Tradition and Recipe Link Up

Let me tell you about my new Raspberry Truffle Pie Reciepe
a couple of traditions we have around this house
Then please tell me about yours by linking up at the bottom.


How to Make a Raspberry Truffle Pie

...because I promise you want to.

Step 1:  Let your three year old daughter help you sew an apron because it is actually kid date night, and this is what she has chosen to do..."sew like a mom"
Kid Date Night is a tradition we have on Thursday every month we each take a kid and do something they want to do  for one on one time.  Kate got sewing and cooking- but she has been begging me to make and apron for her that is her size.  Sam and Dad went and drove the tractor around outside together.

Step 2:  Melt 1  large bar (10 squares ) of Ghiradelli Semi Sweet Chocolate finely chopped with 1 cup of Whipping Cream in the microwave for 60 seconds.  Stir and microwave additional 20 seconds until smooth.
Pour in ready made chocolate Oreo pie crust.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Step 3:  One the truffle bottom has set up (4 hours or so later)  layer on top 2 cups of raspberries.  For your shopping help that is almost 2 of the small cartons they sell at the store.

Here Kate shows you what that step looks like.

Step 4:  In the Microwave for 20 seconds heat, 6 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water.

Here Kate shows you what this step looks like.

Take and intermission from pie making because Kate has decided we should also sew a Christmas purse for her.  Okay Kate, it is your Date Night.

Wrap silverware with "EAT-PIE" labels for annual pre-Thanksgiving Pie Palooza.
This is another tradition we have. The weekend before Thanksgiving we invite all the neighbors over.  Each family brings their favorite pie to share.  A prize for the best pie is awarded.  Everyone has their fill of pie before they are too full to eat all the delicious pie on Thanksgiving Day.  We throw a lot of parties, but this is one of my favorites because it is so low key and easy, and everyone loves it.

Step 5:  Top with homemade whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
I beat 1 cup of whipping cream, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a tsp of vanilla until light and fluffy (and delicious) for mine, then topped with more Ghiradelli Choclate bits.

Okay now it is your turn to share.
What are some holiday recipes or traditions your family has?
Be sure to link back to the post so everyone can see all the fun.

Backpack Backpack!

Katerade is starting a preschool co-op on Wednesday.   A little late, but we have been on vacation for the last two weeks.  We got all her school stuff organized into a pencil box she decorated with Hello Kitty stickers.  I tried to get her to put it in a bag I had sewn for church a few years ago.  She wouldn't go for it- it looked like it was for boys I guess.  So I went to work making her a more girly version for herself. 
How come when you decide you can sew for 15 minutes because your children are playing kindly, they decided to not play kindly and color all over your tablecloth with color crayons?
It may have taken more than 15 minutes due to detours like stopping the madness, but I think it is a suitable school bag for a 3 year old.

This Girl Can Sew

Have you seen this blog

She takes hideous $1 or less dresses she finds at thrift stores and yard sales
And turns them into something you might actually wear.

And she does it every day.
Yup- she is not only doing this for fun/ to save the earth/ to save money
She is doing it because she needs something to wear for the day.

I have a sudden urge to go to the thrift to find something to refit/dye/ turn into something awesome.

Fabric Flower Tutorial

I have been making a lot of these fabric flower clips lately.
Everyone thinks they are lovely and wants to make one for themselves.
The thing is it is soooo easy and can be basically free.
And perfect for pinning on pearl necklaces, bags, headbands or shirts.
All you need is a scrap of material about 7" by 16", anything close with do.
Preferably the material should be a light single knit or cotton/ spandex blend. But most anything will do as long as it is not too thick.
I have even used felt before.

Old shirts like this one work well.
This shirt was in my "will never fit over my post baby belly" pile.
So I cut my material from it.

Start by cutting out a circle of material about the size of a penny.
It doesn't have to be perfect, sometimes the imperfection is what makes it lovely.
And the rolling on the edges should happen naturally.

Continue to cut out eight of more layers of circles gradually increasing in size until you have the size of flower you want.
Pile them on top of one another largest to smallest to make a stack of circles.
Now comes the harder, but fun part.
Get a bead, a button, even a knot of fabric for the center embellishment.
Thread them through and securely knot them in the back.
Use what you have, a broken necklace embellished the pins with black beads above.
You can connect the pin two different ways.
Dab some hot glue on the back and attach a small piece of felt.
Then dab some glue on the felt and attach the pin.
Or you can just continue with the thread from the beads and sew it on.
Be sure to run through the pin two or three times for durability.
You can go bright and big too- these just take about 14 layers instead of 8.
And only have a little knot of the same fabric for the center embellishment.

Now don't get the urge to cut up a perfectly good shirt.
Though I did.

I usually pin them on necklaces and shirts, but bags and headbands would work well too.
Send me your pictures if you make some.
I would love to see.

I went a little crazy

and ended up with the perfect pin for a 3 year olds 4th of July.

Linking up with her