First batch of pickles....

DISCLAIMER: This is NOT a recipe or how to guide for canning or pickling, just a post about my first time..and all you seasoned canners out there, please don't laugh too hard at me for this post :)

I am feeling very clever right now...Maybe a little too much so considering how long this process has been around...but we just made our very first batch of Bread and Butter Pickles from our own home grown cucumbers....This is not just our first batch of pickles but our first time canning ever...

Look at that big lovely batch of cucumbers...Oh and the pretty red tomatoes on the window sill were picked out of the garden today as well...

Simmering our jars to warm them up, lids and bands in the small pan in back..Black stock pot is for the water bath..Had to wait for the jars to be done to start the pickling liquid in another pot...For the first time in my life I understand why ppl want 6 burners on their home stove..

We got so wrapped up in the process I forgot to take photos of the mountain of sliced cucumbers...Here they are lined up to get the liquid added...

The first 2 jars to go into the water bath...Why 2 jars, because these are the smaller pint jars and only need 5 minutes...The rest are quarts and require 10minutes...

"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble."

Ta-Daaaaaaa...9 jars of yummy yummy (I hope) Bread and Butter Pickles...

Note the bottom of the jars are all just liquid...I thought I had stuffed those jars really full of sliced cucumber, but when the hot liquid hit them they wilted and that created more space for the liquid...Next time I will do half the liquid then stuff more slices in the top after they have wilted some...

that is UNLESS someone has any advice for me on this matter?

Can't wait to taste them tomorrow night...

Blessings Kelsie

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Antique German Doll

Meet Suzy - She is from Germany and was born in somewhere between 1890 to the 1900's...She has spent most of her life living within about a 3 mile radius of here and has been a companion to 3 little girls, who grew up and passed her along to the next one...

This is how she arrived at my studio earlier this week
Markings at the back of her head - Germany 136 5

I have been given the honor of redressing her for her current companion, my 85+yr old neighbor who is the "3rd little girl" to have her...

Yesterday I finished the foundation of her new dress, now just have to add the hand detailing and make her under skirts...If I am lucky I will get a little time this weekend, if not, Monday for sure...Then I will be back to share photos of the end result, as well as those I have taken along the way...My goal..To make an old lady cry *grin*

Blessings Kelsie

Corny Images

One of the things I really love about growing corn is how impressive it looks...

The front veggie garden is looking lush and full...we even had a couple of volunteer tomato plants show up.

The Bloody Butcher heirloom corn is now pushing 7 ft tall...

My poor little bunny statue is lost in the monster Basil and onions...Can you see him peek out?

A couple of Jalapeno peppers almost ready to be picked...Add them to the tomatoes and sweet peppers we harvested this week from out the back garden, the cilantro from the herb garden and I can make hubby some homemade home grown salsa :)

The sweet yellow corn out the back has already started to show silks...Such a beautiful sight...

I picked up all my canning stuff this week and hope to make my first batch of pickles in the next day or so...yay.

Blessings Kelsie

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Life continues in the garden....

Though the Gladioli are finished for the year there are still plenty going on in this 8x8 garden bed ...The 2 small rose bushes planted in here are currently hidden by the "cottage mix" flowers I sprinkled around them at the beginning of spring...Now this lovely mix is showing all its lovely gems and if the box is to be believed will continue to do so all summer long...I sure do hope so...

A bee enjoying the Corn Flowers..

I love these pretties...From what I can tell these are "Gloriosa Daisies" but I could be wrong..Anyone know for sure?

And of course the king of summer flowers, the sunflower, courtesy of the bird feed that used to hang over this spot :)

And lastly a very bad photo of the best part of a spring time garden...Wren Chicks...these babies are inside a basket containing my faux Stag-horn plant that hangs on the front porch...
I could not get a better photo because momma and poppa have done a great job of making sure the nest is down deep inside the basket under the faux plant and I did not want to disturb them anymore than I already had...

I also discovered another birds nest tucked away in the old power meter box that has had the meter removed that is located over near the old place...Not sure if it has chicks yet because I am too short to see down into where they tucked the nest lol

Blessings Kelsie

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Spent today at the sewing machine....

With lil Sara at Day Care and the Musical over, I finally had a day to get back into the studio to get some work done...

Was so happy inspiration finally hit for a new fashion for the 16inch Fashion Dolls...70's Icon now on eBay in the next 5 days...Hope it sells well...
Auction Link Here

Then a little something for Alex, lil Sara's 18inch girl doll...I still need to make a T-shirt to go under the dress but I only promised "a new dress for Alex" when you get home from Day Care...Plus I ran out of time for the T-shirt today...Maybe Wednesday I can squeeze it in...

Talking of Wednesday, I am so excited, I will be working on a new gown for an antique doll that belongs to my 80+ yr old neighbor, it had belonged to her mother before her...I feel very flattered she would trust me with her...Promise to share photos along the way...

Blessings Kelsie

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