WHAT HAS HE GIVEN ME? He won’t come home with roses and boxes of chocolates are not his thing. Expensive dinners and movies are as likely as big diamond rings. For years I wondered why I was not honored on important days. Then I saw how our money was growing and decided I would try it his way. With two daughters growing and needing support, we passed up tickets to sit on the court. No football tickets or concerts downtown. More fun to pack a picnic and eat on the ground. There are lots of free concerts in parks and malls. Bach and Beethoven beat games with balls. We don’t run to theaters for opening nights. I haven’t yet seen the last Twilight. The dollar menu was our best friend. You could have a meal out with little money to spend. It’s the company that counts with the one you love. We are blessed to have each other by God above. Why pay more and have less to eat? Food at home is better and steak is a treat. We mistakenly think we are entitled to all things. Young people must own homes before they exchange rings. A new kitchen, new bathroom, the old must go. My parents were in their 40’s before home ownership they would know. What did I receive for Christmas, time with boys and girls. He gave me this gift of two girls with golden curls. One Christmas Eve night after candle light service, he asked me to share his life, to be part of his world. The girls gave us three boys of utter delight. Our lives are so full and all is right. My niece and nephew are more gifts from above. There is also a great-nephew to hug and love. One brother is still a part of my life and his friends are my brothers and for sisters, their wives. Though my parents are gone, I have a mom indeed - a mother-in-law with no malice or greed. No jealousy or resentment, no guilt or coercing. She takes only what we offer and understands when we are working. What has he given me over the years - a house full of joy, though not without tears. He has given me companionship, love, laughter and teasing – some bossing, some nagging, but happiness without ceasing. You see, the best things in life really are free. So what if there is a great big world we’ve yet to see. Not one cruise or long trip have we made, but the table of our life is heavily laden. Our family is well and there is food to eat. We are not rich, but life is so sweet. It is sweet with loved ones and the security of salvation. It is sweet with little debt and the comfort of home. Sometimes we look back and say we have sacrificed much to be where we are, but where we are is a very good place. The best place by far! Laura Blanton Copyright February 1, 2013

Presents from South Korea

 

Don't you just love it when the letter carrier has a package for you? Sure you do! I received these lovely gifts from Lady Shuttle Maker, aka Sherry Pence. They have been here for a few days, but I wanted to wait and post them when it was almost time for her to be back from vacation.

The eye glass case is very beautiful and elegant. It feels like silk. The beads were in the little yellow case which is just the right size for a shuttle. I love the Jungle Fever hand dyed thread. I have no idea what the interesting postcard says on the front of course. On the back she is thinking me for my contribution to 4 o'clock rock and encouragement in her life. I feel I get much more encouragement than I give.

Thank you dear Sherry. I hope you had a wonderful vacation and a very special Valentine's Day tomorrow!

Tatter's Dream Cake for Valentine's Day

Or, for today if you are snowed in or just hungry!

Since they were telling us yesterday that we would be snowed in today, I decided to bake a cake while making chili. I was going to make just one layer of Mark's chocolate cake but I had used my last box of Dark Chocolate cake mix. All I had was French Vanilla. Necessity being the mother of invention, I had to make that work.

With Mark's generous permission, here is what I did.

1 pkg. French Vanilla cake mix
2 eggs
1 can cherry pie filling

Preheat ove to 350 degrees F.

Stir together by hand and pour into a greased 9 x 13" pan. It will be thick like brownie mix.

Bake for about 40 minutes and cool completely.

In the meantime, I made cream cheese frosting like this. (Probably the same recipe you all use.)

2 pkgs. 8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter or margarine
1 box (lb.) of confectioner's sugar
1 Tablespoon of vanilla
about 3 Tablespoons of milk

Cream softened cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla. Add confectioner's sugar slowly and beat until smooth. One trick I have found to keep the mess down is to sit the mixing bowl in the sink for this part of the process. When smooth, add enough milk to make spreading consistency.

Spread over cooled cake either in the pan or removed from the pan. I left mine in the pan as it was just for us.

It made a beautiful pink layer and I think it would be a nice Valentine cake, especially if baked in a heart shaped pan, or cut into a heart shape. I had some Valentine sprinkles that I put on top.

Thanks for the inspiration Mark. I hope some of you will find a use for this cake and enjoy it as much as we are.

Flower Bouquet Heart from "Tat's Amore'"

Here is my rendition of Martha's Flower Bouquet Heart tatted in Flora size 20 and DMC Cebelia size 20. It isn't exactly like Martha's, of course, but I am proud of it. I learned three new techniques on this one! I will confess to pulling out and redoing the blue flower as my picots were too big and thus the flower was too big. I also had trouble sizing and attaching the stems. I made my first ever SCMR! Yippee! I never thought I would do it. I had always stayed away from patterns that used them, and now I wonder why.

I think when I get through making hearts from this book, they may all go in a frame for my Victorian bedroom.

Tatted Motif #13 of 25

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! I'm still design challenged, but this came from my own little head! It's not like I had imagined it when I started, but I like it for now. It needs one more large ring. Also, the heart button should be moved over. However, at the start I had intended for it to be between rings and made an extra long picot over which to add it. Alas, being challenged, as I am, it turned the wrong way! That's what I get for making it up as I go along. I had to cover up the picot so here it is. I will be the first to admit that there is a huge difference between tatting and designing tatting!