Hi! I wanted to leave a short note to apologize for being and absentee blogger. I injured my wrist and haven't been able to craft or bake for a few weeks. It's driving me nuts having to wait for this to heal! I have projects in my head that I can't wait to get started on. I'm sure you know how that is. Thoughts of all those projects and techniques I'm itching to try can even keep me up at night from time to time:-) I'm anxiously anticipating my return to the kitchen and the craft room. I'll be coming back with a 'bag of tags' giveaway to celebrate!!
I hope you're having a joyful day!

Printable French Perfume Label!

for personal use only courtesy of alteredartifacts.blogspot.com

I hope everyone is enjoying a relaxing Saturday! It's a busy one in our home. I'm starting my day off early at a birthday breakfast for a dear friend. I'm super excited about it because we lost touch for a time and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to catch up. Too often the hectic pace of everyday life interferes with nurturing important relationships. After breakfast we're off to College of Charleston where my son is taking the exam for the Chemistry Olympiad. Next it's hair appointments for both of us, and finally this evening I'm volunteering as a docent for Charleston's Festival of Homes and Gardens. Amidst the all this craziness I still need to find time to cook dinner. I'm thinking leftovers!

I wanted to take a moment to share this lovely vintage perfume label I used in a recent project. It was pinned from altered artifacts right here on blogger. I've posted the link above if you'd like to take a peek at this lovely blog. She shares many vintage printables along with photos of her beautiful artwork. All of the images she offers are free for personal use. Pinterest has opened up a whole new world of inspiration for me. I've discovered so many blogs I would probably never have seen without exposure on that site. 

I wish you a wonderful weekend and thank you for visiting today!! Hugs,        

A day of shopping (and eating!) in Charleston, South Carolina

Hi and happy Friday! I still don't have my project photos because I did absolutely no crafting yesterday. Some of our all-time favorite family members came down from Chicago for a visit, so we spent the day enjoying their company. Our first stop: Charleston's Historic City Market for a little shopping. I didn't buy anything for myself, but I picked up some adorable little crocheted finger puppets for my grandkids. I was truly thankful for this purchase later in the day (they came in handy with my grandson at dinner!)         

A sweetgrass basket maker at the market.

It wasn't long before we worked up an apetite. We opted to eat dessert first, so it was on to Kaminsky's for a decadent treat! I snuck a bite of my son's butterfinger cake, but my favorite was my daughter's mixed berry cobbler.        

After dessert we felt the need to walk off a few calories on King Street with a bit more shopping. I once again managed to avoid the temptation of buying for myself, but ended up with a cute purse for my sweet grandgirl. It's nearly impossible to say no when she gives me her huge, sad kitten eyes!

Our final destination and the perfect ending for our day: dinner at A.W. Shuck's! Between everyone in our group of ten, I think we sampled all the best items on the menu.        

As this wonderful day comes to a close I am thankful for the time spent with loved ones, the laughter we shared, and the memories I will hold dear to my heart.

Thank you so much for sharing your time with me! I hope your day is filled with laughter, love, and joy! 

Vintage Easter Printable

(courtesy of vintagecatnip.blogspot.com)

Hi! I'm delighted you could stop by today! Ah, the joys of spring. Blue skies and sunshine abound. Wisteria, azaleas, and dogwoods adorn Charleston's gardens. The air is sweet and practically everywhere you turn you'll find something in bloom. 

Easter is nearly upon us, and how I love the soft colors and sweet designs of the season! Today I'm sharing this free printable I found on Pinterest. I tried to link it back to the original web page (vintagecatnip.blogspot.com) but it no longer exists, so I'm posting it here. I hope you'll enjoy using this in your crafting as much as I have. We have houseguests this week so I haven't had  time to take pictures, but as soon as I find a bit of time I'll  post a photo of the project I made with this pretty image.

Best wishes for a joyful and crafty day! Hugs, Nancy

Pecan Pie Bar Cookie Recipe and The Hunger Games!!

Happy Friday! My favorite day of the week has rolled around again! I'm super excited because The Hunger Games comes out in theaters this weekend. I'm a huge fan of the books, so I can't wait to see how they adapted the first novel for the big screen! I can barely wait to be seated in our favorite spot with that big tub of buttery popcorn, icy drinks, and hear the words "Ladies and gentlemen, let the 74th annual Hunger Games begin!"     

 I'm team Peeta!

So excited to see this movie!!!

Yesterday I mentioned baking pecan pie bars. I love having fresh baked goodies for my son when he comes home from school. Oh, how I'll miss doing this when he goes off to college in August! Empty nest syndrome is already making an appearance for me. My heart aches when I think of his room being quiet and empty. Him not coming through the door around 4pm, hungry, smiling, and full of the exciting news of his school day. It seems like only yesterday I was holding my newborn son in my arms. I created a cozy haven in which to nurture him. A loving home from which he could grow and discover the world, while at the same time be sheltered and protected. Now he's learned and experienced everything he can here. In order to move forward in life he must move on. This place I've created for my little one is quickly becoming obsolete. It's a difficult realization and it tears at my heart, but I need to snap out of this or I'm going to cry again. I'm going to take advantage of these last few months to really spoil him.

We like our desserts to be gooey and chewy, so these pecan pie bars were just the ticket. I finally found a moment to take a quick photo (above) and I have the recipe for you today. These scrumptious treats are amazingly simple to make and are even more delicious than pecan pie. There's a more balanced crust/filling/pecan ratio, plus you can just pick them up and eat them with your fingers. What's not to love? Give them a try and I guarantee you'll never want to bake from the boxed mixes again. The recipe makes a big 15x10 pan so you'll have plenty to share. I know Christmas is a long way off, but I wanted to mention how perfect these are for holiday gift giving (it's never too early to start planning!) 

Thank you so much for coming by and spending a bit of your precious time with me today! My best wishes for a wonderful weekend and 'may the odds be ever in your favor!' Hugs, Nancy

Here's the recipe for the bars:

Pecan Pie Bars (courtesy of allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 eggs 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 tablespoons margarine, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease the sides and bottom of one 15x10 inch pan.

In a large bowl combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, margarine or butter and salt until the mixture resemble coarse crumbs. Press firmly into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl stir the eggs, corn syrup 1 1/2 cups white sugar, melted margarine and vanilla until blended. Stir in the chopped pecans. 

Spread the filling evenly over the hot crust. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until set. Let cool before slicing.



New tag designs available in my Ebay auctions!

*tatteredtreasures* 

Hi! I hope everyone's having a wonderful Thursday! wanted to share a few tags I crafted over the past weekend. These sweet nesting birds put me in mind of spring.

*tatteredtreasures*

I've always had a thing for weathered old locks and keys. I keep a small box of antique keys for use in my crafting projects. I think I'll make a pretty gathering with these tags and a few of my favorite keys.

*tatteredtreasures*

I have a hard time choosing a favorite design, but I especially adore the button cards. My mom's been teaching me to sew and I find myself in love with all things sewing related! I have a  collection of antique button cards that I display in an altered box in my craft room. They always bring a smile to my face and give me a warm and cozy feeling! 

Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a peek at my tags! Now I'm off to deliver some pecan pie bars to some of my friends and neighbors. I baked a huge pan yesterday and if I don't share them I will eat them all myself! Hugs, Nancy

Giveaway update and Oatmeal Carmelita Bars!

Hi! I want to apologize for my silence these last couple of weeks. Everyone in my family has been taking turns being ill, then thoughtfully passing it along to the next family member. Actually we've had a rough time with respiratory infections much of this winter. Not fun! 

My plan was to begin my 'bag of tags' giveaway this week (yesterday, to be exact.) I hope nobody will mind if I postpone it for 2 weeks. We're all just beginning to feel better and I'm trying to get caught up with everything I let slide while we weren't feeling well. 

In the meantime I want to share this much loved family recipe for Oatmeal Carmelita Bars! These are seriously scrumptious. They're ooey, gooey, chewy, soul soothing treats that are super simple to make and wonderful to share with family and friends. This is my go-to recipe for bake sales and school events.         

Oatmeal Carmelita Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups Caramel Bits (or 48 caramel candies, unwrapped)

6 Tbsp. Cream or Milk

1 1/3 cups All Purpose Flour

1 1/3 cups Quick Cooking Oatmeal

1 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar

1 cup Butter, melted

1 tsp. Baking Soda

½ tsp. Salt

1 heaping cup Milk Chocolate Chips

1 cup chopped Pecans (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13X9 pan or line with Reynolds Wrap Non-Stick Foil.

In small saucepan combine Caramel with Cream and heat on low, stirring constantly until thoroughly melted and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

In large bowl mix Flour, Oatmeal, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, and Salt. Add melted Butter and mix thoroughly on medium speed.  Press half the dough into prepared pan. Bake 8-10 minutes and remove from oven. Pour most of melted caramel evenly over base, reserving a small amount for drizzling over finished bars. Spread chocolate chips evenly over caramel. Sprinkle chopped nuts over bars if desired. Crumble remaining dough evenly over top of bars. Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with reserved caramel. Refrigerate 2 or more hours before cutting into squares.       

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do! Happy baking and I hope you're having a wonderful day! Hugs,



Giveaway Results!

Hi and happy Monday! The results are in!! Sorry I'm a little late, but it always takes a bit of time for the video to upload to Youtube. I want to thank each and every one of you who helped make my teacup giveaway such a fun event. I'll be hosting another 'Bag of Tags' giveaway beginning in 2 short weeks! If you didn't win today I hope you'll come back to participate again. Congratulations to todays winner!! Best wishes to everyone for a fun and crafty day! Hugs,