Sharing Sunday

It’s Sunday!

And that means another edition of Sharing Sunday is here!

Recently I was introduced to the art of needle felting.  I’d never heard of it before.  I knew about wet felting but this new idea of using a needle intrigued me.  I have been learning about it and bought a kit and some beautiful roving and will soon attempt to try my own hand at it soon.

In the meantime I wanted to share some very talented artists and their needle felting work.  Some of it just blows me away!  For instance, TangleWoodThicket makes the most gorgeous dragons that stand a few feet tall and are full of colour and whimsy.  FunFeltbyWinnie and MiloandBen create a softer, gentler feeling that’s full of character and makes wonder about the stories each piece holds inside.

As always, each shop is Canadian and the links are below.  Take a few minutes to browse the shops.  You won’t be disappointed.

Top row from left to right:

TangleWoodThicket from Kelowna, BC

MiloandBen from Toronto, ON

JoyfulCoyote from Hampton, NB

Middle row:

JoyfulCoyote from Hampton, NB

Bottom row from left to right:

NotCarvedInStone from Ottawa, ON

FunFeltByWinnie from Markham, ON

TangleWoodThicket from Kelowna, BC

Hope you enjoyed my sharing this week.  If you have a suggestion for a theme let me know.  I’d love to hear it.  Have a great week!

Foodie Friday!

You will notice that a lot of the recipes I post are for baked foods.  I am more at home baking that I am cooking.  I love food and all the amazing smells coming from the kitchen and my favourite smells are from baking something sweet and yummy.

So today I am going to share my absolute favourite muffin recipe with you.  I make these all the time, but mostly when we have bananas that are getting a little too brown for anyone to eat by themselves.

The following recipe is mine.  I’ve altered one, that I found many years ago, to make it a tad healthier and yet still delicious.  My family has no idea the changes I’ve made and they think it’s just as good as the original recipe.

We prefer to make the muffins in mini size.  They are way more fun to eat and I find them easier to put in the kids’ lunch boxes when they’re small.

Here is my recipe:

    Banana Chip Muffins

    3/4 cup flour

    3/4 whole wheat flour

    1 Tbsp ground flax

    1 Tbsp wheat germ

    1 Tbsp baking powder

    1/2 tsp salt

    1 cup chocolate chips

    1 egg

    1/4 cup apple sauce

    1/4 cup milk

    3 mashed bananas

Measure first 7 ingredients into a large bow.  Mix thoroughly and make a well in the centre.

Beat egg in smaller bowl until frothy.  Mix in apple sauce, milk and bananas.  Pour into well.  Stir only to moisten.  Batter will be lumpy.

Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. (I always put more in and overflow the mini muffin tin)

Bake in 400F oven for 20-25 minutes for regular size or 18-20 for mini size.

The only changes left that I would like to make are finding a substitute for the sugar and maybe using carob chips or cacao nibs for the chocolate chips.  It’s fun to experiment and see what works.  

If you have any sugar substitute suggestions I’d love to hear them.

Enjoy!

Back to Pyrography

Last week I was working on a wine box for a wedding.  Unfinished wine boxes are very difficult to find unless you want to purchase a HUGE amount.  So, I thought I’d give making one a try.  I’m not a carpenter or woodworker.  I just burn the wood.  I have a few tools that get me by so I thought I could make it happen.  

This is my first attempt.  Not too bad and I learned a lot from it.  The hardest part was the door.

Once I figured out the door I made another, better version and I am so proud of it!

And here is the finished box with the design and wood finish. 

I have more exciting new things to share with you

so make sure you check back again soon!

Sharing Sunday

This week is a little different.  Some people love tattoos and others are completely against them. 

I don’t have any tattoos myself but I’ve thought about getting one many times.  There’s a few reason’s why I haven’t taken the plunge but I won’t go in to that now.  Tattoos can be incredible pieces of art and the people who tattoo are very, very talented.  I have a lot of respect for them.  A little while back I came across these little gems.  What a super fun alternative to the permanent kind!  

These are all temporary and you can request custom designs that fit your style.  Canadian shops and the links are below.

Centre:

OottatTattoo from Montreal, QC

Clockwise starting from top left:

HilliaryCustomLiving from Peterborough, ON

cclstore from Montreal, QC

MadeByTattooYou from Calgary, AB

MadeByTattooYou from Calgary, AB

cclstore from Montreal, QC

OottatTattoo from Montreal, QC

MadeByTattooYou from Calgary, AB

HilliaryCustomLiving from Peterborough, ON

Hope you enjoyed my sharing this week.  If you have a suggestion for a theme let me know.  I’d love to hear it.  Have a great week!

Sharing Sunday!

I’m not Irish but I love their culture!  I love their sayings and blessings and I am enamoured by everything celtic.  Since St. Patrick’s Day is tomorrow, I thought I’d put together some fun “Luck o’ the Irish” treats for you.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!

Every shop is Canadian, even if their items are Irish.  And I highly recommend you take a browse through their shops.  You’ll find some wonderful items.  The links to the shops are below.  Enjoy!

Top row:

CelticStudio  from Edmonton, AB

MoLGifts  from Leduc, AB

Middle row:

MAVAStyle  from Montreal, QC

SparkleandComfort  from Edmonton, AB

Bottom row:

ThePaperCard  from Edmonton, AB

IceCreamTees  from Newmarket, ON

BayleafButtons  from Waterloo, ON

Hope you enjoyed my sharing this week.  If you have a suggestion for a theme let me know.  I’d love to hear it.  Have a great week!

Foodie Friday

 Last week was Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday.  We don’t follow the religious background for the day but we did have pancakes for dinner.  When I was young my Mom used to make us banana fritters.  They are so delicious and as soon as I introduced them to the boys they became an instant favourite.  They ask for them all the time and are a great way to use up an aging banana.

We sprinkle a little lemon juice and sugar on them and they are a wonderful quick and easy treat to make!

I am obviously not the best food photographer but you get the idea.  I make fun tiny ones for the boys too.

 Banana Fritters

1 mashed banana

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

Heat oil in frying pan.  Test the heat of the oil with a little water.  If the water bounces off you know it’s hot enough. 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Pour batter into pan to make pancakes.  Flip pancakes when the edges start to bubble and turn a little golden.  

Top with a little lemon juice and sugar and enjoy!

It's Here!!

This is so exciting!

The Mother's Day Sampler box

is ready for purchasing!! 

I only have one available in my shop!!

PURCHASE HERE

But when mine sells you will be able to see where you can purchase other boxes here, at the PCFTeam blog.  

These amazing boxes are full of wonderful samples from 9 different shops on Etsy. Each box is worth over $60 but are selling for just $20!!!

There are only a limited number of boxes available! 

DON'T WAIT

GET YOURS NOW!!

Sharing Sunday

Spring is just around the corner!!  I'm sure I can feel it!  We've had a really snowy and cold winter here this year.  There just doesn't seem to be an end in sight.  But, we've also had some wonderful sunny days this past week so I have to believe that Spring is on its way.

Here is my Sunday offering.  A group of beautiful and gentle work, by Canadian artists, to welcome Spring and hopefully encourage it to come a little sooner.  Links to the shops are below.

Centre:

RachelelAnneMiller from Ottawa, ON

Clockwise starting at top left:

FancyFontsEmbroidery from Halifax, NS

dellabellaBoutique from Paisley, ON

Siiso from Markham, ON

ShivversVintage from Montreal, QC

bannersforall from Richmond, BC

NellsEmbroidery from North Vancouver, BC

Creativecarmelina from Welland, ON

tooaquarius from Swift Current, SK

Foodie Friday

March Break has officially stared here!  The kids have today off in addition to all of next week.  Lucky guys!

In honour of the break from school I made some very delicious lemon cookies.  We had a couple of little friends over and discovered that these flavourful cookies are not in fact for everyone.  They are very, very lemony.  But they are a winner in our home and never last very long!

I didn't drizzle the icing so I needed a lot more than the recipe asked for.  This made them even more lemony!

Double Lemon Delights

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp grated lemon peel, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

Additional sugar

1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)

4 - 5 tsp lemon juice (about one lemon)

Preheat oven to 375F

Combine flower, baking powder and salt in small bowl; set aside.  Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl and mix with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg, 1 Tbsp lemon peel and vanilla until well blended.  Gradually beat in flower mixture on low speed until blended.

Drop dough by levee 1/4 cupfuls (this makes BIG cookies and you can decrease this if you want) onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing 3 inches apart.  Flatten dough until 3 inches in diameter with bottom of glass that has been dipped in additional sugar.

Bake 12 - 14 minutes or until cookies are just set and edges are golden brown.  Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes; transfer to wire racks.  Cool completely.

Combine powdered sugar; lemon juice and remaining 1 Tbsp lemon peel in small bowl; drizzle mixture over cookies.  Let stand until icing is set.

Enjoy!

New pieces

I've got a few new pieces in my shop!  And I've still got lots of ideas for more items!

These are door hangers and can be customized any way you want. They can be one sided or two.  I will have some new styles available soon.

And this is a 9 piece celtic puzzle.  I can do almost any size square or rectangle puzzle you can think of and will hopefully be adding a few more designs to the shop soon.

Many more new and fun things coming so stay tuned!

Sharing Sunday

Today’s Sharing Sunday is all about the horoscope signs.  I found so many beautiful pieces of art to represent each sign.  This was definitely a fun collection to put together.  I hope you enjoy it!

All shops/artists are Canadian.  The links are below.

Clockwise starting from the top left:

Aries by DeepColouredWater from Vancouver, BC

Pisces by SassySmack from Vancouver, BC

Capricorn by CindersMcLeod from Toronto, ON

Taurus by PassionGiftStampArt from Vancouver, BC

Gemini by PaperChat from Toronto, ON

Leo by MumbleTease from Calgary, AB

Clockwise starting from the top left:

Cancer by SeeingStars from Halifax, NS

Libra by Kellysmagnets from Calgary, AB

Virgo by FolioCreations from Cornwall, PEI

Aquarius by Evesand from Vancouver, BC

Scorpio by Luminariumgraphics from Vancouver, BC

Sagittarius by TriciaODesign from Burlington, ON

Hope you enjoyed my sharing this week.  If you have a suggestion for a theme let me know.  I’d love to hear it.  Have a great week!