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my favorite amish pumpkin bars

"We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do."

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I believe there is no better way to create a smile than to bake something yummy! These pumpkin bars are from an Amish cookbook that I got when we lived in Ohio. The book is Amish Home Cooking with Elsa. There are SO many great recipes in this book!

So, here is the recipe...enjoy!

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Bars

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups pumpkin

2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix first four ingredients together. Add last four. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese

1 stick oleo or shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 lb. powdered sugar

Mix and thin with a little milk.

Let bars cool and then frost. Eat and enjoy!

are ya kidding me?

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein

This is what I had staring back at me today! A heap of random socks with (or without) its mate. UGH!
I don't want to hear it! I know, some if not most of you would never have a monsterous pile of socks loitering around your home!! (..pat yourselves right now) For some reason though "the pile" tends to form every now and again...and, without prior warning. Today, the pile really got on my nerves and I just had to walk away from it. I know I will have to face it again, tomorrow perhaps. I think I may need a textile-intervention!

the real-beauty challange

If you get simple beauty and nought else, You get about the best thing God invents.
ROBERT BROWNING, Fra Lippo Lippi

I am sick of it all! Sick of all of those products out there that promise this and that. I will look younger is I use this. I will not have pimples if I use that. I feel like I have tried them all, and all of them have not worked for me. I have been fooled!

I am a lady into natural things. If organic, even better! When I have to go to the doctor I cringe when a prescription is written out! Rarely I will even get it filled. So when it comes to "beauty" I am heading back to nature. I am convinced that herbs, plants, fruits/vegetables and oils can be my answer to clearer, cleaner, softer skin.

So, here is my challenge to myself! I am going to stop using any beauty product that is not natural and simple. I am going to (only) wash my face with Dr. Bronner's peppermint liquid soap. This stuff is all one needs to even remove heavy makeup!

I have started a body detox... a cleansing from the inside. I found this system down in Shipshewana Indiana (Amish-land). A very nice Amish lady directed me to this when I asked about cures for my adult acne. It is a 15-day detox. So far, so GOOD!

So, there it is. My beauty challenge. Actually, it is more of a health make-over! I will report back on my status. Until then, what natural things do you use? What are you just sick and tired of??

super easy handmade rubber stamps

“Some pursue happiness - others create it.”

Here are just some of my the handmade rubber stamps that I have created over the years.


The supplies. You will need a piece of craft foam. They sell it at any craft store for cheap-cheap. Any color will do. A piece of wood. You can buy pre-cut ones or cut one to size yourself. Glue. Elmer's works GREAT! An Exacto knife. This is the key to a really good stamp! The sharper the blade the better!! A cutting board to cut on. Rubber stamp inks. I like Color Box.
Step 1. Think up your design, draw it onto the foam with a pencil and cut out with Exacto knife.Step 2. Glue cut out design and place it onto wood. Let air dry for a good 1/2 hour or so.Step 3. Find a color ink you like and dip the stamp on the ink, being careful not to get the wood inky.Step 4. The fun part. Get creative! Stamp greeting cards, note cards, gift tags, etc.

See! That was super easy and with a little organization the whole process should take about 1 hour or less!

What do you think? Let me know how you do.