First Craft/Yard Sale

In the previous post I stated that I was going to sign up for the largest yard sale.  I went back and forth with what to do and I decided to attend my first 'public' sale.  It really was with some reservation that I signed up for the World's Largest Yard Sale.  It was quite expensive and I figured that there would be so many other vendors/sellers there that it would be kind of slow.  And I was also wondering if it was going to attract the type of people that would be interested in purchasing jewelry or are they interested in buying things from junk piles and paying 25 cents.  

Well, there certainly was a steady stream of customers passing by the table, and definitely some interesting characters.  I was also worried that I wasn't going to even make my investment back.  I did not make the initial investment but I did come very close.  I met a lot of very nice people and sold some great pieces.

Here is a photo of the set up that I came up with.  I think that it looked pretty attractive.  Please don't mind me in the picture I didn't smile:) 

Here is a shot of the new banner that I had hanging in front of the table.  I really like it very much.

~Michelle

Delicious Apple Crisp with Local Apples

Baking in the fall is just amazing.  The warm house with the wonderful smells of cinnamon, fresh baked bread, cookies, pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pie.  When I baked this apple crisp is was a wonderfully cool (60degree) summer/fall evening.  They boys came in from outside and smelled the crisp baking in the oven and couldn't wait to try a bowl full.

Pin It

My neighbors went to a local farm and picked some apples last week. I have never picked apples. I have picked cherries before which seem easier than apples, at least lighter. So I turned the healthy snack of an apple in to a not so healthy treat of an apple crisp. I used my favorite go to cook book and didn't really follow the recipe. I added way more apples, because they cook down and I sliced them thin. I also added a good amount of cinnamon and didn't measure the lemon juice just drizzled some on the apples.

Apple Crisp
recipe from Pillsbury, The Complete Book of Baking

Fruit Mixture
6 cups sliced peeled apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon, if desired
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Topping
1 cup rolled oats (I used quick oats because that's all that I had - if I didn't have them I would have bought rolled oats)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened

Heat oven to 375F. Place apples in ungreased 2-quart casserole or 8-inch square (1 1/2-quart) baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon, water and lemon juice. In large bowl, combine all topping ingredients; mix until crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over apples. Bake at 375F for 25 to 35 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown.

We really enjoyed the apple crisp and I told my neighbor send over any fruit that she picks and I will turn it into a delicious dessert. :)

~Michelle

Back to School 2011

 The kids finished their first week of the 2011-2012 school year.  One started 5th grade and the other started 3rd.  I miss them when they go to school at least for a little while. Then I go to the gym and shopping and bake without interruption and sometimes to the movies with friends.  Oh and go for lunch and get the house cleaned.. and I think, school is a great place for them. ♥

I am signing up for the worlds largest yard sale to sell some jewelry.  I will get my set up and take a few pictures and post them. 

I am waiting for a table cloth.  I think that it is going to look amazing.  I have a black table cloth and hot pink fabric with tiny silver sparkle dots.  I am really happy with it so far.  Everything is almost in.. still waiting for clips to hang a sign.  Here it is all set up in my basement:) 

 I just hope that the yard sale is going to bring in some money.  Hubby just got laid off on Friday so I have to kick the jewelry sales in high gear for a while.  We will make it work.

God Bless ♥♥
~Michelle
 

Summer

It has been challenging over the summer to make new jewelry work full time and make the summer fun for the boys. Here are some of my new creations that are available at MyMichelleJewelry.etsy.com. They are all in limited supply. I particularly like the earrings in the first frame because a good friend of mine went with me to the bead show and helped me pick them out. She lives across the country and it was just hanging around and chatting while we shopped. I hope you like them too. (the pair on the right have sold)

Here is some of what we have been up to over the past couple of months. We were on our way home from Chautauqua lake and stopped at Lake Erie and collected some stones and tossed a few in the lake. We also made a trip to Toronto, Canada. We went to the top of the CN tower and took in a Blue Jays game.  We walked all over the city and we really felt like city folk. We loved the people walking all over the city with their ipods dangling from their ears.  I enjoyed it so much then I remembered that one day winter and snow would descend upon the city and make the walking very challenging and chilly.

We had been promising our little one that we would take him to the Toronto zoo for many years now and we finally did.  Our zoo in Buffalo certainly leaves a bit to be desired and the Toronto zoo was a trip worth taking.

I have been working on earrings lately and hope to have a little more time now that the little men are headed back to the classroom.

~Michelle

New Pendant Necklaces

It is tricky to work on jewlery during the summer with the kids home. We go places and I watch them swim for hours like now. We also spend as much time as we
at our house on Chautauqua Lake. So I actually have some new necklaces to show and sell very soon in my shop at etsy. They are lampwork glass pendants on cotton cord. They are very lovely and perfect for everyday.

Please check there soon.

Hope you like them.

~Michelle

Yellow Cakes with Strawberry Frosting

I found a 24 small muffin tin on clearance the other day and had to try it out. I made some yellow mix mini cupcakes for work the other day to celebrate the engagement of a co-worker. I also made a strawberry butter cream frosting.

I used some strawberry extract and also some strawberry puree in the frosting.

I used a box mix for the cakes.

Frosting

12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. strawberry extract
2 tbsp. heavy cream
some strawberry puree (about 1 cup strawberries with some sugar put them in a food processor until smooth)

Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated. Add the extracts and beat on medium speed until well blended. Add in some strawberry puree (try not to water down the frosting) . Add in the heavy cream and beat on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.

~Michelle

Chocolate-Almond Cheesecake Bites part 2

I wrote a post to celebrate the first anniversary of this blog back in April. I had intentions to make the cheesecake bites to celebrate and I just never did. I find that everyone I know is watching their weight and when I show up with baked goods I get stares and a few people grab some just to be polite. Even my co-workers are 'dieting' so I feel bad bringing in goodies.

Well, I finally had an opportunity to make these. It was for one of my best friends 40th birthday party. I wanted to bring something small for dessert. She really loves the recipe I have for a checkerboard cake, but I didn't know if there was going to be cake so I decided to make the chocolate-almond cheesecake bites. Everyone just loved them.

I cut the squares small so they were really bite-size. 7x7 = 49 bites.

I melted white chocolate and drizzled over the cooled bites.

Mouthwatering!!

To check out the recipe click here or on the link above. :)

~Michelle