Pinterest Pins I Used -- and a few wins!

A few wins, first!  I was just notified I won a copy of the new Stampinton & Company publication called "Mingle".  I'm excited to get to read this when it arrives.  We don't have stores around here that would ever carry this!

At at recent Home Based Business Fair and show I won a set of Tupperware bowls from my consultant!  It's the 3-PC Wonderlier Bowls.  You know you will win when you put your name in drawings, right?  It just takes a few minutes!  I had a Tupperware Party (Linda is my consultant) last year and we had fun making lots of foods with Tupperware products.

One of the first fellow bloggers I connected with years ago is Natelea of Kandeland.  She is one of the most generous bloggers out there!  Very crafty and artsy, and an all around genuine girl.  Her daughter is a Mini-Me to her!  Natalea had a "700th Posting" giveaway a while back and guess who one?  :)   I don't have a photo of what she sent me, but here's a photo that I "borrowed" from her blog:

I have the kit right here on my craft table.........I often save "good stuff" a little too long, thinking I need to do it justice!  I really need to just open it and have fun, not worrying if I will live up to Natalea's artsy craftsy skills!  Thank you, Natalea, you rock girl!

Now to the subject of Pinterest.  I do pin.  I do pin a lot.  Okay, I'm an image lover!  Also, pictures inspire me!  I don't subscribe to magazines anymore, at least at this very moment!  So my pinning on Pinterest is my magazine time!  And I do use what I pin!  Here's a few examples:

I made this pearl nest necklace today:

I learned how to make it after seeing and going to this Pinterest link:

And...let's see....I made these Two Ingredient muffins from a Pinterest link:

Very good. Very easy. Very Pinterest.

I'll just post one more....Gorp!  I found the Pinterest picture right before our camping vacation (which was a blast!).  I made it and we loved it!  Great for hiking, boating, bike riding and snack by the campfire:

The Pinterest photo:

My done-deal-Pinterest:

Thanks for visiting today!  



Apple Dumplings and Tea -- Camp Grandma!

We've got a nice productive McIntosh apple tree, but in addition to that our kind neighbors have given me permission to pick apples from their many trees!  I've got apple sauce and apple butter lined up to make, but couldn't wait to get something sweet going so I made apple dumplings. Apple dumplings have always been one of my favorite desserts. 

Most apple dumpling recipes have you put a whole (skinned and cored) apple in each dumpling.  But I have always preferred smaller chunks of apples.  I pretty much just make what would be an apple pie filling and pie crust recipe.  The only thing I need then is a syrup to pour on top.

I love apple dumplings served with vanilla ice cream, but didn't have any, so I used whipped topping.  Still super good! 

My sister's son and daughter-in-law are expecting what will be my sister's first grandchild!  We are so excited for them and I couldn't wait to give her a special sign I painted:

 She visited with Ellie (our second of three grandchildren) her at my "Camp Grandma, Coos Bay Unit" and taught her how to "have tea".    She'll be a perfect grandma and she'll love the new title! 

Here's my sign, painted 5 years ago (I used to make my signs way smaller then, and on old wood:

Hope you all have a safe and fun weekend!
          Hugs, Heidi

Here's a basic APPLE DUMPLING recipe, it's the one I use:
THE SYRUP:
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tblspn. butter

THE DUMPLING CRUST:
2 1/4 cups four
1/4 TSP. salt
2/3 cup butter
6 to 8 Tblspn iced cold water

FILLING:
6 apples (skinned, cored, and cut in small bite size pieces)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1. Mix the syrup (EXCEPT the butter) ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer, covered for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in butter.
2. Meanwhile mix the crust ingredients and roll out into an 18X12-inch rectangle, then cut into six 6" squares.  (Or get close, like I do!)
3. Mix the apple filling ingredients and divide evenly on the 6 cut squares.
4.  Pull up the four corners of each square into a pocket, or dumpling.  Pitch the edge to keep them closed. Place in a baking pan. 
5. Pour the hot syrup over the dumplings.
6.  Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the apples are tender and the crust is lightly browned.
7.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, or whipped topping.

Makes 6 servings.
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(Linked to  Cindy's My Romantic Home Show and Tell here. , Six Sisters Struf Your Stuff Saturday here, Be Different and Act Normal Show and Tell Saturday here,  Tator Tots and Jello Weekend Wrap Up Party here,  Blissful and Domestic Feature Friday Link Up Party here,  Niffty Thrifty Sunday #29 here, Totally Tasty Tuesday at Mandy's Recipe Box here,  Joy of Desserts here,and Frugal Girls Craft Linky Party here.)

Pinterest and my flop!

Just keeping it real here, girls.  I love Pinterest.  I've made several recipes from Pinterest links, with great results.   Until this one, Strawberry Lemonade Bars.  This one took a couple weeks to make, as each time I set out to make it I would be short an ingredient.  So finally this week I got my act together and made it, carefully following the "test kitchen" recipe.

(these were not mine, but from the K&K Test Kitchen blog)

I had made these to take to my ladies Bible study, but had to leave them home! Yep, not even sprinkled powder sugar was going to make a save:

I'm not sure if I should try again or not?  Have any of you made this recipe yet?  Maybe I should just stick to lemon bars!  And eat my strawberries with plenty of whipped cream on the side!

If you'd like to take a look at my "Baking Corner" board on Pinterest, you can see my collection here:

Heidi's Baking Corner

I really want to make the Texas Roadhouse Copy Cat Rolls next......hope my yeast doesn't let me down! 

Back to work now....I'm painting sign orders, and also packaging up "Vintage Scrap Packs" for Jenn's event next month, "Once Upon a Dream", which I am a sponsor.  I'm sure the girls there will have fun, Jenn's got lots lined up and she throws an event like no other!



Blessings, Heidi