Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

I just love saying that....

Now, on to the winner!

The WINNER is.......CRYSTAL RHEW STALEY! Right on Crystal! If you could email me you address I will get the book in the mail.

Now don't frown my wonderful friends! There will be more giveaways just around the corner! That's better! Chin up!

Buck Em'

It's no secret that I am huge fan of the rodeo. Starting in the early spring and going into fall, I can be found watching or going to rodeos. Bullriding, bronco riding and barrel racing are among my favorites.

The first movie that comes to mind when you talk about the rodeo, and bullriding in particular, is 8 Seconds. Now this film isn't gonna win any awards but it is a good little film. Luke Perry does an excellent job portraying Bullriding legend, Lane Frost (did I just use Luke Perry and excellent in the same sentence...I think I've fallen off the mechanical bull too many times). It is a very simple story of a boy with a dream. If you know the story, you know the tragedy. You will also get to see fast pace bullriding by another Rodeo legend, Ty Murray. 

Oh my goodness, Steve McQueen as a cowboy! Did I just die and go to heaven? Junior Bronner is  a wonderful film about an aging cowboy coming back home after being on the rodeo circuit for too long. He has to contend with a gold seeking father, a resigned mother and a brother who cares more for money than the land. Just when he thinks he wants to settle down, true to cowboy form, he yearns for the road and the solitude it provides.

Cowboys and mystery, right up my alley! 1951's Rodeo King and the Senorita tells the story of murder, rodeos and senoritas - how convenient! Just another Saturday night in a small western town. This wonderful "B" movie has saucy women and even saucier cowboys. It stars Rex Allen and his famous horse Koko. Rex was a singing cowboy but don't let that fool you, he means business in this rodeo masterpiece. A little trivia...he did a lot of voice overs for Disney and you can still hear his voice on many shows and rides.

Well my little bucking broncos, there ya have it. A few films to get your 8 seconds on. You'll have a romping good time watching these cowboys get bucked and it will be less painful than if you tried it yourself.

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

For today's Scrappy Dog Sunday, I am having Jujube take over and write a letter to her mom, Lola.

Dear Mom,

Thank you for letting me sleep with you when I have bad dreams.

Thank you for making me get my daily exercise

Thank you for giving me excellent fashion tips

For showing me how to cover my nose when Pete says, "pull my paw."

But most of all, thank you for being you, flaws and all. You are my inspiration, my biggest cheerleader and my best friend. I love you mom!

Happy Mothers Day,

Love Jujube

Snickery Goodness

Here's a little back story on today's recipe. When I was in 8th grade, I took Home Economics. One of our projects as a class was to come up with a company and sell a product to the student-body. We thought and thought and thought about what to come up with. Eventually, we decided on a product...an ice cream sandwich, but not just any ice cream sandwich, and cookie ice cream sandwich. Now...what do call our wonderful cookie ice cream sandwich? Finally, Chance, a toe headed boy (sorry Chance, but you were toe headed...) came up with the best name, THE CHIPWICH. We sold our chipwiches at all the sporting events and made bank. Later on, we found out that Chipwich was not original but yeah, we were 13 and didn't care, we had enough money to buy the new Police album, and all was right with the world. 

I can still remember Chance's toe headed face in the Chipwich ads we had around the school. His round face matched the roundness of the cookie (again, sorry Chance, it's true) so to honor and make up for the toe headed remarks, I give you my version of the Chipwich. 

First, you start with the cookie. Now I did two types, the original chocolate chip cookie and a snickerdoodle-cause I love them both. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cups well packed brown sugar

3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup of softened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 package chocolate chips/semi-sweet

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl. 

In a separate bowl, combine both sugars, butter, and vanilla. Mix until creamy

Add eggs and beat

Add dry ingredients and mix well

Stir in chocolate chips

Drop mixture into well rounded teaspoons onto a ungreased cookiesheet

Bake for 8-10 minutes

Snickerdoodles

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsps. vanilla

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsps. cram of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cup sugar, eggs and vanilla. 

In a separate bowl, mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. 

Mix dry ingredients with the butter mixture

Form into balls 

Mix the last of the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Take the dough balls and roll in the sugar cinnamon mixutre

Place on ungreased cookie sheet, take the bottom end of a glass and smash the dough down. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes, removed from cookie sheet immediately. 

Okay, time to make the cookies even yummier! Allow the cookies to completely cool. Once they are nice and cool, add a scoop of your favorite ice cream to the middle of the cookie, smash another cookie on of top and return to the freezer, or if you just have to eat it now-Dig in! You can add sprinkles, small chips, or nuts to the edges of your sandwich. During Halloween we love getting pumpkin ice cream and making sugar cookie/pumpkin ice cream sandwiches. At Christmas you could make chocolate/peppermint ice cream sandwiches. Oh man! My mouth is watering! 

Chance, I'm not sure what you are doing now but I hope that you are enjoying a Chipwich, cause I am enjoying the memory.

Feel Good Friday

Why hello Friday, you are looking very nice today. Is that a new haircut? It takes 10 years off. What's that? You have some wonderful delights to share with me? Well, bring it on!



Our flowers are slow growing here in the Pacific Northwest, so I'll just take matters into my own hands and make them myself.

I love the idea of making stuff out of things you find at the dollar store or just around your house. Dollar Store Crafts does just that. So many great ideas!

I'm wondering if I can get OMP to go camping with me if I find a place like this. 

Oh Friday! You make me so happy! I just love you to death. Wanna know what else I love? 

This guy...

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.~ Buddha

Inspiring Spaces

It's so interesting to see where people create. I love seeing how they organize, decorate and live. You guys truly inspire me! I thought I would share my creative space with you. It's a modgepodge of what OMP likes to call "grandma chic". A mixture of 1890-1960's style.

 I love this chair. It's oversized, comfortable and the dogs can sit on the back and watch me stitch.

 This is my desk with my books and magazines on one side and my fabrics on the other. Pens and hoops are in the middle.

 I love my record player! OMP got it for me this past Christmas. There is nothing better than the warm sound of Bing's voice on vinyl.

 Just two drawers of patterns. There are a lot more that aren't as organized...

The den of floss. It goes all the way back. Each little box is a different color and the bigger bins hold scraps and mismatch floss.

Now that you've seen my room, how about a give away...how's that for a tie in? Tell me what your ideal craft/art space is like and win this wonderful book, Vintage Craft Workshop. It has great crafts from the 60's and 70's.  A winner will be picked next Wednesday.

Tie One On Tuesday

The Kentucky Derby is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate the 137th tradition then with a few beverages. It is so much fun to throw on an over the top hat, plan a party and do a little betting on some horses.

The signature drink of the Kentucky Derby is, of course, a mint julep. Now, being from the south, I am suppose to love these drinks while sitting on the veranda of my mansion. The only problem with this is 1-I don't like mint juleps and 2-I don't have a mansion. That doesn't stop me from making up a batch for my guests.

Mint Julep
4 fresh mintsprigs
2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey
1 tsp powdered sugar
2 tsp water

Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a collins glass (although, traditionally, it would be a metal/silver glass).
Fill the glass with crushed ice and add bourbon.
Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a straw.

I am told by Kentucky Derby purist that this is THE drink to serve at your party. I guess they aren't fond of mint juleps either. I am in love with this punch-it's so easy!

Woodford Sweet Tea
2 cups ice tea (unsweetened)
1 cup sugar
1 12 oz can frozen OJ
1 12 oz can frozen limeade
1 bottle of Woodford Reserve Sweet Bourbon (I'm sure any bourbon will do in a pinch)

7 cups water
Mix all ingredients and chill. 


When it is all said and done, and your horse has won, celebrate with Crown of Roses


Crown of Roses
1 oz. Crown Royal
1/2 oz. amaretto
1 oz. pineapple juice, 1/4
3 dashes Angostura bitters

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add all of the ingredients.
Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and add  a cherry for garnish.


 Oh my goodness! The pageantry, the race and the amazing cocktails will definitely make your Derby party the hit of the season.