Pumpkin Butter

I love baking and canning. I do it all year long but when Fall gets here, i feel i am in my element! Over the next few weeks, i'll share with you some of my favorite "Fall" recipes as well as some really cute gift basket ideas. Today, I'm sharing with you my pumpkin butter recipe.

* Before you start, wash all your jars and lids and place them on a jellyroll pan. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. When your oven is 250, go ahead and put them in the oven to sterilize. They will be sterilized by the time your butter is done cooking, 30 min. Sterilizing them in the oven is my new favorite way to can. This way you don't have to have a giant pot of boiling water, no mess and no fuss. 

 Pumpkin Butter


30oz can of Pureed pumpkin
1 1/2c sugar ( i always mix white and brown sugar)
3/4 c. Apple Cider (acts as pectin)
2 t. Ground cinnamon
2 t. Allspice
2 T. Maple syrup
1 t. vanilla

* Whisk together all ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 30 min.
After 30 min is up, pour butter into a 4 cup liquid measuring cup or whatever you want to use for pouring. Remove jellyroll pan from oven and fill each jar 3/4 full. Screw lids on until snug and put back into the oven for 15 more minutes. Place jars on a drying rack until cool. They will seal as they cool.

Homemade Peppermint Oil

Good Afternoon!
I was looking for something to make with all the peppermint in my garden today and then i found this recipe. I hope you enjoy making it as much as i did. It's super easy and quick and would be a fun thing to do with your kids.

Here's some info for you on peppermint oil: http://allthingsonatural.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-whats-rave-about-peppermint-oil.html

Have a GREAT day!

love,
Erin

Yellow Bird

Hello friends!!

I have been super busy this past week. My etsy shop is finally up! I have been taking pictures and posting several things every day. Its hard work! The good news is that i sold 5 things and was in 2 treasury's on my first day! That's pretty good, i think.

Besides my etsy shop coming together beautifully, i've also been hired by a friend to make Christmas presents for her family. She's bringing several vintage handkerchiefs belonging to her husbands mother who passed away recently. I'm making pillows for a few people in her family out of the handkerchiefs. What a precious gift, right? I have a feeling i'll be doing more work like this for people in the future.

I have been incredibly blessed by an AMAZING God who has given me the talent and drive to pursue what i love: creating and giving! I'm also blessed by a support group of family and friends who have bought from me and lifted me up with encouraging words. Thank you to everyone!!

Life is so beautiful with you in it!
Thanks everyone:)

Erin

If you haven't stopped by my shop here it is. This weekend only, use this code to receive FREE shipping: ERINSFRIEND

http://www.etsy.com/shop/YellowBirdGifts?ref=pr_shop

Pink Holidaze. Giveaway!!

Hello everyone!

Go on over to my pal, Colleen's blog and check out what she's up to! She is giving away some Chewbeads, which are super cute necklaces that double as teethers:)  Go on over to Pink Holidaze. and check out the rules for the giveaway. While you're there, look around! Her blog is adorable and inspiring!

http://colleenkemp.blogspot.com/

Watch out Etsy, here i come!

So, it turns out i'm not so good at blogging. I was afraid that would happen! oops:)

On a good note though, my etsy shop is getting very, very close to opening! It's going to be called Yellow Bird Gifts. Jeremy is designing the logo with a vintage yellow bird in mind. I'm getting really excited! I have been thinking and praying about how I could continue being a stay at home mom while bringing money in to help out. At the same time, this is going to be a wonderful outlet for me to be creative and artistic. I'm going to open the shop with mostly vintage items: books, baby clothes, kitchen and house stuff. That will get me in the door while i start making things: small-medium pillows, aprons( regular sized and little girl sized) and of course i will embroider on both of those things as well as create embroidered wall hangings. I'm even working on making stuff for a play kitchen: felt cupcakes, cookies and maybe even cake stands! Another idea I have is to team up with Jeremy on having him design some embroidery patterns as well as fake vintage food labels (for play kitchen) that people can print off directly from their computer onto either transfer paper (embroidery) or sticker paper for the labels. The whole shop is basically about bringing beautiful, fun and unique things into people's homes. I'm also reaching for an audience of women who have little girls since I can relate to wanting adorable things for Eliza. I'd much rather her have a cute little vintage kitchen set and have felt food for her tea party than a plastic fisher price one with weird plastic food parts! The exciting part for me is that once i get my stuff together and put it on etsy, is totally out of my hands! I will do my part and then see where God is going to take it. Do you guys have any other ideas of what you think women may be looking for when it comes to unique, vintage-inspired gifts?

Update!

Island will be painted white. See the supports for the countertop
of island? We want to put those same supports under
 the top countertops at both ends. You'll see what i mean
when we're finished. Eliza makes this picture!

We will be getting retro looking barstools when we find
the perfect pair. That space to the right of the dishwasher will
have a fabric skirt. I still have to find out what curtains would
look best.  I did buy white pom pom's for them though!
I'm thinking gray with white polka dots. What do you think?

New Sink

Love our new countertops

Will be mounted on wall next to pink metal cabinet.
Cookbooks will be on top, hooks on bottom for teacups.
Inside back panel will be painted pink.

My mother in law made this apron
from my Granny's tablecloth.
I added lace to bottom, pockets and top.
I LOVE this apron!

Last night, i embroidered this deer and made this pillow
from vintage fabric for a friend's birthday.
My first attempt at a pillow and i love
how it turned out!

My Kitchen

Since we are debt free we have decided to use our tax return to remodel our kitchen. We're going for a 50's meets Anthropologie look. Since we're on a budget, i can't really do everything i want but this is a good start for now. In the future, i'd love to add a beautiful white Smeg refrigerator!

We have painted the walls a pale pink and pale gray, painted the brick backsplash white, added a dishwasher, island and a 50's stove. We get our new dark gray countertops in today. It's going to look great when we're done but it will still be a month or so for it to be completed. I will show before/after pics when we're finished. For now, i'd like to show you a few of my favorite things in my kitchen.

Great Grandma's Pig S & P shakers, sugar jar

Beautiful stove, tea kettle, bambi cookie jar, butter dish

canister set w/ matching bread box (not seen)

Pink metal cabinet!

Eliza's embroidered  apron (did not make)

those roosters were in my granny's kitchen and always remind me of her:)
We are replacing this sink with a white acrylic/ chrome faucet.