Pennies

I normally don't participate in the whole spamming game where you send email to everyone you know, but  I got this email today... It is not mine so it may or may not be true but it struck me... and I like it... and I needed it at the time... so I am going to share it with you today

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.


Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live... The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely~!

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband; He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment..

Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.

He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value..

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says." She read the words "United States of America."

"No, not that; read further."

"One cent?" "No, keep reading.."

"In God we Trust?" "Yes!" "And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin.

Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment... I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Fortunate for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient.

I was featured!!!

I am so Excited!!!



My clown box was featured on The Blackberry Vine, Pretty Packages Party!!! stop by and check out the site...

Rose Accessory

I combined several ideas of the fabric flower making craze to come up with my own.  I think it is stunning... I had one other opinion of my 5 year old who thought it was big... OK, maybe it is but I still like it.

~Sherry

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Great Minds Think Alike - Valentines

I made a trip to the Dollar tree the other day thinking that I would make a Valentines Day craft.  I picked up a few things.. I put making it off a few days and before I could get it finished one of my best friends texted me a picture of what she had made. 

Here is what Susan Made! How cute is it?  I think it turned out much better than mine.

Here is what I came up with... I think I will probably go back and make one like hers...

Thank you for sharing Susan!! Happy Valentines Day!

Clown Box

I took the Chinese Take-Out box snowman idea and adapted it into a birthday clown.  We are going to use it to give a gift card.  What do you think?  I will post a tutorial if anyone is interested.

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Sherry

A Few of My Favorite Things

Each Christmas in my family we try to make each other gifts.  It has become a very special tradition.  It takes a little more thought and effort to make a gift but it ends up being so much more meaningful.  I want to share with you several handmade items from this past Christmas.

This is Savannah's reindeer that we made for Dad to hang at the shop.

This is a necklace I made for my Mom.  She loves buttons.

My Mom made me a fairy pouch that held my gift.  It's hard to see all the details.  It is pieced together with several different fabrics.  One has a picture of Savannah.  There are several different trims and even some hand embroidery.  Beads and ribbon handles finish it off.

Here Savannah and I received matching necklace pendants from Debbie. They have a picture of us on them. Savannah thinks it is so cool to wear a necklace like Mom...Go check out Debbie's blog here debbie-idodesigns.blogspot.com.  She helped me through some really hard times in 2010. ( Debbie, Friends are family that we choose for ourselves...  you are family.. Thanks for everything ...)

Last but not least is a dishtowel that my 84 year old grandmother made for me with hand embroidery on it.  

Until the next post..

Sherry





Coconut Cake A True Southern Creation

First, let me admit that I have NEVER made coconut cake...  I don't even like coconut cake.. but... I got roped into making one...

This Christmas season I had to go out and buy a candy thermometer.  I've never made candy or cooked anything that was so complicated as to need a thermometer.  I purchased it so I could make the homemade marshmallows that were posted on all sorts of blogs. By the way homemade marshmallows are to die for.. if anyone is interested I will post about those.. I actually combined several recipes that I found online to come up with the marshmallows that I made.

Anyway back to the cake....  Little did I know I would also need a thermometer to make the icing for this cake.  I had never heard of boiled icing but WOW! I love that stuff now.. I have got to find something besides coconut cake that put this icing on..or maybe I will just eat it out of the bowl..

So here it is... I know my last post said I wouldn't post about snowmen.. Ha Ha! I didn't say it wouldn't look like snow. its not really crooked I think it just has a glob of coconut onthe side that makes it look that way.

The recipe that I used is below.  It came from Southern Living Christmas book but it can also be found here Food.com Coconut Cake... Let me note that I changed just a few things.  1) Walmart had no fresh coconuts.. so I bought  a bag of shredded coconut to use.. 2) without a fresh coconut it is hard to get the coconut milk from a fresh coconut and I couldn't seem to find any of that in a can either... So, I cheated... When it calls for you to take a 1/4 cup of fresh coconut milk add 2 tablespoons of sugarand microwave... I Made up a simple syrup 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water boiled I let that cool and added 1 -2 teaspoons of coconut flavoring and brushed it on the layers. Yeah, I know its probably not the same but it gave it the coconut flavor..

I was told that it was the best coconut cake ever!!!!

Here is the original recipe

For the Cake


1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup fresh coconut milk

2 -3 cups fresh coconut, shredded





For the Frosting

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

4 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 large marshmallows, cut into pieces



1 Remove liquid from coconut and reserve.

2 Remove the"meat" of the coconut and shred.

3 Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 2 cups of sugar, beating well.

4 Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

5 Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending

with flour mixture.

6 Beat at low speed until blended after each addition.

7 Stir in flavorings and pour into 3 greased and floured 9" round cake pans.

8 Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

9 Cool in pans on wire racks.

10 Make frosting: Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan.

11 cook over medium heat stirring, constantly until mixture is clear.

12 Cook without stirring until syrup reaches the soft-ball stage or a candy thermometer reaches 240°F.

13 while syrup cooks beat egg whites at low speed with an electric mixer until foamy.

14 Add cream of tartar and salt; beat at medium speed until soft peaks form.

15 Increase to high speed and add hot syrup in a heavy stream.

16 Add marshmallows, a few pieces at a time.

17 Beat until stiff peaks form and frosting is thick enough to spread.

18 Combine 2 tbsp sugar and coconut milk.

19 Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir until sugar dissolves.

20 Brush one cake layer with half of the coconut milk"syrup" leaving 1/2" margin around the edges.

21 Spread with 1/2 cup boiled frosting and sprinkle with1/2 cup of shredded coconut-- repeat with each layer.

22 Top with remaining cake layer.

23 Spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining coconut.

24 Cover and chill.

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