HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Anna Mae's Saint Valentine's Gift

In 1855 the local Doctor was J. S. Layton.  He and his wife had seven children.  They came to the Ozarks from Virginia in the late 40's, most likely traveling by flat boat up the White River.  Anna Mae, was 10 years old and the middle child.  She attended the local school and would most definately have been a proper little girl from a prominent family.  The Layton's land valuation is listed as $1,900.00, a considerable sum for the Ozarks!

Anna Mae

Anna Mae is a cloth doll sewn completely by hand. She is 18 inches tall & stuffed with wool roving.  Her hand sewn mid 1800's pink reproduction print pintucked cotton dress has bell sleeves edged with hand crocheted lace. 3 decorative antique shell buttons adorn the back. She has an embroidered face, wool braided hair fashioned into a low bun with drop curls.  She has hand stitched fingers and little shoe laces. 

Her hand strung coral necklace is worn to ensure good health. Even a Doctor's daughter needs "extra" help in perilous times. 

She carries a special cotton handkerchief with a delicate tatted edge, a special gift from her Father in celebration of Saint Valentine's Day.

Her muslin lined straw spoon bonnet is embellished with velvet flowers, vintage spun cotton and composition fruits and vegetables and a black silk ribbon. 

Her under garments are hand stitched and consist of a cotton pintucked petticoat with a special tatted butterfly and lace edged pintucked pantalettes.  

  She is signed, dated and has a special wooden "Make Do Doll tag"

I will be offering Anna Mae Jan 1st at Early Work Mercantile.

Handcast Paper Hearts

New Year's is right around the corner and somehow I've skipped forward to Valentine's Day!!  I am adding some Hearts to my handcast paper ornaments Page.  (perhaps I'm already dreaming of chocolates............) 

Quilted Heart-1987

Swiss Folk Heart-1995

Folk Art Heart-1986

Merry Christmas

&

Happy New Year!!

Christmas Around The Cabin

I'm doing a bit of Christmas decorating and thought you might enjoy a peek.....

Above the hutch in the dining room.  An old brass wash board, some crocks, and a rooster tureen I hand carried on the plane all the way from Japan.

St. Nick candy container.

Some of the "sweets" ornaments on this wreath started out on a small tree many years ago.  Eventually I moved them to this wreath.  Every year we added something new.  Now it's overflowing with cookies, gumdrop angels, blown glass candy, chocolate Santa's, garland, a gingerbread house, Santa's head pastry Elf & even a cupcake fairy!

Scrumptious!!

My husband and I are lucky to have these ornaments from our childhood Christmas trees.  They are practically antiques!!!

The mantle displays this Father Christmas along side the many little trees I have collected.  Some are from a Ben Franklin 5 & dime store.   Any one remember those? 

I made this Father Christmas in 1990. He has a porcelain face, cloth body, and a wool beard. His cloak is red wool lined with green satin and trimmed in fur.  He has fur trimmed suede boots.

The little card hanging from his pack says.....

I've traveled far over land and sea

To bring the world good cheer,

Inspect my pack then try to guess

My gift for you this year.

He carries lots of goodies in his basket.

He wears a special crystal, and 

his tooled leather pouch contains 

star dust.

I hope he doesn't have to use 

those switches on any naughty children.

His walking stick has vintage brass 

bells and was made by my husband

 out of Missouri walnut.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope you've enjoyed this peek into the cabin.
Thanks for stopping in!!

Applesauce & Cinnamon Ornaments

Easy Applesauce and Cinnamon Ornaments

Here's what you need........for about 20 ornaments

• 2 foil lined cookie sheets- lightly oiled
• rolling pin
• cookie cutters
• mixing bowl & spoon
• applesauce  (about 12 ounces)
• cinnamon ( about 6 ounces)
• soda straw
• craft glue
• ornament hangers
• ribbon, string, or cloth strips for hanging 

Mix the applesauce and cinnamon together.  Stir carefully or you'll smell cinnanon for the nest three days!  It should be stiff and not too sticky.

Dust cookie sheet with cimmanon.  Roll to desired thickness. Dusting often with cinnamon.  Cut out shapes and peel away excess dough.  (Thin cookies have a dendency to curl).  Leave ornaments on cookie sheet to dry.

If you want your ornaments to have hanging holes, cut out with straw while soft.

When ornaments are dry on the top, carefully peel away reynolds wrap and place on cooling rack to expedite the drying process.  They dry rock hard.

If you didn't make hanging holes, glue ornament hanger to the back of your ornaments. I've shown a couple of different ways to glue them on.

You can use ribbon, string, or strips of cloth to hang your ornaments. 

How easy is that?  They smell good too!