Bittersweet and the little soap company

Favorite Corners

 
With Automne coming and an urge to nest I thought it might be fun to share a few of my favorite corners within my home. This one is my dressing room corner. An area that is completely mine! The vintage dresser was purchased when I had the shop downtown from my friend Julie's boutique.

 
This is my favorite corner in my kitchen. You may recognize it. I used this picture on the cover of the Calico Petals Cookbook. My Mother's plates hang above the shelf and my hand-made pinnies hang from the hooks. The metal floral cup was picked up at my friend Kim's boutique several years back. The little resin girl was a flea market find my friend Julie gave me a couple of years ago, love her! 

 
This is another favorite corner in the bedroom. The pictures date back as far as five and six generations of my family. I think that's so cool! I wake up each morning gazing at sweet memories of Patrick when he was little, my Mom when she was alive and healthy. That time when I was a bank manager. My Dad barbering in the late fifty's. Smoking cigars with my friends from City Hall! Yeah,  I love seeing those memories each morning.

 
Lastly, this little cub-by right off the kitchen in the dining room. An antique writing table that I seldom sit and write at, but nevertheless, love to pass by the brown corner, brown my favorite color! Ah, looks like I need to dust the petite lamp!

I know you have some soulfull favorite corners in  your sweet home too.  If you have time, I'd love to see yours!

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two Automne hugs are better than one)   
 

Gingerlicious!

In between cutting, wrapping, packing, etc., Patrick was requesting his favorite cookie. Next to making soap, baking is probably my favorite past time. I suppose baking is very similar to making soap.

I'm sharing my all time favorite Gingerlicious cookie recipe with you. It's not really my recipe. The cookie recipe comes from Magnolias.

If your in the market for a new baking cookbook to add to your Christmas list, include this one, you won't be disappointed.

 

The vanilla cupcake recipe is also very tasty.

This is one of the cookies chosen to be on the cookie tray at the upcoming Holiday Savon Premier and lets just say, I don't mess around when choosing cookies for an event, only the best can appear on that tray!

Recipes: Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes, Iced Ginger Cookies

October 13, 2004

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes

Makes 2 dozen.

Note: For a layer cake instead of cupcakes, divide batter between two 9-inch rounds and bake layers for 30 to 40 minutes. From "More from Magnolia" by Allysa Torey (Simon & Schuster, $27).

For cupcakes:

• 11/2 c. self-rising flour

• 11/2 c. all-purpose flour

• 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 2 c. sugar

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

• 1 c. milk

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

For icing:

• 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 6 to 8 c. powdered sugar, divided

• ¹/₂c. milk

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

To make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. In a small bowl, combine self-rising flour and all-purpose flour and reserve. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour in three parts, alternating with milk and vanilla extract. With each addition, beat until ingredients are incorporated; do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down batter in bowl to make sure ingredients are well-blended. Carefully spoon batter into cupcake liners, filling them about³/₄full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from tins to a wire rack and cool completely.

To make icing: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on low speed, combine butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until combined, increase speed to medium and beat until mixture is smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be a good spreading consistency (you may not need all of powdered sugar). If desired, add a few drops of food coloring (pink is the bakery's best-selling color) and mix thoroughly. Spread icing over cupcakes and serve (icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days).

Iced Ginger Cookies

Makes 30 cookies.

From "More from Magnolia."

• 2 c. flour

• 2 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. ginger  (I add a teaspoon or two of crystallized ginger to the batter)

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• ¹/₂tsp. salt

• ³/₄c. vegetable oil (preferably canola)

• 1 c. granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

• 1 egg, at room temperature

• ¹/₂c. light unsulphured molasses

• ¹/₂c. powdered sugar, sifted

• 1 tbsp. solid vegetable shortening

• 2 tsp. water

To make cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt and reserve. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, beat together oil and 1 cup granulated sugar for 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and molasses and beat well. Add flour mixture and mix thoroughly. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar and bake 12 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make icing: In a small bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium speed, combine powdered sugar, shortening and water and beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Cover until ready to use. When cookies are completely cool, spread a very thin layer of icing on each cookie with a small knife or spatula. Let icing set before stacking cookies or they will stick together.

Enjoy a Gingerlicious day!

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

*Home Sweet Home*

 

A tad of this, and a tad of that best describes my domestic urges lately. I'm hunkering down for a long winter retreat within my home/studio. I've been visiting this place a lot, and this place too. I've had my face stuffed in this , and anxiously awaiting this one to arrive.

I really need to stay away from this place! Seem to be having a hard time with this one!

Worked on some new packaging for this too. 

I really want to make more of these!

Enjoy caring and sharing Autumn days.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

Pantry Re-do

I recently sat and looked at my pantry area in my kitchen and said to myself, I don't believe I like the way that looks.  Do you ever do that?  This is an open pantry and since I am short on space must be functional as well as look good.

I'm going to share a very private story with you.

One of the things my Mom wanted to do before she passed away was to help re- decorate my home. She was an excellent decorator and a whiz at utilizing items she already had. Our tastes are in some ways alike and in someways different. For instance, Mom liked items that were primitive, where as I prefer things that are not so woody and distressed. Mom liked natural wood, I like painted wood.

After we began to re-decorate I started to realize soon after just how much it meant to my Mom to fulfill this task of re-decorating our home before she died. Then I began to see deeper the reason she wanted to do this. After Mom would leave to go home to her house, I began to look around at our house in a different way. As I looked around our beautiful  newly decorated home I see  bits and pieces of my Mom scattered in every corner.

My sweet Mother was making sure that I did not forget her in the way that she knew how to.

It's been six years since my Mother's death, and as I look around our home I continue seeing her  in every corner/s of our home. Even though there are little things here and there that I have since moved or changed, there are certain things that I just can't. As I look at the wood blinds and the distressed fire place, my mind travels back to the days my Mom was here decorating, and remember almost every moment we shared during those days.

Nevertheless, I'm sure you can understand how difficult it is for me to change things in our home.

When I move that chair to a different spot, or paint the dresser a different color, I immediately think of my Mom. I can sometimes hear her telling me she likes the new look. I have even caught myself asking out loud, "what do you think Mom?"

Enjoy a caring and sharing day.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than none)

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane....

Patrick is flying to L.A. this morning to visit his Aunt. He loves to fly. I on the other hand, despise it. I can honestly use that word and really mean it too. His other Aunt, MP, is flying into KC to accompany him to L.A.  

When I was little, my Dad used to fly privately. We would fly over our house, fly little mini trips, and of course the time we flew to my Uncles landing field somewhere in the middle of nowhere. That particular flight stands out. I remember my Dad asking me to "get down and cover your head". Then I remember doing it for about five seconds and then getting up and looking out the plane window. The only thing I remember after that was staring into a line of trees ahead next to a fence. Needless to say, to this day, I'm terrified to fly.

I have flown since then on commercial jets, but still dread walking onto the plane, and dread even more the plane itself. At least with a small plane I can see what's going on. I know, I know it's safer than driving your car. Don't care! I hate to fly!!!

Patrick is looking forward to flying and fortunately his Mother's fears have no impact on how he feels about flying. I'm happy he feels that way too.

Tuesday, I had to think what day it is for a moment. Patrick's Aunt is an extraordinary woman. She once worked for Don Henley as his private secretary during the eighty's. Don was the lead singer for the Eagles.  She's one of those gals you just can't help but like. She's bubbly and full of energy and cute too. I'm sure knowing her as I do, she will have a complete action packed  itinerary planned for the four days Patrick is there to visit.

Lennis and I plan a quiet time doing much of nothing. Well, I guess I never just do much of nothing, but I  plan to sew  more Cherry Poppins Peg Bags, and have several other projects I'm working on.

I am shipping Easter orders out later today, so you should get them this week.

Enjoy a caring and sharing day.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

Mix It Up!

I'm working my way towards the kitchen with my Spring cleaning. I'm on a roll, and can't stop. My kitchen pantry is in need of a make-over, and my cabinets are oozing with little jars of spices. I'm putting those spices in alphabetical order so I can easily find what I'm looking for. I'm mixing modern with Vintage in hopes that I'll get a happy medium.

I found this vintage shelf paper at the flea market. I really like the design, and especially like the red. I am going to see if my printer can re-produce this shelf paper somehow so that  I can offer it on Vintage Two. 

Sandy and I have been busy getting ready for the auction. I took another load of stuff over last night. It looks like we will be having the auction in a couple of weeks. I am looking forward to watching my stuff get auctioned off. I think it will be exciting to watch and see what things bring. I have some collector stuff that I'm looking forward to watching that. Most collectors know what a piece is worth so they know exactly how far to go on their bids.

I'm scurrying in several different directions lately, mixing things up a bit.

I'm placing business projects on the back burner for awhile so that I can relax and enjoy my domestic Spring  bliss mode for a few more days.

Enjoy a caring and sharing day.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

   

It's a Spring Thing!

I knew it was coming! Every Spring I get this sudden burst of energy and begin Spring cleaning our house. Windows first, and boy were they dirty. I believe I might have missed a few Spring cleanings while having the shop.

Lennis and I were power cleaning and power mulching the entire day. We cleaned the front windows of the house. Now let me tell you too, it's not an easy task. We live in a home that was built in the twenty's, so window cleaning is a task in it's self. Take out the storm windows, take out the screens, shut the window, go outside to clean the window, back inside, clean storms, put storms  back in. Imagine that 10 times. That's just my front windows. 

Great feeling of accomplishment though when we finished, and the windows are shiny clean to allow that Springy sunshine to flow into our home.

I use newspapers to clean the windows. They work better than paper towels, and your putting another use to them. We also covered our flower beds with cedar mulch. I prefer mulching with  cedar over cypress, and I also use cocoa bean hulls. They smell like chocolate. When guests stand by the flower beds lined in cocoa bean hulls they always say, "I smell chocolate".

Then after we cleaned the windows I rewarded myself with two Vietnamese coffee's. After drinking the coffee's I decided to re-arrange the music room. Have you ever moved a piano? Well, I would suggest having a couple Vietnamese coffee's first!

Monday is sure to be filled with more domestic bliss and a break from my regular work. As I'm cleaning, I can't help but think about the movie "The Color Purple". Do you remember when Celie marries "Mister", and she walks into her new home, and it's totally dirty? Then the next scene, you see a sparkling clean house with clean linens hanging outside, and shiny clean dishes stacked neatly. That's what I think about while cleaning my house. The simplicity of a clean house. Simple, but yet soulful. Kind of silly I suppose, but that's what I feel.

Enjoy a caring and sharing Spring day!

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one) 

   

Icy Bliss, Empty Boxes!

It is so cold outside, brr!! The thermometer reads 1, and there are large deposits of ice most everywhere you look. Nice to be in my warm cozy house on a morning like this!

I have to admit too, the cold icy weather has helped motivate me to get started cleaning up the mess in the basement, and I'm proud to say, I completed the task at hand! I found myself needing a lot of convincing before starting the clean up.  Finally after a couple weeks of contemplating about it, I jumped in head first. See those empty boxes? I didn't ever think I'd see those boxes empty!

I have everything sorted, and as soon as the weather breaks I will take it to my friend Sandy's empty house to sell.

I also started building the new web site. "Vintage Two". I  am so excited about this web site!  My passion for everything vintage is becoming a little business. Not that I needed a reason to frequent flea markets or estate sales, but now that I'm selling the items I can justify purchasing more. Oh, I hope I can part with this stuff. It's going to be tough! 

The web site will eventually be an auction site. Not like E-Bay so much, but rather everything vintage, and just the items Sandy and I find, (The Vintage Two), but you will be able to bid on the items, and the highest bidder will win the item.  It's going to be so much fun! I can't wait to get it up and running!

Bittersweet orders will make their way to the P.O. today. I don't even have to leave the house, just set the packages outside the door and the post man takes them for me. You gotta love it! No more standing in long lines at the P.O. staring at the back of peoples heads.  Three cheers for the Internet!!!

I am spending time in the studio today getting my inventory built up for Valentine's Day.

We've had such a long weekend it's hard to get back into the swing of things. All of the schools have been canceled today except ours. The five o'clock alarm rang this morning, and I did not want to get out of my warm bed. Patrick and I were hoping school would be canceled, but to our disappointment it was not. So whether we like it or not, it's back to school.

Oh, by the way, yesterday I left an important part of the Mamie story out.

Mamie and her family moved shortly after we got together, that is why I always wanted to know what happened to her...

Enjoy a caring and sharing day!

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

 

 

Aromatic Retreat

The studio is becoming an aromatic retreat within my home.  I love walking down my kitchen stairs to my little shop. It's like entering a different world. A world filled with some of my favorite things, including little vintage treasures that I've collected here and there that seem to be fitting perfect in their new home.

The little lamp in one of those finds. I bought it at my friend Julie's shop. The white camisole I have had since the early eighty's, and used to be my favorite little undershirt. I had it on display at the boutique, and customers would always ask if it was for sale.

The tiny blue bird was a Christmas gift from Julie along with the pink box looking object next to it.

Do you know what the pink box looking thing a ma jiggy is? It is a laundry detergent dispenser. It's the prettiest one I've ever seen! I'm guessing from the fifty's since it's pink, but it might be before that. I keep my laundry powder in it. It has several slits on the top so that you can pour your laundry powder in the washing machine. It holds enough powder to wash around fifteen loads of laundry. You don't see these very often, and usually when you do their condition is not very good.

Thank you Julie for giving me such beautiful things for Christmas. I will treasure them for as long as I live.

The new soap fragrances came yesterday afternoon. I couldn't wait to open the box! I wish you could smell through  my computer! My fragrance manufacturing company has out done themselves this time. I was blown away by all of the new ones. They are going to make some smell good Spring soaps.

I have to be in a certain mood to make soap. I know this is going to sound silly, but for me, soap making is like a yoga class, it's relaxing and soothing for me to make soap. It takes considerable amount of accuracy and precision when making it, and its very temperamental, so much that, if the temperature isn't just right, or you don't weigh things accurately, well let's just say it ain't pretty! Even after ten years of making it, I can still have little problems that come up.

Even after all this time, I feel the same passion I felt when I made that first batch of oatmeal soap. I kept a couple of bars of that first batch. When I look at it, it reminds me of how far I've come since then, and triggers a number of memories. I never imagined at that time, that I would be doing the same thing for so long, and still enjoy it as much as I did back then.

I do believe I will be making soap for as long as I live, and possibly after that, if such things are allowed.

Instead, it will be a day making laundry powder, and linen sprays, and dryer sachets, and ironing spray, products that help add a bit of joy to a usually hum-drum chore, not to mention, the aromatic sweet soothing smell of lavender that fills your space as your work! I use the real thing baby! No skimping here....

I hope your day is also filled with the things you love to do!

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

Saturday Filled With Whatever!

Oh, I am so getting use to having these Saturdays off! Last Saturday was spent getting ready for Sunday's party, so it was spent cleaning and cooking, but this Saturday may be filled with whatever. I don't think I realized how much I actually missed not having Saturdays off when I was busy at the shop, but now I that I have them off I really did miss you Saturdays!

Not having the shop has also allowed me to do more cooking too. Cooking and baking has always been a favorite passion since I was a little girl.  Last night I made spice cake with old fashioned caramel icing. I had forgotten how long it takes to cook and stir to make caramel icing, but it is worth it! My Mother used to make it, and it was always one of my favorite icings. I have to admit too, that feeling of warmth and contentment came over me while standing over the bowl stirring for some thirty minutes. I also made chicken and noodles for dinner. I sauteed slivered carrots, onions, celery, and peppers in olive oil, and then boiled the chicken in the same pot with a few cups of water, and then tossed in the noodles. I believe it was the best chicken and noodles I have ever made!

Patrick's paper comes out today, which means that Mom will drive him around town to deliver it to his subscribers. Patrick has grown from this shy little boy that used to hide behind his Mother's leg to a people loving type A/extrovert six times over!

I drop him off to the various businesses on the square, and he will visit with them for hours. Of course Mom is in the car waiting patiently the entire time. He is building special friendships with the shop owners downtown, and I am a very proud Mom!

So a Saturday filled with whatever!

The word has a different meaning than before. I used to use the word rather loosely, and never put much thought into saying it. I even compared the word to an old Doris Day song, whatever will be will be, the future's not ours to see.... and now have since realized, and have learned that the word holds a deeper meaning to me. The word is significant and has the ability to set the tone for each one of our lives.

One thing remains true though. Whatever can be whatever you want, and you yourself have control over it. It's a great word!

Enjoy a Saturday filled with whatever!

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)