We just had to share this adorable picture, sent to us by our friend Joanna! Joanna used some of the coordinates from our Red, White, and Bold fabric collection to whip up this precious little dress for her daughter…
Now isn't that the cutest little face?!
Don't forget~ the ultimate sale on these fabrics ends today!
Pop Garden fabrics by Heather Bailey– aren't fabric bows the cutest?
Achaia's birthday was so much fun… we thought we'd share the special cake recipe with you!
Strawberry Pop Cake
~one box of yellow cake mix
~one small box of strawberry Jello
~12 oz. of strawberry soda pop (you can omit the pop and make the Jello according to the package, but then it wouldn't be strawberry pop cake, would it?)
Bake cake as directed on box. Punch holes in top while hot, using the end of a wooden spoon. Let cool. Mix strawberry Jello with hot water. Add strawberry soda pop. Pour over cake. Refrigerate.
for icing…
~12 oz. Cool Whip
~2 small instant vanilla pudding mixes
Beat together. Spread over cake. Keep refrigerated. (This cake is tastiest when very cold!)
love, the Long ladies
PS… We are planning on some very serious sales for the next few weeks, so please keep in touch!
For some reason, we've been stumped this week when it comes to blogging. So in rushes Caleb to save the day, in seventeen-year-old-boy style. This little gem came straight from the pages of Farm Talk Magazine (Caleb's favorite), and if it doesn't make you chuckle (hoo-hoo!) nothing will!
xo, the Long ladies
January 7, 2009.
"Please join in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community.
The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of complications from repeated being poked in the belly. He was 71.
Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flour.
Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded.
Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, and three children: John Dough, Jane Dough, and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.
The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes."
Well! The last few days have been busy over here. But not too busy to make apple danish, of course. This recipe is one of our favorites– it was given to us by some very dear friends when we had so many apples that we didn't know what to do with them all. Remember? Now we can enjoy apple danish all year 'round because of the apples in our freezer. Hard work pays off, you know?
Apple Danish
for pastry–
4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1 1/3 cups butter
1 egg yolk, beaten
Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in butter using a pastry blender. Add milk and egg at once. Fit half of pastry in an 11" x 16" jelly roll pan (or a cake pan, as we did here). Set other half aside.
for filling–
6 cups apples (we use Jonathan), peeled and sliced
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup margarine (you can use butter, if you like)
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg white, slightly beaten (to brush on top of your pastry)
Arrange apples on pastry. Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples; dot top with butter. Roll out remaining pastry; place over apple mixture. Cut neat slits in top pastry and brush with egg white. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Glaze while hot.
for glaze–
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2-3 tablespoons milk
Mix thoroughly. Spoon over danish.
Enjoy!
Kristie (Mom) really needed one of her very own brooke shoppers out of her new favorite fabric collection– Darla. So, here it is… ready to take to the post office filled with orders or for a shopping day out! Someone (we don't remember who) had the bright idea to make the regular size pockets on one side, and a special size pocket on the other side, perfect for housing the smaller manila envelopes and letters. They turned out just right! Also, Mom wanted both sides patched (you can see a slight difference in the pictures above). That's really fun!
Mom's happy. We're happy.
Some people collect butterflies and some people collect stamps. Some vintage swords (we have one of those..) and some shoes (we have several of those…).
But, Achaia (that's me!) doesn't do any of the ones previously mentioned– I've maybe been guilty of the last one a time or two– instead, I collect ladies. That's right, ladies.
But hold everything! Lest you think I'm one of those massive-200-in-my-collection collectors, let me just say you are paddling up a dry creek. I have six, maybe seven. Not that I don't love them. I absolutely adore them. But, well to put it mildly, 99% of the time they are extremely expensive. I've bought a few of them, my Nanny has given me two, and my family has given me the rest (you can tell they really love me!).
The little one in front was a graduation present– isn't she cute? Her name is Lauren. Yes, I even name them! I like to give my ladies names that I really love (most of the time anyway)… want to hear them?
Chantel ~ Lauren ~ Lana ~ Brigid ~ Therese ~ Francesca
I'm really wanting another few so I can name them Daphne, Leigh, and Rice.
I'm still trying to figure out why one of the biggest money savers in the family collects one of the most expensive collectibles. Any ideas?
Here are a few of the cute things we've made using our new fabrics!
Happy girls…
A skirt for Kristie, a skirt for Abigail, and a dress for Abiah…
A jumper for Achaia, and a dress for Apphia…
The End!