bowl. As the chocolate melts, slowly whisk the mixture together until smooth. Then gradually add the remaining cream until it's completely incorporated and the ganache is thick and shiny.

2)Form the truffles
Pour the ganache into a 2" deep baking pan, spread evenly and place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until set (it should have the consistency of fudge). Using a melon baller or small spoon, form rounds and place them on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Let the truffles harden in the freezer for about 15 minutes. After removing from the freezer, roll truffles between your hands into marble sized spheres, squeezing slightly (try to do this quickly or they'll become too soft). Now you can dust them with powdered sugar or cocoa, which is Dad's favorite way to have them. You can also coat them with chocolate, which Mom and my brother in law prefer.

3) Make the chocolate coating
Let the truffles rest in the freezer while you make the chocolate glaze. Place the remaining chocolate pieces in a large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool at room temp., stirring occasionally until the chocolate starts to set at the edge of the bowl. Drop the truffles into the melted chocolate and retrieve them with a fork, allowing any excess chocolate to drip off. You can leave them with a plain chocolate coating or dust them with cocoa, powdered sugar, or nuts.

Truffles will keep for about 2 weeks chilled or at room temp when stored in an airtight container
(although Dad's never last that long!).

Make a Spicy Orange Pomander

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:55:00 +0000

The pomander clove-studded citrus fruit is a traditional Christmas ornament and New Year’s gift. As early as the 17th and 18th century the decorated orange stuck with cloves was often mentioned as a Christmas or New Year’s custom. The Victorians hung pomanders in their closets to ward off moths. Every Thanksgiving I make the spicy orange pomanders and come Christmas time they are dried and ready to be put out in a large festive bowl for my family and friends to take home as a thoughtful handcrafted gift and the rich spicy fragrance will last for years! I thought you might enjoy making your own special pomanders this year and because they are so simple to make it's also a nice project to do with your children or a great activity for children to make in supervised groups too.

~~~*~~~
Traditional Spicy Orange Pomanders
Makes 6 pomanders

~~~*~~~
Materials
~*~
6 oranges
(select firm, unblemished ones)
or lemons or limes may be used instead

1/2 - cup ground cinnamon

1/4 - cup ground cloves

1 - tablespoon ground allspice

1 - tablespoon ground nutmeg

1 - tablespoon ground coriander

2 - tablespoons ground orris root
(this, along with the spices act as a preservative)

1/4 to 1/2 - cup whole large head cloves

A toothpick, wooden skewer or large needle to make the holes

Large heavy brown paper (grocery type) bag

Ribbon for hanging pomanders

*Alternative to using orris root - 8 drops sandalwood oil (a natural preservative).
In traditional pomanders, Orris root is used to act as a preservative and scent enhancer. Orris root is from the Iris bulb that has been dried and ground to a fine powder. Some people have shown allergic reactions to Orris root. You can use sandalwood oil as an alternative preserver.

~~~*~~~
Instructions:
~*~
Use your toothpick, wooden skewer or large needle to poke holes into the orange, about 1/8 inch apart, and then push a clove into each hole. A traditional pomander covers the entire orange with cloves, but you can make fun patterns or even ones with monograms on them, be sure to draw your pattern on the orange before you begin. When covering the entire orange I have found it is easiest to work on one small area at a time and continue until the orange is completely covered.

**Mix all of the ground spices and orris root (or sandalwood oil) thoroughly in your large heavy brown paper (grocery type) bag and roll your clove-studded oranges in it, filling the spaces between the cloves as much as possible. Leave your pomanders in the bag with the top open in a warm, dry room and turn daily during the drying process, around 3 to 4 weeks, until the skin becomes hard. As the orange begins to dry their natural scent will blend with the scent of the cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon resulting in a wonderful orange spice fragrance! You will know when they are ready, your pomanders will have shrunk a bit and will be dry and hard. Shake off excess spice powder (any excess can be saved and used again).

**OR another method I have read recently, if you would like to try drying your pomanders without the spices, is to simply place your finished clove studded orange pomanders on newspaper in a warm, dry, well-ventilated location and turn them daily until dried. I have never tried this method myself and I think I will give it a try this year with a few pomanders to see.

Tie around the pomander with a ribbon if desired and hang in wardrobes, cupboards, Christmas tree or display in a bowl. I give them as gifts at Christmas time but you can savor the wonderful spicy fragrance filling your house over the Christmas holiday and give them as a traditional New Years Eve gift!

A pomander's scent usually lasts for several years but they can be refreshed by dipping the pomander in warm water, then rolling it in fresh spices mixed with a drop or two of cinnamon or clove oil . Leave the pomander in the mixture for a few days then use as before.

Perfect Package Decorating Idea

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:58:00 +0000

From Bella Sweet comes this great holiday gift package decorating tip using small clear glass Christmas ornaments! You can purchase these ornaments at most any craft store and they are available in different shapes/sizes too! For gifts being given to children these versatile ornaments even come in a clear plastic variety for a little holiday safety. You can add you own special twist to these plus they will have these thoughtful ornaments to enjoy and decorate their own holiday home for years to come!

BY: Bella Sweet Jewelry
The fantasy is awakened with Bella-Sweet Jewelry. Genuine gemstones & distinctive pendants unite to creative one-of-a-kind wearable works of art.

~~~~*~~~~
You've spend your money on the perfect gift that you searched hours for... you wrap it up, slap a stick-on bow and scrap of paper as the name tag?? NO WAY! Make the outside as perfect as the inside. A pretty hand-tied bow adds so much. As for the name tag, this year I have taken small clear glass ornaments and popped the top off. I wrote the recipient's name on a small piece of paper and carefully slipped it inside the ornament with a small piece of pine. Put the topper back on and attach it to the package with a piece of ribbon right by that pretty hand-tied bow! It it so pretty and really appreciated, that little extra touch.

Mini Chip Snowball Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:58:00 +0000

Remember when your mom was baking up a holiday storm and the whole house smelled heavenly with the scent of homemade cookies? Nothing says the holidays are here better then batches of wonderful homemade cookies to share with your family and friends! While we might not have the time to do a ton of holiday baking like mom used to do this is a great easy to make recipe that will add a new cookie delight to your holidays everyone will love including you! These might just become a favorite family holiday tradition at your home!

BY: Katy of Jewel Fire Designs
A studio filled with jewelry designs from Elegant to Bold and everything in between.
I have been making jewelry and lampwork beads for 20 years and just love bling. Helping women feel good about themselves and giving them something to treasure is my goal.

"I always make a ton of these over the holidays as they go fast!"

Mini Chip Snowball Cookies

~~~~*~~~~
Ingredients:
~~~~*~~~~

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Mini Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup finely chopped nuts

Powdered sugar

~~~~*~~~~
Cooking Directions:
~~~~*~~~~

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

BEAT butter, sugar, vanilla extract and salt in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour; stir in morsels and nuts. Shape level tablespoons of dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set and lightly browned. Remove from oven. Sift powdered sugar over hot cookies on baking sheets. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, if desired.
Store in airtight containers.

Turkey Craft with the Kids!

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:40:00 +0000

Looking for a cute craft idea that you can do with the kids and will be a wonderful centerpiece on your Thanksgiving day table too? Well this great turkey is a little holiday fun for everyone! A wonderful and unique handmade holiday decoration that will give you and your children a lot of joy to create together and your kids will feel so proud to have their handiwork displayed for all your holiday guest to enjoy!

BY: Natasha of Capricious Adornments
Unique Gifts & Capricious Adornments
Gemstone, Bead, Enamel and Chain Jewelry
I try to reflect a fun, whimsical and unpredictably spirited theme in my designs! I appreciate the many roles and hats that we, as women, wear during our routine lives.

Turkey Centerpiece
Made from a disposable glove, popcorn, feathers, some googly eyes and a large apple - this turkey centerpiece will get chuckles from your Thanksgiving guests.

~~~~*~~~~
You need
~~~~*~~~~

* Disposable Glove
* Glue
* Scissors
* Yellow / Orange / Red Tissue Paper
* Large Apple or Small Pumpkin (as a base)
* Rubber Band
* Wooden Skewer Stick
* Red felt or construction paper for waddle (the red thing on the neck)
* Black construction paper for a hat
* Brown Construction paper for a beak

~~~~*~~~~
Instructions
~~~~*~~~~

Stuff a disposable glove with popcorn, you can pop your own or buy it ready made. Can't tell you how much because it's always eaten during the crafting process :)

Use a rubber band to tightly close up the bottom.

Poke a hole in the glove and push the skewer into the hole.

Rip up pieces of tissue paper and glue feather like strips or balls onto all sides of the fingers and palm of the stuffed glove.

Glue on some googly eyes, which you can find in any craft store. Cut out and glue on a waddle, hat and beak.

You have a gorgeous Turkey Centerpiece!

Happy Crafting!

Easy Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:20:00 +0000

I know making cranberry sauce from scratch can sound a bit intimidating (especially when you could just open a can like I used to lol!) but here is a great little recipe that is very easy to make, using just a few key ingredients, and it is also a real Thanksgiving day dinner time saver too! It only takes minutes to create this fabulous fall holiday dish and it tastes best after sitting in the refrigerator for a day or two allowing the flavors to develop and meld so you can make it well ahead of time saving you precious Thanksgiving day cooking and preparation time. Plus this is seriously delicious!

~~~~*~~~~
Ingredients:
~~~~*~~~~

2 cups orange juice

2 - 12 oz bags fresh cranberries

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 cups granulated sugar

Zest of 2 oranges

1 cup chopped walnuts

~*~
You can also jazz this up a bit if you like and add your own favorites
in addition to the ingredients listed here. I also like to add chopped pears and currants to mine too.

~~~~*~~~~
Cooking Directions:
~~~~*~~~~

Make sure to wash your cranberries well in a colander or strainer
removing any stems or bad berries and allow them to dry.

Add the orange juice, cranberries and ginger to a nice sized pot. Bring mixture to a slow rolling simmer stirring often just until cranberries pop and become tender ~ about 10 minutes.

Turn off heat.

Add sugar, orange zest, walnuts (and your own favorites) stirring mixture to combine and keep stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Tip: Adding the sugar after the cranberries have already popped keeps the cranberry skins from getting tough! Once all of your ingredients are thoroughly combined allow the (now scrumptious) cranberry sauce to cool completely in the pan and pour into your casserole/serving dish.

Refrigerate for a day or two and enjoy!

Setting A Formal Thanksgiving Table

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:40:00 +0000

Sometimes it is so nice to have a formal setting when it comes to Thanksgiving entertaining, it makes the holiday meal even more special and the food presented will look fantastic. I thought I would share a few tips for setting a formal table ~ it's not as difficult as it looks!

Centerpiece
The first thing you should think about is your centerpiece, it can often set the mood so choose carefully! Keep the centerpiece natural and uncomplicated, avoid too many tall elements that could block sight lines across the table. Centerpieces can be anything from floral arrangements to a beautiful bowl filled with fruits and vegetables of the season.

Tablecloth or Placemats
If you have a beautiful table, consider using placemats instead of a tablecloth. Mats can be plain or patterned to suit your decor as long as they are not to busy and they are heatproof. If your table surface needs to be protected or is already damaged, use a tablecloth. A light color, white, tablecloth is traditionally more formal, make sure it is ironed and add a darker color runner. Nothing brings subtle sophistication to your table like a beautiful runner. The cloth should be big enough to drape at least 6 inches over each side of the table and the runner should be the same length or shorter than the tablecloth.

Place Settings
Dinner plates to the center and if you are having a soup course, place the soup dish on top of the dinner plate, side plate goes to the left of the place setting.

The general rule for silverware is you put the ones you will use first on the outside of each setting, and you work your way in.

To the right of each plate, first place the dinner knife with the blade facing the plate. On its right, place the teaspoon, and further to the right place the soup spoon. Optionally a dessert spoon may be placed horizontally above the plate, pointing to the left.

On the left, place the dessert fork nearest the plate (if there is to be one), then the dinner fork and finally, the salad fork to the left of that. The bottoms of each piece of silverware should line up with the bottom of the dinner plate.

* If your table is small, or you have a lot of guest, to keep the table from becoming too crowded you can bring out specialty utensils, like shellfish forks, with the course. The same with forks or spoons for dessert.

The bread and butter plate is placed directly above the forks, with a butter spreader placed horizontally across the top of the plate, with the tip pointing to the left.

Above the plate and slightly to the right you place the water glass, with a red wine glass to the right of that and a white wine glass to the right of all.

The Napkins
Napkins traditionally are folded and placed to the left of the forks. If you are using a fancy fold or napkin rings, place the napkin on top of the dinner plate (or on the soup bowl if one is seated on the dinner plate).

Place Cards
Using place cards avoids awkward moments when guests seat themselves and wards off potential problems. The place card is placed directly above the dinner plate AND to help you get started on your fabulous handmade thanksgiving meal I have made up two place cards, one for men one for women, that you can use! Save them to your computer, print out on heaver type paper or card stock and add the names!

Once you have added the names to your cards fold them in half so they stand up nicely for your guest to see!

One last thing... The kids table.
Setting up a separate table for the kids is a tradition worth upholding and you can make it a fun table for them. Get your own children involved with decorating the kids table, they will love helping and being an active part of all of the holiday excitement. It will be a fun project for them picking out a fun tablecloth, bright plastic plates and cups, placemats they can color on or some coloring books and crayons and if they are old enough setting it all up for you too!

No Bake Guiltless Chocolate Haystack Delights

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:39:00 +0000

What better way to kick off the holiday season then with a quick and simple mouth watering recipe that anyone can whip up in a matter of minutes. Time is something we never have enough of over the holidays and you want to make something delicious ~ well this fun treat will have them all thinking you slaved over a hot stove for hours! A great last minute dessert for all ages, sure to be a big hit at your all of your parties and family gatherings!

BY: Button of Buttonwilloe Babies & Baubles & Blessings
Collectible Miniatures and Keepsakes, Little Babies, Angels, Cupcake Toppers, Figurines, Whimsical Ornaments, Animals & Jewelry created to bless your heart & make you smile.

I have a yummy recipe to share. Super easy and delicious. Low calorie, too!

No Bake Guiltless Chocolate Haystack Delights

Ingredients:
6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon real peanut butter
1 bag Fiber One cereal (box has 2 bags inside)
Optional candy sprinkles

Melt Chocolate chips and 1 tsp. peanut butter in large bowl in microwave oven for 5 minutes on 40% power or until chocolate melts. Be careful...too much time will ruin the chocolate. Add cereal and mix well to coat in chocolate. Place wax paper on cookie sheet Use two spoons (makes it much easier) and make little mounds on cookie sheet Top with sprinkles if desired (looks more festive) Refrigerate or place in freezer for 5-10 minutes to set chocolate They are delicious and loaded with fiber! Yay!

Featured and Prized!

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:24:00 +0000

All in the same week!

I had the pleasure of being reviewed as a
My Choice Artfire Studio on the fabulous
Red Ruby On Fire Blog
A great new blog you will want to visit with
artisan features and reviews.
Thank you Red Ruby!

AND

I was also very honored to have my
Elegant Edwardian
Asymmetrical Purple Green Necklace

featured on The Grand Design Blog as
The Handmade Tweet of the day!
Thanks so Much! Wonderful blog and if you haven't
checked it out take a peek today!

AND

I won The Bohemian Blog Rose Giveaway!
Yeah me! I am excited and I can not wait to
try out her fabulous looking
Handmade Soap

and Sugar Scrub! I picked lavender as my scent - my fav!
WOW Thank you!!!

Join the Mailing List

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:06:00 +0000

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A Little Help From My Friends

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:45:00 +0000

I could use your help in winning this contest on the
FoxyFindings facebook Fan Page!
I have entered my
Tudor Filigree Cross Brooch

I know I could win with your help
if everyone could please take a minute and
Follow this link and vote LIKE
for my jewelry/picture entry there
and leave a comment.
I really could use the supplies.
Thanks so much!

Will Make You Blush

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:39:00 +0000

Besides creating period jewelry one of my passions is photographing flowers. I am a hugh fan of roses and even though a lot of varieties do not grow well in my area I usually don't let that stop me from trying! This is one such variety - Natchitoches Noisette - a gorgeous found antique rose with a sweet pink blush. I started this rose bush from a cutting mailed to me by a friend and she loves it here topping out around 7 feet! The spring flush is nothing short of spectacular and the myrrh fragrance is heavenly with excellent rebloom until frost.
You can click on any of the pictures to enjoy the full size.
Please do not copy - thanks!

The Honest Scrap Award!

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:02:00 +0000

Thanks to Lauren of LostMitten for this Honest Scrap Award!

There are a few requirements and they are as follows:
- I must thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it
- I must list 10 honest things about myself
- I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog.
- I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links
- I must notify the bloggers of the award and hopefully they will follow the above requirements.

10 Honest Things About Me:

1. In October of 2006 (age 45) I became very ill resulting in the loss of the left side of my jaw and part of my left cheekbone. Over the course of the next 2 1/2 years I suffered through well over 20 surgeries, then debilitating infection, 2 major heart attacks with stent placements, a host of other heath problem resulting from long term infection and antibiotic use then reconstruction surgeries, the loss of my job... But god has seen me through all of this and I look at life a lot differently now. I am on a good road to a full recovery and hopefully a new job will come soon.

2. I am a adrenalin junkie... yep me! But I put this to good use as a EMT-Paramedic for the past 18 years of my life! I will admit I have slowed down (as I get older) and made the move from the streets to the ER and Burn Unit of a level 1 trauma center where I worked for 7 years. I had to stop (for health reasons) and yes I miss it but I am not positive if I would go back to it.

3. I have a secret addiction to bugles... no not the instrument you know the crunchy corn snack in a box LOL! I love them and as much as I try and stay away from them every once in a while I sneak a box into the house and NO I don't share!

4. I have been a serious soft spot when it comes to animals of all kinds. I love them and I have given a lot of time/money to dog rescue, boston terriers in particular. I still have 3 boston cuties of my own, they were ones that were not adoptable so of course I kept them and gave them a good home to spend their golden years in. Truthfully they give me much more then could ever give back.

5. I relish my quiet and down time. There never seems to be enough hours to do what I want to during the course of a day but I always make it a point to take some time just for myself to relax and do nothing.

6. I love all kinds of music, classical, oldies, Renaissance and Celtic - love Enya but...ok I will admit it ...disco...there I said it has to be my favorite! Back in the day I was a serious disco queen!!! Do the hustle! LOL

7. I have always wanted to take glass blowing, stained glass, lampwork, fused and pottery classes. I love anything glass and pottery has always fascinated me especially Nouveau era.

8. I miss my 22 pound cat Jazz who lived to be 16 and just passed away a few months ago something terrible and I swear I can still hear him talking to me at night.

9. I absolutely hate swimming.

10. I would love to win the lottery or really just have enough to live comfortably and just craft my life away!

My 7 great blogs to pass this award to!
1.The Bad Cat's Blog
2.Keiara's Keep
3.Beaded Tail
4.Copperheart
5.Mays Lampwork Beads
6.One Black Bird
7.Wilmoth Farms Handmade Soaps

Crazy About Daliah

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:37:00 +0000

I thought I would share some of my garden photography with you, besides creating period jewelry one of my passions is photographing flowers. I love Daliah flowers the color is so extraordinary, so many of them grace my gardens and they photograph so beautifully! My daughter purchased this particular Daliah for me a few years ago and it blooms like crazy.
You can click on any of the pictures to enjoy the full size.
Please do not copy - thanks!

Stayed Tuned - Tomorrow's Garden Pictures
Natchitoches Blush Noisette

Victorian Charm

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:48:00 +0000

Frosted Glass Cameo Victorian Festoon Necklace
Bringing you all the charm and romance of the period this Victorian style festoon necklace features a marvelous old West German thick glass vintage cameo.

One Lovely Blog Award

noreply@blogger.com (YoursTruli) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:43:00 +0000

I have never been much of a blogger in the past and at times I find it to be quite a challenge but I enjoy my daily post to it very much and also supporting my fellow artisans at Artfire.com at the same time. This is why this award is so special to me. I see not only as recognition but as support by my fellow artisan bloggers and that is always a fabulous feeling!

Three very wonderful people gave me
the honor of this award

Please take some time to visit their blogs you will be very glad you did and I have place these as permanent links in my sidebar here so everyone who visits my blog can have the opportunity to visit their blogs and see how wonderful they really are! Thank you for choosing me it has meant a lot to me.

Now in keeping with the rules and spirit of the award:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.

3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I will take some time and find my fabulous 15 and I know it will be difficult because there are so many wonderful blogs out there to chose from! I will be sure to post my nominees to share with you all as soon as I have the list and notify them.