my vintage life

I am participating with Vintage Indie and telling you a little bit about a vintage item in my home. It is hard for me to pick my most favorite vintage piece in my home. But I can tell you about my first real vintage purchase. This one was for my new house that I moved into just five years ago. It is a little shelf that I love and is so beat up, it's bent, chipped, rusty, and holey! But it is also my favorite aqua color.



I think I might have paid a little too much for it. But after I saw it, I left the shop and couldn't stop thinking about it! I was so afraid that it would be gone when I came back the next day. I imagine it being brand new and used in a French Doctor's office. Now, it is hung above our family computer desk, below an old post office clock that doesn't work. And I do still love it as much today, as I did five years ago!

baby cake

Here is the recipe that I promised some girlfriends from Mindy's baby shower. It is from Susan Branch Autumn cook book. My favorite part of this cheese cake is the crust! Enjoy!

[caption id="attachment_424" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="pumpkin cheesecake"][/caption]

Crust
3 cups broken gingersnap cookies
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, finely grind cookies, nuts, and sugar. Add butter and process until combined. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a 10" spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Filling
4 - 8 oz.packages of cream cheese, at room temp.
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 tbsp. whipping cream
2 tbsp. rum
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. mace
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
4 large eggs

Place a large pan filled with water (bain marie) on the lowest shelf in the oven. With electric mixer beat together first 11 ingredients until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined. Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees, for 1 hour and 15 minutes, 'til cake is puffy and light brown. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon, cool, then chill overnight.

My notes: I thought that there was too much butter in the crust. It leaked through the bottom of the spring form. Next time, I will omit less. I also didn't add any rum and it was fine without it. I didn't let the cream cheese come to complete room temp. It didn't blend like I thought it would. And you can see the cream cheese chunks in the picture. Next time, I'll know better! I also served it with Reddy Whip. Just like pumpkin pie. Yummy! This was my first cheesecake that I ever made. And was super easy! I am definitely making this for Thanksgiving this year.

hopscotch

Here's a small preview of a little something that I've made especially for the upcoming craft fair that I will be at this Saturday, September 27. Come and see for yourself! I will be there with almost 30 other crafty vendors.

College Greens
Cabana and Club House
10 am - 5 pm
2707 Nortre Dame
Sacramento

Remember there will be an all day raffle, snacks, and drinks! Stop by to see me, and I will have a little gift for you!!

holly hobbie

My girlfriend Mindy came to visit with me last week. She is pregnant and due in about four weeks, so we went to look at some fabric together. We didn't find anything for her new baby, but she got a lot of fabric to make a cowboy quilt for her little boys room.

She didn't come over empty handed either! Look at what she brought me!

A package full of vintage fabrics. They all look like their from the 70's. She wasn't sure if I would like them!! I thought she knew me better than that :) Can you see the packs of ric rac there too? Mostly there are Holly Hobby fabric and some Raggedy Ann fabric. The Raggedy Ann is red, white, and blue so I think this one has to be from 1976.


Her mom cut out a lot of these little vignettes to make cards with. Aren't they cute! So, with her baby shower coming up, (it was yesterday, I'm not ruining the surprise!) I made her a little long sleeve appliqued onesie (and some other things). When her mom comes to visit from Colorado, I think she will be surprised to see it!

p.s. I just added this onesie to my etsy site if you're interested!!

first of the season

Saturday, September 27th will be my first craft fair of the season. I am making some new things especially for sale on this day. I will have gift sets, blankets, aprons, flower brooches, neck warmers, and knit hats.

[caption id="attachment_403" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="charm flower brooches"][/caption]

You are invited and I would love to say hello to you on this fun crafty day! There will be an all day raffle, beverages and a little snack table. See you there!

The Coolest Little Craft Fair
In College Greens
Saturday, September, 27, 2008
10 am - 5 pm

College Greens Cabana
Clubhouse & Grounds

2707 Notre Dame Drive
(near Sac State)
Sacramento, CA

tomorrow, tomorrow

I have been waiting for September 15th to be here, for what seems like forever! And now it will be here tomorrow! Yeah!! The crafty girls at Glitter and Grunge have started a monthly artist challenge. The theme for September is childhood and I can hardly wait to see what the other g&G members have created. Participation in this challenge is an option and the theme will change every month and be updated on the 15th.

So check it out! I love surprises and I hope you do too!!

a little pink and a little girly

I have been just a little busy lately getting ready for my girls birthday. First we had a classroom party and then an at home family party. It was a lot of cupcakes with sprinkles and a ton of Hello Kitty wrapping paper.

Every birthday she has had a homemade birthday outfit. I hope this is going to be something that she will always let me do!! And this year I made her a skirt from a very simple pattern and then added a ruffle. I have had this Amy Butler fabric for awhile just waiting for this project. She loves pink of course! And I tried to use this yellow based fabric as a nice coordinating pattern. Which took me awhile to decide on, since I didn't want anything to matchy. I know you know what I mean!



Then it was onto getting ready for her party at home with her school friends. I decided to make the invitations using a vintage Hallmark invitation that I got at my local thrift. I scanned it and was a little hard for me to get the color to come out the same as the original. But I finally decided that I would be the only who could really tell the difference, since no one else had the original card but me! I was up late and working on these for about three hours getting just six of these made. I really wanted something with a scrap book look and vintage feel.



And then today I got around to picking up the clutter in my house. There is sooo much! And I put together these little party favors. The baskets I bought when I was out thrifting with Diane. I added a sticker, pink chicklets, hair ponies (made by Diane, using some of my vintage fabric), and gift tags. I think these are cute! I copied all of my vintage patterns to make these. Not an original idea I know, but cute!!



Tomorrow, I will buy the pink paper plates and napkins. And choose which tablecloth to use! Exciting stuff!!