Virginia's Vodka Christmas Cake Recipe

Well, okay, it's a bit early yet but I am here (along with my mother's help) to make your Christmas season an absolute enjoyment, so without adieu, I give you Virginia's Vodka Christmas Cake Recipe.  Enjoy your holiday season! 

Once again this year, I’ve had requests for my Vodka Christmas Cake recipe so here goes. Please keep a copy in your files as I am beginning to get tired of typing this up every year! (Made mine this morning!!!!) ~Virginia

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup water

1 tsp. salt

1 cup brown sugar

Lemon juice

4 large eggs

Nuts

1 bottle Vodka

2 cups dried fruit

Sample a cup of Vodka to check quality. Take a large bowl, check the Vodka again to be sure it is of the highest quality then Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. 

At this point, it is best to make sure the Vodka is still OK. Try another cup just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eegs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the fruit up off the floor, wash it and put it in the bowl a piece at a time trying to count it. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit getas stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver. 

Sample the Vodka to test for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something. Check the Vodka. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. 

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. 

Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the Vodka and wipe the counter with the cat.

Obviously this recipe is in jest, Please do not follow the directions and do not drive a mixer or anything else when you try this recipe!  

Happy early Thanksgiving!

*hugz n blessingz*

~Elizabeth~

Dating Again

Yup, you read it right, I am dating again.  It has been about 7 years since I have been on a date but I had one on Saturday night...with HUBBY!  We have been through so many ups and downs, ins and outs that we have not taken time for our relationship lately so we made plans and had a date.  Let me tell you about it!

We made reservations at Leitersburg Cinemas in Hagerstown, Maryland a couple of weeks before.  The special thing about this cinema is that they have what they call, "Dinner and a Movie" where you go online (click the link above) and when you arrive there you will see the following text:

What is Dinner and a Movie?

"Our take on the classic concept combines the pleasure of dining out with the entertainment of a night at the movies. Dinner and a Movie is offered in our two VIP theaters during select showtimes each week. Schedules are announced on Tuesday of each week.

Upon check-in, guests are escorted to the south lobby to enjoy a popcorn appetizer and wait to be seated in the theater. Dinner will be served at your seat just before the movie begins. At the conclusion of dinner, an attendant will be available to collect your dishes and serve coffee, soda and dessert. Put your feet up and enjoy the show!

Prices range from $20-$30 per person depending on the menu. Seating is limited and advance online ordering is required by 10:00 AM the day of the event."

Following that you will see:

"What's Included?

·         A movie ticket to one of our special VIP rooms with luxury leather recliners - each equipped with its own table and cup holder

·         Popcorn appetizer

·         Drinks (soda or water)

·         Main dinner course

·         Dessert

·         Coffee

Reservations

For tickets, please visit our website. ADVANCED ONLINE ORDERING IS REQUIRED by 10:00 AM the day of the event!"

Did you read that?  You get your movie ticket, popcorn and soda (or water), your main course, dessert and coffee if you like.  Yup, you read it right!  You will even get to sit in luxury in this recliner with cup holder and tray.  They even ask you if you would like a blanket to keep you warm since theaters get a little frigid at times.  Isn't that awesome?!

Well, go on, click the "order" button if you want a night out with your special someone.  You get to choose your seating as well as your meal.  Usually there are three meals to choose from.  

I can tell you that I had the most wonderful time in years.  I thought I was in heaven when they brought my dinner, coffee and dessert to me all while I was snuggled up with hubby sitting right next to me.  *smile*  

Here is there contact info if you want to try it for yourself.  Have a great time and don't forget to call the babysitter early!

Times They Are A Changin'

Hello there!  I am sure everyone has noticed that I have been away for awhile and you have been kind enough not to give me grief for not following up on my blog.  Well now, I just want to let you know that I appreciate it and let you know what has been happening.  I have been oh, so busy with my business and friends popping in from round the world and also from here in the states that I just haven't had time to catch up on things recently. 



First of all, Cecile and Marcel stopped here in Maryland for a couple of days, picked me up and we all went and met my business partner, Lacy, in Pigeon Forge, TN for a week.  We had one heck of a week going here and there, seeing the western portion of Tennessee, seeing and experiencing everything.  It was so wonderful.  Cecile and Marcel returned to Maryland with me and stayed for another couple of weeks, all the while, Lacy, came to visit us all here.  It was a blast!   

The first day that we were all here together, Lace, Jeff and Connor entered a fishing tournament on the old Fort Ritchie base.  They fished all day and we ended u p having a fish fry that night with everyone and also had our friend Jim over.  It was so much fun.  The weather was perfect and the Fort Ritchie Community Center ended up putting some funds in their coffers due to the tournament.  It was a win/win situation.  They left the next day and Lace stayed a bit longer as we worked on a couple of projects here (as you can see below).  Sometimes he EVEN acts his age! *maybe not* lol 

Next in line was myself joining a store here in Hagerstown, Maryland that sells crafts and vintage items.  It is called "Spare Thyme" and is owned by two sisters, Jamie and Jennifer and they are just adorable.  Most of the folks in the shop create primitive items but I do only a bit of prim type things, mostly shabby chic though.  It is good to belong to a group again.  I have been doing things here and there but nothing on a routine basis since we lived in Belgium and I sold in Grandma's Attic.  I am now going through my inventory and slowly moving it over to Spare Thyme and beginning to create new things.  In general...having fun again!  My partner brought me a whole bunch of supplies when he came an I have been playing since.  


Well, there you go, my crazy life in a nutshell.  Thank you so much for being patient with me.  I do hope that you check back in soon.  If you would like to visit Spare Thyme, they are located in Hagerstown at 562 D Northern Avenue.  They are closed Wednesday and Sunday.  If you stop by, tell them that Elizabeth sent you!  

*hugz n blessingz*

Elizabeth

Come and Join in on the Fun!!!

(steps up on my soapbox)

HEAR YE-HEAR YE!! ANNOUNCING THE NOSTALGIC DREAMS HALF HOUR OF VINTAGE SHARING!!

Each night, Monday through Thursday at 8 p.m. EST, I will be sharing some of my vintage finds and also some of my creations via my Nostalgic Dreams Facebook page so that you can purchase them for yourself or as a gift for someone.  

Items shown will be available for purchase and afterwards will be available for pick-up anytime from my home, meeting either Friday or Saturday each week or I can poste them to you via USPS or UPS. Other arrangements may be undertaken but must be stated at time of purchase.  It will be fun and laid back and I will have quizzes and give-aways occasionally as well so come and join in the fun!!  

There is no need to register for anything and we take all major credit cards and accept Paypal as well for your purchases.

Thanks ever so much for listening to me while I am up on my soap box and please, share with your friends, the more the merrier!!!

*hugz n blessings*

~Elizabeth~

P.S. If you need to contact me, please call: 717-816-5699 or email admin@nostalgicdreams.com!

Pinterest

I don't know about you but I have found a wonderful site that provides inspiration of all aspects by the name of Pinterest.  Pinterest is a site where you create a personal area which you create "boards" on, in order to "pin" items to them both from the Pinterest site itself AND from the internet.  It doesn't take rocket science to use and will provide HOURS of entertainment IF you let it.  I know this from experience.  lol  

My username on Pinterest is NostalgicDream1 and you are more than welcome to "follow" my pins when you create your own boards.  The way that it works is:  You contact Pinterest and tell them that you would like an account and they will in turn contact you with log-in information so that you can create your own Pinterest account.  After this is done, they provide you with a little bit of information that you can "pin" or move to your bar just below the page url and then all you do when you are out browsing is click that button and it will provide all the photos on the page for you where you "pin" it to the desired "board" you have created.  I have several boards, "Words of Wisdom" that I put sayings onto, "Nummies" is where I put all my recipes that I find and want to keep track of on the net, "My Style" is where I put anything that sends me over the top and really speaks to me.  I also have one for "Art", one for "General DIY" and so on, you get the idea.  

I have added the links to my categories should you like to go check things out before you jump in with both feet.  I hope you enjoy the different tastes and sites from all over our universe that are included there.  

*hugz n blessings*

Elizabeth

True Love

I have decided to share my favorite chapter in The Bible with you for my Valentine's Gift to you.  This is my favorite because I believe this is how My Heavenly Father loves me.  He is all this and more to me. 

*hugz n blessings*

Elizabeth

1 Corinthians 13

1 If I speak human or angelic languages but do not have love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.

3 And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited,

5 does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs.

6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.

7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for languages, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end.

11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things.

12 For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.

13 Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

Sweetheart Pillow

Okay, I promised you I would be back on the bandwagon this week and here I am!  I spent some time letting my soul sing in my craft room yesterday; it is something that I haven't done in a bit but when I get an idea and the mind to do it, I set out on my quest.  Ask my husband...my quests are a tad dangerous at times but most times they are fun and pay off.  I thought I would give you an early Valentine's Day gift in the way of instructions so that you might make one for YOUR honey too!  I did not make a tutorial per say, but I am giving you the instructions AND the wording so you can just print it off on your printer and be on your merry way.  I used Word Perfect to create the lettering.  I LOVE WP for it's abilities, it is so much more "user friendly" than Word but hey, they both have their good points.  Here we go!

For this project you will need:

2 pieces of linen or your favorite fabric.  I cut mine 13" x 13", however, you may want yours bigger.  

1- 3" square of your favorite fabric (for the heart)

At least 12 inches of 1" satin ribbon.  Again, use your favorite that will coordinate with your heart.

Thread to match your linen

Thread to match your fabric for applique

Thread to match your ribbon (it is sewed on, not glued)

Iron with cotton setting

Ironing board

Polyfil

Pillow case or pressing cloth

3" square of Wonder Under

1 sheet of Print and Press (you can find at Walmart, JoAnn's, etc- OR you could use CitraSolv to create your lettering, however, you would need to turn your wording around before you printed it off.)

1 3-4" Skeleton key

1 sewing machine

1 needle

Scissors

Lettering jpg and heart jpg- printed to desired size

 

Okay, let's get started.  

Cut two 13" x 13" squares for your pillow.  You may want them larger, depending on the size of pillow that you desire.  Next you will want to iron your 3" square of wonder under onto the back of the fabric that you will use for your heart.  Now print off the lettering to a piece of "print n press", ensuring that you print on the side of the paper that has NO LINE on it.  Follow the manufacturer's directions on ironing on the transfer- onto your fabric, ensuring that you use a pressing cloth so that you don't get "hot spots".  After you have ironed on the first transfer, go ahead and place the heart where you want it then peel off the backing of the Wonder Under and press in place BUT!!!! make sure you use the print and press paper on top of it so that if you have some of the "transfer area" under your heart, it will not come off onto your iron and ruin your design.  

After you have finished the ironing, you will need to applique your heart to your linen.  I find it easier to use my zig zag stitch and open the stitching so that I can just push it around the heart.  You may want to practice a few times on another piece of fabric to get the hang of it, or even just use embroidery thread and button hole stitch it to the fabric.  It will not look as elegant but instead have a more prim feeling to it.  When this is done, pin if necessary, and sew together the two piece of linen leaving at least a 4" space opening so you can stuff the pillow without having to bunch it up too much- also round the edges if you can, it seems to look better.  You don't want to have to re-iron the applique again.  Turn and stuff, stitch up the opening with thread matching the linen.

Now to the key area.  You will need to have at least 12 inches of ribbon to create your bow.  You may want to double the ribbon as i have.  Tie the ribbon onto the key-add a dab of tacky glue in there so your ribbon won't slide around too much.  After this is done proceed to attaching the key area to the linen where you want it to be placed, tack it down very well- you may even want to tack the shaft of the key down but I chose not to do so.  

And you are done!  This is my early Valentine's Day gift to you.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did creating it.  Please let me know what you think of the instructions and if you have questions, please use the comment form below and ask!  That is why I am here!

If you would like one of these made for you, just let me know.  The keys are from Europe (I have quite a few) and it will be $35 with free shipping in the Continental US and free delivery within 25 miles of Cascade, Maryland.

*hugz and blessings*

Elizabeth

FRCC Christmas Bazaar 2011

I just had the best time in the world today.  It has been years since I have participated in a Christmas bazaar, they have always seemed very special and this year...it was no different.  I got to meet and greet and make new friends.  I LOVE that part.  I also love when folks tell me what they like about the creations that I have gathered to sell for the day.  Fort Ritchie is not far from home, about 6 blocks to be honest, and I have found a gem in the staff, the location, and the friends that I have made from there.  Here are a few pics of the event.  If you notice, there is a camera set up in a couple of the pics- well...I was actually put on tv!  WHAG was looking for someone who used "recycled" items to create their crafts and I told them that is just about all I use to make my creations.  I take something old and turn it into something new again so they did an entire segment on my crafts.  Yippee!  I was so nervous and yes, you can hear my Okie accent just ring out every now and then.  (I honestly DO try to hide it but when I get nervous, well...)  Okay, so here are the pics I promised.  I hope you enjoy.  Please try to come out for the Spring bazaar next year if you can.  I was told it is to be held the last of March.

Hubby helping but working

Ananda doing her presentation of my stuff

My booth

Some of the other vendors

Ananda setting up the shoot

FRCC Smiling Staff

My WHAG Interview Today-Click Here And Watch!

I did it, I did it! Actually, WE did it!

Well, here ya go, here are a few pics of my booth at the Women's Club of Hagerstown's Fall Fest Bazaar.  I thought I would share a few of them with you so you could see a little more of what I do.  I made quite a few contacts and a few new friends!  The bazaar was originally slated to be held on the 29th of October but we had a freak snowstorm and EVERYTHING was closed so it was postponed until the next day.  I didn't know if we would even be able to get out of our driveway much LESS off of the mountain with 13+ inches of snow here but we actually did it.  You notice I keep using the word WE a lot I hope.  Well, hubby was gracious enough to go with me on Sunday to help out.  I couldn't do it without him or Lacy; both are my business partners in a way.  Jeff and I have known each other for 29 years next week-he proposed to me in basic training- and he has put up with all of my ideas and schemes, all to which I am so very happy to have been able to share with him.  Lacy is my "silent" business partner who lives in Tennessee and he helps me out to no end with ideas, positive thoughts, a few things for the shop, etc.  I don't know what I would do without him either.  I am so grateful.  

Just thought I would share my dreams with you as they become a reality.   

Oh, btw, I have a new friend and her name is Debbie, I met her and her husband, Rick on Sunday.  They are so adorable.  Rick is the brawn behind Debbie's brains and he creates silver brooches, pins, bookmarks, key fobs, etc!  They just began not long ago and I hope that Debbie sends me a pic so I can share her items with you as well.  She is the actually the one who took these wonderful photos.  What a gem.  You know...I think this is why God put us all here, so that we can get to know and fellowship with one another, in different forms and fashions.  Thanks for stopping by today.

*hugz n blessings*

Elizabeth

I'm Excited!

I was just accepted to my first juried show here in Maryland.  I have not done a craft show, except for one, since I lived in Belgium and to be honest, I have been scared to death to even jump into the craft show circuit here in the United States.  It is hard to believe that it has been 10 years since I have done my first Christmas show and I have amended what I do quite a bit, but I did quite well back in Europe.  The name of the show is "Christmas Thyme at Sycamore Heights Craft Show and it will be located at 20703 Jefferson Blvd. in Hagerstown, Maryland and is being put on by a wonderful lady by the name of Carrie Beck.  There is a Facebook link that you can follow to update https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=228947033823759 to get more information and also to let Carrie know that you are coming!  I will be putting out some of my gift baskets, my painted items, some of my sewn items and lots more so please come out and show some support.  I can't thank everyone enough for helping me to get my business started!

*hugz n blessings*

Elizabeth