It's All About the Taste

Recently, we invited some friends over for dinner.  Two adorable little girls were coming so I wanted to make sure there was a fun, kid friendly dessert.  Have you been to the blog, Yesterfood ?  Joy has some amazing recipes!  She posted THIS ONE involving Oreos, cream cheese, and chocolate chips!  YEAH!  Ingredients everyone loves and great for guests because you are making a bite size Oreo Cookie Ball!  Perfect choice!

 

I began by making a double batch.  (-;  Cuz that's how I roll!  ;-)  With half of it, Joy's Recipe was followed to the letter and dipped in dark chocolate.  For the second half, I added peppermint flavoring, about a teaspoon, and dipped them in white chocolate. 

 

BOTH WERE DELICIOUS!

 

 Joy's Oreo Cookie Balls are decorated so beautifully, I am kind of embarrassed to show you mine.  They look pitiful.  Just pitiful.

 





We ate them anyway and WOW they were yummy!  It's All About the Taste!

 

What desserts do you like to serve kiddos?

 

;-)  -Marci



January Results for The Great Blog Train

<a href="http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/p/great-blog-train.html" rel="”nofollow”" target="_blank"><img alt=" Great Blog Train" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/AngieOuelletteTower/My%20Blog%20Stuff/BlogTrainNewest300_zpse83d52e1.jpg" /></a>

The 25th GREAT BLOG TRAIN was a blast! - We all safely reached our destination: Athens, GREECE. It was a wonderful trip with 40 boxcars!! We (the Engineers) would like to thank all of you for travelling with us and we hope that you all had a wonderful time!

The Giveaway Winner: H.P. (I have contacted the winners by email)
Congrats!!!

 

W   A   N   T   E   D  :

(Being a "Destination Cohost" means that you get to pick our next destination!!  It also means that you will post The Great Blog Train on your blog on the first Wednesday of whatever month you will be cohosting (1 different cohost per month).  We (the engineers or hosts) will provide you with the html code for the blog hop & for the Giveaway - all you will have to do is add into that post some information on the destination that you picked (like population, known for, location etc - basic family friendly facts) and add a few pictures.  Also, if you cohost we ask that you promote it on your social media sites) (We are now scheduling for April 2015).

If you are interested in being a Destination Co-host for the Great Blog Train then please click HERE and fill out the form (THANK YOU!!)

We are now featuring the top 3 Boxcars!  (These are the links that received the most clicks)
Summer Garden Polymer Clay Vase by "Luna Blue Creations"



Treadle Sewing Machine - Repair & Redo by "Redo It Yourself Inspirations"


Writing Thank You Notes by "Five Little Chefs"

Please join us for the FEBRUARY Great Blog Train

on February 4th, 2015!

Sign up to receive emails about The Great Blog Train

LINK PARTY!! Tuesdays with a Twist #95

Are you ready for a fun party?  We're your co-hosts:

Mary @ Back to the Basics

 Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

 Debra @ Ms Smoozy's

Deb @ Kneaded Creations

Carole @ Garden Up Green

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured.  Be sure to check all of our blogs!

 
 Y'all make choosing features so difficult!  There were GOBS of great links last week!  Thank you!  My feature... 


(drum roll please) 

Banana Split Pie



from Susan at Little Shack on the Hill!

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

We all love comments!  Please hop around and show some love!

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!

;-)  -Marci 
 

Who Needs Glitter? Valentine Bunting

 

This project begins with the adorable *FREE* Valentine's Banner Printable from Kristi at I Should Be Mopping the Floor!  She makes a great point about how glitter has a way of taking over your entire house, so Clever Kristy created this printable that looks like glitter!  Of course, the glitter lovers in the group could always add as much as they like!

I didn't feel like vacuuming (-; I never do ;-) so I chose some ribbon with shimmering silver dots for threading the darling pennants!  I think it adds a nice little sparkle!



Shiny gold buttons in two different widths were used for spacers.

'Not sure what happened with my printing, but it took me four tries to get it right!  LOL!  It's kind of nice to have the hearts in different sizes though!  Can we pretend I did that on purpose?  ;-)

 

 

If you visit Kristi to download this charming and *FREE* Valentine's Banner Printable, I hope you'll tell her Marci says, "Hi"!

 

This is my third holiday bunting!  If you would like to see the others, please click on the links below:

 

Halloween Bunting

 

Thanksgiving Bunting

 

Have you been getting ready for Valentine's Day?

 

;-)  -Marci

My Sister's Birthday Gift

My sister and her family live on a beautiful farm where they get to see sunrises like this.  We had a wonderful time at their house on Christmas Eve!  After a scrumptious meal and her grandbabies launching lots of gift wrap, the conversation with these dear people was long and sweet. 

 

 

January can be cold and snowy here in Arkansas.  My sister's birthday is at the end of the month.  I was thinking about her when I stumbled across a free tutorial for cozy Flannel Scarves!  What a perfect gift for a January birthday!

 

I went kind of crazy purchasing fabric and made six scarves for her!  Still a little too excited, they were mailed way before her birthday, at the beginning of the month.  I said I wanted her to stay extra warm in case the weather was harsh, but I really just wanted to give them to her right away!  They turned out so soft and snuggly!  She didn't mind!

 

 Here she is happily modeling one.  Isn't my sister beautiful?

 

I'd love to have ideas for her birthday next year.  What do you think would be a nice gift for a January Birthday Girl? 

Giving credit where credit is due, all the photos in this post were taken by my sister.

 

;-)  -Marci

Excellent Customer Service and An Explanation

Hello, Friends!  Thursday was a vacation day for me, but very busy.  My first stop was speaking at a Master Gardener training class, which went well.  Herbs and Edible Flowers, A Place to Begin is the title of my program.  It's for anyone who is new to herbs.  You might remember it was the inspiration behind my posts about herbs.  Edible flowers kept sneaking into the presentation, so became part of the title.  Would you like some posts about edible flowers?  Maybe a few could be written.  I keep planning to add a page to my blog for just the posts on herbs, but never quite seem to find the time.

 

After the Master Gardener presentation, I went to Orschelns for bird seed, then to a furniture store, then to Hancock Fabrics in Fayetteville.  Not in a hurry, I am pretty sure I touched every single fabric in the entire store!  It took a long time to get to the cutting table, but once there I met Lila and Cheree.  (I hope I have spelled those names correctly)  Both were lovely and we had a great little visit.  Lila writes a blog!  Indigo Pears  Check it out and please tell her Marci says "Hi".  ;-)  At the cash register Cheree went through their sale flyer for me and used every last coupon she could find that might work on my purchase!  By the time she was finished, I saved more than I spent!  WOW!  Thanks, Cheree!  EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE!  I have always loved that Hancocks, but it's a bit out of the way for me.  Well, not any more!  Lila and Cheree definitely make it worth the drive! 

 

You may be wondering why I haven't been posting many photos for about a month or so.  Well, in my post Venting with Friends I told you about some crazy virus on my laptop.  The fix worked for a while, but then my photos went dark again.  Dad gum it!!  I think we are repaired now and you will be seeing photos again soon.  I've been super busy, especially in the sewing department and can't wait to tell you all about it!

 

'Talk to you soon!

 

;-)  -Marci

Great Quote

If you want something you never had, you have to do something you've never done.

;-)  -Marci

LINK PARTY! Tuesdays with a Twist #94

Welcome to Tuesdays with a Twist!

We're your co-hosts:

Mary @ Back to the Basics

 Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

 Debra @ Ms Smoozy's

Deb @ Kneaded Creations

Carole @ Garden Up Green

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured.  Be sure to check all of our blogs!

 
 Y'all make choosing features so difficult!  There were GOBS of great links last week!  Thank you!  My feature... 


(drum roll please) 


Five Simple Steps to a Healthier Life {and a Pep Talk}



from Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth!

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

We all love comments!  Please hop around and show some love!

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!

;-)  -Marci 

Twenty Wishes for 2015

Based on the book Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber, each year I make a list of 20 things I want to do.  This is not stuff I have to do, like go to work and pay bills, but fun things or maybe something I am curious about or for no particular reason why, just want to!  ;-) 

If you are curious about my other lists of Twenty Wishes, click on each link below!

2014 - One Year, Twenty Wishes 

2013 - One Year, Twenty Wishes

2015?  Here they are: 


1.  Memorize Psalm 91


2.  Memorize two poems


3.  Read 26 books and post reviews


4.  Using my book, The Little Black Dress, sew at least one version of all 10 patterns


5.  Conquer Rope Climbs


6.  String together 5 strict pull ups


7.  Consistently string together 10 wall balls that could pass muster in competition


8.  Splits - All 3 ways


9.  String together 10 double unders


10.  Increase my herb collection


11.  Increase my asclepias collection


12.  Create 3 new butterfly puddles


13.  Attend 6 Herb Society and / or Garden Club Meetings


14.  Tour 3 public gardens


15.  Harvest something edible from either the green house or garden 10 months of the year


16.  Attend concerts


17.  Celebrate 29 years of marriage


18.  Sew a quilt for each of the Grand Ones.


19.  Pay It Forward somehow quarterly - at least 4 times this year.


20.  Begin a REAL Savings Plan





Have you set any goals for the year?   What do you want to do?


;-)  -Marci

LINK PARTY!! Tuesdays with a Twist #93

Welcome to Tuesdays with a Twist!

We're your co-hosts:

Mary @ Back to the Basics

 Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

 Debra @ Ms Smoozy's

Deb @ Kneaded Creations

Carole @ Garden Up Green

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured.  Be sure to check all of our blogs!

 
 Y'all make choosing features so difficult!  There were GOBS of great links last week!  Thank you!  My feature... 


(drum roll please) 


This time of year, it can feel like Summer is far away.  Starting Seeds Inside

as From My Carolina Home tells us could certainly help pass some time during Winter!

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

We all love comments!  Please hop around and show some love!

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!

;-)  -Marci 

Book Review: Twenty Wishes

by Debbie Macomber

Source

A partial synopsis from Good Reads:  Anne Marie Roche wants to find happiness again. At 38 her life s not what she d expected--she s childless, a recent widow, alone. She owns a successful bookstore on Seattle s Blossom Street, but despite her accomplishments, there s a feeling of emptiness.  On Valentine s Day, Anne Marie and several other widows get together to celebrate...what? Hope, possibility, the future. They each begin a list of twenty wishes, things they always wanted to do but never did.

My thoughts:  If you've been following my humble little blog for long, you might remember I've created a list of Twenty Wishes, not once, but twice!  It's not about what you SHOULD do or HAVE to do, it's a list of things you WANT to do.  So, yeah!  After doing all that with monthly updates and such, I figured I should read the book!  ;-)

The story begins with a group of friends who are somewhat sad.   Each woman is feeling alone and a bit lost.  They decide to celebrate Valentine's Day together with champagne, chocolate and bubble wrap.  Never underestimate the power of a group of girlfriends with a sense of humor!  ;-)  The lists of Twenty Wishes begin, some more quickly than others.  As the ladies focus on their newfound goals and supporting each other, serendipitous events start to occur.  There were moments this book made me laugh.  In one chapter, I used about seven tissues as I cried along with Anne Marie and Melissa.  What an inspiring story about moving forward to the next chapter of our lives!

If you are curious about my lists of Twenty Wishes, click on either link below!

2014 - One Year, Twenty Wishes 

2013 - One Year, Twenty Wishes

I've already begun my list for 2015!  Are there any books that have changed your approach to life?

;-)  -Marci


BLOG HOP! The Great Blog Train

 My Handsome Husband will be smoking tenderloin.

just like he did for This Fundraiser

There will also be:  Sugar Free Cole Slaw and lovely Sprouted Bread.

Grab your meal, take a seat and enjoy the train ride!
________________________

Thank you for visiting the Dining Car - now onto the regular Blog Hop & Giveaway:

Tweet #GreatBlogTrain

All Aboard!!!

The Great Blog Train

A monthly blog hop departing from your online train station on the first Wednesday of every month!

<a href="http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/p/great-blog-train.html" rel="”nofollow”" target="_blank"><img alt=" Great Blog Train" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o501/AngieOuelletteTower/My%20Blog%20Stuff/BlogTrainNewest300_zpse83d52e1.jpg" /></a>

The Great Blog Train has 7 Engineers

plus a "Destination Co-host"!!

If you link up that means your blog will be seen on 8 different blogs!!!

Please meet our Destination Co-host:

Antonia from "Crazy Tourists Blogging"

This month we will be travelling to ATHENS, GREECE

Also, remember to visit the DINING CAR on one of the Engineer's blogs!

If you are interested in being a Co-host for the Great Blog Train then please click HERE and fill out the form (THANK YOU!!)

_________________________________

The Great Blog Train's Great Giveaway!!!

1 Lucky winner will win the following:

- $15 Paypal Cash

- 1 Sidebar Ad Space on God's Growing Garden $10 value

- "My Cookie Creation Countdown" ebook - cookie recipes for every season -  $3 value



a Rafflecopter giveaway

________________________________________________________________________ 

<a href="http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/search/label/Train/" target="_blank"><img alt="God’s Growing Garden" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjup9zG7u9F5UaGXY6_WYS6QRg4vdP7fyzmHRk5lVbc9b3i_p03yqD1v1Bsgb-Qhe-QTJ6M5ig9FIa8Ew1RXIm_Bfi0AdH3R5IxqzXcmdjN18KXyHXeue5yPylAnUP80PoOh09ACfpHXXSG/s1600/BlogTrainFinal+featured+caboose.png"/></a>

Remember to join the fun even if you are running a little late.  The last entry will receive the Caboose Feature! 

December's Caboose and featured blog happens to be:

"HeARTworks" Congratulations!
Patsy is so creative and her wonderful blog will inspire you!  Also, checkout her blog about her prison ministry: Hebrews 13:3 .  This is how she describes herself, her blog & her artwork:

"Greetings from the Philippines! My name is Patsy and I've been married for 19 years to a man with a good heart. We have one son who is as funny as his dad. I have been working in our family business,papemelroti, since I was 11. When I get home from work, I stay in my craft room and make collages, scrapbook layouts, ATCs, and think of ways to re-use things normal people would throw away. "

______________________________________________________________________ 

Linking up to the Train is as easy as

1, 2, 3!

After the Great Blog Train has arrived to it's destination we will be featuring 3 boxcars with the most "clicks".  By linking up you agree to allow us to promote your blog through Twitter, Google+ & Pinterest

Sign up to receive emails about The Great Blog Train

LINK PARTY! Tuesdays with a Twist #92

Welcome to Tuesdays with a Twist!

We're your co-hosts:

Mary @ Back to the Basics

 Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

Angie @ God's Growing Garden

 Debra @ Ms Smoozy's

Deb @ Kneaded Creations

Carole @ Garden Up Green

Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured.  Be sure to check all of our blogs!

 
 Y'all make choosing features so difficult!  There were GOBS of great links last week!  Thank you!  My feature... 


(drum roll please) 


This time of year, it can feel like there isn't enough lotion in the W H O L E world, unless you are making your own!  This recipe for Super Easy Homemade Lotion Bars

from Frugal Mama and The Sprout could certainly help anyone dealing with dry skin in Winter!

If you've been featured we'd love for you to grab a button.

We all love comments!  Please hop around and show some love!

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features. 

And now for the party!

;-)  -Marci 

2015 Word of the Year

B U I L D

verb (used with object), built or (Archaic) builded; building.

1.

to construct (especially something complex) by assembling and joining parts or materials:

to build a house.

2.

to establish, increase, or strengthen (often followed by up):

to build a business; to build up one's hopes.

3.

to mold, form, or create:

to build boys into men.

4.

to base; found:

a relationship built on trust.

;-)  -Marci

Book Review: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

by Jamie Ford

Partial synopsis from Good Reads:  In the opening pages of Jamie Ford's stunning debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes upon a crowd gathered outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle's Japantown. It has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made an incredible discovery: the belongings of Japanese families, left when they were rounded up and sent to internment camps during World War II. As Henry looks on, the owner opens a Japanese parasol.

This simple act takes old Henry Lee back to the 1940s, at the height of the war, when young Henry's world is a jumble of confusion and excitement, and to his father, who is obsessed with the war in China and having Henry grow up American.  Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an extraordinary story of commitment and enduring hope. In Henry and Keiko, Jamie Ford has created an unforgettable duo whose story teaches us of the power of forgiveness and the human heart.

My Thoughts:  What a wonderful book!  The author is writing with two time lines.  One is Henry's current, adult life showcasing his struggles of communicating with his son and recently losing his wife to cancer.  The other thread of time Henry is 12 years old.  His circumstances are filled with prejudice and segregation during WWII Seattle, as he is the only Asian child attending an exclusive all white school.

Amid these struggles, Henry finds friendship, kindness and, yes, even love.  Sometimes these are found in the harshest and most surprising place.

My favorite line from the book:  “He'd learned long ago: perfection isn't what families are all about."

What are you reading?

;-)  -Marci